Disclaimer: I almost have to think about who owns SGA at this point. Still MGM to my knowledge. Certainly not me.
A/N: This is a belated (understatement of the century) birthday present for DaniWilder, so if you don't like it, blame her. Happy 2012 B-day, Dani! Haha… Ha. Yeah. And I'm sorry but for this chapter only, or at least thus far anyway, I won't be using the constant present/past format. I figured it would be a little easier to read if you're completely immersed into the story and have a few different POVs. Sorry, Dani, but from that I will abstain (until the very end anyway). For anyone still maybe reading these consecutively, that means this one won't have the flash backs in italics because it would be most of the chapter and that would about kill me. I think it's easy enough to figure out without italics. Anyway, I'll shut up. Enjoy.
The McKeller Firsts
Chapter 7: Double Whammy
First Off-World Mission Together and First Night Spent Together
Bringing up his arm to check his watch for the tenth time in twenty minutes, John scowled. Rodney was known for being slow to show up to the gate at mission times, but this was unbelievable. What possible reason besides the sky falling, which he would have been informed of, would possibly keep McKay from being on time?
And here came the reason. Doctor Jennifer Keller. He had forgotten she was coming along to check over the villagers' use of the medical supplies they sent months ago and document what was needed to be replaced. It could have been any other doctor. Hell, a nurse. Hell, that new nurse with the dimply smile. The Lieutenant Colonel sent a glare at the physicist and physician leisurely walking up the short flight of stairs to the Gateroom floor having come from the Infirmary. "Finally ready to leave, McKay?"
Rodney's eyes quickly found Sheppard's when he heard his voice. "We aren't too late, are we?"
"Only by a good ten minutes." There was no stopping the hole his glare bored in Rodney's face. Jennifer looked uncomfortable with Sheppard's hardened expressions. Let her be, she's just as responsible.
"Sorry," he waved his hands distractedly, "we got caught up in the armory making sure the guns were fully loaded, that we each had an extra clip, all that. The Infirmary took a while too, we forgot to grab Jennifer's extra limb," Rodney pointed to the med kit on his temporary teammate's back, "so we had to go back and get that." The physicist's rambling voice tapered off near the end, showing his discomfort at the glare as well.
"They are here now, John. Should we not be going?" Teyla prompted in a gently suggesting tone.
One glance told the team leader Ronon was wound up with the wait too. "Dial the gate, Chuck."
The kawoosh sounded. Finally. Losing some of his frustration in the sight of the dry waves glittering before him, John stepped through the gate after Ronon with Teyla, Rodney, and Jennifer following not far behind.
The gold flecks were missing from her chocolate brown eyes as Jennifer accepted Rodney's hand for the seventh time to climb over a large collapsed tree. "Wisconsin is notorious for its lightning storms, but I've never seen damage like this short of a tornado or hurricane."
"At least we weren't caught in the storm." Rodney caught her half-lidded eyes and gave a slow, sad smile at the sight, squeezing her hand in a small massage after she stepped off the last root.
Releasing her hand and turning his head forward again, he pulled out his life-signs detector from his tac vest as Sheppard called to him, "How much farther?"
A sigh was all it took to deflate what was left of Rodney's restraint on his normal complaining and signify that "farther" was to be voiced aloud only if you wanted a major mood dampener for everyone else. "Why couldn't we take a jumper again?"
"You see these woods, McKay. With all of these downed trees, it would have been suicide to fly through the storm that just went through," Sheppard none too gently reminded him. "It must have been one hell of a lightning storm."
"I see no problem with that. You seem to like suicide runs." The trail Ronon and Sheppard were blazing took a turn uphill and Rodney groaned, his legs protesting as he started his way up alongside Jennifer, still willing to give her a hand should she need it.
"It would have been unsafe to take a jumper in this weather, Rodney." Teyla had been able to keep her spirits about her despite the cranky tones being thrown back and forth around her and answered before John could make a retort she was sure wouldn't be too helpful in keeping them positive-minded.
"We would have gotten there a whole heck of a lot faster," Rodney grumbled, reaching the top of the short, steep hill.
Sheppard's fuse was shortening with every passing second and he turned at Rodney. "Can anything ever stop you from complaining?"
"A Starbuck's coffee and a Big Mac," Rodney replied instantly. "And maybe the latest copy of Science Weekly for grins and giggles."
"I'll be sure to get right on that for you. No problem whatsoever for me to stop at the Burger King a block ahead and grab one for you. Who knows, maybe they can tell me who's heading to the Super Bowl this year too."
"Sheppard," Ronon called from ahead.
The tone said the time for joking around was over. John quickly jogged over and asked, hushed, "What is it, buddy?"
With a vague point from his powerful stunner and a look as close to skeptical as they would get out of the big man, he asked, "That's a lightning storm?"
Warily following the stunner with his eyes and his gun inching up with his scan of the area out of habit, the Colonel finally noticed that the darkened clouds they thought were a storm were swirling rather violently up ahead. Piecing together their current proximity to this galaxy's sun and the planet's water-dominated composition and… "Crap. Field trip's over, kids. Time to head back to the gate."
