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Fic: Unspoken
Title: Unspoken
Author: Chaps1870
Pairing: Rodney/Carson
Rating: R for language
Summary: John has a difficult time when he discovers Rodney is gay.
Disclaimer: Sadly, they are not mine. No infringement of copyright intended.
A/N: If I don't start posting I will never finish this.
Chapter One
“Damn it, McKay. PUSH!”
“I’m trying Major. Just get the damn thing.”
“You know, you could be the one under here risking life and limb,” joked Sheppard, looking nervously at the heavy rock above him.
Rodney snorted a laugh, “Oh right, like I trust your skinny ass to hold this up.”
John tried to act indignant while grinning, “What’s wrong with my skinny ass?”
“It’s skinny. That’s all I’m saying,” snorted McKay.
Major Sheppard was on his stomach amidst the crumbled ruins trying to reach for the small power source Doctor McKay had located. It was buried under the remains of a large column that Rodney presently had his back against and was trying to hold in place.
He grunted, through clenched teeth, “Could you hurry, Major? Kind of heavy here!” Rodney was straining and sweat gathered on his brow as he planted his feet and tried to maintain his hold on the column. Sheppard started to back out when Rodney was struck by a sharp pain in his stomach and he faltered, the column slipping forward several inches. A scream rent the air and he pushed against the column harder, the pain gone again. It was too late. Major Sheppard was sitting on his haunches holding his hand firmly to his chest, rocking back and forth.
John was moaning in pain and yelling at Rodney all in the same breath, “Goddamn it McKay. You broke my fucking hand.”
Easing the column back into its original position, Rodney hurried to Major Sheppard’s side, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It slipped.” Reaching out he tried to help, “Let me see it.”
The pain in his hand was intense and John was in no mood for niceties. With his good hand he shoved McKay aside knocking him on his butt, “Don’t touch it!”
Undeterred, Rodney sat up and inched closer, “Look I just want to help. I said I was sorry.”
“You could have helped by holding the damn column!”
Again he reached out and carefully inspected the Major’s damaged hand. It was already swelling and turning black and blue. Rodney cringed, knowing it must hurt like hell. He hadn’t meant to slip, but a sudden pain had caught him off guard. He’d been feeling nauseous all morning but attributed it to bad food or something. He doubted very much if Major Sheppard would be interested as to why he’d let the column slip so he left it alone. Inspecting his hand, he spoke, “I think it’s broken.”
Glaring at him, Sheppard snapped, “No shit, Sherlock. And we are out in the middle of bumfuck nowhere.”
Searching through his pack, Rodney pulled out the first aid kit and rummaged for something useful. His choices were limited to morphine and Tylenol. He hoped the Major would agree to morphine, since they were a good eight hours from the gate and with night falling they wouldn’t be doing any traveling until morning. Rodney keyed his radio to alert the others. “Teyla, Ford, the Major’s been injured. Report immediately.”
Teyla answered, concern lacing her voice. “Doctor McKay, how badly is he hurt?”
“I think his hand is broken. Look just get here, okay.” He shot a look at Sheppard, “He’s not being very cooperative.” The Major mouthed ‘fuck you’ and Rodney winced.
“On our way, Doctor McKay.”
Rodney held out the morphine and Tylenol, “Which is it gonna be, Major?”
Pain glazed eyes stared back at him, “What do you think?”
“I think you are very unpleasant when you’ve been hurt.” smirked Rodney, “However, I’d like to think you’re smart enough to take the morphine, Major. We aren’t going anywhere tonight and you might as well be comfortable.”
Still holding his hand tightly to his chest, Sheppard’s shoulders slumped and he nodded weakly, the pain obviously taking its toll. He hated hurting, it made him grumpy. He knew this was an accident, but that didn’t change the fact that his hand was throbbing in time with his heart. He sighed in resignation, “Fine. Give me the shot then.”
“Good answer.” Giving him the shot, they sat in awkward silence. Finally Rodney asked hesitantly, “So, did you get the device?”
John looked at him in disbelief. “Yeah McKay…” He nodded towards the column. “It’s under there in a million pieces. Knock yourself out.”
“Well that’s just great. We spend a whole day trudging through the Jungle Book to get here and now it’s for nothing,” huffed Rodney.
Smirking, John shot back, “Oh I don’t know, McKay. I’ve got a fucking broken hand. That’s got to be something.”
Rodney sulked, “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, I got that.” The harshness was suddenly gone, replaced by remorse for his attitude, “Look I know you didn’t mean it. I’m sorry I snapped at you.” Major Sheppard’s words slurred and he tilted dangerously to his left.
