Puzzling Evidence (Part XVI), NC-17, Lorne/Zelenka by inkscribe
Title: Puzzling Evidence (Part XVI)
Author: inkscribe
Pairings: Lorne/Zelenka
Kink: mild D/s, bondage, spanking
Warnings: None.
Angst-o-meter: deci-angst (moderate)
Rating: NC-17
Words: ~2000 (this part)
Spoilers: none (this part)
Locations: atlantiskink, welovezelenka, slashing_lorne, my LJ
Feedback: yes, please!
Summary: What we see is not always what it seems.
Chapter Summary: Shift.
Previous Parts:
Puzzling Evidence (Part I) - Suspicion.
Puzzling Evidence (Part II) - Action.
Puzzling Evidence (Part III) - Apprehension.
Puzzling Evidence (Part IV) - Orders.
Puzzling Evidence (Part V) - Surgery.
Puzzling Evidence (Part VI) - Questions.
Puzzling Evidence (Part VII) - Awakening.
Puzzling Evidence (Part VIII) - Considerations.
Puzzling Evidence (Part IX) - Love.
Puzzling Evidence (Part X) - Fractured.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XI) - Lost.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XII) - Interpretation.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XIII) - Thoughts.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XIV) - Homecoming.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XV) - Disorder.
Author's Notes: There is something reassuring, somehow, that Rodney, well, behaves a certain way, even when in crisis. :-)
Thank you also to Gay!Sex!Beta and mice1900 for reflections on the angst and the beta; any errors are most definitely mine. ;-)
Disclaimer: Anything you recognise is not mine; please don’t sue, we’ll both regret it in the morning.
Carson stared at the ceiling, his mind in turmoil, memories flashing past his inner eye like a slideshow on hyperdrive. He remembered the desk. He remembered his room, darkened gloom surrounding him, oppressing him. He remembered taking the cord -
What have I done?, Carson thought. What have I done?
He felt bile rise in his throat, tears spring to his eyes. The memories continued. The loneliness, the overwhelming sadness, feeling bereft of comfort, bereft of love. What have I done?
Marc - his injuries, his burst appendix. Radek’s paralysing terror. Their love for each other, after everything - so strong, so strong. And Carson, so weak, so alone, so lonely. What have I done?
He remembered how angry he had been, how he lashed out at John and Rodney, how he wanted to hurt them for their foolishness, how he’d let them leave the infirmary thinking they’d nearly killed a man. How he finished the operation knowing neither John or Rodney were likely to ever trust him again, as either a doctor or a friend. Knowing that he’d just condemned himself to more loneliness as he pushed away his friends. What have I done?
Carson felt the molten slide of his tears, hot and painful as they escaped his eyes. He blinked hard, trying to clear them, trying not to give in to the overwhelming sadness that rushed again to embrace him, just as it had in his quarters, just before he had taken the cord -
Good Lord, what have I done?
oOo
Rodney blinked. Not in my room, he thought. Infirmary? He nodded to himself. Yes, infirmary. He felt slightly woozy, slightly groggy.
Fuck, good one, McKay, he berated himself. Put yourself into goddamn hypoglycemic shock. All because you’re fucking jealous over your friends.
He snorted.
“McKay?” he heard. He turned his head to stare at Ronon, the hulking man sitting quietly to his side. Ronon, he thought miserably. Not John, no - of course, not John.
“Ronon?” he managed to squeak. He heard the man chuckle.
“Yeah,” Ronon acknowledged. “Feeling any better?”
Rodney thought about it. “Not really, no. Should I?”
“Yeah,” Ronon said. “They gave you an injection.”
“Well of course they gave me an injection,” Rodney snapped. “I was probably in hypoglycemic shock.”
“Yeah,” Ronon said placidly. “Sound’s like you’re feeling better to me.”
Rodney snorted and turned his head to the ceiling. “I feel absolutely horrible. I must be dying.”
“Nope,” Ronon said. “Not dying.”
“Well thank you for pointing out the obvious,” Rodney snarked, irritated.
