Fic-A-Thon
Title: Misdirection
by Wingwyrm (wingwyrm@hotmail.com)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea. And even that is suspect!
Author's Note: Totally writen for JeannieWood. She wanted character bashing, a feel good ending and Hyena! or Soldier!Xander. I think I got that all. I really don't know which character I bashed, but I'm pretty sure that you could pick out someone!
Timeline: Post BtVS season 7 and sometime in SG:A season 2
Summery: Xander's been hiding who he really is from everyone.
Rating: NC-17 (sex and a little violence)
Pairing: Xander/Rodney
**
Misdirection
It wasn't goddamn fair. Rodney huddled on the floor in the corner of the cell. A nice quiet training mission with a few new personnel so they could see what 'Gate travel was like that turned out like most of their missions. They went to the planet, got betrayed by the natives and now... here they were; being tortured by the Genii for information.
Sheppard staggered to his feet and pounded on the door of the cell yet again, “Come on Koyla. If you've got questions, ask me.” It was almost heroic, volunteering to get tortured, but Rodney knew it was damage control. However classified Xander Harris' files, and whatever scars he had on his body, he was still a civilian, and civilians broke under torture.
There was a distant rumble, then, seconds later, an explosion. Rodney stumbled to his feet and prayed to every deity he'd ever heard of that the explosion meant Lorne was finally here with a rescue team.
"Well? Do you see anything?" Rodney scowled at Sheppard for blocking the small window in the door with his hair.
"Not yet, McKay."
"Colonel?" Teyla's dazed voice filtered down the hall and Rodney refused to show his relief on his face. He had a reputation to keep after all.
"Teyla?" There was another explosion, this time even closer and the cells walls seemed to almost vibrate. "Is Ronon in that cell with you?"
"He is. I believe we were drugged. The sound of the explosion woke me."
"Good to know you guys are alright." Sheppard cocked his head slightly to the side, "Do you hear that?"
Whether he was talking to Rodney or Teyla, Rodney didn't know, so he answered anyway, "What? The screaming? It's getting louder."
The screams gave Rodney the shivers. They were short. Too short.
"I don't think that's the rescue team." In his usual lethargic way, Sheppard murmured to himself just as a Genii soldier careened around the corner of the hall, running fast and sloppy. He was screaming. A bloody figure followed him, chased him for two seconds then whipped something at the Genii's back. Sheppard refused to let Rodney watch, but by the sickening crunch and the sudden silence, Rodney would bet that whatever had been thrown had been sharp, and had embedded itself in the Genii's neck.
"Harris? "
There was a brief pause, "Hey Colonel... Just uh, just give me a minute here..." There was a bit of shuffling, a grunt and the liquid thick 'shinck' and then keys rattling. "Sorry it took so long." The door unlocked and swung open heavily, finally allowing Rodney to see the dead Genii on the ground. Xander held in his hands the cell keys and a dripping, crimson axe. "It took a while to find the C4."
Rodney stared. This was not the man he was in a relationship with. This; this was some twisted version of him. Xander's tongue darted out of its own violation and licked the splattered blood from his lips. Sheppard caught the keys Xander tossed at him and went to the cell that had Teyla's face in the window.
"Xander?" Rodney frowned and took a step towards his lover, "How... did you do this?"
Xander's head snapped up and Rodney flinched at the predators look on his face. Rodney must have been hallucinating, because he thought for a moment that Xander's hazel eye flashed a deep orange for a moment. "Don't worry too much about it Rodney, this side of me rarely comes out."
"Harris, Ronon's still unconscious." Sheppard helped Teyla limp from the cell. "Where are the other two scientists? Vachss and Anton?"
Xander snapped to attention, "Dead Sir. I can take care of Ronon." Before Sheppard could say anything, Xander slipped into the cell, hoisted Ronon onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry and just as easily slipped back out. "We better get moving before the building blows." As they made their way through the halls to the entrance, Rodney tried as hard as he could not to look at the dead Genii.
There were a lot of them. All of them with their own little pools of bright red blood surrounding them.
No one said anything. No one knew what to say. The Xander Harris that Sheppard's Team knew was relaxed, laid back, constantly joking and having fun. This new Xander Harris was quiet, deadly, and scary; and just maybe, by the silent laughter coming from him, either slightly sadistic or clinically insane.
A quarter of a mile away from the building, there was one last explosion and the team turned to watch the last building crumble.
They made it without further incident to the 'Gate. Xander proved once again to be more then what he'd pretended by tossing a GDO to Rodney. "Go ahead. I want to get home, have a warm meal and a hot shower." Stepping through the 'Gate, Xander almost dropped Ronon but caught himself quickly and laid the larger man down as gently as possible. A final lingering gaze at each of the team unnerved them even more then the previous two hours and then, with a shudder and a moan, Xander passed out on the floor.
With little trouble both Ronon and Xander were loaded onto gurneys and wheeled to the infirmary, Teyla, Sheppard and Rodney following, worried about their friends. Rodney missed the specific look on Sheppard's face. The one that said he was worried about what possible danger Xander Harris posed to himself, his team and his city.
It didn't take long for Rodney to corner Dr Carson Beckett in his office. "So? How is he?"
"Ach Rodney, he's fine. I don't know how he dinna pull a few muscles carrying Ronon like yeh say did, but other then a few scrapes, bruises and first degree burns, he's fine." Carson sat back. "What's wrong?"
"Did you do an MRI?"
"Aye, I did. Why?"
"I..." Rodney paused and then shook his head. "I thought I saw his eye flash. He was acting out of character. I don't want him to be a Gou'ald." Rodney knew he wouldn't be able to accept that.
Straightening up, Carson cast a paternal eye out the window over to where Xander lay unconscious. "Rodney, I've read Xander's medical files. Given his previous injuries, he's been tortured before. Those kinds of things change yeh." The blue in Carson's eyes deepened as he stared at his friend. "Yeh know that first hand."
Slumping into the comfortable Ancient chair across the desk from Carson, Rodney let out a sigh, "Yes. Yes I know. It's just that he... really scared me Carson. Suddenly, in place of this really stupidly funny and articulate man that I'm having sex with was this scary dangerous predator."
"Rodney, you'll just have to talk to the Lad." Digging around the bottom drawer of the desk, Carson withdrew two tumblers and a half bottle of Scotch. "Now, have a shot with me to mourn our two dead and celebrate our five relatively uninjured."
"Hey Doc. Pour one for me too." Sheppard waltzed through the door, and Carson raised an eyebrow at the military commander of Atlantis. "Come on Carson, I came back from the mission without injury."
"A'right Colonel." A third tumbler joined the other two on the desk and there was silence as they downed their alcohol. Carson took a moment to put the Scotch away, giving the men time to talk.
"So, Colonel. Why are you here?" Rodney spoke first, unsurprisingly breaking the silence. Too much silence drove Rodney crazy.
"Well," Sheppard dropped into the empty seat and swing his feet up onto the desk, "I wanted to know how Ronon was doing," he nodded at the doctor, "And I wanted to ask you about Harris."
"Ronon's doing fine." Carson answered first, "Whatever the Genii used to knock you out, they used about four times the amount with Ronon, which is why he's still unconscious. Thankfully it wasn't enough for an overdose, so when the drug finishes flushing out of his system, Ronon will wake up with no ill effects." Sheppard grinned in acknowledgment to Carson and turned to Rodney.
"What about Harris?"
Understanding Sheppard's need to know everything about a possible threat, Rodney took a second to organize his thoughts.
