To See If I still Feel, by elenariel (Stuck challenge, amnesty 2007)
Title: To See if I Still Feel
Author: elenariel
Rating:PG (gen)
Words: 773
Summary: Sequel to The Practicality of Wings; Rodney's hit a snag, and John still has his wings.
“There’s nothing I can do.” Rodney’s voice breaks quite literally into John’s thoughts.
He’s standing at the top of a tower on the south pier, leaning on the surrounding railings. He comes here sometimes when he need the peace and quiet, something he needs far too much ever since -
Ever since a week ago, when it happened, and people look at him in the corridors like he’s contagious or about to pass judgement on them or something. Up here he doesn’t feel so pressed in by everything, can feel the sea breeze ruffling his already unruly hair and the feathers on his back.
Feathers. Still getting used to that one.
“Nothing?” John says finally, knowing instinctively what it is Rodney is talking about and why he’d purposely seek him out here to tell him.
“Every time I think I’m getting somewhere, it turns out to be dead ends. It’s like running into brick walls all the time.”
John snorts at the analogy, and imagines Rodney frowning at him behind his back.
“It’s like the city’s blocking me or something, I don’t know. We even had Lorne sit in the damn chair to see if he could coax something out of it. Maybe if you were able to - ” Rodney breaks off, right before he gets to the part where John can’t physically sit in any chairs anymore, let alone Atlantis’ control chair. “Anyway, you don’t know what it is you could have touched, and neither do the other teams that were out. There are just too many activated systems right now, and Elizabeth wants me to get back on working them out.”
It perhaps wasn’t as big a blow as it ought to have been; deep down, John had known when the hours dragged into days and Rodney was still drawing a blank, while he walked around joking and pretending he didn’t see the sideways glances others gave him.
“So I’m stuck with them?”
“Well, no - I’m sure I could work it out given enough time - ”
“Rodney.”
“For the foreseeable future.”
John sighs, and bows his head. Not that it isn’t great having wings, but he’s a pilot, and how could he possibly pilot anything like this?
And sleeping on his back. It’s a simple thing, but he kinda misses that too.
John twists to see Rodney off to one side past the edge of a wing, looking worried as to what he’ll say next.
“Can’t expect the whole world to stop just for me, can I?” He says finally. John understands, he really does, but everything Rodney has just said has added to his own burden of the last seven days. He’s a man of action, and he needs to do something.
“There’s only one thing left then.” John tells the scientist. He swings one foot up and onto the railing and has launched himself into the air before Rodney can even protest.
As far as first flights go, he could have planned it better, planned it at all even, instead of learning he won’t get rid of his angel wings and throwing himself off one of the taller parts of the city. There’s a heartstopping moment when he almost thinks nothing will happen, but they suddenly catch the rising breezes and sweep him out and away.
John circles the tower several times, catching thermals and rising higher, watching the dot that is Rodney down below. Despite everything that’s happened, it’s exhilarating to be flying under his own power, no screaming jet engine or the gentle hum of a Jumper reminding him what is keeping him in the air.
Despite the appearances he gave to the contrary, he’d never really intended to try the wings out since Carson had voiced his misgivings on the matter, and he respected the doctor too much to do otherwise. That said, something about the moment seemed right and all, and why would Atlantis give him wings if he wasn’t meant to use them?
Eventually he spirals down to land, figuring he’d been aloft long enough and having no wish to tire himself out, attempt a landing and collapse and have Rodney panic over him. He comes to a rather bumpy, stumbling stop in front of Rodney, just short of tumbling over and making an ass of himself.
“Well I hope you’re happy with that little stunt, nearly gave me a heart attack - I had to radio Elizabeth, she’s on her way now and boy is she mad with you…”
John cuts across him and grins. “What’s the point in wings if I’m not going to use them?”
Rodney looked ready to explode.
Author: elenariel
Rating:PG (gen)
Words: 773
Summary: Sequel to The Practicality of Wings; Rodney's hit a snag, and John still has his wings.
“There’s nothing I can do.” Rodney’s voice breaks quite literally into John’s thoughts.
He’s standing at the top of a tower on the south pier, leaning on the surrounding railings. He comes here sometimes when he need the peace and quiet, something he needs far too much ever since -
Ever since a week ago, when it happened, and people look at him in the corridors like he’s contagious or about to pass judgement on them or something. Up here he doesn’t feel so pressed in by everything, can feel the sea breeze ruffling his already unruly hair and the feathers on his back.
Feathers. Still getting used to that one.
“Nothing?” John says finally, knowing instinctively what it is Rodney is talking about and why he’d purposely seek him out here to tell him.
“Every time I think I’m getting somewhere, it turns out to be dead ends. It’s like running into brick walls all the time.”
John snorts at the analogy, and imagines Rodney frowning at him behind his back.
“It’s like the city’s blocking me or something, I don’t know. We even had Lorne sit in the damn chair to see if he could coax something out of it. Maybe if you were able to - ” Rodney breaks off, right before he gets to the part where John can’t physically sit in any chairs anymore, let alone Atlantis’ control chair. “Anyway, you don’t know what it is you could have touched, and neither do the other teams that were out. There are just too many activated systems right now, and Elizabeth wants me to get back on working them out.”
It perhaps wasn’t as big a blow as it ought to have been; deep down, John had known when the hours dragged into days and Rodney was still drawing a blank, while he walked around joking and pretending he didn’t see the sideways glances others gave him.
“So I’m stuck with them?”
“Well, no - I’m sure I could work it out given enough time - ”
“Rodney.”
“For the foreseeable future.”
John sighs, and bows his head. Not that it isn’t great having wings, but he’s a pilot, and how could he possibly pilot anything like this?
And sleeping on his back. It’s a simple thing, but he kinda misses that too.
John twists to see Rodney off to one side past the edge of a wing, looking worried as to what he’ll say next.
“Can’t expect the whole world to stop just for me, can I?” He says finally. John understands, he really does, but everything Rodney has just said has added to his own burden of the last seven days. He’s a man of action, and he needs to do something.
“There’s only one thing left then.” John tells the scientist. He swings one foot up and onto the railing and has launched himself into the air before Rodney can even protest.
As far as first flights go, he could have planned it better, planned it at all even, instead of learning he won’t get rid of his angel wings and throwing himself off one of the taller parts of the city. There’s a heartstopping moment when he almost thinks nothing will happen, but they suddenly catch the rising breezes and sweep him out and away.
John circles the tower several times, catching thermals and rising higher, watching the dot that is Rodney down below. Despite everything that’s happened, it’s exhilarating to be flying under his own power, no screaming jet engine or the gentle hum of a Jumper reminding him what is keeping him in the air.
Despite the appearances he gave to the contrary, he’d never really intended to try the wings out since Carson had voiced his misgivings on the matter, and he respected the doctor too much to do otherwise. That said, something about the moment seemed right and all, and why would Atlantis give him wings if he wasn’t meant to use them?
Eventually he spirals down to land, figuring he’d been aloft long enough and having no wish to tire himself out, attempt a landing and collapse and have Rodney panic over him. He comes to a rather bumpy, stumbling stop in front of Rodney, just short of tumbling over and making an ass of himself.
“Well I hope you’re happy with that little stunt, nearly gave me a heart attack - I had to radio Elizabeth, she’s on her way now and boy is she mad with you…”
John cuts across him and grins. “What’s the point in wings if I’m not going to use them?”
Rodney looked ready to explode.