SGA Fic - Shared Burdens
Shared Burdens
Author: Rhiannon - rhian_morwenna
Characters: Carson Beckett, Rodney McKay
Pairing: Carson & Rodney friendship (pre-slash or slash if you want to see it that way, nothing explicit)
Summary: Rodney and Carson talk about their ordeals
Word Count: 837
Genre: Episode Tag, Angst, H/C
Rating: PG-13/Teen
Warning: mention of torture
Spoilers: “Misbegotten” (3.02) and “Progeny” (3.05)
Disclaimer: I can only wish I owned SGA, etc., blah, blah, blah.
Author's Notes: Something that ate at my brain one night and demanded to be written. Beta’d by my spellchecker.
Edit - This has now been read by my beta-reader, lvs2read. All errors are my own. Constructive criticism welcomed since this isn't my usual writing style.
“Hey, there. There’s something I want to show you.”
“What is it? I’m rather busy trying to get caught up on some work.”
“Please. It’s late and you need a break. I left my lab so you need to leave yours.”
“That’s some brilliant logic, there. What is it you wanted to show me?”
“Of course it’s brilliant. And I want to show you, not tell you. C’mon, grab your jacket.”
“You’re insufferable. You know that?”
“Yes, yes. Among many other things.”
“Will you at least tell me where you’re dragging me off to?”
“Nope.”
“Is it far?”
“Not too far. Pretty close to a transporter.”
“That’s the far side of the city!”
“Don’t worry, this part of the city has been cleared by security. Do you really think I’d go off to some unexplored section without John or somebody else escorting us?”
“Sometimes I wonder...”
“Well, don’t. Besides, we’re here.”
“You wanted to show me the balcony?”
“No, not the balcony. Sit down and look up.”
“Oh, my. This is amazing. There’s no danger of impact, is there?”
“No. Well, not much. I mean, there’s always the risk that something relatively large, the size of a tennis ball, might make it through the atmosphere. We’re passing through a dust cloud is all, so the risk is actually minimal. Miniscule, even.”
“It is lovely to watch.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
“Why this balcony?”
“I...I don’t want to be around the crowds that will certainly be on the main balconies. This is more peaceful.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing. I just don’t feel like being surrounded by idiots right now.”
“Oh, so I’m not an idiot today?”
“Just because you specialize in something that is borderline science doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an idiot.”
“I’ll make a note of this day. ‘I am not an idiot.’”
“Very funny. You’re a riot, you know that?”
“I try.”
“So, uh, after the, incident, at the colony, did you have headaches afterwards?”
“Not really. A bit of one from dehydration, but it went away after some IV fluids. Why, are you having headaches?”
“They’re more like migraines.”
“Are they getting worse?”
“No, actually they may be getting better. I was just wondering since you went through something, uh, similar.”
“You’re not the only one who’s been having headaches after that mission.”
“Not surprised. Probably has something to do with having a hand stuck in the forehead.”
“I can’t imagine that was pleasant.”
“That’s one way of putting it.”
“Like I said before, all of your scans were normal and you don’t have any physical injuries.”
“Like you didn’t have any physical injuries?”
“Aye, something like that. Ooh, that was a magnificent fireball.”
“Just a rock the size of a pea burning up.”
“I know. I do know something about astronomy. That doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful to watch. Thank you for bringing me here to see this.”
“I guessed you could appreciate the view.”
“It’s lovely.”
“How do I know this is real? I mean, how do I know that I’m not still back there with some...thing’s...hand in my head?”
“I can’t say. I suppose you don’t know. None of us can know what is real, only what we experience. I wish I had a better answer.”
“I...I guess the fact I can ask that question means...”
“...you’re back with us.”
“What about you? How real was what you went through?”
“I can’t remember all of it, like a dream. A nightmare that I can't remember all the details of. Part of me knew that I was on that infirmary bed the entire time. At the same time images and voices were...forced in my mind. Everything was layered, confusing. At some point I blacked out and don’t remember anything else until you and the others found me.”
“What kind of images?”
“People dying at my hands. Me killing people, especially those I care about. He...he kept showing me those images after...after I revealed the location of the bomb. It was like I was...remembering...things that never actually happened.”
“He had a knife. There was blood. Oh, God, there was so much blood. I...I was paralyzed. I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream. I was screaming in my head, but I couldn’t make a sound. I thought I was going to bleed to death. He had me for hours and...”
“Shh. You’re fine now. It’s over.”
“I know that none of it was real. I checked myself, in my quarters later. I found nothing, not even a bruise. I know there aren’t any physical wounds but they still hurt.”
“I know.”
“Will it ever stop hurting?”
“Aye, it will. It will take time but it will fade. Please, promise me you’ll let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“I will. Right now I just want to stay out here a little longer. I’d appreciate it if you would stay here with me. I don’t think I could really handle being truly alone.”
“I’ll stay with you as long as you need me.”
