A minute or two later, the Shaman brought John a warm cup of the Dream Serum and coaxed him to swallow the entire amount. Another leaf was placed on his tongue to replace the first, then another five minutes later.
Teyla hovered beside John, her fear and worry manifesting itself in compulsive pulse checking until she finally sat on the ground beside the platform and simply held his wrist in her hand, fingers pressed continuously against the reassuring beat of life. John tried to make a joke about holding hands at the movies, but was interrupted by a tremor that shook his whole body and left him panting, the joke long forgotten. She might have been imagining it, but she thought, just maybe, that the fast light flutter felt just a bit stronger - the beats a trifle harder.
The slight hope the observation brought was crushed out when he seized for the second time fifteen minutes after he'd taken the first leaf of the Dream Serum. The convulsions were not nearly as violent, owing to his weakened state, but equally terrifying. When they ceased, and his body finally rested in a sprawl across the blankets, John was deeply unconscious. This time he remained so.
"Is he supposed to keep doing that?" Rodney burst out after letting go of the arm he'd been holding down. "I thought this medicine was supposed to protect him from the seizures that were killing him!" His tone was part terror, part accusation.
"The second seizure was delayed, and was milder. The medicine is having an effect. When it reaches full potency, and if we continue the dosage correctly, it will prevent further seizures until the venom wears off."
"How long? How long until it wears off?"
"Six to Eight hours after the sting. Sometimes longer."
Rodney just stared. "He was bitten three hours ago. He's only halfway through this thing?"
The Shaman shrugged, the gesture more resigned than flippant, "He has survived and even triumphed through the most difficult part. He has only to endure."
"I'm not really good with the enduring thing," Rodney snapped, his frustration threatening to explode into anger again.
"Then why don't you help me tend to his injuries, Rodney," Teyla suggested calmly, hoping that a useful task would soothe his anxiety. "Get out your medical kit for me please, and then cut those bindings free from his wrists."
Rodney nodded, distracted as she had hoped by the chore, and they were soon working together to clean and bandage the scrapes caused by the leather thongs. The Shaman sat on his stool again, watching their techniques curiously between watchful glances at John's quietly unconscious body.
They had just finished rubbing triple antibiotic into the worst abrasions on John's right wrist when their radios suddenly blared to life in a crackle of static.
"Dr. McKay, Teyla, this is Atlantis base. Do you read?" Teyla had never been so happy to hear Colonel Carter's voice.
"Yes! Yes, oh finally yes. Where are you landing, Sam? I'll meet you outside to show you the way to the Shaman's hut." Rodney had pounced on his radio and was already halfway to the door before Teyla could even raise her hand to the radio's pocket.
"Negative, Rodney. We've been delayed..."
"No, no, no. The 'gate is out of range. You have to be nearby or these radios wouldn't be receiving." He sounded hysterically annoyed, as if she were playing a bad joke on him.
"We managed to get a UAV up to relay communications. The tree obstructing the 'gate started to roll when we began cutting out branches. We have to stabilize it first or the trunk will crush the DHD, not to mention block the 'gate even more thoroughly."
Rodney froze, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "How long?" he asked with a chuff of exasperation.
"Ronon just left with a team of field medics on foot. At worst, someone will be there in three hours. Hopefully, we'll get a jumper through much sooner, though." There was a pause, almost as if Colonel Carter was afraid to ask the question that was most obvious to ask next, "How is Colonel Sheppard?"
Disgusted, Rodney just waved at Teyla who opened the channel on her own radio, "He is holding his own, although his condition is most critical. The village Shaman is treating his symptoms with local medicines and they appear to be effective, so far."
"This person is treating him?" Carter's voice sounded surprised, although she gave no hints as to what was alarming her. A very small tingle of annoyance crept down Teyla's spine.
"The Shaman is familiar with the creature and the effects of the venom the Colonel is suffering."
"Of course. Do you wish to consult with Dr. Keller via radio?"
"I see no reason to at the moment. We will contact you should we require assistance."
"Understood. Atlantis out."
The radio hissed into silence and Teyla and Rodney exchanged a long, fearful look. Some of Rodney's anger seemed tempered and Teyla guessed that Atlantis's delay in reaching them had justified their decision to treat John with the Dream Serum somewhat. "So now what?" he asked, sounding lost.
