Fic: Sympathy for Eve, 8/27
Title: Sympathy for Eve, 8/27
Author: SGAtlantisLight
Characters: McKay, Beckett, Sheppard, Weir, Zelenka, Kavanagh, Kusanagi, Simpson
Relationships: McKay/Beckett
Rating: PG for this part, but the series as a whole is NC-17
Warnings: mpreg, cliffhanger
Spoilers: None
Summary: Part 8 of the Sympathy for Eve series. When Rodney gets turned into a woman for a month, he decides to experiment, but little did he know it could have unforeseen consequences. Set somewhere in a nebulous third season after any cliffhanger-y stuff has been resolved.
Disclaimer: The characters, the setting, etc. are NOT mine, even if I wish they were.
Carson pushed Rodney up against the wall, once again claiming his mouth. At other times, such a kiss would have them both hard in no time, but after their fierce lovemaking session, it barely stirred them.
"Who should we tell first?" Rodney asked when Carson broke for air.
"Probably Elizabeth," Carson said.
"I was thinking maybe Colonel Sheppard."
"We could just tell whichever friend we see first," Carson said, pressing against him again, hand tracing Rodney's curving belly.
The door slid open and they spilled out into the hallway, still kissing and holding each other.
John was just outside, frowning.
"Colonel! Hi," Rodney said. "Is something wrong?"
"There was a team lunch today," John said. "You missed it."
"Oh. I forgot. I made plans with Carson."
"Yeah, I see that." John stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking strangely sulky.
"Sorry," Rodney said. "It wasn't anything special was it?"
"No. Just lunch." John looked at his shoes. "Just, you know, hanging out with the team."
"Okay. Well, sorry I missed it. Oh, but we have news!"
"Yeah?"
"We've decided to get married."
"Yeah? Cool. Congratulations."
Rodney smiled shyly, taking Carson's hand. "Well, it's only logical, with the baby coming and everything."
"Yeah. I'm... I'm happy for you. Congrats."
"Thank you, colonel," Carson said. "Come on, Rodney. Let's go see Elizabeth."
"Hey," John said, stopping them. "There's a movie night, my place, tomorrow night. Can you two come?"
Rodney hummed, considering. "They go kind of late. Got to get plenty of rest, you know, for the baby."
"Yeah. Well, I understand."
"Oh, Carson might go, though, if you want," Rodney said, turning to Carson.
Carson smiled. "Probably not, love. I'll just stay home with you."
"Okay. Well, I'm sure you'll have plenty of people," Rodney said, nodding at John. "Won't even miss us."
John gave a tight smile. "Yeah. Plenty of people. Well, you're busy. I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah, sure. See you, Colonel."
They walked away, neither one noticing the forlorn expression on John's face as he stood alone in the hallway and watched them go.
***
Elizabeth sighed as she added a request for information on Canadian marriages and Scottish civil unions to her weekly report for the SGC. She had a sneaking suspicion this was going to be problematic, requiring Rodney and Carson be in-country to do, and there was no way Rodney would go back to Earth in his current condition.
When he'd left, he'd been discussing pulling in a few favours and Carson had been chiding him to not get ahead of the available information.
She shook her head, smiling. Leave it to Atlantis to have their first marriage be this strange of a situation.
***
Miko wrinkled her nose. "Tycho sounds like a girl name. I like Linus."
"Like the kid who's always playing the piano in Peanuts?" Vogel asked.
"That's Schroeder, idiot," Kavanagh corrected. "Linus is the kid with the security blanket who's always sucking his thumb. Can't name a kid Linus, McKay. Almost as bad as Albert, which you should also strike off the list."
Rodney opened his mouth to say something, but Kavanagh gave him a warning glare. For once, Rodney did the unexpected and kept his mouth shut.
"You have the colonel listed twice," Radek said, studying Rodney's laptop.
"No I don't."
"Yes. After 'John' you have 'the colonel, Dunstable, Taverner, Sheppard,'" Radek read.
"The colonel isn't John Sheppard," Rodney said.
