"IV Blues" by BeckShep

Note: I don't make any money from this, they're not mine (sobbing) wish they were.

Rated: T

Summary: Sheppard has second thoughts about having an IV inserted.

SGA+SGA+SGA+SGA

Sheppard viewed the kidney dish approaching him with a faint feeling of trepidation. He had been a little surprised at how quickly Carson had given in to him not needing an IV or two inserted in his arm but now with the swiftly approaching Nurse he wasn't so sure he'd actually won anything at all.

"Colonel Sheppard" came the kindly voice. Kindly, but determined.

John eyed her warily, his eyes flicking to the dish in her hand and then back to her eyes again.

"What can I do for you Nurse?" his heart was starting to pound a little. His dread of needles was making the hair stand on the back of his neck.

"Actually, it's what I can do for you" she placed the stainless steel dish beside his bed and John caught sight of the syringe, his stomach blanching. As she spoke the Nurse pulled the privacy curtains around him. "Dr. Beckett has prescribed antibiotics for you – penicillin to be exact and I have your first dose here. I need you to scoot over on to your side for me, or preferably on to you stomach if you can.

He could feel her hands starting to prod him gently into the position she wanted. He turned carefully, surprising himself that he wasn't resisting. His mind was racing, he hated needles so much! His mind flew back to the confrontation with Carson only minutes before. Carson had wanted to start an IV and for once John was determined to win the right not to have one. He'd argued black and blue that he was drinking enough fluids and was keeping everything down. Why on earth did he need to have an IV inserted? He cringed fleetingly at the hurt look on Carson's face when he'd called him the "Needle Nazi"

"Umm… can't I just have a couple of pills? – I mean, I don't really need… that… do I? By now the tall Nurse had more than easily eased John over on to his belly and had carefully pulled his blankets down. Even through his scrubs he could feel the air change, the coolness of the room seeping into his skin. He shivered for a second, his stomach tightening at the position he was in. His thoughts were interrupted by her fingers on the elastic of his scrub bottoms and he gasped at the coolness of the air on his bare skin as she pulled them down. His felt his face flush crimson as he involuntarily clenched his cheeks together which only resulted in getting him a gentle pat from his torturer.

"Now Colonel, no clenching like that, you'll just make this harder. I'm sorry but it is a bit of a sore injection this one. Needs to be given in a nice big muscle. He felt her hands on his skin, evaluating the correct spot and then the coolness of the alcohol swab swabbing his right cheek. His skin tingled as it dried. He watched in complete disbelief as she lifted the large syringe from it's resting place and cleared any remaining air bubbles. The serum oozed rather than squirted from the needle. She looked down to his terrified face, smiling calmly at him. "Ok, this is going to hurt a little, but It'll be over in a minute or two, deep breaths for me and wiggle your toes.

"But I …. Oh!" John jumped as the needle was jabbed deep into the gluteal muscle and once again clenched his buttock cheek briefly. Again he felt her hand on his rump.

"Just relax now, wiggle those toes for me…." The thick serum had begun to enter the muscle and it hurt. No two ways about it, it hurt. He could feel the pricking of tears starting and rubbed his hand furiously at them, desperate to not let her see just how much he was hurting.

"Almost done Colonel, you're doing well" she murmured quietly. She bit her lip at his low groan, saying nothing. She knew how much a penicillin injection could hurt – not to mention how much it could also hurt ones pride.

"Ok, Colonel, all done" she busied herself by rubbing the area of the injection site, working the serum well in. He couldn't help but let another groan slip. Knowing he was pretty much not up to talking at the moment she quietly went about pulling his scrubs back up, replacing his blankets and coaxing him to turn back over on his back. His face was white, his eyes shut tightly, breathing heavily.

"Oh God that hurt" he mumbled.

"I'm so sorry Colonel, but it's for your own good. Dr. Beckett has tested the bacteria you're infected with and this is the best option we've got. Rest now, I'll be back this evening with your second one. Shouldn't be too many days of this before we get it squared away."

His stomach lurched. Back this afternoon? Days of this? He groaned again easing his hand down to gingerly feel his damaged cheek. He could feel the swelling that had already formed and swallowed carefully while vowing to never ever ever give Beckett a hard time about having an IV!