A New Arrival

Disclaimer: God, I wish I owned Stargate. Alas, it was not to be.

Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, Carson Beckett, Elizabeth Weir, Teyla Emmagan, Other

Ships: McWeir, slight Sheyla

Author's Note: After watching Childhood's End, I kinda wondered what McKay would be like as a father. This is my guess, told more or less from Sheppard's perspective, although it does center on McKay. Hopefully, there will be more to come. This is my first SGA fanfic so be kind, but reviews are always welcome and appreciated. I hope I did them justice!

When Carson Beckett walked into the room with the small bundle cradled carefully in his arms, it was as if all sound had ceased to be, leaving an eerie vacuum.

John Sheppard glanced at his companion and realized it was because McKay had stopped breathing; his face was turning an very interesting shade of deep pink. John would have liked to see it develop further but couldn't quite bring himself to leave a child fatherless within the first few hours of life.

John elbowed McKay in the ribs just hard enough that he took in a sudden ragged gasp of air.

"Remember, McKay—breathing important," he murmured, watching the scientist's color return to normal.

Carson grinned for all the world as he held up the infant for the two men to see.

"She's so tiny," McKay said softly, staring at her with something akin to adoration.

"Yeah," John agreed, nearly speechless as well. He'd never expected any offspring of McKay's to be so…cute. Beautiful, even. Her mouth opened in a tiny little yawn, and John concluded that it was all Elizabeth's genes.

McKay's eyes flashed up to Carson's. "How's Elizabeth?"

Carson smiled reassuringly. "Knackered, but otherwise she's perfectly fine. Teyla's sitting with her now." There was a moment of silence before Carson said, "Rodney?"

"Hmm?" McKay looked up distractedly.

"Do you want to hold her?" Carson asked in a tone of practiced patience.

"Me? No, no, no." McKay took a quick step back with a wide-eyed look John had never seen on the scientist's face before; it was as though McKay expected the baby to jump out of Carson's arms and go for the jugular at any moment.

Both men stared at McKay in surprise.

"Uh, why?" John asked. He glanced at the baby, making sure he hadn't missed something and it really had sprouted fangs. Nope, as cute as ever, comfortably asleep in the doctor's steady arms.

Carson chuckled. "Don't tell me you've never held a wee baby before."

McKay's look was disdainful. "What's it to you if I haven't? I've passed the last thirty-some-odd years without holding one and done just fine, thank you very much. Why chance it?"

Beckett matched McKay's look. "Nice try."

"Yeah, I don't think Elizabeth will let you escape the next five years or so without holding your own daughter," John added wisely.

"Just hold out your arms," Carson instructed.

Rodney took another step backward but John stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder and a push forward.

Before he could object again, Carson gently set the baby in McKay's arms. "Make sure you support her head," the doctor said kindly, gently adjusting Rodney's arms to the correct position. "You'll have to do that until the muscles in her neck strengthen so she can hold her own head up."

Rodney stared at the doctor open-mouthed then down at the tiny bundle in his arms.

"You're not going to break her, Rodney," Carson said, his brogue soft and reassuring.

"Yeah," John seconded the motion, patting McKay on the back. "And if you do, we can always buy you another one." He smirked at his comment but his obvious amusement was lost on the other two men who glared at him.

"Just trying to help," John said, shrugging and holding his hands up in an act of contrition.

"Well, don't," McKay snapped.

Carson smiled slightly. "Interesting. Apparently, fatherhood makes some men cranky."

"You mean, more than normal?" John muttered.

Rodney was too busy nervously eyeing his newborn daughter to listen but Carson cracked a lop-sided smile.

John peered over McKay's shoulder as the infant opened her eyes and gazed placidly up at her father.

"I think she like you, McKay," John murmured.

Rodney started as if he'd forgotten there was anyone else in the room. He looked over his shoulder at John then back down at his daughter in surprise. "She does? Really?"

"You're her da," Carson put in. "She knows that."

"She does?"

Both men laughed. "You know, McKay, for someone so damn smart, you can be awfully dense sometimes," said John.

McKay had enough sense to look bashful, but his face quickly broke into a genuinely happy smile. For a few minutes all three men were silent, marveling at the novelty of it all.

"I don't believe there's ever been a time when you three were in a room together and it was this quiet."

The men turned around to find a grinning Elizabeth entering the room in a wheelchair pushed by Teyla.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed yet," Beckett said to Elizabeth in a stern tone.

"Do not waste your breath," Teyla told him. "She would not listen to me either." She gestured to the wheelchair. "We reached a compromise of sorts."

Carson still looked displeased but said no more.

"Elizabeth," John said with a smile as Teyla wheeled her forward, "you produce beautiful babies."

Everyone turned to look at him with varying expressions of surprise, annoyance, and confusion.

He held up a finger. "That did not come out how I intended."

"Ya think?" Carson said with raised eyebrows.

"What I meant is, she's beautiful," John amended.

"She's perfect." McKay beamed at Elizabeth, looking like he would burst with pride at any moment.

Teyla walked over to stand next to John and get a better look at the newborn. John slung an arm around her shoulders.

"We should get us one of those," he said cheerfully.

Teyla gave him a look.

"All right," Carson said, rubbing his hands together, "time to head back to the infirmary, kiddies."

As if to agree, the infant opened her small mouth and let out a cry.

McKay stared wide-eyes at her. "What'd I do? And how do I turn it off?"

Carson and Elizabeth shared an amused look.

"Likely enough, she's just hungry," Carson said. He turned to John and Teyla. "Why don't we give mother and baby a few minutes alone. Then, Rodney, I will accompany you and your lovely lasses back to the infirmary." He smiled encouragingly and escorted the others toward the door.

John and Teyla turned to favor the couple with proud smiles as McKay, ever-so-carefully, handed the infant to Elizabeth.

"Ya done good, doctors," John said, and Teyla nodded her agreement. "Congratulations."

Carson jerked his head toward the door and the three of them exited.