Fic: "Fever" by kyrdwyn, [PG, Sheppard/Beckett UST]
Title: Fever
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sheppard/Beckett UST
Spoilers: None
Sequel to: Lucy
Beta: rosewildeirish
Summary: "You know," he said to Lucy as they started down the corridor, "McKay swore that owning cats was easier than dogs."
Art by the lovely thefannishwaldo
John awoke to find two bright green eyes staring at him in the darkness and a weight on his chest.
"Lucy," he said softly. "It's not time for breakfast."
"Mhru," Lucy replied, butting at John's chest before jumping off the bed and running to the door. It opened at her approach, and she stood in the doorway, tail whipping back and forth as she stared at John.
John sighed. "It's 0345. You have a litter box. I'm not taking you for a walk."
Lucy bounded back to the bed and pounced on John's chest. He exhaled loudly in pain as Lucy stuck her face into his and said "Mhru," again, in a more demanding tone.
John blinked at her. She blinked back. "Fine," he said. "I'm getting up." When Lucy ran back to the door, John got out of bed and pulled a pair of jeans on over his boxers, adding a t-shirt and his sneakers to the ensemble. He grabbed his radio and slipped it on as he headed for the door. "You know," he said to Lucy as they started down the corridor, "McKay swore that owning cats was easier than dogs."
Lucy made a rumbling noise that was her usual reaction to Rodney's name. John grinned. Lucy hadn't taken to Rodney all that well, for all that Rodney had been delighted to see her. John knew that Rodney had owned a cat before coming to Atlantis, and missed his feline companion. John wouldn't have minded if Lucy had taken to McKay, but instead she'd formed an attachment to Carson that puzzled both John and the doctor.
Speaking of Carson, John noticed that Lucy had led him to Carson's door and she was now in his quarters, on the bed. She was nudging Carson, but it wasn't her usual "pay attention to me!" head butt. Carson wasn't responding, and John realized there was an unusual sheen on his skin that reflected the lights from outside the window.
John wouldn't normally barge into Carson's quarters without permission, Lucy's entry notwithstanding, but the fact that Carson hadn't awoken when Lucy nudged him was worrying. John knew Carson woke as quickly as he himself did, due to their respective professions - a doctor needed to be as quickly awake and alert as any soldier, in order to treat their patients promptly.
Feeling uncomfortable, but wanting to ensure nothing was wrong, John hurried into the room. Lucy was sitting next to Carson, her tail twitching worriedly and she gave John a small "mew" as he approached. John sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to place a hand on Carson's forehead, already knowing what he would find. He could feel the heat radiating from Carson's body before he touched him.
Carson's forehead was much too hot for any healthy human being. Now that he was looking at Carson, John saw him shiver under the blanket, as if he were cold. John moved his hand down to cup Carson's cheek and the doctor sighed, turning into the cool flesh. Lucy had curled up on Carson's chest, her eyes on his face, and she gave a "miaow" of what John thought was sympathy.
John nodded at Lucy as he realized why she had insisted on coming to Carson's quarters. Carson and his doctors had spent the past several weeks caring for most of the population of Atlantis as a fever had raged through the city, inadvertently brought by back Major Lorne's team from their last off-world mission. John had gotten a mild case of the fever, and it hadn't been fun, although he'd been able to stay in his quarters for the duration. Carson felt like he had a more severe case, which meant he needed to be in the infirmary, soon.
Replacing his now-warm hand right hand with the cooler left, John reached up to activate his radio. Before he could, Carson sighed again and turned to nuzzle into John's palm. "John," he murmured, "can you turn up the heat, love? It's rather cool in here."
John blinked down at the doctor. Lucy gave what sounded like a suspiciously smug purr and nuzzled at where John's hand rested on Carson's cheek. Eyeing her, John sighed. He should have realized this was why Lucy was so fascinated with Carson. The chief of the tribe that had given Lucy to John had mentioned that the animals tended to find mates for their unattached owners.
"Lucy Fur," John said quietly, "are you trying to set me up with Carson?"
Lucy looked up at him, her green eyes wide. "Mew," she said primly, licking a paw and rubbing it over an ear.
John sighed. He'd deal with his matchmaking cat - and with his own feelings for Carson - later. He clicked on his radio. "Sheppard to Infirmary. We need a team in Dr. Beckett's quarters - he's caught the fever, and it feels like a bad case."
