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The rest of John's team wanted to follow him to the infirmary but knew Sheppard would have a fit if the reporters were left unattended. They made their way downstairs and herded the news crew into the conference room. Teyla and Ronon stood just outside, ready for the opportunity to flee.
Lorne showed up in minutes and said, "You're back sooner than expected. Did the Colonel run out of patience or did one of them get a blister?"
At the solemn look on Teyla and Ronon's faces, Lorne got serious. "What happened?"
"Yes, that's what I'd like to know, too," declared Woolsey as he walked up behind them. "Major, do you have a few men who can keep our guests company while we talk in my office?"
Lorne nodded, made a few quick motions to some of the Marines in the gate room and spoke briefly into his comm. He made his way along with Ronon, Teyla and Rodney into Woolsey's office.
"I assume the medical team was for Colonel Sheppard as I see everyone else accounted for."
Lorne looked back and realized Sheppard hadn't been in the Conference Room with McKay and the reporters like he'd assumed.
Before Lorne could say anything, Woolsey urged, "Fill us in."
Teyla began retelling the events. When she had described the attack, Woolsey interrupted, "So both you and Colonel Sheppard ordered these people to stop what they were doing and move away, back to the jumper?"
"Yes," Teyla replied. "Colonel Sheppard spoke several times. And they did not respond until after the creature attacked. Had it not been for the Colonel, I fear I would be dead as well as the three who were with me."
"That's what Sheppard does," stated Ronon from the corner of the room.
"Yeah, but they're all fine," sneered Rodney, "and Sheppard's the one who's injured."
"How bad did it look, his injury?" Lorne inquired.
"The lacerations to his throat and shoulder were fairly deep and bled freely," Teyla responded. "But I fear there is more to it. John was barely able to sit upright during the short flight home and collapsed as soon as the jumper landed."
"Well, those babies can fly themselves if you've got a strong enough gene," Lorne supplied.
Rodney nodded. "And Sheppard's got the granddaddy of all genes."
"So Colonel Sheppard could have collapsed from blood loss?" Woolsey guessed.
"It is possible. However his eyes were open and aware, yet he was not speaking or moving in any way," Teyla informed him.
Woolsey just nodded, trying to assess the situation.
Teyla took a deep breath. "Mr. Woolsey, if you do not need us, I think we would like to go and check on the Colonel."
"Of course, of course," Woolsey waved them off absentmindedly.
As they were leaving, Ronon asked, "What're you gonna do with them?" indicating the people in the conference room.
"I think I'll let them cool their heels in there for a while. Major, can you arrange for a lunch to be brought in and guards to remain at the door. I need them all in one place until I decide what to do with them."
"Absolutely, Sir," Lorne replied and walked out with the others. "I'll be down to check on the Colonel's condition as soon as I get things squared here."
The others just nodded and headed for the infirmary.
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The nurse finished applying the bandages to John's neck and shoulder, checked the leads attached to his chest and made sure the oximeter was firmly on his finger. She gave him a kind smile, pulled the covers up to his chest and left the room. John looked around, or as far as he could while he was still unable to turn his head. They'd put him in a smaller room off the back of the infirmary while they were checking him out. Keller and her team had poked and prodded, put him through the Ancient scanner and taken samples of his blood and around the open wound on his neck and shoulder. He'd been changed into scrub pants but the wound had still been open so they hadn't put a top on him yet.
He kind of felt like when you were first hit with a Wraith stunner. You were slightly conscious and aware for a short while but unable to move. That is until you passed out. But he hadn't passed out. He almost wished he would because then he wouldn't have to think about what was happening to his body. He was starting to get a little freaked out by the absolute inability to move any part of his body at all. Well, except his eyes. Surprisingly he could still open and close them. But that was it, nothing else worked. He even tried making some sort of noise but nothing came out. He took a deep breath in through his nose, thankful that the lungs were still functional. Would they continue to work or would those freeze up also?
Keller walked back in and gave an encouraging smile to her patient. John tried to smile back, but again, nothing worked. His frustration must have shown in his eyes because she immediately put her hand on his arm and said in a comforting voice, "Colonel, no it's all right."
She nodded, "I want to make sure you understand what I'm saying. If you can hear me and understand, I want you to blink once."
John blinked and Keller's smile got wider. "Good, do you remember what happened?"
John blinked again, one time.
"Okay, now I want you to think about when the paralysis started coming on. Did it come on all at once or gradually?"
How the hell do I blink that, Doc?
At the alarm in John's eyes, Jennifer realized what she'd done. "Oh, sorry…um, blink once for yes and two times for no, okay? Did it come on all at once?"
John blinked twice.
Jennifer nodded looking thoughtful. "It came on gradually." One blink.
"Of course, I'm sorry, Colonel. I'm just thinking aloud here." She looked him over. "Have you been able to move anything at all?"
Are you kidding me here, Doc? John blinked his eyes, three, four, five times.
"Right, your eyes. I guess I meant anywhere else?"
John blinked no.
"I want to check something out. I'm going to touch a few parts of your body and I want you to tell me if you can feel it. Blink once for yes." Keller proceeded to pinch or poke John in various places, the arm, foot, leg, side and he gave a blink for each one, then she touched his wound site.
God, yes, I can feel that! John threw the thoughts at Keller and his eyes and indrawn breath must have conveyed the pain because she removed her hand and quickly apologized.
"I know that hurt, but it's a good thing actually. It means the nerves weren't affected, only the muscles. We ran a test on your blood and on the scrapings from the wound site. There's the presence of a neurotoxin. The creature that attacked you must have this toxin in their claws, to help subdue their prey. It's similar to that of a spider or some sea animals. This animal obviously eats their prey alive, which is why the toxin didn't kill you instantly."
Yeah, I'm so lucky
"It instantly went to work causing paralysis of your muscles. The big question of course is, is it permanent?"
Of course it's not permanent! You're gonna do what you always do and pull some unbelievable cure out of your ass and fix this! Maybe it'll take a few hours, okay I'll even do a few days, but you will fix it! Right Doc? Right?
As John was screaming inside his head, his heartbeat had begun to race and his breathing got faster and more shallow. Images raced through his head. Him, in a bed, surrounded by a million old people. All lying there, not moving, eyes vacant, drooling. Only his eyes weren't vacant. They were alive and aware but unable to communicate that to anyone. Like right now. John tried with all his might to make something move, anything. As his heart beat faster, his breath came unevenly and his anxiety level rose. He didn't seem able to control it. Why couldn't he control it? He always had such a strong hold on his emotions before. Why was this fear running away from him now?
"Colonel," Keller snapped. "You've got to calm down. The toxin in your blood is probably causing a lot of this anxiety and making it worse."
Or it could be caused by the thought that I might stay this way forever!
Jennifer looked at the heart monitor and noted the dangerously high rate of Sheppard's pulse. She turned toward the door. "Holly, I need some Diazepam in here STAT." Within a minute she had the sedative in John's IV and his vitals started to improve.
"Get some rest, Colonel. We'll run some more tests and hopefully have a few more answers by the time you wake up." She watched as Sheppard's tormented eyes relaxed and started to close.
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"Rodney, please stop pacing," Teyla requested. "It will do you no good to wear yourself out."
"I know, I know," McKay acknowledged. "It's just that I can't sit and do nothing. I have an overabundance of nervous energy."
"It's been over an hour," Ronon observed. "Why hasn't someone told us what's going on?"
"I am sure Jennifer will tell us as soon as she has information to share."
