Adrift Part Eight
Title: Adrift
Author: Westdean
Pairing: Carson/John
Rating: PG13
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Slash.
Spoilers: Set after The Tower but with spoilers of the "blink and you will miss them variety" up to The Return: part 1.
Prompt: Written for cosmonaut_elf as part of the icaw ficathon.
She requested a John/Carson pairing. Serious hurt/comfort. Serious, serious Carson whumping. The two of them getting stranded. Lots of blood and rain. John realising that he loves Carson (sort of first time). Written at speed (for me) and therefore probably incorrect in all sorts of canon facts but I don't care because writing this almost broke my brain.
Authors Note: Written unapologetically in British English and betaed to match by my lovely Dons, Geeks and Medics.
All music tracks are from the album Ringleader of the Tormentors by Morrissey
~SGA~
Part Eight.
John Sheppard thanked the day that Atlantis had gifted him with the life signs detector yet again, as he followed his target group at a safe distance. They were following a linear track through the woods and John had time to widen the scanner's search pattern for a possible destination.
The area ahead registered none of the clusters of people that he would expect to find indicating settlement. In fact the whole area appeared curiously devoid of life. John extended the scanner's search range again, and could have kicked himself as the he realised the empty area was a symmetrical circle. A Shield! No wonder we weren't picking up energy signatures!
Adrenaline was thrumming through his blood, and he was excited, expectant. Things were falling into place at last. The small matter of being stranded on a hostile world did nothing to dampen his spirits.
That was just as well as the forest was no longer smooth going - he was now having to negotiate his way round rock outcrops, and the planet had decided to show him why it was permanently shrouded in mist as a heavy downpour of monsoonal proportions suddenly began.
He could feel his hunched shoulders being battered by the onslaught of the water whenever he crossed a clearing between the trees and was forced to take shelter several times. But he struggled on, despite feeling half drowned, because his targets were approaching the edge of the shielded zone and he wanted to be close behind them. He could not bear the thought of losing track of them now.
He had not lost too much ground when he passed into the shield area, and was pleased to discover that both his scanners burst into life immediately. Settlement clusters appeared everywhere. He fixed his attention one in particular. There were several dozen life signs ahead, in an area that had Rodney's energy scanner going off like a firework display.
John took his time on the approach trying not to leave any sign of his passage, making detours to avoid running into anyone. He finally approached his prize. It was a compound of high timber fencing surrounding a large block of low buildings, some of which went below ground level.
He had all the advantages - they did not know he was here and, if he was judging correctly, would be feeling too secure to have mounted proper guard or security. It was a simple matter to slip over the compound wall and he moved freely around the outside of the buildings until he found an unguarded door. Scanner in hand he checked the complex carefully. Twenty dots in a cluster of rooms on the south side. One dot moving along corridors, presumably a solitary guard.
And there,one isolated dot at the far end of the complex, not moving.
John made a swift decision and within a few minutes found himself quietly unbarring a heavy door.
He re-holstered his stunner as soon as he was through the door, because he had found Carson.
Beckett lay on a low pallet bed, he seemed asleep but the beads of sweat that covered his face spoke otherwise.
“Carson? It's me - John.”
John moved swiftly across the cell to kneel at his friends side. He stared horrified at the manacles and chains that held Carson's wrists - all this time he had been held like this?
“Carson!” There was no response.
As John's eyes became used to the dim light he tried to take in the state of his friend. Beckett's face was deathly pale except where numerous old bruises marked the skin. John instinctively knew that he would find such markings elsewhere on his body. He gently touched Beckett's forehead to try and nudge him awake, expecting to find him cold, matching the damp chill air around him, but he could immediately feel the fever that held Carson in a fierce grip.
Damn it! He had found him at last, but had he been in time? Was it possible that, after all these weeks of desperate searching, it was not going to be enough. That he was still not going to be able to save the man that he ...loved?
John sat back on his heels in sudden shock. The fierce emotions that had driven him here, that had kept him going over the past endless weeks, that he had been battling to control - they had a name - one that he had never, ever allowed himself to voice or to think about.
But as he stared at the motionless body of Carson Beckett he realised that he totally and utterly loved this man.
The face lying beneath his hand suddenly stirred and groaned, jarring him back to the present. John pushed his emotional response aside- he was very skilled at doing that. He needed to concentrate.
