Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis, nor do I own the series 'Profiler'

A/N: Hadn't really had the chance to read this over, so there are probably mistakes everywhere...-.-" Short but intense, like this author's note!^^ Enjoy!

And thanks for your many reviews! Love them all!

19. What's on TV?

Colonel John Sheppard wasn't a man that cursed easily. Oh, he did curse and he could curse, no question there. But he only did it when the situation warranted it. And this was a situation that would definitely warrant it.

John had rather mixed feelings right now. On the one hand, he was proud of himself that he had trained his soldiers so well. But on the other hand, because he had trained them so well, he hadn't been able to get near enough before Jackson had discovered him. He guessed that it was probably kind of ironic...

"Why don't you put that thing away, Colonel."

Calm and in control. Oh yeah, he had trained his men well... But John got what it takes too! His posture was casual and relaxed, while his sharp eyes took everything in. He didn't like what he was seeing.

Rodney was lying on the floor with Lt. Jackson on top of him. He had somehow managed to twist himself into a position that had to be really uncomfortable for his arms, which were pinned above his head. His lips were puffy and there were little spots of blood on his chin and in the corner of his mouth.

The pink blush on his cheeks couldn't quite hide how pale his face really was. John could only imagine how embarrassed his friend must have been right now. He was glad that he hadn't informed Benson and DiMartino, like Elizabeth had wanted him to.

The obvious relief on Rodney's face when he had seen John and the unshed tears in his eyes, had made it incredibly hard for John to stay professional. When the Colonel had seen the open pants and the hickey on Rodney's neck, he had stuggled to repress the overwhelming desire to kill Jackson. 'What exactly happened here?'

"Put it down Colonel!"

And John did. If Rodney's painful hiss when Jackson'd pressed the knife deeper into his skin, hadn't convince him to do what the man wanted (for now), then it was the way the hand, that was holding the knife, was shaking. Either Jackson was more afraid than he let on, or he was just plain pissed off. And somehow, John doubted that it was the former.

The resounding bang when his gun hit the ground, made Rodney visibly flinch and his eyes held a mix of incomprehension and betrayal when he stared at John.

But John didn't blame him. The guy was probably too scared to process how much of a disadvantage John had right now, despite the gun. Jackson was a Marine. He would notice when Sheppard was about to shoot him and John couldn't believe that he would let that happen without killing Rodney with one fluid move in the process. Something else that John had probably teached him during training. Oh the irony...

John slouched against the wall and crossed his arms. Everything to show Jackson that he wasn't intimidated, although he most certainly was. He had to stay in control of the situation. One wrong move, and everything could be over.

It was one of the rare moments where John Sheppard was at a loss. How did you convince a lovelorn psychopath to let go of the object his obsession. Although he was obviously crazy, John couldn't imagine that Jackson was stupid. He would know exactly what he had to expect...

Rodney was apparently fed up with the silence and began to squirm under the man that held him down.

"You know John, it's really nice of you to graze us with your presence. Maybe you could give me a hand here? You know, since you are already here..."

Sheppard breathed in relief. A Rodney that was still able to throw sarcastic remarks into your face, was a relatively okay Rodney.

John's eyebrow twitched a bit when Rodney yelped in pain when the knife dug deeper into his skin and drew a fine line of blood.

"Why do you call him John? He doesn't deserve it, Precious! He is nothing to you!"

That's when John had an idea. He was a bit hestitant about it, because it could also go horrible wrong. He wasn't a psychiatrist so he couldn't possible know how Jackson would react, but if he was right, then it would give him the opportunity to take the man out without killing Rodney in the process.

John waited until Rodney made eye contact with him. Jackson didn't even notice the totally soundless communication that took place right in front of his eyes:

A glare. 'Save me already, or I'm going to be really pissed!'

A wink. 'Oh don't be like that. I have a plan, just play along.'

The roll of an eye. 'You and your plans. We're doomed!'

A smirk and a nod. 'Trust me.'

And Rodney did. John could see it in the way the fear and panik left his eyes, just to be replaced with awarness and anticipation instead.

John just hoped that he would live up to his expectations.

"Oh, don't be so hard on him Jack! This is Rodney we are talking about. And even I would be a little bit peeved, if my first date ended with a knife against my neck." He shook his head in mock confusion and tried to sound genuinely curious. "Didn't you say that you love him? Pal, that's a weird way of showing him, if you ask me."

Jackson stared at him like he was crazy and wow, but again with the irony...

"I love him!" he snarled. "But if I can't have him, no one can!"

Sheppard forced himself to laugh at that and it wasn't as hard as he would have thought. "Oh come on! Cliche much? This has to be the lamest thing you could have said. No wonder Rodney isn't interested in you..."

