chaps1870 | Fic: Trapped 5/6

Title: Trapped 5/6
Author:

chaps1870
Pairing: McShep
Rating: NC17
Disclaimer: Alas, they do not belong to me.

Chapter Five

Rodney was quickly ushered to the infirmary where he was run through a battery of scans to determine just how badly he was hurt. It was with great relief that they found nothing more serious beyond what they already knew. There were the obvious broken ribs and a multitude of deep bruising on Rodney’s back and legs. His hand had severe second degree burns and would require careful monitoring to prevent infection. While Rodney had suffered a nasty head wound, he only had a minor concussion.

His broken femur was the greatest concern at the moment. Surgery would be required to set the break. Rather than casting the leg, which would necessitate a hip to ankle cast, Carson opted to perform surgery and use a titanium plate and screws to hold the broken bone in place until it was healed. It was a bad transverse break, but it hadn’t broken through the skin, nor had it damaged any surrounding blood vessels or nerves.

The most painful part of his rehabilitation would be for the burn to his hand, but even that would heal with time. They did the worst of the cleaning while he was in surgery, sparing him that painful procedure. Barring any complications, he would be back on his feet in about six weeks. All in all, he’d gotten off lucky considering how much worse it could have been.

Colonel Sheppard had carefully hidden the pain of his own injury, though not as well as he thought and was surprised when Dr. Mitoshi informed him that his foot was in fact broken. It was only a hairline fracture but he’d be wearing a walking cast for the next several weeks. With his own bruising and soreness he didn’t complain when Carson insisted he spend a few days in the infirmary. Besides, it gave him an excuse to stay with Rodney. He was pretty sure Carson knew that too.

When Rodney emerged from recovery a couple hours later, everyone gather around his bed but it was Fran he asked for. She had to lean in close to hear him in his drug induced state but straightened with a big grin on her face. Rubbing Rodney’s arm, she chuckled, “As soon as Dr. Beckett says its okay, you’ll have it. I promise.”

She and Lonnie left with knowing smile. Rodney drifted off shortly after, leaving his other visitors none the wiser about what he’d said to her.

John sat with him as he slept, wondering when Rodney had gone from annoying teammate to someone he really didn’t want to do without. Oh sure, they’d had a little more for a while, but even then John had only thought of it as sex. Well, at first anyway. Somewhere along the way it became more than a simple buddyfuck, but before he had time to figure it out or even admit it to himself, Caldwell came along and put an end to their fun. And it was fun and hot and incredible and… he stared at Rodney on the bed.

Taking a deep breath he let it out slowly, scrubbing his hands through his hair. “When did you become so much more, Rodney?”

“’Bout time,” moaned Rodney, his voice barely audible.

Brows furrowed, John stood up and looked down at Rodney unsure he’d heard right. The scientist still appeared to be in the throes of sleep. John started to sit back down when he felt a tug at his shirt. Glancing down, he found Rodney’s fingers fumbling for contact. John grabbed for them without thought, giving it them a gentle squeeze. “Rodney?”

“Hmm.”

Bending closer, John asked worriedly, “How you feeling?”

“Thirsty,” rasped Rodney, not opening his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah hold on,” answered John quickly, moving to get a glass of water. Returning, he held the glass and the straw for Rodney to drink. It seemed to take all Rodney’s strength just to sip and he slipped back into sleep, the straw still pressed between his lips. John shuffled back to his chair, sat down and waited.

************

Rodney lounged in bed, ignoring the conversations around him and wallowing in Sheppard’s touch as he massaged his foot. He didn’t want to think about what it meant and when John offered to do it in place of one of the nurses assigned to the task, who was Rodney to refuse.

It was making it hard to concentrate on the conversation at hand, with John rubbing his toes and taking the stiffness out of his foot. Rodney relaxed and slumped back on the bed, his eyes closing wearily. Carson had him on pain meds, not so much for the broken leg, but for his hand. Even with painkillers the burn still hurt.

“You okay?” asked John from where he sat crossways on the end of the bed, Rodney’s foot in his lap.

Holding the bandaged hand gently against his chest, Rodney nodded, “It just never stops hurting.”

John started to lift Rodney’s foot to scoot from under it. “I’ll get Carson to get you something.”

