Disclaimer: Don't own Stargate SG-1, and Atlantis nor it's characters!
Spoilers/ References: SGA 1.17, 2.1, 2.11, 5.5
Summary: Rodney reflects over the reactions and assumptions of his old team, when he chose to place his loyalties on the Replicators.
Ships: Replicarter/Rodney, Asuran Elizabeth/Rodney, Daniel/Reese, Teyla/Michael
Note: This is an introduction to the RC&RC Universe. If people actually like this let me know if you want this universe to be explored.

Ch1: Reflections:

Rodney closed his eyes, the image of their latest run in with his old team still fresh and vivid in his mind. "They'd never understand." He thought to himself, lowering his head, fingers slightly twitching... He wished they could come to accept him again one day but knew it could never happen. It didn't stop his always over thinking mind though from the numerous possibilities. Because he just couldn't be himself and accept defeat. He knew he could be overly negative and see nothing but the downside from time to time but tell him it was impossible and that had the complete opposite effect. He couldn't bend down to impossible. When it came to it impossible was fixed in mere minutes!.. But this wasn't a technical problem.. This would take much longer then a few minutes...

"Ronon always had the most fierce, barbarian, look on his face. The words traitor spilling from his lips. His muscles always tense and at the ready to either blast me in the face or cut my head off. Sheppard would always keep Ronon from killing me though, but I'm sure if Ronon ever ran across me alone he would do so..." The last thought gave Rodney a smirk, raising his spirits a little with a gloat. "No, no... What I mean is Ronon would try too. Not that he can... At least not any more. Carter made sure of that." He sighed a little happily. "Thinking about my Carter was much better then thinking about Ronon any day... Besides it wasn't like Ronon would ever listen to my explanations. That I wasn't evil or a trader, Ronon is a Neanderthal like cave man who doesn't see the benefits of the technology I now posses at my finger tips. "The Link" has changed me and the way I see the vast universe. How could I ever go back?"

Just at the mere thought of it "The Link" opened up to Rodney. It contained all the information the Replicators had collected and it was like a enveloping sea of knowledge. He could feel all the nanites his Carter had given him buzzing soothingly. He always got a rush of excitement, "like a kid in a candy store" sort of vibe, when his mind was sent roaming free for any new data that had been collected. Which was always updating constantly as his Carter's Replicators spread out far and wide across the galaxies. Absorbing, learning, replicating, and whenever they came across any unique technology never before seen, they where instructed by Carter to leave it be, so they both could have a chance to play with it and figure out things together. "It was always fun for us. Like a competition to see who could understand it and make it work first." Rodney gave one of his half smiles. It was one of this things he loved about his Carter over human Carter. His Carter understood the excitement of seeing everything in a competitive light. It only made figuring out new things all the more sweeter in the joys of victory and the overall fun to play in the game.

Rodney's concentration started to slip back into the endless data stream, but in the background he felt it. In the vast distance.. Pangs of his brethren being wrecked to pieces... He focused in on it. He could see what his numerous family could see. Through the eyes of the Replicator's in spider form he could see them crawling about only to be shot into pieces by Teyla.

"Telya..." Rodney raised his chin up and made a hum sound. To be honest he really didn't know how she felt about him and his switch to sides. He suspected she thought he left them to be with Replicator Carter. That it was because he loved her. He got that feeling from her whenever she'd eyed Carter and Elizabeth. He felt like it was the same way she'd look at her Michael. "Teyla always had this way of looking at people, making them feel like they where truly being seen. She used to look at Michael with surprise and love, then when he turned she looked at him with confusion and a hard conflict in her being. It was only after awhile of Michael's unending pursuit that she finally fell back to him. Rodney remembered the reactions of the people around her. Ronon was especially furious to the point of scary." Rodney would fidget and hate to stand near him during those tantrums. He'd put his fingers to his communicator and pretend Zelenka had called him to which he would excuse himself and make a quick getaway. And back then those death glares that scared him so much weren't even to him but to Michael, nowadays he'd get the same death glare.. Maybe even worse..

His fingers snapping and clicking in repaid session in brief resolution. "Teyla! Maybe one day she could come to understand my decisions... After all she basically is going through the same thing, and even besides that she's always been so understanding of other peoples ridiculous culture's and stuff like that. How could this be any different?.. And maybe if I could convince her she can make the others understand... If only I ever had a chance to talk to her alone." Rodney sighed. It was a long shot and he knew it. Teyla was always on missions with the whole team, only ever not being with them when she was off doing trade negotiations to villages that usually barely had much in the terms of technology. Which played doubtful that any of their spiders could spot her by random chance unless they had good resources. Rodney held onto that idea though.

Rodney's mind continued to float lazily in the data stream. When a sight of Sheppard in a spider's field of vision broke Rodney back into his thoughts.