"SHUT UP!"

Jackson's face was a mask of fury and the knife was shaking rapidly by now. But John also noticed that it had inched away from Rodney's throat a bit.

Rodney meanwhile didn't seem to notice though. He swallowed hard and send Sheppard a confused, yet irritated glare.

"Yeah, Colonel! Shut. up."

John focused solely on Rodney now and deliberately ignored the fuming Lieutnant. "I know you think it's funny too, Rodney! Considering whom he is talking to..."

"I know who I'm talking to! I'm talking to the bastard that tried to seduce Rodney. That tried to take him away from me!"

John closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was it. Either Jackson reacted exactly how John had imagined he would, or he was about to make a big mistake. One way or another, it was too late to back down now. He had to trust his instincts and the little knowledge of psychologie he had archieved by watching TV. John couldn't help but smirk inwardly. Rodney would kill him if he knew that John's plan was based solely on an episode of 'Profiler' he had once seen...

"And you are wrong again, my friend. I didn't try. I did!" He changed his relaxed and carefree slouch into an agressive stance, took a step forward and gave Jackson a look that promised a slow, painful death. "So do me a favour and keep your dirty hands off what's mine!"

John didn't know who looked more shell-shocked. Jackson or Rodney.

Jackson was absolutely livid by now. His face was red and sweaty and his mouth opened and closed like a fish. The comment had clearly pushed him over the edge. But John kept his gaze on Rodney. Rodney, who looked like John had stabbed him in the back and did him a great favor by doing so.

Rodney who just stared at him.

John had the urge to look away but held the gaze, although it seemed to burn him with its intensity. Suddenly something dark passed over Rodney's face and he turned it quickly away. But John had seen it though. The disappointment, the hurt and the self contempt. And John knew exactly what it meant.

Rodney had believed his words. Just for a brief second, he had believed what John had told Jackson, before he'd realized that it was just part of the plan.

It pained John because, although it was part of the plan, it was also the truth. But he couldn't say that right now. Didn't want to tell him until they were alone. He couldn't take care of Rodney's feelings right now.

He had to take care of his life first.

"You're lying!" Jackson shouted, totally ignorant of the inner turmoil that the other two suffered right now. John noticed that the knife had inched even further away from Rodney's throat and was now mostly pointed at him. The sight gave John a bit more self-confidence. His plan seemed to work after all. It was time for the deathblow!

"I'm afraid I'm not. Sorry." he said in a voice that clearly said that he wasn't. "Face it! As long as I'm around Rodney's never gonna be yours!"

When Jackson uttered a primeval scream and released his hold on Rodney to lunge at John instead, the knife raised high above his head, every military training forgotten in his rage, the Colonel was ridiculously grateful for crime series. Almost as grateful as he was for the gun that he had hidden in his waistband beforehand.

The end was rather anticlimatic for a hostage situation.

The shot was deafening and Jackson fell like a stone when the bullet hit his kneecap. A shot in the thight would have probably done the trick, but this was way more painful. And although John would never kill a man that definitely needed professional help just because he couldn't stand him, he wasn't perfect either.

He kicked the knife out of Jacksons lax hand and watched with morbid fascination how the man writhed and screamed in agony. But John couldn't say that he regretted his shot. Nope, not really.

Rodney meanwhile had stared at John for a few seconds, before he quickly moved to stand and close his pants with hasty, uncoordinated movements. John was surprised to see nothing but contempt on Rodney's face while he watched Jackson, sobbing and screaming his name. But it was quickly gone and replaced with a mask of indifference when he limped over to John. John felt a lump of dread in his stomach when he realized that Rodney didn't come very close and wouldn't meet his eye.

"Well, that was fun!" The sarcasm sounded forced and almost painful. The scientist raised his voice to be heard over Jackson's wailing. "As much as I'd love hanging around here and getting deaf, I guess we should call Carson, before this man bleeds to death."

Rodney didn't actually sound like he would mind that one bit. John couldn't help but wonder how much actually happened between the two of them before he'd arrived.

He wanted to ask but this wasn't the place, nor the time. John couldn't help but think, that he'd started to cross a certain line with his earlier words. A line that he had to cross fully, if he wanted to keep Rodney. He could go back and hope that both of them would forget what had happened here, but John wasn't surprised to realized that he didn't want to go back, not even a tiny bit.

They had to cross that line together, but not here, not now. Not with Jackson screaming Rodney's name like some kind of crazy mantra besides them, and not when Rodney apparently felt too awkward to even look at John.

So he just radioed Carson and Elizabeth and gave his friend as much space as he needed.

