Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
*********************************************
Parker took a drink of water before she continued to walk with the rest of the team towards the ruins. Both Rodney and Jarod were discussing something at top speed which she'd given up following about an hour ago. Beside her the alien woman Teyla walked also ignoring the two Pretenders while Sheppard was in the lead and Ford behind them.
It was now three weeks since she'd arrived here and although it was strange she found she was settled here. Now they had both recovered from their injuries Rodney had somehow managed to get them on his team. Not that she minded, she felt transported back to when she was a girl before her mother's death. Jarod and Rodney had been her best friends back then; Jarod was even the first boy she'd ever kissed.
"We should be at the ruins soon Captain," Teyla said.
"Thankfully," Parker sighed.
When they reached the ruins she helped set up camp not missing the looks from the Major, he was definitely becoming suspicious of them not that Tweedledee and Tweedledum noticed. They were too caught up in the wonders of the half crumbled building in front of them. This was worrying and with nowhere for them to run to this could become complicated.
-
Jarod was in awe by what he was seeing even more amazed by how Rodney took this as normal. He was on a different planet, in a different galaxy getting to make discoveries that no one on Earth could ever imagine.
"Jarod," Rodney called, "Come and look at this."
Joining him Jarod looked at the writings on the wall, "This is meant to be Parker's area of expertise."
"Oh yeah I forgot," Rodney shrugged, "Go get her."
Jarod laughed and headed back to the camp where Parker was erecting the tents.
"Parker," he called, "We've found something you should see."
She looked up at him her dark brown eyes managing to convey sarcasm as she simply nodded before walking with him.
"I see you're having fun here?" she murmured as they walked through the ruins, "You know this will all change once we get back to Earth."
"You mean being hunted down like some sort of animal by the Centre?" Jarod asked slightly angry, "Or that we will once again be unable to have a conversation face to face?"
Sadness flitted across her face before she pulled on the mask again, "So what have you two crackpots found?"
-
Sheppard watched the three of them as they worked away at the other side of the ruins. The strange feelings continued to plague him but he couldn't find any way to put his mind at ease. Rodney had argued that both Starr and Parker had missed out on the first few weeks training so they should come with them so they could study the ruins Captain Foxx's team had found last week.
He had no complaints about either Parker or Starr they were both good. They walked from the Gate with no complaints and they were working hard, but the nagging was still there.
"Is something wrong?" Teyla asked him.
"No," he assured her quickly, too quickly.
"You lie badly when you are worried about your friend," Teyla told him, "Dr McKay seems at ease with them."
"That's the thing," he snapped finally, "Have you ever known Rodney McKay to be that comfortable working with people? He doesn't get along with people; it's a constant of Atlantis life."
Teyla laughed, "I believe you are jealous of his new friends."
Sheppard stared at her, "What?"
"Since you have both been here you bonded and have become extremely close," Teyla was trying very hard not to let a grin split her face, "Now he has two new people who are becoming close to him. You are jealous."
Sheppard grimaced at her, "I'm going to get them for dinner," he huffed before stomping away leaving Teyla laughing behind his back.
*********************************************
Elizabeth skimmed the files in front of her trying to work out who could have planted that bomb. Firstly she needed to work out who had the skills to create the device that had been planted and then try to work out how they had managed to get into the secure area. It had been several weeks since the incident and she was relieved that the two who had been injured had recovered well. She'd been even more amused however to see they'd bonded with Rodney, it had been unusual to say the least. Checking the clock that sat on her desk she saw they were due to check in soon and wondered how the mission was going. The ruins had been examined by many teams but Rodney had insisted that this would be a good training mission for Dr Starr and Captain Parker which she had to admit she agreed with. The only confusing thing was the way Major Sheppard kept insisting Rodney knew something about what had happened.
Teyla pointed out that Rodney and Sheppard had become very close friends over the past year and the newcomers were getting in the way of that. It amused her to think that especially as Elizabeth was beginning to think that the Athosian woman was right on the money.
With a sigh she went back to working on the reports.
-
He hadn't been sure that the bomb would get them but it should have planted some distrust between the Pretenders and Parker, but it had solidified the bond between them instead. And now he had to put up with a search for who had planted the device. He'd changed his plans and now he was hoping to get rid of them while they were on this mission, he'd set the little surprise for them when he'd been there and now...it wouldn't be long before the Pretenders were history and losing Miss Parker would just be called a 'Casualty of War'.
-
"McKay," Sheppard yelled, "Come on, chow time."
"Two minutes," Rodney called back absently.
