Title: Moving
Author: Pendaren
Summary: What does it take for Rodney to beg?
Season: Season 4
Spoilers: McKay and Mrs. Miller, MINOR Season 4 spoiler - if you don't know it already where have you been?
Pairing: Slight S/D undertones if you squint and vague mention of McKay/Katie.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The standard - they don't belong to me, not even in my wildest dreams so please don't sue me…
A/N: Unbetaed and written on a whim. Written a while back and just now archiving here.
Rodney did not relish this upcoming Christmas. Sure he was going to go back to Earth. He was even going to see his sister again. It wasn't the thought that he may end up eating tofurkey or be called Mar for the holiday that alarmed him. No, he dreaded what Jeannie's response would be to his request.
"Rodney?" He lifted his head, Teyla was walking towards him and had been the one to call his name.
"Hey."
"Heading back to Earth?"
Rodney nodded and adjusted his pack.
"Here is that item you wanted me to get for you," Teyla handed him a small package, "Hope it is what you were looking for."
He peeked inside and smiled. The little Athosian doll was dressed in the same outfit Teyla wore when they meet. He tucked it under his arm and nodded an approval to Teyla and even gave a non-characteristic, for him anyways, 'Thank you.' He silently hoped his present would help grease the wheels with Jeannie.
He reached the control room and walked into Sam's office. "Hey got a minute?"
"Sure McKay, have a seat." Sam point to the chair. "I hear you wanted to buy my place?"
"If you are still selling."
"No offense McKay but I never pictured you the home buying type. Especially my place, not that I'm not glad you are interested in it, but I figure if anything you would go for a bachelor's pad like Daniel's."
"Yours is closer to several things." He shrugged.
Sam gave him a look before handing over her keys. "Well, feel free to take a look. See if it is really what you want. Daniel's coming to spend the holidays here so if you want it we can sign the papers when you get back. You better get going, the jumper leaves in 10 minutes."
McKay nodded his farewell and walked out of her office. As he walked up to the jumper bay he heard Sheppard bound up behind him like a happy puppy. "You ready to go Earth side?"
"I'm bursting with happiness," McKay snarked.
"Oh common McKay. Buck up. You get to see a Christmas tree and everything. All I get is that twig in my room."
"Didn't you name it the happy branch?"
"Yeah, but I was also hopped up on some pain killers. Like the time you were shot in the..."
"Let's not go there shall we."
"Hey, looks like all the fine people are here already. Sorry to keep you waiting." Sheppard opened the back of the jumper and everyone loaded up.
"I was thinking, you know those kids that the SGC personnel adopted from Horax when it fell to the Ori? Do you think the General would okay it if I used the Jumper like a sleigh and dressed up? We can bring them all up to the mountain top so no one else sees it."
"Jumper one this is flight, you are a go to leave. And Sheppard, I wouldn't ask if I were you, I bet General O'Neill will take the jumper from you and do it himself. Probably put you in an elf suit too." Sam's voice came over the intercom.
"Understood Flight." Sheppard dropped his grin and shut his mouth as he piloted the jumper through the gate.
McKay wished as he neared the house that one of the ships had been in orbit so he could have just beamed down. The flight from Colorado had landed him near an annoying fat man who snored. At least the man was on a diet so Rodney got to eat the man's lunch.
He took a deep breath and marched up the steps. The door opened to a grinning child. Madison had grown taller and was dressed all in pink. Her face beamed at him and she hugged him. This time he was ready for it and he leaned down.
"So you were able to make it after all." He glanced up to see his sister smiling down at him.
"Hey Jeannie," Rodney tried to get up but Madison still cling to him.
"Can I take your bag?" Kaleb walked up to them and reached for it.
Rodney handed it over and followed him to the guest room. After he had the mini tour of bathroom/towels, Madison insisted on showing him her room. He indulged her a bit before getting impatient. Luckily Jeannie came to his rescue in time.
"Maddie honey, can I borrow your uncle for a little bit?"
She nodded and smiled.
"Oh, I have some letters here for you." Rodney went to his bags and handed over an envelope with letters and notes from several Atlantis personnel. Zelenka's was the longest with Sheppard's close behind. He just hoped neither wrote anything that would make him regret sneaking them past the SGC censors.
"Do I have to burn these after I read them?" Jeannie joked.
"Just don't leave them lying around, some may contain stuff that shouldn't be Earth side, let alone out of the SGC. And I know it isn't Christmas yet but I figured I'd get this out of the way now." Rodney handed over a box with a simple ribbon on it.
"I'll put it downstairs under the tree."
"No. You can open it now. I need you to."
"Okay." Jeannie opened the box and pulled out a set of keys. She looked at her brother curiously.
"A car?"
"They are to a house. It is nice, I think you will like it."
"You bought me a house?" Jeannie asked a bit confused. "Where?"
Rodney closed his eyes. Here was the moment he dreaded. "Colorado Springs, near Cheyenne Mountain."
"Meredith, why would I move to the States? And Colorado?"
"Because there is no guarantee that the Odyssey, or the Daedalus, or the Apollo, or whatever new ship they come up with will be anywhere near Earth if something happens. The gate is a better chance off this rock. I can only do so much. This," Rodney pulled out a subdural tracker implantation kit, "will only work if one of the ships are around to beam those on the Alpha list off the planet. Besides, I can only get the one and if you are living near the SGC I think getting you on the list on your own will be easier and once on the list as a main member you can place Kaleb on it as your requested survivor." Rodney took a breath and waited to hear her berate him on not placing her as his survivor. That he was a bad brother for not picking her and leaving her to die. That he was a hypocrite for wanting someone to carry the family line after belittling her choices in having Madison in the first place.
"Mar."
"Please, I'm begging you. Let me put Maddie on the Alpha list." A tear escaped his eye and he looked down. "I'm sorry I didn't choose you."
"Rodney." Jeannie grabbed his hand. "I'm not sure what you are saying but why would I be upset that you chose my child over me? That is not something I would be mad about."
"It isn't?" Rodney looked up at her, too surprised to even gloat that she called him Rodney.
"No, a parent would never begrudge their child anything." Jeannie smiled at him. "So, what exactly is this Alpha list?"
"Oh, it is a list of people that if Earth ever fell, we would try to get off the planet in the hopes that we could regroup and try to take back Earth and win whatever war caused Earth to fall in the first place. It is suppose to contain the best and the brightest; scientists, doctors, etc. Each person on the list is allowed one survivor for moral support and in case we need, to repopulate Earth when we win it back, or at least carry on if we fail."
"Then shouldn't you save the spot for yourself? The last time I talked to Sam she said you were starting to see someone."
"She did?"
"She didn't tell me who but, or is everyone in Atlantis already on this Alpha list?"
"Actually, yeah. All Atlantis Expedition members are automatically Alpha listed, Same with SGC personnel and anyone working in the RnD of off-world acquisitions."
"So you are hoping I'll take a job in one of those?"
"Not RnD. It is in Nevada and too far from the gate. The SGC is your best bet, but I'm still trying to have you listed based on your brains alone. It will take a few months to find out if you are smart enough. The house is in a nice neighborhood. There is an opening for an English teacher at the local high school and I can try to pull strings for Kaleb to get it. The nearby elementary school is top notch so Maddie will be in good hands."
"Sounds like you thought of everything. Alright, I accept my present." Jeannie pulled Rodney into a hug, the keys hanging from her hand and the box falling to the floor. "'Merry Christmas."
"Can I open my present too?" Madison begged from the doorway. Rodney smiled over to her and reached into his bag to pull out the half wrapped doll. No one noticed him wipe the tear of happiness away.