"I thought you said this was going to be easy," Dr. Rodney McKay complained in a near growl. Teyla Emmagen and Ronon Dex leaned back against the large downed tree, each sighing in turn as the argument started up once more.

"Why are you lookin' at me? Again! I'm not the one who suggested what we come here. And I NEVER said anything about this mission being easy. That would be a pretty foolish thing to say on my part. You're with us, McKay! How would a mission ever be categorized as easy if you're part of the team?" Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard yelled back, tired, exhausted after their long day, and previous night, and sick and tired of having to replay this discussion with Atlantis' chief science officer and his purported friend.

"John," Teyla began in an effort to calm frayed nerves.

"No, no, no. I'm not done yet. You want the truth, Rodney? You must, right? You're all about truth, aren't ya, McKay? We only mounted this mission because you and Zelenka and the other scientists got all gaga, all giddy, all GIRLY over what the MALP sent back. While you and your geek gang were gettin' off on all that data, we checked out the general vicinity of the gate. Why am I going over this, you know what happened? We came back and said that the place seemed deserted but that we couldn't know for sure since the planet was the size of Earth!" John was pacing as he vented, not looking at McKay or any of his teammates. He seemed, rather, to be addressing the entire galaxy as he continued his rant. "But you told us that what was here had to be investigated further, that based on your preliminary findings, and I quote from the great Dr. Rodney McKay now, 'there be gold in them thar hills'. Of course, my military evaluation of the situation…"

"Sheppard," Ronon said loudly; it was the only way to stop the colonel's rambling tirade.

"What?" John shouted in anger. Ronon nodded his head toward the scientist. John glanced over to find Rodney leaned to his side and throwing up, again, Teyla helping to hold him steady on one side, a tree assisting from the other.

"Ah, crap," Sheppard said as he realized his friend was struggling again. He walked towards his teammate and took Teyla's place. McKay was done, it seemed, at least for now, just spitting the last of it, moaning at the miserable taste in his mouth and the miserable way that he felt.

"You okay?" John asked as he helped Rodney sit to the far side of the tree, away from the mess. Teyla kicked some dirt over the puddle to help cover both the look and the smell of it.

"No," Rodney grumbled as he leaned his head against the thick, curling bark on the trunk of the tree. The scientist shivered as he huddled as best he could into the too light jacket, the swift breeze that just blew over their campsite not the only reason for the uncontrollable shiver.

"Look," John said as he removed his jacket and laid it over Rodney's chest. "I'm sorry for…all that I said. I know we had to come check this out."

McKay sighed and added, "And I know that there could have been trouble. I mean, we're in the Pegasus Galaxy," he added as he looked up at Sheppard with glassy, fevered eyes. "Duh," he ended with a grin.

Sheppard crouched in front of McKay and put his hand up to Rodney's forehead. "You're really hot."

"Thanks for noticing."

"That's not what I mean, but very funny. Your temperature's risen in the last hour," John said as he turned to Teyla. "Can you check his temperature again?"

"Of course," the Athosian agreed.

"You don't feel hot?" Sheppard asked his ill teammate.

"I feel hot and cold all at once. Or maybe it's back and forth. It's hard to tell. I…I'm having trouble concentrating." That would explain McKay's combativeness and his continually bringing up the frustrating topic of why they were on this wretched planet.

Sheppard hadn't cared for the idea of this mission all that much. The fact that so many of the scientists had been downright orgasmic about the initial findings on the planet had just irked the Air Force man no end. From a military perspective, things had been on the boring side for some time. John wasn't really complaining: no Wraith, no Genii, no weird-ass bugs or other strangeness was all good, except that it was boring, too. The simple fact was that he was envious of their excitement and enthusiasm. His envy had turned mean once Elizabeth gave the go ahead for the mission; his own tepid qualms about going had certainly sealed his fate.

A thick, foggy haze had made taking a jumper unsafe. They could rely on the instruments, but it wasn't something that John Sheppard really cared to do. They walked a full day's hike and then camped for the night; they had figured on, at minimum, two full days of steady hiking to get to the spot that Radek and Rodney had been drooling over.

It was during their first night that Rodney first showed signs of illness. McKay and Sheppard were asleep in their tent when John got slammed hard on his knee by the scientist.

"Hey!" the colonel whined as he kicked back in self defense. "Knock it off." McKay continued to flail in his sleep. John crawled closer to his friend. "Geez, it's warm in here," he said to himself. "Rodney," he called as he shook McKay on the shoulder. "Wake up." Rodney didn't, and he kept thrashing about. John needed to get him calmed down before one of them got hurt. Again; that kick was going to cause a nice bruise. Sheppard reached for Rodney's face. "Jesus, McKay, you're hot." That explained why it was so warm in the tent. "McKay!" John yelled as he lightly slapped the scientist's cheek. Rodney seemed to calm a bit, but he didn't wake up. "Rodney!" the colonel yelled again.

"What's wrong?" Ronon called from outside the tent.

