Lifeline Tag
Title: Aftermath
Rating: G
Author: seramercury
Characters: John, Rodney
Notes: This is a tentative title. What are your thoughts on it?
John slowly got up from the weapon's chair. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he attempted to steady himself. He did not relish the idea of falling over in front of the scientists around him. He was feeling physically and emotionally drained and all he wanted to do was curl up in his bed and sleep for a month!
But of course he couldn't do that. Not when he had to make sure everyone was safe and supervise the arrival of personnel from the Apollo. The next few days were going to be drawn out and it looked as though he wouldn't be sleeping for at least another 72 hours.
John took another deep breath as he stepped into the corridor leading up to main tower. He hoped he didn't look as he currently felt... drunk. He was so out of it that he didn't see Major Lorne coming around the corner. The two men slammed into one another and John fell to the floor, wincing slightly as he head made contact.
"Colonel!" Lorne exclaimed, helping John to his feet. "Are you all right?"
He shook his head, ignoring the sudden pain emanating from the back of his head. "Just fine, Major. As you were."
"If you're certain...?"
"I am. I just gotta head up to the control room before Rodney starts yelling that I'm taking too long."
Lorne grinned. "Understood."
**********
The minute Colonel Carter headed back inside, John leaned over the balcony and got sick. He wasn't sure what that was from, maybe the bump on his head? He didn't think he hit that hard, but who knows. John noticed that his vision was kind of blurry too.
Yep, concussion. Not a bad one, but enough to be annoying.
Knowing he should be heading to infirmary John turned to take a step towards the door, but instead made an impressive and graceful drop to the ground. "Maybe I'll just stay here a minute," he said as a wave of dizziness washed over him.
"Sheppard, I was researching that snake creature thing and I was..." Rodney trailed off when he saw his friend falling.
"It never fails, does it? What the hell did you do to yourself this time?" he asked, helping John to his feet.
John didn't respond as Rodney led him to the infirmary. After a few minutes of silence, John finally spoke up. "I lost another member of my family, Rodney."
"I... what?" Rodney was not expecting that at all.
"We lost Carson a few months back and it hurt so much. I didn't tell anyone, but it did. And now we lost Elizabeth. You guys are family to me and I can't even protect you all!"
Rodney stopped walking and forced John to look at him. "First of all, no one said you had, or even could, protect us at all times! Second of all, the person who is risking their life rarely sees the point of view of the person who is watching the other risk their life. Carson and Elizabeth risked everything for us! Don't tarnish that by feeling sorry for yourself!"
John stared at Rodney, willing the tears to stay in place. He swallowed around the lump in his throat, remembering the words he said to Carter not even 20 minutes ago. Elizabeth was alive out there somewhere and he was going to find her because he had hope.
Atlantis was hope.
Rating: G
Author: seramercury
Characters: John, Rodney
Notes: This is a tentative title. What are your thoughts on it?
John slowly got up from the weapon's chair. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he attempted to steady himself. He did not relish the idea of falling over in front of the scientists around him. He was feeling physically and emotionally drained and all he wanted to do was curl up in his bed and sleep for a month!
But of course he couldn't do that. Not when he had to make sure everyone was safe and supervise the arrival of personnel from the Apollo. The next few days were going to be drawn out and it looked as though he wouldn't be sleeping for at least another 72 hours.
John took another deep breath as he stepped into the corridor leading up to main tower. He hoped he didn't look as he currently felt... drunk. He was so out of it that he didn't see Major Lorne coming around the corner. The two men slammed into one another and John fell to the floor, wincing slightly as he head made contact.
"Colonel!" Lorne exclaimed, helping John to his feet. "Are you all right?"
He shook his head, ignoring the sudden pain emanating from the back of his head. "Just fine, Major. As you were."
"If you're certain...?"
"I am. I just gotta head up to the control room before Rodney starts yelling that I'm taking too long."
Lorne grinned. "Understood."
**********
The minute Colonel Carter headed back inside, John leaned over the balcony and got sick. He wasn't sure what that was from, maybe the bump on his head? He didn't think he hit that hard, but who knows. John noticed that his vision was kind of blurry too.
Yep, concussion. Not a bad one, but enough to be annoying.
Knowing he should be heading to infirmary John turned to take a step towards the door, but instead made an impressive and graceful drop to the ground. "Maybe I'll just stay here a minute," he said as a wave of dizziness washed over him.
"Sheppard, I was researching that snake creature thing and I was..." Rodney trailed off when he saw his friend falling.
"It never fails, does it? What the hell did you do to yourself this time?" he asked, helping John to his feet.
John didn't respond as Rodney led him to the infirmary. After a few minutes of silence, John finally spoke up. "I lost another member of my family, Rodney."
"I... what?" Rodney was not expecting that at all.
"We lost Carson a few months back and it hurt so much. I didn't tell anyone, but it did. And now we lost Elizabeth. You guys are family to me and I can't even protect you all!"
Rodney stopped walking and forced John to look at him. "First of all, no one said you had, or even could, protect us at all times! Second of all, the person who is risking their life rarely sees the point of view of the person who is watching the other risk their life. Carson and Elizabeth risked everything for us! Don't tarnish that by feeling sorry for yourself!"
John stared at Rodney, willing the tears to stay in place. He swallowed around the lump in his throat, remembering the words he said to Carter not even 20 minutes ago. Elizabeth was alive out there somewhere and he was going to find her because he had hope.
Atlantis was hope.