Radek gave him a quizzical look.
Rodney sighed in exasperation. "Well, yes, the colonel is, in fact, named John Sheppard, but that isn't the person referenced there. John Sheppard was a 16th century composer."
"Ah," Zelenka said. "I didn't know this. You have... a great many composers listed, I think. As well as scientists."
"Yes. Well, can't have the child being culturally deprived."
"Oh, 'Ada! I like that one," Miko said, pronouncing it ah-dah.
"That's ay-duh," Kavanagh corrected.
"Ada Lovelace pronounced it with long 'a'?"
"I've always heard it pronounced that way," Simpson said.
"Shouldn't it be spelled with an 'i' then?" Miko asked.
"That would be ah-ee-duh, like the opera," Rodney said.
Miko sighed and shook her head. "I don't understand English spelling system."
"There's a system?" Radek asked.
"There are actually several spelling systems, depending on the root of the word-- or name, in this case," Kavanagh said. "That's the problem."
"You've been hanging out with the linguists too much," Rodney said.
"Yeah, well, you're the one who stuck me with the Ancient database transcription project."
"So, I thought the Ancient scanner could already reveal the sex of the baby," Simpson said. "At least, to someone like Doctor Beckett, who understands what he's looking at."
"It did," Rodney answered.
"So, which is it and why are we looking at names for both boys and girls?" Kavanagh asked.
"We're looking at names for both because we may want more in the future and we don't want names that don't go together," Rodney answered, rolling his eyes.
"You haven't answered first question," Radek said. "Is it a boy or girl?"
Rodney flattened his hand over the curve of his abdomen. "It's a boy."
"Aw," Simpson pouted. "I was kind of hoping it would be a girl."
"Why's that?" Rodney asked.
Simpson grinned. "Because I could just picture her wrapping you and Carson around her little finger."
Rodney snorted. "Not likely."
***
"I like Nikola," Ronon said, stretching back. "Nicall was a famous general on Sateda."
"I am fond of Agnes and Julia for girls," Teyla said. "They flow lightly from the tongue. For boys, I am fond of Hugo and Max, though many on your 'too weird' list appeal to me as well."
"Really?" Rodney asked, bending his knees into an imitation of the pose Teyla was taking. "That's interesting."
The three were silent for a moment, concentrating on their breathing.
"I don't suppose there would be any women among the Athosians to act as wet nurse?" Rodney said. "I've been reading up on the advantages of natural breast milk over, uh, well, the artificial baby formula created on Earth."
Teyla looked at him, her eyebrows rising in surprise. "I had thought you and Doctor Beckett might desire to feed the child yourselves."
"I'm not planning on going back to being female that long," Rodney said. "So that's not an option."
She considered him, startled. "Earth men cannot lactate?"
"What?! No!" Rodney stared at her in shock. "Can Athosian men?"
"If need be, with sufficient stimulation, yes," she answered. "It is necessary to our survival, if a mother is taken and a father left behind."
"Huh," Rodney said thoughtfully.
***
"Hey, Rodney, you, uh, you got plans for lunch?" John asked, stepping into the lab and eyeing the headphones on Rodney's abdomen warily.
"I was going to meet Carson. Why? Is there another team lunch?"
John seemed to slump just a little. "No. Nothing like that. So, uh, maybe tomorrow."
"Yeah, sure. Maybe."
There was silence for a moment after John left, then Radek said quietly, "Perhaps you should make plans with the colonel sometime."
"Hm?" Rodney said, distracted. "Why should I do that?"
Radek sighed. "Because he is your friend and he is feeling left out."
"What? I'm not leaving him out."
"When is last time you spent time with him, had a meal together, watched a movie, or some other thing?"
"I don't know. A week?"
"A week?"
"Maybe two." Rodney gave Radek a guilty look. "You really think he's feeling left out?"
Radek nodded. "Not that he will admit it."
"Yeah, okay," Rodney said. "Maybe it has been a while."
***
"Ye look fine, love," Carson said, kissing him affectionately.
"I feel... exposed," Rodney complained.
