John Sheppard kicked his legs up on the mess hall table, crossing his arms around his chest while stifling a laugh at McKay's panic. "You have issues."
"We all have issues. That's not the point," McKay answered, his eyes wide and his voice shaking.
"I don't know. This sounds pretty serious to me."
"It's completely normal not to want to go to a place loaded with kids and weird people in costumes wanting to hug everyone. It's creepy and I'm not ten-years-old."
"You're acting like you're five."
"Am not."
"Am too."
"I'm not going and you can't make me," McKay said, crossing his own arms around his chest and holding his chin high in defiance. It was a shame the mess hall was empty, Sheppard realized, because this conversation begged for an audience.
"It's not like I'm asking you to go on a hive ship, Rodney."
"This isn't exactly much better!"
"Really? Disneyland versus a hive ship. You're telling me you'd have a hard time deciding which one you'd rather face?"
"I'm 60% certain I'd choose Disneyland, but it's a close call, yes. Why do you want to go anyway?"
Sheppard knew he hesitated just as he knew McKay saw the change in him. He could tell in how McKay sat up, no longer in panic but gazing at him strangely, as though trying to read his thoughts. The scary thing was, Sheppard realized, sometimes it felt like McKay could read his mind and Sheppard could read his in return. That's how it went when you fought alien monsters on other worlds time and again with the same people-they became a part of you.
"What is it?" McKay asked when Sheppard offered no further response.
"Nothing. Look, all I'm saying is that roller coasters are pretty cool. And I did promise Teyla I'd show her a ferris wheel."
"So why Disneyland and not some other theme park?"
"Besides the fact Disneyland is awesome?"
McKay snorted, lifting his glass of water to his mouth. Before McKay could gulp, Sheppard added, "Imagine Ronon in Mickey Mouse ears."
Sheppard couldn't help but laugh as water sprayed from McKay's mouth. "Are you trying to break my brain?"
"Oh, come on, you know you want to see it as much as I do."
"Maybe." McKay stifled his own laugh before becoming serious once again. "Really, what's this about?"
Drawing a deep breath, Sheppard stood up, pacing the room for a moment before finally answering, "How much did you sleep last week?"
"What? What does that have to-"
"How much did you sleep last night? I'll tell you: 7 hours. Over the course of one week you had the same amount of sleep as a person should get in one day."
"Because I was busy trying to save all of our lives," McKay said defensively.
"Yes, trying to save all of our lives. Just like the week before that and the week before that and the week before that. Over the last year, we've both visited the infirmary more times than my entire team of marines combined."
"So now you're going to torture me by sending me to the most terrifying place on earth?"
"The happiest place on earth, Rodney." Before McKay could cut in, Sheppard continued quickly. "What about Teyla? She's been busy helping the Athosians and going on missions with us. She's been running on empty for at least a month now. Ronon has been working hard helping her and us, training marines, and who knows what else."
"I still don't-"
"We need this. You may not see it but I can. We're all at the breaking point and we all have a lot of demons none of us want to talk about. That's fine," Sheppard continued, breaking off whatever response McKay wanted to give. "I don't want to talk about them either. But I am team leader and it is my job to make sure we don't fall apart. We have to go to Anaheim for this lame summit and as long as we're there we should take advantage."
McKay still didn't look convinced so Sheppard continued, "We need something good to happen. We need a rest as a team."
"But Disneyland?" McKay whined.
"Yes, Rodney, Disneyland. It's a good idea."
"But-"
"This isn't a debate. We are going to go and we are going to have fun and that is final."
McKay slunk back into his chair, watching Sheppard closely. Sheppard, for his part, didn't flinch back. He met the blue gaze with his own penetrating stare. "We need this," Sheppard reiterated.
"You can't think of anywhere else you want to go?" McKay asked, but Sheppard could sense the resignation in his voice.
"Ronon in Mickey Mouse ears, Rodney. Trust me. Disneyland is perfect." It wasn't just Ronon, Sheppard knew. There was something magical about the place, even if McKay didn't want to admit it. Placing ears on the head and going on rides had a quality to it that even the grumpiest person couldn't help but feel happy. They needed happy.
"Hey," Sheppard said, noticing the two new arrivals watching from the mess hall door.
"Hey," Ronon answered. Teyla simply nodded.
Ronon and Teyla slipped into their chairs with no explanations as to why they were there in the middle of the night any more than Sheppard or McKay did. Sheppard knew that was part of the point. It wasn't just during life-saving adventures. None of them seemed to sleep much any more.
"Oh, good, you're both here," McKay said a moment later, as though noticing them for the first time. "Maybe you can talk some reason into him."
"What is the problem?" Teyla asked. She stifled back a yawn. Sheppard watched her closely, noticing the black bags below her eyes. Teyla usually had the best posture of the group but today she slouched forward, not bothering to hide her weariness.
"No problem. McKay's just panicking over nothing again," Sheppard assured her.
"We're going to Disneyland," McKay explained with a sigh, pushing a bar of chocolate to his teammates.
"Where?" Ronon asked. Of the group, Ronon seemed the best off. His eyes were weary but alert. Somehow his dreadlocks always seemed to convey a sense of strength and determination, but he too slouched his shoulders and stifled his own yawn.
"Is that not the place with ferris wheels and roller coasters John was telling me about?" Teyla asked.
"Unfortunately," McKay moaned. "Complete with screaming children, mad people in costume-"
"Awesome rides and good food," Sheppard cut in.
"Overly expensive food you mean. Oh and creepy singing dolls that sing the same song over and over and over and over."
"Sounds terrifying," Ronon said.
"Exactly," McKay answered.
Sheppard cleared his throat, glaring at McKay "Not to mention awesome pirate rides, the log rides, the Indiana Jones ride-"
"Like that movie with the archaeologist?" Teyla asked. She passed on the chocolate while she surveyed the two contrasting reactions of her teammates.
"Yes! Just like the movie," Sheppard answered. "You liked that one, right?"
"It was...interesting."
"I liked it," Ronon added. "Snakes creeped me out though."
"Me too," Teyla agreed. "You are not happy about this, Rodney?"
"Happy? No, not so much. In fact, if you can talk him out of this, I'll give you my entire chocolate supply."
"I see," Teyla said, looking to Sheppard for clarification. He shrugged in response.
"Rodney's just being a curmudgeon. He'll like it when we get there."
"Will not."
"Will too."
"Do we get to fight the creepy dolls?" Ronon asked.
"Not so much, no," Sheppard responded.
"Oh," Ronon responded, gazing downward.
"It might be best to try for a different place?" Teyla suggested.
Sheppard caught McKay's eye, silently reminding him of what was said before Teyla and Ronon's arrival. We need this.
McKay glanced back with pleading eyes. But...but...okay, fine. McKay looked away in defeat. "I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world to go," he said aloud but it came as more of a resigned whine.
"See, there you are. We're going. Oh! And we're all wearing these." Sheppard reached into the bag at his feet, revealing the final surprise. He handed the first pair of ears to Ronon and then motioned for him to pass the bag around.
"What is it?" Ronon asked, turning the headpiece in each direction and even biting into the left ear.
"Mouse ears. Everyone wears them." Sheppard put the ears on his own head to show them. Teyla lifted an eyebrow. Ronon snorted.
"Don't say I never do anything for you," McKay said while placing the ears on his own head with a pout.
Ronon and Teyla glanced at one another then shrugged, putting their own ears on. McKay smiled.
"See!" Sheppard said. "I told you. This is going to be awesome."
"For various definitions of awesome," McKay agreed, but he did smile a little.