Disclaimer: Nope, don't own
A/N- I've been sitting in the library for like, three hours now. this is what happens when you have nothing to do in class...repeatedly.
Why did this kind of thing always seem to happen to him? Nothing bad ever happened to Ronon (aside from the whole running from the Wraith thing- but that was in the past) but here he was, smartest guy in two galaxies and it looked like he couldn't even get a late night snack without being attacked. He'd have to work on that.
"Stay back! Stay back or I'll kill him!" Rodney flinched as the hand gun was pressed more firmly against his temple. There would be a bruise tomorrow; if he made it to tomorrow. The lieutenant was using him as a human shield, every once in awhile jerking him around as he adjusted his position. A thick, meaty arm had wrapped its way around his neck, tight enough to hurt, but still let him breathe.
Truthfully, Rodney McKay was terrified.
They'd been backed into a corner of the mess and Rodney thanked every deity he could think of (Athosian included) that it wasn't earlier so there was not an insane amount of military personnel wandering around looking for something to shoot. Of course, if it had have been earlier, this probably wouldn't have happened at all.
Instead, there had been Stackhouse, Chuck, Zelenka and Parrish; the latter of which was currently lying on the floor, clutching a freely bleeding bullet wound to his shoulder. And now there was Elizabeth at the door, ever the diplomat with a group of armed marines.
His quiet night of movies with John flew out the window.
He could see Lorne's eyes glued to Parrish's prone figure near Rodney's feet and knew it was taking all of his will power not to run over to the injured man. The lieutenant wasn't letting anyone into the room.
"Why don't you release the hostages and we'll talk." The gun pressed tighter against his head. Rodney could see it now, this time tomorrow he'd be lying on a slab in the morgue, gun shot wound to the head, just waiting to be sent back to earth. Maybe they'd give him a nice funeral, something similar to Carson's. Maybe John would say something nice.
"Stay back I said!" Lieutenant Reid-Reeves, R-something; he knew him briefly from the few times he'd accompanied him around the outer parts of the city.
Parrish groaned from the floor; the gun was removed briefly and aimed at Chuck as the Canadian tried to move to the botanist's side.
"He needs help." The gate technician glared defiantly over Rodney's shoulder at the lieutenant.
"Reeves-" Elizabeth called out to them. "Let them go and we can talk." The gun returned to his head. Reeves had at least been smart about his choices in hostages, the smartest man on Alantis, the second smartest man on Atlantis and the gate technician. Talk about luck. If John had have been with him, Reeves would have already been incapacitated on the floor.
"No talking- I want to go home!"
"Home?" Rodney snorted. "Half the people here want to go home and they're not running around shooting people!" When he was a kid, his parents had always told him that his ability to speak before he thought and not censor his opinions would get him into trouble.
"Shut-up!" The butt of the gun hit the side of his face and he cried out, feeling pain blossom across his cheek. His vision blurred.
"Reeves!" Elizabeth was still trying to get the lieutenants attention away from Rodney, to distract him. They couldn't get a clear shot with him in the way and wouldn't risk it with the gun pressed to his head. "You want to go home, right? Back to earth? Release Dr. Parrish and we'll see what we can do."
He loved, Elizabeth like an older sister or something- maybe a close cousin but at the moment he would have preferred Ronon with his awesome gun.
His radio lay out of the way on the ground. It hadn't moved from where it had fallen when he'd tried to stop Reeves from shooting Parrish. The lieutenant's radio lay smashed on a nearby table.
He'd been traveling through the Stargate for four years and spent most of his free time with John, so he could tell by the straightening of Stackhouse's back and the way his eyes darted to Reeves, then Rodney, then the floor that he was hearing something through his radio. Then he inclined his head and Rodney knew John was in the area, watching them. Watching him. Some of his panic receded.
"We can't help you if you don't let us." Elizabeth was saying.
"You should listen to her." Rodney ground out, watching the pool of blood under Parrish grow. Lorne wouldn't risk everyone else's lives to save Parrish but Rodney wouldn't put him in a position where he had to choose. He couldn't, it would kill Lorne. They needed to get Parrish to Keller.
"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?" the beefy arm tightened, cutting off the oxygen to his lungs completely. Rodney panicked, hands flying up to pull at the arm, nails digging into flesh but he would not budge. His chest hurt and dark spots were appearing in his vision. He didn't want to die- not really and he certainly didn't want John to see him die. There was yelling but he couldn't make out what they were saying; it all sounded so far away. He wanted to see John, to tell him he was sorry for working so late, for skipping dinner, for getting dragged into this. Then the arm loosened and he was allowed to breathe again.