Carson crossed him arms, tucking his hands into his armpits to keep from reaching for Rodney again. "You'll learn to like it, I expect."
Rodney nervously adjusted the folds of fabric, and then stood up straight, his chin jutted out. "Okay. I'm ready."
Carson took his hand and the two of them stepped out into the corridor together. They hadn't gone more than five steps before there was a wolf whistle behind them. Rodney spun around, glaring daggers.
"Looking good, McKay," Cadman said, eyes sparkling with humour. "So, how's the little bump today?"
"He's not a bump. He's a baby and he's fine."
She patted his tummy. "Don't worry, little guy. He's really a sweetheart deep inside. I know."
"Kindly remove your hands from my person!" Rodney snapped.
"Sorry, Rodney. Jeez! Can't a girl have a little fun?"
"You've had more than enough fun at my expense, Lieutenant."
"Ooo! 'Lieutenant' huh? Well, I'm off. Love the sarong. Bet a lot of people will." She winked at Carson and walked away.
***
"Colonel, wait up!" Rodney called.
John turned, nodding to Rodney. "Hey, Rodney. What brings you to the gate room today?"
"I'm doing the encryption for the databurst this morning," Rodney answered as if it were obvious.
"Oh, right. I've got a team leader meeting with Elizabeth after we phone home."
"Yeah. I figured. Are you doing anything for lunch?"
"Just eating in the cafeteria like always," John answered.
"Good. I, ah, wanted to go over a couple things with you, you know."
"Sure. No plans with Carson?"
"No, he just headed out to the mainland to do some inoculations and check-ups. Won't be back till late."
"Oh," John said, and Rodney wondered if there was a note in disappointment in his voice. If there was, it was quickly buried. "Hey, did you see the report on P4M-273?" he asked as he bounded up the steps.
"Yeah," Rodney answered, hurrying to keep up. The way he'd tied the sarong that morning was more restrictive than his trousers had been and it threw his rhythm off. "That was one of the things I wanted to t--" His foot missed the step and suddenly he was watching himself in slow motion, falling. He windmilled, fighting for balance, grabbing at the air. Sheppard turned, reaching out for him, but it was too late. Pain lanced through his shin as his hands scrabbled for purchase, sliding forward on the step, tearing the skin. The air whooshed out of him and for a moment he couldn't breathe. Then time speeded up and he was gasping, John dropping beside him.
"McKay! Are you all right?" He rolled over, Sheppard's hands guiding him. "You're okay, right? You don't look hurt."
"It's not me I'm worried about, moron!" Rodney snapped, hand going to his abdomen. The anger bled away into fear.
John was yelling into his headset, calling for a team from the infirmary, but Rodney's entire focus was on his belly. Was that a pain? Was that a telltale clenching of muscles? God, not now. Not after he was decided and he and Carson were happily talking about marriage and family and... Please, not now. He wanted Carson, but Carson was on the mainland by now, over a hundred miles away.
"Rodney!" John shook him gently. Rodney was vaguely aware that it probably wasn't the first time.
"Yeah."
"Biro's on the way. Is there anything I can do to help? Hey, are you...? Rodney, are you... crying?"
"It's a... hormonal thing." Rodney's mouth settled into an unhappy line.
"Yeah, okay. What can I do?"
"I don't know. I just want Carson." He looked up and saw the hurt expression on John's face. "Sorry. It's not that I don't--"
"No. It's okay, Rodney. I'll call him and tell to come home. Aw, hell, he probably shouldn't be flying." John ran a hand through his hair. "I'll go get him, okay?" John squeezed his shoulder reassuringly as a gurney clattered into the room.
Rodney nodded. "Yeah. That would be good." He tried to put on a disdainful glare as Biro approached him, a reassuring smile on her face. "Took you long enough," he griped.
"Just relax, Doctor McKay, and we'll make sure you and the little one are both fine."
He nodded, wanting to believe her, as he watched John head to the jumper bay. His hand curled over his abdomen where little John Nikola Beckett-McKay rested within him-- a tiny miracle, the connection between him and Carson given form and life-- and prayed.
