Title: Altered states.

Author: Obsessed1
Character(s): John Sheppard and Rodney McKay.
Genre(s): Stargate Atlantis: H/C -Angst
Rating: T
Warnings: Nothing too explicit.
Summary: One of the missions they'd rather forget.

Sheppard continued to run after McKay, at this point covered in mud, soaked through from the rain and utterly exhausted. His boot slipped underfoot and he managed to catch himself, but it took all of his strength to get his stiff muscles to respond.

McKay had stopped up ahead, but as soon as he realised Sheppard was okay, he started off again and that only fuelled his anger.

"Rodney!" he shouted over the wind, "Rodney! Would you stop running away from me dammit!"

McKay was a misty dot in front of him which led Sheppard to think 'when in the hell had gotten so fast?' The only time he moved like that was when they were running for their lives, only this time McKay was insistent on running away from him and he was only trying to help. After all, he was the one that was acting crazy.

"Rodney!"

McKay stopped again, allowing Sheppard to make up a little ground, and looked undecided which direction to take.

"I'm trying to help you!"

McKay had his 9.mil withdrawn and was aiming it at him as he backed up, "You're the one trying to kill me!"

Sheppard couldn't help but let out a strangulated laugh; he kept his own weapon trained up, finger resting on the trigger, "Just stop and talk to me for a minute."

McKay looked startled, regarded the weapon in Sheppard's hand and then took off again.

Sheppard looked up at the sky and groaned. This day was going from bad to worse. Three hours they'd been doing this. They were getting ever closer to the gate and if he didn't have McKay restrained before they got back who knew what damage he would do. It was his responsibility, as a friend, to make sure McKay didn't do anything he'd regret later. So, he started running again, teeth gritted as each footfall jarred his knee. McKay had kicked him. Sheppard had tried to help him and McKay had actually kicked him like a little girl.

"You can't get away!" Sheppard shouted as he moved, "This is a walk in the park for me!"

McKay had ducked into some trees. Clever. He'd obviously been paying attention to Sheppard. It would provide cover, shelter from the elements and plenty of hiding opportunities. Too bad Sheppard knew where to look.

He spotted McKay darting through the trees, his uniform a blur as he moved.

Sheppard depressed the trigger and fired a few 'warning' shots. McKay made some squealing noise, crouched and turned to him with a look of complete shock. He wasn't going to hit him. He just wanted him to slow down.

He lost his footing again. Driven down to his knees and into horribly wet leaves, he lost sight of McKay.

"Rodney!"

He pushed himself back up, infuriated with his bodies lack of response and poor co-ordination and staggered down the hilly incline to where he'd last spotted the scientist. The leaves and dirt were disturbed and there was a track leading back towards the gate that was open and exposed. If McKay had really been listening to him recently then he would know that it was better to say covered and take the long way round. He spent a few minutes trying to pick out shapes in the trees, squinting into the rain and then cursed and started moving again.

He was sent sprawling down to the ground before he even realised it, testament to just how shitty his reflexes were that day, and felt an over-bearing pressure on his back.

"Rodney? That you?" he asked, not even attempting to throw him off.

"Yes it is you….you moron."

"Get the hell off me……."

McKay slammed something hard into his hand and he instinctively released the grip on his P90.

"Ow!"

"It's your own fault…"

McKay didn't do violent. It just served to prove Sheppard theory of him being really, really 'out of character'.

"Are you trying to break my fingers?"

His hands already ached from his gun's re-coil, although they shouldn't have, he hadn't fired it much that day, and now they throbbed as well.

"No….I'm disarming you."

Sheppard tried to squirm out of his grasp but he was firmly pressed into the muddied ground. The smell of the earth was over-powering and in the instant he let his mind wander, McKay was yanking his arms back and tying his hands together.

He was roughly shoved onto his back and McKay kicked his gun away. Sheppard lay on his back, noticing the wild look in McKay's eyes and the sheen of sweat despite the rain.

"What are you doing Rodney?"

McKay patted him down quickly, removing his 9.mil and his knife and tossing them into a little pile.

"Rodney?"

