Author's Note: Just thought I'd put this plug in here. As the writing of this story comes to a close, I'm beginning brainstorming for the next. I've updated my profile with new titles and new story ideas-well, one in particular. Stop by regularly, and you'll find updates and ideas there on the board to be written. Also, in this chapter, McKay makes a reference to 9/11. I wanted to give you a heads up and let you know that I'm not trying to be disrespectful to anything that happened on that day. Like every American and countless others around the globe, 9/11 changed how I looked at the world. I used the reference to paint a picture in the minds of my readers. As always, hope you enjoy the chapter! ~lg
oOo
Ronon stood outside the door where Sheppard and Teyla negotiated. Like any other time, the two were sequestered. Unlike other times, Sheppard had stayed with the team last night. Ronon wasn't certain if it was because the colonel's injury wasn't fully healed or because Sheppard had rethought his behavior. That remained to be seen as time progressed, but Ronon was grateful there wouldn't be a mess to clean up on this world, as well.
The Stargate in the center of the village came to life. Ronon straightened and tensed when Coughlin came through. The Marine lieutenant looked panicked, sending Ronon to his side. "Hey."
Coughlin whirled. "Ronon! Thank God! There's been an incident, and Major Lorne recalled all teams."
"What happened?" Ronon didn't doubt the seriousness of the situation, but he wanted a reason to give their host when he interrupted negotiations for crops and supplies.
"A building collapsed," Coughlin replied.
Ronon turned on his heel and marched into the house where Sheppard and Teyla sat across from the woman who greeted them the previous day. All three stared at him. He moved to Sheppard's side and bent to speak into his ear. "Building collapsed on Sateda."
Sheppard immediately stood. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but there's an emergency at home."
Their hostess blinked. "Can we offer assistance?"
Ronon shrugged when Sheppard glanced at him. "Don't know."
"We'll let you know," Sheppard added as he reached for his weapon.
The short walk to the gate was made in silence. Ronon waited impatiently as McKay dialed. Who was injured? Where was Olina when all of this happened? Was she helping with the rescue? He liked to think she was, but he also knew it could be dangerous.
On Sateda, organized chaos greeted them. The Gate Guard was still there, but everyone had migrated to the site of the collapse. Ronon knew immediately which building had fallen. It was the tallest in the city that had not been toppled by time and the Wraith. He led the way without being told.
Lorne and Elizabeth were coordinating relief efforts. Carson had a station set up nearby and was giving orders as men and women covered in dust and grime either wandered about or moved rubble. The debris pile was massive, easily having taken out several smaller buildings.
"Oh God!" McKay moaned. "It's like a miniature 9/11!"
Lorne spotted them right then and made his way over, stopping Ronon's question about this 9/11. "Colonel. Sorry for interrupting negotiations, but we needed you here."
Sheppard waved away the apology. "What happened?"
Lorne turned to survey the site. "Nearest we can tell, moving the large amounts of rubble near the base of the building destabilized the entire structure. There was no way for us to know it would happen as preliminary assessments indicated the building was structurally sound. Engineers say the base of the building, which was buried in rubble, gave way. It came down pretty quick."
"Casualties?" Sheppard asked as he shed his weapon and handed it off to Coughlin.
"Two deaths from falling debris. There's at least five still trapped inside while several of the injured were already taken to the clinic. When the building fell, it caught those nearby in its wake, hence why we have so many injured or trapped." Lorne pressed his lips together as he met Ronon's eyes. "Olina was one of those taken to the clinic."
Ronon stared for a beat in time and then took off at a dead run for the clinic. What had she been doing at the site, anyway? He wanted to think she was an innocent bystander, but her knew her well enough to figure she'd been helping clear the rubble.
He burst through the door of the clinic, startling Shani as he did so. She stood and moved to his side. "She's fine."
Ronon looked over the three hospital beds crowding the room until he found her. She lay silent, clearly unconscious. Her dark hair draped over the pillow and cuts marred her perfect skin. "What's wrong?"
Shani followed him to Olina's side. "Bruised ribs, broken arm, and a serious concussion. It would have been worse, but Orsic protected her."
Ronon glanced around for the other Satedan. "Where's he?"
"Still at the collapse site. Carson can't get him to leave." Shani rolled her eyes as she spoke. Ronon idly wondered if she realized she'd started talking a bit like Lorne and Carson.
Turning back to Olina, he took her hand and settled next to the bed as Shani left him alone. Olina looked almost peaceful though he knew she'd be in severe pain when she woke. But she was alive, and the relief that brought was indescribable.
Ronon sat for a time, simply staring at Olina and thinking. His mind took him back tot he day Melena died, to that horrific moment when the explosion stole her away from him. Olina could have died today, and he wouldn't have been there to protect her. While Ronon knew that it would be impossible to keep her from all harm, his protective instincts wouldn't allow him to release the guilt. He was the one to suggest rebuilding Sateda. He was the one to gather the refugee Satedans from across the galaxy. He was responsible. He didn't belong on other worlds; he belonged right here. And he wanted Olina at his side for all of it.
