RATING: PG-13 for language.

SEASON: First season after Hot Zone but before Santuary

MAJOR CHARACTERS: Ford POV with plenty of Sheppard and McKay interaction and a bit of Teyla, Weir, and Beckett.

CATEGORYy: Action/angst/humor

SUMMARY: Lt Ford's POV while he watches over McKay as he cares for an injured Sheppard on a hostile planet.. Sheppard/McKay friendship, all around team building. One-shot (complete)

SPOILERSs: The Defiant One, Hot Zone

FEEDBACK: Yes, please. I'm new here and would love to know what you think.

DISCLAIMER: Don't own them but would love to have them over for dinner some time.

NOTES: This is a much angstier follow-up to my story "Tokens". Technically, it is a one-shot, so I don't think you have to read that one before this one, but some of the inside jokes would make much more sense and it's good for a chuckle or two. Also, before I posted this one, I read "Geek Protocol" by Koschka and realized that there are a few similarities-namely Sheppard has a chest wound and McKay takes care of him with a few other nits. I swear, this story was in final edits by the time I read "Protocol" so any similarities are pure coincidence. I would like to say great minds think alike, but I'm not that confident. If "Sentry" has turned out even half as good as "Geek Protocol" I will be flattered. Do yourself a favor and read "Protocol" and the others in the series, Koschka is one of the best writers out there, so you won't be disappointed. The links are under my favorites!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This story has not been Beta-ed, mainly because I don't have one. So, all mistakes are mine. Other than that, I blame the damnable bunnies!

Sentry Duty

by Liketheriver

"Okay, Major, I really must insist that you stop this incessant bleeding." From my sentry post, I hear Dr. McKay's whispers as he takes off his jacket and presses it into Major Sheppard's shoulder. The Major gasps and arches his back in renewed pain but doesn't cry out loud. Thank goodness for that, otherwise they would be on top of us in a flash for sure. The Major collapses back onto the pine-needle covered ground and doesn't move. I use the term pine-needles loosely, because the 'needles' on the alien tree we are using for cover are as long as my arm and give off a pungent citrus scent that is reminiscent of grapefruit and rubbing alcohol. Kind of like that mixed drink, a greyhound, only made with Everclear. Still, the long branches have managed to keep us concealed from the band of enemy soldiers currently searching us out.

Dr. McKay's eyes widen in fear as his patient just lies motionless on the ground. "Major?" he asks quietly. Major Sheppard opens his eyes just a sliver and both the Doc and I let out a relieved breath that neither of us realized we were holding.

I turn back to my post, fulfilling my duty as 2IC by watching over my civilian and injured CO. Dr. McKay continues his hushed running dialogue behind me, and I hope the drooping boughs of the tree we are hiding under are holding in any sounds. "As I was saying, you really need to stop bleeding now. As it is, my jacket is going to be ruined. Sure, I can probably get a new one but where am I going to get another Maple Leaf patch? I mean, if this one gets blood soaked I'll just have to throw it away and tell everyone where I'm from."

I glance back and see Major Sheppard smile faintly at the thought of Dr. McKay talking even more than he already does. Although I seriously doubt Doc would throw away the patch. I have a feeling he would continue to wear it in spite of the fact that it was stained with the Major's blood, he would wear it because of that fact, and he would wear it with pride.

The Doc seems to be encouraged by the smile because he continues to talk. "So, losing my jacket and beloved Maple Leaf, does that gain me some standing? I mean this should put us to 90-10 at least."

I have no idea what he is talking about, but evidently Major Sheppard does because he maintains the smile and responds in a hoarse whisper. "One hundred."

The answer evidently pleases and surprises the doctor because he sits back on his haunches with a simple "Oh." He blinks a couple of times, then leans forward again and resumes his pressure on the wound. "Well, then I definitely made the right decision in staying behind."

"No…didn't," the Major manages to grunt out.

"Don't be ridiculous, this is what best friends do. They throw bachelor parties when you find the girl of your dreams and take you out drinking when she dumps you. When you want to have fun, they go with you on road trips to Vegas and when you're injured in hostile alien territory they stay behind to put candy wrappers on the bullet hole in your chest and apply pressure to massive shoulder wounds that just won't stop bleeding." He forces the last part out through clenched teeth, as though he is trying to bite away a chunk of his growing panic.

I watch the Major weakly lift his arm, and place his hand limply on the Doc's clenched fists. "We'll go," he whispers. "You're…doing good."

