Chapter Five
After opening up the blocked passageway, Doctor Zelenka and his team of combat engineers had immediately set to work to free Corporal Hopkins. Their rescue apparatus to lift the stone slab from Hopkins' leg was comprised of a complicated series of ropes and pulleys.
And now they were ready to begin. Without meaning to, Marie's eyes squeezed shut as the others worked together to hoist up the slab of rock from Jesse's leg. Though Marie tried to remain positive, a small part of her was still apprehensive about the condition of the corporal's leg underneath it.
She felt Carson squeeze her hand after the slab had been raised and she peeked out of one eye tentatively before putting a hand to her mouth. It appeared that Corporal Hopkins' leg had been protected by a shallow crevice in the floor as they had hoped. Thank God for small miracles.
Jesse was so excited about it, he gave a big Marine "Hoo-Yaw!"
Jesse's war cry was soon joined by others echoing his relief, along with lots of clapping and back slapping from those not involved in raising the slab, but Marie knew the young man wasn't out of the woods yet. They still had to move him away from the wall, so the others could lower the rock slab back to the ground again.
Apparently, Colonel Sheppard was thinking the same thing. He had all his weight pulling on the rope he was holding as he shouted through gritted teeth, "Move him! This damned rock isn't getting any lighter!"
Nodding, Hector and Doctor Melloni tugged on Hopkin' arms and drew him away from where he'd been trapped, eliciting a low groan from the corporal. Jennifer Keller stepped forward, her stethoscope draped around her neck and her hands donned in latex gloves. She motioned to them. "Come on, guys, get him over here."
The two men didn't stop until they were several feet from the slab to where Jennifer was waiting for them. Mister Woolsey, who had also arrived with Jennifer and the combat engineers, was in one corner of the cave with the patriarch of the Samjo clan. Both leaders were pulling on the ropes alongside the enlisted men. Woolsey's skillfully handled peace accord was now barely an afterthought to saving Corporal Hopkins, but without Woolsey's timely intervention, all of them would still be trapped.
Even though Doctor Wellers and the other injured had already been transported back to Atlantis, Major Lorne, Carson, Colonel Sheppard, along with a few others, and herself had opted to stay behind to see their rescue mission through to the end, despite the fact they had numerous medical issues and should have been in the same jumper going back to Atlantis as Wellers and the others.
This group wasn't alone in wanting to see things through – the teams led by Sheppard, Lorne and Stackhouse were still there, all sporting minor wounds of one sort or another, but determined to see how things played out. The bright red garb of the Samjo clansmen who were working along side of the Marines in their standard issue BDUs stood out in the flames of the flickering torch fire, but they worked as one, following Doctor Zelenka's instructions as everyone strove to maintain control of the huge rock slab.
Major Lorne eyed Jesse where they'd stopped, probably to make absolutely sure they were clear, then back at Colonel Sheppard, Ronon, Teyla and the others still straining with the ropes to hold the rock slab back. Zelenka nodded once and Major Lorne motioned with one hand as he said loudly, "Okay, you can let it down."
The others didn't waste any time. Though they tried to lower it slowly, the huge slab got away from them and there was a bone-rattling thud as the slab hit the ground hard, throwing dust up into the air, though not as much as they saw when the passageway had collapsed. The loud jarring sound resounded in the cave and forced Marie to cover her ears, because it made the pounding in her head worsen.
"That's enough to give you a splitting headache, even if you didn't already have one," Carson muttered, rubbing his fingers along his own temple.
Unaffected by the noise, Jennifer knelt beside her patient. Hector was across from her, already getting Jesse's vital signs, but Jennifer's attention was solely on Jesse's leg. Stepping closer, Marie was alarmed by the blood staining Hopkins' pant leg and wondered if there had been some type of injury they didn't know about.
"How's my leg, Doc?" Jesse asked breathlessly. "Does it look okay?"
"Can't tell yet," Jennifer said firmly. "Hold on a sec."
She grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting away the corporal's pant leg. "How are you doing, Corporal?" she asked as she worked.
"I'm good," Jesse replied, though he grimaced in pain.
Hector asked, "What's the pain level?"
"It's not that bad," Jesse replied.
"On a scale of one to ten, what's the pain level?" Hector repeated.
Jesse shrugged as he fought to control his breathing. "Three," he said finally.
Jennifer grunted. "My advice to you, Corporal, is to never play poker, because lying is not your strong suit," she said as she examined the leg she'd had just exposed.
"I've still got my leg, so I've gotta say it's not that bad."
Jennifer nodded. "Well, that is a plus. A big plus. Still... I want you comfortable." She glanced at Hector. "You've still got a ride back to Atlantis. Go ahead and give him five milligrams of morphine sulfate IM."
"Five milligrams IM. Got it," Hector repeated back to her.