For now.

Rodney was asleep on his feet by the time Carson was finished with him and told him he could leave the infirmary.

Well, the doctor had offered him to sleep in the infirmary, but Rodney had declined. He'd said that he wanted to be alone and Carson had just nodded. After all, the check up had been an uncomfortable procedure for both men.

Carson had been more than displeased with the state of his ankle, but assured him that nothing was broken. Rodney had even managed to convince him to give him just a crutch instead of the hated wheelchair. The bruises on his wrists and upper arms hadn't needed much treatment, but Carson had sent a nurse to get him some soothing ointment. Rodney just hoped that they would fade rather soon. They looked exceptionally livid against his pale skin and he wouldn't be able to hide those on his wrists.

The last thing Rodney needed were annoying questions.

And suddenly, Carson had acted all antsy and sent everyone away. He had been really insistent and so neither John, nor Elizabeth had argued much longer. The both of them had gone to Elizabeth's office so John could fill her in on recent events and Rodney had been really grateful for that. They're worried glances had become rather annoying.

The only nurse that had shift right then, had been sent to the brig to check up on Jackson's leg. Rodney had been more than surprised, when Carson had only bandaged the leg and given him some painkillers, before sending the Lieutnant straight to the brig with a muttered 'Don't want that kind of man in my infirmary'. It had been totally unlike the kind doctor. Almost as unlike as the awkward shifting from one foot to another when they had been finally alone. Rodney had been greatly confused by this behaviour, until Carson had laid a hand on his knee and looked him straight in the eye.

"Rodney...do I need to do a rape kit?"

The question had been so full of anxiousness and compassion that Rodney had been momentarily stunned speechless. He hadn't even thought that Carson could think that Jackson had done more damage than a hickey, bruises and probably some nightmares for the next couple of weeks.

"Rodney?"

"No!" Rodney shot his friend a genuine and hopefully reassuring smile. "No Carson, you don't!"

Carson had stared at him for a few seconds to gauge his honesty until he'd finally grinned and a lot of tension left his shoulders.

"Good." He'd patted Rodney's knee once more. "That's good."

After that the tension between them had eased considerably while Carson bandaged his newly swollen ankle and the silence had been more of the comfortable kind. Rodney was grateful for the silence, because it gave him time to think.

If Carson had thought that he'd been...well, that... did Elizabeth think so too? And Miko?

The woman had been almost hysterical when an exasperated Carson had told her to go to bed, until Rodney had assured her that he was okay and that she was of no use to him tomorrow when she didn't get some sleep already. Rodney knew that it had been Miko who had discovered his beacon and he would thank her. Rodney-style. A certain young Doctor would get really nice projects for a couple of weeks...

John.

Oh god, did John actually think that too? He had after all found them, Jackson leaning over him and Rodney with open pants.

Did John think that he'd been too late?

Rodney couldn't stop thinking about Sheppard while he'd limped to his quarters, crutch firmly in his hand. He still hadn't stopped when he reached his quarters and rested his head against the door instead of entering it. He knew that he had to put things right as soon as possible, but he was so damn tired and just the thought of speaking to John right now made him uneasy.

~'So do me a favour and keep your dirty hands off what's mine!'~

God, how his heart had hammered in his chest at those words. He was still blushing when he thought about that. One moment he had felt so elated and happy, just to feel utterly crushed and resenting the next.

But he wasn't angry with Sheppard. He was angry with himself.

He should have known that Sheppard hadn't been serious. That he had just provoked Jackson, petty and jealous Jackson, into attacking him rather than cutting Rodney's throat.

Rodney realized that he was just hurting himself with his constant hoping and dreaming. He finally had to stop, or he would never be able to look Sheppard in the eye ever again. Not without being reminded of his words today and the pain he felt now.

~'As long as I'm around, Rodney's never gonna be yours!'~

Rodney smiled bitterly. Sheppard'd hit that nail square on the head. He owned Rodney in some way without even realizing it. And it had to stop.

With a heavy sigh, Rodney finally thought the door to his quarters open. He would sleep through the next day and then bury himself in his work. He would just avoid Sheppard for the next couple of days. Only until he finally got rid of those damned feelings. How hard could that be?

At least that had been the plan, until Rodney McKay entered his quarters and came face to face with exactly the man that he'd wanted to avoid.

A/N: Oh look! A different kind of evil cliffhanger! I just can't help it, eh!?

And I really have no idea whatsover of what a psychopath like Jackson would react like! I'm like John there: my only source of information is the television!^^ Well I don't really know any psychos...if you disregard my brother...lol

Next time chapter 20: 'Remember that time we crossed the line?'