And evidently that is something else best friends do, they comfort you even when you are elbow deep in their own blood.

Dr. McKay traps the Major's hand between his own hands and the makeshift bandage his jacket has become. I hear a small sound escape from the back of the Doc's throat, something between a cough and a laugh. "John," his voice cracks on the name and he clears his throat then lets out a croaking laugh, all the while pressing his weight into the wound. "You have got to stop this outlandish overconfidence you have in my ability to fix any situation. Really, it is bordering on hero worship. Sure, I'm flattered, but people are going to start talking. Before you know it, there will be McShep rumors flying all around the post."

The Major smiles weakly again. "Already are." He coughs and winces deeply from the pain it obviously causes.

The Doc shifts slightly, cradling the Major's head and lifting his shoulders off the ground, hoping to ease his breathing some. "Yes, I know," he says in irritation. "I still prefer the Shelya ones, though."

"Me, too," the Major gasps. His breathing is becoming labored with a sickening gurgling quality.

I know Dr. McKay hears it as well. With one hand he maintains his grip on the Major's hand while still applying pressure to the wound. With the other, he moves to work on the chest wound again. "I need to check the candy wrapper." Major Sheppard nods and the Doc lifts his homemade valve off the hole, then places it back slightly repositioned.

Satisfied, he returns both hands to the shoulder and resumes his double-fisted pressure and conversation. "Evidently there are not enough recreational activities to keep people occupied on Atlantis. I told Weir we should have brought along a social director on this expedition, but she brought Kavanaugh instead. Bet she's regretting that decision right about now. I know I sure am."

I chuckle silently as I sneak a peak at my watch calculating that Teyla should already be back in Atlantis by now rounding up the cavalry.

"Is the breathing easier?" he asks.

"Never better," the major wheezes.

"Don't shit with me here, John. Is it better or not?" Doc demands.

"Not better…not getting worse," he admits.

Dr. McKay sighs. "Well, we take what we can get, I guess. I knew working around you it was just a matter of time before I had to give up my perfectionist ways."

I'm not really sure what went wrong on this mission. Teyla had said that the people on this planet were peaceful, usually eager to trade when their crops were good. She had admitted it had been a while since she had last traveled here. Evidently a few years prior they had experienced a minor drought, nothing too serious but enough of one that it had limited there agricultural production to the point that it pretty much stopped trade with offworlders. No veggies, no trade seems to be the way it works in the Pegasus galaxy.

The village was located approximately a mile from the stargate. It was an easy walk on a nice day like today. The weather on this planet is like late autumn on Earth, sunny, clear, but with a bite to the breeze. Not cold but just enough to make you glad you have a jacket. The path to the village was dirt and wound through a scrub brush and conifer-like forest, the high branches of the big trees bent all the way to the ground on the older and larger ones. I remember thinking they would make a great hideout for a group of kids, kind of like a fort. Man, if I had only known.

When we arrived at the village, Teyla had been surprised that the leader she had negotiated with in the past was no longer in charge. Instead a younger man was there to meet us, a very well armed younger man surrounded by several other very well armed men. Teyla, Major Sheppard, and Dr. McKay had gone into one of the local dwellings with the obviously military-minded leader to discuss trade potential. I had stayed outside the door, finger resting just beside the trigger of my P90, warily watching the armed men milling around in the town center that were warily watching me in return. No more than half an hour later, my three teammates had come through the door, not smiling. Always a bad sign.

The Major had turned to me with a scowl on his face. "We're leaving. Now." He had started walking then, setting a brisk pace. I had glanced around as we left, noticing that the armed men I had been watching suddenly seemed much more alert, and definitely more on edge.

On the outskirts of the village, I started to ask what happened, but Teyla had fallen in beside the Major and told him, "I am sorry. The previous leader was always eager to trade. I had no idea…"

The Major had cut her off. "You couldn't have known. It's not your fault." His hand clutched his P90, just like mine.

"They are in pursuit," Teyla had stated matter-of-factly, like she was telling us that the sun was shining or the trees were green.

A frustrated, "I know," was Major Sheppard's only response.

At that, Dr. McKay had wheeled around nervously. "What? What do you mean, they're in pursuit? Do you think they are a threat?"

The Major just regarded him flatly, without slowing our pace. "You were there, McKay. What do you think?"

The Doc had swallowed then. "Oh, God. You're right. S..So what do we do?"