“Carson - wake up, dammit!” John virtually pleaded. He was rewarded by Carson opening his eyes to stare in shocked confusion at him.
“John? How...it's not possible!” Carson's voice was so ragged and weak that John could have wept but instead he reached for his water canteen and helped Beckett to take a sip.
“You knew we would come looking ...didn't you?”
“Yes... but I wasn't sure... you'd find me.” Carson's eyes were glazed with fever.
“I'll get these manacles off and we'll get out of here.”
“Where are the others, John?” Carson was quietly insistent as he came more to himself and looked about.
“It's a bit of a one man show this time.”
Now the look in the Scot's eyes was one of panic and alarm.
“You've got to get out of here... go now.”
“Yes, we are going - just give me a minute.”
“No ...leave me, get out now.” Carson was becoming more agitated and fighting against John's attempts to undo his restraints.
“What are you talking about? - I'd never leave you behind.”
“You must,” the doctor spoke desperately, “John, if they find you here, catch you and realise how strong your Ancient gene is- you will never get away. They'll cripple you so you can't run and blind you so you can't fight back. They've only threatened me but they will do that to you - I know it.”
Carson sank back panting. John tried to get his head around what Carson had been living with - but to leave him? He'd rather die or face that very fate.
“We are leaving together - no argument.” The manacles sprang free and he put his arm round Carson's shoulders to help him sit up, faltering at Beckett's cry of pain. What the hell?
“My back - they've been a bit rough when I didn't work their drones for them.”
“A bit rough?” John seethed as he drew up the thin shirt on his friends back. “You've been flogged! Those bastards will pay for this. And you probably know there's a quite a bit of infection there.”
“Aye, it had come to my attention. Well I suppose to save you, I'm going to have to get off my backside and get out of here. I could do with a bit of a hand.”
Carson grabbed John's offered hand and allowed him to pull him to his feet. He was unprepared for the fierce hug that the normally reticent soldier then gave him. John didn't let go either as he could feel the weakness in the other man's body - this wasn't going to be easy.
“Right, first off,” John said nonchalantly, “Your “Friends” made off with the 'gate crystals - any idea where they might store them for safe keeping?”
Carson gaped at him. “You never make it easy on yourself, do you John? Just a wee complication.
Well I reckon they would use the workroom store - that's where they keep things they really don't want to lose.”
“It's easy to lose things here?”
“Wait until you see - you have no idea.”
Carson's voice was stronger, his steps a bit steadier. John held him by the arm as he was guided to the incredible sight of the storage facilities. John was amazed at the scale of the larger store.
“Wow, they will so want some of this back in Atlantis.”
“Including those.” Carson indicated the stack of drones that had caused him so much grief.
“This is ours,” John said fiercely, “we'll be back to claim all this as payment for what they have done.”
~SGA~
To the immense relief of both men, they found the 'gate crystals stored in a dedicated container in the workroom.
John decided that they would head straight for the Stargate. Carson was pretty sure that it would be a few hours before he was checked on and it was a chance that they would have to take. He also assured John that he could make it. John was pleased to see the look of fierce determination on Carson's battered face, even though he doubted that he would really be able to get as far as the Stargate in his current condition.
They were soon in the forest and making good speed, considering the state that Carson was in. The rain had mercifully stopped, though Beckett was quick to explain that it might soon resume.
The doctor was heavy footed, his attention wandering. To keep him focused John kept him talking,
asking questions about what had happened to him, and anything that might affect their escape. Carson was happy to talk about the gang of thieves, the Ancient devices, the Shield and what he knew about the planet and its people. He said very little about his own treatment.
John was not surprised - he could easily see that it had been bad. His concern was tempered by the sheer pleasure he felt at actually having found Carson, by the realisation of how much he meant to him. He was going to get him safely back to Atlantis and then - well then he was going to have to deal with these feelings. For now it was enough that he had his missing friend by his side.
They continued for several hours, making steady progress.
Carson gradually went quieter as they travelled - he was using up his stamina, his weakness apparent. John tried to calculate how far they might get before he collapsed. The Stargate was in reach, they just needed another couple of hours.
But their luck did not hold out. Suddenly, in the distance, the forest was lit up by the launching of red flares. Carson's escape had been detected.