Ronon blinked at that revelation. He'd taken Olina as his charge when her father died because she'd had no one. He had already noticed her on Kiah and liked her quiet ways and discreet attitude. Her beauty was a bonus, but what drew him to her lay beneath the surface. Something had happened in the months since Kiah fell. Ronon couldn't say when it had happened, but he'd come to love Olina as much as he'd ever loved Melena.
The door to the clinic opened, interrupting his epiphany. Sheppard came to his side. "Hey, Buddy. How's she doing?"
Ronon straightened, thinking that Sheppard sounded like his old self. "Shani says she'll be fine. Bruised ribs, broken arm. . . ." His voice trailed off as he studied the woman in the bed.
Sheppard shifted on his feet. "Listen, I know you want to be here with her, but we could use your help out there."
Ronon nodded. He didn't want to leave Olina, but Sheppard was right. The time had come to choose whether he trusted Shani with the woman he loved.
As if summoned by his thoughts, Shani put a hand on his arm. "When she wakes, you will be the first person I call."
Ronon nodded and, after brushing his thumb over Olina's knuckles one more time, he gently placed her hand on her stomach. Wake up soon, he silently urged. Taking another deep breath, he drew on his experience as a Runner and put his personal thoughts away for later. With Sheppard on his heels, he left the clinic and went to work.
oOo
When the building collapsed, it drew people from all over the city. Men and women panicked, many yelling for Carson and throwing debris out of the way. That resulted in more injuries as the rubble shifted and trapped more victims. Fortunately, Lorne arrived before Carson and put a quick stop to it.
Now, Carson stood in an area cleared for triage, his focus totally on saving lives. Later, he would respond to the horror he felt when he first found Olina half-buried beneath rubble. She was lucky to be alive, and Carson had watched the panic that crossed Ronon's face when Lorne told him of her injuries. The big man was clearly in love with Olina, and Carson knew he'd done the right thing in sending her to the clinic.
"Doc!" Ronon's rough call snapped Carson from his thoughts. He rushed to where the Satedan had dragged one of the Daedalus' combat engineers from the center of the rubble. A Marine lieutenant crouched next to the body. A quick vitals check shocked them all.
"Dear Lord!" Carson stared at Ronon. "He's still alive!" After another second of shock, he shook himself. "Right. Ronon, get a stretcher from the triage area. Lieutenant, I need ye to put pressure on this wound. We'll get him to the clinic an' into surgery right away." He continued to rattle off instructions as Ronon returned with the stretcher.
The Marine glanced up at him. "Doc, do you think. . . ."
"Lieutenant, he's alive!" Carson snapped. "An' I intend to do everythin' in my power to see that he stays that way!"
She lifted her chin. "Yes, Sir."
Carson realized that Ronon had the stretcher read. "On three: one, two, three!" They heaved the engineer onto the stretcher, and the Marine instinctively grabbed one end of it as Ronon took the other. Carson rushed alongside, monitoring the poor man's vitals as they moved. Much of his work today had been of the mundane variety: setting bones, stitching cuts, and patching up blistered hands from the work. The adrenaline rush of an immediate emergency felt good—too good. Carson knew it couldn't last, that when he wouldn't be happy when he came down. But, for a few moments, he intended to feel like a doctor again.
In the clinic, Shani jumped to her feet when she saw what they carried. Without needing to be told, she rushed into the operating room and started hooking up the monitors. Carson had spent hours with her, teaching her what each individual reading meant by hooking the electrodes to his own body. They had laughed in this room as he shared stories of some of the more humorous patients he'd had in the past, as well as quietly remembering those he'd lost. Now, that training took over, and her face was calm.
Seeing the Marine lieutenant standing awkwardly in the door, Carson met her eyes as Shani helped him into a scrubs. "Lieutenant, do ye have any medical trainin' at all?"
"Yes, Sir," she answered with the same lift of her chin as earlier.
"Good." Carson pointed. "Scrub in over there. Shani, show her where the sedatives are."
"Yes, Doctor." Shani's response was exactly what he'd expect from one of his nurses back on Atlantis. He hadn't demanded it of her, preferring to keep things friendly between them. But she had picked it up quickly and efficiently. Now, she showed the lieutenant where to wash and gave her quick instructions on using the anesthetic.
For the next hour, the room was quiet as they worked. Every now and then, Carson would break the silence with an instruction for the lieutenant—Karina Morales—to give the patient more anesthetic or a quick "Thank ya, dear" to Shani. Several times, he thought he lost the engineer, only to find the bleeder or repair the damage at just the right moment. Still, it was all in vain. Carson had just finished tying off the final suture when the patient went into cardiac arrest. Cursing, he began chest compressions while barking out orders for Karina and Shani. Shani responded right away, but Karina took one more sharp word before she began helping. Carson supposed he understood. Both she and the engineer were from the Daedalus, and the crew of that ship had grown close over the last year.
