Questions

Rush questions why he's helping an ungrateful crew gets home. Rush x OC

Dr Rush tapped on the control board in irritation, glaring up at the other so-called scientists in the room. They were currently arguing over what movie they would watch if they were on Earth right now. He shook his head and pressed his fingers to his temples. Sometimes he wondered if he was the only one with any sense on this ship.

Trivialities, he thought in disgust, turning back to the console. It was currently flashing red, and for the life of him he could not figure out why.

"I'm no scientist, but that looks bad," came a wry voice from behind him, and he turned to bellow at the intruder when he saw Sarra looking over his shoulder. She was the only one who could sneak up on him. She had very quiet footsteps.

"What is it?" Eli asked quickly, rising from his stool and coming to look over his other shoulder. Rush glared at him.

"If I knew I'd fix it, Mr Wallace," he growled at the boy, and he quickly retreated back to his own console, hands raised in surrender.

"Alright then," he said. "Forget I asked."

"Consider it forgotten," the irascible scientist muttered, and looked determinedly away from him. He was playing with a kino remote, as always.

"Mr Wallace, if you don't intend to help, I suggest you leave," he said without looking up from his own console. Eli sighed.

"Fine," he muttered, rising and leaving. But Rush had one more thing to say.

"Eli."

"What?" the boy replied with a weary sigh, turning.

"Don't be late tomorrow." He rolled his eyes, stuck the remote under his arm and mock saluted before walking quickly out of sight. The other scientists quickly got busy.

"Anyone else intend to waste my time?" he asked the room at large, and, predictably, no one replied.

"You're too hard on the boy," Sarra commented, pulling Eli's stool beside Rush's and sitting down. "You've a devoted follower there, Nick."

He rubbed his eyes wearily with his fists.

"I know," he replied. "He's a good kid, really."

The other scientists were eavesdropping.

"I'd be getting busy before he kicks you out," Sarra advised them calmly, and they quickly looked away, back towards their consoles.

"No patients?" Rush asked Sarra and she shook her head.

"Nah. TJ is checking up on people but didn't need my help," she replied. "She's a real gem, that girl. Much more skill than she credits herself for. And her tea leaves. Mmm." Sarra was a tea addict, and though it had taken a little time to get used to Destiny tea, she had, and now couldn't live without it.

He shook his head, fondly.

"You and your tea," he said. "I'm surprised you haven't drunk her out of stock." She laughed, slung her arm over his shoulder.

"So's she," she said. "C'mon. Let one of them fix it. You're not needed here."

She took him by the hand and pulled him up. He offered only a little resistance.

"Oy, one of you slackers find out what's wrong and fix it," she told the scientists as she left with Rush. The others stared after them before someone thought to look at the console in question.

XX

Sarra took him to the observation deck and they stood next to each other by the rail, hand in hand.

"Why do I waste my time helping them?" he said. "They only come to me when they need help."

"No one talks to me because they want to," she told him, looking into his eyes. "They don't trust me. Sure, when they need a doctor, its, "Dr Tenning! Dr Tenning!" but they ignore me otherwise. The soldiers don't trust me because I'm a civilian; the civilians don't trust me because I'm a soldier."

"And no one trusts me because I'm me," Rush said. There was silence for a long moment.

"I know you don't want to go home," she told him, looking up at him. His eyes sought out hers and they smiled. "There's nothing waiting for me either."

"I know," he replied, squeezing her hand tighter.

"But we have to help them get home," she continued. "They do have people waiting for them." He nodded but didn't speak.

"Nick- we can stay here. We don't have to go back. But they deserve to go back." He sighed.

"You're right," he said. "You're right, as usual." Her smile was warm as she kissed him.

"They're unfair to you. You are the reason we're stuck here- but that isn't so bad, as I reluctantly concluded." She laughed. "Even before Jessi died, I almost preferred it here."

Rush put an arm around her and drew her close.

"Don't worry," he said, softly. "Everything will be alright." She nodded, looked at him.

"You're right," she mimicked him. "You're right, as usual." He laughed softly and she rested her head against his chest as they dropped out of FTL.