"We go back to the stargate," he informed him as if that were the only real answer, which it was. "Teyla, you take point. McKay, you're right behind her. Ford, you and I will cover the sixes."

I nodded my understanding just as a shot rang out behind us. We turned, seeing a band of troops, at least twenty, advancing on us. The Major and I returned fire as he called back to Teyla and the Doctor to get off the path and into the woods. The enemy evidently had the same thought, as they melted into the trees with frightening ease. It was obvious they knew these woods, and we didn't. I had no doubt they would use that to their advantage. The Major and I ran after our teammates and another set of shots whisked past us. Major Sheppard turned to once again return fire and that's when it happened. One second he was standing beside me, the next he was thrown to the ground, a stain of red appearing across his front at an alarming rate.

Teyla and the Doc had turned at his yowl and provided enough cover fire for me to scoop down and lift him with his arm around my shoulder. Then it really became a blur. We were running across a small clearing of scrub trying to make it to the trees. Friendly and enemy fire both were whizzing around us. We made it to the woods. Teyla retained point, leading us deeper into the forest and blessedly away from the sound of enemy fire. I looked around, tried to orient myself, and hoped to hell that Teyla was leading us toward the stargate. After several minutes of running, Major Sheppard's weight dropped, pulling us both to the ground.

He was panting, head hung weakly towards his chest, blood spreading across his collar bone, barely maintaining his upright position on his knees. "No…more…running," he huffed.

Teyla and Dr. McKay had returned to where we sat in the undergrowth. The Doctor dropped to his knees beside us, helping me to lower the Major to the ground. He continued to pant as Dr. McKay worked to open his vest. "Major, I need to check your wound."

He had only nodded in response, seeming to be concentrating more on breathing than anything else. I took up a guard station next to Teyla, both our weapons trained in the direction we had just come. Dr. McKay got the Major's vest open, and his face paled as he mumbled "Oh, God. Make that wounds." I looked back over my shoulder and saw not only the blood on his shoulder, but a stain of red across his chest as well. It seemed to take the Doc a second to get his bearings, but when he did he quickly located the field dressing from his own vest and began what limited first aid he could provide.

I whispered to Teyla, "How far do you think to the gate?"

"Ten minutes, probably less," she answered.

From behind us I could hear Dr. McKay rummaging through his vest. "Lt. Ford," he demanded, "do you have a power bar?"

'You have got to be kidding me,' I thought as I kept scanning the forest. "You want a snack? Now?"

The Doc was gritting his teeth. "It's not for me, it's for him. Now, do you have one or not?"

I reached into a front flap and pulled one out, tossing it behind me with a glance.

"Not…hungry," Major Sheppard said.

Dr. McKay went to work tearing into the packaging. "Don't worry, this isn't lunch, it's a valve."

"A valve?" I asked as I peeked back again.

Dr. McKay had ripped open the Major's shirt and revealed the entry wound on his chest. "As much as the Major here may think that he's cornered the market on innovative uses for power bars, I've got a few of my own." As he spoke, he ripped the wrapper in half with his teeth and placed it over the hole. "Since arriving in the Pegasus galaxy, I've learned that these things area almost as versatile as duct tape. Ford, give me your field dressing." He didn't look up, simply stretched his hand out impatiently.

It was then that I realized what he was doing. We had learned in basic combat first aid how you were supposed to put a piece of plastic or something like it over a chest wound to equal out the pressure and keep the lung from collapsing. With an appreciative smile, I opened another flap and handed him the bandage. He began wrapping it loosely around the wound, all the while talking about the wonders of power bars. "They are super nutritious, glow bug attracting, wraith targeting, first aid kits, all conveniently contained in a delicious hand held snack."

He took a bite of the bar as he sat back and admired his work. "There, just what the Doctor of Astrophysics ordered," he sounded almost as winded as the Major. "Well, it may not be pretty but it should be functional at taking the suck out of sucking chest wound." He seemed satisfied with his handiwork until looked back at the at the shoulder wound. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath, tossing the uneaten portion of the power bar aside.

I turned back to Teyla and hitched my head in the Major's direction. "No way he's going to make it in ten minutes."

She looked over at the two men on the ground and nodded her head in agreement. "You are correct; I do not believe Major Sheppard be able to travel any further under his own strength."

"Then, we stand and fight," I stated. There was no way in hell I was abandoning anyone on my team.

Major Sheppard must have heard me because he groaned out a "No."

