A Thin Line by wildcat88 [Fall 2008 Fic Exchange]
Challenge: Fall 2008 Fic Exchange
Title: A Thin Line
Author: wildcat88
Rating: PG
Word count: ~10,400
Characters: Teyla, Rodney (H/C), John, Ronon, Sam, Jennifer
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Disclaimer: MGM owns the show (unfortunately). I just play in their sandbox.
Spoilers: through Midway
Writing for: linziday
Assignment: McKay-centric h/c with one or more of his team doing the comfort. Bonus points for McKay distrusting his team.
Author Notes: Many thanks to kristen999 for the beta. All faults mine.
Finishing her last lap, Teyla swam to the shallow end and held onto the side of the pool as she pulled the snorkel off. Dr. Keller had been correct that the breathing pipe would relieve the pressure on her neck even if it looked quite ridiculous. She was thankful that this pool, at the base of the tower, was utilized frequently by soldiers and scientists alike since she never swam alone these days. Several people spoke or waved a greeting as they passed, and she nodded in return, all the while eyeing the steps and the handrail. One day her arms would refuse to pull her body out of the water.
“Teyla?”
She glanced up to find Samantha Carter at the top of the steps.
“Good afternoon, Colonel.”
Bracing her back and arms against the side of the pool, Teyla let herself float as Carter waded in. Hair pulled back and dressed in a dark blue swimsuit that Teyla recognized from magazines as a competitive swimmer’s, Carter slowly sank under the water. Impressed with the colonel’s ability to hold her breath, Teyla began to worry that she should call for help when Carter broke the surface with a gasp.
“God, what a day,” Carter muttered as she mimicked Teyla’s stance. “I just needed a few minutes away from the insanity.” She gave a wry grin and shook her head. “Sorry. How are you today?”
“I am well, thank you.”
“And how’s your little guy?”
Teyla patted a hand on the top of her belly. “He is quite active. He seems to enjoy kicking my ribs and bouncing on my bladder.”
Carter laughed. “Then it sounds like he’s doing his job. Have you picked out a name?”
Teyla smiled shyly. “I have some ideas.”
The radio Carter had left by the side of the pool hissed and squawked. “Colonel Carter, this is Gipson.”
Carter’s head dropped as she heaved a sigh. “Just five minutes,” she moaned. Pulling herself out, she grabbed the radio. “This is Carter. What’s the verdict, Corporal?”
“It’s a total loss, Ma’am. Dr. Wolfenberger says there’s nothing salvageable here.”
“Understood.” Carter used her free hand to rub a temple. “I’ll be right there.”
“Due respect, Ma’am, unless you want to get filthy cleaning up this mess, there isn’t much else you can do.”
Carter huffed a laugh. “I appreciate your candor, Corporal. Call if you need me.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Gipson out.”
Dropping the radio on the moss green textured stone that ringed the pool, Carter slid back into the water until she was completely submerged. When she finally surfaced again, she looked more exhausted than Teyla had seen her in some time.
Teyla turned to face her fully. “What has happened?”
“Some kind of electrical fire in the kitchen area.” Carter waved off Teyla’s concern. “Under control now, but all the food has been destroyed or contaminated with fire retardant. The Daedalus is on its way back to Earth, and the Apollo and Odyssey are on assignment in the Milky Way. With Midway destroyed, we have no way of getting supplies here quickly.”
“Our trading partners?” Teyla inquired.
“We are in the process of contacting all of them. Fruits, vegetables, and grains shouldn’t be a problem, but meat might be. As you know, the Elarans were destroyed by the Replicators. Redman’s team reported a couple of months ago that most of the Talizian’s herd drowned in massive flooding. And the last time I tried speaking to the Pablei, they cut the connection when they realized I wasn’t Dr. Weir. Apparently they think I usurped her position and refuse to talk with us until she returns.”
Teyla winced at the reminder - loyalty was a complex issue in Pegasus - and considered the dilemma. Other than Ronon, few on Atlantis knew how to hunt wild game. In the past, her people would have willingly done it, but without them… She shook off the thought, refusing to place her personal concerns above the expedition. Mentally running through possible partners, she discarded the first few due to recent cullings or poor trade practices. Then she smiled.
“I know of a people who might be willing to trade. They are ranchers with an abundance of livestock, at least the last time I was there. It has been many years so they too may have been culled or destroyed in a Replicator attack.”
“Who are they?” Carter asked, twisting the ends of her hair to wring the water out.
“Their world is called Beracca.”
Frowning, Carter sat on the pool step and cocked her head. “I don’t recall reading about them. Have we traded with them before?”
“No, they have a unique negotiating style that is quite tedious. Dr. Weir and I chose to establish treaties with cultures more easily dealt with.”
“Do you have any kind of relationship with them?”
Teyla smiled fondly. “My father took me to every negotiation we had with them. To hone my patience, he said. But, as I mentioned earlier, it has been many years. When I was there last, Hoyana Lippabre was their doca.”
“Doca?”
“Doca is the designation of their leader. Those who wish to lead go through a series of trials. The person with the most success is named the doca. He or she leads the Beraccan governing council of eight for five years. Then the trials are held again.”
Carter bit her lip as her brows drew together. “So someone else could be Doca now.”
“It’s possible. However, my last visit to Beracca was to celebrate Hoyana Lippabre’s ascent to Doca. She was young but very shrewd.”
“Would you feel comfortable negotiating with them?”
“If you are asking if I fear going off-world, the answer is no. However, John-”
“I will make sure Colonel Sheppard understands the necessity of you going,” Carter assured her.
“I believe Dr. McKay will be needed as well.”
Carter’s eyes widened. “Rodney? Really?”
“Really,” Teyla said with a smile. “As I said, they have a unique negotiating style.”
“Let’s set a mission briefing for 0900 tomorrow. Can you put something together?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.” Glancing at the radio, Carter heaved a sigh. “I guess my time is up.” Standing, she dripped her way out of the pool, tossing a towel around her neck. “Need a hand?”
Teyla hovered at the bottom of the steps, trying to pull her ungainly body upward. With a sigh, she extended a hand. “I would be very appreciative.”
xxx
“What do we know about this world?” John slung one arm over the back of his chair as he slurped his coffee.
“They are fair traders with quality stock.” Teyla opened the report she had prepared and cued the proper section up on the wall display. “They are known for their hospitality and excellent cuisine. However, some negotiations have lasted for weeks.”
“Why so long?” Carter asked. “Are they that difficult?”
“On the contrary, they are quite amiable.” Teyla paused, searching for the proper analogy. “I understand that children on Earth play a staring game: whoever blinks first loses. The Beraccans have a similar practice to begin negotiations. Whoever stops talking first loses the favorable bargaining position. Discussions take place during daylight hours.”
Rodney glanced up from his tablet. “Do they have something against talking at night?”
“No, but they believe that light attracts the Wraith. Once the suns set, all activity ceases. No fires can be lit, no lights used, not even the stargate.”
Rolling his eyes, McKay starchly announced, “That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“More ridiculous than the Warivians who tried to kill us for wearing black?” John asked.
“Yes, and they were only trying to kill you,” Rodney said pointedly.
“More ridiculous than the people on the mud planet who thought Ronon was going to eat them?” John shot back.
“Sometimes I think Ronon is going to eat us.” McKay ducked as Ronon tossed a stylus at his head.
John crossed his arms and leaned back. “More ridiculous than the Lineesons who thought blue eyes were a sign of mental illness?”
“Point taken.” Rodney turned to Teyla. “It’s the second most ridiculous thing I’ve heard. The Wraith don’t need light to cull a planet.”
Teyla bit the inside of her lip, the same spot she always bit when she needed to maintain a calm exterior. Drawing a deep breath, she replied, “I am aware of that, Rodney. It does not change the fact that the Beraccans believe it and forbid light to be used.”
“I cannot possibly go,” Rodney proclaimed. “I have entirely too much to do to be stranded on some superstitious, backwater planet for days.”
Carter leaned forward, elbows on the table. “You don’t understand, McKay. You’re doing the talking.”
Rodney choked, Ronon looked stunned, and John spewed coffee. “What?” they chorused.
Teyla exchanged an amused glance with Carter before answering. “As is noted in the brief, the favored negotiating position is granted to the side that does not stop talking.”
“Are you implying that I talk too much?” Rodney huffed.
Ronon snorted. “Yes.”
Teyla sent an icy glare Ronon’s way. “We are acknowledging one of your special skills, Rodney,” she soothed. “You are knowledgeable on many topics.”
“But I don’t negotiate,” McKay protested. “I don’t even listen when you do.”
She bit her lip again, drawing blood this time. “You will not actually be negotiating.”
“But Sam said-”
“You must outtalk them, but you can speak on any subject. After they admit defeat, I will be the negotiator.”
“He can talk about anything?” John asked weakly.
“Anything,” Teyla said.
Ronon groaned, “We’ll never leave.”
“We could let you do it instead,” McKay retorted. “It should take, oh, five minutes or so for you to exhaust all your topics of conversation.”
“That’s enough, kids.” John chided before facing Carter. “Anything else we need to know?”
“We sent a MALP before this meeting,” Carter answered. “Mild climate, breathable atmosphere with nominal pollutants, no unusual energy readings, a local population of just over two thousand.”
“Okay then.” John said. “Let’s go let Rodney talk them to death.”
“Oh. Ha.” McKay’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Is that your idea of a sense of humor?”
John smirked at him as he pushed away from the table. “At least I’ve got one. Gear up. We’ll meet in the gate room in twenty minutes. Don’t forget your toothbrush.”
xxx
A gentle breeze wrapped around Teyla, caressing her face and teasing her hair, as they stepped through the gate. She inhaled deeply, smiling at the heavy scent of animal dung that hung in the air, and waited for the comment.
“Oh, my God.” McKay’s entire face crinkled in disgust. “What is that smell?”
Teyla laughed to herself as John and Rodney began their standard bickering. The locations and circumstances might change, but the conversations were almost always the same. Lifting her face to the twin suns as the sniping faded into the background, she basked in the joy of being off-world - walking through a field, watching the trees dance in the wind, listening to birds chatter. She loved Atlantis and her people, but the past few months had left her Athosian heart crying for land.
The Beraccan village was a short walk, by Athosian standards, down a wide dirt path through a meadow and a small orchard. They had arrived in late afternoon, and she estimated they had only a few short hours before the suns set.
As they entered the grove, McKay skirted the heavy laden fruit trees. “Is that citrus?”
“No,” Teyla answered, swatting at Ronon when he tried to pull one that had ripened to a splendid auburn. “These are called delgrica. They may look like oranges, but they are more like bananas.” Straightening the lapels of her black duster of supple dollok skin and smoothing her hair, she studied her teammates as they neared the Beraccan settlement.
Ronon wore his typical sleeveless shirt and skirsk hide pants with his blaster strapped to his thigh and untold knives hidden on his person. She could see the tension in the set of his shoulders, the same tension always there when they gated off-world. He continuously scanned the area around them, occasionally checking the skies.
Face buried in a scanner, Rodney wore his backpack over his tac vest which was over his leather jacket and t-shirt. Sweat poured down his face as he ranted about hiking in the tropics and backward cultures with no technology. But under all the bluster, she could see the insecurity, the fear he would fail them.
John carried himself more casually but every bit as alertly as Ronon even while he teased Rodney. The insults not only spurred Rodney to do his best, they seemed to relax him, giving his mind something to focus on. Dressed in his tac vest, standard black uniform shirt, and BDUs, John held his P-90 at ready. His eyes never stopped moving.
Teyla’s heart swelled with pride and love for them. They were good men - loyal, brave, and honorable, even if they acted like children on occasion. She hadn’t missed them drawing close around her when they stepped out of the cover of the orchard. At one time she might have been insulted by it, but now she was touched by the depth of their concern for her. She ghosted a hand over her swollen abdomen as she imagined the man her son would become with such men to guide him - smart, strong, dedicated. And irreverent, sharp-tongued, and stubborn.
Livestock dotted the gentle rolling hills of green that led from the delgrica orchard toward the village. Tall enough to reach her waist, the animals - known as venga - had stubby legs, ears that drooped past their round faces and long snouts, and short fur that was spotted shades of brown; they were the primary source of income for the Beraccans. The meat was tasty and easy to cure while the hides, when tanned properly, were not only warm but waterproof.
As they crested the last hill, the Beraccan town lay before them - small wooden cottages in a grid of perfect squares. A winding river ran behind it, irrigating the fields that stretched to the base of the mountain range several kilometers in the distance. Children shrieked with laughter as they chased each other amongst the homes, tiny animals with long skinny bodies and bushy tails yipping at their heels. Adults chatted with each other while they whittled, hung laundry, tended flower gardens, and performed other daily chores. Teyla sucked in a breath as an overwhelming wave of homesickness crashed over her.
“You okay?” John asked quietly.
“I am- I will be fine,” Teyla said with a wan smile.
“Teyla…” Concern filled Sheppard’s face. “Tell me the truth.”
“I miss my people,” she confessed.
John glanced from her to the village and back as comprehension dawned. “Oh. Sorry. I should have realized.”
Ronon nudged her shoulder gently, and Rodney gave her a sad smile.
“Please do not concern yourselves for me. I miss them, but I will be fine. I have not yet given up hope of finding them.” Teyla met each man’s eyes. “Now, we have a treaty to negotiate.”
