Fic: Sympathy for Eve, 4/27 (PG)
Title: Sympathy for Eve, 4/27
Author: SGAtlantisLight
Characters: McKay, Beckett, Sheppard, Weir, Caldwell, Emmagen, Lorne, Zelenka
Relationships: McKay/Beckett
Rating: PG for this part, but the series is NC-17
Warnings: mpreg
Spoilers: None
Summary: Part 4 of the Sympathy for Eve series. When Rodney gets turned into a woman for a month, he decides to experiment, but little did he know it could have unforeseen consequences. Set somewhere in a nebulous third season after any cliffhanger-y stuff has been resolved.
Disclaimer: The characters, the setting, etc. are NOT mine, even if I wish they were.
"All right, I think that covers it," Elizabeth said, looking at the members of her senior staff. "Is there anything else?"
"Yes," Rodney said, then cleared his throat nervously as everyone's attention shifted to him. Elizabeth gave him a warning look, silently begging him not to do what he was about to do in such a public venue. Rodney thrust his chin out defiantly even as his hand fumbled to find Carson's for just a second before his lover's grip steadied him, warm and certain. "As you all know, I spent a month as a female due to the effects of an Ancient device. What most of you have probably guessed, just now if not before, is that Carson and I... developed a relationship during that month-- one that we've continued even after the change. What only Elizabeth and John have known up until now is that there was... an unexpected consequence of my month as a woman." Rodney swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "The fact is, I'm pregnant."
There were surprised looks and exclamations around the table. Elizabeth's mouth turned down momentarily, then she smiled, though it seemed a little grim. Radek gave the two of them a grin. John nodded, smirking. Lorne just stared at them in stunned silence. Teyla's smile was bright and encouraging. Caldwell was silent a moment, then cleared his throat. "I suppose congratulations are in order, then. I take it from this announcement that you're expecting to carry the child to term."
"I'm hoping to, yes," Rodney answered.
Caldwell nodded, sighing. "We expected this to happen eventually, of course-- a pregnancy, that is, not uh your rather unusual situation. The standard policy with a pregnancy on off-world operations is to transfer the pregnant woman to a safer duty station, which would be regrettable in this case."
"Especially given that a safer duty station is often a more public duty station, which isn't going to work too well with a pregnant man," Rodney pointed out.
"And there's also the fact that I need to accompany him," Carson said, "meaning ye'd be losing both your chief scientist and your chief doctor in one go."
"I'll make the situation clear in my next communiqué with the SGC," Elizabeth said. "I'm going to pull every string I can to make sure we keep you." The look in her eyes told him this wasn't going to be easy.
"Thank you, Elizabeth," Rodney said, genuinely grateful.
Caldwell looked between Rodney and John. "How will this affect your off-world team?"
"I'm going to have to find a replacement until after the child is born and Rodney's able to return to full active duty," John answered. "But I was already aware of the possibility, so we should be able to continue our mission schedule with minimal uproar."
"And I should be able to maintain my current workload here on Atlantis, perhaps even increase it slightly, without difficulty," Rodney said.
Carson gave him a warning glare. "Rodney..."
Rodney sighed. "All right, all right. Doctor Dad here wants me to stay within the central areas of the city unless it's an emergency that only I can handle and in those cases where I have to go outside the central areas, he wants an escort with me."
"That can be arranged easily enough," Lorne said. "Though I'm not sure I'm clear why it's needed."
"We're in uncharted territory," Carson answered. "If Rodney had remained female, there wouldn't be so much concern. As it is, any of a number of pregnancy risks-- some of which aren't terribly uncommon-- could pose a more significant danger to Rodney than they would to a woman in the same circumstance. If something were to happen, I want someone who can get him to the infirmary, even if they have to carry him."
"Preferably a couple of burly Marines who don't mind being seen with a gay pregnant male astrophysicist."
Lorne grinned at Rodney's description of himself. "I'll see what I can do, doc."
"Very well," Elizabeth said. "If there's nothing else?" She glanced around the table and nodded. "You're all free to go. Rodney, Carson, I'd like you to stay for a moment, please."
The others filed out, offering congratulations as they passed, until it was just the three of them. Elizabeth met their eyes, her mouth set in an unhappy line. "I want you two to realise you've put me in a very awkward position. I've had a handful of couples come to me about the possibility of starting families here and I've been very clear on the SGC policy. My making an exception for you is going to open a huge can of worms, not to mention the undermining of my authority you just pulled by threatening to leave, Carson."
"I'm sorry, Elizabeth, but Rodney and I are together. If he goes, I go too."
"I understand that, but you should have come to me first instead of making your announcement to the whole senior staff. I know I didn't come off as very sympathetic before and I'm sorry, but that's no excuse for what you just pulled."
