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Title: A Friend in Need
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chaps1870
Pairing: Rodney/John friendship
Rating: G
Word Count: 1259
Summary: The title says it all. Hive tag. Had this on my computer for ages and was cleaning so I’m just throwing it out here.
Carson finished examining Teyla and Ronon, giving both a clean bill of health. As the conversation waned, Sheppard glanced at Rodney, He smiled smugly as he rocked back on his heels, “Hey, McKay, sorry for the wasted trip.” He added more sincerely, “I see you don’t have any lasting side effects of the drug. Teyla and Ronon weren’t so lucky. Guess that lower dose was a good thing.” His smile faded at the sudden paleness in the scientist’s face.
McKay stood frozen and Carson cleared his throat, ready to speak when Rodney finally found his voice. He tried to feign a smile, “Piece of cake.” He waved nervously towards the door as he stuttered, “Um… If you’ll excuse me I have work to do.” Not bothering to wait for any response, Rodney hastily left the infirmary.
Sheppard looked at the stunned expressions coming from Beckett, Weir, and Caldwell. “What? Did I say something wrong?”
“Aye, you could say that,” said Carson, looking uncomfortable.
Elizabeth spoke up solemnly, “Rodney escaped from the planet by taking a massive dose of the enzyme.”
Teyla, Ronon and especially John, stared at her in shock. Sheppard shook his head, “No way. Rodney fought Ford just to get his dose lowered so he could work and even then he held out between doses. He hated the stuff. Hated how it made him feel.”
“I’m sure that’s true, Colonel,” answered Carson. “Unfortunately, he felt the only way to get help for all of you was to take the enzyme so he could overpower the guards and return here.”
“Rodney took out Ford’s men?” questioned Sheppard, still not quite believing it.
“He seemed rather proud of himself too, called it amazing,” said Elizabeth. There was no amusement in her voice as she related the rest of the encounter in the Gateroom.
Sheppard listened then asked Carson, “How bad?”
“I’ve no doubt if he’d been anywhere else he wouldn’t have survived,” said Carson, gravely.
Absently, Teyla spoke, “Like Kanayo.”
“Aye, though what Rodney went through was probably worse. He took a very large dose, much more than would be considered safe. That and we couldn’t wean him off the enzyme. It was a very difficult time. We had to restrain him. Without the careful monitoring and medication, I don’t think he would have survived.” As Carson spoke, his eyes were distant, telling far more than he was able to say. How could he describe the violent tremors, the cramps, the vomiting, the vicious curses, the terrified screams, or the painful tears that Rodney experienced through the withdrawal. It was an agonizing time for both doctor and patient, but Carson had stayed with him, never leaving Rodney’s side. In the end, Rodney had offered an apology then rushed off, his mind set on rescuing his teammates.
It was no wonder Rodney couldn’t face them after the Colonel’s remark. Everything he’d done, all he’d sacrificed had been for nothing. The only thing the Daedalus had provided was a ring side seat to Sheppard’s heroics that ended with Rodney thinking he’d been too late to save his friends. To return home and find out that Sheppard and the others had made it out alive without any help from him had to have been devastating for Rodney. To have the Colonel make light of it was more than Rodney could face after the suffering he’d endured.
Sheppard must have realized his mistake, for he quietly excused himself and left the infirmary.
*****
Rodney tried going to the lab, but hated the idea of facing his fellow scientists. Several of them had stood in the Gateroom and watched him make a fool of himself. The last thing he wanted was their jokes or worse, their pity. He was wallowing in self pity and he hated himself for it. He should just be thankful that the others survived.
In the end, he decided to go to his quarters. The strain of the enzyme, the subsequent withdrawal and the pointless trip on the Daedalus had left him exhausted. As the door slide shut behind him, Rodney stood there undecided whether a shower was worth the effort. Shrugging out of his jacket, he threw it on the chair and flopped onto the bed as he thought the lights down.
About to drift off, he heard the door open and didn’t bother looking up. “Go away.”
He heard the shuffling of feet and his desk chair being pulled out. Sheppard’s voice broke the silence, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
Rodney sighed, refusing to turn over and look at Sheppard. “Nothing to be sorry about. I’m just not cut out for the hero thing. It’s always too little or too late.” He gave a small cynical laugh, “Although I guess it was really way too much in this case. Got the too late down pat though.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Rodney. You wouldn’t have had to do any of it if I hadn’t made you finish the dart in the first place. I should’ve found another way. I never meant for you to get left behind.”