Teyla strode purposefully into the village, navigating the narrow streets until she reached the center of town. The council and trade chambers stood at least three stories above all the other buildings. A short set of steps led to the main entrance - two wide wooden doors painted a cheery yellow set against walls of vibrant red. Five women and three men dressed in short jackets and knee length pants of venga hide and brightly colored shirts waited for them at the top.
A tall woman of average build stepped forward, her straight brown hair pulled away from her face to hang down her back. “Teyla Emmagan of Athos?”
Teyla inclined her head. “It has been many years, Hoyana Lippabre of Beracca. I am pleased to see you remain Doca.”
The woman’s eyes sharpened as she took in Teyla’s team. “You have new friends.”
“This is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, Dr. Rodney McKay, and Ronon Dex. We have come to establish a trade agreement between our people and yours.”
Hoyana arched a brow. “You no longer lead the Athosians?”
Teyla lifted her chin and said with a steady voice, “Athos has allied itself with these people, and I speak for both.”
“I see.” Hoyana’s shrewd gaze swept over them again. “We would be honored to negotiate a treaty with the friends of Athos.” Addressing John, she asked, “What do you call yourselves?”
“Lantean,” he said simply.
Hoyana’s eyes widened. “I have heard rumors of a powerful new people in this galaxy, ones who now inhabit the City of the Ancestors and use their technology to wage war against the Wraith.”
John gave a slight smile, his face revealing nothing. “Nasty things, those rumors. Hard to know what to believe.”
Hoyana grinned appreciatively. “Well said, Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. Welcome to Beracca. Please, enter.”
At her nod, two of the other council members opened the doors, and Hoyana escorted them inside. They entered a small room adorned with a few colorful pieces of art that celebrated Beraccan life and one desk; doors led off to either side. The woman behind the desk smiled pleasantly at them then turned her attention to the two teenage boys sitting with her.
Hoyana stopped in front of the desk and faced them. “We are in the Beraccan Center for Government, Trade, and Commerce. The floors above us contain workspace for the various officials here as well as conference rooms in which our local farmers and ranchers may settle disputes amongst themselves without council involvement.”
“Wow. The official tour guide spiel,” McKay whispered.
Teyla hid a smile as Hoyana’s right eye twitched almost imperceptibly. Rodney was the perfect choice for the pre-negotiation talkfest. He would make the Beraccan leader insane.
To Hoyana’s credit, her voice never faltered. “The door to my right leads to the council chambers where all trade agreements are negotiated. To my left is a reception area for our visitors to refresh themselves.” Moving gracefully to the reception room, she cracked the door to peek inside then opened it wide and beckoned them in. “Water, tea, and an assortment of fruits are provided. If you need anything, please ask. We will await you in the council chamber. Just let Mergeld,” she gestured to the woman at the desk, “know when you are ready.”
Rodney dropped into one of the chairs surrounding the oblong table at room’s center as the door closed. “Am I going to have to talk against her?” he asked, reaching for the pitcher of water and a glass.
“That is doubtful,” Teyla answered as she sank into the softness of her own chair. “She will appoint someone so that she may observe us.”
Ronon straddled a chair and sampled from the trays of various fruits. “What do you think so far?”
Teyla considered the question, replaying each moment of the meeting with Hoyana in her mind. “She is excited to trade with us based on the stories she’s heard about Lanteans. She has grown into her role as Doca, very confident of herself, but she was disappointed that we weren’t more impressed with this building.”
“I wonder where she got that idea,” John muttered with a sidelong glance at McKay.
“Hey!” Rodney protested. “I told you I wasn’t any good at this.”
“On the contrary, your assessment rattled her which is something I am certain she isn’t used to,” Teyla said.
“I can really talk about anything? No matter whether they understand it or not?” Vulnerability flickered on McKay’s face.
“Absolutely anything,” Teyla reassured him. “In fact, it’s preferable that they do not understand what you are talking about. It will erode their will to continue.”
“Do we have to listen?” Ronon asked, slapping at McKay’s hand as he reached for a shiny purple fruit. “That’s citrus. Get something else.”
Teyla chuckled at how fast Rodney jerked his hand away. “You must at least pretend to listen. No snoring, no knife sharpening, no Sudoku, no Nintendo, no iPods, no thumb wars, no computers. Need I go on?”
“I think we’ve got the idea.” John hopped up. “Are we ready?”
“Almost,” Teyla said with a sigh as she hurried to the restroom in the corner.
After they made use of the lavatory and refilled their water glasses, they notified Mergeld that they were ready to begin. The receptionist announced them to the council and waved them inside. The room was bare except for the two half-circle tables that faced each other. The council sat behind one, Hoyana in the center, leaving the other for Teyla and her teammates. A podium sat off to the side.
Teyla stood behind her chair. “Doca Lippabre, I thank you for the opportunity to begin discussions between Beracca and Lantea. Dr. Rodney McKay will be speaking for us.”
Hoyana rose and inclined her head. “Welcome, delegates of Lantea. We eagerly anticipate a mutually beneficial agreement between our peoples. Kestus Sherrin will be speaking for us. As our honored guests, we invite Dr. Rodney McKay to begin. Once you have completed your first topic, Kestus will speak. When he is done, you may begin your second topic.”
Rodney flicked a slightly panicked gaze at Teyla. She squeezed his arm lightly then she, Ronon, and John took their seats. Unclipping his P-90, Rodney laid it and his backpack in a chair and moved to the podium.
After taking a sip of water, McKay cleared his throat and smiled tightly. “I would like to start with a favorite topic of mine - Batman.”
John coughed a laugh, and Ronon blinked in surprise. Teyla stifled a giggle at the bewildered expressions of the Beraccans as Rodney opined on the beginnings of his favorite superhero. A brilliant choice in her opinion. Not only would the Beraccans have no idea what he was talking about, he could speak on it for days. John turned attentive eyes to McKay, and Ronon relaxed in his seat and listened. A brilliant choice indeed.
Four hours - and six restroom breaks - later, even John’s eyes were glazing over.
“And they replaced Alfred with Aunt Harriet. Aunt Harriet, for God’s sake. What were they thinking?”
When Rodney paused for a drink of water, Hoyana leapt to her feet. “Thank you for such a thorough discussion.”
McKay crossed his arms and glared. “But I’m not-”
“The suns will set shortly. Mergeld and her sons will escort you to your lodging for the night. You may begin again when the suns rise. Are you aware of our rules regarding light after nightfall?” At their nods, Hoyana smiled and inclined her head. “Food and drink will be brought to your rooms. Until tomorrow.”
Teyla rose, John and Ronon following. “Until tomorrow.”
John handed Rodney his P-90 and backpack. “Good God, McKay. Four hours of Batman?”
Rodney grinned at him. “Wait until I get to the multiverses.”
“What’s the record for the Beraccans giving up?” Ronon asked Teyla as they followed Mergeld toward a cottage on the next street. Her sons walked quietly with them, their eyes flickering from face to face as they followed the conversation.
“They concede on occasion, but I believe that is after weeks of discussion.”
Ronon rolled his eyes and looked at Rodney. “Can you talk about Batman for weeks?”
“Of course not. I mean, I can talk on it for about a week, I’d guess.”
“And for topic number two?” John asked. “Star Trek? Star Wars? James Bond?”
“Nuclear fission.” McKay arched a brow at him. “James Bond?”
John shrugged as he climbed the cottage steps. “Cool guy with cool gadgets.”
Mergeld unlocked the door and handed the key to Teyla. “The evening meal is ready. Do you require anything else?”
“No, thank you,” Teyla answered.
Mergeld nodded then she and her sons disappeared into the twilight. The team stepped inside, glancing around. A sofa and several chairs were arranged in a group to the right as they entered. The scent of roasted meat, warm bread, and steamed vegetables wafted from the dining area in the back. To the left were a row of small beds and a bathroom in the corner.
“That smells so good,” Rodney moaned. “I’m starving.”
Teyla’s mouth watered as they sat at the table. She had no idea she was so hungry until she had walked in the door. Easing into a chair, she thanked the server who filled her plate and ate heartily. Pregnancy had definitely increased her appetite. After eating their fill, they moved to the sitting area near the door, and she stretched out on the sofa while the Beraccans cleared the food and bid them goodnight. She and her teammates chatted until the room was swathed in darkness. She had missed this - time with her team without the pressures of Atlantis intruding. Something about being off-world made her teammates, and perhaps herself, a little more open and honest.
“What are we supposed to do now?” McKay muttered into the darkness.
She giggled as Ronon and John gave Rodney a few suggestions. The giggle turned into a chuckle when Ronon tripped over a chair when he rose and fell headlong into John, causing them both to crash to the floor. The chuckle became full-throated laughter as McKay tried to move out of the way and ended up in the heap with them. After several hissed curses, a few in languages she didn’t know, they finally got untangled.
“If you ripped my shirt, McKay, you’re gonna buy me another one,” Ronon mumbled.
“Where?” McKay sniped. “At the local Wal-Mart? Do they carry Conan size?”
At Ronon’s growl, John said, “Cool it, you two.” He heaved a longsuffering sigh. “What’s so funny, Teyla?”
She clutched her sides as tears ran down her face. “You are,” she hiccupped. “I have missed this.”
“What?” Rodney demanded. “Sitting in the dark getting stomped on by Satedans?”
“This,” Teyla insisted, vaguely gesturing even though they could not see her. “Listening to you talk about the inane and insulting each other. Being a team.”
Chairs shifted and uprighted, creaking as her teammates retook their seats.
John began chuckling. “How’s that chair, big guy?”
“Hard.” The smile in Ronon’s voice was evident. “Almost as hard as McKay’s head.”
“At least I use my head for more than just growing hair, unlike the two of you,” Rodney rejoined. At Ronon’s snort and John’s guffaws, he added, “Apparently the more the hair follicles the fewer the brain cells. Except for Teyla of course.”
“Oh, of course,” John laughed.
Teyla wiped her face as the chuckling finally died down. “I suppose we should get some sleep.”
“Yeah,” John agreed, “that would be the smart thing to do.”
Rodney snickered. “That’s never stopped you before.”
Something about the darkness loosened the tongues of her teammates. Teyla settled into her chair, lulled by their voices, feeling more relaxed than she had in months. Speaking of things past and present, they talked long into the night.
xxx
Teyla woke early the next morning, bleary eyed but content, when her son began dancing in her womb. After tending to matters of hygiene, she tiptoed through the cottage and out the front door. Sometimes being the only morning person on the team had its advantages. A few minutes in solitary meditation on the bank of the river was exactly what her soul needed. When she returned to the small home, Mergeld’s two teenage boys were leaving. They didn’t seem to notice her as they rounded a corner, but their voices carried on the wind.
“Mom says we can’t afford to lose again. Are you sure that it was in the right one?” the taller boy asked.
“Yes,” the other one snapped. “How many times do I have to tell you that? Just be sure you do your part.”
Teyla quickened her step, but when she entered the cottage she found her sleepy-faced team quietly inhaling their breakfast. Ronon grunted, Rodney waved a fork, and John offered a small smile.
“Good morning,” she greeted, taking a seat.
Her plate was filled with a selection of local fruit, a small serving of grilled venga, and a large slice of bread topped with butter and jelly. A tall glass of milk glistened invitingly. Each plate was slightly different - Rodney had no citrus but some kind of pastry instead, John had more bread, and Ronon had a double helping of meat. Impressive. Their hosts had rapidly and accurately assessed their tastes based on last night’s dinner.
Half an hour later, Mergeld arrived to escort them back to the council chambers. Villagers filled the streets as they prepared for their day, and several were gathered at the front steps of the government building including Mergeld’s sons. They scrambled around Teyla in a merry chase, laughing and shoving each other. One plowed directly into Rodney.
McKay’s face crinkled in irritation. “Hey! Watch where you’re going.”
“We didn’t do anything,” the boy replied. “You should apologize for being in our way.”
Grimacing, Teyla waited for the eruption that never came. Rodney blinked uncertainly at them then at her. She smiled encouragingly and held her breath.
“Sorry about that,” McKay muttered, a flush coloring his neck and cheeks.
The boys exchanged triumphant glances. John and Ronon had already disappeared inside, and Teyla sighed in relief. At least Rodney wouldn’t be teased although his reaction puzzled her. Perhaps he was taking this negotiation seriously.
When a large man blocked her way, the boys surged close to McKay, whispering. Rodney looked annoyed at first, but his expression slowly morphed into fear. When his eyes flicked to her, she shoved her way past the locals to his side.
“… not your friends,” a boy hissed. “They are going to kill you. Leave while you can.”
“That is enough,” Teyla snapped. “Be on your way.”
The teens scampered away, the taller of the two tossing one last satisfied look their direction. Rodney had pressed himself to the side of the building, his chin tucked to his chest and his body trembling.
“What is wrong, Rodney?” Teyla asked.
He didn’t answer, inching away from her instead.
She blocked his path and lifted his chin, gasping when she saw his eyes. His pupils were completely blown, the blue irises almost nonexistent. Sweat dripped from his nose onto her wrist. He exuded a sickly sweet smell that she had never noticed from him before, and his breath came in shallow pants.
“Rodney?”
“Don’t hurt me, please.” He shuddered, his eyes impossibly wide. “Please,” he whispered.
