Rodney is OOC due to delirium and John curses a lot. This is the last chapter and it turned out to be longer than the others. There is an epilogue so no worries. :) Though that will be short. I'll plan on getting it out pretty soon.

Disclaimer: Nothing's changed since last chapter. I don't own anything.

"Because imaginary or not, John Sheppard would never stop looking for his friends. You know that. We are going to find you. I promise. And we are going to get that thing out of you. Everything is going to be okay. Just don't give up."

Rodney swallowed thickly, allowing himself to nod slightly.

John responded back with his own nod and a soft, grim smile. "You just have to do one thing for me."

"Wake up."

Rodney's eyes flung open and he screamed.

Chapter Nine

Three small beams of light shined brightly down the darkened hallways, a beacon of light in an otherwise dismal area. All around them the resin stretched down from the walls and ceiling with an occasional strand falling slowly towards the ground.

Sweat rolled down Johns' face but he ignored it, focusing instead on the task before him. He moved quietly and swiftly down the corridors, his gun swinging back and forth as it illuminated the walls, nooks, and crannies. He was already at a brisk jog, moving down the maze of hallways, unwilling to stop for a moment to even catch his breath.

Ronon and Teyla were behind him, their guns sizing up the area and determining threat levels. They were some distance away, unable to keep up with John's rather urgent run through the corridor. More than that, they were keeping tabs on where they were and where they were not since they no longer had the schematic of the building. Occasionally, Ronon would shout up which direction to when there was a fork, letting John know that they were indeed still behind him as he had neither the time nor patience to turn around and check.

He was completely focused upon the task before him, unwilling to let his mind drift to the very real possibility that he might not find Rodney. He remembered the shock at finally making it to the Jumper only to realize that someone very important was missing. The shock had turned to horror when he realized what must have happened.

Lorne had wanted to stay, but in the end John convinced him to take his team and what was left of the expedition back to Atlantis. Before they went, they took down most of the creatures that had been chasing them, to Johns' satisfaction, paving the way for them to get back into the complex.

John prayed they would be in time. No. They would be in time to save Rodney and get the hell out of here. There was no other possibility.

He turned the corner sharp and froze. His shoes skidded on the ground and his arms flailed to try and balance him, but in the end it was Ronon who pulled him back from the gaping hole in the ground before him. "Thanks," he muttered, taking several deep breaths of air to appease his burning lungs.

Looking at the hole before him, he couldn't help but feel his stomach drop. It was mammoth, taking up the entire hallway with the exception of a small ridge right next to the wall. The ground looked like it had been melted and it caved downwards into a dark abyss, tendrils of slime and concrete hanging off the edges. From where he was standing he couldn't see the bottom below.

"Perhaps we should turn back. There could be another passage we missed." Teyla spoke with reason, but John knew better. They didn't have time to retrace their footsteps. They would lose too much time.

He peered again at the ridge next to the wall. It was small but wide enough to fit a person. The walls were still melting, but he could see several good indentations in the wall that would be good enough to hold on to.

Ronon seemed to follow his train of thought. "Cover me." He walked over to the edge and fearlessly grabbed onto the walls, swinging his legs over and onto the ridge. Once his footing was secure, he started scuttling across to the other side.

"How's it going?" John asked, his P-90 up and pointing at the area Ronon was currently headed.

A grunt was the only response. Ronon finally reached the end of the gap and threw himself onto the other side and onto solid ground. His knife was out and ready for any attack but none came. He turned slightly towards them and waved at them to follow.

John was next. Shouldering his gun, he walked over to the edge and hesitantly got a hold of the wall and pulled himself out on the ridge. He could feel the slime ooze between his fingers, but he ignored it as he moved over. Ronon and Teyla were on either side, watching for anything moved but the hole was what worried him the most. He couldn't see anything. No doubt it would be the perfect spot for an ambush which he knew for sure that the creatures were smart enough to set up.

Something gleamed down the hole and he peered down. That was all that was needed for him to lose his focus. His hand touched a particularly weak part of the wall and the slime came off suddenly making him lose his grip. John found himself in a free fall, falling down into the dark hole. In his peripheral he saw Ronon lunge for him but he wasn't fast enough.

John plunged into the hole.

