Fic: With Fire and Sword (6/8)
Previously:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
As soon as Kate had left the bedchamber, Elizabeth had drawn the knife she usually kept concealed on her person. It had been a long time since she'd had to use it, but her life had been in danger enough times that she knew that not even the best guards in the world could protect her all the time. It remained in her hand as they bolted down the stairs and heard the thudding of a man running close behind them.
The Wraith grabbed her by the arm and she let out a scream. As she tried to wrench herself away, her knee twisted unnaturally and she tumbled down a few stairs. "Kate, run," she said, while she tried futilely to move away from her attacker. Kate was running back up anyway, but she was knocked aside by the man's other arm and fell against the wall, gasping for air.
The Wraith loomed over Elizabeth, a grotesque smile on his face as he seemed to contemplate what he would do with her. Seizing his moment of hesitation, Elizabeth turned her knife around in her hand and stabbed it into his leg as hard as she could.
He howled in pain and she did it again, but before she could stab a third time, the man suddenly lunged backward. There was a sickening crunch as some unseen force twisted his head and snapped his neck, and then the body was dumped unceremoniously to the other side of the steps, away from her. Elizabeth looked up to see Prince Ronon towering over her. She knew not how the man had known that they were being attacked, but she would be forever grateful to him for this, as well as for the warning he had delivered days ago.
Before she could speak, however, John came into sight and hastened down the stairs to her. "Elizabeth!" he cried. "Are you all right?"
He glanced down at the knife and her dress, both of which were bloody. "John," she breathed, reaching for his face as he crouched down beside her. His lips were upon hers in a moment, even as she was practically lying across the stone steps. She hardly noticed her physical discomfort, though, as he kissed her frantically.
The moment did not last long, as they were both gasping for air. John pulled back, perhaps remembering himself and their surroundings. He looked over his shoulder. "Kate?"
Elizabeth looked at her friend too. She had acted so confidently before, but now she was pale and shaking, leaning on Ronon's arm for support. "Is Marcus..." she said, trailing off.
"I don't know," John replied quickly.
"Kate," Elizabeth said firmly, "I am fine. Please, see to him."
Kate hastened up the stairs, and after a look from John, Ronon followed her. Then Elizabeth was left alone with John on the steps. She attempted to stand but fell back, crying out in pain. "Elizabeth?" he asked, his voice full of worry.
"My knee," she said.
He was tugging her skirts up immediately and without her permission. When her body tensed, John caught her gaze. "You did not object to my undressing you the other day," he reminded her with a wicked look, not stopping what he was doing.
Despite her earlier musings on the subject, Elizabeth blushed this time. "You were a little more persuasive last time," she pointed out, even as he bared her leg above her knee. Her leg was jostled and she gritted her teeth against the pain.
He untied her garter from her thigh and handed it to her. She was distracted, though, by the feeling of his fingers grazing her skin as he pushed her stocking down. John's expression, however, was tense. Elizabeth pushed herself more upright, feeling her arm and back ache from the fall, and he said, "Your knee is already swelling." Then, quite abruptly, he pulled her petticoats and gown back in place, and he stood and lifted her from the ground.
Caught off-guard, she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. He grunted a little and she saw his neck getting red. Then, to her surprise, he went up the stairs. "Why are we not going down?" she asked.
"I'm not carrying you anywhere alone," he said. "You'll be better protected if Ronon is with us."
"From the Wraith or from you?" Elizabeth asked, unable to help herself.
John let out a harsh sigh as they reached the top of the stairs, though his lips twitched. "You will be the death of me, my lady."
*~*~*~*
Kate ran as fast as she could down the corridor and came crashing down to her knees, ignoring the dead Wraith and focusing on Marcus. Now that she could look at him, she saw that his injury had not been as dire as she had thought. The Wraith's knife had struck his shoulder. Much lower and it would have pierced his heart, but she put away such thoughts. He had likely been knocked unconscious when his head hit the floor. Even now he was rousing.
"Marcus?" she said, unable to help the breathless tone of her voice.
His eyes opened a moment later and focused on her. "Kate," he murmured. "Have I died?"
"No," she blurted out in alarm. Then more calmly she repeated, "No. We're both alive. Lord John and Prince Ronon rescued us."
Ronon appeared before her then, holding out old cloths. "I got these from the midwife," he said.
Kate took them gladly and began to bind Marcus' shoulder as best she could. The prince occupied himself with moving the corpses out of the way. "We need to get you to Carson," she said to Marcus as she pressed a folded cloth against the bleeding wound. Her hands were shaking, but it could have been so much worse.
"The queen," Marcus said, gripping her arm tightly with his good hand. "Kate, where is she?"
"John is with her. He will take care of her." Kate glanced up to see that John was carrying Elizabeth toward them. She must have been hurt somehow. "He is bringing her even now," she told Marcus, trying to soothe him.
Suddenly, though, he grasped her fingers, halting her work on his shoulder for a moment. Then he raised his hand to her cheek. "And you're not hurt?"
She shook her head. "I was taking her away, as you asked," she whispered, hoping Elizabeth was not yet close enough to hear.
His thumb brushed over her lips as his hand fell away. "Thank you," he answered in kind. "I knew I could trust you."
With John and Elizabeth upon them, Kate endeavored to focus and finish binding Marcus' shoulder. When she was done, Ronon helped Marcus to stand, but Kate supported him as they began the slow descent to the infirmary. She told herself that it was because Ronon was the best among them to draw a sword if they came upon more Wraith, but in truth it was because she could not bring herself to leave his side just yet.
Now, of all moments, she knew what Marcus had meant earlier. And despite their history and all her worries and fears, Kate knew without the shadow of a doubt that she still loved him too.
*~*~*~*
The defenses had become disorganized and this third assault resulted in chaos. Teyla faced whatever direction was necessary, and chased a target across the sand and to the foot of the embankment before bringing him down. She was not the only one. Several men, some Athosian and some not, were stretched across the space, fighting around the pits and the bodies haphazardly.
Frustrated, she climbed the embankment. Portions of it had collapsed due to the fire, but one part in the middle was still fairly solid, and she was able to gain the top and plant her feet safely. She looked back up toward the castle. The archers had all but ceased to fire, as friend and foe were too tightly intermingled. But she could see the fighting was reduced to pockets rather than being as widespread as before.
Below her, at the shore, were nothing but Wraith bodies. No more troops waited to pounce upon them. Hopefully the end was in sight.
From her position she could see more clearly across the water. Out on the open sea, fog was beginning to roll in, though it had not yet reached the sheltered harbor. The Aurora was easiest to pick out, due to her size. Teyla could see through the dim lights that the ship was damaged but not too badly. Scattered around her were burning and sinking ships, mostly Wraith. Teyla could also make out two smaller vessels heading toward the shipyards rapidly. From the position of the lights and their size, she thought them to be two of the new Atalanian ships. They were perhaps intending to land and send the infantry they carried to support defense of the palace.
She turned and looked to the shipyard and froze in horror. A party of Wraith bearing torches were already there, and she could see they were getting into row boats even as they set fire to the docks. There was no hope of closing the distance to stop them - they would be at sea long before she could rally soldiers to give chase, and the burning wood of the shipyards would protect them from any attack coming from the shore.
In the earliest conversations about defending the island, everyone had swiftly agreed the shipyards would be lost. They had not the men to protect both the yards and the palace. Anything useful had been removed and the area left at the mercy of the Wraith. Teyla gathered from the boats moored there that the Wraith had used the docks against Atlantis rather than simply burning them at the outset.
The flames ate up the old wood quickly, lighting the murky night as the scaffolds burned and began to collapse. Teyla felt despair begin to sink in, not over the shipyards but the escaping Wraith. The scum were close to the shoreline and, in the small boats, would be able to slip through the darkness and use the cover of fog to land.
