Anaesthetic Dreams (Gods and Monster Challenge) (part Two)
Notes (Cont): I forgot to mention: I'm an art major, and therefore know diddly about medicines in general, save for what I take myself. Sorry if I mess up anything. And for the record? I'm insanely jealous of rhymer23's and hellpenguin's entries for this challenge. You guys seriously rock my socks.
Part One
--Part Four--
//So your world’s benign/
So you think justice has a voice/
And we all have a choice...//
“Everything You Ever” from “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” by Joss Whedon, et. al.
John was frantically pacing the small chamber in which the remaining members of SGA-1 had been sequestered, occasionally glancing at the heavy wooden door that blocked the goings-on of the main meeting cavern from their sight. Ronon was slouched in one of the hard-backed chairs that had been placed in the room for their “convenience”, while Teyla was sitting in the other, her back ramrod straight in her agitated state.
‘I’m gonna go find out what’s-’ Ronon began to say, getting up from his chair, but at that moment the door opened and the high priest entered the small chamber, only taking a few steps in before stopping well away from Ronon and John.
‘Come, your companion has been cleansed and the demon has been cast out. You may return to your homeworld, and rejoice.’ He said smoothly, a stark contrast from the raving lunatic that had presented himself to them not two hours before.
‘What’d you do to McKay?’ Ronon growled, looking about ready to snap the priest in half. The priest merely smiled benevolently at the large Satedan and waved a gracious hand behind him.
‘We have cleansed your companion of his burden, and have set him on the way towards righteousness. Renas is well pleased. Your companion merely sleeps and restores his body and spirit, as he should, especially after such a trial of faith.’
‘Trial of faith, my ass.’ John snorted, pushing past the priest. ‘He wasn’t doing anything-’ He broke off when he caught sight of Rodney, lying pale and shivering on a stretcher. The normally vibrant astrophysicist seemed to take up less space than usual; something about him seemed diminished and askew.
‘What the hell did you do to him?’ John snarled, turning sharply on his heel as Teyla rushed forwards, ignoring the stony cavern floor completely as she knelt down beside Rodney, one hand darting out to check his pulse and respiration.
‘As I have said, we have cleansed him. We shall be keeping the demon for a time for further study, and then we shall cast it through the Portal. It is nothing for you to concern yourselves about. You may go. Jeraal and Haran will accompany you to the Portal to ensure your safe passage.’ The priest said, beckoning to the guards that had dragged Rodney off in the first place. They each picked up an end of the stretcher, easily lifting Rodney’s dead weight between them. With little choice left to them, SGA-1 followed the guards to the ‘Gate, where Ronon and John took over the task of carrying Rodney while Teyla dialled Atlantis, a grim look shared between them. The guards watched them step through the ‘Gate after sending the IDC, impassive looks on their faces.
--Part Five--
//All I need is you/
Come, please, I'm callin'./
And oh, I scream for you/
Hurry, I'm fallin'.//
“Savin’ Me” by Nickelback
Carson watched as Rodney moaned pitifully in his sleep, sweat beading on the unconscious man’s brow. ‘No, please.’ Rodney murmured plaintively, brow furrowing. He shifted on the bed, the covers half-off. ‘Please, don’t leave me, Syr- Oh, God, no!’ He bolted half-upright, flailing. The monitors that were tracking his vitals were going crazy, various alarms beeping and trilling in harmonious discord. Carson hurried over, silencing the machinery before turning to Rodney, who was staring wide-eyed at the far wall, one hand unconsciously placed over his heart as he tried to regulate his breathing.
‘Rodney, are you alright?’ Carson asked, concern evident in his voice. Rodney yelped, still jumpy from the adrenaline that was racing through his veins, and then turned his head, taking in a few deep breaths as he did so.
‘God, Carson, that’s a stupid question if I’ve ever heard one.’ He snapped, and Carson knew that the defences that Rodney put between himself and the rest of the world had come into full force. For such a supposedly arrogant and self-centred man, Dr. Rodney McKay was in fact one of the more insecure people Carson knew. Even with the help of Syresh, who had by some reports actually mellowed Rodney (And Carson had heard some... interesting stories about the pre-blended Rodney McKay that made him thank all his lucky stars {Both here and in the Milky Way Galaxy} that he had only met him after the fact.), Rodney still had some personal issues to work out. Once he let you past the prickly façade, Rodney seemed to be a genuinely likeable person, Tok’ra symbiote or no. Carson had witnessed Rodney’s team slowly but surely insinuating themselves into his daily routine, so that even while not on missions he still saw the others almost every day, be it exploring the catacombs of the city with John, grudgingly going to sparring practise with Teyla, or eating lunch with Ronon.
