How to save A Life

by The Watch Stander

Just a short chapter till I get a chance to write the final chapters. Thank you so much to everyone for their kind words and adding this story to their lists!

Chapter 13 - Into the Den of Darkness

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Rodney had been unconscious when the men had come for him at the house. He didn't awaken when one of them tossed him over their shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Nor did he so much as stir when they took him to one of the caves in the hills.

He was dropped unceremoniously in a rear area of a cave and when he hit the ground, that finally made him wake up.

After leaving him there, the two men started back through the winding tunnels to the outside. They didn't leave a lit torch or so much as a drink of water for the injured man, figuring he'd be dead soon as Jerin hadn't seemed too interested in his welfare.

Rodney, barely awake, couldn't see very well. The light carried by the men continued to fade, but he heard the receding footsteps and tried calling out out, "Wait . . . " but it was only a whisper and before he could try again the light was completely gone along with the footsteps and he was alone in the dark.

He was lying on his back and tried to sit up. Instantly he regretted the move as his ribs reminded him they'd had enough. Stabbing pains shot through him making it hard to breathe. The morphine was wearing off and all the fun things that had happened to him the past few days were making themselves known sending stabbing pains throughout his body. The metallic taste of blood bubbling on his lips told him he was in trouble.

"Carson, crap! I need to help Carson . . . "

His befuddled mind could only focus on getting out of here and trying to find Carson. He knew the doctor was in trouble, but he didn't seem to be able to move. Everything hurt as his breathing became shallower and more labored. He even tried to crawl along the ground, but that hurt so much that tears formed in his eyes. Finally the stabbing pains became too bad and no matter how much he wanted to find Carson it wasn't going to happen any time soon. He lay there frustrated that he couldn't do anything to help himself never mind save Carson.

Suddenly, he began to gag as blood in his throat choked him and rolling over onto his stomach he spit it out as best he could. The bout of vomiting that followed weakened him as his body began to tremble. It took everything he had just to keep breathing for his lungs didn't seem to be getting enough air. Tears of pain ran down his cheeks as his body continued to shake from the tremors that ran through it.

I'm going to die here and nobody will ever find me . . .

Alone, miserable and in pain his body finally said enough. His right hand grasped the dirt before him as he passed out thinking . . . I've failed Carson.

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Sheppard and his team were on their way to planet M3759's Stargate when the call came through from Atlantis.

"Atlantis calling Colonel Sheppard," Came from the speakers in front of the jumper.

Surprised, John quickly replied, afraid that it might be bad news.

"This is Sheppard."

"John, We've located the planet they're on." Elisabeth's voice was neutral, which could mean anything.

"And?" he waited, dreading what she might say.

"They're alive! Carson's here with me. I need you back here right way. We have a situation that Carson will explain when you return." Her voice was more animated now that she had told him.

John relaxed visibly, his heart stopped pounding as relief washed over him, Alive, she'd said and that was all that mattered.

He turned and smiled at his two relieved team mates, Ronon and Teyla who had also heard the exchange.

Whatever the situation was would have to wait til they got back to Atlantis.

"I'm on my way back, see you soon," he answered as he turned the jumper and headed home.

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Carson was busily preparing to return to the planet, throwing medical supplies into cases when John suddenly came rushing through the infirmary door.

"Carson, how are you? Elizabeth said you'd had a rough time?"

Beckett looked up from the case and John could see the bruises and the bandaged head wound. The doctor looked like he'd been through hell.

"Aye, that we did, but Rodney got the worst of it in the crash and then we were taken as prisoners. It went downhill from there."

John took hold of Carson's arm and made him sit in a nearby chair.

"How about we take a few minutes and you tell me all that's happened," John said softly, knowing from the way Beckett was acting that it wouldn't be good and somehow Rodney was involved.

Carson looked at Sheppard slowly shaking his head, "I need to get back there, Colonel. Rodney's not in good shape. They're holding him somewhere and I didn't get to see him before I left."

John didn't like the sounds of that, "Why?"

Sighing the Doctor decided it would be easier to just tell the colonel a summation of what had happened to them.

John listened quietly while Carson told him what had happened, his face never changed expressions, but his eyes grew colder when Beckett told him about Rodney being beaten even though he was injured.

