Title: What did it feel like?
Rating: K
Author: Fififolle
Disclaimers: I do not own these characters; this is written for fun, I make no money etc.

Spoilers: Hide and Seek

Pairing: McWeir, if you like…

A/N: Just a tiny bit of fluff for the holidays...

Summary: Elizabeth visits Rodney in the infirmary after the events of Hide and Seek.

The energy entity had left through the gate, leaving an unconscious Dr McKay in its wake. After McKay had come round, the medical staff had escorted him away. Since then, Dr Weir had paced about, unable to concentrate. Peter Grodin had eventually suggested that she check on McKay, to give her something to do, he'd said.

Elizabeth stood in the doorway of the infirmary, and paused, watching the occupants for a moment. On the far side, McKay sat on a bed. There he was, no Ancient personal shield, just a scientist. Along with the rest of them, they'd ended up in this strange galaxy, floundering in the waves of self-sufficiency. She watched McKay and the doctor exchange words, and heard the doctor patiently repeat through gritted teeth,

"You are not leaving until your blood sugar is into range, OK?"

She saw Rodney roll his eyes as the doctor left. Stepping forward, a hundred thoughts tumbled in her mind. Had her diplomatic ability to reserve judgement left her today? How many times since she got up this morning had she written off this man, with whom she had created this mission in the first place? The city had nearly been consumed by the energy entity, while he had been consumed by his own fear. And yet, in the end…

McKay spotted Elizabeth coming toward him. She must've come in while the doctor was talking to him, he figured. Then she was there, standing close. She looked him straight in the eye. He felt most disconcerted.

"What did it feel like?" she asked quietly.

He paused, considering his reply. "Well, at first, I could sense the shield kicking in, as my legs were engulfed. I stepped down into it, and all these things were sparking around me. They were like, well, it was as if a thousand tiny galaxies were floating around, zapping into each other, and they were bouncing off me, too…" His voice trailed off. Was she listening to him? She was looking at him like he was a little kid, like she wanted to humour him or something. He didn't care, he would just tell it how it was. He was the one that saw it from the inside, wasn't he?

"And I could see the whole thing, swirling around me, I was like under an electric ocean. But I just picked up the case and threw it through the gate. And that's all I remember really…" He looked down. What more could he say? So she was right about the shield. So what? It's not like he'd kept it on deliberately or anything. He knew more about Ancient technology than anyone else here, anyway.

Elizabeth tucked her hand under his chin, and lifted it with a delicate touch. She could see the self-doubt in his eyes; it was always there under his defiant bluster.

"No, Rodney. I mean, what did it feel like… to be a hero?"

She smiled, and he gave a small smile too, and it was as if a thousand tiny galaxies sparked between them.