He only had a moment to prepare for the impact. He slammed hard into the ground with a loud crunch, pain exploding in his back and his head. Groaning lightly, he slowly got into a sitting position his body screaming in protest.

Something was moving beneath him.

He slowly reached down and grabbed it, pulling his gun out to view it in the light. White gleamed up at him. His gasp echoed throughout the room and he quickly threw it at the wall where it shattered upon impact.

He was sitting in a pile of human bones.

Standing up quickly, he found ground that didn't have any remains on it and looked up, casting his light towards the entrance of the hole. He could hear them calling his name. Probably not the smartest move, but neither of them had radios.

He waved his flashlight around. "I'm alright," he called up.

"How far of a drop is it?" Ronon called down, intent clear.

John frowned, looking at the rising walls. "About fourteen feet. Though I wouldn't advise just jumping down," he added quickly.

"We will find another way down," Teyla replied. "Just stay there and we will be there soon."

"Okay!" John gave a thumbs-up before realizing they couldn't seem him at all. Sighing, he returned to the room he was in, analyzing it in more detail. It appeared that he was in no immediate danger as he could neither see nor hear any creatures nearby, nor were there any more holes to fall down. Something gleamed out at him again, making him stop and turn towards the object. Moving the flashlight in the direction of the object, he slowly stalked forward until he reached it.

His face went white as he picked it up with shaking hands. It felt as if someone had dropped a bucket of ice on him. Reality slowly sunk in, as he stared at Rodney's bloody gun that the chance of finding his friend alive just dwindled even more.

"Fuck!"

Slime slowly made its descent down the walls of the hatchery creating a sticky mess upon the ground below. Many of the used eggs had already started to wilt while many of the un-hatched were glistening with fresh slime.

Rodney lay at a sixty degree angle from the wall, the slime that once held him stationary coming apart no longer able to hold his weight. At this position he had a clear visual of the creature that had attached itself to him only moments before. It was dead now, just a rotting corpse on the ground, but Rodney knew that it had done its' job.

It had laid the egg.

Rodney whimpered and tugged again at the slime. He felt weak and fatigued and every jerk and pull drained him even more. But he refused to allow himself to give up. Not after everything.

Another tug.

His arm fell loose. Not having the energy to keep the arm up it swayed downwards, swinging back and forth wildly.

"One down," he mumbled, turning to look at the other arm.

Something (okay, he knew what) rumbled in his stomach and a sharp pain shot throughout his body. He gasped then winced, his throat sore from the violation. "You keep quiet down there. I haven't figured out how to get you out yet."

He tugged at the other arm and watched as the slim slowly stretched to its' limit before giving away with a snap. He was suddenly pitched forward as his front half was no longer attached to anything. The floor was entirely too close to his face for comfort and he attempted to right himself with no avail.

"I'm going to die half upside down," he wailed silently to himself. It wasn't exactly the kind of death he had pictured for himself. Perhaps something nobler and a little less humiliating. "At least you'll have a drop once you get out," he added scathingly to the little thing in his stomach. "Maybe it'll give you brain damage." A pause. "Or whatever you have for a brain."

Looking forward, he realized that there was an egg nearby. Slowly and painfully he lifted his heavy arms and grabbed the egg. He pulled his body up and towards the egg, away from the slime that held him captive. The slime gave way with a horrible squelching sound followed by a pop and Rodney was suddenly free.

He felt like he was floating for a moment before reality sank in and he fell harshly onto the ground, face first into the dead carcass. Letting out another scream (that wasn't girlish in any way) he back peddled as fast as his tired limbs could carry him. Hands frantically swiped at his face, determined to get some of the decaying pieces of the body off him that may or may not be there.

His throat suddenly constricted and he leaned over just in time as a burst of vomit sprayed from his mouth and onto the ground. He gagged as the putrid liquid filled his mouth, his taste buds overwhelmed with the rancid taste of vomit. His nostrils flared in protest as he attempted to spit all the he could from his mouth. The taste stayed however, much to his chagrin.

Panting, he leaned back against the slimy wall behind him and closed his eyes. The world was spinning too fast and his head was pounding angrily. He felt his body relax as much as it could, an overwhelming tiredness overcoming him. Perhaps he should just stay and rest for a moment.

"Rodney."

Rodney jumped, eyes flying open to look for the source of the voice but found nothing. He shuddered involuntarily. Was he hearing things now?