Rodney grabbed for him and gently lowered him to the ground. Seeing him drift off, he grabbed his radio again, “Lieutenant Ford?”
“Yeah, Doc?”
“We’re gonna have to make camp here, the Major has passed out.”
“Got it. I’ll move everything to your location. Out.”
While Rodney waited for Teyla and Ford, he splinted the Major’s hand and set up a tent for evening. Storm clouds had been gathering all day and it was just a matter of time before the rain started. He pulled a couple MRE’s from his pack, but the thought of food sent his stomach roiling and he stuffed them back before lunch made its presence known.
********
Rodney dozed a few times but every time John stirred, he was right there to make sure he was alright. It hurt to see John suffering, especially since it was his fault and could have been prevented. The fact that Sheppard agreed to the morphine was testament to the pain he was in.
When John woke in the middle of the night, he found Rodney sitting in the dark beside him. “What are you doing up, McKay?”
“Um, I woke up, thought you might need something,” he said shyly, not willing to admit he was worried about his friend and had been up most of the night keeping vigil.
“Some water would be nice,” Sheppard croaked, his voice gravelly.
“Be right back.” Rodney scrambled from the tent and quickly returned with a canteen. Holding it so the major could drink, he stuttered an apology, “Look, I’m sorry about your hand. I… it… it was an accident.”
Holding his hand to his chest, John lie back sighing, “I know McKay. Forget it alright. Shit happens. If I’d thought you’d done it on purpose I woulda shot you with my gun.”
Relieved by the teasing, Rodney shot back, “How comforting? Would you like something more for the pain, I’d rather you didn’t shoot me in my sleep.”
“Nah, I’m feeling pretty buzzed at the moment. I think you’re safe…for now.”
“You’ll let me know if you change your mind… right?”
John smiled tiredly, “I’m sure you’ll know the minute the bullet pierces your brilliant mind.”
Rodney quipped, “You get a little irritable and snippy with the pain thing, don’t you?”
“It’s a part of my charm.”
“You need to work on your approach, Major.”
Yawning, John said groggily, “Goodnight, McKay.”
“Night, Major.”
By morning, Rodney was glad that at least some of the pain of the initial break had subsided enough that Sheppard could function without the morphine. He made due on Tylenol, not wanting to be loopy for the long walk back to the gate. His mood reflected the pain he was in and none of them were spared his bitter tongue.
“Eat, McKay,” insisted Sheppard.
“I’m not hungry.” Rodney’s nausea continued this morning, only it was much worse and he was certain a fever was starting. More than anything he was just thirsty.
“Since when?” snorted John, regretting it when it jarred his hand. His tone was sharper as he added, “Just eat something, McKay. I don’t want you bitching in an hour about your damn blood sugar.”
Sheppard’s words stung and Rodney fumbled in his vest, pulling out a powerbar to appease the Major. “Fine.”
Teyla and Ford watched with stunned expressions when the Major taunted the Doctor. There was no mistaking his hurt look from the Major’s barb but McKay remained uncharacteristically silent as he got to his feet and walked towards the ruins.
“Don’t wander off.” Sheppard ground out, “We are leaving in five minutes.”
Rodney waved him off without looking back. As soon as he was out of site he replaced the powerbar and slumped into a large piece of ruin. Taking a deep breath, he shifted to try and ease the pain in his stomach. Thinking things couldn’t possibly get any worse, the sky opened up and it began to rain. Ducking his head, he sighed, “Oh perfect!”
Two hours later the rain was still coming down and they were all thoroughly drenched. Ford and Sheppard were on point, with McKay and Teyla bringing up the rear. Despite the pain the Major was in, he was walking at an unrelenting pace, wanting only to get home. Rodney followed behind, the rain feeling cool on his hot skin. Thirsty, he reached for his canteen only to find it empty. He berated himself for drinking so much. Stopping briefly, he opened it and held it up, hoping to collect some of the rain. Teyla stepped up beside him and her eyes darted to where Major Sheppard and Lieutenant Ford were still walking. “I think we should keep moving, Doctor McKay. We don’t want to lose the others.”
“More like we don’t want to incur Attila’s wrath this morning.”
Eyeing him curiously, she asked, “What is this Attila you speak of?”
“He was a tyrant in Earth’s history. In this case I was referring to Major Sheppard.”
Teyla smiled knowingly; she herself was avoiding the Major after being dismissed for trying to assist him. “Are you feeling okay, Doctor?”
