Seen and Not Heard
McKay was a bundle of nerves, his fingernails fell victim quickly. To top it off, pacing the floor of his room was wholly unsatisfying- it just was not long enough. What had Sheppard done? What would he find when he saw Sheppard? All the blood.
"Go see a movie with some of the crew McKay. Zelenka is going to bring the refreshments from what I understand. Plus, I think it's a movie you'd like to see." Sheppard lay in the bed grinning whole-heartedly. "Teyla is ready to drop kick your butt out of here if you don't leave."
"No respect. I give of myself and get no respect," Rodney pouted. "You just don't appreciate my selflessness."
"Yeah that's it, selflessness. Annoying is another way to put it. We're not going anywhere Rodney. You need a break or we'll go crazy…again." Sheppard yawned. "Go or we'll get Stackhouse to carry your ass down there."
He had gone to see the movie. That is when he realized they were back and not going anywhere. He even enjoyed the movie until he fell asleep three quarters of the way through. He really had to finish it one day. He had watched it six more times; fell asleep each time. Still did not know how it ended.
A noise outside his room broke him from his musings. Finally, the obscenity opened the door to escort him upstairs. They entered the foyer and his escort showed him into a formal parlor. He spotted Sheppard immediately propped up in an overstuffed chair. Bama stood to the side and behind keeping guard. McKay sighed in relief as he walked over to him. At least he was still alive.
McKay slowed as he drew nearer. Sheppard was incredibly pale. Clammy, white, pasty, pale. Rodney positively glowed with a tan in comparison. It looked like it was taking everything to sit in the chair and he did not have much left. They were dressed similarly in a light suit- a tunic like jacket with gauzy light beige pants. It made the colonel look even paler. He was set up like a Christmas window display to show off esteemed Atlantean personages.
"Colonel, good to see they let you out of the dungeon," said McKay mustering his usual sarcastic wit.
Sheppard turned his face so Rodney got a full view of it. Anger was so not going anywhere any time soon. A handprint and split lip tiredly smiled at him. No, that was wrong; livid was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with anger and trying to shove it out of the way.
"Colonel…what…who…never mind, I already know," he said as he rubbed his own jaw. His sarcastic wit took a backseat to concern. After giving Bama a scathing glare, McKay scanned the room for Papa Jae. He saw him making last minute arrangements with some of the help.
McKay stopped. Something else was wrong. McKay eyed Sheppard with suspicion.
"Colonel, I didn't hear a snappy comeback. Like something about, I guess that's why you're the genius McKay. Say something Colonel." Livid now had anger's head under its boot.
"He can't Dr. McKay. He's the obedient child tonight, seen and not heard." Papa Jae said as he joined the three men.
He had been very wrong. Livid was amped up to seeing red.
"You sadistic…arrogant…coc…" He did not finish because a hand grabbed his wrist and weakly pulled it back.
The weakness in the grip startled him and he frowned at it. The bloodshot, green eyes looked fiercely back at him. He could hear Sheppard's voice in his head, Don't you say another fucking word.
Sheppard winced as he let go. McKay nodded at his teammate and gave Papa Jae a hateful glare.
"Col. Sheppard will only be joining us for cocktails. I wanted you to see he was still with us. I know my appearance earlier must have been shocking." Papa Jae turned to leave. "My guests will be arriving soon, best behavior gentlemen."
McKay had had enough. "Jae…"
"Papa Jae, please Dr. McKay."
"Fine. Papa Jae," he said through his teeth, "If you want me to behave tonight and play nice with all your friends, Col. Sheppard will be taken to my quarters or other quarters not that cell. No more work tonight." McKay swallowed and poked his chin out. "Have someone bring him some water right now so he doesn't pass out on one of your guests."
"How dare you sir…"
"Oh please, you need me to get that generator working. If anyone here could have done it they would have." McKay stepped forward and right into Papa Jae's face. "Col. Sheppard will go in that chair only one more time and that is to fix whatever brain damage you've caused him. If you don't agree, I won't behave and that generator will remain a garden sculpture."
