"Are you kidding me?" Rodney halted on the top step of the stargate dais. "It's almost five kilometers from here to that lab. Why don't we go back and get a jumper?"

Sheppard strolled into the pale green sea of grass. "Buck up, McKay. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming…."

"Exactly. My allergies are already killing me. I mean, seriously, the word 'poppies' is running through my head. If that facility turns out to be the Emerald City-"

"Then you can start singing 'If I Were King of the Forest'. Now, move it."

Rodney harrumphed in disgust and joined the rest of his team. "Fine, but don't blame me when you rust. The oil can is in the jumper."

"I'll keep that in mind. Which way to Oz?"

Squinting at his scanner, he fine-tuned a couple of settings before pointing slightly to the right. "This way." He glanced up and groaned in dismay. "Through the forest. It's not too late-"

"Let's go."

The trek through the poppies on steriods took over thirty minutes. He listened peripherally as Teyla quizzed Sheppard on her people's history, though why the man had decided he needed to learn the genealogy of the Athosian council was a mystery to McKay. Ronon asked an occasional question but otherwise seemed content to monitor the tree line on the right which arced in front of them before surrendering to the plains that stretched to their left. In a way, the woods reminded Rodney of Mounties in the Red Serge, and he made a mental note to reply to his sister's email when they returned home.

Verifying their position in relation to the lab mentioned on Atlantis' database as they reached the edge of the forest, he frowned. "We're about halfway there."

"Got a path over here," Ronon volunteered.

McKay perked up. "Really? Where?"

"Right there." The Satedan indicated a narrow strip of dirt barely visible in the dense underbrush.

"That's your idea of a path? The yellow stripe on the highway is bigger than that."

"What?"

"Ignore him, Ronon." Sheppard flipped on his P-90's light scope and cautiously entered with Teyla at his back. A not-so-gentle shove from Dex encouraged Rodney to follow her as the big man brought up the rear.

Light filtered through the thick canopy, adding to the trail's illumination, but the devious red needles that blanketed the ground hid a myriad of dangers, not the least of which was a series of rocks determined to break the ankle of any genius foolish enough to traipse through the woods.

After tripping for the fourth time, he leaned against a tree and announced, "I need to stop."

"What now?" Sheppard asked testily.

"I've been hiking, hiking, for forty-five minutes. I'd like to rest for a minute."

Ronon mumbled indistinctly under his breath, but Rodney was sure he heard the words 'out of shape' in there.

"Just because I have better things to do with my time than run in circles and beat up Marines-"

"Stop it, both of you." John massaged a temple. "How much further, McKay?"

"Not far," the scientist conceded. "Maybe half a kilometer."

The pilot stared pointedly at him until he pushed away from the tree, and, lifting his chin, valiantly forged ahead. Eventually the woods parted to reveal a semi-circle of buildings, the graceful architecture declaring them to be of Ancient design. Stone benches, some of which had been crumbled by time, ringed a grassy courtyard that held a statue and a long-dead fountain in its center.

They spent the next three hours exploring. The entrance of the middle building led them to a room approximately half the size of Atlantis' gateroom, corridors branching in every direction. Containers littered the tops of numerous tables, and one wall was lined with storage cabinets. A bank of control consoles filled the center of the room, and Rodney had unstrapped his tablet and powered it up by the time he reached it.

Losing himself in wires, crystals, and Ancient text, the astrophysicist yelped in alarm when a wrapper bounced off his nose. Fuming, he wheeled around, glossing over Teyla and Ronon, zeroing in on Sheppard who was lounging against a table, munching on a PowerBar.

"Was that really necessary?"

"Apparently. I've been calling your name, but you were lost in McKay nirvana."

"What did you need so badly, Colonel?"

"I need to know what all of this is."

"This is a lab."

"Rodney…." John warned in his don't-make-me shoot-you voice.

"We've been here, what? Five minutes?"

"More like twenty."

"Really? Well, I've determined that this is a medical research facility, but," a lifted index finger staved off the expected interruption, "before you ask, I don't know what they were researching. Yet."

"What do you think might be in these containers, Dr. McKay?" Teyla and Ronon each held marked jars filled with a clear viscous fluid and an unknown blob of tissue.

Peering at the scribbles, he translated, "Cerebral cortex." Surprised, he inspected several other labels. Each bore a title and a few additional notes.

"What is it, Rodney?" The pilot's serious tone broke into his reverie.

"Hmmm? Oh, um, these appear to be human organs."

"All of them? There must be hundreds."

"I haven't read all of them, but the ones on this table are. This is more Carson's area than mine. He might be able to make some sense of it."

"Take a look at this." Sheppard led them to a storage cabinet.

McKay's heart skipped a beat at the sight of row upon row of shiny Ancient toys. "Ohhhhh." He felt like a kid in a candy store.

"Before you get too excited, I recognize a couple of these. From Beckett's office."

"No weapons?" Ronon had a single focus in relation to technology.

