Ch. 5: They all go creep!

They left the girl behind, though Teyla could see it killed Carson to do so. The mansion was much the same for a while. Moldy, cement walls, lit by torches and painted with the shadows of crawling creatures, continued as far as the eye could see. At last she came to another door. It was wooden, standing over four feet taller than herself. Carson did the honors of unlatching it while Teyla aimed her P-90, prepared for whatever might lay beyond.

Carson gasped at the sight. "Sweet mother…" he mumbled.

It wasn't just another room; it was another world. There were pastures of green opposed to dark layers of clouds. The smell of rain hung heavily in the air and the humidity was great. The ice melted from her skin, and for the first time since their arrival, Teyla found herself sweating.

"Rodney?" she called as Beckett did the same.

There only answer was a clattering sound coming from the distance. The sound grew in intensity. Holding her P-90 aloft, she motioned for Carson to stay low. She didn't like the way her stomach tossed, her mind alerting her to the danger ahead.

Lightning flashed, illuminating white bones. Skeletons, hundreds of them, were lined up in neat rows. Some were on skeletal horses, others in hats, some carried muskets, and others swords. All were in Genii uniforms. It was an army of skeletons with red glowing spheres glaring from within each of their black eye sockets.

A skeleton that was both on a horse and wearing a hat, a Genii knife brandished, rode forward. His skull spun in circles before halting, facing the opposite direction. It turned slowly until it came to face her. "Leave here, now!" Its voice was as thunder. It was accentuated by another lightning bolt just inches from its feet.

"We are in search of a friend," Teyla explained, holding her rolling stomach at bay. "He is badly injured."

"Go now,or we kill you!"

Carson's hand shook as he kept his weapon level. He muttered something under his breath in a quiet whisper, in a language that Teyla did not recognize. Teyla turned his gaze from her teammate back to the army. A group of many against a group of two. If attacked, Teyla knew that she and Carson would not stand a chance.

"Please, our friend is badly injured. If you would just allow us to look for him…"

"Now!" the leader cried. His horse neighed, its forward legs kicking into the air. The skeletons charged forward, racing, screaming, red eyes gleaming.

Teyla fired into the center of the oncoming barrage. Bones flew into the air, skeletons screeched, but the band continued to charge. She could see more lines of skeletons taking their place, reaching as far back as the eye could see. She ran with Carson in tow, shooting even as she moved to close the large wooden door.

Bullets swept by her left and right. "Close it!" Teyla cried as she backed into the corridor, ignoring the searing pain from her own arm.

Carson wasted no time. He tried to shove the door closed just as the first wave of skeletons arrived, but obstacles of bone prevented it from shutting. He screamed as skeletal fingers latched onto his arm. Teyla smashed the wrist of the assailing hand, leaving Carson free to close the door. Together they were able to latch it.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Carson's face was scarlet, his breathing ragged. He held onto his hand as though afraid it was going to fall off.

"We should continue." Teyla patted his shoulder lightly, her own heart threatening to explode within her chest. On Athos, skeletons were often revered as the remains of the Ancestors, but here…All she could sense from them was evil.

Carson pushed himself away from the wall where skeletons beat against the wood. They could hear bullets hit the thick planks, and Teyla knew that they had little time before the army broke through and continued their attacks. "We must go now," she warned. Carson was already ahead of her.

Teyla did not wish to leave the mansion, but this end of the corridor only aimed toward the exit and there was no hope to be had in running toward the army. They ran side by side, hearing the clattering of bone on bone echo from not far off. Horses neighed and the army unleashed a wild battle cry. "You must ran faster!" she called to Carson, pushing him forward gently.

"Aye, I'm doing my best."

Clattering clattering clattering. The sounds kept coming, getting closer and closer by the second. They wouldn't make it. There was a good 500 meters of corridor left when she felt a bullet fly past her ear.

"Go!" The skeletons continued to cry. "Leave here! Go!"

Teyla leapt out into the cycling snow, closing her eyes in the intense storm. She raced down snow-packed steps. She slid, naturally, just catching herself on the icy rail. Thank the Ancestors for the gloves, though the cold still made her hands sting. She took the stairs more slowly, careful not to tumble to her death. Ahead of her, Carson did the same, all while muttering cries under his breath.

