A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the great reviews! I was pleasantly surprised that so many people liked the fussion and excited to find that I wasn't the only Cyborg009 fans out there. Anyway...time for a new chapter. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own stargate: atlantis or cyborg009
Almost Human
ch.2
"I told you."
The line kept playing through Teyla's mind as she stood, for the third time, in the infirmary with other members of the senior staff, looking at the unconscious figure that was currently restrained to the bed.
"Really, I don't think we really need to use restraints. He's not going anywhere."
"Carson, do you not see what the rest of us do? There are wires, WIRES, sticking out of that thing's shoulder!"
"Colonel, if you know what's good for you, you'll shut the bloody hell up." The normally kind and unflappable Scotsman's words stopped John's tirade cold. "Listen to yerself! Rodney's your friend and you just called him a thing!"
John pointed at the sleeping figure. "That is not Rodney. Rodney McKay isn't some type of robot. It has to be a replicator."
Radek shook his head. "Cannot be replicator, circuitry is distinctly of earth variety, also his body would already have healed if Rodney was replicator."
Carson added his own observations. "He's nothing close to being one. I had to bandage his wound. He isn't just circuitry. There's still flesh and blood with the wires, it just appears that certain parts of his anatomy were replaced.
Teyla frowned. "Please explain. I have never heard of a person who is half machine."
"Cyborg is correct term. Until now, I have never encountered this type of technology on earth, though it is quite popular in science fiction novels."
"Elizabeth nodded. "SG1 one had their consciousnesses copied and put into mechanical bodies."
John gaped in disbelief, but that quickly turned into anger. "How can you all just stand here and talk about this like it's no big deal?!"
Elizabeth stared at John. "Believe me, colonel. We are not making light of this situation."
"Well, you could have fooled me!"
Teyla felt her anger rising. How could John act like this? "John, listen to yourself. Rodney is your friend. How can you talk like this?"
"No, you listen to yourself! You're all acting like…like this is normal! How can you—" He fumbled for the right words, but gave up. We whipped around, heading for the door. "I need some air."
Carson watched in silence as Sheppard stormed out of the infirmary.
He didn't get what John's problem was. Sure this was strange, but since coming to Atlantis, the doctor had seen a lot of strange things. It was starting to become routine, so he didn't see how John could easily deal with things like turning into a bug, and then totally freak out when this came up.
Carson glanced at the prone form on the med bed. Though, he had to admit this was definitely high on the scale of all things strange but that wasn't going to change the fact that Rodney was his friend. He wasn't going to let this new turn change how he treated the scientist. If anything Rodney was going to need all the friends he could get.
A small groan pulled everyone from their own private musings, turning their attention to the bed. Rodney started to toss and turn, twitching every now and then.
Running.
The only thing occupying his mind was putting one foot in front of the other and staying ahead of the people chasing him.
The rain splattered against his skin as his feet pounded against the pavement, carrying him farther and farther away. He wasn't really sure where he was anymore.
Suddenly the road ended at a cliff overlooking the ocean. Below him, the water churned and swirled around sharp, jagged rocks. He turned to go another direction, but it was too late. The mob had him surrounded, cut off from every escape routes.
Policemen stepped forward.
"We've got you surrounded, . Just come quietly."
He backed up a little, coming to the edge of the cliff. A few rocks and pebbles were dislodged, falling into the ocean with little splashes. "I didn't kill anyone."
"There's no point in denying it. You were the only one nearby when he was murdered." The police continued moving forward. "It was obviously you, so stop trying to say otherwise."
They were closing in. His eyes darted from face to face. Anger and hatred radiated from each one. They were getting closer, but he couldn't back up any more. He was on the edge and there was no getting past the mob.
How could they think that he killed the priest the man had taken care of him and all the other orphans that the system couldn't find a home for. The man had been the closest thing to a father for him. How could they believe that he would do something like this?
It was useless. No escape.
He looked behind him at the roiling water then back at the policemen only a few feet away.
There was only one way out.
"I didn't do it." With that last statement he took one more step backwards, through the air. He felt truly weightless as the air whipped past him. He knew it wouldn't last though. Soon he would hit the water and, at the force he would hit the water at, he wasn't sure if he would survive the fall. If the fall didn't kill him, the rocks probably would.
He kept falling, but he didn't hit water. Instead as the sensation of falling drifted away, he was engulfed in comforting warmth.
He opened his eyes slowly, taking in the infirmary.
The bright lights and smell of disinfectants were overwhelming. He was in the place again. He could see shadows gathering around him.
Ronon watched as bleary, unfocussed eyes roved the room, searching for something familiar. Fear flashed through his eyes as he struggled against the restraints, trying to push himself as far away from them as possible. He wasn't quite sure what to think about the recent events but he did know that his teammate, his friend if he was honest, needed his support. He moved closer giving his silent support to the panicking scientist.
"No more…please…"
Carson moved closer and placed his hand on Rodney's shoulder, trying to ignore the flinch that accompanied the action. "Rodney, lad, you're safe. Wake up."