Shaking his head lightly, immediately regretting the action as dizziness threatened to consume him, he pulled himself up. "Got to find an exit," he mumbled. His stomach appeared to rumble in agreement. Hunched over, he began stumbling towards one of the corridors to the right, remembering that it had been the corridor they had used once they had found Sheppard.

He peered into the hallway, looking for anything that would to eat and/or kill him. Finding it to be devoid of anything hostile, he started to head down, his hand tracing the walls to get his bearings.

He was going to get out of here.

Outwardly John was the picture of stoicism. In his mind, he was swearing and cursing so much that even a sailor would blush. He tore down the corridor no longer paying much attention to stealth or his surroundings, shouting out his friends' name.

He was sure Teyla and Ronon were somewhere behind him, a part of his brain realizing that being split up from them was not the best idea. But the clock in his mind that had set ever since Rodney had disappeared was climbing higher and higher. The longer he was gone the more time he spent in the hatchery.

Just the mere thought made him speed up, recklessly running around corners and past open rooms. The Jumpers' attack on the creatures had given them quite the window, he realized. He knew, however, that it would be too much to ask for all of them to have been outside the complex when they opened fire. Either way, the creatures hadn't bothered them once since entering which he was extremely grateful for. He had more important things to think about.

"There!" Teyla called out and he saw it: the opening into one of the central rooms. It was as large as he remembered as he entered with abandon, running past the various other corridor entrances and the various eggs. He did a quick sweep of the area and found it lacking anyone named Rodney.

He froze in mid-step, eyes widening at the implication. "Dammit!" He punched the wall nearest to him, immediately regretting the action as it sent waves of pain up his arm.

Teyla and Ronon caught up with him and stopped beside him. Teyla had a deep frown on her face. "This is a good thing that he has managed to escape on his own."

"Yeah?" John growled angrily. "And just how are we supposed to find him now?"

"He went that way," Ronon rumbled, pointing to a familiar looking corridor.

John looked up at him in shock. "Thought you couldn't track in here with all this secreted stuff everywhere."

Ronon silently pointed to the ground.

John resisted the urge to smack himself as he noticed the vague shoe imprints in the gooey ground that headed towards that particular corridor. "Right," he mumbled embarrassedly.

An egg to the right of him suddenly opened.

John twitched. It only took a moment to analyze the only two options they had and make a decision. He quickly brought his gun up and shot the egg and its' contents, satisfied when he noticed the familiar colored blood spray out of the egg.

Unfortunately, just as he predicted they heard the sounds of the creatures as they suddenly came back out of the wood work.

A new sound made them freeze in their tracks.

It was similar to the previous noises the creatures made but it was louder, stronger, and with it came a certain emotion that John certainly hadn't been expecting. It was a mix of anger and anguish. He recognized it from the times he had to personally tell family members that their son or daughter had died. It was the sound of a mother who learned that her children were dying, John realized with a shudder.

"Shit," he whispered as the implications dawned on him. The creatures were so damned organized. Of course there was someone behind the scenes, pulling the strings.

"I think it's time to get out of here. Now."

No objections met his statement and in a moment they were tearing down the correct corridor, the wailing incessantly following them. All John could do was pray they outran whatever was back there and that Rodney was close by and unharmed.

Shadows jumped out in front of them, hissing and spitting at them as they blocked the way out.

"Dammit!"

Lights lit the way with an unnatural glow. The ground appeared to be getting bumpier and harder as Rodney walked and the walls were as slimy as ever. But still, he persevered. Occasionally, he heard rustling on the sides, but he had realized early on that they wouldn't kill him.

He had been attacked early on in his escape. It had come out of nowhere, creeping up on him through the shadows. It had easily knocked Rodney to the ground, using gravity and its' own weight to body keep him pinned to the ground. Its' tail had swung dangerously above, pointed down at him as if waiting to strike.

It had halted, however, in its' attack, sniffing him almost like a dog, drool dripping carelessly upon his shirt. Its' sniffing had stopped at his stomach and it had immediately let out a soft hiss before disappearing back to the darkness of the corridors.

It had been both a blessing and a horrifying conclusion: the creatures wouldn't kill him as long as he was fostering the next evil-creature-to-be.

