Warning: Really bad language and a stalker who has no sense for personal space whatsoever. I guess this chapter could be rated T-M...

A/N: I have nothing to say but that I really start to enjoy writing Elizabeth's POV! Especially when she is musing over Sheppard and McKay!^^ And I'm using the term 'intersection' although I'm not sure if that's the right one! If you know a better word, please tell me!

And thanks for your reviews!!! This "blackmailing"- idea was really tempting, but I'll stick to my own!^^

Please mind the warning! It's there for a reason!

17. Hilarious

"I'm going to kill him! I swear to god, I'm going to fucking KILL HIM!"

The silence that followed John's outburst was deafening. Elizabeth had never heard him use this kind of language. It could have been funny that he promised to kill the person they were actually trying to save. Aside from the fact that it really wasn't!

Sheppard was pacing the length of the Control Room, causing the Marines he had brought with him to flinch everytime he expressed his... frustration.

Elizabeth couldn't blame them. Battle-tested Marine or not: Sheppard could be scary when he was like that.

But she couldn't blame John either.

Elizabeth could only imagine how it must have been for Sheppard to return to the labs, with the knowledge that Connolly had had an accomplice, just to find it deserted. No sign of Rodney whatsoever, except for his radio. A knot of fear had settled in her stomache until they saw the videofeed and witnessed how Rodney had left the lab. Voluntary.

And that's when Sheppard had lost it.

John was furious, and to be honest, so was Elizabeth, but she could hide it better than her Head of Security.

"Please calm down John..."

"I told him to stay where he was! Why can't he listen to me! Just once! This stubborn, arrogant, stupid son of a-"

"John!"

Elizabeth's shout stopped him. She knew that he was only acting like this because he was feeling helpless and because he worried so damn much about the scientist. The words were empty threats, which were probably forgotten the second he saw that Rodney was alright. But he had to stay calm. He had to be able to lead those Marines that were staring at him with wide eyes. The Head of Security had to stay in conrol.

And John knew it.

"You're right Elizabeth." He seemed to deflate in front of her eyes and the calm mask of control was back in place. Not that Elizabeth liked this mask any better but it seemed to help him focus on the important things.

"So, where is he?" Sheppard asked one of the technicans.

The man seemed to be intimidated, because he began to shift in his seat and looked everywhere but at Sheppard.

"Uhm, the.... the sensors can't locate Dr. McKay and Lt. Jackson, sir."

John seemed ready to rip something apart, so Elizabeth stepped in. "Why?"

The technican relaxed considerably. "They have to be in a part of the city where our sensors can't reach them. Probably an unexplored part of Atlantis."

Okay, that was bad. Really bad. The last time Elizabeth had checked, the unexplored areas covered several kilometers. Rodney could be everywhere by now.

Elizabeth could practically hear how Sheppard clenched his teeth behind her back.

"Uhm Dr. Weir? Colonel Sheppard?"

They turned in time to see how Miko Kusanagi entered the Control Room. The young woman looked asleep on her feet, but Sheppard didn't seem to notice. He immediately waved her towards one of the monitors and showed her the videofeed from the lab.

"Why were you in the labs? What did you and Dr. McKay talk about?"

The questions were clipped and emotionless and the young Doctor glanced at Elizabeth before she stuttered her reply. "Uhm, I ah, told him about a power fluctuation I discovered and the very honourable Dr. McKay offered to fix it so I could go to bed."

Any other day and Elizabeth would have smiled at the adoring look on her face when she talked about the 'very honourable Dr. McKay'.

"Where?" Sheppard asked.

Miko seemed to hear the urgency in his voice and shoved the technican out of his seat. It never ceased to amaze Elizabeth how brusque the petit woman could be when the situation warranted it.

The monitor began to show a schematic of the city and Miko showed them where they should find Rodney.

"It seems like Dr. McKay has already fixed it..." she added with a thoughtful look on her face.

John stared at the area she was pointing out and took charge.

"Okay, Benson and DiMartino you are with me. And Lorne, you will take some men and send them to Dr. McKays quarters and the labs in case he comes back."