The clattering had stopped. At last, theybloody galaxy," he muttered between heavily drawn breaths, "evil Genii skeletons was not one of them."

Teyla slumped to the ground clenching tightly to her left arm. Drops of red fell onto the white snow. She watched them with a worried fascination, the pain just now starting to hit her.

"Teyla?" Carson moved toward her with lightning speed, pulling out his med kit.

"I am fine. We need to get to Rodney."

"Aye, let me see what I can do first. It won't take but a moment."

Teyla gritted her teeth, watching the mansion door as though expecting skeletons to storm through at a given notice. She bit down tight on her lip as Carson applied antiseptic and wrapped the field bandage around her arm.

"It's just a graze," she heard him say. "We were damn lucky."

"What time is it?" Teyla watched as waves of snow covered the bloodstains. Her whole body stilled as she waited for his reply. What if it was too late?

"0015 hours." Carson's voice was solemn as though he had just pronounced Rodney dead. Maybe he just had. No…No, she would not give up on Rodney. Not yet.

"There is still time then."

"Teyla…"

"We will find a way in past the skeletons. If Rodney is in there, we'll find a way to get to him and…"

"Teyla…"

"We need more fire power. Perhaps there is another exit. A door we did not see?"

"Teyla!"

"Do not even try to talk me out of this, Dr. Beckett. You have never given up on us before and I know I'm asking a lot but we have to do this. Do you not agree?"

Carson grabbed hold of her shoulder, brushing a tear away from her refrozen face. "Lass, listen to me. Rodney is as much my friend as he is yours and I would run through hell for him if I thought it would make a difference, but you're injured and I'm a bad shot and there is a whole army in there waiting for us. We have half an hour before the poison runs through his system and kills him. If there is any hope of saving Rodney, it's going to come from getting help from the others. Let's head back to the stargate and see…"

"There is no time!"

"There wasn't any time three hours ago, but that didn't stop you. Getting help is going to be Rodney's only chance."

Teyla pounded her fist against the packed snow, licking away a mixture of salt and flakes from her chapped lips. She felt nauseous and cold, pained from her wound but more from the idea of losing her friend. "We should hurry."

"Aye." Carson helped lift her back to her feet, handing her the P-90 with a sad smile. Together they trudged through the snow in silence.

The falling flakes were floating in slower spurts, and the moon was once again shining through thin layers of clouds. In the light, Teyla could see multiple figures approaching from the base of the hill. She lifted her good hand in the air and Beckett stopped beside her.

"Who do you suppose they are?" There was a tremble in Carson's voice.

"I am uncertain, but we are about to find out."

"Your fever runs high, Master."

He felt hands run across his hair. He felt cool, refreshing sweat on his forehead. He felt both fiery hot and icy cold at the same time. He shivered from both. His thoughts were blurred.

"Who are you?" He whispered the words, coughing as he spoke.

"Drink this, Master. You must become well."

The witch tipped a ceramic bowl to his lips. The steam brushed against his face. He was not sure whether it was a pleasurable sensation or not, the way it mixed with his cool droplets of sweat. He coughed harder this time and his chest spasmed with the movement. He cried out from the unbearable pain.

"There is something within you, Master. It ails you. Please, you must fight it for all our sake."

Green, wiry hands wrapped themselves around his shoulder. Rodney's head fell back to the cold cement, the pain so great he almost wished he were dead. But he could see images, strange and unreal, of phantoms and of friends. Sheppard and Teyla were coming for him. They would save him. He just had to hold on. Hold on.

He coughed violently, finding comfort as the witch rubbed his back. "Be well, Master. Be well."

Rodney moaned softly, crying from the hurt that surrounded him and the fog that his mind just couldn't break free from. He trembled with each breath. His skin boiled and burned. He whimpered, falling back into unconsciousness.

He dreamed the strangest dreams. Of mansions and skeletons. Of Jeannie from that one terrible night. Teyla. Sheppard. Radek. He dreamed they were in battle—in trouble. And somehow he knew it was more than just a dream.

