Ancient's Best Friend

Author's Note: This chapter focuses on a few different characters… I think its funnier, too, but I'm also the author, so my opinion doesn't exactly count. (hint hint, reviews!)

NOTE: I don't have a clear picture of where I'm going with this, so that's why it may seem like it lacks a real plotline. It might turn into just a story of regular life in Atlantis, sprinkled with a few plots here and there. Open to suggestions if anyone has any!

Regarding things in the story:

1. "Grodin", for those of you who don't know, is the guy who punched McKay while he had that shield thing on in Hide And Seek, then later asked him if he'd tried eating anything after McKay says 'oo lets have a toast'. He seems to be kind of like Sergeant Davis (the chevron guy) from Stargate SG-1.

2. I don't know if the ZPM's mentioned in Rising 1 and 2 can be re-charged, but in this story they can.

Also, thanks to the reviewers of this story so far:

RougeCajunOzsgrl

Silver1226

fallingfromelysium

Kitty2satan

Pixie Flyer (actually a challenge, which I am going to try :) )

MaryChristmas

Myriadragon

Disclaimer: see first chapter, if you really care that much.

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"Oh, for the love of god, Rodney! What did you do this time?!" Beckett exclaimed as McKay limped into the room that had been designated the infirmary, accompanied by Sheppard, who was helping him walk.

            "He fell down some stairs, Doctor," Sheppard said in a voice that clearly indicated that he was annoyed with the man.

            "I did not fall. I… I… um," stuttered McKay, searching for a better word.

            "Excuse me, you tripped over your own feet," grumbled Sheppard, letting go of McKay, who immediately fell to the ground. Beckett hurried over, giving Sheppard a 'neither-of-us-like-this-guy-very-much-but-that-wasn't-necessary' look. "And knocked me over in the process…"

            "Are you alright, Major?" asked Beckett after he got McKay onto an examination table.

            "Oh, and what about me?! I'm the one that can't walk right now! Shouldn't you be asking me if I'm okay? Heck, John was the one who helped me get here, how could he be hurt? I'm in pain here!" McKay burst out, almost falling off the table.

            "And you wonder why Grodin didn't hesitate to hit you," mused Sheppard, "I'm fine, by the way, but you might want to check this guy's head," he continued to Beckett, motioning towards McKay. (see Author's Note above)

            "What's going on here?" No one had noticed Weir walk in.

            "He fell-"

            "I… fell."

            "Looks like he may have sprained his ankle, doctor," answered Beckett.

            "Sprained ankle?! More like a broken leg! Man, if I don't get this fixed-"

            "Come on, relax so I can have a look at that 'broken leg' of yours," Beckett exclaimed, trying his best to shut McKay up.

            Weir nudged Sheppard away from the table, not wanting the two to bicker any more than they already had.

            "You didn't push him, did you?" Weir asked Sheppard, briefly remembering Sheppard pushing him off the balcony.

            "I wish," he answered quietly.

            "I heard that!" called McKay, whose ankle was being examined by Beckett.

            "Yeah? Wha'd I say?," Sheppard shouted back.

            McKay was just about to answer when Weir spoke, "Please, you two. You're acting like children!"

            "Of all the people who could have been experts on the Stargate and such, it just had to be him."

            "Well, we're pretty much stuck here, so either you two are going to settle your differences, or you're going to kill each other!"

            "I'm done talking about this, Doctor," said Sheppard, and he walked out.

            Weir mentally sighed. She turned back to McKay and Beckett. "Is Rodney going to be okay?"

            "As I suspected, just a sprain," replied Beckett.

            "Good, find me when you're back on your feet," she said to McKay as she left the room.

            "Is it just me, or is this place out to kill me?" McKay asked the air.

            "If you want my opinion, you better start thinking of medicine as more than just voodoo, Rodney, because it seems like it'll be helping you a lot more as long as you stay here," replied Beckett with a smile.  

            "Oh, thanks, you too?"

            "Just calling you accident-prone, not trying to kill you."