"Acknowledged, Colonel," came Dr. Biro's response. "I'm sending a team now. How did you know he was ill?" Biro sounded curious, and John understood why. Some of the more advanced cases hadn't been caught early enough, and the unfortunate patients were still experiencing random weakness in their limbs a week after they'd supposedly recovered.
"Lucy insisted that I check on Dr. Beckett. She knew something wasn't right," John replied honestly. "Her attachment to the doctor is a good thing in this case," he added.
Biro chuckled. "Let's hope she found him early enough, Colonel. The team will be there in less than three minutes."
John clicked off his radio and let his hand skim Carson's damp skin, trying to offer some relief. Carson shivered, but turned into the touch again. "John," Carson muttered, sounding upset as he twitched restlessly in the bed. "John?"
John ran a thumb across Carson's cheek. "It's all right, Carson," he said softly. "I'm here." Sighing, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Carson's burning forehead, not caring if he was exposed to the fever again. Carson needed reassurance, and needed it from John.
Lucy moved up and licked at Carson's nose delicately. Carson sighed and his movements subsided. "Love you," he murmured against John's hand.
John astonishment hadn't abated by the time the infirmary team arrived, and he picked up Lucy and moved so they could start treating Carson. He followed them to the infirmary, waiting in a chair near the door, absently petting Lucy, until Dr. Biro came out. She smiled at him and tickled under Lucy's chin.
"Miss Fur found Dr. Beckett in time, Colonel. His fever was well below the high mark for this bug, and we've got him stabilized. Dr. Beckett shouldn't have any of the side effects."
John sighed and scratched Lucy's ears. "I think I owe her some real fish."
Lucy purred in agreement, and Biro chuckled. "I'd say so." She eyed John. "If you feel any of the fever symptoms, I expect you to report back here, or call us in if you can't make it on your own, Colonel. We really don't know if re-exposure will cause another bout." Biro turned her gaze to Lucy. "I expect you to fetch us if the Colonel can't. Or won't."
Lucy gave Dr. Biro a miaow of agreement and John shook his head. "Conspiring with my cat against me."
"You bet your ass, Colonel."
John smiled at the woman. "Keep me posted on Dr. Beckett's condition?" he asked.
She nodded. "I will."
John cradled Lucy in his arms and left to return to his quarters. He had a lot to think about, most of all the fact that Carson apparently wanted John as much as John wanted Carson.
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: PG
Pairing: Sheppard/Beckett UST
Spoilers: None
Sequel to: Lucy
Beta: rosewildeirish
Summary: "You know," he said to Lucy as they started down the corridor, "McKay swore that owning cats was easier than dogs."
Art by the lovely thefannishwaldo
John awoke to find two bright green eyes staring at him in the darkness and a weight on his chest.
"Lucy," he said softly. "It's not time for breakfast."
"Mhru," Lucy replied, butting at John's chest before jumping off the bed and running to the door. It opened at her approach, and she stood in the doorway, tail whipping back and forth as she stared at John.
John sighed. "It's 0345. You have a litter box. I'm not taking you for a walk."
Lucy bounded back to the bed and pounced on John's chest. He exhaled loudly in pain as Lucy stuck her face into his and said "Mhru," again, in a more demanding tone.
John blinked at her. She blinked back. "Fine," he said. "I'm getting up." When Lucy ran back to the door, John got out of bed and pulled a pair of jeans on over his boxers, adding a t-shirt and his sneakers to the ensemble. He grabbed his radio and slipped it on as he headed for the door. "You know," he said to Lucy as they started down the corridor, "McKay swore that owning cats was easier than dogs."
Lucy made a rumbling noise that was her usual reaction to Rodney's name. John grinned. Lucy hadn't taken to Rodney all that well, for all that Rodney had been delighted to see her. John knew that Rodney had owned a cat before coming to Atlantis, and missed his feline companion. John wouldn't have minded if Lucy had taken to McKay, but instead she'd formed an attachment to Carson that puzzled both John and the doctor.
Speaking of Carson, John noticed that Lucy had led him to Carson's door and she was now in his quarters, on the bed. She was nudging Carson, but it wasn't her usual "pay attention to me!" head butt. Carson wasn't responding, and John realized there was an unusual sheen on his skin that reflected the lights from outside the window.
John wouldn't normally barge into Carson's quarters without permission, Lucy's entry notwithstanding, but the fact that Carson hadn't awoken when Lucy nudged him was worrying. John knew Carson woke as quickly as he himself did, due to their respective professions - a doctor needed to be as quickly awake and alert as any soldier, in order to treat their patients promptly.