"We wait. We watch. We keep John company."
Rodney nodded heavily and wandered around the hut for a drink of water from the barrel and dragged back a small wooden chair from beside the Shaman's dining table. He turned it backwards, straddled the seat and rested his chin on top of folded hands along the wooden back. Teyla curled herself on the edge of the platform, managing to find a way to wrap her legs into a comfortable position and prop her own chin on one knee. Her hand still rested on John's wrist, and she watched his face closely, making note of every flicker of expression that crossed his pain creased brow. The Shaman held the small basket with the remaining Dream Serum leaves, also watching with a serenity that resembled meditation even in it's alertness.
"He'll be OK, you know?" Rodney muttered softly after many long minutes of quiet passed in the Shaman's hut.
Teyla couldn't bring herself to answer, but she tilted her head at Rodney, encouraging him to finish his thought.
"He's too proud to be taken out by a bug. He'd never let that happen. No, if he can survive everything that Iratus bug did to him, he can beat this scorpion-impersonating micro nuisance."
Teyla nodded with a smile. John had indeed survived a great deal in the years since she'd known him, he seemed to have an insatiable thirst for life, and for his life on Atlantis in particular.
An hour crawled by. Rodney paced a little now and then, the Shaman watched. Teyla sat, encouraging every breath, applauding every flutter of pulse under her fingertips; his heart remained steady. Just as Teyla was beginning to notice that John seemed to be sweating slightly, his dry cool skin turning warm and tacky, he started to shiver ever so slightly and curled up tighter on the platform. She reached for his forehead and felt the first warmth of fever beginning to heat his already sweaty head. She looked around in alarm for the Shaman who had left his stool and was stoking the fire, adding more fuel and bringing the coals into crackling flame. The room felt almost immediately warmer and Teyla realized that the Shaman had already diagnosed the fever and was heating the room for John's comfort.
When he was finished with the fire, the Shaman brought over some warm woolen blankets from his own platform bed and helped Teyla tuck them in around John's bare shoulders and torso. John's shivering stopped, and he seemed to relax again as the warmth soothed the fever-induced chill.
"The Serum often brings fever," the Shaman said, returning to his stool. He broke off a piece of leaf and handed it to Teyla. "The fever weakens the body further. We will watch him closely." Teyla nodded with a gulp and placed the leaf on John's tongue, finding his wrist again.
Half an hour longer passed before John moved or so much as twitched an eyelid. When he suddenly spoke her name, she started and looked around, searching for the voice.
"Teyla..." he said again, the voice not raspy and weak, but sounding almost normal. She finally looked at him, confused when he still lay completely still, eyes closed, although they flickered under his eyelids.
"He is dreaming," the Shaman whispered. "The Dream Serum is a potent window into the dream world. The Shaman use small amounts to enhance meditation. At strong doses, the dreams can become quite vivid."
Teyla shuddered. They'd had too many dreams all too recently. She did not wish any more nightmares upon John. "Will the dreams disturb him?" she asked.
"It depends on the dreamer."
"Teyla. Rodney's dead," said John suddenly, still motionless. Rodney shot his head up from his hands at his name.
"No I'm not!" he exclaimed.
"Carson, Elizabeth, McKay...all dead. Ronon's gone..." John rolled his head a little, his face wincing slightly.
Teyla stroked his shoulder, trying to soothe him with touch and a calm voice, "You're dreaming John. I am here, Rodney is here. Ronon is coming."
"One by one by one by one..." John breathed a deep sigh, then Teyla could almost see him clamping his jaw, pushing aside the fears even in the deepest of sleep. He said no more.
They waited for more mumbles, finally drifting back into the tense stupor of waiting again when he remained silent.
Another half-hour passed. John began to shiver again, even under the blankets. The Shaman handed Teyla another leaf, and his eyes were worried. "He weakens faster than the venom disspates," the Shaman muttered, almost to himself. Teyla started at the soft concern and looked at John long and hard, finally seeing what the Shaman had seen. The sweat on John's face had dried and yet he shivered again. His heart still felt strong under her fingertips, but she realized it may have quickened beyond even the venom-induced flutter. He was going into shock, she realized. She quickly placed the leaf in his mouth, making sure he had already swallowed the last one.