Carson merely shrugged and then checked to see that the IV lines and monitor leads hadn’t tangled themselves together, as was their wont to do when a patient was startled like Rodney had been. Fortunately for both, the lines and leads were in good condition, though Carson had to tweak one of the heart monitors slightly to get it back in its proper place. Rodney was oddly quiet as Carson checked him over, his breathing returning to normal as time went by. ‘Care to tell me what the dream was about?’ Carson asked softly as he stepped back, checking the read-outs on the monitors once more. He watched Rodney from the corner of his eye, observing him silently.
Rodney sat in silence for a moment, and then settled back in bed, fixing the covers. ‘It was nothing.’ He replied finally, re-arranging his pillows. Recognising a displacement behaviour when he saw one (though he’d leave the significance of the action, if any, to Dr. Heightmeyer’s purview), Carson waited for Rodney to continue, encouraging him to fill the silence. He was rewarded a few seconds later.
‘It was about Syresh.’ Rodney said quickly, as if talking about it at high speeds would make it easier. ‘It’s hard to explain, though. Ever get lost in a really thick fog, but you know that your house or your car is somewhere nearby?’
‘Once or twice.’
‘Well, it was sort of like that, except I was looking for Syresh, but I couldn’t find her. It’s so...’ Rodney trailed off, trying to come up with the right words. ‘Disconcerting, I suppose you could say, to not be able to talk with her whenever I want to. I’ve gotten so used to having her right there that I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like for it to be just me in here.’ He tapped the side of his head. ‘God, Carson, it’s lonely.’
Carson turned around fully, trying to figure out what to say. ‘Don’t worry; I’m sure the Colonel and the others will get Syresh back soon.’ He said, wincing inside at the flat platitudes that fell from his lips. Rodney merely nodded vaguely, settling back into his bed, directing his gaze up at the dimly-lit ceiling. ‘D’you want me to give you a sedative? You won’t dream that way.’ Carson asked, absently smoothing out the covers over Rodney’s chest.
‘Thanks.’ Rodney murmured, eyes already half-closed. Carson smiled slightly, and then administered a 5mg dose of Midazolam, a “minor” tranquilizer that usually worked well for most of his patients. Rodney slipped into a dreamless slumber, his breathing the most regular it had been all night. Carson smiled again, and then returned to his chair, hoping that the Colonel and the others would return soon, victorious and bearing the travel container that the Doctor had provided, with Syresh in it, so that all would be well once more.
--Part Six--
//’Cause we are broken/
What must we do to restore/
Our innocence?/
And oh, the promise we adored./
Give us life again cause we just wanna be whole.//
“We Are Broken” by Paramore
Rodney. Rodney, wake up.
Rodney stirred, fighting the lingering effects of the Midazolam, eyelids fluttering at the sound of a nearby voice. Suddenly, he was free of the sedative as a tingling feeling raced through his body, a welcome rush of warmth. ‘Wha-’ he began, but then realized that there wasn’t anyone nearby. As a matter of fact, the infirmary seemed oddly empty at the moment. Of course, it could’ve been early in the morning, but something told Rodney that wasn’t it.
Miss me? The voice said again, its tones teasing and light. It suddenly hit Rodney with the force of a ton of bricks: Syresh was back!
Took you long enough. Syresh commented, laughter in her voice.
~Sorry, Syr.~ Rodney replied sheepishly. ~But I was under sedation and-~
Syresh gave a mental snort. Please. Like that excuse actually works. It’s good to be back where I belong.
~It’s good to have you back. I missed you, you know.~
And I you. Syresh paused, and then continued on. You didn’t try to get into any trouble while I was... gone, did you?
~As if I could, what with Carson and Ronon practically tying me to the bed.~ Rodney replied, sitting up. ~They wouldn’t even let me come with them to get you.~
A good thing they didn’t. You had three fractured ribs, not to mention a cracked nose and some serious bruises that I had to fix. You wouldn’t have lasted long; I doubt you would’ve made it to the ‘Gate room without collapsing.
~Hmm. How long have you been “back”?~
Not too long. Long enough to fix the worst of the damage, though we’ll be staying in here for a little longer. Carson wants to monitor us.
