Second Star to the Right (Part I) ~ SGA (McShep)
Title: Second Star to the Right
Author: icantfollow
Characters: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Prompt: #046 Star
Word Count: ~11,000
Genre: AU
Rating: PG13
Summary: Rodney's pretty sure that if his time with John hasn't scarred him for life, then at the very least he's going to grow up with a fish fetish.
A/N: Mostly based off of the Disney cartoon version of Peter Pan rather than the J.M. Barrie original, with a bit of the 2003 movie thrown in for kicks. This fic has given me more headaches than a heavy metal band, but it's finally finished.
No crocodiles were harmed in the making of this fic - mostly because I forgot to put one in.
"Mer, tell me a story."
Meredith Rodney McKay closes the door to his sister Jeannie's bedroom to block out the sounds of their parents arguing - again - and sits on the edge of her bed, dislodging their fat tabby, Nana.
"Oh, fine," he says as if it takes a great effort, smoothing the peach comforter with nervous hands; his parents' fighting always puts him on edge. "What do you want to hear tonight?"
"Tell me a story about...him."
Golden curls frame Jeannie's angelic face, but the look has no effect on her older, extremely jaded brother. The first time he told her about him it was to calm her down after a thunderstorm. Little did Rodney know that he would become the bane of his existence.
"Please, Jeannie, you know all those stories by heart now. Wouldn't you rather hear a story about a dumb blonde who broke into the house of three bears, ate their food, vandalized their furniture, then fell asleep, exhausted from her misdemeanors?"
Jeannie tilts her head to one side and seems to consider it. "No."
Rodney sighs and tucks his little sister under the covers, so tightly it's like a straight-jacket. There's very little point in arguing with a six year old; it's a waste of his brain power. "Fine. Which one?"
"The one where he defeats the pirate queen!"
Rodney rubs his temples and sighs again. "We join our intrepid hero in the middle of doing something incredibly stupid - as usual -"
"Mer." Jeannie's scowl darkens her whole face; she doesn't look so angelic anymore. "John Shep is not stupid! He's brave, and exciting, and handsome, and -"
"Fictional," Rodney finishes, crossing his arms over his chest. He wishes he'd never started this. "Plus he's stubborn, and reckless, and cocky, and constantly risking his neck for others-"
"Gee, Rodney," says a new voice, "why don't you tell her how you really feel about me?"
*
Rodney has only lied to his sister on three occasions. Once when she was only a baby and he told her that he hated her. The second time she was just starting preschool, and he told her that the other children would also have read Origin of the Species and would love to discuss it. As for the third time...
The curtains flutter; there's a boy in Jeannie's bedroom window. A boy. If Rodney didn't know that gratingly familiar voice, he'd be on the phone with the police right now. Part of him's still tempted to dial 911, just to teach that boy a lesson.
The boy can't be more than fourteen, Rodney's age, dressed entirely black with dark brown hair that sticks up in odd directions, like a year's worth of cowlicks. He looks like some kind of military commando, and even has camouflage paint on his cheeks. His grin is crooked and he leans against the window frame, perfectly at ease.
Rodney's heart leaps into his throat and tries to climb out his mouth.
Jeannie bolts upright in bed and Rodney groans; so much for getting her to sleep on time.
"Oh. My. God!" she shrieks. "You're John Shep!"
John flutters his ridiculously long lashes at her. "At your service, Princess. I just came looking for my shadow."
He turns to Rodney and throws his arms wide open. "And there he is!"
If Jeannie's eyes get any wider, they'll swallow her whole face. Rodney just moans and buries his face in his hands. This has to be a nightmare.
"Mer? You know John Shep?" Jeannie frowns. "You told me he was fictional."
"Ouch," says John, still leaning, though he clutches at his side as if Rodney has wounded him, and Rodney wants to put his hands around John's throat. John just keeps grinning.
"What are you doing here, John?" Rodney asks, carefully avoiding his sister's look of betrayal.
John slides into the bedroom and perches on top of Jeannie's white dresser, picking up knick-knacks and examining them before tossing them from hand to hand. Rodney braces himself for the sound of breaking glass.
"I need your help," says John as he juggles. He looks up, and for a second, something dark flashes over his face. "You've grown."
"Yeah," says Rodney, leaning his forehead against the cool wall, "that's what happens around here. You haven't."
Rodney's very good at repression; he has to be, to live in the McKay household. That's why he pushes aside how much this unexpected reunion hurts, how it's like having a piece of glass in his foot. At the same time, he's having trouble breathing because his heart is pumping twice as fast as normal.
"You're as big as me now." John's grin lights up the room and Jeannie is instantly blinded to all his faults. Rodney feels concussed. "Bet I can still best you!"
Before Rodney can move, John leaps from his perch and tackles Rodney to the floor.
"Ouch, John, that's my -"
"Not so big now, are you?"
"Get off! You're crushing my -"
"Are you glad to see me yet?"
Rodney finally gets John in a headlock, and is just about to muss that hair in the way he knows John hates, when he's attacked by a four inch flying pest. The thing starts walloping his nostrils, tugging on his ears, and poking him in the eyes. Rodney swats, but misses.
"Oh great," he moans. "You brought it with you."
The fairy - electric blue and not a bug despite appearances - settles on John's shoulder and chatters in a high pitched voice like a squeaky record player. It folds tiny arms across its chest, and sticks its tongue out in Rodney's direction. Jeannie struggles to sit up again and squeals.
"Is that Tinkerbell?" she asks, her face alight.
Both John and the fairy fall silent. Rodney braces himself for another attack.
"Tinkerbell?" John repeats, holding the fairy back by its wings as it lunges for Rodney.
"What do you want," complains Rodney, avoiding the fairy's very outraged glare. "I can barely pronounce its real name, and besides, it has a better ring to it. Why'd you have to bring that thing anyway?"
John ignores him and looks at Jeannie. "His name's Radek, Princess, not Tinkerbell, and he happens to be a very good friend of mine."
"Well, of course," Jeannie replies, bouncing out of bed. Rodney throws up his hands; it's hopeless. She's fallen under the Sway of John. There's no helping her now. "Meredith's told me all about your adventures. He said he made them up, but I didn't believe him."
"Meredith said that, did he?" John raises an eyebrow at Rodney and puts an arm around Jeannie's shoulder. "What else did Meredith tell you about me?"
Jeannie blushes at the attention and bites down on her lip. "He said...he said you can fly. Can you?"
