Recriminations

By Flossy

 

Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fan fiction, and as such is for fan enjoyment only. All recognizable characters/settings are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended, and no profit is made.  I’m afraid that despite wishing that I did, I don’t own these characters.  I’ve just borrowed them for a while.  (Although, I may hang onto McKay and Sheppard for a bit longer – they’re a lot of fun…)

 

Summary: McKay has a change of heart…

 

Central Character(s): Rodney and John, with a cameo from Keller.

 

Category (ies): Humour, friendship.

 

Placement: Season Four sometime after ‘Lifeline’.

 

Rating: PG.

 

Spoilers: ‘Lifeline’.

 

Author’s Note: I know I promised not to write about this any more, but having just seen Season 4, I felt compelled to do so for reasons that will become clear…

 

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Lt Col John Sheppard was a man on a mission.  He walked down a corridor, determined to find a certain astrophysicist. 

 

Dr Rodney McKay. 

 

The man had been avoiding him for a while now, and Sheppard wanted to know why.  He stopped outside the Canadian’s lab – he’d already checked the Commissary, McKay’s quarters and the various secluded balconies that McKay chose to hide away on with no luck.  He ran his hand over the sensor and the door swished open.

 

Sure enough, Rodney was at his workbench, fiddling with some Ancient doohickey they’d found a couple of days ago – it looked like a weird disc drive, like you’d find on a computer.  Unsurprisingly, McKay didn’t hear Sheppard enter.

 

“McKay.”

 

John’s greeting made McKay jump.  He wheeled around and let out a relieved, but shaken breath.  “Oh, Colonel.  What – what are you doing here?’ he asked, looking nervous.  ‘I’m busy.”

 

Sheppard sighed inwardly and gave Rodney a grin.  “Well, you’ve been pretty scarce lately and I wanted to see if you were okay.”

 

“Of course I’m okay,” the scientist snapped.  “Like I said, I’m a busy man.  I’ve been… busy.”

 

“I can see that.”  Sheppard walked up to him.  “Look, Rodney, I gotta admit, you’ve got me worried.”

 

“What?  Why are you worried?” McKay asked, frowning.

 

“Well, you won’t talk to me and you’re always claiming that you’re too busy,” replied Sheppard.  “Is this about what happened with Elizabeth?” he asked.  John knew that McKay had taken her loss badly. 

 

“What?” asked Rodney yet again, looking confused.  He tugged at his jacket – nearly all of the senior staff had been issued with new uniforms and McKay still felt a bit self-conscious wearing his.  It wasn’t that he didn’t like it – he actually thought that it was a huge improvement on his old one – but it felt strange.  “No, this isn’t about Elizabeth.”

 

“Then what’s bugging you?”

 

McKay looked away and muttered something under his breath.

 

“Sorry, didn’t quite catch that.”

 

The physicist turned back to Sheppard looking sheepish.  “I… uh…  Look, I think that I may owe you an apology,” he said quietly.

 

John frowned.  The only thing he could think of for his friend to be apologising for was the Elizabeth thing, and Rodney had already done that.  “What for?”

 

McKay was beginning to look very uncomfortable.  “You remember about a year ago, when you got that leather prototype?”  Sheppard nodded.  “Well, I said a few things that were… unfair.”

 

“McKay, are you telling me that you’re sorry that you got mad when I moaned about having to bin my leather jacket?”

 

“Uh… sort of.”

 

Sheppard sighed.  “Honestly, Rodney, I worry about what goes on in that head of yours sometimes.”

 

“Thanks for that.”

 

John peered at McKay critically.  There was something that the man wasn’t telling him.  “So, uh, anything else to add?”

 

“What?  No, why should there be?”  Rodney gave him a forced wonky smile. 

 

Sheppard’s eyes narrowed.  He knew that look far too well – he’d seen it enough to know that McKay was definitely up to something.  “Come on, McKay.  Don’t give me that crap.  Spill.”

