Dark and Stormy Chapter 3
Rodney's Story

AN: Ok, we have Rodney's Story at 723 words less this author's note. It's kind of a April Fool's wrapped in one. Thank you to Genuka for beta reading it. Sorry for the double post had to fix something.

"It was a dark and stormy night…" He panted between gasps. "Major Lorne can call the thunder with his voice and, and Ronon."

Everyone just looked at Rodney as if he had been sniffing glue, or at least had injected a massive dosage of the Wraith enzyme once again.

"Rodney, Why don't you let Dr. Beckett take a look at you." Dr. Elizabeth Weir stated in a calming voice.

Rodney glared at her. "No, you don't understand, they're after me. I have to check the database and make sure they are not native to THIS planet and that we are all safe here." Rodney was full out babbling now and Elizabeth couldn't decide whether or not the dilated pupils were from fear or intoxication of some sort, either alcoholic or drug induced.

Dr. Beckett had been quietly paged outside of Rodney's hearing and had arrived quickly in response. He stood off to the side and was cautious about approaching the flustered scientist. The pernickety man was huffing and puffing like a racehorse and soon enough there was one puff too many and down he went.

Elizabeth gave a slight scream as she rushed to the head scientist's side. "Carson?" She queried.

The doctor, who had been fussing with Rodney as the man lay on the gate room floor, looked up at her and allowed his medical team to take the prone man away. "I think it's just exhaustion. It looks to me like he has been running from something and the fear has caught up to him. I don't actually think we will know what happened until Colonel Sheppard and his team get back. I'll be in the infirmary with Rodney."

Elizabeth nodded. "I'll call Sheppard and get back to you." Carson nodded and followed his patient out of the gate room.

Elizabeth walked over to Ops. She stared off into space for a moment before she shook her head. "Dial up Sheppard's last known address." The gate spun and kawooshed to life. "Colonel Sheppard, this is Atlantis. Come in please." She said over the radio. There was no answer. "Chuck, bring up the malp."

A picture sprung to life on the screen depicting the planet. A huge thunderstorm raged across the screen.

"Ok, that explains the dark and stormy night." Elizabeth admitted wryly and just starting to get a bit worried.

"Our radio signal can't penetrate the storm." Chuck said. "We'll have to wait until Colonel Sheppard comes home or makes contact tomorrow."

Elizabeth sighed. "Yes, Another team isn't going to go out into that; Especially if we don't know where they camped. I'll go tell Carson."

Elizabeth walked into the infirmary. She saw Rodney hooked up to the equipment. He looked like death warmed over. His hair was still slightly damp from his trip through the rain and he was shivering under the blankets.

Carson walked over to her. "Has he regained consciousness yet?" Carson shook his head. "We can't get a hold of Sheppard. The storms too thick." She informed him.

"I agree. He's not hurt so far, but he's probably going to get sick. He keeps murmuring about how the glimworms are going to get him. Aren't those what Ronon and Teyla called those little bugs that helped Sheppard with that uber Wraith." Carson stated.

Elizabeth laughed out loud. "They were. Do you think he would remember that?" The two friends shared a smile and shook their heads. "You think Ronon's sense of humour went to far."

"This time, yes." Carson replied. "He's going to get really sick. Should we play a nasty joke on them?"

A delighted smile broke out on Elizabeth face.

The gate kawooshed to life and the team laughingly walked through it.

The gate room was sombre as the four people returned from the planet in high spirits.

A voice whispered out. "They don't know. How can they not know."

"Nobodies going to miss him. I know I won't." Someone else whispered.

"Oh, come on people just because you didn't like him doesn't mean other people don't." Still another whispered.

Ronon was the first to catch on to the whispering around him. He elbowed Teyla, who gasped and alerted Evan and John.

"What's going on guy's?" John asked in a small voice.

Carson and Elizabeth stood side by side with their arms crossed. Carson raised an eyebrow, and said. "What's this about a dark and stormy night?"