Ante Animus - Part Two

A week passed and life with Gaul as roommate wasn't that taxing. He appeared to have heard of Rodney's significant genius from someone, and had proceeded to develop a small case of hero-worship. Which was a little irritating, but at least meant that he didn't have to stop working when he wanted a cup of coffee.

It was one evening in the second week that the first major problem occurred.

Rodney was alone, Gaul having been inexplicably invited out by some of his classmates for the evening. Having had enough of studying, Rodney situated himself on the small sofa (the biggest that the confines of the room would allow) and in front of the television and began channel hopping. He stopped on a channel showing 'sci-fi classic' (as it was billed) Forbidden Planet.

Not long after the movie started, there was a knock on the door, the visitor didn't wait for an answer before letting themselves in.

"Ah the Tempest, I know it well," he said before sitting down next to Rodney.

"I highly doubt that," Rodney replied to him. Jason Cooper had been there a year longer than Rodney, and had still yet to complete his degree, changing his major every year, he was currently on English Literature.

"Right as usual," he smiled lazily as he put his feet up on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "Maybe I should stick around and watch the film with you, for educational purposes." Rodney sighed in irritation, that tone of voice meant one thing.

"What do you want Jason?" Jason smirked, being used to Rodney's brash demeanour.

"You haven't been to visit me yet Rodney," he said, pouting. "I thought we were buddies." Rodney snorted.

"Since when do I have friends?" he asked.

"You're avoiding the subject," Jason sing-songed.

"Yes well perhaps that's because I don't want anything to do with the subject, maybe I've sworn off the subject, perhaps I'm clean and don't want to dirty myself with the subject again," Rodney told him firmly.

"Every year," Jason mumbled.

"This year I mean it," Rodney said resolutely.

"I'll give you a freebie this time round," he wheedled, Rodney shook his head. It'd be free this time, but not for the rest of the year, there was always a price. It was how Jason paid off his fees, with as much to spare afterward. "C'mon Rodney I can see you've been working hard," he said in reference to the stacks of books and notes occupying the majority of Rodney's side of the dorm and some of Brendan's. "You need to relax," he drawled. Rodney wavered and Jason saw it.

Rodney eyed the clear polythene bag Jason took out of his pocket and the white powder inside it hesitantly as he felt his fingers twitch restlessly, fighting the urge to reach forward and grab it.

"Come on Rodney," Jason grinned at him.

It was a good thing he'd never be in a situation where he was being tortured for information, he thought as he capitulated, he was pathetically easy to break.

By the time the credits of Forbidden Planet rolled Rodney was happily buzzing and sitting upside-down on the sofa with his legs laying over the back, looking down at Jason who was lying on the floor between the sofa and the coffee table humming tunelessly with his eyes closed.

When the door clicked open Jason sat bolt upright. "Who are you?" he demanded of Brendan.

"Oh didn't I tell you?" Rodney asked. "I've got a new roommate."

"Oh," Jason said, looking at Brendan with interest.

"What are you doing?" the kid asked curiously.

"Watching a movie," Rodney told him, looking back at the screen that was just showing the end of the credits. "Oh, I guess it finished," he said, attempting to shrug. In the meantime Jason had stood up.

"So what's your name kid? I'm Jason Cooper," he said with a smile.

"Brendan Gaul," the kid said.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Brendan Gaul," Jason said with flourish, Rodney rolled over and sat up properly on sensing his tone. "Would you like to join us?" Jason asked pleasantly, with an arm outstretched to the sofa.

"No," Rodney said quickly, Brendan looked at him quizzically, as did Jason but his expression poorly hid his underlying anger. "Brendan has an early class tomorrow, don't you Brendan?" he looked at Gaul, praying that the kid would get it and play along. But then again he may very well have an early class tomorrow, Rodney really had no idea.

"Yeah," Brendan agreed. "Yeah I do."

"See?" Rodney looked at Jason innocently. "We wouldn't want to be bad influences would be Jase?"

"Clearly," Jason replied, glancing between the two. "Well I'd better be going then, let Gaul here get some sleep," he smiled nastily. Rodney stood up as Jason began heading towards the door. Jason paused behind Brendan and took a step forward. "Please to meet you Brendan," he breathed into his ear before spinning round and heading out of the door. "I'll see you soon Rodney!" he called out as Rodney slammed the door behind him.