John smirks. "Can I fly. Radek, a little assistance in a demonstration for the lady?"
The fairy grumbles and for a moment Rodney feels its pain. John is such a show off.
Radek (Tinkerbell, Rodney thinks rebelliously) pushes his blue sleeves up and rubs his hands together, then shakes his wild hair over John's outstretched palm. John rubs the dust between his fingers, winks at Jeannie, and rockets into the air, tumbling over and over until he bumps his head on the ceiling. Rodney rolls his eyes.
Seeing that Jeannie's been struck dumb, Rodney takes advantage of the rare occasion to ask, "Again, John, what are you doing here? I told you, I'm done with Atlantis. Period."
"I'm afraid I just can't take no for an answer, Shadow," says John, hovering upside-down above his head. "We really need your help. Come on, for old time's sake? Atlantis needs you, buddy."
"Please, Mer?" Jeannie examines a preening Radek with one finger and he giggles. "Please, can we go to Atlantis?"
"You are absolutely not going," says Rodney, and Radek squeaks indignantly. "Oh, shut up, dust-for-brains, I'm not dragging my little sister to your pirate-infested planet."
Radek continues to chitter, throwing his hands in the air.
"Oh, don't give me that, you flying cockroach, you do not have the Wraith under control - or you wouldn't need me. I bet you haven't even implemented that health care system I suggested." Radek makes a motion with his hands and Rodney turns red. "What do you mean you spent the money on a water slide? The whole stupid island's a water slide!"
"You can't leave her here by herself, Rodney," John points out, coming off the ceiling to sit on Jeannie's lacy besdspread. "Who's going to watch out for her, the cat?"
Nana hisses and runs under the bed. Cats are excellent judges of character, but Rodney feels himself weakening in the face of John's awesome charisma, and struggles to hold his ground.
"I want to go to Atlantis, Mer." Uh oh, Hurricane Jeannie approaches, just what he needs.
"She's old enough now," John adds, and Rodney hates the effect John has on him. It's just like old times - and Rodney doesn't like it at all. "You know I wouldn't have come if I wasn't desperate."
"Oh, gee, thanks, that makes me feel so much better." Rodney shakes his head, trying to clear the John-induced haze that surrounds him. "I can't run off to Atlantis with you, I'm starting high school Monday! I'm done, John, this isn't like it used to be. I'm going off to college in a few years, I've got a chance to really make a difference here."
"You could make a difference in Atlantis too."
Oh, great, now John's starting to pout. Rodney knows he has to sever the ties eventually; he's growing up, and John never can - or will. They have to grow apart, that's just the way it has to be. They live in two different worlds, for crying out loud, and fun time is over. Rodney has responsibilities now.
His mother screams from the other room, and his father screams back. It sounds like a vase is thrown against the wall; Rodney always does his best to clean up after them, but he's only fourteen. It shouldn't be his job to clean up after his parents. Sooner or later it'll come to blows. Rodney clenches his fists and looks up at John.
"Okay, fine, one last time. But this is it, I swear."
Jeannie squeals again and throws her arms around him. John slaps Rodney on the back.
"I knew you'd come through for me, Shadow."
"Yeah, yeah," grumbles Rodney. "Hand over the fairy and let's get this over with."
"Ready to fly, Princess?" John asks Jeannie. She nods and Radek crawls into her hand. "Good girl. Now, think Happy Thoughts."
John glances at the still-scowling Rodney. "You too, Meredith."
"Yeah, yeah." Rodney grabs Radek a little more roughly than necessary, and rubs the fairy dust in his hands. If his happy thoughts include John, he doesn't mention it.
Jeannie clutches his arm as they take off, throwing Rodney off-balance. He hasn't done this in a long time, and certainly never with a passenger before, but before he can slip and fall, John takes his hand in a tight, if sweaty, grip.
"Ready?" John's eyes sparkle, and Rodney's stomach drops to his toes; he blames the altitude. "Here we go!"
*
The second they land in Atlantis, Rodney sneezes, and trips over a rock.
"Just great," he complains from the ground, dusting off his khaki pants and blue polo while John stands around with that stupid grin on his face. "I'd forgotten how hard this place is on my allergies."
Radek collapses on John's shoulder, giggling, and John just shakes his head. "That's my Shadow."
"Ignore him," Jeannie says, cheeks flushed with exhilaration. She's acting as if she flies to strange worlds all the time, bouncing on the balls of her feet; Rodney finds it very annoying. "He's just a spoilsport."
"Don't worry, Jeannie," says John, leaning down to pull Rodney to his feet. "I'm used to it."
Ignoring the tingling sensation he feels at John's touch, Rodney pulls away, glaring, and examines his surroundings. They landed in a forest; nothing but trees.
"Where's the clubhouse?" he asks, peering up into the treetops.
"Shielded, from prying pirate eyes," John replies, pointing down a masked path.
Rodney takes Jeannie's hand to make sure she doesn't go wandering off, and follows John, with a still tittering Radek leading the way. The forest gets denser the further they go, and Rodney doesn't remember it being this thick. He has the sudden panic that they're going the wrong way.
"How come you know so much about this place?" Jeannie whispers. Rodney wonders how much to tell her, and decides that less is more - for now.
All he says is, "I've been here before."
Is it his imagination or is that a look of disappointment on John's face? He tries not to get his hopes up. That's what ruined Atlantis for him the last time.
Rodney tries to keep the lid tight on his memories, but it's no use. He remembers the tree climbing, the pirate fighting, the feasts and games; he remembers being taught to use a slingshot, and teaching others how to run electricity indoors, trying to teach them rudimentary algebra - but mostly he remembers John, and how much he worshipped the once older boy. He thinks of John's beatific smile whenever he's caught in the middle of some escapade, the confidence he inspires with just a hand on a shoulder. John is just cool.
Being around John makes Rodney feel incredibly stupid - and that's not a sensation he generally enjoys.
"It's beautiful here," Jeannie says, mouth hanging open as she takes it all in. Her childish delight in the exotic birds and the blossoming flowers and the nearly purple sky relieves some of Rodney's frustration.
"You haven't seen nothin' yet," says John, putting out a hand against the open air. Suddenly, the space around John's hand glows ice blue, and a large castle-like building shimmers into sight. It's silver and cool to the touch - a definite upgrade from the last time Rodney was in Atlantis and they were living in a tree. Spires and towers - the place is enormous. Rodney idly wonders what John does with all the extra space, and where he found the manual labor to build it.
