For disclaimer check the 1st chapter...

A:N: We're heading to end fast, just two more chapters if I'm not mistaken.
Have a nice weekend!

Chapter Eight

When McKay returned to the lab he had left Radek in, he sat down and stared at the computer in front of him with his jaw set. It was frustrating not knowing how to save his best friend's life. He moved to yet another computer and looked at the Ancient data. The damn blow to the head had scramble his precious brain a bit; he felt like he knew the answer was there, he just couldn't grasp it as fast as he normally would. He and Zelenka had been trying to re-construct the fragmented data in hopes to not only to finish the program but to get it to reverse all the damage it had left untreated; otherwise John would die and he didn't want to dwell on that.

"Perhaps this is no good."

"What are you saying Radek that we should let Sheppard die? That's unacceptable!"

"No Rodney. I'm saying that maybe this reverse process is a waste of time."

McKay kept looking at the data, their computers and the ancient computers. Looking for something that would point him in the right direction, but he found nothing. His eureka moment hadn't come and Sheppard's time was running out.

"What else is there?"

"We know it cannot be removed surgically and we know that localized EMP does not work on ancient devices."

"There has to be a way."

"What about tricking the device into thinking he's dead? That would certainly make it stop healing."

"That's a terrible idea Radek!"

"It worked before with the Iratus bug!"

"Yes, but in the condition he's in now his heart won't restart…at all. Besides, his heart stopped when we were at that planet and the device kept on 'working'…stupid thing."

"Then I am afraid I don't know. Maybe we should freeze him; you know, put him in stasis until we find a way."

"Stasis won't … wait did you say freeze? That's it!"

"What is it?"

"We can freeze the device with liquid nitrogen or at least the important part. It's not exactly getting it off…"

"But it will stop it from getting readings from the body…"

"And shut itself down in the process."

"Is worth a shot."

He tapped his radio and called Beckett.

"What have you got Rodney?"

"I may have a solution," Beckett heard the 'we' correction in the background "We think the safest way to remove the device is by freezing the crystal incasing the programming, break it and under it should the mechanism, you know like with a clock. If we also freeze that with the liquid nitrogen it will render it useless, unable to get readings from the injuries in the body…"

"I think it just might work, I'll get right on it."

"Wait for me, I'll be right there."

"Hurry up," and with that he terminated the call and McKay went to the nearest transporter.

When he got to the infirmary everything was ready to start the removing process. The man in the bed barely resembled Sheppard; there were IV's in each arm with too many bags filled with different colors fluids. There was the tube down his throat that went in the moment breathing became too much of a task for him. There were other tubes in places were there shouldn't be any. Like the one sticking out of his side draining the blood out of his lung. Carson looked at McKay for a second, silently asking him if he was ready. The scientist nodded and Beckett began. It was a slow process, it required precision, otherwise the doctor could burn Sheppard's skin with the low temperature element and that wasn't part of the plan. When the first step was done; shards of the blue crystal fell away as it broke. There were no words to describe the mechanics of the device. It looked unbelievable; if it actually worked like it was supposed to it would have been a master piece. As the liquid nitrogen made contact with the pieces inside it instantly froze. The waiting felt like hours, it was like the room had stopped suddenly. Everybody watching Sheppard intently to see the reaction but nothing seemed to be happening. "It was a good idea Rodney," said Beckett with sadness dripping from every word. McKay never looked away from the device; he wasn't giving up hope, he simply couldn't.

TBC