His condition had, in fact, worsened. He couldn't stop shaking and just standing was a tremendous effort. His head was woozy and felt as if he were submerged under water. The hallucinations hadn't stopped either as his name kept on floating towards him from seemingly random directions with an urgency he hadn't been expecting. His stomach, however, was the worst as a constant pain was now setting in along with grumbling, to which he had remarked, "I'm giving you a free ride and food! You shouldn't be complaining this much."

He knew he wasn't going to last much longer. The fact that he had made it his far without any exploding aliens was a miracle in itself, but it was all going to come to a close soon. And unfortunately the last act would end with his entrails spraying all over the room like some kind of demented finger painting.

He winced again as another sharp pain wracked his body, starting from his stomach. Clenching his eyes and bearing his teeth, he held onto the wall until the spasms stopped. He panted and leaned against the slick surface, his glazed eyes downcast. He needed to find Sheppard fast. Or was it Sheppard who was supposed to find him? He ignored the thought, his brain too muddled to deal with it at the moment.

The hallway in front of him split into two directions and he hesitated. He knew he was supposed to remember something about which way to go, but at the moment it failed him. He cursed lightly and looked forlornly at both as if the walls themselves would come to life and tell him the correct way.

A high-pitched howl made Rodney start in surprise. He peered back down the way he had come, eyes narrowing in thought. He was pretty sure he hadn't caused that. After all, all he did was leave the hatchery area and he doubted it mattered where his chest burst as long as it eventually did. Thus, he deduced, since it wasn't him it had to have been…His eyes widened with hope. Sheppard!

He quickly turned around and headed back the way he had come. A small portion of his mind reasonably said that turning around probably wasn't a good idea and that he should continue to head for the exit. The part of his delirious mind that was dominating him at the moment cried 'Sheppard, Sheppard, Sheppard!'.

Faster than he thought possible, he stumbled down the corridor towards the noise and where he had no doubt he would find Sheppard. Danger always flocked to him like moth to a flame.

It was while Rodney was questioning why he was still on the team if Sheppard was so hazardous that he turned the corner and slammed into someone. Or rather, someone else slammed in to him. All his random musings instantly disappeared once he the person who had rather bodily smashed into him.

"Sheppard!"

Of all the things John had expected them to run into, it wasn't Rodney. And he definitely didn't think literally. Yet, as they ran away from the horrible screeching of an angry mother, he looked away for one second and suddenly he hit something and they both went down. He half expected that he had run into one of those creatures. Danger did seem to flock to him after all. But a surprised and slightly feverish looking Rodney? Nope. Wasn't expecting that at all.

"Sheppard!" Rodney cried out a little too happily. John didn't like the glazed look in his friend's eyes.

He ignored his bubbling questions in favor of hauling his friend back to his feet. "Rodney, you're alright."

Beside him, Teyla was beaming. "This is wonderful news."

Rodney grimaced, opening his mouth then closing it, before opening it once more. "Aren't you supposed to be running?"

John blinked before grabbing onto Rodney's arm tightly and dragging him beside him as they continued forward again. They had lost precious seconds, but finding Rodney made up for that tenfold.

"So what did you do now Sheppard?" Rodney was panting rather harshly beside him and was having obvious problems keeping up, but still managed to sound slightly amused.

John was genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You definitely angered the crap out of something."

"The hell?" John grumbled, taking another corner sharp. "It could have been Ronon with the way he's been destroying these things."

"I agree with Rodney," Ronon spoke up.

"No ganging up on me," John called out, grunting as he had to forcefully stop Rodney from plummeting to the ground again. Despite the levity of their conversation, his concern for his friend was increasing exponentially. He was now virtually carrying Rodney, as his friend had almost given up running in favor of leaning heavily against him. Even Rodneys' head was down as if he didn't even have the energy to keep it up. The feverish look and obvious discomfort wasn't helping. The faster they could get out of the building, the better.

It was because of his concern he didn't realize it until Teyla spoke up and stopped them. It had gone completely silent. The screams and hissing that had been chasing him were suddenly gone, silence stifling the corridor and its' occupants.

John tensed, unconsciously tightening his grip on Rodney who was now standing unsteadily at his side. He could feel his blood rushing in his ears, dominating his hearing as he attempted to pick up even the subtlest of signs of noise from anything other than them.

