English > SGA > au100 - prompt 021 > BeckShep > "Just a little closer"
Title: Just a little closer
Fandom: SGA
Characters: Carson Beckett, John Sheppard
Prompt: 021 Friends
Word Count:
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Written vor pegasusuroborus
“You’ll work yourself to death!” said John, the third time in half an hour.
“Mind your bloody own business!” snapped Carson.
It took him only a minute or so to look up at John and sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m just…”
“Tired? Ready to crash and sleep through the rest of the week? Stressed?” suggested the dark haired man in a light tone.
“I think that just about sums it up.”
John pulled Carson into a hug and kissed his forehead. “Go to sleep then!”
The Scot looked up, smiling at his laboratory assistant. He’d never thought he would become such good friends with the man.
“I will. I just need to get through this last round. Then I’ll go to bed.”
John shook his head and walked over to clean the test tubes. “And one would think that a doctor would keep more attention to his health.”
Carson chuckled.
At first, John had worked in Carson’s household. That was until Carson had found out how intelligent his employee actually was.
He had helped him to get a job in the SGC at his laboratory assistant and Carson was certain that he’d take John with him to this Atlantis city once they had figured out how to get there.
Truth was that Carson loved John. He knew that he couldn’t live without John and he couldn’t leave him behind.
And Carson knew how excited John was about Atlantis. He never told anyone but Carson knew that John would die for a chance to go there.
It was just like Carson to help the love of his life to get there.
“Let’s go home, okay?”
Carson smiled at John and nodded. Carson had decided that his house was way to big for him alone and let John live with him there.
John was still so eternally grateful for the job and the free housing that he did most of the household, including looking after Carson.
Carson admired John for that. He worked just as hard and long as did Carson and still had the energy to keep everything tidy and clean.
They made their way home from the mountain in silence.
Tonight John drove the car, Carson almost asleep in the passenger seat. Everything he managed before he really fell asleep was getting to the couch.
“Wake up,” whispered John and shook Carson lightly. “I fixed something for midnight snack. Tomorrow’s Saturday. You can sleep long then.”
Carson sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Correction. Today is Saturday and when I fall asleep I’ll not only sleep long but also longer.”
John grinned. “Fine. But for now you should eat some sandwiches. You had neither breakfast nor dinner today!”
Another trait that amazed Carson. No matter how less John had eaten himself, he would fix something for Carson and watch him eat before he’d have food himself.
“Only if you eat with me. And with that I mean at the same time!”
Sheppard laughed again. “Okay, ‘ll wait in the kitchen!”
Carson followed him to the kitchen and sat down at the table.
“What have ye got for me?” he asked, almost falling asleep again.
“Wholewheat bread with cottage cheese, tomatoes, ham, cheddar and some other things I found in the fridge.”
“Sounds like we need to go shopping sometime this weekend,” muttered Carson, picking up a square piece of bread with cheddar and ham.
“I’ll go first thing in the morning.”
Carson shook his head. “No, just write me a list and I’ll go. You’re doing enough already!”
John smiled friendly and picked up a piece of bread with cottage cheese and cress.
Carson felt that John didn’t listen.
Carson woke up midmorning, greeted by the smell of fresh coffee. John always put a cup on Carson’s nightstand and had a mug of tea ready in the kitchen.
Carson smiled at that. It was almost like they were a couple or something.
When Carson came downstairs to the kitchen, John was standing at the counter, fixing some sandwiches.
He looked horrible, to say the least. His eyes were red rimmed and he had dark rings under them. His paleness didn’t help improving his looks at all.
“Something happened?” asked Carson, worried beyond belief. John had never talked about any family of his and Carson worried that someone might have died.
“No. Just didn’t sleep too well…”
Carson nodded. “Do you have the shopping list for me?”
John looked shocked. “Oh my. I forgot to go shopping!”
A sigh escaped Beckett’s throat. “Give me the list. I meant what I said. I’ll get everything and you’ll go to bed and try to sleep, okay?”
