Chapter 3 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rodney was tired, hungry, and his back was screaming at him. He had spent three damn nights in that infirmary. And he didn't even get any work done, which pissed him off. Carson forbade his laptop in the infirmary (something about the medical equipment, which was irrational, but Carson was insistent) and the kid flipped out every time he left.

He couldn't really blame her for that, though.

She had nightmares, bad ones, where she woke up screaming or crying or shaking or all of the above. Rodney couldn't even imagine what she must see in her dreams, and he really didn't want to. Whatever it was, she didn't calm down until she was holding his hand, and most nights it took him lying with her, just holding her, before she would go back to sleep. Then she thrashed about in her sleep and would wake half an hour later to repeat the whole process again.

Mornings did not bring relief. She watched everyone as if they might turn into Wraith. She let no one touch her unless Rodney was there and she hid under the covers when he wasn't.

Carson insisted that the girl be taken to Heightmeyer on the fourth morning and Rodney would take her. Without being allowed to get a cup of coffee first. Rodney really despised Carson at that moment and made sure his friend knew about it. Loudly. Carson just smiled and pointed to the door as he sipped at his mug. It was at that moment that Rodney decided Carson would be taking cold showers for a week.

Heightmeyer could join him.

She was the second part of his discomfort. He'd dropped the kid off as told and was headed to his quarters, fuck he was tired, to take a quick cat nap and change clothes when Heightmeyer radioed him.

The girl was curled into a ball on the floor and rocking back and fourth. She whimpered when Heightmeyer touched her and tried to curl into a tighter ball. Rodney had snapped at the psychiatrist as he bent next to the girl.

"What the hell did you do?" he asked Heightmeyer before he turned his full attention to the girl. "All right, I'm back," he said as he touched her back. She flinched away before she recognized his voice. When she saw him, she latched on once more.

Which led to his current situation: sitting on Heightmeyer's couch with the girl tucked firmly next to him while Heightmeyer asked her name for perhaps the 100th time in the last twenty minutes. Rodney's patience was just about up.

"Can you tell me your name, sweetie?" Heightmeyer asked again. The girl yawned, pulled her toy closer and laid her head against Rodney's side. She jumped when Rodney's stomach rumbled. That was the proverbial straw.

"All right, that's it, we're done. This is a waste of time. I'm hungry, she's tired. This session is done," he said as he stood. The girl stumbled to her feet as well and grabbed his hand. Rodney guessed she was done as well. Heightmeyer looked pissed.

"Rodney, she witnessed a tragic event. I need to evaluate her."

Rodney rolled his eyes. "She's not talking! I'm hungry and in need of coffee. We're done."

He opened the door and started to leave, practically dragging the girl behind him.

"Wait, Rodney. At least leave her here."

The girl's grip tightened and she strained to catch up. Rodney paused to let her as he turned to Heightmeyer. "Yes, because that worked so well last time." For a moment, Heightmeyer looked like a fish out of water as she opened and closed her mouth. Rodney turned and continued down the hall, the girl walking next to him.

"Rodney?"

"What?" Rodney yelled before he realized who spoke. It was only the second time the girl spoke to him, so he hadn't recognized her voice at first. When Rodney looked down at her, her eyes were tearing. He took a deep breath and tried again. "What?" he asked more softly.

"Are you mad at me?"

Rodney sighed. "No." It was true. It wasn't her fault. She was just a kid after all, and she just went through something that most adults wouldn't know how to handle. Of course she didn't want to say anything about. And it wasn't her fault Heightmeyer was a moron.

She nodded as they started walking again. Rodney had a thought and stopped.

"What is your name?"

She sniffled as she struggled to not cry. "Chi. And this is Nen," she added as she held up the animal. Rodney raised an eyebrow. She named it?

"I'm hungry. Are you hungry, Chi?"

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A/N: Her name, although spelled like the tea, it is actually the English spelling of the Greek letter X. It is pronounced Ki, with a hard k sound.