"Alexander Harris. Single child, grew up in a small suburb of L.A. and neglected by his parents. He has two close friends - both female - and was at one point engaged. The ex-fiancé is dead." Rodney paused, "The rest is educated guesses given what I've noticed about him." Sheppard nodded silently saying he wanted to know the educated guesses. "I believe he was in some kind of gang, along with his two friends, prehaps even some kind of militia. Given that most of the people he talks about are dead, I'd say he has a healthy amount of paranoia. Xander has never had a nightmare to my knowledge, he could just be good at hiding or repressing. He's good with explosives, weapons and hand to hand. He's too comfortable with having a 'death sentence' hanging above his head and finding out that monsters like the Wraith exist." Rodney suddenly realized were he was going with his train of thought, where Sheppard would end up. "He is not a part of the Trust Colonel."
"How do you know for sure Rodney?" Sheppard looked at Carson, "Were there any drugs in Harris' system to explain him being able to cart Ronon half a dozen clicks to the Star Gate?"
"No, there was nothing. And, as I assured Rodney earlier Colonel, Mr Harris is nay a Gou'ald." Carson shook his head. "The man's been here in Atlantis for three months now gen'lemen. If he was Trust or anything else, why would he wait this long 'fore trying something?"
"I don't know. Carson, did Harris ever come in for the ATA gene treatment?" Sheppard cocked his head to the side, thinking furiously.
"I'm not sure..." Carson got into the computer and checked Xander's file. "Ah... no. Seems Mr. Harris ne'er came in for the treatment, nor does he have the gene naturally."
Rodney shook his head, genuinely confused. "Okay, I don't understand why he wouldn't even try to get the gene. Everyone on Atlantis wants the gene."Rodney couldn’t help but think that nothing was adding up and he’d never noticed until now.
“So, what are we going to do?” Carson seemed equally lost. He’d never had to deal with espionage before, unlike Rodney and Sheppard.
"We tell Elizabeth, we start watching him." Sheppard turned to Rodney, green eyes hard, "We can’t let him get any information from you Rodney, you’re going have to stop... seeing him."
"He’ll figure that out." Rodney didn’t know why he was protesting, but something deep inside told him that Xander was trustworthy.
The cool stare didn’t soften, "I'm sorry Rodney, but you’ve told me before that you can’t with-hold information to save someone’s life.”
“Colonel, we fuck. It’s not a relationship.” Rodney felt something inside him fracture a bit. “We don’t do a lot of talking while we’re with one another. But, if you insist.”
“Okay, we’ll watch him; make sure everything he does is above board.” Sheppard gave Rodney one quick sympathetic glance before going cold once again.
“And if you’re wrong Colonel?” Carson spoke up, worried for the younger man. If Rodney and Sheppard began to withhold trust from Xander, everyone in the city would notice.
“Then I apologize.” Sheppard’s flinty eyes were very different from his usual good humor and Rodney was abruptly reminded of the differences between Xander’s usual self and who he’d been on P6B-013. “But until we know for sure, I don’t want to risk anything.”
“Understood Colonel.” Carson stood and headed to the door, “Now, if yeh dinna mind, I’m going to go check on Mr. Harris and then head ta dinner.”
Both men watched him go.
Rodney wanted to slam his fist into the desk, and ask again why he had to give up Xander. But he knew it was pointless. He trusted Sheppard with the military part of the expedition, and if Sheppard wanted Xander watched, wanted to keep people safe from Xander, then Rodney would listen.
But he wouldn’t like it.
“Colonel.” A per functionary nod to Sheppard and he was out the door as quickly as possible.
Sheppard didn’t follow him and Rodney was pleased about that. Standing just around the corner of Xander’s infirmary privacy curtain, he heard low voices and nodded to himself. This was the perfect opportunity. To tell Xander he couldn’t be with someone who scared the crap out of him; he couldn’t be with Xander.
He would, as soon as Carson left for dinner.
As soon as he left.
Rodney watched Carson leave and looked back to the curtain. He was doing this. Actually telling Xander they couldn’t... be together anymore.
Drawing himself up, including whatever force of will he had left, Rodney slipped inside the curtain.
The shock of black hair against the white pillow and Xander’s pale face made him pause.
“Rodney...”
“We can’t do this Xander.” Rodney waved his hands between them to illustrate ‘this’, “We can’t keep... we have to stop.”
Confusion filled Xander’s eye and his face twisted, “What? Rodney?”
“No Xander.” Practically forcing the words out, Rodney continued, “What I saw you do on 013, I can’t...”
“But you didn’t see me do anything.” Xander sat up; hands open in invitation to contradict his statement.
“I saw that axe. I saw the dead Genii. I saw that last building blow. You did all that Xander, and I can’t... You laughed.” Rodney dragged up everything he remembered about Xander that had scared him, “You smiled and licked the blood off your lips. I’m a scientist Xander. That kind of behavior doesn’t just ‘go away’ or get repressed without consequences. Something brought that out and I can’t stay... can’t be around you when you could snap and hurt me. Hurt my friends.”
As he talked and gestured, he watched Xander’s face go stony and his eye turn cold. When he trailed off, Xander calmly lay back in the bed. “I understand. I’m sorry you feel that way Rodney. Dr McKay. I’ll leave you alone.” Xander turned his head away from Rodney and closed his eye.
Rodney broke completely at his indifference. He hadn’t even fought. Xander hadn’t even fought for them. Turning away, Rodney left, not noticing the tear that streaked down his face. He’d never be able to fix this.
Hoping to hell that Sheppard was still in Carson’s office he stalked in. As soon as he spotted the tall, lanky brunet he scowled fiercely. “I hope you know what the hell you’re doing you bastard. If all this was for nothing, I will never speak to you ever again.” Rodney’s voice broke and he stopped for a moment, bowing his head, letting his waving hands fall to his sides, “I’m trusting you, John. Because I’ll never be able to fix what I just did.”
“Rodney?” Teyla’s voice startled Rodney and he looked up to see her standing with Sheppard. “What are you talking about?”
“I told Xand... Harris that it was over.”
Her big chocolate eyes widened and shock clearly showed on her face, “Why would you do such a thing?”
“You saw him on 013 Teyla.” Rodney watched her shoulders straighten, “He’s not who he says he is.”
“Xander acted differently than usual, I agree. However, I do not see why you would shun him simply because he showed himself as much of a warrior as Ronon or Colonel Sheppard.” Teyla shook her head and turned to the door, “I will take your leave and see if Xander has need of a friend at this time.” Holding herself like a queen, Teyla left Sheppard and Rodney in the office.
“Rodney.”
“Colonel, I’m trusting you. Don’t make me regret it.” With that said, Rodney followed Teyla out the door, leaving the infirmary instead of going to comfort his ex-lover.
Over the next week both Rodney and Sheppard noticed that Ronon and Teyla were sticking close to Harris, despite having explained their worries about him. Ronon only grunted that if Harris was going to carry him two or more miles unconscious, the man deserved to be treated like a fellow warrior.
Teyla had seen the damage that Harris had inflicted and had therefore decided that whatever wounds Harris had on his soul to make him that angry, she would take steps to help heal him.
By the time the scheduled data burst from Earth came in, both the military and the civilians in Atlantis had started to follow Rodney and Sheppard’s example, leaving Xander alone with only Ronon and Teyla talking to him, or eating with him.
Going through the uncompressed data, Rodney sorted out what was for whom, accumulating a bundle of information for Sheppard, Elizabeth and himself. “...the hell?” He paused and scrolled back. He’d never seen ‘mail’ for Xander before and now that he saw a message addressed to his one-eyed ex-lover, he wondered why this was the first. Being the naturally curious guy that he was, he opened the message. Inside were only a few lines:
TO: Xander.Harris@Lantis.mil.gov
RE: Mission
FROM: Richard.Woosley@IOA.gov.com
and Jonathon.ONeill@SGC.mil.gov
It was the most encrypted thing he’d seen in his entire life.
