Chapter 4: The Lemon
.oOo.
Once outside of the lab, Rodney paused. Partly it was because he wasn't sure which way to go. All he could do is envision the guards being slowly choked to death with the iPod's cables. Choosing to head to where they were holding Michael, he tapped his ear piece to open a private channel to Dr. Weir. "Um, Elizabeth? We got a possible problem with Michael."
There was just the slightest edginess to her normally disciplined tone as she responded, "Rodney, what do you mean? Actually just a second," she interrupted quickly and he waited while she opened the channel to John before giving the, "Okay go ahead." After he explained what he learned from Gwen, Elizabeth asked, "John did you get that?"
"Yeah," his voice came in over the channel. "Tell Rodney to calm down. I doubt this is a serious issue. The guards might have some if Michael decides to bust a move. But they'll live. I'm on my way now to get it back."
"I think I'll join you, Weir out."
"Bust a move? Yeah right," Rodney mumbled and kept walking. Already on his way there too he decided to continue and see what would happen.
But his foot kicked something and seeing what it was, Rodney froze. Watching it tumble end over end until it came to a spinning stop, several feet away, smack dab in the middle of the hallway he needed to go down.
"Who put that there?" Rodney asked, his voice going just a little bit higher. Looking about for answers only one person passing closely by shrugged, Rodney ignored him but cursed another.
"Sheppard," he nearly growled, jerked his chin up and sucked in a long breath through his nose. Holding it, he gingerly walked around the yellow menace. When he got around it, he looked back. It just sat there, seemingly benign.
"You think that's gonna stop me? Well you can think again." Looking down his nose in triumph at it, Rodney began to move. And he did so quickly, to put as much space between him and the lemon as possible.
.oOo.
Blood drawn and injection over with, Michael rubbed his arm and stared at his pillow as Dr. Beckett left. Alone again he thought over what to do with what was underneath it next. Despite his earlier concerns about it being a manipulation devise of sorts, a lack of ill effects after two exposures now had him doubting his first assumption.
In his mind he replayed some of the first words that he heard from the devise. Then he said it aloud, "You see everything. You see every part. You see all my life. And you love my dark."
Michael settled down into the bed, pulled up the blanket and beneath it he took the devised out. He wondered if he could find those words once more. Again remembering the camera he discreetly put the knobs into his ears before turning the devise back on. It didn't take him long to find the file and carefully he listened to the entirety of it.
It seemed to offer information but of the most useless sort. Still he found himself relaxing when he replayed it. As it ended he switched through the files and discovered another which seemed to have the same woman's voice in it as the first.
It made his eyelids grow heavy. Closing them his thoughts turned to the man and the woman's hands and what they did. The other woman, the one from the hallway also came to his mind. Along with the feel of her fresh smelling, damp, shoulder length hair. Thin jet black cords of it had whipped his face, when they had slammed into one another.
Despite her squeezed shut eyes, he found her features were well balanced. Her lightly bronzed complexion was clear and smooth but there was a quite strength beneath the at the time flustered surface. Her face was more angular and sharp compared to the other women he had seen and he had admired the strong set of her jaw as it became determined when Ronon attempted to stop him from helping her.
Yet what he found, he like the most about her were her eyes. They were penetrating, intelligent and nearly black. Now in refection, he identified the expressions in them, on a conscious level. Visualizing her face clearly he once again enjoyed her smile, nervous, embarrassed and yet so much like the way the woman from the mess hall had looked at the man. It had turned radiant when Michael offered his help to her for the second time while John and Ronon argued.
Opening his eyes, Michael stared at his hand and remembered the warmth of her contact. His unconscious action of holding it longer than necessary, which at the time confused him, was starting to make sense now.
Lying there, he still had trouble putting words to what he was now experiencing. For once, completely off guard and deep in thought he was slow to react to what happened next. He hadn't heard someone entering his room but he did hear the steps towards his bed. They were not Dr. Beckett's casual pace. They were quick and bearing down upon him fast. Whoever it was they were nearly upon him. Thinking it also might be Ronon, he threw back the covers quickly with no time to hide the devise.
"You know Michael-hey easy there!" John halted and quickly tried to smooth over, "I'm sorry, didn't mean to startle yah."