"What can we do?" she said, the question a desperate command.
"What's wrong?" Rodney said quickly, catching on to the sudden tension.
"He's going into shock, Rodney."
"What do we do?" Rodney repeated, also turning to the Shaman.
"The battle is his. He is strong, as you know, but he fights hard and the struggle is long. The medicine must be cautiously administered, too much or too little will both harm him."
"There's nothing more you can do, you mean," accused Rodney.
"I have a great deal more to do. But yes, the majority of the work is your friend's."
Rodney rolled his eyes and scoffed, then angrily reached for his radio. He almost jumped out of his skin when it suddenly crackled into life before he'd so much as gripped the pocket.
"McKay! Do you read?" Colonel Carter's voice again rang through the tiny speaker.
"We're still here, if that's what you mean. Where are you?!" Apparently he'd abandoned courtesy, even for his own chain of command.
"We made it through the 'gate. We're en route in a jumper as I speak. ETA 5 minutes. Where should we land?"
Rodney sighed in nominal relief, then shrugged and looked at Teyla. "The village has been cleared of trees. There should be room for the jumper by the place where the path emerges from the forest," she told him quickly.
"South side of the village," he relayed. "We'll send someone to meet you."
"Understood, Jumper out." And she closed the connection.
"It's about time," Rodney growled. "I'll go meet them." And he was out the door in a furious stomp.
Teyla let him go, standing quickly and fussing over John for just a moment before she turned to the confused Shaman. "Our people will arrive very soon in a ship, a flying machine that will allow us to take John home without walking. They are bringing medics, skilled healers and equipment that will provide John much needed medical aid. We are so grateful for your wisdom and medicines. You are a skilled healer, you have certainly saved his life while we waited. You are in our debt and we will repay your kindness in any way we can."
The Shaman frowned, unimpressed with her formal thanks. "You will take him home? You are leaving?"
Teyla nodded, tilting her head at the question, "Yes. We can offer him advanced medical care back at our home."
The Shaman shook his head in great concern. "I must finish the Dream Serum. I must taper the medicine back once the venom begins to subside."
"Our people have other medicines that will accomplish the same goals."
"You don't understand. You must complete treatment with THIS medicine. Do your people know how much he has received? Do they know how much yet to give? Can they see when the tide turns against the venom? Do they know how to spread the final doses so that he will not suffer the harmful effects of sudden withdrawal?"
It was Teyla's turn to frown. She was just beginning to understand the commitment she'd made when she allowed the Shaman to give John the Dream Serum. The Shaman was urgent with sincerity; Teyla had trusted him to this point. Was she to simply ignore his warning and offer of continued expertise simply because her own people had arrived?
She was still chewing her lip with indecision when a burst of activity at the leather flap drew everyone's attention to the door. Teyla took a deep breath, preparing for the next battle.
Colonel Carter, Dr. Keller, another medic that Teyla didn't know by name and Rodney all entered the room, carrying medical bags, equipment and a stretcher. Teyla strode towards them and couldn't keep the smile of relief off her face when Dr. Keller greeted her with warm concern. She next gave a nod of respectful welcome to Colonel Carter, realizing she was still surprised at the woman's eagerness to join missions offworld. Keller immediately headed towards John, pulling out her scanner and stethoscope even as she walked. The medic was only a step behind. She saw them both share a quick alarmed glance at the bandages on his forehead and wrists, but they bent to their tasks without a comment.
"How is John?" Carter asked kindly with a worried glance at the still, pale figure under the blankets.
"His is weak and I believe he is beginning to slide into shock. You're timing is...most fortunate," Teyla answered with genuine relief, but she held out a hasty hand and hurried on with her next concern as Carter took a single step closer to the activity around the bed. "Colonel Carter, John's life was in danger from the venom. The Dolsans have a treatment that has been sustaining him, but the Shaman is very concerned that he be allowed to finish. I believe we must not take John away until the Shaman feels he has completed the treatment."
Carter pulled a double-take, suddenly focusing her fierce intelligence on Teyla's face. "You...want us to stay here?"
"Yes. I believe it is imperative we do so."
