Stargate Atlantis: I'm Alive

Chapter 7: To Sit Vigil

It did not take nearly as long to get home as it had been heading out, they were all able to feel as Malco began to lose altitude. Forrest still holding Dazar close to her body, able to just barely feel his breath as she looked down. Able to see the top of the university dome. "Okay guys, you are going to want to get off as quickly as possible." She called back, John sitting just behind her with Rodney and Ronon back on the shoulders. "Why is that?" John curious, as the ground got closer and closer "Because Malco is not going to be in the best of moods." There was no response, as she shifted in the saddle gently taking hold of Dazar with one arm. *we are coming in now Cas, be ready.*

The pair was already below in the main hall. Castiel able to hear Malco's wing beats as he got closer. *we are ready as we can be.* he responded as he quickly wrote on the whiteboard. 'They are almost here, be ready." Carson nodding as he looked at the small arsenal they had to manage to round up and have ready. He had no idea what he was about to get himself involved in, but they saved his life, seemed only fair to try and return the favor.

Malco dropped into the hall, no gliding in as his large paws hit the floor. Forrest pretty much half shoving John out of the saddle as she slid down with Dazar in her arms. There was already a deep rumble from Malco, as the remaining two people worked quickly to get off as the dragon below them moved around. Forrest looked at the blood-eyed dragon, as he let out a loud roar. Causing most everyone to scatter away. "Castiel hold him back!" She commanded as she ran past her partner, setting Dazar down on the cleaned off floor. "Good job you two cleaning this up for me." She said looking to Carson who had knelt next to her. "How can I help?" She looked at him, then back over to see Castiel grown to full size. Keeping himself between Malco and Dazar. "I am gunna need you to hand me things. I will say sorry now I am not used to working with another human." She explained as she looked at Dazar. " Dazar, I need you to grow big, like Castiel normally is in here if you can. I can't get my hands to fit where you are hurt." There was a pause, but slowly the dragon grew to the size Castiel normally kept himself. "That's it, we've got you."

She quickly grabbed a pair of hemostats, now able to see the giant gaping hole in the ribcage of the dragon. "This is not good.." muttering as Carson looked over her shoulders as she worked. The light tan clothes she had been wearing now blood-soaked as she stuck her hands inside the dragon. "One of the main arteries has been severed, he has lost a lot of blood, but I may be able to stop that." She said as she felt the blood pooling on her knees. Using only touch, she found the broken vein, and quickly snapped the hemostats together on it. Pulling her arms out, she looked at Carson, "There should be a small set of what look like pliers, but they have some switches on them. Turn them on to four and tell me when they have a green light." She said looking at Dazar, his breathing getting shallower. Carson did as told, able to figure out quickly what tools she had been talking about. "They are ready." He said quickly handing them to her.

"Seems like one of his flight bladders has been ripped as well." She explained as she once again began to work inside the dragon. "I can cauterize the veins, then work at meshing the bladder back together. There may be some dama-" she stopped, freezing in place. She felt it, his body no longer rising and falling with each breath. "No.," she said as she quickly began to try and feel for any sign of the dragon breathing. But instead, she felt it against her hands. Dazar's heartbeat one last time before falling still. She sat frozen once more, eyes down looking at her reflection in his black scales as she realized she could do no more. The heartwrenching realization that she had started too late. There had been too much blood loss; they had just not been able to fly fast enough. "Forrest?" Carson's unique voice snapping her out of her trance. She leaned back on her heels, pulling her hands from Dazar. She looked at Carson, then able to see the other three men watching closely "He.. he's gone." She choked out trying to keep her composure, her head dropping as she looked down at the pool of blood on the floor. "He.. he lost too much blood I was too late." She closed her eyes, as a loud wail filled the air. Behind them, Malco had shrunk down, along with Castiel. The other male dragon bounding over to his brother, the low whines, chrips, and calls filling the room as he gently pressed his head to his brother's.