"Not so far. Scanners. Lots of them."

"Is it possible that some might be for healing?" Teyla could always find the bright side.

"Anything's possible," Sheppard hedged as Rodney rooted through the equipment. "Well?"

Shrugging, the physicist studied one of the devices. "You're right. They seem to be for medical diagnosis. We can take some back for analysis." He handed the small machine to John who lifted a brow when it didn't light up.

"Not gene activated."

"No. Most of the medical technology doesn't need the gene. I guess the Ancients assumed the Wraith couldn't use it for nefarious purposes so they didn't safeguard it."

The colonel gazed thoughtfully at the device for a moment then glanced around the lab. "Teyla, we're due to check in soon. Head back to the gate. See if Beckett would like to join us." With a nod, the Athosian left, and Sheppard turned to the other two. "Let's see what else we can find."

They wandered through the various corridors for the next couple of hours and had one hallway left to explore when Teyla radioed that she and Carson were minutes away. Returning to the main lab to wait for them, Rodney scrolled through the data his program had translated while Ronon sorted containers and John rummaged through another cabinet.

McKay craned his neck at the swish of the outer doors. "Finally decided to join us, eh Carson?"

"Rodney, always a pleasure. What have you found?" Beckett, med kit fastened across his chest, leaned against the console

The scientist straightened, wincing as he braced a hand against his lower back. "According to the information I've analyzed so far, the Ancients were researching ways to counteract the Wraith enzyme. They genetically altered a few subjects and reintroduced them to their native worlds."

The doctor's face whitened. "Was one from Hoff?"

"I haven't found anything specific yet, but that would be my guess."

Pain and guilt danced over Carson's visage before he scrubbed his hands through his hair and cleared his throat. "And what's all this?"

"Organ samples and equipment."

"OK, then. Let's see what we have."

After several hours of meticulous organizing and researching, the group moved outside for a fifteen minute snack break. Rodney slouched on the entryway steps in the shade of the overhang with his back against the building, chewing on his third PowerBar. Ronon and John stretched out on the soft grass of the complex's plaza, their faces tilted to the mid-afternoon sun, while Beckett and Teyla shared a bottle of water on a nearby bench.

"What do you think, Doc?" Sheppard asked. "Anything useful so far?"

Carson sighed. "Not yet. Once I get the samples back to Atlantis, I'll test them thoroughly, but my initial examination indicates too much degradation. Ten thousand years is a long time, you know."

The pilot grinned. "I've heard that."

"We've downloaded some of the research-"

McKay opened an eye. "'We'?"

"Excuse me. Rodney has downloaded some of the research data. I haven't seen anything new thus far, but we only have a small portion of the information available. It will take a large team months, if not years, to go through it all. Most of the equipment you've discovered is diagnostic in nature. I have a thousand just like them."

John rolled up to a sitting position. "Don't give up hope, Doc. We aren't done searching yet."

The physician surveyed the surrounding area. "What about the other buildings?"

"We searched them when we first arrived. They appear to be housing. This was the only lab we found."

"Anything else on this planet?"

"Other than pollen?" McKay sniffed. "Not a damn thing. No people, no real scientific endeavors, no ZedPM…."

"Is that all you ever think about?"

"Yes, Carson, as a matter of fact, it is. Call me crazy, but I tend to think of adequate power for the city as a good thing. Now, if we've wasted enough time here, I say we pack up and head home. I have real work to do-"

"Knock it off, Rodney." Sheppard rose and pulled Ronon to his feet. "We have five hours before we're due and that last corridor to check. Let's get back to it."

Heading inside with an irritated harrumph, McKay buried himself in the control panel again while the others split up to investigate the rear chambers of the lab. He had lost all track of time, immersing himself in endless streams of data, when he heard a strangled cry abruptly cut off. Ronon's muffled shout propelled him from the main lab like a shot. Racing into the corridor he glimpsed the Sataedan dash through an open door with Beckett and Sheppard on his heels.

Rodney followed them inside and halted in his tracks, gaping in horror at the stasis pods lining the chamber – at least ten on either side – each holding a Wraith, a perfectly preserved, living Wraith. Teyla was lying unconscious behind a force shield in a staging area along the back wall that Dex stalked in front of, blaster in hand, as he called to their fallen teammate.

"What happened?" the pilot demanded.

"Don't know," Ronon replied. "This was the last area to check. I heard her scream and found her like this."

"Rodney?"

"Give me a minute." The physicist pulled his scanner from a vest pocket, his eyes darting between it and the pods. A light on a control console near the doorway flashed furiously, and he contemplated the display for a second. "I need my tablet."

John sprinted from the room, returning seconds later with the computer.

Plugging it into the panel, McKay keyed a few commands and scrolled through numerous screens of text. "OK, if I'm reading this right, her Wraith DNA triggered the force shield. Apparently it renders the test subject unconscious so the researcher can take samples safely."