A sudden thought crossed Rodney’s mind. He frowned. “Wait a minute,” he said, looking again at Ronon. “The last thing I remember was being in my quarters. How did I get here?”
“I brought you.”
“But what were you doing in my quarters?” Rodney asked.
“I couldn’t find you at your lab,” Ronon shrugged. “So I came by your room.”
“But how did you get in?” Rodney demanded. “My door was locked.”
“Sheppard,” Ronon said.
“John was there?” Rodney asked.
“He was looking for you.”
If Rodney had thought he felt stupid before, realising that his friend had come to check up on him made it far, far worse. He felt his stomach sink.
“I thought he was with Carson,” Rodney whispered.
Ronon shrugged again. “I dunno. He was standing at your door when I arrived.”
“Oh,” Rodney said. He swallowed. “But he’s with Carson now.”
“Nope,” Ronon said.
“No?”
“Nope,” Ronon confirmed.
“Then where - where is he?” Rodney felt silly, whining like a child asking after his favourite stuffed bear, but he couldn’t stop himself before the words spilled out of him.
“Over there,” Ronon said, indicating the other side of the infirmary with a nod of his head.
Rodney nearly gave himself whiplash as he whipped his head around to follow the direction Ronon indicated. “What? What’s John doing over there?”
“Resting,” Ronon said.
“What?”
“Resting.”
It is an ex-parrot, Rodney thought ridiculously. It has ceased to be. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.
“Wh - What?” Rodney stammered, demanding clarification a second time.
“Something the doctor called nervous exhaustion. He’s supposed to be okay in a few hours,” Ronon explained.
Rodney nodded. That made sense. John had been on the go almost nonstop since they’d grabbed Marc. He was reasonably certain he hadn’t even left the infirmary since Rodney last came for painkiller. Rodney had hardly been functioning, but at least he’d had some sleep here and there.
Of course John worried himself into the ground, Rodney chastised himself. He wouldn’t leave Carson on his own, not with them being their own ‘team’ and everything. He sat up suddenly, turning to lever himself off the gurney.
“What are you doing, McKay?” Ronon asked, his eyebrow cocked and his face amused.
“I’m - I’m getting up. What does it look like?” Rodney answered, his body feeling awkward and his movements jerky.
“Nope,” Ronon said.
“What?” Rodney said, not understanding the simple statement.
“I said no, McKay,” Ronon said. “The doctor told me you’re supposed to get some rest too.”
Rodney knew he looked chagrined as he thought about it. He couldn’t go back to the lab anytime soon - anyone who didn’t have a nervous breakdown at his approach would be waiting instead for his return with a lynch mob. His friends, well, associates, really were all either in the infirmary or sitting next to him. So really, resting was about all that was left to him at the moment.
It is an ex-parrot. It has ceased to be, Rodney thought again.
oOo
Elizabeth waited at the door, a small plant held reverently in her hands. The door slid open to a surprised Radek Zelenka.
“Doctor Weir?” he asked.
“Hello, Radek,” she smiled.
He stared at her.
“May I come in?” she asked, smiling broader.
He blushed and smiled shyly at her. “Oh, of course. I am sorry,” he said and he waved her into the room. “Please, come in - come in.”
Elizabeth stepped into the couple’s new quarters. She proffered the plant to Radek. “For you, you and Major Lorne,” she said. “A housewarming gift.”
“Thank you,” Radek said politely, accepting the gift.
She heard Marc’s voice call out from a side room. “Who’s there?”
“Doctor Weir,” Radek answered. She threw him a teasing, questioning look - it was not as though the two of them had never worked together before. Worked together often enough that she expected him to use her first name for informal situations.
“Elizabeth,” he stammered, correcting himself.
“Oh,” Marc said, stepping into the main room. “Hello.”
She glanced at the screwdriver he held in his hand. “Building something?” she asked.
“Just setting up bookshelves,” he answered, then nodded toward a tall stack of boxes piled on a wheeled pallet. “We’ve still got lots to unpack.”
She nodded. “It’s a beautiful space.”
“Yes,” Radek agreed. “Would you like a tour?”