"What about the locals?" Jennifer jumped in as Sheppard immediately started back the way they had just come, her top priority including the safety of everyone, including those accustomed to the planet.
"That hurricane has already traveled the distance it took us to get here and farther, that's a couple of miles. It shouldn't reach the village."
"Shouldn't and won't have two different meanings," Jennifer persisted, her firm eyes and crossing arms setting a stance to fight more visible than her steadying feet.
"My concern is for my team and if looking out for the safety of everyone on this planet when there's only the slight possibility of danger puts this team in jeopardy, we turn around and say no." John straightened to try and lower her stance. It had to be Keller that came.
"Should we not try to help these people if we have the chance, John?" Teyla joined in, never one to miss an opportunity to help others in need.
"A warning may be all it takes," Jennifer looked him straight in the eyes, concluding her case.
Weighing his options and seeing that the Athosian and medical doctor weren't looking for his permission to go help, Sheppard obligingly consented with sarcasm, "Why not. I forgot we need one more dangerous situation to reach our quota for the week anyway."
Both women nodded to the other, disbanding their combined front against Sheppard in the process.
John just watched and mumbled under his breath, "This is going to be hell."
"What was that, John?" Rodney smirked, drawing the attention of Jennifer back to their conversation.
A light growl curving his lips, Shep answered lamely, "I said this is going to go well."
Never listen to women bent on making your job harder. This was a lesson John Sheppard had learned years ago but never put to practice. Now he wished he had as he and his team rushed around the deserted village searching for anyone that hadn't left before the hurricane set in.
Reaching for his headset, hoping that all five were still working, the team leader all but yelled over the water-soaked wind, "Everyone meet back at the trail to the gate now!"
"Sheppard, is that you?" Rodney's crackled reply came instantly and continued without waiting for an answer. "Jennifer and I found Lena and one of her patients in the infirmary on the east side of town."
Lena, the sole doctor of the village, John remembered. "Can the patient be moved?"
"Lena is saying no and Jennifer doesn't think it would be smart to move him, but I don't think we can stay here. The roof isn't sounding too stable." Even through the slight crackle, Rodney's voice held a concern he rarely used for anyone but himself.
"Smart choice or not, he's moving. I'm assuming between the three of you, he'll make it to the meeting point?"
"Highly doubtful, Sheppard. They're saying he has a concussion from…"
"Concussion, what else?" John interrupted, getting the facts to start forming a plan.
"And a newly sprained ankle," Rodney shortened his previously thought-out reply.
"So no excuses, you'll meet us at the rendezvous in ten minutes." Whatever reply the scientist shot back at him went unheard as Sheppard switched his senses over to the storm to gauge the danger level. The smell was getting worse. Almost as if an entire field of wet brush was thrown into the air, polluting it with the smell of allergens. I'll never hear the end of this from Rodney.
Over the radio, Rodney heard Teyla's and Ronon's clipped responses that they were at the meeting point already.
"Great. It's downright pouring outside and we're supposed to meet Sheppard out there? Let's just dive to the bottom of an ocean with a lead weight attached to our feet and try and get there! It would be just as easy," Rodney shouted to no one in particular. "Of course we have to be the farthest from the trail too."
"Now isn't the time, Rodney!" Jennifer quickly and effectively scolded. With nothing more than a deeply-set scowl on his face, he joined Jennifer and Lena in readying the patient, Remy, to be moved.
"This isn't going to work," he ground out in a voice as low as Remy's quiet moan after they lifted him onto his feet with his weight almost entirely on Rodney and Lena's shoulders.
Walking ahead of them, Jennifer replied, "Yes it will, this'll be easy. Like a walk in a breezy park." The door swung widely open as soon as the latch was lifted and wet wind all but ran over Jennifer as it rushed to fill every corner of the room. Loose and now dripping hair whipping over her face, she glanced back to see a light, I told you so look aimed her way.
"Why is it we cannot simply tell the others with you to come here?" Lena's own darkly tinted blonde hair swept across her features.
"Because Sheppard, the genius he is, doesn't want the others to backtrack to our position and would rather get the hell to the gate rather than stay safe and dry inside," Rodney's retort oozed out in its normal sardonic tone. "Plus this building isn't too safe either," he quietly reasoned.
"So outside we go," Jennifer persuaded the decision-maker of the group for a second time.
"Outside" had proven fruitless. They had walked in the direction of the gate for a good half hour at least without having ever come to the trail, which wasn't that hard to do considering the amount of wind and rain being thrashed about in every direction.
"We have to stop, Rodney. I'm not even sure we're heading in the right direction anymore." Jennifer's face held fear for the first time that day.
Seeing the look in her eyes, Rodney visibly sighed his agreement and reached up to try and hail Sheppard. Worry streaked across his face faster than the blowing rain when no one – John, Ronon, or Teyla – answered.