All Sheppard could think about as he made his way up the hill was the time. Rodney was made of sterner stuff then most people understood, but each second that passed by was one more that Rodney didn't have. Sheppard's stomach coiled and his heart raced. He glanced at the black band on his wrist and whispered a silent prayer, knowing he'd give up anything to have Rodney back safe and alive.

"Looks like we have company, Sir." Major Lorne, a sleeping little-Rodney still on his back, motioned forward with his chin. Sheppard followed his gaze to see two distant shadows waiting on the snow-packed hill, just before the towering mansion.

"Hello?" Sheppard called, hoping it wasn't a Wraith or other fiendish foe.

"Colonel?" a woman's voice called back.

"Teyla?"

Radek muttered something Czech in a relieved voice. Sheppard wasn't sure what he said, but had to second the motion.

"Yes. Please, you must hurry, John."

"We'll be up in a moment."

Little-Rodney began stirring in the commotion, wiping the frost away from his eyes with his small hand. "What's happening?" he asked while yawning.

"We're almost there." Deschutes helped Rodney down from Lorne's back. She held onto his hand, leading him up the hill.

Sheppard lead the team ahead of them, trying not to glance at his watch. Until today, Halloween had been his favorite holiday.

It was hard enough walking on his leg but trying to drag it up hill…that was torture. Lorne and Rodriguez supported most of his weight through the climb. Radek, meanwhile, talked about the absurdity of Halloween and how he would never dream of celebrating such a ridiculous holiday back home. No one offered any rebuttals.

Despite Sheppard's injury, they made it to the top of the hill faster than he could have hoped for. Teyla offered an arm for leverage as he took the last few steps from the slope onto the peak. His eyes stung from the smoke. His arms shivered from the cold.

"What's the situation?" he asked.

Lorne released Sheppard from his steadying grip, looking just as worried as the rest. It was amazing how Rodney had an effect on everyone, even the Marines. Lorne brushed the snow from his chest, passing Sheppard a comforting glance.

"It is not good, Colonel," Teyla began. Sheppard saw the bandage wrapped around her arm where blood was already seeping through. She saw his gaze, followed it, but did not comment. "I cannot explain how I know, but I believe that Rodney is in the mansion."

"That would fit with the intel we have," Lorne commented, hope glistening in his eyes. He had not given up hope and somehow Sheppard found comfort in this.

Carson stepped forward. There was no hope in his expression. "There's an army though. A whole bloody large army of skeletons in Genii clothing."

"How many are we talking?"

"Hundreds."

Sheppard looked to the mansion to Teyla and then to the doctor.

"In there?" Lorne asked for him.

"Aye. Chased out and nearly killed us in the process."

A new voice entered the fray, small and young. "What about my sister?" Little Rodney still held Deschutes' hand as he emerged from the side of the hill. "Did you see her?"

Teyla nodded, trying to don a reassuring smile. It wasn't fooling Sheppard, but it might fool the kid. Young Rodney breathed a sigh of relief. Carson coughed, his eyes downcast.

Apparently satisfied with this answer, Rodney leapt toward the mansion, stopped by Deschutes' hand.

"No," she cried a little too loudly.

Rodney turned to face her with betrayed eyes. "My sister!"

"Wait. Just wait." Her voice was calmer this time, though there was a pain that flashed behind her eyes.

"We'll have to hurry." Though Rodney made no more moves to run.

"So let me get this straight," Sheppard asked once it was clear Rodney was satisfied to stay still, "we have about half an hour to get in there, find Rodney and then give him the antidote the villagers gave us. Meanwhile, to do so, we have to fight a skeleton army."

Teyla nodded, holding her P-90 tight to her chest with her good arm. "That is a fitting description of the situation."

"Okay, people, if anyone has a plan to even the odds, now's the time to spill it."

Carson grabbed for his pack, leaning down to examine Sheppard's injury. "We can start by wrapping up that leg a bit better. I don't suppose I want to know what happened?"

"No, you really don't." Sheppard cringed as Carson worked.

