A/N: I acutally had to cut this chapter in half, so it's part 1 and 2, 'kay?!
WoW your reviews really made me doubt if I should go through with my last, major and totally evil plot-twist... but I guess you just have to suffer through it! After all, I planned this from the very beginning... Don't worry (I hope) it'll be woth it!^^
And double WoW: 11 reviews! New record! You're to good to me! *throws confetti* Evil cliffhangers seem to do the trick... good thing that there will be one almost every chapter from now on! *EvilLOL*
15. Don't count your scientists before they're hatched (Part 1)
Lt. James Connolly looked like he had gone through hell and back. His hair was sticking out at odd angles and looked like it hadn't seen any water for a couple of days. His bloodshot eyes darted from one end of the room to another and his lips were pressed into a thin, angry line. His uniform looked ragged and was actually incomplete. Rodney would have laughed about the missing shoe hadn't he been so utterly terrified.
The man that was standing in front of him almost beared no resemblance whatsoever to the man he had met in the Jumper Bay. Well, now he at least looked like the mental case he apparently was. Rodney found that oddly comforting.
Less comforting was the shaking knife in Connollys hand or his stiff posture.
If there had ever been a man that looked desperate and like he had nothing to loose, it was the man standing in front of Rodney. And that was so not a good thing right now.
Rodney was rooted to the spot. Wide, terrified eyes following Connollys every movement.
A totally inappropriate (and apparently insane) part of him thought that it was rather funny how it always seemed to be him who had to deal with the maniacs with a gusto for shiny, sharp objects. For a brief moment Koyla's face replaced Connolly's and Rodney fought the urge to scratch at the old scar on his arm.
Where was Sheppard when you needed him? Sheppard would crack some snarky remark about the weather or something. But he wasn't here and Rodney found it rather ironic that he had been the one who had sent the Colonel away to decide a dispute over the last muffin, for all Rodney knew.
Rodney wondered if the situation would loose any of its horror, if he would act a little bit like Sheppard. Maybe some smart-ass comment like 'You know pal, this really won't look good in your record'.
But that would be suicide wouldn't it? But maybe it would distract Connolly long enough so Rodney could reach his radio. The radio that was lying way over there on the table, totally out of reach and therefore totally useless...
All thoughts of a plan vanished immediately when Connolly took a menaching step forward. "We really need to talk Dr. McKay."
The light from the screen reflected in Connollys eyes. The sight gave Rodney the creeps.
"Y-Yeah talk...sounds great. I like talking. Let's talk!" he babbeled, while Ronon's voice echoed in his head: 'Don't show them that you're afraid.'
'Pfft sure,' Rodney thought, while his eyes flickered towards the (still totally useless) radio. 'That sounds so much easier when you are standing in the gym and not in front of a maniac with a friggin' huge knife!'
"We can talk." he uttered again and took a hestitant step towards the radio. "Let me just call Colonel Sheppard. He almost likes talking as much as I do..." It was a long shot, but maybe the Lieutnant was so out of it that he would buy it.
"NO!" said Lieutnant bellowed and Rodney cringed at the outburst.
Okay, so maybe not.
"You need to understand!" Connolly pleaded and Rodney was momentarily taken aback by the change of mood. "I don't want to hurt you. I just need you to understand!"
Rodney found that statement mighty ridiculous and before he could stop himself his temper got the better of him. "Oh I understand! I understand that, while I'm doing Zelenkas damn job, I get ambushed by some overworked goon, who tells me that he doesn't want to hurt me, but is pointing a freaking knife at me! Believe me Lieutnant, I understand perfectly well!"
'Suicide' the rational part of his mind screamed. 'You can't die like this! You're too smart to die like this so shut up already!'
But Rodney was beyond caring. After the initial shock and fear had worn off, he only felt angry. This was the man that had turned these last few days into an emotional rollercoaster for Rodney. And he was the reason why Rodney and John hadn't talked with each other for the past two days.
Connollys face contorted into a grimace and he indicated the weapon in his hand before he yelled "This is just so you would listen to me! And we need to talk about this!" he continued and threw the flowers in front of Rodneys feet whose ears were ringing.
Why the hell hadn't someone heard the madman yet? When Rodney had one of his fits, all of Atlantis seemed to listen. Where were they now?
Connolly began to pace in front of the door. He was sweating profoundly, like the screaming had physically exhausted him. "This is all so fucked up..." he whined and scrubbed his face with the free hand.
"Yeah tell me about it." Rodney muttered and took another tentative step towards the radio.