“I’m fine.” He dismissed her concern with a shrug. Swishing his canteen to see if any progress was being made, he wasn’t aware of the Major’s approach until he was startled by his voice and flinched.
“What are you doing, McKay?” Sheppard’s tone left little doubt about his mood.
Regaining his composure, Rodney answered sarcastically, “Well, since you don’t seem to want to stop, I was refilling my canteen.”
“And what happened to yours?” snapped Sheppard, his patience gone.
“I drank it. Isn’t that what one does with water?” Rodney retorted. Sheppard was already pissed off and there was no way Rodney was going to admit he wasn’t feeling well. He was certain the Major would launch into a tirade about not eating breakfast.
“We’ve only been walking for a few hours, McKay.”
Wiping his face as the rain dripped in his eyes, Rodney purposely flicked it away, “It’s not like we have to conserve, Major.”
Shifting his hand inside his vest, Sheppard winced. Shaking his head, both in pain and frustration, he barked irritably, “We don’t have time for this.” Removing his own canteen he thrust it at Rodney, “Try to show some restraint. Let’s go.”
Rodney fumbled the canteen and stood speechless, no snide remark forthcoming. He watched as Sheppard turned on his heel and began his relentless pace again, leaving the others no choice but to follow.
Teyla caught up with Ford and walked with him for a bit. “Have you noticed that Doctor McKay does not seem himself today?”
Ford smiled, “You mean snappy and arrogant? I’m sure he’s just feeling bad for hurting the Major. You know how he dwells on things.”
“Perhaps.” She glanced over her shoulder at McKay, who was trudging behind them, occasionally wiping the rain off his face. He looked tired, but none of them had slept well and the all the rain was making the ground muddy, adding to the difficulty in walking. “I don’t think he is feeling well.”
“You wanna tell the Major?” questioned Aiden, not really relishing the thought of speaking with his commanding officer today. He’d tried to assist him earlier, knowing the Major was in pain, but he’d been rebuffed for his efforts. Major Sheppard was not a pleasant person when he was in pain. Not that anyone blamed him. His hand was swollen and no doubt throbbing unmercifully. With only Tylenol to dull the ache, it made him touchy and irritable and all of them were keeping their distance, letting him set whatever pace he was comfortable with.
“I will speak to him,” sighed Teyla, pushing a soaked strand of hair out of her face. She hurried to catch Sheppard, falling into step beside him, “I think Doctor McKay could use a break, Major. I don’t think he is feeling well.”
“He’s never well. It’s always something.” When Teyla didn’t respond, he gave her quick sideways glance, noticing her disapproving look, “What?”
Always diplomatic, Teyla spoke softly, “I understand that you are hurting Major, but that is no reason for you to act as you have towards Doctor McKay. It was an accident.”
Sheppard’s shoulders slumped, knowing full well he was being an ass. “I’m sorry. I just want to get back. If we’d left yesterday when I wanted to instead of letting McKay talk us into staying…” His voice grew harsh as he spoke, his anger returning when he thought about their present circumstances, “I wouldn’t have a broken hand and we wouldn’t be trying to get back in a goddamn rainstorm.” Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a powerbar and passed it to her, “Give that too him. That should shut him up for a while.”
Teyla shook her head at him, “Doctor McKay has not said anything to me about feeling unwell. I was simply making an observation.”
John rolled his eyes. “Then he’s fine. If he was feeling bad, we’d all be hearing about it.” She stood staring at him and his conscience ate at him. He was being an ass to McKay, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. Rodney was always the easiest target for his anger because he didn’t buckle under it, always ready with a snide remark of his own. Seeing Teyla’s disapproval, he sighed, “We’ll stop in another hour.”
She bowed her head, “Thank you, Major.”
An hour later, they found a copse of trees with a thick overhang of leaves that offered some protection from the rain. Soaked to the skin and tired from trudging through the mud, conversation was at a minimum as they ate lunch. Rodney sat off by himself and opening an MRE forced himself to eat, thinking maybe it would make him feel better. It didn’t. He got to his feet and walking several yards into the woods, lost what little he’d tried to eat, glad that the rain drowned out any sound he was making. Returning, he sat hunched over, his arms wrapped around himself. To the others it looked like he was trying to keep warm. To Rodney, it was just less painful than sitting upright, the pain in his gut getting worse as the day went along.
He thought about mentioning it, but if the Major could suffer through with a broken hand then he really had no right to complain about a stomach ache. Besides he was still able to keep up and right now that was all that mattered, getting the Major home.