Nothing.

John turned a weary look back at Teyla and Ronon who looked just as tense as he felt. "Keep an eye out." They had to be extra cautious now. Loud noises could tell you where they were coming from; with silence they would only hear the enemy until it was too late.

They continued forward, their pace not quite as fast as it had been. They took more caution when going by rooms and turning corners, making sure that nothing was waiting for them. John couldn't help but silently thank the heat for making it impossible for the creatures to be lying in wait upon the walls. It was one less thing they had to worry about.

John was overjoyed when he spotted the familiar fork that would ultimately lead to the exit. They were so close.

Down the corridor, the shadows moved.

It was monstrous.

Easily twice the size as the others, it had to bend awkwardly in the corridor in order to fit. Its' head was drastically different than the others, flattening out the further it went from the mouth looking almost like a crown. Its' body looked more skeletal, the skin just as leathery. The protrusions were sharper and more defined, jutting out at impossible angles.

Drool slowly dripped from its' mouth as it opened to let another, smaller one out. It bit out at the air, a deep, guttural hiss escaping. Sharp claws clenched and unclenched, its' tail whipping dangerously behind it almost in anticipation.

John stiffened, drawing Rodney behind him as Ronon and Teyla slowly came up beside him. The creature, no doubt the leader (mother?), was on the other side of the corridor. The corridor leading to the exit sat tantalizingly between them and the odious creature.

"We can make it," Ronon spoke up, seemingly reading Johns' mind.

John sent a quick look at Rodney, who was now slumped against the wall instead of him. Perhaps they could if they were all in top shape. As it was they weren't in perfect condition and the new creature had unknown qualities. No doubt it would be hard for the creature to move, but it could be too risky to attempt to try and get through with no understanding of the creatures' speed.

John peered behind them, wondering if going back and around would be better.

Angry hissing was the solution to his conundrum as shadows moved tauntingly slowly towards them as if the creatures knew they were trapped.

Ronon had already turned to face the new threat, knife gleaming in the darkened light.

John looked at Teyla who nodded in agreement. He quickly grabbed Rodney and pulled him close. "We're going for it," he whispered to his friend.

Glazed eyes gave him a confused look. "Are you insane?"

"Well its' either that or be chop suey," he quipped. "It'll be alright." A small nod to Teyla and Ronon and they were off.

Screams came from all directions, the creatures obviously realizing what was happening. The shadows behind them rushed forward hissing and reaching out with their clawed hands.

A terrible screech of metal being scratched reverberated through the corridor. Before them the mother was moving forward, hunkered down from the small corridor. The sharp spikes that stuck out of the creature was digging into the ceiling and creating deep gouges as it moved forward. Claws extended outwards as if to grab and its' mouth was open wide, drool falling freely to the ground.

Teyla rushed ahead, taking point and slipping easily around the corner. John, was still hindered by Rodney and realized that he most likely wouldn't make it. He waved at Ronon to go ahead but his attempts were met with resistance as Ronon refused to go forward, opting instead to watch their backs.

The mother was coming towards them at alarming speed, barreling down on them all claws and teeth.

They reached the fork at the same time and John barely had time to duck as it slammed its' head into the wall nearest them. John could feel the claws tearing at him, hooking his clothes, but he jerked away taking Rodney with him. He could feel fresh wind against his back signaling that his shirt had indeed been ripped.

Behind him there was a shriek of pain and suddenly Ronon was next to them, his knife gone. John gave him a quick signal and a moment later his gun was gone and in the others' hand. John peered ahead and quickly found Teyla already at the door, opening it and checking for any surprises.

"Sheppard," Rodney called weakly.

"Not now," he hissed back lightly. Behind them, Ronon was already letting out short controlled bursts and John had not doubt that they were right behind them.

The light came upon them suddenly, dunking them in its' rays and momentarily blinding them. John stumbled a bit before regaining his gait and continuing forward to the place he knew the Stargate to be. It was still a fair amount away, the Jumper making it only feel as if it was within close distance.

Frankly, he wasn't sure if they would make it if the queen made it out in the open. The thing moved fast enough as it was being squished within the confines of the wall. He didn't want to deal with it out once it could move freely.

Teyla darted near them, giving John a look. "They're coming."