The doctor's reassurances didn't seem to calm him though. Instead he fought harder against the restraints. "Not the table…please….no more."
"Rodney, you're safe. You're on Atlantis, in the infirmary."
Rodney's eyes seemed to focus and he stopped struggling. "Carson…" He looked at the doctor. "What happened? Why am I strapped down?" He pulled at the restraints, but stopped when he caught sight of his hands. "Oh." Memories of the morning flooded his mind as the pain in his shoulder became evident. He glanced up at Elizabeth. "So, what does this mean?" He spotted Radek and started to hyperventilate. "Oh, no, no, no, no. Radek's waiting to dissect me isn't he? No, no, no."
Elizabeth's heart clinched a little at Rodney's quick jump to such a grim conclusion concerning his friends. "Rodney…"
"I won't let you cut me open!"
Radek tried to get his attention as well. He moved closer to the bed. "I'm not—"
Rodney flinched. "Don't come any closer! You're not getting anywhere near me."
Hurt was evident in the Czech's eyes as he heeded the command and backed away.
Teyla sighed. Despite his changed appearance, his personality remained the same. The freak-out was definitely in character for the scientist. She stepped into Rodney's line of vision. "Rodney, calm down." Teyla called upon years of experience being a leader and all of the commanding calm she could muster. "No one is going to be cutting anyone open."
'Oh." He looked to Elizabeth. "Really? No dissection?"
"Really Rodney."
"Well, that's nice. Um…" He paused, studying them all. "…no offense, but why is everyone so calm about this? I would have thought I'd wake up in a cell."
Ronon let out a derisive snort from where he was leaning on the wall next to Rodney's bed. "Not everyone took it so well."
It was then that Rodney noticed John's absence. "Sheppard?"
Teyla frowned. "John did not…react well."
Rodney sighed to himself. Of everyone in Atlantis, he would have thought that Sheppard would have been there for him, no matter what. John was one of the few people he considered a friend, maybe even his best friend. To know that he wouldn't be able to rely on his friend for support hurt deeply, but he couldn't really blame Sheppard. He wouldn't be calm if someone he thought he knew well turned out not to be completely human. At least he seemed to still have a few friends on Atlantis.
"That's to be expected…" He gestured, as best he could in the restraints, at his shoulder. "…considering the circumstances."
Elizabeth schooled her features not show her discomfort. Even though Carson had wrapped a bandage around the wound, it was hard to forget that flesh and blood wasn't the only thing under the innocuous wrap. "That's what I want to talk to you about. We need to know how this happened. How did you…"
"What? Become a monster?!" The panic that had been simmering under the surface burst forth.
"Rodney, no one is calling you a—"
He cut her off, pulling again at his restraints. "You don't have to." Rodney seemed to deflate. He took a deep breathe in an attempt to calm himself. "I don't… I don't know how I got like this. Every once in a while, I have this dream. In it I'm on a table and there are people standing above me, and…." His voice caught in his throat. "…uh, and flashbacks. Ever since I woke up that first time, I've been having what I think are flashes of memories but even with these I don't have a clue. All I can remember clearly is 009."
"Zero zero nine? What is that?" Teyla asked.
"Me."
After leaving the infirmary, John ran.
Long and far.
He let himself fall into the pounding rhythm of his feat on the floor. He didn't want to think about anything to do with the last twenty four hours.
Rodney…is….a cyborg.
His brain seemed to want to implode.
He couldn't even give a distinct reason for being so mad.
Rodney was his friend. He should still be in the infirmary, but John just couldn't bring himself to go back. He'd think about Rodney, but he just couldn't equate his friend with what he saw lying on the infirmary bed. Rodney was a thirty six year old, acerbic astrophysicist, not some kid with wires hanging out of him.
John picked up his speed.
He really needed to run.
"Well, we're going to have to do some surgery, but for the most part there isn't too much tissue damage." Beckett finished rewrapping the bandage on Rodney's shoulder while the scientist rubbed at nonexistent bruises on his wrists from the recently removed restraints.
"What kind of surgery?" He studied Carson with narrowed eyes.
"Ach, don't act glare at me like that, Rodney. I already told you, this" He tapped the bandaged shoulder lightly. "isn't going to change anything. You're still my friend. As far as the surgery goes, most of it is going to be Radek fixing up the damaged circuitry but you do need some tissue grafts. Even though your shoulder is mostly robotic, you still have enough muscle and tissue to need medical attention as well as engineering attention. There will be no expirimentation involved."
Silence grew between them as Carson put his medical supplies away. Rodney quickly put his shirt back on then turned to the doctor, a slightly uncomfortable look on his face. "Uh, Carson?"
"Yeah Rodney?"
"Thanks."
Confusion flitted across the Scotsman's face. "For what?"
He crossed his arms in front of him, a decidedly Rodney-like action that reassured Carson in its familiarity. This was still his friend, no matter what he looked like.
"Just…for not freaking out on me."