Athos had only a few protectors left behind tonight. Most of the men were here on the island, and there was no time to reach home, no way to send warning. The ancestors only knew what bloody vengeance the Wraith might wreak on the helpless village in retribution for their failure here.
Her hand clenched restlessly around the hilt of her sword, trying futilely to find a way to stop the inevitable, but the Wraith boats were already fading from view. The two ships crossing the harbor would not reach the docks in time to spot them. Teyla had never felt so powerless.
A light sparked on the water, out past the Wraith ships. For a moment she thought it a signal from the mainland, then more lights appeared. The tiny flames flew through the darkness, raining down on the rowboats, which were hemmed in by the ice.
Brighter lights began to burn and follow the same path and Teyla strained her eyes until abruptly the shape of a ship emerged from the gloom.
It was the Queen Margaret. The small vessel must have been lurking in the shadows, unseen by the Wraith. She sailed forward, using arrows and what were probably the few remaining fire pots to attack the vulnerable rowboats without mercy. Teyla thought the men must be throwing daggers as well, for there were still shouts after the flaming arrows and fire pots had ceased to fly.
In a few minutes, it was over. The boats sank and the men who had been in them vanished into the icy water. The Margaret swung about, avoiding a large iceberg and heading for the Aurora. Teyla sheathed the dagger she still held and scrambled back down the embankment to return to the gates.
*~*~*~*
When there were finally no more Wraith charging at him, Jack nearly doubled over, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Beyond the embankment the shipyards were ablaze. Some of the Wraith had no doubt fled to the boats, and with the fog rolling in they would be hard to find. There was also no telling how many were still lurking on the shore in the dark remaining before dawn. And Daniel was still nowhere to be seen.
Jack was still standing thus when Teyla appeared before him. "My lord."
He tilted his head to look at her. She had blood all down one side of her face. "What is it?"
"The Margaret took out the escaping Wraith," she said. "She was waiting for them. Pendergast must have seen how many were in the second attack."
Jack nodded and straightened himself. At the least they did not need to fear another wave of attackers formed from the surviving Wraith. The defense lines had been reformed to stand guard for now, so he could turn his attention to other problems. "Have you seen Daniel?"
Teyla frowned for a moment before her eyes widened as she realized his meaning. "Not since a few minutes before the second assault," she said. "I thought he was coming back here."
Quickly they split up and asked the officers remaining nearby if any of them had seen Daniel, though most of them were occupied with making sure that there were no Wraith left alive on the island. Between them, they ascertained that no one had seen Daniel since shortly after the fighting resumed. Jack swallowed hard as he remembered another time his friend had gone missing at the end of battle. That time, he had found Daniel tucked away in the tent of his rescuer, a young and beautiful captive of the Goa'uld who in a matter of days would be Daniel's wife.
Wryly, Jack thought to himself that there was little chance of a reprise of those events.
Still, when he looked apprehensively to the bodies on the field of battle, Teyla turned his attention away. "If he is not here, then perhaps he was hurt," she pointed out gently. "We should look among the injured before we look among the dead."
He nodded and followed her, although every moment of not knowing was bringing him closer and closer to panic. It seemed insane that Daniel could simply disappear like this. If he had fallen, then surely someone would have seen. It did not make sense that he could be dead without anyone knowing, but where in the world was he if he was alive?
The infirmary was a nightmare. Nearly every inch of ground was covered with cots and pallets, wounded men everywhere. The healers and nurses were clearly overwhelmed and the noise and smell were overpowering. Upon seeing Jack and Teyla enter, one of the physicians stood up and came to the entrance, wiping blood from his hands. "Can I help you?" he asked of them, his eyes going to Teyla's face.
"We can't find Lord Daniel," Teyla said. "Has he been here?"
The man gestured to the other room. "He came in with Peter Grodin a little while ago." Gathering they were not in need of his skills, the doctor left without another word, going back to his work.
Jack pushed through the crowd of people until he gained the doorway to the small room. What he saw was not at all what he expected, and he stopped short, Teyla crashing into him. He thought about apologizing to her, but she stepped around him without a word.
Jack had thought that Peter had brought Daniel. The opposite was the case. Daniel was holding onto the younger man's arm and shoulder while Carson Beckett was doing something to Peter's other side. As they watched, Peter cried out in pain and then his head rolled to the side. He had lost consciousness.
Carson waved Daniel off absently, still intent on his patient. Daniel looked up at Jack and Teyla in surprise. "What's going on?"
"We were going to ask you the same," Teyla said lowly, recovering more swiftly than Jack. "We were starting to worry that you were injured."
She left unspoken the fear that he was dead, but Jack shook himself, even as relief flooded him. "What happened?"
"Peter was stabbed in the chest," Daniel explained. "I was north of Teyla's position when the Wraith came over the embankment again. I found him not long after he was wounded and brought him here."
It was obvious Daniel was deeply worried. "How bad is it?" Jack asked.
Daniel's face was bleak. "Bad. Beckett isn't sure he'll live."
They were in the way crowded around the door and the small surgery was a grim sight, so Jack, Daniel, and Teyla retreated to a corner. Jack was about to suggest the young woman have one of the healers look at the injury to her head when there was a general commotion at the entrance and he turned around. Another party was coming into the room. Lord John was carrying Elizabeth through the door, and behind them, Kate was supporting Lorne, who was covered in blood. Prince Ronon paused just outside and watched silently.
Jack, Daniel, and Teyla all hastened through the crowd to get to the queen. "What happened?" Jack demanded.
"A handful of Wraith got inside," John explained. "They made their way up to the royal chambers."
A number of gasps went up, but Jack pressed for more information. "My wife and the others -"
"They're fine, Jack," Elizabeth replied. "The Wraith never got out of the corridor."
"Then how-" Daniel began, but Lorne answered the question before it was asked.
"Kate was getting her out after I was injured," the guard said. "I had men stationed in the grotto with a boat as a last resort for the queen."
"You had what?" Elizabeth demanded angrily of the captain, straining to look over John's shoulder.
"Now is not the time, Elizabeth," Kate answered through gritted teeth.
They found a place for Marcus swiftly, among some of the other guards who had been wounded. The man did not seem to be gravely injured, but Kate stayed with him. Elizabeth, on the other hand, insisted that she was not bleeding and therefore would not take a bed away from any man who was. Eventually, Teyla turned over an empty crate and John helped her sit.
Carson arrived a moment later, and Jack and Daniel both turned away while the doctor examined her leg. "It's only sprained," he announced, much to everyone's relief. "Some ice will bring down the swelling."
He hesitated and glanced at Daniel before adding, "My lady, Peter Grodin has been badly injured."
Elizabeth looked stricken, but she immediately realized the implication. "Go."
Carson nodded and headed back to the other room without further discussion. Teyla went for the ice without being asked, and she returned with that and a blanket, helping Elizabeth settle the ice on her swollen knee and covering her with the blanket. Elizabeth gathered herself and looked up at Daniel and Jack. "Why are you not outside?" she asked.
Finally Jack remembered how little news she and her ladies had been getting. "Majesty," he said, "the battle is over. It will be a little while before we know what has happened in the harbor, but we have beaten them back. Even those trying to escape back to their ships could not make it very far."
Elizabeth looked up at them in shock. Jack could see she had a hundred questions to ask and no idea which to ask first. Finally, tears sprang up in her eyes and she covered her mouth with her fingers, obviously overcome.
Her betrothed knelt beside her a moment later, taking her in his arms as she wept. Teyla turned away and he and Daniel followed. There were many more witnesses to Elizabeth's relief and joy, but they did not need to intrude.
