"Secrets and Challenges"

Ch. 14

(Infirmary)

When they arrived the place was bustling. Carson was already running around and giving orders to everyone.

"I thought you were resting Carson," Stacey said.

"I was," He told her, cleaning John's wound. "I thought that you could use some help."

"I could have done this on my own," she told him.

"I don't doubt it," he said. Carson turned to two head medical people and told them, "We need to cauterize this. Try and find a way how. Go, hurry!"

The two medical women hurried off. Stacey turned to John. She began to wipe his sweat with a damp cold cloth.

"I don't get it. Why can't you just heal him?" Weir asked.

Stacey jumped, forgetting she was here. Instead of turning to Weir, Stacey remained close to John.

"John, there's something I need to tell you. I was gonna tell you tomorrow night, on our Wedding Anniversary. But, it looks like I have no choice now," Stacey said.

"What is it" he asked, hoarsely, through the pain.

"I'm pregnant," she said. "I'm half way through my first Trimester."

"Still not following you," McKay said.

"I can't heal when I'm pregnant," she began. "That's why I had all those miscarriages. It was a miracle that we even had Allison."

"She might have the Ancient Healing Power," Beckett interrupted.

"Dr. Fraiser and I came up with the same conclusion. Janet helped me to try and figure out why I couldn't carry any children, except for Allison," Stacey explained. "We both agreed: that when I heal someone, the wound, whatever it was I was healing, would end up damaging the embryo."

The two medical women arrived with, what looked like, a beat red, metal rod. John closed his eyes and sighed deeply at the sight.

Beckett took John and helped him lean forward. Beckett carefully took the metal rod and pressed it against John's skin. John screamed in pain. A cloud of smoke surrounded the group. They waited for the smoke to clear before repeating the process on the front of his shoulder.

Beckett laid him back down. He put an IV in his arm, for the pain. It only took a few moments before John's eyelids became heavy and fell asleep. Stacey kissed him softly, turned to the remaining medical personal and said to her:

"I want a full blood work up on Major Sheppard. I wanna know how much poison is in his blood and working through his system."

(Gym)

Stacey kicked and punched around the newly installed punching bag, the Athosians made as a parting gift, relentlessly. She punched at it for several moments, her anger building, before finally kicking so hard, the hook it was hanging from broke and the punching bag flew across the room. She sensed someone leaning against the door frame. Stacey turned in the general direction. Elizabeth stood against the door frame, frowning slightly.

"How is he?" Stacey asked.

"John's stable, for now," Weir said. "The blood results show that there isn't much poison in his system." she stepped forward.

"That's good," she said, taking off her boxing gloves, picking up a towel and her water bottle.

Stacey walked toward the balcony and leaned forward. Weir followed. Stacey glanced at the vast, wide ocean. The sun was beginning to set.

"I'd like to go back to P2Z-732," Stacey said.

Weir stood up straight.

"And get the antidote," Stacey finished before Weir could say a word. "Roman shoulders always carried the antidote around their waist. All I have to do is knock one out and come back with the antidote."

Weir paused to think.

"It'll be dangerous. You would need to stay out of site," she said.

"I have my own ways of staying hidden," Stacey said. She paused as Weir was still thinking. "I have to do this, Elizabeth."

"All right, you have a go," Weir finally said.

To be continued . . .