“Hey Rodney.”
“Colonel.” Rodney passed the screen to Sheppard, “What do you make of this?”
Sheppard looked it over, frowned, a line appearing between his eyebrows. “Well, I’m not totally sure. What exactly is this? A vid file?”
“Yes. I was going to take a quick look at it, but it’s going to take me at least two hours to get to it.” Rodney huffed, unhappy with his prognosis. Someone really, really good had secured the vid and he felt affronted that he’d never come across this type of coding before.
“Is this Base 17?” Sheppard’s incredulous question made Rodney grab the computer back and look over the code again.
“Oh my God.” Base 17 math to encrypt one single message, “Knowing that, this should only take me half and hour.” The patterns were beginning to appear in Rodney’s minds eye and he didn’t notice how his fingers twitched as though typing into a calculator. Numbers scrolled across his eyes and he grunted in reluctant admiration.
A long fingered hand on his shoulder interrupted him, “Rodney? Have you got it?”
“Eh? Uh, yes, I think so.” A glance at the computer clock told Rodney that he’d been at his calculations for forty minutes. Sitting back down, Rodney started typing. “You know, this is actually very brilliant work. I’d love to meet the person who coded this.”
“Rodney, just get the vid running.”
“Alright, alright, I’ve got it now.” Rodney waited for Sheppard to come around the desk so he could watch, Rodney pressing play.
Richard Woosley from the IOA and General O’Neill blinked onto the screen.
“Harris. If the mission’s going right, I hope to God you’ve gained his trust. We need to get him out of there.” O’Neill, blunt as always, started. On screen, Woosley cut in.
“Mr Harris, I shouldn’t need to remind you how crucial this is. Once you have solid proof of the double agent, we need to get him out of there.”
“No shit. The Trust isn’t going to let you take anymore time Harris. Everyone is chomping on the bit. People are going to start dying.” O’Neill smirked, “Remember, don’t draw attention, don’t get caught and don’t kill too many people. We want the city still standing when you get done.”
“Yes. Mr Harris, once you’re done your job, Atlantis will be under control of the right people. You have two weeks. The Trust is moving the schedule up. Good luck.”
And the vid stopped.
Sheppard and Rodney looked at each other in horror. Xander Harris was working for the Trust. Obviously O'Neill had been implanted with a Gou’ald. There had always been some suspicion about Woosley, but this...
“Ah,” Rodney finally blinked. “You... did you get the same out of that message that I did?”
Carding a shaky hand through unruly hair, Sheppard nodded. “I think so. My God. How, but this... he.”
No one had expected something so diabolical. They were stunned.
*Rodney?* Elizabeth’s voice came in over Rodney’s comm and he toggled it.
“Yes?”
*Not to be a bother, but you usually send out all the compressed data by this time.*
"Uh, yes. So sorry," Rodney sneered, "It's not like I have other, more important things to do."
*Rodney.*
"Actually, Sheppard and I need to talk to you. We're on our way to your office."
*Okay. I'll be here.* There was a click and Rodney started towards the door.
"Rodney, we need to think about this." Sheppard mentally commanded the doors to stay closed and Rodney came within half an inch of smashing into the door he'd assumed would open.
"What the fuck Sheppard?" Rodney spun, anger burning throughout him.
"Rodney..."
"No! That bastard fucking... betrayed me! He made me trust him, I let him... I will not allow him to keep running around Atlantis as a traitor, a manipulator, I will not. Let him. Fuck. With. Anyone. Else." Rodney snarled at Sheppard and the Colonel took a step backwards at his fury.
"Rodney, we don't know..."
"I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON!" Rodney's scream echoed in the office and Sheppard flinched.
"No Rodney, you don't. We think we know what's going on. I realize that I was the one that started this whole thing, and I don't want to make a mistake just because Harris rubs me the wrong way, I don't want to be wrong because you still, well," Sheppard shrugged, "like him. I also don't want to be right because I don't trust him. But we have no proof either way. We need proof."
"Fine then Colonel. We'll get proof. How about we go get a couple of stunners, some sodium thiopental and we'll have a nice long talk with him."
"Little harsh there Rodney." Sheppard ran a hand through his hair, "How about we just confront him about the missive and he'll either lie, or he'll tell the truth."
"Colonel, there are more then just two ways to answer a question."
"Ah, but if he doesn't answer the question correctly, we can assume that he's with the Trust. He knows that." There was a scary gleam in Sheppard's eyes and Rodney squinted a bit at him, idea's flying at mach 8 through his head. Starting to pace, Sheppard crossed the office in eleven steps, spun and crossed the office again, "We have the recording, we have his record of 013 and we know that he was trying to get information from you. If there's anything else, you should tell me now, so we can talk to him about it."
"You mean interrogate." Having calmed down slightly, he realised that he liked the man way too much for Sheppard to go off on him like that. Like Xander was some kind of evil that needed to be interrogated and then either tossed away, or if Rodney was reading Sheppard right, gotten rid of. "Colonel, I don't like the idea of..."
"Of course you don't Rodney. I wouldn't ask you to participate actively. Lorne and I can do the other stuff."
"And where, exactly, were you going to dispose of the body?"
"Probably the ocean." Clearly Sheppard wasn't thinking coherently, otherwise he never would have let that slip.
"Colonel. We have to go and talk to Elizabeth right now. Once we've presented everything to her, then we can talk about what to do next." Elizabeth was Rodney's friend and a pacifist. She wouldn't let anything like that happen. She had not let Sheppard nuke the Genii, even after all they'd done to Atlantis, and she wasn't going to allow this to happen either.
"Right," The door swished open and Sheppard bounded towards it, "Lets go do this."
Reaching the embarkation room, they heard shouting and as they reached the 'Gate platform, a gunshot, then everything went silent.
Halfway down the stairs, Xander Harris stood, gun smoking in his hand, still aimed at the body on the floor, two feet from the blue event horizon. "Shut the 'Gate down." His voice was hard and Sergeant Campbell obeyed the order.
"What the fuck!" Sheppard pulled his sidearm, "Harris, put the gun down. Now!"
"Sheppard, don't fuck with me right now." Xander walked down the steps confidently, somehow knowing that Sheppard would want answers before shooting him, "Lieutenant Peter David. That's who I shot." Rodney ran that name through his head and came up with 'Marine, computer programmer and communications expert'. "He's been sending communiqués to the Trust about Atlantis on a piggy back signal whenever there's a data burst. I caught him this time. He was running for, if you can believe it, the Genii home-world. The goddamn Trust is in league with them." Xander kicked the body over and sneered down at it, "I hate traitors."
"Harris, put the gun down. We'll take you into custody and check your story, but you have to put the gun down." Sheppard knew exactly how ruthless Xander could be and he needed to make sure that his city and team and people were safe. They weren't safe when Xander had a weapon.
The gun was confidently placed on the ground six feet from the body and the Marines that had been on duty finally did their job.
When Xander had drawn the gun on Lieutenant David, even after David had taken a hostage, the Marines had been stunned. David was one of the originals. One of the ones who'd come with the first batch to Atlantis, never knowing if they'd make it back to Earth.
"No." Elizabeth's voice carried out over the large room, "Xander Harris just saved a lot of lives." She made her way stately to the man surrounded by Marines, "He saved Dr Fallon and Dr Korda from being killed, and he made sure that the Genii and the Trust didn't get any more information about Atlantis." She looked hard at the Marines, "Let him go."
Xander stood where he was, not moving. He didn't want anyone, namely Sheppard, to shoot him by mistake. "Thank you Elizabeth. May I talk to you in your office?"
