Fic: Unwritten Rules by wildcat88 (August Flashfic Challenge)
Title: Unwritten Rules
Author: wildcat88
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~2000
Spoilers: None
Summary: After Sheppard is stung by a poisonous insect, Rodney keeps vigil on Atlantis while Ronon and Teyla search for the remedy.
A/N: I needed to take my frustrations out on someone and Shep volunteered. :) Unbeta'd.
In retrospect, the euphoria should have been his first clue something was horribly wrong because, seriously, when they were off-world Sheppard was a lot of things - irritating, brave to a fault, a general pain in the ass - but never giddy. What started as a beatific smile and a comment on the weather quickly morphed into a case of the giggles over one of Ronon’s inane insults, but Rodney had been too enraptured with the massive power readings to pay much attention.
Then Sheppard had pronounced it a beautiful day for a swim, casually handed over his P-90, and dived headfirst into a nearby body of water - tac vest, uniform, handgun and all. When Ronon pulled him out, soaking wet and shivering, Sheppard grinned manically and shoved him into the water.
None of them had noticed the fiery red bite on Sheppard’s arm, too busy trying to corral the elusive crazy man who thought a game of hide and seek sounded fun. Sheppard had run - sprinted really - toward a canyon filled with rocky outcroppings and a series of caves. They gave chase, with Ronon and Teyla quickly outdistancing Rodney. When he caught up to them, they were gasping for breath and staring at a barren landscape with no Sheppard in sight.
“What the hell is his problem?” Rodney demanded.
“Don’t know.” Ronon tied his dreadlocks back and wiped sweat from his eyes. “But something’s wrong.”
“We should not waste time discussing it,” Teyla said. “Can you locate him with the life signs detector?”
“As long as there isn’t any interference and he’s in range.” Rodney pulled the LSD from a pocket. “Of course-”
“Now, McKay,” Ronon growled.
“Fine. No need to get… There. He’s about fifty meters that way.” Rodney waved toward an archway of stone. “He’s not moving.”
Ronon nodded. “Let’s go.”
Rodney stumbled over rocks and narrowly avoided a nasty patch of briars on his way down. The Sheppard dot on the LSD stayed still until they passed through the stone archway. Then it bobbed a bit and moved off in a drunken zigzag.
“John, wait!” Teyla called. “We wish to help you.”
Rocks clattered and a hoarse cry of pain echoed off the ruddy sandstone. Ronon took off like a shot with Teyla, leaving Rodney to scramble after them. He passed by a large boulder and froze when cold metal jammed into the base of his skull.
Heart in his throat, Rodney cautiously raised his hands. “It’s me, Sheppard. It’s Rodney. Your good buddy Rodney. Please don’t kill me. I know you aren’t feeling too good at the moment, but, you know, we can fix that. Just take it easy.”
“Shut up,” Sheppard hissed. “Where are the other two?”
“I don’t know.” Rodney took a deep breath and turned slowly. “Oh, God.”
Sheppard’s skin was gray and slicked with sweat. The arm that held the handgun was swollen, and a bite mark near his elbow was yellow and oozing.
“John, please. Put the gun down. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Sheppard blinked in confusion. “Rodney?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” Rodney took a step forward and held out his hand. “Give me the gun.”
“You look funny.”
“You always say that.”
Sheppard wiped his eyes, but the gun didn’t waver. “Funnier than usual. Kinda shimmery.”
“Well, that’s new.” Rodney concentrated on keeping his features still as Ronon crept up behind Sheppard.
Sheppard’s arm dropped, the gun sliding from his fingers. “I don’t feel so good.” His eyes rolled back in his head and his knees buckled.
Ronon caught him before he hit the ground. “He’s burning up.”
“Where’s Teyla?”
“Calling for help.” Ronon lifted Sheppard like a child. “Come on.”
They wound their way back to the canyon entrance and headed toward the stargate. Teyla met them halfway, her face pulling into a frown when she examined the bite on Sheppard’s arm.
“You recognize it?” Ronon asked.
“Yes. It is the sting of a pameca. He could die without proper treatment.”
Rodney gaped at her. “Die? From a bug bite?”
“The pameca is one of the most poisonous insects in our galaxy. The treatment is a simple remedy that neutralizes the poison, but without it, his temperature will rise to fatal levels.”
Rodney looked up when the stargate activated and a jumper appeared. “How long does he have?”
