Fic: Torment 15/20
Title: Torment
Author: chokolaj
Rating: T
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: The title sums it up pretty well. Shep whump!
Ah heck, since I didn't think the last chapter was too strong, I decided to go ahead and post double today. And I think I’m going to go ahead and post every day now until the fic is complete. Enjoy :)
--//--
Neither of them would say it.
He’d been down too long.
They could hear the approaching engines of the rescue Jumper.
But they ignored everything and continued in their quest to revive Sheppard.
Teyla breathed.
Rodney pumped.
Zelenka felt for a pulse that just wasn’t there.
Rushing air ruffled their hair as the Jumper came in to land. Pounding footsteps announced the arrival of additional help.
Yet none of it mattered.
There was no heartbeat. No intake of air. No sign of life at all.
Hands took over, gently shoving Rodney out of the way. Teyla was guided to the side by another rescuer while Zelenka sat back on his heals, watching in earnest as the rescue team took up the daunting task.
All this caused by a bunch of worms.
Rodney wanted to punch something. He looked to Zelenka, who avoided his gaze, then to Teyla’s tearful yet hopeful eyes. She would not give up to the very end.
And here it was staring in their faces.
All because of a bunch of effing worms.
--//--
Just when all hope had faded, fate intervened.
For the maze of corridors that had led those into the hellish nightmare of a haven of worms had led them right back to the beginning.
Just a few paces down an adjoining corridor was the transporter that had lead them down here in the first place.
Ronon and the marines exchanged glances with the rest.
An explosion of light and sound followed only seconds later. Elizabeth grabbed Dr. Keller, assured that the others were behind her, and ran for their only exit. She prayed to the powers that be that it still worked.
Sparks flew at her feet as worms slithered in to trap her, but she was immune to them. It was Dr. Keller who suffered the consequences, falling to her knees with a shriek.
Elizabeth paused only to see Andrews slip a hand around Dr. Keller’s waist and hoist her up. He pointed his P90 behind him and continued to fire, carefully avoiding both friend and foe.
One moment, they were in the midst of light and fire and grime, the next, the safe confines of a sterile enclosure. A brief flash and the next thing Elizabeth knew, they were all stumbling out of the transporter and into a well-lit corridor filled with an awaiting contingent of marines.
Finally, she could breathe.
She turned to the nearest marine.
“Seal off that sublevel. We don’t want anything able to get in or out of there.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
--//--
They rushed into the infirmary. A pale and still Sheppard was rolled off the their right while they were ushered off to a waiting area on the left.
Rodney wrung his hands and paced. Zelenka rushed off, his finger to his ear as he heard chatter over the radio.
One question nagged at Rodney since the beginning…why hadn’t he been affected? For at this moment, he would give anything to trade places with the colonel. Sheppard had saved his life a countless number of times. It wasn’t fair for it to end like this.
Teyla leaned against the wall, her head titled upwards, tears streaming down her face. Her mind was elsewhere. Her usually taut body was sagging. Rodney recognized her despair. He walked over to her and gathered her in a hug.
The motion surprised the both of them but neither let go.
--//--
A medic team was looking over Dr. Yi and Sergeant Andrews. Dr. Keller was trying to brush off another doctor as he attempted to check her over.
Elizabeth stood beside Dr. Row and noticed the woman fumbling with something in her pocket. Reaching out, Elizabeth stilled Dr. Row’s hand, peering down at a small vile filled with a familiar substance. Shock set in.
“How did you get that?”
“That doesn’t matter now. I need to get to my lab and analyze it, please.”
“I…fine, yes…go.” Elizabeth stuttered, listening intently as a voice came over her earpiece. As Dr. Row hastened to her lab, Elizabeth’s attention narrowed to the voice in her ear. The color drained from her face.
“Dr. Weir?” One of the medics stood before her, trying to get her attention. “We’re headed to the infirmary now.”
“Yes…I’m coming with you.” She replied slowly and she met Ronon’s gaze as he stood across from her.
He already knew.
It also explained why he hadn’t rushed off to find his team yet.
--//--
Someone tapped Rodney on the shoulder. He and Teyla separated and turned to face a young doctor they had never seen in the infirmary before. The Daedalus had recently delivered a fresh set of scientists and soldiers. It would take a while to get acquainted with them all…if it was even worth the trouble.
The doctor’s face was set in neutral; they knew the news wasn’t good.
How long had Sheppard been without oxygen before they had reached him?
“We got him back.”
The words hit like a brick wall, but didn’t really sink in. There was a very large “but” hanging in the air. Rodney barely noticed as others began to file into the infirmary, Elizabeth and Ronon among them.
“He’s unresponsive.”
“Can we see him?” Elizabeth asked softly. Her voice startled Rodney, as his nerves were already beyond frazzled.
The doctor nodded in affirmation and led the way through a row of empty beds to a partitioned area near the back of the infirmary.
The curtains resembled those seemingly harmless threads that had separated the team from their leader. Teyla visibly shivered as they were pulled aside.
The team halted, not really wishing to move any closer.
Sheppard was as still and pale as ever. Machines breathed life into him though the doctor assured them he was able to breathe on his own with such assistance. Brain damage was currently being assessed, but the news was promising. Teyla and Rodney’s efforts may have paid off after all.
Maybe.
Whatever state Sheppard was in now was mystifying to the doctor. There were no cuts, no bruises, no penetrating wounds that would cause the colonel to bleed like they had witnessed earlier: nothing at all to explain his current state.
There was one more thing. The doctor told them that Sheppard’s eyes had opened once they had gotten his heart to beat again. He wasn’t conscious, nor was he responsive. He just…was.
Hazel eyes stared back at them.
Sometimes death wasn’t the worst thing that could happen.