Rodney resumed his pacing but stopped as soon as he saw Jennifer approach them.
"How is he?" Teyla asked.
Jennifer took a deep breath and Teyla's heart almost stopped. It could not be good news.
"He's alive and that's good for now," Jennifer supplied.
"It's just a couple of scratches. He's been hurt worse than that before and still stayed upright," Ronon insisted. "What happened this time?"
"The animal that attacked him had some sort of neurotoxin in his claws," Jennifer started. "It got into the Colonel's blood stream."
"A neurotoxin?" Teyla looked confused.
"Yes," Jennifer responded. "It's like a poison. Many animals have it to subdue their prey so they're easier to catch. What's unusual is it's usually a smaller animal like a scorpion, spider…" she looked at Teyla and Ronon's confusion and finished, "Iratus bug. But you said the animal was fairly large right?"
Teyla nodded but Rodney's eyes went wide and he snapped his fingers. "Those really big cow-like rhino things we saw on the way in. They were huge. It would take a lot to bring one of those babies down."
Jennifer nodded and said, "That's what I was afraid of."
Three sets of worried eyes looked straight at her.
"The amount of toxin released was enough to bring down one of those animals and they weigh…what…a couple thousand pounds?"
"Easily twice that," Rodney confirmed. "These things were huge!"
"And Colonel Sheppard maybe tops out at 180 on a good day."
"What are you saying?" growled Ronon.
"The toxin in Colonel Sheppard's body has done more than slow him down. It's completely paralyzed every part of him, including his vocal chords. He can't speak or move."
"Completely?" Ronon challenged.
At Jennifer's nod, Rodney jumped in, "But you can fix it, right?"
"I don't know." Jennifer looked uncertain. "The toxin was meant for something more than twenty times the Colonel's weight. I'm afraid with the higher concentration, it may have done permanent damage." Her eyes were filled with sorrow but she continued, "if he even survives."
Teyla swallowed hard. "This is a possibility?"
Jennifer still looked unsure. "I hope not, but his vital signs are unstable at best and his respiration is inconsistent. I'm afraid the toxin might start shutting down some of his vital organs. If that happens, there's not much I can do."
"So, you're saying either Sheppard's completely paralyzed or he's dead," Ronon said bluntly. "'Cause if I had a choice, I'd rather be dead."
"I didn't say there was no chance of him recovering," Jennifer clarified. "But if he can make it through the next week and the damage isn't permanent, his recovery would still be quite extensive."
"Define extensive," Rodney asked.
"Complete rehabilitation," Jennifer described. "Kind of like a stroke victim learning to walk and talk again. It could take a year or more. And that's only if the damage isn't permanent."
"But it is possible?" reiterated Teyla.
Jennifer shrugged and shook her head at the same time. "I wish I could tell you more."
"Thank you, Jennifer," said Teyla. "Is there any way we could see him now?"
"I suppose," Jennifer agreed. "Although I just gave him a sedative so he may be out for a while. He was pretty freaked out and his breathing and heartrate became erratic."
"Wait, if he can't speak," Rodney pointed out, "how did you know he was freaked out?"
"You're not very observant are you, Rodney?" Jennifer commented. "Colonel Sheppard may not say much but his eyes speak volumes. Go on in. If he wakes up, let one of us know."
"We will," Teyla promised and the three of them moved quietly to where John was resting. He didn't look much different than any other time he was injured, except maybe the location of the bandages.
Ronon slumped in a chair near John's IV, Rodney grabbed his computer and swung a chair near the foot of the bed and Teyla flanked his other side. There wasn't much to say. There never was when they were sitting vigil at someone's hospital bed. Teyla moved her seat as close as she could and cradled John's hand in both of hers. His eyelids flickered for a moment, then were still again.
They sat that way for over an hour; Ronon tipped back in his seat, Rodney typing away on his computer and Teyla still holding John's hand, although now her cheek was resting against it as well.
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Rodney finished the latest calculation he'd been doing and looked up. He figured he might be able to sneak out for something to eat before Sheppard woke up. But as he looked up at the man lying in the bed, he realized John's eyes were open. Still drowsy, but open.
"Hey, John," Rodney smiled softly at his friend.
At Rodney's words, Teyla and Ronon perked right up and peered toward their friend as well.
.
John had opened his eyes to see his friends sitting beside him. Hey guys, he thought but nothing came out. He was about to clear his throat and try again when he remembered what had happened. He concentrated real hard and willed some part of his body to move. Nothing! He was hoping it had all been a bad dream.
It wasn't.
He could feel the soft skin of Teyla's cheek against his hand and wished he could stroke her face. But he guessed it could be worse if he couldn't even feel her hands holding his.
Rodney was straight in front of him and he assumed Ronon was off to his right, even though all he could see was a big pair of booted feet propped on the edge of the bed. He appreciated his team being there for him but he almost wished they weren't. He wasn't sure he wanted them to see him this way. Okay, that's a stupid thing to say. They've seen you turn into a bug, for Pete's sake. There's not much worse than that.
He saw Rodney stop pushing keys, look up and say, "Hey, John"
God, what do I do now? It's not like I can say anything back or give them my typical 'I'm fine' because I can't freakin' say anything and I'm definitely not fine!"
Rodney stood up and said automatically, "How are you feeling?"
Well, I'm just peachy, Rodney. How do you think I'm feeling? I can't talk and I can't move. In fact I can't do any damn thing at all. Except maybe blink a whole bunch. So if I need to flirt with someone, I'm all set, but other than that I'm pretty much useless!
At Rodney's question, Teyla glared at him, then said, "We will be here with you, John. But you should rest. Your body has gone through quite an ordeal."
"Oh, God! That's right, he can't talk. I forgot. Sorry!" Rodney gulped.
"McKay, shut up!" ordered Ronon.
"What!" whined Rodney. "I forgot!"
He glanced again at John's face that was looking confused or in pain or something else unpleasant. An unpleasant thought entered Rodney's mind.
"How do we even know he can hear us or understand what we're saying? I mean your brain is kind of a muscle, right? What if that got paralyzed, too? Jennifer didn't say."
Teyla glared at Rodney again, this time in a much fiercer way.
"I'm just saying…" repeated Rodney.
Thanks, Pal. Glad to see you can always find the worse case scenario for every occasion. Well, I am in here and if you'd just take the time to look in my eyes like Teyla is, you'd know my mind is still functioning.
"Hey, John," Ronon came into the one sided conversation. "Thought you'd want to know Woolsey's pissed. He's sending the reporters packing first thing in the morning.
John let out a huge sigh and closed his eyes to try and hide the pain and annoyance he felt. Maybe if Woolsey had sent them packing earlier, I wouldn't be lying here in this stinking bed unable to do a freakin' thing.
"Colonel, you're awake." Keller approached the bed, smiling her typical cheerful smile. John could tell this one was a bit more forced than usual. "Did the sedative help at all?"
John blinked yes.
"Good! I just need to check your wound site." She gently lifted the corner of the bandages where she'd had to put a few stitches. As her fingers softly probed the laceration, John's eyes went wide then squeezed shut as his breath started coming in shallow pants.
"Is this more painful now than it was before?" Jennifer asked and acknowledged John's one blink. "I'll think I'll start you on some antibiotics just to avoid any possible infection. I didn't want to do it earlier since I didn't have enough information on the toxin."
Jennifer nodded at the nurse who had followed her into the room. "I can give you something for the pain if you want it," Jennifer offered. Sheppard declined. "Of course, you don't," she chuckled. "Well, I'll check again later and if the pain's still bad I suggest you take some."
