Part 9 - Please Contact the next of Kin

Jennifer had been told that Rodney had arrived at the SGC some three hours ago. However, she just hadn't had any time to speak to him as she'd fought together with Dr. Lam and several others to save John's life. It had been touch and go, and by the end of the major operation, John was still far from out of the woods.

Weary beyond words, Jennifer knew that she had to go and face Rodney, but before leaving she made one final check on her patient. It was difficult to see John like this, surrounded by the best equipment that earth had to offer while he lay in a deep coma and a machine breathed for him. Difficult because this was not how things should have ended up.

Leaving John in the capable hands of the medical staff, Jennifer finally headed towards the waiting area to face the music. She was surprised to find, not only Rodney, but Colonel Carter, Bates and Major Davis, all sitting anxiously for news. They stood up the minute she entered.

Jennifer wasn't going to beat about the bush, so she told them to sit down again before explaining. "I'm sorry but his condition is still very critical. It's not just the bullet wound that's giving us concern, it's his head wound. The strike to his head was hard enough to cause a small fracture. There's some bleeding behind the break, but thankfully at the moment it's not causing any significant swelling. But add that to the fact that he has a life threading bullet wound, which tore an artery causing massive internal bleeding into the chest cavity, and blood loss, then…well...let's just say that we need to keep a very close eye on him."

Worried looks passed between the room's occupants but it was Rodney who spoke their fears. "It's Elizabeth all over again, isn't it?

Jennifer shook her head. "No, not yet. The blow to his head was nowhere near a severe as Elizabeth's but any fracture, no matter how small, has the potential to cause swelling. If that happens, then we'll need to perform a decompressive craniotomy, which in his current state would be very risky indeed. However, I'm not foreseeing it."

"Can I see him?" Rodney asked.

"For a few minutes only." Jennifer turned a sober look. "He's in a deep coma and you must understand that despite our best efforts, we could still lose him." She turned to Sam Carter. "In fact, I think it's wise if we contact his next of kin and you should probably inform Atlantis, if they haven't already been told."

Rodney looked grief stricken. "Oh…god, is it really that bad?"

Jennifer felt some tears in her eyes as she whispered. "I'm afraid so."

Sam Carter nodded sadly. "I'll see what we can do to contact his brother."

"But he hasn't any clearance."

"I know that, Rodney, but I'm sure we can get it for him."

"I'll deal with that." Major Davis quickly volunteered. Sam gave him a short nod before turning to leave.

-oOo-

When the message came through to Atlantis, Ronon had just been allowed to leave the infirmary. Before his release, he had watched the bank heist off and on until its conclusion not realizing that the Air Force officer they kept mentioning was in fact his friend. So when Mr. Woolsey called him and Teyla into his office it came as a bit of a shock for the Satedan.

Predictably, his shock quickly turned to anger. He paced and glared at Mr. Woolsey before striding over to lean across his desk. "Why didn't you tell us earlier!? We could have helped!" Ronon's clenched hand came down hard onto the desk making a loud thud.

To his credit, Richard Woolsey didn't flinch, although, he visibly gulped before saying. "I wasn't informed myself until about fifteen minutes ago and believe me, I will be asking questions as to why it has taken so long to let us know." Ronon slowly moved away but he didn't seem all that pacified.

Teyla reminded composed even though she was equally as annoyed and disturbed by the news. "May we go to him?"

"I am already arranging transportation for both of you, and also for Dr. Beckett. Now you have to understand that you will be taken directly to Cheyenne Mountain and you must remain there until told otherwise."

"Of course." Teyla calmly agreed but Ronon's anger reappeared with Mr. Woolsey's mistrust. After all this wasn't his first time on Earth.

Luckily, Amelia Banks arrived to save Woolsey from pending bodily harm. "There's a boat ready to take us ashore. From there a helicopter will fly us to the SGC, so as soon as you're ready to go, we can leave."

Much to Richard's relief, Ronon's anger appeared to have been successfully distracted by her words when he asked. "You're coming with us?"

"You'll need a guide."

"Okay." Then Ronon looked puzzled, "Why can't we use the Stargate?"

"Same address," answered Amelia.

Ronon nodded in understanding, he should have known that but his worry for Sheppard was clouding his common sense. And as he didn't want to waste anymore time, he encouraged Teyla and Amelia to leave immediately.

"I'll be hoping for the best!" They heard Mr. Woolsey shout as they rushed out.

-oOo-

Dave Sheppard sighed contentedly as he settled into the comfortable leather upholstery of the chauffeur driving limo. The vehicle effortlessly pulled away from the airport taking him towards his home.

Dad would be proud of me, Dave thought. The business in Canada had gone extremely well with the deals he wanted stamped and signed far quicker then expected. This allowed him to go home two days earlier then planned, meaning that he had a long weekend in which to relax and maybe go to the coast with his latest girlfriend Helen.

Then he remembered John's proposed visit on Sunday and groaned. He could try and get hold of his brother, put him off for a day or two, but that didn't seem very fair. There was also some business concerning Dad's Testament that he still needed to clear with John, so Dave decided that he would have to let the arrangements stay as they were.

The minute he entered the house, his housekeeper Mrs. Daw came to greet him. "It's good to see you home again, Mr. Sheppard. You have a visitor waiting for you in the library," Dave smiled thinking that it was Helen here to surprise him, but Mrs. Daw caught his arm. "It's a gentleman from the Air Force," she whispered.

Dave went cold wondering what in heaven's name he could want. John was in the States not Iraq or any other combat zone so that couldn't be the problem, could it? His heart began to race as he handed over his jacket and briefcase before entering the library.

