Chapter 40: I really didn't know what hit me
The only good thing about spending the rest of that mission in a Wraith materialiser was that I didn't have to be there when John walked through the Gate.
Atlantis dialled in on schedule, by which time Rodney had successfully shot down the Dart, killed the Wraith and then hooked up his laptop to confirm that the two life signs stored inside the buffer where both undamaged. I heard from Lieutenant Parker later that he was there at the Gate when John came through with Doctor Keller a few minutes behind. Rodney had only given them the bare bones of what had happened when they'd dialled in so John hadn't known about the Wraith Dart plan until he was halfway up the hill towards us. The way my teammate told it he could hear John yelling at Rodney from halfway up the hill for thinking up such an asinine plan, following that up with less than complimentary suggestions about the inadequacies of both Rodney's and Evan's mental capacity.
Parker said Doctor Keller had interrupted John's tirade when they'd all arrived in the clearing. When she'd questioned Rodney on the specifics of my condition, what he'd conveyed had been enough to apparently send all the blood rushing out of John's face to the point he'd actually had to sit on the ground before he fell down.
Doctor Keller had been worried enough about my status and the unknown effect the materialiser might have had that she'd insisted the Dart had to be brought back to Atlantis before they could risk rematerialising us.
Of course I knew none of that until much later, my first recallable aware moments taking place in the familiar atmosphere of the infirmary.
"John?" I forced my eyelids open the moment awareness returned, knowing that he was nearby.
"Hey," John tried to smile but couldn't pull it off, raw emotions shimmering too close to the surface.
"It worked!" I acknowledged, squeezing the hand John had clasped around mine weakly. "I'm back."
"You are," John said seriously. "But it was touch and go. I thought for a while that ...," he broke off, swallowing hard as he let me read the rest in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," I said miserably, tears suddenly welling up as I realised just how bad it had been from his side.
"It was nothing you did," John told me simply. "Just another one of those 'wrong place at the wrong time' moments."
"I really have to stop doing that," I quipped with a watery smile.
"It would certainly make my life easier," John agreed more easily. I could already see something inside him relaxing as we spoke ... those first moments of waking when you finally believed the person you loved really was all right pushing everything back into the normal more rapidly than you would have thought possible beforehand.
"Is Evan all right?" I asked. "And the others? Rodney, Parker, Brown. Did they all make it okay?"
"Rodney proved all the hours I've put into improving his aim weren't wasted," John explained. "He got the Dart in the first pass and took out its Wraith pilot. All the rest of us had to do was work out how to get it through the Gate without risking the materialiser power supply. Radek brought a whole team of geeks through to help with that."
"I guess Rodney's previous experience with Laura would have finally come in handy for something," I smiled ruefully.
"I did hear comments to that effect," John agreed, reaching out and smoothing a strand of hair beside my face as he waited for my next question.
"How long?" I asked, knowing it was pointless avoiding the information.
"You don't remember it but you have been awake here and there," John commented. "It's been three days since we got you out of the Dart," he added grimly. "Three long, confusing days, most of it where I didn't know if you would come out of this in one piece or not. It was bad Sabina. Keller said one of the spikes affected your lungs and that you were lucky to even be breathing so many hours after the fact. She had to operate to fix your shoulder too – there was damage to the tendon you only made worse when you stood up."
"Oh," I looked up at him mutely, not sure how I felt about so many things taking place without my awareness. "But I am gonna fully recover right?" I finally asked uncertainly.
"Yeah but it won't be next week," John replied, concern etched on his face. "You're gonna be out of commission for at least a month and you'll have to do some rehabilitation for your shoulder. But you'll be back to normal before you know it ... something that looked less than likely when they first brought you out of that Dart."
"I'm sorry," I said again, my mood dropping into the despondent when I realised I wasn't getting out of this one as easily as in the past. "It all just happened so fast ... I really didn't know what hit me."
"Rodney went back," John revealed. "Fixed the shield so at least they're protected while we keep a look out for a new DHD. He told me what you thought ... that the Replicators were after him specifically."
"It was the only thing that made any sense," I explained. "Of course they would have known what we were doing. They had no idea how we were tracking their ships but they know how brilliant Rodney is with their code. They would have just assumed if they got rid of him we wouldn't be able to track them anymore."
"It does make sense," John agreed.
"You didn't get mad at him did you?" I asked with a stern look.