"Hold on! Wait a minute!" interrupted McKay. "How are you having this conversation with him? The man can't talk. So, unless you've suddenly acquired the ability to read minds, wait… you haven't, have you?"
"McKay, you're so dense!" Ronon growled and Rodney started to sputter.
"Rodney," Jennifer began calmly, "Colonel Sheppard is blinking once for yes and twice for no. I just have to word my questions correctly."
"Oh!" Rodney said. "Good idea. Oh, hey! I've got a thought. If he can blink yes and no, then he could probably blink Morse Code and we could get even longer answers." Rodney looked around waiting for the cheers he knew would come for his brilliance once again. All he got was a smile from Jennifer and a nod.
"I don't know Morse Code."
Teyla and Ronon shrugged in agreement.
"Well, I know it," stated Rodney and he looked at John, "and you know it. You do … know it, don't you? I mean, I assume you do, but I guess maybe I don't really know if you do. Do you?"
John opened and closed his eyes in a succession of short and long blinks.
"Oh, nice!" Rodney whined, then said sarcastically, "Thanks!"
At the questioning looks from the others, he pointed at John and revealed, "He just called me a moron!"
A collective chuckle rose from the room. Teyla looked over at McKay, "I guess that answers your question, Rodney. I believe John's mind is exactly as it has always been."
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"How has he been, Rodney?" Teyla asked as she walked into John's room.
Rodney looked up from the computer on his lap and replied, "Quiet."
Teyla rolled her eyes and requested, "Useful information, please."
"Huh?" Rodney looked at Teyla in confusion, then said, "Oh, uh, I meant he's been asleep most of the time."
The team had been taking turns staying with their friend for the day. Ronon had done some of the afternoon, with Rodney taking after dinner. Teyla had used the time to spend with her son and put him to sleep. Her friend Aleeah had volunteered to watch him for the night.
Teyla moved closer to Rodney while looking at John lying so still and quiet on the bed. "Has Jennifer made any progress?" she whispered as she nodded her head in John's direction.
Rodney shook his head dejectedly. "She said the level of neurotoxin was too high to actually be able to reverse any of the effects. The best case scenario is for the paralysis not to be permanent."
Teyla felt a tug on her heart. This should not have happened to John. Any kind of inactivity drove him nuts. It was one of the things that made him so good with Torren. They both had the inability to sit still for very long. She turned toward him again and saw that his eyes were open. She wondered how long he'd been awake and how often he'd been awake without anyone noticing.
She moved to the side of the bed and took his hand in hers. "Hi, John," she said sweetly. "Have you been sleeping much of the day?"
John blinked twice. Teyla had been afraid of that. It meant he not only heard her conversation with Rodney but probably other conversations as well. Teyla tried to think of something to say. Something that would keep his mind occupied but not drive him deeper into the depression she observed beginning in his eyes.
"Torren kept asking for you at dinner, and then after for his story. I tried to tell him you were unwell, but he insisted he should come give you a kiss to make you better."
Teyla checked John's eyes to see if it had been the right thing to say. There was now a hint of humor in them.
Good, it had been the right thing, so she continued. "To get him to actually sleep, I had to show the recording I made of you reading Good Night Moon to him several months ago. It satisfied him for tonight. But I also promised him he could come visit you in them morning if you were well enough. Would that be acceptable?"
John's eyes opened a bit wider for a second then closed firmly once, before he opened them again.
"Good!" Teyla smiled brightly. "I will check with you in the morning before I bring him in."
Rodney stood up and closed his laptop. "Okay, John, I'm …uh… gonna go. Probably get a little snack before I go to bed. You want any…oh, um yeah, right, never mind. I'm … just gonna … go now. I'll see you tomorrow."
Yeah, Pal, thanks for standing watch. John chuckled inside at how uncomfortable Rodney was with other people being sick or injured.
His chest started feeling tight so he attempted a large breath to get some air, but nothing happened. He could get a few small intakes but nothing substantial.
Take it easy John, nothing to get freaked out about. Think of something calm. Think of Torren. Okay, T.J. could never be considered calm except maybe when he was asleep, but it's still a happy thought. He'll come see you in the morning and it'll be great. Yeah, until he wants you to read him a story or take him skateboarding or give him a piggyback ride. Then what will you do? You can't even explain to him why.
John tried another few breaths and felt even less air go in than a few minutes ago. He listened to Rodney tell Teyla that Ronon would be back a little after midnight to spell her.
Come on, John, another breath, you can do it! Who the hell opened the airlock and let all the oxygen out?
He looked up and saw Teyla still talking to Rodney but now the room was getting hotter, or was it colder and he couldn't actually hear what they were saying. He tried to get their attention but nothing worked, apparently not even his lungs. Maybe it's for the best, he thought as the edges of the room grew darker. There was no way he could live like this, completely paralyzed, unable to adequately communicate. He'd go off the deep end within a month, maybe even sooner.
He saw Teyla look at him and her eyes went wide and frightened. She rushed toward him but the edges of the room got darker until they faded away. All he could see were Teyla's frantic eyes and her beautiful mouth. She was saying something to him. He wished he could hear what it was. But really, this is for the best. That was his last thought before the dark edges overtook everything.
.
Teyla noticed John's eyes go dark and frightened for a second, then close. He opened them again a second later to be joined by short panting breaths that seemed completely unfinished. Teyla rushed over to him and asked, "John, are you all right? John!"
His eyes grew unfocused and he made almost a gagging sound. "Rodney! Get Jennifer. I think he is having difficulty breathing." She had barely finished saying this when a loud beeping sounded and Jennifer rushed in followed by Marie rolling in a cart. Jennifer placed her stethoscope on John's chest then did a cursory glance over the rest of him.
"He's stopped breathing, Marie!" Marie didn't need any orders. She lowered the head of the bed, tilted John's head back and placed an oxygen mask over his face. She started rhythmically squeezing the ball on the end to force air into John's lungs.
Jennifer lifted her ear off John's chest and said, "I don't think it's going in. We'll need to get him on a ventilator before…" She never finished her sentence as John's heart monitor beeped and showed a flat line where his heartbeat should have been.
Holly shouldered her way past Teyla, who had backed up into the doorway and started grabbing tubes and wires.
"Get that in now!" Jennifer yelled as she pulled out a set of paddles and started fiddling with dials.
Rodney stared at the flat line still humming across the screen, willing it to start jumping again in perfect rhythm.
The tube was finally inserted and Jennifer ordered, "As soon as I get his heart started again, get that O2 hooked up! STAT! Clear!"
Jennifer placed the paddles on John's chest and pressed the buttons. John's body jerked into the air and the line on his monitor jumped for a second, then flattened out again. Jennifer yelled, "Clear!" again as one more time an electric current was sent into John's chest.
Teyla had almost stopped breathing herself when the defibrillator hit John a second time. Her eyes flew to the screen only to see the line go flat again. Her mind went back in time to when she had dragged John through the event horizon and Carson had made many attempts to restart John's heart after the Iratus bug had been removed. She tried to remember how many it had taken that time. Was it four or five? Plus the one Aidan had done before they went through. How many were too many?
Jennifer was adjusting the dial and hitting him again. Each time she did it and each time it failed to restart John's heart, Teyla felt her heart die a little inside. She had promised Ronon she would tell John the truth about her relationship with Kanaan. Would she get the chance or would her reason to stop things with Kanaan die right here with John?