Feeling uncomfortable, but wanting to ensure nothing was wrong, John hurried into the room. Lucy was sitting next to Carson, her tail twitching worriedly and she gave John a small "mew" as he approached. John sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to place a hand on Carson's forehead, already knowing what he would find. He could feel the heat radiating from Carson's body before he touched him.
Carson's forehead was much too hot for any healthy human being. Now that he was looking at Carson, John saw him shiver under the blanket, as if he were cold. John moved his hand down to cup Carson's cheek and the doctor sighed, turning into the cool flesh. Lucy had curled up on Carson's chest, her eyes on his face, and she gave a "miaow" of what John thought was sympathy.
John nodded at Lucy as he realized why she had insisted on coming to Carson's quarters. Carson and his doctors had spent the past several weeks caring for most of the population of Atlantis as a fever had raged through the city, inadvertently brought by back Major Lorne's team from their last off-world mission. John had gotten a mild case of the fever, and it hadn't been fun, although he'd been able to stay in his quarters for the duration. Carson felt like he had a more severe case, which meant he needed to be in the infirmary, soon.
Replacing his now-warm hand right hand with the cooler left, John reached up to activate his radio. Before he could, Carson sighed again and turned to nuzzle into John's palm. "John," he murmured, "can you turn up the heat, love? It's rather cool in here."
John blinked down at the doctor. Lucy gave what sounded like a suspiciously smug purr and nuzzled at where John's hand rested on Carson's cheek. Eyeing her, John sighed. He should have realized this was why Lucy was so fascinated with Carson. The chief of the tribe that had given Lucy to John had mentioned that the animals tended to find mates for their unattached owners.
"Lucy Fur," John said quietly, "are you trying to set me up with Carson?"
Lucy looked up at him, her green eyes wide. "Mew," she said primly, licking a paw and rubbing it over an ear.
John sighed. He'd deal with his matchmaking cat - and with his own feelings for Carson - later. He clicked on his radio. "Sheppard to Infirmary. We need a team in Dr. Beckett's quarters - he's caught the fever, and it feels like a bad case."
"Acknowledged, Colonel," came Dr. Biro's response. "I'm sending a team now. How did you know he was ill?" Biro sounded curious, and John understood why. Some of the more advanced cases hadn't been caught early enough, and the unfortunate patients were still experiencing random weakness in their limbs a week after they'd supposedly recovered.
"Lucy insisted that I check on Dr. Beckett. She knew something wasn't right," John replied honestly. "Her attachment to the doctor is a good thing in this case," he added.
Biro chuckled. "Let's hope she found him early enough, Colonel. The team will be there in less than three minutes."
John clicked off his radio and let his hand skim Carson's damp skin, trying to offer some relief. Carson shivered, but turned into the touch again. "John," Carson muttered, sounding upset as he twitched restlessly in the bed. "John?"
John ran a thumb across Carson's cheek. "It's all right, Carson," he said softly. "I'm here." Sighing, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Carson's burning forehead, not caring if he was exposed to the fever again. Carson needed reassurance, and needed it from John.
Lucy moved up and licked at Carson's nose delicately. Carson sighed and his movements subsided. "Love you," he murmured against John's hand.
John astonishment hadn't abated by the time the infirmary team arrived, and he picked up Lucy and moved so they could start treating Carson. He followed them to the infirmary, waiting in a chair near the door, absently petting Lucy, until Dr. Biro came out. She smiled at him and tickled under Lucy's chin.
"Miss Fur found Dr. Beckett in time, Colonel. His fever was well below the high mark for this bug, and we've got him stabilized. Dr. Beckett shouldn't have any of the side effects."
John sighed and scratched Lucy's ears. "I think I owe her some real fish."
Lucy purred in agreement, and Biro chuckled. "I'd say so." She eyed John. "If you feel any of the fever symptoms, I expect you to report back here, or call us in if you can't make it on your own, Colonel. We really don't know if re-exposure will cause another bout." Biro turned her gaze to Lucy. "I expect you to fetch us if the Colonel can't. Or won't."
Lucy gave Dr. Biro a miaow of agreement and John shook his head. "Conspiring with my cat against me."
"You bet your ass, Colonel."
John smiled at the woman. "Keep me posted on Dr. Beckett's condition?" he asked.
She nodded. "I will."
John cradled Lucy in his arms and left to return to his quarters. He had a lot to think about, most of all the fact that Carson apparently wanted John as much as John wanted Carson.