They headed back outside, but on the way, Jack said, "I was worried."
"I am sorry," Daniel replied. "I could not get back before the Wraith attacked, so I fought where I was. It is lucky I did so, or Peter might not have been brought in so swiftly."
Jack could only nod. Many lives had been lost this night. They could only hope the brave young man would not join them.
In the meantime, the thought that some of the Wraith had been mere feet from Sarah spurred his next action. "We should search the towers, ensure no more surprises are waiting upstairs." Daniel nodded wearily, and after Teyla volunteered to oversee things at the gates, they began to climb the stairs to the top of the queen's tower.
*~*~*~*
When Elizabeth could think beyond her immense relief, she drew back a little from John. He loosened his grip on her reluctantly, though he was still touching her. His hand cupped her cheek and he leaned forward as though to kiss her, but she turned away from him slightly. "John, not in front of so many," she whispered. When she chanced a look at his face, she saw hurt and frustration. "I'm sorry. It is not from lack of wanting."
"I know," he said, clasping her hand and kissing it. "But I will be glad when the day comes that I may kiss you without worrying about who might see."
Elizabeth nodded, and she tugged his gloves off, wanting to feel his fingers interlaced with hers. But the act reminded him of something else. With some difficulty, he untied the ribbon she had tied around his wrist hours ago. Unbound, her braid had long since fallen, but he kissed the ribbon and loosely fastened it around Elizabeth's wrist before bringing her fingers to his lips. The gesture was almost unbearably intimate, and Elizabeth could not hold in a tiny whimper.
When their eyes met again, she had enormous difficulty restraining her own desire to kiss him deeply and wildly. Finally she realized that there was no way she could stay with him in this moment and maintain the reserve that protocol demanded. "John, will you do something for me?" she asked.
"Anything," he replied, in a murmur that made her want to ask a great deal of him.
After trying to compose herself for a moment, she grasped both his hands. "Go back to my chambers," she said. "Tell Laura and Lady Sarah and Mistress Perna what has transpired. I know they must be desperate for news."
He nodded swiftly, seeming to understand that she was not trying to get him out of her way, but give him something to do. John had never been easy with idleness. After kissing her cheek, he departed from her, leaving her in relative peace for a moment. She leaned her head back against the wall behind her and let out a long sigh.
"Your Majesty?" said a nervous-sounding man to her left. Elizabeth looked to see that the soldier next to her was frowning. He had a bandage around his head. "Forgive my impertinence, but is there something I can do to make you more comfortable?"
Elizabeth did not answer him right away, her thoughts lingering on Peter. She did not even know how badly he was injured. "What is your name?"
"Gabriel, my lady. Gabriel of Ramshead Harbor."
"I thank you for your concern, Master Gabriel," she replied, though she should not have been so informal with him. "But I would not have you trouble yourself when you have been wounded."
He looked dubious, but nodded. Another thought came to Elizabeth's mind and she spoke it without giving any real consideration. "You might tell me of what happened out there," she said gently. "I have heard few details since the first wave was beaten back."
That request surprised the soldier, but it seemed to be what the man needed. Soon he was pouring forth everything he had seen and done, and he was not the last man around her to share a story.
Despite the throbbing in her knee, Elizabeth was grateful beyond measure to be here, to be able to hear these soldiers when the battle was still fresh in their memories. This was an opportunity she never would have dreamed of having in any other circumstance. Their blood had been spilt in defense of the city, and right now, Elizabeth could think of no better way to honor their efforts than to listen.
*~*~*~*
It was only when John exited the storerooms that he realized how warm it was in there. In the corridors, where there were few people, the early morning air was chilly and a little damp. Jack, he was told when he stopped one of the archers who was walking past, had ordered a search of the island and the palace. John thought for a moment to join them, before remembering that Elizabeth had given him a task. He headed to the royal chambers, stopping only long enough to divest himself of his armor and chain mail. He kept his sword, however, knowing that if one small group of Wraith had made its way into the palace, it was not beyond the scope of possibility that more had.
He would be glad when the sun came up in a few hours. The fog would burn away and they would know for certain that the battle was over and their attackers were all dead.
Ignoring the weariness in his body, John dragged himself up the rest of the stairs. Stackhouse was standing alone at the door to the queen's chambers. The bandage on his arm was bloody. "Is everything well?" John asked of him.
The guard nodded. "All's quiet."
Then suddenly there was a sharp cry from inside the room contradicting his words. John charged past the alarmed Stackhouse and headed straight into the room opposite Elizabeth's bedchamber. "What is-" he began, before taking in the sight before him.
Laura, dressed in a nightgown, was standing and gripping Lady Sarah's arm, her face contorted in pain.
The midwife herded him and Stackhouse back out of the room and held the door closed behind her. "When did she go into labor?" John demanded.
"A few hours ago," Perna admitted. "But the first few hours are almost always uneventful with first babies."
John looked at Stackhouse. "Is that how you didn't notice anything was going on?"
The guard shrugged, but John decided to focus on something else. "Let them know the battle is over, and Elizabeth and Kate are safe," he said to Perna. The woman nodded and headed back into the room. "Stackhouse, go down to the infirmary. Get someone to see to your arm, and tell the queen and Lady Katherine of this development."
The man was fairly weaving on his feet, something John could sympathize with, but he did not abandon his post so easily. "You will stay here, then, my lord?" he asked.
John nodded. "At some point the queen will want to join Lady Laura, though, and by then we should have a more formal guard in place. I understand there were men stationed below the palace with a boat?"
Stackhouse looked surprised that John knew of that, but he nodded swiftly. "I imagine they are the least tired of all of us."
"That is exactly my thought," John said. "Speak to Captain Lorne, but I suspect he will send them here when the queen comes."
The young man headed away, and John took his place, standing at the door and watching. This was not how he had imagined the battle would end for him, but he would do whatever he could while he still had the strength to stand.
*~*~*~*
After helping one of the Asgard clean and dress Marcus' injury, Kate left him to rest for a few minutes while she checked on Elizabeth, who was now sitting alone in the corner. But the queen assured Kate she was well enough and waved her back to Marcus, so Kate returned to his bedside. He seemed to have fallen asleep, for as she approached his eyes remained closed.
Even asleep, the look of worry that had been upon his face since Elizabeth's trip to Athos was still there. Kate touched his cheek gently. She knew he blamed himself for what had happened to Elizabeth. In truth Kate felt the same way. They were lucky that the Wraith had not hurt Elizabeth more, but she could not shake the feeling that she could have done something else to prevent the scene on the stairwell. Even if she had gone there at Marcus' specific request.
The wound to his shoulder was no longer bleeding, but the memory of seeing the knife plunge into his chest still made her wince.
Her gaze traveled down his body, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. She had seen him wearing this little before, but not in a long, long time. Her cheeks flushed with the recollection of that night. Her hand fell to his chest, but then she glanced at his stomach and her breath caught.
There was a time before Athos when she had stayed at his side, wiping the fever sweat from his face and tending wounds that should have killed him, when Elizabeth had been attacked. Her feelings for him had been the confused jumble of a young girl who'd had her first kiss but not her first love.
Kate let her fingers trace the old scars on his stomach. The certainty that had come to her earlier had not faded, but feelings were not always enough. The obstacles that had always existed were still between them, along with their past mistakes. She could see they were falling into the same pattern from before, and she wondered if it was possible for things to go differently this time.
She heard the shift in his breathing but didn't look up. She couldn't move, even when his hand covered hers. Marcus didn't try to remove it, though. He simply held her hand against his stomach, rubbing his thumb across her fingers. Kate had to swallow hard to keep silent.
