Status: Completed 8/10/2008

Word Count: 2181

"He shot himself."

John remained silent. He knew whom Rodney was talking about; he just didn't know what to say to that.

"He said I should come out to help you, but I refused. I didn't want to leave him alone. He just took the gun and shot himself. Blew his own brains out." Rodney fluttered his arms around helplessly. "Why would he do that? I mean, really, why? Beckett might have been able to help him."

After seeing Colonel Sumner, John wasn't so sure. While the colonel had been worse off than Gall, he was pretty sure there still would not have been much Beckett could do. That is, if Gall would have even survived the nearly fifteen hour flight back.

John barely listened as McKay rambled on. The scientist had his full attention though when he said, "I shouldn't have given him the gun." John put a hand on McKay's shoulder, gently turning him towards himself. "It's not your fault Rodney. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I told you to give him the gun. In the end, it was Gall's decision. He made the choice. No one else."

Rodney just nodded, but he didn't look convinced. John didn't say anything else. He knew this was something Rodney would have to work out for himself.

"Yeah, well . . ." He paused, then said, "I don't have my data pad. I left it with . . . I can't do anything until Lieutenant Ford gets here. I can get one from his jumper."

Jumper 3 touched down ten minutes later, landing only a few yards from Jumper 1. The four occupants piled out. Rodney, who had left his data pad in the Wraith ship, immediately pushed his way through to retrieve one off the other jumper.

"What do you need that for?" Ford asked as Rodney pushed past him, heading back towards Jumper 1.

Rodney just glared at him and kept walking.

"What the hell was that for?"

While everyone was used to Rodney being egotistical and rude, he had never been that quiet. Nor had he ever not answered a question, no matter how stupid he professed it to be. John briefly explained what had happened after he and his team had entered the Wraith ship. He left nothing out from the time they encountered the Wraith until the time when Jumper 3 arrived. By the time he finished, everyone was quiet and solemn. Ford simply nodded and said, "Oh."

"Rodney," he started, turning towards his grumbling teammate, "I'm taking these guys to the ship so we can retrieve Gall and Abrams, your data pad, and the other nine mil. We'll also stop along the way to pick up my P-90." Rodney started to protest, but John held up his hand. "We're not leaving them here, Rodney. And being cut off from Earth, we can't afford to loose any weapons unless it's absolutely unavoidable. Besides, we came down here to get information on that ship. You may not have been able to collect much, but you did get some and we're not leaving that either."

Rodney glowered at John but said nothing. After a few minutes, he turned back towards the jumper, grumbling.

They couldn't send the bodies home to their families, but they could bring them back to Atlantis and make sure Gall and Abrams got a proper burial there.

John was sure he heard him muttering something about grunts and stupid questions, as he turned back to the others. He motioned for Markham to stay with Rodney. Teyla, Ford, and Sergeant Sandal followed John as he headed towards the area where he'd dropped his damaged P90. He wasn't really sure if it could be repaired, but he had to at least let the combat engineers try.

"Are you alright, John?" Teyla asked.

John hadn't noticed Teyla come up beside him. "Huh?" Then, realizing she was looking at his wounded arm, he said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Beckett's not going to be to pleased with me though." At her puzzled look, he said, "I think the bullet is still in there."

She nodded. "I am sure." They were nearly at the ship when she said, "There is more."

It wasn't a question. John sighed. He considered telling her it was nothing, that he was fine, but he knew it wouldn't work. There were two people on Atlantis that he knew he couldn't lie to, they always seemed to see right through him, and that was Beckett and Teyla. Ford and Sandal were far enough behind where they wouldn't over hear if he kept his voice down, so he told her. "I think I cracked a couple of ribs too." At her concerned look he added, "I'll be fine."

Teyla looked at him suspiciously but didn't reply. She was learning just how stubborn the major could be and decided to drop it.

John stopped as he and Teyla reached the ship. When Ford and Sandal reached them, John told them where Abrams' body was. He watched them head off then he and Teyla went to retrieve Gall. He heard Teyla's sharp inhale when she saw Gall's body.

There was nothing to make a travois with, so going back was awkward and took longer. When they reached the Jumpers, he and Teyla laid Gall's body on the ground as Ford and Sandal loaded Abrams' body onto Jumper 3.

"I'm in," Rodney announced.

John sighed as he watched Markham and Ford. *Damn it, this sucks!* He really, really hated it when a mission, especially when it's was supposed to be a cakewalk like this one was, went to hell in a hand basket and he lost any of his people. It was even worse when those people were civilians. As soon as Abrams' body was situated, they came out and picked up Gall's.

"I will return with the Major and Doctor McKay."

Teyla's voice interrupted his thoughts. He had been so deep in thought, he hadn't realized that Abrams body had been loaded onto the Jumper 3 and Rodney had completed the repairs to Jumper 1. John could tell Ford wanted to say the same. The two men exchanged a brief look and Ford just nodded and boarded Jumper.

The ride home was solemn. Teyla replaced the bandage on John's arm after they were airborne. Little was said except when John occasionally corrected Rodney's flying.