The two men were silent for a moment, watching as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. Something else was going on here, but neither was certain as to what. "We're sorry," Carson said quietly.
She waved it away, looking suddenly old and tired. "I suppose your circumstances make the exception understandable-- we need access to the Ancient medical technology, possibly the database and the city systems. I can cope."
There was another awkward silence.
"Is there... Is there something else going on here?" Rodney finally blurted out.
She sighed. "No, not really. Just the stresses of dealing with things I could never imagine in my wildest dreams." She gave them both a rueful smile. "I'm happy for you both, really. So, what do you say we get on with the rest of the day?"
Carson nodded. "Aye, that sounds like a good idea."
The two men stood. "Thanks again," Rodney said. "We really do appreciate it."
She smiled. "I know. Congratulations, you two."
***
Teyla and John were waiting outside Elizabeth's office as they stepped out. Teyla stepped up to them as John nodded and headed in to speak to Elizabeth.
"Carson, Rodney, I wish to offer my assistance and that of my people. This will be a joyous event and I know my people would be glad to be a part of it. Are you in need of furnishings, baby clothes, alterations to Rodney's clothing, or other assistance that could be rendered?"
Carson smiled. "Well, we haven't made much in the way of plans at this point, but I expect we could use a great deal of help."
"Right now, we don't really even know what we need," Rodney said. "This, uh, isn't really what I pictured."
Teyla's smile was radiant. "I will speak with my people and we will assemble a list of necessary things and see if you have them available to you or need them to be provided."
"How could we ever repay you?" Carson asked.
"You are both held in high regard among my people, especially you, Doctor Beckett, with all the medical assistance you have provided. No payment is necessary. This is merely the expression of the friendship that lies between us."
***
"Hey, Elizabeth," John said, "I wanted to talk to you about-- Elizabeth? Are you okay?"
She said something he couldn't make out, thick with emotion and muffled by her hands.
He quickly moved to her, concerned. "Elizabeth?" he said quietly, reaching out to pull her hands away from her face. "God, are you-- are you crying?"
"Sorry," she said, trying to pull her hands back. "I didn't want you to see." And then she started shaking, sobs wracking her body.
Awkwardly, he slipped his arms around her. "Hey," he said, "it's going to be all right. I'm here, okay?"
"I shouldn't be so jealous," she said into his shoulder. "I should be happy for them."
"It's okay," he said, still unsure what was going on, but trying to comfort her anyway. "You feel how you feel."
"It's not fair," she said. "I gave it up to come here... not fair..."
Next part
Author: SGAtlantisLight
Characters: McKay, Beckett, Sheppard, Weir, Caldwell, Emmagen, Lorne, Zelenka
Relationships: McKay/Beckett
Rating: PG for this part, but the series is NC-17
Warnings: mpreg
Spoilers: None
Summary: Part 4 of the Sympathy for Eve series. When Rodney gets turned into a woman for a month, he decides to experiment, but little did he know it could have unforeseen consequences. Set somewhere in a nebulous third season after any cliffhanger-y stuff has been resolved.
Disclaimer: The characters, the setting, etc. are NOT mine, even if I wish they were.
"All right, I think that covers it," Elizabeth said, looking at the members of her senior staff. "Is there anything else?"
"Yes," Rodney said, then cleared his throat nervously as everyone's attention shifted to him. Elizabeth gave him a warning look, silently begging him not to do what he was about to do in such a public venue. Rodney thrust his chin out defiantly even as his hand fumbled to find Carson's for just a second before his lover's grip steadied him, warm and certain. "As you all know, I spent a month as a female due to the effects of an Ancient device. What most of you have probably guessed, just now if not before, is that Carson and I... developed a relationship during that month-- one that we've continued even after the change. What only Elizabeth and John have known up until now is that there was... an unexpected consequence of my month as a woman." Rodney swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "The fact is, I'm pregnant."
There were surprised looks and exclamations around the table. Elizabeth's mouth turned down momentarily, then she smiled, though it seemed a little grim. Radek gave the two of them a grin. John nodded, smirking. Lorne just stared at them in stunned silence. Teyla's smile was bright and encouraging. Caldwell was silent a moment, then cleared his throat. "I suppose congratulations are in order, then. I take it from this announcement that you're expecting to carry the child to term."
"I'm hoping to, yes," Rodney answered.
Caldwell nodded, sighing. "We expected this to happen eventually, of course-- a pregnancy, that is, not uh your rather unusual situation. The standard policy with a pregnancy on off-world operations is to transfer the pregnant woman to a safer duty station, which would be regrettable in this case."
"Especially given that a safer duty station is often a more public duty station, which isn't going to work too well with a pregnant man," Rodney pointed out.
"And there's also the fact that I need to accompany him," Carson said, "meaning ye'd be losing both your chief scientist and your chief doctor in one go."