Dr. McKay looked up at us from his work. "He's right. Someone needs to go back to Atlantis and bring reinforcements and medical support." The trees around us blocked most of the sunlight, but I could still the blood darkening his hands.

I nodded my head, trying to think what the Major would do in the same situation. "Okay, Dr. McKay, you and Teyla go get help." Protect the civilians. Major Sheppard had always said that was one of our top priorities.

Doc let out a snort. "Please, I'm the slowest person here besides the Major, and that's just because today he happens to have a hole in his chest, which, I may add, needs immediate medical attention. You and Teyla should go, you'll be quicker."

I shook my head. "You'll need someone to watch your sixes. Teyla will go and bring backup, she's the fastest anyway."

Dr. McKay continued to work on Major Sheppard. The field dressing he had placed on the shoulder wound was already soaked in red and he was fumbling through the Major's vest looking for another. "Fine, just somebody go, now, because I think his chest wound is the least of our problems!"

Teyla looked as if she were hesitant to leave, then after a few seconds consideration determined that it was the best plan. She told me, "Move under the branches of that large tree there, it should provide you sufficient cover until I return." Then she knelt beside Dr. McKay, squeezed the Major's hand, and said, "Major Sheppard, I will return very shortly with help."

The Doc had found the second bandage and placed it over the first. "Why are you still here? Go!"

The Major had nodded at Teyla. "Be nice," he told Dr. McKay as he sucked in a breath.

"Stop bleeding, and I'll consider it." Doc snapped back, leaning into the Major's injured shoulder.

Teyla stood and without looking back darted gracefully toward the gate, those long, shapely legs of hers carrying her quickly out of site. Teyla is a fight or flight type of warrior, and when it comes time for flight, you better move your sorry ass or you will be left in the dust. I swear, she could give FloJo a run for her money.

I helped move Major Sheppard under the tree and took up my sentry position that I have been maintaining for the past fifteen minutes. During this time, Dr. McKay has been working to stop the bleeding of the Major's wound, evidently with very limited success. I may not have a medical degree, but even I know there are some pretty vital arteries in that area, but Doc's persistent if nothing else. Through it all, he has kept a hushed running conversation with Major Sheppard, at times it appears to be very one sided, although it seems to have kept the Major from losing consciousness. If the Major's awareness ever wanders off, Dr. McKay redoubles his efforts to get a response from our CO. So far, every time it has worked. It's as if the Doc is an anchor, holding the Major firmly in the here and now so that he doesn't drift off into the sweet hereafter. Just one more thing a best friend can do, I guess.

Listening to their conversation, I can't help but think that theirs is an odd friendship. Still, I'm not too surprised given the situation we have found ourselves in on the Atlantis expedition. Growing up, I lived in a close knit neighborhood where all the adults took a kind of communal pride and responsibility for all the kids. It wasn't uncommon to get a tongue lashing from an adult that wasn't even a blood relative if they caught you with your hand in the cookie jar, so to speak. Not that there weren't cliques in my highschool, it just seemed that everybody's family knew everybody else's family, so the animosity was pretty low between the different groups. It was kind of hard to get into a fight with someone whose parents were over at your place playing cards every Saturday night. Which is probably why no one was too shocked when the head cheerleader dumped her quarterback boyfriend and went to prom with the president of the debate team. After all, they had lived two doors down from each other since they were in kindergarten.

It's a lot like that on Atlantis. There are the science geeks, the maintenance greasers, the medical nerds, and my posse, the military jocks. But that doesn't stop me from hanging out and playing poker with a few lab techs and engineers on my off time. So, the head geek and the big jock on Atlantis have become best friends? Stranger things have happened. Before I shipped out, I heard that that cheerleader and her former-debater husband were off making incredibly beautiful baby geniuses.

"And of course we're still going to Vegas. I would have absolutely no clue which were the best nudie bars if you weren't there."

Dr. McKay's voice brings me out of my memories. 'Nudie bars?' I think and turn at the bizarreness of that last statement. He has shifted positions so that Major Sheppard's upper body rests in his lap. Hopefully this means he has slowed the bleeding although I notice that he still maintains pressure with one hand on his wadded and bloody jacket. He is leaning back against the base of the tree, looking as exhausted as I feel. We've been gone from Atlantis less than two hours, but an adrenaline rush can drain you in a snap.

Again, Major Sheppard tries to laugh and Dr. McKay squeezes his hand with a tired, sad smile. I can't help but smile in that same way.