Author: Chaps1870
Pairing: Rodney/Carson
Rating: R for language
Summary: John has a difficult time when he discovers Rodney is gay.
Disclaimer: Sadly, they are not mine. No infringement of copyright intended.
A/N: If I don't start posting I will never finish this.
Chapter One
“Damn it, McKay. PUSH!”
“I’m trying Major. Just get the damn thing.”
“You know, you could be the one under here risking life and limb,” joked Sheppard, looking nervously at the heavy rock above him.
Rodney snorted a laugh, “Oh right, like I trust your skinny ass to hold this up.”
John tried to act indignant while grinning, “What’s wrong with my skinny ass?”
“It’s skinny. That’s all I’m saying,” snorted McKay.
Major Sheppard was on his stomach amidst the crumbled ruins trying to reach for the small power source Doctor McKay had located. It was buried under the remains of a large column that Rodney presently had his back against and was trying to hold in place.
He grunted, through clenched teeth, “Could you hurry, Major? Kind of heavy here!” Rodney was straining and sweat gathered on his brow as he planted his feet and tried to maintain his hold on the column. Sheppard started to back out when Rodney was struck by a sharp pain in his stomach and he faltered, the column slipping forward several inches. A scream rent the air and he pushed against the column harder, the pain gone again. It was too late. Major Sheppard was sitting on his haunches holding his hand firmly to his chest, rocking back and forth.
John was moaning in pain and yelling at Rodney all in the same breath, “Goddamn it McKay. You broke my fucking hand.”
Easing the column back into its original position, Rodney hurried to Major Sheppard’s side, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It slipped.” Reaching out he tried to help, “Let me see it.”
The pain in his hand was intense and John was in no mood for niceties. With his good hand he shoved McKay aside knocking him on his butt, “Don’t touch it!”
Undeterred, Rodney sat up and inched closer, “Look I just want to help. I said I was sorry.”
“You could have helped by holding the damn column!”
Again he reached out and carefully inspected the Major’s damaged hand. It was already swelling and turning black and blue. Rodney cringed, knowing it must hurt like hell. He hadn’t meant to slip, but a sudden pain had caught him off guard. He’d been feeling nauseous all morning but attributed it to bad food or something. He doubted very much if Major Sheppard would be interested as to why he’d let the column slip so he left it alone. Inspecting his hand, he spoke, “I think it’s broken.”
Glaring at him, Sheppard snapped, “No shit, Sherlock. And we are out in the middle of bumfuck nowhere.”
Searching through his pack, Rodney pulled out the first aid kit and rummaged for something useful. His choices were limited to morphine and Tylenol. He hoped the Major would agree to morphine, since they were a good eight hours from the gate and with night falling they wouldn’t be doing any traveling until morning. Rodney keyed his radio to alert the others. “Teyla, Ford, the Major’s been injured. Report immediately.”
Teyla answered, concern lacing her voice. “Doctor McKay, how badly is he hurt?”
“I think his hand is broken. Look just get here, okay.” He shot a look at Sheppard, “He’s not being very cooperative.” The Major mouthed ‘fuck you’ and Rodney winced.
“On our way, Doctor McKay.”
Rodney held out the morphine and Tylenol, “Which is it gonna be, Major?”
Pain glazed eyes stared back at him, “What do you think?”
“I think you are very unpleasant when you’ve been hurt.” smirked Rodney, “However, I’d like to think you’re smart enough to take the morphine, Major. We aren’t going anywhere tonight and you might as well be comfortable.”
Still holding his hand tightly to his chest, Sheppard’s shoulders slumped and he nodded weakly, the pain obviously taking its toll. He hated hurting, it made him grumpy. He knew this was an accident, but that didn’t change the fact that his hand was throbbing in time with his heart. He sighed in resignation, “Fine. Give me the shot then.”
“Good answer.” Giving him the shot, they sat in awkward silence. Finally Rodney asked hesitantly, “So, did you get the device?”
John looked at him in disbelief. “Yeah McKay…” He nodded towards the column. “It’s under there in a million pieces. Knock yourself out.”
“Well that’s just great. We spend a whole day trudging through the Jungle Book to get here and now it’s for nothing,” huffed Rodney.
Smirking, John shot back, “Oh I don’t know, McKay. I’ve got a fucking broken hand. That’s got to be something.”
Rodney sulked, “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, I got that.” The harshness was suddenly gone, replaced by remorse for his attitude, “Look I know you didn’t mean it. I’m sorry I snapped at you.” Major Sheppard’s words slurred and he tilted dangerously to his left.