There were a few hurried "Yessir"s and before Elizabeth could count to three, Sheppard and his men were gone. Lorne and some Marines followed soon after, but Elizabeth knew that John didn't really believe that Rodney would come back on his own.

Jackson had obviously lied to them and that was never a good sign.

Miko appeared at her side, close to tears. "Dr. Weir, is Dr. McKay alright?"

Elizabeth didn't have the strenght to lie to her, so she just said the truth and hoped that John would make it in time.

"I don't know."

Rodney wanted to do many different things all at once. He wanted to scream and to laugh and to cry. And he wanted to smack himself so that he could finally wake up. But above all, he had the sudden urge to throw up.

The pressure against his back and the searching hands on his butt ('Oh my god, this guy is groping my butt!') were just too much and he began to shiver. The panel that he had worked on was pressing painfully into his chest and the body heat against his back felt like it would burn right through his clothes. The man he had kind of trusted with his safety, just a few minutes ago, was suddenly much too close for comfort.

His mind was running in circles but his body reacted on sheer instincts and before he knew it, his elbow had connected with Jacksons stomach. Hard.

Rodney could have sobbed in relief when he heard a choked noise and the hands finally left his backside. He had just enough time however to turn around, before Jackson grabbed him by his arms and tossed him against a wall. Rodney's legs threatened to give in when his head connected with the hard surface. He felt dizzy and disorientated and when the room finally stopped to move around him, he realized with dread that Jackson had him effectively pinned against the wall.

Rodney experienced a small moment of panic when his claustrophobia kicked in and he felt like he couldn't breath anymore.

'This isn't happening. Nononono! This isn't happening!'

He hissed in pain when the hands on his arms tightened painfully and Jackson's face loomed over him. God, this man was tall...

But more than the size difference, it was Jackson's face that terrified Rodney to the bone.

Jackson was smiling. And not the crazy and twisted smile that Rodney had expected from this lunatic, but a gentle and sweet one. A smile that you gave your children when they were afraid or in pain. The comparison made Rodney sick.

The only thing that gave Jackson away were his eyes. They were bright and shining with something that one could only describe as madness. It looked like the bottom half of his face belonged to someone else entirely.

"I'm sorry, my love." God, even his voice sounded gentle and caring. So why did his hands leave bruises on Rodneys upper arms? "But that wasn't very nice of you, you know?"

"So sue me." His forced bravado couldn't quite hide the utter terror he was feeling. "G-Get off! I'm warning you, I'll scream this whole place together!"

Jackson just smirked and leaned even closer and Rodney fought with everything he had, just to get away from him. But nothing he did seemed to work.

'Of course not! You're dealing with one of Sheppard's friggin' Marines!' he thought in panik.

Rodney could feel the muscles in Jackson's chest where he'd laid his hands to push the man away... Oh boy, he was so royally screwed.

"You sure can try, but you and I both know that no one would hear you." Jackson said. "Besides, you wanted this didn't you? Luring me to an abandoned part of the city, where no one can reach us, despite Sheppard's orders. I had wanted to wait a little bit, but you couldn't await this, could you?" Jackson chuckled and it was the most disturbing sound that Rodney had ever heard. "You are so eager, Precious."

Jackson made a move to kiss him and Rodney was sure that he was going to have a stroke. 'OhgodOhgodOhgod...'

"What are you talking about?" Rodney screamed, while he writhed in Jackson's grip. "I- I didn't lure you anywhere and now get off, you damn neanderthal! GET. OFF!"

And Jackson actually did lean back, but the disappointed pout on his face was almost worse than the smile. "But I love you, Precious! Didn't you read my letters?"

Rodney stopped his struggling long enough to process the new information. "Your letters? But... Connolly..."

"Is an idiot. Oh, I mean was an idiot." There was this disturbing chuckle again and Rodney was momentarily too stunned to move.

"It was so easy, you know?!" Jackson purred into his ear. "James wasn't too happy when you sent his precious Dr. Merry back to earth. He was so damn eager to get back at you. I could have told him everything."