Jeannie squeals and fawns, and John just smiles like he built it single-handedly. They walk in unmolested through a giant ring covered in strange designs, and Rodney hears whispers. He knows what's next.
"Shadow's back!"
"Shadow? You lie!"
"Say that to my face!"
"If he doesn't, I will!'
"No, look, it really is Shadow!"
"Shadow!"
The swarm descends and Rodney finds himself buried under a mound of screaming, wriggling, human flesh. Jeannie stands a step back, shocked, as Rodney is noogied, squeezed, punched, and pinched.
"Yes, yes, it's good to see you all, too," Rodney says, dragging himself from under the pile with a gasp.
"Attention!" John calls out, and the group snaps to in varying states of disarray. "We've got new blood among us - and some old, too!"
The kids, most younger than John and Rodney, stand in a straight line with their chests puffed out, though they exchange looks and the smallest boy giggles. They're wearing funny hats and various bits of animal fur like it's some kind of uniform.
"Jeannie," John says, bowing to her, "these are my mates. From tallest to smallest: Ronon, Lorne, Beckett, Ford, and Teyla."
Jeannie's thumb sneaks into her mouth when faced with all these new people, but Teyla, the only female member of John's gang, takes her by the hand and whispers something; Jeannie starts to giggle. For the first time since getting dusted, Rodney relaxes. He knows Jeannie's in safe hands.
"And I think you all might remember my Shadow," John continues, that cocky little smile in full display. "He's come back to help us defeat the Wraith Queen and rescue Chaya Athar!"
Everyone cheers - everyone except Rodney.
"I what?" cries Rodney, pulling himself free of an exuberant Ronon. The look he turns on John is furious, and suddenly the rest of the gang decide to make themselves scarce - they know that look, and what comes after it. It may have been awhile, but some things never change.
Teyla pulls a protesting Jeannie away with her, but Rodney barely notices.
"You dragged me back here," Rodney growls at John, who appears unconcerned, "to rescue your girlfriend?"
John rolls his eyes and falls onto a chair with one leg slung over the arm; they've had this argument before. "Chaya Athar is not my girlfriend, Rodney. She's very important to her people, we can't just leave her at the mercy of pirates!"
"Oh, of course you can't," Rodney mutters. "You're such a do-gooder."
"I don't wanna fight about this," says John, but a smile plays at his lips. "Unless you want me to get the swords."
"Don't be stupid," says Rodney, and it's his turn to roll his eyes. "Is there food? I'm hungry."
John beams, springs to his feet, and bellows, "TROOPS! DINNER!"
Rodney stumbles into a table as the walls of John's fortress rumble and shake. There's a stampede down the stairs, Jeannie flying along in its wake. Rodney reaches out and snags her to keep her out of harm's way.
"Don't eat anything you haven't seen someone else eat first," Rodney mumbles out of the corner of his mouth. Jeannie makes a face.
"Mer, that's disgusting." She runs off to sit at Teyla's side on one of the mismatched chairs. Teyla glances up and catches Rodney's eye; out of all John's minions, she's always been his favorite. That doesn't mean they're on the same side.
Ronon uses both hands to shovel food in, and Lorne and Beckett are flicking bits of the mash at each other from across the makeshift table - what was once the hull of the S.S. Daedelus, among other things.
Rodney's not hungry anymore.
*
John finds him on the west balcony, poking his multicolored mush around his plate with a wooden fork.
"Not hungry?" he asks, punching Rodney lightly on the shoulder. Rodney barely flinches.
"Why'd you drag me back here, John?" Rodney asks, without looking up. The moon is crawling up to its place in the sky, and the stars shine brighter than they ever do back home. Rodney can't appreciate any of it - not until he gets some answers.
"I told you - I need your help rescuing Chaya Athar."
Rodney knows when John's lying; he's not any good at it. Lying's a grown-up thing. "Why'd you really bring me back?"
John perches on the railing that overlooks the forest and runs a hand through his hair, offering Rodney a tentative smile, looking like a puppy that knows it's been bad but just craves love. "I missed you."
"Missed me?" Rodney finally looks up and his eyes are angry. "Or missed having your 'Shadow', missed having someone who followed you around, idolized you, and hung on your every word? Isn't that what Team Shep in there is for?"
"You know it's not the same," says John.
"No," Rodney says softly, looking at the way the moon highlights John's profile, makes him glow, "it's not."
John bounces onto his feet; he doesn't feel the tension the way Rodney does, and he probably never will. No matter how cool John is, he's...unfinished. It's just one on a list of many things about John Shep that irk Rodney.
"Come on," John says. "We've got a hard day ahead of us. That big brain of yours is gonna need to be well-rested."
If there's one thing that Rodney, as a teenage boy, ought to be good at, it's repressing his emotions. While John just stands there, open and honest and incapable of guile or deeper sentiment, Rodney packs each and every one of his conflicting thoughts, memories, and feelings into a closet, locks the door, and throws away the key.
"Fine," he says, "I'm coming."
*
"Meredith never told me," Jeannie was saying when they went back into the hall, "what is it the pirates do that's so horrible?"
There's a hushed silence, and every head in the room turns to John. Rodney, who knows the answer and purposely avoided telling Jeannie himself, says nothing.
"They make you old," John says quietly. "Then you forget."
There are a few whimpers; Radek squeaks in distress, like he's having the life drained out of him.
"Forget what?" Jeannie asks, looking horrified, looking at Rodney who just stares at the floor.
"Atlantis," says John, and he looks to Rodney as well. "Everything."
*
No one knows where they came from; they're as much a part of Atlantis as John Shep and his friends. In a world of black and white, good and evil, there's got to be an enemy.
John Shep's enemy is the Wraith and their particularly fearsome pirate queen.
But, as Rodney pointed out once, they're only physical representations of John's real enemy, the one that keeps him up at night, the one that forced him to seek shelter in Atlantis in the first place, the one that gives him nightmares.
John's real enemy is Time.
The Wraith only carry out Time's decree - that everyone in Atlantis must someday grow up, no matter how hard John tries to fight it.
*
Jeannie sleeps next to Teyla with one hand curled under her cheek like a pillow. She looks right at home, and her brother doesn't like that at all. Rodney doesn't sleep; Lorne and Beckett snore, so it's impossible to get any rest between them. Rodney decides, instead, to go back onto the balcony and stare at the stars.