Carson turned and walked towards the major's team. He noticed that Elizabeth had joined them. As he approached them, Elizabeth spoke first.

"How is he?" she asked, unable to hide her concern.

"He's going to be fine. The bullet is still in his arm and will require surgery to remove it. From my preliminary exam, there doesn't appear to be any permanent damage, but it is a possibility. He's got three cracked ribs as well as a nasty bruise where the Wraith hit him." Carson put up a hand to forestall Elizabeth's concern and the question he knew was coming. "There's no sign that he's been fed upon. Aside from that, and a few other minor bruises, he's a wee bit dehydrated and pretty exhausted. He fell asleep while I was examining him. I imagine he'll sleep a good while after the surgery. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a patient to attend to."

Carson began walking back towards were his nurses were prepping for the surgery. After a few steps he realized the others weren't moving. He stopped and, with his most encouraging smile, turned and said, "Really, he'll be fine. The surgery is going to take a little while and he won't be ready for visitors for a little while after that. You should all go get some food and sleep."

The other three members of the major's team answered in unison, "We'll wait."

It was clear from the dark shadows under their eyes that none of them had slept since sometime before the major, Rodney, Gall and Abrams had left on their mission. He was pretty sure that, other than a few power bars, they likely hadn't eaten since then either. Or not much anyway. Even Elizabeth looked more tired than usual. "No," Carson said, "you won't. That was a long trip. You're all tired and probably hungry too. You won't be doing the major any favors if you pass out and wind up in a bed next to him.

Ford was the first to speak. "I'm fine, Doc." His stomach, however, chose that exact moment to betray him with a loud grumble. He gave an embarrassed smile.

"You're not fine. Go now, all of you. You can come back and visit him when you've had some proper food and rest, six hours at least, not a moment before."

Teyla and Ford looked to Elizabeth. "Carson has the final say when it comes to medical matters. Do what he says. Besides, he's right. You all look like you could use some rest. I have some matters I must attend to." That said, she turned and left the infirmary.

Carson noted, and thought it extremely odd, that Rodney was unusually silent. He usually would be riding Carson for not working fast enough or needling him about how "medicine was not an actual science", or some other such nonsense. While Rodney's silence did concern him, since he had no injuries, Carson knew he'd have to wait until later to approach the usually loud and cranky scientist. Right now, his only concern was performing the surgery on the major and hoping he was correct that there would be no permanent damage to the pilot's arm.

Late the next evening, the affects of the anesthesia wore off and John woke up. He looked to the right when he heard Teyla speaking softly to someone. That someone was Beckett. Still not fully awake, he laid there quietly listening to them.

"Well, hello there, Major," Beckett said when he noticed John was awake.

"Hey, Doc," John replied then coughed. He gratefully accepted a few ice chips from a nurse who seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Thanks."

The nurse nodded, put the cup down on the side table then left. He watched her for a minute as she tended to another patient before he noticed that Beckett and Teyla were now by his bed. He gave an embarrassed smile at their grins.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good, Doc. A little sleepy."

"That's normal after what you've been through. Any pain?" Beckett asked as he checked John's pulse.

"No, you got pretty good drugs here." *Really good drugs.* John fought them though, he wasn't ready to go back to sleep yet. He nodded towards his arm.

"So, what's the verdict?"

"You'll be happy to know that, with a little therapy, you'll be fine in a few weeks. You also cracked three ribs and I imagine you're jaw will be a bit sore when the drugs begin to wear off."

"Yeah, figured that out myself," John said. "That Wraith was a hell of a lot tougher than any of the others we've faced so far." He tried to push himself up a little further and winced as a sharp pain shot through his chest and arm.

"Just stay still," Beckett told him sternly. "Get some rest, I'll check on you again in a few hours."

John nodded. He turned his attention to Teyla, who was now sitting in one of the very uncomfortable infirmary chairs.

"So . . . how pissed off is Elizabeth," John asked, only half joking.

"I do not believe she is angry at all, Major. I believe she understands, and to a point, agrees with why you and Doctor McKay insisted on investigating the Wraith ship. She was, however, quite concerned about you when she saw the state you where in upon our return."

"Yeah, I can see why." He paused for a moment than asked, "How's Rodney?"

"He is not acting like himself at all. He is very quiet and withdrawn. He has not snapped at any of his fellow scientists all day yesterday or today. I have tried to tell them that should be happy about that," She added smiling.

John laughed then grimaced. "Please don't make me laugh."

Teyla smiled back then became serious again. "They are concerned about him. As am I. He did come to sit with you for about an hour late last night, but he did not say anything."

"Yeah. He'll be fine, Teyla. What happened with Gall really shook him. He just needs a little time to snap himself out of his funk."

Teyla nodded but didn't look convinced.

"Look, if he's not back to his normal snippy self by the time Beckett springs me, I'll knock some sense into him. Okay?"

"Yes," she replied.

John saw the unspoken question in her eyes.

"I'm fine." At her skeptical look, he added, "I will be."

Teyla smiled again, "As will Rodney, with the help of friends."

After a few minutes of silence, John asked about what else was going on around Atlantis.

Teyla was happy to fill him in until he drifted off to sleep.

THE END