Disclaimer: Not our universe, we're just playing with it for a while.
A/N: Again, this is a little later than planned. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed the last couple of chapters, we're thrilled by your responses to our work. Seriously, Exploded Pen is practically doing cartwheels she's so happy. Anyway, here's to the next chapter! Enjoy!
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Chapter Four
In Atlantis' infirmary, John Sheppard bounced on the balls of his feet, before sitting back on the bed again. It had been four hours since he and his team had returned, but the doctors were seemingly no closer to finishing their exams of Ford and Zelenka. Okay, so at the time it had been funny watching the two of them fall into sticky, bright pink tree sap, but this side of the Stargate some of the humour was starting to wear off.
It had even gotten into their hair, hence the extended exam. Beckett had already told John privately that if the material was toxic, then Ford and Zelenka would have started to show some signs of contamination, but that hadn't happened yet.
The problem was getting it out.
Teyla had begged out of remaining in the infirmary after the two-hour mark, citing something about a meeting with Weir on her way out of the door. It was John's own position as team leader that forced him to sit it out on the bed opposite to where Beckett and co. were still trying to determine the composition of the sap. Well, the responsibility thing, as well as the fact it had been Zelenka's first off-world mission, and John was kind of hoping that the Czech wouldn't start to think that every excursion outside Atlantis resulted in a long stay in the infirmary after.
"You know Major," Beckett said, surprising John. "I think we'll be finished with these two inside the next half hour. Why don't you go get yourself something to eat before you collapse?"
John's head shot up immediately. "You sure, Doc?" he asked.
Still tending to the tree sap on Ford's arm, Beckett nodded. "I'm fairly sure these two won't have any more accidents with trees," he smiled.
Sitting side by side on the same bed, Ford blinked while Zelenka smiled sheepishly at John.
"Okay," he decided, already on his way to the door. "Let me know when they've been released."
"Aye," Beckett answered absently, still poking Ford's arm.
Out in the corridor, John came to a stop. On the one hand, the doc had a point – he was hungry. On the other hand, however, as far as Major Sheppard was concerned there were still a few loose ends to tie up regarding McKay. One shouting match in the laboratory did not an explanation make.
Now John had taken McKay's replacement on what was, for all intents and purposes, an all-round satisfying induction to the world of field missions, and John also figured that enough time had now passed for a rational, adult conversation about the events leading up to the changeover of scientists on the team.
Half a corridor away from the labs, John stopped. Rational and adult conversation? Who was he kidding – this was McKay he was on about, after all.
He carried on regardless, and the door to the laboratory opened automatically as he got closer. John strode inside, and came face to face with...
Nothing. There was nobody sitting at McKay's desk. There wasn't even anybody else in the lab at all. And except for the untidy pile of power bar wrappers next to a powered-down laptop, no sign that anybody had been in here in the last twenty-four hours or so.
John ran a hand through his hair, wondering what to do next.
He considered checking the mess hall, but the pile of power bar wrappers in front of him suggested McKay would probably consider himself nourished enough. The next possibility was the scientist's quarters, but then again it was the equivalent of early evening, or so John had been told, and it was unusual for McKay to be in his quarters even when most people would be dead on their feet, so that was a no-no.
In the end, John found himself heading to the control room. Noting the relative emptiness of Weir's office, he let himself in. "Good afternoon."
"Evening, John," Weir replied with a slight smile.
John accepted the subtle correction. "To my credit, it was the middle of the night when we left Planet Pink."
Weir cocked her head slightly. "Ford?"
"Oh yeah," John grinned.
"Teyla debriefed me on the mission," Weir began. "How's Doctor Zelenka?"
"He's just fine. In fact, I think he positively enjoyed himself out there," John answered. "If you're looking for my professional opinion, I think he'll make a perfectly competent addition to the team."
"Just competent?" Weir looked amused. "I was under the impression Teyla approved of his abilities."
"Oh, don't get me wrong, Zelenka's a great guy, but that's really not what I came to talk to you about." John crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you know where McKay is?"
Now Weir looked puzzled. "I assumed he's been in the laboratory all day, finishing up one or other of his projects."
John shook his head. "Nope, not there. He's been there recently, but not anymore."
Weir frowned. "Have you tried the messhall or his quarters? I haven't seen him for the last couple of days, so I couldn't tell you his schedule for the day."
"Those places had crossed my mind," John admitted. "You know what, I think I'll go see if he's at home. Thanks for your help." And with that he left without giving Weir a chance to reply.
As soon as he was out of sight and earshot of the personnel in the control room, John barrelled through the corridors of Atlantis, giving off clear signals to anybody who happened to be in his way that since he had no intention of being diverted from his current objective, there was no point in trying to do so.
It was times like this, being career military came in extraordinarily handy.
Within a matter of minutes John had reached the section of the city where the personnel quarters were. Another couple of turns, and he was standing outside Rodney McKay's door.
John raised his hand, but paused. He could knock and alert McKay to his presence, but that could also give McKay the chance to ignore him. On the other hand, he could just use his ATA gene and go straight in without warning, which wouldn't allow for the chance of being ignored, but at the same time it could mean John seeing McKay doing something very private – which was a distinct possibility seeing as the scientist was nowhere near the laboratories.