Rodney grabbed for him and gently lowered him to the ground. Seeing him drift off, he grabbed his radio again, “Lieutenant Ford?”
“Yeah, Doc?”
“We’re gonna have to make camp here, the Major has passed out.”
“Got it. I’ll move everything to your location. Out.”
While Rodney waited for Teyla and Ford, he splinted the Major’s hand and set up a tent for evening. Storm clouds had been gathering all day and it was just a matter of time before the rain started. He pulled a couple MRE’s from his pack, but the thought of food sent his stomach roiling and he stuffed them back before lunch made its presence known.
********
Rodney dozed a few times but every time John stirred, he was right there to make sure he was alright. It hurt to see John suffering, especially since it was his fault and could have been prevented. The fact that Sheppard agreed to the morphine was testament to the pain he was in.
When John woke in the middle of the night, he found Rodney sitting in the dark beside him. “What are you doing up, McKay?”
“Um, I woke up, thought you might need something,” he said shyly, not willing to admit he was worried about his friend and had been up most of the night keeping vigil.
“Some water would be nice,” Sheppard croaked, his voice gravelly.
“Be right back.” Rodney scrambled from the tent and quickly returned with a canteen. Holding it so the major could drink, he stuttered an apology, “Look, I’m sorry about your hand. I… it… it was an accident.”
Holding his hand to his chest, John lie back sighing, “I know McKay. Forget it alright. Shit happens. If I’d thought you’d done it on purpose I woulda shot you with my gun.”
Relieved by the teasing, Rodney shot back, “How comforting? Would you like something more for the pain, I’d rather you didn’t shoot me in my sleep.”
“Nah, I’m feeling pretty buzzed at the moment. I think you’re safe…for now.”
“You’ll let me know if you change your mind… right?”
John smiled tiredly, “I’m sure you’ll know the minute the bullet pierces your brilliant mind.”
Rodney quipped, “You get a little irritable and snippy with the pain thing, don’t you?”
“It’s a part of my charm.”
“You need to work on your approach, Major.”
Yawning, John said groggily, “Goodnight, McKay.”
“Night, Major.”
By morning, Rodney was glad that at least some of the pain of the initial break had subsided enough that Sheppard could function without the morphine. He made due on Tylenol, not wanting to be loopy for the long walk back to the gate. His mood reflected the pain he was in and none of them were spared his bitter tongue.
“Eat, McKay,” insisted Sheppard.
“I’m not hungry.” Rodney’s nausea continued this morning, only it was much worse and he was certain a fever was starting. More than anything he was just thirsty.
“Since when?” snorted John, regretting it when it jarred his hand. His tone was sharper as he added, “Just eat something, McKay. I don’t want you bitching in an hour about your damn blood sugar.”
Sheppard’s words stung and Rodney fumbled in his vest, pulling out a powerbar to appease the Major. “Fine.”
Teyla and Ford watched with stunned expressions when the Major taunted the Doctor. There was no mistaking his hurt look from the Major’s barb but McKay remained uncharacteristically silent as he got to his feet and walked towards the ruins.
“Don’t wander off.” Sheppard ground out, “We are leaving in five minutes.”
Rodney waved him off without looking back. As soon as he was out of site he replaced the powerbar and slumped into a large piece of ruin. Taking a deep breath, he shifted to try and ease the pain in his stomach. Thinking things couldn’t possibly get any worse, the sky opened up and it began to rain. Ducking his head, he sighed, “Oh perfect!”
Two hours later the rain was still coming down and they were all thoroughly drenched. Ford and Sheppard were on point, with McKay and Teyla bringing up the rear. Despite the pain the Major was in, he was walking at an unrelenting pace, wanting only to get home. Rodney followed behind, the rain feeling cool on his hot skin. Thirsty, he reached for his canteen only to find it empty. He berated himself for drinking so much. Stopping briefly, he opened it and held it up, hoping to collect some of the rain. Teyla stepped up beside him and her eyes darted to where Major Sheppard and Lieutenant Ford were still walking. “I think we should keep moving, Doctor McKay. We don’t want to lose the others.”
“More like we don’t want to incur Attila’s wrath this morning.”
Eyeing him curiously, she asked, “What is this Attila you speak of?”
“He was a tyrant in Earth’s history. In this case I was referring to Major Sheppard.”
Teyla smiled knowingly; she herself was avoiding the Major after being dismissed for trying to assist him. “Are you feeling okay, Doctor?”