"Sergeant, please clean this up." Elizabeth held out her arm for Xander to precede her to the office. In the office, overlooking the embarkation room, she sat and looked up at her friend, "So Xander, talk to me."
"I need to talk to Rodney first, but if he can't accept my actions for the last week, I'd like to be added to the list of personnel going back to Earth."
"Xander," Elizabeth smiled genuinely at the younger man, "That's not a problem. You have good reason for both staying and leaving and it's up to you to decide now that the traitor's been found."
A relieved sigh left Xander and his shoulders loosened, "Thanks, Dr Weir."
"No, thank you, Xander. Now," she sat back decisively, "I believe you have someone to go talk to?" An elegant eyebrow rose and Xander grinned.
As he was leaving he reminded himself to thank Teyla and Ronon later for sticking by him over the last week.
"Xander," Rodney met him at the bottom of the stairs, "I think we need to talk."
"We do. Let's meet in your office in five minutes or so? First I need to apologize for not informing Colonel Sheppard about the op that O'Neill set up."
"Right. Yes, good idea. I'll see you there." With his usual barely contained energy, Rodney left.
A dark glare made Xander look to where the Colonel watched him like a hawk from an alcove just off to the side.
"Harris."
"Colonel. I'd like to apologize."
"Accepted. Considering what I had assumed bout you, shouldn't I be the one apologizing?" The Colonel softened a tad, leaning into the wall like he was using his shoulder to prop the wall up.
"I meaningfully deceived you. I know what you thought and I didn't exactly encourage it, but I didn't correct you." Xander shrugged, "I've been a part of one war or another for eleven years Colonel. I know that sometimes you have to make the good guys think you're a bad guy so the bad guys will trust you. Sometimes it's the only way you can win."
"I see." Sheppard held out his hand, "Well, I'll try a little harder to get to know you this time."
With a goofy grin, Xander shook Sheppard's hand. Enthusiastically, he jerked his head in the direction of the labs, "Kay, I have to go talk to Rodney now."
"Go on, go get him Kid."
The lights were off in the office and Xander cautiously stepped into the dark. "Rodney?"
A hand reached out and touched his shoulder, "I'm sorry Xander."
Pulling Rodney into his strong arms, Xander shook his head, "Not your fault Rodney."
"Well, not all of it. When you didn't fight me when I broke it off with you..."
"Now you know why."
Hot breath moved over Xander's neck as lips ghosted over the sensitive skin, "Yeah."
Xander ran his hands down strong shoulders, over the softer waist and settled on his lover's belt. "Rodney..."
"Yes. God yes." Rodney's large, deft hands cradled Xander's face and drew the slightly taller man down to catch him in a kiss. Xander opened his lips and shuddered as their tongues met and tangled.
As nice as going slow was, neither man could stand it any longer and Xander's hands came up to Rodney's belt, flicked it open and eagerly slid a hand down Rodney's boxers. Someone gasped into their carnal kiss when he wrapped his fingers around Rodney's hard on.
Ripping himself away form the kiss, Xander hit the ground on his knees a tad too hard but didn't care. Hooking his thumbs on the waistband of both Rodney's pants and boxers he yanked the material down to his thighs and sucked Rodney's dick into his mouth.
Warm, perfect. The concentrated smell of just Rodney. The hitched breaths and half said words from Rodney made Xander smirk and suck just that much harder. A firm hand on his shoulder made Xander pause to look up, cock still half in his mouth.
"Oh God... Xander, I need to fuck you." Rodney's eyes were wide, his pupils dilated so big that there was only a thin circle of blue around black. Rodney's other hand, the one not caressing Xander's jaw, fumbled at his pocket for a moment before returning into sight with a small tube of lubricant.
Humming happily, Xander let go of Rodney with one last suck, and stood at the same time as he divested himself of his button up shirt. He slithered out of his pants, toed off his boots and taking less then what seemed like a second to ride his feet of his socks said, "I have to feel you everywhere."
"Wow," Rodney stared, "How... sex? How are you so, so coordinated?"
"Practice. Come on Rodney, I need this as much as you,” Xander lay back on the desk, unsurprisingly empty as Rodney usually took everything with him everywhere. Xander leered at Rodney and spread his legs, reaching down to stroke himself one or twice.
"Dear God... fucking beautiful..." Rodney tossed the lube to Xander and hastily began to strip. Glancing up one, halfway out of his pants, he did a double take, almost tripping on the cuff. "Holy shit..." Xander had two fingers deep inside of himself, totally silent as he stroked his cock slowly, taking his time. His head was thrown back, his chest heaving and his hips undulating in time with his hand and fingers.
"Hurry up Rodney, I need you in me." Deciding to not take anymore time, Rodney left his clothes on the floor as he went to Xander. Taking the lube from beside his lover, he quickly covered himself and stepped in-between the spread thighs.
"Xander..."
"'m ready."
As the fingers slipped from Xander's body, Rodney moved in and slowly pushed. Xander had used only two fingers to prep himself and Rodney was not going to hurt his lover. Xander moaned just under his breath, "Please Rodney, now, please." Not one to say no to such an invitation, Rodney grabbed Xander's hips securely and hitched his lover up just a bit, tilted his body just the perfect way and slipped right in, sliding into that glorious heat and tight grip, knowing by Xander's familiar keening that he'd hit the spot dead on.
"Xander..." far past the stage of talking, Rodney pulled and pushed, slamming into his lover, stroking Xander's prostate with each thrust, fingers digging deep into Xander's hips, creating bruises that neither man cared about. Xander's moans began to get louder and Rodney, knowing Xander was close, paused, grabbed Xander's cock in one hand, rubbed his balls with the other and confidently thrust once into Xander, stopping as soon as he stroked Xander's prostate.
Xander curled up with a deep keen, bucked once, twice, thrice on Rodney's cock and came, shudders wracking his body, clenching tight around Rodney. Catching Xander's mouth, Rodney kissed him heavily, tongues curling around each other, stroking everything and anything in reach. Rodney took a deep breath, stared into Xander's face, "Xander. I love you."
"Rodney," Xander lay a shaking hand on Rodney's face, supping his cheek, "Love you." He smiled and wigged a bit, "Now fuck me."
Rodney pulled back and slammed back in, reveling in the heat, in Xander. Xander who didn't want Rodney for his brain, for anything but him. Someone who wanted him for him. Two more thrusts and he came, hips stuttering to a halt, don’t, finished. He rested against Xander even as he slid out of his lover.
They were silent, happy they didn't have to fill the space around them with words.
Groaning, Rodney finally pulled away, "This is going to ruin my back."
A low giggle made Rodney playfully slap the chest under him, "Hey Rodney."
"Stop." Rodney raised a hand, "Xander, I'm a genius. I figured everything out in the few minutes I was waiting for you to get to the office. If I hadn't, I never would have had sex again with you."
"Ah, right." Xander grimaced at the mess on his body, "So, I can tell Elizabeth that I'm staying here?"
Rodney stopped buttoning his shirt and pulled Xander into his arms, "You told me you loved me. I'm not about to let you go."
"Good. Just remember that, 'cause I can be stupid sometimes."
"Ha!" Rodney let go of his lover and they continued getting dressed, "You know me and my social graces."
"No, you don't have social graces. You say exactly what's on your mind and I've always loved that." The men headed for the door, Rodney planning on following Xander to his room for shower sex. Xander was expecting that. He'd tell Elizabeth later that he was staying.
"Oh really?" Rodney put an arm around Xander's waist as they walked down the hall.
"Yeah, here, let me tell you about the two other people I've had long relationships with..."
