Laura bit her lower lip as she concentrated on the explosive in front of her, she’d lost count of how many she’d disabled over the past few hours.
“Okay,” she passed the now harmless crystal to Teal’c who added it to the storage container he was carrying, “How many more?”
“One more section,” Jack replied from the control room, “If the pattern continues then there shouldn’t be more than four.”
“Good,” Laura rubbed her eyes; she was exhausted and worried that there’d been no news on Rodney at all since she started doing this.
“Are you ready, Laura Cadman?” Teal’c asked concerned, “Or do you wish a moment of rest?”
Laura wanted about seven hours rest but just shook her head, “No, I want to get this over with so I can get to the infirmary.”
Teal’c nodded and escorted her through the city.
Jeannie squeezed Sha’re’s hand even tighter as Janet walked towards them; she could feel John holding onto her and felt slightly better that she wasn’t alone as she waited.
“Janet?” Daniel spoke up for them.
The petite doctor took a deep breath, “Rodney has three broken ribs, one of them punctured his lung. His left leg is broken as is his left wrist and he had some internal bleeding but we’ve managed to stop it.”
“He’s alright though?” Jeannie whispered hopefully, “Right?”
Janet nodded, “He’s going to confined to the infirmary for a while, Carson’s working on some of the ancient medical equipment to reduce the time he’ll be here – especially since this is Rodney but he’s going to be fine, Jeannie.”
Jeannie closed her eyes and sagged back against John who rubbed her arm soothingly.
“Can she sit with him?” John asked for Jeannie.
“Of course,” Janet smiled slightly, moving to the young woman, “Jeannie, trust me that Rodney is going to be fine. In fact I’ll bet in less than three days he’ll be trying to escape the infirmary.”
“Thank you,” Jeannie breathed as John escorted her through to where her brother lay.
Sha’re sighed as Janet gave them the news she waited until Jeannie left before speaking, “I must return to work. Thank you, Janet. I’m hoping you will not have any more patients today.”
“Me too,” Janet replied, “I’ll see you two later.”
Sha’re slid her hand into Daniel’s and they started walking out along the corridors towards her office.
“I was speaking to Lisa earlier,” Daniel broached, seeing his wife tilt her head slightly in interest.
“About what?”
“I thought she might be a good assistant for you,” Daniel continued, “She seemed quite happy to take the job when I talked to her, I was hoping....”
“What?” Sha’re snapped cutting him off, “You spoke to her before speaking to me?”
Daniel shrugged, “I wanted to make sure she was receptive to the idea.”
Sha’re stared at him, “Dan’iel, I do not need an assistant and you have now placed me in an awkward position.”
“You need help,” Daniel reminded her, “Look what happened today.”
“So you decided to help,” she snapped sarcastically.
“I thought...”
“No you did not,” Sha’re raged, “You did not think. You are trying to be in control of something you are not.”
“Sha’re...”
“I am not the naive girl who married you,” she continued, “I am perfectly capable of working without anyone’s help. And I do not need you interfering in things because you feel left out.”
“I wanted to help because I’m worried about you,” Daniel snapped back, “You’re exhausted, Sha’re. I’m not going to stand by and watch you make yourself sick. You’re pregnant remember.”
“It is not hard for me to forget,” Sha’re folded her arms, “I am the one who is sick ten minutes after I eat. I have help and I do not need you hovering over me constantly.”
“Fine,” Daniel snapped, he stopped walking.
Sha’re marched away, “Fine.”
*********************************************
Rodney’s face was pale, well what she could see of his face was pale Jeannie mused as she took a seat beside his bed. He had a large bruise covering the right side of his face as well as several cuts that looked angry and red.
John gently rested his hands on her shoulders, “I’m going to go get you something to eat.”
“I don’t...”
“Yes, you do,” John told her, “I’ll be back soon.”
Jeannie gave him a tight smile before she turned back to study her unconscious brother. She’d never seen him so still, so quiet. He talked in his sleep, he paced when he worked and muttered constantly.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this to me,” she told him, “This is supposed to be a safe place for all of us,” Jeannie smiled softly, “You know you saved Katie Brown’s life. I think she’ll be even harder to get rid of now. According to John, Laura is hunting down these bombs and disarming them all. I’m sure she’ll come see you pretty soon.”
She fell silent as a nurse came over and checked Rodney quickly before leaving them alone once more.
“Okay,” Jeannie took a deep breath before leaning back in the chair, “I’m not leaving until you wake up. And since I know you want me to get back to the mainland to supervise then you better wake up soon.” she sighed, “Just wake up.”
Laura hurried through the corridors towards the infirmary, she really needed a shower and to get several hours sleep but she knew until she saw Rodney she wouldn’t be able to rest. The last few hours had been exhausting as she ran around the city disarming explosives, all the while worrying about a man she wanted to hate.
“Laura,” Carson greeted her as she stepped through the doors, “He’s going to be fine.”
“Are you sure?” she breathed, closing her eyes in relief.
