Sheppard usually was not one to complain about things he couldn't change. The layout and atmosphere of a planet where one of their missions led them, for example. That was McKay's job.
However, he found himself cursing the muddy ground beneath and practically all around him that was the characteristic of swamps in all galaxies.
It felt as if the slippery slime was gliding into his boots and up his pants, even sticking to skin that it as of yet hadn't even come into contact with.
And it was not only the mud that sent shivers down his spine, but also the unwelcome sensation of being watched. Sheppard was not talking about Todd right now either. Something else was watching them, lurking in the depths of the dirty water or maybe somewhere in the treetops above, waiting for them to make the wrong move.
It didn't have to wait long.
While he was falling, Sheppard already wondered what it was he had slipped upon. But, as always, the fall was too short to gift him with some brilliant idea, so he was still clueless as he found himself not only knee-deep in the swamp or with the water reaching up to his hip, but rather up to his chin, small waves even tickling his nose.
All of that was unfortunate, but not a catastrophe. No, it only turned into a nightmare when Sheppard realized he could not free himself.
Then the worry set in and he probably did overreact somewhat, on the verge of hysteria, but it was just his luck to end up in a patch of quicksand, wasn't it?
It was one of the few things he had been able to avoid up until now, leading to the pretty sobering realization that he had no idea what to do in a situation like this.
Or maybe it was the adrenaline kicking all rational thought out, since Sheppard felt the overwhelming urge to try to slither his way out, which, by the way, was a bad idea according to some stray voice from the deep recesses of his mind.
He heard Todd move closer from behind him, or, at least, he desperately hoped it was Todd and not whatever it was that had been following them, but he couldn't be sure, because he couldn't even turn his head around enough to see anything.
Sheppard had the distinct impression that things in this galaxy were clingier than back in Milky way, not only because of the caging mud, but also the attachment iratus bugs and especially one particular Wraith seemed to have formed to him at one point or another.
The frighteningly familiar sounding growl of his green companion confirmed his suspicion, at last, more or less fortunately, as it was an obvious sign of Todd's dissatisfaction. Whether it was directed at him, the swamp or the situation in general, Sheppard didn't know.
He seriously hoped it was one of the latter options or maybe even the two of them together, as long as it meant that the Wraith was still inclined to help him out of here and not willing to let him rot in this damn hellhole.
"Lean back on me", was the only thing offered to him and Sheppard was already wondering how, exactly, he was supposed to do that, when he felt Todd step yet another tad bit closer from behind, somehow able to wade through the mess surrounding them, and force his arms under his own, wrapping them around his torso in a surprisingly gentle, but reassuringly firm grip.
The Wraith was causing some small waves doing that, but tipped his chin up enough that Sheppard was in no danger to swallow down any of that mud when taking a breath, Todd's own breathing slightly ruffling his hair and tickling the small part of his neck not pulled under water in a rhythmic pattern.
For the time being, at least, he concentrated on that and not the aching tightness in his chest, which he reasoned came from the sludge around him.
In view of his situation, Sheppard also decided not to question why he was so readily putting his faith in the Wraith and trusting him to know what he was doing and instead spent all energy left in him after this horrible day to somehow curve backwards in the universe's most graceless arc.
Todd actually managed to pull him up inch after inch with that growing weight shift, standing just far enough from the loose edge of the quicksand not to be pulled under as well or sink down himself.
And if Sheppard put a bit more weight on him than what was strictly necessary or felt too comfortable at some point when resting his head against the Wraith's shoulder, well, he completely understandably suffered from acute exhaustion. Right? Right.