There were others in the room, and she had no idea how many of them were awake, who could be watching them. But then his hand squeezed hers and Kate looked up. The expression in his eyes was one she didn't remember seeing from him in a long, long time. He looked hopeful.
"Kate," he whispered, his voice rough. He tried to reach for her and grunted in pain. Apparently he'd forgotten his shoulder for a moment. She pushed his hand firmly back down onto the cot, which drew his attention to the fact that his upper body was still bare.
"We have to stop meeting like this," he murmured ruefully, and Kate laughed softly. He smiled too and cupped her cheek with his other hand.
Something within her melted at his touch and she leaned into his hand and closed her eyes. "I missed you," she told him in a voice intended only for his ears. "I've seen you every day for months but I have missed you."
Marcus went very still, and she could not help notice that he drew in a deep breath. "You know I still love you," he said very lowly. "I know I didn't say it when I should have, but... I think I love you more now than I did then."
Her heart began to pound even harder at that confession, but she could not answer him right away. "Marcus," she whispered, "can this end in any other way? We are the same people -"
"I am not," he told her, with the same quiet conviction. "I have learned what it is to face the rest of my life without you. I would do anything to escape that fate." He licked his lips and grasped her hand again. "I cannot promise you I will never do anything to anger you again, Kate, but I will never leave you in doubt of my feelings or my loyalty again, if you will just give me the chance."
Kate was so shocked by this that she could only stare at him with wide eyes for several moments. It felt as though she could finally breathe freely and deeply again. So much pain and regret and doubt were lifted from her mind that she began to cry.
"Kate," he said, pulling her closer and looking distressed, "Kate, don't cry. Sweetheart, please."
She swallowed hard and began to gather her composure again. "I thought I'd lost you for good."
"And I thought I'd given you up forever," Marcus replied, his voice nervous. "Tell me I am not too late."
She shook her head. "My heart is yours."
They looked at each other for a long moment in silence, then he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it lingeringly. Kate was a little surprised, given that just a few hours ago he had not shown any such restraint. But then he glanced around the room. A few hours ago they'd been alone, and now there were people milling about. Kate sitting on the edge of his bed, holding his hand, was already an admission of intimacy, but one that could be missed in the chaos and upheaval following the battle. Anything else would be shocking even now.
She looked down at him, seeing the frustration in his eyes. But she knew him well enough to know he would not risk exposing her in that way.
It was up to her to take the initiative, then.
His eyes widened as she leaned down, and he murmured her name, as if to tell her she did not need to do this, but he was also staring at her lips hungrily, as if he could not bear to stop her.
The kiss was slow and sweet and not over-long, but Kate felt a sense of calm steal through her. Marcus had always been worried about the difference in rank between them, that other people would think him unworthy of her, that she herself felt that way. But he was her choice, and now she had just announced that to the world, propriety be damned.
He was flushing as she drew back, though he still held her hand tightly. She watched in amusement as he looked around, probably noting who was watching them. Kate couldn't help her curiosity, and the first person she caught sight of was Elizabeth, who was grinning at her.
The queen swiftly averted her eyes but Kate sighed anyway, knowing she was in for a world of teasing later.
She and Marcus exchanged another smile and Kate wasn't sure she could resist kissing him again, now that the ice had been broken, but she did not get a chance. Someone approached, drawing Kate's attention.
It was Stackhouse. He was still wearing a bloody bandage on his arm. Kate rose, intent on helping him, and Marcus let her go without question, but the lieutenant closed the distance, his expression alarmed. "My lady, Lady Laura is asking for you."
It took a moment for his words and his agitation to register. "Oh my! She is in labor?"
Stackhouse nodded and Kate looked about for Carson. He was not in the room, though. She would need to find him and also speak to Elizabeth.
She looked down at Marcus. He nodded to her in understanding and said, "Go."
She could not help herself. "I will see you later, Captain," she said with a grin, catching up her skirts and going to Elizabeth. "Laura is in labor, my lady."
Elizabeth startled and then sighed in frustration. "Carson will not countenance my climbing the stairs just yet. Go on, and I will join you as soon as I am able."
Kate hesitated. It seemed wrong that Elizabeth would not be there for this, but it was the wicked amusement in her friend's face that made her pause. She leveled at look at Elizabeth. "If you tell Laura before I get a chance to tell her myself, I shall never speak to you again."
Elizabeth laughed outright. "Tell her what?" she asked with false innocence. "Go, Kate. We will save the other news for when Laura and the baby are safe."
That thought sobered them both, and Kate turned away to seek Carson out before she went upstairs to Laura.
*~*~*~*
The frantic pace in the infirmary had only just begun to slow when Kate appeared, searching for him to deliver the news. Carson had to restrain the immediate impulse to rush up the stairs to his wife. There were still patients waiting, many of whom required more than basic care. There were only a handful of physicians present, including the Asgard. No one could be spared.
He still wanted desperately to go.
It was foolish. He would not be able to see Laura for more than a moment at most. All he could do was wait uselessly outside the door, while lives were hanging in the balance down here.
Kate seemed to understand his dilemma. "I know I do not have much experience in these matters, but I understand this could take many more hours."
He nodded. Though childbirth was the province of midwives, he knew first babies especially were a slow process.
Noises came from the doorway. More wounded were coming in; these looked to be from the ships in the harbor. No doubt another wave of severe injuries would arrive with them. There would be much work for the next few hours. Once the worst of the casualties was dealt with, he could go.
Kate squeezed his arm. "Laura will understand."
"Tell her..." His voice failed. He cleared his throat. "Tell her I love her, and that I will be there as soon as I can."
"I will," Kate promised even as she drew back to make room for men bearing a stretcher.
Carson stared at the floor for a moment before giving himself a shake. He trusted Perna and Kate was already going to Laura. Lady Sarah was no doubt still with her. He made a mental note to check on the queen soon. She would want to be there with her friend as well. Meanwhile he had business to attend to.
One of the other doctors was sorting the injuries of the new arrivals, determining who needed the most advanced care, and who was too far gone to be saved. The serious injuries were sent into a side room. The noises of operating were somewhat muffled from the main room that way.
Before he could leave, though, he heard someone saying his name, loudly.
"I want Doctor Beckett to examine me! He's the only one of you sorcerers I trust!"
Carson smothered an inappropriate smile. Rodney McKay was lying on a cot and arguing vociferously with one of the nurses. The woman had her hands on her hips and looked about ready to fight back, but Carson patted her arm. "It's all right. I'll take a look."
"Thank the ancestors! I was afraid one of those grave robber colleagues of yours would decide to operate on me," Rodney said crossly. His regard for the medical arts was notoriously low.
Carson shook his head. "What happened to you, then?"
Rodney pointed to his legs. "The Asgard cannon exploded. I was struck in the legs by the debris."
He frowned, tugging Rodney's boots off. "How'd you get here?"
"We came in the rowboats."
"Aye, but did you have to be carried on a stretcher?"
Rodney squirmed a little. "No."
Carson tugged the legs of Rodney's trousers up. Sure enough, dark bruises were already covering much of his leg. However, there was no bleeding. "So you walked?" he asked, exasperated.
"Well, yes, but there is no telling what damage that flying hunk of metal did," Rodney retorted defensively.
Carson rolled his eyes. If any serious damage had been inflicted, he doubted Rodney would have been able to stand. He straightened up. "I'm sure you're right," he said, with more than a touch of sarcasm. For good measure, he added, "You probably should stay here under observation, in case anything stops working."
"What? Oh." Rodney paled but he also grew more quiet, finally. "All right. I suppose that's for the best."
Carson played along. "Yes, you should lie still and not move too much, just in case."
He turned away, grinning to himself as he moved toward the other room, while behind him he heard Rodney muttering, "Wait, in case of what?"