“A day, perhaps two,” Teyla answered.
Ronon headed toward the lowering ramp. “Can you make the remedy?”
“With the proper roots, yes.” She stepped back. “Go. I will gather what I need and return as quickly as I can.”
Ronon hurried inside and laid Sheppard on a rear bench. “Where do you need to go?”
“I will start with Athos,” Teyla replied.
Ronon squeezed Sheppard’s arm then moved out of the med team’s way and turned to Rodney. “We’ll be back soon.”
“What?” Rodney paused at the hatch entrance as Ronon bounded down. “Where are you going?”
“I can’t help Sheppard,” Ronon said, “but I can help Teyla get what she needs to help him.”
Rodney nodded and stepped back as the hatch closed and the jumper lifted. He recited Teyla’s explanation to the med team and averted his eyes when they started poking needles in Sheppard’s arms and hands. The flight back was quick and the gurney race through the hallways tense.
When they got to the infirmary, Sheppard was immediately surrounded by doctors and nurses. Jennifer barked orders that Rodney couldn’t hear over the blood roaring in his ears. He stuffed himself in an out-of-the-way corner and folded his arms over his chest, partly to dare anyone to try to make him leave and partly to force himself to stay. He’d been here too many times - watching as Jennifer or Carson or Cole or Biro or some other nameless physician struggled to keep one of his teammates alive - but somehow it never got any easier. He was the only one here this time, and he wasn’t leaving Sheppard alone. He trusted the Atlantis doctors more than any he’d ever met, but never leaving an injured teammate alone in the infirmary was an unwritten team rule. One he refused to break.
After a few minutes, the chaos calmed and Jennifer stepped over. “We’re analyzing his blood to determine the toxin in it. Hopefully we’ll know something soon.”
“How is he?”
She shook her head. “We’ve got cooling blankets and ice packs on him, but his temperature is really high. I need the blood tests before I try any antidotes so I don’t make things worse.”
“Teyla thinks she can help.”
“Marie told me. I hope she finds what she needs quickly.” Jennifer narrowed her eyes at him. “Has anyone done your post-mission check?”
“I’m fine.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Rodney’s chin lifted defiantly. “I…” His shoulders sagged. “I don’t want to leave him.”
Jennifer patted his arm. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to. I’ll have Marie take some blood and we’ll check you with the portable scanner.”
Half an hour later, he was pronounced as healthy as ever. He would’ve argued, pointing out the cramps in his lower back, the knots in his calves, and the alien pollen that he was certain was giving him a rash, but one look at Sheppard and the words dried up in his throat.
Sheppard’s arm was swollen to twice its normal size, and his skin managed to be sallow and flushed at the same time, but the rapid, raspy breathing concerned Rodney the most. He pulled a chair near and patted Sheppard’s good arm awkwardly, flinching from the heat emanating from him in waves.
“Hang in there, Sheppard. Teyla will be here soon with the remedy, and you’ll be back to your annoying self in no time.”
Two hours later the convulsions started.
“Oh, oh no you don’t.” Rodney tossed his laptop to the floor and fumbled for the call button. “Help!” He grabbed Sheppard’s arms to keep him from ripping the IVs out. “Help me!”
Medical personnel raced in from every direction. Rodney stumbled backward until he hit the far wall then dragged himself to a sofa and dropped onto it when his legs wouldn’t hold him up anymore. He was still sitting there, staring at the privacy curtain, when Teyla and Ronon raced through the doors.
“Oh, no,” Teyla gasped. “Are we too late?”
Rodney glanced up. “Oh, thank God. No, I don’t think so, but he’s pretty bad off.” He turned to Ronon when Teyla hurried away with a foul-smelling bowl in her hands. “What the hell took you so long?”
Ronon sprawled next to him. “Couldn’t find one of the roots she needed. Athos is…”
“Yeah, I remember. The Wraith made sure no one would live there again for a long time.”
“Took three worlds before we found the right stuff.” Ronon’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “Then she had to make it.”
“As long as it works.”
“Sheppard’s tough. He’ll pull through.” Ronon sounded confident.
The image of Sheppard convulsing played in Rodney’s head. “I hope so.” He stood when Teyla reappeared. “Well?”
She nodded wearily. “Jennifer is administering the remedy.”
“How long before we know if it’s working?” Ronon asked.
Teyla collapsed between them. “His temperature should begin to fall within an hour.”