"Where's the off button?"

"What? You didn't see the big red button with 'OFF' printed on it when you came in?"

"Rodney…."

"You know how the Ancients were about instruction manuals, Colonel. Let's see…." The scientist's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the monitor. "I think I have it." He touched a couple of keys, and the read-outs above the stasis pods began flashing. "Oh, no no no no! That is not good." He began typing feverishly.

"What did you do?"

"He released the Wraith," Ronon spat.

"Not on purpose! I don't have…. Wait, almost…."

The chamber door slammed shut.

"Shit!"

"Dammit, McKay!"

"Rodney, I hate to add more pressure, but I think these Wraith are about to join us."

"I know. I just-" The physicist glared at his computer. "I'm trying to find the right release command."

"I say we shoot our way out." Ronon aimed his weapon at the door.

McKay's eyes never lifted from his tablet. "That's your answer to everything, but it's not going to get Teyla out. Now, shut up and let me think."

"I could at least shoot the Wraith."

"No! If you hit the stasis field at the wrong angle- Oh!"

The force shield flickered and dissolved as the door whooshed open. Pulling his scanner from his bag, Beckett, along with Sheppard, raced to the Athosian's side.

"Other than a bit of neuroshock, she's fine. She should come around-"

"We need to move," Ronon urged. "The pods are opening."

John rounded, P-90 lifting, as a low growl echoed through the room. "Rodney, help Carson with Teyla."

Strapping his computer to his back, the scientist pulled one of the woman's arms around his shoulders while Beckett did the same with the other, hauling her through the waking Wraith as Ronon and Sheppard opened fire. An alarm began to wail, and a calm voice spoke in a foreign tongue.

"That's the self-destruct," McKay warned.

Rodney matched pace with Carson as they rushed from the room. Turning a corner, they sped through the main lab as Ronon's blaster sang a duet with John's P-90. McKay cut a corner too close, banging into a cabinet, and lost his grip on Teyla. The shift in weight caused Beckett to stumble, and all three hit the floor hard.

"Get her, Ronon!" Sheppard hollered.

The Satedan holstered his weapon and hefted his teammate over his shoulder in one quick move. Rodney staggered to his feet and hauled Carson along with him. The colonel covered them, spraying bullets at the advancing Wraith.

"Move!"

Dex charged into the plaza when the outer doors parted, and Carson flung himself out behind him. The explosion that ripped through the building tossed Rodney through the air like an unloved toy. His left arm smacked one of the benches, and the impact with the ground forced all of the air from his body. Dazed, he gasped desperately, his starved lungs screaming for oxygen. As he rolled onto his back, he saw Ronon place Teyla on a bench. A low curse caught his attention, and he spotted Beckett, scanner in hand, scrambling toward a crumpled heap at the entrance.

"Help me move him," the doctor called after a cursory examination.

Ronon was there in two strides while McKay slowly climbed to his feet and weaved his way to them. Wrapping arms around his team leader, the Satedan pulled him away from the billowing dust and debris, a small crimson smear following them. "Looks like he's bleeding."

"Something has pierced his side." Carson ghosted his hand over the pilot's trachea then lightly pressed the carotid artery. Unzipping John's tac vest, Beckett tapped the man's chest in a couple of places before lowering an ear and listening carefully. He located the iodine and gauze in the med kit and pushed up Sheppard's black t-shirt. The injury seemed innocuous to Rodney – a hole the size of a gumball underneath his left arm halfway down his ribcage where blood dribbled out, creating a small puddle. The doctor cleansed the area and applied a field dressing.

"Puncture wounds can be very deceptive, and based on the appearance of that gash on his head, he most likely has a concussion too. We need to get him home now."

"The fastest way to do that would be for me to run to the gate and call for a jumper," Ronon reasoned.

"Aye, son, I believe you're right."

Unclipping John's P-90, Dex flashed a grin. "Be right back, Doc." He handed the gun to McKay. "Take care of them until I get back."

Trepidation seized Rodney momentarily. He hesitantly met the Satedan's gaze, but the faith he found reflected there bolstered his resolve, and he accepted the weapon with a nod. Ronon pivoted and disappeared into the woods.

McKay sunk down on the bench next to his Athosian teammate while Carson spent the next few minutes treating the colonel's head wound and examining him for other injuries. After a swipe of antiseptic and a square of gauze to his own forehead, the physician made his way to Teyla.

"How is she?"

"Stable. I expect her to awaken soon. Now, let me see your arm."

The Canadian stiffened and pulled away. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not blind. I need to examine the arm you're cradling to your chest."

"I need both arms to fire this gun if the Wraith return."

"Then it's a good thing I'm looking instead of amputating."

"Oh." McKay shifted the weapon and proffered the requested limb, hissing as Carson pushed up the jacket sleeve. "I landed on it when the self-destruct went off."

"Try not to do that again." Passing his scanner over the mottled skin, Beckett raised a brow. "It's a periosteal hematoma – a bone bruise – but it isn't broken."