“I would never hurt you. Tell me what is wrong.”
McKay slid out of her touch then darted down the stairs and around the corner. Teyla gaped after him and took a step to follow but decided John and Ronon stood a better chance of catching Rodney than she did.
“John, Ronon, this is Teyla. I need you outside.”
The answer came immediately. “Be right there.”
Ronon ducked into the morning sun with John on his heels. “What’s up?”
“Something is wrong with Rodney.”
“More than usual?”
She frowned at Ronon. “I am not sure if he is ill or…”
Both men lost all traces of humor. “Or what, Teyla?” John asked.
“I think he has been drugged.”
John reached for his comm. “McKay, this is Sheppard. Come in.” Concern flitted across his face. “Answer me, Rodney.”
Ronon pulled his blaster and set it to stun. “Where’d he go?”
Teyla pointed out the corner Rodney had disappeared around, and the two men dashed off. She took a step in that direction but stopped when she heard her name. Turning, she found Hoyana and Mergeld approaching with the teenagers in tow.
Mergeld’s face was crimson, and she pushed the taller boy forward. “My son has something to say to you.”
The boy ducked his head. “We played a prank on your friend. Sorry.”
“What have you done?” Teyla demanded.
Hoyana nodded to Mergeld who snatched both boys by the collar and hauled them away. “It seems the boys felt we needed help to win the opening discussions.” The Doca sighed and looked away. “We have a plant that grows above the tree line. When ingested, it produces a… heightened suggestibility. Our children have discovered a way to dry it and grind it to powder in order to spike food and drink, like the pastry on your friend’s plate. The effect is temporary and mild - the worst that’s happened is dancing on a table during lunch at school.”
Teyla straightened to her full height and set her jaw. “You mean the worst that you know of.”
“I suppose that’s possible, but in the cases I’ve seen, the effect is usually not much more than overindulging a bit.” Hoyana sighed. “I assure you the boys meant no real harm to your friend. We have…struggled during the past few negotiations, and our economy is in a downturn. They were merely trying to help in the only way they could think of,” she said. “Of course, we will end the talks immediately and give you the stronger bargaining position.”
“Yes, you will. However, this prank could have severe consequences. My friend is not from here and has serious allergies. We must find him and take him home immediately. Negotiations will have to wait.”
“Certainly. Allow us to assist in the search.”
“If your people see him, please have them notify one of us rather than approach him. Also, I would like a sample of the plant so our doctors can analyze it.”
“I will have it brought at once.” Hoyana inclined her head and went inside.
Teyla tapped her comm. “John, have you found him?”
“Nothing. He must have been paying more attention to those survival lessons than I thought. We can’t find a trace of him.”
“Is there any way to track him?”
“I have a life signs detector, but it isn’t tuned to pick up sub-cu transmissions. McKay has the rest of the equipment.”
She could hear the fear in his voice. “We will find him, John.”
“I know. It’s just...”
He trailed off, but Teyla understood. It was a big planet. Rodney was drugged, alone, scared. So many things could go wrong.
She smiled her thanks to the Beraccan who handed her a vial of white powder. “John, I have a sample of the drug. I will take it back so that Jennifer may begin work on it, and I will apprise Colonel Carter of our situation. I will return soon with a jumper.”
“Fine… just be careful. Sheppard out.”
The village and surrounding countryside no longer enchanted her as it once had. Teyla hurried from the town then attacked the hills with a vengeance, trying not to dwell on the possibility of losing another person she cared for. Beneath Rodney’s sarcasm and arrogance lay a heart that had been starved for affection for too long. The change in him had been slow but remarkable. While he would never admit it, a gentle soul lay under that gruff exterior, and he had begun to open up to the people around him.
About halfway through the orchard, her spine tingled. Someone was watching her. Teyla stopped, listening with every fiber of her being. A twig snapped. She whirled toward the sound and caught a flash of black leather.
She keyed her comm. “Colonel, this is Teyla,” she whispered. “I believe I have located Rodney. We are in the orchard on the path to the gate. Teyla out.”
The radio clicked twice in her ear in acknowledgement.
“Rodney,” she called, “it is Teyla. I know you are afraid, but I will not harm you. Please allow me to take you home.”
A rustling to her right. She ducked under a limb as she stepped off the path.
“Rodney?”
“Stay away from me!” His voice echoed through the grove, unlocatable.
“Please let me help you.”
Movement to the left caught her eye. She pushed through the trees, straining for a glimpse of him. Then she heard the unmistakable sound of a round being chambered. She squeezed into the hollow of a tree and ran her hands over her coat. No weapons. Calming her breathing, she listened carefully, finally locating Rodney’s footfalls. He seemed to be heading away from her. She eased out and picked up a thick branch. A heavy thud sounded to her left, and she crept toward it.
A bullet whizzed past her ear, and bark exploded from a nearby tree. She darted behind it and scanned the area. Nothing.
“Rodney, listen to me. The drug has confused you. If-”
A muzzle pressed against her temple. “I’m not confused,” he hissed. “You hate me. You want me dead. Well, I’m not going to let that happen.”
Teyla cringed, berating herself for forgetting who she was dealing with - a genius who had spent over four years learning to create diversions. She turned so she could see him, the hot metal sliding across her skin, and swallowed thickly. This was not the Rodney she knew. There was no arrogance, no gentleness, no recognition. He was panicked, paranoid, seething, digging the gun into her forehead.
“I do not hate you,” she said calmly. “We are friends. You must remember. Everything those boys told you is a lie. We have fought side by side for years - you and me and John and Ronon. We are a team, a family. The only family I have now. Please, Rodney.”
He shook his head violently, spraying droplets of sweat. “No. No, no, no. You’re pretending so you can kill me.” But the gun trembled in his hand.
She let the limb slide from her fingers and closed her eyes. “I trust you, Rodney.”
The pressure on her forehead eased. His ragged breathing seemed further away so she slowly opened her eyes. The gun was still pointed at her but was drooping toward her chin. Small red bumps dotted the back of his hand and disappeared under his sleeve only to emerge from his collar and spread over his face. His lips were swollen, and he was beginning to wheeze.
“Come back to Atlantis with me. Dr. Keller can help you.”
Rodney wavered, the gun lowering even further. But when something crunched softly in the distance, the gun whipped back into place.
“You lied to me!” he shouted.
Teyla raised her hands defensively. “No, I didn’t. Please, Rodney, please. My son…”
She stumbled backward as his finger tightened on the trigger. His eyes widened, and the gun flew from his hand when his body jerked as red energy enveloped it. But rather than sinking to the ground, he screamed in agony and staggered forward directly into her. She fell, landing awkwardly as the breath was ripped from her lungs. Wild-eyed, Rodney scrambled over her on hands and knees towards the gun, grabbing it and disappearing. Teyla clawed at the ground as she willed oxygen into her body.
“Teyla!” John lifted her shoulders and let her lean against his chest as she panted for breath. “Are you all right?”
Unable to gather enough breath to speak, she nodded.
“Where did McKay go?” Ronon asked.
Teyla waved in the general direction, and Ronon raced off. John rubbed her shoulder gently until her breathing eased. With a grateful smile, she took the hand he offered and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
“You’re sure you’re okay?”
“I am fine,” Teyla answered. “Rodney, however, is not. We must find him quickly.”
“Remind me to always carry a Wraith stunner in the future.”
“Agreed.”
John pulled the life signs detector from a vest pocket and frowned. “Great. I’ve got one life sign about fifty yards from here and the other a good five hundred yards away.” The display flickered and went out. “What the hell… Oh, McKay. You’re good; I’ll give you that.”
“What is it?”
“Rodney’s jamming the signal. Try your radio.”
Teyla keyed her comm. “Ronon, come in.” Static greeted her. “Ronon, please answer.”
John’s shoulders drooped. “I can’t hear you calling.”
“Which one do you think Rodney is?”
“I have no idea,” he said. “I don’t know how he would have gotten past Ronon, but I don’t know why Ronon would still be this close.”
Teyla reclaimed her tree branch, swinging it cautiously. “I will take the closer one.” She met John’s stare, cutting him off before he could begin. “Time is of the essence, John.”
“I can at least tackle him. What are you planning on doing?”
She hefted the limb. “I will disarm him.”
Every inch of John Sheppard screamed no. “Fine.” He handed her his .45. “But you aren’t going with just a twig. Protect yourself if you have to.”
“I will not have to.”
John nodded to her then hurried away. Taking a deep breath, she crept silently in the last known direction of the closer dot. After a few minutes, she swallowed a frustrated sigh. No footprints, no broken branches, not even… She gritted her teeth in irritation. She was hunting the wrong teammate.
Backtracking, she weaved through the delgrica trees as she angled toward the second dot. She reached out with all her senses, but nothing compelling answered back. Then a nearby clattering of wood and a muttered curse disturbed the silence. She crept toward the noise and peered around a tree.
John was grimacing, hand rubbing a knee, as he pulled his leg from a hole that several evergreen branches and a few logs had hidden. A snap caught his attention, and he wheeled around, stumbling as his knee wobbled underneath him. Rodney was on him before he could recover, tackling him at the waist and driving him to the ground.
Teyla glanced at the weapons in her hands. She couldn’t shoot Rodney, and trying to hit him with the limb would only distract John.
“McKay!” John covered his face with his arms as Rodney punched with all his might. “Stop it!”
“Why won’t you just leave me alone?” Rodney screamed, swinging wildly.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Rodney.” John grunted as a blow landed on his temple. “Please don’t make me.”
“I won’t let you kill me.” McKay grabbed a heavy log and aimed for John’s head.
John rolled at the last minute, grappling for Rodney’s arms as he tried to pin the man down. But Rodney was heavier and strengthened by the drug. He shoved Sheppard away and scrabbled backward, pulling his gun.
“Get away from me!”
“Easy,” John placated, his palms held up and outward. “Focus, Rodney. I’m John. We’re friends, remember?”
McKay’s chest heaved. “You want to kill me.”
“No one wants to kill you. We only want to help.”
“You- you hate me. I should have known. I don’t have friends.”
“Well, I do.” John’s voice softened. “And you’re one of them.”
“You’re lying,” Rodney hissed.
“McKay…” John scrubbed the back of his neck. “Dammit. Why would I lie?”
“Because you’re trying to trick me. You think I’ll come quietly. Think again. I won’t let you slit my throat and leave me here to die.”
John rose to one knee. “Rodney-”
“Stay away from me!” The gun shook but remained pointed at John’s head.
A faint stirring in the air alerted Teyla to Ronon’s presence. He moved silently to her side then grimaced. Sheppard was in his line of sight.
“Can you shoot them both?” Teyla whispered.
Ronon shook his head. “No. I’d hit Sheppard first, and McKay would run.”
John grew still. “I have a brother,” he said quietly. “Did I tell you that? We aren’t close, never have been.” He bit his lip, looked away then back. “Look, what I’m trying to say is you’re, you know, more like a brother than Dave has ever been.”
McKay’s face whitened. “Stop lying!”
Rodney squeezed the trigger, and the shot boomed through the woods. When John dropped to the ground, Ronon fired. Red energy sizzled around Rodney, and he shrieked in pain. Another blast hit, and he fell, convulsions racking his body. John rolled to his feet as Teyla and Ronon raced toward him.
“Oh, God.” John knelt, unzipping McKay’s vest and jacket and loosening his collar. “Is this from the drug?”
“I don’t know,” Teyla replied, brushing Rodney’s hair from his face as he seized. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” John answered, clenching his fists as McKay twitched and gasped weakly. “He missed.”
Ronon holstered his weapon and crouched next to them. “I’ve never seen anyone react like this to being stunned.”
Rodney went limp, his face gray, and Sheppard rolled him onto his side. “We have to get him help now,” John said.
Ronon scooped McKay over his shoulder and stood. “Let’s go.”
They raced for the gate, and John broke into a sprint when they cleared the orchard, dialing and sending his IDC. A medical team was waiting in the control room with a gurney. Teyla thrust the vial of powder in Jennifer’s hand, explained what had happened then slumped against a wall trying to catch her breath as Rodney was rushed from the room. Ronon stared after the med team while John moved to her side.
“You okay?” John asked.
Teyla smiled tiredly and nodded. She looped her arm through his then reached for Ronon’s hand and held tightly to them as they made their way toward the infirmary and Rodney.
xxx
Teyla shifted again as her back spasmed. Two hours of waiting and still no word.
John perched on the arm of sofa. “Lying down in your own bed would feel better.”
“Perhaps my back would feel better, but the rest of me….”
“Yeah.” Sheppard’s gaze flicked toward Ronon. He was jammed in a corner, glaring at doors that didn’t open. “Ronon?”
Ronon gave the doors a last baleful stare then pushed away and plopped in the chair next to them. “Didn’t mean to hurt him.”
Teyla exchanged glances with John as she struggled into a seated position. “We do not know that you did. The drug may have caused it. It was obviously affecting his mind. I am certain that he would have shot me if you had not intervened. He barely missed John.”
“About that-” John began.
“I do not think we should tell him,” Teyla said. “Hopefully he will forget everything that happened, and informing him would serve no purpose.”
“Agreed. We don’t say anything about what happened in the orchard. To anyone.”
Ronon nodded slowly. “What do you want to say was the reason I stunned him?”