“I’m fine.” He dismissed her concern with a shrug. Swishing his canteen to see if any progress was being made, he wasn’t aware of the Major’s approach until he was startled by his voice and flinched.
“What are you doing, McKay?” Sheppard’s tone left little doubt about his mood.
Regaining his composure, Rodney answered sarcastically, “Well, since you don’t seem to want to stop, I was refilling my canteen.”
“And what happened to yours?” snapped Sheppard, his patience gone.
“I drank it. Isn’t that what one does with water?” Rodney retorted. Sheppard was already pissed off and there was no way Rodney was going to admit he wasn’t feeling well. He was certain the Major would launch into a tirade about not eating breakfast.
“We’ve only been walking for a few hours, McKay.”
Wiping his face as the rain dripped in his eyes, Rodney purposely flicked it away, “It’s not like we have to conserve, Major.”
Shifting his hand inside his vest, Sheppard winced. Shaking his head, both in pain and frustration, he barked irritably, “We don’t have time for this.” Removing his own canteen he thrust it at Rodney, “Try to show some restraint. Let’s go.”
Rodney fumbled the canteen and stood speechless, no snide remark forthcoming. He watched as Sheppard turned on his heel and began his relentless pace again, leaving the others no choice but to follow.
Teyla caught up with Ford and walked with him for a bit. “Have you noticed that Doctor McKay does not seem himself today?”
Ford smiled, “You mean snappy and arrogant? I’m sure he’s just feeling bad for hurting the Major. You know how he dwells on things.”
“Perhaps.” She glanced over her shoulder at McKay, who was trudging behind them, occasionally wiping the rain off his face. He looked tired, but none of them had slept well and the all the rain was making the ground muddy, adding to the difficulty in walking. “I don’t think he is feeling well.”
“You wanna tell the Major?” questioned Aiden, not really relishing the thought of speaking with his commanding officer today. He’d tried to assist him earlier, knowing the Major was in pain, but he’d been rebuffed for his efforts. Major Sheppard was not a pleasant person when he was in pain. Not that anyone blamed him. His hand was swollen and no doubt throbbing unmercifully. With only Tylenol to dull the ache, it made him touchy and irritable and all of them were keeping their distance, letting him set whatever pace he was comfortable with.
“I will speak to him,” sighed Teyla, pushing a soaked strand of hair out of her face. She hurried to catch Sheppard, falling into step beside him, “I think Doctor McKay could use a break, Major. I don’t think he is feeling well.”
“He’s never well. It’s always something.” When Teyla didn’t respond, he gave her quick sideways glance, noticing her disapproving look, “What?”
Always diplomatic, Teyla spoke softly, “I understand that you are hurting Major, but that is no reason for you to act as you have towards Doctor McKay. It was an accident.”
Sheppard’s shoulders slumped, knowing full well he was being an ass. “I’m sorry. I just want to get back. If we’d left yesterday when I wanted to instead of letting McKay talk us into staying…” His voice grew harsh as he spoke, his anger returning when he thought about their present circumstances, “I wouldn’t have a broken hand and we wouldn’t be trying to get back in a goddamn rainstorm.” Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a powerbar and passed it to her, “Give that too him. That should shut him up for a while.”
Teyla shook her head at him, “Doctor McKay has not said anything to me about feeling unwell. I was simply making an observation.”
John rolled his eyes. “Then he’s fine. If he was feeling bad, we’d all be hearing about it.” She stood staring at him and his conscience ate at him. He was being an ass to McKay, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. Rodney was always the easiest target for his anger because he didn’t buckle under it, always ready with a snide remark of his own. Seeing Teyla’s disapproval, he sighed, “We’ll stop in another hour.”
She bowed her head, “Thank you, Major.”
An hour later, they found a copse of trees with a thick overhang of leaves that offered some protection from the rain. Soaked to the skin and tired from trudging through the mud, conversation was at a minimum as they ate lunch. Rodney sat off by himself and opening an MRE forced himself to eat, thinking maybe it would make him feel better. It didn’t. He got to his feet and walking several yards into the woods, lost what little he’d tried to eat, glad that the rain drowned out any sound he was making. Returning, he sat hunched over, his arms wrapped around himself. To the others it looked like he was trying to keep warm. To Rodney, it was just less painful than sitting upright, the pain in his gut getting worse as the day went along.
He thought about mentioning it, but if the Major could suffer through with a broken hand then he really had no right to complain about a stomach ache. Besides he was still able to keep up and right now that was all that mattered, getting the Major home.