Title: one of the best [implied slash verison]
Author:
weaselettRating: PG-13
Pairing: Carson/Daniel (slight, but it's there...)
Spoilers: HUGE spoilers for The Kindred Part Two so turn back now if you haven't seen it yet.
Word Count: 575
Summary: Extended scene - includes a line of dialogue direct from the episode.
Author's Notes: This started as a large fic idea, then became a stand alone, then I decided to do two different versions - the gen version can be found
here.Beta'd by the lovely
charlies_dragon one of the best [implied slash version]
“I’m a doctor, I know my own prognosis. Once I go into that pod, there’s a good chance I won’t come out.” Carson swallowed hard, all too aware of the deterioration in his body but focusing instead on Rodney and the words that needed to be said. “Rodney.”
Rodney kept his gaze focused on a point somewhere just to the right of Carson’s head and Carson watched silently for a moment as the other man’s jaw clenched and unclenched periodically, hating that he was causing his friend pain. “Rodney, there are some things that I should have told you before.”
“But you didn’t say them before.” Rodney interrupted hurriedly, meeting Carson’s gaze for a moment before looking away, focusing on yet another spot just to Carson’s right, hands frozen mid gesture. “So they can wait, until, later.”
“Rodney,” Carson smiled fondly at his friend, reaching out slowly to tap him on a hand, “how often does a person get the chance to redo something like this.”
“You mean besides a certain person who you were in a relationship with; who by my count got to redo this quite a bit?” Rodney flinched a moment after the words came out of his mouth, closing his eyes for a moment, “That, was the wrong thing to say.”
Carson’s smile widened faintly and he glanced to the right, catching Colonel Carter’s blush and the twin bemused expressions on Jennifer and Sheppard’s faces. “Aye it was.”
“This isn’t it.” Rodney finally met Carson’s gaze steadily, his voice steady, “This is just ‘see you later’, it’s not goodbye, so you should,” Rodney stuttered, struggling for a moment, “you can save whatever it is you were going to say until later.”
“Rodney, please.” Carson warned, lowering his voice, needing to say what he knew he should have said a long time ago.
“If it’s about your fantasies about….tall blonde massage therapists, I already know.” Rodney interrupted, sounding more than a little smug.
“Massage therapists?”
“Yeah, you know,” Rodney glanced sideways before leaning in, “that stuff we can’t talk about.”
Carson sighed, fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Rodney hadn’t changed. “Must you always do this Rodney?”
Rodney shifted, straightening up, “Do what?”
“You know what I mean.”
Rodney raised an eyebrow, “No I really don’t.”
Carson sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, not feeling anywhere near strong enough to play Rodney’s game, “Rodney.”
“Sorry.” Rodney near whispered, his shoulders slumping slightly as his gaze dropped to examine the bed sheet.
“You meant well.” Carson smiled faintly at his friend, reaching out to squeeze Rodney’s wrist gently, “You’ve been a good friend Rodney, one of the best I’ve ever had.”
Rodney smiled faintly whilst nodding; his gaze remaining focusing on the bed.
“And I want you to know that that’s meant a lot to me, especially during those first few months.” Carson hesitated for a moment, watching Rodney carefully before adding, “You’re a good man, Rodney and you shouldn’t ever lose sight of that.”
Rodney swallowed hard, blinking a few times before he finally looked up, meeting Carson’s gaze, “I should, go help Zelenka with the pod.” He pointed towards the doorway vaguely, before nodding distractedly and backing away from the bed, “I’ll see you later.”
Carson smiled, nodding and watching silently as Rodney left the room, knowing exactly what the words were that Rodney couldn’t say. Not everything needed to be said out loud.
--