someone else's shadow (iv)
This jumps forward, oh, a fair bit. John realizes no one's coming for him any time soon, and he can't get back on his own, so Rodney sets about getting him in contact with a quantum mirror. But the one at Cheyenne won't work (for whatever reason--haven't figured that bit out yet), so Rodney pulls a lot of strings and admits to a few people that he's got an interdimensional stray sleeping on his couch, and off they go to Pegasus in search of the counterpart of whatever zapped John in the first place.
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*
And it’s a good thing they got beamed to someplace a little more private than the gate room, because John drops to his knees the moment after they materialize, eyes glazed, head back like he’s seeing visions on the ceiling or something, and quite possibly Rodney panics. Because he’s already lost one John (and Atlantis broke that one too, the nasty little voice in the back of his head says, and it’s right, not matter how he wishes it wasn’t), and he can’t lose another one, not even one that’s really only sort of on loan. He’s on the ground beside John without thinking about it, one hand braced against the back of John’s head, the other feeling for a pulse at John’s wrist, and John isn’t breathing-
When John finally, finally sucks in a huge lungful of air, Rodney has a horrible moment where he thinks he might cry. But he doesn’t, and John blinks a couple of times before his eyes start tracking properly. “Wow,” he says, sounding far too relaxed for having just had an Atlantis-induced seizure or whatever. “Forgot about that.”
And Rodney finally finds his voice again.
“‘Forgot about that’? Forgot about what? Sheppard-”
The sound of someone clearing their throat reminds him that they got beamed into Sam’s office, and he looks up to see Sam, slightly grayed and faded but still beautiful. She looks bemused and worried at the same time. “I take it this means I can tell Dr. Keller to take her time getting here?”
“I-” He doesn’t know, because even though John’s back in himself again, he’s holding onto Rodney’s wrist like it’s all that’s keeping him from falling off the floor.
“Yeah.” John gives her a smile, and slowly climbs to his feet, leaning a little more on Rodney’s shoulder than is comfortable, still hanging onto Rodney’s wrist, pulling Rodney up after him. “Just forgot how . . . overwhelming Atlantis can be.” The lights, which Rodney only now realizes are almost blindingly bright, suddenly dim to a more comfortable level, leaving him blinking away purple spots.
“I take it she’s happy to see you?” Sam says dryly, like it’s an everyday occurrence to meet the doppleganger of her dead former military commander (or whatever John’s formal title had been). But then it probably is-SG-1 had played around with quantum mirrors and alternate dimensions a fair bit, back in their heyday.
“Something like that.” John makes his ‘let’s not talk about this’ face, and then throws a sloppy salute. “Ma’am. Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, not reporting to duty because this isn’t my universe.”
“Colonel Samantha Carter,” Sam says, sounding almost amused, and returns the salute much more crisply. “Don’t worry-I’ve been where you are now. I know how awkward it can be. I’ll try not to ask for anything you can’t give.” John seems to relax a little at that, although he doesn’t let go of Rodney’s wrist. “Good to see you, Rodney.” The smile she gives him is . . . enigmatic.
“Sam.” There isn’t really anything more he can say, because while it’s good to see her to, it still hurts like hell-she didn’t give the order, but she let John sacrifice himself. Even though Rodney can’t blame her, he also can’t forget. He returns her smile as best he can manage at the moment though, and that has to be enough.
She taps her radio earpiece, tells Dr. Keller no one’s dying at the moment, and while she’s distracted Rodney taps a finger against the hand wrapped around his wrist. John glances down, lets go as if burned, face blank. It’s a good thing Rodney’s wearing long sleeves, because he’s pretty sure John’s left bruises.
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*
And it’s a good thing they got beamed to someplace a little more private than the gate room, because John drops to his knees the moment after they materialize, eyes glazed, head back like he’s seeing visions on the ceiling or something, and quite possibly Rodney panics. Because he’s already lost one John (and Atlantis broke that one too, the nasty little voice in the back of his head says, and it’s right, not matter how he wishes it wasn’t), and he can’t lose another one, not even one that’s really only sort of on loan. He’s on the ground beside John without thinking about it, one hand braced against the back of John’s head, the other feeling for a pulse at John’s wrist, and John isn’t breathing-
When John finally, finally sucks in a huge lungful of air, Rodney has a horrible moment where he thinks he might cry. But he doesn’t, and John blinks a couple of times before his eyes start tracking properly. “Wow,” he says, sounding far too relaxed for having just had an Atlantis-induced seizure or whatever. “Forgot about that.”
And Rodney finally finds his voice again.
“‘Forgot about that’? Forgot about what? Sheppard-”
The sound of someone clearing their throat reminds him that they got beamed into Sam’s office, and he looks up to see Sam, slightly grayed and faded but still beautiful. She looks bemused and worried at the same time. “I take it this means I can tell Dr. Keller to take her time getting here?”
“I-” He doesn’t know, because even though John’s back in himself again, he’s holding onto Rodney’s wrist like it’s all that’s keeping him from falling off the floor.
“Yeah.” John gives her a smile, and slowly climbs to his feet, leaning a little more on Rodney’s shoulder than is comfortable, still hanging onto Rodney’s wrist, pulling Rodney up after him. “Just forgot how . . . overwhelming Atlantis can be.” The lights, which Rodney only now realizes are almost blindingly bright, suddenly dim to a more comfortable level, leaving him blinking away purple spots.
“I take it she’s happy to see you?” Sam says dryly, like it’s an everyday occurrence to meet the doppleganger of her dead former military commander (or whatever John’s formal title had been). But then it probably is-SG-1 had played around with quantum mirrors and alternate dimensions a fair bit, back in their heyday.
“Something like that.” John makes his ‘let’s not talk about this’ face, and then throws a sloppy salute. “Ma’am. Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, not reporting to duty because this isn’t my universe.”
“Colonel Samantha Carter,” Sam says, sounding almost amused, and returns the salute much more crisply. “Don’t worry-I’ve been where you are now. I know how awkward it can be. I’ll try not to ask for anything you can’t give.” John seems to relax a little at that, although he doesn’t let go of Rodney’s wrist. “Good to see you, Rodney.” The smile she gives him is . . . enigmatic.
“Sam.” There isn’t really anything more he can say, because while it’s good to see her to, it still hurts like hell-she didn’t give the order, but she let John sacrifice himself. Even though Rodney can’t blame her, he also can’t forget. He returns her smile as best he can manage at the moment though, and that has to be enough.
She taps her radio earpiece, tells Dr. Keller no one’s dying at the moment, and while she’s distracted Rodney taps a finger against the hand wrapped around his wrist. John glances down, lets go as if burned, face blank. It’s a good thing Rodney’s wearing long sleeves, because he’s pretty sure John’s left bruises.