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Six.
Carson puttered around the medical bay all day, wanting to stay close to Major Sheppard. John slept most of that time. Carson had to keep reassuring the team and Dr Weir that he was healing, he needed the sleep. Seeing no reason to keep Rodney, he dismissed him with strict orders to rest and report any unusual symptoms.
Rodney scribbled on his tablet. 'Still can't talk.' The sarcasm and frustration radiated out from him.
Carson rolled his eyes, "Okay, any other unusual symptoms."
Rodney scowled at the doctor, glanced over at John then stalked from the medical bay, legal pad under his arm and fat black marker in his pocket.
Carson went into his office to update his file on Rodney, leaving the duty nurse to watch the floor.
Rodney tried to ignore the pitying stares, finger pointing, and curiosity slowing as he walked through the corridors. Teeth grit, head bowed, he headed straight to the lab.
He peeked his head in and seeing no one, stepped fully into the room. The door slid closed behind him, blocking out the rest of Atlantis. Privacy at last. He sat down at the high table and opened his laptop, eager to get back to work. Before all hell broke loose on that planet, he was able to snap some digital photos of the device and the writings surrounding it. He was lucky the equipment wasn't damaged in the cave-in. Maybe he could find a way to reverse this. He got a half an hour of peace before the well-wishers started popping in.
"Good to see you up and around, Dr McKay."
"Sorry to hear about what happened, Dr McKay."
"Can I do anything for you, Dr McKay?"
He wrote one note, in big black letters, that he held up every time someone came in. 'LEAVE ME ALONE'
The door opened some time later but this time a young woman walked in with a half smile on her lips. He thought she might have been a tech, hadn't seen her much, maybe from the night shift. Seeing her head straight for him, he reached for his sign but she just set down a plate with a sandwich on it and left without a word. He stared after her for a moment then ate the sandwich with one hand while continuing to plunk at the computer keys with the other.
Late in the afternoon, the door slid open to allow Dr Beckett to stride into the room.
Rodney slid from his chair coming around face to face with the doctor. He snatched his legal pad, tearing off the sign he had used all day, and wrote, 'Sheppard ok?'
Carson didn't miss the tense face and wide eyes of the man that nearly jumped around the table to meet him. Carson nodded, smiling. "He was awake some around lunch time, pouting cause I wouldn't let him eat just yet." He paused, his smile fading. "He still doesn't remember what happened." He glanced around the lab. " Just checkin on ya, Rodney. Heard ya haven't been out of here all day. Everythin okay?"
Rodney let out a heavy sigh, his stature visibly relaxing. Flipped to a new page, 'Need to go back. Get more info on device.'
Carson frowned, shaking his head. "Not a chance. Maybe ya could talk Dr Weir into sending someone to bring something back but I can't let ya go back."
Rodney's features set in stubborn determination. He began writing an adamant argument.
Carson sighed, one hand in his pocket the other rubbing the back of his neck. There was no easy way to put it. "Yer a risk, Rodney, a handicap. If ya don't get yer voice back, ya'll never go through that gate again."
Rodney's eyes jerked from his paper to Carson, eyes wide, mouth agape in shocked realization. He hadn't thought of that. His life had changed more drastically than he first realized.
Carson pulled his lips in, watching Rodney's reaction to being permanently grounded. He patted the man's slumped shoulder then turned and left.