"A bone bruise? I probably have nerve damage; I could lose the use of my arm. Next time, I'm sending one of my minions in my place."

"That will be lovely. At least then-"

The comm crackled to life. "McKay, the gate's broken."

With a look of pure disgust, Rodney keyed his earpiece. "What did you do?"

"Nothing. I tried to dial Atlantis, but nothing happened. The symbols don't light up."

"This day just keeps getting better," the scientist grumbled. "Open the control panel and tell me-"

An unmistakable Wraith scream roared through the plaza.

"What was that?"

"Get back here now! I don't think all our friends died in the explosion."

"On my way."

McKay gripped the P-90 tightly as he stepped between his teammates and the direction of the Wraith howl. "We're too exposed here."

"Where should we go?"

"Whaz goin' on?"

They whirled at Sheppard's slurred question. The colonel gripped his left side with his right hand as he tried to roll onto his elbow.

McKay edged closer, angling enough to see both the decimated building and John as Carson rushed to him. "Easy, son. A piece of debris penetrated your vest." When Sheppard blinked drunkenly at him, the doctor continued. "You also have a concussion."

The pilot winced as Beckett wrapped an arm behind his back and eased him upward. "Thought I recognized that feeling."

The shriek of a feeding Wraith filled the air.

"I recognize that sound, too. We need to get to the gate."

"Just one little problem…."

"Only one, McKay? We're doing better than usual."

"Ronon broke the gate."

"Now, Rodney, I doubt the man-"

"We can argue about it later," John interrupted. "Carson, can you carry Teyla?"

"Aye, I'll manage." Securing his med kit, he lifted her like a child.

A steady thump of falling rock resonated from inside the destroyed lab.

"Give me the gun, and help me up, McKay. I don't want to be here when they dig their way out."

The scientist readily relinquished the weapon and slid his wounded arm under Sheppard's right shoulder. Both men grunted in pain as they stood and hobbled down the path to the gate, Beckett following. A few minutes later, Ronon crashed through the underbrush, his intense gaze sweeping the others before he moved to the rear.

A winding, rocky trail and a slight incline forced a sluggish trek through the forest. Sweat dribbled down Rodney's face, stinging his eyes, and agony tap-danced its way up his injured arm straight to his brain. He focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

"We need to stop," Beckett called.

McKay and Sheppard staggered to a halt, the pilot slumping against the base of a tree, and Ronon helped Carson lower a now conscious Teyla to the ground next to them.

"What has happened?" Confusion colored her features.

The Satedan filled in the details while Beckett took her vitals and a few scans.

"How are you feeling?" Carson asked.

"I have a headache, but I feel fine otherwise."

"I'm pleased to hear that. You had us a bit worried for a while."

Dex offered her a hand up while the doctor examined John who panted for breath, perspiration dotting his pale skin.

"How are you, Colonel?"

"Been better, Doc. Feels like I have an elephant sitting on my chest."

"I know, son. We'll correct that as soon as we get home."

"Teyla?"

"I am fine, John." The Athosian smiled at them. "Ronon tells me I missed all of the fun though."

Sheppard's mouth quirked upward. "Just another day at the office."

Leaning against the tree, McKay massaged his injured arm. "We should go. I have no idea how long it will take to repair the gate, and those Wraith are still behind us."

John nodded in agreement. "Teyla, take point. Ronon, you're on our six." He struggled to get his feet underneath him, failing until Dex gently lifted him up and Beckett slipped a supportive arm around him.

The next seventy-five minutes passed in silence as they continued their slow march to the gate, the tension increasing as they left the cover of the woods. Rodney concentrated on the stone ring at the horizon, hoping he could fix whatever the problem was fast. He could tell Carson was bearing more and more of Sheppard's weight, and John's breathing was growing ragged.

Breaking into a jog as they neared the DHD, McKay dropped to his knees in front of the control panel and clipped his tablet connects to the crystals. Ronon and Teyla assumed defensive positions as Beckett eased the pilot down next to the pedestal. Gasping, Sheppard collapsed on his back, eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"What's wrong with him, Carson?"

"That puncture wound I mentioned. He has a hemothorax; he's bleeding internally. He needs surgery. Now."

McKay cursed in every language he knew as his program reported back to him.

"Rodney?"

"The gate isn't broken. It's in lockdown mode. It's somehow connected to what happened at the lab."

"Can you override it?"

"Not from here. Diagnostics indicate it will reset in just over three hours."

"Col. Sheppard doesn't have that long."

"I know that, Carson. I'll try to reroute a few things, but don't wait. Do whatever you need to do to help him."

"We're in the middle of a field! He needs major surgery. Plus the sun will set soon, and I bloody well can't operate in the dark."

The Canadian glowered at him, face tight with emotion. "Then you'd better start now. Just do what you can to keep him alive." He pulled a life signs detector from his pocket. "I'm showing three Wraith in the forest heading our direction, about two kilometers out. Another five are still around the lab."

