Reprogrammed
So it's been forever since I posted 'The Program' and I've still yet to finish the sequel, and probably wont for a while, as I've made other commitments in terms of writing, and have work and uni as well. But I thought I would start posting it anyway.
Title: The Program
Rating: All
Character: McKay, Sheppard
Category: General, Action Adventure maybe? Intrigue? Mystery? Oh no, suspense, that fits!
Summary: Meet Doctor Rodney McKay M.D. & Detective John Sheppard. Sheppard ends up in hospital from a gunshot wound on a failed raid with colleagues Lorne&Dex & finds himself under Dr. McKay's care. Both are experiencing strange flashbacks & memories. Not AU
And now for the sequel....
Title: Reprogrammed
Rating: All
Character: McKay, Sheppard
Category: General, Angst, Friendship
Summary: Having returned from Lorania and released from Duyell's machine, Sheppard and McKay should be recovering nicely, shouldn't they? Apparently not, and the promised help to correct the reprogramming the machine did is no where to be seen. How will Rodney and John deal with the basic changes in their personalities? Will the effects of the change be more harmful than they initially suspected?
* * *
It was only in the infirmary, the day after they had returned, that Elizabeth began to notice the changes.
It was in the way Rodney sat casually on one of the beds, showing no outward concern, when he should have been talking a mile a minute as he panicked about possible brain damage.
It was there in how John let a hint of his anxiety slip into his expression, and how he sat on the edge of the bed, body tense and nervous.
It was then that she wondered how on earth she’d missed it when they’d returned the day before.
Elizabeth took a steady step into the infirmary which was completely at odds with how she felt. "So what did you find?" she asked Beckett as she walked over to them, file folder in hand. He hesitated, glancing at Sheppard and then McKay. Beckett had obviously noticed the difference too.
"Nothing," he answered.
"Nothing?" Rodney asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Nothing at all," Beckett replied, letting his frustration creep into his tone.
"How can you not have found anything?" Sheppard asked in disbelief. "He rearranged our brains!" he exclaimed.
"John," Elizabeth said placatingly, disquieted by the fact she was having to use that tone with him.
"Sorry," he muttered. "It’s just…it feels…"
"Wrong," Rodney finished for him. "Definitely wrong." Sheppard nodded in agreement.
"Well I’m sorry, but I can’t find anything physically wrong with you," Beckett said apologetically.
"That isn’t good enough," John said lowly.
"We’ve solved the nature versus nurture argument at least," Rodney shrugged. "If that’s any consolation."
"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked as Sheppard glared at him.
"Well it would seem personality has no root in biology if ours have been changed and there’s no biological difference," he explained.
"That’s fantastic Rodney, that’ll help me sleep at night," Sheppard muttered.
"I’m sorry, I don’t know what else I can do for you," Beckett said remorsefully.
"Don’t worry Carson, you’ve done all you can," Rodney said to Beckett, with a reassuring pat to his shoulder. "Does this mean we’re free to go?"
"I don’t see why not," Beckett said with a sigh. "But I want you back every six hours," he added.
"O-kay then," he said with a smile. "I’ll be in the labs if anyone needs me," he said before hopping off the bed and walking out of the infirmary. Sheppard watched him go with a frown.
"What?" Elizabeth asked.
"Nothing," Sheppard replied dismissively. "See you in six hours Carson," he said before leaving.
"What do we do now?" Elizabeth asked once he was out of earshot.
"I’ve no idea," Beckett answered.
* * *
Elizabeth looked up at the tentative knock on her office door.
"Doctor Zelenka," she smiled. "Something I can do for you?"
Radek bit his lip before nodding and taking a step inside. She looked at him expectantly but he glanced meaningfully at the open door.
"Something on your mind?" she asked, once she had closed the door.
"Yes," he took a breath. "Is concerning recent mission," he paused again. "Rodney is being quiet," he blurted.
Elizabeth smiled reassuringly, trying to assuage Radek’s concerns, "I doubt-"
"And patient, and polite, and nice!" he exclaimed. "It is not right, is not natural. And is making science staff uncomfortable," he finished.
"We are doing everything we-"
"Sorry, but Rodney says the tests found nothing. He seemed unconcerned. It’s not normal!" he protested. "What is it that is being done?" he questioned.
"We have people going through the archives. And as soon as we can be certain the Wraith have abandoned we will return to Lorania to investigate further," she explained.
"The device was destroyed, and it could take years to go through Atlantis’ database, if there’s anything there at all.!"
"What’s your point Doctor?" she snapped. She waited before adding, "It’s all we’ve got right now. If you come up with any better ideas, let me know."
* * *
"Christ Rodney, what’s wrong with you?!"
Rodney looked up from his laptop and raised an eyebrow at Sheppard.
"Colonel," he greeted him.
"No, seriously, can you explain to me what the hell it is that you’re doing?" he demanded.
"Well, at the moment," he span the laptop round, "I’m playing solitaire."
"Rodney," Sheppard growled.
"If I knew what was wrong with me Sheppard, I’d let you know, not to mention Beckett, so that we could get it fixed, but as it is-"
"You’ve given up caring," Sheppard accused.
"I’m just getting on with things Colonel!" he exclaimed. "What else is there to do?"
"I don’t know Rodney," Sheppard said angrily, stalking towards the bench Rodney was seated at. "But you’re the resident genius around here! You should be doing something!"
"And what exactly am I supposed to do Colonel?!" Rodney demanded.
"Freak out, at the very least!" Sheppard shouted.
"Oh so that’s your problem, you don’t like the fact that - God forbid - you’re letting everyone see how you feel. Jesus Sheppard, welcome to the human fucking race!" he shouted. Sheppard spluttered for a minute before taking a step back. Rodney smirked at his retreat, and before he had a chance to blink Sheppard’s fist collided with his face.
* * *
"I can’t believe we’re actually sneaking into the infirmary, this is ridiculous," Rodney muttered as he kept watch; his fingers still pinching his nose to halt the steady trickle of blood that had resulted from his the collision between his nose and Sheppard's fist.
"Shut up," Sheppard hissed from inside the supply cupboard.
"I don’t know why I’m even helping you, you hit me!"
"Only because you made me touch that stupid machine on Lorania, which gave me a personality transplant," he muttered angrily as he shoved some cotton wool and pain killers into Rodney’s free hand.
"What’s this for?" he asked, holding up the cotton wool.
"You’ve got a split lip," he muttered, before heading towards another area of the infirmary.
"Where are you-?"
"Ice pack," he answered as he rooted around for one, eventually giving up and grabbing some cloth before rooting around the freezer to get some ice.
"That’s gonna leave some bruise huh?" Rodney asked when he returned. Sheppard glared as he put the make shift ice pack over his own eye.
PART 2