Darkness Falls

by obsessed1

Sheppard’s away team is trapped in an ancient lab and they’re not alone. Can they get out before the darkness consumes them. H/C

Sheppard heaved out an exaggerated sigh, hoping that the arguing scientists either side of him might get the hint, but they were past paying attention to external sources, focused solely on the goal of one upmanship.

Sgt. Jessop, who had sensibly distanced himself from the fray, caught his gaze. When he noticed his CO zeroing in on his shit-eating grin, he quickly schooled his expression and gave a conciliatory nod. Sheppard nodded back, closing his eyes briefly to signal his thanks.

He zoned back in.

"You're wrong!" McKay groused from his left side.

"I am not wrong, Rodney. I am simply suggesting another way." Zelenka countered from his right.

They were both gesticulating wildly. Sheppard leaned back a little in an attempt to avoid being struck. Jessop was making no attempt to disguise his amusement now.

"And your way is wrong."

"You are impossible."

"Okay," Sheppard said, punctuating the word by rubbing his face with one hand. "Enough. That's it. If you two can't play nice then we're heading back to Atlantis."

That got both of their attention. Only, it just redirected their ire back at him.

"What? You can't do that!" McKay said.

Zelenka removed his glasses in shock. "You said we could stay as long as we needed."

"That was before I got caught in the crossfire," Sheppard said.

The two scientists closed ranks, shoulder to shoulder as he stepped out between them.

"Sheppard," McKay said in a playful tone. "We're just joking around."

Sheppard arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes," Zelenka agreed. "And you know what Rodney. I think you are right."

McKay chuffed out a laugh. "I know. That's what I was saying before."

"You don't have to sound so smug about it."

"I'm not smug!"

Zelenka rolled his eyes and rounded on McKay, their truce short lived.

"All yours Sgt," Sheppard said as he headed out of the lab and into the hallway. He was vaguely aware of Jessop's pained 'Yes sir' as he left.

Miko was sitting on the floor, her tablet the only illumination in the darkness.

"Best to stay out of their way," she said without looking up.

"You're telling me," Sheppard said, giving the corridors a quick once over.

For a second he thought he caught sight of something cutting through his flashlight beam. He narrowed his eyes, taking a few steps forward, but a sweep either side of the hallway revealed nothing.

"Colonel?"

He readjusted his P90 grip and leaned back against the wall, keeping his flashlight aimed down the hallway just in case.

"Did you see something?"

"I'm not sure," he said. Then at Miko's worried expression, he amended, "No. Nothing. Just tricks of the light."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one," Miko said, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Feels like the darkness is watching us."

Sheppard had to agree with her all too creepy assessment and he wasn't easily spooked.

They'd been at the ancient lab for hours, but McKay and Zelenka were no closer to getting the systems up and running which was the catalyst for their ongoing argument. Either way, without power, they were without light, which meant that they were stuck with flashlights, small battery powered floodlights and the illumination of their tablets and LSD's for visibility.

That in itself wasn't a huge issue, but the lab had been subject to an attack at one point in history and there were rooms with collapsed floors and ceilings meaning that exploration opportunities were limited until they got the lights working. He checked the Life Signs Detector again. No change. Seven dots.

Sheppard resolved to give them another hour and then he was calling it. They could only last on battery power alone for so long. McKay could come back with his team on another day armed with generator powered floodlights and they could have all the time in the world to not get this ancient lab powered up. Oh, and Sheppard would be assigning another team to provide military backup.

"Sir, that's ten minutes."

Both he and Miko flinched, only Miko visibly jumped.

Sheppard smiled. "Thanks for the mini heart attack, Sgt."

Jessop held his hand up to Miko. "Sorry."

She nodded, retrieving her tablet from the floor.

Jessop lowered his voice. "Sir, you said we get a ten minute break each from those guys. Your time's up."

"Yeah, but I'm the CO and for scaring Miko you get an additional ten minute time penalty."

"They're driving me nuts." Jessop said.

Sheppard patted him on the shoulder. "See it as an endurance training exercise." He waited for a beat. "I'm not selling it am I?"

"Not at all." Jessop chuckled. "Nice try though."

Sheppard pushed off the wall, intending to head back into the lab but there was a loud bang from the other end of the hallway.

"What the hell was that?"

Miko was scrambling to stand, getting in Sheppard's way as he surged forward.

"Get in the lab. Sgt. stay here."

"Sir?"

"Stay here!" He snapped. "Lt Brennan, what's your status?"

"Floor just collapsed under Doctor Henderson." He coughed. "He's not answering."

"I'm on my way," Sheppard told him, reaching the end of the hallway. He located the room and charged in. Brennan's arm across his chest stopped him. His right foot hoovered over dead air.

He nodded his thanks and aimed his flashlight into the considerable hole in the floor. The air was stirred up with dust, but he could just make out the figure of Henderson; his head torch light strafing off to the side.

There was too much dust and rubble to make out what kind of room he'd fallen into, but either way, it was a significant drop.

Sheppard grabbed his radio, stalling McKay who had been calling his name repeatedly for the duration he'd been out of sight. "McKay-"

"You know, sometimes just answering the first time I call your name would be good. You know, just so I know you're not dead."

Sheppard rolled his eyes. "McKay-"

"Don't get me wrong, the theatrics of the delayed response can be really-"

"McKay!" he warned. The line went quiet. "Henderson has fallen to the floor below. We know of another way down there?"

"We've can't get the systems online so we don't have the luxury of a map. I didn't even know there was a floor below."

Brennan, who had been hailing Henderson throughout, stood. "I'll check around. See if I can-"

"No," Sheppard said. "No splitting up. We'll rig up some gear here and pull him out the old fashioned way."

"But there might be an easier way down."

"You may be right, but I'd rather you didn't get lost in the dark trying or worse find another hole in the floor. We have eyes on him here, we can fix a line there and there and McKay-"

"Still here."

"McKay can work on getting the damn lights fixed."

"I'll ignore the passive aggressive tone and-"

"Just do it," he said, patience officially run out. "Grab the ropes." Brennan nodded and headed out. He peered over the edge. "Henderson, just stay still. We're gonna get you out."

There was no reply. He scanned the corner of his room and the room below with his light. There was nothing there, but he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, just as Miko had described. He inched back, hearing ominous crunches and cracks underfoot.

"Colonel Sheppard?"

He flinched. Zelenka's voice sounded overly loud in the empty space.

"Is Max okay?" He asked. "I mean, doctor Henderson."

Henderson reported directly to Zelenka. He sounded concerned.

"I don't know. He hasn't answered us. Give it to me straight, you guys think you can get the systems restored. You've been at it for hours."

"We are close. If Rodney would listen to me then it might be quicker."

"Well tell him that I order him to listen to you, because if the power's not on by the time we get Henderson out, I'm calling it."