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
As soon as Kate had left the bedchamber, Elizabeth had drawn the knife she usually kept concealed on her person. It had been a long time since she'd had to use it, but her life had been in danger enough times that she knew that not even the best guards in the world could protect her all the time. It remained in her hand as they bolted down the stairs and heard the thudding of a man running close behind them.
The Wraith grabbed her by the arm and she let out a scream. As she tried to wrench herself away, her knee twisted unnaturally and she tumbled down a few stairs. "Kate, run," she said, while she tried futilely to move away from her attacker. Kate was running back up anyway, but she was knocked aside by the man's other arm and fell against the wall, gasping for air.
The Wraith loomed over Elizabeth, a grotesque smile on his face as he seemed to contemplate what he would do with her. Seizing his moment of hesitation, Elizabeth turned her knife around in her hand and stabbed it into his leg as hard as she could.
He howled in pain and she did it again, but before she could stab a third time, the man suddenly lunged backward. There was a sickening crunch as some unseen force twisted his head and snapped his neck, and then the body was dumped unceremoniously to the other side of the steps, away from her. Elizabeth looked up to see Prince Ronon towering over her. She knew not how the man had known that they were being attacked, but she would be forever grateful to him for this, as well as for the warning he had delivered days ago.
Before she could speak, however, John came into sight and hastened down the stairs to her. "Elizabeth!" he cried. "Are you all right?"
He glanced down at the knife and her dress, both of which were bloody. "John," she breathed, reaching for his face as he crouched down beside her. His lips were upon hers in a moment, even as she was practically lying across the stone steps. She hardly noticed her physical discomfort, though, as he kissed her frantically.
The moment did not last long, as they were both gasping for air. John pulled back, perhaps remembering himself and their surroundings. He looked over his shoulder. "Kate?"
Elizabeth looked at her friend too. She had acted so confidently before, but now she was pale and shaking, leaning on Ronon's arm for support. "Is Marcus..." she said, trailing off.
"I don't know," John replied quickly.
"Kate," Elizabeth said firmly, "I am fine. Please, see to him."
Kate hastened up the stairs, and after a look from John, Ronon followed her. Then Elizabeth was left alone with John on the steps. She attempted to stand but fell back, crying out in pain. "Elizabeth?" he asked, his voice full of worry.
"My knee," she said.
He was tugging her skirts up immediately and without her permission. When her body tensed, John caught her gaze. "You did not object to my undressing you the other day," he reminded her with a wicked look, not stopping what he was doing.
Despite her earlier musings on the subject, Elizabeth blushed this time. "You were a little more persuasive last time," she pointed out, even as he bared her leg above her knee. Her leg was jostled and she gritted her teeth against the pain.
He untied her garter from her thigh and handed it to her. She was distracted, though, by the feeling of his fingers grazing her skin as he pushed her stocking down. John's expression, however, was tense. Elizabeth pushed herself more upright, feeling her arm and back ache from the fall, and he said, "Your knee is already swelling." Then, quite abruptly, he pulled her petticoats and gown back in place, and he stood and lifted her from the ground.
Caught off-guard, she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. He grunted a little and she saw his neck getting red. Then, to her surprise, he went up the stairs. "Why are we not going down?" she asked.
"I'm not carrying you anywhere alone," he said. "You'll be better protected if Ronon is with us."
"From the Wraith or from you?" Elizabeth asked, unable to help herself.
John let out a harsh sigh as they reached the top of the stairs, though his lips twitched. "You will be the death of me, my lady."
*~*~*~*
Kate ran as fast as she could down the corridor and came crashing down to her knees, ignoring the dead Wraith and focusing on Marcus. Now that she could look at him, she saw that his injury had not been as dire as she had thought. The Wraith's knife had struck his shoulder. Much lower and it would have pierced his heart, but she put away such thoughts. He had likely been knocked unconscious when his head hit the floor. Even now he was rousing.
"Marcus?" she said, unable to help the breathless tone of her voice.
His eyes opened a moment later and focused on her. "Kate," he murmured. "Have I died?"
"No," she blurted out in alarm. Then more calmly she repeated, "No. We're both alive. Lord John and Prince Ronon rescued us."
Ronon appeared before her then, holding out old cloths. "I got these from the midwife," he said.
Kate took them gladly and began to bind Marcus' shoulder as best she could. The prince occupied himself with moving the corpses out of the way. "We need to get you to Carson," she said to Marcus as she pressed a folded cloth against the bleeding wound. Her hands were shaking, but it could have been so much worse.
"The queen," Marcus said, gripping her arm tightly with his good hand. "Kate, where is she?"
"John is with her. He will take care of her." Kate glanced up to see that John was carrying Elizabeth toward them. She must have been hurt somehow. "He is bringing her even now," she told Marcus, trying to soothe him.
Suddenly, though, he grasped her fingers, halting her work on his shoulder for a moment. Then he raised his hand to her cheek. "And you're not hurt?"
She shook her head. "I was taking her away, as you asked," she whispered, hoping Elizabeth was not yet close enough to hear.
His thumb brushed over her lips as his hand fell away. "Thank you," he answered in kind. "I knew I could trust you."
With John and Elizabeth upon them, Kate endeavored to focus and finish binding Marcus' shoulder. When she was done, Ronon helped Marcus to stand, but Kate supported him as they began the slow descent to the infirmary. She told herself that it was because Ronon was the best among them to draw a sword if they came upon more Wraith, but in truth it was because she could not bring herself to leave his side just yet.
Now, of all moments, she knew what Marcus had meant earlier. And despite their history and all her worries and fears, Kate knew without the shadow of a doubt that she still loved him too.
*~*~*~*
The defenses had become disorganized and this third assault resulted in chaos. Teyla faced whatever direction was necessary, and chased a target across the sand and to the foot of the embankment before bringing him down. She was not the only one. Several men, some Athosian and some not, were stretched across the space, fighting around the pits and the bodies haphazardly.
Frustrated, she climbed the embankment. Portions of it had collapsed due to the fire, but one part in the middle was still fairly solid, and she was able to gain the top and plant her feet safely. She looked back up toward the castle. The archers had all but ceased to fire, as friend and foe were too tightly intermingled. But she could see the fighting was reduced to pockets rather than being as widespread as before.
Below her, at the shore, were nothing but Wraith bodies. No more troops waited to pounce upon them. Hopefully the end was in sight.
From her position she could see more clearly across the water. Out on the open sea, fog was beginning to roll in, though it had not yet reached the sheltered harbor. The Aurora was easiest to pick out, due to her size. Teyla could see through the dim lights that the ship was damaged but not too badly. Scattered around her were burning and sinking ships, mostly Wraith. Teyla could also make out two smaller vessels heading toward the shipyards rapidly. From the position of the lights and their size, she thought them to be two of the new Atalanian ships. They were perhaps intending to land and send the infantry they carried to support defense of the palace.
She turned and looked to the shipyard and froze in horror. A party of Wraith bearing torches were already there, and she could see they were getting into row boats even as they set fire to the docks. There was no hope of closing the distance to stop them - they would be at sea long before she could rally soldiers to give chase, and the burning wood of the shipyards would protect them from any attack coming from the shore.
In the earliest conversations about defending the island, everyone had swiftly agreed the shipyards would be lost. They had not the men to protect both the yards and the palace. Anything useful had been removed and the area left at the mercy of the Wraith. Teyla gathered from the boats moored there that the Wraith had used the docks against Atlantis rather than simply burning them at the outset.
The flames ate up the old wood quickly, lighting the murky night as the scaffolds burned and began to collapse. Teyla felt despair begin to sink in, not over the shipyards but the escaping Wraith. The scum were close to the shoreline and, in the small boats, would be able to slip through the darkness and use the cover of fog to land.