"McKay!" Rodney glanced sluggishly up, eyes seeking out Stackhouse. His legs felt like they wouldn't be supporting him for long. "Are you alright?" He probably had John yelling in his ear, or that deadly quiet thing he did when he wanted to kill someone. He nodded slowly, not trusting his abused throat, quite yet. He'd be fine; he couldn't have John distracted if they were going to get out alive.
"If you kill him, you won't be able to get back to earth!" He watched Elizabeth, feeling mildly panicked. "Dr McKay was working on the gate before you grabbed him. Without him it'll take weeks to get it fixed."
"It's true." Rodney's voice was gravelly to his own ears.
"Dr Zelenka could fix it." Reeves countered bringing the gun down and jabbing it into Rodney's side. Great, he grunted in pain, now he'd have more bruises.
"It would still take Zelenka days to undo what I've done." He told him smugly. "And I won't do anything if you don't let the others go now." For a moment he actually thought that the lieutenant had listened to him.
"You can work with only one foot, right?" Rodney cried out as the gun fired, hitting the ground next to his foot. "Or maybe a knee…"
"Okay! Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Rodney stuttered, eyes pleading with Stackhouse to tell him that John had a clear shot. He shook his head. "Let Parrish go, keep me. He's injured and a botanist; he's no use to you." Please, he begged him silently, please don't let him die. Parrish had honestly liked Rodney, had honestly wanted to be his friend. He hadn't judged Rodney.
"Fine." Reeves finally said. Rodney relaxed slightly, watching as their captor instructed Lorne to come in, unarmed. He got the feeling that Lorne wouldn't need a weapon to kill Reeves if he stood between him and Parrish. The major shot Rodney a brief look that said both 'thank you' and 'don't worry, we'll get you all out', before silently bending down and picking the unconscious botanist up. He murmured quietly to Parrish when he cried out, calming him. Rodney watched them go and tried to calm himself, looking around, trying to spot a hint of where John may have been hiding. Or maybe Ronon or Teyla would give him some sign of where they were. If they were there.
"I did what you asked," Reeves called out. "Now let me pass!" He pushed Rodney, forcing him to stumble forwards, the gun still firmly pressed to his head. If they left the room and made it to the gate room what would he do then? He wouldn't fix the gate if it came down to it. Elizabeth would never allow Reeves to just walk through to earth.
He was a genius for a reason.
He had the semblance of a plan.
Rodney was no light weight; he'd lost weight in the past few years, replaced fat with muscle, but he wasn't that light. So when he suddenly fell, tripping over his own feet and landing hard on the floor, Reeves had no choice but to go with him.
Then all hell broke loose.
Rodney rolled, using everything John and Ronon and Teyla had been teaching him for four years and fought tooth and nail against his captor. Stackhouse and Chuck raced to their feet, Zelenka right behind them.
He felt all the breath leave his body as a fist sunk into his stomach, and then he was propelled off to the side as Reeves scrambled for the gun, but it was all over by then as his captor fell to the ground, a fresh gunshot wound to his side.
Rodney didn't move from where he lay, curled up on his side as he waited to the pain in his side to lessen. He wanted to get out of there, get away from the man that now lay a few feet away. There was yelling all around as the room suddenly filled with people.
"Rodney!" He opened his eyes, focusing on breathing evenly as booted feet ran up to him and the owner dropped to his knees next to him. Hands frantically reached out, running over his body, checking him for injuries he couldn't see. "Rodney- come on buddy, speak to me."
He waved off the hands, allowing himself to be pulled into a seated position. John stared down at him, worried. He grinned, shakily, reaching out to grasp one of the wandering hands in his own.
"Told you he could handle it." Ronon glared at the man being led out of the room by a small army of people. "I think I'll visit Reeves later." The menacing grin on his face was reassuring.
"Parrish?" Rodney asked. His voice still didn't sound normal; he didn't think it would for awhile. John's eyes flickered to the bruises that had to be forming on his neck. Something dark flickered across his face before it was gone again. It looked like they'd both be having nightmares for a long time to come.
"Keller thinks he'll be okay." He said quietly, squeezing Rodney's hand. Another doctor showed up at his side, but wisely didn't try to pry Rodney and John apart, working around them instead. They wanted him in the infirmary for observation but Rodney figured he'd be out in an hour or so. John's puppy dog eyes always did work wonders. If he complained enough maybe they'd release him sooner. The only reason he even wanted to be near the infirmary, which was where Reeves would be, under careful watch, was to visit Parrish and see for himself that his friend was alright.
John squeezed his hand and then helped him carefully to his feet, Ronon on the other side and Teyla hovering nearby incase he were to stumble.
"I'm alright." He whispered to John, taking in the set jaw and new shadows in his eyes. John had enough shadows in his life as it was, he didn't want to cause anymore. "I'm alright, we're fine." And it was true.