Shani returned with a portable defibrillator they'd taken from one of the Jumpers. Thankful that he had it on hand, he gave steady instructions on how to use it. Shani obeyed, and Carson looked around. Seeing that no one was touching the patient, he shocked the man's heart. Rather than jumping like in the movies, the engineer's muscles contracted slightly, but his arrhythmia remained. He'd gone into V-fib right as Shani returned, so Carson hoped that the lad pulled through.
In the end, however, the engineer slipped away. When defibrillation didn't work, Carson returned to chest compressions. Karina now watched, knowing the fight was over. She had a shocked expression on her face that would take days to fade. Shani slowly put the defibrillator away as Carson pleaded with the man to survive. Only Shani's hand on his arm stopped him, and he closed his eyes in defeat.
oOo
Rescue attempts went on for another five hours after Carson and Shani lost their patient. In that time, Shani drifted around the clinic in a sort of daze. She'd lost patients before, primarily back on Ataliya when she did not have the advanced technology that Carson possessed. But to lose a patient after such a successful surgery was a blow. Even now, Carson had refused to come out of the operating room, slumped in a chair with his latex gloves still in his hands. The body of the engineer had been covered, and he stared without seeing anything.
Karina had also stayed in the clinic. Shani quietly made tea for the Marine and sat with her as the slow process of grieving started. Karina and Marcus, the engineer, had been good friends, and they had many memories of their time before coming to Pegasus. The absence in Karina's life would be felt more keenly as days went on. Shani listened, providing only a quick squeeze on her hand when Karina needed it.
In the end, it was Evan who brought news that the rescue attempts had been halted. Shani stared up at him, thankful that Olina still slept and that Karina had finally fallen into an exhausted slumber. Evan's eyes were haunted, and he shook his head. "I went up in a Jumper, did a sweep of the area. The only life signs are those of the rescuers."
"You are certain?"
He nodded and put his hands on her shoulders. For a moment, he seemed ready to draw her into a hug and then thought better of it. His hands awkwardly rubbed her arms before dropping to his side. "Yeah, we're certain."
Shani nodded. "How many?"
"Three." Evan rubbed his eyes. "We lost three men in there that we haven't found yet. Two of them are Satedan, but one is Athosian."
Seeing the way he stood there, with his hand over his eyes as if trying to hold back his emotions, Shani made a decision. She stepped forward and, surprising him, wrapped her arms around his waist. The dust that clung to him, the smell of sweat and hard work, and his own exhausted state did not deter her as she laid her head on his shoulder. Evan's arms slowly closed around her as he accepted the comfort she offered. They had only shared one actual date though their relationship had been growing for some time, but she still refused to allow him to go through this alone.
They were still standing in one another's arms when Ronon appeared. He took one quick look at them, grunted out a "Huh", and went to Olina's side. Shani grinned when Evan rolled his eyes and stepped away. She needed to check on Carson again, worried that this blow might have been too much for the doctor. Evan understood and headed for the kitchen as she walked down the hall.
In the OR, Carson still sat in his chair. His hair looked like he'd ran his fingers through it, and Shani saw evidence of tears on his face. He still held his gloves and wore the tattered black t-shirt he'd had since Atlantis.
Moving to his side, Shani touched his arm. "Carson?"
He jumped as if startled and then sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, love. I didnae see ye there."
She smiled. "Are you. . . .I mean, I am sorry, Carson. I wish there was more we could have done."
He nodded slightly before his jaw clenched. Cursing again, he stood and threw the gloves across the room before beginning to pace. He glared at the monitors, ran a hand over his face, and then met Shani's eyes. "He shouldnae ha'e died."
"I know." She looked at the draped body still on the gurney. "You did everything you could, Carson."
"No!" His anger surprised her, but she knew he was angry at himself. "No, I could ha'e done more! If I wasn't here, in this bloody primitive clinic, I could ha'e saved him!"
"You don't know that."
"Aye, I do!" He faced her, his anger still in control and mingled with grief as tears stood in his eyes. "Shani, where I come from, we have hospitals with machines that keep people alive until their bodies can sustain them again! We have technology that brings them back, medicines that seemingly work miracles. But here, on Sateda, I've got none o' that! I'm stuck with no medications, no way o' savin' a life except wha' little I can do with these few monitors! An' why? Because everythin' I've been trained to do doesnae matter here!" He broke off his tirade and headed for the door.
