Day 55, noon, Elizabeth's office, attn. Elizabeth, Rodney [F]

[dr_rodneymckay1]

Cowritten by Taylor and Nicke in google docs.
This conversation takes place after John Sheppard's conversation with Elizabeth Weir

Rodney couldn't really enjoy the flight back to Atlantis. He'd expected Sheppard shouting at him - which had not happened, so there'd be a follow up sometimes. And the prospect of having a conversation with Elizabeth

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[dr_liz_weir]

Elizabeth shook her head, subsiding a bit. If she'd given such a punishment to Sheppard, he'd have laughed it off. Carson would have been philosophical about it, but Rodney was acting like she'd just handed him a death sentence. This was, she supposed, why she'd been chosen for this job, however.

"Rodney," she said, pitching her voice to try and sound more conciliatory. "I won't say I want Radek back at work as much as you do, but I do want him back, very much. Now, I'm not a psychiatrist, but neither are you, and that means we both need to trust our professionals when it comes to what's best for Radek. We need to do this not just because they're the experts, but because trust is about the only thing holding us together right now. You do see that, don't you?"

[dr_rodneymckay1]

Rodney was about to start arguing with her, when he realised that Elizabeth might be right. The only reason why he had agreed to help Radek was that he really had been convinced that it was the best for Radek. Of course, there was the chance, Radek really was a nutcase and went berserk anytime. Frowning, he closed his mouth again.

"Yes," he finally agreed. Though he wasn't convinced on the trust thing. He thought he could trust Carson -- only to find out how wrong it had been to trust the man.

[dr_liz_weir]

Elizabeth heard McKay's reluctant agreement, but she saw the doubt in his eye as well.

"Rodney," she said, "don't make the mistake of thinking that I've never lost my trust in someone, or had someone important lose their trust in me." She could not help thinking of Sheppard then, and of the sense of failure she felt about their last meeting.

"I know it hurts," she continued, her own pain evident in her voice. "I do, but we have to keep trying. Here, especially, we can't afford to walk away from anyone, or to let anyone walk away. We're each much too precious."

[dr_rodneymckay1]

Rodney's expression softened slightly. He was still doubting this trust thing, contemplating where he'd gone wrong in his relationship with Carson. He pushed forward his lip. And unfortunately she was right. There was no way he could avoid Carson. Or Jackson for that matter.

"No," he agreed finally. "Unfortunately we can't walk away. It'd be much easier if I could," he added quietly.

[dr_liz_weir]

Elizabeth met Rodney's gaze with compassion, well aware that they were talking about something else now.

"Maybe it would be easier," she said, "but I like it think of it as Atlantis forcing us to do the better, harder thing."