~Fine by me, so long as we’re together.~
Don’t worry, I won’t let this happen again. I promise....
Part One
--Part Four--
//So your world’s benign/
So you think justice has a voice/
And we all have a choice...//
“Everything You Ever” from “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” by Joss Whedon, et. al.
John was frantically pacing the small chamber in which the remaining members of SGA-1 had been sequestered, occasionally glancing at the heavy wooden door that blocked the goings-on of the main meeting cavern from their sight. Ronon was slouched in one of the hard-backed chairs that had been placed in the room for their “convenience”, while Teyla was sitting in the other, her back ramrod straight in her agitated state.
‘I’m gonna go find out what’s-’ Ronon began to say, getting up from his chair, but at that moment the door opened and the high priest entered the small chamber, only taking a few steps in before stopping well away from Ronon and John.
‘Come, your companion has been cleansed and the demon has been cast out. You may return to your homeworld, and rejoice.’ He said smoothly, a stark contrast from the raving lunatic that had presented himself to them not two hours before.
‘What’d you do to McKay?’ Ronon growled, looking about ready to snap the priest in half. The priest merely smiled benevolently at the large Satedan and waved a gracious hand behind him.
‘We have cleansed your companion of his burden, and have set him on the way towards righteousness. Renas is well pleased. Your companion merely sleeps and restores his body and spirit, as he should, especially after such a trial of faith.’
‘Trial of faith, my ass.’ John snorted, pushing past the priest. ‘He wasn’t doing anything-’ He broke off when he caught sight of Rodney, lying pale and shivering on a stretcher. The normally vibrant astrophysicist seemed to take up less space than usual; something about him seemed diminished and askew.
‘What the hell did you do to him?’ John snarled, turning sharply on his heel as Teyla rushed forwards, ignoring the stony cavern floor completely as she knelt down beside Rodney, one hand darting out to check his pulse and respiration.
‘As I have said, we have cleansed him. We shall be keeping the demon for a time for further study, and then we shall cast it through the Portal. It is nothing for you to concern yourselves about. You may go. Jeraal and Haran will accompany you to the Portal to ensure your safe passage.’ The priest said, beckoning to the guards that had dragged Rodney off in the first place. They each picked up an end of the stretcher, easily lifting Rodney’s dead weight between them. With little choice left to them, SGA-1 followed the guards to the ‘Gate, where Ronon and John took over the task of carrying Rodney while Teyla dialled Atlantis, a grim look shared between them. The guards watched them step through the ‘Gate after sending the IDC, impassive looks on their faces.
--Part Five--
//All I need is you/
Come, please, I'm callin'./
And oh, I scream for you/
Hurry, I'm fallin'.//
“Savin’ Me” by Nickelback
Carson watched as Rodney moaned pitifully in his sleep, sweat beading on the unconscious man’s brow. ‘No, please.’ Rodney murmured plaintively, brow furrowing. He shifted on the bed, the covers half-off. ‘Please, don’t leave me, Syr- Oh, God, no!’ He bolted half-upright, flailing. The monitors that were tracking his vitals were going crazy, various alarms beeping and trilling in harmonious discord. Carson hurried over, silencing the machinery before turning to Rodney, who was staring wide-eyed at the far wall, one hand unconsciously placed over his heart as he tried to regulate his breathing.
‘Rodney, are you alright?’ Carson asked, concern evident in his voice. Rodney yelped, still jumpy from the adrenaline that was racing through his veins, and then turned his head, taking in a few deep breaths as he did so.
‘God, Carson, that’s a stupid question if I’ve ever heard one.’ He snapped, and Carson knew that the defences that Rodney put between himself and the rest of the world had come into full force. For such a supposedly arrogant and self-centred man, Dr. Rodney McKay was in fact one of the more insecure people Carson knew. Even with the help of Syresh, who had by some reports actually mellowed Rodney (And Carson had heard some... interesting stories about the pre-blended Rodney McKay that made him thank all his lucky stars {Both here and in the Milky Way Galaxy} that he had only met him after the fact.), Rodney still had some personal issues to work out. Once he let you past the prickly façade, Rodney seemed to be a genuinely likeable person, Tok’ra symbiote or no. Carson had witnessed Rodney’s team slowly but surely insinuating themselves into his daily routine, so that even while not on missions he still saw the others almost every day, be it exploring the catacombs of the city with John, grudgingly going to sparring practise with Teyla, or eating lunch with Ronon.
