“Did you tell her?”
Rodney gave John an ‘are you completely stupid’ look, “Do you think I could have gotten off Atlantis without a major argument if I had?”
“Good point,” John shrugged, “I know she’d want to come if there was a chance we find Aiden.”
Rodney nodded sadness in his eyes, “She’s not taken off his dog tags since he left.”
John mused over this, “They were pretty close. How’s things going with her, considering the new arrangements?”
Rodney snorted slightly, “Alisa is…happy with everything. No one other than the old team knows she’s my daughter, yet. And now she’s living on her own…”
“She’s about six rooms down the hall from you, Rodney,” John laughed, “It’s not that far.”
“Still feels weird,” Rodney sighed, “Like she’s left me behind.”
John clapped his friend on the shoulder before he readied the Jumper to land. It was time to focus on the mission.
“Ok, you've had your fresh air,” Lorne said, standing looking annoyed at Rodney who was sitting with the full radiation suit on, “C'mon, let's go.”
Rodney frowned, “Well, shouldn't we be headed back? I mean, it must have been half an hour.”
“It's been fifteen minutes,” Lorne told him, sounding bored.
“Oh, really? I thought…” Rodney glanced at his watch, scowling that the other man was right, “It feels longer.”
“Wow,” Lorne mused, “You must really be some kind of genius.”
Rodney stood up and started to follow, “Well, as a matter of fact, I,” he hesitated, confusion entering his thoughts, “Um…wait a minute. See, why would you say that now?”
“Something has to have kept Colonel Sheppard from shooting you all this time,” Lorne smirked as he continued on.
“Yeah, yeah,” Rodney grumbled to himself, “Like I didn't see that one coming.”
Rodney jumped as Lorne was suddenly struck by a Wraith beam, the Major dropped like a stone and Rodney grabbed his radio.
“Mayday! Mayday!” he yelled looking around, “We are under attack. Lorne's been hit. I repeat, we are under Wraith attack.”
He pulled out his gun, nervously aiming it in the direction the blast came from, stopping and staring as he saw Ford standing there, aiming a Wraith stunner at him.
“Will you relax, McKay?” Ford grinned.
Rodney stared at the man before him, “Ford?”
“Why don't you drop your gun?” Ford suggested, moving closer, “I know what you're like with weapons. I wouldn't want it accidentally going off while it's pointed at me.”
Too shocked to move, Rodney only let go of the gun when Aiden grabbed it away from him. Ford pocketed the gun and grinned at him.
“Good. Now you and me can catch up,” he playfully pummelled Rodney on the shoulder, then moved over to the unconscious form of Lorne and took his spare clips as Rodney continued to stare.
“Doctor McKay, what is your position?” a voice called over Rodney’s radio, “Please respond. Major Lorne, come in?”
Rodney glanced at his radio wondering how the hell he could answer but Ford took it from him as easily as he had taken the gun, switched it off and tossed it to one side where it landed on top of Lorne.
“Let's go,” Ford told him.
Rodney swallowed, “We can't leave Major Lorne.”
Ford waved his hand, “He'll be fine.”
“No...” Rodney hesitated and Ford, looking much more menacing than he had seconds before, aimed both Rodney’s gun and the Wraith stunner at him
“You know that the sunlight on this planet is kinda dangerous?” Rodney tried to stall, hoping the Calvary would arrive and help him.
Ford shrugged, “Not for me.”
Rodney winced, “Actually, if you ...”
“Listen,” Ford cut him off, “McKay, you guys all think I'm crazy or something.”
Rodney shook his head vehemently, “No, no-one thinks that.”
“Sure,” sarcasm filled the younger man’s voice, “Here's the thing. I'm not just fine, I'm better than fine. Really,” he told Rodney at his surprised look, “This is the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Rodney continued to talk, hoping he could persuade Ford to go back to the Jumper or at least contact the rest of the team. He winced as he discovered Teyla and John had been grabbed by someone but tried to continue to talk the lieutenant back to the shuttle.
“Anything else happen since I've been gone?” Ford asked.
Rodney mused, wondering what to say, “Ah, Major Sheppard got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Rodney nodded.
“Good for him,” Ford grinned, “How’s Alisa?”
Rodney hesitated, he thought about saying she’d been left on Earth but decided against it quickly. Ford had always been a big brother to Alisa; this could be a way to get him to come back with him.
“She’s good,” Rodney started, “She’s now officially Radek’s assistant. He’s handling her education. They’re paying her and everything.”
“That’s great,” Ford nodded cheerfully.
Rodney decided to try his idea, “She misses you. She hasn’t taken off the dog-tags since you left.”
Ford stopped for a few seconds, sadness covering his face and Rodney was sure he’d got through to him.