He shivered, momentarily looking back. Ronon was barreling down after them, gun held stiffly in his hands. Behind him the shadows almost appeared to be growing from the entrance to the complex, spilling out and into the lighted outside. A high pitched screech made them scatter and the mother daintily stepped outside. It stopped for a moment, tilting its' rather large head as if examining the scenery before her.

John looked away before he could see it move. He wasn't eager to see how fast it could move nor how quickly it could catch up.

"Sheppard," Rodney whimpered lightly beside him.

John pulled Rodney closer as he was now practically dragging the man. Several more shots rang out behind them followed by several bouts of howls. The noise was far too close for comfort.

They weren't going to make it.

The fact hit him as hard as the creature behind him did. It smashed into both of them, sending them sprawling to the ground. Rodney rolled limply off to the side as John crashed bodily into the ground.

The creature ignored Rodney completely and immediately attacked John. John moved his head just as its' tail stroke the ground, nicking his cheek and drawing blood. He attempted to punch the thing in the head, momentarily stunning the creature, before attempting to scuttle out and away from it.

It recovered quicker than he had anticipated and lept for him, bloody claws reaching out to slice him.

Bullets bore into its' body and it fell in a twisted, twitching heap of melting blood.

John looked up expecting Teyla but was surprised to see Lorne grinning brightly at him. Behind him, the Jumper squat, a beacon of hope.

"About time." John couldn't help the grin the spread across his face as he watched more military personnel appear around them, shooting at the creatures. He took Lorne's hand and got up quickly heading over to Rodney.

His friend groaned lightly as he was pulled back on his feet and dragged towards the Jumper where Teyla was already waiting. She helped John pull the limp body into the Jumper and away from the opening as to avoid being trampled by other incoming people.

John took only a moment to look behind them and accept that the situation was being controlled before turning back to Rodney. His friends face was flushed, eyes feverish looking, sweat rolling down his face and matting his hair.

"You're burning up," Teyla said softly, removing her hand from his forehead before glancing worriedly at John. "We should get him to Atlantis quickly."

John nodded as she went to the driver and took over, hovering over his friend. "Hey, how are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" came the cranky, but shaky reply. Glazed eyes turned to him but still managed a glare.

People started pouring in behind them, cramping them slightly in the corner. "Do you want to try and sit up?" John asked, vaguely wondering if it would give them more space.

Rodney blinked owlishly. "I'd rather not. This is rather comfortable." A faraway look spread across his face. "Maybe I should move my quarters here. It's far more comfortable than my bed."

"If you ever slept in it," John quipped, worry only growing at the random rambling.

A wince flickered across Rodneys' face and he unconsciously moved a hand to the painful area: his chest.

John watched his moment, brows furrowing. Around them, people held on to various places as the Jumper took off and headed back to Atlantis.

"Rodney? Is your chest hurting?"

"Hmm?" Rodneys' eyes slowly dragged back to Johns' then slowly made their way to his chest where his hand was resting. "Oh, yeah." He said it like a surprise, as if he had forgotten.

A deep and familiar feeling was winding around John, curling around his throat and constricting it. "Rodney, why does your chest hurt?" He wasn't sure how he kept his voice so calm.

Rodney blinked sluggishly, already battling gravity as it moved to close his eyes. "Oh. I got myself a new pet. I think I'll name 'im Schrödinger."

There was silence. "Okay," John said numbly, his mind temporarily uncomprehending. It only lasted several blissful seconds before the horror of the situation refreshed his mind and kicked him back into gear. He didn't let his eyes move from Rodney. "Teyla. How close are we to Atlantis?"

"We are still five minutes away."

"Ah." John nodded to himself, gently tapping Rodney on his cheek to keep him from going to sleep. "Can we get there a bit quicker? And call for Carson?"

Teyla was next to him in an instant. "Yes, I can. What is wrong John?"

John finally turned from his friend, unable to keep the fear from leaking into his voice and shining through his eyes. "One of them is in Rodney."

Teyla stiffened and without a word marched back up to the front.

John turned back to his friend only to find Rodney's eyes had already closed, the only signs of life being his soft laborious breathing. "Rodney, wake up." He whacked his friends face again, not feeling guilty in the slightest. "Rodney, come on, stay awake. Rodney?" More slapping. "Rodney! Wake up!"

"Rodney!"