"I'll make the situation clear in my next communiqué with the SGC," Elizabeth said. "I'm going to pull every string I can to make sure we keep you." The look in her eyes told him this wasn't going to be easy.
"Thank you, Elizabeth," Rodney said, genuinely grateful.
Caldwell looked between Rodney and John. "How will this affect your off-world team?"
"I'm going to have to find a replacement until after the child is born and Rodney's able to return to full active duty," John answered. "But I was already aware of the possibility, so we should be able to continue our mission schedule with minimal uproar."
"And I should be able to maintain my current workload here on Atlantis, perhaps even increase it slightly, without difficulty," Rodney said.
Carson gave him a warning glare. "Rodney..."
Rodney sighed. "All right, all right. Doctor Dad here wants me to stay within the central areas of the city unless it's an emergency that only I can handle and in those cases where I have to go outside the central areas, he wants an escort with me."
"That can be arranged easily enough," Lorne said. "Though I'm not sure I'm clear why it's needed."
"We're in uncharted territory," Carson answered. "If Rodney had remained female, there wouldn't be so much concern. As it is, any of a number of pregnancy risks-- some of which aren't terribly uncommon-- could pose a more significant danger to Rodney than they would to a woman in the same circumstance. If something were to happen, I want someone who can get him to the infirmary, even if they have to carry him."
"Preferably a couple of burly Marines who don't mind being seen with a gay pregnant male astrophysicist."
Lorne grinned at Rodney's description of himself. "I'll see what I can do, doc."
"Very well," Elizabeth said. "If there's nothing else?" She glanced around the table and nodded. "You're all free to go. Rodney, Carson, I'd like you to stay for a moment, please."
The others filed out, offering congratulations as they passed, until it was just the three of them. Elizabeth met their eyes, her mouth set in an unhappy line. "I want you two to realise you've put me in a very awkward position. I've had a handful of couples come to me about the possibility of starting families here and I've been very clear on the SGC policy. My making an exception for you is going to open a huge can of worms, not to mention the undermining of my authority you just pulled by threatening to leave, Carson."
"I'm sorry, Elizabeth, but Rodney and I are together. If he goes, I go too."
"I understand that, but you should have come to me first instead of making your announcement to the whole senior staff. I know I didn't come off as very sympathetic before and I'm sorry, but that's no excuse for what you just pulled."
The two men were silent for a moment, watching as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. Something else was going on here, but neither was certain as to what. "We're sorry," Carson said quietly.
She waved it away, looking suddenly old and tired. "I suppose your circumstances make the exception understandable-- we need access to the Ancient medical technology, possibly the database and the city systems. I can cope."
There was another awkward silence.
"Is there... Is there something else going on here?" Rodney finally blurted out.
She sighed. "No, not really. Just the stresses of dealing with things I could never imagine in my wildest dreams." She gave them both a rueful smile. "I'm happy for you both, really. So, what do you say we get on with the rest of the day?"
Carson nodded. "Aye, that sounds like a good idea."
The two men stood. "Thanks again," Rodney said. "We really do appreciate it."
She smiled. "I know. Congratulations, you two."
***
Teyla and John were waiting outside Elizabeth's office as they stepped out. Teyla stepped up to them as John nodded and headed in to speak to Elizabeth.
"Carson, Rodney, I wish to offer my assistance and that of my people. This will be a joyous event and I know my people would be glad to be a part of it. Are you in need of furnishings, baby clothes, alterations to Rodney's clothing, or other assistance that could be rendered?"
Carson smiled. "Well, we haven't made much in the way of plans at this point, but I expect we could use a great deal of help."
"Right now, we don't really even know what we need," Rodney said. "This, uh, isn't really what I pictured."
Teyla's smile was radiant. "I will speak with my people and we will assemble a list of necessary things and see if you have them available to you or need them to be provided."
"How could we ever repay you?" Carson asked.
"You are both held in high regard among my people, especially you, Doctor Beckett, with all the medical assistance you have provided. No payment is necessary. This is merely the expression of the friendship that lies between us."
***
"Hey, Elizabeth," John said, "I wanted to talk to you about-- Elizabeth? Are you okay?"
She said something he couldn't make out, thick with emotion and muffled by her hands.
He quickly moved to her, concerned. "Elizabeth?" he said quietly, reaching out to pull her hands away from her face. "God, are you-- are you crying?"
"Sorry," she said, trying to pull her hands back. "I didn't want you to see." And then she started shaking, sobs wracking her body.
Awkwardly, he slipped his arms around her. "Hey," he said, "it's going to be all right. I'm here, okay?"
"I shouldn't be so jealous," she said into his shoulder. "I should be happy for them."
"It's okay," he said, still unsure what was going on, but trying to comfort her anyway. "You feel how you feel."
"It's not fair," she said. "I gave it up to come here... not fair..."
Next part