“Thanks.”
Author: Rhiannon - rhian_morwenna
Characters: Carson Beckett, Rodney McKay
Pairing: Carson & Rodney friendship (pre-slash or slash if you want to see it that way, nothing explicit)
Summary: Rodney and Carson talk about their ordeals
Word Count: 837
Genre: Episode Tag, Angst, H/C
Rating: PG-13/Teen
Warning: mention of torture
Spoilers: “Misbegotten” (3.02) and “Progeny” (3.05)
Disclaimer: I can only wish I owned SGA, etc., blah, blah, blah.
Author's Notes: Something that ate at my brain one night and demanded to be written. Beta’d by my spellchecker.
Edit - This has now been read by my beta-reader, lvs2read. All errors are my own. Constructive criticism welcomed since this isn't my usual writing style.
“Hey, there. There’s something I want to show you.”
“What is it? I’m rather busy trying to get caught up on some work.”
“Please. It’s late and you need a break. I left my lab so you need to leave yours.”
“That’s some brilliant logic, there. What is it you wanted to show me?”
“Of course it’s brilliant. And I want to show you, not tell you. C’mon, grab your jacket.”
“You’re insufferable. You know that?”
“Yes, yes. Among many other things.”
“Will you at least tell me where you’re dragging me off to?”
“Nope.”
“Is it far?”
“Not too far. Pretty close to a transporter.”
“That’s the far side of the city!”
“Don’t worry, this part of the city has been cleared by security. Do you really think I’d go off to some unexplored section without John or somebody else escorting us?”
“Sometimes I wonder...”
“Well, don’t. Besides, we’re here.”
“You wanted to show me the balcony?”
“No, not the balcony. Sit down and look up.”
“Oh, my. This is amazing. There’s no danger of impact, is there?”
“No. Well, not much. I mean, there’s always the risk that something relatively large, the size of a tennis ball, might make it through the atmosphere. We’re passing through a dust cloud is all, so the risk is actually minimal. Miniscule, even.”
“It is lovely to watch.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
“Why this balcony?”
“I...I don’t want to be around the crowds that will certainly be on the main balconies. This is more peaceful.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing. I just don’t feel like being surrounded by idiots right now.”
“Oh, so I’m not an idiot today?”
“Just because you specialize in something that is borderline science doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an idiot.”
“I’ll make a note of this day. ‘I am not an idiot.’”
“Very funny. You’re a riot, you know that?”
“I try.”
“So, uh, after the, incident, at the colony, did you have headaches afterwards?”
“Not really. A bit of one from dehydration, but it went away after some IV fluids. Why, are you having headaches?”
“They’re more like migraines.”
“Are they getting worse?”
“No, actually they may be getting better. I was just wondering since you went through something, uh, similar.”
“You’re not the only one who’s been having headaches after that mission.”
“Not surprised. Probably has something to do with having a hand stuck in the forehead.”
“I can’t imagine that was pleasant.”
“That’s one way of putting it.”
“Like I said before, all of your scans were normal and you don’t have any physical injuries.”
“Like you didn’t have any physical injuries?”
“Aye, something like that. Ooh, that was a magnificent fireball.”
“Just a rock the size of a pea burning up.”
“I know. I do know something about astronomy. That doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful to watch. Thank you for bringing me here to see this.”
“I guessed you could appreciate the view.”
“It’s lovely.”
“How do I know this is real? I mean, how do I know that I’m not still back there with some...thing’s...hand in my head?”
“I can’t say. I suppose you don’t know. None of us can know what is real, only what we experience. I wish I had a better answer.”
“I...I guess the fact I can ask that question means...”
“...you’re back with us.”
“What about you? How real was what you went through?”
“I can’t remember all of it, like a dream. A nightmare that I can't remember all the details of. Part of me knew that I was on that infirmary bed the entire time. At the same time images and voices were...forced in my mind. Everything was layered, confusing. At some point I blacked out and don’t remember anything else until you and the others found me.”
“What kind of images?”
“People dying at my hands. Me killing people, especially those I care about. He...he kept showing me those images after...after I revealed the location of the bomb. It was like I was...remembering...things that never actually happened.”
“He had a knife. There was blood. Oh, God, there was so much blood. I...I was paralyzed. I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream. I was screaming in my head, but I couldn’t make a sound. I thought I was going to bleed to death. He had me for hours and...”
“Shh. You’re fine now. It’s over.”
“I know that none of it was real. I checked myself, in my quarters later. I found nothing, not even a bruise. I know there aren’t any physical wounds but they still hurt.”
“I know.”
“Will it ever stop hurting?”
“Aye, it will. It will take time but it will fade. Please, promise me you’ll let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“I will. Right now I just want to stay out here a little longer. I’d appreciate it if you would stay here with me. I don’t think I could really handle being truly alone.”
“I’ll stay with you as long as you need me.”
“Thanks.”