"Understood Colonel."

It was Jessop that returned with the gear. There was just enough rope to reach the lower ground floor. They secured it to a nearby metal pipe and Jessop descended into the darkness.

"What are you seeing down there?" Sheppard asked when the line went slack.

"Nothing here. Rooms secure." He shouted up. "Give me a sec."

Sheppard waited.

"Sir?"

"Here." He edged over to the drop and aimed his flashlight down, Jessop's light struck him full in the face, momentarily blinding him.

"Sorry," he said, redirecting the beam over his shoulder. Jessop appeared momentarily distracted and Sheppard glanced over his shoulder. There was nothing there.

"Henderson?"

Jessop shook off whatever had bothered him and refocused. "He's alive, but in a bad way. Says he can't feel his legs and he's got pins and needles in his arms."

Sheppard knew what that meant. A potential spinal injury.

"Without proper assessment and a backboard I daren't move him."

Jessops was the most qualified of all of them to advise, having served as a combat medic for the majority of his career pre Atlantis.

"We move him in the wrong way and-" he let the words he's paralyzed hang in the air.

Sheppard ordered him back up.

As Sheppard gave him a hand, he lowered his voice. "We need Beckett. We've got a query spinal and he's got some movement over his right chest. Looks like several broken ribs. I'd give him something to make him more comfortable, but morphine can interfere with the respiratory system."

"So,"

"So for now he's best left where he is. We don't move him, we get Beckett to assess him and then take it from there with the proper precautions in place."

There was no immediate threat, not counting two bickering scientists and floors that randomly gave way, so Sheppard nodded in agreement. It wouldn't take long for one of them to reach the 'gate and return with help.

Sheppard clicked his radio. "Brennan, I want you to head back to the 'gate and get Beckett. Everyone else, pack up and go with him."

"Are you serious?"

McKay appeared in the doorway. What the hell was it with everyone sneaking around the place?!

"Why are you here?"

"I came on the mission with you. Well actually it's my mission and you're the one tagging along-"

"I mean, why are you here in this room when I told you to stay in the other room."

"You're only down the hall, colonel. I'm hardly going to get lost or fall down a hole following where you've already been."

Sheppard crossed his arms over his chest.

"You told Zelenka we could stay."

"That was before."

"Come on Sheppard. We're so close to getting the systems on. You'll need light. So, I'll make a deal."

He wasn't in the mood to barter. "Rodney-"

McKay raised a finger. "If we're not done by the time Henderson is out, we'll all go home."

"Rodney, you've been saying you're about to get the systems on all day. What's going to change in the next hour?"

"It's not quite as simple as flicking a switch. We've got power. Sort of. It's working out how to get it to cascade out to the systems which is the problem."

"Seems like the sort of problem you'd usually have solved by now."

"The consoles are damaged and working by… and you're mocking me."

Sheppard smiled.

"My sides are splitting, colonel." He said deadpan.

"You get until Henderson is safe. Then we're leaving."

"Thank you," McKay said, turning to leave. Then he thought better of it and asked,"How is Henderson?"

SGASGASGASGASGA

Doctor Beckett was midway through a particularly difficult surgical procedure when Maria appeared in the observation room. The speaker clicking indicated her intention to interrupt him.

He paused, scalpel poised, and waited.

"We've just had word from Colonel Sheppard's team. They're requesting a house call."

Beckett turned to his assistant to dab at the sweat about to run down his forehead. He was hands deep in poor Lt. Martin's stomach cavity.

"I'm a mite busy right now. Did they say why?"

"Doctor Henderson has suffered a bad fall. They're concerned about a spinal injury. They want him assessed before moving him."

"Aye. Sounds about right," he said, taking a small step back from the table. "How's his breathing? Have they reported any other injuries?"

"Potential flail chest. Concussion. But he's currently conscious and breathing on his own."

"Small mercies and all that. And what are the conditions offword?"

"I don't…" The speaker clicked off and on. "... the weather looked fine."

Beckett chuckled. "I mean… is the patient safe? Are they being shot at?" At her expression he added, "Is it a safe environment for one of my medics to attend in person?"

Clearly he wasn't going to be able to leave his current patient and had it been him, he wouldn't have even asked, but if he was going to ask one of his colleagues to go, he needed to know that they would be safe.

He knew it couldn't be guaranteed, but it was one thing sending someone through with the potential for danger, than outright asking them to dodge bullets in the process. Knowing Colonel Sheppard, he'd have performed the same risk assessment, so if he was asking for a medic then it had to be serious and he had to be semi-assured that they wouldn't be deliberately put in harm's way.

"Doctor Prior is on call. She has offworld experience. Please ask if she wouldn't mind going on a trip."

His assistant arched an eyebrow, surprised.

"Aye. I know I could just order her, but unlike some others who shan't be named, I like to give my staff the choice."

"You're a saint and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the interim management performance reports that are coming up." Maria said, humouring him.

"I obviously don't know what you're talking about, love."

"Don't worry. I'll give you a five star review."

"Aye. Assuming she says yes, make sure Doctor Prior takes a backboard. Add a sedative to the kit; if she can't use morphine she'll need something else to keep him comfortable."

SGASGASGASGA

Doctor Henderson coughed and then groaned.

Sheppard placed his hand on his shoulder, stifling his own instinct to cough. "Try not to move. The doc will be here soon."

"Couldn't…. if I wanted to, colonel." Henderson rasped. He offered a smile, but Sheppard could tell he was worried.

Sheppard turned slowly, checking the edges of the room again. There were four plain walls only interrupted by a single door that didn't budge when Sheppard tried to open it.

There was nothing there so why did he feel like they were being watched.

"What happens if I can't walk?"

Sheppard stilled.

"They'll send me home. I'll have to go home, won't I?"

"We're not there yet." He crouched down next to Henderson. "McKay ever tell you about the time he body checked me down a hill on a mission?"

"No."

"Yeah well, he thought he saw something in the bushes. Backed into me, I lost my footing. Went down this shail hill and landed right on my back. Couldn't move. Couldn't feel anything below the waist. Took three days for the feeling to come back. Just bruised. I'm sure this is the same."

"What was…. in the bush?"

That's what he was focusing on? He straightened up, mildly irritated with McKay over the whole situation again. "Some kind of chipmunk creature. But, the point is-"

"Did you have pins and needles in your arms too?"

He didn't.

"Sure."

He heard voices above him.

Henderson groaned again. "They're on the ceiling. I keep seeing them. They're there."

"They're on the floor above us," Sheppard said, moving his flashlight around. Something whipped passed. He screwed his eyes up and then blinked a few times to reset his nightvision.

"All around us. Everywhere."

Sheppard raised his weapon. There was nothing there. Nothing. But the hairs on the back of his neck were still raised.

"Colonel?"

He scanned the room again, before looking up. Brennan was peering over the edge. Beside him was Doctor Prior.