Ronon's jaw clenched, and he twirled his blaster. "I can take out the three that are closest."

"We need to stay together," Teyla advised. "We cannot leave them unprotected. We should wait here while Rodney works."

Glancing over his shoulder at his teammates and Beckett, the Satedan nodded tersely. "Do you need any help, Doc?"

Carson shook his head. "No. I can't do much, but what I can do doesn't require assistance."

As the physician organized his meager supplies, McKay took a good look at Sheppard – blue-tinged lips, labored breathing, and distressed hazel eyes that begged for relief. Turning back to his computer, he rerouted a subroutine and restarted the diagnostic program while listening in fascinated horror as Beckett, using his most soothing doctor voice, chatted with John while he worked.

"Well, Colonel, it seems Rodney has hit a wee snag," the physician said as he removed Sheppard's gun and vest.

"He says we may be here for a bit so I thought I'd see what I can do to make you feel better."

After starting an IV of saline, Carson injected John with a dose of morphine and slit the side of his black tee.

"Sorry about the shirt."

Removing the plunger and slicing off the needle end of a syringe, he sterilized his scalpel and the plastic tube.

"You're bleeding in your chest cavity which is why you are struggling to breathe. I'm going to insert this tube to allow it to drain, and I'll warn you now, son, it's going to hurt, even with the morphine and your high pain tolerance. I need you to hold as still as possible. Can you do that?"

The pilot nodded faintly.

"Good lad."

Carson gave him a reassuring smile as he cleansed the area with iodine. John trembled in a visible effort to not move as the doctor made his initial incision but twisted away involuntarily with a feeble cry as the cut deepened.

"Rodney, can you hold him down for me?"

Holding his panic at bay, McKay knelt behind Sheppard's head and gently but firmly held the man's shoulders to the ground. When Beckett swiftly inserted the chest tube, John's eyes widened then rolled back in his head as he slumped unconscious. Carson taped down the modified syringe and tucked it into a partially filled water bottle. The response was immediate: blood and fluid poured from the drain, and Sheppard inhaled with an audible gasp.

"Dr. Beckett?" Teyla's typically calm voice quaked.

The physician scanned the colonel's head, chest and abdomen. "He's breathing easier, but this is only temporary. I need to get him back to Atlantis."

Rodney scurried back to his tablet, frustration raging through him as the diagnostics again showed no change. "How the Ancients lasted as long as they did is a mystery to me. Why would you-"

The crack of a gunshot echoed through the glen. Ronon dropped to a crouch in front of the Scot and Sheppard, sighting down his blaster, as Teyla dragged Rodney behind the DHD and hunched beside him.

"Who lost a gun?" the Satedan demanded.

Beckett groped his empty holster. "I did," he confessed, dismay evident.

Peeking around the device in the direction of the weapons fire, the Athosian scanned the area. "I cannot see them. Where are they?"

The scientist studied his LSD. "All eight are spread evenly at the tree line. We are at the edge of a 9 mil's range. One lucky shot…."

"We need to get out of the open." John's whisper was almost imperceptible.

"Don't try to talk, son," Carson said.

"Need to move to defensible position. Ronon…."

The Satedan scooted back by Sheppard. "I can take them."

"I know you can, Big Guy, but I need you here right now to protect the others. We'll call that Plan B."

Dex dipped his head in acknowledgement. "The woods to the right are the closest, about a five minute run at McKay speed."

"Hey, I resent that."

Beckett gripped the runner's arm before he could rise. "How are you planning on moving the colonel?"

"I'll carry him while Teyla lays cover fire."

"You know I can hear you, right?" John mumured.

Another shot ricocheted off the DHD.

Beckett ducked, covering Sheppard's body. "I can hold the tube and go along side of you, but we wouldn't be able to move fast."

"No," the pilot mumbled. "Too dangerous."

"We'll manage, Sheppard."

The soldiers locked gazes for a moment before John relented. "Fine. Then we move as one. McKay, take my P-90. You and Teyla fire a constant volley as we go."

Carson repacked his med kit and bandaged the chest tube as securely as possible. "Why are the Wraith shooting at us? Isn't killing us counterproductive?"

"They aren't trying to kill us, Doc," the colonel answered. "They're trying to either get us away from the gate or wound us. Easier to catch prey when it's incapacitated."

"Lovely. Remind me about this the next time I agree to go off-world."

Ronon holstered his weapon and moved to John's uninjured side. "Ready?"

At Sheppard's nod, Dex scooped his team leader into his arms. Automatic gunfire erupted as Teyla and Rodney sprang from behind the pedestal. Beckett rose with Ronon as he lifted John, everyone moving in sync toward the forest. As they scrambled across the uneven landscape, the pilot's moan of pain turned into a whimper before he passed out again.

When they reached the tree line, the Athosian moving quickly into the woods to find a suitable spot.

