The last chapter was a short one, so here's another to tide you over!

Chapter Three

Marie heard Martin try his radio again and then curse under his breath. "You don't think they're all dead, do you?" he asked Melloni while they worked on removing the rubble from the passageway with four other scientists.

Marie moved Lorne's injured shoulder as she examined it, making him bite his lip, then he growled, "Martin, cut out that kind of chatter. It's counterproductive."

Lorne sat on a bench-sized rock while Marie tended to him, though Lorne's attention was solely on the people working to free them and not on himself. He didn't sound quite as angry when he spoke next. "You guys are the smart ones, the science guys, so you know we were already having trouble with the radios inside the cave before the medical team arrived. It's no surprise that we can't reach them now."

Marie caught Lorne's eye as she rigged a makeshift arm sling for him to minimize movement of his injured joint. "They aren't dead," Lorne said with determination.

He looked at the others and raised his voice. "And Colonel Sheppard would kick your proverbial ass if he heard you talking like that. They aren't dead. I refuse to give into that notion until I actually see a body. Even after all we went through, nobody died in here, so they probably survived as well."

Melloni offered, "At least, the explosions have stopped."

Lorne nodded, his mood improving with the positive comment. "Maybe the Samjo clan are taking a break or they have exhausted their supply of explosives. Or maybe Sheppard's team managed to jam the signal. Doesn't matter much why. The bottom line is we are getting a break in the action and we need to make the most of it. Now, it's just a matter of digging ourselves out."

He gave a low groan as she lifted his hand to slip it inside the arm sling. It appeared he'd sprained his shoulder rather badly and she suspected he was hiding a lot of his pain from everyone. He needed to go under a scanner to determine the extent of his injury.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"It's okay," he said, then he eyed her, taking the attention off of him and placing it directly on her. "How's the head?"

"Better," she lied. It was easier to pretend it wasn't pounding away like a jackhammer on steroids. "I need to check on the corporal."

Lorne nodded and helped her to stand. They walked over to Hopkins who was either sleeping or unconscious, because he wasn't moving. After assisting Marie to sit on the ground beside the corporal, Lorne said, "I'm going to see for myself how far our scientists are coming and maybe give them another pep talk. Be right back."

"Please check on Carson on your way back," she asked, her gaze lingering on her friend.

"Yes, ma'am," Lorne said as he walked away. "We are going to move the doc closer to you and the kid when I'm done to make it easier for you."

"Thank you, Major," she said sincerely.

Corporal Hopkins stirred with her presence. "Thought you'd be staying with the doc."

She shook her head. "No, he's unconscious, but relatively unhurt. How are you doing?"

He sighed. "Feeling better than I thought I would."

She nodded as she checked him out again. "Well, your vital signs are stronger. Tell me, how does your leg feel?"

"Feel?" he asked, puzzled. He frowned. "Actually, it hurts, but not like you'd think it would. Why?"

Marie gestured with her head toward the ground. "Look at the floor of this cave. It's very uneven. So is this slab of rock. Take that along with the fact there's not nearly enough blood spilled for a crushed limb – "

Hopkins' voice was hushed as he asked, "What are you saying?"

"Don't get too excited yet," she said carefully. "I've been talking to Major Lorne and Sergeant Gavillanes. There's a possibility your lower leg is simply trapped under that slab of rock and not crushed as first suspected."

Hopkins' breath caught and some of the lines etched into his forehead eased. Marie repeated. "Don't get your hopes up. We'll just have to see what we find underneath that slab when we move it, but so far there's only a minimal amount of blood. That's a good sign."

He nodded, his breathing speeding up.

"As long as your vital signs stay strong, I'm going to put off the surgery."

He nodded again and a solitary tear slipped down his cheek. "Thank you, ma'am, thank you."

Marie patted him on the shoulder. "Just keep in mind if your condition deteriorates, I'll be forced to act."

"Yes, ma'am."

Marie sat back and closed her eyes. Every once in a while, she was struck by a particularly strong wave of vertigo. At least the pounding in her skull had eased off a little.

She fingered the small pin she always wore on the top of her scrubs and smiled sadly. She remembered the day she'd received the small silver angel pin as a birthday gift from Carson.

Such a kind gesture from Carson done years earlier, remembering her birthday when she'd almost forgotten it herself. Her heart ached as she recalled that two days later, Carson had died after saving the life of Doctor James Watson. Of course, that was a different Carson Beckett than the one lying unconscious nearby. No, that Carson had been full of hope and good cheer. This Carson had a harder edge to him, one borne from years of enduring Michael's madness. Now, Carson was not so easily pushed before he pushed back, but the essence of Carson was still there, shining bright and pure.