John shrugged. “The truth. It was the only way to subdue him and get him home.”
The infirmary doors slid open. Keller smiled grimly as she walked over to them. Sheppard and Ronon hopped up and met her halfway.
“How is he, Doc?” John asked.
“Not good. His body chemistry is out of whack, and his blood pressure is all over the place. I can’t chance giving him anything until we finish our analysis on the drug he was given. Right now, all we can do is give him saline to keep him hydrated.”
Ronon crossed and uncrossed his arms. “Can we see him?”
Keller’s face scrunched up. “Only for a minute. He’s not in any shape to have visitors, and you three need to get something to eat and some rest.”
They followed Keller through the infirmary to the critical care area. The silence was broken by the various beeps and whooshes of medical equipment hidden behind a privacy curtain. Jennifer grabbed the curtain then hesitated, turning to face them again. “You need to prepare yourselves. We’ve had to take precautions against him injuring himself or someone else.”
When she pulled back the curtain, John inhaled sharply, Ronon growled low in his throat, and Teyla’s legs grew wobbly. Rodney’s wrists and ankles were encased in thick black cuffs, and an oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose. The rest of his face was swollen, and the small red bumps had mushroomed into raised splotches. His eyes were wide, panicked, darting around in confusion. When he spotted them, he began to thrash wildly, bucking and twisting in the restraints, his screams muffled by the mask.
“Out. Now!” Keller snapped, whipping the privacy curtain closed in their faces.
They stood there, stunned, staring at the pale fabric that separated them from McKay. Alarms sounded, and they were shoved to the side as medical personnel descended. Ronon dropped in a chair, his head in his hands, while John paced in a tight circle as he carded his fingers through his hair. Teyla leaned against the wall with her hands braced on the small of her back. After a few minutes, Keller emerged.
“We’ve got him calmed down, but there’s really nothing you can do right now so please go get some lunch. I’ll let you know when you can see him again.”
John’s jaw worked silently for a second. “Doc-”
“We are doing everything we can. With a little luck the drug will metabolize soon. We’ve almost finished our analysis of it so we may find a way to help him. Either way, Rodney will need you - all of you - and he’ll need you healthy.” Keller held each person’s eye for a second then disappeared behind the curtain again.
“The lady’s right,” John said finally. “Come on.”
After a quick meal she didn’t taste and a wordless nod to her teammates, Teyla headed back to her quarters. She took a hot shower then eased into the rocker Jeannie had so thoughtfully given her, intending to merely rest for a minute. She was dismayed to discover that night had fallen when she awoke. Wrapping up in the shawl Elizabeth left her, she debated on which excuse she would use as she hurried to the infirmary. Pregnancy had its privileges. But she should have known better. When she arrived, she found a small seating area had been set up near Rodney’s bed. A sofa, two chairs, a table, and a reading lamp graced an out-of-the-way spot that was still close enough to the privacy curtain for them to hear if anything was wrong. Ronon was sprawled in one chair, hands folded on his chest and ankles crossed, while John hunched in the other one with his chin on his fists. Jennifer was watching from the doorway of her office, and Teyla walked to her.
“Did you do this?”
Keller lifted a shoulder. “I’ve learned that it’s easier to keep the four of you together.”
“Has there been any change?”
“No. Rodney finally fell asleep a couple of hours ago. He’s still pretty freaked out.”
“Is there nothing that can be done?”
“We’ve finished the analysis, and we’ve started him on a broad range of antihistamines, but I don’t think any of them will work. He’s going to have to fight this one himself.” Jennifer ran a professional eye over her. “How are you feeling?”
“I am fine. I do not believe the rest of us were dosed. Dealing with Rodney was emotionally draining, but physically I am well.”
“Marie ran labs on you three, and the results were negative for the drug, but if you feel the slightest bit off, I want you to tell me. No matter how insignificant it may be. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” A huge yawn overtook Keller, and she smiled sheepishly. “I think it’s time I got some rest. Dr. Donnelly is here, and she’ll let me know if anything else changes. Rodney’s in good hands.”
“I know he is. Thank you for all you’ve done.”
“Goodnight, Teyla.”
“Goodnight.”
Moving back to the seating area, Teyla curled up on the sofa and joined the vigil.
xxx
The odd sensation of her son flipping and wiggling inside her woke Teyla in the early morning hours. She pushed up on an elbow and was massaging a muscle in her stiff neck when she heard a soft groan from behind the curtain. John and Ronon were asleep so she got to her feet and slipped over to Rodney’s bed. When she peeked behind the curtain, she found Rodney staring back at her, his eyes terrified. She took a step back then stopped when he called her name.
“Rodney?”
He mouthed her name again and jerked weakly against the restraints, panic filling his features.
She hurried to him and placed her hands on each side of his face. “Look at me. Do you remember me?”
His face screwed up in his most indignant expression, and he nodded.
Teyla grinned crazily at him as she pressed the call button. “The doctor will be here in a minute.” When he tugged again at the restraints, she stroked his cheek and used her calmest tone. “You’ve been ill. The restraints were for your protection. We will remove them as soon as we can.”
“Now.” Even the oxygen mask couldn’t muffle the fear in his voice.
When the doctor arrived, she scanned the monitors then said, “Please give us a moment.”
“Of course,” Teyla replied.
“No. No, Teyla, don’t go,” Rodney pleaded, struggling. “Please.”
“I will be on the other side of the curtain, Rodney,” Teyla said. “John and Ronon are there, too. As soon as Dr. Donnelly is finished examining you, we’ll be back. Okay?”
Rodney gave a tiny nod. “Okay.”
Teyla ducked out and plowed straight into Ronon’s chest. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.
She smiled in delight. “He is awake, and he recognized but did not fear me.”
“How’d he look?” John asked.
“Better. The splotches have diminished a little, and he is calmer.”
An alarm began to wail, and John pushed past her to throw open the curtain. Rodney was convulsing again. The doctor and two nurses revolved around him, injecting medicines in his IV, their eyes glued to the monitors. Rodney’s body twitched a final time then went still.
John swallowed thickly. “Is he…”
“He’s unconscious, Colonel.” Donnelly peeled off her gloves then joined them, closing the curtain.
“I do not understand,” Teyla said. “He seemed better.”
“Let’s sit down.” Donnelly headed for the sofa without waiting for them. When they were seated, she began. “Rodney is allergic to something in that drug that we can’t identify. The initial effects have worn off which is why he was comfortable with you being there, Teyla, but his body is struggling to metabolize it.”
“What does that mean?” Ronon asked.
Donnelly’s expression was grim. “The strain on his body is wearing him down. Toxins are building in his blood stream.”
“And that means….” Teyla prompted.
“It means after a few days his organs will begin to shut down unless we can find a way to cleanse the toxins from his system.”
“Surely there must be something you can do,” John protested. “Some kind of Ancient tech that can fix this.”
“We have lots of scanners and diagnostic equipment, but we haven’t found the magic treasure trove that cures all ills yet. I wish we had.” Donnelly raked her fingers through her hair. “We aren’t giving up, but right now the best bet he has is to keep fighting it.”
“What can we do?” Teyla asked.
“Be there for him. Keep him focused on getting better. Don’t let him give up.”
“You got it, Doc,” John said. “We won’t let him die.”
xxx
By unspoken arrangement, they took shifts sitting with him - Teyla in the morning, Ronon during the afternoon, John at night. As the days wore on, Rodney’s wakeful periods grew shorter, and one by one his organs failed. The splotches disappeared, and his pale skin became almost translucent, making the tubes and wires that ran from him look all the more invasive. But his fingers tightened around hers when she sang. Then one day they didn’t.
“He slipped into a coma last night,” Jennifer whispered.
Teyla brushed the tears from her face before she turned. “Does that mean there is no hope left?”
“There’s always hope. Rodney is fighting with everything he’s got. He may still beat this.”
“Can he hear us?”
Keller adjusted with a couple of monitor settings. “Yes, I really think he can.”
Teyla gripped his hand tightly and leaned forward. “You must not give up, Rodney. You are necessary. Not just your skills and your knowledge, but you. I know you are tired, but you must fight this.” She stroked her thumb across his knuckles. “Please, Rodney.”
He gave no indication that he heard her. She settled back in her chair, still holding his hand, and began singing the first of the harvest blessings.
xxx
The next morning when she arrived, John was sitting next to McKay’s bed, his arms across his chest. She didn’t realize he was talking until she was right behind him.
“… hear me? You survived the Genii, the Wraith, the Replicators, and you’re gonna survive this. So quit goofing off.” John leaned forward. “Ronon found your chocolate stash… Radek rearranged your office… Carter has offered Kavanagh a position here… Dammit, McKay!” John’s head dropped. “Don’t do this, Rodney, please. I can’t lose one more… I just- I can’t…”
Teyla moved away silently and wandered down the hallway to Keller’s office. Jennifer was slumped over, her head pillowed on her hand, new lines etched on her face. Turning, Teyla made her way back to ICU. John glanced up when she entered and offered a tired smile.
“Hey, Teyla.”
“Good morning, John. How is he?”
“The same. He’s, uh, he’s….”
“He’s strong,” Teyla reminded him, “and maybe a little stubborn.”
John chuckled softly. “A little?”
“Perhaps more than a little, but it will serve him well.” She squeezed his shoulder. “Go get some sleep.
He nodded wearily, patted her hand, and left. Teyla straightened Rodney’s top sheet, smoothing out the wrinkles, and combed his hair.
“Good morning, Rodney.” She washed his face with a damp cloth as she told him of the discovery Radek had made the day before. “Colonel Carter says the device shows real promise.” Teyla turned his right wrist over and gently stretched his fingers. “She believes it may be somehow related to ZPM construction. She and Dr. Zelenka-”
Rodney’s fingers tightened around hers. Teyla blinked, hope warring with uncertainty. She laid his hand flat on the bed.
“She and Dr. Zelenka have been searching the database for a match on the design...”
His hand twitched.
Teyla blinked away tears and swallowed thickly. “Colonel Carter thinks that section of the city warrants further exploration. Dr. Coleman is heading up the research team.”
Rodney’s fingers curled into a fist.
Teyla reached for the call button. “Rodney, can you hear me?”
His hand twitched again.
xxx
Days passed before Rodney came fully out of the coma. Eventually he was taken off dialysis and the ventilator. The day he was transitioned to solid foods was a happy day for all, especially the infirmary staff. After a pre-natal visit, Teyla dropped by to see how he was doing. She found him munching on some alba nuts and frowning at his laptop.
“Good afternoon, Rodney. How are you today?”
“Awful. My sister is thinking of having another baby, Tunney has been awarded the Wolf Prize, and the Giants beat the Patriots in the Superbowl. Can you imagine?”
She smiled indulgently. “Shocking.”
“Yes, well…” He glanced up at her and sighed. “I don’t really care for American football, but I had a sizeable bet on that game. It was supposed to be easy money. Why do I listen to Sheppard? Don’t answer that.”
“I would not dream of it. I was headed to the cafeteria. Would you like something?”
“No, thanks.” His ears pinked, and he scanned the room cautiously. “Do you, um, have a minute?”
“Of course.”
“I, uh, I keep having this dream. I’m standing in a bunch of trees, and you’re there. And I have a gun pointed at you.”
“It is only a dream, Rodney.”
“That’s just it. I don’t think it is. It doesn’t feel like a dream. It feels real.”
“What happens in your dream?”
“You’re talking, but I can’t understand what you’re saying. I point the gun, and it ends.”
“As you can see, I am fine.”
“Did I try to kill you?”
“Rodney-”
“Don’t lie to me. I looked up the mission report. It says Ronon had to stun me in order to subdue me.”
“That’s right.”
“That’s a crock of shit. We both know it would take a lot less than that for him or Sheppard to subdue me.”
She schooled her features carefully, the image of John falling as the gunshot sounded replaying in her mind. “What else do you remember?”
“Isn’t that enough?” His eyes were wide, pleading. “I’m so sorry. I would never-”
“Rodney, you did nothing wrong,” Teyla assured him as relief flooded through her. “Anything that might have happened was a result of the drug in your system.”
“I could have killed you.” His gaze skittered away. “And your son,” he whispered.
“But you didn’t. I am safe and well as are you and John and Ronon. No one blames you for anything. Do not let it concern you.” She rubbed his arm lightly until he nodded.
“Okay.” Rodney stared at his hands for a moment. “Do you think I can guilt Ronon into giving me his dessert for a while?”
Teyla laughed. “Probably, but he will catch on eventually. I’d offer mine, but I am eating for two now, you know.”
“I noticed. You get bigger every day.”
“Rodney McKay! I will tell your sister you said that.”
“She lives three million light years from here.”
“One day I will no longer be pregnant. Perhaps we should continue this discussion in the gym then.”
“Oh. Uh oh.”
“Uh oh?” Sheppard echoed as he and Ronon entered bearing lunch trays. “What’s wrong now?”
“Rodney was just telling me how much he’s looking forward to restarting his sparring lessons with Ronon when he’s released.”
“Aw, Teyla, come on. That’s just mean.” Rodney raked an eye over the lunch trays. “Is that Salisbury steak?”
Teyla shook her head as John arranged the chairs and Ronon handed out the food, giving an extra dessert to Rodney. She nibbled on a roasted venga leg, thankful Lorne’s team had finished the negotiations, and sighed happily, content to spend time with her team.