Sheppard gave Papa Jae a dark, superior smirk. He mouthed "boom".
Papa Jae's jaw ground his teeth audibly. "You will work on that generator and entertain my guests with stories of the great city. Or I will…"
"What zap me with the eyeballs? Torture him some more? Hit me? You need me and I need him." McKay never let his gaze waver.
"Don't make demands of me sir. I can find someone else."
"See that's where you're wrong. There is no one like me, I'm unique."
After a long pause and more posturing Papa Jae reluctantly conceded.
"Col. Sheppard will be taken to your room and," he waved a server over, "Tylar'll bring some water. My word as a gentleman sir. However, don't you ever try something like this again or I will find a replacement. Dr. McKay, there's always a price for pride."
The server left with him as he made his way to the foyer.
McKay heard a soft snort from behind him in the chair.
"What are you laughing at?"
Sheppard just shook his head in response.
McKay looked at Bama who still had not said a word the entire time they were there. Bama shook his own head solemnly.
Then without warning, Sheppard pitched forward only to be caught by Bama. McKay squatted down in front of him.
"Come on Colonel, stay with me." McKay grabbed his shoulder to push him back.
Sheppard's eyes popped open and let loose a scream worthy of the vacuum of space. McKay quickly removed his hand as Sheppard inhaled and exhaled heavily.
"Damn it! What was that?" McKay lightly felt the bandages underneath the tunic. "That's where the port is…was."
Half-lidded eyes stared back as Sheppard swallowed.
"Did they remove it? Or did you piss him off?"
That earned a proud but tired smile.
"Son of a bitch ripped it out didn't he?"
Sheppard nodded.
"That would explain all the blood and why you look like a wrung out dishrag." McKay just closed his eyes. "I want to go home. Don't you?" After opening his eyes, he gave Sheppard an intense stare. "So let's play nice and maybe that will happen."
Sheppard let one end of his mouth quirk up and slowly blinked.
Behind them voices began to echo in the foyer. People were shown into the parlor picking up drinks and hors d'oeuvres as they entered. One well-dressed woman made a beeline for them. Time to put on a show.
"You must be the Atlanteans that are here to help us!" She greeted as she breezed across the room.
Sheppard and McKay exchanged mirthless expressions.
"Yes we are," replied McKay just shy of a sigh.
"Those eyes are driving me to distraction Dr. McKay." A fresh young voice tried to enjoin him in conversation.
His traitorous self finished plucking the meat off a particularly succulent local fowl leg before he answered. "Sorry?" He looked up from his supper.
"Your eyes Dr. McKay. Blue eyes are a rarity on Ixion. And I noticed your friend, Col. Sheppard, had green," Lia pointed out sweetly. "Although, he's not much of a conversationalist."
McKay pinned an angry glare on her, "Brown is the most prevalent where I come from. Blue is a recessive gene and not as common. It's all about genetics." He turned to face his host, "Isn't it Papa Jae?"
Papa Jae took no notice of the other heads turning towards him and watched the gathering like a grand dictator. He simply nodded at McKay.
"Which begs the question Dr. McKay. Where is Col. Sheppard? He seemed ill," the well-dressed woman from earlier asked. "I hope it's not catching. I just got over a cold myself." She smiled at the table.
"Well now, I believe Papa Jae could better answer that question," said Rodney conceding the floor to his host.
Papa Jae was not flustered by the question at all. McKay figured he was used to thinking on his feet.
"You're right Mrs. Stuert; he is not feeling well. He has been ill for a couple of days now. I had one of my men take him to a guestroom downstairs." Papa Jae leaned back in his chair.
"How very disappointing. I was so hoping to hear about the Great City from both of you." She smiled expectantly back at Rodney.
"Before that, I have some good news. Dr. McKay thinks he can have the generator working in a few days. Isn't that right?" He gave a McKay a challenging grin.
