Carson's long awaited return is cut very short – literally. Little Carson fic. Enjoy!
Damn, thought Rodney as he glared furiously at the screen of his laptop and fought not to lose control all together and throw it across the room. I told him not to touch it! So what does he do? Sticks his bloody hand in it. If he wasn't already in pain I'd break every useless finger that idiot had! He shifted his gaze to stare opposite him at said hand (which was now wrapped in a layer of thick white bandages, courtesy of Dr Keller ) and the man it belonged to, Dr Radek Zelenka, tappingaway one handed at his keyboard.
"Hey Rodney." The voice was so close behind him that he jumped breaking his efforts to make Zelenka spontaneously combust, and almost fell off his chair , having to grab hold of the counter top at the last minute to avoid ending up spread eagled at Sheppard's feet. Zelenka chuckled and Rodney shot him another withering look before turning to confront Sheppard.
"What is it that is so important that gives you the right to walk in here unannounced and nearly scare the crap outta me, when I'm in the middle of fixing the cities conduits after Dr I'm-not-going-to-listen-to-Rodney-even-though-Rodney's-ALWAYS- Right-Zelenka decided it would be a really great idea to get himself electrocuted and blow the mechanism to kingdom in the process. Oh, and if i ever have a heart attack i'm blaming you."
"Okay, easy McKay, I was just gonna ask if you wanted some coffee. I'm headed down to the commissary now." He held up his coffee cup as if to prove his point and behind him, Zelenka went into a fresh wave of laughter.
"Oh." said Rodney deflating slightly. "I...uh….I'll come with you." he couldn't bear Zelenka's reprimands. And besides, coffee sounded like a good idea. He grabbed his cup and followed Sheppard out before the Czech regained enough breath to yell after them. As soon as they reached the safety of the corridor, they both simultaneously split into grins, and the taller man asked:
"So THAT'S why the Gate's offline? Zelenka blew it out?" Rodney scowled.
"That idiot. I told him not to touch it, so the retard stuck his hand into it! Honestly, sometimes I feel like I have a bunch of children working for me! I'm not some kind of day care service!"
Sheppard's grin widened at the thought, but was stopped from teasing Rodney further by the alarm that suddenly burst into life on the wall behind them.
"What the hell has he done this time?!" Rodney said angrily heading back towards the lab, but Sheppard caught his arm and tugged before he'd gone far.
"Gate room. Unscheduled off world activation." he said, and set off at a run.
"Rodney, you have got to see this," Elisabeth said the second he'd entered the room puffing at the heels of Sheppard. He shoved the technician aside as he skidded to a halt in front of the control panel.
"We're getting some very unusual energy readings from the event horizon" said the slightly flustered technician now standing at McKay's shoulder. "It's almost as if –". McKay interrupted,
"I'm sorry, who's the chief scientist on this base? Right – not you. Shut up." The stunned man fell silent, and McKay began tapping rapidly.
"There are fluctuations in the wormhole." he said after a minute, "It's like something's trying to come through, but can't fit. And it's travelling at an immense speed." he looked up, fear suddenly plain on his face. "Elisabeth, it'll be here any second!"
"Raise the shield" Elisabeth yelled.
"It'll do no good – it's moving too fast. Judging by these energy readings about three hundred times the speed of light – and when it gets here…." he stopped dead. A bright white light was flooding into the gate room through the Gate, growing brighter. The ground shook.
"Everyone down!" yelled Sheppard and before he knew it, Rodney was being blinded as he was slammed against the wall of the tower when the shock wave burst through to shimmering blue into the gate room, knocking it's inhabitants like skittles as it went.
He stared around, willing his eyes to see past the white nothingness that currently occupied his vision. He couldn't hear either. Or maybe there was nothing to hear? Maybe he was injured? He didn't feel ay pain, but sometimes wounds can be deceptive. He tried wiggling his toes. Fingers. Something blurred suddenly appeared in the centre of his vision, growing clearer when he shook his head – a face? Sheppard's face.
"You okay Rodney?" he asked. He went to nod, but changed his mind when it hurt a lot.
"'M okay" he croaked. Struggling to stand, he saw where everyone was – a small crowd had gathered in a circle in front of the gate. Oh nice, he thought angrily, so no-one cares if I'm okay? Nether the less concerned, he pushed his way to the front to see what poor soul had been blown off the balcony by the blast. What was that thing, anyway? He froze.
"Oh,"
Lying curled on the floor, his thumb slipping slowly from his mouth; lay a little boy with tousled blond hair. And he was completely naked.
Chapter 2:
"So have you got any idea where he came from?" asked Sheppard, halfway through his third cup of coffee and eyeing the pot for a fourth.
"Not a clue," said Dr Keller. "But he's definitely human. In fact, he doesn't have any of the subtle differences we've encountered in the genetic make-up of the humans in this galaxy."
"Are you saying he's not from Pegasus?" Said Sheppard, tearing his eyes away from the pot to look directly at Keller.