“Yeah,” Ford sighed, his expression changed suddenly, “Come on, let’s go get the Major…Lieutenant Colonel and Teyla.”
As Ford started walking, Rodney glanced over his shoulder at Lorne and hoped he got out of this in one piece.
*********************************************
“Dad.”
Rodney looked up from his infirmary bed to see Alisa jogging in; she looked worried but relaxed a little seeing he wasn't bleeding.
“Hey, Lissa,” he smiled at her, the painkillers Carson had given him for his leg making him quite loopy.
The teenager rolled her eyes and settled onto the seat beside him, “What happened?”
“Ford set a trap thing and I got my leg caught in it,” he explained, his voice was slightly slurred from the drugs.
“Aiden was there?” Alisa asked softly, astonishment in her voice.
Rodney caught her hand, “Sorry, kiddo,” he murmured, losing the battle with the exhaustion pulling him down.
Alisa smiled as he father fell asleep before she slipped away to talk to John.
“What happened?” Alisa demanded the moment she reached the Colonel.
John sighed, “Ford isn’t the same guy you knew, Alisa. The Wraith enzyme…”
“I did the reading,” Alisa cut him off; “I know this.”
“Seeing it is different though,” John reminded her.
Alisa folded her arms across her chest, “I had a pretty impressive bruise on my back when he shoved me into a wall before stealing the Jumper. Remember?”
John shrugged.
“How did Dad end up alone with him?” Alisa demanded, “Because if I remember correctly, he went off-world with you and Teyla.”
“You know I’ve already had to listen to Caldwell yell at me,” John snapped, annoyed that this kid was having a go at him, “I don’t have to answer to you, Alisa.”
Alisa stepped back slightly, her blue eyes darkening with anger, “If you get my father killed, yes you do.”
With that said she spun and marched away, making John groan.
“Sir?”
John turned to find Lorne watching him.
“Something bothering you, Major?” John snapped; he was not in the mood right now.
Lorne looked a little taken back by John’s annoyance but continued with his question.
“I was wondering who she was,” Lorne motioned to where Alisa had just been.
John sighed, Lorne was pretty much the second highest ranking officer on Atlantis and it was more than likely he’d come up against the wrath of the younger McKay at some point. Best to warn him.
“That,” John stated, unable not to smile, “Is Alisa McKay, Rodney’s daughter.”
“Oh,” Lorne stated, “Then that’s what he meant.”
“What?” John asked.
“When we were on the planet and Dr McKay was…talking about the effects of the radiation,” Lorne explained, “He mentioned something about being happy he’d already contributed to the gene pool. I wasn't quite sure…”
John laughed slightly, “I’m sure you’ll check this out yourself, Major. Alisa is known under the name Bonner to protect her and by telling you this, I am trusting you with her life. Alisa is as smart as her father, not as arrogant…yet but she is, as you saw, very vocal in her opinions. Be careful around her.”
“Careful?” Lorne asked amused.
John laughed, “She’s one of the most dangerous things in Atlantis. Trust me.”
*********************************************
Alisa sat in the commissary brooding, she’d known that the drug had changed her friend but finding out that he was going to kill her father had terrified her. The only reason he hadn’t been killed was because of the man John had brought back with them. She was so angry at John and Teyla for leaving him with someone who didn’t know both her father and Ford.
The big guy was being followed around by armed guards, but Alisa wasn't sure what good they’d do if he wanted to get away from them.
“Colonel,” Alisa greeted John coolly as he approached her.
He frowned annoyed before ignoring her cool greeting, “Alisa, this is Specialist Ronan Dex. It’s looks like he’ll be sticking around for a while.”
Alisa glanced up at the large man, “Hi.”
Ronan looked down at her, “You’re an adolescent.”
“You’re very perceptive,” Alisa noted coldly, “For a caveman.”
“Alisa,” John barked, “Enough.”
She turned her cool blue eyes on him, distaste in them, “What did I say?”
To both their surprise, Ronan let out a low rumble of laughing.
“She speaks her mind,” the Satedan noted to John, “Is she your child?”
Alisa gave a snort of derision at the question as John shook his head.
“Thankfully, not mine;” he returned her look of annoyance with one of his own, “That bundle of opinion belongs to McKay.”
Alisa looked up at him; surprised he was giving this information to a man they didn’t know.
Ronan nodded understanding, “I see the resemblance.”
“How nice for you,” Alisa replied, standing up she turned to John, “I have work to do. Colonel, Specialist,” she nodded to both of them before walking out of the commissary.
“Interesting,” Ronan noted.
John sighed, “She’s a little pissed. She was very close to Ford.”
“I can tell,” Ronan replied, he watched the girl as she left the room.
Alisa returned to the infirmary, finding her father was awake now and complaining.
“How do you feel?” she took the seat beside the bed.