Next part
Author: SGAtlantisLight
Characters: McKay, Beckett, Sheppard, Weir, Zelenka, Kavanagh, Kusanagi, Simpson
Relationships: McKay/Beckett
Rating: PG for this part, but the series as a whole is NC-17
Warnings: mpreg, cliffhanger
Spoilers: None
Summary: Part 8 of the Sympathy for Eve series. When Rodney gets turned into a woman for a month, he decides to experiment, but little did he know it could have unforeseen consequences. Set somewhere in a nebulous third season after any cliffhanger-y stuff has been resolved.
Disclaimer: The characters, the setting, etc. are NOT mine, even if I wish they were.
Carson pushed Rodney up against the wall, once again claiming his mouth. At other times, such a kiss would have them both hard in no time, but after their fierce lovemaking session, it barely stirred them.
"Who should we tell first?" Rodney asked when Carson broke for air.
"Probably Elizabeth," Carson said.
"I was thinking maybe Colonel Sheppard."
"We could just tell whichever friend we see first," Carson said, pressing against him again, hand tracing Rodney's curving belly.
The door slid open and they spilled out into the hallway, still kissing and holding each other.
John was just outside, frowning.
"Colonel! Hi," Rodney said. "Is something wrong?"
"There was a team lunch today," John said. "You missed it."
"Oh. I forgot. I made plans with Carson."
"Yeah, I see that." John stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking strangely sulky.
"Sorry," Rodney said. "It wasn't anything special was it?"
"No. Just lunch." John looked at his shoes. "Just, you know, hanging out with the team."
"Okay. Well, sorry I missed it. Oh, but we have news!"
"Yeah?"
"We've decided to get married."
"Yeah? Cool. Congratulations."
Rodney smiled shyly, taking Carson's hand. "Well, it's only logical, with the baby coming and everything."
"Yeah. I'm... I'm happy for you. Congrats."
"Thank you, colonel," Carson said. "Come on, Rodney. Let's go see Elizabeth."
"Hey," John said, stopping them. "There's a movie night, my place, tomorrow night. Can you two come?"
Rodney hummed, considering. "They go kind of late. Got to get plenty of rest, you know, for the baby."
"Yeah. Well, I understand."
"Oh, Carson might go, though, if you want," Rodney said, turning to Carson.
Carson smiled. "Probably not, love. I'll just stay home with you."
"Okay. Well, I'm sure you'll have plenty of people," Rodney said, nodding at John. "Won't even miss us."
John gave a tight smile. "Yeah. Plenty of people. Well, you're busy. I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah, sure. See you, Colonel."
They walked away, neither one noticing the forlorn expression on John's face as he stood alone in the hallway and watched them go.
***
Elizabeth sighed as she added a request for information on Canadian marriages and Scottish civil unions to her weekly report for the SGC. She had a sneaking suspicion this was going to be problematic, requiring Rodney and Carson be in-country to do, and there was no way Rodney would go back to Earth in his current condition.
When he'd left, he'd been discussing pulling in a few favours and Carson had been chiding him to not get ahead of the available information.
She shook her head, smiling. Leave it to Atlantis to have their first marriage be this strange of a situation.
***
Miko wrinkled her nose. "Tycho sounds like a girl name. I like Linus."
"Like the kid who's always playing the piano in Peanuts?" Vogel asked.
"That's Schroeder, idiot," Kavanagh corrected. "Linus is the kid with the security blanket who's always sucking his thumb. Can't name a kid Linus, McKay. Almost as bad as Albert, which you should also strike off the list."
Rodney opened his mouth to say something, but Kavanagh gave him a warning glare. For once, Rodney did the unexpected and kept his mouth shut.
"You have the colonel listed twice," Radek said, studying Rodney's laptop.
"No I don't."
"Yes. After 'John' you have 'the colonel, Dunstable, Taverner, Sheppard,'" Radek read.
"The colonel isn't John Sheppard," Rodney said.
Radek gave him a quizzical look.