Title: A Thin Line
Author: wildcat88
Rating: PG
Word count: ~10,400
Characters: Teyla, Rodney (H/C), John, Ronon, Sam, Jennifer
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Disclaimer: MGM owns the show (unfortunately). I just play in their sandbox.
Spoilers: through Midway
Writing for: linziday
Assignment: McKay-centric h/c with one or more of his team doing the comfort. Bonus points for McKay distrusting his team.
Author Notes: Many thanks to kristen999 for the beta. All faults mine.
Finishing her last lap, Teyla swam to the shallow end and held onto the side of the pool as she pulled the snorkel off. Dr. Keller had been correct that the breathing pipe would relieve the pressure on her neck even if it looked quite ridiculous. She was thankful that this pool, at the base of the tower, was utilized frequently by soldiers and scientists alike since she never swam alone these days. Several people spoke or waved a greeting as they passed, and she nodded in return, all the while eyeing the steps and the handrail. One day her arms would refuse to pull her body out of the water.
“Teyla?”
She glanced up to find Samantha Carter at the top of the steps.
“Good afternoon, Colonel.”
Bracing her back and arms against the side of the pool, Teyla let herself float as Carter waded in. Hair pulled back and dressed in a dark blue swimsuit that Teyla recognized from magazines as a competitive swimmer’s, Carter slowly sank under the water. Impressed with the colonel’s ability to hold her breath, Teyla began to worry that she should call for help when Carter broke the surface with a gasp.
“God, what a day,” Carter muttered as she mimicked Teyla’s stance. “I just needed a few minutes away from the insanity.” She gave a wry grin and shook her head. “Sorry. How are you today?”
“I am well, thank you.”
“And how’s your little guy?”
Teyla patted a hand on the top of her belly. “He is quite active. He seems to enjoy kicking my ribs and bouncing on my bladder.”
Carter laughed. “Then it sounds like he’s doing his job. Have you picked out a name?”
Teyla smiled shyly. “I have some ideas.”
The radio Carter had left by the side of the pool hissed and squawked. “Colonel Carter, this is Gipson.”
Carter’s head dropped as she heaved a sigh. “Just five minutes,” she moaned. Pulling herself out, she grabbed the radio. “This is Carter. What’s the verdict, Corporal?”
“It’s a total loss, Ma’am. Dr. Wolfenberger says there’s nothing salvageable here.”
“Understood.” Carter used her free hand to rub a temple. “I’ll be right there.”
“Due respect, Ma’am, unless you want to get filthy cleaning up this mess, there isn’t much else you can do.”
Carter huffed a laugh. “I appreciate your candor, Corporal. Call if you need me.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Gipson out.”
Dropping the radio on the moss green textured stone that ringed the pool, Carter slid back into the water until she was completely submerged. When she finally surfaced again, she looked more exhausted than Teyla had seen her in some time.
Teyla turned to face her fully. “What has happened?”
“Some kind of electrical fire in the kitchen area.” Carter waved off Teyla’s concern. “Under control now, but all the food has been destroyed or contaminated with fire retardant. The Daedalus is on its way back to Earth, and the Apollo and Odyssey are on assignment in the Milky Way. With Midway destroyed, we have no way of getting supplies here quickly.”
“Our trading partners?” Teyla inquired.
“We are in the process of contacting all of them. Fruits, vegetables, and grains shouldn’t be a problem, but meat might be. As you know, the Elarans were destroyed by the Replicators. Redman’s team reported a couple of months ago that most of the Talizian’s herd drowned in massive flooding. And the last time I tried speaking to the Pablei, they cut the connection when they realized I wasn’t Dr. Weir. Apparently they think I usurped her position and refuse to talk with us until she returns.”
Teyla winced at the reminder - loyalty was a complex issue in Pegasus - and considered the dilemma. Other than Ronon, few on Atlantis knew how to hunt wild game. In the past, her people would have willingly done it, but without them… She shook off the thought, refusing to place her personal concerns above the expedition. Mentally running through possible partners, she discarded the first few due to recent cullings or poor trade practices. Then she smiled.
“I know of a people who might be willing to trade. They are ranchers with an abundance of livestock, at least the last time I was there. It has been many years so they too may have been culled or destroyed in a Replicator attack.”
“Who are they?” Carter asked, twisting the ends of her hair to wring the water out.
“Their world is called Beracca.”
Frowning, Carter sat on the pool step and cocked her head. “I don’t recall reading about them. Have we traded with them before?”
“No, they have a unique negotiating style that is quite tedious. Dr. Weir and I chose to establish treaties with cultures more easily dealt with.”
“Do you have any kind of relationship with them?”
Teyla smiled fondly. “My father took me to every negotiation we had with them. To hone my patience, he said. But, as I mentioned earlier, it has been many years. When I was there last, Hoyana Lippabre was their doca.”
“Doca?”
“Doca is the designation of their leader. Those who wish to lead go through a series of trials. The person with the most success is named the doca. He or she leads the Beraccan governing council of eight for five years. Then the trials are held again.”
Carter bit her lip as her brows drew together. “So someone else could be Doca now.”
“It’s possible. However, my last visit to Beracca was to celebrate Hoyana Lippabre’s ascent to Doca. She was young but very shrewd.”
“Would you feel comfortable negotiating with them?”
“If you are asking if I fear going off-world, the answer is no. However, John-”
“I will make sure Colonel Sheppard understands the necessity of you going,” Carter assured her.
“I believe Dr. McKay will be needed as well.”
Carter’s eyes widened. “Rodney? Really?”
“Really,” Teyla said with a smile. “As I said, they have a unique negotiating style.”
“Let’s set a mission briefing for 0900 tomorrow. Can you put something together?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.” Glancing at the radio, Carter heaved a sigh. “I guess my time is up.” Standing, she dripped her way out of the pool, tossing a towel around her neck. “Need a hand?”
Teyla hovered at the bottom of the steps, trying to pull her ungainly body upward. With a sigh, she extended a hand. “I would be very appreciative.”
xxx
“What do we know about this world?” John slung one arm over the back of his chair as he slurped his coffee.
“They are fair traders with quality stock.” Teyla opened the report she had prepared and cued the proper section up on the wall display. “They are known for their hospitality and excellent cuisine. However, some negotiations have lasted for weeks.”
“Why so long?” Carter asked. “Are they that difficult?”
“On the contrary, they are quite amiable.” Teyla paused, searching for the proper analogy. “I understand that children on Earth play a staring game: whoever blinks first loses. The Beraccans have a similar practice to begin negotiations. Whoever stops talking first loses the favorable bargaining position. Discussions take place during daylight hours.”
Rodney glanced up from his tablet. “Do they have something against talking at night?”
“No, but they believe that light attracts the Wraith. Once the suns set, all activity ceases. No fires can be lit, no lights used, not even the stargate.”
Rolling his eyes, McKay starchly announced, “That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“More ridiculous than the Warivians who tried to kill us for wearing black?” John asked.
“Yes, and they were only trying to kill you,” Rodney said pointedly.
“More ridiculous than the people on the mud planet who thought Ronon was going to eat them?” John shot back.
“Sometimes I think Ronon is going to eat us.” McKay ducked as Ronon tossed a stylus at his head.
John crossed his arms and leaned back. “More ridiculous than the Lineesons who thought blue eyes were a sign of mental illness?”
“Point taken.” Rodney turned to Teyla. “It’s the second most ridiculous thing I’ve heard. The Wraith don’t need light to cull a planet.”
Teyla bit the inside of her lip, the same spot she always bit when she needed to maintain a calm exterior. Drawing a deep breath, she replied, “I am aware of that, Rodney. It does not change the fact that the Beraccans believe it and forbid light to be used.”
“I cannot possibly go,” Rodney proclaimed. “I have entirely too much to do to be stranded on some superstitious, backwater planet for days.”
Carter leaned forward, elbows on the table. “You don’t understand, McKay. You’re doing the talking.”
Rodney choked, Ronon looked stunned, and John spewed coffee. “What?” they chorused.
Teyla exchanged an amused glance with Carter before answering. “As is noted in the brief, the favored negotiating position is granted to the side that does not stop talking.”
“Are you implying that I talk too much?” Rodney huffed.
Ronon snorted. “Yes.”
Teyla sent an icy glare Ronon’s way. “We are acknowledging one of your special skills, Rodney,” she soothed. “You are knowledgeable on many topics.”
“But I don’t negotiate,” McKay protested. “I don’t even listen when you do.”
She bit her lip again, drawing blood this time. “You will not actually be negotiating.”
“But Sam said-”
“You must outtalk them, but you can speak on any subject. After they admit defeat, I will be the negotiator.”
“He can talk about anything?” John asked weakly.
“Anything,” Teyla said.
Ronon groaned, “We’ll never leave.”
“We could let you do it instead,” McKay retorted. “It should take, oh, five minutes or so for you to exhaust all your topics of conversation.”
“That’s enough, kids.” John chided before facing Carter. “Anything else we need to know?”
“We sent a MALP before this meeting,” Carter answered. “Mild climate, breathable atmosphere with nominal pollutants, no unusual energy readings, a local population of just over two thousand.”
“Okay then.” John said. “Let’s go let Rodney talk them to death.”
“Oh. Ha.” McKay’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Is that your idea of a sense of humor?”
John smirked at him as he pushed away from the table. “At least I’ve got one. Gear up. We’ll meet in the gate room in twenty minutes. Don’t forget your toothbrush.”
xxx
A gentle breeze wrapped around Teyla, caressing her face and teasing her hair, as they stepped through the gate. She inhaled deeply, smiling at the heavy scent of animal dung that hung in the air, and waited for the comment.
“Oh, my God.” McKay’s entire face crinkled in disgust. “What is that smell?”
Teyla laughed to herself as John and Rodney began their standard bickering. The locations and circumstances might change, but the conversations were almost always the same. Lifting her face to the twin suns as the sniping faded into the background, she basked in the joy of being off-world - walking through a field, watching the trees dance in the wind, listening to birds chatter. She loved Atlantis and her people, but the past few months had left her Athosian heart crying for land.
The Beraccan village was a short walk, by Athosian standards, down a wide dirt path through a meadow and a small orchard. They had arrived in late afternoon, and she estimated they had only a few short hours before the suns set.
As they entered the grove, McKay skirted the heavy laden fruit trees. “Is that citrus?”
“No,” Teyla answered, swatting at Ronon when he tried to pull one that had ripened to a splendid auburn. “These are called delgrica. They may look like oranges, but they are more like bananas.” Straightening the lapels of her black duster of supple dollok skin and smoothing her hair, she studied her teammates as they neared the Beraccan settlement.
Ronon wore his typical sleeveless shirt and skirsk hide pants with his blaster strapped to his thigh and untold knives hidden on his person. She could see the tension in the set of his shoulders, the same tension always there when they gated off-world. He continuously scanned the area around them, occasionally checking the skies.
Face buried in a scanner, Rodney wore his backpack over his tac vest which was over his leather jacket and t-shirt. Sweat poured down his face as he ranted about hiking in the tropics and backward cultures with no technology. But under all the bluster, she could see the insecurity, the fear he would fail them.
John carried himself more casually but every bit as alertly as Ronon even while he teased Rodney. The insults not only spurred Rodney to do his best, they seemed to relax him, giving his mind something to focus on. Dressed in his tac vest, standard black uniform shirt, and BDUs, John held his P-90 at ready. His eyes never stopped moving.
Teyla’s heart swelled with pride and love for them. They were good men - loyal, brave, and honorable, even if they acted like children on occasion. She hadn’t missed them drawing close around her when they stepped out of the cover of the orchard. At one time she might have been insulted by it, but now she was touched by the depth of their concern for her. She ghosted a hand over her swollen abdomen as she imagined the man her son would become with such men to guide him - smart, strong, dedicated. And irreverent, sharp-tongued, and stubborn.
Livestock dotted the gentle rolling hills of green that led from the delgrica orchard toward the village. Tall enough to reach her waist, the animals - known as venga - had stubby legs, ears that drooped past their round faces and long snouts, and short fur that was spotted shades of brown; they were the primary source of income for the Beraccans. The meat was tasty and easy to cure while the hides, when tanned properly, were not only warm but waterproof.
As they crested the last hill, the Beraccan town lay before them - small wooden cottages in a grid of perfect squares. A winding river ran behind it, irrigating the fields that stretched to the base of the mountain range several kilometers in the distance. Children shrieked with laughter as they chased each other amongst the homes, tiny animals with long skinny bodies and bushy tails yipping at their heels. Adults chatted with each other while they whittled, hung laundry, tended flower gardens, and performed other daily chores. Teyla sucked in a breath as an overwhelming wave of homesickness crashed over her.
“You okay?” John asked quietly.
“I am- I will be fine,” Teyla said with a wan smile.
“Teyla…” Concern filled Sheppard’s face. “Tell me the truth.”
“I miss my people,” she confessed.
John glanced from her to the village and back as comprehension dawned. “Oh. Sorry. I should have realized.”
Ronon nudged her shoulder gently, and Rodney gave her a sad smile.
“Please do not concern yourselves for me. I miss them, but I will be fine. I have not yet given up hope of finding them.” Teyla met each man’s eyes. “Now, we have a treaty to negotiate.”