"Of course I did," John shrugged at the open admission. "But I apologised later and he said he was kinda glad I went off at him ... meant he could stop feeling guilty for letting you get hurt."
"He didn't let me get hurt," I protested, wincing at the pain in my chest reminding me I wasn't actually recovered even though I felt surprising alert.
"Well, for whatever reason you're looking at another week in the infirmary," John held up a hand when I made to complain. "No I'm not going to talk Jennifer out of that. You've only just woken up properly and you're still weak. You'll stay until she says you can come home. Sam won't be clearing you for active duty either until Keller says you're up to it."
"I never understood the attitude you're giving out," I took the opportunity to get my own view in. "After all, I'm the one hurt and in pain here. You should be nice to me and give me whatever I need to feel better."
"Nice try," John said with a genuine laugh. "You'll stay here like a good girl and I don't want to hear another word about it. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll have plenty of visitors to help with the boredom."
"Now I know I really am out of the woods," I quipped, "otherwise you'd be much more sympathetic."
"Like you always are when I'm injured and stuck in here," John pointed out. "Payback is a bitch, isn't it?"
"Well after this performance I'm gonna be even less inclined to smuggle stuff in for you in the future," I told him glibly.
"Whatever makes you happy dear," John quipped in return. I had to laugh, just as he'd intended with his smarmy endearment.
"God, don't make me laugh," I put a hand to my chest in protest. "That actually does still hurt."
"I nearly lost you," John was suddenly all seriousness again, his teasing of the last few minutes gone as if it had never happened.
"I know," I agreed easily, "but you didn't and in the end that's really all that counts."
Wordlessly John nodded once before leaning in and carefully resting his cheek against mine. I felt the faint brush of his lips at my temple before he abruptly stood up. "I need some air," he announced in a strangled voice that didn't sound like his own.
"John?" I frowned as he turned his back to me.
"I'll be back," John promised, rapidly striding from the room without a backward glance.
"Give him time," Jennifer approached silently, her words indicating she'd witnessed at least some of my talk with John.
"What?" I asked in confusion, still looking to where John had gone.
"It's been a difficult few days," Jennifer explained, her words drawing my attention back to her. "Your condition was critical when we brought you in ... John hardly slept the first 48 hours and even after we had everything under control he didn't relax. He just needs some time to get his equilibrium back."
"Oh," I raised an eyebrow at the explanation. Should I be concerned that John was suffering but clearly didn't think I could help?
"He'll be fine," Jennifer promised, "and back in here giving you grief before you're ready. You'll be fine too ... with time and effort."
"Thanks Jennifer," I said gratefully.
"You're welcome," Jennifer smiled gently before leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I'd only been awake a short time but already the brief conversations had used up my energy. Against my will I felt my eyes closing and sleep overtake me.
oOo
"I have to go on a mission," John was back at the infirmary an hour later, nothing apparent to indicate he was anything other than his usual self. I must have been drifting on the edges of waking because I snapped to alertness as soon as he walked in.
"Okay," I looked at him closely before continuing. "You okay?"
"Better than," John said sincerely, "now I know you'll be fully recovered soon. Look, I'm sorry about before ... it was just ... I'm just really, really glad you're okay."
"I understand," I conceded, shifting carefully so I could raise the bed up a little. "The relief can be overwhelming sometimes ... believe me I know! So, what's the mission?"
"We've been keeping an eye on a Wraith hive ship for the past day," John revealed. "The sub-space tracking device our Wraith friend used has been broadcasting from the same position in the middle of an empty region of space. Could be a distress call or something else. In any case it's an hour away from the nearest Stargate by Jumper so we're gonna go check it out."
"It could be some kind of trap too," I pointed out.
"Yeah I know," John agreed. "That's why I'm taking Lorne and the rest of your team with me."
"This is an odd kind of coincidence," I raised an eyebrow as the thought occurred to me. "You've got Teyla temporarily grounded from your team and now I'm grounded from Evan's."
"Yeah, well the reason for yours is obvious but I'm fully expecting a few choice words from Teyla when she hears we're heading off without her," John admitted.
"You haven't spoken to her yet?" I asked in surprise.
"I've been kind of busy," John said defensively. "She understands that. They've all been here you know, sitting with you – keeping me company."