"Over here," she directed.

She had located a relatively flat area behind a few large rocks about ten meters further in. The fading sun forced them to advance gingerly through the underbrush. Placing Sheppard near the boulders, the Satedan, weapon ready, assumed a flanking position while Teyla did the same.

Beckett whipped out his scanner as crimson spilled from the makeshift chest tube. "Rodney, do you have a torch?"

"No." McKay hovered over the doctor's shoulder. "The P-90 has a light on it though."

"I'll take what I can get." The physician undid the clasp on his med kit as Rodney settled next to him, flicking on the small light.

"Oh, my God. He's losing a lot of blood, Carson."

"I know that," Beckett stated quietly as he replaced the bag of saline. "The fragment in his chest is dangerously close to his heart. It nicked some of the surrounding tissue when we moved him. I hate to think of what might happen the next time." He clamped the tube with the forceps as he disconnected the water bottle. "Do you have more water?"

Tugging his pack from his shoulder, the scientist dug through it, tossing out PowerBars, M&Ms, antiseptic hand wipes, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a small pharmacy of drugs, socks, and Superman boxers.

"Aha!" He handed a bottle of Evian to Beckett.

"Did you leave the kitchen sink at home?" Carson muttered as he poured half the bottle on the ground and attached it to the syringe sticking out of Sheppard's chest.

"I'll have you know that I only carry necessary items." He adjusted the P-90's light and grew still. "Is he going to make it?"

"I don't know, Rodney," he answered as he propped Sheppard's feet up on the med kit. "He's hypovolemic, not to the point of shock yet, but close. He needs a blood transfusion and surgery. I just don't have the proper supplies to help him. If I try to remove the shrapnel, he'll bleed to death. He may do that anyway."

"How long?"

"Before he bleeds out? Not long – an hour, maybe two."

McKay watched as the artery in the soldier's neck throbbed with ever-increasing speed. Unclipping the gun from his vest, he handed it to Carson along with the LSD.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to fix the gate. These dots," he indicated a string of blips on the LSD, "are the Wraith. These five are us. If the first set start moving let Ronon know."

"Have you lost your mind? You can't go out there alone."

"Yes, I can. If I don't do something now, Sheppard's going to die, and we both know it."

"At least let Teyla or Ronon go with you."

"It takes you and Ronon to carry Sheppard, and you'll need Teyla to cover you. The grass and flowers are tall. I can creep out there."

"Rodney…."

"Sheppard and I take turns saving each other's lives. It's my turn." With that, McKay scurried away.

He didn't get far before a strong hand jerked him to a halt.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ronon growled.

Yanking his arm from the Satedan's grip, he hissed, "To repair the DHD."

"I thought you said it would reset."

"Not in time." Rodney hung his head as fear and grief knifed through him. "Don't you get it? Sheppard is dying. I can't watch that again, especially if I can do something about it. I need to go."

Ronon gave him an appraising look before raising a hand to his earpiece. "Teyla, McKay and I are going back to the gate. I'll return when he gets it fixed." The Satedan clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's go."

As they reached the forest's edge, the former runner dropped to a crouch, and Rodney knelt next to him.

"Do you remember the covert ops training Lorne led?"

"Vividly. I had dirt in places I don't care to think about."

Ronon grinned at him. "Imagine what you're going to find this time because we're going to do it just like that. Crawl on your belly, and keep your head and ass down."

"Yes, yes, I said I remember."

Dex studied Rodney for a second. "Where's your computer?"

"Attached to the DHD where I left it when the Wraith started shooting. Can we go now?"

"Stay close and stay quiet."

The Satedan slid onto his stomach and vanished into the grass. McKay took a steadying breath and crabbed his way behind him. Trusting his teammate to lead him to the gate, the scientist tried to shake that last image of Sheppard. Fragile was not a term he normally associated with the colonel; on the contrary, he was the toughest person Rodney had ever met – mentally and physically. He'd seen the man shouting orders with an Iratus bug sucking the life out of him, heard him calmly describe a kamikaze ride to a hive in a nuke-bearing jumper, witnessed him struggle to overcome his mutated DNA, watched him stare a Wraith in the eye as it started to feed.

To top it off, John was as intelligent as he was courageous although McKay would never admit it, nor would he voice his admiration for the military man. But he would do everything in his power to get that gate working because no way in hell was he going to let a goddamn lab take Sheppard's life.

Visibility was poor in the twilight, and Rodney swallowed a yelp as his chin collided with Ronon's boot.

"We're here," the Satedan whispered. "Go do your thing."

McKay made his way to the pedestal's base, continuing to lie face down as he pulled the tablet to his chest. The only sound he heard was the blaster's energy cell clicking back into place. Closing his eyes, he visualized the proper crystal arrangement and the function of each one. Returning to the diagram on his screen, he traced each circuit, searching for a way around the lockdown. The astrophysicist had always prided himself on his ability to multitask – he could recalibrate the sensors, calculate the city's power consumption, and beat Zelenka at prime/not prime at the same time. But he couldn't risk a mistake today; he focused every bit of his energy and concentration on the DHD controls.