"Is there another way in to the mansion?" Lorne glanced up at the house, taking in the scene as any decent Marine would. Beside him, Rodriguez was doing the same.

"It is possible, but there is only one set of stairs and they lead only to one door," Teyla answered.

When no one offered any other suggestion, Sheppard grabbed his weapon. "Okay. I can't order any of you to come in there with me. If you'd prefer to stay out here…"

"Please, do not insult us!" It was Radek who interrupted, looking affronted but also terrified.

"He's right, Sir," Rodriguez answered, "You didn't bring us just so we could back down from a fight."

Lorne checked his weapon before speaking. "You don't even have to ask where I stand, Sir. You should know better."

Seeing the idea was unanimous all around, Sheppard nodded, proud to work with these people. He wondered what Rodney would think if he knew what others were willing to do to save his life. Fighting an army of skeletons, it had to amaze even Rodney's ego. "Good. We don't have much time and Rodney's counting on us. Let's move out."

A howl echoed through the night as they made their way up the frozen steps.

She heard the strangers run, the clattering of bones, and the neighing of the horses. Jeannie huddled against the wall drowning out the sounds with her own sobs. When all was once again quiet, she couldn't move. She was so cold and her leg hurt and why was Mer taking so long to get to her? Why couldn't she have a responsible brother that cared?

Time passed in arbitrary figures marked by notches on the floor she engraved every time she became nervous. She shivered and she cried and she hurt.

"Jeannie!"

She had imagined the voice so many times she wasn't sure she had actually heard it until she heard the footsteps as well and felt him hold her. "You're alive. Oh thank God, you're alive. I'm sorry, Jeannie. I'm so sorry."

Rodney held her tight. Tears streamed from his face. Jeannie said nothing, but she was crying as well. Mer was back. He had come for her.

Mer released her, looking toward the other end of the room. Through the cloud of tears, Jeannie could see those who had comforted her earlier along with more strangers. She didn't back away because Mer was looking at them with trust and Mer never trusted anyone.

"Go," Mer whispered. "Go. We'll be okay until you get back."

The woman with the ponytail nodded. "We will be back as soon as we can." She had spoken similar words the last time Jeannie had seen her.

Jeannie grabbed onto her brother's shirt. It was one thing for the strangers to leave but… "Don't leave me, Mer. Please."

"I won't, Jeannie. Don't worry. I'm here and I won't leave you."

Mer took his seat next to her even as the strangers left. He held his arm around her, holding her as she cried.

"Do you think mom and dad are still arguing? Maybe they're looking for us."

"Maybe, Jeannie. Maybe. Just…Just rest, okay. We'll be home soon and it'll all be okay. Just rest."

Radek was not sure what to make of young Rodney and his sister. This world had so many elements from Rodney's mind and that in itself made it terrifying, but that little Rodney was here…Was it a memory from some long time past, changed only by the climate of this world? Radek was not sure he wanted, or even should, know the answer to that.

Radek watched as the kid held his sister tight, then walked away with the others. He stood with Carson in the middle. Rodriguez and Deschutes covered their backs while Sheppard and Teyla took the front. The mansion seemed more like a dreary castle, spreading on for miles. Water dripped from the ceiling, splattering on the cement in a methodical rhythm in time with the dancing flames of the torches.

He held his weapon close, though he wondered why he bothered. Rodney's time was quickly running out, probably had some time ago based on the knife wound alone, and yet Radek believed enough in miracles that he would face even a horde of rampaging skeletons to save his friend. Rodney would owe him big time once they got out of this.

He heard nothing but knew the others had when Sheppard raised his hand to steady the group behind him. Following the hand motions, Radek pressed himself against the nearest wall while Teyla and Sheppard kept everyone covered.

Clatter. Clatter. Clatter. Radek's body stilled, though his breathing was harsh. Clatter. Clatter. Neigh. Hooves hit cement and the Genii skeletons appeared.

"You were told to go!" a skeleton with fiery red eyes bellowed.

"We can't do that. Not until you give us back our friend." Sheppard's voice was falsely calm.

"Go or we will destroy you!"