Athos had only a few protectors left behind tonight. Most of the men were here on the island, and there was no time to reach home, no way to send warning. The ancestors only knew what bloody vengeance the Wraith might wreak on the helpless village in retribution for their failure here.
Her hand clenched restlessly around the hilt of her sword, trying futilely to find a way to stop the inevitable, but the Wraith boats were already fading from view. The two ships crossing the harbor would not reach the docks in time to spot them. Teyla had never felt so powerless.
A light sparked on the water, out past the Wraith ships. For a moment she thought it a signal from the mainland, then more lights appeared. The tiny flames flew through the darkness, raining down on the rowboats, which were hemmed in by the ice.
Brighter lights began to burn and follow the same path and Teyla strained her eyes until abruptly the shape of a ship emerged from the gloom.
It was the Queen Margaret. The small vessel must have been lurking in the shadows, unseen by the Wraith. She sailed forward, using arrows and what were probably the few remaining fire pots to attack the vulnerable rowboats without mercy. Teyla thought the men must be throwing daggers as well, for there were still shouts after the flaming arrows and fire pots had ceased to fly.
In a few minutes, it was over. The boats sank and the men who had been in them vanished into the icy water. The Margaret swung about, avoiding a large iceberg and heading for the Aurora. Teyla sheathed the dagger she still held and scrambled back down the embankment to return to the gates.
*~*~*~*
When there were finally no more Wraith charging at him, Jack nearly doubled over, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Beyond the embankment the shipyards were ablaze. Some of the Wraith had no doubt fled to the boats, and with the fog rolling in they would be hard to find. There was also no telling how many were still lurking on the shore in the dark remaining before dawn. And Daniel was still nowhere to be seen.
Jack was still standing thus when Teyla appeared before him. "My lord."
He tilted his head to look at her. She had blood all down one side of her face. "What is it?"
"The Margaret took out the escaping Wraith," she said. "She was waiting for them. Pendergast must have seen how many were in the second attack."
Jack nodded and straightened himself. At the least they did not need to fear another wave of attackers formed from the surviving Wraith. The defense lines had been reformed to stand guard for now, so he could turn his attention to other problems. "Have you seen Daniel?"
Teyla frowned for a moment before her eyes widened as she realized his meaning. "Not since a few minutes before the second assault," she said. "I thought he was coming back here."
Quickly they split up and asked the officers remaining nearby if any of them had seen Daniel, though most of them were occupied with making sure that there were no Wraith left alive on the island. Between them, they ascertained that no one had seen Daniel since shortly after the fighting resumed. Jack swallowed hard as he remembered another time his friend had gone missing at the end of battle. That time, he had found Daniel tucked away in the tent of his rescuer, a young and beautiful captive of the Goa'uld who in a matter of days would be Daniel's wife.
Wryly, Jack thought to himself that there was little chance of a reprise of those events.
Still, when he looked apprehensively to the bodies on the field of battle, Teyla turned his attention away. "If he is not here, then perhaps he was hurt," she pointed out gently. "We should look among the injured before we look among the dead."
He nodded and followed her, although every moment of not knowing was bringing him closer and closer to panic. It seemed insane that Daniel could simply disappear like this. If he had fallen, then surely someone would have seen. It did not make sense that he could be dead without anyone knowing, but where in the world was he if he was alive?
The infirmary was a nightmare. Nearly every inch of ground was covered with cots and pallets, wounded men everywhere. The healers and nurses were clearly overwhelmed and the noise and smell were overpowering. Upon seeing Jack and Teyla enter, one of the physicians stood up and came to the entrance, wiping blood from his hands. "Can I help you?" he asked of them, his eyes going to Teyla's face.
"We can't find Lord Daniel," Teyla said. "Has he been here?"
The man gestured to the other room. "He came in with Peter Grodin a little while ago." Gathering they were not in need of his skills, the doctor left without another word, going back to his work.
Jack pushed through the crowd of people until he gained the doorway to the small room. What he saw was not at all what he expected, and he stopped short, Teyla crashing into him. He thought about apologizing to her, but she stepped around him without a word.
Jack had thought that Peter had brought Daniel. The opposite was the case. Daniel was holding onto the younger man's arm and shoulder while Carson Beckett was doing something to Peter's other side. As they watched, Peter cried out in pain and then his head rolled to the side. He had lost consciousness.
Carson waved Daniel off absently, still intent on his patient. Daniel looked up at Jack and Teyla in surprise. "What's going on?"
"We were going to ask you the same," Teyla said lowly, recovering more swiftly than Jack. "We were starting to worry that you were injured."
She left unspoken the fear that he was dead, but Jack shook himself, even as relief flooded him. "What happened?"
"Peter was stabbed in the chest," Daniel explained. "I was north of Teyla's position when the Wraith came over the embankment again. I found him not long after he was wounded and brought him here."
It was obvious Daniel was deeply worried. "How bad is it?" Jack asked.
Daniel's face was bleak. "Bad. Beckett isn't sure he'll live."
They were in the way crowded around the door and the small surgery was a grim sight, so Jack, Daniel, and Teyla retreated to a corner. Jack was about to suggest the young woman have one of the healers look at the injury to her head when there was a general commotion at the entrance and he turned around. Another party was coming into the room. Lord John was carrying Elizabeth through the door, and behind them, Kate was supporting Lorne, who was covered in blood. Prince Ronon paused just outside and watched silently.
Jack, Daniel, and Teyla all hastened through the crowd to get to the queen. "What happened?" Jack demanded.
"A handful of Wraith got inside," John explained. "They made their way up to the royal chambers."
A number of gasps went up, but Jack pressed for more information. "My wife and the others -"
"They're fine, Jack," Elizabeth replied. "The Wraith never got out of the corridor."
"Then how-" Daniel began, but Lorne answered the question before it was asked.
"Kate was getting her out after I was injured," the guard said. "I had men stationed in the grotto with a boat as a last resort for the queen."
"You had what?" Elizabeth demanded angrily of the captain, straining to look over John's shoulder.
"Now is not the time, Elizabeth," Kate answered through gritted teeth.
They found a place for Marcus swiftly, among some of the other guards who had been wounded. The man did not seem to be gravely injured, but Kate stayed with him. Elizabeth, on the other hand, insisted that she was not bleeding and therefore would not take a bed away from any man who was. Eventually, Teyla turned over an empty crate and John helped her sit.
Carson arrived a moment later, and Jack and Daniel both turned away while the doctor examined her leg. "It's only sprained," he announced, much to everyone's relief. "Some ice will bring down the swelling."
He hesitated and glanced at Daniel before adding, "My lady, Peter Grodin has been badly injured."
Elizabeth looked stricken, but she immediately realized the implication. "Go."
Carson nodded and headed back to the other room without further discussion. Teyla went for the ice without being asked, and she returned with that and a blanket, helping Elizabeth settle the ice on her swollen knee and covering her with the blanket. Elizabeth gathered herself and looked up at Daniel and Jack. "Why are you not outside?" she asked.
Finally Jack remembered how little news she and her ladies had been getting. "Majesty," he said, "the battle is over. It will be a little while before we know what has happened in the harbor, but we have beaten them back. Even those trying to escape back to their ships could not make it very far."
Elizabeth looked up at them in shock. Jack could see she had a hundred questions to ask and no idea which to ask first. Finally, tears sprang up in her eyes and she covered her mouth with her fingers, obviously overcome.
Her betrothed knelt beside her a moment later, taking her in his arms as she wept. Teyla turned away and he and Daniel followed. There were many more witnesses to Elizabeth's relief and joy, but they did not need to intrude.