"Hook him up to that O2 now!" Jennifer ordered as she placed her stethoscope on John's chest again. Teyla looked up and saw the flat line had started its rhythmic jumping again. Within seconds the whoosh of the ventilator was pushing air into John's starved lungs and Teyla could see his chest rising and falling in perfect harmony with the sounds of the machine.
Marie finished taping the tube to John's mouth and started cleaning up the wrappers they'd haphazardly thrown on the floor during the crisis.
"You okay?" a wide-eyed Rodney asked as he moved to stand next to Teyla. Teyla didn't think she could trust her voice right now so she just gave a small nod.
Rodney gave her a crooked smile and reached up to wipe something off her face. At the touch, Teyla started and realized they were tears. She reached up and felt quite a bit of wetness on both her cheeks. When had that happened? She looked over at Rodney, who still looked shell shocked and reached for his hand. He grabbed it like a lifeline. One small tug from both directions and they were engulfed in a hug from the other, providing the reassurance they both needed.
After another minute, Jennifer interrupted them and said, "He's stable for the moment but that was close. His vitals still aren't where I want them to be and truthfully that ventilator is the only thing keeping him alive right now."
They nodded in understanding.
"Why don't you both go back to your quarters, it's been a long day and you should get some rest. I'm going to bunk here in the infirmary for the night to keep an eye on him."
"You go, Rodney," Teyla coerced. "I will sit with him until Ronon comes. Go!"
Rodney looked uncertain, but shook his head. "Okay, but if anything happens, call me."
Teyla agreed and Rodney left leaving Jennifer and Teyla alone in the infirmary listening to the sounds of the machine that was keeping John with them.
Teyla took her previous seat next to John with his hand held firmly in hers. A gentle touch on her shoulder brought her eyes up.
"You really should get some rest, Teyla. I'll let you know if there's any change, I promise."
"Thank you for your concern, Jennifer," Teyla said as her eyes focused back on John. "But I am not leaving."
Jennifer touched her shoulder again in support then moved to the door. She looked back one last time before she returned to her office. What she saw almost sent her back in. Teyla, her strong and stoic friend, had lowered her cheek onto John's hand and sobs racked her tiny frame. Jennifer wanted to comfort her, but she knew that sometimes a girl just needed a good cry. And Teyla was long overdue.
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"You have no right to send us back early. We weren't supposed to leave until tomorrow," Nigel Vincent said in his oh-so-proper voice.
"You're lucky I'm not sending you to a Wraith infested planet," Woolsey said in a dangerously low tone. "Colonel Sheppard suggested it a few days ago. Maybe if I had listened to him, he wouldn't be lying in the infirmary right now."
"How is the Colonel?" Ms. Parwana asked. "No one will give us an update on his condition."
"The toxin in the creature's claws caused paralysis, "Latif reminded her. "We were informed of that last night."
"Yes, but the looks we have been receiving by the military men this morning has me thinking something else has happened." She looked curiously at Woolsey.
"You are correct," he said as he straightened his jacket for the fourth time in ten minutes. "Colonel Sheppard's respiratory system shut down last night causing heart failure." He let the serious words sink into the startled reporters.
"Oh, God!" Donovan cried, "He's dead?"
"No," Woolsey corrected, "Dr. Keller and her staff were able to get his heart started again and put him on a ventilator. But right now that ventilator is the only thing keeping him alive. So I don't want to hear another word from any of you about your rights. Now, we plan on dialing Earth directly and as soon as I've explained the situation to General Landry, you'll be instructed to go through."
Woolsey left them with Major Lorne in the gate room and climbed the stairs to the control room. "Chuck, dial the gate. Amelia, when you get a connection to General Landry, patch it through to my office, please. And make sure that gate doesn't shut down until we get rid of those pariahs."
"Yes, Sir," both of the technicians responded.
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"Unscheduled off-world activation," Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman announced. He tapped a few computer keys and waited for a potential IDC.
Sam Carter and Hank Landry hustled into the control room looking for clarification.
"What have we got, Walter?" Landry asked.
"We're getting an IDC now," he said looking puzzled. "It's Atlantis, Sir."
"Open the iris," commanded Landry. "They're a day early. Wonder what's up?"
"And why they're dialing direct," Sam pointed out, "and not going through the Midway Station."
"Mr. Woolsey is asking to speak with you, Sir," Walter informed him.
"Put him up," Landry requested and Richard Woolsey's image popped up on the overhead screen. "Richard, you're a day early. What can we do for you?"
"General Landry, Colonel Carter," Woolsey greeted them. "You can take this flock of vultures off my hands. I'm done with them."
"Ah, Richard, I can see you fell for their considerable charm the same way I did," Landry teased, then got serious. "What's really up? You don't dial direct and waste precious ZPM power for an annoyance."
"You do when that annoyance almost kills your second-in-command."
"John?" Sam questioned, concerned. "What happened?"
Woolsey gave them the shortened version, finishing with how Sheppard had managed to get everyone out, but had been attacked himself.
"How bad is it?" Landry asked.
Woolsey told them about the neurotoxin in the creature's claws that had paralyzed the Colonel. Woolsey sounded disheartened.
"Has Dr. Keller been able to figure out something that will counteract this toxin?" Sam inquired.
Woolsey shook his head. "The prey this animal feeds on is larger than a rhino. Since Colonel Sheppard weighs considerably less…"
"He received the toxin in a higher concentration," Sam finished, "with less chance of reversing the effects. How's he handling it so far? John's not one for sitting still."
"I wish I could tell you," Woolsey said, "But his respiratory system shut down last night causing heart failure. Dr. Keller managed to get his heart started again, but he's on a ventilator right now and it's the only thing keeping him alive. She's worried that the toxin will start shutting down the rest of his organs."
Woolsey continued to fill them in on John's chances and potential recovery and then suggested, "Dr. Keller says Colonel Sheppard has a brother. I'd suggest you contact him and make him aware of the situation. He has a right to know."
"I'll take care of that myself," Sam volunteered.
"Good," Woolsey answered then said, "I'm sending the reporters through now. I'll keep you updated on Sheppard's condition." Woolsey nodded and the visual connection was cut.
The event horizon rippled and six figures emerged into the gate room dragging bags and suitcases, looking a bit apprehensive.
"Walter," Landry ordered, "Get someone to escort these…people… to the infirmary for a post mission check."
Walter replied, "Yes, Sir."
General Landry looked down into the gate room one last time and gave a huge sigh.
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.
"David, you promised me you'd leave work early tonight," Julia Gianni reminded her fiancé David Sheppard as he continued to scroll through information on his laptop.
He looked at his watch. "It's only 4:45, so technically it's still early.
Julia threw him a look. The one that said 'you're pushing it'. "We have incredible seats for that show tonight and I don't want to have to rush in there at the last second. You promised me!"
David smiled. "You're right. I did. Let me just shut this down." He pressed a few keys then paused. "Oh!" he sounded excited.
Julia rose from her place on the sofa and walked to David's desk. "Oh, no you don't! Shut it off!"
David looked up. "It's an e-mail from John," he pleaded. "It's been over five weeks since the last one. Let me just check that he's still got all his body parts, okay?"
Julia moved closer to David's chair and conceded. "All right. But only because John's e-mails have a tendency to run no longer than ten or fifteen seconds."
David chuckled as he pulled Julia into his lap. "Long winded he is not. Let's see what he has to say."