"You're insane," McKay said, babbling even more incoherently that usual, "You tried to kill me."

Sheppard managed to get into a sitting position and leaned against a tree trunk, "I was trying to slow you down."

"You could have hit me! You……..this day goes from bad to worse!"

Sheppard schooled his face into one of complete neutrality, "Look McKay, there's something wrong with you. You're not acting like yourself."

McKay, who was clutching his 9.mil between shaking fingers, gave him a pointed look and smiled crookedly, "You chased me half way across this planet……with a gun………"

Sheppard was getting frustrated and cold. His joints were locking into place where he sat.

When he flexed his legs, McKay aimed the gun at him, "Don't move!"

"My legs hurt," Sheppard conceded, "Can we just…….can you just untie me and we'll walk back to the gate together?"

McKay laughed a little hysterically, "No, nice try Colonel." He paced back and forth, one hand flying up to the back of his neck to massage it, "I wish Ronon and Teyla were here…they'd know what to do."

"They'd see you were nuts. Ronon would probably stun you."

"You're….." McKay sighed and turned to look in the direction of the gate, "I'll go and bring back help."

Sheppard felt a little panicked and struggled with the bindings again. He couldn't go back to Atlantis on his own. Not in his state. He was out of control, violent.

"Rodney…that's not a good idea."

"I won't be long. You'll be fine."

"I know I will be, but when you go through that gate……….they'll lock you up, or worse you'll end up hurting someone so-"

"Would you listen to yourself?"

Sheppard clamped his mouth shut. His weapons, his knife, they were close enough to reach if only……

"I'm heading back."

McKay turned away from him and on instinct Sheppard acted. He kicked out his leg and connected with the back of McKay's knee. He crumpled to the ground, cursing.

Sheppard managed to get to his knees, was about to dive for his knife, when McKay was up and tackling him. His shoulder caught Sheppard in the stomach and all thought and logic was crushed out of him. He landed on his side, winded, unable to draw in a breath and McKay actually punched him in the face while he was down.

"Jesus…..would you stop that?" He licked his lips and winced, "Now I'm……bleeding."

"I'm sorry Colonel, but it's for your own good."

Mckay looked temporarily remorseful, so there was something of the old Mckay still in there. Sheppard clung to that.

Once he'd recovered enough to replenish his oxygen supplies, he kicked out again, sent McKay backwards and wiggled over to the weapons stash.

"Sheppard, stop!"

He managed to grasp the knife, stupidly sliced his hand before the ropes and then he was free. He reached for his 9.mil, out of habit, and McKay was pushing him onto the floor again.

"This is getting old!"

McKay had a steady aim on him; determined. Sheppard stilled.

"This is ridiculous," he said and Sheppard tended to agree. They were friends and yet something, the atmosphere, a drug, had turned McKay into a crazy person.

"Put the gun down."

"No way…you'll shoot me again!"

Sheppard smiled and got onto his elbow, all the while not relinquishing his grasp on his own weapon. Again? He gave McKay a once over and stalled on his pant's leg. It was ripped and as McKay twitched nervously, the fabric moved and he could see the blood.

"You're bleeding…"

McKay looked incredulous, "I know! You did it."

"Ah shit…was it when I fired the warning shot……a bullet ricocheted off a tree and-"

McKay shook his head, "No no…before that…..before that," he babbled.

Sheppard didn't know what he was talking about. As far as he could tell, he was the only sane one there.

"Rodney….."

McKay did something strange then. Without warning, he ran away.

Sheppard sighed. Not this again. Fine. He knew he was heading for the gate this time. He'd just have to double time it to get there first.

Sheppard didn't get there first and he wasn't entirely sure how that had happened. He'd run full pelt down the hill and unless he'd been running backwards the whole time there was no way that was possible.

He saw McKay go through ahead of him; he fired warning shots again that were a little too close and then cursing all the way down he ran until the event horizon had swallowed him.

He skidded to a stop on the other side and with a wave of relief he realised the soldiers around the gate had recognised the threat and were pointing their weapons at……..hang on…….him.

"Woah!" He held one hand up, but kept the other on his weapon.