"Carson!" Shani followed, knowing the sheer volume of Carson's words had drawn Evan and Ronon to the end of the hall. Those two men watched as she trailed Carson into the tiny room he kept as his own. Looking around, she blinked. A pallet filled the floor, his few belongings and fishing pole leaned into one corner. "Dear Lord! Carson, you live here?"
He glared at her. "Where else would I live?"
"In a home!" Shani met his eyes. "I know this clinic is your life, but you must have time for yourself away from it. You cannot live in a closet and think that it is all you need."
"You're right." He grabbed a bag folded neatly in the corner and started stuffing things into it.
"What are you doing?" Shani hated asking all these questions, but Carson's emotional state left him a bit unpredictable. He often told stories of how his family could be "true Scotsmen" and a bit untamed when their emotions took control. Now, she understood what he meant. His eyes sparked with grief and anger, and his face reddened with the force of his emotions.
"I'm leavin'!" The petulant statement surprised her.
"Where?"
He shrugged, grabbing his fishing pole after he finished filling his bag. Seeing the concerned look on her face, he stopped in front of her. "Now, don't be worryin' about me. I have no intention to do anythin' foolish or permanent."
"That is a comfort," Shani said wryly. "When will you be back?"
Carson shook his head. "I don't know, love. I'm sorry." With that, he left her standing in the hallway of the clinic, pushed past Ronon and Evan, and walked out the front door. Night had fallen some time ago, and Shani rushed to the front door. The commotion had disturbed Karina, and she also watched as Carson's slumped form faded into the night.
Feeling as defeated as her mentor, Shani turned and met Evan's eyes. The last day had been tougher than anything she had faced. She still had a dead patient to see to, others in the clinic, and now the need to see that Carson had a life outside of this place. Ronon returned to Olina's side while Karina closed her eyes again, stretching out on the couch. Evan moved to Shani and put a hand on her shoulder. This time, when she moved into his arms, there was no hesitation. He simply held her as she quietly and completely fell apart.
oOo
Ronon held Olina's hand as he ignored the emotional display taking place next to the door. Shani wasn't loud, but his keen hearing picked up the sniffling sounds she made as Lorne held her. Thinking about the day he had taken Olina back to Kiah, Ronon couldn't help but feel thankful that Shani had someone with her right now. From the argument he and Lorne had overheard, she had been just as instrumental in trying to save that combat engineer. Carson was justified in his emotional breakdown, but so was Shani.
Once the storm passed, Shani spoke a few words to Evan and left the clinic. The major watched her go, a regretful expression on his face even as he turned to face Ronon. The man was as exhausted as any of them, but Shani had indicated she would return soon. There was a dead engineer in the OR that needed to be prepared for burial. Shani had left to see to that. Seizing the opportunity, Ronon stood and went to Lorne's side in the kitchen. "Uh. . .I hear you paint?"
Lorne blinked in surprise. "Ah. . .yeah." He shook his head. "Sorry, Ronon, but that's not the question I expected to come from you."
Ronon grinned, understanding. Clearing his throat, he figured the best way to handle this would be to just ask. "You remember when I took Olina back to Kiah?"
"Yeah."
"She said she's having problems remembering her father's face."
Lorne's expression cleared. "I see."
"So," Ronon continued, clearing his throat again in a nervous habit, "I was wondering. . .uh. . .do you have any sketches of Geir?"
"Yeah, I have plenty. I just don't have the supplies I need."
"I'll get supplies." Ronon met the major's eyes.
Lorne nodded. "I'll get on it as soon as you get them to me."
Returning the nod, Ronon dropped the uncomfortable conversation and settled at Olina's side. Shani returned some time later with several other Marine's in tow. They gave Karina a concerned glance but didn't wake her as they quietly carried the engineer's body from the clinic. Shani dropped into Carson's chair, exhausted but refusing to return to her home. Ronon tried not to listen as Lorne attempted to convince her to get some rest. In the end, the three kept a silent vigil until morning. With the dawn of yet another day, Ronon watched Olina stir for the first time and smiled. Shani rushed to her side and helped ease her back to wakefulness. In the background, Lorne stood with a proud grin and shared a nod with Ronon.
It had been a tough week, and they faced more trials than they knew how to handle, but they would endure.
oOo
Orsic watched the sappy scene through slit eyelids and had to force himself not to smile. He could not have asked for a better hold over Ronon than this one. Having the gratitude of the man for saving Olina's life would be valuable. Granted, at the time, Orsic had acted on instinct. He had the injuries to prove he had not thought about himself when he saved Olina's life. But, now that he'd had a chance to rest and think, he figured he could use this to continue his campaign. After all, who would pay attention to any accusations against him when Ronon had the woman he loved at his side because of Orsic's actions?
While Olina and Ronon chattered quietly, Orsic closed his eyes and drifted to sleep. His cover here on Sateda was firmly intact, and he looked forward to taking revenge on Kell's killer. This new development, however, would make it doubly sweet.
~TBC