"No Beckett?" He asked.

"Happy to see you too," Prior said, dropping down next to him. "Doctor Beckett was in the middle of surgery so I was the next best thing."

"I didn't mean-"

Priors smiled. "I knew what you meant."

She was quick to get to work; checking Hendersons pupils, blood pressure and pulse. She negotiated the rubble, palpitating and prodding various body parts; her mouth moving silently as she catalogued his injuries.

"Pressure is good. Your pulse is a little fast, but that's to be expected." She listened to his heart and then chest. "Definitely some broken ribs."

As she worked Brennan lowered the backboard and began setting up the rescue tripod. It took two of them stabilising Henderson's neck and hips as they rolled him and one to put the backboard under. While Prior secured him with blocks, braces and straps, Brennan climbed back up to operate the winch. In under thirty minutes they were all out of the hole.

Prior inserted an IV and had Brennan hold the bag over Henderson's head.

"There they are again," Henderson muttered. "Above us."

Sheppard gestured to the hallway and Prior followed.

"How's he doing?"

"It could be bruising. Pins and needles are a good sign. He's not in great shape, but I don't want to give him any pain meds until he's been more thoroughly assessed on Atlantis. I'm a little concerned about his breathing. He's broken at least three ribs. He could have punctured his lung."

"And the other thing?"

Henderson babbled loudly about the ceiling again and seeing movement. Sheppard and Brennan had checked and rechecked the ceiling, but hadn't landed on anything concrete. For all intents and purposes, there was nothing there. That revelation didn't stop it being any more disturbing.

"Head injury. It's not unusual for-"

"They're there!" Henderson screamed.

"Doc?"

They returned to the room where Henderson was clearly distressed. He was secured tight to the backboard, but he was fighting against it trying to raise his head.

"He keeps saying he's seeing something," Brennan said. "I don't-"

"Max, calm down. You need to stay perfectly still."

"I can't. I can't. They're there. Just look…. Just look and you'll see them."

Doctor Prior reached into her bag. "I'm going to give you a sedative to calm you a little."

Sheppard raised his flashlight to the ceiling. This time something definitely moved up there.

Brennan beside him tensed. "Sir, did you-"

Sheppard raised his weapon. He blinked a few times to let his eyes adjust to the dark corners.

"Sir?" Do you see-"

Sheppard held his hand up to quiet the younger man.

He saw it.

"What the-"

The darkness shifted and another shape moved. Then another. Whatever it was, it wasn't just one. It was the ceiling.

Henderson was right.

"Doc, no time. Grab the end of that board," Sheppard said, taking the other end. "Fall back to the lab now."

"Colonel?"

"Do it," he snapped. "Brennan stay on our six."

It was difficult to hold up Henderson, who was heavier than he looked and keep his weapon accessible. Brennan was behind him, weapon raised.

Prior nearly took a tumble but managed to stay upright. Her medical bag dropped to the floor, making an ominous crunch noise when Brennan failed to avoid it. Seconds later, her torch rolled off the backboard and onto the floor.

"Leave it," Sheppard said.

Without asking, Brennan leaned back and tucked his flashlight under the straps holding Henderson so that their path ahead was illuminated.

They made it to the lab. Sheppard carefully placed his end of the stretcher down and at the same time, from the darkened hallway, heard gunfire followed by Brennan's inhuman scream.

The others were crowding him, asking what was happening and he held his hands out to usher them away.

"Stay here!" he ordered, heading straight back out.

He picked up Prior's fallen flashlight and aimed it down the hallway. The lens had cracked and dark lines strafed the walls. The floor glistened red, streaked ahead into the distance, like somebody had been dragged.

He could still hear gunfire. He broke into a run, finding the ground slippery with blood and skidded to stop at an intersection where the blood trail suddenly went up the wall.

In the darkness behind, something bashed into his back, propelling him into the wall. His head connected hard and he briefly saw stars. He aimed the flashlight beam in one direction and his P90 light in the other; there was nothing there. He stood slowly, back burning where he'd been struck, and for a moment remained perfectly still.

The ceiling murmured and then there was movement by his right ear, his left….. fetid breath tickled his cheek………

He moved the beam of his flashlight and something whizzed passed, then another…..

"Brennan?" He hissed, backing against the wall.

Silence.

And then…. something dropped from above. Something heavy and wet. He felt a splatter on his neck.

He aimed the beam. Brennan was dead. At least, he thought it was Brennan.

"Sheppard? Are you okay?"

"Colonel?"

"Sir?"

They were all asking at once. He thumbed off the radio. The only sound his ragged breathing.

Something was beside him in the dark again. He turned and this time he hit home. Illuminated in full was a white faced being with huge black pupils staring back at him. On contact with the light, a thick smoke started to billow out of its translucent skin and the creature screamed, dropping out of sight. Turning there was another one and it performed the same smoking trick before taking flight to join its friends on the ceiling.

Sheppard peppered the darkness with bullets as he backed away.

SGASGASGASGA

They'd all been staring at the open doorway. Sheppard hadn't been answering their hails and the sound of gunfire had echoed loudly down the halls. McKay still couldn't understand Sheppard's impulse to head straight for danger.

"Why aren't you going after him?" McKay snapped. "He's out there on his own!"

Jessop didn't look away from the door. "It's my job to protect you. The colonel would want me here."

"He could be dying or dead or-"

"Doctor McKay-"

McKay drew his handgun. "We're armed. Go help Sheppard."

"I told you…. Wait…. I see something. It's the colonel."

Said colonel entered the room at a sprint. Blood was running down his cheek from a cut over his eyebrow and there was more blood splatter on his neck and arms.

"Where's Brennan?"

"Dead," he informed them focusing on the ceiling.

McKay tried to see what he was looking at. The ceiling was impossibly high and he couldn't work out what was suddenly so interesting up there after the revelation that Brennan had been killed.

Without another word, Sheppard crossed the room and started going through his day pack.

"Sir, what happened out there?"

Sheppard moved onto Brennan's pack, then Jessops. When he found what he was looking for he stood and looked at each of them in turn, stalling his gaze on Henderson.

Spending an inordinate amount of time with Sheppard, McKay had started to pick up on his tells. He licked his lips when he was thinking. He bit the skin around his fingernails when he was bored. He tapped out the rhythm of Johnny Cash songs on the butt of his clipped P90 as they walked on missions. And now, now he'd seen something out there that was indescribably horrible and he was checking them out; determining whether he could get them all out alive. He'd stopped on Henderson because he was a problem. Two people would need to carry him, which was two less people to watch their backs with Brennan gone.

"Sheppard?" He asked.

Sheppard met his eyeline. "There are…. " he paused, seemed to be considering how to proceed, and then said, "We have company. A lot of company."

"What does that mean?" Zelenka asked, drawing noticeably closer to Sheppard.