Carson gently squeezed her shoulder, “Yes, I am completely sure that Rodney will be perfectly fine – unless we kill him when he starts whining about how long he has to stay here.”
Laura laughed slightly, “Thanks. Where is he?”
Carson wrapped his arm around her shoulders, “Come on. Jeannie’s there already, I think she’ll be glad of the company.”
Laura sighed as they walked through the infirmary to the private room at the back where Jeannie was sitting. Rodney’s younger sister was picking at a roll as she leaned back in her chair staring at the man lying unconscious on the bed.
“Jeannie?” she said softly not wanting to startle the other woman.
Jeannie turned to see Laura walking slowly towards the bed, “Did you get all the bombs?”
“Yeah,” Laura whispered, her eyes searched Rodney’s face; “Carson said he’s going to be okay.”
Jeannie nodded before she moved and hugged the other woman.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Jeannie whispered, as she took her seat again while Laura gently touched Rodney’s forehead, “You’re...I...”
Laura cut her off as she took the other seat and took Jeannie’s hand, “Me too.”
*********************************************
Sha’re looked up confused as she heard a quick knock on the door to her office, “Edward?”
The balding English man smiled at her confused look, “We had a meeting half an hour ago concerning my proposal.”
“Lisa cancelled all my appointments,” Sha’re frowned confused, she glanced over to her list and sighed, “But you have not been noted. I am so sorry, Edward. It has been a hard day.”
“I heard,” he took a seat, “How is Dr McKay?”
“Recovering,” Sha’re replied, “Janet assures us he will be back to his old self very quickly, and Laura managed to disarm all the explosives. There is no reason to worry.”
Edward nodded, “Have you thought about getting some sort of aide to help you?”
“Have you been speaking my husband?” Sha’re demanded sharply.
Edward looked confused, “No. Did I step on some toes?”
“It is not you,” she sighed, “I apologise, I am just having one of those days.”
Edward gave her a warm smile, “How about we reschedule for next week?”
“Thank you,” Sha’re told him, “And I shall give some thought to your suggestion.”
He gave her a fatherly smile and nod before leaving her alone. Sha’re closed her eyes and groaned, dropping her head onto her arms. After several minutes she stood up and caught Lisa’s eye, motioning the young woman to join her.
“Is something wrong?” the younger woman asked, her brown eyes wide.
“I believe Dan’iel spoke with you earlier concerning you helping me,” Sha’re said, she took a deep breath, “I am unsure if this will work or who this will work but if you still want to help me I would appreciate it.”
Lisa beamed, “I’m more than happy to help you.”
Sha’re smiled back, “Well we shall start tomorrow. For now I am going to go and get some rest. If anyone is looking for me can you take a message?”
“No problem,” Lisa told her, “And from now on we should let people know to come through me if they need to talk to you. Except Daniel.”
“Possibly even him some days,” Sha’re smiled slightly, “Call me if anything important happens.”
“No problem, boss.”
Jack winced as he watched Daniel hit the punching bag in the gym, he recognised his friend was in a bad mood and hated interrupting because talking to him when he was like this was a real pain but he also knew that leaving Daniel like this was never a good idea.
“Danny,” Jack called, stepping back slightly as the other man turned on him, “Hey.”
“What do you want, Jack?” Daniel demanded.
“Wanted to talk about whatever is bugging you,” Jack replied, leaning against the nearby wall, “Because you’re scaring the other kids.”
“I’m fine,” Daniel snapped; he punched the bag again before sighing, “Just a bad day.”
Jack nodded, “It has been for most of us. Why don’t you go get Sha’re and have a quiet night together?”
Daniel glanced at his friend for a second before turning back to his the punching bag again.
“Ah,” Jack understood finally, “I’ll leave you to your bad mood.”
Daniel ignored him as he left the room.
Jack saw John walking towards the gym as he stepped into the corridor again.
“I’d give that room a miss for a while,” Jack warned him, “Daniel and Sha’re had a fight, you don’t want to be around him until they’ve sorted it out.”
“Really?” John asked surprised, “They actually fight?”
Jack laughed, “From what I know they used to all the time on Abydos. Recently though they haven’t, which worried me, I guess they were due for a big blow-up.”
“So avoid both of them?” John asked.
“I’d advise it,” Jack told him, “How’s Jeannie doing?”
John shrugged, “Holding up. Now we know McKay’s going to be okay I think she’ll be fine.”
“Good,” Jack mused, “She’s a good kid and she might not have been with us long but she’s part of the family.”
John nodded, “She’s great and...”
Jack clapped John on the shoulder as he started away, “Remember who her brother is before you finish that sentence.”