"Oh," I hadn't thought about that, only having been awake for the two brief conversations with John so far ... that I remembered anyway.
"Lorne said he'd stop by before we head out," John offered. "Rodney would be here already if he wasn't keeping an eye on the Hive ship to make sure it doesn't move before we can get there."
"Well since I've only been awake a few minutes I won't take it personally," I quipped.
"I'll be here as soon as we get back," John promised intently, his reluctance to leave evident. Was he still feeling so insecure about my condition that he was worried about being away?
"You don't have to worry about me," I said earnestly. "I really am better ... well, not jumping out of bed better obviously but I'm okay now."
"I know that," John said somewhat defensively, "but it's my job to worry about you ... you've given me too much practice lately so I've gotten really good at it."
"You have," I agreed apologetically. I smiled when he glanced at his watch discretely. "I saw that – if you have to go, go. Jennifer will look after me while you're gone."
"Okay," John leant down and kissed me gently, still with that 'she might break' attitude I'd have to do something about when I wasn't feeling so weak. He walked away quickly, pausing at the door to throw me a wave before disappearing from sight.
oOo
"Rodney," I caught sight of him hovering almost out of sight a few minutes later. "What're you doing out there?"
"I ah ... I didn't want to wake you if you were sleeping," Rodney said awkwardly.
"I'm awake," I gestured for him to sit down, frowning when he perched on the edge of his chair.
"So Jennifer says you'll be back to normal in a few weeks," Rodney commented after a short, uncomfortable silence.
"Yes," I dismissed, turning my attention back to him. "Are you okay because you're broadcasting a lot of nervousness, even for you?"
"I'm just really sorry you're lying there," Rodney admitted weakly. "I should have seen that booby trap and then the whole Wraith materialiser plan? It was a –,"
"A successful plan," I interrupted firmly. "You've got nothing to feel guilty for Rodney. You saved my life because you gave me time – time I wouldn't have had if I'd had to wait for Atlantis to contact us."
"Oh," Rodney seemed surprised by my heartfelt praise of his actions.
"I hear your shooting skills were pretty impressive too," I tried for a lighter tone.
"I can't believe I made that shot," Rodney admitted. "It was nerve racking – I mean I'm used to the life and death pressure but I usually get to resolve it with brains, not weapons!"
"Well you did good," I insisted, looking at him intently. "Thank you Rodney."
"You're ah ... you're welcome," Rodney replied with a pleased smile. "I gotta head out with the others so ah ... just concentrate on getting better."
"Be careful out there," I said softly, watching him leave with a fond smile.
oOo
"Hey," I opened the eyes I hadn't realised I'd closed to see Major Lorne standing by my bed probably only a few minutes later.
"Hey," I smiled at him happily. "Good to see you alive and you know ... all there. Don't you have a mission to go on?"
"I've got time," Evan replied. "You had us all worried you know."
"I heard," I told him. "Been awake a couple of times today ... enough to even remember what they tell me this time."
"That's good. I just wanted to stop in before we head out," Evan explained. "Just in case you were wondering where everyone was. Parker and Brown wanted to come too but Jennifer restricted visitors to one at a time for now. They said to say they're glad you're awake and they'll be around later to help you fight off the boredom."
"Sounds good," I agreed. "You be careful out there ... and watch John's back okay?"
"Always do," Evan quipped. He turned to leave, stopping with his back to me for a few seconds before facing me again. "I'm really glad you made it through this," he said with eyes full of more emotion than I'd ever seen from him before. "There aren't that many people I'd count as true friends ... I couldn't afford to lose one of them."
Before I could say anything in reply he'd spun around and quickly strode from the room, leaving me sitting there feeling shaky but overall touched ... and appreciated. It would have been nice if Evan could have declared me a true friend before I'd become a Replicator pin cushion but in the end I guess you had to take these things where you could get them.
Jennifer came by to check on me shortly afterwards, scolding me for lying there thinking instead of sleeping like I was supposed to. When I commented that I'd done nothing but sleep for days and that my head was too full she responded by giving me something that had me nodding off before I could protest.
Author's Note:
So sorry people! I went away for a week and came back so tired I've been crashing on the couch every night instead of posting ... thank you for your patience. Hope the wait was worth it. I have no idea how long it would take to recover from such injuries as Sabina sustained so forgive me if I'm way off.
Next Up? Fortunate Journey Season 4 Chapter 41