Just a short one to keep you going...

oOo

Ch 6 Umbrella

John

He had been almost to the gate when he'd heard the blasts and felt the ground vibrate beneath his feet. John had been in enough conflicts to know that what he was witnessing wasn't an earthquake. He stood on a small hillock and watched a pall of smoke rise from the college area, and found his feet were running back towards the city before the conscious thought had even entered his head.

Looking out again, this time from a different hill, John no longer saw smoke, but instead, lights were blinking on, and the sky beyond was orange.

He rubbed at his upper arms; the air was cooling and he was glad of his long sleeved shirt.

Behind him, laying almost where he had fallen just minutes before, was McKay. At his side, a fire crackled merrily. He had acquired an extra t shirt and sweater, both from John's pack, but in spite of all this, was still shivering, with his hands up to his chin, grasping two emergency blankets.

After his collapse John had, of course, begun to unpack medical supplies and was intending to apply dressings and such, to Rodney's wound. But with the med kit open and after snapping on gloves, he realised that he could not risk doing more damage, and therefore had abandoned the idea, at least until he could talk to Carson. In any case, there didn't seem to be a lot to gain by slapping a bandage on a wound that was bleeding internally.

Moving back to the fire, he turned his wrist watch into the flickering light...

Any time now would be good, he thought.

A soft groan rose up from the other side of the fire.

Moving around the fire, John crouched down at McKay's feet, and reached into his pack. He pulled out water and a package of white pills. Scrambling up to the man's head, he saw that he was awake, blinking slowly at the sky.

"The stars are out...", came a scratchy voice.

"Yeah... here... take these."

Rodney made no attempt to move, so John placed the water bottle down, and lifted the scientist's head. He carefully pushed the pills past the pale lips, and followed it up with a sip of water.

"So what's wrong with me?", said Rodney wearily, head now back against his plump field pack.

"You, um... poked your side.", said John evasively, sketching in the air with a finger.

"Poked...?"

"Well, got skewered, is maybe..."

"What?!" squeeked Rodney, alarmed, "Where is it..?", and he began to raise his head and pull at the blankets.

"Will you keep still!", shouted an exasperated Sheppard.

"I want to see it..."

"Just stop...! Now look, I don't want you to panic, okay?"

"I'm already panicking..."

Rodney's breathing was shallow and fast, and Sheppard could see his hands trembling where they held the edge of the blanket.

"Yeah, well... yeah... I guess you are..", he couldn't argue with that.

"So...?", prodded McKay...

Suddenly, a familiar crackle at his ear, and...

"This is Atlantis... Colonel Sheppard, please respond... I repeat, this..."

Jumping up, John smacked at his ear and couldn't help his sigh of relief - they were early.

"Atlantis.. Sheppard here. I have a medical emergency, McKay needs Beckett."

"John?" it was Elizabeth's voice, "Beckett's being called. What else do you need?"

Sheppard took a split second to thank God for Elizabeth Weir... trusting and supportive as ever.

John could see Rodney's eyes glittering in the fire light and was very aware of him listening intently.

"Rodney's injury.. " he began, and then looked away from the scientist purposefully, " .. means I can't move him. I'll need a jumper to pick us up and a medical team.. Oh, and Elizabeth? Ask Major Lorne to put together a team of engineers... The Almans could use them."

"I'll take care of it - here's Beckett."

And again, John was thankful she didn't waste time with questions.

"Colonel... tell me about Rodney's condition."

"He has a puncture wound to his left side... a metal spike of some kind... but Doc?" and John quickly moved off into the shadows and lowered his voice, " ...it's still in there... and he's been bleeding... internally, for over an hour."

"Right.", came the brisk reply, "Keep him warm, hydrated and above all, keep him still - we don't want that foreign body moving."

"Don't worry, doc, I'm way ahead of you... just get here as quick as you can."

John strode up the hill once more but looked away from the city, into inky blackness, towards the gate.

"We must be... two or three miles from the gate? There's a clear path..."

There was a crackle and then another voice interrupted.

"Colonel, this is Lorne. We should be with you inside twenty minutes... Sir, are you in any danger right now?"

"Negative, Major...", he looked up into the sky, at the gathering clouds, and added, ruefully, "Well, only in danger of being rained on..."

"John... ?", it was Elizabeth's voice again, "We'll keep the gate open... both of you, just hold on. Weir out"

oOo

Something hissed into the fire.. once... and again. John stuck out his hands, palms up... it was raining.

"Great...", he muttered.

"What... now?"

"Nothing.. just... it's raining... a bit..."

Rodney looked sicker, more pale, and his face was shiny and damp. John was on one knee at the fire, building it up to a larger blaze, with some sturdy logs he had found. McKay swallowed loudly and said breathlessly,

"I have an umbrella..."

John felt his jaw drop.

"You're kidding... right?"

"Look in the long s-side pocket."

Carefully, John felt around the sides of the pack, and feeling a likely, solid shape he ripped open velcro, and drew out a small, telescopic umbrella; he held it up and smiled...

"Now I've seen everything."

"Sheppard..." There was no strength in that voice.

"Yeah... right here, what is it?", and fear prickled.

"I feel... sick, again."

John knew that vomiting could be disastrous.

"Okay... no puking, Rodney. Breathe through it... come on, deep breaths."

He hastily put down the umbrella, placed a hand on McKay's shoulder and willed the man's breathing to deepen and even out. Unconsciously, his own breathing did the same.

After a few seconds, he asked, "Better?"

A nod of the head, indicated it was.

"I think you should sleep, they'll be here soon."

John was unsure if that was good advice... but, if he was asleep he wouldn't feel nauseous, something that had to be avoided.

He watched as Rodney's eyes slid shut, and then busied himself preparing their small camp for a possible downpour. He gathered more wood and laid it near the fire and within reach; if he could keep a steady blaze going, then the rain might not quench it. The two packs he placed at Rodney's shoulders, one on each side.

Quickly, he made sure the edges of the emergency blankets were tucked in securely. Then gingerly, he lifted the sleeping man's head and slid himself under, his legs folding, until he sat cross-legged with McKay's head nestled in his lap. He raised and ruffled the umbrella and it was up in one smooth click. He took the flashlight from his pants pocket and popped it on.

By now, the rain was steady and soaking...

"Well, buddy...", he said aloud, "Now, I guess we wait..."

oOo

TBC and thanks for reading and reviewing...!