The hunt was on.
Next
Author: Westdean
Pairing: Carson/John
Rating: PG13
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Slash.
Spoilers: Set after The Tower but with spoilers of the "blink and you will miss them variety" up to The Return: part 1.
Prompt: Written for cosmonaut_elf as part of the icaw ficathon.
She requested a John/Carson pairing. Serious hurt/comfort. Serious, serious Carson whumping. The two of them getting stranded. Lots of blood and rain. John realising that he loves Carson (sort of first time). Written at speed (for me) and therefore probably incorrect in all sorts of canon facts but I don't care because writing this almost broke my brain.
Authors Note: Written unapologetically in British English and betaed to match by my lovely Dons, Geeks and Medics.
All music tracks are from the album Ringleader of the Tormentors by Morrissey
~SGA~
Part Eight.
John Sheppard thanked the day that Atlantis had gifted him with the life signs detector yet again, as he followed his target group at a safe distance. They were following a linear track through the woods and John had time to widen the scanner's search pattern for a possible destination.
The area ahead registered none of the clusters of people that he would expect to find indicating settlement. In fact the whole area appeared curiously devoid of life. John extended the scanner's search range again, and could have kicked himself as the he realised the empty area was a symmetrical circle. A Shield! No wonder we weren't picking up energy signatures!
Adrenaline was thrumming through his blood, and he was excited, expectant. Things were falling into place at last. The small matter of being stranded on a hostile world did nothing to dampen his spirits.
That was just as well as the forest was no longer smooth going - he was now having to negotiate his way round rock outcrops, and the planet had decided to show him why it was permanently shrouded in mist as a heavy downpour of monsoonal proportions suddenly began.
He could feel his hunched shoulders being battered by the onslaught of the water whenever he crossed a clearing between the trees and was forced to take shelter several times. But he struggled on, despite feeling half drowned, because his targets were approaching the edge of the shielded zone and he wanted to be close behind them. He could not bear the thought of losing track of them now.
He had not lost too much ground when he passed into the shield area, and was pleased to discover that both his scanners burst into life immediately. Settlement clusters appeared everywhere. He fixed his attention one in particular. There were several dozen life signs ahead, in an area that had Rodney's energy scanner going off like a firework display.
John took his time on the approach trying not to leave any sign of his passage, making detours to avoid running into anyone. He finally approached his prize. It was a compound of high timber fencing surrounding a large block of low buildings, some of which went below ground level.
He had all the advantages - they did not know he was here and, if he was judging correctly, would be feeling too secure to have mounted proper guard or security. It was a simple matter to slip over the compound wall and he moved freely around the outside of the buildings until he found an unguarded door. Scanner in hand he checked the complex carefully. Twenty dots in a cluster of rooms on the south side. One dot moving along corridors, presumably a solitary guard.
And there,one isolated dot at the far end of the complex, not moving.
John made a swift decision and within a few minutes found himself quietly unbarring a heavy door.
He re-holstered his stunner as soon as he was through the door, because he had found Carson.
Beckett lay on a low pallet bed, he seemed asleep but the beads of sweat that covered his face spoke otherwise.
“Carson? It's me - John.”
John moved swiftly across the cell to kneel at his friends side. He stared horrified at the manacles and chains that held Carson's wrists - all this time he had been held like this?
“Carson!” There was no response.
As John's eyes became used to the dim light he tried to take in the state of his friend. Beckett's face was deathly pale except where numerous old bruises marked the skin. John instinctively knew that he would find such markings elsewhere on his body. He gently touched Beckett's forehead to try and nudge him awake, expecting to find him cold, matching the damp chill air around him, but he could immediately feel the fever that held Carson in a fierce grip.
Damn it! He had found him at last, but had he been in time? Was it possible that, after all these weeks of desperate searching, it was not going to be enough. That he was still not going to be able to save the man that he ...loved?
John sat back on his heels in sudden shock. The fierce emotions that had driven him here, that had kept him going over the past endless weeks, that he had been battling to control - they had a name - one that he had never, ever allowed himself to voice or to think about.
But as he stared at the motionless body of Carson Beckett he realised that he totally and utterly loved this man.
The face lying beneath his hand suddenly stirred and groaned, jarring him back to the present. John pushed his emotional response aside- he was very skilled at doing that. He needed to concentrate.
