Ficpost, Standing There
Sep. 29th, 2006 01:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mari4212This was written for the McKay/Weir Ficathon. My challenge was: Whilst on the mainland, Rodney and Elizabeth stumble across an Athosian in labor and must deliver the baby. (Do not include m/m, adult, Sheppard/Weir) Issued by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
million_moments I really hope this lives up to what you wanted.
Fandom Stargate Atlantis
Title: Standing There
Timeline: I'd say mid-season two, though there are no spoilers past season one.
Characters: McKay, Elizabeth, Sheppard, Teyla, Zelenka, OC Athosian Woman, baby Athosian.
Now
Standing there, with several bones in his left hand in severe jeopardy of being broken by Neela’s crushing grip, all Rodney could do was ask himself, How did I let myself get talked into this?
And as it so often seemed to be the case since he’d met her, the answer was Elizabeth.
Then
It had started out so simply. Elizabeth had waited until the end of the daily briefing, and then announced that she wanted to go with Teyla on her next visit to the mainland. To be honest, he really hadn’t been paying that much attention to what was going on in the meeting until that point. Zelenka had come up with what were really quite fascinating equations for a power distribution curve on one of the latest Ancient devices, and it had been far more interesting than listening Colonel Sheppard explaining why he hadn’t turned in his reports on whatever nonsense the military contingent was doing this week.
And then Elizabeth had spoken up with her request to visit the Athosians. Sheppard had brightened, apparently sensing a possible escape from an afternoon full of paperwork, and volunteered to fly her out. She’d shot him glare number thirty-one, aka “nice try, buster, think again,” before reminding him that he still owed her ten reports.
But it had been Teyla’s suggestion that had brought his focus fully back to the conversation, “Dr. McKay, would you be willing to take us? You have not flown the jumper in some time, except for in emergencies. It might be helpful for you to practice on less stressful occasions.”
There had been no doubt in Rodney’s mind at that moment that Teyla was not just evil, she was sneaky evil. In three sentences she’d trapped him into a situation where he wouldn’t be able to avoid wasting an afternoon playing taxi-driver. It was just his stubbornness which had made him object, even when he had known that it was a loosing battle. “Oh, please, like I have the time to waste flying out to the mainland. We’ve got several military pilots available to act as ferry-boaters.
Then Elizabeth had joked, “Are you implying that you can’t stand to spend an afternoon in my company, Rodney?”
At which point he’d stammered out something largely incoherant, because really, what was he supposed to say to something like that? “No Elizabeth, I don’t have any objection to spending time with you, but by all previous indications from others of your gender, you most definitely wouldn’t want to spend your time with me in the way I’m thinking of?” Please, he had some semblance of pride and dignity left, he really didn’t want to confront that sort of humiliation. He’d ended up agreeing to fly Elizabeth and Teyla out to the mainland.
Now
The point was, that this was clearly not his fault that he’d ended up in this position. And with that, his train of though was pulled out of the past as Neela’s already bone-crushing grip on his left hand tightened further. Rodney was convinced he was looking at a bare minimum of three greenstick fractures in his meta-carpals, not that he could do anything about it until he was safely back in Atlantis in Carson’s med lab, indulging in the good painkillers.
Elizabeth was down at the other end of the bed, setting out supplies within easy reach and taking occasional glances at a point of Neela’s anatomy that didn’t bear thinking of at this juncture. He’d known Elizabeth for over three years now, and she was still showing him new facets of herself. He’d never expected her to be the kind of person to have taken classes in midwifery, as she’d mentioned off-handedly when Neela had gone into labor and it was obvious that the others would not return early enough to help out with the delivery. But now, looking at her graceful and assured manner as she talked Neela through the process, it was obvious. He felt awkward and clumsy standing there. He wasn’t good at the squishy stuff, the emotional connections and comfort thing, and here he was, trying to soothe a woman through her first birth while Elizabeth handled the technical bits. He was in way over his head.
There was a fresh squeeze against his hand, a deeper groan from Neela, and he could hear Elizabeth’s growing excitement in her voice as her monologue shifted from platitudes into words of encouragement, “That’s it, I can see the baby’s head, you’re almost done, just a little more work.”
And then there was a high-pitched shriek and Neela slumped back, slowly relaxing her crushing grip on his hand. He felt almost dizzy with relief and he must have zoned out for a moment, because the next thing he was aware of, Elizabeth was placing the blanket-swathed child into his arms and telling him to hold her while she dealt with the afterbirth. The baby was tiny and red and wrinkled, her face was screwed up in a pout, she was about the ugliest thing he’d ever laid eyes on. But she was alive and nestled trustingly into his arms and he was entranced. He instinctively pulled the baby closer to his chest when Elizabeth reached out to take her over to her waiting mother, and his arms felt astonishingly empty without that tiny weight of red squirming child ensconced in them.
Of course, that would have to be the moment when Teyla and the women she’d run to get to assist with the birth showed up. He escaped the group and went to wait outside the shelter. He didn’t even like children, there was no reason for his mind to keep flashing to the image of Elizabeth gently easing the baby into his arms.
A half an hour later, Elizabeth emerged from the shelter and sat down beside him. She slumped against his side as he wrapped an arm across her shoulders. They sat in silence, leaning into each other for support after the excitement of the afternoon. These were the moments he treasured most with her, when they could just relax in the other’s company without possibility of interruption.
million_moments I really hope this lives up to what you wanted.Fandom Stargate Atlantis
Title: Standing There
Timeline: I'd say mid-season two, though there are no spoilers past season one.