They headed back outside, but on the way, Jack said, "I was worried."
"I am sorry," Daniel replied. "I could not get back before the Wraith attacked, so I fought where I was. It is lucky I did so, or Peter might not have been brought in so swiftly."
Jack could only nod. Many lives had been lost this night. They could only hope the brave young man would not join them.
In the meantime, the thought that some of the Wraith had been mere feet from Sarah spurred his next action. "We should search the towers, ensure no more surprises are waiting upstairs." Daniel nodded wearily, and after Teyla volunteered to oversee things at the gates, they began to climb the stairs to the top of the queen's tower.
*~*~*~*
When Elizabeth could think beyond her immense relief, she drew back a little from John. He loosened his grip on her reluctantly, though he was still touching her. His hand cupped her cheek and he leaned forward as though to kiss her, but she turned away from him slightly. "John, not in front of so many," she whispered. When she chanced a look at his face, she saw hurt and frustration. "I'm sorry. It is not from lack of wanting."
"I know," he said, clasping her hand and kissing it. "But I will be glad when the day comes that I may kiss you without worrying about who might see."
Elizabeth nodded, and she tugged his gloves off, wanting to feel his fingers interlaced with hers. But the act reminded him of something else. With some difficulty, he untied the ribbon she had tied around his wrist hours ago. Unbound, her braid had long since fallen, but he kissed the ribbon and loosely fastened it around Elizabeth's wrist before bringing her fingers to his lips. The gesture was almost unbearably intimate, and Elizabeth could not hold in a tiny whimper.
When their eyes met again, she had enormous difficulty restraining her own desire to kiss him deeply and wildly. Finally she realized that there was no way she could stay with him in this moment and maintain the reserve that protocol demanded. "John, will you do something for me?" she asked.
"Anything," he replied, in a murmur that made her want to ask a great deal of him.
After trying to compose herself for a moment, she grasped both his hands. "Go back to my chambers," she said. "Tell Laura and Lady Sarah and Mistress Perna what has transpired. I know they must be desperate for news."
He nodded swiftly, seeming to understand that she was not trying to get him out of her way, but give him something to do. John had never been easy with idleness. After kissing her cheek, he departed from her, leaving her in relative peace for a moment. She leaned her head back against the wall behind her and let out a long sigh.
"Your Majesty?" said a nervous-sounding man to her left. Elizabeth looked to see that the soldier next to her was frowning. He had a bandage around his head. "Forgive my impertinence, but is there something I can do to make you more comfortable?"
Elizabeth did not answer him right away, her thoughts lingering on Peter. She did not even know how badly he was injured. "What is your name?"
"Gabriel, my lady. Gabriel of Ramshead Harbor."
"I thank you for your concern, Master Gabriel," she replied, though she should not have been so informal with him. "But I would not have you trouble yourself when you have been wounded."
He looked dubious, but nodded. Another thought came to Elizabeth's mind and she spoke it without giving any real consideration. "You might tell me of what happened out there," she said gently. "I have heard few details since the first wave was beaten back."
That request surprised the soldier, but it seemed to be what the man needed. Soon he was pouring forth everything he had seen and done, and he was not the last man around her to share a story.
Despite the throbbing in her knee, Elizabeth was grateful beyond measure to be here, to be able to hear these soldiers when the battle was still fresh in their memories. This was an opportunity she never would have dreamed of having in any other circumstance. Their blood had been spilt in defense of the city, and right now, Elizabeth could think of no better way to honor their efforts than to listen.
*~*~*~*
It was only when John exited the storerooms that he realized how warm it was in there. In the corridors, where there were few people, the early morning air was chilly and a little damp. Jack, he was told when he stopped one of the archers who was walking past, had ordered a search of the island and the palace. John thought for a moment to join them, before remembering that Elizabeth had given him a task. He headed to the royal chambers, stopping only long enough to divest himself of his armor and chain mail. He kept his sword, however, knowing that if one small group of Wraith had made its way into the palace, it was not beyond the scope of possibility that more had.
He would be glad when the sun came up in a few hours. The fog would burn away and they would know for certain that the battle was over and their attackers were all dead.
Ignoring the weariness in his body, John dragged himself up the rest of the stairs. Stackhouse was standing alone at the door to the queen's chambers. The bandage on his arm was bloody. "Is everything well?" John asked of him.
The guard nodded. "All's quiet."
Then suddenly there was a sharp cry from inside the room contradicting his words. John charged past the alarmed Stackhouse and headed straight into the room opposite Elizabeth's bedchamber. "What is-" he began, before taking in the sight before him.
Laura, dressed in a nightgown, was standing and gripping Lady Sarah's arm, her face contorted in pain.
The midwife herded him and Stackhouse back out of the room and held the door closed behind her. "When did she go into labor?" John demanded.
"A few hours ago," Perna admitted. "But the first few hours are almost always uneventful with first babies."
John looked at Stackhouse. "Is that how you didn't notice anything was going on?"
The guard shrugged, but John decided to focus on something else. "Let them know the battle is over, and Elizabeth and Kate are safe," he said to Perna. The woman nodded and headed back into the room. "Stackhouse, go down to the infirmary. Get someone to see to your arm, and tell the queen and Lady Katherine of this development."
The man was fairly weaving on his feet, something John could sympathize with, but he did not abandon his post so easily. "You will stay here, then, my lord?" he asked.
John nodded. "At some point the queen will want to join Lady Laura, though, and by then we should have a more formal guard in place. I understand there were men stationed below the palace with a boat?"
Stackhouse looked surprised that John knew of that, but he nodded swiftly. "I imagine they are the least tired of all of us."
"That is exactly my thought," John said. "Speak to Captain Lorne, but I suspect he will send them here when the queen comes."
The young man headed away, and John took his place, standing at the door and watching. This was not how he had imagined the battle would end for him, but he would do whatever he could while he still had the strength to stand.
*~*~*~*
After helping one of the Asgard clean and dress Marcus' injury, Kate left him to rest for a few minutes while she checked on Elizabeth, who was now sitting alone in the corner. But the queen assured Kate she was well enough and waved her back to Marcus, so Kate returned to his bedside. He seemed to have fallen asleep, for as she approached his eyes remained closed.
Even asleep, the look of worry that had been upon his face since Elizabeth's trip to Athos was still there. Kate touched his cheek gently. She knew he blamed himself for what had happened to Elizabeth. In truth Kate felt the same way. They were lucky that the Wraith had not hurt Elizabeth more, but she could not shake the feeling that she could have done something else to prevent the scene on the stairwell. Even if she had gone there at Marcus' specific request.
The wound to his shoulder was no longer bleeding, but the memory of seeing the knife plunge into his chest still made her wince.
Her gaze traveled down his body, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. She had seen him wearing this little before, but not in a long, long time. Her cheeks flushed with the recollection of that night. Her hand fell to his chest, but then she glanced at his stomach and her breath caught.
There was a time before Athos when she had stayed at his side, wiping the fever sweat from his face and tending wounds that should have killed him, when Elizabeth had been attacked. Her feelings for him had been the confused jumble of a young girl who'd had her first kiss but not her first love.
Kate let her fingers trace the old scars on his stomach. The certainty that had come to her earlier had not faded, but feelings were not always enough. The obstacles that had always existed were still between them, along with their past mistakes. She could see they were falling into the same pattern from before, and she wondered if it was possible for things to go differently this time.
She heard the shift in his breathing but didn't look up. She couldn't move, even when his hand covered hers. Marcus didn't try to remove it, though. He simply held her hand against his stomach, rubbing his thumb across her fingers. Kate had to swallow hard to keep silent.