"That's exactly what I'm saying".
Rodney, who had been staring mutely at the little boy (now thankfully ensconced in a white scrubs top that came easily down to his knees he was so small), now turned to look at Keller.
"What's wrong with him?" He asked. There was a strange note in his voice, which Keller had never heard there before. But Sheppard had. It was that same fear, same lost expression on his face that the young CO had only ever seen once before and he had hoped he never would again - it was unnerving to Rodney look so tender. It was the expression Rodney had worn the day Carson died.
"Well, physically, he's fine. That's the strange thing. He's in a coma, but still has rapid eye movement. It's like he's asleep." Sheppard shot a look at his distressed friend, before rolling his wrist in an 'et. cetera' movement.
"Asleep?"
"Well, yeah," Keller replied defensively "and he probably will be for a while yet." She too looked at Rodney with concern. "Look, go get some food and sleep yourselves. You look dead on your feet! I'll radio you when he wakes up." Rodney stared a moment longer at the sleeping figure, who once again had his thumb in his mouth, before heading off in the direction of his quarters.
Rodney didn't sleep – he couldn't. As Atlantis's resident insomniac, this was nothing unusual. But tonight, there was a new kind of energy running through him – and it wasn't caffeine related. At about one in the morning, he finally gave up all pretence of sleep, and headed off through the winding corridors. The city held many secrets – some beautiful, some frightening – most undiscovered. Tonight, Atlantis's greatest treasure would be awoken once more – after two whole years. He reached the door he sought and, remembering Carson's words placed his hands on the panels. "It's like a secret password, that you didn't even know you knew – the city wants you to enter, but you have to want it too." With a soft hiss, the panels slid apart.
The room was even more beautiful than he remembered. Circular, it was a copy of the ones below it – like the gate room – except that the walls kept going, becoming opaque until finally joining in a majestic cathedral like dome that opened up the sky. But that wasn't all. As he stepped over the threshold the room burst into motion as the air all around was filled with revolving, Orange globes, all labelled in Ancient – worlds. "You never know – the universe is a big place. Maybe we'll meet again some time." That's what he'd said. For months after the funeral, Rodney had come to this room – their room – and wondered if any of the glowing spheres above him held his best friend. With a feeling of suddenly being home, Rodney sat in the centre, right under the arc of the dome, and gazed in wonder at the sky. He didn't even notice the buzzing radio in his pocket.
"Rodney, this is Sheppard, come in." No reply. "Rodney, he's awake!" Still nothing. "Damn it, McKay, get you're Scientific butt down here now!" Still nothing. "Damn!" he yelled, turning the radio off, "he must be somewhere without it! I keep telling him not to do that!"
"Or he's getting some much needed sleep" reasoned Dr Keller from beside the door.
"Can we start without him?" asked Elisabeth standing
"I don't see why not," said Keller
"I'll let YOU be the one to tell him then. I can't afford another head injury from having a laptop thrown at me. Oh, you think I'm kidding." he said with a dark look when Keller smiled. It changed swiftly into a nervous gulp, but she opened the door and led them in.
At first glance, the room appeared empty, but as they drew closer to the bed, the soft wheezing from beneath the blankets gave him away.
"Honey, are you okay?" asked Dr Keller kindly as she peeped under the sheets to find the small boy shrinking deeper into the bed still. He was clearly terrified.
"Oh, no, don't be scared, we won't hurt you!" she said reaching for him, but drew back alarmed when he let out a whimper and his wheezing went up a notch.
"That doesn't sound good" observed Sheppard.
"No," said Keller frowning, "I think he might be asthmatic." His breathing sounded really bad now – he was gasping for air, tears running down his terrified, white face. Dr Keller sprang into action: "Quick," she yelled to the infirmary staff at large, "I need a Nebulizer. Sheppard, help me with him." He obeyed, and the boy didn't resist this time when he was pulled unceremoniously out of the bed coughing, wheezing and gasping for air. She propped him up to make it easier to breathe, and fitted the steaming mask over his face, encouraging him. "Just breathe with my words," she said "In……and out……and in…." The child did his best to obey, his clear blue eyes huge and shining with fear. She held him like that until his breathing came more easily, and finally removed the mask. The poor boy looked exhausted.
"Are you asthmatic?" She asked him gently, although it was obvious in Sheppard's opinion. He nodded tiredly, and then whispered "yes" as if remembering some manner he should have used.
Elisabeth stepped forward. "You don't need to be afraid," She said smiling "We're here to help you. My name is Dr Elisabeth Weir, and I Lead this base. You are in a City called Atlantis. Do you remember how you got here?"
The little boy coughed. "No" he whispered again.
"Okay," interrupted Sheppard, "let's try something a little easier." He knelt by the bed and said "My name's Sheppard. John Sheppard. What's yours?" The little boy took another wheezy breath and said softly:
"Carson. My Name's Carson Beckett."