“Carson - wake up, dammit!” John virtually pleaded. He was rewarded by Carson opening his eyes to stare in shocked confusion at him.
“John? How...it's not possible!” Carson's voice was so ragged and weak that John could have wept but instead he reached for his water canteen and helped Beckett to take a sip.
“You knew we would come looking ...didn't you?”
“Yes... but I wasn't sure... you'd find me.” Carson's eyes were glazed with fever.
“I'll get these manacles off and we'll get out of here.”
“Where are the others, John?” Carson was quietly insistent as he came more to himself and looked about.
“It's a bit of a one man show this time.”
Now the look in the Scot's eyes was one of panic and alarm.
“You've got to get out of here... go now.”
“Yes, we are going - just give me a minute.”
“No ...leave me, get out now.” Carson was becoming more agitated and fighting against John's attempts to undo his restraints.
“What are you talking about? - I'd never leave you behind.”
“You must,” the doctor spoke desperately, “John, if they find you here, catch you and realise how strong your Ancient gene is- you will never get away. They'll cripple you so you can't run and blind you so you can't fight back. They've only threatened me but they will do that to you - I know it.”
Carson sank back panting. John tried to get his head around what Carson had been living with - but to leave him? He'd rather die or face that very fate.
“We are leaving together - no argument.” The manacles sprang free and he put his arm round Carson's shoulders to help him sit up, faltering at Beckett's cry of pain. What the hell?
“My back - they've been a bit rough when I didn't work their drones for them.”
“A bit rough?” John seethed as he drew up the thin shirt on his friends back. “You've been flogged! Those bastards will pay for this. And you probably know there's a quite a bit of infection there.”
“Aye, it had come to my attention. Well I suppose to save you, I'm going to have to get off my backside and get out of here. I could do with a bit of a hand.”
Carson grabbed John's offered hand and allowed him to pull him to his feet. He was unprepared for the fierce hug that the normally reticent soldier then gave him. John didn't let go either as he could feel the weakness in the other man's body - this wasn't going to be easy.
“Right, first off,” John said nonchalantly, “Your “Friends” made off with the 'gate crystals - any idea where they might store them for safe keeping?”
Carson gaped at him. “You never make it easy on yourself, do you John? Just a wee complication.
Well I reckon they would use the workroom store - that's where they keep things they really don't want to lose.”
“It's easy to lose things here?”
“Wait until you see - you have no idea.”
Carson's voice was stronger, his steps a bit steadier. John held him by the arm as he was guided to the incredible sight of the storage facilities. John was amazed at the scale of the larger store.
“Wow, they will so want some of this back in Atlantis.”
“Including those.” Carson indicated the stack of drones that had caused him so much grief.
“This is ours,” John said fiercely, “we'll be back to claim all this as payment for what they have done.”
~SGA~
To the immense relief of both men, they found the 'gate crystals stored in a dedicated container in the workroom.
John decided that they would head straight for the Stargate. Carson was pretty sure that it would be a few hours before he was checked on and it was a chance that they would have to take. He also assured John that he could make it. John was pleased to see the look of fierce determination on Carson's battered face, even though he doubted that he would really be able to get as far as the Stargate in his current condition.
They were soon in the forest and making good speed, considering the state that Carson was in. The rain had mercifully stopped, though Beckett was quick to explain that it might soon resume.
The doctor was heavy footed, his attention wandering. To keep him focused John kept him talking,
asking questions about what had happened to him, and anything that might affect their escape. Carson was happy to talk about the gang of thieves, the Ancient devices, the Shield and what he knew about the planet and its people. He said very little about his own treatment.
John was not surprised - he could easily see that it had been bad. His concern was tempered by the sheer pleasure he felt at actually having found Carson, by the realisation of how much he meant to him. He was going to get him safely back to Atlantis and then - well then he was going to have to deal with these feelings. For now it was enough that he had his missing friend by his side.
They continued for several hours, making steady progress.
Carson gradually went quieter as they travelled - he was using up his stamina, his weakness apparent. John tried to calculate how far they might get before he collapsed. The Stargate was in reach, they just needed another couple of hours.
But their luck did not hold out. Suddenly, in the distance, the forest was lit up by the launching of red flares. Carson's escape had been detected.
The hunt was on.
Next