There were others in the room, and she had no idea how many of them were awake, who could be watching them. But then his hand squeezed hers and Kate looked up. The expression in his eyes was one she didn't remember seeing from him in a long, long time. He looked hopeful.
"Kate," he whispered, his voice rough. He tried to reach for her and grunted in pain. Apparently he'd forgotten his shoulder for a moment. She pushed his hand firmly back down onto the cot, which drew his attention to the fact that his upper body was still bare.
"We have to stop meeting like this," he murmured ruefully, and Kate laughed softly. He smiled too and cupped her cheek with his other hand.
Something within her melted at his touch and she leaned into his hand and closed her eyes. "I missed you," she told him in a voice intended only for his ears. "I've seen you every day for months but I have missed you."
Marcus went very still, and she could not help notice that he drew in a deep breath. "You know I still love you," he said very lowly. "I know I didn't say it when I should have, but... I think I love you more now than I did then."
Her heart began to pound even harder at that confession, but she could not answer him right away. "Marcus," she whispered, "can this end in any other way? We are the same people -"
"I am not," he told her, with the same quiet conviction. "I have learned what it is to face the rest of my life without you. I would do anything to escape that fate." He licked his lips and grasped her hand again. "I cannot promise you I will never do anything to anger you again, Kate, but I will never leave you in doubt of my feelings or my loyalty again, if you will just give me the chance."
Kate was so shocked by this that she could only stare at him with wide eyes for several moments. It felt as though she could finally breathe freely and deeply again. So much pain and regret and doubt were lifted from her mind that she began to cry.
"Kate," he said, pulling her closer and looking distressed, "Kate, don't cry. Sweetheart, please."
She swallowed hard and began to gather her composure again. "I thought I'd lost you for good."
"And I thought I'd given you up forever," Marcus replied, his voice nervous. "Tell me I am not too late."
She shook her head. "My heart is yours."
They looked at each other for a long moment in silence, then he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it lingeringly. Kate was a little surprised, given that just a few hours ago he had not shown any such restraint. But then he glanced around the room. A few hours ago they'd been alone, and now there were people milling about. Kate sitting on the edge of his bed, holding his hand, was already an admission of intimacy, but one that could be missed in the chaos and upheaval following the battle. Anything else would be shocking even now.
She looked down at him, seeing the frustration in his eyes. But she knew him well enough to know he would not risk exposing her in that way.
It was up to her to take the initiative, then.
His eyes widened as she leaned down, and he murmured her name, as if to tell her she did not need to do this, but he was also staring at her lips hungrily, as if he could not bear to stop her.
The kiss was slow and sweet and not over-long, but Kate felt a sense of calm steal through her. Marcus had always been worried about the difference in rank between them, that other people would think him unworthy of her, that she herself felt that way. But he was her choice, and now she had just announced that to the world, propriety be damned.
He was flushing as she drew back, though he still held her hand tightly. She watched in amusement as he looked around, probably noting who was watching them. Kate couldn't help her curiosity, and the first person she caught sight of was Elizabeth, who was grinning at her.
The queen swiftly averted her eyes but Kate sighed anyway, knowing she was in for a world of teasing later.
She and Marcus exchanged another smile and Kate wasn't sure she could resist kissing him again, now that the ice had been broken, but she did not get a chance. Someone approached, drawing Kate's attention.
It was Stackhouse. He was still wearing a bloody bandage on his arm. Kate rose, intent on helping him, and Marcus let her go without question, but the lieutenant closed the distance, his expression alarmed. "My lady, Lady Laura is asking for you."
It took a moment for his words and his agitation to register. "Oh my! She is in labor?"
Stackhouse nodded and Kate looked about for Carson. He was not in the room, though. She would need to find him and also speak to Elizabeth.
She looked down at Marcus. He nodded to her in understanding and said, "Go."
She could not help herself. "I will see you later, Captain," she said with a grin, catching up her skirts and going to Elizabeth. "Laura is in labor, my lady."
Elizabeth startled and then sighed in frustration. "Carson will not countenance my climbing the stairs just yet. Go on, and I will join you as soon as I am able."
Kate hesitated. It seemed wrong that Elizabeth would not be there for this, but it was the wicked amusement in her friend's face that made her pause. She leveled at look at Elizabeth. "If you tell Laura before I get a chance to tell her myself, I shall never speak to you again."
Elizabeth laughed outright. "Tell her what?" she asked with false innocence. "Go, Kate. We will save the other news for when Laura and the baby are safe."
That thought sobered them both, and Kate turned away to seek Carson out before she went upstairs to Laura.
*~*~*~*
The frantic pace in the infirmary had only just begun to slow when Kate appeared, searching for him to deliver the news. Carson had to restrain the immediate impulse to rush up the stairs to his wife. There were still patients waiting, many of whom required more than basic care. There were only a handful of physicians present, including the Asgard. No one could be spared.
He still wanted desperately to go.
It was foolish. He would not be able to see Laura for more than a moment at most. All he could do was wait uselessly outside the door, while lives were hanging in the balance down here.
Kate seemed to understand his dilemma. "I know I do not have much experience in these matters, but I understand this could take many more hours."
He nodded. Though childbirth was the province of midwives, he knew first babies especially were a slow process.
Noises came from the doorway. More wounded were coming in; these looked to be from the ships in the harbor. No doubt another wave of severe injuries would arrive with them. There would be much work for the next few hours. Once the worst of the casualties was dealt with, he could go.
Kate squeezed his arm. "Laura will understand."
"Tell her..." His voice failed. He cleared his throat. "Tell her I love her, and that I will be there as soon as I can."
"I will," Kate promised even as she drew back to make room for men bearing a stretcher.
Carson stared at the floor for a moment before giving himself a shake. He trusted Perna and Kate was already going to Laura. Lady Sarah was no doubt still with her. He made a mental note to check on the queen soon. She would want to be there with her friend as well. Meanwhile he had business to attend to.
One of the other doctors was sorting the injuries of the new arrivals, determining who needed the most advanced care, and who was too far gone to be saved. The serious injuries were sent into a side room. The noises of operating were somewhat muffled from the main room that way.
Before he could leave, though, he heard someone saying his name, loudly.
"I want Doctor Beckett to examine me! He's the only one of you sorcerers I trust!"
Carson smothered an inappropriate smile. Rodney McKay was lying on a cot and arguing vociferously with one of the nurses. The woman had her hands on her hips and looked about ready to fight back, but Carson patted her arm. "It's all right. I'll take a look."
"Thank the ancestors! I was afraid one of those grave robber colleagues of yours would decide to operate on me," Rodney said crossly. His regard for the medical arts was notoriously low.
Carson shook his head. "What happened to you, then?"
Rodney pointed to his legs. "The Asgard cannon exploded. I was struck in the legs by the debris."
He frowned, tugging Rodney's boots off. "How'd you get here?"
"We came in the rowboats."
"Aye, but did you have to be carried on a stretcher?"
Rodney squirmed a little. "No."
Carson tugged the legs of Rodney's trousers up. Sure enough, dark bruises were already covering much of his leg. However, there was no bleeding. "So you walked?" he asked, exasperated.
"Well, yes, but there is no telling what damage that flying hunk of metal did," Rodney retorted defensively.
Carson rolled his eyes. If any serious damage had been inflicted, he doubted Rodney would have been able to stand. He straightened up. "I'm sure you're right," he said, with more than a touch of sarcasm. For good measure, he added, "You probably should stay here under observation, in case anything stops working."
"What? Oh." Rodney paled but he also grew more quiet, finally. "All right. I suppose that's for the best."
Carson played along. "Yes, you should lie still and not move too much, just in case."
He turned away, grinning to himself as he moved toward the other room, while behind him he heard Rodney muttering, "Wait, in case of what?"