“Humph,” huffed Rodney. “It really doesn’t matter, Colonel. I was an idiot to think I could make a difference. I was an idiot to think Ford would actually take me along on the mission. I should have known he’d still be pissed at me for shooting him.”
John shifted off the chair and picking it up, turned it around so he could straddle it. Leaning on the back of it, he spoke, “He’s not the same kid anymore. The enzyme has him thinking he’s invincible, that he can take on the world. He drugged you against your will and it messed with your head.”
“Nice try, but I wasn’t so screwed up that I didn’t know what I was doing. I took it because I knew it was the only chance I had of getting off that planet. I tried talking to them but all it got me was a gun in my face.” Rolling to his back, Rodney lifted up on his elbows. He still couldn’t look at Sheppard. “All I could think of was too much time had passed and something had gone wrong. I needed to get out of there and get help. The enzyme seemed the only solution.”
“Why so much?”
“Oh please, they could’ve kicked my ass with one hand tied behind their back. I started out thinking a single dose would do it, but then I saw the bottle and figured more is better. Worked out really well actually, though I wouldn’t recommend it. If I’d known then what I know now…well to that degree anyway. I knew I’d have to go through the withdrawal thing, but…” his voice faltered, “I really didn’t think it would be that bad.”
“Sorry I wasn’t here for you. Carson said it was pretty rough.”
Rodney snorted, “I’m surprised Carson is even speaking to me.”
John hesitated then spoke sincerely, “Carson and Elizabeth, hell even Caldwell seemed pretty impressed with what you did, Rodney. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I know it seems like it was pointless and all, but it’s better to come in guns blazing than not. Besides, who knows, maybe all those shots the Daedalus fired on the darts allowed me time to do what I did and get out of there.”
For the first time, Rodney looked up and he said shyly, “Thanks.”
Shrugging, John smiled for the first time since entering McKay’s room, “So you kicked their asses, huh?”
Rodney grinned, “It was amazing.”
Standing up, John asked, “You hungry?”
“Starved,” said Rodney, sitting up on the bed.
Sheppard nodded toward the door, “Come on, you can tell me all about it.”
Author:
chaps1870Pairing: Rodney/John friendship
Rating: G
Word Count: 1259
Summary: The title says it all. Hive tag. Had this on my computer for ages and was cleaning so I’m just throwing it out here.
Carson finished examining Teyla and Ronon, giving both a clean bill of health. As the conversation waned, Sheppard glanced at Rodney, He smiled smugly as he rocked back on his heels, “Hey, McKay, sorry for the wasted trip.” He added more sincerely, “I see you don’t have any lasting side effects of the drug. Teyla and Ronon weren’t so lucky. Guess that lower dose was a good thing.” His smile faded at the sudden paleness in the scientist’s face.
McKay stood frozen and Carson cleared his throat, ready to speak when Rodney finally found his voice. He tried to feign a smile, “Piece of cake.” He waved nervously towards the door as he stuttered, “Um… If you’ll excuse me I have work to do.” Not bothering to wait for any response, Rodney hastily left the infirmary.
Sheppard looked at the stunned expressions coming from Beckett, Weir, and Caldwell. “What? Did I say something wrong?”
“Aye, you could say that,” said Carson, looking uncomfortable.
Elizabeth spoke up solemnly, “Rodney escaped from the planet by taking a massive dose of the enzyme.”
Teyla, Ronon and especially John, stared at her in shock. Sheppard shook his head, “No way. Rodney fought Ford just to get his dose lowered so he could work and even then he held out between doses. He hated the stuff. Hated how it made him feel.”
“I’m sure that’s true, Colonel,” answered Carson. “Unfortunately, he felt the only way to get help for all of you was to take the enzyme so he could overpower the guards and return here.”
“Rodney took out Ford’s men?” questioned Sheppard, still not quite believing it.
“He seemed rather proud of himself too, called it amazing,” said Elizabeth. There was no amusement in her voice as she related the rest of the encounter in the Gateroom.
Sheppard listened then asked Carson, “How bad?”
“I’ve no doubt if he’d been anywhere else he wouldn’t have survived,” said Carson, gravely.
Absently, Teyla spoke, “Like Kanayo.”