"Whatever they are, they're everywhere. They've been hiding in the dark."

Miko made a squeak noise. "What? They're here? With us?" She started shuffling backwards, away from the lights and Sheppard grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Stay in the light. They're scared of it or….. they at least react to it. I saw one up close and when my flashlight caught it, its skin started smoking."

"Well that's…. disturbing." McKay mumbled.

"They're hostile, but as long as you have a light source I don't think they'll attack or at least, you can ward them off."

McKay looked around the group. He noticed what was in Sheppard's hand. Sheppard realised and held out the night vision goggles.

McKay put them on, looked up and promptly took them off, suddenly feeling queasy.

"Oh crap," he said.

"What? What's there?" Jessops said ripping them from his hands.

One by one they took turns.

The ceiling was crowded with writhing bodies. In the green hue of the googles, their eyes looked like black pools of oil and their skin glistened. They were totally white, with large clawed hands and feet and what looked like wings tucked together on their backs.

"What are those things?" Jessie said, holding his weapon tightly.

"Hell if I know," Sheppard said.

"They look like netopyr….uh bats. They've adapted to the darkness. Dilated pupils, larger ears to aid echolocation….amazing."

"That's great Radek," McKay teased. "Thanks for the biology lesson, but I think we're a little more concerned about what the hell they're planning to do to us right now."

Zelenka glared at him.

"What do we do?" Miko said, her voice rising in panic. "We're going to die."

"No," Sheppard said. "I'll make sure we get out of here, all of us."

"No," Henderson suddenly shouted. "No. They'll attack us."

"Not if we have light."

"They'll destroy it. They'll get us. I don't want to die."

Hendersons panic was a pebble in the water. He could see its wake, rippling out to Zelenka, doctor Prior and Miko. Hell, even he was beginning to feel anxious.

"Doc, is there something you can give him to calm down," Sheppard said.

Any other time that request could be considered tactless and inconsiderate, but McKay was with Sheppard. Henderson needed to shut up.

"Yeah he's freaking everyone out," Jessop agreed.

Doctor Prior nodded. "But my bag is out there."

Jessop's nodded. "I'll get it."

"I'll light you up from behind," Sheppard said.

Miko reached for his wrist. She withdrew her hand when she spotted all the blood. "You're not leaving us?"

"I'm not going anywhere." Sheppard assured her. "I'll just be over there by the door."

He glanced at McKay and he got the hint. "He'll be right back."

It didn't take long for Jessop's to retrieve the medical bag and as Doctor Priors was drawing a syringe, McKay was beginning to wonder if they weren't all overreacting. Sure the ceiling creatures were creepy, but they'd been there for hours and they hadn't even noticed them. Okay, so most people didn't walk around looking up and they'd been avoiding the direct light, but still…. they could have attacked at any time.

Jessop's having returned unscathed seemed to have tempered the doctor's fear because she left her flashlight at her feet to walk over to Henderson. She took three steps when her flashlight started to flicker and then go out all together removing the invisible bridge of light.

Sheppard shouted out. He surged forward, tackling her to the ground as something whipped through the beams of their flashlights. Prior was screaming as Sheppard used his body to shield her. He fired his handgun into the air to keep the creature away. Jessops started firing, the muzzle of his automatic fire creating a strobe effect in the dark space. There was a piercing screech and whatever it was dropped to the ground, wings flapping wildly before going still.

With all their beams concentrated on the creature, its skin started to fizzle and smoke. An acrid smell assaulted his nostrils and McKay covered his mouth with his sleeve.

"Stay in the light," Sheppard ground out from the floor. "Sorry about that doc."

Prior pushed her hair out of her face as she sat. "No, that's fine. Feel free to save my life anytime."

"Are you okay?"

Prior nodded and swiped at a cut on her ear that was bleeding.

Sheppard stood slowly, but Prior remained on the floor, searching for something.

Zelenka went to help her. "You lost something?"

"The syringe." she said. "I was holding it when-"

"Uh doc." Sheppard said. "You mean…. this syringe?"

Sheppard gestured to the hypodermic needle currently embedded in the fabric under his Tac vest. He pulled it out with a wince and held up the now empty syringe.

"Oh no," Prior said at the same time as McKay.

Sheppard stared at the blood coated tip of the needle. "What was in that?"

"Dexmedetomidine." she said. "A sedative."

Sheppard blinked slowly. "A what?"

"A sedative. I was about to give it to Henderson to calm him and you pushed me-"

Sheppard looked between her and the syringe. "How long bef-" he pitched forward and Jessop only just caught the back of his vest.

"I'm so sorry." Prior said.

"Are you kidding?!" McKay groaned.

He dropped down at Sheppard's side. He was trying to fight the sedative but he was listing dangerously.

"Don't close your eyes!" McKay ordered, suddenly aware that the others were crowding them. In his peripheral Miko was freaking out and Henderson had started his we're going to die chant again.

Jessop's was keeping Sheppard upright, eyes widened, probably at the prospect of just being promoted to the person in charge.

"Take… weapon," Sheppard said with some difficulty. "Lights. Lights."

He closed his eyes and McKay slapped him. Hard. "Sheppard, come on. Open your eyes." Doctor Prior was going through her medical kit. "Give him something to wake him."

"I'm looking…… "

Sheppard's eyes closed again. McKay slapped him again. "No. Stay awake."

"Trying," Sheppard slurred.

"You can't make this up!" McKay said, pinching Sheppard's arm in the hope it would rouse him.

"Ow," Sheppard mumbled.

"Have you found anything that will help?" Zelenka asked holding the bag open for Prior.

She sat back on her heels and shook her head. "What I need is broken." In her hand was an empty ampule.

"What about adrenaline?" McKay asked while simultaneously gripping Sheppard's chin and shaking it.

She shook her head again. "No. I can't safely give him anything while he's that sedated. Not with the dose he just recieved." To their looks, she stated. "Henderson was going to have a quarter of that dose."

McKay shook him again. "Sheppard?"

Jessop lowered him to the floor. "He's out."

"There's nothing we can do?" Miko asked, crouching over Sheppard and shaking his shoulder.

"No."

"This is…… I can't believe this." McKay knew it wasn't Sheppard fault; it wasn't even the doc's fault but it really was their luck!

"He'll wake in about three hours."

"Three hours!" Zelenka said.

"There's no way we can leave here now," Miko said. "Not without the colonel!"

"We have Jessops."

"Thanks for the endorsement, Radek, but Miko's right."

He started removing Sheppard's P90 and handgun. McKay knew that Sheppard was only sedated but it felt wrong… like Jessop's was desecrating the dead. Jessop's handed Sheppard's P90 to McKay and it was testament to just how screwed they were that he was the next in line capable of handling an automatic weapon.