So intent was he that he almost jumped out of his skin when his radio chirped.

"What?" he snapped.

"You need to hurry, Rodney." Carson's brogue, always proportional to his stress level, was almost incomprehensible.

"Is he…."

"Not yet. But there isn't much time left."

Helplessness washed over McKay when the connection silenced and the implications sunk in. He stared at his tablet, unseeing, as the inner demons that drove him, the ones that spoke with his mother's voice, taunted him again with failure and worthlessness. Rage ignited in his chest, and he slammed a fist into the ground, working himself up to full rant mode when the answer suddenly leapt off the screen.

"I have it!"

Ronon was at his side instantly. "Are you sure?"

Fingers flying, he nodded. "Yes. Go get him."

"Here." The Satedan offered his weapon. "You should be able to hear us coming, but I'll have Teyla radio you as we get close. Shoot anything that isn't us."

He took the gun, placing it next to the computer, and met his teammate's eyes. "I'll dial as soon as I hear from you."

"Be right back."

McKay returned his attention to the DHD, establishing connections and rerouting systems. When his program showed all green, he surreptitiously reached a hand to press a random glyph, exulting when it sounded and lit. He entered a few more commands and ran another diagnostic. Perfect.

"Rodney, this is Teyla. We are almost at your position."

"I'm ready."

Rising to his knees, he dialed swiftly and keyed in his IDC. "This is McKay. We have a medical emergency. Have a med team standing by."

"You're clear to come through. What's the nature of the emergency?" The worry in Weir's voice was apparent even over the static.

He repeated what Carson had told him as he disconnected his tablet and strapped it to his back. Gripping the blaster, he scurried behind the pedestal, the welcoming blue radiance of the gate blinding him. Rustling to his left startled him, and he swung the weapon toward the noise.

"It's us, McKay."

"Oh, thank God. We're good to go. I told Elizabeth-"

A gunshot rang out from much closer than before, and Ronon staggered with a grunt but didn't fall. Rodney braced his elbows on the dialer to steady his aim as he and Teyla returned fire.

"Go!" she shouted. "The ring's light is revealing our position."

Beckett and Dex carried Sheppard up the steps and through the event horizon.

"You next, Rodney."

He didn't need to be told twice. The Athosian continued to fire as he sprinted for the gate, skidding to a stop when he reached Atlantis' atrium. He waved at Weir as she stood on the overhang, animatedly discussing something over her headset, and she nodded in return. A medical team was already racing out with the colonel on a gurney, Carson babbling in medspeak as he ran alongside. Ronon stared after them, completely ignoring the tech trying to exam the graze on his bicep.

McKay approached with the blaster outstretched. "How is he?"

The Satedan shrugged as he holstered the weapon. "Didn't understand anything they said except 'stat'. Heard that enough to know what it means." Dex glanced back at him. "Teyla?"

"She should be right behind me." Rodney faced the gate and pulled out his computer.

On cue, the woman stumbled backward into the room, her P-90 still spitting bullets.

"Close the shield!" McKay commanded as he pressed 'execute' on his tablet. The covering coalesced, and a dull thud echoed through the gateroom.

"What was that?" Teyla asked. "The Wraith were not that close."

"I rigged the DHD to overload," the scientist answered as they headed to the infirmary.

Ronon's brows shot up. "You blew it up?"

"It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was the best I could do with what I had. I didn't want the Wraith to escape with any of the information from the lab. Hopefully no hives will get close enough to pick up their psychic hotline call before they kill each other off."

A smile spread across Dex's face, reaching his eyes. "Thought you didn't like to blow stuff up."

"I've been blowing 'stuff' up since I was seven."

The Satedan chuckled and ruffled McKay's hair. "Not bad for a geek."

"Better than being a caveman, and you seriously have to stop spending so much time around the Marines."

They entered the infirmary to find Beckett sitting in a chair, head in his hands.

"Oh no," Rodney breathed. "Were we too late?"

Carson blinked uncomprehendingly. "What?"

"Where is Col. Sheppard?" The hitch in Teyla's voice was pained.

"In surgery."

Relief made McKay's knees weak. "Then why are you out here?" he demanded.

"Because I'm filthy and I hit my head in the explosion and I've been awake for twenty hours and he has a piece of metal lodged near his heart." Beckett retorted irritably. "For God's sake, Rodney. I have a staff for a reason." Taking a deep breath, the physician rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I know you're worried. Dr. Cooper is a trauma specialist and an excellent surgeon; Dr. Gipson is the finest cardiologist I've ever seen. They are prepping John now, and I needed a minute to decompress." He pushed himself to his feet. "I'm going to observe, and I'd like to clean up first. If you'll excuse me…."