            "Yeah, not trying."

            "You're the one who asked for the ATA gene."

            "Does it seem like everyone hates me?"

            "Nah, its just-"

            "It's just what?!"

            Beckett finished bandaging McKay's ankle, and stood up to get a splint. "Em…you can get… you're bloody obnoxious at times."

            McKay lifted his arms in mock defeat. "And the truth comes out! You know, I bet you're ignoring the fact that my leg is broken and just saying a sprained ankle to make me suffer! What is it with the people here?!"

            "As I said, obnoxious," said Beckett calmly, fastening the splint. McKay thought for a second.

            "You mean that was obnoxious?"

            "If you really wanted a broken leg, I could give you one…" trailed Beckett, picking up a large metal bar that was laying on the next examination table.

            "Well, thank you, doctor. I'll be going now," he jumped off the examination table. "GAHHH!" He cursed loudly, causing several medical personnel to stop what they were doing and look. "What are you all staring at!? Get back to work," he shouted at the curious assistants. He then attempted to get up, only to fall again. "Ugh, the day's not even half-over yet!"

            Beckett appeared with a pair of crutches. "You'll be needing these," he said, with a fake smile of sympathy, then walked over to another patient.

            "Thanks," uttered McKay shortly, struggling to his feet with the help of the crutches. He hobbled off to find Weir.

            "So, what happened to you?" Beckett asked his next patient, Greg Boden from the UK.

            "One of those doors closed on my hand while I was trying to pull a cartful of supplies through it."

            Beckett looked at the man's hand, mentally diagnosing it. "You got to give the stuff a break, it is ten thousand years old…"

            "Yeah, well, the Ancients… Hey, who was that guy over there?"

            "Oh, Doctor Rodney McKay. He's a nice guy, just very aggravating at times."

            "Bit of a klutz, too?"

            Beckett laughed, "I can tell that already, and he's only been in here six times!"

            "Well doctor, we've only been here four days…"

xxx

            "Doctor Weir?"

            "Rodney! How's your ankle?"

            McKay glanced down at his foot with a sullen look. "Beckett says it'll be fine, but I still think my leg's broken."

            "'Fractured' would be the word, McKay," called Sheppard from across the control room. He was talking to Grodin and some Russians about the power situation.

            McKay gave him a glare, but didn't respond. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked Weir.

            "Right, some of the Athosian children found a room with a bunch of writing in it, as well as a stasis container with an animal in it. I want you to find out what it says, what the animal is, and if it's still alive."

            "Ah, well, when do you need this done?"

            Weir eyed him suspiciously. "Why?"

            "Well, um, see I…"

            "Something in the research labs?"

            "No, ah, I mean yes. Yes, something in the labs."

            "Really, what is it?"

            "I was… I was going to go look around the city… maybe reserve a house…"

            "Rodney, do you really think your finding a future home is more important that what I'm asking you to do?"

            "I'll be on my way there," he said, quickly walking away before he could say anything else that might get him in trouble.

            "Ten bucks says he stops for lunch first, doctor," called Sheppard from across the room.

            "Major! I want you and Doctor McKay to stop fighting right now."

            "He already left…"

            "You know what I mean. How did this start, anyway?"

            "After I left you guys in the room with the animal, I was going to go down to my room and get something, but as I was going down the stairs McGenius there just had to trip halfway down the stairs behind me and knock me down! You know, I still haven't gotten to my room since then."

            "Are you kidding? That's it?"

            "Well, yes."

            "That's not a good reason to be mad, and if you two keep getting sparked over little things like that, our stay here is not going to be pleasant for either of you."

            "Yes, doctor," Sheppard mumbled, heading towards his room (finally).

            "Doctor Weir, we need to talk," Grodin said, walking up to her.

            "Yes?"

            "You know as well as I do that we're running very short on time here, regarding power."

            "And?"

            "I think I've found a generator of sorts… something we could use to repower the ZPM's." (see Author's Note)

            "Like a charger?"