"With the colonel out for the count that leaves two people that need carrying. The numbers don't stack up. I can't cover the front and rear alone. We'd be sitting ducks and you saw how fast those things move when they get the drop."

"So, what do we do?"

"We sit tight. Atlantis are expecting an incoming casualty. When they don't appear they'll send help. In the meantime, we need to work out how much battery power we have left. Doctors McKay, Zelenka maybe you can work on getting the lights on?"

McKay reached for his tablet and pushed Zelenka on ahead. The batteries wouldn't last long, not when they were being drained by being permanently on. It hadn't even occurred to him to check them before leaving, he'd just grabbed the first ones he'd seen in the supplies room, assuming they wouldn't be needed because he was so adept at getting ancient technology to function. He'd imagined by now they'd be running diagnostics, making discoveries and just generally advancing the Atlantis expeditions knowledge of the Ancients. Great work Doctor McKay. You really are a genius. Zelenka wasn't really needed was he?

He regarded the console in front of him. What the hell was wrong with this thing?

Miko started setting the lights out so that the beams criss-crossed to form a lattice effect around them. They had five torches, two small floodlights that could be angled up to the ceiling and their tablets had built-in lighting.

"The Life Signs Detectors have lights. I also have a small mirror." Miko said.

"Warming blankets," McKay said. "They're reflective. We can use them to diffuse the light."

"And we've got some flares. Two," Jessop's said. "Okay. We're okay. We just need to hold our position."

McKay glanced over at Sheppard where he was holding his position perfectly.

"Let's get this thing working." He said to Zelenka. "You had some ideas of how to do that?"

SGASGASGASGA

"Why haven't they sent anyone through," Miko said. She was tucked up against the wall, a flashlight held between shaking hands. The nervous bobbing of the light was giving McKay a headache. He sat up from under the console. He was going to tell her to stop talking but the alternative was silence and in that silence they could hear those things quietly murmuring.

"Maybe they already came through," Henderson mused. "Maybe those things got them."

Jessops sighed. "We'd have heard something."

"Why didn't they send more personnel with you?" Miko asked the doctor.

"Because I was the only doctor on call. Everyone else was tied up in surgery."

"But they must be finished."

"Doctor Beckett was resectioning Lt. Martins bowel. It's a lengthy procedure."

"And Colonel Sheppard only asked for a doctor. Why not other soldiers?"

"Hey," McKay warned. "He didn't need to. We thought we were safe."

Miko's lip was trembling. "He's supposed to protect us."

"I take offence to that," Jessops said. "I'm here and I'm not going to let anything happen to you and the colonel's here too…sort of. Not his fault the doc was running around with an uncapped needle."

Prior's head whipped round. "You're blaming me?"

Jessops shrugged.

"The light went out and the colonel tackled me to the floor."

"He was saving your life." McKay said.

"It was an accident." Jessop said. "It could have been prevented though if-"

"Nobody could have predicted that!"

"You didn't have your torch."

"I didn't need it. The light was on. How was I to know the batteries would crap out?!"

"So it was whoever chose the torches fault?" Miko said.

"Enough!"

Zelenka's outburst shocked everyone into silence. For a moment, the murmuring was pronounced, reminding them of the real reason they were stuck in the first place.

"This is getting us nowhere. Nobody is to blame." He muttered something in Czech.

"I'm sorry Radek," Miko said.

"I am too," Doctor Prior said. "The truth is that Atlantis aren't going to send anyone until we miss our check in. They're not expecting me back. They knew Hendersons condition wasn't life threatening and they'd know the colonel could handle it on this end."

"Sheppard is handling it really well," Henderson said.

"Shut up Max-" Zelenka snapped.

One of the floodlights suddenly exploded in a hail of glass, pelting Zelenka in the process. McKay just caught a glimpse of one of the creatures flying back up to the ceiling.

"They're trying to destroy the lights!" Jessop said, stirring to action "Miko, fill the gap now. I want this whole area lit up. Doctor McKay, any progress over there?"

McKay looked to the broken light. "We have power."

"And that means?" Jessop said.

Zelenka was watching him now. "Yes we have power. We just can't get it to cascade to the systems."

"Yes. Exactly. We have power." He gestured to the lamp. "They've broken the lights. All of them. When you hear the sound of hooves, think horses not zebras."

Zelenka looked confused. It clearly wasn't a common Czech phrase.

"We assumed the issue was with the systems when it's not. They're working. The lights are just out."

"We have been… wasting time.".

"We were never going to get the lights on. They've destroyed everything that lights up." He turned to Jessop and the others.

"And they're going to keep coming for the lights we have." Prior said.

"We need to get out of here." Miko said.

"Or…. maybe we could get them out of here."

Jessop asked, "What are you talking about?"

McKay went over to Sheppard. "Sorry John!" He said unzipping his vest to get to his belt.

Tucked in a clip on the one side was a grenade and on the other was-

"A flash bang?" Jessop smiled. "Can you get that door closed?"

"Yes," Zelenka said, moving to the console.

McKay zipped Sheppard's vest back up and gave his chest a pat as he stood.

"What are we doing?"

"We set the flashbang off Miko, drive them out of this room and close the door. We'll still be trapped but it will buy us some time."

One of the flashlights started to flicker.

"Okay, everyone get back and for gods sake close your eyes."

McKay hunkered down under the console next to Zelenka and closed his eyes. He heard Zelenka tapping his tablet, then the doors opening.

"Eyes closed!" Jessop's shouted.

There was a clink as the pin was removed, a clank as the canister struck the floor, a deep and resounding boom, the smell of chemicals interacting and then the screeching began. He was distantly aware that Miko was crying out and then Jessops was firing his weapon, things were dropping from the ceiling.

He reared up from under the console, aiming Sheppard's P90 and adding to the fire to drive the creatures out. Though he carried one on missions, he rarely fired it; he'd forgotten about the recoil and struggled to control it.

"Close the door!" Jessops shouted.

"On it," Zelenka shouted back as the doors closed. "Done!"

Jessops was breathing heavily, holding his hand to his neck where he'd been slashed. The floor was littered with bodies.

"Did you get them all? Are they gone?" Zelenka asked.

"Yeah," Jessops said swinging his light around the room to check. He was blinking rapidly, eyes watering. "Caught the tail end of the flashbang," he said as Priors helped him to sit. "Seeing stars."

"Are you sure you got them all?"

"Took out the last few," Jessops said, holding gauze against his neck.

McKay raised his hand. "I also shot some."

There was banging at the doors. They knew they were in there.

One of the flash lights went out.

SGASGASGASGA

Another hour passed. The room was beginning to stink with rotting flesh and it was hot. Next to him, Zelenka removed his jacket and handed it to Miko. She nodded in thanks and pulled it over her knees; shock causing her to feel cold and shaky.

Prior was checking on Henderson. Another bang against the door and scraping, had her back tensing. When it was quiet again, she continued her ministrations.