David pressed the key to start the downloaded video. John appeared on the screen, sitting at what David always assumed was his desk. He looked distracted for a second but David was relieved when he saw no cuts, bruises, bandages or other obvious injuries. John gave a quick greeting and then Torren toddled into the picture and climbed into John's lap.
"This is the little boy I was telling you about," David informed Julia. "John's crazy about this kid, and the Mom, too, if I don't miss my guess."
John said a few more things about Torren staying with him that night and then he again worked the magic David had seen him perform in San Francisco almost nine months ago. Torren snuggled into John's arms and promptly fell asleep. David listened to John ramble about some reporters, shift Torren in his arms again, half promise to be at their wedding and then sign off. David looked at the computer and apologized.
"Sorry Julia. John was feeling chatty when he made this. It was almost two whole minutes."
Julia wrapped her arms around David's neck. "That's fine, because you're always in a better mood when you know your brother's all right. But now that you know, we need to leave."
As Julia was climbing off her fiancé's lap, his intercom buzzed. "Oh, no!" Julia warned. "No last minute emergencies."
"She's probably just telling me she's leaving for the night." David pressed the intercom and said, "Yes, Mrs. Tucker?"
"Mr. Sheppard, I hate to disturb you, but there's a woman here to see you. She says it's urgent that she speak with you."
"Did she say what it's about?" Dave asked, reluctant to speak with someone so late in the day without an appointment. Especially when he could see that his fiancée was in a hurry to leave.
Mrs. Tucker's "She's from the Air Force and she says it's about John," shot David right out of his seat and had him opening the door in half a second.
The tall, blond woman in dress blues came forward into his office and said, "Mr. Sheppard, I'm Colonel Samantha Carter from the United States Air Force."
They shook hands but David did away with formality. "Something happened to John, didn't it?"
Carter looked at the woman standing a few feet behind Sheppard. David saw her glance and said, "This is my fiancée, Julia." He got right back on topic. "I just got an e-mail from John this afternoon. He was perfectly fine."
"He probably sent it a few days ago and you only got it today," Sam explained and continued. "I'm sorry to tell you but there was an incident involving John. He was severely injured."
"Injured?" David repeated, "He's not…"
"Dead, no," Carter explained. "At least not at the last report we got. But Mr. Sheppard…" and Sam paused for a deep breath, "John's been paralyzed."
David heard the words but was so relieved that John was alive that it was a second or two before the meaning of the words sank in. When they did, he took a few steps backwards and said in horror, "Paralyzed?"
His legs bumped the edge of the couch and he sat down hard on the cushion. Julia immediately settled beside him and put a comforting hand on his back. David took a few shallow breaths, then looked at the Colonel with desperate eyes.
"How bad are we talking? Legs, arms? Was it a crash or was he shot?"
Sam swallowed hard. This was so difficult. She could feel David Sheppard's pain. She knew John well and respected the hell out of him. Thinking of John in this situation was unbearable. But she had a job to do.
"John was infected with a neurotoxin that caused complete paralysis. Right now he's not even breathing on his own. I'm sorry."
David looked around the room, shaking his head, not really knowing what he should do or say. "What do the doctors say? He is being treated in a hospital?"
"He's got an excellent team working on him right now," Sam reassured him. "I'm actually heading out tomorrow morning to oversee his transfer back home; for treatment and possible rehabilitation."
David shook off the stupor that was threatening to overwhelm him and got his mind back in gear. "What exactly are the Air Force's plans for my brother?"
"When he's stable enough to move, he'll come back to the States and attempt rehabilitation at one of the VA hospitals," Sam said.
"What do you mean attempt?" Dave wanted clarified.
"John received a highly concentrated dose of the neurotoxin which caused not only muscle paralysis but affected his respiratory system as well," Sam began. "Because of this higher dose, they know they can't reverse the affects. But they're uncertain if the paralysis is permanent or not. If it's not permanent, they believe he'll need extensive rehabilitation. If it is…" Sam trailed off not even wanting to think of that option."
"He'll have to learn to live that way," David finished.
He got up and walked around the room trying to wrap his head around everything this woman had said. His mind was going a mile a minute figuring out the best plan of action for all involved. His eyes fell on the picture Teyla had sent him last year. He picked it up and a grim smile appeared on his face.
"This was last year in San Francisco. We just met for lunch and we ended up playing football in the park."
Sam looked closer at the picture and smiled at the two grown men half-lying on the ground with a Nerf football between them.
"Being sedentary is not John's way," David pointed out.
"I know," Sam agreed. "John's a man of action. It's what makes him so good at his job. He doesn't wait around for someone else to do something, he just does it." Sam gave a small chuckle, "Of course, it gets him into trouble sometimes, too."
David looked at her curiously. "You know John personally?"
Sam nodded. "I was his CO a few years back, for about a year. I've worked with him a few other times as well. He's an amazing man, your brother."
David knew what he had to do, so he looked at Carter and said," I want to go with you."
"With me?" she repeated. "That's not possible. When I bring him back…"
"No!" David interrupted. "I need to go with you. I need to see my brother."
When Sam was about to refuse again, David stopped her. "Wait, you said yourself that John's not even breathing on his own. So what guarantee can you give me that my brother will even live long enough to make it home?"
"I can't," Sam admitted. "The truth is his heart's already stopped once. They managed to get it started again, but the concern now is that other vital organs will start to fail. I'm sorry, Mr. Sheppard, I have no guarantees. But I still can't take you with me."
"Can't or won't?" David demanded, raising his voice. Julia stood beside him offering whatever comfort she could. "You come here and tell me my brother could be dying, but you won't allow me to see him. You know, Colonel, my brother and I barely spoke to each other for a lot of years. But now, now we are, whenever we can, if only through e-mails. I can't take the chance of him dying, not knowing how much he means to me. You have to understand that."
"I'm sure he knows how you feel, Mr. Sheppard."
"No! No he doesn't!" David shook his head vehemently. "We Sheppard men aren't real good at sharing our emotions or feelings. Our father died with a whole belly-full of regret for not making amends with John. I don't care how dangerous or top-secret this place is. I'll do whatever it takes, but please," David's voice softened as he requested, "Please, you've got to let me tell him… tell him…" his voice trailed off.
Sam gave a half chuckle. "Yeah, you guys do really suck at this whole emotion thing."
David's head shot up and he glared at her indignantly. She held up her hand to stop the tirade she figured was coming. "You've convinced me."
"I have?" surprise tinged his words.
"Yes," she answered, "But you'll have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. And we leave from Peterson Air Force Base no later than oh-eight hundred tomorrow morning."
"Agreed."
"It's a pretty long trip, plus spending a few days there. Don't expect to be back in under a week," Sam informed him. "Can you make your way to Peterson or do you want to catch a ride with me? I leave in an hour."
"I need to settle some things here first and then pack," David said. "I'll get myself there. And I've been thinking, optimistically. I want John to have the absolute best care when he gets back. And no offense to the military, but a VA hospital is probably not going to get him back on his feet as quickly as he'll want to. I have a friend on the board of a local rehab center with an impeccable reputation. I want to arrange for John to be sent there."
Sam stopped him. "The government won't pay…"
"I don't expect them to," Dave cut in. "But I want John to have a private room and all the therapy he needs on a daily basis; not when they get around to him."
"I understand. We can figure that out when the time comes."
"Okay, so Peterson Air Force Base, eight a.m. tomorrow," David confirmed.
"I'll let them know to expect you," Sam said. She put her hand out and shook David's. "I'll see you tomorrow." She nodded at Julia and left the office.