Somewhere among them is Earth, and Rodney imagines that his parents have put themselves to bed, exhausted from their nightly verbal assaults, without even checking to make sure their children are safe and sound. Even if they did find the beds empty, it would only start another knock-down, drag-out fight. There wouldn't be any actual concern.
Rodney hears a noise, and realizes that some things - especially in Atlantis - never change. John sleeps on the roof with his hands behind his head, unaware of the complicated thoughts happening below.
Radek lands on the railing and glares at Rodney. His wings flap continuously, like a hummingbird; he's clearly agitated.
"Oh, calm down," Rodney snaps, hating that accusatory stare. "I'm not here to take him away from you."
The fairy twitters, then crosses his arms, and Rodney rolls his eyes.
"I didn't want to come here in the first place!" Rodney exclaims. "So don't get your wings in a knot. As soon as I help John, I'm out of here."
Radek looks unconvinced, but he flies off without another sound.
Rodney can feel himself slipping back into old patterns, pulled along in John's wake. It doesn't matter how much he's grown, he can't seem to fight the current. He doesn't want that, not for himself and certainly not for his sister. They can't stay in Atlantis. They can't stay children forever.
The hardest part about coming back to Atlantis is that Rodney's already grown up, even if he doesn't look it. The closet door doesn't stay locked, he can't pretend that everything will be okay. He knows too much. That makes him dangerous.
Ronon says as much to John when he thinks Rodney isn't listening.
John replies, "I trust him. I trust him with my life."
Ronon says, "I hope it doesn't come to that."
Rodney feels homesick.
*
He wakes with Beckett's hand over his mouth and Ford's knees under his back. John's sitting on his chest.
"Morning," says John, putting his chin in his hands. "Ready?"
Rodney shoves the still sleeping boys aside and braces himself on his elbows. "Do I have a choice?"
John extends a hand and pulls Rodney to his feet. "Not really, no."
John straps a knife - one of the numerous weapons John's amassed, the source of which Rodney's always wondered about - around Rodney's waist and he tries not to shiver at the touch. There's nothing more than friendship in that boy's eyes.
Except...for a second, as John's hands settle the buckle into place, there's something else. Something that looks like confusion.
Then it's gone and John is John again.
"Come on," he says, "we need to figure out where they're keeping her."
"Hang on," says Rodney as he's dragged from the fort, "aren't we going to wait for the rest of the motley crew?"
"We don't need them," says John, though Rodney notices that Radek has appeared; that pesky pixie hates to let John out of his sight. He's so possessive. "We're just going for a swim."
It takes Rodney far too long to make the connection, and by the time he does, it's too late and they're at the grotto. With the green garlands, fireflies, crystalline rocks, and water lilies, it's considered the most romantic place in all of Atlantis - so, naturally, hardly anyone ever goes there. Except John. John goes everywhere.
"Oh no," says Rodney pulling his wrist out of John's grasp. "Not them. I'll fight the Wraith, I'll take on the queen myself, but I won't deal with them. Not the mermaids."
"Don't be rude, Shadow," says John, like Rodney's made a faux-pas at a fancy dinner by insulting the chef. "The ladies love you."
"Exactly," Rodney says grimly, "that's what I'm afraid of."
John just rolls his eyes and crouches at the edge of the water, creating ripples with his fingers.
"Hey, girls, are you there?"
There's no reply, just eerie stillness. Rodney releases the breath he's holding, and backs away from the dark water, feet sliding on the rocks. He can feel it in his bones. Oh no. Not the singing.
"I've got Shadow," John adds.
Rodney hears the sound that fills his nightmares: the sound of splashing.
Brightly colored tailfins break the surface of the icy green water, followed shortly by the heads of a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. They wear shell bikini tops and starfish in their dripping wet hair. When they see Rodney, they gasp and splash a bit. Radek makes kissy-faces and Rodney flicks him into the water.
"It's about time," says the blonde, snapping her fingers. She was always a tease. "We've missed you. What took you so long, Rodney?"
"He's older," says the brunette, breathless. "He looks good."
Rodney feels ill. This is exactly why he can't enjoy sushi. "Right. Hello. How are you?"
"Better now that you're here," purrs the redhead, shaking her fin in his direction as she plucks the petals from a waterlily.
"Aren't you going to join us?" the blonde asks, swimming closer. She rests her chin on her hands on the edge and flicks her tail provocatively. "You used to love to swim."
Rodney's pretty sure that if his time with John hasn't scarred him for life, then at the very least he's going to grow up with a fish fetish.
"We're looking for Chaya Athar," John interrupts. "Do you know where she is?"
The blonde and the brunette exchange a look and giggle. It's an inhuman sound.
"We'll tell you if you let us play with your Shadow for a bit," says the brunette. The blonde laughs and suns herself, and the redhead claps her hands.
Rodney was only ten the last time he was in Atlantis, and even then he knew enough about avians and insects to feel violated. This is about ten times worse.
"If you feed me to the wolves," Rodney mutters to John, "then I'm taking you down with me."
"Okay," John agrees; he takes Rodney by the hand and dives in. The mermaids laugh and cheer and at least two of them grope Rodney in inappropriate places; Rodney gasps and struggles to breathe. Radek, who dragged himself from the water, points and laughs, but is silenced with a look from John.
"Are you trying to kill me?" Rodney snaps, just on general principle. Then he sneezes.
"Aw, Rodney," says the blonde with a pout and a small splash in his direction. "We're just having a little fun."
The brunette smiles and brushes his face with her fin, leaving the taste of tuna in his mouth. "It gets so lonely around here without you."
John, treading water, interposes himself between them and the beleaguered Rodney. "Alright, girls, I think that's enough. Shadow's older now. He can't have fun like he used to. Now, Chaya?"
Rodney, soaking wet and grouchy, resists the temptation to drown him.
"I heard that the Wraith have got your princess on Athos Island," says the redhead, brushing her scaly fingers across Rodney's. He tries not to shudder, but pulls away before they can surround him and pull him under.
"Thanks, girls," says John, dragging Rodney from the water like the Catch of the Day. "Always a blast."
"You're not leaving already," says the blonde and she starts flexing her fingers in anger. Suddenly she's not so attractive anymore. Hell hath no fury like a mermaid scorned.
"We've got to rescue a princess," John says. Noticing the mutinous looks he adds, "Shadow will make sure to come 'round again before he leaves."
"I really, seriously hate you," Rodney mutters as they scramble away, barely escaping with their virtues. "Now, how do you plan on getting to Athos Island?"