A friend of mine was working the roving security detail the night after we had stumbled across the Ancient's viral lab. God, that whole event scared me shitless. It still gives me the willies just thinking about those little machines floating around in my blood. I don't even want to think what would have happened if the dynamic duo here hadn't figured out how to disarm that virus. Anyway, this friend told me that about 0130 hours he heard some sort of commotion out on one of the balconies. He had gone to investigate and found Doc and the Major giggling- that is the word he used- and waving at a glowing green hand as it went flying off into the ocean. Ends up they were making water balloons out of surgical gloves they had lifted from the medbay, putting glow sticks in them, then launching them off the balcony with some sort of homemade slingshot they had rigged out of what appeared to be a jockstrap and a buttload of rubberbands. When my friend looked out into the sea, he said you could see a dozen or more little glowing dots bobbing out on the waves. Technically, he should have reported the incident, but seeing as they had just saved most of us on Atlantis, the guard included, he just left them to their fun. I have to admit, I would have done the same thing.

I turn back to my sentry duty, and it is then that I hear a rustling in the bushes that we had moved through previously. I drop to a squat and ready my P90 as I signal Dr. McKay to be quiet. Evidently it's not necessary as he has already drawn his Beretta and is holding it across the Major's torso with surprisingly steady yet blood-soaked hands.

It wasn't that long ago that I had mentioned to the Major that I thought Dr. McKay had changed. It was after the two of them had fought the 10,000 year old super Wraith. I had been surprised when I learned that the doctor had stood his ground, evidently emptying two clips into the monster to distract it from Major Sheppard before we blasted it to smithereens from orbit. I was even more surprised when the Major had responded to my comment with "No, he hasn't."

At the time, Dr. McKay had been arguing with Dr. Grodin about the latest gate diagnostic. He kept using words like "childish" and "moronic" and I thought the Major meant the scientist was still his same old obnoxious self. Now I realize that he really meant that the Doc hadn't changed because he had been cable of the sort of action I was currently witnessing all along. He just needed something or someone to coax it out of him. Apparently, that's something else a best friend can do.

I ease my gun through the canopy, using the barrel to push aside a branch. I can make out three sets of legs maneuvering slowly through the scrub. One of them stops, bends down, and lifts a half eaten power bar. They have found where we initially treated Major Sheppard. I'm sure by now they can also see the blood, the milling footprints, and the smashed vegetation. They are moving methodically, searching us out. It is only a matter of time before they will find us. I could possibly take them out now, but I would definitely draw fire and there may be more nearby that I can't see that would be alerted by the exchange.

I risk a fast glance over my shoulder at the Doc and Major. Dr. McKay is no longer pointing his sidearm in the same direction I am but instead has it pointed behind us, towards the direction of the stargate. Now I can hear what he obviously has- personnel advancing from that direction. The troops hunting us must hear them as well because they start moving quickly towards our location. With a short prayer that the people coming up behind us are SGA troops, I stand and spray suppressive fire across the enemy soldiers.

The three that I had identified fall without getting off a shot, but as I had feared, more troops are in the immediate vicinity. I drop to the ground quickly as they return fire. Dr. McKay drapes himself protectively across Major Sheppard as branches and bark rain down on top of us. The fall of footsteps behind us increases in speed at the sound of the weapons exchange and suddenly Teyla and a squad of marines burst through the canopy.

I smile broadly as they join me in taking out our attackers. Once the gunfire dies down, and the location is secured, they call back on their radio for the medics. I'm disappointed that Dr. Beckett isn't with them, but understand that Dr. Weir doesn't want to risk her medical director in a hostile environment. It just wouldn't do to have your top three advisors all go down on the same mission.

Still, I think we're all relieved when the techs break out a litter and go to work on the Major. Dr. McKay fills them in as best he can, moving out of their way so they can work, but hovering within the perimeter of the action. They give the Major something for the pain and hook him up to an IV before lifting him for the trip back to the gate. Although no one has said anything, I can tell the medics are worried; mainly because they haven't said anything and the fact that they are obviously in a hurry to get back to Atlantis.