When Carson came home again he first put away the groceries and then went to look for John. His first guess was John’s room, mainly because he had also bought the personal things on the list and he needed to deposit them somewhere.
He had just put the two packages of boxers on the chest of drawers when he saw that John was in the room, sleeping curled up in his bed.
Carson felt sorry for John.
Something troubled the man - obviously. But Carson had never dared to asked.
He decided to let John sleep and prepare dinner.
The weekend went by fast and they never talked about Saturday morning. John looked a bit ashamed when Carson presented him with a very good dinner but Carson assured him that it was okay for him.
“Actually you’re living here, not working anymore!” said Carson and they didn’t talk about that anymore, as well.
Monday morning at the SGC brought a big surprise for Carson.
He got a letter telling him that he had the job for Atlantis.
The next surprise was that he got a letter telling him that John didn’t have the job.
He walked straight into O’Neill’s office, argued with O’Neill and Weir for over two hours and the better part of the second hour he had been yelling so he was hoarse when he and John went home pretty early for them - five o’clock.
What Carson didn’t know was that John had been listening for a while.
Carson looked like a half-drowned dog, all miserable and frustrated.
John didn’t dare to look him in the eye.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Carson asked after a while, ignoring the plate of mac’n’cheese.
“They called Saturday morning.”
“Why couldn’t you tell me?”
John sighed. “I didn’t know you cared.”
“As if I couldn’t care,” snorted Carson, storming out of the kitchen to his bedroom.
In the night he was hearing noise coming from John’s room and after some time he got really worried so he went over to John’s room.
He found John, tangled in his blanket and having a nightmare.
Sobs and screams escaped his throat and he was obviously trying to defend himself.
Carson woke him up, holding him in a close embrace.
“John!” he called softly. “John, it’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay! It’s over!”
Indeed John woke up and stared up at Carson. He was trying to wriggle out of the man’s embrace but Carson was stronger than he looked.
“What’s wrong?” asked Carson, still holding John. To him John had always been a jolly, flirty kind of guy who had no problems.
But now? In the light of the bedside lamp, the rain drumming against the windowpane…
“Nightmare,” chocked John.
“What about?” asked Carson, gently petting John’s hair.
“Being worthless,” answered John, to weak to lie.
Carson waited and suddenly everything burst out of John.
He told Carson about his childhood. His mother’s early death, his father being military, his stepmother with her lover, who - both of them - had molested him more than once.
“I… felt so useless. So unloved. And right now… they don’t want me. They never even considered putting me on the expedition.”
“You will be on the expedition. Because you do matter. And if only to me!”
John closed his eyes, leaning into Carson’s touch.
The next day Carson talked to Weir and O’Neill again.
He was calm to the point of ice-cold and although they didn’t “agree on the necessity to give John Sheppard a place on this expedition”, Carson felt and was victorious.
John felt his heart sink when Carson joined him for lunch.
He had no letter on him or anything else that indicated that he had talked the bosses into taking John along on the trip.
They ate in silence and the knot in John’s gut tightened more and more.
When they had finished dessert, Carson fingered for something in his pocket.
John’s little hope was crushed when Carson shoved a jewel case over the table.
“Open it!” demanded Carson when John hadn’t moved for some minutes.
John did so with trembling fingers and stared at the broad silver band with the Celtic tribal on it. “What…?”
“I couldn’t get them to agree to take John Sheppard along. So… will you marry me?”
John made a nice expression of a fish. “But…”
“As my fiancé or even spouse they will have to take you along. I know that you’ll bring a great contribution to the expedition. So please…”
John took the ring with trembling fingers and put it on his finger. “Well, it fits. I guess I just have to say ‘yes’ now, don’t I?”
Carson smiled at John, handing him a kerchief for the tears that were beginning to pool in his eyes.
It was a week later that they discovered during the pre-medicals that John had the ATA Gene they were so desperately looking for in each and every of their expedition members.