PART II
Author: icantfollow
Characters: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Prompt: #046 Star
Word Count: ~11,000
Genre: AU
Rating: PG13
Summary: Rodney's pretty sure that if his time with John hasn't scarred him for life, then at the very least he's going to grow up with a fish fetish.
A/N: Mostly based off of the Disney cartoon version of Peter Pan rather than the J.M. Barrie original, with a bit of the 2003 movie thrown in for kicks. This fic has given me more headaches than a heavy metal band, but it's finally finished.
No crocodiles were harmed in the making of this fic - mostly because I forgot to put one in.
"Mer, tell me a story."
Meredith Rodney McKay closes the door to his sister Jeannie's bedroom to block out the sounds of their parents arguing - again - and sits on the edge of her bed, dislodging their fat tabby, Nana.
"Oh, fine," he says as if it takes a great effort, smoothing the peach comforter with nervous hands; his parents' fighting always puts him on edge. "What do you want to hear tonight?"
"Tell me a story about...him."
Golden curls frame Jeannie's angelic face, but the look has no effect on her older, extremely jaded brother. The first time he told her about him it was to calm her down after a thunderstorm. Little did Rodney know that he would become the bane of his existence.
"Please, Jeannie, you know all those stories by heart now. Wouldn't you rather hear a story about a dumb blonde who broke into the house of three bears, ate their food, vandalized their furniture, then fell asleep, exhausted from her misdemeanors?"
Jeannie tilts her head to one side and seems to consider it. "No."
Rodney sighs and tucks his little sister under the covers, so tightly it's like a straight-jacket. There's very little point in arguing with a six year old; it's a waste of his brain power. "Fine. Which one?"
"The one where he defeats the pirate queen!"
Rodney rubs his temples and sighs again. "We join our intrepid hero in the middle of doing something incredibly stupid - as usual -"
"Mer." Jeannie's scowl darkens her whole face; she doesn't look so angelic anymore. "John Shep is not stupid! He's brave, and exciting, and handsome, and -"
"Fictional," Rodney finishes, crossing his arms over his chest. He wishes he'd never started this. "Plus he's stubborn, and reckless, and cocky, and constantly risking his neck for others-"
"Gee, Rodney," says a new voice, "why don't you tell her how you really feel about me?"
*
Rodney has only lied to his sister on three occasions. Once when she was only a baby and he told her that he hated her. The second time she was just starting preschool, and he told her that the other children would also have read Origin of the Species and would love to discuss it. As for the third time...
The curtains flutter; there's a boy in Jeannie's bedroom window. A boy. If Rodney didn't know that gratingly familiar voice, he'd be on the phone with the police right now. Part of him's still tempted to dial 911, just to teach that boy a lesson.
The boy can't be more than fourteen, Rodney's age, dressed entirely black with dark brown hair that sticks up in odd directions, like a year's worth of cowlicks. He looks like some kind of military commando, and even has camouflage paint on his cheeks. His grin is crooked and he leans against the window frame, perfectly at ease.
Rodney's heart leaps into his throat and tries to climb out his mouth.
Jeannie bolts upright in bed and Rodney groans; so much for getting her to sleep on time.
"Oh. My. God!" she shrieks. "You're John Shep!"
John flutters his ridiculously long lashes at her. "At your service, Princess. I just came looking for my shadow."
He turns to Rodney and throws his arms wide open. "And there he is!"
If Jeannie's eyes get any wider, they'll swallow her whole face. Rodney just moans and buries his face in his hands. This has to be a nightmare.
"Mer? You know John Shep?" Jeannie frowns. "You told me he was fictional."
"Ouch," says John, still leaning, though he clutches at his side as if Rodney has wounded him, and Rodney wants to put his hands around John's throat. John just keeps grinning.
"What are you doing here, John?" Rodney asks, carefully avoiding his sister's look of betrayal.
John slides into the bedroom and perches on top of Jeannie's white dresser, picking up knick-knacks and examining them before tossing them from hand to hand. Rodney braces himself for the sound of breaking glass.
"I need your help," says John as he juggles. He looks up, and for a second, something dark flashes over his face. "You've grown."
"Yeah," says Rodney, leaning his forehead against the cool wall, "that's what happens around here. You haven't."
Rodney's very good at repression; he has to be, to live in the McKay household. That's why he pushes aside how much this unexpected reunion hurts, how it's like having a piece of glass in his foot. At the same time, he's having trouble breathing because his heart is pumping twice as fast as normal.
"You're as big as me now." John's grin lights up the room and Jeannie is instantly blinded to all his faults. Rodney feels concussed. "Bet I can still best you!"
Before Rodney can move, John leaps from his perch and tackles Rodney to the floor.
"Ouch, John, that's my -"
"Not so big now, are you?"
"Get off! You're crushing my -"
"Are you glad to see me yet?"
Rodney finally gets John in a headlock, and is just about to muss that hair in the way he knows John hates, when he's attacked by a four inch flying pest. The thing starts walloping his nostrils, tugging on his ears, and poking him in the eyes. Rodney swats, but misses.
"Oh great," he moans. "You brought it with you."
The fairy - electric blue and not a bug despite appearances - settles on John's shoulder and chatters in a high pitched voice like a squeaky record player. It folds tiny arms across its chest, and sticks its tongue out in Rodney's direction. Jeannie struggles to sit up again and squeals.
"Is that Tinkerbell?" she asks, her face alight.
Both John and the fairy fall silent. Rodney braces himself for another attack.
"Tinkerbell?" John repeats, holding the fairy back by its wings as it lunges for Rodney.
"What do you want," complains Rodney, avoiding the fairy's very outraged glare. "I can barely pronounce its real name, and besides, it has a better ring to it. Why'd you have to bring that thing anyway?"
John ignores him and looks at Jeannie. "His name's Radek, Princess, not Tinkerbell, and he happens to be a very good friend of mine."
"Well, of course," Jeannie replies, bouncing out of bed. Rodney throws up his hands; it's hopeless. She's fallen under the Sway of John. There's no helping her now. "Meredith's told me all about your adventures. He said he made them up, but I didn't believe him."
"Meredith said that, did he?" John raises an eyebrow at Rodney and puts an arm around Jeannie's shoulder. "What else did Meredith tell you about me?"
Jeannie blushes at the attention and bites down on her lip. "He said...he said you can fly. Can you?"
John smirks. "Can I fly. Radek, a little assistance in a demonstration for the lady?"