"No now," Sheppard stood over him, "Get your ass back to camp."
Rodney looked at him confused; Sheppard hadn't been this hostile towards him in a long time.
"I need two more minutes to finish recording this section," Rodney told him as if explaining something to a child, "Then we will be back. Is that alright with you, Major?"
"Just hurry up," Sheppard replied.
"I will," Rodney turned his back on the man seeing Jarod and Parker standing with almost identical amused looks on their faces.
"Major," Ford's voice came over the radio, "The Gate's opened."
Before Sheppard could reply the ground started to shake beneath their feet.
"Everyone move," he yelled grabbing Rodney's arm trying to pull him away.
Jarod and Parker ran towards them all four heading for the exit skidding as the ground opened up in front of them.
"Get back," Jarod called turning to try and see another way out.
"This way," Parker started towards what appeared to be the only other way out, Sheppard and Jarod started to follow her.
Rodney stiffened and tried to pull the others back from their current destination, "Parker stop."
His cry came too late as the ground opened under her and she disappeared both Pretenders yelled for her before the three men dropped.
-
"Major?" Ford yelled as he saw the three men disappeared, "Dr McKay?"
"No," Teyla stopped him from running into the ruins, "If we go running in we shall more than likely end up being hurt also."
Ford sighed knowing she was right, "We should contact Dr Weir and get a rescue mission put together. I'll see if I can contact any of them."
Teyla nodded, "Hurry."
"Major Sheppard?" Ford called over his radio, "Dr McKay? Can anyone hear me?"
"I'm here," Dr Starr answered him, "We've been separated and I can't find any of the others yet."
"We're heading back to Atlantis to get together a rescue mission," Ford told him, "Try and find everyone and we'll be back as soon as possible."
Silence answered him for a few moments before Dr Starr's ragged breath came back over the radio, "Hurry."
-
Rodney coughed as dirt hit the back of his throat groaning at the pain jarring in his back and leg. Shaking his head he sighed, what the hell had just happened?
"Rodney," Jarod's voice floated to him, "Rodney I need you to open your eyes."
He forced his eyes open to find the other Pretender kneeling in front of him, "What happened?"
"The ground gave way beneath us," Jarod told him, "I can't find Parker or Sheppard. Are you hurt?"
Rodney did a quick assessment, "I think I'm just bruised, nothing seems to be broken."
Jarod gave a half-smile, "You always were lucky. We need to find the others and find a way out of here."
Rodney held out his hand for help to stand, he groaned as he made it to his feet, "Oh that's going to be one hell of a bruise."
He looked around where they were, it seemed like some sort of underground tunnels a bit like Tok'ra tunnels he mused as he looked around.
"Can you feel either of them?" Jarod asked, well aware of Rodney's gifts.
Rodney shook his head no, his head was too sore to focus properly. Moving he grabbed his pack rooting around for something to eat, his blood sugar was getting low and on top of his throbbing head did not make a good combination for him. He pulled out a chocolate bar and gave half to Jarod; the both ate it quickly gaining some strength.
"Which way?" Jarod asked turning over leadership to Rodney.
Rodney closed his eyes trying to focus on one of his friends but he couldn't. Why couldn't he find them? Taking several deep breaths Rodney tried again but couldn't.
"Dammit," he snapped frustrated, "I can't, I can't find them."
Jarod placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I know what happened the last time you did this Rodney but you need to try."
Rodney sighed, "I can't find them if they're dead. After..."
"You need to stay calm," Jarod reminded him, "Get a picture of one of them in your mind."
"But which one?" Rodney cried, his worry for both of his friends overwhelming his abilities.
Jarod took his friend's hand, "Focus on Parker. Think of her when we were kids, remember how you could always find her when we were in the Centre, remember the way she would smile when we arrived. Focus on that."
Rodney gripped Jarod's hand as he listened to the words letting them flow over him, he jerked suddenly pulling away.
"She's this way."
-
Parker staggered along the corridor knowing Rodney could find her but also knowing if he was unconscious it was more likely best to go try to find them. The aches that had barely just healed had decided to become even more painful than before but she kept herself focused on her task, finding the others.
"Parker!!" Rodney's voice rang out making her sigh in relief as he and Jarod came running to her, "I did it, I found you."
"Yes you..." she was cut off as he grabbed her in a tight hug, shocked at first she relaxed and hugged him back, "I never doubted you Rodney."
The smile that brightened his face sent warmth through her and she turned to Jarod who was standing waiting an amused smile on his face.