THE END
Hope you like it!
by Wingwyrm (wingwyrm@hotmail.com)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea. And even that is suspect!
Author's Note: Totally writen for JeannieWood. She wanted character bashing, a feel good ending and Hyena! or Soldier!Xander. I think I got that all. I really don't know which character I bashed, but I'm pretty sure that you could pick out someone!
Timeline: Post BtVS season 7 and sometime in SG:A season 2
Summery: Xander's been hiding who he really is from everyone.
Rating: NC-17 (sex and a little violence)
Pairing: Xander/Rodney
**
Misdirection
It wasn't goddamn fair. Rodney huddled on the floor in the corner of the cell. A nice quiet training mission with a few new personnel so they could see what 'Gate travel was like that turned out like most of their missions. They went to the planet, got betrayed by the natives and now... here they were; being tortured by the Genii for information.
Sheppard staggered to his feet and pounded on the door of the cell yet again, “Come on Koyla. If you've got questions, ask me.” It was almost heroic, volunteering to get tortured, but Rodney knew it was damage control. However classified Xander Harris' files, and whatever scars he had on his body, he was still a civilian, and civilians broke under torture.
There was a distant rumble, then, seconds later, an explosion. Rodney stumbled to his feet and prayed to every deity he'd ever heard of that the explosion meant Lorne was finally here with a rescue team.
"Well? Do you see anything?" Rodney scowled at Sheppard for blocking the small window in the door with his hair.
"Not yet, McKay."
"Colonel?" Teyla's dazed voice filtered down the hall and Rodney refused to show his relief on his face. He had a reputation to keep after all.
"Teyla?" There was another explosion, this time even closer and the cells walls seemed to almost vibrate. "Is Ronon in that cell with you?"
"He is. I believe we were drugged. The sound of the explosion woke me."
"Good to know you guys are alright." Sheppard cocked his head slightly to the side, "Do you hear that?"
Whether he was talking to Rodney or Teyla, Rodney didn't know, so he answered anyway, "What? The screaming? It's getting louder."
The screams gave Rodney the shivers. They were short. Too short.
"I don't think that's the rescue team." In his usual lethargic way, Sheppard murmured to himself just as a Genii soldier careened around the corner of the hall, running fast and sloppy. He was screaming. A bloody figure followed him, chased him for two seconds then whipped something at the Genii's back. Sheppard refused to let Rodney watch, but by the sickening crunch and the sudden silence, Rodney would bet that whatever had been thrown had been sharp, and had embedded itself in the Genii's neck.
"Harris? "
There was a brief pause, "Hey Colonel... Just uh, just give me a minute here..." There was a bit of shuffling, a grunt and the liquid thick 'shinck' and then keys rattling. "Sorry it took so long." The door unlocked and swung open heavily, finally allowing Rodney to see the dead Genii on the ground. Xander held in his hands the cell keys and a dripping, crimson axe. "It took a while to find the C4."
Rodney stared. This was not the man he was in a relationship with. This; this was some twisted version of him. Xander's tongue darted out of its own violation and licked the splattered blood from his lips. Sheppard caught the keys Xander tossed at him and went to the cell that had Teyla's face in the window.
"Xander?" Rodney frowned and took a step towards his lover, "How... did you do this?"
Xander's head snapped up and Rodney flinched at the predators look on his face. Rodney must have been hallucinating, because he thought for a moment that Xander's hazel eye flashed a deep orange for a moment. "Don't worry too much about it Rodney, this side of me rarely comes out."
"Harris, Ronon's still unconscious." Sheppard helped Teyla limp from the cell. "Where are the other two scientists? Vachss and Anton?"
Xander snapped to attention, "Dead Sir. I can take care of Ronon." Before Sheppard could say anything, Xander slipped into the cell, hoisted Ronon onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry and just as easily slipped back out. "We better get moving before the building blows." As they made their way through the halls to the entrance, Rodney tried as hard as he could not to look at the dead Genii.
There were a lot of them. All of them with their own little pools of bright red blood surrounding them.
No one said anything. No one knew what to say. The Xander Harris that Sheppard's Team knew was relaxed, laid back, constantly joking and having fun. This new Xander Harris was quiet, deadly, and scary; and just maybe, by the silent laughter coming from him, either slightly sadistic or clinically insane.
A quarter of a mile away from the building, there was one last explosion and the team turned to watch the last building crumble.
They made it without further incident to the 'Gate. Xander proved once again to be more then what he'd pretended by tossing a GDO to Rodney. "Go ahead. I want to get home, have a warm meal and a hot shower." Stepping through the 'Gate, Xander almost dropped Ronon but caught himself quickly and laid the larger man down as gently as possible. A final lingering gaze at each of the team unnerved them even more then the previous two hours and then, with a shudder and a moan, Xander passed out on the floor.
With little trouble both Ronon and Xander were loaded onto gurneys and wheeled to the infirmary, Teyla, Sheppard and Rodney following, worried about their friends. Rodney missed the specific look on Sheppard's face. The one that said he was worried about what possible danger Xander Harris posed to himself, his team and his city.
It didn't take long for Rodney to corner Dr Carson Beckett in his office. "So? How is he?"
"Ach Rodney, he's fine. I don't know how he dinna pull a few muscles carrying Ronon like yeh say did, but other then a few scrapes, bruises and first degree burns, he's fine." Carson sat back. "What's wrong?"
"Did you do an MRI?"
"Aye, I did. Why?"
"I..." Rodney paused and then shook his head. "I thought I saw his eye flash. He was acting out of character. I don't want him to be a Gou'ald." Rodney knew he wouldn't be able to accept that.
Straightening up, Carson cast a paternal eye out the window over to where Xander lay unconscious. "Rodney, I've read Xander's medical files. Given his previous injuries, he's been tortured before. Those kinds of things change yeh." The blue in Carson's eyes deepened as he stared at his friend. "Yeh know that first hand."
Slumping into the comfortable Ancient chair across the desk from Carson, Rodney let out a sigh, "Yes. Yes I know. It's just that he... really scared me Carson. Suddenly, in place of this really stupidly funny and articulate man that I'm having sex with was this scary dangerous predator."
"Rodney, you'll just have to talk to the Lad." Digging around the bottom drawer of the desk, Carson withdrew two tumblers and a half bottle of Scotch. "Now, have a shot with me to mourn our two dead and celebrate our five relatively uninjured."
"Hey Doc. Pour one for me too." Sheppard waltzed through the door, and Carson raised an eyebrow at the military commander of Atlantis. "Come on Carson, I came back from the mission without injury."
"A'right Colonel." A third tumbler joined the other two on the desk and there was silence as they downed their alcohol. Carson took a moment to put the Scotch away, giving the men time to talk.
"So, Colonel. Why are you here?" Rodney spoke first, unsurprisingly breaking the silence. Too much silence drove Rodney crazy.
"Well," Sheppard dropped into the empty seat and swing his feet up onto the desk, "I wanted to know how Ronon was doing," he nodded at the doctor, "And I wanted to ask you about Harris."
"Ronon's doing fine." Carson answered first, "Whatever the Genii used to knock you out, they used about four times the amount with Ronon, which is why he's still unconscious. Thankfully it wasn't enough for an overdose, so when the drug finishes flushing out of his system, Ronon will wake up with no ill effects." Sheppard grinned in acknowledgment to Carson and turned to Rodney.
"What about Harris?"
Understanding Sheppard's need to know everything about a possible threat, Rodney took a second to organize his thoughts.
