Cold heart
Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG1 or Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters or other property. I write only to entertain not never make profit from this work or any of my other works.
Pairings: Rodney/ Sheppard friendship
Warnings: child abuse
AN: AU. Just a one shot about John and Rodney meeting as children. Not cannon. Set in Canada. Found this completed and typed but not upload.
START
McKay senior was not happy. He wasn't often happy. Usually directed at his son.
John Sheppard was 15 and lived on a quiet street. The houses all looked the same – the same white painted boards and orange tiled roots. Most looked sunburnt by this point but some of the newer ones looked less weathered. All of them had white picket fences and wives that smiled innocently yet gossiped fiercely.
Mr Sheppard observed the latest row his opposite neighbour was having with McKay junior. McKay senior and his wife were scientists. Well known ones too. A quick google search had revealed papers and new articles of success in many fields. Thier children were brilliant too. The girl Jeannie was already skipping grades and doing maths way beyond her age. Her brother Rodney had finished high school already. At 14. Like his sister, the teachers noted his ability in maths and science.
The children were following their parents steps. Sometimes Mr Sheppard wondered if that was what the children really wanted at all! The children studied all day and didn't have friends. Mr Sheppard's own son was turned down! John had tried befriending the odd boy but even if Rodney had wanted to (and judging by the longing look he did), the child had smiled and said he was fine alone. When John had reached his arm to tell the boy that it was okay, McKay junior had flinched at the contact. Even when composed again, the boy merely looked confused.
There was something not right about that house.
The latest row could be heard from his house. McKay senior looked angry and was yelling loud enough to hear most of what was said.
"Stupid boy, you just won't learn! Can't you be good like Jeannie. If we have to move like last time..."the angry man trailed threateningly.
The boy looked defiant. "Well I can't be like her. Maybe if I knew the things she did...you can't learn that from a book!" he said firmly. The boy never raised his voice like his father.
What was said next could not be heard but McKay senior had frozen and even at the distance felt dangerous. Minutes passed and both son and father locked eyes stubbornly.
Then a loud slap echoed. The boy whimpered and fell into the snow. Then the door closed on him and he was left in nothing but a sleeping shirt and shorts. The child merely got up and looked around for a shelter from the cold. He packed some snow and pressed it against his newly formed bruise.
Sheppard senior smiled sadly at the scene. He turned away, praying the child would be okay.
Meanwhile John had slipped out of the living room. John emptied his school back pack in a hurry, leaving books and pens everywhere. He was roughly the same size as Rodney. Well Rodney was slightly heavier but he found a jacket and stuffed it in the bag. It had belonged to one of the older children before it was passed on to him. He was not using it. He found some tracksuit pants too. On the floor was several muesli bars that had been thrown from his pack in a hurry. He put those in too along with a chocolate bar. He found a bottle of water and added that too. It wasn't perfect but it would have to do. He found his old sleeping bag in is own drawstring bag and picked both bags up.
John moved quickly. His father was in bed.
He slipped out the door and went in search of the other boy. It was winter and it was freezing already. He didn't need to look long. The other child was leaning against a tree looking pale and shaking. Was he sick?
John didn't hesitate. He ran up to Rodney and ignored the flinch and he felt the pale skin. "Sick?" he asked.
At first the other didn't reply but then seemed to refocus with effort. "Hypoglycaemic. I get sick if I don't eat often enough." the other explained with great effort.
John remembered the chocolate bar and rummaged for it. "Here. Then we can get you out of the cold" he said firmly.
The other boy didn't even say thank you but seemed desperate so John figured he could let it slide. In seconds the empty wrapper was stashed in his pocket. Looking better already, John knew he could take the boy to a warmer place already.
"Come" he said pulling the other boys hand.
Rodney stared confused but the more he shivered, the more he was starting to think following John was a better idea. Well at least better than staying in the snow. It would be getting colder as it got darker. So he followed John.
They arrived back at John's parents home. John had started to worry about the way that Rodney shivered and shook. They arrived at the tin shed in the backyard. It was small and cold. It was still better than exposure to the snow and fierce winds the night would bring.
Rodney froze looking terrified. He refused to move further and glanced around paranoid.
John could see that the other boy was panicking. "Please! Its too cold. No one will know we are here."
That seemed to convince the boy to move again and the pair slipped silently in. John took the jacket and sweat pants and threw it at Rodney. "For you. I wasn't using them anyway. Still too big for me." he explained softly.
Once again the boy hesitated but gave in. He was shivering less too now. "Why?" he asked so quiet that it was just above a whisper.
John shrugged "I couldn't let you suffer" he said.
After a minute of intense staring Rodney seemed happy with that. Silent but happy.
John noticed the way that Rodney had yet to turn him away. Maybe it was because his father wasn't watching? "I have a sleeping bag for you. Dad usually has small heater in here too if I can find it. He likes to work here and it gets cold." he said happily.
He rummaged around and produced said heater. It would only heat a metre in front of it at best but that was better than outside. He set it up with a grin of victory. "Come! I found it." he called.
He made sure Rodney was well in the heats range. The boy wasn't looking good again. "You look sick again. Did you even have dinner?" he asked concerned.
"Whaaa?" the boy said tiredly before remembering the question. "Uh no, I wasn't allowed. I said I wanted to enter the science fair."
John grabbed the muesli bars and handed them over. "Not allowed? Why wouldn't you want to make your parents proud?" he asked concerned.
"At my last school I did but that ended badly. I built a working model of a nuclear bomb minus the nuclear material. The government didn't like that. My father said I had shamed the family name. I had embarrassed them." Rodney explained sadly while eating one of the bars.
"So you can't enter again?" John asked. Building a nuclear bomb was insane but definitely not easy! His own father would not have punished him so severely. Even annoyed, his father would recognise the talent that took.
Rodney just smiled sadly. He winced but quickly covered it up.
But he had seen. John noticed with anger that something was not right. "Your sick and they didn't let you eat. They sent you out in the snow and cold. Plus your hurt like you always are. How could your parents do this to you?" he asked concerned.
Rodney just sighed. "Someone has to keep me in line. I'm nothing but trouble" said the boy sadly.
John felt angry to these so called "parents". How could any parent let their child feel that way? How could they endanger the health of their child? He felt the other boys skin. Still cold. He pulled out the sleeping bag and unzipped it so that it made a thick blanket. "You should sleep. I'll keep watch okay?"
The other boy was too tired to argue and settled onto the floor of the shed. A rug that had long ago lost its colour had been placed over the hard concrete. It wasn't comfortable but it beat hard concrete.
Soon John followed. He felt the blanket being put over him too and was surprised. "Just returning the favour" mumbled a sleepy Rodney.
That was how Mr Sheppard found them in the morning. He couldn't help but he proud of his son. He had gone out of his way to help and probably save the other child. While the shed had not been the best idea, he understood that he was probably afraid of getting in trouble. The sleeping bag, winter clothes and small heater was well done at any rate.
AN: R and R.