Fandom: SGA
Characters: Carson Beckett, John Sheppard
Prompt: 021 Friends
Word Count:
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Written vor pegasusuroborus
“You’ll work yourself to death!” said John, the third time in half an hour.
“Mind your bloody own business!” snapped Carson.
It took him only a minute or so to look up at John and sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m just…”
“Tired? Ready to crash and sleep through the rest of the week? Stressed?” suggested the dark haired man in a light tone.
“I think that just about sums it up.”
John pulled Carson into a hug and kissed his forehead. “Go to sleep then!”
The Scot looked up, smiling at his laboratory assistant. He’d never thought he would become such good friends with the man.
“I will. I just need to get through this last round. Then I’ll go to bed.”
John shook his head and walked over to clean the test tubes. “And one would think that a doctor would keep more attention to his health.”
Carson chuckled.
At first, John had worked in Carson’s household. That was until Carson had found out how intelligent his employee actually was.
He had helped him to get a job in the SGC at his laboratory assistant and Carson was certain that he’d take John with him to this Atlantis city once they had figured out how to get there.
Truth was that Carson loved John. He knew that he couldn’t live without John and he couldn’t leave him behind.
And Carson knew how excited John was about Atlantis. He never told anyone but Carson knew that John would die for a chance to go there.
It was just like Carson to help the love of his life to get there.
“Let’s go home, okay?”
Carson smiled at John and nodded. Carson had decided that his house was way to big for him alone and let John live with him there.
John was still so eternally grateful for the job and the free housing that he did most of the household, including looking after Carson.
Carson admired John for that. He worked just as hard and long as did Carson and still had the energy to keep everything tidy and clean.
They made their way home from the mountain in silence.
Tonight John drove the car, Carson almost asleep in the passenger seat. Everything he managed before he really fell asleep was getting to the couch.
“Wake up,” whispered John and shook Carson lightly. “I fixed something for midnight snack. Tomorrow’s Saturday. You can sleep long then.”
Carson sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Correction. Today is Saturday and when I fall asleep I’ll not only sleep long but also longer.”
John grinned. “Fine. But for now you should eat some sandwiches. You had neither breakfast nor dinner today!”
Another trait that amazed Carson. No matter how less John had eaten himself, he would fix something for Carson and watch him eat before he’d have food himself.
“Only if you eat with me. And with that I mean at the same time!”
Sheppard laughed again. “Okay, ‘ll wait in the kitchen!”
Carson followed him to the kitchen and sat down at the table.
“What have ye got for me?” he asked, almost falling asleep again.
“Wholewheat bread with cottage cheese, tomatoes, ham, cheddar and some other things I found in the fridge.”
“Sounds like we need to go shopping sometime this weekend,” muttered Carson, picking up a square piece of bread with cheddar and ham.
“I’ll go first thing in the morning.”
Carson shook his head. “No, just write me a list and I’ll go. You’re doing enough already!”
John smiled friendly and picked up a piece of bread with cottage cheese and cress.
Carson felt that John didn’t listen.
Carson woke up midmorning, greeted by the smell of fresh coffee. John always put a cup on Carson’s nightstand and had a mug of tea ready in the kitchen.
Carson smiled at that. It was almost like they were a couple or something.
When Carson came downstairs to the kitchen, John was standing at the counter, fixing some sandwiches.
He looked horrible, to say the least. His eyes were red rimmed and he had dark rings under them. His paleness didn’t help improving his looks at all.
“Something happened?” asked Carson, worried beyond belief. John had never talked about any family of his and Carson worried that someone might have died.
“No. Just didn’t sleep too well…”
Carson nodded. “Do you have the shopping list for me?”
John looked shocked. “Oh my. I forgot to go shopping!”
A sigh escaped Beckett’s throat. “Give me the list. I meant what I said. I’ll get everything and you’ll go to bed and try to sleep, okay?”
