Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis
It had been four hours since the team had returned to Atlantis. Since then it had been decided that the boys were to be given a private infirmary room each so that they could be sequestered from prying eyes, but still be near the infirmary in case an emergency occurred with their new child bodies. It had also been decided that the boy's guardians were to remain with them. Todd had, of course, gotten the short end of the stick (the universe really hates him this week). While Ronan and Teyla could readily switch off 'child duty' with Rodney, John would only stand to be separated from Todd for half an hour (and only if Teyla was in the room) before he started wailing his head off for his 'big brother'.
The attending doctors and nurses had figured this out when Todd had left to go back to his hive in order to feed, along with half of Atlantis thanks to the amazing abilities of the small child's vocal chords. John had started out by repeatedly asking for Todd. When he got tired of the answer 'He'll be back soon' he had progressed to crying. When 5 minutes of crying had failed to produce a disgruntled wraith in the infirmary he had decided to draw out the big guns and the shrieking began.
No amount of bribery could end the child's fit, and so 15 minutes into it and many thrown lollipops, stuffed animals, and various medical instruments later a messenger was sent to the control room (there were many volunteers to escape the infirmary) to beg Colonel Carter to ask to have Todd brought back immediately.
Poor Todd had been in the middle of informing his Queen of the mission's events when they had been contacted by the First Commander. He sounded far away due to the distance his mind was spanning, but they heard him none-the-less.
I hate to cut in Beloved came the First Commander's thought as he addressed his mate but it seems that our Second Commander is needed back on Atlantis post-haste. There had been a smugness in his voice that Todd knew would not bode well for him.
What is so important that it interrupts my little chat with him hmmm? The Queen had asked.
Apparently 'Big Brother' is being missed came the teasing reply. Todd let out an audible groan causing the Queen to glance at him and let out a tinkling laugh. Todd had seen this as a good time to interject before his reputation was completely ruined beyond all repair.
The brat will live He snipped.
But I'm not sure the Lanteans will. Really, this child is throwing quite the fit came the First Commander's answer. Come to think of it, he puts you to shame Motherheart.(1)
He's trying to feed on someone? Asked the Queen sarcastically.
No, but he has tried to pull out the psychiatrist's hair.
Both wraith flinched. Pulling another's hair was down right dirty. Todd couldn't exactly blame Sheppard though. That female was extremely annoying. The Queen caught the echo of his thought and tried to hide her grin behind her hand. When the thought passed she looked over at Todd again.
Todd let a frown tug at his face. Suddenly the Queen had the impression of a small child with their hands behind their back glaring at the ground while scuffing there shoe when told to do something they didn't want to do.
You're on Atlantis. Why can't you calm him down? Todd asked.
Well if the way he keeps yelling 'That's the wrong wraith!" is anything to go by, I'd say I just won't do. No, I think this is a job that only the brave Second Commander can handle.
"Perhaps you should head back my Second. We do need the Lanteans in one piece for this alliance to work." The Queen said.
Todd gave a deep sigh and bowed to his Queen before turning and leaving the chamber. When he had left the Queen turned her attention back to her mate.
All this talk of small children makes me feel empty. I believe it may be time for-
No
You did not even let me finish-
Absolutely not
It has been nearly a millennium my Throne Warrior(2)
Not a millennium long enough Dear One.
I feel empty! She snapped.
Tell the navigator to fly through a solar storm. Steersus will be in your arms in a heartbeat had come the wry reply.
You used to love fledglings. What is wrong with you?
You are not seeing this squalling child. I have no wish to go through this again for another few centuries.
Fine! The Second is on his way to relieve you First Commander! She snapped, ending the link. Her abruptness caused him to flinch, but not nearly as much as the use of his rank did. Clearly she wasn't happy with him right now, and he had no doubt that he would be hibernating on the other side of the hive when he got back.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Todd had never been so warmly received on Atlantis than when his cruiser set down on one of Atlantis' piers. He was escorted by a security detail to the infirmary. He was vaguely aware of the First Commander stalking past him, grumbling to himself mentally as he headed for the cruiser.
'Sounds like another blissful fight between mates' Todd thought. 'I hope he's ready for a fight when he gets back' Mated wraith had intra-relationship woes just like married humans, however, unlike married humans the female did not try to eat her mate in a fit of rage. 'Probably why he's not ready to have another fledgling just yet. How many times did she feed on him last time she was pregnant?'
His thoughts were cut short when he entered the infirmary. The screeching was horrendous. Honestly, he had heard irratus bugs that sounded better than this puny human. He had to restrain himself from clutching his ears against the noise as he stepped into the room where John was.
The small boy was sitting in the middle of the chaos that he had created. There were stuffed animals, pens, and various medical equipment strewn all around. The bed was torn up with the sheets somehow landing across the room; the pillows completely gutted except for one that John was clutching to himself. Dr. Keller and Dr. Heightmeyer were trying to calm the child down along with a few other nurses that seemed like they were merely putting up a front when all they wanted to do was flee for their lives. Todd noted with some wry amusement that Heightmeyer seemed to have the beginnings of a black eye.
