Sleepwalking (First Night Challenge) by Jacqueline
Title: Sleepwalking
Author: Jacqueline
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Archive: Wraithbait and Pegasus Gate, everyone else has to ask.
Summary: John can’t sleep.
Notes: First night challenge.
Sleepwalking. John can only remember one instance where it's happened in the field, and it had been bad. John could imagine what it would be like if he sleepwalked tonight. In the wake of all that had happened; discovering the Wraith, the Athosian culling and subsequent exodus, not to mention the sheer strangeness of being in a new galaxy, John didn’t think it took a genius to predict what would happen if he, now the ranking military officer, were found wandering the hallways of Atlantis and activating only McKay knew what in his sleep. John wasn’t sure why he only seemed to sleepwalk in stressful situations. Maybe it was because, waking, he always stood his ground. So his subconscious was forced to wait until he was asleep to act on his fear by running away.
And then there was the guilt. And the sudden responsibility that John neither wanted, nor felt he deserved.
John doesn't follow orders well, and never has. During the course of his military career, it's only thanks to sheer luck that he hasn't been kicked out for the stunts he's pulled. Mostly because the stunts have always worked. John has always gotten the sense that his heroics, while officially denounced, were largely admired by his superiors.
Except for Sumner.
But he wonders if even Sumner had been thankful that he'd bent the rules before he died.
In any case, regardless of how much he dislikes military protocol, John has always acknowledged that the consequences of his actions were his own to bear. John strongly believes that sometimes you have to take insane risks to do the right thing, even if the chances are slim to none that you’ll pull your own ass out alive. But he’s not asking anyone else to do it, just to get the hell out of the way so that he can.
So, in retrospect, accepting to replace Sumner may have been a bad idea.
John's already having second thoughts.
That’s why, thoughts racing and emotions raging, John won’t be among those sleeping tonight.
Although tonight isn’t strictly their first night in Atlantis, it is the first night that anyone has considered the possibility of sleep. In fact, Atlantis is eerily silent. Everyone is exhausted enough to keep their personal demons at bay for a while, it seems.
Except for whoever is responsible for the banging noises that seem to be coming from one of the many Ancient labs at the end of the hall.
Having nothing better to do, John goes to investigate.
The head scientist, Doctor McKay, has his back to the doorway and appears to be viciously banging two incompatible pieces of electrical equipment together.
If the doctor seems hell bent on destroying Atlantis’ valuables, John suspects he should interfere.
“Hey! Hey, McKay! Shouldn’t you be a little more careful with the ten thousand year old Ancient stuff?”
McKay turns and looks at him with a slightly unfocused look in his eye, and John sees that the object of his abuse is in fact a much-dented coffee maker. It looks like John isn’t the only one having trouble dealing with the stress tonight.
Apparently realizing that he had company brought McKay somewhat back to his senses, because he answered John in a perfectly level and nonchalant tone of voice, crossing his arms behind his back in an attempt to hide his mutilated coffee maker as he did so. “Can I help you with something, Major?”
John made a show of craning his head around McKay’s back to make it clear that he had seen the coffee maker, “Well, you can tell me why you’re causing a domestic disturbance in the labs at three o'clock in the morning for starters.”
“I have a pounding headache that either has something to do with the fact that I haven’t had caffeine in forty-eight hours, or the imminent threat of death from life-sucking aliens. But at least the coffee thing, I can fix.” McKay gave the coffee maker he held in his hands a befuddled cursory glance before setting it on the nearest workbench with a sigh. “Or so I thought.”
John nodded his understanding. He sat down in the closest chair and McKay did the same.
Another thing had occurred to McKay, who was leaning forward with focused curiosity, and John found McKay’s inquisitive stare turning on him instead, “Why are you still up, Major?”
John dodged answering the question directly, “Let me ask you something, McKay: why did you come to Atlantis?”
“It was exciting.”
John hadn’t pegged McKay for a thrill seeker.
“I didn’t want to come at first,” he countered.
“You’re kidding.” McKay really looked like he thought he must be too.
“No, I’m not.”
“What about now?”
John opened his mouth to reply, but found he couldn’t bring himself to say anything, lips tight and eyes self-recriminating.
John was infinitely grateful that McKay just nodded and didn’t bring up Sumner. Didn’t try to make him feel better with meaningless platitudes and false pretenses. Instead he said; “If neither of us are going to be resting tonight, I suggest we at least make ourselves useful and get a head start on exploring the city. What do you say?”
“I think Weir might have some issues with that.”
McKay literally waved off his lukewarm concerns. “I’m the head scientist of this expedition and, I assume that, you’re the highest ranking military officer now. I can’t think of two more qualified people. Elizabeth shouldn’t have any real objections, and plus, she wants Atlantis explored sooner than anybody.”
John quirked an assenting eyebrow, “True,” and motioned for McKay to lead the way out of the lab.
McKay was insufferably belligerent, but at least he was practical. And right now, practical was what was going to save all of their asses.
So maybe John wasn't ready to make the leap and say that he’d made a friend in McKay.