She was drawn back into the past without meaning to, remembering how she'd had just finished the sutures on Dr. James Watson's surgical incision when the entire tower shook with the rumble of a huge explosion. Automatically, she had bent over to protect her patient from falling debris, but her heart was already pounding with fear and concern for Carson. The tumor they'd just removed... dear God, it had to be the tumor exploding – but if it had exploded, was it before or after Carson had handed it off?

Tears had welled in her eyes before she could stand upright again. Only minutes had passed since Carson had left the room – only minutes. She thought of the man she'd worked with for the last three years – and she knew. She just knew he was gone.

Watson's condition had stabilized considerably with the removal of the tumor, so she left Watson on the table for a moment, tearing off her gloves. She ran as fast as she could out into the hallway, following the path Carson would have taken. The devastation she found out there nearly made her sick. Dear God, it was true. Carson truly was gone.

By then, other medical personal were beginning to show up, prepared to find newly injured patients, but there was only Marie. Deeply despondent, Marie had returned to her patient in the OR. Once she was sure Watson was still stable, she sat down and cried.

Colonel Sheppard and Doctor Weir showed up shortly afterwards, both pale and stunned with grief. There was nothing to say. There was nothing to do. Carson was gone.

The death of Doctor Carson Beckett had changed Marie's life in ways she never realized until he came back into her world as a clone of the original. Now, occasionally, there would be times, especially when she was exhausted that she was plagued with dreams of his death and return, dreams that repeated over and over until her conscious mind was reeling.

"Ma'am," she heard Major Lorne say.

She opened her eyes to see him kneeling in front of her. She realized her cheeks with wet with tears and she flushed with embarrassment as she wiped at them.

"Yes, Major," she said, trying to focus her attention on him.

He put a hand on her arm. "It's okay. Do you need a moment?"

She shook her head, then cringed and put a hand to her forehead. Before Lorne could ask her again if she was okay, she said, "No, I'm fine. What do you need?"

"Sorry to bother you, but Sergeant Gavillanes needs your help with Doctor Wellers. That arm of hers is pretty bad."

She glanced over and saw Gavillanes tending to the young anthropologist with the compound fracture. She needed surgery to properly set the bone, but at least her blood loss was minimal. They sedated her with morphine to ease her pain, but it looked like she was trying to regain consciousness. They had to get her back to Atlantis, along with Corporal Hopkins, Carson, and the other injured.

Looking down, she saw Hopkins seemed to be sleeping. Out of habit, she touched his wrist and checked his pulse. It was still strong and steady.

"It's okay, Major," Marie said to Lorne as she started to stand. "I'm on my way."

Lorne reached out with one hand and helped her to stand. She was on her feet again when she swayed. Lorne went to steady her, but his breath caught from the unexpected movement. Once she recovered her balance, she eyed Lorne carefully. He frowned under her scrutiny, making him shake his head and he put out a hand to wave her off.

She asked her question in spite of it. "How is your shoulder?"

"Not bad, ma'am," he said a little too emphatically.

She nodded with empathy and understanding. "Uh-huh," she said finally, then paused. "Please call me Marie. I really don't like ma'am."

Lorne gave her a quick wink. "I'll try to remember that."

"Once we are done with Doctor Wellers, I'll look at your shoulder again to see if the swelling has increased."

Lorne gave her an abbreviated shrug. "Doesn't matter if it has. There's nothing we can do about it right now."

Marie sighed. "True."

She started in Hector's direction and Lorne followed her as he said, "I've got people working to find a way out of here. We're getting a breeze from somewhere. At least the blasts have stopped for the past few hours. Not sure if it's voluntary or not. With the radios not working, there's no way to know, but if there is a way out, we'll find it."

She nodded. "That would be good, because we've got some seriously injured people who need the kind of medical attention only a fully functioning infirmary can provide."

She reached Hector and Wellers and came to a stop. Lorne was right behind her. He patted her on the shoulder. "I hear you, ma'a – Marie. I'll keep you updated."

Taking a moment to glance over at the present day Carson Beckett, she sighed with gratitude. Unlike the Carson in her memories, this Carson was still alive, merely unconscious. That was enough to keep her moving.

She let out a long breath as Lorne walked back to join the others in moving rubble away from the entrance. Marie knelt beside Hector and their patient, and focused her attention on her patient.

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