When Carson came home again he first put away the groceries and then went to look for John. His first guess was John’s room, mainly because he had also bought the personal things on the list and he needed to deposit them somewhere.
He had just put the two packages of boxers on the chest of drawers when he saw that John was in the room, sleeping curled up in his bed.
Carson felt sorry for John.
Something troubled the man - obviously. But Carson had never dared to asked.
He decided to let John sleep and prepare dinner.
The weekend went by fast and they never talked about Saturday morning. John looked a bit ashamed when Carson presented him with a very good dinner but Carson assured him that it was okay for him.
“Actually you’re living here, not working anymore!” said Carson and they didn’t talk about that anymore, as well.
Monday morning at the SGC brought a big surprise for Carson.
He got a letter telling him that he had the job for Atlantis.
The next surprise was that he got a letter telling him that John didn’t have the job.
He walked straight into O’Neill’s office, argued with O’Neill and Weir for over two hours and the better part of the second hour he had been yelling so he was hoarse when he and John went home pretty early for them - five o’clock.
What Carson didn’t know was that John had been listening for a while.
Carson looked like a half-drowned dog, all miserable and frustrated.
John didn’t dare to look him in the eye.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Carson asked after a while, ignoring the plate of mac’n’cheese.
“They called Saturday morning.”
“Why couldn’t you tell me?”
John sighed. “I didn’t know you cared.”
“As if I couldn’t care,” snorted Carson, storming out of the kitchen to his bedroom.
In the night he was hearing noise coming from John’s room and after some time he got really worried so he went over to John’s room.
He found John, tangled in his blanket and having a nightmare.
Sobs and screams escaped his throat and he was obviously trying to defend himself.
Carson woke him up, holding him in a close embrace.
“John!” he called softly. “John, it’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay! It’s over!”
Indeed John woke up and stared up at Carson. He was trying to wriggle out of the man’s embrace but Carson was stronger than he looked.
“What’s wrong?” asked Carson, still holding John. To him John had always been a jolly, flirty kind of guy who had no problems.
But now? In the light of the bedside lamp, the rain drumming against the windowpane…
“Nightmare,” chocked John.
“What about?” asked Carson, gently petting John’s hair.
“Being worthless,” answered John, to weak to lie.
Carson waited and suddenly everything burst out of John.
He told Carson about his childhood. His mother’s early death, his father being military, his stepmother with her lover, who - both of them - had molested him more than once.
“I… felt so useless. So unloved. And right now… they don’t want me. They never even considered putting me on the expedition.”
“You will be on the expedition. Because you do matter. And if only to me!”
John closed his eyes, leaning into Carson’s touch.
The next day Carson talked to Weir and O’Neill again.
He was calm to the point of ice-cold and although they didn’t “agree on the necessity to give John Sheppard a place on this expedition”, Carson felt and was victorious.
John felt his heart sink when Carson joined him for lunch.
He had no letter on him or anything else that indicated that he had talked the bosses into taking John along on the trip.
They ate in silence and the knot in John’s gut tightened more and more.
When they had finished dessert, Carson fingered for something in his pocket.
John’s little hope was crushed when Carson shoved a jewel case over the table.
“Open it!” demanded Carson when John hadn’t moved for some minutes.
John did so with trembling fingers and stared at the broad silver band with the Celtic tribal on it. “What…?”
“I couldn’t get them to agree to take John Sheppard along. So… will you marry me?”
John made a nice expression of a fish. “But…”
“As my fiancé or even spouse they will have to take you along. I know that you’ll bring a great contribution to the expedition. So please…”
John took the ring with trembling fingers and put it on his finger. “Well, it fits. I guess I just have to say ‘yes’ now, don’t I?”
Carson smiled at John, handing him a kerchief for the tears that were beginning to pool in his eyes.
It was a week later that they discovered during the pre-medicals that John had the ATA Gene they were so desperately looking for in each and every of their expedition members.