Colonel Sheppard limped closer to them. He had taken a bullet from the opposition minutes before Woolsey had ironed out the treaty with the Samjo leaders. He'd been hit him in the calf of his left leg but he'd adamantly refused to leave until the corporal was safe. Luckily, the bullet had passed through without causing too much damage. Hector had it tightly bandaged and Ronon was at his side, probably in case he lost his balance.
"How is he, Doc?" Sheppard asked breathlessly. He wasn't the only one breathing hard. Lifting that rock slab had tested the muscles of every person helping.
Carson knelt beside Jennifer and got a closer look for himself. Jennifer didn't answer the colonel right away. She was too busy probing Jesse's bruises and assessing the condition of the corporal's leg. She began palpating the upper thigh and worked her way down to his ankle, continuing despite the young man's occasional gasps. When she glanced up at Carson and gave him a half smile, Marie knew Jesse was going to be okay.
"You rated that as only a three, huh?" Jennifer asked sarcastically as she patted him on the shoulder. "You must be one tough Marine."
Then she straightened and turned to the colonel.
"This is the luckiest guy I've met in a while," she said with a smile.
She met Jesse's gaze. "Your leg is badly bruised, but I can't detect any breaks. Of course, we will have to scan the leg to be sure. Not to say it won't hurt like the dickens for a few weeks, but that seems to be the worst of it."
There was visible relief in the group, then Mister Woolsey slapped his hands together. "Good job, people, but we've got injured patients to transport," he said loudly. "Sergeant Stackhouse and Doctor McKay are waiting in the clearing outside with a pair of jumpers to get medivac out the injured."
Carson stood and turned to Marie. "That includes you, love, along with Major Lorne and the colonel."
"And you, Carson," Jennifer said firmly before Marie could say it herself.
Jennifer and Hector were busy slipping a splint around Jesse's leg to immobilize it for travel, so she probably couldn't see Carson's expression, but maybe she didn't need to see it to know his look of exasperation, just as Marie knew it was there.
Jennifer continued, "Don't forget you're injured, too, Carson. I still haven't forgiven you for taking off for this mission before I was finished with Lieutenant Murphy's appendix surgery."
Carson shrugged off her admonishment. "Time was vital, lassie. It all worked out in the end."
Jennifer shook her head. "You aren't off the hook yet, Carson. Not until I give you a thorough exam."
"Of course, dear," Carson said with a resolved sigh. Looking at Marie, he winked and said, "You know, now that you mention it, I could do with some dinner and relaxation."
"They are serving your favorite lasagna in the mess for dinner," Teyla said as she came up behind Carson. "Allow me to escort you outside, Carson. Ronon will take care of Colonel Sheppard. Doctor Zelenka will assist Major Lorne. And Hector will help Marie. At least until we get to a point where the men can carry you all on litters."
"I don't need a bloody – " Carson started.
"Me, either," Colonel Sheppard continued.
"We're fine," Major Lorne added.
Jennifer grunted again. "Right, right, everybody's fine." She shook her head. "Tell me, does everyone in here has issues with reality?"
Marie chuckled, despite Jennifer's irritation, as Jennifer added, "If you all do as Teyla says and you let the others help you out, I'll let you pass without a scolding. Otherwise, it's gonna get ugly."
"I don't ever remember you being this cheeky, Jennifer," Carson muttered.
"That was before I spent some time as Chief Medical Officer. Carson, you will be lucky if I let you out of the infirmary in a few days, so don't be pushing for a trip to the mess tonight."
Teyla patted Carson on the arm. "Do not worry. I will bring you some dinner as soon as I can."
"Promise me you won't allow Rodney to go ahead of you," Carson warned. "Otherwise, there'll be nothing left for any of us to eat."
Marie smiled as everyone prepared to head outside. Hours ago, they weren't sure who was alive or dead – and just like that, life seemed to be back on track again. Thank God again for small miracles.
oOoOoOoOo
Marie was lying in a bed in the infirmary when she opened her eyes. Carson was there with Corporal Hopkins as Hopkins lay in his bed. Major Lorne was there, too, with his shoulder heavily bandaged. They were all whispering in the quiet of the early morning hour.
Marie glanced around and saw other familiar faces from those injured in the cave also there recuperating, including Colonel Sheppard. Somehow, they'd survived intact. Now, she never wanted to leave the safety of Atlantis again. She knew that was a foolish thought but it comforted her at that moment.
Carson shifted and saw her head was up and looking around. He gave her a big smile. "There's our heroine awake, gentlemen. Shame on us if we roused you, Marie."
"You didn't. I was thirsty."
Carson poured her a cup of water and handed it to her. "How's your head, love?"
"Probably about the same as yours. What are you doing out of bed?"
"Just talking to the corporal. Nothing too taxing. I've spent way too much time in bloody hospital beds to suit myself."
"Same here, Doc," Lorne said.
Carson gave him an irritated expression. "Yes, well, you should be released to your quarters in a few hours. For some reason, Jennifer wants to keep me for a few days."