"Something's wrong with McKay. He's burning up," John yelled to the Satedan. "Get Teyla," Sheppard instructed.

"I am here," she said as she folded the flap up and entered the tight quarters.

"Check his temperature and his other vitals," John ordered. "Rodney, come on. Wake up." McKay's lids no longer showed the movement that indicated signs of REM sleep. He blinked a few times and then opened his eyes. He groaned and started to sit up.

"Remain still. You are sick," Teyla told her teammate.

"I know," he eked out as he knocked the Athosian to the side and then practically dove over Sheppard to get outside. His head nearly slammed into Ronon's legs. Rodney crawled to the left and threw up next to the large man.

"Shit," Ronon said in reaction. "McKay?" he asked.

"Keep watch," John commanded. "Rodney?" he asked as he stood helplessly beside his friend. The scientist's convulsions were bombarding him incessantly, barely giving the sick man a chance to breathe. "Rodney, take a breath!" John yelled over the retching.

"I'm trying…" McKay got out before another onslaught of sickness took him almost to the ground. Sheppard held him up; it was clear that Rodney had no strength left from the barrage, his arms and legs too weak to keep him from falling into the disgusting muck.

"It's okay, I've got you. Breathe when you can. Don't forget," John said jokingly. The worry in his eyes as he looked up at Ronon and Teyla was no joke.

"Oh…I…" Rodney started, but his stomach had other ideas. Bile hung as a string from McKay's mouth and reached like the beginnings of a spider web down to the ground. He retched a few more times; a little more bile came out at first, followed by wracking dry heaves. The scientist's body was pummeling him; it was as near to torture as John remembered feeling without having punches land on his own body.

Rodney's body finally gave out and he fell, away from the mess that he had made and into Ronon's legs. Dex moved but supported McKay's head as John helped ease the dead weight down to the ground.

"What happened?" Ronon asked. Teyla took out all of the equipment she needed while John found a towel and wet it. He started cleaning up Rodney's face as he answered.

"He woke up kicking. I tried to wake him. He's got a fever, pretty high one."

"He was not sick before we arrived. His appetite was healthy this morning," Teyla insisted.

"That's one way to put it," Ronon commented.

"You're right, he definitely was fine. Carson said we were all fine," John mused, a note of frustration in his voice. "Rodney?"

McKay moaned and then flicked his hand at his ear where Teyla was taking his temperature.

"Stop that," John said as he grabbed Rodney's hand. Even that felt hot to the touch.

"What…" the scientist started, but stopped quickly as the rawness of his throat made itself known. He tasted what was in his mouth and quickly and involuntarily retched again. He leaned over, though nothing came out. "Oh, god…' he said quietly.

"Here, take a swig and then rinse your mouth." Rodney did as he was told. "How do you feel?" John asked.

"Terrible. What happened?" Rodney asked.

"Well, you tell me. When did you start feeling sick?" Sheppard asked.

"I…I…" Rodney started, trying to think back to the precise moment that he realized he wasn't feeling so good. "Not until just before I threw up. I thought I was going to ruin Teyla's outfit." Sheppard looked at him skeptically. "What?"

"John, his temperature is one hundred two point two," Teyla said as she took out the Ancient device to check McKay's blood pressure.

"That's high," Rodney said worriedly.

"Yes it is," Sheppard admitted. 'Especially out here so far from the gate', the colonel thought to himself. "Take a drink," John encouraged. "Are you sure you weren't feeling sick before? You didn't start to feel sick during the hike here yesterday?" John asked, trying not to sound accusatory.

"No," Rodney answered tiredly. He held the canteen in his shaking hand. John grabbed it as it tilted over and some of the liquid spilled onto McKay's thigh.

"You didn't ingest anything native, did you?"

"Why does this have to be my fault?" Rodney challenged. "I haven't done anything that you haven't done."

"Maybe it was that honey stuff," Ronon suggested.

"The stuff that smelled like honeysuckle?" John corrected.

"Some sort of airborne pathogen or poison?" Rodney surmised with a hint of fear.

"Don't panic."

"Don't panic? I'm the only one who is sick, deathly sick, I might add. Why should I not panic?" the scientist asked. Rodney shivered; John didn't know if it was from the illness, the cool night or McKay's anxiety. It could have been from any one. Or it could have been all three.

"Don't panic. I think you're more desperately sick than deathly sick." John turned to Teyla. "How are his other vitals?"

"His blood pressure is elevated and his pulse is somewhat fast."

"That's great," Rodney said morosely, though he still managed to add the requisite McKay sarcasm.

And that was how the rest of the night and the next morning had gone, Rodney drinking when he could, taking a bite of food, persistent heaving, and then rest. They repeated the cycle several times; it had been a slow go back to the gate.

"Look, we're taking a long break and then we're going to head out again. You've been doing okay so far…"

"In between the vomiting," Rodney interjected as he rubbed his sore stomach muscles.

"Yes," John conceded. "So long as you stay hydrated…"

"So that I can keep the vomiting up to snuff."