The horse launched forward. Masses of skeletons rushed behind. Though the corridor was no more than ten men wide, there were dozens of skeletons in a line, as though they traveled through the walls.

Fueled by nothing but hope and the presence of his comrades, Radek joined in the firefight, watching as bones scattered into the air with each shot. Heads rolled onto the ground, their red eyes growing dim. But there were hundreds more of the skeletons alive, coming forward, and far too close.

No one ran. It took fighting every fiber in his being, but Radek didn't run either. He reloaded his 9-mil, coughing as smoke and debris littered the crowded corridor.

"Go!" The skeletons cried again. "Go now!"

A second only had passed since the rush but it seemed an eternity. The skeletons arrived. A sword sliced through Deschutes' gut and she fell to the ground in surprise, blood dripping her from her mouth. The same skeleton raised its sword high before Radek. He was able to shoot it, but another took its place.

"No!" a voice cried louder than all the other noise. "No, you won't hurt them!"

The skeletons stopped mid-fight. The shootings ceased.

"Rodney?" Radek, Teyla, and Sheppard all whispered the name simultaneously.

"Rodney?" Sheppard stared up toward the ceiling, circling around. "Is that you, buddy? Where are you?"

Silence.

"Rodney, it is Teyla. Please, we need to know where you are."

A heavy wind blew through the corridor turning the bones to dust. "Help me," a voice seemed to cry.

The team bolted forward, leaving behind the skeletal remains though they understood little of what was happening. All Radek knew was that they had heard Rodney's voice and they must find him. "Please Rodney, you must help us find you!" His call was also met with silence.

Beyond the door were a land of green pastures and a violent thunderstorm. Radek had long since stopped trying to understand this world and so instead concentrated on running. It was as difficult to see in the pouring rain as it was to see in the roaring blizzard.

"There! There is a door!" Teyla raced forward, opening the door that lay in the middle of the open pasture and seemingly led to nowhere.

Sniffly and shivering, the group waited as Teyla and Sheppard flung the door open and examined the new location. Radek could see it was a large room covered in stone and chains. A black cauldron sat in the middle, where just meters away, a black and green figure hovered over a still form. Rodney…

"No!" The figure—a woman-yelled. "You should not have gotten here."

Sheppard aimed his weapon at her chest. "We'll be taking him home now."

The woman swung around. She was every cliché Radek had heard about Witches. She had the wart and the long nose. She even had the pointy hat and green skin. "No, no! You mustn't take him. If you do, all will be lost!" Her voice was rough and cracked.

Rodney didn't move. His face was white. His head lay on a stone ground, supported by his left arm.

Ignoring the woman, Carson ran to Rodney's side, injecting something within his arm and then taking some vitals. The green-faced woman did not try and stop him.

"That will save his life?" As Radek drew closer, he could see her eyes grow large. "You can save him?"

"Aye. I hope so." Carson's voice was dim, and Radek could tell that Rodney's fight was far from over. "Though how he's still alive…"

"I helped his wound. I have my ways. But the poison…I could not…You can save him?"

"Who are you?" Teyla asked. She knelt by Rodney's other side assisting Carson.

She straightened her back, a proud air emanating from around her. "I am the first that he created and as such I am his second and the sole keeper of knowledge. I am known now as Witch."

"We need to get him out of here." Carson pushed his equipment away, motioning for Radek to help him with Rodney so the others that were better with weapons could cover them.

Gathering his courage, Radek moved forward, but the witch stepped before him, her giant wart and elongated nose far too close to his face. "No. I cannot let you take him."

"If you wish him to live, you must." Carson left no room for argument in his voice, but the witch did not seem to understand.

"He may have helped you get past the skeletons, but he cannot leave here. Don't you understand?"

"His mind creates you?" Radek looked at her, knowing it was true.

"Yes. That is why he is the Master. He creates all and thus is all!"

"If he goes, then you will cease to exist."

"The machine was created years ago to create and with each creation we are alive again. You would murder hundreds to keep him!" The witch's hat fell from her head, floating slowly to the floor. "And you will not even allow us to fulfill our purpose first!"