"You've been through a lot," Marie chided. "And you aren't as bullet-proof as you once were. Your body takes longer to recover from the demands you place on it on a regular basis."
"Are you saying I'm getting old?"
Lorne chuckled, but Marie shook her head as she met his gaze resolutely. "You know exactly what I mean."
Carson avoided looking her directly in the eyes and she knew he was thinking of his body's slower immune response, all due to the medically controlled cellular degradation of his cloned system. Without Jennifer's formulation of Michael's serum, he would have been dead long ago.
The corporal put a hand out for his glass of water, but couldn't quite reach it. Carson got out of the previous subject by grabbing the glass and handing it to Jesse. "Here you go, laddie."
There was something about the way Carson and Lorne watched the young man that made Marie a little apprehensive. Maybe something had been discovered in the scans while Marie had been sleeping or somehow he'd taken a downward turn.
Carson must have noticed her concern, because he said, "The corporal's leg is fine. Heavily bruised and scratched, but basically fine. He's simply sleepy with the pain meds they just gave him."
Marie let out a long breath. "Thank God," she said.
"Definitely," Carson replied.
Lorne sighed and said, "I still can't believe how close it was. Only a few inches on either side and his leg would have been crushed."
"But it wasn't," Jesse murmured, his eyelids drifting closed.
"Aye, it wasn't," Carson agreed, then he yawned broadly.
"Time to get back to bed, Doc," Lorne said. "Your pain med is probably kicking in, too."
Carson shook his head. "For some reason, that stuff rarely makes me drowsy. I'm okay. It's this bloody headache that's driving me mad."
"Take it from personal experience, Doc," Lorne said. "You'll have that headache for a while. You were out for a long time before you came to."
Rubbing his temple, Carson said, "Unfortunately, I'm afraid you are quite correct."
A snoring sound came from Jesse's bed. Carson glanced over at him and chuckled. When Marie looked over, she saw the corporal had fallen back to sleep.
"That didn't take long," Carson said, rubbing his eyes. "Alas, I never fall asleep that fast."
Like a protective shadow, Lorne followed Carson over to his bed, waiting until Carson actually got into bed before leaving him, and then he ambled over to Marie's side.
Carson turned on his side toward Marie and asked, "Well, are you ever going to volunteer to go with me on a dangerous mission again?"
"I'll do what I have to do when the need arises," she said with determination. "Especially if I've got my good luck charm with me."
"I can't always go with you, love," Carson said softly as he settled into his pillow.
"I know," she answered.
Lorne pointed to the angel pin the other Carson Beckett had given her. "I think you have a new good luck charm."
The pin was now pinned to the clean scrubs top Marie was now wearing. She wondered if Lorne had done that. Shaking her head, she decided it had to be Lorne. No one else knew its significance.
"What's that you said?" Carson asked, his eyelids heavy.
"Nothing. Go to sleep," Marie answered.
"Don't get cheeky on me," he whispered. "Good Lord, I'm surrounded by cheeky women."
"There's worse things in the world, Doc," Lorne said with a grunt.
"Aye," Carson murmured.
Marie smiled at Carson before looking at Lorne in the pause that followed, then she yawned and rubbed at her temple, the large bandage there making her skin itch.
Carson settled in a little deeper and whispered, "Sleep the sleep of the angels, my friends, and I'll be here when you awaken in the morning."
"Promise?" Marie asked, surprised to hear the timidity in her own voice. Maybe the day had taken more out of her than she'd first thought. It seemed her sense of peace was not quite as firmly entrenched as she thought it was for that comment to slip out unbidden.
"I promise," Carson replied dreamily, his words barely understandable. "Now, close those eyes before they close on their own."
"Good night, Carson," she whispered.
"Good night, love," he replied.
A moment later, there was the sound of slow, rhythmic breathing and she knew Carson was asleep.
"So much for never falling asleep that fast," Lorne said sarcastically.
Marie laughed at him, then yawned again.
Lorne cleared his throat. "You're tired. Go to sleep."
"What about you?"
"I think I'll stay up for a little longer, but it's okay. Like Carson said, I'll get sprung from here in a few hours."
"Maybe I will close my eyes for a couple of minutes," she murmured.
She was almost asleep when she felt Lorne pat her gently on the arm and say, "No more waking up with tears, okay? After all, you've got at least two good luck charms now. Three, if you count me, too."
"Definitely three," she said, placing her hand over his. "It would have been so much scarier there without your steadfast presence, Major," she said. "I'm sure you'd hear the same thing from Carson and Corporal Hopkins."
"I wasn't fishing for a compliment," he said quietly.
"No, but you got one just the same. Thank you, Major."
"Anytime, Marie. Now, sleep. I'll be here if you need me."
She let out a deep breath of relief as she heard him walk away to his own bed.
For the first time in what was in reality only a matter of hours, but seemed more like an eternity, Marie finally allowed herself to relax completely and she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep – some might have even called it the sleep of angels. And maybe it was.
oOoOoOoOo
The End