Title: Reckless and Irresponsible
Author: upsidedownbutterfly
Summary: "Of all the reckless, irresponsible, sheer bloody stupid things you've done, Colonel, I'm fairly certain this tops them all!" Post-ep for "The Real World".
Genre: episode tag
Pairings: John Sheppard/Elizabeth Weir
Rating: G
Spoilers: "The Real World"
Disclaimer: They're not mine, people.
Author's Note: As always, for Vicky.
"Of all the reckless, irresponsible, sheer bloody stupid things you've done, Colonel, I'm fairly certain this tops them all!"
John glanced at his watch and stifled a sigh as Carson's third lecture is as many hours streaked past the twenty minute mark with no end in sight. John was beginning to strongly suspect that the only reason he was still in isolation at all was so that the doctor could berate him more conveniently.
"Blood hell, Colonel! Believe me, I understand how much you love running headlong into blindingly apparent danger with no regard for your own safety," Carson continued, either failing to notice or choosing to ignore John's rapidly waning attention. "But this time, you didn't even know it would help! What if she was going to die anyway? What if all you were doing was getting you both killed?"
There was a sudden silence as Carson glowered expectantly at him through the translucent plastic of the quarantine curtains, and John realized belatedly that the last question perhaps wasn't as rhetorical as he'd initially assumed.
"I still would have done it," he replied unthinkingly.
In an instant, the anger drained from Carson's face to be replaced by a look of shocked understanding. Running his automatic response back through his mind, John winced as the extent of what it had potentially just revealed sank in.
"Any why's that?" Carson asked him gently, although the expression on his face told John he already knew the answer.
John shifted uncomfortably on the infirmary bed, refusing to meet Carson's eyes while his mind filtered hastily through dozens of possible explanations he knew Carson would never believe, before finally settling on the truth.
"Because I can't lose her," he admitted.