The fairy grumbles and for a moment Rodney feels its pain. John is such a show off.
Radek (Tinkerbell, Rodney thinks rebelliously) pushes his blue sleeves up and rubs his hands together, then shakes his wild hair over John's outstretched palm. John rubs the dust between his fingers, winks at Jeannie, and rockets into the air, tumbling over and over until he bumps his head on the ceiling. Rodney rolls his eyes.
Seeing that Jeannie's been struck dumb, Rodney takes advantage of the rare occasion to ask, "Again, John, what are you doing here? I told you, I'm done with Atlantis. Period."
"I'm afraid I just can't take no for an answer, Shadow," says John, hovering upside-down above his head. "We really need your help. Come on, for old time's sake? Atlantis needs you, buddy."
"Please, Mer?" Jeannie examines a preening Radek with one finger and he giggles. "Please, can we go to Atlantis?"
"You are absolutely not going," says Rodney, and Radek squeaks indignantly. "Oh, shut up, dust-for-brains, I'm not dragging my little sister to your pirate-infested planet."
Radek continues to chitter, throwing his hands in the air.
"Oh, don't give me that, you flying cockroach, you do not have the Wraith under control - or you wouldn't need me. I bet you haven't even implemented that health care system I suggested." Radek makes a motion with his hands and Rodney turns red. "What do you mean you spent the money on a water slide? The whole stupid island's a water slide!"
"You can't leave her here by herself, Rodney," John points out, coming off the ceiling to sit on Jeannie's lacy besdspread. "Who's going to watch out for her, the cat?"
Nana hisses and runs under the bed. Cats are excellent judges of character, but Rodney feels himself weakening in the face of John's awesome charisma, and struggles to hold his ground.
"I want to go to Atlantis, Mer." Uh oh, Hurricane Jeannie approaches, just what he needs.
"She's old enough now," John adds, and Rodney hates the effect John has on him. It's just like old times - and Rodney doesn't like it at all. "You know I wouldn't have come if I wasn't desperate."
"Oh, gee, thanks, that makes me feel so much better." Rodney shakes his head, trying to clear the John-induced haze that surrounds him. "I can't run off to Atlantis with you, I'm starting high school Monday! I'm done, John, this isn't like it used to be. I'm going off to college in a few years, I've got a chance to really make a difference here."
"You could make a difference in Atlantis too."
Oh, great, now John's starting to pout. Rodney knows he has to sever the ties eventually; he's growing up, and John never can - or will. They have to grow apart, that's just the way it has to be. They live in two different worlds, for crying out loud, and fun time is over. Rodney has responsibilities now.
His mother screams from the other room, and his father screams back. It sounds like a vase is thrown against the wall; Rodney always does his best to clean up after them, but he's only fourteen. It shouldn't be his job to clean up after his parents. Sooner or later it'll come to blows. Rodney clenches his fists and looks up at John.
"Okay, fine, one last time. But this is it, I swear."
Jeannie squeals again and throws her arms around him. John slaps Rodney on the back.
"I knew you'd come through for me, Shadow."
"Yeah, yeah," grumbles Rodney. "Hand over the fairy and let's get this over with."
"Ready to fly, Princess?" John asks Jeannie. She nods and Radek crawls into her hand. "Good girl. Now, think Happy Thoughts."
John glances at the still-scowling Rodney. "You too, Meredith."
"Yeah, yeah." Rodney grabs Radek a little more roughly than necessary, and rubs the fairy dust in his hands. If his happy thoughts include John, he doesn't mention it.
Jeannie clutches his arm as they take off, throwing Rodney off-balance. He hasn't done this in a long time, and certainly never with a passenger before, but before he can slip and fall, John takes his hand in a tight, if sweaty, grip.
"Ready?" John's eyes sparkle, and Rodney's stomach drops to his toes; he blames the altitude. "Here we go!"
*
The second they land in Atlantis, Rodney sneezes, and trips over a rock.
"Just great," he complains from the ground, dusting off his khaki pants and blue polo while John stands around with that stupid grin on his face. "I'd forgotten how hard this place is on my allergies."
Radek collapses on John's shoulder, giggling, and John just shakes his head. "That's my Shadow."
"Ignore him," Jeannie says, cheeks flushed with exhilaration. She's acting as if she flies to strange worlds all the time, bouncing on the balls of her feet; Rodney finds it very annoying. "He's just a spoilsport."
"Don't worry, Jeannie," says John, leaning down to pull Rodney to his feet. "I'm used to it."
Ignoring the tingling sensation he feels at John's touch, Rodney pulls away, glaring, and examines his surroundings. They landed in a forest; nothing but trees.
"Where's the clubhouse?" he asks, peering up into the treetops.
"Shielded, from prying pirate eyes," John replies, pointing down a masked path.
Rodney takes Jeannie's hand to make sure she doesn't go wandering off, and follows John, with a still tittering Radek leading the way. The forest gets denser the further they go, and Rodney doesn't remember it being this thick. He has the sudden panic that they're going the wrong way.
"How come you know so much about this place?" Jeannie whispers. Rodney wonders how much to tell her, and decides that less is more - for now.
All he says is, "I've been here before."
Is it his imagination or is that a look of disappointment on John's face? He tries not to get his hopes up. That's what ruined Atlantis for him the last time.
Rodney tries to keep the lid tight on his memories, but it's no use. He remembers the tree climbing, the pirate fighting, the feasts and games; he remembers being taught to use a slingshot, and teaching others how to run electricity indoors, trying to teach them rudimentary algebra - but mostly he remembers John, and how much he worshipped the once older boy. He thinks of John's beatific smile whenever he's caught in the middle of some escapade, the confidence he inspires with just a hand on a shoulder. John is just cool.
Being around John makes Rodney feel incredibly stupid - and that's not a sensation he generally enjoys.
"It's beautiful here," Jeannie says, mouth hanging open as she takes it all in. Her childish delight in the exotic birds and the blossoming flowers and the nearly purple sky relieves some of Rodney's frustration.
"You haven't seen nothin' yet," says John, putting out a hand against the open air. Suddenly, the space around John's hand glows ice blue, and a large castle-like building shimmers into sight. It's silver and cool to the touch - a definite upgrade from the last time Rodney was in Atlantis and they were living in a tree. Spires and towers - the place is enormous. Rodney idly wonders what John does with all the extra space, and where he found the manual labor to build it.