McKay glanced over at Sheppard. He'd hate this. If he knew what was going on that was. The last thing Sheppard could ever be accused of was being lazy or deliberately evasive of danger. Usually he was the first one out the door and the last one in. Right now, he looked more relaxed than he ever had and McKay resented him for it.

Prior muttered a curse as she listened to Henderson's chest. At everyones enquiring looks, she explained. "His breathing is laboured and his blood pressure has been dropping steadily. I need to get him out of here."

Jessops checked his watch. "We've got another two hours before we officially miss check in and they'll give us an additional half hour before sending anyone through." To Miko's confused expression he said, "To allow for traffic." He smiled, she didn't smile back.

"And I guess they must think Henderson is doing okay if you havent rushed back through the 'gate." Miko said.

"And they'll still be in surgery so unless there's another crisis in the meantime they won't even realise I'm not back." Admitted Prior.

"How long does surgery take?" Zelenka asked, recapping his water bottle.

"Around three hours usually, but that's without complications and Lt Martins case wasn't a straightforward one."

Jessop checked and reseated his P90s clip. "So one of us needs to go get help."

McKay had heard this before. "And by one of us, you mean you?"

"Yeah."

McKay considered their situation. They were trapped, they were running out of light and those things seemed to be getting braver. "Okay."

"Okay?" Miko said, her pitch rising. "Okay? He's talking about leaving us here alone."

"I know."

"He's talking about leaving us! Why aren't you more-"

"Like you?" McKay said. "Because he does this to us every other mission."

Sheppard, the He he was referring to, remained unmoved.

"He is right. Somebody needs to go and alert Atlantis that we need help. We can't all go. Unless we leave-"

"No," Prior said, placing her hand protectively on Henderson.

"Exactly. So that leaves only one option." Jessop stood, decision made. "How many flares do we have? If I take one and make a run for it, I can be at the gate and back inside an hour."

Zelenka said, "We have two flares."

"So with a burn time of around 60 seconds….." Jessop nodded. "I think I can make it out of here. If I time it to light just as I leave this room,..."

"It's still dark outside the facility." Miko said. "Won't they be out there?"

"There's no way of knowing." Jessops said, "but either way, when I get out there it's more open and it would be easier to defend myself."

"So that's it?" Miko said. "Decision made."

"I'll be as quick as I can. I've got light. I'm armed." He patted his weapons. "Keep the door shut and you'll be fine. McKay you're in charge."

McKay could sense the others unease at this development as Jessops disappeared into the bowels of the facility.

"No" Miko said. "No. You'll leave us like the rest and you are mean and egotistical and selfish."

McKay hung his head as she let off steam.

"Miko!"

"No Doctor Zelenka. If I'm going to die here I'm going to get this off my chest."

When she had finished she was panting heavily, her eyes brimming with tears.

McKay nodded.

"You're right. I am selfish and sometimes the other stuff too. I'm not going to run towards danger like Sheppard or Jessop. I have a highly developed sense of self preservation. Im not going to leave you because I don't want to be left on my own with those things. I'll do everything I can to protect all of you because I am selfish. If I'm going to die I want the rest of you to die with me."

Miko didn't look convinced.

Zelenka patted his back. "Good speech McKay"

SGASGASGASGASGASGASGASGA

Nobody was saying it, but Jessop had been gone too long. McKay had tried to hail him over the radio, but there had been no response. The radio had crackled, almost as if Jessop had meant to reply, but then there was static and nothing.

Zelenka looked up from trying to mend, what had been the last working floodlight. When the first was destroyed it had pulled on the second one and wires were frayed. The light was working intermittently. Occasionally it would go off until they wiggled the wire around to reseat the connection.

At the door, the bangs and scrapes continued. Those things were still trying to get them.

McKay cleared his throat. Everyone looked at him expectantly. It wasn't like he was unused to the attention; in fact, he was usually the one being tasked to save everyone from some technological disaster, but he wasn't used to being the one that everyone looked up to for guidance. That was Sheppard's department.

"I think it's fair to say that Jessop didn't make it back to Atlantis. If he had, we'd be back already."

Zelenka nodded in agreement. But then he realised the implications and backtracked, "No Rodney. That's a bad idea."

"We're running out of lights. We have, what three working flashlights, a short burning handheld flare and a floodlight with tourettes. If we stay here, soon we'll have no light and those things out there don't seem to be giving up on getting to us."

"Okay," Zelenka said. "That may be the case. But we cannot carry Henderson and the colonel."

McKay came to stand next to Sheppard. "Then we wake him up." At Priors head shake he said, "He's been out for hours. Surely the sedative's wearing off now-"

"Yes, it will be, but there's no predicting when exactly he'll wake up."

"Well we can't wait for him to finish his nap."

"If I even had what I needed to do that, there's no telling how his body would react and it would more than likely put too much strain on his heart. He could die."

"Or, he stays here and he dies with the rest of us."

"It doesn't matter anyway," Prior said. "Even if I could, everything in my bag was smashed."

"What about an Epipen? I have one. I bet Sheppard has one. If he was awake right now he'd be telling you to risk it. I know Sheppard. Hell, he has taken the risk before."

Prior seemed to consider it. She glanced at her medical bag. Then at the colonel.

"If we have any real chance of getting out of here now, while we can, we need him."

"Okay." she conceded. "Okay - wait!" she snapped when McKay started towards Sheppard with his uncapped Epipen. "I have a portable defibrillator. We can hook up the ECG leads to monitor his cardiac output."

Miko handed her her bag, while McKay unzipped Sheppard's vest and hiked his t-shirt up to his neck.

He moved his dog tags to rest over his shoulder. Patting through the tac vest pockets, he found another Epipen and handed it over to the doctor.

She placed the ECG pads onto his chest and connected the leads. She fired up the defibrillator. The screen went green and a steady beep accompanied reassuringly regular up and down lines.

Prior took the Epipen and injected Sheppard in the thigh. They waited. His heart rate was steady, but he wasn't waking.

"Come on, Sheppard," he urged.

The banging at the door was increasing.

"Why isn't he waking?" Zelenka asked.

"Give it a minute."

"Give him the second one," McKay said.

"I don't recommend it." Prior said.

"But it's not like you can't right?" McKay asked.

Prior was thinking about it. She sighed, checked the readouts on the ECG screen and then decision made, used the second Epipen. The autoinjector clicked as it deposited its contents into the colonel's thigh.

The reaction was instantaneous, only it wasn't the one they were expecting; the heart monitor suddenly started to beep and Sheppard's heart was beating increasing incredibly fast.

"Whats going on?" Zelenka asked.

"He's tachycardic," Prior said. "Just wait…..this sometimes happens. Come on… settle……settle."

Abruptly, the line on the screen flattened before they were replaced with beats that were all over the place.