Mrs. Tucker popped her head in a second later. "Mr. Sheppard? John?" she asked anxiously.
David gave a huge sigh. "He's in bad shape. I'm going to get him and bring him home. I need you to get all the department heads into the Conference Room in ten minutes. And I need Roy Stanton on the phone, now."
Mrs. Tucker nodded and left. David turned around and saw Julia standing there. "Oh, God!" he remembered, "Tonight!"
Julia's face turned stern. "Don't you even think I would stop you," she reprimanded. Her face softened and she reached up to touch his cheek. "You go, get your brother. What can I do for you? Can I start packing while you deal with the business end of things?"
"You are amazing, you know that?" David exhaled. "Yes, packing would be great!" He drew Julia in for a kiss then accepted the embrace she offered. She pulled away as his intercom buzzed and Mrs. Tucker informed him, "Mr. Stanton's on line three, Mr. Sheppard."
"I'll see you at home," Julia said as she walked out of the room.
David moved around the desk and picked up the phone. "Roy, thanks for taking my call. I need a real big favor. I'm going to need a private room at the Meadowgreen Rehab Center starting probably next week. Round the clock nursing care and just about every therapy you can imagine on a daily basis. I'll give you more details as I know them."
David listened to the question on the other end and replied, "The patient's name is Colonel John Sheppard."
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"We must be quiet now, Torren," Teyla cautioned her son as she carried him into the infirmary. "Remember, I told you Uncle John is not well."
"Unta Dohn, boo-boo?" Torren said sadly.
"Yes," Teyla said as she hugged her son tightly against her and kissed his soft cheek.
Ronon moved the front legs of his chair back to the floor as they came in. "Hey," he greeted them.
"Any change at all?" Teyla asked hopefully.
Ronon just shook his head. "Doc says he's not getting any worse though. But she's worried cause his heartbeat and circulation aren't what they should be. I don't know what any of it means."
Teyla looked like she was about to say something then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Torren wiggled in her arms and she placed him carefully next to John on the bed.
"He refused to go to sleep until I brought him to see John," Teyla explained.
Torren kneeled next to John's hip and pointed to the bandages that could be seen poking out of the top of his scrubs.
"Mama, I tiss his boo-boo?" Torren sounded anxious.
Teyla nodded and Torren placed his hands on John's arm and chest and leaned down to place his lips on John's shoulder. Teyla looked at Ronon and said, "I did not have the heart to tell him that John's boo-boo was not the kind you can heal with a kiss."
Ronon just shrugged. "It's not gonna hurt him. And you know Sheppard; he'd play along with Torren in anything if it would make the kid happy."
Teyla looked back at her son and realized he had tucked himself between John's arm and side and was resting his head on John's chest. His blanket was held to his face, his thumb was in his mouth and his eyes were starting to close.
Ronon chuckled, "Even unconscious, Sheppard can still get the kid to sleep faster than anyone else."
Teyla felt she should laugh as well but her throat got tight and her eyes started to mist.
"John has been injured before. I do not know why this time I am having a harder time controlling my emotions," Teyla said, almost disgusted with herself.
"We've never really seen Sheppard this bad," Ronon pointed out. "Not since the retro-virus bug thing."
Teyla nodded and Ronon continued, "and that was years ago. I think your feelings for Sheppard have grown and changed a bit since then."
"Perhaps," Teyla agreed.
Jennifer entered the room with a confused look on her face. "Did either one of you just do something different in here?"
Both gave negative head shakes and Teyla asked, "Is something wrong?"
Jennifer moved closer to the bed saying, "The Colonel's heart rate just picked up a bit.
Oh!" Jennifer exclaimed when she saw Torren snuggled next to John. "I wonder if that has anything to do with it."
Teyla immediately moved to the bed and reached for her son. "I did not think it would hurt anything." Her voice was panicked.
Jennifer stopped her right away. "No, no, leave him there. We want his heart rate to pick up. He's bordering on the brink of Bradycardia right now."
Jennifer looked thoughtful. "Unconscious people can still sense the world around them. It's actually helpful to talk to patients even if they aren't awake. It's possible that Colonel Sheppard feels Torren's presence and his heart beat is responding accordingly."
"Would it be beneficial to leave him there?" Teyla asked. "I was only planning to let Torren see John for a minute so he would finally go to sleep."
"And he did!" Ronon added.
"Yes, but I did not plan for him to spend the night. If it will increase John's chances, I will allow it."
"You need some sleep, too, Teyla. You hardly got any last night," Jennifer admonished.
"I rested some today while Torren was in the child care room. You need not worry about me. I will need to stay here to make sure Torren does not fall off the bed."
"Actually," Jennifer suggested, "we can just pull up the side rails," she did this on the side Torren was sleeping on, "and he'll be as safe as in a crib."
"And then you," she added to Teyla, "may take the empty bed behind you if you insist on staying here most of the night again."
Teyla looked from John's bed to the one next to it and said, "I may take you up on your suggestion."
Ronon got up and moved to the end of John's bed. "If you're gonna be here for him, I think I'll go and see if I can find a few Marines to spar with. I've been sitting too much the last few days."
"Yes, of course, Ronon," Teyla agreed. "You should go. You have spent as much time here as anyone."
Ronon tapped John's foot and instructed, "Snap out of it, Sheppard! We need you around here!" He tipped his head to the two women and left.
Jenifer set about checking John's vitals and unsnapped the shoulder of his top to change the bandages. As she did that, Teyla rubbed her hand down Torren's back and moved John's blanket to cover her son as well. She then sat down and drew John's hand into hers. Concern immediately filled her.
"Jennifer, his hands are like ice! Why is this?"
Jennifer continued to change his bandages while she answered. "The toxin is causing his heart to beat slower which in turns makes his blood pump slower. The slower circulation is causing his extremities to be cold."
"Is there nothing that can be done about it?" Teyla queried.
"I'm hesitant about giving him anymore drugs. I don't know how they'll react to the toxin that's already in his body."
She finished dressing the wound and moved to John's other side. She picked up his arm and started briskly rubbing it from hand to shoulder, being careful not to disturb the IV.
"If you want to help, you can massage his limbs like this. It will help the circulation and maybe keep the muscles from starting to atrophy."
"Massage his arms?" Teyla questioned.
"Arms, legs, neck, shoulders, anyplace you feel comfortable doing it," Jennifer suggested. "I'd stay and help but there was an explosion in one of the labs today and I've got two burn victims to deal with. He's all hooked up, so if anything happens, we'll know it out there."
Jennifer took one last look at John with Torren tucked in close, smiled and left the room.
Teyla picked up the hand in front of her and started briskly rubbing and massaging the muscles. Her left wrist was still a bit tender, but if it would help John, she would endure the discomfort.
After several minutes, John's fingers began to warm up. Teyla put his arm so that it held Torren in close and moved to the foot of the bed. She lifted the covers and touched John's foot. It was also like ice. She moved to the shelf behind her, remembering she had seen a pair of socks there. She took them and quickly put them on John's frigid feet. She then rubbed her hands vigorously, until they too, defrosted.
She moved her hand around his ankle and then pushed the loose pant leg up so she could begin to massage his calf. A small part of her mind started to insist that she liked this too much. She pushed the thought aside and moved her hands up John's leg to his thigh. As her fingers touched the well defined muscle, she remembered Jennifer's words that she only do what she was comfortable doing. As her own heartbeat increased, she realized comfortable was not the word she would use in this situation.