"Alexander Harris. Single child, grew up in a small suburb of L.A. and neglected by his parents. He has two close friends - both female - and was at one point engaged. The ex-fiancé is dead." Rodney paused, "The rest is educated guesses given what I've noticed about him." Sheppard nodded silently saying he wanted to know the educated guesses. "I believe he was in some kind of gang, along with his two friends, prehaps even some kind of militia. Given that most of the people he talks about are dead, I'd say he has a healthy amount of paranoia. Xander has never had a nightmare to my knowledge, he could just be good at hiding or repressing. He's good with explosives, weapons and hand to hand. He's too comfortable with having a 'death sentence' hanging above his head and finding out that monsters like the Wraith exist." Rodney suddenly realized were he was going with his train of thought, where Sheppard would end up. "He is not a part of the Trust Colonel."
"How do you know for sure Rodney?" Sheppard looked at Carson, "Were there any drugs in Harris' system to explain him being able to cart Ronon half a dozen clicks to the Star Gate?"
"No, there was nothing. And, as I assured Rodney earlier Colonel, Mr Harris is nay a Gou'ald." Carson shook his head. "The man's been here in Atlantis for three months now gen'lemen. If he was Trust or anything else, why would he wait this long 'fore trying something?"
"I don't know. Carson, did Harris ever come in for the ATA gene treatment?" Sheppard cocked his head to the side, thinking furiously.
"I'm not sure..." Carson got into the computer and checked Xander's file. "Ah... no. Seems Mr. Harris ne'er came in for the treatment, nor does he have the gene naturally."
Rodney shook his head, genuinely confused. "Okay, I don't understand why he wouldn't even try to get the gene. Everyone on Atlantis wants the gene."Rodney couldn’t help but think that nothing was adding up and he’d never noticed until now.
“So, what are we going to do?” Carson seemed equally lost. He’d never had to deal with espionage before, unlike Rodney and Sheppard.
"We tell Elizabeth, we start watching him." Sheppard turned to Rodney, green eyes hard, "We can’t let him get any information from you Rodney, you’re going have to stop... seeing him."
"He’ll figure that out." Rodney didn’t know why he was protesting, but something deep inside told him that Xander was trustworthy.
The cool stare didn’t soften, "I'm sorry Rodney, but you’ve told me before that you can’t with-hold information to save someone’s life.”
“Colonel, we fuck. It’s not a relationship.” Rodney felt something inside him fracture a bit. “We don’t do a lot of talking while we’re with one another. But, if you insist.”
“Okay, we’ll watch him; make sure everything he does is above board.” Sheppard gave Rodney one quick sympathetic glance before going cold once again.
“And if you’re wrong Colonel?” Carson spoke up, worried for the younger man. If Rodney and Sheppard began to withhold trust from Xander, everyone in the city would notice.
“Then I apologize.” Sheppard’s flinty eyes were very different from his usual good humor and Rodney was abruptly reminded of the differences between Xander’s usual self and who he’d been on P6B-013. “But until we know for sure, I don’t want to risk anything.”
“Understood Colonel.” Carson stood and headed to the door, “Now, if yeh dinna mind, I’m going to go check on Mr. Harris and then head ta dinner.”
Both men watched him go.
Rodney wanted to slam his fist into the desk, and ask again why he had to give up Xander. But he knew it was pointless. He trusted Sheppard with the military part of the expedition, and if Sheppard wanted Xander watched, wanted to keep people safe from Xander, then Rodney would listen.
But he wouldn’t like it.
“Colonel.” A per functionary nod to Sheppard and he was out the door as quickly as possible.
Sheppard didn’t follow him and Rodney was pleased about that. Standing just around the corner of Xander’s infirmary privacy curtain, he heard low voices and nodded to himself. This was the perfect opportunity. To tell Xander he couldn’t be with someone who scared the crap out of him; he couldn’t be with Xander.
He would, as soon as Carson left for dinner.
As soon as he left.
Rodney watched Carson leave and looked back to the curtain. He was doing this. Actually telling Xander they couldn’t... be together anymore.
Drawing himself up, including whatever force of will he had left, Rodney slipped inside the curtain.
The shock of black hair against the white pillow and Xander’s pale face made him pause.
“Rodney...”
“We can’t do this Xander.” Rodney waved his hands between them to illustrate ‘this’, “We can’t keep... we have to stop.”
Confusion filled Xander’s eye and his face twisted, “What? Rodney?”
“No Xander.” Practically forcing the words out, Rodney continued, “What I saw you do on 013, I can’t...”
“But you didn’t see me do anything.” Xander sat up; hands open in invitation to contradict his statement.
“I saw that axe. I saw the dead Genii. I saw that last building blow. You did all that Xander, and I can’t... You laughed.” Rodney dragged up everything he remembered about Xander that had scared him, “You smiled and licked the blood off your lips. I’m a scientist Xander. That kind of behavior doesn’t just ‘go away’ or get repressed without consequences. Something brought that out and I can’t stay... can’t be around you when you could snap and hurt me. Hurt my friends.”
As he talked and gestured, he watched Xander’s face go stony and his eye turn cold. When he trailed off, Xander calmly lay back in the bed. “I understand. I’m sorry you feel that way Rodney. Dr McKay. I’ll leave you alone.” Xander turned his head away from Rodney and closed his eye.
Rodney broke completely at his indifference. He hadn’t even fought. Xander hadn’t even fought for them. Turning away, Rodney left, not noticing the tear that streaked down his face. He’d never be able to fix this.
Hoping to hell that Sheppard was still in Carson’s office he stalked in. As soon as he spotted the tall, lanky brunet he scowled fiercely. “I hope you know what the hell you’re doing you bastard. If all this was for nothing, I will never speak to you ever again.” Rodney’s voice broke and he stopped for a moment, bowing his head, letting his waving hands fall to his sides, “I’m trusting you, John. Because I’ll never be able to fix what I just did.”
“Rodney?” Teyla’s voice startled Rodney and he looked up to see her standing with Sheppard. “What are you talking about?”
“I told Xand... Harris that it was over.”
Her big chocolate eyes widened and shock clearly showed on her face, “Why would you do such a thing?”
“You saw him on 013 Teyla.” Rodney watched her shoulders straighten, “He’s not who he says he is.”
“Xander acted differently than usual, I agree. However, I do not see why you would shun him simply because he showed himself as much of a warrior as Ronon or Colonel Sheppard.” Teyla shook her head and turned to the door, “I will take your leave and see if Xander has need of a friend at this time.” Holding herself like a queen, Teyla left Sheppard and Rodney in the office.
“Rodney.”
“Colonel, I’m trusting you. Don’t make me regret it.” With that said, Rodney followed Teyla out the door, leaving the infirmary instead of going to comfort his ex-lover.
Over the next week both Rodney and Sheppard noticed that Ronon and Teyla were sticking close to Harris, despite having explained their worries about him. Ronon only grunted that if Harris was going to carry him two or more miles unconscious, the man deserved to be treated like a fellow warrior.
Teyla had seen the damage that Harris had inflicted and had therefore decided that whatever wounds Harris had on his soul to make him that angry, she would take steps to help heal him.
By the time the scheduled data burst from Earth came in, both the military and the civilians in Atlantis had started to follow Rodney and Sheppard’s example, leaving Xander alone with only Ronon and Teyla talking to him, or eating with him.
Going through the uncompressed data, Rodney sorted out what was for whom, accumulating a bundle of information for Sheppard, Elizabeth and himself. “...the hell?” He paused and scrolled back. He’d never seen ‘mail’ for Xander before and now that he saw a message addressed to his one-eyed ex-lover, he wondered why this was the first. Being the naturally curious guy that he was, he opened the message. Inside were only a few lines:
TO: Xander.Harris@Lantis.mil.gov
RE: Mission
FROM: Richard.Woosley@IOA.gov.com
and Jonathon.ONeill@SGC.mil.gov
It was the most encrypted thing he’d seen in his entire life.