Elizabeth nodded and allowed herself to be led around the rooms, little touches of their residence already there, even their toothbrushes, together, sitting in a cup on the bathroom counter. She smiled at everything she saw.
“It looks like you’re well on your way to making a good home here,” she said to them both when Radek returned her to the main room. “I’m sorry to drop by unannounced like this, but I need to speak to you, Marc.”
Radek made as though to excuse himself, and Elizabeth gestured at him. “Please stay, Radek. I need to speak to you as well.”
Marc looked questioningly at her but waved her to one of the couches. The two men seated themselves across from her.
“I’ve just spoken with the infirmary,” she said, pausing for a moment, trying to phrase the next part in as delicate a way as possible. “We’ve had some unexpected problems.”
Radek looked stricken, and glanced at Marc, who asked, “Is Doctor Beckett all right?”
Elizabeth smiled reassuringly. “Yes, he’s doing fine. He’s in good hands,” she said. “The problem is with Colonel Sheppard. He has to stand down for the time being.”
She stopped as Radek’s face turned white. “I’m sorry,” she said gently. “I really am.”
“Has he -” Radek stammered. “Has he hurt somebody else?” He glanced back to Marc, worry written over his face.
“No, nothing like that,” she said, pitching her voice to a unique balance of professional calm and soft assurance. She had not considered that her news might be interpreted that way. “The colonel is suffering from exhaustion, and will be kept in the infirmary for at least a couple of days,” she explained.
She watched the two men exchange glances again.
“I’m sorry to have to ask you this so soon after your own release from the infirmary, Marc, but I need you to step in and cover for him,” she continued. “We have one team in the field doing an archeological survey for another week, and two other teams on offworld recon. I don’t believe it is prudent or safe to continue these missions without things being looked after properly on our end.”
She was pleased to see Radek relax slightly at her words, and Marc sit to attention and nod in agreement, every inch the professional soldier. She relaxed slightly herself, and continued. “I recognise this is an awkward request,” she said. “Notwithstanding that you’re not cleared for full duties, there are -” she groped for the right word for a moment. “Issues, that remain to be resolved regarding the incidents of the past few days.”
Marc shook his head softly and made a rueful grin. “Issues, yes,” he mused. He looked at her, sharp, alert. “Ma’am,” he said. “Elizabeth - don’t worry. I can do the job. We’ll deal with the other issues when the time comes.”
Elizabeth smiled and nodded. Again and again her people impressed her with their ability not only to rise to meet challenges, but their willingness to put aside personal feelings for the good of the mission, for the good of the city - for the good of the people.
“Thank you, Marc,” she said, then turned her attention to Radek.
“I’m sorry to have to bother you, too, Radek,” she said. “Unfortunately, Rodney is also incapacitated at the moment, and will likewise be remaining off-duty for at least a couple of days.”
Radek gaped at her, his face in shock. “I wouldn’t ask you to return to the lab yet, not with these issues remaining unresolved,” she said. “But again, there are projects underway that require supervision, and Rodney won’t be able to do that for awhile. Normally, of course -”
Radek interrupted. “Normally, I am already there,” he said, nodding. He was visibly tense, his hands curled tightly on his lap, knuckles white. “Yes, if Rodney is not there, we will have problems.” He nodded again, as though assessing and calculating variables of an infinitely difficult equation, an analogy that Elizabeth suspected was more accurate than not.
“Yes, Elizabeth. I can return to the lab,” he said. “But, if you please,” he continued, glancing nervously at Marc. “I am not ready to see him. I ask that when he is to be released, I will work from a remote station until -”
“Until matters are settled?” Elizabeth suggested.
Radek nodded. “Yes, correct.”
Elizabeth nodded once in affirmation. “Thank you both, gentlemen. I will expect you both at your stations tomorrow morning then, and to remain so on a regular basis until further notice.”
She left unsaid what the possibilities might be when further notice was given, left unsaid the fact that the US military was already making noise about the rumours that somehow flew through the intergalactic ether to whisper in their ears, left unsaid her concerns over Radek and Rodney’s future together as colleagues, never mind friends.
She stood to leave, the two men standing with her to see her to the door.