But her mind argued that this could possibly help John get better. And that was worth it. She would do anything for John, as she knew he would for her. Her hands moved through the course hair of his thigh and she felt relief when his skin began to go from cool to warm. She pulled the pant leg down and moved over to his other leg to begin the routine again.
Arms and legs done, Teyla wondered what else should be done. He had a tube inserted in his throat, so she avoided that area and wished she could reach his lungs to massage that part of him back to functioning.
She decided to do the uninjured shoulder and then moved to his sides and chest. Or as much as she could do with Torren resting on part of it. When she was done, she checked the covers around Torren and John, and then lowered herself onto the next bed beside them.
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"So, if we're all here, who's with Sheppard right now?" Ronon asked Teyla as they deposited their lunch trays on an outside table.
"I believe Major Lorne said he would sit with him until I am done with my meal. Is that correct, Rodney?"
"Huh?" Rodney looked up with a mouthful of food. He quickly chewed it and said, "Yeah, Lorne. Jennifer said it should be fine for us to take a small break. Something about his color and circulation being better this morning."
Teyla hoped his circulation had improved after last night. She had woken up almost hourly and massaged John's motionless limbs and muscles. Torren had slept soundly through it all and had only woken when Rodney had come to take his turn sitting with John.
Rodney stopped eating for a second and looked thoughtful. So," he began, "what do you think will happen to John if this paralysis thing ends up being permanent?"
"Oh, Rodney!" Teyla admonished, "I do not even dare think of these things."
"I'm just saying, cause we all know John hates to spend any time at all in the infirmary, but if he can't move…" Rodney left the thought dangling in the air.
"I'd want someone to kill me!" Ronon claimed.
"Ronon!" Teyla scolded.
"No, think about it," he said. "The alternative is lying in a bed for the rest of your life while people feed you and bathe you and make all your decisions for you. And Sheppard can't even speak for himself which makes it a hundred times worse."
Teyla felt her eyes prick with tears yet again. She noticed Rodney had grown quiet but not because he had food in his mouth.
"Rodney? What is it?" Teyla asked quietly.
There was torment in his eyes. "Remember Sheppard was saying a few things by blinking Morse Code the other day?" At Teyla and Ronon's nods, he continued, "Well, while he was still conscious he asked me to do something. I thought he was joking at the time, but now, I wonder."
"What did he ask of you, Rodney?"
Rodney looked distinctly uncomfortable. "He…uh… told me to…shoot him." The pain in Rodney's face got darker.
Ronon responded, "He wasn't kidding. I would have asked the same thing."
"That is not an acceptable solution to this problem!" Teyla chastised them.
"What other option is there?" Ronon demanded gruffly. "I could never lie around, completely unable to move and I know Sheppard couldn't handle it either. If the time comes, I'll make sure he doesn't have to!"
McKay's eyes were concerned, but Teyla's were livid. "You have no right to make that decision for him! And it will not be necessary anyway. John will recover, you will see!"
Teyla stood up, grabbed her still full tray and marched away.
"I hope she's right," Rodney muttered.
Ronon looked at the amount of food still on his tray and said, "Me, too!"
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.
"Mama, we see Unta Dohn aden?" Torren asked as Teyla walked into the child care room.
She bent down to her son and responded, "Perhaps. We must get you some food first and then a bath."
Aleeah walked over to Teyla and said, "He has spoken of his Uncle John on numerous occasions today. Has the Colonel's condition improved any?"
Teyla sighed. "He is still not breathing on his own; however, Dr. Keller believes his color and circulation are improving. Hopefully that is a good sign."
Aleeah watched as Torren walked over to get his bag. "Torren appears distressed at times and asks to see the Colonel. It pains me to tell him he cannot."
Teyla just nodded. "John has become very important to him."
"Yes," Aleeah agreed, "It is important for a boy to have a male figure in his life. It is a shame that Kanaan was unable to fulfill that role."
Teyla looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Kanaan has not adjusted well to living in the city."
"That is a convenient excuse," Aleeah said. "We all lived in this city for several months before we first moved to the mainland and then to New Athos. There were no surprises here. Kanaan was simply not ready for the responsibilities he should have taken in regard to you and his son."
"I did not realize you felt this way," Teyla revealed.
"You need not worry about any decisions you make regarding your family," Aleeah confided. "Many feel as I do."
"You are a good friend, Aleeah," Teyla said and leaned over to take Torren's bag. He pulled it back and attempted to put it on.
"No, Mama!" he complained. "I tarry it!"
Aleeah chuckled. "The Colonel thought Torren was big enough to carry it himself."
Teyla nodded in understanding. She reached down to help Torren into the backpack when she heard over her comm., "Teyla, it's Jennifer. I need you in the infirmary as soon as you can get here."
Her eyes grew wide in fear and she said, "I am on my way."
She looked at Aleeah, "I am needed in the infirmary, immediately."
"Go!" Aleeah ordered. "I will feed Torren and watch him until you return. Do not worry how long it will take. He will be fine."
Teyla kissed her son's head and fled out the door, her heart ripped in two as she heard her son's cries of, "Mama!"
Within minutes, Teyla was sprinting toward the infirmary door and almost collided with Rodney who was headed in the same direction.
"Jennifer just called me," Rodney said.
Teyla replied, "Yes, myself as well."
Neither one spoke their fears on why they had been summoned so quickly. As they walked into the room, they saw Jennifer leaning over the bed and Ronon's back blocking their view of the patient.
"What has happened?" Teyla breathed out as they moved toward the bed. Ronon took a few steps to the side and they saw John still in bed, but the dreaded tube was gone, replaced by an oxygen mask.
When they reached his bed, they noticed his eyes were open, barely, but they were open.
"John!" Teyla cried, immense relief loosening the bonds that had been tightly wrapped around her heart for the last few days.
"It's about time, Sheppard!" Rodney complained, although relief was clearly evident in his voice as well. "Some of us have important work to do and can't sit around here babysitting you all day."
John's eyes opened slightly wider for a second then closed completely.
"John?" Rodney gulped. "I was just kidding, you know that, right?"
Jennifer put her hand on Rodney's arm and assured him, "His body has been through a lot the past few days. He'll probably float in and out of consciousness for a while. But he's breathing on his own and that's a really good thing."
"But…" Rodney pointed to the oxygen mask on his friend's face.
"It's just to make it easier for him to get the oxygen. But his lungs are working again, on their own"
Teyla moved to her usual position and wrapped her hands around John's. "When did this happen?"
"Just a few minutes before I called you," Jennifer informed them. "Ronon noticed first and once we got the tube out, I contacted you."
"So what does this mean for Sheppard now?" Ronon asked. "He's still paralyzed, right?"
Teyla shot him a dirty look but quickly looked back to Jennifer for her answer.
"It's still too soon to tell. But…" she paused here, "we were able to counteract the paralytic effects of the toxin on his lungs by forcing them to work with the ventilator. So, there's a good possibility we can get his other muscles moving again as well."
"What will this entail?" Teyla questioned.
"Lots of physical therapy and occupational therapy and a host of other services."
"But we can do that, can't we?" Rodney asked.
"Actually," Jennifer began, "we really can't. And I've been meaning to tell you, but the time never seemed right."
"What?" demanded Ronon.
"Mr. Woolsey told me this morning that the Air Force has decided to send Colonel Sheppard back to Earth as soon as he's stable enough to move."
"What?" Rodney bellowed. "They can't do that. He's your patient and you're going to make him better, right?"