Seeing the look on Sheppard's face, the doctor hoped that Jerin never got to meet John Sheppard for he doubted Jerin would survive the meeting.

"So, that's why I have to hurry . . . I'm taking one male medical nurse with me."

John looked at him, "That'll be me . . . "

Beckett was taken back by that, "Colonel, you can't come! They will kill us and Rodney if they find out who you are . . . "

"I'm coming Carson. I can play doctor as well as the next man. I won't be armed and I'll hide a wraith stun gun in one of the cases. We can disguise it as a piece of medical equipment."

Beckett shook his head, "I don't like this Colonel, it's dangerous . . . "

"Rodney's in trouble, we need to find him. I'll have Radek set up a scanner to pick up his transmitter's signal. I can slip away and look for him while you administer the drugs," John explained patiently not willing to take no for an answer.

"There may be interference from the radiation if he's in or near those mines."

"Don't worry, I'll find him if I have to search every one of them!" John quickly answered.

Carson shook his head and smiled, "Aye, I believe you would do just that, Colonel."

John Sheppard was a good friend and he cared about his people no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Rodney was one of his closest friends and Carson knew John would search heaven and the Pegasus Galaxy to find him, no matter how many times he denied that he cared about what happened to the acerbic little scientist.

"We'd better go, Rodney's been gone more than six hours and he has internal bleeding. I just hope we get to him in time." Carson's voice caught on the last part, his voice shaky with emotion and exhaustion as he looked down at his feet.

John rested his hand on the doctor's should, "We'll find him, Carson."

Beckett looked up at him, "We bloody well better and they'd better not have hurt him or they'll be hell to pay, so help me!"

John smiled at that, "Hell yeah! I'll turn Ronon on them if they so much as harmed a hair on his head!"

Carson smirked, "Aye, that'll be something to watch!"

John smiled, "You betcha!"

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Elizabeth rubbed her forehead trying to work out the throbbing pain that had persistently plagued her for the last two days. It seemed to have started the moment she found out the two men were missing. Worrying about them had been a constant thing and knowing that with each passing hour the chances of finding them alive diminished substantially didn't help.

However, two hours ago Carson's IDC had come through and she had been relieved. That is until she saw the condition the doctor was in as he came through the Stargate alone. Her heart sank when she saw the sad look on his face as she hurried down the stairs to greet him. For a moment she thought he was going to tell her that Rodney was dead as she held her breath fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.

In the end she hurried over to Beckett and hugged him as he then told her about Rodney and how he had to go back.

Now Carson was once more leaving, only this time with Colonel Sheppard. She didn't like Carson going back to a planet that tortured injured men, but she had little choice in the matter. The two would take the medical supplies back to the planet and try to save their people as well as retrieve Rodney. She knew McKay was badly hurt, but she had faith in John Sheppard. If anyone could bring Rodney back safely, it would be him. The headache was back again, but this time at least there was hope.

She stood there as the two went through the Stargate, praying they found the scientist in time and that they all returned safely.

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Sheppard allowed Carson to go through first while he remained a few yards behind him, carrying two cases of medicine and supplies and trying to look like a medical person who was stuck with carry and fetch detail. As they came through the gate, several large men surrounded them and checked them for weapons.

Carson was angry and that helped as the men were familiar with him and would focus more on his tirade then on John, who looked at them helplessly. It seemed to work as one of the men opened the two cases and barely went through it. John stood there with his arms at his sides, trying to appear nonthreatening. The long white medical coat he wore also helped. It made him look ridiculous.

"Aye, you've seen all that there is, now let's get to the village so we can save some people. I haven't all day to waste with yee!" Carson admonished the two guards.

Carson was never nice when his Scottish ire was up and right now he was pissed at the two men for holding them up. His anger also helped to cover up the nervousness he felt at having Sheppard with him.

Two of the men were the same ones that had been with Jerin and there were three others that Carson didn't recognize. They had weapons trained on the Atlantians and were very large men. Even Colonel Sheppard wouldn't be able to take all of them down.

Satisfied that Carson and Sheppard were no threat, they finally headed out and Carson took his first real breath, still praying that they would be in time to save his friend . . .

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