"Well yes, that's right." McKay let a moment of guilt wash over him. The people they had met tonight were nice. They were polite. They did not know their host's true nature. Unfortunately, there was only one thing to make that shield run and these people could not help it if their dinner host was an asshole.
Ooohs and aaahs went around the table.
"That's wonderful news!" An older gentleman exclaimed. "So what are we going to owe you sir for this great deed? Papa Jae has only said you were helping. There has been no mention of payment."
And, if McKay could only keep his mouth shut…
"Let Col. Sheppard and me go home." It was out before he could stop himself. He gave the head of the table a stricken look.
Papa Jae laughed congenially as others at the table looked at each other confused.
"Dr. McKay and Col. Sheppard have not been home since they started helping us. The colonel has been too ill. He insisted on meeting those he was helping tonight but I fear it has taken a heavy toll on him. He was injured fighting the Wraith. You see they are experienced in handling our common enemy. So in return for nursing the colonel back to health, Dr. McKay has agreed to help us." He finished with a confident expression on his face.
"Our Dr. Hallidy took a look at him earlier. He is a gifted healer but even he can't help all ailments." Papa Jae took a drink from his glass. "Hate to see him get any worse. Wouldn't you agree Dr. McKay?"
Rodney pursed his lips before he answered. "Yes…and I thank you …for nursing him…back to health." My ass, he added silently to himself. How could he be so…careless?
However, the insights kept on coming. This man wanted to be these people's hero. He wanted to be their savior. He just did not want them to know how he had become such a beloved icon. He did not want them to know that all the festivities up above was covering a deep darkness just underneath their feet.
It was all about feeding his ego. Rodney could understand that. However, he could not understand feeding it to the point of gluttony like this man obviously had. Sacrificing his humanity so he could play the hero. No that was wrong; Rodney could understand that too.
Papa Jae raised his glass to Rodney and continued with other conversations.
He stared at his plate. He hoped that his slip up did not go against Sheppard in any way. The vultures were already circling him, but he was not dead yet. Not if Rodney had any say.
"Dr. McKay, could you tell us a story about living in the great city? The Ancestors must have left many interesting things." Aggie asked.
"Yes, please do Dr. McKay," Papa Jae entreated ever so politely.
"Well, of course…" He looked down at his plate once more. "We connected with Atlantis' Stargate and stepped onto a concourse that hadn't seen any form of life in over 10,000 years. Col. Sheppard stepped through and the city came alive…"
He kept it generic. He talked about finding the energy creature, exploring sections, and the Wraith attacking. He told them how he narrowly escaped as the city imploded so the Wraith could not get it.
The guests made the appropriate noises at the appropriate times and listened with such attention, Rodney thought he should become a storyteller in his next life. He had them eating out of the palm of his hand.
The banquet ended, after-dinner drinks ended, and the guests started to leave. Bama stood next to Rodney until the last guest exited. Papa Jae closed the door and in a fluid move- unexpected with such bulk- backhanded Rodney across the face. Knuckles slammed into his eye and grazed across his nose.
McKay went sprawling and sliding across the hardwood.
"What was that for?" McKay yelled with his hand over his eye.
"For the slip up at the table and for you arrogance before hand. My word has been kept. Col. Sheppard is your responsibility tonight. Nevertheless, you will continue work on that generator tomorrow and you'll have two days to finish it. If that doesn't happen, Col. Sheppard will take a few more turns in that chair. It can keep him going for a long while." Papa Jae loomed over McKay. "Is my meaning clear?"
McKay peered up at the big man with his one good eye. "Sparkling."
"Take him to his room. Any other problems and you'll both be back in the Wraith cells with no more perks Dr. McKay."
Bama hauled him up and delivered him to his room. The door opened and McKay panicked. Sheppard lay collapsed on the floor.
"Could've put him on the bed!" He yelled as they shut the door.
Two days. More than enough time, they would not be here after the two days. He would make sure.
A/N: Gee Rodney, you should've zigged or zagged or ducked.