John ran.

His feet slipped against leaves, blood rushed in his ears, he stumbled and almost fell but he had to keep running. He tried to control his ragged, panting breaths or the way he crashed through the forest - they'd hear him, they'd catch him - but he needed all his energy to stay upright.

Energy that his speeding heart was pumping out at an alarming rate through the hole in his side.

He kept his hand clasped to it, feeling warm blood slick his clammy skin. Every step was the knife stabbing into him again, over and over until it blurred into a haze of red-edged pain. He was all too aware that he was blazing a crimson trail leading straight to him.

Keep running.

He didn't know where they were. He didn't know where the gate was, or where his team was, but they would find him.

"-pard? Come -"

"Rodney?" John gasped. Static responded. "Rodney!"

No time for despair. Every drop that leaked out of him was a timer counting down. He could feel the weakness in his limbs, pulling him down. It was as though he wasn't quite in control of his body, and was rather floating slightly above it. The forest was smearing in his vision. It was impossible to know how long he'd been running; every instant was elastic, stretching then snapping back. He could hear them on his tail, or maybe it was just his blood and breath and heavy steps all clamoring in his ears.

His foot caught a rock and he went down hard. Pain flared in his side; he curled in on himself, squeezing his eyes shut. Move. He had to move. With a burst of strength, he pushed onto his hands and knees. He stood shakily, grabbing at a tree for support. Releasing it, he took a step, and his knee buckled. He grunted in frustration and hauled himself back up, only to collapse again before he could even take a step. It was difficult to remember why he was running in the first place.

His blood felt sickly warm against his cold skin. Shock, a distant voice supplied.

Running was no longer an option. He scanned the darkening forest and dragged himself to a large bush, hiding himself as best he could among the foliage. His team would find him.

Wouldn't they?