Once on his feet, Michael blinked at him, realizing who it was and in confusion at the apology. But he wasn't about to relax as he eyed the man warily, glanced at the door and wondered if he had come alone.
To ease the tension John said flippantly, "I know... that wasn't very nice of me but it's also not very nice to take something that isn't yours either. Dr. Reyes will be wanting that back eventually." Noting the way Michael watched the door John assumed, "She's not here by the way, if that's what you're worried about."
Feeling a little foolish, immediately Michael relaxed and it took him a moment to register what John wanted, "Who wants this?"
"Dr. Gwen Reyes and," John pointed to the devise, "that is hers." When Michael said nothing, he added, "Look it's no big deal but if you wanted some music all you had to do was ask."
"Gwen," he said the name slowly. The feel of it was vaguely familiar yet bittersweet upon his lips. Coming back to John and what he had called the noise he asked unsure of it's purpose, "Music?"
John gave him a surprised look and explained, "You listen to it, tap a foot or bob your head. Pretty much what you were doing before I came in." His smile faded when Michael did not say anything more. To fill the silence John continued, "You know, sing along - some like to dance to it."
John moved a little to demonstrate. With what seemed to be a pained look Michael watched the other man tap his feet deftly. But Michael didn't suffer for very long. Remembering Michael wasn't the only one watching, John quickly stopped. A little bit embarrassed, he tried for a casual shrug and tone, "So I'm a little rusty. Plus trust me when I say, its way better with the proper shoes." Then with lips pressed together he gave the cameras a sideways glance before holding out his hand.
Michael turned the music off, winded the cords but before handing it over he paused, "So... This is not a shared item? Like a tool everyone can use?"
"No, it belongs to just her, although if you ask her nicely she just might let you borrow it next time."
Ignoring his extended hand, Michael asked one more question, "Then may I see her again?"
Michael didn't miss the hint of alarm that flashed in the man's eyes. But John kept his tone light, "I don't know. I'll have to ask about that, why?"
"I would like to know more about this... music." Finally Michael handed over the iPod and added, "That and apologize for taking this without asking."
"Well, let me see what I can do, okay?" John gave a nod and left.
Watching him go Michael didn't get his hopes up. Picking up the tossed aside blankets to make his bed something dropped from the folds. Quickly he bent down and found it was the band which had been around the devise to secure the cables. Distractedly he sat down on the bed to take a closer look at it. He mulled over how a few of her jet black hairs were caught on it before he gave a slow sigh, put it into his pocket and went back to making his bed.
.oOo.
Outside John ran into a glaring Rodney. When he was about to say something, John held up a hand, "Relax. He was just listening to it."
"That's it? I doubt it." Shaking a finger at him, Rodney smirked, "Nice dancing by the way."
Ignoring the taunt John rocked to his toes and he threw back in good humor, "Thanks. And those, I'll have you know weren't even my best moves."
Elizabeth spotted what John held and asked, "Any troubles getting it back? What did he have to say?"
John shrugged, handed her the iPod and answered, "He didn't put up too much of a fuss. Asked a few questions and then asked if he could see her again."
"I beg your pardon?"
Rodney over her exclaimed, "What!"
"Hey!" John furrowed his brows at Rodney and muttered, "I thought you were watching,"
"There was no sound, just the monitors, okay!"
"Nah I think you were just blown away by my –"
"Oh yeah right! I was so enthralled, Fred As..." Rodney dropped off when he saw Elizabeth wasn't listening but thinking. Watching an idea form in her eyes Rodney started shaking his head, "Oh no. No-no, you've got to be kidding me-please don't go there. Whatever it is exactly, it's probably not a very good idea." Looking to John, he pleaded, "Am I going to be the only sane and rational voice here?"
"This, from someone who blew up an entire solar-"
"It was an accident!" Rodney blurted out, squeezed his eyes tightly shut and sighed, "Look Sheppard how many times do you have to bring that up?"
John pretended to think on that but he was really just waiting. Since Elizabeth had yet to reveal her exact plan, John wasn't about to form an exact opinion on it.
Coming back to them she finally spoke, "We need to talk with her, now."
.oOo.
End Notes: I couldn't help putting in a bit of humor about Rodney's issues with citrus and apparently John having tap lessons growing up. ;)