But he froze immediately when Connollys wide eyes returned to him. "It's not what you think it is!"
"I-I'm sure it isn't..." Rodney may be rather oblivious at certain times, but even he could see that the situation was slowly spinning out of control. Connollys eyes were glazed and he took more and more steps in the direction of Rodney, who took equal steps back until his back was pressed against the wall. 'Nice move Rodney.'
When he saw the manic grin on Connollys face, Rodney just knew that his "talking-a-mile-a-minute-skills" wouldn't get him out of this. He doubted if the Lieutnant would even hear him.
Speaking of Connolly...the man was awfully close and Rodney's anger was replaced once more with feral fear. But who would blame him? It was hard to stay angry if you were trapped between a rock and a hard place and when the rock held a knife in its shaking hands.
Yeah, the knife was definitely his biggest problem right now.
"You need to believe me!" Connolly gasped out and for the first time Rodney could smell the alcohol in his breath. He closed his eyes and wished, not for the first time, that Sheppard would be here. Rodney vowed that he would never ever insult his hair again if he would just safe his ass one more time.
"I need you to understand that I didn't..." Rodney would never know what Connolly had wanted to say next, because a nasty bang interrupted him and all of a sudden the smell of alcohol and bad teeth was gone, replaced by the stench of gunpulver and something metallic.
Rodney knew that smell, although he often wished that he didn't and he had to force himself to open his eyes.
The previously menacing man was lying dead to his feet, with a gaping hole in his temple. Rodney fought the reflex to gag and brought as much space as he could between himself and Conno- no, between himself and the corpse. He had always found it easier to avoid using the names of the dead, especially if their death was somehow his fault. Sheppard would smack him across the head for such a thought. He dropped into a chair at the far end of the lab and took his head between his knees. It took a while before the nausea was subsiding and before he even felt the hand that was rubbing soothing circles on his back. For one little second, Rodney thought that he would really miss it to insult Sheppards hair, before he raised his head and discovered that not John, but a total stranger had comforted him for some minutes now.
Rodney immediately straightened to maintain some kind of dignity and searched the room for a familiar face, while he avoided to look at the corpse. No Sheppard.
Huh... Well at least he wouldn't have to give up on one of his favorite activities...
"Are you alright Dr. McKay?" his savior asked and brought Rodney back down to earth.
The man didn't even look remotely like Sheppard. He had bright blond hair and blue eyes and seemed to be taller and broader than the Colonel.
"What a stupid question is that?" Rodney asked but without heat and he added a quiet "Yes, thank you."
To be honest, he was a little bit flustered that this Marine had witnessed his little breakdown. But who could blame him? Rodney actually thought that he had managed quite well. Nonetheless, all he could think of was that he wanted Sheppard to be here and not this stranger. But he would rather die before asking the man to call John and sounding like a little kid that missed his favorite toy.
Surprisingly enough, the Marine that had just shot one of his colleagues, seemed to read his mind because he immediately activated his radio. "Lieutnant Jackson to Colonel Sheppard."
Rodney tried to hide the relieved smile that crossed his face while Jackson explained to Sheppard what had happened. But he couldn't stop his posture to relax considerably when Jackson told him that Sheppard would be here as soon as possible.
Rodney just realized that, yes, it was over! No more creeping letters or flowers. He wouldn't need to enter his quarters with a wary eye anymore. This unpleasant episode was over and done with.
Sheppard would probably never let him hear the end of it because he had been right to suspect Connolly, but Rodney could life with that.
'Yeah,' he thought minutes later when Sheppard dashed into the room, breathed a relieved "Geez, Rodney!" and pulled him into a tight hug , 'can definitely live with that.'
Half an hour later, Connollys body was gone and so were the bunch of Marines that Sheppard had brought with him. When one of them had bumped into his delicate equipment, Rodney had been about to kick them out but one of them had brought him a fresh cup of coffee then and he had put mercy before justice.
He sat in his chair with the cup of coffee between hands, that at least weren't shaking anymore. His savior, 'Lt. Jackson' Rodney reminded himself, stood slightly behind him, as if on watch.
'Probably Sheppards orders' Rodney thought sourly and wondered why this Jackson looked so familiar.
And apropos Sheppard....
"How are you feeling Rodney?" A hand appeared on his shoulder and a concerned Colonel in his field of vision. Rodney fought the urge to groan.
Any other time he would have absorbed the attention and touch like a sponge, but it was hard to appreciate the Colonels concern when said Colonel was asking you the same question every five minutes.