But he could say that he’d made an ally.
Author: Jacqueline
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Archive: Wraithbait and Pegasus Gate, everyone else has to ask.
Summary: John can’t sleep.
Notes: First night challenge.
Sleepwalking. John can only remember one instance where it's happened in the field, and it had been bad. John could imagine what it would be like if he sleepwalked tonight. In the wake of all that had happened; discovering the Wraith, the Athosian culling and subsequent exodus, not to mention the sheer strangeness of being in a new galaxy, John didn’t think it took a genius to predict what would happen if he, now the ranking military officer, were found wandering the hallways of Atlantis and activating only McKay knew what in his sleep. John wasn’t sure why he only seemed to sleepwalk in stressful situations. Maybe it was because, waking, he always stood his ground. So his subconscious was forced to wait until he was asleep to act on his fear by running away.
And then there was the guilt. And the sudden responsibility that John neither wanted, nor felt he deserved.
John doesn't follow orders well, and never has. During the course of his military career, it's only thanks to sheer luck that he hasn't been kicked out for the stunts he's pulled. Mostly because the stunts have always worked. John has always gotten the sense that his heroics, while officially denounced, were largely admired by his superiors.
Except for Sumner.
But he wonders if even Sumner had been thankful that he'd bent the rules before he died.
In any case, regardless of how much he dislikes military protocol, John has always acknowledged that the consequences of his actions were his own to bear. John strongly believes that sometimes you have to take insane risks to do the right thing, even if the chances are slim to none that you’ll pull your own ass out alive. But he’s not asking anyone else to do it, just to get the hell out of the way so that he can.
So, in retrospect, accepting to replace Sumner may have been a bad idea.
John's already having second thoughts.
That’s why, thoughts racing and emotions raging, John won’t be among those sleeping tonight.
Although tonight isn’t strictly their first night in Atlantis, it is the first night that anyone has considered the possibility of sleep. In fact, Atlantis is eerily silent. Everyone is exhausted enough to keep their personal demons at bay for a while, it seems.
Except for whoever is responsible for the banging noises that seem to be coming from one of the many Ancient labs at the end of the hall.
Having nothing better to do, John goes to investigate.
The head scientist, Doctor McKay, has his back to the doorway and appears to be viciously banging two incompatible pieces of electrical equipment together.
If the doctor seems hell bent on destroying Atlantis’ valuables, John suspects he should interfere.
“Hey! Hey, McKay! Shouldn’t you be a little more careful with the ten thousand year old Ancient stuff?”
McKay turns and looks at him with a slightly unfocused look in his eye, and John sees that the object of his abuse is in fact a much-dented coffee maker. It looks like John isn’t the only one having trouble dealing with the stress tonight.
Apparently realizing that he had company brought McKay somewhat back to his senses, because he answered John in a perfectly level and nonchalant tone of voice, crossing his arms behind his back in an attempt to hide his mutilated coffee maker as he did so. “Can I help you with something, Major?”
John made a show of craning his head around McKay’s back to make it clear that he had seen the coffee maker, “Well, you can tell me why you’re causing a domestic disturbance in the labs at three o'clock in the morning for starters.”
“I have a pounding headache that either has something to do with the fact that I haven’t had caffeine in forty-eight hours, or the imminent threat of death from life-sucking aliens. But at least the coffee thing, I can fix.” McKay gave the coffee maker he held in his hands a befuddled cursory glance before setting it on the nearest workbench with a sigh. “Or so I thought.”
John nodded his understanding. He sat down in the closest chair and McKay did the same.
Another thing had occurred to McKay, who was leaning forward with focused curiosity, and John found McKay’s inquisitive stare turning on him instead, “Why are you still up, Major?”
John dodged answering the question directly, “Let me ask you something, McKay: why did you come to Atlantis?”
“It was exciting.”
John hadn’t pegged McKay for a thrill seeker.
“I didn’t want to come at first,” he countered.
“You’re kidding.” McKay really looked like he thought he must be too.
“No, I’m not.”
“What about now?”
John opened his mouth to reply, but found he couldn’t bring himself to say anything, lips tight and eyes self-recriminating.
John was infinitely grateful that McKay just nodded and didn’t bring up Sumner. Didn’t try to make him feel better with meaningless platitudes and false pretenses. Instead he said; “If neither of us are going to be resting tonight, I suggest we at least make ourselves useful and get a head start on exploring the city. What do you say?”
“I think Weir might have some issues with that.”
McKay literally waved off his lukewarm concerns. “I’m the head scientist of this expedition and, I assume that, you’re the highest ranking military officer now. I can’t think of two more qualified people. Elizabeth shouldn’t have any real objections, and plus, she wants Atlantis explored sooner than anybody.”
John quirked an assenting eyebrow, “True,” and motioned for McKay to lead the way out of the lab.
McKay was insufferably belligerent, but at least he was practical. And right now, practical was what was going to save all of their asses.
So maybe John wasn't ready to make the leap and say that he’d made a friend in McKay.
But he could say that he’d made an ally.