"Not a word," she told him.
"I wouldn't dream of it Miss Parker," he replied smoothly before turning back to Rodney, "Can you find Major Sheppard?"
Rodney took a deep breath closing his eyes trying to find his friend but all he could see was a dark spot, "I can't."
He jumped as he felt Parker take his hand, she nodded to Jarod who took Rodney's other hand, "We'll help," she said, her voice soft, smooth and comforting, "We've done it before, we can do it again. Rodney, focus your entire mind on your friend."
-
"It's a trick," the youngest looking of the three said, "I can find anyone I want if I focus hard enough."
"Can you do that?" the girl turned to the other boy who shook his head.
"I sent Angelo into the sub-levels," Jarod told her, "And it took him five minutes to pinpoint him."
"That's long," Parker sniffed.
"I got better," Rodney told her eagerly, "Each time I tried it became faster because Angelo and I became friends."
Parker chewed her lips, "So the better you know someone the easier they are to find."
Rodney nodded smiling brightly, "Yep."
"That's very interesting," she smiled thoughtfully.
-
"I know where he is," Rodney's head shot up, "Come on."
Jarod and Parker had to run to keep up with Rodney as he bolted through the tunnels taking twists and turns seemingly at random but both knew they weren't random choices, very few things were when Rodney was concerned.
They all stopped finding the man lying unconscious his legs in an awkward position. Rodney fell to his knees beside his friend quickly checking for pulse breathing a sigh of relief that he was alive.
"Jarod, I need your help," Rodney cried.
Parker watched as both Pretenders slipped into Doctor Mode, she'd forgotten how simply they could do this. It seemed so straightforward on paper and saying it but actually witnessing the two men doing it was amazing.
The unconscious man groaned.
"Easy Major," Rodney told him, "You need to stay still while we make sure you're alright."
Sheppard muttered something at him making Rodney frown, "What?"
"I said when did you become a doctor?" Sheppard forced out wincing in pain.
"That's a story for another time," Rodney replied, "Now we're going to move you so you are sitting up. You're leg is broken so we need to splint it."
Sheppard cried out in pain as they moved him, "That kinda hurt," he murmured once they had him settled.
"Hand me the bags," Rodney ordered Parker, when she passed them over Rodney and Jarod started rooting around in them hunting for bandages and painkillers.
"Will he be alright?" Parker asked them.
"From what I can tell broken leg, cracked ribs and possibly internal bleeding," Rodney listed, "We need to get him back to Atlantis or he could die."
"How long?" Parker demanded.
"Once we patch him up," Jarod told her, "We'll have about a day or so but I talked to Lieutenant Ford before I found Rodney. They're setting up a rescue mission for us."
"Something about this wasn't natural," Rodney told them, "Somebody is after us. And I'll bet it's the same one who sent the Centre the message I was here."
"We can't worry about that just now," Jarod told him, "One thing at a time."
-
Sheppard was sure he was fading in and out of consciousness but he was becoming pretty sure he was also hallucinating. When did Rodney learn all this medical stuff? As far as Sheppard knew Rodney McKay didn't like medicine, far too 'voodoo' for him but here he was acting like...like a doctor.
"McKay," he called.
"I'm here John," Rodney sat beside him, "You need to stay still, you were hurt badly."
"My leg?"
"I had to splint it," Rodney replied, "Ford is coming with a search party so you just have to hold on alright?"
"I want to sleep," Sheppard sighed, confused as Rodney gripped his shoulder.
"You stay awake," the scientist told him sharply, "You cannot sleep until I know you don't have a concussion."
"Why not," Sheppard muttered, he heard Rodney order the other two to collect firewood so they could keep him warm pleased at how in control Rodney was.
"We'll be back soon," a voice Sheppard worked out was Starr said.
"John, stay awake," Rodney snapped.
Sheppard jumped realising his eyes had been closed, "I'm awake," he sighed, he tilted his head to one side, "You look different McKay."
"I'm covered in dirt," Rodney replied.
"That's not it," Sheppard told him, "You've been different since they arrived."
Rodney sighed, "I have my reasons."
"I thought you trusted me," Sheppard murmured, "Why won't you trust me with whatever this is?"
Rodney winced at the accusation, "Because trusting you also places you in danger."
Sheppard gave a weak laugh which turned into a cough, "Look at what we do Rodney. How much more danger could I be in?"
Rodney stared into the others man's eyes trying to decide if he should tell him or not, finally he made the decision.
"Alright," Rodney said very softly, "Here's the truth..."
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