"It's not that simple." Carson walked over to the witch, pain reflected in his eyes. "You've done a good job taking care of the inner damage. More than any medicine I know could have done. But he is still badly injured and he needs care. If you keep him here, he will be dead within days and you will cease to exist anyway."

Radek brushed past the witch. Between Teyla and himself they lifted Rodney off the ground. He was heavy and it would be a long trek through the snow.

"Master has not yet overcome his demons. Take him now and the journey was for naught!"

"Rodney does not have time for this," Radek answered. With Teyla's help, he began the exit.

"Many millennia have passed," he heard the witch say, "since one came and created."

If she said anything else, he did not hear it. There was some part of him that felt terrible for her loss, but another part that hated this world and all he had seen on it—every bit some horror in Rodney's mind. All Radek wanted was to go home and he knew that was what Rodney wanted as well, so this was what he concentrated on doing.

They walked with Rodney through green pastures. The rain had stopped falling and all that remained was slippery mud. Not easy to traverse on its own right, much less while half-carrying another.

When they reached the passageway, they had to be careful not to trip on Deschutes' blood. He looked only long enough to see that her body was not there. He grieved for the loss of yet one more Marine, but continued forward with the mystery unsolved. They could come back and solve it later.

They passed the room where the children sat. They had promised to come back for them, but Radek now understood that their existence was tied to this world. He could not bring them back; the witch had all but told him that much. No, it was best to let them stay there in each other's company until the end—until they ceased to be. Radek walked on.

The blizzard was over when they made their way out of the mansion, but he was still drenched and the water froze to his skin. Rodney did not stir the entire time. No one—nothing—accosted them nor tried to stop them. It was as though the frightening world had suddenly been commanded to stand still.

"Colonel!" Dr. Grimes was walking toward them as they arrived at the gate. She was supported by a man with…

Radek was sure his heart stopped. He stared at the bullet hole and the blood on the once familiar face. Sickened, he leaned against the DHD with the side that was not half-carrying Rodney. Sheppard, Beckett, and Teyla stopped dead, all of them looked green.

"Good seeing you again, too, guys." Gaul transferred support of Grimes to Rodriguez, who tried to accept the change without touching the zombie. The Marine had no idea just how wrong this really was.

Grimes said thanks to Gaul who then wandered back toward the graveyard. A group of skeletons approached with a stretcher between them. Deschutes lay, wrapped in a sheet but for her head. She was white, but Radek did not think that she looked dead.

"You will take her back as well?" The skeleton asked.

Carson raced up to her, already digging into his bag. "I don't understand. I saw her fall. With a wound like that there is no way she could still be…"

A skeleton, with blue sphere-eyes instead of red, nodded his skull. "Physical wounds are easier to mend than mental ones. The Witch was able to help her some with her magic, but you must do the rest."

The skeletons left before anyone could respond, lost in a cloud of dust.

Sheppard dialed the DHD while the rag tag crew waited in silence. Taking one last look at this dark world, Radek helped carry Rodney home. In their wake, the Halloween world was transformed into a barren land.

There wasn't any arguing when Rodney returned to his house minus his sister. He banged loudly on the door before entering. "Mom! Dad!" It was early morning now and Halloween was officially over, but Rodney was still lost in his nightmare.

"Meredith?" His mother's voice broke. She sat at a table with a cup of hot chocolate. Dad was on the other end and a policeman was between them. "Oh thank God, Rodney!" She ran to him, cradling him within her arms. "I was so worried."

Rodney trembled in her arms, sobbing softly.

"Where is Jeannie?" his father asked, placing his warm hand on Rodney's shoulder.

"We have to help her! She fell on the ice and hurt herself…bad. I got lost getting back and…"

"Okay, Meredith, just show us where to go."

Rodney had never ridden in a police car before, and although his thoughts were on finding his sister, he found it entertaining. The storm had died down, but driving on the packed snow and ice wasn't easy. Even a patrol car had to go slow. Rodney listened to the sound of chains clatter with each turn of the tires. He held tight to his mother's chest.

"I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to be gone so long and…"

"We can talk more about it later. Just relax and think about where Jeannie might be."