"Whenever I'd run into Sheppard on a world that Carter and I where messing around for technologies, or Elizabeth and I where just checking out, my old team would raise their guns put us in their sights, Sheppard always refused to aim at me though. Instead he'd only point to Carter. Sheppard would treat me like I was Ford. It is both annoying and endearing that he really does care, but the fact of the matter remains. I'm not crazy like Ford was, but Sheppard thinks I am... Well maybe not "crazy" but Sheppard has told me time and time again in our little meetings that I should just come home... That we can have Carson look at me and that he and Zelenka could try to disable my nanites with their medical voodoo and science know how. I try to tell him the nanites don't affect my judgement, in fact I fell in love with my Sam and choose her before she gave me them. Sam had only given them to me because she wanted to make sure the other's couldn't hurt me. So if they did I would heal up quick. She also want to show me the wonders of The Link."

"John didn't understand The Link, yet he should of all people... It's like the Chair in Atlantis. The way he'd always talk about it, feeling like an extension of himself, that he could feel every system of Atlantis at his finger tips, obey his every command. The way Atlantis felt alive to him and irresistible... But Sheppard wont accept any explanation or example I give him. Sheppard doesn't believe me. In fact he's so positive that the nanites are making me do things I don't want to do that it's at the point of delusional in my opinion. It's just like how sure Sheppard was that Ford was still alive after the hive was destroyed. He couldn't accept him dead, no matter how much evidence their was against it."

"Then theirs the matter with Elizabeth.. Sheppard of all people should understand why I'm with Carter and Elizabeth. He knows what it's like to either fall for people all the time, which may or may not turn into questionable people or to just help people who are questionable. I love them. Care for them, and at one time John love Elizabeth too their was no denying it..."

Rodney glared and set his mouth in a firm line. "I'm sorry.. I meant he loved human Elizabeth not the Asuran Elizabeth..." Rodney flexed his fingers in and out of a fist. "Replicator Elizabeth IS human Elizabeth!" Rodney thought with annoyance. "Their all just to stupid and racist against Asurans to see it. Yes her race changed but it's still her conciousness. How moronic are those people?! It shouldn't take a genius like myself to realize it!.. But maybe it does.. And that's why Sheppard would never understand."

Rodney winced as the painful memory of him having to let Elizabeth cross the Stargate into cold dead space... "I still felt horribly guilty about it, I had never wanted to but I felt like I was forced to do it. When I later on joined Carter I had in earnest request asked her if we could go to the gate where Elizabeth was sent and retriever and revive her. Carter had been reluctant and unsure at first but eventually she did so for me. Elizabeth had forgiven me, happy to be alive again. She knew how sorry I was and kept trying to tell me we were passed it, but I always felt like it had scarred me in a way... Anyway Carter and Elizabeth came to an understanding of each other right away, like long lost relatives completing our little family."

Rodney ran his thumb over his knuckles in deep thought. "The SGC and Atlantis in general had both deemed me an enemy by now. But the more I think about it the more it didn't mater. All in all I had a new family and brethren to look after and care for. I didn't resent them for the loss of my old one, and I would never leave them to go back to the others. It all depended on the others outlook really. They can either accept me for my decisions and accept Carter and Elizabeth or they can just deal without my brilliance and skill getting them out of trouble for the rest of their lifetimes... Very short lifetimes since I'm the one who always gets them out of trouble on a daily basis.." Rodney smirked.

"Rodney."
Rodney snapped his head up and looked behind him.
"Yes Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth walked over and sat next to Rodney.
"What are you doing?" She asked then looked to the Camera and smiled.
"Oh.. I'm just... You know." Rodney pointed to the camera snapping at it, then pointed to his head.
"Getting my thoughts out.. It's just.. Therapeutic in a way.."
Elizabeth looked at him and nodded then frowned looking concerned. "Rodney.. Their not going to kill us.."
She put her arm around him gazing into his eyes worried.
"Where going to survive this just like we survive the siege.."
Rodney opened his mouth to retort but shut it when she placed her hand on his cheek.
He looked uncertain at her and in her diplomatic way to end all doubts she added,
"Besides with my added upgrades to us they have no weapon that can affect us."
Rodney nodded, he knew that already but it was always nice to hear confidence and reassurance from her.
But doubt and worry still tickled the back of his mind.
"But this is our old people where talking about Elizabeth.. Their resourceful, they'll always look for a way-"
"And we'll counter it." Sam had interrupted him.
She was standing at the wall leading in a ways a way, leaning against it, arms crossed looking cool and confident.
"Where the smartest people in the galaxy Rodney. Whatever they throw at us, whatever they try we'll be already ten paces ahead."
She walked over and sat next to them to Rodney's other side with a smile. "With our combined brain power with The Link and Elizabeth able to translate all the new Ancient data and technology we find and assimilate no one will be able to stop us."
She smirked with undeniable confidence, ego and a thirst for power, the kind her human counterpart would never have, and Rodney could feel it wash over him, encouraging him. "Now." She raised an eyebrow looking over to the camera.
"Let's give the camera something real interesting to capture." She winked as both Sam and Elizabeth hugged him together. With that, Rodney felt like he could do anything with them by his side.