"Why did you tell him I had an early class tomorrow?" Brendan asked, looking hurt. He probably assumed that Rodney just didn't want him hanging out with his friends, which might be true if he had any, but as he didn't he couldn't really say.

"Just, steer clear of Jason, okay? Once he's got his teeth in you it's very difficult to shake him." Why he was giving advice to this little runt he didn't know.

"But-" Gaul began, looking ready to argue. Rodney shook his head in exasperation and the kid closed his mouth.

"Trust me Brendan, I know," he added darkly.

(BREAK)

Rodney stormed his way through the halls of Atlantis back to his quarters. Once there he stood in the centre of the room and looked round helplessly.

"Crap, crap, crap," he muttered as he began pacing the length of his room. Bed, stepstepstep, wall; bed, stepstepstep, wall; bed, stepstepstep, wall.

He frantically began processing every possible outcome this situation could have. At the very least, he realised; he was going to lose the respect and trust of at least Carson, Sheppard and Weir, more if they decided to share. And wasn't that exactly the reason he'd encrypted the file in the first place? Once he'd realised he had a decent shot at a new start and the possibility of actually making friends, he'd locked away his sordid past where no one could find it. Or so he had thought.

There was no point in even trying to explain, they'd probably never get past the words in the file, wouldn't be able to accept that there had been extenuating circumstances. All they'd see was Rodney McKay: desperate criminal who stole and committed fraud to feed his habit. Who killed his dealer - why? - probably to get his stash without having to pay. It wouldn't matter what he said. That sort of record spoke for itself, which was why he had attempted to silence it.

He sat down heavily on the end of the bed. Well at least he'd had a year. A year of friends and a dream job, life sucking aliens aside. It was more than he'd had in the past, he should be grateful for that at least, seeing as they'd probably ship him back to Earth at the first opportunity.

He lay back and stared at the ceiling for a moment before closing his eyes. "Shit," he sighed.

(BREAK)

Teyla picked up a plastic cup of what Major Sheppard told her was called 'jello' and added it to her lunch tray. She glanced round the room and noticed Doctor Weir and Major Sheppard sitting at a table together and began walking towards them.

"Teyla?"

She answered the radio, recognising the voice, "Yes Doctor McKay?"

"Do you, er, happen to know where Major Sheppard is?"

"Yes, he is here in the commissary. I was just about to join him and Doctor Weir for lunch," she told him.

"Elizabeth is there too?"

"Yes. Is there a message you would like me to pass along?" she asked with a frown, surely he contact them via their radios.

"No, no. No message. Thanks for your help Teyla," he said before closing the channel.

She contemplated Doctor McKay's strange behaviour as she approached the table.

"Teyla!" Weir exclaimed as she approached and the pair ceased their conversation.

"May I join you?"

"Of course, sit down," Sheppard said with a smile. "So Teyla," he said once she was seated, "Are you ready for some serious competition this afternoon?" he asked, he was referring to their training session.

"You are improving Major, but I doubt I am yet under threat of 'serious competition'," she smiled as Weir chuckled.

(BREAK)

After Brendan had met Jason - and consequently seen Rodney at his lowlife best - he stopped bringing Rodney coffee, or taking everything he said as given fact. He began to question. Rodney hated people who questioned him. They were time wasters, seeing as Rodney was almost always right about everything.

But what irritated Rodney most about Gaul, was that he often proved Rodney wrong. Well, not wrong per-say, because he had no-where near the amount of knowledge Rodney had. However, he often brought up points when arguing which led to whole new, perfectly valid, lines of reasoning.

And now that Brendan knew he could best Rodney - on the rare occasion - he was the most argumentative and annoying individual Rodney had ever had the displeasure of spending extended periods of time with.

To make it worse he was inescapable! Rodney was stuck with him for at least a year, probably two. The only escape was to leave the dorm; which was fine during the day when Rodney could go to the library or the labs, but with little to no social life Rodney had only one avenue of escape for the evenings. Jason. Which meant chemically induced escape if you didn't want your host to kick you out on your arse.

And so Rodney spent his evening losing brain cells that he could afford to but money that he couldn't.

(BREAK)

Thanks for all the fanatastic reviews from Aphrael, AzureOcelot, Mangst, Hettie, dottid, armageddon-incarnate, Shaddow, Silverthreads, Erikstrulove and Mistress Desdemona! Reviews make me happy!

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review and let me know what you think!