Plan one having failed, plan two was initiated. His squinting eyes scanned the surrounding area for cover. They should have just stayed in the town instead of heading towards the trail or gate, whichever came first, hoping that the others had started back already. Out here their options were limited. Very limited.
Remy's head dropped more with every second they were stopped until his longer, dripping hair hung limply around his face and shielded it from more wind. Rodney watched his slow decrease in energy and finished his quick search around them. The best spot selected, the weary physicist pointed for Jennifer and Lena in the general direction he thought he saw the under drop of a cliff. It would stop the elements from hitting their backs and falling from above, and for now, that was good enough.
Remy was out of energy and his foot didn't look all too good wrapped up in a soaked bandage. This was one situation Rodney couldn't dislike the fact of having two doctors for company. As soon as the patient was set down, Lena set to rewrapping it with new gauze she pulled out of a large kit she had tucked away in a knapsack he hadn't noticed earlier. Her actions were caring and deliberate. Watching her brought his eyes to his own caring doctor sitting with her back pressed against the cold cliff wall. Noticing with a frown she looked worn and chilled this wet, he scooted closer to her side, earning a somnolent smile of welcome from Jennifer, and proceeded to track his hands up and down her upper arms in an attempt to give her back some warmth.
"We must have missed at least one checkup by now," Rodney glanced at his waterproof watch. "Atlantis should be sending a search team out in a few hours at most."
"I sure hope so." Her voice was no better than her fear-filled face. It was empty and contained very little hope if any at all. Whatever had changed her attitude so negatively this quickly sure had its intended effect and Rodney didn't like it one bit. One arm securely wrapped around her middle to draw her to him for even more warmth. She gave up watching Lena attend so tenderly and expertly to Remy and rested her head across Rodney's chest, finally able to relax.
Waking up, Jennifer immediately thought she was back in her room in Chippewa Falls having awoken from a night spent with her bedside window fully opened to the wet elements of August. The air reeked of dew and allergens and had a moist quality to it. Instead, she came to realize she was cocooned nicely in Rodney's arms in slightly damp yet drying clothes in the middle of a wooded planet. Not too bad a substitution. Lena and Remy were only a couple feet off, leaning against the cliff's wall with their heads resting upon each other for support. A quick scan through the morning light told Jennifer Lena had woken up before her and fallen back asleep because Remy's bandages were newly applied.
"…ney, damn i…ome in, Ro…" A gargled voice sounded in her ear.
"Colonel, is that you?" Jennifer hastily replied, bringing both of her hands up to her ear to press it closer, hoping to hear a bit more of what the person on the other end was saying.
"…eller? Where a…" The voice crackled out again as she heard a sleepy groan from behind her. It was definitely Sheppard. She wondered just how wet the earpiece had gotten the night before to cause this much disruption.
Jennifer took in her surroundings with another quick glance and recalled what she could of last night before answering. "We're at a cliff wall. Huge wooded area. We couldn't have travelled more than an hour last night."
The arms around her waist tightened and his voice rumbled against her back. "Tell him five more minutes."
With an amused roll of her eyes, she pulled his arms off her waist and stood up unsteadily.
"Are your people on the way?" Lena asked quietly from the left, her eyes weary as if she hadn't slept a wink.
Jennifer held her gaze, her own eyes softening at the knowledge of what the two natives to the planet had been through in the past day. She offered her a nod and an encouraging smile but Lena's features stayed resolute.
"Thank you, Doctor Keller, for everything." There was a new light in her eyes and note of sincerity in her tone.
She offered her another swift nod in return and disengaged the line with Sheppard as he began shouting orders to others.
"That is one night I never want to relive," Jennifer whispered to the quiet, dark room and man in it.
"I wouldn't mind reliving the overnight snuggling, though we do that already, don't we?" her company replied with an unseen smirk.
That brought a small smile to her lips as the arm warmly wrapped around her waist slightly tightened and a kiss was dropped on her head.
"That was the first night of many spent in your arms." A sigh of contentment breezed over their joined hands on the covers in front of her.
"And many to come," Rodney added.
"I definitely could have done without the rest of that adventure though," she softly murmured.
A deep breath on the back of her ear told her Rodney agreed. "At least Sheppard and the others found us before the rescue team came to check up on us. Not to mention Lena and Remy are perfectly safe thanks to you. Lorne did say that most of that town was badly damaged to the point of inhabitability by the morning after."
"Two people saved and five put in danger. Colonel Sheppard was right, Rodney." The covers before her blended in her blurry eyesight from the darkness of the room. "My behavior put four other people in danger, you included."
"Where would success be without risk?" Rodney reminded the very successful doctor in his arms. "You made the kind of decision I admire you for."
Leaning onto her back to look into his eyes, a genuine smile lit up her face as his words hit their intended target. The new position gave him complete access; he couldn't resist. Rodney placed a kiss on first her forehead and then moved past her shining eyes to the tip of her nose.