Jeannie squeals and fawns, and John just smiles like he built it single-handedly. They walk in unmolested through a giant ring covered in strange designs, and Rodney hears whispers. He knows what's next.
"Shadow's back!"
"Shadow? You lie!"
"Say that to my face!"
"If he doesn't, I will!'
"No, look, it really is Shadow!"
"Shadow!"
The swarm descends and Rodney finds himself buried under a mound of screaming, wriggling, human flesh. Jeannie stands a step back, shocked, as Rodney is noogied, squeezed, punched, and pinched.
"Yes, yes, it's good to see you all, too," Rodney says, dragging himself from under the pile with a gasp.
"Attention!" John calls out, and the group snaps to in varying states of disarray. "We've got new blood among us - and some old, too!"
The kids, most younger than John and Rodney, stand in a straight line with their chests puffed out, though they exchange looks and the smallest boy giggles. They're wearing funny hats and various bits of animal fur like it's some kind of uniform.
"Jeannie," John says, bowing to her, "these are my mates. From tallest to smallest: Ronon, Lorne, Beckett, Ford, and Teyla."
Jeannie's thumb sneaks into her mouth when faced with all these new people, but Teyla, the only female member of John's gang, takes her by the hand and whispers something; Jeannie starts to giggle. For the first time since getting dusted, Rodney relaxes. He knows Jeannie's in safe hands.
"And I think you all might remember my Shadow," John continues, that cocky little smile in full display. "He's come back to help us defeat the Wraith Queen and rescue Chaya Athar!"
Everyone cheers - everyone except Rodney.
"I what?" cries Rodney, pulling himself free of an exuberant Ronon. The look he turns on John is furious, and suddenly the rest of the gang decide to make themselves scarce - they know that look, and what comes after it. It may have been awhile, but some things never change.
Teyla pulls a protesting Jeannie away with her, but Rodney barely notices.
"You dragged me back here," Rodney growls at John, who appears unconcerned, "to rescue your girlfriend?"
John rolls his eyes and falls onto a chair with one leg slung over the arm; they've had this argument before. "Chaya Athar is not my girlfriend, Rodney. She's very important to her people, we can't just leave her at the mercy of pirates!"
"Oh, of course you can't," Rodney mutters. "You're such a do-gooder."
"I don't wanna fight about this," says John, but a smile plays at his lips. "Unless you want me to get the swords."
"Don't be stupid," says Rodney, and it's his turn to roll his eyes. "Is there food? I'm hungry."
John beams, springs to his feet, and bellows, "TROOPS! DINNER!"
Rodney stumbles into a table as the walls of John's fortress rumble and shake. There's a stampede down the stairs, Jeannie flying along in its wake. Rodney reaches out and snags her to keep her out of harm's way.
"Don't eat anything you haven't seen someone else eat first," Rodney mumbles out of the corner of his mouth. Jeannie makes a face.
"Mer, that's disgusting." She runs off to sit at Teyla's side on one of the mismatched chairs. Teyla glances up and catches Rodney's eye; out of all John's minions, she's always been his favorite. That doesn't mean they're on the same side.
Ronon uses both hands to shovel food in, and Lorne and Beckett are flicking bits of the mash at each other from across the makeshift table - what was once the hull of the S.S. Daedelus, among other things.
Rodney's not hungry anymore.
*
John finds him on the west balcony, poking his multicolored mush around his plate with a wooden fork.
"Not hungry?" he asks, punching Rodney lightly on the shoulder. Rodney barely flinches.
"Why'd you drag me back here, John?" Rodney asks, without looking up. The moon is crawling up to its place in the sky, and the stars shine brighter than they ever do back home. Rodney can't appreciate any of it - not until he gets some answers.
"I told you - I need your help rescuing Chaya Athar."
Rodney knows when John's lying; he's not any good at it. Lying's a grown-up thing. "Why'd you really bring me back?"
John perches on the railing that overlooks the forest and runs a hand through his hair, offering Rodney a tentative smile, looking like a puppy that knows it's been bad but just craves love. "I missed you."
"Missed me?" Rodney finally looks up and his eyes are angry. "Or missed having your 'Shadow', missed having someone who followed you around, idolized you, and hung on your every word? Isn't that what Team Shep in there is for?"
"You know it's not the same," says John.
"No," Rodney says softly, looking at the way the moon highlights John's profile, makes him glow, "it's not."
John bounces onto his feet; he doesn't feel the tension the way Rodney does, and he probably never will. No matter how cool John is, he's...unfinished. It's just one on a list of many things about John Shep that irk Rodney.
"Come on," John says. "We've got a hard day ahead of us. That big brain of yours is gonna need to be well-rested."
If there's one thing that Rodney, as a teenage boy, ought to be good at, it's repressing his emotions. While John just stands there, open and honest and incapable of guile or deeper sentiment, Rodney packs each and every one of his conflicting thoughts, memories, and feelings into a closet, locks the door, and throws away the key.
"Fine," he says, "I'm coming."
*
"Meredith never told me," Jeannie was saying when they went back into the hall, "what is it the pirates do that's so horrible?"
There's a hushed silence, and every head in the room turns to John. Rodney, who knows the answer and purposely avoided telling Jeannie himself, says nothing.
"They make you old," John says quietly. "Then you forget."
There are a few whimpers; Radek squeaks in distress, like he's having the life drained out of him.
"Forget what?" Jeannie asks, looking horrified, looking at Rodney who just stares at the floor.
"Atlantis," says John, and he looks to Rodney as well. "Everything."
*
No one knows where they came from; they're as much a part of Atlantis as John Shep and his friends. In a world of black and white, good and evil, there's got to be an enemy.
John Shep's enemy is the Wraith and their particularly fearsome pirate queen.
But, as Rodney pointed out once, they're only physical representations of John's real enemy, the one that keeps him up at night, the one that forced him to seek shelter in Atlantis in the first place, the one that gives him nightmares.
John's real enemy is Time.
The Wraith only carry out Time's decree - that everyone in Atlantis must someday grow up, no matter how hard John tries to fight it.
*
Jeannie sleeps next to Teyla with one hand curled under her cheek like a pillow. She looks right at home, and her brother doesn't like that at all. Rodney doesn't sleep; Lorne and Beckett snore, so it's impossible to get any rest between them. Rodney decides, instead, to go back onto the balcony and stare at the stars.