“Aye, though what Rodney went through was probably worse. He took a very large dose, much more than would be considered safe. That and we couldn’t wean him off the enzyme. It was a very difficult time. We had to restrain him. Without the careful monitoring and medication, I don’t think he would have survived.” As Carson spoke, his eyes were distant, telling far more than he was able to say. How could he describe the violent tremors, the cramps, the vomiting, the vicious curses, the terrified screams, or the painful tears that Rodney experienced through the withdrawal. It was an agonizing time for both doctor and patient, but Carson had stayed with him, never leaving Rodney’s side. In the end, Rodney had offered an apology then rushed off, his mind set on rescuing his teammates.
It was no wonder Rodney couldn’t face them after the Colonel’s remark. Everything he’d done, all he’d sacrificed had been for nothing. The only thing the Daedalus had provided was a ring side seat to Sheppard’s heroics that ended with Rodney thinking he’d been too late to save his friends. To return home and find out that Sheppard and the others had made it out alive without any help from him had to have been devastating for Rodney. To have the Colonel make light of it was more than Rodney could face after the suffering he’d endured.
Sheppard must have realized his mistake, for he quietly excused himself and left the infirmary.
*****
Rodney tried going to the lab, but hated the idea of facing his fellow scientists. Several of them had stood in the Gateroom and watched him make a fool of himself. The last thing he wanted was their jokes or worse, their pity. He was wallowing in self pity and he hated himself for it. He should just be thankful that the others survived.
In the end, he decided to go to his quarters. The strain of the enzyme, the subsequent withdrawal and the pointless trip on the Daedalus had left him exhausted. As the door slide shut behind him, Rodney stood there undecided whether a shower was worth the effort. Shrugging out of his jacket, he threw it on the chair and flopped onto the bed as he thought the lights down.
About to drift off, he heard the door open and didn’t bother looking up. “Go away.”
He heard the shuffling of feet and his desk chair being pulled out. Sheppard’s voice broke the silence, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
Rodney sighed, refusing to turn over and look at Sheppard. “Nothing to be sorry about. I’m just not cut out for the hero thing. It’s always too little or too late.” He gave a small cynical laugh, “Although I guess it was really way too much in this case. Got the too late down pat though.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Rodney. You wouldn’t have had to do any of it if I hadn’t made you finish the dart in the first place. I should’ve found another way. I never meant for you to get left behind.”
“Humph,” huffed Rodney. “It really doesn’t matter, Colonel. I was an idiot to think I could make a difference. I was an idiot to think Ford would actually take me along on the mission. I should have known he’d still be pissed at me for shooting him.”
John shifted off the chair and picking it up, turned it around so he could straddle it. Leaning on the back of it, he spoke, “He’s not the same kid anymore. The enzyme has him thinking he’s invincible, that he can take on the world. He drugged you against your will and it messed with your head.”
“Nice try, but I wasn’t so screwed up that I didn’t know what I was doing. I took it because I knew it was the only chance I had of getting off that planet. I tried talking to them but all it got me was a gun in my face.” Rolling to his back, Rodney lifted up on his elbows. He still couldn’t look at Sheppard. “All I could think of was too much time had passed and something had gone wrong. I needed to get out of there and get help. The enzyme seemed the only solution.”
“Why so much?”
“Oh please, they could’ve kicked my ass with one hand tied behind their back. I started out thinking a single dose would do it, but then I saw the bottle and figured more is better. Worked out really well actually, though I wouldn’t recommend it. If I’d known then what I know now…well to that degree anyway. I knew I’d have to go through the withdrawal thing, but…” his voice faltered, “I really didn’t think it would be that bad.”
“Sorry I wasn’t here for you. Carson said it was pretty rough.”
Rodney snorted, “I’m surprised Carson is even speaking to me.”
John hesitated then spoke sincerely, “Carson and Elizabeth, hell even Caldwell seemed pretty impressed with what you did, Rodney. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I know it seems like it was pointless and all, but it’s better to come in guns blazing than not. Besides, who knows, maybe all those shots the Daedalus fired on the darts allowed me time to do what I did and get out of there.”
For the first time, Rodney looked up and he said shyly, “Thanks.”
Shrugging, John smiled for the first time since entering McKay’s room, “So you kicked their asses, huh?”
Rodney grinned, “It was amazing.”
Standing up, John asked, “You hungry?”
“Starved,” said Rodney, sitting up on the bed.
Sheppard nodded toward the door, “Come on, you can tell me all about it.”