Every question Rodney had wanted to ask got stuck in his throat when Jackson began to lick his neck. He squeaked in surprise and horror when he realized that, despite his struggles, he could do nothing to throw this man off. He wouldn't be able to stop him when Jackson wanted to do more.

Rodney tried to breath through the bile that was forming in his throat, turned his head away and concentrated on Jackson's words, instead of the wet feeling on his neck.

"He catched me one day when I was watching you." his stalker mumbled against a spot behind Rodney's ear. "He actually came over and asked me if I was also mad at you." A husky laugh that vibrated against Rodney's skin. "As if I could ever be mad at you."

Rodney noticed that the grip on his arms had loosened a tiny bit since he had stopped to struggle and it took him everything to stay still. The talking seemed to relax the Lieutnant and although Rodney's insides were screaming at him to get the hell away from this maniac, another voice told him to stay still, to keep Jackson talking and to buy time. The voice sounded suspiciously like Sheppard's, so Rodney did what he should have done in the first place.

He listened to him.

"And what happened then?" His voice quivered and Jackson seemed to mistake it for arousal, because Rodney could feel him smile against his skin.

"Why, I told him some ridiculous story about, how you had angered me with one of your adorable rants and that I wanted revenge, just like him. And then I told him how I wanted to do it. The poor fool was as keen as mustard. He practically begged me to let him help me."

Despite the situation, Rodney couldn't help but roll his eyes. Adorable? He couldn't wait until Sheppard heard that.

He swallowed hard when he thought of John.

'Oh man, Sheppards gonna rip my head off when he finds me.' And Rodney had no doubt that Sheppard would find him. He just hoped that it wouldn't be too late.

"Why involve Connolly? Wasn't he an unnecessary risk?"

Jackson leaned back to look him in the eye and Rodney had to surpress the urge to reach up and rub at the spot on his neck where he had licked him. It felt like Jacksons tongue was still there and Rodney briefly wondered if it would be always like that from now on.

"Maybe a risk, but certainly not unnecessary. I always thought that a good plan needs a good scapegoat. You know, someone who'll take the blame. James provided the flowers from the mainland, wrote the letters that I dictated him and I manipulated the videofeed while he delivered them. All evidence would have led to him. Can you believe that he really thought that this was all just a big prank? He never knew that I was dead serious about you. Isn't that hilarious?"

'No.' Rodney thought and an image of Connolly, dead and broken, invaded his thoughts, 'No, it's not.'

"And where did your marvelous plan go wrong?" And he just couldn't surpress the anger and sarcasm in his voice, no matter how terrified he was. "Why did Connolly come to me? Or was that also part of your plan?"

Jackson didn't seem to notice the venom in Rodneys voice. He was too wrapped up with laughing.

"No that wasn't planned. That idiot got cold feet, would you believe that? He thought that we went too far when we broke into your quarters after your accident in the Jumper Bay. He wanted to stop."

"But you wouldn't let him." Rodney stated and noticed how the grip on his arms had loosened even more. But not enough.

"Of course not. I was actually telling you and Sheppard the truth about that. We were arguing while you were off-world." His expressioned morphed into a grimace and Rodney couldn't help but flinch at the hatred he saw there. "And then I saw how that bastard Sheppard was drooling over you when you came back. I had to do something! I had to show Sheppard that you are mine!"

He had screamed the last sentence and Rodney closed his eyes, expecting to get hit. But when nothing happened and he opened his eyes again, Jackson was calm and the creepy smile was neatly back in place. 'This guy has to be bi-polar or something.'

"Unfortunately, James wasn't too happy when he heard about my little 'message' for Sheppard and I guess he began to realize that this wasn't a game anymore. He wanted to confess everything. That's why he came to you. He wanted to tell you everything before he went to Dr. Weir. He was just a little bit clumsy, bringing a knife and all that..." He trailed off and heaved a heavy sigh and Rodney wanted to slap him for the fake regret in it. "I suspected something like that and was prepared. James was really desperate by the time he finally had enough courage to face you. He probably thought that he would loose his precious job."