"Oh, I'm just peachy Colonel! I get attacked by some deranged nutcase all the time. I kinda get used to it." And the fact that that was actually true totally killed the attempted sarcasm. Oh yeah, he was leading a fine life, wasn't he?
The hand didn't leave his shoulder, but squeezed reassuringly. Before Sheppard could say something else a timid voice peeped up.
"I am truly sorry Dr. McKay."
They turned around to see Jackson wringing his hands and staring at the floor. Rodney frowned at the guilty posture.
"What are you sorry for?" he asked and tried not to sound too intimidating. This guy had just shot someone to save him. Least he could do.
Aside from the fact that it didn't seem to work because the Lieutnant looked even more awkward. Sheppard intervened. "What do you know Lt. Jackson."
"Please call me Jack. Everybody does."
Sheppard acknowledged that with a nod. "Jack."
"I should have known that something like this would happen."
"What-?" Rodney snapped but Sheppard stopped him with a glance.
"What do you mean?"
Jackson's eyes darted from Rodney to Sheppard before he started to tell his story in a subdued voice. "You need to know that James only started this affair with Dr. Merry because he thought that she could bring him nearer to Dr. McKay. The one he was really in love with."
Rodney wanted to disappear into the ground. To assume something and to hear it were two completely different things. But before he could flee from the room, Sheppards next question aroused his interest. Not the question itself, but the harsh voice that asked it.
"And you knew about this the whole time?"
"No!" Jackson blurted but began to shrink under Sheppards intense glare. "I mean, yes. But not from the beginning. He told me after I watched how he came out of Dr. McKay's quarters after the explosion in the Jumper Bay. I thought that was suspicious and asked him until he finally told me everything about the gifts and notes. I told him that it couldn't go on like this and that he needed to stop before it was too late. But he wouldn't listen and we were fighting for some time..."
"Like your fight in the Gate Room?" Sheppard interrupted him and Rodney mentally slapped himself. Of course, that's why Jackson looked so familiar. He was the soldier that had argued with Connolly during their return from P3X-975. Rodney felt quesy when he thought back to that point. They had spoken about him? While he was just some meters away? That was kinda...unsettling. Sheppard seemed to think along the same lines because his eyes narrowed even further.
"Why didn't you tell anyone about this, Lieutnant?"
Rodney winced at the ice in Sheppards voice and wouldn't he have been famous for his arrogant and unrelenting attitude, he may have asked the Colonel to go easy on his savior, because...duh, savior!
"I never even imagined that he would go so far, but when someone burned your jacket I just knew that it had to be him and I told him that, if he wouldn't turn himself in, I would." He turned apologizing eyes on Rodney. "I'm sorry that I waited two days but...James was my friend after all."
Rodney felt a pang of guilt and compassion for the man in front of him but kept his mouth shut. He wasn't that good in the comfort departement.
But Jackson didn't seem to expect him to say something though, because he was already talking again. "I was actually searching for Colonel Sheppard when I heard loud voices in the labs. I immediately recognized James' and I saw how he cornered Dr. McKay with a knife and...well you know the rest." He sighed heavily, his voice full of regret. "I guess he somehow knew that I was on my way to Colonel Sheppard and panicked."
Rodney remembered the way Connollys eyes had steadily moved across the room like a trapped animal and the desperate air that seemed to surround him.
"That's the understatement of the year..." he murmured testily but Sheppard must have catched it, because the hand on his shoulder wandered to his back and began to run soothing circles. Rodney relaxed immediately and felt remotely embarrassed that the lightest of Sheppards touches could do this to him. But when he noticed Jacksons unreadable expression and remembered that they weren't alone, he straightened immediately and rose from his chair.
"Well as much as I would like to talk a little bit more about our favorite psychotic, I guess I'll go to bed and sleep for the next few days. Near-death experiences tend to make me kinda sleepy."
Before he could even finish, a hand grabbed his collar and yanked him back into the seat he had just left. He glared up to see a smirking Sheppard and a confused Jackson stare back at him.
"What was that for? You could have broken my neck with that move! Is me almost dying once a day not enough for you?"
"I want you to stay with Lt. Jackson until I searched Lt. Connollys quarters."
Rodney's glare darkened. "Why?"
Sheppard sighed wearily and walked in the direction of the door. "Just humor me, okay McKay?" When he reached the doorway, he turned around and looked like he wanted to say something else but just shook his head and turned to Jackson instead. "If he gives you any trouble just get him some coffee. That should shut him up."