“Hey Rodney.”
“Colonel.” Rodney passed the screen to Sheppard, “What do you make of this?”
Sheppard looked it over, frowned, a line appearing between his eyebrows. “Well, I’m not totally sure. What exactly is this? A vid file?”
“Yes. I was going to take a quick look at it, but it’s going to take me at least two hours to get to it.” Rodney huffed, unhappy with his prognosis. Someone really, really good had secured the vid and he felt affronted that he’d never come across this type of coding before.
“Is this Base 17?” Sheppard’s incredulous question made Rodney grab the computer back and look over the code again.
“Oh my God.” Base 17 math to encrypt one single message, “Knowing that, this should only take me half and hour.” The patterns were beginning to appear in Rodney’s minds eye and he didn’t notice how his fingers twitched as though typing into a calculator. Numbers scrolled across his eyes and he grunted in reluctant admiration.
A long fingered hand on his shoulder interrupted him, “Rodney? Have you got it?”
“Eh? Uh, yes, I think so.” A glance at the computer clock told Rodney that he’d been at his calculations for forty minutes. Sitting back down, Rodney started typing. “You know, this is actually very brilliant work. I’d love to meet the person who coded this.”
“Rodney, just get the vid running.”
“Alright, alright, I’ve got it now.” Rodney waited for Sheppard to come around the desk so he could watch, Rodney pressing play.
Richard Woosley from the IOA and General O’Neill blinked onto the screen.
“Harris. If the mission’s going right, I hope to God you’ve gained his trust. We need to get him out of there.” O’Neill, blunt as always, started. On screen, Woosley cut in.
“Mr Harris, I shouldn’t need to remind you how crucial this is. Once you have solid proof of the double agent, we need to get him out of there.”
“No shit. The Trust isn’t going to let you take anymore time Harris. Everyone is chomping on the bit. People are going to start dying.” O’Neill smirked, “Remember, don’t draw attention, don’t get caught and don’t kill too many people. We want the city still standing when you get done.”
“Yes. Mr Harris, once you’re done your job, Atlantis will be under control of the right people. You have two weeks. The Trust is moving the schedule up. Good luck.”
And the vid stopped.
Sheppard and Rodney looked at each other in horror. Xander Harris was working for the Trust. Obviously O'Neill had been implanted with a Gou’ald. There had always been some suspicion about Woosley, but this...
“Ah,” Rodney finally blinked. “You... did you get the same out of that message that I did?”
Carding a shaky hand through unruly hair, Sheppard nodded. “I think so. My God. How, but this... he.”
No one had expected something so diabolical. They were stunned.
*Rodney?* Elizabeth’s voice came in over Rodney’s comm and he toggled it.
“Yes?”
*Not to be a bother, but you usually send out all the compressed data by this time.*
"Uh, yes. So sorry," Rodney sneered, "It's not like I have other, more important things to do."
*Rodney.*
"Actually, Sheppard and I need to talk to you. We're on our way to your office."
*Okay. I'll be here.* There was a click and Rodney started towards the door.
"Rodney, we need to think about this." Sheppard mentally commanded the doors to stay closed and Rodney came within half an inch of smashing into the door he'd assumed would open.
"What the fuck Sheppard?" Rodney spun, anger burning throughout him.
"Rodney..."
"No! That bastard fucking... betrayed me! He made me trust him, I let him... I will not allow him to keep running around Atlantis as a traitor, a manipulator, I will not. Let him. Fuck. With. Anyone. Else." Rodney snarled at Sheppard and the Colonel took a step backwards at his fury.
"Rodney, we don't know..."
"I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON!" Rodney's scream echoed in the office and Sheppard flinched.
"No Rodney, you don't. We think we know what's going on. I realize that I was the one that started this whole thing, and I don't want to make a mistake just because Harris rubs me the wrong way, I don't want to be wrong because you still, well," Sheppard shrugged, "like him. I also don't want to be right because I don't trust him. But we have no proof either way. We need proof."
"Fine then Colonel. We'll get proof. How about we go get a couple of stunners, some sodium thiopental and we'll have a nice long talk with him."
"Little harsh there Rodney." Sheppard ran a hand through his hair, "How about we just confront him about the missive and he'll either lie, or he'll tell the truth."
"Colonel, there are more then just two ways to answer a question."
"Ah, but if he doesn't answer the question correctly, we can assume that he's with the Trust. He knows that." There was a scary gleam in Sheppard's eyes and Rodney squinted a bit at him, idea's flying at mach 8 through his head. Starting to pace, Sheppard crossed the office in eleven steps, spun and crossed the office again, "We have the recording, we have his record of 013 and we know that he was trying to get information from you. If there's anything else, you should tell me now, so we can talk to him about it."
"You mean interrogate." Having calmed down slightly, he realised that he liked the man way too much for Sheppard to go off on him like that. Like Xander was some kind of evil that needed to be interrogated and then either tossed away, or if Rodney was reading Sheppard right, gotten rid of. "Colonel, I don't like the idea of..."
"Of course you don't Rodney. I wouldn't ask you to participate actively. Lorne and I can do the other stuff."
"And where, exactly, were you going to dispose of the body?"
"Probably the ocean." Clearly Sheppard wasn't thinking coherently, otherwise he never would have let that slip.
"Colonel. We have to go and talk to Elizabeth right now. Once we've presented everything to her, then we can talk about what to do next." Elizabeth was Rodney's friend and a pacifist. She wouldn't let anything like that happen. She had not let Sheppard nuke the Genii, even after all they'd done to Atlantis, and she wasn't going to allow this to happen either.
"Right," The door swished open and Sheppard bounded towards it, "Lets go do this."
Reaching the embarkation room, they heard shouting and as they reached the 'Gate platform, a gunshot, then everything went silent.
Halfway down the stairs, Xander Harris stood, gun smoking in his hand, still aimed at the body on the floor, two feet from the blue event horizon. "Shut the 'Gate down." His voice was hard and Sergeant Campbell obeyed the order.
"What the fuck!" Sheppard pulled his sidearm, "Harris, put the gun down. Now!"
"Sheppard, don't fuck with me right now." Xander walked down the steps confidently, somehow knowing that Sheppard would want answers before shooting him, "Lieutenant Peter David. That's who I shot." Rodney ran that name through his head and came up with 'Marine, computer programmer and communications expert'. "He's been sending communiqués to the Trust about Atlantis on a piggy back signal whenever there's a data burst. I caught him this time. He was running for, if you can believe it, the Genii home-world. The goddamn Trust is in league with them." Xander kicked the body over and sneered down at it, "I hate traitors."
"Harris, put the gun down. We'll take you into custody and check your story, but you have to put the gun down." Sheppard knew exactly how ruthless Xander could be and he needed to make sure that his city and team and people were safe. They weren't safe when Xander had a weapon.
The gun was confidently placed on the ground six feet from the body and the Marines that had been on duty finally did their job.
When Xander had drawn the gun on Lieutenant David, even after David had taken a hostage, the Marines had been stunned. David was one of the originals. One of the ones who'd come with the first batch to Atlantis, never knowing if they'd make it back to Earth.
"No." Elizabeth's voice carried out over the large room, "Xander Harris just saved a lot of lives." She made her way stately to the man surrounded by Marines, "He saved Dr Fallon and Dr Korda from being killed, and he made sure that the Genii and the Trust didn't get any more information about Atlantis." She looked hard at the Marines, "Let him go."
Xander stood where he was, not moving. He didn't want anyone, namely Sheppard, to shoot him by mistake. "Thank you Elizabeth. May I talk to you in your office?"
