IN GOOD HANDS BY kristen999 [LFWS #1 ROUND 9]
Title: In Good Hands
Author: kristen999
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Stargate belongs to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., no infringements of any rights is intended.
Spoilers: None
Prompt for the Round: Write a fic set in the infirmary, but only having the medical staff as characters. OCs can be used, but there must be at least one canon character too.
IN GOOD HANDS by kristen999
Some days he wasn't given a chance to save people, bodies not patients arriving hours after the lungs and heart stopped. On Earth, his duties ended when life did; here in Atlantis they extended past death. Carson stood solemnly, despite the horror he felt at the signs of traumatic injury.
“Permission to remove Sergeant Geller's uniform?” he asked the other Marine.
“Permission granted.”
The shirt was a tattered mess of dried blood that fell apart when he unbuttoned it. He looked up at Lieutenant Rodriguez in apology, the Marine standing watch over his friend one last time.
He carefully folded the T-shirt, was studious in removing the BDUs, and the socks and boots. “Permission to take off his dog tags?”
With the lieutenant's approval he undid the chain, ready to place the tags with the rest of the stack.
“Wait.”
As Rodriguez reached for them, fingers, trained to always be steady, quivered as they curled around the metal pieces. He never took his eyes off his fallen comrade as his hand clutched the remaining connection.
Carson ran the warm water spray over the young man, ridding the remains of battle. A stranger would prepare Geller for his final resting place by covering up the gaping wounds and putting him in his dress blues. This soldier was one of the lucky ones; his mother and father could have an open casket.
“Will you be accompanying Sergeant Geller on his journey home?”
“Home?” Rodriguez looked up, face filthy from battle, eyes unwilling to shed their grief in front of a civilian. “He died at home. In the field where he belonged.”
In the arms of his brother.
The Daedalus would be here in six days. Carson knew every member of the platoon would take a turn, waiting. Guarding the stasis pod set aside as temporary burial space.
Carson on one side, Rodriguez on the other, each laid a hand on the gurney and pushed it to its next destination. A group of warriors waited in the hall, forming a processional to the end of the infirmary.
A few staff members paused in their duties out of respect when they passed by. Dr. Biro stepped forward from the group, grabbing Carson's elbow. “I'll take it from here.”
Carson started to protest but Marie came up beside him and whispered, “Your duty is done.”
Rodriguez gave him a quick, dismissive nod. “A Marine will never be alone. We'll just regroup in death.”
Marie squeezed Carson's hand and guided him away for a night of distracting conversation over hot tea and a box of shortbreads.
This duty wasn't taught in medical school; it was a hard lesson learned on the front lines of war.
Don’t forget to leave ONLY FEEDBACK in the comments and NOT VOTES. All comments will be screened until the voting closes.
Author: kristen999
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Stargate belongs to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., no infringements of any rights is intended.
Spoilers: None
Prompt for the Round: Write a fic set in the infirmary, but only having the medical staff as characters. OCs can be used, but there must be at least one canon character too.
IN GOOD HANDS by kristen999
Some days he wasn't given a chance to save people, bodies not patients arriving hours after the lungs and heart stopped. On Earth, his duties ended when life did; here in Atlantis they extended past death. Carson stood solemnly, despite the horror he felt at the signs of traumatic injury.
“Permission to remove Sergeant Geller's uniform?” he asked the other Marine.
“Permission granted.”
The shirt was a tattered mess of dried blood that fell apart when he unbuttoned it. He looked up at Lieutenant Rodriguez in apology, the Marine standing watch over his friend one last time.
He carefully folded the T-shirt, was studious in removing the BDUs, and the socks and boots. “Permission to take off his dog tags?”
With the lieutenant's approval he undid the chain, ready to place the tags with the rest of the stack.
“Wait.”
As Rodriguez reached for them, fingers, trained to always be steady, quivered as they curled around the metal pieces. He never took his eyes off his fallen comrade as his hand clutched the remaining connection.
Carson ran the warm water spray over the young man, ridding the remains of battle. A stranger would prepare Geller for his final resting place by covering up the gaping wounds and putting him in his dress blues. This soldier was one of the lucky ones; his mother and father could have an open casket.
“Will you be accompanying Sergeant Geller on his journey home?”
“Home?” Rodriguez looked up, face filthy from battle, eyes unwilling to shed their grief in front of a civilian. “He died at home. In the field where he belonged.”
In the arms of his brother.
The Daedalus would be here in six days. Carson knew every member of the platoon would take a turn, waiting. Guarding the stasis pod set aside as temporary burial space.
Carson on one side, Rodriguez on the other, each laid a hand on the gurney and pushed it to its next destination. A group of warriors waited in the hall, forming a processional to the end of the infirmary.
A few staff members paused in their duties out of respect when they passed by. Dr. Biro stepped forward from the group, grabbing Carson's elbow. “I'll take it from here.”
Carson started to protest but Marie came up beside him and whispered, “Your duty is done.”
Rodriguez gave him a quick, dismissive nod. “A Marine will never be alone. We'll just regroup in death.”
Marie squeezed Carson's hand and guided him away for a night of distracting conversation over hot tea and a box of shortbreads.
This duty wasn't taught in medical school; it was a hard lesson learned on the front lines of war.
Don’t forget to leave ONLY FEEDBACK in the comments and NOT VOTES. All comments will be screened until the voting closes.