“Thank you again,” she said, taking her leave.
End Part XVI
Author: inkscribe
Pairings: Lorne/Zelenka
Kink: mild D/s, bondage, spanking
Warnings: None.
Angst-o-meter: deci-angst (moderate)
Rating: NC-17
Words: ~2000 (this part)
Spoilers: none (this part)
Locations: atlantiskink, welovezelenka, slashing_lorne, my LJ
Feedback: yes, please!
Summary: What we see is not always what it seems.
Chapter Summary: Shift.
Previous Parts:
Puzzling Evidence (Part I) - Suspicion.
Puzzling Evidence (Part II) - Action.
Puzzling Evidence (Part III) - Apprehension.
Puzzling Evidence (Part IV) - Orders.
Puzzling Evidence (Part V) - Surgery.
Puzzling Evidence (Part VI) - Questions.
Puzzling Evidence (Part VII) - Awakening.
Puzzling Evidence (Part VIII) - Considerations.
Puzzling Evidence (Part IX) - Love.
Puzzling Evidence (Part X) - Fractured.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XI) - Lost.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XII) - Interpretation.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XIII) - Thoughts.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XIV) - Homecoming.
Puzzling Evidence (Part XV) - Disorder.
Author's Notes: There is something reassuring, somehow, that Rodney, well, behaves a certain way, even when in crisis. :-)
Thank you also to Gay!Sex!Beta and mice1900 for reflections on the angst and the beta; any errors are most definitely mine. ;-)
Disclaimer: Anything you recognise is not mine; please don’t sue, we’ll both regret it in the morning.
Carson stared at the ceiling, his mind in turmoil, memories flashing past his inner eye like a slideshow on hyperdrive. He remembered the desk. He remembered his room, darkened gloom surrounding him, oppressing him. He remembered taking the cord -
What have I done?, Carson thought. What have I done?
He felt bile rise in his throat, tears spring to his eyes. The memories continued. The loneliness, the overwhelming sadness, feeling bereft of comfort, bereft of love. What have I done?
Marc - his injuries, his burst appendix. Radek’s paralysing terror. Their love for each other, after everything - so strong, so strong. And Carson, so weak, so alone, so lonely. What have I done?
He remembered how angry he had been, how he lashed out at John and Rodney, how he wanted to hurt them for their foolishness, how he’d let them leave the infirmary thinking they’d nearly killed a man. How he finished the operation knowing neither John or Rodney were likely to ever trust him again, as either a doctor or a friend. Knowing that he’d just condemned himself to more loneliness as he pushed away his friends. What have I done?
Carson felt the molten slide of his tears, hot and painful as they escaped his eyes. He blinked hard, trying to clear them, trying not to give in to the overwhelming sadness that rushed again to embrace him, just as it had in his quarters, just before he had taken the cord -
Good Lord, what have I done?
oOo
Rodney blinked. Not in my room, he thought. Infirmary? He nodded to himself. Yes, infirmary. He felt slightly woozy, slightly groggy.
Fuck, good one, McKay, he berated himself. Put yourself into goddamn hypoglycemic shock. All because you’re fucking jealous over your friends.
He snorted.
“McKay?” he heard. He turned his head to stare at Ronon, the hulking man sitting quietly to his side. Ronon, he thought miserably. Not John, no - of course, not John.
“Ronon?” he managed to squeak. He heard the man chuckle.
“Yeah,” Ronon acknowledged. “Feeling any better?”
Rodney thought about it. “Not really, no. Should I?”
“Yeah,” Ronon said. “They gave you an injection.”
“Well of course they gave me an injection,” Rodney snapped. “I was probably in hypoglycemic shock.”
“Yeah,” Ronon said placidly. “Sound’s like you’re feeling better to me.”
Rodney snorted and turned his head to the ceiling. “I feel absolutely horrible. I must be dying.”
“Nope,” Ronon said. “Not dying.”
“Well thank you for pointing out the obvious,” Rodney snarked, irritated.
A sudden thought crossed Rodney’s mind. He frowned. “Wait a minute,” he said, looking again at Ronon. “The last thing I remember was being in my quarters. How did I get here?”
