Fic: "Finding Balance" by kyrdwyn [John Sheppard/Carson Beckett, R]
1. Allergic Reaction
2. Amputation
"Finding Balance"-R
3. Broken Bone
4. Bruises
"Every Quiet Moment"-PG
5. Cancer
"At Any Cost" PG
6. Cold/flu/fever
"Fever" - PG (Sheppard/Beckett UST)
[Sequel to "Lucy",followed by "Match"]
7. Concussion
"Head Trauma and Halos"-R
8. Crushing Injury
9. Drowning
10. Electric Shock
11. Frostbite/hypothermia
"Cold Warmth"-R
12. Heat exhaustion/stroke
13. Infection
"Convergence"- R
14. Minor annoyances - papercut, hangnail,
stubbed toe, motion sickness
15. Neurological disorder - epilepsy, spinal cord
damage, stroke, migraines,
clinical depression...
16. Puncture/Laceration - bullet wounds,
stabbing, impalement
17. Psychological trauma
18. Sensory loss/impairment
19. Skin disorders - boils, pox, rash, poison ivy...
20. Sleep disorders - sleep dep, narcolepsy,
jet lag, snoring
"Waking Nightmare"-PG
21. Sprained or Strained muscle
22. Surgery (routine) - tonsils, appendix,
plastic surgery
23. Writer's Choice
"Home Treatment" - PG [Burn]
24. Writer's Choice
Title: Finding Balance
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: R
Pairing/Claim: John Sheppard/Carson Beckett
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
2dozenowies prompt: 2. Amputation
Beta: rosewildeirish gave it a quick lookover, mistakes are mine.
Spoilers: All 6 Star Wars movies.
Summary: It still bothered him, even if it didn't bother anyone else.
He'd never wanted to be Luke Skywalker.
Sure, Luke had the Jedi thing going for him, and the X-wing fighter. But Han had the Millennium Falcon, the cool co-pilot, the cocky smirk, and - let's face it - he saved the day *and* got the girl.
Yeah, Han was definitely the guy to be.
Sighing, John shifted in bed, feeling Carson curl up against his back. He had to smile a bit - he'd gotten the guy instead of the girl. Then Carson's hand slid around to twine with John's right hand, and the smile faded.
Sure, it felt like real skin and bone, and looked like it, but John knew it wasn't real. It wasn't the hand he'd been born with, wasn't the hand he'd flown choppers with and shot weapons with, and made love to Carson with. Like Luke Skywalker, his right hand was artificial, fake. It wasn't the end of his career - how would the Air Force explain the technology behind his new hand? - but he still knew what happened. It still bothered him, even if it didn't bother anyone else.
He gently squeezed his fingers around Carson's, and Carson moved closer to him. John had perfect control over this hand, the same as his natural one. Better control, really. Being mechanical, it was a bit stronger than his natural one. Even the Asgard couldn't build that out of their technology. John had to admit it was generous of them to give him the artificial hand, since he'd lost his natural one while rescuing Hermiod.
John closed his eyes and basked in Carson's warmth. Maybe he wasn't Han Solo anymore, but that didn't mean he was Luke Skywalker. After all, he'd killed the man who cut off his hand, and Luke hadn't. Feeling Kolya's windpipe crush underneath his new fingers had been eerily satisfying.
Maybe that meant he was Darth Vader. Vader was cool too - bad guy gone good, and in the end he'd killed the big bad guy.
Carson's fingers trailed up John's arm. "You know," he murmured, "while Han Solo was hot, I still prefer the cocky pilot named John Sheppard."
John turned over onto his back, bringing Carson's hand up to his mouth. "I'm not --"
Carson interrupted him. "I don't care. You are still the man I love. Asgard technology and all." His eyes glittered fiercely. He'd stayed by John's side through the past two months while John dealt with his injury, and never once let John feel too sorry for himself. John knew it couldn't have been easy for Carson, dealing with a freaked out boyfriend. It was time to start letting Carson know his support had been appreciated.
"Even if the Asgard had to give me an artificial . . ." he trailed off, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Well, now, a man does have his limits. No matter how . . . impressive the upgrade might be." Carson waggled his eyebrows in return, his face lighting up at seeing John's playful side again.
John leaned up and kissed Carson deeply. "Well," he said when they parted for air, "I guess I'll just have to make sure you properly appreciate the natural bounty of John Sheppard."
Carson's only response was a deeply appreciative moan.