Spoilers: Trinity, The Storm, The Eye
Disclaimer:I do not own these characters. This is written for fun or something. I make no money, etc.

Summary: Trinity tag. After they argue, Elizabeth is told where Rodney has gone.
Author Notes: More Pegasus 3 train fic. LJ mckayweir community Prompt Party – 'rain'.

She gave a deep sigh, and closed her laptop. The day had been an utter failure and a catastrophe, and worst of all, fatal. She was nowhere near finishing her report – how can you make five sixths of a solar system seem less... disastrous? The phrasing of certain sections was going to take a lot of thought, but not tonight. Right now, she had had enough.

Forcing herself to get up - because eating dinner was necessary, despite every fibre of her being simply wanting to curl up into a ball on her bed - she made it to Chuck's station.

"Ma'am," he acknowledged, with a small understanding smile.

She took a deep breath. The sergeant was a great help to her, she trusted him as she had trusted Peter, and it helped. "Chuck. I think I'm going to get some dinner, then some sleep. I suppose you should call me if anything comes up, but you know what? I really, really hope there aren't any surprises tonight."

"Yes, ma'am, so do I," he said fervently.

She frowned as she noticed him gulp and look away nervously. "Chuck?"

He looked up. "Ma'am?"

"Something I need to know about?" she queried.

His eyes shifted. "I don't think it's anything for you to worry about," he murmured, not convincing anyone, least of all himself.

"Let me decide, Chuck. You wouldn't be acting like this if you didn't think I needed to know, so spill it." She leaned on the console, to emphasise her interest.

He sighed. "Okay, well, it's just... it's Dr McKay."

"Rodney? What is it?" she asked evenly, but her green eyes were wide with worry.

"I, uh, I've been keeping an eye on the biometric sensors, and Dr McKay is down at Grounding Station Two. He's been there for about ten minutes, and I know for a fact there's no maintenance scheduled there..." he tapped on his laptop, bringing up the relevant schematics.

Elizabeth looked at the window, horrified. "But it's dark out there, and raining. He's not outside, is he? How do you know it's him?"

He showed her his screen. "Well, ma'am, after you, ah, talked to him, he went to the lab on the third floor. No one else was in the vicinity. He was alone in the lab for about twenty minutes. I know it was him, because he called me to complain about climate control. He was the only one down there, and next thing he'd left and he went straight to the grounding station. He's outside, and he's not moved." He gave her an apologetic, nervous smile.

She stood up and wrapped her arms around herself. "Have you called him?"

He gave a tight nod. "He didn't respond, ma'am. I think his radio is off."

She closed her eyes for a second, and made up her mind. "Call me if he moves. I'm going down there." She started towards the stairs. "Keep trying his radio. Don't do anything else until I call you."

"Yes, ma'am," he called after her.

It wasn't far from the transporter to the lightening grounding station, and she jogged along the corridor. Only a few months ago the two of them had made this journey - they had been out on this very platform, Kolya holding them at gunpoint. The rain had been torrential, the cold and fear penetrating to their bones. She had clung to him as Kolya left him half-hanging over the railings, above the stormy ocean. Together they had faced down the Genii dictator, and Rodney had been the hero of the hour – shield up, Genii defeated, torture dismissed as a 'scratch'.

But not an hour ago she had shouted at him as if he was an irresponsible imbecile, and he had screamed at her. And on this cold, rainy evening, was it a coincidence that he was out there, alone?

The doors slid open and she could feel the chill, damp air surround her. Cursing her lack of foresight to bring a jacket, she stepped out onto the platform, the rain sparking onto her hair and face and making her hands damp.

She spotted him straight away, sitting huddled on the steps, just where they had sat with his arm around her, and Kolya standing over them. She resisted the urge to call out, but instead walked across, hunching her shoulders against the rain, and sat down next to him. She imagined Chuck watching her glowing dot settling next to Rodney's.

He didn't look at her, just kept his rain-soaked head bent down, his arms resting on his knees.

"Rodney?" The quiet drumming of the fine rain couldn't hide her concern.

He looked at her then. "I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here. I should have disabled the sensors," he muttered.

"I can guess, perhaps," she said, wiping the rain from her face.

He opened his chilled, red hands, looking at them upturned on his knees. "I'm sorry, 'Lizabeth. I know you don't think I am, and maybe I'm not about everything, but I'm sorry about Collins, and I'm sorry I made you mad." He clenched his hands, the white joints almost translucent in the dim lights of the grounding station.

It was a touching admission from a man who never admitted failure. Perhaps it was time for her own honest admission. "And I'm sorry I had to be mad at you."

He looked at her, a little startled. "Really?"

"Yes, of course, really." She smiled at him through the rain, and reached out, touching his wet face.

He shivered a little. "I guess we should go inside, right?"

Nodding, she put her arm around him, and they stood up. As they headed for the door, he paused, and looked back at the grounding station, the rain coming down more heavily now, almost exactly as it had in the dark of the storm.

He opened his mouth to say something, and she shook her head.

"Not now, Rodney. Let's just go and get dry, okay?"

He nodded, she kissed his cheek, and he let her lead him into the warmth.

FIN