"Sergeant, please clean this up." Elizabeth held out her arm for Xander to precede her to the office. In the office, overlooking the embarkation room, she sat and looked up at her friend, "So Xander, talk to me."
"I need to talk to Rodney first, but if he can't accept my actions for the last week, I'd like to be added to the list of personnel going back to Earth."
"Xander," Elizabeth smiled genuinely at the younger man, "That's not a problem. You have good reason for both staying and leaving and it's up to you to decide now that the traitor's been found."
A relieved sigh left Xander and his shoulders loosened, "Thanks, Dr Weir."
"No, thank you, Xander. Now," she sat back decisively, "I believe you have someone to go talk to?" An elegant eyebrow rose and Xander grinned.
As he was leaving he reminded himself to thank Teyla and Ronon later for sticking by him over the last week.
"Xander," Rodney met him at the bottom of the stairs, "I think we need to talk."
"We do. Let's meet in your office in five minutes or so? First I need to apologize for not informing Colonel Sheppard about the op that O'Neill set up."
"Right. Yes, good idea. I'll see you there." With his usual barely contained energy, Rodney left.
A dark glare made Xander look to where the Colonel watched him like a hawk from an alcove just off to the side.
"Harris."
"Colonel. I'd like to apologize."
"Accepted. Considering what I had assumed bout you, shouldn't I be the one apologizing?" The Colonel softened a tad, leaning into the wall like he was using his shoulder to prop the wall up.
"I meaningfully deceived you. I know what you thought and I didn't exactly encourage it, but I didn't correct you." Xander shrugged, "I've been a part of one war or another for eleven years Colonel. I know that sometimes you have to make the good guys think you're a bad guy so the bad guys will trust you. Sometimes it's the only way you can win."
"I see." Sheppard held out his hand, "Well, I'll try a little harder to get to know you this time."
With a goofy grin, Xander shook Sheppard's hand. Enthusiastically, he jerked his head in the direction of the labs, "Kay, I have to go talk to Rodney now."
"Go on, go get him Kid."
The lights were off in the office and Xander cautiously stepped into the dark. "Rodney?"
A hand reached out and touched his shoulder, "I'm sorry Xander."
Pulling Rodney into his strong arms, Xander shook his head, "Not your fault Rodney."
"Well, not all of it. When you didn't fight me when I broke it off with you..."
"Now you know why."
Hot breath moved over Xander's neck as lips ghosted over the sensitive skin, "Yeah."
Xander ran his hands down strong shoulders, over the softer waist and settled on his lover's belt. "Rodney..."
"Yes. God yes." Rodney's large, deft hands cradled Xander's face and drew the slightly taller man down to catch him in a kiss. Xander opened his lips and shuddered as their tongues met and tangled.
As nice as going slow was, neither man could stand it any longer and Xander's hands came up to Rodney's belt, flicked it open and eagerly slid a hand down Rodney's boxers. Someone gasped into their carnal kiss when he wrapped his fingers around Rodney's hard on.
Ripping himself away form the kiss, Xander hit the ground on his knees a tad too hard but didn't care. Hooking his thumbs on the waistband of both Rodney's pants and boxers he yanked the material down to his thighs and sucked Rodney's dick into his mouth.
Warm, perfect. The concentrated smell of just Rodney. The hitched breaths and half said words from Rodney made Xander smirk and suck just that much harder. A firm hand on his shoulder made Xander pause to look up, cock still half in his mouth.
"Oh God... Xander, I need to fuck you." Rodney's eyes were wide, his pupils dilated so big that there was only a thin circle of blue around black. Rodney's other hand, the one not caressing Xander's jaw, fumbled at his pocket for a moment before returning into sight with a small tube of lubricant.
Humming happily, Xander let go of Rodney with one last suck, and stood at the same time as he divested himself of his button up shirt. He slithered out of his pants, toed off his boots and taking less then what seemed like a second to ride his feet of his socks said, "I have to feel you everywhere."
"Wow," Rodney stared, "How... sex? How are you so, so coordinated?"
"Practice. Come on Rodney, I need this as much as you,” Xander lay back on the desk, unsurprisingly empty as Rodney usually took everything with him everywhere. Xander leered at Rodney and spread his legs, reaching down to stroke himself one or twice.
"Dear God... fucking beautiful..." Rodney tossed the lube to Xander and hastily began to strip. Glancing up one, halfway out of his pants, he did a double take, almost tripping on the cuff. "Holy shit..." Xander had two fingers deep inside of himself, totally silent as he stroked his cock slowly, taking his time. His head was thrown back, his chest heaving and his hips undulating in time with his hand and fingers.
"Hurry up Rodney, I need you in me." Deciding to not take anymore time, Rodney left his clothes on the floor as he went to Xander. Taking the lube from beside his lover, he quickly covered himself and stepped in-between the spread thighs.
"Xander..."
"'m ready."
As the fingers slipped from Xander's body, Rodney moved in and slowly pushed. Xander had used only two fingers to prep himself and Rodney was not going to hurt his lover. Xander moaned just under his breath, "Please Rodney, now, please." Not one to say no to such an invitation, Rodney grabbed Xander's hips securely and hitched his lover up just a bit, tilted his body just the perfect way and slipped right in, sliding into that glorious heat and tight grip, knowing by Xander's familiar keening that he'd hit the spot dead on.
"Xander..." far past the stage of talking, Rodney pulled and pushed, slamming into his lover, stroking Xander's prostate with each thrust, fingers digging deep into Xander's hips, creating bruises that neither man cared about. Xander's moans began to get louder and Rodney, knowing Xander was close, paused, grabbed Xander's cock in one hand, rubbed his balls with the other and confidently thrust once into Xander, stopping as soon as he stroked Xander's prostate.
Xander curled up with a deep keen, bucked once, twice, thrice on Rodney's cock and came, shudders wracking his body, clenching tight around Rodney. Catching Xander's mouth, Rodney kissed him heavily, tongues curling around each other, stroking everything and anything in reach. Rodney took a deep breath, stared into Xander's face, "Xander. I love you."
"Rodney," Xander lay a shaking hand on Rodney's face, supping his cheek, "Love you." He smiled and wigged a bit, "Now fuck me."
Rodney pulled back and slammed back in, reveling in the heat, in Xander. Xander who didn't want Rodney for his brain, for anything but him. Someone who wanted him for him. Two more thrusts and he came, hips stuttering to a halt, don’t, finished. He rested against Xander even as he slid out of his lover.
They were silent, happy they didn't have to fill the space around them with words.
Groaning, Rodney finally pulled away, "This is going to ruin my back."
A low giggle made Rodney playfully slap the chest under him, "Hey Rodney."
"Stop." Rodney raised a hand, "Xander, I'm a genius. I figured everything out in the few minutes I was waiting for you to get to the office. If I hadn't, I never would have had sex again with you."
"Ah, right." Xander grimaced at the mess on his body, "So, I can tell Elizabeth that I'm staying here?"
Rodney stopped buttoning his shirt and pulled Xander into his arms, "You told me you loved me. I'm not about to let you go."
"Good. Just remember that, 'cause I can be stupid sometimes."
"Ha!" Rodney let go of his lover and they continued getting dressed, "You know me and my social graces."
"No, you don't have social graces. You say exactly what's on your mind and I've always loved that." The men headed for the door, Rodney planning on following Xander to his room for shower sex. Xander was expecting that. He'd tell Elizabeth later that he was staying.
"Oh really?" Rodney put an arm around Xander's waist as they walked down the hall.
"Yeah, here, let me tell you about the two other people I've had long relationships with..."
THE END
Hope you like it!