'We need to talk Dr. McKay.'....'It isn't what you think it is.'.... You need to understand that I didn't...'

Connollys words played over and over in Rodney's head. He remembered a man that looked like he hadn't slept in days and he remembered a desperate man and Rodney wondered how he could have missed the fear in his eyes.

Rodney couldn't believe how cold the man in front of him was. And he couldn't believe that another man had had to die because of Jackson's obsession with him. Okay, so Connolly had helped Jackson, but the guy hadn't known what he was getting himself into. He had certainly not expected to die.

Rodney was so wrapped up in his thoughts, that he almost missed how Jackson leaned in to kiss him and he could barely turn his head away in time. The idea of Jacksons lips on his own was unbearable.

"Oh, Precious." A hand grabbed his chin and forced his head back, until he looked Jackson straight in the eye. "I know that this is new to you but you don't need to be afraid. I won't hurt you."

Rodney knew that this was his only chance and wouldn't he have been so utterly terrified of what was going to happen, maybe he would have hestitated for a split second. But so he just hissed "Can't say that I won't though!" and ruthlessly kicked Jackson where it hurt a man the most.

The Lieutnant immediately screamed bloody murder and Rodney used the distraction to yank himself free. He ran from the room in a pace that was usually reserved for Wraith and homicidal villagers. Not that Rodney found that Jackson was any less dangerous...

He knew that his move could have been deemed to be dishonourable, but he really didn't care. 'Fuck honour.'

All he wanted to do was to get away from his potentional rapist.

It didn't take as much time as he would have liked before he heard foorsteps behind him.

"That wasn't nice Precious! You made me very angry!"

And Rodney believed him, because Jackson definitely sounded angry. So very angry in fact, that Rodney almost missed his gentle voice. Almost.

The scientist quickened his pace and pointetly ignored the pain in his still healing ankle.

When he reached the first intersection, he turned left instead of running straight ahead. Rodney knew that he wouldn't be able to outrun the Marine, so he had to loose his pursuer by taking detours and avoiding the common route.

The trouble was, that his lungs were already screaming at him.

'I'm never going to decline John's offer to jog with him ever again...'

John cursed under his breath. Another intersection.

The unexplored parts of the city were like a maze and although they knew exactly where Miko had send Rodney, there were many different possibilities to reach that point. While John and the others took one route, Jackson could use another to escape and they wouldn't even notice it.

"This won't work." he muttered and clenched his fists.

Lt. Benson and DiMartino threw each other confused glances. "Sir?"

John ignored them. It was protocol to go in teams, he knew that. But they didn't actually know if McKay was in any danger. Jackson had obviously lied in some aspects, but that didn't mean that he had something to do with this...

'Yeah, right John. Of course not.'

And if Jackson was, in fact, 'Scientist's Lover', then maybe it would be better if John found them alone. John always seemed to be the one who found Rodney first in such situations. And Rodney would be grateful for that, in case...

'No, don't think that!' John chided himself. 'You won't let that happen! Jackson won't lay a finger on Rodney. Not if you can help it.'

That's when he came to a decision.

"We're going to split up. Benson, you'll go left. DiMartino, you'll go right and I'll go straight ahead. We're going to corner them. Maintain constant radio contact and as soon as one of you find them, you'll tell me. Remember that Lt. Jackson could be dangerous, but don't rush things. We need clarity. Let's go."

He didn't wait to see if his orders were obeyed. He felt nauseous when he imagined the situation that Rodney could be in right now.

John grabbed his gun so hard, that his knuckles turned white. If Rodney just so much as missed a hair, Jackson would wish that he was never born.

'And that's a promise.'

A/N: Pretty short, but intense. Tell me what you think!^^ I know the ending line was a little much cliche but I think that John's serious when he says something like this.... heck, I should know shouldn't I? LOL

I hope that I got everything covered! If there are things between the Connolly and Jackson dynamic that are still unclear then please ask me. Either I was going to answer them in the next chapter(s) or I totally forgot them and will fix it before I post the next chapter! Or the answer lies in a previous chapter^^

The fun is not over yet, Rodney! *muahahahaha*