Carson merely shrugged and then checked to see that the IV lines and monitor leads hadn’t tangled themselves together, as was their wont to do when a patient was startled like Rodney had been. Fortunately for both, the lines and leads were in good condition, though Carson had to tweak one of the heart monitors slightly to get it back in its proper place. Rodney was oddly quiet as Carson checked him over, his breathing returning to normal as time went by. ‘Care to tell me what the dream was about?’ Carson asked softly as he stepped back, checking the read-outs on the monitors once more. He watched Rodney from the corner of his eye, observing him silently.
Rodney sat in silence for a moment, and then settled back in bed, fixing the covers. ‘It was nothing.’ He replied finally, re-arranging his pillows. Recognising a displacement behaviour when he saw one (though he’d leave the significance of the action, if any, to Dr. Heightmeyer’s purview), Carson waited for Rodney to continue, encouraging him to fill the silence. He was rewarded a few seconds later.
‘It was about Syresh.’ Rodney said quickly, as if talking about it at high speeds would make it easier. ‘It’s hard to explain, though. Ever get lost in a really thick fog, but you know that your house or your car is somewhere nearby?’
‘Once or twice.’
‘Well, it was sort of like that, except I was looking for Syresh, but I couldn’t find her. It’s so...’ Rodney trailed off, trying to come up with the right words. ‘Disconcerting, I suppose you could say, to not be able to talk with her whenever I want to. I’ve gotten so used to having her right there that I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like for it to be just me in here.’ He tapped the side of his head. ‘God, Carson, it’s lonely.’
Carson turned around fully, trying to figure out what to say. ‘Don’t worry; I’m sure the Colonel and the others will get Syresh back soon.’ He said, wincing inside at the flat platitudes that fell from his lips. Rodney merely nodded vaguely, settling back into his bed, directing his gaze up at the dimly-lit ceiling. ‘D’you want me to give you a sedative? You won’t dream that way.’ Carson asked, absently smoothing out the covers over Rodney’s chest.
‘Thanks.’ Rodney murmured, eyes already half-closed. Carson smiled slightly, and then administered a 5mg dose of Midazolam, a “minor” tranquilizer that usually worked well for most of his patients. Rodney slipped into a dreamless slumber, his breathing the most regular it had been all night. Carson smiled again, and then returned to his chair, hoping that the Colonel and the others would return soon, victorious and bearing the travel container that the Doctor had provided, with Syresh in it, so that all would be well once more.
--Part Six--
//’Cause we are broken/
What must we do to restore/
Our innocence?/
And oh, the promise we adored./
Give us life again cause we just wanna be whole.//
“We Are Broken” by Paramore
Rodney. Rodney, wake up.
Rodney stirred, fighting the lingering effects of the Midazolam, eyelids fluttering at the sound of a nearby voice. Suddenly, he was free of the sedative as a tingling feeling raced through his body, a welcome rush of warmth. ‘Wha-’ he began, but then realized that there wasn’t anyone nearby. As a matter of fact, the infirmary seemed oddly empty at the moment. Of course, it could’ve been early in the morning, but something told Rodney that wasn’t it.
Miss me? The voice said again, its tones teasing and light. It suddenly hit Rodney with the force of a ton of bricks: Syresh was back!
Took you long enough. Syresh commented, laughter in her voice.
~Sorry, Syr.~ Rodney replied sheepishly. ~But I was under sedation and-~
Syresh gave a mental snort. Please. Like that excuse actually works. It’s good to be back where I belong.
~It’s good to have you back. I missed you, you know.~
And I you. Syresh paused, and then continued on. You didn’t try to get into any trouble while I was... gone, did you?
~As if I could, what with Carson and Ronon practically tying me to the bed.~ Rodney replied, sitting up. ~They wouldn’t even let me come with them to get you.~
A good thing they didn’t. You had three fractured ribs, not to mention a cracked nose and some serious bruises that I had to fix. You wouldn’t have lasted long; I doubt you would’ve made it to the ‘Gate room without collapsing.
~Hmm. How long have you been “back”?~
Not too long. Long enough to fix the worst of the damage, though we’ll be staying in here for a little longer. Carson wants to monitor us.
~Fine by me, so long as we’re together.~
Don’t worry, I won’t let this happen again. I promise....