He brought them to the playground, where Jeannie was huddled beneath a slide. She was unconscious, white, and there was more blood than Rodney remembered from where the ice has slit her leg.

"Jeannie!" He raced up to her, desperate to see that she was still alive. She didn't stir. His parents came beside him, weeping as the policeman offered her care.

"She's still alive," the officer assured them.

The ambulance met them at the location. Rodney could do nothing but wait and hope. They arrived at the hospital. Rodney stayed by her side, watching as she slept. She had been out in the cold too long and was ill, but he was told the doctor's were optimistic. Rodney did feel all that well himself, but he was far too worried about her to care.

At some point, Jeannie stirred. Rodney caressed her hair, careful of her ratted curls. "I'm sorry, Jeannie. I'm sorry." His mom told him that there would be time for apologies later, but Rodney couldn't help it. He had faced the night even though it was filled with frighteningly shaped trees and freezing cold. He had been lost while not sure if he was safe, and all to save the sister he had nearly killed. "I'm sorry," seemed the only thing he could say.

Jeannie came home for the hospital in good spirits some days later. "You can have all the candy," he told her when she came to sort it out. "I don't want any." He had always despised Halloween, it was true, but never more so than that year. He swore he would have nothing to do with the holiday again.

Rodney awoke from his dream—memory—immediately recognizing the infirmary. An IV stood beside him. Teyla—whose arm was in a sling—Radek, and some Marine Rodney vaguely recognized, all sat together, each of them asleep. Sheppard, Ronon, and some woman who Rodney didn't really know occupied three other beds. He could see their stats well enough, though, and could see that they were all right. Except maybe the Marine.

Which was better than he could say for himself. His head ached, his stomach roiled, and he was linked up to every machine possible. Images of witches and skeletons raced through his head, but most of all he couldn't stop thinking about Jeannie. He had drowned out that memory so long ago. Why did it always have to resurface on this awful holiday?

Was it even Halloween anymore?

A blonde figure gazed at him from across the room. She jumped to her feet with a smile. "You're awake?" It was Cindy, his favorite nurse. He smiled back at her, watching as she left to call Dr. Beckett. She swept back into the room, stopping by his bedside. "You've been through quite the ordeal."

Rodney wasn't sure how to respond to that so he didn't bother trying.

"How are you feeling?" Carson approached with the dreaded light in tow. He pulled the stethoscope from around his neck and got to work, though there was weariness in his eyes.

"What happened?"

"Long story. Maybe when you're feeling a little better and everyone else is awake to fill in the details."

Rodney's head swam with confusion but was clouded enough with drugs that he didn't argue.

"For when you are feeling better, the Athosian kids brought you a present." Cindy held up a pumpkin-shaped bag. "They felt bad that you were injured on Halloween and all chipped into the pot."

Rodney looked down into the bag where a handful of chocolate bars lay. Rodney groaned, but did not push the candy away. So the Athosian kids had actually thought of him? That was actually sort of sweet. Chocolate to boot. That stuff was golden barter in Atlantis. The problem with Pegasus was you never had as much chocolate as you wanted.

"Thanks," he mumbled. After all, it would be a waste to let the candy go to waste just to spite a holiday, right?

"Everyone else okay?"

Carson nodded, patting Rodney's shoulder as he did so. "Aye. They'll all be fine. We walked through hell, Rodney, to get to you, but they all survived. I'm a little worried about Deschutes but…well…apparently when it comes to dealing with your mind, miracles happen."

"Come again?"

"I said hell didn't I? Imagine a world made entirely of your thoughts, Rodney."

Rodney thought he'd rather not. It was going to be one of those mission debriefings, wasn't it? The kind that was more confusing when one left the briefing room than when they started.

"Rest now, Rodney. You're safe now and that's what matters."

Rodney smiled at that. Safe. Yes, he definitely felt safe and something about that added more comfort than anything else could. Although the warmth of the infirmary was nice as well. Was it his imagination or was it even a few degrees warmer then they normally kept the place?

Rodney drifted to sleep moments later. He saw Jeannie again, but this time it was a pleasant dream of a warm summer's day.

FIN