Carter looked extremely skeptical and Teyla felt her face go hard with annoyance. The Colonel was a scientist, like McKay. Would she dismiss the Shaman's medicine so completely as Rodney had done, even after all the help he had provided? Carter studied Teyla for a long moment, seeming to sum up her resolve. She nodded slightly, making no commitments yet, and walked closer to the bed to watch Dr. Keller working for a minute.
Dr. Keller had rolled John to his back and had her scanner out and working even as the medic was taking John's blood pressure with a BP cuff and stethoscope. The Shaman sat on his stool looking worried and out of place among the sudden intrusion of technology and bustle of assertive strangers. "Dr. Keller?" Carter said, the request for an update implied with the simple question.
"Teyla was right, he's in mild shock. His vitals are all off and he's running a temp of 102. Start an IV," she ordered, turning aside for a moment to give the instructions to the medic. The medic immediately pulled out a large clear bag of fluid and began to tear open a sterile package with the IV port for John's arm. "We need to stabilize his blood pressure before we move him, then I'll need to run blood tests back on Atlantis to determine what kind of venom we're dealing with here."
Teyla caught the Shaman's angry shifting as Keller mentioned moving John and she yet again shored up her determination. "We cannot move him until the Shaman completes the treatment he has begun."
Keller finished her scan and stood to face Teyla, her face curious rather than suspicious. "Do you know what your friends gave the Colonel?"
Teyla gestured to the Shaman, urging him to join them. The man rose warily and stood by Teyla, as if the two of them were squaring off against everyone else in the room. Teyla shot him an encouraging look, "Shaman, this is Dr. Keller, Colonel Carter," she indicated each in turn. "Dr. Keller is a healer, a medicine woman like you. She wishes to know about the Dream Serum."
The Shaman nodded and repeated his description in much the same way that he had explained the medicine and its effects on the body to Rodney and herself hours ago. Dr. Keller listened with polite concentration, then stood thinking, shooting quick glances at John and the medic who had nearly completed the IV.
"The Shaman believes he must administer the final doses of the medicine and taper off the amount when the venom is defeated. He mentioned withdrawal as a possible danger."
"It sounds like he has been treating him with a kind of systemic vasoconstrictor. It's the right treatment for hypotension caused by the venom. If that is the case, then I would be hesitant to administer anything of our own anyway, without knowing exactly what the interactions might be."
"I must continue monitoring the dosages to keep his body fighting. Once the venom subsides, I must then reduce the medicine gradually, or he risks the seizures again."
"Do you know how much you have already given him?" Keller asked, this time of the Shaman directly and Teyla smiled a reserved smile of relief. Dr. Keller at least was beginning to see the Shaman as knowledgeable.
"Yes. Each portion contains enough serum for an hour of strong stimulation, once the initial doses have reached full potency. I have just given him a third measure. The venom will begin to dissipate in the next hour. I must judge the remaining doses based on how quickly your friend fights off the effects and how weak he becomes with the struggle." He held up his basket of serum soaked leaves and Teyla winced at how primitive the simple medicine looked against the gleaming tools of the Atlantis professionals.
Dr. Keller nodded, then looked at Carter and shrugged. "There's not much more I could do on Atlantis. We would also just be waiting for the venom to metabolize. It wouldn't hurt to stay and treat him here, and it just might help. We at least wouldn't have to deal with withdrawal on top of the rest."
Teyla nodded in gratitude, then turned to Carter. Dr. Keller had accepted the Shaman's contribution, but the doctor would defer to Carter if the Colonel insisted on taking John home. For just an instant, Teyla wondered what Carter would do if Teyla simply refused to allow John to be taken. She knew the village hunters would support their Shaman if he asked them to stop the Atlantians. The thought shocked her and she wondered at her daring. Could she really risk her entire future with Atlantis' command to keep John here? With a surprising certainty, she answered herself: Yes, if John's life were at stake, she would risk even her place on Atlantis to do what was best for him. He had done no less for her, more than once, and she envied him the ease with which he seemingly made those decisions.
Carter thought for only a moment longer. "Do what you think is best, Teyla," she said. "Rodney said John gave you authority to call the shots on his behalf."