I'm not going to argue and move up behind the litter that is transporting Major Sheppard. Teyla is walking on the Major's left side, holding his hand, while Dr. McKay walks with his hand resting on the Major's right shoulder. He continues to talk, and I'm really not sure anymore if it's for the Major's good or his own. He's resorted to math. Feeding mathematical problems to Major Sheppard and waiting for the reply. Some are simple, at least for the Major. He asks the square root of one number, the cube root of another. Honestly, I didn't know there was such a thing as a cube root. Shows how much I paid attention in math class. He then moves on to more complicated problems. He asks the Major to convert and calculate and integrate. Major Sheppard weakly answers each question without complaint, occasionally telling the Doc that he doesn't know a conversion factor or can't remember a certain constant. Dr. McKay provides the needed information calmly, as if they are just discussing it over drinks instead of during a medical evac from a combat zone. The Major provides the answers in that same matter of fact manner, although, each one is softer than the last, and the words are becoming slurred. Still, I find the exchange soothing, my harried nerves finally coming to rest with a slight tingle in my skin. Evidently the Major feels the same way, because even though his breathing is still labored, it's more even. Maybe it's just the pain meds, but I really don't think so.

We pass through the wormhole and emerge in the cool dimness of the control room. Dr. Beckett is here and quickly descends on my injured CO. With a muttered, "Bloody hell," he pushes past the marines carrying the litter. Teyla and Dr. McKay move aside to allow him access and I watch Dr. McKay walk to the edge of the platform and sink down with his face in his hands. I don't think he realizes they are still covered with blood, but fortunately most of it has dried so he isn't smearing it everywhere.

Dr. Weir squats in front of him. "Rodney, are you okay?" She asks with concern, glancing back toward the area where the med team works on Major Sheppard. "Do you need medical attention, too?"

The Doc looks up, noticing our expedition leader for the first time. He then seems to notice the blood on his hands and clothes for the first time as well. "This isn't mine," he tells her quietly and she pales slightly as he just stares at his stained hands. "I'm not injured."

"That's not what I meant," she explains. "You're shaking like a leaf."

And she is right. The man who only moments ago was holding a gun with the steady hands of a surgeon wouldn't be able to hold a glass of water right now without drenching himself.

He looks back where the doctors continue to work and laughs bitterly. "Elizabeth, I think I have the right to be a little frazzled right now."

She nods her head and is about to speak again when the medical team starts to move, wheeling the Major towards the medbay. Dr. McKay stands as Teyla and I both fall in behind the gurney.

Dr. Weir places a hand on his shoulder. "Get cleaned up and something to eat," she tells him as she turns to follow the procession down the corridor.

"I will in a little bit," he responds and he jogs past her to catch up with us, to catch up with his team.

As we travel down the corridor, I listen as Dr. Beckett preps his surgical staff through his comlink. He says something about a potential collapsed lung and wants to be sure they have a sufficient supply of Major Sheppard's blood type on hand. In less than a minute, we have reached the medical facility, where the Major is whisked away to the surgical bay. We are stopped by a nurse at the entrance. She does nothing more than point to the chairs in the waiting area then retreat back into the apparently restricted area. We have no choice but to collapse into the empty chairs and wait. I'll take playing hide and seek with armed aliens any day over waiting in the medbay. But wait is what we must do.

There's a funny thing about time during a combat situation- it seems to speed up and slow down all at the same time. It felt like Teyla took a lifetime to bring back reinforcements even though we were only in our little tree house for twenty-five minutes, tops. At the same time, everything happened so fast, it seemed like we had almost no time to react.

But time in the medbay, especially when you are waiting on word on an injured friend, it creeps along like by grandma on a cold morning when her arthritis is acting up. So, we sit and wait and dread the eternity of hours that we have to face.

I open my eyes and slowly stretch. I must haven fallen asleep at some point. My muscles are stiff and I feel a couple of vertebrae pop back into alignment as I twist in my seat. These chairs are not comfortable in the least. I think they are designed that way on purpose, as an attempt to chase would be lookie-loos out of the medbay. Well, I'm a marine. Once, during survival training, I ate a dead possum. Not one that I killed, but one that I found already dead. Judge all you want, but you spend three days eating nothing but a handful of berries and river snails, and I'll guarantee a possum that died under mysterious circumstances starts looking pretty damned tasty. My teammate wouldn't eat it, but I did. Let me tell you, it did not taste like chicken. I was sick most of the night. Ends up my buddy had sewn beef jerky inside his jacket seams so he didn't need to eat the stupid thing. Live and learn, they say. I may have thrown up all night long, but guess what's sewn inside my jacket seams at this very moment. I guess my point is, once you've eaten rancid possum meat, it takes a lot more than a plastic chair to break your spirits. Semper Fi, MoFo!