"Carson, I didn't mean-"

The doctor's expression softened. "I know, Rodney. It's all right." A grim smile made a brief appearance. "Dr. Cole is going to conduct your post-mission exam so behave yourselves and do what she says. I'll be back later."

After being poke and prodded, McKay received some delicious pain meds for his arm that he'd forgotten had been injured and was ordered to his quarters to rest. He hurried to his room for a shower and then to the mess. Unable to decide what he really wanted, he took one of everything not citrus and headed back to the infirmary. Entering the surgery observation lounge, he found Ronon and Teyla debriefing Weir as they peered down into the operating room. Setting the tray on a table, he joined them at the window.

"Well?"

"So far so good, it seems. Carson said the surgery will take some time." Elizabeth smiled tiredly. "However, it would make for a nice change if for once all four of you could come back without something broken or bleeding."

"It's not like we did it on purpose. And I wanted to leave, but Sheppard insisted we had to check out that one last hallway. The man is a walking target for Murphy's Law."

"Who's Murphy?" Ronon inquired.

Rodney launched into an explanation of the saying and the applicableness of it to their situation. The chatter continued for a while as the group helped themselves to the food he'd brought, but eventually they fell silent, lost in their own thoughts, occasionally rising to monitor the activity in the room below. The quiet deepened as the hours passed. McKay and Ronon crisscrossed paths as they paced until Weir ordered them to be still or leave.

Slumping in a chair with his arms folded across his chest, Rodney stared at the floor briefly before pushing up to check on the surgical team's progress. "This can't be good, can it? For it to take this long, I mean. Carson said moving him again would be dangerous. Do you think, that is to say, is it possible…. Medicine is voodoo, you know. Machines have circuitry and wiring that make sense, that react predictably, but the human body…."

Teyla's small hand grasped his, and he resisted the instinct to pull away. She didn't say anything; she simply stood with him watching the orange-clad personnel hover around John. The bits of the colonel that were not blocked by a person were covered in tubes and monitor leads. Ronon's arm nudged McKay's shoulder as he joined them, and the contact stayed constant. Rodney had never liked to be touched much – afraid of germs and… afraid. He shifted just enough to allow Teyla's fingers to curl around his and leaned slightly against the big Satedan, relaxing into the comforting presence of his team. His team. Three people who couldn't be more different from him, three whom he cared more about than he'd ever thought possible even if he didn't know how to express it.

The idea of losing any of them kept him awake at night, but the thought of it being Sheppard, the one that had brought them together, terrified him. Beckett was his best buddy, the guy most like him, but John was the brother he'd never had. Fear stabbed at him again, and he unknowingly tightened his grip on Teyla's hand.

She rubbed her thumb along his knuckles. "He is strong. He will survive."

"If I'd only-"

"Don't," Ronon rumbled. "Don't do that. It won't help."

"But if-"

One of the figures stepped back from the table and looked up. Pulling his mask down, Carson smiled before heading to the stairwell that would bring him to them. A few techs rolled Sheppard's gurney to recovery as the rest began to set the room to rights.

The door slid open to admit Beckett, exhaustion stamped on every feature.

"He's going to make it?"

"We'll monitor him closely for the next twenty-four hours, but everything looks good. We removed the shrapnel and repaired the tissue damage. Barring any complications, I expect him to make a full recovery." The doctor stretched his back and neck. "Now, I'm going to get some rest, and I want you three to do the same. The colonel will be in post-op then ICU for several hours if not days."

"Can we see him, Carson?" Weir asked.

"Just for a minute."

He led them to the recovery room and allowed them to peek in. Sheppard was unnaturally still and surrounded by machines and IVs, but he was breathing, and that was all that mattered.

XXX

Rodney charged into the gateroom, vest in one hand and computer in the other, and found his teammates fully geared up and waiting expectantly for him.

Sheppard rubbed his aviator shades against a shirt sleeve. "Last again, McKay."

"Oh, come on. I'm on time."

"No. You're late earlier than usual. Pay up."

"This is so unfair. I'm not going to have any left." Snatching the Hershey bars from a pocket, he handed one to each teammate. "How did you get here so early?"

Ronon shrugged. "Don't carry much."

Teyla broke off a piece of the candy and tucked the rest in her vest. "It is important for a leader to… lead." She closed her eyes as she popped the morsel in her mouth. "I love chocolate, but I prefer popcorn. Can I have that next time?"

"What? I'm taking orders now?" He glared at Sheppard who smirked back at him.

"I'll have a cheeseburger and fries."

Rodney snorted. "Last time I checked, hell hadn't frozen over yet." Vest zipped and backpack secured, he arched a brow at John. "You've been climbing the walls for six weeks to get back out there. Let's go if we're going. Busy man here."

Sheppard nodded to Chuck, and the dialing sequence began. McKay patted the pocket where he'd stashed his other supply of candy bars with a smile and stepped with his team through the gate.

The End.