"Dammit. He's gone into VF. This is exactly what I was worried about." She said throwing McKay a dark look. She depressed a button on the defib machine and it started making a whirring noise as it charged.

Miko was pacing behind them. "VF?"

"Ventricular fibrillation, the lower heart chambers contract in a very rapid and uncoordinated manner. As a result, the heart doesn't pump blood to the rest of the body."

"Because of the-"

"Yes the Epipens," she said. "I'm going to shock him. It'll stop his heart and then it should find its rhythm."

McKay wasn't sure if he'd heard right. "You're going to stop his heart? On purpose?"

"Thats what the defib is for. It'll temporarily stop and then with a little luck his heart will start beating correctly. The heart has its own pacemaker." She grabbed McKay's hand and moved it away from Sheppard. "Clear. Shocking in 3-2-1"

Sheppard bucked as the machine shocked him, but there was no change to the erratic beat.

"Again. Clear. Shocking in 3-2-1."

This time his heart started to beat fast, but more regularly. Prior let out a deep breath.

Sheppard's legs started to move a little and then he bolted upright, nearly headbutting McKay in the process. He was breathing in short, sharp pants, unfocused and confused.

SGASGASGASGASGA

Sheppard woke gasping for air. He reached for his chest. It felt bruised and strange. A light blinded him.

"Get that light out of his face!"

"Sorry!"

He tried to sit, but somebody pushed on his shoulders. "What…..the…..hell….."

He blinked and his vision cleared. McKay's face blocked out his view. "It's okay."

Another hand squeezed his arm. "Colonel, you need to rest a minute. Let your heart rate settle."

Pressure around his bicep increased and the decreased. Prior was saying something about high blood pressure and potential permanent damage and…. he groaned because he was feeling so dizzy.

He let his head roll to the side. He recognised the space, couldn't quite remember how he'd ended up on the floor though. The high ceilings were spotlit with torch beams, throwing shadows around the room.

"We're still here?"

"Yes." McKay said, somewhere over his head. "We are. Oh, were you hoping we'd have dragged your ass back to Atlantis by now."

"Kinda," he admitted, feeling strong enough to attempt to sit. He pushed away Prior as she tried to remove the leads from his chest. He was feeling strange; a combination of extreme lethargy and coursing adrenaline continued to have his heart hammering in his chest.

Prior's fingers wrapped around his wrist to check his pulse, he closed his eyes and…. shit where was…. he reached out blindly.

"I have your weapons. They're all here."

Sheppard leaned forward, nodding and took a deep breath into his knees. McKay's hand was resting on his shoulder. Get it together, John he ordered. His breath hitched in his chest and he rubbed the sore area again.

"We had to shock you."

"I died?" he asked, voice muffled by his knees.

"Well no actually…. Did you know a defib intentionally stops your heart?"

"So you killed me," Sheppard asked.

"I'm sorry Colonel. There was an accident. There were those things and then you saved me but I managed to inject you with a sedative intended for Henderson. We couldn't wait any longer. I had to bring you back and I had to shock you back to a normal rhythm. You're going to be feeling a little shaky, probably dizzy and nauseated, and your chest is going to hurt."

"You realise he's not with us enough yet to even get all that."

"I know. I just hoped if I said it fast enough, I wont have to say it again."

Sheppard took a deep breath and looked up. "I heard," he said. "Help me up."

"Are you sure?" McKay asked.

"Yes. My ass has gone to sleep." He stood in slow increments, testing his balance. He realised both McKay and the doctor were holding his elbows. He waved them away, having managed to stay upright. "It's fine doc."

"You okay?" McKay asked.

"Yeah. Think so. Just wish my heart would calm down."

"I can't believe you had an Epipen." McKay said. "It really means a lot that-"

"Henderson has allergies." Sheppard said, unable to resist teasing McKay.

"Henderson!" Prior suddenly snapped and rushed over to him.

Sheppard followed her, shaking off McKay's steadying hand.

"Is he okay?"

"His lips are blue. He's breathing just about but I need to get him out of here now."

Sheppard retrieved his weapons and then looked around the room. "Where's Jessop?"

He was met with blank stares.

"Where is he?"

"He left hours ago to get help."

Sheppard felt his stomach flip. "Hours?"

He tried his radio anyway, but didn't receive a response. He'd seen what those things had done to Brennan. If he wasn't back by now, he wasn't coming back. They were going to have to save themselves. The reason they'd woken him up was becoming clearer by the second.

"We're down to a few torches and a flare."

"Did you use the warming blankets to throw the-" he noticed they already were. "I have a flash bang. We could use a-"

As he felt his belt he spotted the empty canister across the room. It seemed like they'd already had all of his thoughts. He looked up to the high ceilings, too far to reach.

"What are you thinking?"

"The roof."

"What about it?"

"We blow it. I've got C4."

"It's too high. How would we even get up there?" Prior said. "There's nothing to climb."

She was right. The C4 would need contact with the ceiling. There was no way to reach it.

"What about the power?"

"The lights are broken." McKay told him. "The only way out is through the door."

That wasn't going to be easy. They had limited lights and with two people carrying the backboard, it was going to reduce their ability to move quickly and to cover all the angles.

"I could-"

"No," McKay said. "You're not going out there alone."

"Henderson needs moving now." Prior said.

"Okay." Sheppard checked his ammo. "Miko and doc, you carry Henderson. Zelenka, McKay you head up the front. I'll take our six. You take the torches, I've got the light on my P90 and the flare can be our reserve. We'll need to move as one and as quickly as we can. No matter what happens, keep moving."

"We're at the front. Shouldn't we be, you know behind?"

"We'll be most vulnerable from behind, but if you want to switch McKay……."

"No that's fine. You can do that."

Sheppard headed over to the door snagging the night vision goggles on his way. "I'll check it's clear before we head out."

Miko and Prior lifted Henderson. Miko was small but stronger than she looked. Her mouth was set with quiet determination as they approached the door.

"Ready?" Sheppard asked when they were lined up behind him.

The door snicked open and he was confronted by a wall of the creatures. They fanned out away from the light, but they weren't attacking. Yet.

They moved as one down the halls, the only sounds their footsteps echoing on the concrete floor.

Sheppard was using his P90 light, shining it behind him as he moved.

Sheppard lowered the nightvision goggles over his eyes; the creatures were all around, moving along the walls, flitting over their heads…. just out of the reach of their lights. He risked a glance over his shoulder. He pushed the goggles back up as they approached the intersection.

McKay and Zelenka stopped but Miko and Priors hadn't got the message and bumped into them. The shock of it had McKay jumping and dropping his flashlight. It rolled forward and as he went to retrieve it, both Zelenka and Sheppard shouted for him to stop.

McKay stepped back. The flashlight suddenly whipped against the wall, shattering the lens and killing the light. Zelenka's was suddenly ripped from his hand.