Everyone was looking at him. McKay was by the gateroom steps, unguarded, and talking to Colonel Carter who in turn was throwing him furtive looks.

"What's going on here?" he asked and then to his men, "Stand down."

His orders were ignored and frustrated he took a step forwards, raising his gun and aiming it at McKay, "He's dangerous. Something happened on that planet and….he's…….lost it."

Carter stepped towards him, her hands raised in a placating manner. Placating towards him? That didn't make sense. McKay was the damn threat.

"John? I need you to lower your weapon."

Sheppard couldn't believe what was happening. He laughed. "Colonel, McKay is the threat here."

"John. Please…..lower your weapon."

"What are you talking about? My weapon is…." But he looked down and it was still raised, his finger depressing the trigger and dangerously close to expending a bullet. He deliberately removed his finger.

"We need to get you to the infirmary," Carter informed him and the she turned to the gate technician and shouted, "Get a medical team down here."

"For Rodney right?"

McKay, who had up until now had been hovering in the background, advanced on him. It was only in the stark light of the gateroom that Sheppard could see the bruising on his face and his bust lip.

"Shit McKay," he said, tasting blood in the back of his throat, "Who did that to you?"

McKay looked defeated, "You……..you did it."

"Nah. I didn't………"

Carter was closer to him now and she attempted to prise his weapon, the weapon he still hadn't put down, out of his fingers.

Only, something visceral inside reacted and he snatched his hand away and staggered backwards.

"I'm not the sick one Sheppard. You are."

Sheppard blinked dizzily, feeling all kinds of sick. He felt like he was going to topple over…..again. Like he had done repeatedly earlier.

"What?"

He was confused. Confused and tired. He lacked the strength and co-ordination to stop Carter from taking his weapon this time. Instead, he just watched as she passed it onto one of the soldiers as a med team raced in.

He blinked again and loosened his tac vest. It suddenly felt very constrictive. His knuckles brushed against the teeth of his zipper and it stung. They were red and bleeding.

"John…." Carter cradled his elbow in her hand and he took a step back.

"I'm fine," he said instinctually.

"No," she pressed, "You're not."

He reached out his hand for support, found nothing but air and dropped to his knees.

A second later and the floor was violently coming up to meet him and then everything went black.

Sheppard woke up in the infirmary, hot and confused, with a fog smothering his thoughts. Right, he was crazy, feverish, and unwell. He remembered now.

The infirmary was dark, there were few patients, few doctors for that matter and he switched on the bed side light. It blinded him; he cursed, tried to shield his eyes and then just as quickly turned it off again, blinking out the blob of white in his vision.

"You're awake then?"

Sheppard couldn't see a thing, "I am now."

"Well?"

Sheppard had just allowed his eyes to readjust to the darkness, when another lamp switched on, blinded him again and gave new fuel to his headache.

"Rodney….."

"Well?"

"Well what?" he asked irritably, fanning his scrubs top.

"Three words Colonel…."

Sheppard glared at McKay, across from him in the infirmary, bruises and cuts hidden in shadow.

"What?"

"Three words."

Sheppard felt panicked….What the hell was McKay proposing? He must have been on the good drugs because there were only three words that came to mind, "I……love you?"

McKay crossed his arms over his chest, "No. Are you high? No………I was right."

Sheppard feigned ignorance.

"Well say it then?"

He couldn't resist, "I was right."

"No not…." McKay threw his head back, "Just say that I was right and you were wrong and I'll forgive you."

"For what?"

"For chasing me around that planet for four hours, for shooting me………again and for making me run…..a lot."

"That wasn't my fault. I had a virus."

"Still….."

Sheppard sighed, "Yes….I'm sorry okay. I'm sorry I went a little crazy back there. You were right."

McKay nodded, "Thank you Colonel."

Sheppard lay back down, "Don't mention it."

"Don't worry, we wont ever mention this again." And he knew what McKay was referring to.

Both of them would be logging this report under "Missions they'd rather forget."

With the lights out and darkness resorted, Sheppard rolled onto his side and pulled the covers over his shoulders.

The end.