Glad to hear you find it interesting and not boring!
Ashkash: Thanks for the long review! Those are the best. Good ideas, I've been thinking along those lines too.
csiAngel: Thanks huh! You're reviews are always so nice and positive.
TubaPrincess: Yeah, my plan was to make you all confused (she says sheepishly) LOL. Sorry if it was. Hopefully this one will be clearer.
Chapter 4
Elizabeth jerked awake when she heard the door opening to her cell. Quickly scanning the room she had hoped it'd all been a nightmare but saw that she was still cooped up in the same small white room.
Watching the door she saw a hand appear and held her breath realising it was not attached to an arm in a white coat. Slowly the visitor revealed himself and Elizabeth gasped when she saw him.
"Rodney!"
Standing up she scurried up to him and threw her arms around him. At first Rodney stumbled backwards surprised by the intimate gesture then wrapped his arms around her. They stayed like that for a few minutes and Elizabeth tried to hold back the fresh new wave of tears threatening to spill. Over his shoulder Elizabeth saw Carson standing with a different male nurse watching the couple carefully. Again the long needle was dangling in his hands.
"Hi Elizabeth." Rodney said into her ear and she pulled back to see him properly. "How are you?"
She smiled and shrugged. "Well, I woke up this morning and was told by Carson that I'm crazy. How would you feel Rodney?"
Rodney nodded sadly and turned to Carson. "I think we'll be okay Dr Beckett."
"Okay. Colin will be outside if you need him." Carson told him and closed the door to give them some privacy.
Elizabeth gazed at Rodney, yet again examining his face for any flaws, but seeing none she sighed frustrated and sat down. He mimicked her actions so the pair were sitting crossed legged in front of each other.
"So, are you here to try and convince me Atlantis is not real?"
"It's not real Elizabeth." Rodney stated and she sighed again. "Honestly Liz, a flying city?"
"They're the Ancients!" Elizabeth exclaimed but Rodney's stern face remained. Thinking back to the drone incident day she whispered. "They did everything big."
Rodney watched as the woman before him tried to compose herself and he looked around the room, His eyes quickly fell on the books on the floor and he pointed to them.
"So, an astrophysist? I know I'm smart but not that smart!" Making a pensive face he then said, "Well, maybe I am. I could take a Mensa test!"
Elizabeth knew he was trying to make her laugh but all she could manage was a half-hearted smile. She decided to ask questions in the hope of getting more answers.
"Have you read them?"
Rodney nodded. "Yeah, me and John." He stopped suddenly at Sheppard's name and looked away. "I mean, yeah I have."
"John has?" Elizabeth asked hopefully. "I know him? Who is he to me? In this reality?"
"I'm sorry Liz, I can't say. Dr Beckett has ordered me not to tell you too much." When Elizabeth gaped at him he quickly explained why. "He wants you to remember on you own!"
"But he told everything this morning!"
"Yesterday Liz. He told you yesterday. I suppose it's hard to keep track of time in here."
"Ya think?" She muttered sarcastically. "Well, yesterday, Carson told me everything."
"He wanted to give you something to work with. Now the doctor wants you to fill in the blanks yourself. It's all there, you just have to find it."
"Not much hope of that when all I can think about is Atlantis!" Elizabeth told him with wide and exciting eyes. "Its truly amazing Rodney. It's huge, the size of New York City to be exact."
Rodney looked unimpressed by her statement and Elizabeth shook her head. "It doesn't exist." He told her gently and rubbed her knee.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and watched as Rodney tried to comfort her. "You know, I never thought you to be the type to comfort people."
"Please Liz! We've know each other for 10 years. We've been through hell together. I'll always be here for you."
The genuine concern flashing in his eyes warmed her heart but now she felt guilty for not feeling so strongly about their friendship. "Can we talk about you?"
Rodney bit his lip and shrugged. "I guess so. What do you want to know?"
"When did we meet?"