They were getting braver.

Dammit.

"Zelenka!" he snapped, tossing him his P90 light. "McKay, back here!" He lit the flare and shoved it into McKay's hands. "Get out of here!"

"What?"

"You've got about 60 seconds before that thing goes out. Get everyone out of here,"

"What about you?"

"I'll draw them away from you. Just go."

"You can't!"

"I don't have time to argue with you. That's an order. Go!"

He gave McKay a shove and took off into the darkness, aware of McKay screaming for the others to get a move on. If they didn't stop again they'd make it outside before the flare went out.

He could feel the creatures surrounding him. He pinballed down the corridor, buffeted from one side to the other. Something slashed against his ankle, he ignored it. A claw caught in his vest. Another swipe at his back, had him losing his footing and just as be regained it, he felt something trying to smother him down to the floor.

He did a 360, firing his P90 in the enclosed space, hearing the soft impact as bullets hit home. The automatic fire lit up the enclosed space and for a moment, the creatures were illuminated in full gory detail. They recoiled from the light, but as soon as he stopped firing he could feel that they were on him again.

He grabbed the wall as he turned a corner, past the lab and into a section they hadn't explored. He dropped the nightvision googles to see the way ahead blocked by more of those things and cut into one of the unexplored rooms. Mercilessly, there was another door on the opposite side of the room and he prayed it would open when he reached it. Before he could try it, he was rammed from behind, the goggles sliding across the room one way and his P90 the other.

He was being pushed down from above, his cheek pressed into the cold floor. Something sharp jabbed his arm and then his leg.

He managed to free the arm that was pinned and retrieve his Life Signs Detector. The small device lit up on contact with his ATA gene. It wasn't much light, but it was enough to send the creatures scattering, leaving him enough room to get up and backtrack the way he'd come.

His radio crackled and McKays tinny voice rebounded down the corridor.

"Sheppard"

"Kinda busy McKay!" He shouted, tasting iron in his mouth.

"We made it out! It's daytime….."

Thank god. At least they were safe. His shoulder clipped the wall and stumbled.

"Get out of there."

"I'm trying."

"There's a Jumper here. Lorne and a team will meet you."

"No, don't send them in. Put him on," he said as he ran.

He traced his hand along the wall, his hand coming into contact with something soft and wet. He retracted said hand, realising the creatures were right there with him. He thought he might have lost them.

"Sir? We're coming. Got some floodli-"

"No. Just get back to the Jumper. Zone in on my lifesign and when I say, you fire on my location"

"Sir? You'll be crushed. We can meet you and-"

"Just do it. On my signal. Fire."

"Understood."

Sheppard made it to the hole in the floor where Henderson had fallen and was relieved to see that the rope was still in place. He sprayed the space behind him with bullets, grabbed the rope and gave his hands severe rope burn on the way down.

At the last second, something flew into his back causing him to release the rope. He fell the last couple of feet. He landed hard.

"Now Lorne!" he snapped, edging back under the lip of the hole to take shelter.

His back hit the wall and just as one of the creatures speared him through the shoulder with a talon, the roof exploded in a shower of light and concrete.

Sheppard shielded his eyes from the dirt, falling debris and from the suddenly blinding sun. A chunk of the ceiling came down on top of the creature, pinning them both to the floor.

His left arm was crushed and a chunk of concrete bashed into his temple.

The creatures were scattering, seeking shelter where they could. The one that was pinning him was half concealed by concrete, but his exposed skin was blistering and smoking in the sunlight. The smell was reminiscent of a barbecue. If that barbecue was cooking fetid meat.

Sheppard reached for his handgun in the rubble, bought it up to the creatures head and fired. It didn't make a noise; just collapsed against him.

He rested his head, exhausted and hurt. Not every creature had fled. Some were bunched up in the dark recesses above his head. At least three sets of pitch black eyes stared down at him. He raised a shaking arm and fired, once, twice, three times….. Until he passed out.

SGASGAGSGAGSGA

For a second Sheppard wondered if he was still trapped under the rubble, so acute was the pain.

He opened his eyes slowly to see Doctor Beckett injecting something into his IV port.

Beckett smiled when he realised he was awake. "Colonel. I'm just giving you something now to take the edge off."

Sheppard nodded, testing his movement. It was a mistake. His shoulder protested and set off a chain reaction of hurt.

Beckett placed a gentle hand on his chest. "You've got quite the collection of injuries, Colonel. Try not to move. The meds will kick in in a second."

"What happened?" He asked, feeling warm and slightly fuzzy. Said meds had definitely kicked in.

Beckett explained his injuries; cuts, bruises, punctured shoulder which mercilessly wouldn't require too much physio, blunt trauma injuries to his abdomen….. After a while the list was too long and Beckett could tell that he was having trouble staying awake.

"Jessop?

Beckett shook his head. "Im sorry colonel."

He repositioned Sheppard's cushions to make him more comfortable. "Get some rest."

"Rest? Are you kidding me? He's only just woken up and he spent half the mission asleep."

Sheppard peered around Beckett to see McKay in the next bed over. He was covered in cuts and bruises.

"McKay-"

"Did you feel so left out of that mission that you just had to make up for it by nearly getting skewered and blown up?"

Sheppard was about to answer when Zelenka shouted from the opposite bed.

"We would not have got out if Sheppard hadn't done that."

Next to him was Miko and beyond that Priors and Henderson. They waved.

"The whole gang's here," Sheppard said.

"Aye. You're all having an overnight stay. You're all banged up and scratched and I want to monitor for signs of infection. There's no telling what those creatures carried."

Miko looked up from her laptop. "The ancients had not encountered them before. We've theorised that they catalogued species as they met them; hence why they weren't appearing on the Life Signs Detectors."

"We can add them now though, right?" Sheppard asked.

"Erm… I'd like to say something if I may," Henderson said. "I'd like to apologise for my behaviour. I wasn't thinking clearly and being laid up like that. I may have said some things that were inappropriate."

Doctor Prior cleared her throat. "I would also like to apologise. There were times when I acted... unprofessionally."

"Me too," said Miko.

"I too." Zelenka said.

At everyone's looks McKay's expression soured. "What? I didn't do anything." He sighed. "Fine. Whatever. Me too."

"Don't look at me," Sheppard said. "I was asleep for most of it."

A ripple of laughter spread through the room.

Beckett was still chuckling as he crossed the room. "Now, everyone get some rest."

He switched the lights off and a chorus of No's erupted. He quickly flicked the switch again.

He raised his hands. "Ah….sorry."

"Leave the lights on please." Miko said.

Sheppard shared the sentiment. Apparently everyone else did too.

"Of course." Beckett said. "But do get some sleep."

Sheppard closed his eyes, moving his head from side to side to make a dent in the too hard pillows. He had the sense he was being watched.

This time he didn't mind so much.