Ronon stretched his legs out. “I hate waiting.”
“Me, too.” Rodney laid his head back and stared at the ceiling. “Me, too.”
But wait they did, through the afternoon and into the early evening. Eventually, the privacy curtain opened, and Jennifer emerged with a triumphant smile.
“His temperature is falling,” she announced, “and his latest blood test shows the poison is being flushed from his system.”
Teyla and Ronon leapt to their feet, but all Rodney could do was slump forward with his head in his hands as relief crashed through him.
“May we see him?” Teyla asked.
“He’s sleeping, but you’re welcome to sit with him,” Jennifer answered. She sat down next to Rodney. “You okay?”
A thousand replies came to Rodney’s mind, but the only one that came out of his mouth was, “You’re sure he’s going to make it?”
She squeezed his arm gently. “I’m positive.”
Rodney smiled at her. “Then I’m fine. I think I’ll, you know…” He waved a hand towards his teammates.
Jennifer nodded and headed back to her office. Rodney rubbed his hands over his face, trying to wipe away the debilitating feeling of helplessness, then pushed to his feet and moved to Sheppard’s bedside. His arm still looked hideous, but his color had returned to normal and his breathing was light and easy. Ronon had settled in the chair Rodney had been sitting in earlier and Teyla was perched on the foot of Sheppard’s bed so Rodney dragged another chair over and dropped into it. His team had another unwritten rule - no one left until everyone was awake, no matter how long that took.
Rodney jerked upright in the early morning hours and peered around, searching for what had awakened him. Ronon’s snores filled the room, but Rodney had gotten used to that years ago. Teyla was curled in a ball on the next bed over, sound asleep. With a mental shrug, Rodney leaned back then sat up quickly when he spotted Sheppard’s eyes gleaming in the dim light.
“Hey,” Sheppard murmured sleepily. “What happened?”
“You got stung by some poisonous insect and almost killed me,” Rodney retorted. “What is it with you and bugs?”
Sheppard shuddered. “I hate bugs. What did you do to make me almost kill you?”
Rodney had a third unwritten rule -Sheppard was officially okay when the insults started flying. He folded his arms over his chest. “Me? What makes you think I did something?”
“Experience.”
Rodney grinned. Sheppard was going to be fine.
Author: wildcat88
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~2000
Spoilers: None
Summary: After Sheppard is stung by a poisonous insect, Rodney keeps vigil on Atlantis while Ronon and Teyla search for the remedy.
A/N: I needed to take my frustrations out on someone and Shep volunteered. :) Unbeta'd.
In retrospect, the euphoria should have been his first clue something was horribly wrong because, seriously, when they were off-world Sheppard was a lot of things - irritating, brave to a fault, a general pain in the ass - but never giddy. What started as a beatific smile and a comment on the weather quickly morphed into a case of the giggles over one of Ronon’s inane insults, but Rodney had been too enraptured with the massive power readings to pay much attention.
Then Sheppard had pronounced it a beautiful day for a swim, casually handed over his P-90, and dived headfirst into a nearby body of water - tac vest, uniform, handgun and all. When Ronon pulled him out, soaking wet and shivering, Sheppard grinned manically and shoved him into the water.
None of them had noticed the fiery red bite on Sheppard’s arm, too busy trying to corral the elusive crazy man who thought a game of hide and seek sounded fun. Sheppard had run - sprinted really - toward a canyon filled with rocky outcroppings and a series of caves. They gave chase, with Ronon and Teyla quickly outdistancing Rodney. When he caught up to them, they were gasping for breath and staring at a barren landscape with no Sheppard in sight.
“What the hell is his problem?” Rodney demanded.
“Don’t know.” Ronon tied his dreadlocks back and wiped sweat from his eyes. “But something’s wrong.”
“We should not waste time discussing it,” Teyla said. “Can you locate him with the life signs detector?”
“As long as there isn’t any interference and he’s in range.” Rodney pulled the LSD from a pocket. “Of course-”
“Now, McKay,” Ronon growled.
“Fine. No need to get… There. He’s about fifty meters that way.” Rodney waved toward an archway of stone. “He’s not moving.”
Ronon nodded. “Let’s go.”
Rodney stumbled over rocks and narrowly avoided a nasty patch of briars on his way down. The Sheppard dot on the LSD stayed still until they passed through the stone archway. Then it bobbed a bit and moved off in a drunken zigzag.