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

 

“The hell you don’t!” snapped Sheppard.  “You’re hiding something.”

 

McKay tried to school his guilty expression, but wasn’t quick enough.  John was glowering at him and he knew that there wasn’t anything he could say to make the pilot leave him alone.  Might as well ‘fess up, he thought miserably.  “Uh… well, I’ve just seen the new off-world gear that the SGC sent.”

 

“And?”

 

McKay shifted unhappily.  “It’s…” He trailed off, unsure of the words to use.  He snapped his fingers as an idea struck him.  “Just, just wait here for like, five minutes?” he asked, running out of the lab.  He reached his quarters and bounded inside.  Finding what he was looking for, he quickly swapped jackets then headed back to the lab.  He stood just out of sight and called in.  “You need to shut your eyes for a minute.  Don’t open them till I tell you.”

 

Sheppard was baffled.  “What is this Christmas?” he smirked.

 

“Please?”

 

“Okay, okay.  My eyes are shut.  Get on with it.”  John felt a presence in front of him.  “Can I open them yet?”

 

“No.  Not until you promise that you’re not going to hit me.”

 

“McKay, what kind of guy do you take me for?”

 

“Just promise!”

 

“I’m not going to hit you!  Can I open my damn eyes or not?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Sheppard opened his eyes and stood staring in disbelief at the sight in front of him.  “That’s the new off-world gear?” he asked.

 

McKay nodded, running a hand down the leather jacket.  “Yeah.  It’s, uh, it’s kinda cool, isn’t it?”

 

“SWEET!”

 

“Really?” asked McKay, flinching.  He’d clearly expected some sort of physical violence.

 

“Hell yes!”  Sheppard grinned at him delightedly.  “So where’s mine?”

 

“Ah…”  So much for coming out of this unscathed, then…

 

John did not like the sound of that.  “Ah?  What d’you mean, ‘ah’?”

 

‘Well,’ Rodney looked down at his feet.  “Not… not all of the uniforms have been shipped yet,” he said in a quiet voice.

 

“Meaning?”

 

“Uh, well, meaning that yours isn’t here yet.”

 

Sheppard couldn’t believe his ears.  “WHAT?!”

 

“Come on, Colonel, don’t be hasty.  I’m sure it’ll be here soon.”

 

“THAT’S SO NOT FAIR!” John bellowed.  “I’M THE CHIEF MILITARY OFFICER HERE AND I DON’T EVEN GET MY OFF-WORLD GEAR BEFORE THE CIVILIANS?!!”  He growled and started pacing. 

 

“Look, Sheppard, patience is a virtue…”

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

“So, would you like to explain just how you managed to get a black eye?” asked Keller, staring suspiciously at McKay.  Beside him, Sheppard was stood looking sheepish.

 

“I, uh, I tripped.”

 

“Yeah, right.”  She sighed and gave them a stern glare.  “Maybe you should pay more care to where you’re walking.”  She aimed a pointed look in Sheppard’s direction then walked off.

 

Sheppard looked at Rodney.  “Uh, look, about that…”

 

“Save it,” snapped McKay.  “I don’t want to hear it.”

 

“I was just gonna say… I’m sorry I hit you.”

 

McKay let out a derisive snort.  “Yeah, sure.”

 

“I mean it, Rodney!  I was just a bit upset.”  John glanced at his feet.  “I lost my temper and I apologise.”  He looked back up.  “It was stupid.”

 

The scientist glowered at him before standing up unsteadily.  He walked towards the infirmary doors, muttering under his breath.

 

“McKay…”

 

Rodney stopped in his tracks and turned back to Sheppard, swaying slightly.  “I have only one word to say to you on this matter, Colonel.”  He held a finger up.  “Just one little word and then I have no desire to mention this matter ever again.”

 

Sheppard looked worried.  “And that word would be?”

 

“UNBELIEVABLE!”

 

-FIN-

 

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I LIED!!! HA HA HA!!!  Ahem.  Okay, got it all out of my system now.  Honest.