Somewhere among them is Earth, and Rodney imagines that his parents have put themselves to bed, exhausted from their nightly verbal assaults, without even checking to make sure their children are safe and sound. Even if they did find the beds empty, it would only start another knock-down, drag-out fight. There wouldn't be any actual concern.
Rodney hears a noise, and realizes that some things - especially in Atlantis - never change. John sleeps on the roof with his hands behind his head, unaware of the complicated thoughts happening below.
Radek lands on the railing and glares at Rodney. His wings flap continuously, like a hummingbird; he's clearly agitated.
"Oh, calm down," Rodney snaps, hating that accusatory stare. "I'm not here to take him away from you."
The fairy twitters, then crosses his arms, and Rodney rolls his eyes.
"I didn't want to come here in the first place!" Rodney exclaims. "So don't get your wings in a knot. As soon as I help John, I'm out of here."
Radek looks unconvinced, but he flies off without another sound.
Rodney can feel himself slipping back into old patterns, pulled along in John's wake. It doesn't matter how much he's grown, he can't seem to fight the current. He doesn't want that, not for himself and certainly not for his sister. They can't stay in Atlantis. They can't stay children forever.
The hardest part about coming back to Atlantis is that Rodney's already grown up, even if he doesn't look it. The closet door doesn't stay locked, he can't pretend that everything will be okay. He knows too much. That makes him dangerous.
Ronon says as much to John when he thinks Rodney isn't listening.
John replies, "I trust him. I trust him with my life."
Ronon says, "I hope it doesn't come to that."
Rodney feels homesick.
*
He wakes with Beckett's hand over his mouth and Ford's knees under his back. John's sitting on his chest.
"Morning," says John, putting his chin in his hands. "Ready?"
Rodney shoves the still sleeping boys aside and braces himself on his elbows. "Do I have a choice?"
John extends a hand and pulls Rodney to his feet. "Not really, no."
John straps a knife - one of the numerous weapons John's amassed, the source of which Rodney's always wondered about - around Rodney's waist and he tries not to shiver at the touch. There's nothing more than friendship in that boy's eyes.
Except...for a second, as John's hands settle the buckle into place, there's something else. Something that looks like confusion.
Then it's gone and John is John again.
"Come on," he says, "we need to figure out where they're keeping her."
"Hang on," says Rodney as he's dragged from the fort, "aren't we going to wait for the rest of the motley crew?"
"We don't need them," says John, though Rodney notices that Radek has appeared; that pesky pixie hates to let John out of his sight. He's so possessive. "We're just going for a swim."
It takes Rodney far too long to make the connection, and by the time he does, it's too late and they're at the grotto. With the green garlands, fireflies, crystalline rocks, and water lilies, it's considered the most romantic place in all of Atlantis - so, naturally, hardly anyone ever goes there. Except John. John goes everywhere.
"Oh no," says Rodney pulling his wrist out of John's grasp. "Not them. I'll fight the Wraith, I'll take on the queen myself, but I won't deal with them. Not the mermaids."
"Don't be rude, Shadow," says John, like Rodney's made a faux-pas at a fancy dinner by insulting the chef. "The ladies love you."
"Exactly," Rodney says grimly, "that's what I'm afraid of."
John just rolls his eyes and crouches at the edge of the water, creating ripples with his fingers.
"Hey, girls, are you there?"
There's no reply, just eerie stillness. Rodney releases the breath he's holding, and backs away from the dark water, feet sliding on the rocks. He can feel it in his bones. Oh no. Not the singing.
"I've got Shadow," John adds.
Rodney hears the sound that fills his nightmares: the sound of splashing.
Brightly colored tailfins break the surface of the icy green water, followed shortly by the heads of a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. They wear shell bikini tops and starfish in their dripping wet hair. When they see Rodney, they gasp and splash a bit. Radek makes kissy-faces and Rodney flicks him into the water.
"It's about time," says the blonde, snapping her fingers. She was always a tease. "We've missed you. What took you so long, Rodney?"
"He's older," says the brunette, breathless. "He looks good."
Rodney feels ill. This is exactly why he can't enjoy sushi. "Right. Hello. How are you?"
"Better now that you're here," purrs the redhead, shaking her fin in his direction as she plucks the petals from a waterlily.
"Aren't you going to join us?" the blonde asks, swimming closer. She rests her chin on her hands on the edge and flicks her tail provocatively. "You used to love to swim."
Rodney's pretty sure that if his time with John hasn't scarred him for life, then at the very least he's going to grow up with a fish fetish.
"We're looking for Chaya Athar," John interrupts. "Do you know where she is?"
The blonde and the brunette exchange a look and giggle. It's an inhuman sound.
"We'll tell you if you let us play with your Shadow for a bit," says the brunette. The blonde laughs and suns herself, and the redhead claps her hands.
Rodney was only ten the last time he was in Atlantis, and even then he knew enough about avians and insects to feel violated. This is about ten times worse.
"If you feed me to the wolves," Rodney mutters to John, "then I'm taking you down with me."
"Okay," John agrees; he takes Rodney by the hand and dives in. The mermaids laugh and cheer and at least two of them grope Rodney in inappropriate places; Rodney gasps and struggles to breathe. Radek, who dragged himself from the water, points and laughs, but is silenced with a look from John.
"Are you trying to kill me?" Rodney snaps, just on general principle. Then he sneezes.
"Aw, Rodney," says the blonde with a pout and a small splash in his direction. "We're just having a little fun."
The brunette smiles and brushes his face with her fin, leaving the taste of tuna in his mouth. "It gets so lonely around here without you."
John, treading water, interposes himself between them and the beleaguered Rodney. "Alright, girls, I think that's enough. Shadow's older now. He can't have fun like he used to. Now, Chaya?"
Rodney, soaking wet and grouchy, resists the temptation to drown him.
"I heard that the Wraith have got your princess on Athos Island," says the redhead, brushing her scaly fingers across Rodney's. He tries not to shudder, but pulls away before they can surround him and pull him under.
"Thanks, girls," says John, dragging Rodney from the water like the Catch of the Day. "Always a blast."
"You're not leaving already," says the blonde and she starts flexing her fingers in anger. Suddenly she's not so attractive anymore. Hell hath no fury like a mermaid scorned.
"We've got to rescue a princess," John says. Noticing the mutinous looks he adds, "Shadow will make sure to come 'round again before he leaves."
"I really, seriously hate you," Rodney mutters as they scramble away, barely escaping with their virtues. "Now, how do you plan on getting to Athos Island?"
PART II