A/N: Medical jargon is not my forte, so please be understanding. This story was not Betaed, all mistakes are my own.
Possible Ending Number 2 of: When It Rains It Pours
A clanging noise an hour or so later brought the five wall huggers up to their feet. Running down the hall pushing an empty gurney were two nurses. The nurses and the gurney entered the Colonel's room without any pause or acknowledgment of their presence. The door swishing shut behind them. The five looked on in awe not knowing what was happening inside.
The door opened again, "Major, Ronon could you give us a hand in getting the Colonel on the gurney please." Carson said swiftly.
Ronon and Major Lorne entered the room to help the doctor. Elizabeth, Teyla and Rodney stood in the doorway and watched as the three men and two nurses lifted the Colonel onto the waiting gurney. The three were almost run over by the fast moving gurney. Carson was barking out orders as they swiftly moved down the hall towards the infirmary. Closely followed by five worried souls.
Entering the infirmary Carson continued his list of orders. "I want a chest x-ray, CBC and arterial blood gases. I also was a culture of the Colonel's sputum. Alright now, gently…let's get him comfortable. Mary would ya raise the head of the bed up? That should help alleviate some of the stress on his lungs. Doris, get the warming blanket please luv. Okay let's get that blood sample and tell the lab to rush it."
Mary got the blood sample and rushed it off to the lab. Doris put the warming blanket on and replaced the nasal cannula with an oxygen mask. Taking a new set of vitals and reporting them out loud to Dr. Beckett.
The Colonel became aware enough that he knew he was no longer in his bed or his room for that matter. The distinct smell of disinfectants was a major clue-in as were the subtle beeps off to his left. But there was something else that was bothering him. He was aware of the IV and the presence of the catheter, but still something else. He finally managed to open his eyes to take in his surroundings. There, he spotted it hanging from the IV stand he had an NG tube feeding him God only knew what.
His hand came up to his face to take the mask away but another hand stopped it before he could reach it. "You leave that alone. You need both the oxygen and the nutrients." Carson quietly informed his patient.
"Hrrtts…" John tried to say. The oxygen mask was pushing against the NG tube and it was uncomfortable to say the least.
"You have pneumonia Colonel. You're going to be my guest for a while now go back to sleep, rest is what you need right now."
John let his eyes close and went back to sleep as he was told.
Three days later John woke again. He opened his eyes but everything in his field of vision was blurry no matter how much he blinked or rubbed his eyes. The oxygen mask was gone but he still had the NG tube, IV and catheter. He just couldn't understand why his vision was so wonky.
Carson came to check on his number one patient and found his eyes open but worried. "Are you with us Colonel? You've been in and out, well mostly out for three days now."
John turned his head toward the Scottish brogue. "I think so. But I can't seem to focus everything is blurry Doc." He admitted. For a pilot you need 20/20 vision and right now blurry was scary.
"Your eyes are fine Colonel. I have you in an oxygen tent. You were struggling with us to remove the oxygen mask. I thought using an oxygen tent would be better than putting you in restraints. If you keep improving we should be able to remove the tent in four or five days. Your lungs are sounding better everyday. Does your chest still hurt when you breathe in?"
John took a tentative breath inward and found that his chest did not feel like an elephant was sitting on it much like it had before. "No it seems fine. How long have I been here?"
"Five days so far, working on six. Do you feel up to some company? Your team has been under foot. I finally chased them out last night so if you think you could stay awake long enough I could contact them for you." Carson offered knowing how close the Colonel was to his team and vice versa.
"If it's okay with you, maybe later." John replied through a yawn.
"Alright lad, later. Get some rest it's the best thing for ya right now."
And so the Colonel did…rest.
"…is he going to wake up? I thought you said he was more lucid today." Rodney harped to no one in particular. He, Teyla, Ronon and Elizabeth all stood looking between the sleeping man and the tired doctor.
"Hush Rodney. The Colonel will wake up when he is ready." Carson chided.
A mumbled sound came from the head of the bed. "'m wake."
Elizabeth and Teyla took positions on either side of his bed closest to him. Snaking their hands under the clear plastic of the oxygen tent to hold or in Elizabeth's case squeeze his hand. Ronon stood at the foot of the bed while Rodney crowded up behind Elizabeth and Carson stood behind Teyla.
It took him a while after he mumbled he was awake for his hazel eyes to finally open. Doing his best to focus on the figures around his infirmary bed. He saw Teyla first and thoughts of the mudslide came back to him, his concern for her and her people foremost on his mind. "Are the Athosians okay?" He rasped his throat still sore and he fought against his gag reflex of the tube running down it.
"Yes John. My people are doing well. You and your men have been of considerable support to us. It should not be long before our settlement will be whole again. My people wish you well and give many thanks. Once you are well and rested they have requested that you return for the celebration of New Beginnings."
"I didn't do much Teyla. You should get the Marines and the Doctors to come to your celebration." John didn't deserve the attention he hadn't done much at all. He'd been out of if for almost a week now while life around him went on. He didn't even know if it had stopped raining.
"They are also invited. But we will wait until you can attend also." Teyla said matter-of-factly.
"John you look tired maybe we should leave and let you get some rest." Elizabeth had noticed that he was beginning to slur his words and his eyes kept closing.
"'kay."
Day seven of his infirmary stay John woke to a warm feeling on his face and a warm hand clasped around his. His face automatically smiled at the warmth and comfort that surrounded him. When he opened his eyes the sun was shining down on him from the infirmary window. It was a beautiful sight to wake up too.
He was still in his clear tent. He managed to focus on Elizabeth who was clasping his hand. "Hey."
"Hey yourself." Returning his smile with one of her own. "How do you feel?"
"Better. Tired."
"Pneumonia will do that I've heard."
"I'm finding that out." He said with a smile as his eyes slid closed and he slept.
The next time he woke the oxygen tent was gone and he heard the familiar clicking of someone typing. As he turned his head to the left he found Rodney; sitting in the chair that Elizabeth last occupied, with his laptop on his knees working away.
"How long?" John rasped. Hoping that McKay would know what he meant.
Rodney stopped typing and looked up. "Eleven days so far."
"Rain?"
"Stopped about a week ago." Rodney paused a moment before getting up enough nerve to continue. "I'm sorry, you know. I just get wrapped up in my work sometimes. Well…anyway, I'm sorry."
"You're a challenge McKay. I like challenges. We're good…right?"
Smiling he answered. "We're good Colonel."