Rodney shook his head, “No, I’m already losing brain cells to the drugs. I hate feeling stupid.”

Settling back on the bed, John continued his massage as he teased, “Well, most of us cope every day. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Rolling his eyes, Rodney sighed as waved his good hand at what John was doing, “So…Is this a blatant disregard of Caldwell’s rules or just you being bored? Not that I’m complaining mind you, but a week ago the rules were different and I’m trying to get my head around the new ones. If you could maybe specify…”

“Shut up, Rodney,” said John smiling, taking the sting out of his words. “You’re rambling.”

“I’m just saying, has something changed that I’m not aware of, because I thought for sure you’d decided we couldn’t do this anymore.”

John feigned confusion and said innocently, “I’m just rubbing your foot, McKay.”

“Yes, well most men would find even that inappropriate and yet…here you are.”

Shrugging, John let used his thumbs to dig into the arch of Rodney’s foot, working the deeper stiffness away. Rodney bit back a moan and John smiled. “I had a moment on the planet.”

“A moment? What the hell does that mean, a moment?” Rodney questioned, giving him the ‘yes I’m genius, but even I need more than that to go on’.

“Do you have to analyze everything?”

“Do you have to be obtuse?”

“Shut up, Rodney.” John went back to rubbing the scientist’s foot.

Rodney shifted his leg. “You didn’t answer my question.”

John looked at Rodney and then at the foot in his lap. “Your foot is practically in my crotch, do you really need a definition of moment.”

“Humph. Good point.” Rodney added with a smirk and tried wiggling his toes, “So does this mean you didn’t find a replacement?”

“Shut up, Rodney,” said John, only this time he had a smile on his face.

Rodney sighed, a smug expression on his face as he closed his eyes. His nap was short lived when Carson arrived with another visitor. Sitting up, Rodney brightened at the sight of his visitor. “Hi.”

“Hello, Rodney. You’re looking better,” smiled Fran. Carson drifted to the bed, doing an unobtrusive check of Rodney while the two talked. John’s hands stilled on Rodney’s foot as he eavesdropped.

“Did you bring it?” asked McKay, his eyes darting to Fran’s hands in anticipation.

“Hmmm. I suppose I did promise,” she teased, reaching into her jacket to pull out the promised prize. “And you were a very good patient, despite what Dr. Beckett says about you.”

Dr. McKay glared at Carson, who smiled and deadpanned, “You’re a model patient, Rodney.”

John snorted his tongue at that moment and started coughing, gaining no sympathy from Rodney. “I’ve been very good this time.”

Carson smiled cheekily, “You’ve been drugged or asleep for the last week.”

“Don’t you have some other patient to torture with your slow wit?” Rodney tilted his chin up, indignantly. He added drolly, “Don’t let me keep you.”

“Mind your manners, Rodney. I’m all that stands between you and your pain.”

Rodney paled, his free hand tightening the grip on the wrist of the hand snugged against his chest. Carson flashed him an apologetic smile and patted him lightly on the shoulder, forgiveness passing between them before Fran broke in, “So, do you want it now or later?”

“Now, of course,” smirked Rodney, impatient.

John looked confused and Carson looked amused, obviously knowing more than John did. When Fran pulled her hand out of her coat and handed the object to Rodney, the scientist literally beamed. John stared in a shock before blurting, “A sucker. You got him to behave with a sucker.”

Rodney unwrapped the sucker and put in his mouth. Shifting it to his cheek, he spoke around it. “It’s chocolate.”

Pouting suddenly, John looked at Fran. “I broke my foot and I didn’t get a sucker.” He pointed to cast on his foot and lower leg.

Fran laughed, “What’s your favorite flavor?”

Rodney frowned, “What? That is so not fair. I had to work for mine.”

Sticking his tongue out at McKay, Sheppard answered Fran, “Cherry.”

Rolling his eyes, Rodney snorted, “Cherry? You are so predictable.”

“What? I like cherry,’ claimed John, innocently. Feeling the red creep into his face, John took the cherry sucker Fran offered and ducked his head as he tore away the wrapping in an effort to hide his blush. Carson and Fran chuckled at the two men and left them alone.