Teyla strode purposefully into the village, navigating the narrow streets until she reached the center of town. The council and trade chambers stood at least three stories above all the other buildings. A short set of steps led to the main entrance - two wide wooden doors painted a cheery yellow set against walls of vibrant red. Five women and three men dressed in short jackets and knee length pants of venga hide and brightly colored shirts waited for them at the top.
A tall woman of average build stepped forward, her straight brown hair pulled away from her face to hang down her back. “Teyla Emmagan of Athos?”
Teyla inclined her head. “It has been many years, Hoyana Lippabre of Beracca. I am pleased to see you remain Doca.”
The woman’s eyes sharpened as she took in Teyla’s team. “You have new friends.”
“This is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, Dr. Rodney McKay, and Ronon Dex. We have come to establish a trade agreement between our people and yours.”
Hoyana arched a brow. “You no longer lead the Athosians?”
Teyla lifted her chin and said with a steady voice, “Athos has allied itself with these people, and I speak for both.”
“I see.” Hoyana’s shrewd gaze swept over them again. “We would be honored to negotiate a treaty with the friends of Athos.” Addressing John, she asked, “What do you call yourselves?”
“Lantean,” he said simply.
Hoyana’s eyes widened. “I have heard rumors of a powerful new people in this galaxy, ones who now inhabit the City of the Ancestors and use their technology to wage war against the Wraith.”
John gave a slight smile, his face revealing nothing. “Nasty things, those rumors. Hard to know what to believe.”
Hoyana grinned appreciatively. “Well said, Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. Welcome to Beracca. Please, enter.”
At her nod, two of the other council members opened the doors, and Hoyana escorted them inside. They entered a small room adorned with a few colorful pieces of art that celebrated Beraccan life and one desk; doors led off to either side. The woman behind the desk smiled pleasantly at them then turned her attention to the two teenage boys sitting with her.
Hoyana stopped in front of the desk and faced them. “We are in the Beraccan Center for Government, Trade, and Commerce. The floors above us contain workspace for the various officials here as well as conference rooms in which our local farmers and ranchers may settle disputes amongst themselves without council involvement.”
“Wow. The official tour guide spiel,” McKay whispered.
Teyla hid a smile as Hoyana’s right eye twitched almost imperceptibly. Rodney was the perfect choice for the pre-negotiation talkfest. He would make the Beraccan leader insane.
To Hoyana’s credit, her voice never faltered. “The door to my right leads to the council chambers where all trade agreements are negotiated. To my left is a reception area for our visitors to refresh themselves.” Moving gracefully to the reception room, she cracked the door to peek inside then opened it wide and beckoned them in. “Water, tea, and an assortment of fruits are provided. If you need anything, please ask. We will await you in the council chamber. Just let Mergeld,” she gestured to the woman at the desk, “know when you are ready.”
Rodney dropped into one of the chairs surrounding the oblong table at room’s center as the door closed. “Am I going to have to talk against her?” he asked, reaching for the pitcher of water and a glass.
“That is doubtful,” Teyla answered as she sank into the softness of her own chair. “She will appoint someone so that she may observe us.”
Ronon straddled a chair and sampled from the trays of various fruits. “What do you think so far?”
Teyla considered the question, replaying each moment of the meeting with Hoyana in her mind. “She is excited to trade with us based on the stories she’s heard about Lanteans. She has grown into her role as Doca, very confident of herself, but she was disappointed that we weren’t more impressed with this building.”
“I wonder where she got that idea,” John muttered with a sidelong glance at McKay.
“Hey!” Rodney protested. “I told you I wasn’t any good at this.”
“On the contrary, your assessment rattled her which is something I am certain she isn’t used to,” Teyla said.
“I can really talk about anything? No matter whether they understand it or not?” Vulnerability flickered on McKay’s face.
“Absolutely anything,” Teyla reassured him. “In fact, it’s preferable that they do not understand what you are talking about. It will erode their will to continue.”
“Do we have to listen?” Ronon asked, slapping at McKay’s hand as he reached for a shiny purple fruit. “That’s citrus. Get something else.”
Teyla chuckled at how fast Rodney jerked his hand away. “You must at least pretend to listen. No snoring, no knife sharpening, no Sudoku, no Nintendo, no iPods, no thumb wars, no computers. Need I go on?”
“I think we’ve got the idea.” John hopped up. “Are we ready?”
“Almost,” Teyla said with a sigh as she hurried to the restroom in the corner.
After they made use of the lavatory and refilled their water glasses, they notified Mergeld that they were ready to begin. The receptionist announced them to the council and waved them inside. The room was bare except for the two half-circle tables that faced each other. The council sat behind one, Hoyana in the center, leaving the other for Teyla and her teammates. A podium sat off to the side.
Teyla stood behind her chair. “Doca Lippabre, I thank you for the opportunity to begin discussions between Beracca and Lantea. Dr. Rodney McKay will be speaking for us.”
Hoyana rose and inclined her head. “Welcome, delegates of Lantea. We eagerly anticipate a mutually beneficial agreement between our peoples. Kestus Sherrin will be speaking for us. As our honored guests, we invite Dr. Rodney McKay to begin. Once you have completed your first topic, Kestus will speak. When he is done, you may begin your second topic.”
Rodney flicked a slightly panicked gaze at Teyla. She squeezed his arm lightly then she, Ronon, and John took their seats. Unclipping his P-90, Rodney laid it and his backpack in a chair and moved to the podium.
After taking a sip of water, McKay cleared his throat and smiled tightly. “I would like to start with a favorite topic of mine - Batman.”
John coughed a laugh, and Ronon blinked in surprise. Teyla stifled a giggle at the bewildered expressions of the Beraccans as Rodney opined on the beginnings of his favorite superhero. A brilliant choice in her opinion. Not only would the Beraccans have no idea what he was talking about, he could speak on it for days. John turned attentive eyes to McKay, and Ronon relaxed in his seat and listened. A brilliant choice indeed.
Four hours - and six restroom breaks - later, even John’s eyes were glazing over.
“And they replaced Alfred with Aunt Harriet. Aunt Harriet, for God’s sake. What were they thinking?”
When Rodney paused for a drink of water, Hoyana leapt to her feet. “Thank you for such a thorough discussion.”
McKay crossed his arms and glared. “But I’m not-”
“The suns will set shortly. Mergeld and her sons will escort you to your lodging for the night. You may begin again when the suns rise. Are you aware of our rules regarding light after nightfall?” At their nods, Hoyana smiled and inclined her head. “Food and drink will be brought to your rooms. Until tomorrow.”
Teyla rose, John and Ronon following. “Until tomorrow.”
John handed Rodney his P-90 and backpack. “Good God, McKay. Four hours of Batman?”
Rodney grinned at him. “Wait until I get to the multiverses.”
“What’s the record for the Beraccans giving up?” Ronon asked Teyla as they followed Mergeld toward a cottage on the next street. Her sons walked quietly with them, their eyes flickering from face to face as they followed the conversation.
“They concede on occasion, but I believe that is after weeks of discussion.”
Ronon rolled his eyes and looked at Rodney. “Can you talk about Batman for weeks?”
“Of course not. I mean, I can talk on it for about a week, I’d guess.”
“And for topic number two?” John asked. “Star Trek? Star Wars? James Bond?”
“Nuclear fission.” McKay arched a brow at him. “James Bond?”
John shrugged as he climbed the cottage steps. “Cool guy with cool gadgets.”
Mergeld unlocked the door and handed the key to Teyla. “The evening meal is ready. Do you require anything else?”
“No, thank you,” Teyla answered.
Mergeld nodded then she and her sons disappeared into the twilight. The team stepped inside, glancing around. A sofa and several chairs were arranged in a group to the right as they entered. The scent of roasted meat, warm bread, and steamed vegetables wafted from the dining area in the back. To the left were a row of small beds and a bathroom in the corner.
“That smells so good,” Rodney moaned. “I’m starving.”
Teyla’s mouth watered as they sat at the table. She had no idea she was so hungry until she had walked in the door. Easing into a chair, she thanked the server who filled her plate and ate heartily. Pregnancy had definitely increased her appetite. After eating their fill, they moved to the sitting area near the door, and she stretched out on the sofa while the Beraccans cleared the food and bid them goodnight. She and her teammates chatted until the room was swathed in darkness. She had missed this - time with her team without the pressures of Atlantis intruding. Something about being off-world made her teammates, and perhaps herself, a little more open and honest.
“What are we supposed to do now?” McKay muttered into the darkness.
She giggled as Ronon and John gave Rodney a few suggestions. The giggle turned into a chuckle when Ronon tripped over a chair when he rose and fell headlong into John, causing them both to crash to the floor. The chuckle became full-throated laughter as McKay tried to move out of the way and ended up in the heap with them. After several hissed curses, a few in languages she didn’t know, they finally got untangled.
“If you ripped my shirt, McKay, you’re gonna buy me another one,” Ronon mumbled.
“Where?” McKay sniped. “At the local Wal-Mart? Do they carry Conan size?”
At Ronon’s growl, John said, “Cool it, you two.” He heaved a longsuffering sigh. “What’s so funny, Teyla?”
She clutched her sides as tears ran down her face. “You are,” she hiccupped. “I have missed this.”
“What?” Rodney demanded. “Sitting in the dark getting stomped on by Satedans?”
“This,” Teyla insisted, vaguely gesturing even though they could not see her. “Listening to you talk about the inane and insulting each other. Being a team.”
Chairs shifted and uprighted, creaking as her teammates retook their seats.
John began chuckling. “How’s that chair, big guy?”
“Hard.” The smile in Ronon’s voice was evident. “Almost as hard as McKay’s head.”
“At least I use my head for more than just growing hair, unlike the two of you,” Rodney rejoined. At Ronon’s snort and John’s guffaws, he added, “Apparently the more the hair follicles the fewer the brain cells. Except for Teyla of course.”
“Oh, of course,” John laughed.
Teyla wiped her face as the chuckling finally died down. “I suppose we should get some sleep.”
“Yeah,” John agreed, “that would be the smart thing to do.”
Rodney snickered. “That’s never stopped you before.”
Something about the darkness loosened the tongues of her teammates. Teyla settled into her chair, lulled by their voices, feeling more relaxed than she had in months. Speaking of things past and present, they talked long into the night.
xxx
Teyla woke early the next morning, bleary eyed but content, when her son began dancing in her womb. After tending to matters of hygiene, she tiptoed through the cottage and out the front door. Sometimes being the only morning person on the team had its advantages. A few minutes in solitary meditation on the bank of the river was exactly what her soul needed. When she returned to the small home, Mergeld’s two teenage boys were leaving. They didn’t seem to notice her as they rounded a corner, but their voices carried on the wind.
“Mom says we can’t afford to lose again. Are you sure that it was in the right one?” the taller boy asked.
“Yes,” the other one snapped. “How many times do I have to tell you that? Just be sure you do your part.”
Teyla quickened her step, but when she entered the cottage she found her sleepy-faced team quietly inhaling their breakfast. Ronon grunted, Rodney waved a fork, and John offered a small smile.
“Good morning,” she greeted, taking a seat.
Her plate was filled with a selection of local fruit, a small serving of grilled venga, and a large slice of bread topped with butter and jelly. A tall glass of milk glistened invitingly. Each plate was slightly different - Rodney had no citrus but some kind of pastry instead, John had more bread, and Ronon had a double helping of meat. Impressive. Their hosts had rapidly and accurately assessed their tastes based on last night’s dinner.
Half an hour later, Mergeld arrived to escort them back to the council chambers. Villagers filled the streets as they prepared for their day, and several were gathered at the front steps of the government building including Mergeld’s sons. They scrambled around Teyla in a merry chase, laughing and shoving each other. One plowed directly into Rodney.
McKay’s face crinkled in irritation. “Hey! Watch where you’re going.”
“We didn’t do anything,” the boy replied. “You should apologize for being in our way.”
Grimacing, Teyla waited for the eruption that never came. Rodney blinked uncertainly at them then at her. She smiled encouragingly and held her breath.
“Sorry about that,” McKay muttered, a flush coloring his neck and cheeks.
The boys exchanged triumphant glances. John and Ronon had already disappeared inside, and Teyla sighed in relief. At least Rodney wouldn’t be teased although his reaction puzzled her. Perhaps he was taking this negotiation seriously.
When a large man blocked her way, the boys surged close to McKay, whispering. Rodney looked annoyed at first, but his expression slowly morphed into fear. When his eyes flicked to her, she shoved her way past the locals to his side.
“… not your friends,” a boy hissed. “They are going to kill you. Leave while you can.”
“That is enough,” Teyla snapped. “Be on your way.”
The teens scampered away, the taller of the two tossing one last satisfied look their direction. Rodney had pressed himself to the side of the building, his chin tucked to his chest and his body trembling.
“What is wrong, Rodney?” Teyla asked.
He didn’t answer, inching away from her instead.
She blocked his path and lifted his chin, gasping when she saw his eyes. His pupils were completely blown, the blue irises almost nonexistent. Sweat dripped from his nose onto her wrist. He exuded a sickly sweet smell that she had never noticed from him before, and his breath came in shallow pants.
“Rodney?”
“Don’t hurt me, please.” He shuddered, his eyes impossibly wide. “Please,” he whispered.
“I would never hurt you. Tell me what is wrong.”
