Disclaimer: I am not making any money from this. It's just for fun.
To Weaken the Heart
"Ronon, do you think you could you at least try to walk in a straight line?"
The only response Rodney got was a grunt followed by a thud as the Satedan fell to his knees. Rodney was pulled along; his arm still wrapped around his teammate's waist.
"You need to get to the gate McKay." Ronon growled.
"Yes thank you I hadn't realized that Conan." Bit back the scientist. "Now get up" Rodney scrambled to his feet and started tugging on Ronon's arm. The last few times the two of them had ended up on the ground they rested for a moment and then struggled up only to continue on their trek through the forest. This time however Ronon didn't even try to get up, he just sort of slumped over sideways towards a tree.
"We're to slow McKay we've barely made a mile in the last hour."
Rolling his eye's Rodney answered "Tells you something about the amount of effort being put into this little venture of ours doesn't it. And let me tell you, it isn't for lack of trying on my part. Now get up!"
"Look around McKay it's just the trees and us. Get to the gate and bring back help. I'm fine."
"Okay, you know what?" Rodney snapped getting more irritated by the second. "I know we have our differences but are you trying to get me kicked off the team? Hmmm? Do you know how many times I have heard Sheppard say that we don't leave anyone behind? If I go back to Atlantis with out you, weather it was to go get help or not, I would be signing my own death sentence. Death by Teyla's mean flying sticks. Is that what you want?"
Ronon glared in the ranting man's direction but the response that the gaze would get normally was hindered by the fact that those sharp brown eyes were cloudy as if they couldn't quiet focus.
"And further more you are not fine. You think your staring at me stoically don't you. You are currently starring at my left ear."
The cloudy eyes shifted more to the center of his face. "That's better but you still have to get up."
Ronon let out a frustrated breath. "It's getting worse McKay. I can barley move my feet. You should go."
Narrowing his eyes Rodney kneeled in the dirt next to the former runner. Running his hands over the mans legs he could feel the muscles jump and constrict under his fingers. "We still have a few hours of light left we need to make it as far as we can tonight then maybe we can get to the ruins tomorrow. They will probably send someone after us so let's put as much distance between us and them as we can. Now come on. You can laugh at me later while you play Boy Scout leader by trying to teach me how to start a fire."
"Boy Scout?"
"I'll explain on the way." Rodney got behind the other man and placed both his hands under his friend's armpits but trying to pull him to his feet this way proved useless. "I should get a badge of honor for putting my hands under there." Rodney muttered wiping his palms on his pant legs. "Okay we'll do this the old fashioned way." Going to Ronon's side and crouching he maneuvered his arm under Ronon's shoulder and grasped his wrist as it was slung over his own shoulder. "On the count of three." "Three" the other man mumbled as he tried to get his feet under him it took two more tries but finally they were on their way.
"Be prepared." Rodney muttered "Why am I never prepared?" As he and Ronon struggled on through the dim light of the forest Ronon asked "What's a Boy Scout?" "A boy scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent." Rodney quoted from memory. There was silence for a moment as the two struggled through the forest. "You were never a Boy Scout were you McKay." Ronon stated. "Of course not. It's an American thing."
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"I'm officially calling off the search." Elizabeth said. John's eye's narrowed as Teyla's widened in surprise.
"Elizabeth how could you do that?" questioned Teyla.
"Yes Elizabeth, how could you do that?" Asked John. His voice was cold and there was an undercurrent of something she couldn't quiet identify. Elizabeth Weir sat up straighter. Narrowing her own eye's at the two of them she kept her voice calm.
"If ether of you would care to let me finish I will explain."
"What's there to explain Doctor?" John questioned. His tone gave Elizabeth cause to stop momentarily. If this was what is was like for Rodney after Doranda, no wonder the man had been so desperate to get back in John's good graces.
"John. I said I am officially calling off the search. Unofficially is another matter all together." At his grimace she gave him a curt nod and folded her hands on the top of her desk. Staring at the two remaining members of her first contact team that were sitting in the chairs facing her desk she went on. "The IOA is placing a lot of pressure on me to stop wasting our recourses on those that they believe to be a lost cause."
"Ronon and Rodney are not a lost cause!" exclaimed Teyla.
Sighing Elizabeth looked out the glass window at the Stargate. "They have been gone almost two months."
"Elizabeth?" Hearing that venom leaking into John's voice again she pushed her own doubts aside and continued.
"Yes they could still be out there waiting on a rescue which is why unofficially we will still look for them. The leaders of the other SGA teams have agreed to keep an eye out and continue to ask after them on every planet they visit. The only thing changing is that we can no longer plan missions specifically for you and Teyla to search for them." Seeing the protests on both of their lips she raised a hand to quiet them. "I have arranged for you both the take time off from you normal duties to grieve for you teammates. As of now consider your selves on meet and greet duties only. You will travel to heavy populated planets specifically those with markets where you will try to meet new trading partners. If you happen to ask around for Rodney and Ronon while you're there I don't think that it is a big enough issue to put in the mission reports."
"Thank you Elizabeth" Teyla said sincerely. Nodding her head at the retreating Athosians back Elizabeth turned her eyes to John who had not gotten up from his seat.
"Thanks, and I'm sorry about before it's just that…."
"I know John. Just don't be surprised when you get the memo that they have both been placed on the MIA presumed KIA list." John ran his had through his hair making it stand on end more than ever before.