Sha’re stepped into the rooms she shared with her husband relieved to find he wasn’t there; she was too tired to fight with him again just now. She pulled her radio off and dropped it onto the bedside cabinet before sitting down on the bed, it had been a long horrible day and she just wanted to find some way to relax for a little bit. Her eye caught the large sunken bathtub sitting in the next room and Sha’re decided to indulge herself. She ran the water and chose one of what Daniel called bubble bath sitting there, adding it and smiling at the soothing scent that filled the air around her. Once the tub was filled Sha’re undressed and slid into the warm water. Closing her eyes Sha’re gently drew her hand across her slightly swollen stomach wondering if this would be the baby she would be allowed to keep.
Growing up Sha’re knew that when she got pregnant there was a danger of losing the child, her mother had lost three babies before Sha’re had been born and then another two before Skaara.
She thought back to those days on Abydos when they’d just married and remembered how anxious Daniel would be when she thought she might be pregnant the first few months they were together, he’d later explained how nervous he was at the prospect of being a father especially when they’d only known one another a short time. Now was a different matter thankfully.
Sha’re groaned as she remembered how angry she was at him, it had been a long time since they’d had an argument like that. In the early days of their marriage they had been fairly commonplace. Their first major argument had actually meant Sha’re had returned to her father’s home for several days, something Kasuf hadn’t been happy about, because they just couldn’t get past the problem. It had taken Skaara locking them in a Mastadge shed over night to get them to make up.
Wiping away the small tear that slipped along her cheek Sha’re tried not to think about her brother. She had no idea what had happened to Klorel when the Andurians started to remove the Goa’uld from the galaxy but she hoped that Skaara was somehow free of the creature living a peaceful life somewhere.
Daniel opened the door to the apartment and glanced inside, “Sha’re?”
“I am here,” he heard her reply from the bathroom.
Walking in he heard the door shut behind him and Daniel took a deep breath, he’d worked out his frustration in the gym and knew he had to talk to her before their argument festered. It had happened more than he liked to think when they first married.
“Hi,” Daniel breathed as he found her relaxing in the bubble bath, he took a seat on the step beside it.
“Hi,” Sha’re replied with a sigh.
They sat in silence for several minutes, waiting for the other to speak. Finally Daniel took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“About what, Dan’iel,” she demanded, “What you said? What you did? Or are you just saying it because you know I want to hear it?”
“I’m sorry I went behind your back,” Daniel told her, “I shouldn’t have talked to Lisa before talking to you. I’m not sorry that I worry about you.”
“I am fine, Dan’iel,” Sha’re frowned at him, “I am not about to break at any moment. You have to stop treating me that way.”
Daniel caught her hand, “I’ve lost you too many times, I can’t help how afraid I am. I know how different you are from when we married, I see how incredible you are at leading us and trust me I don’t want to be involved in it. When I thought Jack was suggesting I take charge I nearly fainted,” he smiled when his wife let out a small giggle, “I love you; I love our baby and when I see you as tired as you were today I get a little overprotective. I was trying to help.”
Sha’re interlaced her fingers with her husbands’, “You were right, I do need someone to help me with some things. I just wish you’d spoken to me first.”
She stopped him saying anything, pressing a finger to his lips, “Promise me you will talk to me before you do anything like that again.”
Daniel kissed the tip of her finger, “I promise.”
Sha’re smiled and motioned him closer, kissing him softly before sliding to the opposite side of the bathtub, “Now, Dr Jackson,” she said with a seductive smile, “Get in here.”
*********************************************
Rodney groaned as consciousness forced itself upon him, every part of him ached – even his hair seemed to hurt which his brain told him was stupid but it still hurt. He heard someone say his name; well he thought that’s what it was because the sound seemed to be coming from behind a thick wall. Forcing open his eyes Rodney felt his lips curl up in a small smile which even seemed to hurt him.
“La...ra,” he forced out past his dry throat.
He felt her fingers gently stroke his forehead, “Hey,” she breathed, her voice clearer now that he was able to focus on her.
“Wha’ ha..pe..d?” he tried to ask, relieved that she hadn’t left him.
A smile touched her lips, “You’re a hero, Rodney. There was a bomb and you flung Katie Brown out of the way.”
“He...ro?”
“Yeah,” Laura shook her head, “And you were really lucky that you’re not worse off than you are,” her smile faltered and tears filled her eyes, “I thought I’d lost you for a minute.”
“Laura,” he croaked, not sure he was hearing her right.
“I’d better tell Carson you’re awake,” she started to move but Rodney managed to catch her hand making her turn back worriedly, “What’s wrong?”
“Stay,” Rodney pleaded, “Stay.”
Laura nodded, she waved her free hand at someone but she didn’t leave his side. Instead she continued to slide her fingers across his forehead and through his hair. Rodney could sense others nearby but his focus remained on the woman standing above him, her long red-gold hair hanging down around her face.
As Carson’s face appeared above him Laura moved to one side and Rodney gripped her hand in case she left him.
“I’m here,” she whispered in his ear, “And I’m not leaving you again,” Laura gently kissed his forehead, “I promise.”
Heliopolis Main Archive
A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Cuckoo In The Nest
by LE McMurrayKapitel Bemerkung:
Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.Enjoy
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