“I brought you.”
“But what were you doing in my quarters?” Rodney asked.
“I couldn’t find you at your lab,” Ronon shrugged. “So I came by your room.”
“But how did you get in?” Rodney demanded. “My door was locked.”
“Sheppard,” Ronon said.
“John was there?” Rodney asked.
“He was looking for you.”
If Rodney had thought he felt stupid before, realising that his friend had come to check up on him made it far, far worse. He felt his stomach sink.
“I thought he was with Carson,” Rodney whispered.
Ronon shrugged again. “I dunno. He was standing at your door when I arrived.”
“Oh,” Rodney said. He swallowed. “But he’s with Carson now.”
“Nope,” Ronon said.
“No?”
“Nope,” Ronon confirmed.
“Then where - where is he?” Rodney felt silly, whining like a child asking after his favourite stuffed bear, but he couldn’t stop himself before the words spilled out of him.
“Over there,” Ronon said, indicating the other side of the infirmary with a nod of his head.
Rodney nearly gave himself whiplash as he whipped his head around to follow the direction Ronon indicated. “What? What’s John doing over there?”
“Resting,” Ronon said.
“What?”
“Resting.”
It is an ex-parrot, Rodney thought ridiculously. It has ceased to be. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.
“Wh - What?” Rodney stammered, demanding clarification a second time.
“Something the doctor called nervous exhaustion. He’s supposed to be okay in a few hours,” Ronon explained.
Rodney nodded. That made sense. John had been on the go almost nonstop since they’d grabbed Marc. He was reasonably certain he hadn’t even left the infirmary since Rodney last came for painkiller. Rodney had hardly been functioning, but at least he’d had some sleep here and there.
Of course John worried himself into the ground, Rodney chastised himself. He wouldn’t leave Carson on his own, not with them being their own ‘team’ and everything. He sat up suddenly, turning to lever himself off the gurney.
“What are you doing, McKay?” Ronon asked, his eyebrow cocked and his face amused.
“I’m - I’m getting up. What does it look like?” Rodney answered, his body feeling awkward and his movements jerky.
“Nope,” Ronon said.
“What?” Rodney said, not understanding the simple statement.
“I said no, McKay,” Ronon said. “The doctor told me you’re supposed to get some rest too.”
Rodney knew he looked chagrined as he thought about it. He couldn’t go back to the lab anytime soon - anyone who didn’t have a nervous breakdown at his approach would be waiting instead for his return with a lynch mob. His friends, well, associates, really were all either in the infirmary or sitting next to him. So really, resting was about all that was left to him at the moment.
It is an ex-parrot. It has ceased to be, Rodney thought again.
oOo
Elizabeth waited at the door, a small plant held reverently in her hands. The door slid open to a surprised Radek Zelenka.
“Doctor Weir?” he asked.
“Hello, Radek,” she smiled.
He stared at her.
“May I come in?” she asked, smiling broader.
He blushed and smiled shyly at her. “Oh, of course. I am sorry,” he said and he waved her into the room. “Please, come in - come in.”
Elizabeth stepped into the couple’s new quarters. She proffered the plant to Radek. “For you, you and Major Lorne,” she said. “A housewarming gift.”
“Thank you,” Radek said politely, accepting the gift.
She heard Marc’s voice call out from a side room. “Who’s there?”
“Doctor Weir,” Radek answered. She threw him a teasing, questioning look - it was not as though the two of them had never worked together before. Worked together often enough that she expected him to use her first name for informal situations.
“Elizabeth,” he stammered, correcting himself.
“Oh,” Marc said, stepping into the main room. “Hello.”
She glanced at the screwdriver he held in his hand. “Building something?” she asked.
“Just setting up bookshelves,” he answered, then nodded toward a tall stack of boxes piled on a wheeled pallet. “We’ve still got lots to unpack.”
She nodded. “It’s a beautiful space.”
“Yes,” Radek agreed. “Would you like a tour?”
Elizabeth nodded and allowed herself to be led around the rooms, little touches of their residence already there, even their toothbrushes, together, sitting in a cup on the bathroom counter. She smiled at everything she saw.
