A/N: This is my first fan fic so please be nice. I'm not the best with commas so sorry if it's a little awkward in places. I love constructive criticism just as long as it isn't too harsh. I'll try to improve it as much as I can in the future. The idea for this fic came to me while I was reading the 'Underground' GateWorld thread. It's pritty short but I hope you enjoy!
Rodney's Science Fair Project
"This has got to win," declared Rodney McKay absently to himself while placing the finishing touches on his sixth grade science fair project. "The judges would have to be blind and dumb if they don't give this first place. I mean, how often do kids do nuclear science as a subject for their project, usually it's something daft and painfully simple like a flimsy papier-mâché volcano."
"Hey, I resent that!" said Sandra McKay playfully as she walked into the attic where her younger brother was working. "I'll have you know volcanoes were very cool in my d-" Stopping dead, after seeing what her brother is working on she stares at what seems to be an atomic bomb in the center of the room. "Uh…Rodney is that what I think it is…"
"Yes it is." says Rodney going from annoyance of being interrupted to taking pride in his creation. "It's beautiful isn't it? The six weeks of scrounging for parts was worth it. See I was thinking if-"
"Your not planning on blowing anything up or being an arms dealer when you grow up are you?" interrupted Sandra uncertainly.
"What?" Rodney asked momentary loosing his momentum of his explanation because of such a dumb question. "Of course not," he snapped once again annoyed with his sister's pointless interruption. "It isn't a working model, Sandra."
"Oh," said the relieved sister "because, you know, if it was I don't think Mom and Dad would appreciate a live A-bomb in the attic."
"Believe me," said Rodney, not paying the slightest bit of attention to his sister's last statement, "getting the enriched Uranium would be a heck of a job to do without attracting the attention of the American Feds. But I bet if I had tried-"
"Rodney McKay!" said his sister sharply "don't even think about it. Its bad enough that you made it so realistic looking let alone making it actual work!"
"Hey, it's not like it could blow up the house at anytime." He defended testily "These things do have fail-safes."
Shaking her head at his hopelessness she realizes something. "Wait, aren't you like eleven of something? How did you learn to make an atomic bomb? I thought you were more into piano stuff then science."
Rodney's face-hardened to the all too familiar sneering mask. Instantly, Sandra regretted what she had just said.
"I'll have you know, sister, I am twelve years old and much has changed after you left for boarding school." said Rodney icily, all trace of his excited eagerness from earlier gone. "I have since dropped all that 'piano stuff' and turned to something I am better suited for."
Quickly changing the subject back to the issue at hand, Sandra tried one last time to reason with him. "But Rodney a replica of bomb? Couldn't you do something more…well…normal like 'which cleaner cleans best'? I mean you're a smart kid, granted, but don't you think this is a tiny bit over the top? Especially for a sixth grade science fair!"
"First of all, Sandra, you would not catch me dead with a childish project like that…"
"But you are a kid!"
"It would be an insult to my intelligence." He declared brushing off her protest. "And second with something like this as my project it's practically an automatic win!" Smiling once again, he turned back to his work.
"Rodney, have I ever told you, you act nothing like your age?"
"Everyone tells me that," responded Rodney matter-of-factly with his back to her.
"I just really hope you don't blow yourself up one day."
"I'm sure there is nothing on Earth I couldn't handle in the future, thank you very much. Now please let me get back to work"
Hoping her brother doesn't get arrested and that he will learn from his mistakes, Sandra quietly left her brother to his work.