Rodney sighed in exasperation. "Well, yes, the colonel is, in fact, named John Sheppard, but that isn't the person referenced there. John Sheppard was a 16th century composer."
"Ah," Zelenka said. "I didn't know this. You have... a great many composers listed, I think. As well as scientists."
"Yes. Well, can't have the child being culturally deprived."
"Oh, 'Ada! I like that one," Miko said, pronouncing it ah-dah.
"That's ay-duh," Kavanagh corrected.
"Ada Lovelace pronounced it with long 'a'?"
"I've always heard it pronounced that way," Simpson said.
"Shouldn't it be spelled with an 'i' then?" Miko asked.
"That would be ah-ee-duh, like the opera," Rodney said.
Miko sighed and shook her head. "I don't understand English spelling system."
"There's a system?" Radek asked.
"There are actually several spelling systems, depending on the root of the word-- or name, in this case," Kavanagh said. "That's the problem."
"You've been hanging out with the linguists too much," Rodney said.
"Yeah, well, you're the one who stuck me with the Ancient database transcription project."
"So, I thought the Ancient scanner could already reveal the sex of the baby," Simpson said. "At least, to someone like Doctor Beckett, who understands what he's looking at."
"It did," Rodney answered.
"So, which is it and why are we looking at names for both boys and girls?" Kavanagh asked.
"We're looking at names for both because we may want more in the future and we don't want names that don't go together," Rodney answered, rolling his eyes.
"You haven't answered first question," Radek said. "Is it a boy or girl?"
Rodney flattened his hand over the curve of his abdomen. "It's a boy."
"Aw," Simpson pouted. "I was kind of hoping it would be a girl."
"Why's that?" Rodney asked.
Simpson grinned. "Because I could just picture her wrapping you and Carson around her little finger."
Rodney snorted. "Not likely."
***
"I like Nikola," Ronon said, stretching back. "Nicall was a famous general on Sateda."
"I am fond of Agnes and Julia for girls," Teyla said. "They flow lightly from the tongue. For boys, I am fond of Hugo and Max, though many on your 'too weird' list appeal to me as well."
"Really?" Rodney asked, bending his knees into an imitation of the pose Teyla was taking. "That's interesting."
The three were silent for a moment, concentrating on their breathing.
"I don't suppose there would be any women among the Athosians to act as wet nurse?" Rodney said. "I've been reading up on the advantages of natural breast milk over, uh, well, the artificial baby formula created on Earth."
Teyla looked at him, her eyebrows rising in surprise. "I had thought you and Doctor Beckett might desire to feed the child yourselves."
"I'm not planning on going back to being female that long," Rodney said. "So that's not an option."
She considered him, startled. "Earth men cannot lactate?"
"What?! No!" Rodney stared at her in shock. "Can Athosian men?"
"If need be, with sufficient stimulation, yes," she answered. "It is necessary to our survival, if a mother is taken and a father left behind."
"Huh," Rodney said thoughtfully.
***
"Hey, Rodney, you, uh, you got plans for lunch?" John asked, stepping into the lab and eyeing the headphones on Rodney's abdomen warily.
"I was going to meet Carson. Why? Is there another team lunch?"
John seemed to slump just a little. "No. Nothing like that. So, uh, maybe tomorrow."
"Yeah, sure. Maybe."
There was silence for a moment after John left, then Radek said quietly, "Perhaps you should make plans with the colonel sometime."
"Hm?" Rodney said, distracted. "Why should I do that?"
Radek sighed. "Because he is your friend and he is feeling left out."
"What? I'm not leaving him out."
"When is last time you spent time with him, had a meal together, watched a movie, or some other thing?"
"I don't know. A week?"
"A week?"
"Maybe two." Rodney gave Radek a guilty look. "You really think he's feeling left out?"
Radek nodded. "Not that he will admit it."
"Yeah, okay," Rodney said. "Maybe it has been a while."
***
"Ye look fine, love," Carson said, kissing him affectionately.
"I feel... exposed," Rodney complained.