McKay slid out of her touch then darted down the stairs and around the corner. Teyla gaped after him and took a step to follow but decided John and Ronon stood a better chance of catching Rodney than she did.
“John, Ronon, this is Teyla. I need you outside.”
The answer came immediately. “Be right there.”
Ronon ducked into the morning sun with John on his heels. “What’s up?”
“Something is wrong with Rodney.”
“More than usual?”
She frowned at Ronon. “I am not sure if he is ill or…”
Both men lost all traces of humor. “Or what, Teyla?” John asked.
“I think he has been drugged.”
John reached for his comm. “McKay, this is Sheppard. Come in.” Concern flitted across his face. “Answer me, Rodney.”
Ronon pulled his blaster and set it to stun. “Where’d he go?”
Teyla pointed out the corner Rodney had disappeared around, and the two men dashed off. She took a step in that direction but stopped when she heard her name. Turning, she found Hoyana and Mergeld approaching with the teenagers in tow.
Mergeld’s face was crimson, and she pushed the taller boy forward. “My son has something to say to you.”
The boy ducked his head. “We played a prank on your friend. Sorry.”
“What have you done?” Teyla demanded.
Hoyana nodded to Mergeld who snatched both boys by the collar and hauled them away. “It seems the boys felt we needed help to win the opening discussions.” The Doca sighed and looked away. “We have a plant that grows above the tree line. When ingested, it produces a… heightened suggestibility. Our children have discovered a way to dry it and grind it to powder in order to spike food and drink, like the pastry on your friend’s plate. The effect is temporary and mild - the worst that’s happened is dancing on a table during lunch at school.”
Teyla straightened to her full height and set her jaw. “You mean the worst that you know of.”
“I suppose that’s possible, but in the cases I’ve seen, the effect is usually not much more than overindulging a bit.” Hoyana sighed. “I assure you the boys meant no real harm to your friend. We have…struggled during the past few negotiations, and our economy is in a downturn. They were merely trying to help in the only way they could think of,” she said. “Of course, we will end the talks immediately and give you the stronger bargaining position.”
“Yes, you will. However, this prank could have severe consequences. My friend is not from here and has serious allergies. We must find him and take him home immediately. Negotiations will have to wait.”
“Certainly. Allow us to assist in the search.”
“If your people see him, please have them notify one of us rather than approach him. Also, I would like a sample of the plant so our doctors can analyze it.”
“I will have it brought at once.” Hoyana inclined her head and went inside.
Teyla tapped her comm. “John, have you found him?”
“Nothing. He must have been paying more attention to those survival lessons than I thought. We can’t find a trace of him.”
“Is there any way to track him?”
“I have a life signs detector, but it isn’t tuned to pick up sub-cu transmissions. McKay has the rest of the equipment.”
She could hear the fear in his voice. “We will find him, John.”
“I know. It’s just...”
He trailed off, but Teyla understood. It was a big planet. Rodney was drugged, alone, scared. So many things could go wrong.
She smiled her thanks to the Beraccan who handed her a vial of white powder. “John, I have a sample of the drug. I will take it back so that Jennifer may begin work on it, and I will apprise Colonel Carter of our situation. I will return soon with a jumper.”
“Fine… just be careful. Sheppard out.”
The village and surrounding countryside no longer enchanted her as it once had. Teyla hurried from the town then attacked the hills with a vengeance, trying not to dwell on the possibility of losing another person she cared for. Beneath Rodney’s sarcasm and arrogance lay a heart that had been starved for affection for too long. The change in him had been slow but remarkable. While he would never admit it, a gentle soul lay under that gruff exterior, and he had begun to open up to the people around him.
About halfway through the orchard, her spine tingled. Someone was watching her. Teyla stopped, listening with every fiber of her being. A twig snapped. She whirled toward the sound and caught a flash of black leather.
She keyed her comm. “Colonel, this is Teyla,” she whispered. “I believe I have located Rodney. We are in the orchard on the path to the gate. Teyla out.”
The radio clicked twice in her ear in acknowledgement.
“Rodney,” she called, “it is Teyla. I know you are afraid, but I will not harm you. Please allow me to take you home.”
A rustling to her right. She ducked under a limb as she stepped off the path.
“Rodney?”
“Stay away from me!” His voice echoed through the grove, unlocatable.
“Please let me help you.”
Movement to the left caught her eye. She pushed through the trees, straining for a glimpse of him. Then she heard the unmistakable sound of a round being chambered. She squeezed into the hollow of a tree and ran her hands over her coat. No weapons. Calming her breathing, she listened carefully, finally locating Rodney’s footfalls. He seemed to be heading away from her. She eased out and picked up a thick branch. A heavy thud sounded to her left, and she crept toward it.
A bullet whizzed past her ear, and bark exploded from a nearby tree. She darted behind it and scanned the area. Nothing.
“Rodney, listen to me. The drug has confused you. If-”
A muzzle pressed against her temple. “I’m not confused,” he hissed. “You hate me. You want me dead. Well, I’m not going to let that happen.”
Teyla cringed, berating herself for forgetting who she was dealing with - a genius who had spent over four years learning to create diversions. She turned so she could see him, the hot metal sliding across her skin, and swallowed thickly. This was not the Rodney she knew. There was no arrogance, no gentleness, no recognition. He was panicked, paranoid, seething, digging the gun into her forehead.
“I do not hate you,” she said calmly. “We are friends. You must remember. Everything those boys told you is a lie. We have fought side by side for years - you and me and John and Ronon. We are a team, a family. The only family I have now. Please, Rodney.”
He shook his head violently, spraying droplets of sweat. “No. No, no, no. You’re pretending so you can kill me.” But the gun trembled in his hand.
She let the limb slide from her fingers and closed her eyes. “I trust you, Rodney.”
The pressure on her forehead eased. His ragged breathing seemed further away so she slowly opened her eyes. The gun was still pointed at her but was drooping toward her chin. Small red bumps dotted the back of his hand and disappeared under his sleeve only to emerge from his collar and spread over his face. His lips were swollen, and he was beginning to wheeze.
“Come back to Atlantis with me. Dr. Keller can help you.”
Rodney wavered, the gun lowering even further. But when something crunched softly in the distance, the gun whipped back into place.
“You lied to me!” he shouted.
Teyla raised her hands defensively. “No, I didn’t. Please, Rodney, please. My son…”
She stumbled backward as his finger tightened on the trigger. His eyes widened, and the gun flew from his hand when his body jerked as red energy enveloped it. But rather than sinking to the ground, he screamed in agony and staggered forward directly into her. She fell, landing awkwardly as the breath was ripped from her lungs. Wild-eyed, Rodney scrambled over her on hands and knees towards the gun, grabbing it and disappearing. Teyla clawed at the ground as she willed oxygen into her body.
“Teyla!” John lifted her shoulders and let her lean against his chest as she panted for breath. “Are you all right?”
Unable to gather enough breath to speak, she nodded.
“Where did McKay go?” Ronon asked.
Teyla waved in the general direction, and Ronon raced off. John rubbed her shoulder gently until her breathing eased. With a grateful smile, she took the hand he offered and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
“You’re sure you’re okay?”
“I am fine,” Teyla answered. “Rodney, however, is not. We must find him quickly.”
“Remind me to always carry a Wraith stunner in the future.”
“Agreed.”
John pulled the life signs detector from a vest pocket and frowned. “Great. I’ve got one life sign about fifty yards from here and the other a good five hundred yards away.” The display flickered and went out. “What the hell… Oh, McKay. You’re good; I’ll give you that.”
“What is it?”
“Rodney’s jamming the signal. Try your radio.”
Teyla keyed her comm. “Ronon, come in.” Static greeted her. “Ronon, please answer.”
John’s shoulders drooped. “I can’t hear you calling.”
“Which one do you think Rodney is?”
“I have no idea,” he said. “I don’t know how he would have gotten past Ronon, but I don’t know why Ronon would still be this close.”
Teyla reclaimed her tree branch, swinging it cautiously. “I will take the closer one.” She met John’s stare, cutting him off before he could begin. “Time is of the essence, John.”
“I can at least tackle him. What are you planning on doing?”
She hefted the limb. “I will disarm him.”
Every inch of John Sheppard screamed no. “Fine.” He handed her his .45. “But you aren’t going with just a twig. Protect yourself if you have to.”
“I will not have to.”
John nodded to her then hurried away. Taking a deep breath, she crept silently in the last known direction of the closer dot. After a few minutes, she swallowed a frustrated sigh. No footprints, no broken branches, not even… She gritted her teeth in irritation. She was hunting the wrong teammate.
Backtracking, she weaved through the delgrica trees as she angled toward the second dot. She reached out with all her senses, but nothing compelling answered back. Then a nearby clattering of wood and a muttered curse disturbed the silence. She crept toward the noise and peered around a tree.
John was grimacing, hand rubbing a knee, as he pulled his leg from a hole that several evergreen branches and a few logs had hidden. A snap caught his attention, and he wheeled around, stumbling as his knee wobbled underneath him. Rodney was on him before he could recover, tackling him at the waist and driving him to the ground.
Teyla glanced at the weapons in her hands. She couldn’t shoot Rodney, and trying to hit him with the limb would only distract John.
“McKay!” John covered his face with his arms as Rodney punched with all his might. “Stop it!”
“Why won’t you just leave me alone?” Rodney screamed, swinging wildly.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Rodney.” John grunted as a blow landed on his temple. “Please don’t make me.”
“I won’t let you kill me.” McKay grabbed a heavy log and aimed for John’s head.
John rolled at the last minute, grappling for Rodney’s arms as he tried to pin the man down. But Rodney was heavier and strengthened by the drug. He shoved Sheppard away and scrabbled backward, pulling his gun.
“Get away from me!”
“Easy,” John placated, his palms held up and outward. “Focus, Rodney. I’m John. We’re friends, remember?”
McKay’s chest heaved. “You want to kill me.”
“No one wants to kill you. We only want to help.”
“You- you hate me. I should have known. I don’t have friends.”
“Well, I do.” John’s voice softened. “And you’re one of them.”
“You’re lying,” Rodney hissed.
“McKay…” John scrubbed the back of his neck. “Dammit. Why would I lie?”
“Because you’re trying to trick me. You think I’ll come quietly. Think again. I won’t let you slit my throat and leave me here to die.”
John rose to one knee. “Rodney-”
“Stay away from me!” The gun shook but remained pointed at John’s head.
A faint stirring in the air alerted Teyla to Ronon’s presence. He moved silently to her side then grimaced. Sheppard was in his line of sight.
“Can you shoot them both?” Teyla whispered.
Ronon shook his head. “No. I’d hit Sheppard first, and McKay would run.”
John grew still. “I have a brother,” he said quietly. “Did I tell you that? We aren’t close, never have been.” He bit his lip, looked away then back. “Look, what I’m trying to say is you’re, you know, more like a brother than Dave has ever been.”
McKay’s face whitened. “Stop lying!”
Rodney squeezed the trigger, and the shot boomed through the woods. When John dropped to the ground, Ronon fired. Red energy sizzled around Rodney, and he shrieked in pain. Another blast hit, and he fell, convulsions racking his body. John rolled to his feet as Teyla and Ronon raced toward him.
“Oh, God.” John knelt, unzipping McKay’s vest and jacket and loosening his collar. “Is this from the drug?”
“I don’t know,” Teyla replied, brushing Rodney’s hair from his face as he seized. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” John answered, clenching his fists as McKay twitched and gasped weakly. “He missed.”
Ronon holstered his weapon and crouched next to them. “I’ve never seen anyone react like this to being stunned.”
Rodney went limp, his face gray, and Sheppard rolled him onto his side. “We have to get him help now,” John said.
Ronon scooped McKay over his shoulder and stood. “Let’s go.”
They raced for the gate, and John broke into a sprint when they cleared the orchard, dialing and sending his IDC. A medical team was waiting in the control room with a gurney. Teyla thrust the vial of powder in Jennifer’s hand, explained what had happened then slumped against a wall trying to catch her breath as Rodney was rushed from the room. Ronon stared after the med team while John moved to her side.
“You okay?” John asked.
Teyla smiled tiredly and nodded. She looped her arm through his then reached for Ronon’s hand and held tightly to them as they made their way toward the infirmary and Rodney.
xxx
Teyla shifted again as her back spasmed. Two hours of waiting and still no word.
John perched on the arm of sofa. “Lying down in your own bed would feel better.”
“Perhaps my back would feel better, but the rest of me….”
“Yeah.” Sheppard’s gaze flicked toward Ronon. He was jammed in a corner, glaring at doors that didn’t open. “Ronon?”
Ronon gave the doors a last baleful stare then pushed away and plopped in the chair next to them. “Didn’t mean to hurt him.”
Teyla exchanged glances with John as she struggled into a seated position. “We do not know that you did. The drug may have caused it. It was obviously affecting his mind. I am certain that he would have shot me if you had not intervened. He barely missed John.”
“About that-” John began.
“I do not think we should tell him,” Teyla said. “Hopefully he will forget everything that happened, and informing him would serve no purpose.”
“Agreed. We don’t say anything about what happened in the orchard. To anyone.”
Ronon nodded slowly. “What do you want to say was the reason I stunned him?”
John shrugged. “The truth. It was the only way to subdue him and get him home.”