"Oh you must remember that! How on Earth could you forget meeting the amazing, intelligent and charming Rodney McKay!" Elizabeth giggled at his own praise and when she shook her head apologetically he sighed. "We met through mutual friends. Actually it was a blind date, although we didn't know that at the time."
"A blind date? What happened?"
"Oh you hated me! We sat the entire night arguing over who should be president and I remember you throwing all these political phrases at me. You were so annoying! Then again I thought you were pretty hot for a diplomat"
Elizabeth smiled at hearing a bit of the McKay she knew, or thought she knew, shine through. "But, I take it I did not return the feelings?"
Rodney shook his head sadly. "No. I ended up leaving with a cute blond, so it worked out okay in the end." Then with a far away look he said, "Ah Rose. She was gorgeous. Mouthy, but gorgeous."
Elizabeth waved a hand In front of his face and he focussed back on his friend. "Anyway, after that we ran into each other a couple of times and still argued. But we did it over coffee and then, at some point, we became friends."
"So, high school physics?"
"Yeah. I know I know, not the most glamerous job in the world. But someone's got to pass on the information about the universe to those dumb kids and who better than me? Huh?"
Again Elizabeth laughed at his remark and he smiled back smugly. They sat for a few minutes in silence before Elizabeth spoke up again. "So I really am a negotiator? I can speak five languages? I have managed to devise treaties and negotiate peace?"
"Yes. " Rodney replied and she smiled.
"Well, at least that's true."
"In fact, the doctor believed being in those tense situations is what perhaps caused you to, em…"
"Go crazy?" Elizabeth finished for him.
"Well, you used to blame yourself for anything that went wrong or that didn't happen. They think the stress finally got to you."
Elizabeth thought about what he said. She had blame had blamed herself several times but she never thought it would have gotten this bad.
Rodney glanced at his watch and gasped. "I'm really sorry Liz. I had to get someone to cover my classes this morning but there's no one for this afternoon."
"Oh, okay" Elizabeth said quietly and watched sadly as the teacher picked himself off of the floor. "Will you come back?"
Rodney stared at her and Elizabeth fought to keep the panic from her face. "Of course I'll come back. Why do you think I got a job in the town nearby this place?"
Elizabeth stood up. "You moved here to be near me?"
"Yeah. Like I said, we're friends Liz. Who else was I going to discuss the crap policies in today's government with?" He then frowned. "Well, that was before you became, uh, violent."
Elizabeth saw the grief in his eyes as he mentioned the last part and again she began to believe in this reality more than the other. Allowing a single tear to roll down her cheek she hugged him again. "Thank you for visiting me." She whispered in his ear.
"No problem." Pulling back Rodney looked straight into her eyes. "You're not alone Liz. There are many who care about you. Believe me"
He gave her one last reassuring smile and then banged on the door. Colin swung it opened and Rodney disappeared leaving Elizabeth alone again.
Elizabeth wandered around the room thinking over what Rodney had told her. The story did make sense and he truly seemed to care a great deal about her. And what did he mean by John? She knew she should have asked about Teyla and the others as well. But why falter at Sheppard?
Elizabeth kept pacing until she felt dizzy. Surprised at how exhausted she felt again she lay down and closed her eyes letting sleep overwhelm her.
Again the many voices floated through her mind. The number was getting bigger and louder. The familiar pain began to pulse through her head again and Elizabeth fought to quieten them. Screaming she bolted up and found herself warm and sticky from the sweat pouring off of her. It took a few minutes to adjust her sight to match the brightness of the room and when her vision cleared she glanced around her. The books were still scattered next to the box and Elizabeth scrambled over to them.
Picking up one she hadn't looked at yet, Elizabeth began to read through it. The doubts were back and it scared her again to think this was her reality. The books comforted her and until someone else visited her these were her only friends.
A/N: The name Rose is in homage to the great Dr Who which I was not a fan of until the new series started. It rocks! Anyways, please read and review. I know Rodney was a little out of character but he was meant to be.