“I just need to get away from Carson,” Rodney snapped, “Who seems to think that poking me with needles is going to help.”
“I gave you some painkillers,” Carson appeared at Alisa’s side, “And a few other things to make sure you’re able to walk again. You were damn lucky that you didn’t end up with a worse injury from that trap. I’m shocked it’s just a few pulled muscles.”
“Does it mean I have to sit here?” Rodney demanded.
Carson rolled his eyes annoyed, “Since your daughter is here, I shall happily release you to her care. Assuming she wants you.”
Alisa smiled slightly.
“Good,” Rodney snapped.
“I met the man-mountain John brought back with him,” Alisa noted as she pushed Rodney through the corridors to his room.
“A new project for him,” Rodney murmured, “Lissa, this is ridiculous. I can walk.”
“Dad, you barely made it from the bed to the wheelchair without falling on your ass,” Alisa reminded him, “I don’t see you making it from here to your room.”
“What have I told you about your language?” Rodney reprimanded her.
Alisa rolled her eyes, “It’s been a bad day.”
Rodney reached up and caught her hand, “I know, kiddo. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring Aiden back.”
“I don’t blame you for that,” Alisa whispered, “What I’m mad at is the fact John left you hanging, literally.”
Rodney didn’t say anything, he was just as mad with the Colonel but he didn’t want Alisa to be.
“He wanted to get Ford back,” Rodney reminded her, “Back here where we can help him.”
Alisa sighed, “Yeah,” she took a deep breath and they started towards his room once more.
When they finally reached Rodney’s room, Alisa helped him in and smiled slightly at it. Rodney limped to the bed and relaxed against the pillows.
“Go,” Rodney told her, “I’m going to get some rest and you need to go get something to eat.”
“Okay,” Alisa gently kissed his cheek, “I love you, Dad.”
Rodney pulled her into a tight hug, “I know, Lissa. I love you too. Now, go away and let me rest.”
Alisa left her father’s room and wandered through the corridors. She saw the new guy walk onto a balcony, the two guards stayed outside. Unsure why, Alisa walked over to them.
“Hi, Alisa,” Greaves, one of the marines who’d been on Atlantis from day one greeted her, “How’s things?”
Alisa shrugged, “The usual.”
Greaves grinned, “Haven’t had the chance to say congrats on the job and I love your new hairdo.”
The other guy looked a little confused as Alisa blushed slightly.
“Meet Evans,” Greaves introduced the other marine who nodded at her, “New guy. Evans, this is Alisa. Watch her; she’s not someone you cross.”
Alisa rolled her eyes at him, “Just because you lost a ton of money to me.”
“What are you doing here?” Evans asked.
“I wanted to talk to the caveman,” she told them, turning to Greaves who knew her.
“You know Colonel Sheppard…” Evans started but Greaves stopped him.
“Ten minutes,” he told her, “And this means I owe you nothing.”
Alisa smirked at him, before slipping through the doors, “You wish, Greaves.”
Ronan turned as he heard someone join him on the balcony. He’d been expecting Sheppard, not the girl he’d met earlier who’d been in a very bad mood.
“Hi,” she said softly, leaning back against the wall near the door.
Ronan looked at her for a few seconds, she was actually older than he’d originally assumed but not by much.
“I thought my bodyguards were keeping people away,” he noted.
Alisa shrugged, “I usually get my own way around here.”
Ronan let out a soft snort of amusement, “You’re not afraid of me.”
His statement made her smiled, “You saved my father from Ford trying to kill him. And I know you wouldn’t hurt someone you deem a child.”
Ronan stared at the girl, “What makes you think this?”
Alisa laughed, “Mostly the way you looked at me. Concern that there was someone so young in this place.”
“Why are you here?” Ronan was getting annoyed.
“John wants you to stay,” Alisa noted, smiling slightly in amusement, “And you have nowhere to go. From what I’ve heard your home is gone and you’ve been running from the Wraith for seven years. We’re safe here and we’re looking to kick their asses.”
“You think I should stay?” he was quite confused by this child.
Alisa shrugged again, “It’s your choice. I should go; I have stuff to do.”
Ronan watched her start to walk away, “You believe I should stay here, what would suggest I do?”
Alisa laughed at him, “You join the team to kick some ass. I thought that was kinda obvious,” shaking her head, she left him alone.
John watched Alisa leave the balcony and waited until she was gone before he moved over to Greaves.
“Told you she’d talk to him,” John grinned, “I believe you now owe me double.”
Greaves grimaced, “Yes, sir.”
Evans was staring at them completely confused.
“Lesson number one,” John told the Marine, “When you need to persuade someone of something, send the kid. She’s smart, she’s sassy and she speaks her mind.”
“Just don’t play her at cards,” Greaves added, nodding at his superior officer as he headed to speak to their guest.
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