And John's hand was still poised to knock. He held it there for a second before moving.
"Sheppard to McKay."
His radio crackled for a moment before lapsing back into silence. There was no reply.
John fingered the radio, switching the channels around. "Doctor McKay?"
Again there was nothing.
John sighed. "You made me do this, McKay," he told McKay's door. He concentrated, and a second later the door slide aside. He stepped through.
"Major! Didn't your mother ever teach you to knock before entering somebody's private quarters?!"
John blinked. So McKay was home, then.
"I mean honestly, it's one thing coming in and out of my laboratory like you belong there, but this is my space, and the principles of it are so simple to understand, even for a military grunt like you!"
John waited for him to finish. When it was clear that yes, McKay had run out of indignant steam, he cocked his head to one side. "Evening, McKay."
McKay stayed where he was, next to the bed, and crossed his arms over his chest, staring defiantly at John. There was a wonderfully awkward moment of silence, and John cleared his throat. "So..." he trailed off.
McKay sighed. "What do you want, Major?" he asked. "Broken another training room computer panel?"
He sounded tired... and something else that John couldn't put a name to. "You're a very difficult man to track down you know," he replied.
He got another glare. "Well, I'm obviously doing something right," McKay muttered. "And again, what are you doing here? Private quarters, remember?"
"Strange as it may sound, McKay," John replied, leaning against the nearest wall, "I was looking for you."
McKay blinked. "What?" he asked. "...Why?"
John mentally sighed. He'd known this wasn't going to be easy, but still... "We still need to talk," he said bluntly.
"We've got nothing to talk about, Major."
John tried not to wince.
"How's Zelenka?"
The question threw John briefly, but he quickly recovered. "Pink," he replied.
There was another pause, more satisfying this time. "Pink?" McKay eventually repeated.
"Yeah," John drawled, folding his own arms over his chest. "Him and Ford."
"Oh," McKay replied, obviously disinterested now.
John noted the reaction, and filed it away for further examination at a later date. "Okay, since you've made it obvious you don't want me here, at least do one thing for me?"
"And what would that be?" McKay demanded, oozing sarcasm now.
"Tell me why you quit the team, and went over my head to do it."
"That's two things," McKay replied smugly.
"Just tell me why!"
"I don't have to tell you anything," McKay replied, still irritatingly smug. "Civilian, remember? I report to Elizabeth. You're not my commanding officer."
Okay, that was just plain mean. Abandoning his pose against the wall, John marched straight into McKay's personal space. "Humour the dumb grunt, then," he said quietly, gratified to notice McKay's breathing getting shriller. "Why leave the team?"
McKay glanced briefly at his arm – something John noticed – before jutting out his chin and staring John in the eyes again. "I'm better served here on Atlantis, alive and in one piece. Surely even you can understand the need to prioritise."
Two could play at this game. "Sure I can," John replied slowly. "My priority; find a ZPM for the city, and the means for actual defence against the Wraith. And my best means of achieving that is having you on my team. Genius, remember?" he finished, throwing possibly McKay's most often said phrase back in said scientist's face.
McKay just stared at him and it was only then that John realised what the other expression on his face was, besides the open defiance.
It was incredulity.
McKay drew in a sharp breath, and stepped towards John, closing what little distance remained between the two of them. "And in case you'd failed to notice over the last few months, Major," he began quietly though harshly, "I'm an extremely arrogant man who thinks that all of his plans are going to work. You don't need someone like that out in the field."
John stared at him, dumbfounded, but not for long. "I'm the one to say who I need in the field, McKay, not you," he replied carefully, "because last time I checked, I was team leader, not you."
McKay's retort, when it came, was quiet. "You don't know everything."
"Well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" John fired back without thinking; McKay seemed to shrink in front of him before looking up at John again.
"Yeah? Well, last time I checked, you were the one accepting Zelenka onto your team, and I didn't hear you or Ford or Teyla complaining about it at all!"
"You didn't give me a chance to!" John knew he was shouting, but he was past caring. "My team and I were making the best of a situation we had no control over!"
McKay smiled mirthlessly. "See?" he asked. "You're already referring to your team as an institution without me as a part of it. I'm sure you'll adapt just fine, Major. You don't need me."
"You're twisting what I just said!" John shot back. "I didn't mean that... I was referring to Teyla, Ford and myself. As in, the three of us plus you!"
McKay hesitated before turning away, his shoulders sagging a little. "I've got things to do, Major," he said so quietly John almost didn't hear him. He did however notice that McKay was looking down at his arm again...
John wasn't an idiot. He knew full well he was being dismissed, and he also knew he hadn't gotten the answers he'd come here for in the first place. And the way things were looking with McKay, if John left now then he might not be allowed back.
"Goodnight, Major."
John sighed. "Goodnight, Rodney," he replied slowly.
A few seconds later McKay's door closed again, leaving John alone in the corridor.
000 (Ms Pen waves hand in the manner of Jedi knight) You want to press that purple button to review... 000