The officer, wearing a full dress uniform, stood up the minute Dave entered. Mrs. Daw had obviously been looking after him with coffee and biscuits, making Dave wonder just how long the man had been waiting. Dave went over and shook his hand, and then indicated that the officer should sit back down before taking a chair himself and asking. "What can I do for you…um…?"

"Major Davis. I don't know if you've watched any news lately, Mr. Sheppard, but there's been a bank heist in a small town in Colorado. Unfortunately, your brother was in the bank at the time. And well…let's just say it turned out rather nasty for him. I'm sorry but your brother was seriously injured and is in a critical state. We thought it wise to contact you."

Dave broke out in a sweat and wiped a shaky hand across his brow. For years, he and his father had feared this day. The day when someone would tell them that John was badly injured or dead. However, a failed bank heist was not one of the scenarios that Dave would have expected. Iraq, Afghanistan, a helicopter crash - then yes. But a bank heist? His face probably showed surprise when he answered. "No, I haven't seen any news for at least a couple of days. I was in Canada. I…I need to go to him."

"That's mainly why I'm here. I've made arrangements to get you there but first of all, we will need you to sign a confidentiality agreement."

Dave watched as the major reached into a small briefcase to pull out several sheets of paper. He didn't think that he could concentrate enough to read all that at the moment. "May I ask why?"

"The Colonel is being held in a highly classified location, Mr. Sheppard. I'm sorry but you'll need to sign this before you can enter."

Confused, Dave gave the major a puzzled look and asked. "Colonel?"

"I'm sorry, but I thought you knew that your brother was a Colonel, well, a Lieutenant Colonel to be correct."

Then Dave suddenly realized just how little he knew about John. He automatically assumed that John was still a major, especially in view of his black mark. John hadn't mentioned a darn thing at their father's wake or his short visit after, not that Dave had asked him. However that was irrelevant. What really mattered now was getting to see his brother in time. "Maybe I could read this through on our way there?"

Davis nodded. "It would be wise to leave as soon as possible. There's a flight standing by at the provincial airport to take us to Colorado. So whenever you're ready, Mr. Sheppard."

Standing, Dave forced himself out of his despair, at least for now. He needed to see John. "Yes…of course. Please give me a few minutes to change into something more comfortable and then we can go. Did you come by taxi?" Davis nodded. "Okay then, we can use my car to get to the airport."

-oOo-

General Landry entered the quiet infirmary and glanced at John Sheppard's still form. He'd only just arrived back from Washington to the news that the lieutenant colonel was in a critical state. His daughter, Dr. Lam, gave him a few minutes before moving over to speak to him. "I'm sorry you had to come back to this."

The general nodded. "Of all the dumb things."

"I don't think he planned on getting shot or his head bashed in."

Landry sighed. "I didn't mean it like that, I meant that after all he's been through, he has to go and get beaten up by a couple of two timing crooks."

"I'm afraid it's a little more than beaten up. He's showing no signs of improvement. In fact, his condition has deteriorated slightly over the last hour. I've got an emergency team standing by just in case he crashes or needs a decompressive craniotomy."

The General flinched and his shoulder's seemed to deflate. "Damn. He's one of the best."

"That's not what you said a couple of years ago after he stole the puddle jumper and disobeyed your orders."

Landry nodded and gave a small smile. "No, I was ready to have his head on a block but O'Neill told me I'd be a fool to court-martial him, and damn Jack for being right. That fella over there knows more about the Wraith than anyone else. It would be a sad day for all of us if we lose him."

"We'll try not to let that happen."

"I sincerely hope so." The General looked around. "I'm surprised McKay or any of the others aren't here?"

"Believe me, they were but they kept getting in the way, so I chased them out. Dr. Beckett came from Atlantis with Ronon and Teyla. He's been helping us out but I've just sent him up to get something to eat. Dr. Keller has gone for a rest. She'll take over when my shift is up. She did a remarkable job of keeping him alive during the transfer and operation."

Landry nodded and moved closer to John's bed. He watched the ventilator pumping air into the younger man with almost morbid fascination. "Tell me why did Keller bring him here and not the academy hospital?"

Lam had been anticipating this question and she would have loved nothing better than to pass the buck off onto Keller but something made her want to defend her fellow physician. After all she still loved challenging her father. "Under the circumstances, Dr. Keller felt that his best chances of survival lay here with my team. She believed and rightly so, that he needed our expert care and knowledge. I'm sorry if you don't agree with that but he's far too unstable to move at the present time."

The general sighed, even though their relationship was better than it used to be, his daughter always had to misinterpret his meaning. "I'm not saying that he shouldn't be here, I'm just curious as to why."

"The time factor. It would have taken us far too long to get to the hospital and Colonel Carter…"

Landry held up his hand. "It's okay, I understand." Carolyn glanced at him and thought, so the magic word is Sam Carter, she'd have to remember that in future.

Her father turned away to address her patient directly. "Sheppard, you'd better make a full recovery because I've just come back from Washington and the President wants to meet you personally during his tour of Atlantis. As I don't want to disappoint the man, I'm ordering you to get better, quickly."

Carolyn's attitude warmed a bit. She looked at her father and smiled. "I hope that's one order he obeys."

"He'd better or I'll have his ass." Landry turned to leave. "Oh and now I understand his brother is on the way?"

"Yes, he should be here in a couple of hours."

"Oh wonderful, another civilian finding out about the Stargate program and a business man at that."

"I'm sure he'll keep the knowledge to himself. Still got problems with speculative newspaper reports?"

It was Landry's turn to smile. "The latest headline reads - where are all the dolphins going? You know, I don't know how much longer we can keep the city in San Francisco Bay. There's some talk of moving her but that could do more harm than good."

Carolyn nodded and watched her father leave before turning her attention back to her patient.

tbc

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