--tbc--
Author: chokolaj
Rating: T
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: The title sums it up pretty well. Shep whump!
Ah heck, since I didn't think the last chapter was too strong, I decided to go ahead and post double today. And I think I’m going to go ahead and post every day now until the fic is complete. Enjoy :)
--//--
Neither of them would say it.
He’d been down too long.
They could hear the approaching engines of the rescue Jumper.
But they ignored everything and continued in their quest to revive Sheppard.
Teyla breathed.
Rodney pumped.
Zelenka felt for a pulse that just wasn’t there.
Rushing air ruffled their hair as the Jumper came in to land. Pounding footsteps announced the arrival of additional help.
Yet none of it mattered.
There was no heartbeat. No intake of air. No sign of life at all.
Hands took over, gently shoving Rodney out of the way. Teyla was guided to the side by another rescuer while Zelenka sat back on his heals, watching in earnest as the rescue team took up the daunting task.
All this caused by a bunch of worms.
Rodney wanted to punch something. He looked to Zelenka, who avoided his gaze, then to Teyla’s tearful yet hopeful eyes. She would not give up to the very end.
And here it was staring in their faces.
All because of a bunch of effing worms.
--//--
Just when all hope had faded, fate intervened.
For the maze of corridors that had led those into the hellish nightmare of a haven of worms had led them right back to the beginning.
Just a few paces down an adjoining corridor was the transporter that had lead them down here in the first place.
Ronon and the marines exchanged glances with the rest.
An explosion of light and sound followed only seconds later. Elizabeth grabbed Dr. Keller, assured that the others were behind her, and ran for their only exit. She prayed to the powers that be that it still worked.
Sparks flew at her feet as worms slithered in to trap her, but she was immune to them. It was Dr. Keller who suffered the consequences, falling to her knees with a shriek.
Elizabeth paused only to see Andrews slip a hand around Dr. Keller’s waist and hoist her up. He pointed his P90 behind him and continued to fire, carefully avoiding both friend and foe.
One moment, they were in the midst of light and fire and grime, the next, the safe confines of a sterile enclosure. A brief flash and the next thing Elizabeth knew, they were all stumbling out of the transporter and into a well-lit corridor filled with an awaiting contingent of marines.
Finally, she could breathe.
She turned to the nearest marine.
“Seal off that sublevel. We don’t want anything able to get in or out of there.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
--//--
They rushed into the infirmary. A pale and still Sheppard was rolled off the their right while they were ushered off to a waiting area on the left.
Rodney wrung his hands and paced. Zelenka rushed off, his finger to his ear as he heard chatter over the radio.
One question nagged at Rodney since the beginning…why hadn’t he been affected? For at this moment, he would give anything to trade places with the colonel. Sheppard had saved his life a countless number of times. It wasn’t fair for it to end like this.
Teyla leaned against the wall, her head titled upwards, tears streaming down her face. Her mind was elsewhere. Her usually taut body was sagging. Rodney recognized her despair. He walked over to her and gathered her in a hug.
The motion surprised the both of them but neither let go.
--//--
A medic team was looking over Dr. Yi and Sergeant Andrews. Dr. Keller was trying to brush off another doctor as he attempted to check her over.
Elizabeth stood beside Dr. Row and noticed the woman fumbling with something in her pocket. Reaching out, Elizabeth stilled Dr. Row’s hand, peering down at a small vile filled with a familiar substance. Shock set in.
“How did you get that?”
“That doesn’t matter now. I need to get to my lab and analyze it, please.”
“I…fine, yes…go.” Elizabeth stuttered, listening intently as a voice came over her earpiece. As Dr. Row hastened to her lab, Elizabeth’s attention narrowed to the voice in her ear. The color drained from her face.
“Dr. Weir?” One of the medics stood before her, trying to get her attention. “We’re headed to the infirmary now.”
“Yes…I’m coming with you.” She replied slowly and she met Ronon’s gaze as he stood across from her.
He already knew.
It also explained why he hadn’t rushed off to find his team yet.
--//--
Someone tapped Rodney on the shoulder. He and Teyla separated and turned to face a young doctor they had never seen in the infirmary before. The Daedalus had recently delivered a fresh set of scientists and soldiers. It would take a while to get acquainted with them all…if it was even worth the trouble.
The doctor’s face was set in neutral; they knew the news wasn’t good.
How long had Sheppard been without oxygen before they had reached him?
“We got him back.”
The words hit like a brick wall, but didn’t really sink in. There was a very large “but” hanging in the air. Rodney barely noticed as others began to file into the infirmary, Elizabeth and Ronon among them.
“He’s unresponsive.”
“Can we see him?” Elizabeth asked softly. Her voice startled Rodney, as his nerves were already beyond frazzled.
The doctor nodded in affirmation and led the way through a row of empty beds to a partitioned area near the back of the infirmary.
The curtains resembled those seemingly harmless threads that had separated the team from their leader. Teyla visibly shivered as they were pulled aside.
The team halted, not really wishing to move any closer.
Sheppard was as still and pale as ever. Machines breathed life into him though the doctor assured them he was able to breathe on his own with such assistance. Brain damage was currently being assessed, but the news was promising. Teyla and Rodney’s efforts may have paid off after all.
Maybe.
Whatever state Sheppard was in now was mystifying to the doctor. There were no cuts, no bruises, no penetrating wounds that would cause the colonel to bleed like they had witnessed earlier: nothing at all to explain his current state.
There was one more thing. The doctor told them that Sheppard’s eyes had opened once they had gotten his heart to beat again. He wasn’t conscious, nor was he responsive. He just…was.
Hazel eyes stared back at them.
Sometimes death wasn’t the worst thing that could happen.
--tbc--