Looking around, I see I'm not the only one to overcome the discomfort of the chairs. Teyla sits across from me and gives me a friendly smile. Beside her, Dr. McKay is asleep. He is turned sideways in his torture chair, the side of his head leans against the wall, and he has one knee pulled up to his chest. Someone has placed a blanket over his shoulders, and I look down to realize that whoever it was did the same for me.

"Do you feel better, Lt. Ford?" Teyla asks.

"A little," I admit, and actually the nap has helped. "How long was I out?"

"Almost an hour and a half," she supplies. "Dr. McKay has been asleep about half that time."

A few minutes after our arrival in the waiting area, a nurse had come out and taken Dr. McKay back to clean up and get checked out. Once he was given a clean bill of health and a change of clothes, Teyla and I were taken back individually for our post mission physicals. When I returned from mine, I found that someone had sent over some chow from the mess hall. We had all managed to choke down the food, none of us having any sort of appetite, but knowing we'd catch hell if we left any grub behind.

Dr. Weir has been here off and on. You could tell she wanted to stay, but duty calls, as they say. She had been here when I fell asleep, we had given her a quick debrief during that last visit, but she isn't here now. I have no doubt that she is being updated periodically, however.

"Any word?" I ask.

"No, however…" Teyla starts, but Dr. McKay shifts in his sleep and she stops afraid that she has awakened him. He settles with a small snort, that causes both of us to suppress a laugh and she continues on in a whisper. "I have heard voices through the door. I am unable to make out what they are saying but by the number, I think that the surgery must be ending."

I lean forward and rest my forearms on my legs with a sigh. I nod my head in understanding. So the waiting continues.

Dr. McKay snorts again and Teyla regards him quietly. "He has changed since we first met," she says.

I smile and shake my head. "No, he hasn't." Live and learn, they say. Well, hoarding beef jerky has nothing on the lessons I have learned today.

She studies me for a moment with a confused look then smiles in understanding. "Perhaps, you are correct, Lieutenant."

Teyla must have been right about the surgery being finished, because only a few minutes pass before Dr. Beckett comes out, wearily rolling his neck. Teyla lays a gentle hand on Dr. McKay's arm and he is instantly awake, although a little disoriented. When he sees Dr. Beckett, he stands as does the rest of the team.

"Carson?" he asks hesitantly and like all of us, he wants to know but dreads hearing all at the same time.

"Well, it was touch and go, there for a while, aye. But I think I got him stabilized." He holds up his hands as we all break into smiles. "Now, he's not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot, but the prognosis looks good."

Dr. McKay appears to ignore the stipulation in that final statement, just as I have, and asks anxiously, "When can we see him?"

Dr. Beckett sighs. "Rodney, he's still under sedation, lad, he won't even know you're there."

All of us give the doctor looks that say, 'Doesn't matter. We wouldn't leave him alone on that planet where people were shooting at us. There's no way in hell we're leaving him alone here.'

The doctor rolls his eyes indulgently. "Alright. But just one of you, now."

Dr. McKay starts for the door, then stops, realizing he may be offending us by assuming he would be the one. He turns, his eyes asking the question his voice won't. But after seeing him in action today, he is the only logical choice. I've fulfilled my obligation as 2IC. My team is back home and safe, if a little worse for wear. It's time to relinquish my sentry duty.

Teyla evidently agrees because she smiles as she says, "Please, give him our best when he wakes."

"Yeah," I add with my own grin, "and make sure you call us the minute he opens his eyes."

He smiles back and nods in answer then is gone through the door to assume his post before anyone can say anything else; Dr. Beckett is fast on his heals. Although, Dr. McKay really isn't relieving me of duty so much as pulling an extra shift.

And there's one more thing best friends do; they wait by your bedside in uncomfortable chairs while you recover from surgery, taking comfort in the fact that you are still breathing, never doubting that soon, very soon, you will open your eyes and continue to plan your trip to Vegas and the nudie bars.

I smile at that thought, making a mental note to ask the Major about that little tidbit when he wakes up. Like my other team members I have no doubt that it will happen. Then, with a last glance back at the door to the medbay, I stand relieved, and follow Teyla out into the sunlight of Atlantis.

A/N The possum story really did happen to a friend of mine who is a decorated Vietnam marine gunner. Only, he was the one smart enough to smuggle in the jerky during his training and his CO ate the possum.