"Oh thank you Colonel." Rodney huffed, "I feel so loved right now." No need to mention that his heart had sped up at the thought of coffee.
John's smile softened and Rodney liked to imagine that his depature was the least bit hestitant. As soon as the Colonel was gone, Rodney stared expectantly at Lt. Jackson until the Marine was shifting from one foot to another.
"Well?" Rodney asked. "Didn't I hear something about coffee?"
20 minutes had gone by and Rodney was already bored out of his mind. And that didn't happen often.
Meanwhile he had finished the report he was doing for Zelenka and corrected those of the so-called scientists who worked under him. Seriously, sometimes he wondered how they had managed to convince the SGC to hire them. His niece could have discovered some of the mistakes these imbeciles made.
There was no more coffee that could have soothed Rodney and Lt. Jackson did nothing more than sit in his corner, looking as bored as the scientist felt. Not that Rodney was in the mood for small talk. He was way to tired for that. Why couldn't he just go to bed already?
Rodney fumed.
Stupid Sheppard and his overprotective streak.
Stupid stalker and his (although understandable) adoration for him.
Stupid universe and its need to torture him with stupid things!
His furious (and maybe even a little bit childish) inner rant was cut off by the arrival of Miko.
The young scientist flushed when she saw him and Rodney wondered why she never complained about the temperature in here when it was obviously way to hot for her. Everytime he saw her, her face would be bright red and little drops of sweat would tickle down her forehead. That couldn't be healthy.
She walked cautiously over to him like she always did, like she was afraid of him or something. It irritated Rodney from time to time because, if he had a soft spot with one of his scientists, it was with Dr. Kusanagi. He didn't know why, but something about her made it hard for him to snap at her like he did with everyone else.
So when he asked her what she was doing in the labs at this time of night, it sounded genuinely curious.
"Ah, Dr. McKay. I was just checking some of the systems when I discovered a power fluctuation in one of the vacant parts of the city. I just wanted to get my equipment to fix it..."
"Power fluctuation?" Rodney asked, already tapping away on his own laptop. "Where exactly?"
She showed him and he sighed wearily.
It wasn't the first time that one of the systems in this part of the city had acted up. It was usually small and easy to fix but if left alone it could quickly become quite a problem. And ZPM's didn't grow on trees...
He glanced up when he heard Miko yawn. Rodney saw the dark lines under her eyes and guessed that he wasn't the only one who hadn't gotten much sleep lately.
Ah, well. The day couldn't get any worse. Besides, everything was better than to sit here and do nothing. When he had to stay awake, he could at least do something useful. And he hadn't joked about that soft spot.
"I'll handle this Dr. Kusanagi. You look like you're about to fall over. Don't need you to pass out in an area where our sensors don't work."
Miko blushed even more and he wondered, if she was so tired because she was fighting a fever.
"Oh thank you Dr. McKay! You are such a generous man!"
"Yeah, generous. That's me. Now go before I change my mind."
Before she had finally left, Miko had bowed and praised his generosity so many times that Rodney was seriously embarrassed by the time she was gone. God, this woman took gratitude to a new level.
He jumped in surprised when Lt. Jackson cleared his throat. "Uhm, Dr. McKay. Colonel Sheppard asked you to stay here until he got back."
Rodney wanted to snap something like 'None of your buisness' but bit his tongue.
'Hell, this man killed his best friend for you. Show a little gratitude.'
On the other side... Rodney wasn't some damsel in distress. It was just a little power fluctuation. A matter of 10 minutes. And Sheppard was being ridiculous. The danger was over. Connolly was dead and there was nothing to fear than the usual; Wraith, Genii invasions, mysterious dark fogs... 'Been there, done that'.
But Jackson had his orders so he would have to trick a little bit.
"Well, actually the Colonel only said that you'd have to stay with me. So I guess as long as you accompany me it should be alright."
Rodney hadn't expected that his little compromise would work and was mighty surprised when Jackson did nothing more than stare at him with a thoughtful expression before he nodded. "Okay."
Rodney masked his surprise and gathered a few things that he would need.
'Huh, that was easy...'
When he got everything he needed he muttered a "Let's go." and left the lab without even waiting to see if Jackson followed him.
And if he felt a little bit uneasy because he acted against Sheppards direct orders, he pushed it back immediately.
Sheppard was too overprotective. That was all there was to it.
A/N: Hope you're not too confused! It will all make sense in the end... at least it does in my twisted mind! LOL Part 2 will be up this weekend!!!
Review, cause reviews are my dietary staple and they are so yummy! ^^