“It looks like you’re well on your way to making a good home here,” she said to them both when Radek returned her to the main room. “I’m sorry to drop by unannounced like this, but I need to speak to you, Marc.”
Radek made as though to excuse himself, and Elizabeth gestured at him. “Please stay, Radek. I need to speak to you as well.”
Marc looked questioningly at her but waved her to one of the couches. The two men seated themselves across from her.
“I’ve just spoken with the infirmary,” she said, pausing for a moment, trying to phrase the next part in as delicate a way as possible. “We’ve had some unexpected problems.”
Radek looked stricken, and glanced at Marc, who asked, “Is Doctor Beckett all right?”
Elizabeth smiled reassuringly. “Yes, he’s doing fine. He’s in good hands,” she said. “The problem is with Colonel Sheppard. He has to stand down for the time being.”
She stopped as Radek’s face turned white. “I’m sorry,” she said gently. “I really am.”
“Has he -” Radek stammered. “Has he hurt somebody else?” He glanced back to Marc, worry written over his face.
“No, nothing like that,” she said, pitching her voice to a unique balance of professional calm and soft assurance. She had not considered that her news might be interpreted that way. “The colonel is suffering from exhaustion, and will be kept in the infirmary for at least a couple of days,” she explained.
She watched the two men exchange glances again.
“I’m sorry to have to ask you this so soon after your own release from the infirmary, Marc, but I need you to step in and cover for him,” she continued. “We have one team in the field doing an archeological survey for another week, and two other teams on offworld recon. I don’t believe it is prudent or safe to continue these missions without things being looked after properly on our end.”
She was pleased to see Radek relax slightly at her words, and Marc sit to attention and nod in agreement, every inch the professional soldier. She relaxed slightly herself, and continued. “I recognise this is an awkward request,” she said. “Notwithstanding that you’re not cleared for full duties, there are -” she groped for the right word for a moment. “Issues, that remain to be resolved regarding the incidents of the past few days.”
Marc shook his head softly and made a rueful grin. “Issues, yes,” he mused. He looked at her, sharp, alert. “Ma’am,” he said. “Elizabeth - don’t worry. I can do the job. We’ll deal with the other issues when the time comes.”
Elizabeth smiled and nodded. Again and again her people impressed her with their ability not only to rise to meet challenges, but their willingness to put aside personal feelings for the good of the mission, for the good of the city - for the good of the people.
“Thank you, Marc,” she said, then turned her attention to Radek.
“I’m sorry to have to bother you, too, Radek,” she said. “Unfortunately, Rodney is also incapacitated at the moment, and will likewise be remaining off-duty for at least a couple of days.”
Radek gaped at her, his face in shock. “I wouldn’t ask you to return to the lab yet, not with these issues remaining unresolved,” she said. “But again, there are projects underway that require supervision, and Rodney won’t be able to do that for awhile. Normally, of course -”
Radek interrupted. “Normally, I am already there,” he said, nodding. He was visibly tense, his hands curled tightly on his lap, knuckles white. “Yes, if Rodney is not there, we will have problems.” He nodded again, as though assessing and calculating variables of an infinitely difficult equation, an analogy that Elizabeth suspected was more accurate than not.
“Yes, Elizabeth. I can return to the lab,” he said. “But, if you please,” he continued, glancing nervously at Marc. “I am not ready to see him. I ask that when he is to be released, I will work from a remote station until -”
“Until matters are settled?” Elizabeth suggested.
Radek nodded. “Yes, correct.”
Elizabeth nodded once in affirmation. “Thank you both, gentlemen. I will expect you both at your stations tomorrow morning then, and to remain so on a regular basis until further notice.”
She left unsaid what the possibilities might be when further notice was given, left unsaid the fact that the US military was already making noise about the rumours that somehow flew through the intergalactic ether to whisper in their ears, left unsaid her concerns over Radek and Rodney’s future together as colleagues, never mind friends.
She stood to leave, the two men standing with her to see her to the door.
“Thank you again,” she said, taking her leave.
End Part XVI