“John, wait!” Teyla called. “We wish to help you.”
Rocks clattered and a hoarse cry of pain echoed off the ruddy sandstone. Ronon took off like a shot with Teyla, leaving Rodney to scramble after them. He passed by a large boulder and froze when cold metal jammed into the base of his skull.
Heart in his throat, Rodney cautiously raised his hands. “It’s me, Sheppard. It’s Rodney. Your good buddy Rodney. Please don’t kill me. I know you aren’t feeling too good at the moment, but, you know, we can fix that. Just take it easy.”
“Shut up,” Sheppard hissed. “Where are the other two?”
“I don’t know.” Rodney took a deep breath and turned slowly. “Oh, God.”
Sheppard’s skin was gray and slicked with sweat. The arm that held the handgun was swollen, and a bite mark near his elbow was yellow and oozing.
“John, please. Put the gun down. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Sheppard blinked in confusion. “Rodney?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” Rodney took a step forward and held out his hand. “Give me the gun.”
“You look funny.”
“You always say that.”
Sheppard wiped his eyes, but the gun didn’t waver. “Funnier than usual. Kinda shimmery.”
“Well, that’s new.” Rodney concentrated on keeping his features still as Ronon crept up behind Sheppard.
Sheppard’s arm dropped, the gun sliding from his fingers. “I don’t feel so good.” His eyes rolled back in his head and his knees buckled.
Ronon caught him before he hit the ground. “He’s burning up.”
“Where’s Teyla?”
“Calling for help.” Ronon lifted Sheppard like a child. “Come on.”
They wound their way back to the canyon entrance and headed toward the stargate. Teyla met them halfway, her face pulling into a frown when she examined the bite on Sheppard’s arm.
“You recognize it?” Ronon asked.
“Yes. It is the sting of a pameca. He could die without proper treatment.”
Rodney gaped at her. “Die? From a bug bite?”
“The pameca is one of the most poisonous insects in our galaxy. The treatment is a simple remedy that neutralizes the poison, but without it, his temperature will rise to fatal levels.”
Rodney looked up when the stargate activated and a jumper appeared. “How long does he have?”
“A day, perhaps two,” Teyla answered.
Ronon headed toward the lowering ramp. “Can you make the remedy?”
“With the proper roots, yes.” She stepped back. “Go. I will gather what I need and return as quickly as I can.”
Ronon hurried inside and laid Sheppard on a rear bench. “Where do you need to go?”
“I will start with Athos,” Teyla replied.
Ronon squeezed Sheppard’s arm then moved out of the med team’s way and turned to Rodney. “We’ll be back soon.”
“What?” Rodney paused at the hatch entrance as Ronon bounded down. “Where are you going?”
“I can’t help Sheppard,” Ronon said, “but I can help Teyla get what she needs to help him.”
Rodney nodded and stepped back as the hatch closed and the jumper lifted. He recited Teyla’s explanation to the med team and averted his eyes when they started poking needles in Sheppard’s arms and hands. The flight back was quick and the gurney race through the hallways tense.
When they got to the infirmary, Sheppard was immediately surrounded by doctors and nurses. Jennifer barked orders that Rodney couldn’t hear over the blood roaring in his ears. He stuffed himself in an out-of-the-way corner and folded his arms over his chest, partly to dare anyone to try to make him leave and partly to force himself to stay. He’d been here too many times - watching as Jennifer or Carson or Cole or Biro or some other nameless physician struggled to keep one of his teammates alive - but somehow it never got any easier. He was the only one here this time, and he wasn’t leaving Sheppard alone. He trusted the Atlantis doctors more than any he’d ever met, but never leaving an injured teammate alone in the infirmary was an unwritten team rule. One he refused to break.
After a few minutes, the chaos calmed and Jennifer stepped over. “We’re analyzing his blood to determine the toxin in it. Hopefully we’ll know something soon.”
“How is he?”
She shook her head. “We’ve got cooling blankets and ice packs on him, but his temperature is really high. I need the blood tests before I try any antidotes so I don’t make things worse.”
“Teyla thinks she can help.”
“Marie told me. I hope she finds what she needs quickly.” Jennifer narrowed her eyes at him. “Has anyone done your post-mission check?”
“I’m fine.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Rodney’s chin lifted defiantly. “I…” His shoulders sagged. “I don’t want to leave him.”