"So that you don't pass out," Sheppard said through gritted teeth. "Everything should be fine. Besides, isn't it a good thing that you're throwing up? Isn't that your body's way of expelling all of the bad stuff?"

"Yes, Dr. Sheppard, that would be the general consensus. That doesn't mean it hasn't already started to attack my vital organs."

"Is the mouth a vital organ?" Ronon asked. Rodney stared angrily back at the Satedan but didn't answer; not exactly a good sign in Sheppard's book.

John sat down next to his friend. "You have to admit, McKay…that was pretty funny."

"I have to?" Rodney asked. He looked up at Ronon, who looked back at him, Dex's face as inscrutable as ever. The scientist snorted slightly and said, "Fine. It was funny."

"Good for you," Sheppard told his friend as he patted the scientist's leg. The Air Force man saw in McKay's eyes and in his bearing that it would be a while before they would be able to continue. "You should sleep."

"Then stop talking to me. My 'vital organ' won't quit all by itself."

"Mind if I join you?" John asked as he made himself comfortable next to Rodney.

"You could be in the path of projectile vomiting if you sit there."

"What, you can't aim somewhere else?" Sheppard asked.

"Let me think about it." Teyla smiled at Ronon as the other two bantered back and forth. A few minutes later their camp was quiet except for the snores coming from McKay and Sheppard.

"The two of them," Teyla said quietly to her large teammate, "are - what is the phrase Dr. Beckett uses? 'A handful'."

"That's one way of putting it," Ronon agreed. "McKay doesn't even shut up when he's sick."

"He is…strong of character," Teyla replied.

"Isn't that just a nice way of saying that he's a pain in the ass?"

"A phrase that you have certainly picked up from hearing the colonel say it so often."

"He does say it a lot. Doesn't make it any less true," Ronon answered in defense of the observation.

"Well, he is an interesting human. Complex. His intellect makes him unique among his people. It seems that there is a price to pay for that. Rodney does not speak of it, but I believe that his path has been difficult. But I believe that he has met his equal in John."

"I thought McKay was a genius. Doesn't that mean he's smarter than the rest?" Ronon queried.

"That is not what I mean. I believe that it is true that Rodney has no equal with regard to his intellect. Because of this, he can sometimes seem overbearing or rude."

"Mean," Ronon offered.

"Perhaps. I do not believe he ever intends to be any of those things, but I also do not think he has had people in his life, at least not since he was quite young, who have helped him learn to temper his reactions. He has not allowed anyone close enough to affect him in that way."

"Shouldn't he be able to do that on his own? Temper his reactions? He is an adult."

"How well do you react when there is a Wraith within striking distance?" Teyla asked.

"That's different," Ronon asserted flatly. Teyla raised her eyebrow in silent challenge. "Besides, I'm better than I was."

Teyla smiled and nodded her head. "Indeed you are. But I think your situation with the Wraith and Rodney's, how shall I say, impatience with people who are not able to keep up with him intellectually, are quite similar. Have you seen a difference in him during the time that you have known him?"

"Not much." Teyla stared at her friend. "Okay. A little."

"He is actually quite a lot more accommodating of people than he was when we first met. I believe that is because of what John and Rodney have endured in their relationship."

"It's been pretty rocky even in the time I've known them," Ronon observed. He looked over to his two sleeping teammates. They were leaning into each others' shoulders, snoring unabashedly. He smiled and shook his head. "They're better now, though you wouldn't know it from the way Sheppard yelled at McKay earlier."

"John Sheppard has a peculiar way of showing his worry. Whereas you grow more silent, John grows more angry."

"With McKay that's not surprising."

"Maybe not," Teyla agreed hesitantly. "Though this anger seemed directed toward Rodney, you could see how neither of them held the other at fault for that argument. That has taken time to come about again. I was worried that I would never see them like this again."

"You mean after Doranda?"

"Yes."

"Sometimes it takes almost losing someone to learn how dear they are to you."

Teyla smiled at the surprising words coming from Ronon Dex's mouth. Or rather, his heart. "Yes," she said as her smile grew; she was always surprised when Ronon expressed his feelings in this way. It was truly rare.

He pointed at her warningly. "Tell either of them what I said and you will soon learn what it's like to spar with me when I'm not holding back."

Teyla snorted a laugh. "You never hold back. It is not in your nature."

"Just consider yourself warned," the Satedan said with a sly grin.

"I am shaking in my boots," the Athosian joked.

"And you say I spend too much time with Sheppard," Ronon shot back lightly.

"Well, I am going to check the perimeter. Keep an eye on them. They both need the sleep."

"Be careful," Ronon answered.

Teyla looked over to John and Rodney. She hoped that Rodney's illness was running its course, it seemed to be the case, and that this was just another moment of bad luck for the scientist. They would need a few more hours walking before they arrived at the gate. She turned and stepped away, taking a brief look up to the sky. She prayed to the Ancestors to watch over her friends once again. She had yet to be disappointed in making the time to do it.

The End.