Carson crossed him arms, tucking his hands into his armpits to keep from reaching for Rodney again. "You'll learn to like it, I expect."
Rodney nervously adjusted the folds of fabric, and then stood up straight, his chin jutted out. "Okay. I'm ready."
Carson took his hand and the two of them stepped out into the corridor together. They hadn't gone more than five steps before there was a wolf whistle behind them. Rodney spun around, glaring daggers.
"Looking good, McKay," Cadman said, eyes sparkling with humour. "So, how's the little bump today?"
"He's not a bump. He's a baby and he's fine."
She patted his tummy. "Don't worry, little guy. He's really a sweetheart deep inside. I know."
"Kindly remove your hands from my person!" Rodney snapped.
"Sorry, Rodney. Jeez! Can't a girl have a little fun?"
"You've had more than enough fun at my expense, Lieutenant."
"Ooo! 'Lieutenant' huh? Well, I'm off. Love the sarong. Bet a lot of people will." She winked at Carson and walked away.
***
"Colonel, wait up!" Rodney called.
John turned, nodding to Rodney. "Hey, Rodney. What brings you to the gate room today?"
"I'm doing the encryption for the databurst this morning," Rodney answered as if it were obvious.
"Oh, right. I've got a team leader meeting with Elizabeth after we phone home."
"Yeah. I figured. Are you doing anything for lunch?"
"Just eating in the cafeteria like always," John answered.
"Good. I, ah, wanted to go over a couple things with you, you know."
"Sure. No plans with Carson?"
"No, he just headed out to the mainland to do some inoculations and check-ups. Won't be back till late."
"Oh," John said, and Rodney wondered if there was a note in disappointment in his voice. If there was, it was quickly buried. "Hey, did you see the report on P4M-273?" he asked as he bounded up the steps.
"Yeah," Rodney answered, hurrying to keep up. The way he'd tied the sarong that morning was more restrictive than his trousers had been and it threw his rhythm off. "That was one of the things I wanted to t--" His foot missed the step and suddenly he was watching himself in slow motion, falling. He windmilled, fighting for balance, grabbing at the air. Sheppard turned, reaching out for him, but it was too late. Pain lanced through his shin as his hands scrabbled for purchase, sliding forward on the step, tearing the skin. The air whooshed out of him and for a moment he couldn't breathe. Then time speeded up and he was gasping, John dropping beside him.
"McKay! Are you all right?" He rolled over, Sheppard's hands guiding him. "You're okay, right? You don't look hurt."
"It's not me I'm worried about, moron!" Rodney snapped, hand going to his abdomen. The anger bled away into fear.
John was yelling into his headset, calling for a team from the infirmary, but Rodney's entire focus was on his belly. Was that a pain? Was that a telltale clenching of muscles? God, not now. Not after he was decided and he and Carson were happily talking about marriage and family and... Please, not now. He wanted Carson, but Carson was on the mainland by now, over a hundred miles away.
"Rodney!" John shook him gently. Rodney was vaguely aware that it probably wasn't the first time.
"Yeah."
"Biro's on the way. Is there anything I can do to help? Hey, are you...? Rodney, are you... crying?"
"It's a... hormonal thing." Rodney's mouth settled into an unhappy line.
"Yeah, okay. What can I do?"
"I don't know. I just want Carson." He looked up and saw the hurt expression on John's face. "Sorry. It's not that I don't--"
"No. It's okay, Rodney. I'll call him and tell to come home. Aw, hell, he probably shouldn't be flying." John ran a hand through his hair. "I'll go get him, okay?" John squeezed his shoulder reassuringly as a gurney clattered into the room.
Rodney nodded. "Yeah. That would be good." He tried to put on a disdainful glare as Biro approached him, a reassuring smile on her face. "Took you long enough," he griped.
"Just relax, Doctor McKay, and we'll make sure you and the little one are both fine."
He nodded, wanting to believe her, as he watched John head to the jumper bay. His hand curled over his abdomen where little John Nikola Beckett-McKay rested within him-- a tiny miracle, the connection between him and Carson given form and life-- and prayed.
Next part