The infirmary doors slid open. Keller smiled grimly as she walked over to them. Sheppard and Ronon hopped up and met her halfway.
“How is he, Doc?” John asked.
“Not good. His body chemistry is out of whack, and his blood pressure is all over the place. I can’t chance giving him anything until we finish our analysis on the drug he was given. Right now, all we can do is give him saline to keep him hydrated.”
Ronon crossed and uncrossed his arms. “Can we see him?”
Keller’s face scrunched up. “Only for a minute. He’s not in any shape to have visitors, and you three need to get something to eat and some rest.”
They followed Keller through the infirmary to the critical care area. The silence was broken by the various beeps and whooshes of medical equipment hidden behind a privacy curtain. Jennifer grabbed the curtain then hesitated, turning to face them again. “You need to prepare yourselves. We’ve had to take precautions against him injuring himself or someone else.”
When she pulled back the curtain, John inhaled sharply, Ronon growled low in his throat, and Teyla’s legs grew wobbly. Rodney’s wrists and ankles were encased in thick black cuffs, and an oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose. The rest of his face was swollen, and the small red bumps had mushroomed into raised splotches. His eyes were wide, panicked, darting around in confusion. When he spotted them, he began to thrash wildly, bucking and twisting in the restraints, his screams muffled by the mask.
“Out. Now!” Keller snapped, whipping the privacy curtain closed in their faces.
They stood there, stunned, staring at the pale fabric that separated them from McKay. Alarms sounded, and they were shoved to the side as medical personnel descended. Ronon dropped in a chair, his head in his hands, while John paced in a tight circle as he carded his fingers through his hair. Teyla leaned against the wall with her hands braced on the small of her back. After a few minutes, Keller emerged.
“We’ve got him calmed down, but there’s really nothing you can do right now so please go get some lunch. I’ll let you know when you can see him again.”
John’s jaw worked silently for a second. “Doc-”
“We are doing everything we can. With a little luck the drug will metabolize soon. We’ve almost finished our analysis of it so we may find a way to help him. Either way, Rodney will need you - all of you - and he’ll need you healthy.” Keller held each person’s eye for a second then disappeared behind the curtain again.
“The lady’s right,” John said finally. “Come on.”
After a quick meal she didn’t taste and a wordless nod to her teammates, Teyla headed back to her quarters. She took a hot shower then eased into the rocker Jeannie had so thoughtfully given her, intending to merely rest for a minute. She was dismayed to discover that night had fallen when she awoke. Wrapping up in the shawl Elizabeth left her, she debated on which excuse she would use as she hurried to the infirmary. Pregnancy had its privileges. But she should have known better. When she arrived, she found a small seating area had been set up near Rodney’s bed. A sofa, two chairs, a table, and a reading lamp graced an out-of-the-way spot that was still close enough to the privacy curtain for them to hear if anything was wrong. Ronon was sprawled in one chair, hands folded on his chest and ankles crossed, while John hunched in the other one with his chin on his fists. Jennifer was watching from the doorway of her office, and Teyla walked to her.
“Did you do this?”
Keller lifted a shoulder. “I’ve learned that it’s easier to keep the four of you together.”
“Has there been any change?”
“No. Rodney finally fell asleep a couple of hours ago. He’s still pretty freaked out.”
“Is there nothing that can be done?”
“We’ve finished the analysis, and we’ve started him on a broad range of antihistamines, but I don’t think any of them will work. He’s going to have to fight this one himself.” Jennifer ran a professional eye over her. “How are you feeling?”
“I am fine. I do not believe the rest of us were dosed. Dealing with Rodney was emotionally draining, but physically I am well.”
“Marie ran labs on you three, and the results were negative for the drug, but if you feel the slightest bit off, I want you to tell me. No matter how insignificant it may be. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” A huge yawn overtook Keller, and she smiled sheepishly. “I think it’s time I got some rest. Dr. Donnelly is here, and she’ll let me know if anything else changes. Rodney’s in good hands.”
“I know he is. Thank you for all you’ve done.”
“Goodnight, Teyla.”
“Goodnight.”
Moving back to the seating area, Teyla curled up on the sofa and joined the vigil.
xxx
The odd sensation of her son flipping and wiggling inside her woke Teyla in the early morning hours. She pushed up on an elbow and was massaging a muscle in her stiff neck when she heard a soft groan from behind the curtain. John and Ronon were asleep so she got to her feet and slipped over to Rodney’s bed. When she peeked behind the curtain, she found Rodney staring back at her, his eyes terrified. She took a step back then stopped when he called her name.
“Rodney?”
He mouthed her name again and jerked weakly against the restraints, panic filling his features.
She hurried to him and placed her hands on each side of his face. “Look at me. Do you remember me?”
His face screwed up in his most indignant expression, and he nodded.
Teyla grinned crazily at him as she pressed the call button. “The doctor will be here in a minute.” When he tugged again at the restraints, she stroked his cheek and used her calmest tone. “You’ve been ill. The restraints were for your protection. We will remove them as soon as we can.”
“Now.” Even the oxygen mask couldn’t muffle the fear in his voice.
When the doctor arrived, she scanned the monitors then said, “Please give us a moment.”
“Of course,” Teyla replied.
“No. No, Teyla, don’t go,” Rodney pleaded, struggling. “Please.”
“I will be on the other side of the curtain, Rodney,” Teyla said. “John and Ronon are there, too. As soon as Dr. Donnelly is finished examining you, we’ll be back. Okay?”
Rodney gave a tiny nod. “Okay.”
Teyla ducked out and plowed straight into Ronon’s chest. “What’s wrong?” he demanded.
She smiled in delight. “He is awake, and he recognized but did not fear me.”
“How’d he look?” John asked.
“Better. The splotches have diminished a little, and he is calmer.”
An alarm began to wail, and John pushed past her to throw open the curtain. Rodney was convulsing again. The doctor and two nurses revolved around him, injecting medicines in his IV, their eyes glued to the monitors. Rodney’s body twitched a final time then went still.
John swallowed thickly. “Is he…”
“He’s unconscious, Colonel.” Donnelly peeled off her gloves then joined them, closing the curtain.
“I do not understand,” Teyla said. “He seemed better.”
“Let’s sit down.” Donnelly headed for the sofa without waiting for them. When they were seated, she began. “Rodney is allergic to something in that drug that we can’t identify. The initial effects have worn off which is why he was comfortable with you being there, Teyla, but his body is struggling to metabolize it.”
“What does that mean?” Ronon asked.
Donnelly’s expression was grim. “The strain on his body is wearing him down. Toxins are building in his blood stream.”
“And that means….” Teyla prompted.
“It means after a few days his organs will begin to shut down unless we can find a way to cleanse the toxins from his system.”
“Surely there must be something you can do,” John protested. “Some kind of Ancient tech that can fix this.”
“We have lots of scanners and diagnostic equipment, but we haven’t found the magic treasure trove that cures all ills yet. I wish we had.” Donnelly raked her fingers through her hair. “We aren’t giving up, but right now the best bet he has is to keep fighting it.”
“What can we do?” Teyla asked.
“Be there for him. Keep him focused on getting better. Don’t let him give up.”
“You got it, Doc,” John said. “We won’t let him die.”
xxx
By unspoken arrangement, they took shifts sitting with him - Teyla in the morning, Ronon during the afternoon, John at night. As the days wore on, Rodney’s wakeful periods grew shorter, and one by one his organs failed. The splotches disappeared, and his pale skin became almost translucent, making the tubes and wires that ran from him look all the more invasive. But his fingers tightened around hers when she sang. Then one day they didn’t.
“He slipped into a coma last night,” Jennifer whispered.
Teyla brushed the tears from her face before she turned. “Does that mean there is no hope left?”
“There’s always hope. Rodney is fighting with everything he’s got. He may still beat this.”
“Can he hear us?”
Keller adjusted with a couple of monitor settings. “Yes, I really think he can.”
Teyla gripped his hand tightly and leaned forward. “You must not give up, Rodney. You are necessary. Not just your skills and your knowledge, but you. I know you are tired, but you must fight this.” She stroked her thumb across his knuckles. “Please, Rodney.”
He gave no indication that he heard her. She settled back in her chair, still holding his hand, and began singing the first of the harvest blessings.
xxx
The next morning when she arrived, John was sitting next to McKay’s bed, his arms across his chest. She didn’t realize he was talking until she was right behind him.
“… hear me? You survived the Genii, the Wraith, the Replicators, and you’re gonna survive this. So quit goofing off.” John leaned forward. “Ronon found your chocolate stash… Radek rearranged your office… Carter has offered Kavanagh a position here… Dammit, McKay!” John’s head dropped. “Don’t do this, Rodney, please. I can’t lose one more… I just- I can’t…”
Teyla moved away silently and wandered down the hallway to Keller’s office. Jennifer was slumped over, her head pillowed on her hand, new lines etched on her face. Turning, Teyla made her way back to ICU. John glanced up when she entered and offered a tired smile.
“Hey, Teyla.”
“Good morning, John. How is he?”
“The same. He’s, uh, he’s….”
“He’s strong,” Teyla reminded him, “and maybe a little stubborn.”
John chuckled softly. “A little?”
“Perhaps more than a little, but it will serve him well.” She squeezed his shoulder. “Go get some sleep.
He nodded wearily, patted her hand, and left. Teyla straightened Rodney’s top sheet, smoothing out the wrinkles, and combed his hair.
“Good morning, Rodney.” She washed his face with a damp cloth as she told him of the discovery Radek had made the day before. “Colonel Carter says the device shows real promise.” Teyla turned his right wrist over and gently stretched his fingers. “She believes it may be somehow related to ZPM construction. She and Dr. Zelenka-”
Rodney’s fingers tightened around hers. Teyla blinked, hope warring with uncertainty. She laid his hand flat on the bed.
“She and Dr. Zelenka have been searching the database for a match on the design...”
His hand twitched.
Teyla blinked away tears and swallowed thickly. “Colonel Carter thinks that section of the city warrants further exploration. Dr. Coleman is heading up the research team.”
Rodney’s fingers curled into a fist.
Teyla reached for the call button. “Rodney, can you hear me?”
His hand twitched again.
xxx
Days passed before Rodney came fully out of the coma. Eventually he was taken off dialysis and the ventilator. The day he was transitioned to solid foods was a happy day for all, especially the infirmary staff. After a pre-natal visit, Teyla dropped by to see how he was doing. She found him munching on some alba nuts and frowning at his laptop.
“Good afternoon, Rodney. How are you today?”
“Awful. My sister is thinking of having another baby, Tunney has been awarded the Wolf Prize, and the Giants beat the Patriots in the Superbowl. Can you imagine?”
She smiled indulgently. “Shocking.”
“Yes, well…” He glanced up at her and sighed. “I don’t really care for American football, but I had a sizeable bet on that game. It was supposed to be easy money. Why do I listen to Sheppard? Don’t answer that.”
“I would not dream of it. I was headed to the cafeteria. Would you like something?”
“No, thanks.” His ears pinked, and he scanned the room cautiously. “Do you, um, have a minute?”
“Of course.”
“I, uh, I keep having this dream. I’m standing in a bunch of trees, and you’re there. And I have a gun pointed at you.”
“It is only a dream, Rodney.”
“That’s just it. I don’t think it is. It doesn’t feel like a dream. It feels real.”
“What happens in your dream?”
“You’re talking, but I can’t understand what you’re saying. I point the gun, and it ends.”
“As you can see, I am fine.”
“Did I try to kill you?”
“Rodney-”
“Don’t lie to me. I looked up the mission report. It says Ronon had to stun me in order to subdue me.”
“That’s right.”
“That’s a crock of shit. We both know it would take a lot less than that for him or Sheppard to subdue me.”
She schooled her features carefully, the image of John falling as the gunshot sounded replaying in her mind. “What else do you remember?”
“Isn’t that enough?” His eyes were wide, pleading. “I’m so sorry. I would never-”
“Rodney, you did nothing wrong,” Teyla assured him as relief flooded through her. “Anything that might have happened was a result of the drug in your system.”
“I could have killed you.” His gaze skittered away. “And your son,” he whispered.
“But you didn’t. I am safe and well as are you and John and Ronon. No one blames you for anything. Do not let it concern you.” She rubbed his arm lightly until he nodded.
“Okay.” Rodney stared at his hands for a moment. “Do you think I can guilt Ronon into giving me his dessert for a while?”
Teyla laughed. “Probably, but he will catch on eventually. I’d offer mine, but I am eating for two now, you know.”
“I noticed. You get bigger every day.”
“Rodney McKay! I will tell your sister you said that.”
“She lives three million light years from here.”
“One day I will no longer be pregnant. Perhaps we should continue this discussion in the gym then.”
“Oh. Uh oh.”
“Uh oh?” Sheppard echoed as he and Ronon entered bearing lunch trays. “What’s wrong now?”
“Rodney was just telling me how much he’s looking forward to restarting his sparring lessons with Ronon when he’s released.”
“Aw, Teyla, come on. That’s just mean.” Rodney raked an eye over the lunch trays. “Is that Salisbury steak?”
Teyla shook her head as John arranged the chairs and Ronon handed out the food, giving an extra dessert to Rodney. She nibbled on a roasted venga leg, thankful Lorne’s team had finished the negotiations, and sighed happily, content to spend time with her team.