Characters: McKay, Elizabeth, Sheppard, Teyla, Zelenka, OC Athosian Woman, baby Athosian.
Now
Standing there, with several bones in his left hand in severe jeopardy of being broken by Neela’s crushing grip, all Rodney could do was ask himself, How did I let myself get talked into this?
And as it so often seemed to be the case since he’d met her, the answer was Elizabeth.
Then
It had started out so simply. Elizabeth had waited until the end of the daily briefing, and then announced that she wanted to go with Teyla on her next visit to the mainland. To be honest, he really hadn’t been paying that much attention to what was going on in the meeting until that point. Zelenka had come up with what were really quite fascinating equations for a power distribution curve on one of the latest Ancient devices, and it had been far more interesting than listening Colonel Sheppard explaining why he hadn’t turned in his reports on whatever nonsense the military contingent was doing this week.
And then Elizabeth had spoken up with her request to visit the Athosians. Sheppard had brightened, apparently sensing a possible escape from an afternoon full of paperwork, and volunteered to fly her out. She’d shot him glare number thirty-one, aka “nice try, buster, think again,” before reminding him that he still owed her ten reports.
But it had been Teyla’s suggestion that had brought his focus fully back to the conversation, “Dr. McKay, would you be willing to take us? You have not flown the jumper in some time, except for in emergencies. It might be helpful for you to practice on less stressful occasions.”
There had been no doubt in Rodney’s mind at that moment that Teyla was not just evil, she was sneaky evil. In three sentences she’d trapped him into a situation where he wouldn’t be able to avoid wasting an afternoon playing taxi-driver. It was just his stubbornness which had made him object, even when he had known that it was a loosing battle. “Oh, please, like I have the time to waste flying out to the mainland. We’ve got several military pilots available to act as ferry-boaters.
Then Elizabeth had joked, “Are you implying that you can’t stand to spend an afternoon in my company, Rodney?”
At which point he’d stammered out something largely incoherant, because really, what was he supposed to say to something like that? “No Elizabeth, I don’t have any objection to spending time with you, but by all previous indications from others of your gender, you most definitely wouldn’t want to spend your time with me in the way I’m thinking of?” Please, he had some semblance of pride and dignity left, he really didn’t want to confront that sort of humiliation. He’d ended up agreeing to fly Elizabeth and Teyla out to the mainland.
Now
The point was, that this was clearly not his fault that he’d ended up in this position. And with that, his train of though was pulled out of the past as Neela’s already bone-crushing grip on his left hand tightened further. Rodney was convinced he was looking at a bare minimum of three greenstick fractures in his meta-carpals, not that he could do anything about it until he was safely back in Atlantis in Carson’s med lab, indulging in the good painkillers.
Elizabeth was down at the other end of the bed, setting out supplies within easy reach and taking occasional glances at a point of Neela’s anatomy that didn’t bear thinking of at this juncture. He’d known Elizabeth for over three years now, and she was still showing him new facets of herself. He’d never expected her to be the kind of person to have taken classes in midwifery, as she’d mentioned off-handedly when Neela had gone into labor and it was obvious that the others would not return early enough to help out with the delivery. But now, looking at her graceful and assured manner as she talked Neela through the process, it was obvious. He felt awkward and clumsy standing there. He wasn’t good at the squishy stuff, the emotional connections and comfort thing, and here he was, trying to soothe a woman through her first birth while Elizabeth handled the technical bits. He was in way over his head.
There was a fresh squeeze against his hand, a deeper groan from Neela, and he could hear Elizabeth’s growing excitement in her voice as her monologue shifted from platitudes into words of encouragement, “That’s it, I can see the baby’s head, you’re almost done, just a little more work.”
And then there was a high-pitched shriek and Neela slumped back, slowly relaxing her crushing grip on his hand. He felt almost dizzy with relief and he must have zoned out for a moment, because the next thing he was aware of, Elizabeth was placing the blanket-swathed child into his arms and telling him to hold her while she dealt with the afterbirth. The baby was tiny and red and wrinkled, her face was screwed up in a pout, she was about the ugliest thing he’d ever laid eyes on. But she was alive and nestled trustingly into his arms and he was entranced. He instinctively pulled the baby closer to his chest when Elizabeth reached out to take her over to her waiting mother, and his arms felt astonishingly empty without that tiny weight of red squirming child ensconced in them.
Of course, that would have to be the moment when Teyla and the women she’d run to get to assist with the birth showed up. He escaped the group and went to wait outside the shelter. He didn’t even like children, there was no reason for his mind to keep flashing to the image of Elizabeth gently easing the baby into his arms.
A half an hour later, Elizabeth emerged from the shelter and sat down beside him. She slumped against his side as he wrapped an arm across her shoulders. They sat in silence, leaning into each other for support after the excitement of the afternoon. These were the moments he treasured most with her, when they could just relax in the other’s company without possibility of interruption.
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no subject
Date: 2006-09-29 07:02 pm (UTC)They're such a "little things" couple, ya know? And that ending is just the perfect "little thing".
Well done, and thanks!
no subject
Date: 2006-09-30 02:19 pm (UTC)Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2006-09-30 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-30 02:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-30 03:54 pm (UTC)On a completely unrelated note, I just saw the Very Small Phoenix quote on your side bar thing and started laughing all over again. You explained it to me once, but I forgot. But it still makes me laugh. And the "crunchy with ketchup one"! :D:D:D