Jennifer patted his arm. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to. I’ll have Marie take some blood and we’ll check you with the portable scanner.”
Half an hour later, he was pronounced as healthy as ever. He would’ve argued, pointing out the cramps in his lower back, the knots in his calves, and the alien pollen that he was certain was giving him a rash, but one look at Sheppard and the words dried up in his throat.
Sheppard’s arm was swollen to twice its normal size, and his skin managed to be sallow and flushed at the same time, but the rapid, raspy breathing concerned Rodney the most. He pulled a chair near and patted Sheppard’s good arm awkwardly, flinching from the heat emanating from him in waves.
“Hang in there, Sheppard. Teyla will be here soon with the remedy, and you’ll be back to your annoying self in no time.”
Two hours later the convulsions started.
“Oh, oh no you don’t.” Rodney tossed his laptop to the floor and fumbled for the call button. “Help!” He grabbed Sheppard’s arms to keep him from ripping the IVs out. “Help me!”
Medical personnel raced in from every direction. Rodney stumbled backward until he hit the far wall then dragged himself to a sofa and dropped onto it when his legs wouldn’t hold him up anymore. He was still sitting there, staring at the privacy curtain, when Teyla and Ronon raced through the doors.
“Oh, no,” Teyla gasped. “Are we too late?”
Rodney glanced up. “Oh, thank God. No, I don’t think so, but he’s pretty bad off.” He turned to Ronon when Teyla hurried away with a foul-smelling bowl in her hands. “What the hell took you so long?”
Ronon sprawled next to him. “Couldn’t find one of the roots she needed. Athos is…”
“Yeah, I remember. The Wraith made sure no one would live there again for a long time.”
“Took three worlds before we found the right stuff.” Ronon’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “Then she had to make it.”
“As long as it works.”
“Sheppard’s tough. He’ll pull through.” Ronon sounded confident.
The image of Sheppard convulsing played in Rodney’s head. “I hope so.” He stood when Teyla reappeared. “Well?”
She nodded wearily. “Jennifer is administering the remedy.”
“How long before we know if it’s working?” Ronon asked.
Teyla collapsed between them. “His temperature should begin to fall within an hour.”
Ronon stretched his legs out. “I hate waiting.”
“Me, too.” Rodney laid his head back and stared at the ceiling. “Me, too.”
But wait they did, through the afternoon and into the early evening. Eventually, the privacy curtain opened, and Jennifer emerged with a triumphant smile.
“His temperature is falling,” she announced, “and his latest blood test shows the poison is being flushed from his system.”
Teyla and Ronon leapt to their feet, but all Rodney could do was slump forward with his head in his hands as relief crashed through him.
“May we see him?” Teyla asked.
“He’s sleeping, but you’re welcome to sit with him,” Jennifer answered. She sat down next to Rodney. “You okay?”
A thousand replies came to Rodney’s mind, but the only one that came out of his mouth was, “You’re sure he’s going to make it?”
She squeezed his arm gently. “I’m positive.”
Rodney smiled at her. “Then I’m fine. I think I’ll, you know…” He waved a hand towards his teammates.
Jennifer nodded and headed back to her office. Rodney rubbed his hands over his face, trying to wipe away the debilitating feeling of helplessness, then pushed to his feet and moved to Sheppard’s bedside. His arm still looked hideous, but his color had returned to normal and his breathing was light and easy. Ronon had settled in the chair Rodney had been sitting in earlier and Teyla was perched on the foot of Sheppard’s bed so Rodney dragged another chair over and dropped into it. His team had another unwritten rule - no one left until everyone was awake, no matter how long that took.
Rodney jerked upright in the early morning hours and peered around, searching for what had awakened him. Ronon’s snores filled the room, but Rodney had gotten used to that years ago. Teyla was curled in a ball on the next bed over, sound asleep. With a mental shrug, Rodney leaned back then sat up quickly when he spotted Sheppard’s eyes gleaming in the dim light.
“Hey,” Sheppard murmured sleepily. “What happened?”
“You got stung by some poisonous insect and almost killed me,” Rodney retorted. “What is it with you and bugs?”
Sheppard shuddered. “I hate bugs. What did you do to make me almost kill you?”
Rodney had a third unwritten rule -Sheppard was officially okay when the insults started flying. He folded his arms over his chest. “Me? What makes you think I did something?”
“Experience.”
Rodney grinned. Sheppard was going to be fine.