Blinking in surprise, Teyla could only answer as quickly as her shock allowed, "We must let the Shaman complete his treatment. But I'm certain he would allow Dr. Keller to do whatever else is needed to insure John's survival."
The Shaman nodded emphatically, "I would indeed appreciate the chance to learn from your healers," he said humbly.
Keller and the Shaman returned to John's side leaving Teyla standing at John's feet, feeling suddenly useless and unnecessary. She wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered. After a long quiet moment, she finally felt Carter studying her and she turned to meet the gaze, stiffening under the scrutiny. Carter smiled quickly and held out a hand to hold Teyla's arm in reassurance.
"You've done well, Teyla. Rodney told me there was trouble with the hunters and that you talked John down off a rather high delusional ledge."
Teyla frowned with amused puzzlement. "He told you all that in the time it took you to walk here from the jumper?"
Carter's mouth twitched and she raised her eyebrow at McKay who was pacing behind the medic, looking like he was about to either pick a fight, or collapse on the ground with worry. "McKay talks really fast," she said, a chuckle in her tone. "You've had a rough go of it, the last month," Carter went on, her voice more serious. "Your whole team has. I hope...well, I hope you know how much I admire you all. How much I envy you even."
Teyla was surprised at the wistfulness in the Colonel's tone and she was shocked to see a flicker of sadness on Carter's face. The moment of regret quickly passed and she sighed in concern as she looked at John again. "I hope he pulls through. Don't tell John, but I sortof like having the guy around."
"As do I," Teyla answered and she smiled to herself. Carter may be in command of Atlantis, John's direct superior, and more experienced than all of them put together. But even she was coming under John's influence, under the charm of his easygoing trust. He had summed her up, given her his allegiance and despite conflicts that she knew were certain to arise, he would bind her to him as they all were bound. In effect, he'd added her to his growing family. Teyla decided thoughtfully that perhaps she should trust John's wisdom in such matters and simply accept Carter as he did.
They stood together in quiet vigil as Keller and the Shaman bent their heads together in deep discussion, Keller listening to the Shaman's intuitive understandings of what he was doing and had done, Keller repeating the information back for him in clinical terms, translating for herself as much as for the Shaman's education. After many minutes of conversation, Keller ordered several more prescriptions and, working together, they held John to life.
Only a half hour after Carter and Keller arrived, Ronon and the field medics jogged into the village finding themselves in no way disappointed that their arduous trek had been ultimately in vain. The medics wearily unloaded their gear in the Shaman's hut, then gathered to wait in the jumper for the return trip. Ronon would not be satisfied until he looked in on John himself, only then allowing the exhaustion of his 5 hour run to claim him. He collapsed against the wall within sight of the healers gathered around John. Five minutes later, he was snoring softly.
Another hour passed. Then another. Teyla dozed. Carter came and went, allowing the jumper to take the tired medics back to Atlantis, returning again to wait for the time when John could be taken home safely. Rodney paced, then joined Teyla and Ronon against the wall. Keller and the Shaman never wavered in their care. Finally losing track of time, Teyla fell deeply asleep against Ronon's shoulder who was himself deeply asleep.
She woke to a gentle nudge on her shoulder and blinked to see Dr. Keller squatting in front of her, poking next at Ronon and then Rodney who was sagging against Teyla's shoulder also asleep.
"How is John!" Teyla blurted out, unable to read the doctor's expression, sudden anxious worry clutching her heart.
Keller waited just long enough to be sure she had the full attention of all three of them, "The Shaman believes that the venom has been purged, to use his words. He has entrusted me with the leaves and I'm sure I know how to administer the rest."
"Will he be OK? Is he alright!" Rodney asked, just as bleary as Teyla felt, but she was grateful the question had been asked.
"He's not out of the woods yet, but... I think he'll pull through. He'll be OK." A smile finally found Dr. Keller's lips and Teyla sighed in relief.
"Thank you," she whispered, managing to convey both her thanks in the doctor's care and in her willingness to listen to the Shaman.
"You're welcome. You made the right call by the way. Colonel Sheppard wouldn't have survived without the vasoconstrictor at that critical moment." She held out her hand and heaved Teyla to her feet, then put her hand on Teyla's arm. "Come on. It's time to take him home."