John had his eyes screwed shut and his face was a brilliant red. He was clutching the one intact pillow in his tiny fists and holding it to his chest. He had tears streaming from his eyes and kept screaming, "I want Big Brother!"
Todd decided to take pity on the boy and his caretakers and cleared his throat. The reaction was immediate. John's head immediately shot up and his eyes widened beyond belief at the sight of Todd. Everyone in the room let out a collective sigh of relief as the small four-year-old let out a happy cry and literally launched himself off the bed and onto Todd like a monkey, all the while yelling "Big Brother's back!"
Seeing as the maelstrom of screaming and crying was over the extras in the room filtered out, most of them immediately heading off to catch some sleep. Dr. Keller stayed long enough to inform Todd she'd be back to give John a check-up when he was calmer and Dr. Heightmeyer had attempted to get through to the small child, but one well-placed glare from Todd had her quickly leaving the room. Todd found himself left alone with a slightly sobbing, hiccupping child wrapped around him with his small head resting on the wraith's shoulder.
Minutes passed and eventually John fell asleep on Todd's shoulder. He had no doubt been exhausted by his temper tantrum. Todd took a little while to simply look over his small charge, making sure he was all right. After he had made sure that John hadn't hurt himself he laid him down on the bed and fetched the discarded blanket to drape over the boy.
All John needed at this point was rest. Todd knew from experience that temper tantrums were not harmful. They were just how most children let out excessive frustration and anger, and were to be expected at this young of an age. Past experiences with Steersus had shown him enough to know what to worry about with tantrums. It was amazing how both boys reacted violently when they weren't getting the attention they wanted. (Steersus had often thrown fits like this when he was younger since his mother never had time for him. He would get desperate enough to do anything to get his mother's attention. There were limits to how often the Queen could fill in as his mother figure and when that limit had been reached he let the entire hive know it.)
Dr. Keller had come in a half hour later and done an exam on John while he slept and then left them alone. Todd had taken up a meditative position in the room with his fingers touching at the fingertips and head bowed, much like when he had guarded Steersus' dreams decades ago.
Meanwhile Atlantis was thankful that it could finally get some peace and quiet.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
In another infirmary room…
"Rodney, sweetie, come out from under there." coaxed Teyla.
"No way! If I come out the shrieking cougar will get me and eat me!" came the stubborn high-pitched reply.
"Rodney, there is no such thing as a shrieking cougar. Why would you think such a thing?"
"There is too a shrieking cougar! That's what was making all of the noise for so long"
"Where did you get that idea?"
"It's not an idea, it's a fact! Uncle Ronan said that the noise was coming from a shrieking cougar and that if I didn't stay hidden under the bed and remain absolutely quiet it would come in here and eat me! Don't you know it likes children? We taste better."
Teyla slowly turned to cast a murderous glare at the completely unrepentant Runner who was lounging in a nearby chair. He only answered with a shrug and a grin. Her threatening glare was cut off by a loud gasp from under the bed.
"Oh no it stopped! That means it got someone, but the only other child here is……OH NO! IT ATE JOHN!!"
A/N: There you guys go. Another chapter. Maybe I'll actually get some sleep after this who knows. As for the numbered words above they are wraith endearments. 1) Motherheart is a term that the First Commander uses for his mate because she is mother to the hive, essentially giving it life. He is telling her that she is the mother or life giver of his heart, in other words she is what keeps him alive, is his reason for living, etc. 2) In wraith society if the Queen has a mate it is his right to guard the throne when the Queen is present. He is her right-hand, her protector, her number one warrior. By calling him her Throne Warrior she is essentially saying 'my dearest husband' or 'my strong mate' or for the more whimsical among you this phrase can be equated to 'my knight in shining armor'. Also, when the First Commander believes he will be sleeping on the other side of the hive for a while it can be equated to when a husband knows that he will be sleeping on the couch. In this AU fic Heightmeyer is alive (I don't know who replaced her after she died).
I hope to have another chapter out to you all much sooner than the others. As always, reviews and constructive criticism are welcome. Oh, and in response to some reviews, no the chief scientist is not Steersus. Steersus is still extremely young by wraith standards. He's about 200 and has not fed yet, meaning he isn't even a teenager. He's about 10 in human years. When he starts to develop his feeding slit he will be considered a preteen, and when he begins to feed and his body begins the change from needing solid food to survive to needed human's life source he will be a teenager (puberty for wraith, complete with rebelliousness and tempers). He won't be an adult until at least 800 years of age, and even then he will be considered a young adult who will still be nurtured by the hive like how human young adults are still cared for by their family (face it, there normally isn't some radical change in the way people live the day they turn 18).