“Of course you do,” retorted Rodney, giving his sucker some rather suggestive swirls before John swallowed hard and looked away. Rodney was enjoying seeing John squirm, had for the last couple months. It was part of the teasing, but now he was seeing something else. John wasn’t glaring at him when he did it.

Rodney’s face fell seeing Colonel Caldwell entering the infirmary and John’s quick but gentle removal of Rodney’s foot from his lap. So much for thinking John had changed his mind. There was no hiding his contempt as Caldwell approached the bed. John glared at him and Rodney huffed, masking his anger with a yawn as he closed his eyes, effectively shutting out Caldwell’s disgusted look.

He couldn’t block the man’s words though. “Colonel Sheppard, I heard you were injured.”

Opening one eye, Rodney sneered as he looked down at his own injuries, “I was hurt too.”

Caldwell eyed the two men suspiciously, but didn’t comment on their close proximity to one another on the bed. His look pretty much said it all. He squared his shoulders and spoke to Sheppard “Yes, I’d heard you were both trapped in some ruins. I wanted to see how you were doing in case I was needed.” Eyeing Sheppard’s casted foot, he added with smug smile, “I suppose with you injured I’ll be taking over the military contingent in your absence.”

Sheppard eased himself to his feet and stood eye to eye with Caldwell. “That won’t be necessary, Colonel, Dr. Beckett has cleared me for light duty.”

The gleam disappeared from Caldwell’s eyes, replaced by a colder look. His eyes went from where Rodney lay on the bed to Sheppard and he spoke calmly, but there was no mistaking the command in his voice, “I would suggest you return to your duties then Colonel. I’m sure you have better things to do than spend your time in the infirmary bothering Dr. Beckett’s patients.”

Keeping eye contact with Caldwell, Sheppard answered easily, but his body language screamed for control. “I’m off duty at the moment, Sir.” The title came out nicely despite Sheppard’s eyes clearly saying asshole. He drew a breath and feigned a smile. “Dr. McKay is on my team and I thought he could use some company, Colonel.”

Rodney watched the two men square off, but his interest level waned as the pain in his hand intensified. At first it was just the nagging pain that never quite went away, but it slowly got worse as he listened to their conversation. He pulled his hand closer to his chest and reflexively gripped his wrist to help with the pain. It was ineffective, sweat beading on his brow as the pain only got worse. He closed his eyes and wished Caldwell would go away. The last thing he wanted was for the military commander to see him writhing on the bed in agony.

Eyes closed tight, Rodney hissed through gritted teeth, “I enjoy a pissing contest as much as the next guy but could someone get Carson over here. I need my happy place or I’m seconds from screaming and embarrassing myself.”

John’s gaze found Carson and motioned him over. Reaching instinctively for Rodney’s arm to comfort him, he was unaware of Caldwell’s pale face and seething look behind him as he did so. Rodney opened his eyes and caught only a glimpse of the Colonel’s disgust before the man turned his back and stormed from the infirmary. Rodney’s hand scrabbled for John’s as the pain spiked, “That went well.”

“Don’t worry about it. We haven’t done anything wrong,” said John, his tone genuinely unconcerned about Caldwell.

Carson appeared and noting the deep furrows of pain on Rodney’s brow, he quickly administered medicine into his IV port. “Better?”

Rodney nodded, letting his eyes close as he relaxed, the pain falling back to a more manageable level. John watched anxious and noting his concern, Carson explained, “It’s the burn. It’s going to hurt for sometime until the skin heals and even then it’s goin’ to hurt for a long time. It’s not uncommon for a burn to hurt for several months after the fact.”

“Oh lucky me,” whined Rodney, looking down at his wrapped hand. He asked without looking up, “Is it…will I…”

“Your hand will be fine, Rodney,” said Carson, reassuringly. “You’ll have to work to keep the skin from tightening as it heals and I’ll not lie to you, it’s going to be a painful process. The alternative is much worse if you lose the use of it.”

Rodney paled at the prospect of more pain. John sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed the scientist’s arm but remained silent and Rodney began to drift off under the influence of the painkillers. Patting Rodney’s shoulder in support, Carson noted the look of determination in Sheppard’s face as he watched McKay. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of help with it.”

Part Six

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Date: 2005-12-09 07:39 pm (UTC)

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