            "You could call it that, yes. If we can get it to work, we'll be able to save our naquadah generators for other things."

            "Great, get to work on it."

            "The thing is, it would take an enormous amount of power to even try to start it up."

            "Divert the power of one of our generators. Just make sure people in that section know that their lights will go out for a few minutes."

            "Sure thing."

xxx

            Sheppard approached the door to the circular room. He was reaching for the open button when he decided to see if knocking would work.

            "Come on, McKay."

            He tried knocking louder, but still nothing. He then tried knocking out the tune to 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'.

            "Major Sheppard, what are you doing?"

            The voice made him jump a little. "Jintoh! What're you doing?"

            "I am asking you what you are doing."

            Sheppard smiled. "You got yourself a nice sense of humor, kid. I'm trying to see if Doctor McKay will open the door if I knock on it."

            "Knock?"

            "Here, like this. Repeat after me." Sheppard knocked three times. Jintoh followed his lead. "On my planet, you usually knock on the door of someone's house to get them to come let you in," Sheppard faltered, recalling an old memory," or, shut the door in your face…"

            "Can I try?"

            "Go for it."

            Jintoh held his fist to the door, then tapped out a rhythm that sounded suspiciously like 'Happy Birthday' to Sheppard.

            "Good work!"

            Suddenly the door opened before them, revealing a very irritated-looking, glaring McKay.

            "What?" said Sheppard innocently. "I was just teaching Jintoh how to knock on someone's door to get their attention."

            McKay gave a mock laugh. "Cute. What do you want?"

            "Sorry Jintoh, I've got to talk to Doctor McKay here, alone, if you don't mind."

            Jintoh's face showed a look of disappointment, but he walked away obediently.

            "Our knocking lesson will continue after I'm done!" Sheppard called behind him.

            "Not on my door it won't," grumbled McKay.

            "Oh, so this is your room now."

            McKay waved the comment off with his hand, pretending to brush something away from his head. "What do you want?"

            "Look, Weir and I had a little chat after you left…" he paused, expecting McKay to make a remark. When he didn't, he continued, "She let me know how stupid our… our…" Sheppard gestured absently to the wall, "fight is."

            McKay considered his words, but still didn't say anthing.

            "And I was thinking. It's been a hard few days on everyone, and I'm sorry for, well, y'know, because of your little stair incident. Quoting Weir, 'Well, we're pretty much stuck here, so either you two are going to settle your differences, or you're going to kill each other!'." Sheppard glanced at McKay. "I'm too young to die."

            McKay smiled. "Right." He held out his hand. "Friends?"

            Sheppard eyed it uncertainly, but held out his hand. "Friends. So, watcha doin'?" he asked, quickly withdrawing from the handshake.

            "I'm trying to figure out what …that… is," he said, motioning towards the stasis chamber.

            "Looks like a dog."

            McKay gave a don't-even-say-that look. "I highly doubt that."

            "Well, what do the writings say about that?"

            "Major, I just got here ten minutes ago!" McKay walked over to the chamber, looking at it longingly.

            Sheppard walked over to him, heartily put his arm around McKay's shoulder, and motioned towards the animal. "I'm thinking, 'Boomer'."

            "What?" said McKay, clearly confused.

            Sheppard took a few steps towards the chamber, then faced McKay. "Or maybe 'Fido'." He looked back at the animal again. "Hmmm, 'Buddy' would work too."

            McKay, now getting what Sheppard said, laughed. "How 'bout 'Max'? Or even 'Ziggy'!"

            "'Ziggy'? I'm sorry, I've never met a dog named 'Ziggy'. Must be a Canadian thing…"

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Author's Second Note: Reviews are much appreciated and will be recognized (as always)

Beckett: Thanks for that big metal pole or whatever it was to threaten McKay with

Me: Anytime

Beckett: But I still wish you would've made me actually hit him with it.

Me: Unlike me, there are some people who like McKay. Sorry. Gotta please the readers.

Beckett: %#