"I'm sorry John but if we want the search to continue it will have to be behind the IOA's back."
"I know, but somehow it feels like giving up on them." He slouched in his chair and he seemed so discouraged Elizabeth had to say something.
"We're not giving up." She stood and placed her hands on her desk leaning in closer to Sheppard's face. "We don't leave men behind John."
He stood and turned to leave her office, at the door he looked back. Grinning he ran a hand through his hair again. "We'll find them." Nodding his head as if to confirm this thought he turned and left activating his radio as he went. "Teyla meet me in the mess. We have a meet and greet mission to plan."
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My sight was blurry but I could make out shapes, light and dark and right now it was getting dark quickly. McKay must have noticed it also because we came to a stop a few minuets later. I found my back pressed up against a tree and hands on my shoulders guiding me with gentle pressure urging me to slide down the trunk and rest on the ground.
"Time for that lesson in…. pyrotechnics" I heard Rodney say. He was out of breath and trying hard not to show it.
When I had first met the man he was hanging upside down in a tree begging to be let down. He hadn't made a good first impression. But as the months wore on and I spent more time with him on Sheppard's team, I began to see a strength in him that few people bothered to find. He didn't let people see it often but I knew that there was a bravery in him that came out when he was protecting his team.
"Find some dry wood. We'll go from there." I said my voice hoarse and scratchy. I heard him move off into the woods searching as he went.
He didn't make friends easily I thought, returning to my musings about my teammate. Friends were something that he took seriously. It didn't happen over night and you had to earn the privilege to even be considered. His loyalty rivaled that of my fellow soldiers in the army on Sateda, and when he did consider you a friend, you weren't just a friend, you became family. Something he didn't have much of. None of us did. Sheppard was my brother, Teyla was my sister but as much as I trusted Rodney I wasn't sure where he fit into my family. .
He came back into camp and dropped a load of wood by my legs. I cursed myself for not paying attention enough to hearing him come close.
"You didn't hear me did you." He didn't even bother to make it a question he knew the answer. "What ever they gave you is affecting you hearing as well isn't it. How are your eyes?" He asked.
"My hearing is fine and my eyes are the same." I growled. "I was lost in thought." I could almost hear his eye's roll
"Since when do you let your mind wonder especially in a situation like this." His voice was accusing
"I told you I'm fine, I wasn't concentrating." I growled back.
"Can you take watch?" His voice was low and begging an honest answer. Sheppard would have known that I wasn't all there, at least not enough to take a watch but McKay didn't. McKay didn't know as much as a soldier but I gave him credit for trying to do the right thing.
"No" I said. Silence consumed the forest. It was so quiet. My breath started coming rapidly. A roaring filled my ears. A feeling that had almost been my constant companion when I was in my cell came rushing back. Panic. McKay had left me and went back to the gate and as much as I had pushed him to leave I didn't want to be alone. Not like before. A heavy hand settled on my shoulder.
"Ronon? You still here?" I nodded once.
"I'm going to get more wood." He rose to his feet and moved off into the forest.
I sucked in deep breaths trying to even out my breathing. Growling I hit my fist into the ground. I hated this. It was any soldier's worst nightmare. Not being able to fight, completely helpless, and dependent on someone else. Ever since I had joined Sheppard's team I had slowly begun to allow my self to trust again. I trusted my team with my life. I knew I could count on John and Teyla watching my back in a fire fight and I knew that McKay could fix anything from the systems in a jumper to an alien toaster oven. His words not mine. But he was out of his element. I was supposed to protect him not the other way around. I was the one to drag him back to the gate after natives started shooting at us. He was the one that could save us all from disaster with a brilliant plan. How was he going to get us both to the gate with out getting caught? He wasn't. He could shoot a gun with surprisingly good accuracy but when it came to hand to hand combat the man was pretty much useless. Even with a weapon, which we didn't have, it was a lost cause.
McKay came back to camp and after a little while with my help and his clumsy attempts we managed to get a fire going. We were sitting next to it and eating the small amount of bread that McKay had somehow managed to take with him. I was also trying to ignore the fact that I could feel the heat of the fire on my face but I couldn't see anything no shapes no hazy images no light. Nothing. My vision was completely gone.
"I can't see." I mumbled.
"That's funny because I can't ether. Could it have something to do with the fact that it's night?" Came the sarcastic reply from my left.
"I can't see anything. Not even the fire." Keeping an injury from someone in the field was dangerous, but this wasn't something that I knew how to deal with. This wasn't pain that could be managed, this was a weakness. I didn't have those; at least I didn't use to.
"Oh…. really?"
I could feel air rush past my face as if someone was waving a hand in front of my eyes. He probably was.
Rodney sighed. "It wore off before in about 12 hours after you were completely blind. It will ware of again." He sounded determined "You will get your sight back. Look, Ronon, I'm pretty sure that you're going to try and convince me to leave again so I thought that I would save you the trouble and go first. Get this in your thick hair covered head now or else I will beat it in my self. We are both going back to Atlantis. Together."
I smirked. "I wasn't going to try and convince you McKay."
He snorted "Of course you weren't." He took a deep breath. "Get some sleep Ronon. We have a long way to go tomorrow."
Authors Note: What do you think? Any good? Even if the response is negative I am determined to post a complete story but it would be nice to know what people think so far. Oh, and I meant no disrespect towards the boy scouts. It just seemed like a good thing for McKay to grouch about.