"Rodney, despite the fact that you are arrogant, sarcastic, and the biggest hypochondriac I know, you're still one of my best friends. This isn't going to change that."
Rodney nodded. "Friends." He said the word as if to reassure himself that this conversation was real. "Thanks."
Carson was relieved that Rodney seemed to have finally accepted that he wasn't going to be abandoned. He glanced at the clock, realizing it was noon. It was then that he noticed how hungry he was. The morning's revelations had pushed everything else to the back burner. This was chance to give Rodney some normalcy. It would only take a few minutes to track down Radek, Teyla, Ronon, and Elizabeth.
"How about some lunch?"
After Carson radioed Elizabeth as they headed out of the infirmary and met Radek, Ronon, and Teyla on the way to the mess hall. Elizabeth was waiting for them outside the door.
Rodney paused. His mind was screaming for him to just go back to his room and avoid human contact all together but he knew he couldn't hide forever. Besides, his own personality wouldn't let him just run away like that.
Taking a deep breath, Rodney pushed the mess hall doors open.
The mess hall grew quiet as they walked in, but Rodney pretended to ignore it as they made there way across the room.
Ronon glared at the onlookers and moved closer to McKay's side, partially shielding him from curious and frightened stares. The others moved as well. Forming a sort of vanguard, giving Rodney their support and letting the onlookers know as well. The runner let is gaze linger for a few seconds on Sheppard, who was sitting alone and with his head down at a table in the corner.
They moved as a group to the serving lines. Ronon was piling his usual amount of food on a tray when a loud crash sounded.
John had just sat down at an out-of-the-way table in the mess hall with a faux-turkey sandwich and bottle of water when everything went silent. He looked up just in time to see Rodney walk into the room. He quickly dropped his gaze as the group made its way through the room.
Even though he couldn't see Ronon, he could feel the Satedan's gaze on him. John glanced around. Seeing the looks on people faces- curiosity, fear, and even some outright loathing- made John feel ashamed of himself. He had abandoned his friend because something unexpected had come up. He had abandoned Rodney right when the scientist needed his support the most. 'Way to go Sheppard. What a great friend you are.'
John pushed up from the table. It was time to make amends.
He watched as the group went through the line, grabbing food. Rodney separated from the others, heading over to the coffee out of habit. John was the only one to notice the marine that was making his way towards the scientist.
He was running across the mess hall before his mind even registered the action.
When he heard the crash, Radek turned just in time to see Rodney sprawled on the ground. The cause of his sudden acquaintance with the floor, one of the new marines brought by the Daedalus, was standing above him, his fist still raised.
"Get out. No one wants you around, freak."
Radek was shocked, not only by the hatred in the soldier's voice but also by the agreement reflected in a good number of the spectators' faces. A few even cheered when Rodney went down. Before he, or anyone else in their group, could do anything, Sheppard had launched himself at the marine.
The man didn't know what hit him. He was out like a light before he hit the ground.
Rodney groaned in pain, tentatively massaging his aching jaw. The pain wasn't as bad as it could have been but it still hurt like hell.
Someone crouched down next to him. "Rodney, are you all right?" He looked up at the familiar voice. Sheppard was watching him concernedly, waiting for his answer.
"Uh…yeah. The Neanderthal surprised me, that's all."
As John helped Rodney stand, Elizabeth met the eyes of every person in the room. "You can't even begin to know how disappointed I am." She glanced down at Carson, who was checking the unconscious marine's pulse half-heartedly.
"He'll be fine. I've already called for someone to come and collect him."
She nodded. "Tell your people to keep him in the infirmary until I'm ready to deal with him."
"Aye."
John helped Ronon fill a new tray with food. "Bout time." Ronon commented, but left it at that.
"Yeah, I was being a jack ass."
"You came around though."
Teyla handed a new cup of coffee to Rodney, smiling. "I believe it would be best if we continued lunch somewhere else, maybe the east pier."
Rodney took the cup, nodding in gratitude. "Yeah." He glanced around the mess hall. "That would be good."
John walked next to Rodney as the group made its way to the impromptu picnic spot. "I'm sorry."
The scientist attempted to shrug off the apology. "It's not a big deal. You were reacting normally."
John shook his head. "No, I shouldn't have treated you like that. No matter what."
"If it'll make you feel better, you can give me the chocolate that you got on the last supply run."
"Nice try McKay." He grinned, confidant that Rodney had forgiven him for the previous abandonment. Sure, Rodney would give him crap for it for the next year to come, but at least things were looking up.
In a small house in Arles in the south of France, a young woman hummed as she worked. The smell of bread baking in the oven permeated the house. Her work combined with the radiant heat from the sun and the rich smell lulled her into a trance.
"Francoise!" The voice calling in her mind broke through the haze. Pushing a rogue strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, Francoise hurried into the next room where a baby no older than one was sitting on the floor, surrounded by rubix cubes, newspapers, puzzles, and other out-of-place items.
"Ivan, what is it?"
The child rubbed his temples. "He's awake."
"Who?"
"009."
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