Rodney McKay sat in his bed in the infirmary and watched Beckett going over his patients' notes. Rodney was bored. It was an hour after Zelenka had successfully separated him from his uninvited guest and he really wanted to get out of here. He glared at Beckett, sure the doctor was taking his time on purpose but if Beckett noticed it, he gave no indication. Rodney sighed and tapped the fingers of one hand on the covers.

"Well?" he snapped finally.

"You are fine," Carson Beckett replied calmly. "Well mentally at least. Unfortunately the experience hasn't had any effect on your personality."

"Funny," Rodney replied dryly. "Does that mean I can go?"

"Yes. Please do."

"Finally." Rodney scrambled out of the bed and grabbed the trousers that had been placed on the chair next to it at some point.

"However," Carson added warningly, and the scientist paused and looked up. "I want you to rest."

"I did plan on going to bed Carson."

"Not just tonight Rodney. The last few days will have taken a toll, you must take time to recuperate. You ought to-"

"If the next words have 'Heightmeyer' amongst them, forget it."

"Fine. I will inform Elizabeth you do not need counselling as long as I do not see you in your lab for two days."

"What!"

"Two days at least, Rodney. Or Heightmeyer."

"Okay, okay. I will rest and-"

"Doctor Beckett?" Their argument was interrupted by the voice of Laura Cadman. Rodney gave the curtain between him and her a dark look.

"Just one moment Laura," Carson replied. He looked back at Rodney. "You better had," he told him, and disappeared through the curtain.

Rodney rolled his eyes and continued getting dressed. He could hear Carson talking to Cadman, but he didn't really pay attention to what he could hear. He just wanted out of the infirmary. He'd kill for a cup of coffee right now, since Beckett had refused in favour of water.

"I'm thirsty, not dirty Beckett," he'd replied in disgust. It might not have been the best thing to say; Rodney was fairly sure Beckett had held him for another ten minutes on purpose.

Dragging on his t-shirt, Rodney blatantly eavesdropped on the conversation going on in the bed next to him.

"You aren't responding immediately to stimuli," Beckett was telling Cadman. Rodney heard slight concern in the doctor's voice. "The delay is only fractional, but it could be potentially dangerous. For instance, you might be able to walk but your legs may give out on you. I hate that to happen when you were on the stairs or something."

There was a pause before Cadman spoke again. "So what can you do?"

"I can't really do anything. We'll have to wait for your body to catch up with your mind. A few simple exercises should bring you up to speed, but I'd still like you to remain here for the next few days. I'd like to keep an eye on you."

Rodney snorted to himself as he pulled on his boots. Yeah, he bet Carson wanted to keep an eye on her. It was pretty obvious he fancied her. He knew she like him, though he certainly had no idea why. He thought she might just have a thing for the caring profession. Or maybe white coats.

Now dressed, he started out of the infirmary, busy making a mental list of things to do. He was at the door when he heard Cadman speak again.

"I was hoping to... well I wanted my own bed for a start."

Rodney stopped. The statement had been plaintive and he understood her need to get out of here. He found himself sympathising with her, despite the trouble she'd caused him. He took another step out, then stopped again. Whilst the hard, practical part of his brain was screaming for peace and solitude and coffee, he knew that if he left, he'd feel like a heel.

Sighing heavily, he turned and walked over to Cadman's bed.

"I'd love to oblige Laura," Beckett was saying. "But until I'm sure you're not going to collapse, someone needs to take care of you and-"

"I'll look after her."

Beckett turned round and Cadman looked up. Rodney folded his arms at their startled expressions.

"I beg your pardon?" Beckett said, disbelief evident in his tone.

"I said that if she wants to go, I can look after her," Rodney said slowly as if he was explaining to a five-year-old.

"I don't need babysitting," Cadman told him, her tone hard. She looked annoyed, though whether that was at him or her situation, Rodney wasn't sure.

"You want to stay here?" he challenged her. Her glare faltered and she frowned.

"No..." she admitted grudgingly.

"Well Doctor Kildare here won't let you out of his sight unless someone's making sure you're not falling over your own feet. I've been stuck with you the last couple of days – an extra few hours can't hurt. At least you're not in my head any more."

Beckett turned to her then, his eyebrows raised questionably and Rodney felt like giving him a swift kick. He wasn't that bad an opinion. Cadman was biting at her bottom lip, eyeing Rodney warily as she considered the offer.

"Okay," she said finally.

Rodney nodded; he'd known she'd except... eventually. He looked at Beckett. "Well?"

"Rodney, I wouldn't normally trust you with a potted plant but seeing as Lieutenant Cadman seems to, I suppose I can let you. However I want her back here in the morning so I can see how she's doing."

"Did you want to give me a list?" Rodney asked sarcastically.

"Don't tempt me."

"Um excuse me?" Cadman put in. They both looked at her. "Could you kindly get out so I can get dressed?"

Rodney huffed and rolled his eyes, though Beckett looked contrite. They walked out of the cubical, Beckett pulling the curtain shut behind him. Rodney wished for a very brief moment he hadn't done it so carefully. Cadman had, after all, seen him naked. Fair was fair...

He was distracted by Beckett pulling him further away from Cadman's bed.

"In all seriousness Rodney, I'm not sure how bad this effect is," he said, his voice low. Beckett did look worried so Rodney paid attention for a change.

"How do you mean?"

"It's not like I've had lots of patients who's consciousness has been out of their bodies."

"I am aware of that Carson."

"Hmm. Thing is... I have no idea what could happen. Whether she can... settle in, for want of a better term."

"I heard what you were telling her-"

"It's not just that. It could be worse."

"How much worse?" Rodney asked warily.

"Her body could – just possibly - reject its own consciousness."

Rodney blinked in shock at that. He stared at Beckett in disbelief.

"I don't actually know, Rodney," the doctor continued. "That's one of the reasons I wanted her to stay here, though God knows what I could do. Maybe being in her quarters – being in familiar surroundings – will be better for her."

Beckett seemed to be about to add something else, but the sound of the curtain opening stopped him. They both looked round. Cadman saw their slightly guilty expressions and crossed her arms in annoyance.

"It's rude to talk about a person behind their back," she told them.

"I'm just making sure Doctor McKay is going to take proper care of you," Beckett said quickly. Rodney didn't have a quick comeback so he gave her his best innocent look.

"Yeah whatever," she said, giving Rodney a dark look. Obviously she hadn't been fooled by him for a moment. "You coming then?"

"Yes," he replied easily. "After you."

Cadman shook her head slightly and walked out, muttering under her breath. Flashing Beckett a smile of a confidence he didn't really feel, Rodney followed her out of the infirmary.