589. Sorry.
"Hey, Rodney, how's it going?" Rodney looked up eagerly for a moment, but mashed his head back into his pillow and groaned when he saw John Sheppard, Teyla, and Ronon walking towards him.
"What is it, ridicule-the-guy-with-the-arrow-in-his-ass-time?" Rodney really didn't want them recounting the events of the mission in front of anyone else in the infirmary.
"No, no," John put his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "Just coming to see how you're doing and give you some updates."
Rodney looked at him expectantly, and when John didn't say anything, Rodney gave him a very annoyed expression. "Well?"
John half-smiled. "You're gonna love this, Rodney. Since you'll be out for a couple weeks while you get your injury sorted out, Dr. Zelenka has temporarily replaced you as Head of the Science and Research Department."
Rodney immediately made as if to get up. "You know, I feel much better now, and this cast is not really that annoying." He shrugged at the cast on his right arm. John, however, eased him back onto the bed, facedown.
"Now, now Rodney, it's only temporary. As soon as you're healed you'll be back in action."
Rodney shook his head vigorously. "You don't understand. In a couple weeks Radek could blow up the city!"
John just sighed, and decided to change the topic. "Why exactly is this injury so much more of a pain in the ass than last time? If I remember correctly, Beckett took the arrow out and you went to try to save Ronon's life."
Rodney gave him a long look. "Very funny, Mr. Original. Come up with that one all by yourself, did you?" He stuck his face back into the pillow before looking up at John again. "I'm not exactly planning on saving anyone's lives any time soon, because this arrow came with a broken arm and a concussion, as well as two fractured ribs. So don't go around being reckless and expect me to come save the day and do the impossible. I plan on taking a nice break from life-suckers and the impossible until I'm healed, thank you very much." As he went on, his face had grown steadily redder, and John was not going to wait around for the inevitable explosion, thank you very much.
"Okay, okay, Rodney. Don't get your panties in a bunch. You know, sometimes you just have to roll with the punches a little." As he said that, he lightly socked Rodney's right arm.
"Ow! That's my broken arm!" Rodney looked very indignant, and John was sure he was going to blow soon.
"Uh, sorry." John said, backing away, motioning for Teyla and Ronon to come with him. "We'll be going now."
Ronon walked up to Rodney before following John. "Yeah, McKay, roll with the punches." And he punched Rodney in the arm, not really that much harder than John had, but enough.
Rodney, already on one elbow, stroking where John had socked him, was completely knocked off balance by Ronon's hit, and went rolling off the other side of the bed. John turned to see him landing on the floor, and rushed over to him, trying to help him get up.
"Ow! Conan, you don't have to knock me off the bed!" Rodney turned and faced John. "Is that enough rolling with the punches for you, huh? Huh?"
John just sighed, wondering why Rodney was so much more difficult when he was lying in the infirmary than when he was being pestered by people who wanted him to save their lives.
"Roll with the Punches" by Lenka, released in album "Two" in March 2011
