Returning

It was the same as before.

Beep, Beep, Beep

He began to panic. It was the same. He was still here. He screwed his eyes shut, he could feel the tears coming back. He tried to stay quiet, wanted to go unnoticed.

Fear.

He was scared, and tired, and worn down. He wanted to find a way out of this, he wanted John to come save him. He had waited for John to come. John had said he would come back.

He had been left, forgotten.

He felt a sob escape. He choked on it, but more followed it. He felt the first tear trickle down the side of his face and pool on the side on his face on the pillow.

Alone. Alone again.

No one had come at his sobs. Maybe they couldn't hear him. Maybe they were gone. He gave back holding the sobs back, letting the tears go. He didn't bother to move to wipe them off. His ears were ringing from trying to stay quiet.

Warmth.

He remembered that warmth, on his face, on his side. As if someone was leaning over him, telling him they were there. He let his hopes rise for a moment, praying that he was right in thinking…

"…John?"

"Hey there Rodney" The voice was soft, but Rodney knew it was John's. Rodney felt a hand rest on his own as the warmth moved. He clenched the hand. He didn't want John to go away, not again.

"I'm not going anywhere buddy, I'm here" The hand returned Rodney's grip.

"Why…still here…" Rodney choked on his words around the tears "You were gonna… come back...rescue me…You said..." Rodney felt the tears rise in his throat again. He was scared. He didn't want to be here.

There was a long pause

"I did come back. We're back in Atlantis now, you're in the infirmary" Rodney clutched at the words. He recognised them slightly.

"Atlantis…"

"Yeah, Atlantis. Home. You're safe here" Pained. Sad.

Rodney frowned. But it was so similar here to that place. How did he know? He didn't know.... He knew them. He knew those words were good. But he didn't feel safe. He felt like he would never be safe again.

"Look, I can show you" He was startled by John's voice. "Hey, hush, its okay..." Rodney calmed again. "Come on, open your eyes, I can show you" Rodney realized his eyes were still closed. Slowly, he prized them open. They felt tired.

There was no pain this time. There was no light.

"Dark?"

"Yeah, it's getting late. It does that" There is movement beside Rodney and Rodney lets his eyes slide sideways. John swam into detail in front of him. He was spinning slightly, in time with the floating feeling in Rodney's head, but other than that Rodney was sure that he looked normal. Rodney didn't know. He couldn't quite remember. He hated that. He knew John…but this face…he felt like he had never seen it before.

"McKay?" Rodney was surprised to dropping his hand from where it had been on John's face. His dulled mind hadn't even registered the movement. He hadn't even realised. Rodney sighed silently.

"Tired" He coughed on the word, his throat grating against itself uncomfortably.

"Here" He felt a cold on his lips, and some liquid began to enter his mouth.

NO! No more...No more poison! No more, don't want anymore! He spat and turned away from the liquid. He shook his head, felt the liquid spill all over him.

"No!" He croaked "Please, no more!" He brought his arms up and knocked the beaker.

Liquids, dripping down a wire. Forced to drink, drink some more. Being hit when he didn't drink. Forced to take more. Poured down, forced, choking, breathing it in. Coughing. Pain. Lots of pain.

"Drink!"

"No!!!"

"Drink this now, imbecile, or face the consequences"

"Please!"

"Come back here! You're not where you think you are!"

"Get away from me!"

"You!are!in!Atlantis! Rodney! Snap out of it!! Rodney!!"

"Rodney!!" Rodney felt the words filter through. He felt the warmth, he felt it holding him.

He clutched back. He held on. He didn't want to go back. He didn't want to be where he was.

Noises, filling the room, shuffling, talking, they were moving towards him, they were going to make him take it again. he didn't want to drink again, he didn't want to.

"Look out the window! Open your eyes, look around you!" He clutched onto the voice. He didn't know why but he opened his eyes. He took in the white expanse of ceiling.

White ceiling. Staring, unseeing, there was only white. They had stopped trying to make him drink, now he was surrounded by wires, he couldn't stop his body drinking now.

"There!" His head was turned by someone else.

"Don't touch me!" He tries to fight, but he can't for long. He is out of energy. He sees a wall, blue, and a window. He looks out at the window, and takes it in.

Tall, towering spires. Soaring heights, each pinnacle twisting in its own way, as if crafted by someone with a love for nature. Thousands of lights, pinpricked out against the dark. Beyond, an expanse of blue sea, folding lazily over itself with each slow wave. The sky is deep purple and blue. The red sun is just a slither behind the sea, and a long strip of red is reflected off the water. A window to...

To...

"Home. You are safe here"

A window to home?

There had been no windows in that place.

"Safe"

Safe

Rodney relaxed. He watched the lights. One turned off, and another, somewhere else, flickered. The sun disappeared behind the horizon.

"Safe..." He murmured

"yes. You're going to be okay." Rodney smiled slightly, then turned his head to look at John. He kept the smile.

"you...You came...back for me..."

"Of course I did"

"Thank you..."

"Anytime. I will always come back to get you. Get back to sleep, I'll still be here when you wake up."

Rodney turned his head slowly, looking out of the window. He only closed his eyes at the last moment, as he fell calmly into sleep, still watching the soaring towers blink and glow in the night.


Ended up not being quite as short as i expected - and neither will the logic chapter be.

Still, hope its good enough.

Pleeeeeease reveiw!!!

Oh, and special thanks to "Traveller" - your comment was really useful. I was sad i couldnt put it into this chapter, but im going to try harder from now on =] i hadnt even thought of that - so thanks for the cons crit! love you =]

Yours,

Kai xxx