They arrived without incident and Ronon helped John on to a stretcher. The Colonel flashed his team a grin but didn't resist as the medical team started an IV and pain management.
"Right, we'll need to get a full scan and have a surgical bay on standby. Bloody Genii." Carson muttered.
The quartet watched the medical team leave as Carter arrived. Ronon snarled and punched the jumper bulkhead. Teyla watched him but let him be for the moment. Rodney said something about incompetence and so-called medical science then went to follow the medical team. Max glanced at Teyla, she nodded toward Ronon and gave the immortal a nod toward Carter.
The colonel looked furious and jerked a chin at Max. Max joined her friend and left Teyla to help Ronon down from the adrenaline and terror of the fight.
"Will Ronon be okay?" She asked Carter. She had fought with him plenty but they had not taken a casualty before.
"He'll work through it. What happened?"
"Total set up. They would have gotten all of us without Ronon." Max said grimly.
Carter studied Max but saw no signs of injury.
"I was in the rear. Ronon, I don't know what he saw, or smelled, or felt, but he realized it was an ambush before they opened fire. John was in the lead, I think he was hitting the dirt when the firing started." She didn't finish. They both knew that if that round had been lower as intended when fired no bandage would have been enough to save the colonel.
By the time they reached the infirmary Carter had been briefed. One of the infirmary's staff updated the women. John was in surgery but stable and the preliminary scans did not show anything alarming or unexpected. They decided to wait until he was in recovery anyway.
As they waited other members of the expedition started to arrive. John would hate the attention but everyone in the city cared about him. In a way he was almost a talisman for the expedition. He had survived the first encounter with the wraith, every battle since, even single handedly saved the city from invasion. He mattered in a way few other members of the expedition could.
Major Lorne arrived and greeted the team. Max was grateful to see him she also realized she was still covered in the black volcanic sand, dust, blood and sweat. The team was a mess, even Rodney looked sweaty and grubby.
Two hours after the team returned to the city Carson arrived in the waiting area to update them. Dr. Keller had returned from am rotation home a few days before and was a more qualified surgeon so she was leading the procedure leaving him free.
"He's out of the woods. We're till running tests on the projectile out of an abundance of caution but currently his prognosis is good. We'll know more in a few hours after the procedure and when he's awake. But rest easy for now." He said gently to the small crowd. A ripple of relief flowed through them.
"I'd like to check out the rest of the team now." He said gathering Ronon, Rodney, Teyla and Max with a glance and nodding at Carter. Carter joined them as the quartet all sat on exam beds and waited to be seen.
"I'm a little concerned about the projectile." Carson said.
He opened a file on his pad and held it so Carter and the team could see it. It was a wicked little thing. Shaped like a standard projectile but ridged.
"Why would they intentionally design a round like that?" Max asked as a nurse put a monitor on her left arm to check her vital stats. Lorne had remained behind as the crowd left since he was now the military commander of the expedition with John incapacitated.
"That is precisely my concern." Carson sighed. "I can't think of any good reasons for it, we're running additional blood work and scans. The projectile itself appears to be intact so we've sent it to the biology lab for initial evaluation and then to materials and such if and as needed."
"Very thorough." Carter said frowning at the image.
"He is otherwise in excellent shape for a man shot in the chest hours ago, so I don't want any of you jumping to conclusions or working yourselves into a tizzy." He said making eye contact with each team member especially Rodney.
Carter dismissed them once their evaluations were completed. Max headed for the locker room and shower. She carefully cleaned and put away her gear before heading for the shower. She let the water run and run until her fingers were prunes before turning it off. She was grateful they were on a planet with enough water that rationing wasn't needed. She dressed automatically, trying to keep her thoughts drifting and light not focusing in on anything specifically, letting muscle memory and exhaustion guide her.
She was dressed and heading for the chow hall when Lorne found her.
"Hey, I just wanted to check in." He said gently.
"Thanks, I was just going to get something to eat then try to hit the rack."
"Hungry?" He asked.
"No, not really, but if past experience is anything to go by I'll feel better in the morning if I take time to eat and drink now." She said ruefully.
He was nodding, expression introspective and distant as they walked. She wondered how often he had been in the infirmary or people he cared about had been. What his post combat routine was, he almost certainly had one.
"What do you do?" She blurted out and felt her cheeks redden as he looked at her, their eyes meeting.
"I mean –"
"After a firefight?" He asked.
"Y-yeah, after the adrenaline and noise are gone?"
"Honestly? Sometimes I cry, or paint, or hit the gym."
She thought about the tears she had shed under the spray of the shower. The slow release of terror and guilt and knee buckling relief.
"Yeah…" she nodded, her voice barely a whisper.
"Hey, wait." He said and put a gentle hand on her arm. "Before you get some chow, do you want to see that painting? I don't know if it will help –"
"Sur-yeah, I mean yeah I do it would be nice, something…grounding." She said fishing around for the word.
He grinned, lopsided and perfect.