~Friend or Foe~
This is just a short story that suddenly came to me. Maybe I'll add another chapter, but I'm not sure.
Takes place just after Ronon joined the team.
I am truly sorry if my english sucks. I hope you'll still be able to enjoy the story.
"Oh, come on McKay. It was just a joke. It was funny!"
"Yeah, yeah. How funny, all these practical jokes. My clothes still haven't dried fro the bucket of water. And you-", he looked at Sheppard, face contorted in anger, "you gave them the ideas! And you happily joined them!", Rodney looked at Ronon.
"So?", Ronon replied.
Rodney couldn't even describe how he felt. He was angry that his so called friends did this to him and let it happen. But more over, he was hurt. It hurt him being the laughing stock, being the centre of humiliation. He had had enough of that when he was young. But now, when he thought he had friends, they did the exact same thing to him. It was bad enough that with every single story Sheppard told, he, Doctor Rodney McKay, greatest mind in two galaxies, was made out to be the fool over and over again. That hurt him, but he could still somewhat accept that part of his 'friend'. But now, he felt left alone, shoved aside, unwanted. Anger and sadness battled each other in his mind. He stamped through the forest heavily.
"Ah, come on Rodney. It was just funny. If it had been me, you'd find it funny too".
Rodney just growled.
"Here", Sheppard threw something at him.
Rodney caught it in his hand and looked at it.
"It's a piece of the cake Mirja made for us".
Sheppard too held a piece in his hand.
"Ronon? Teyla?", he asked, holding up two more pieces.
They both gave him a look and Sheppard shrugged his shoulders.
"Oke, your loss", he mumbled and put the pieces back in several pockets in his vest.
Rodney pulled the cloth wrapping off and sniffed at the cake suspiciously.
"I wouldn't be surprised if there was lemon in it", Rodney murmered.
"Just eat it McKay", Sheppard signed.
Sheppard took a large bite of the spongy cake and let the flavours roll around on his tongue. Suddenly his eyes grew large, recognizing the flavours.
"Rodney, Wait!", he yelled, stretching his hand out towards him.
But it was too late. Rodney was doubled over, doing his best to get every last bit of cake out of his mouth.
"LEMON? Are you trying to kill me?", he yelled, anger and hurt evident on his face.
He started coughing, his lips rapidly swelling up and his face turning red.
"Rodney!".
Sheppard ran towards Rodney and was by his side in seconds. By now the scientist had fallen on his knees, struggling for breath.
"Ronon", Sheppard said in alarm.
"Run to the gate as fast as you can. Tell Beckett to get here STAT! Tell him Rodney has an allergic reaction to citrus. Get him back here! Now! Go!"
"Rodney may only have minutes", Teyla added.
Ronon started to grasp the seriousness of the situation and ran away.
What was wrong with McKay? Sure, he had always bragged about his allergy, but the man did that about everything. He hadn't actually taken it seriously. Besides, Sheppard was constantly making fun of it, even yesterday, when he told the people on the planet how Rodney was supposedly allergic to citrus. Therefore he had never thought it had been something serious. But now, the man looked like he was being choked to death.
He jumped over another branch and ran as fast as he could.
"Rodney! Breath. Just breath!", Sheppard tried to coach him.
Damn it. How had this happened? Why hadn't he tasted it first. And why was it in there in the first place? He had tolled everyone in the village that Rodney was allergic to the fruit...
Wait a minute. He had tolled everyone he was allergic, he had tolled everyone that Rodney liked to bring it up over and over again. The villagers must have found it funny to get him to eat something. They probably thought about the allergic reaction they knew, getting a rash all over, changing skin colour. Damn it. This was his fault. If he hadn't made fun of it, none of this would have happened.
Rodney clawed at his chest and tried to open one of the pockets on his vest.
"What?", Sheppard asked alarmed, then it suddenly clicked.
"Oh, your epi! God, I'm so sorry Rodney!".
Sheppard quickly swatted Rodney's hand out of the way, pulled the epi pen out and injected Rodney with it.
It took a few moments for the medicine to make its way through Rodney's system, but soon the scientist could breath a little easier. The closing of his windpipes had slowed down considerably, but he still couldn't get enough air in his lungs. He fought for each breath, face contorted in pain and effort, his fists clenched.
They were in the middle of nowhere and Sheppard just tried to kill him. He was gonna die here.
Rodney started to panic. This only worsened his condition and he had to fight harder and harder to struggle in a breath.
Sheppard tried to calm him down, but the scientist only flinched away from him. He actually looked afraid of him.
Damn it. He couldn't really think that he had wanted this to happen.
"Rodney, I am so sorry. Let me just-", but now Rodneys breathing became worse.
He gasped for air, fighting to get the much needed oxygen in his lungs. His eyes started to close.
"Rodney!", Sheppard exclaimed desperately.
He pulled Rodney towards him and put him against his knee to keep him upright. Rodney gave him a look; blame, hurt, anger and fear. Sheppard swallowed hard.
How was this ever going to be oke? Was Rodney ever going to forgive him for letting his team mate down, letting his friend down. And not just letting him dòwn, but pushing him over the edge himself?
"Rodney!", Teyla cried out, and it pulled him out of his thoughts. Rodney's eyes were now closed and his head fell forward.
"Rodney...RODNEY!", Sheppard yelled, cupping the man's face with his hand.
He desperately tried to wake him and felt for a pulse. After what felt like an hour, he finally found one. It was faint and slow... really slow. He released the breath he had been holding.
"John..." Teyla looked at him.
They were helpless. They couldn't do anything. John lowered Rodney to the ground, but left his fingers in the scientist's neck, afraid that every faint beat under his fingers could be the last.
"Mayor Sheppard", came in over the radio. It was Beckett.
"Carson, thank God! Where are you?"
"I am on my way. What's his status?"
"He just lost consciousness. His airways are nearly completely shut and his pulse is really weak and slow", Sheppard said, panic starting to take over.
"Mayor, you're gonna have to help him with that! Give him CPR, that should provide his brain with enough oxygen for now"
"What? But his heart? It's still beating-"
"Too slow, and soon to stop!", Carson cut him off.
"Now do it Mayor. He needs you!".
"Oke. Starting it now!", Sheppard said. He hastily zipped Rodney's tac vest open and started CPR. His friend was still alive, but here he was, keeping his heart beating manually.
"ATA 1 minute", Beckett proclaimed. Sheppard could hear them running over the radio. He heard their heavy breathing, their heavy footsteps.
He focused on the rhythm in which he kept Rodney's heart beating.
One and Two... One and Two...