"That's sweet, Rodney, really and I appreciate the vote of confidence," Jennifer admitted, "But the truth is, there's no quick fix for this one. People have been sent back to Earth for far less injuries."
"But, but…" Rodney tried again.
Jennifer continued, "We still don't know if the paralysis is permanent. If it is, he can't stay here, he'd need special accommodations. And even if it's not permanent, it'll take a long time to get him back to where he was. For that, he'll need a full rehabilitation center with a variety of specialists and certified therapist, not to mention quite a bit of equipment. We just don't have that here."
"So," Ronon nodded his head in John's direction. "What's your best guess?"
Jennifer shook her head. "I'm really not sure. But knowing Colonel Sheppard, if there's any way he can get moving again, he will!"
Teyla, Ronon and Rodney looked at each other and saw hope reflected in their teammates' eyes.
"Dr. Keller, you sent word that you wanted to speak with me." Richard Woolsey stated as he joined the crowd in John's room. "What did you… oh!" He stopped short as he got in sight of the bed. "Colonel, you're awake. Wonderful!"
All eyes turned back to John and saw his eyes were open again, although still not much bigger than slits.
"Is this what you wanted to tell me?" Woolsey asked.
"Yes," Jennifer answered, "I figured you'd want to know."
"Of course, of course, this is great news. And perfect timing. Someone from the SGC should be arriving sometime tomorrow to check on the Colonel's condition and make arrangements to bring him back."
"Tomorrow? So soon?" agonized Teyla.
"Well, they won't be leaving with him tomorrow. Dr. Keller will have the final say on when the Colonel's actually stable enough to move." Woolsey looked around at the group gathered around Sheppard's bed.
"Well, okay, I'll leave you to your little reunion. Colonel," he nodded at Sheppard and left the room.
The silence in the room was heavy for a few moments as everyone absorbed what Woolsey had just said. Teyla looked down to see what John's reaction was to the news but his eyes were closed again. She wondered if he was truly sleeping or using his condition to hide.
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"I don't mean to question you, Colonel," David Sheppard addressed Samantha Carter, "but shouldn't we be on a plane heading overseas instead of in some mountain taking an elevator down?"
"I know it seems confusing, Mr. Sheppard," Sam explained, "but this really is the quickest way to reach John."
"If you say so," Dave said doubtfully. "Now that I've signed the non-disclosure agreement, do you mind sharing the location of my brother? It'd be nice to know where I'm actually going."
Sam made a small face and told him, "It'll be a lot easier to just show you. Believe me."
"Right," Dave grumbled. "Thirty stories below a mountain. What, do you go through a hole in the center of the Earth?"
Sam smirked. "Not exactly. You'll see. We're just about there."
The elevator stopped and Dave followed Carter down a few corridors and finally ended up in a large room filled with electronic equipment and people in military uniforms. Two gray haired men wearing General's stars approached as they entered the room.
Sam's eyes lit up when she saw them and said, "Ja… uh, General, I didn't know you were here."
"Carter," O'Neill greeted. "Hank here needed a hand with a few things, so I just flew in this morning.
"It's good to see you, Sir." Sam continued to smile then looked back at Dave. "Mr. Sheppard, this is General O'Neill and General Landry. Generals, David Sheppard."
Dave shook their hands and then Landry pointed a thumb at him and said, "So is this one as big a pain in the ass as his brother?"
"Now, Hank," O'Neill objected, "That pain in the ass has saved my ass a few times. Let's be kind."
"Okay," Landry snickered and Dave realized that the man was just joking about John. Wasn't he?
"So have you told him the big secret, yet?" O'Neill said excitedly.
"Jack, you're like a kid in a candy store," Landry chuckled, shaking his head.
O'Neill nodded, "I do like candy, you know."
"I was just about to show him," Sam jumped in. "Mr. Sheppard, come on over here and I'll show you how we're going to get to where John is."
Dave followed her across the room to a large window with a variety of consoles in front of it. Dave looked through it and saw a huge metal ring at the end of a ramp, right in the middle of the room.
"What the heck is that?" he asked shocked.
"Pretty cool, huh?" O'Neill said from behind him.
"Jack!" Landry chastised.
"We call it a Stargate," Sam explained. "Essentially it creates a wormhole between it and any other Stargate in the galaxy."
"Galaxy?" Dave sputtered. "This …Stargate goes to … wait, are you telling me …John … is on another … planet?"
Sam's head bobbed up and down. "Yes." She gave Dave a brief rundown of the Ancients and how the Stargates work. She then told him of the expedition from six years ago of approximately one hundred military and scientists who set out to hopefully find the city of Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy.
"And John's in this Atlantis, the Atlantis, in a different galaxy?" Dave remained stunned.
"He was on the original expedition team." Sam supplied.
"John was chosen to be on this team? Even after his little fiasco in Afghanistan?"
O'Neill chuckled, "That's where the whole saving-my-ass thing comes in. Your brother's an outstanding pilot. And his oversized ATA gene didn't hurt."
"His ATA what?" asked Dave confused.
Sam gave a few more details of the Ancients history here on Earth and back in the Pegasus Galaxy, explaining how they had designed their technology so it would only work for people with their genetic make-up, or their descendents.
"So, you're saying John's descended from these Ancients and has this gene thing?" Dave clarified.
"John's got the strongest gene we've come across so far," Sam said.
"Although," O'Neill put his finger up in the air, "We've never actually tested Sheppard's gene against mine." He looked thoughtful. "We could do that, you know. Once he's feeling better, of course."
Landry just chuckled, "You don't have better things to do, Jack?"
O'Neill just shrugged then snapped his fingers and pointed at Dave. "You're his brother. Bet you've got a pretty good one, too."
Ho looked at Sam. "Ten bucks says McKay will find a way to test Mr. Sheppard's gene within the first … mmm … first hour."
"I'm not taking that bet, Sir, sorry." Sam laughed. "But we should think about getting ready to go."
Dave looked at the big metal ring again. "We're taking that to another galaxy?"
"Actually, no," Sam clarified. "We don't have enough power to gate straight to Pegasus. We'll be gating to a Mid-Way Station in the expanse between the Milky Way and Pegasus. We'll need to stay there for a twelve hour quarantine and then we take another gate to Atlantis."
"Twelve hours?" Dave looked dismayed.
"I know it seems like a long time, but it used to be twenty-four hours before we enacted some safer protocols and screenings. We can get information from both Earth and Atlantis there and if John takes a turn for the worse, we can be in Atlantis in less than a minute."
Dave seemed somewhat pacified by this but was still impatient. "Okay, when do we leave?"
Sam picked up a bag she had left by the door and responded, "We can go right now."
Landry addressed the man sitting at the console in front of the big window. "Walter, dial it up!"
"Yes, Sir!" Walter replied and began a sequence using terminology that made no sense to Dave whatsoever. He was going through a wormhole to another planet, heck another galaxy, to see his brother who apparently had been living there for the last six years. No wonder he never returned phone calls.
Landry and O'Neill walked them into the gate room and David's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the huge 'splash' of water come out of the ring and then settle into a shimmering pool inside the circle.
O'Neill was saying goodbye. "Remember, Carter, this is only a visit. Don't go thinking you can stay!"
"Spoilsport!" Carter chuckled.
"Go get Sheppard," ordered Landry. "Dr. Lam will be ready for him whenever he can be safely moved. Good Luck!"
"Thank you, Sir," said Sam and looked at David. "Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be," Dave replied and followed Colonel Carter through the round sea of blue.
.
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