Rodney jumped awake; they had to get out of the cell, they had to get back to Atlantis. It slowly occurred to him that he wasn’t lying on the ground of a cell but on a comfortable bed. He stared around the room he was in but this wasn’t his room in Atlantis. It looked exceedingly familiar but it couldn’t be...it just couldn’t be.
“Hey, you’re awake,” Alisa’s voice made him turn to where she stood in the doorway, “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to try wake you before I left.”
“Lissa,” Rodney gasped, suddenly realising this was the living room in their house he was in, “What’s going on? How did we get here?”
Worry covered the young woman’s face, “Dad, you don’t remember?”
He shook his head, panic filling him. Trying to move to stand up, sharp pain shot through his leg and he gave a soft cry falling back against the pillows. Alisa moved to his side and gripped his shoulder.
“Stay still, Dad,” she told him, “Carson said that the concussion you received might cause amnesia so just relax and I’ll explain what happened.”
Rodney leaned back against the pillows wondering what had happened as Alisa took a seat on the bed at his side.
“On your last mission,” she started, her blue eyes filled with concern for him, “You were attacked by the natives. You fell off a cliff and your right leg was broken in several places. It was mangled so badly that Carson couldn’t fix it.”
“They sent me home,” Rodney gasped in horror.
“They sent us home,” she squeezed his hand tightly; “You can’t get up stairs just yet so we put your bed down here for now until we can work out something else.”
Rodney felt ill; it was horrible that he couldn’t even remember that or saying goodbye to his friends but at least his daughter was still here.
“Okay,” Alisa patted his hand, “I have to get to school. There’s food in the fridge and your crutches are just here,” she stood up and moved the crutches to the side of the bed, “Your pills are on the table there and I’ve got them ready for you – remember only one lot every four hours. Phone is at your side, as is the TV remote and I promise I’ll be home by about three.”
“School?” Rodney finally caught up with her.
“Yeah,” she smiled a little ruefully, “They couldn’t fit me into any of the classes at college until next semester so I’m working on my projects in school. I’ve got a much better timetable than anyone else.” She leaned over and quickly kissed his cheek, “I’ll see you later, Dad. If you need me, I’ll have my cell on all day.”
Rodney watched her run out the door before he turned his attention to his surroundings again. He was no longer on Atlantis, no longer part of that world and it felt like his life had been taken away from him. At least he still had his daughter; if he lost her then nothing else would matter.
-
The day had not been easy for Rodney, he wasn’t used to working crutches or he couldn’t actually remember ever using them before. Also there was just something ever so slightly off with the world. He couldn’t quite place it but he had a strange feeling.
He’d watched some TV, getting caught up in the show about a Forensic Anthropologist who helped solve crimes. Rodney checked the clock, surprised to see it was almost four o’clock and Alisa wasn’t home. How had the time passed so quickly, he wondered, he’d only watched one episode of the show? Reaching out for the phone, he jumped as it started to ring.
“Alisa?” he answered it.
“Rodney, its Diane,” the woman replied before hesitating, “Rodney, there’s been an accident.”
The word flitted through Rodney’s mind and he found he was frozen.
“Rodney?” Diane called to him, worry in his voice, “Rodney, are you still there?”
“What happened?” Rodney forced out.
“Kirsty’s car was hit as she was driving them home,” Diane explained, “Look, I’m coming to get you and we’ll go to the hospital.”
Rodney mumbled a reply and dropped the phone back down. He grabbed the clothes Alisa had laid out neatly for him at some point and with great difficulty he managed to get dressed. A few minutes after he’d finished dressing he heard Diane’s car pull up. He grabbed his wallet and keys then his crutches before heading to the door. Diane’s face was pale as she opened the car door to let him in, wincing as she watched how much pain he was in. Finally Rodney was in the passenger seat, his crutches were in the back and Diane was driving.
-
Diane helped him out of the car and handed him his crutches in silence before they started towards the hospital. His stomach was in a knot as he remembered the last time he’d been called to the hospital for his daughter. That day he’d lost her grandparents, his back-up, his family and he was dreading what he would be told when he stepped inside.
“Dr McKay,” the doctor’s face was grim as he moved to him once Diane had spoke to reception and they’d been asked to wait in a small room, “The car that struck them hit the passenger side. Alisa was killed instantly.”
Rodney felt his body lose all ability to stay upright and he sank into the chair, trying to catch his breath as Diane sat with him. Kirsty only had a few bumps and bruises; she’d be released in a few hours.
“I want to see her,” Rodney finally managed to speak, “Please.”
The doctor nodded, “Of course. Come with me.”
Diane helped Rodney to his feet, keeping her arm around his waist as he hobbled slowly through the corridors. The room they entered was cold and sterile; Rodney hesitated before he moved closer to the bed where his little girl lay. She looked as though she was merely sleeping but as Rodney touched her forehead the coldness of her skin sent reality crashing in on him. Alisa was dead.
Rodney crumbled to the floor and hit the cold ground with a resounding thud.
-
“Rodney,” a worried voice called to him as someone touched his cheek, “Rodney, open your eyes.”
Rodney forced open his heavy eyes and stared, “Teyla?”
The woman at his side sighed in relief, “Sit up.”
Shaking more than he had ever known, Rodney forced his body up, waiting for the pain in his leg to explode but it never happened.
“What happened?” he murmured before looking around and seeing John kneeling with a hand in his forehead, “Oh.”
Rodney closed his eyes, it wasn’t real – she’s fine, he repeated over and over in his head not watching what the Replicator was doing to his friend. Finally John fell to the side and Oberoth, the Replicator torturing him, marched out leaving the team alone.
Now all they had to do was escape, Rodney looked at the others in the cell. Easier said than done.
*********************************************
The Jumper landed in the bay and Alisa stood with Carson waiting for the hatch to open. Finally it clanged and Alisa smiled at the five weary people who exited.
“You left through the Stargate and you came back with a Jumper,” she noted amused, “That must have been...oomph,” her sarcastic comment was cut off as Rodney grabbed her in a tight hug.
Alisa stared at him with wide eyes when he finally let her go, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Rodney shook his head, his hand not leaving her shoulder, “Are we all going to stand here for the rest of the day?”
Alisa turned slightly to look back at John in confusion, who simply shrugged as Rodney steered his daughter out of the Jumper Bay with the rest of the team following on heading to the infirmary.
-
“Dad?”
Rodney jerked up from the table to see his daughter looking down at him concerned.
“What is it, Lissa?” he rubbed his face, not wanting to look at her for the moment in case he lost control.
“You’re sleeping in the mess,” Alisa told him worriedly, “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” he replied shortly.
Alisa frowned, not believing a word he was saying. She had learned over the years when her father was lying and especially when he was lying because something had upset him.
“Dad...”
“Lissa, leave it,” he snapped before sighing and standing up. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, “I’m going to go to bed. Night.”
Alisa sighed as she watched him leave the room but couldn’t say anything. It was really freaking her out that her father was being both so distant and clingy was the only word she could use to describe it. When they had walked to the infirmary he kept his arm around her shoulders, while he was getting his check out he pretty much demanded she stuck around and then they’d had dinner with the whole team before he sat with her to watch a movie in their quarters. It had surprised her when she woke up in the middle of the night and realised that her father wasn’t in his room, she’d decided to go look for him thus discovering him in the mess.
-
“Hey,” John greeted Alisa as she headed back to her room, “What are you doing up this late? I thought we’d all agreed you wouldn’t be working this late.”
“I wasn’t,” she instantly defended herself; “Dad’s been kinda weird since you guys got back. I found him asleep in the mess and he refused to talk to me. Despite the fact he wouldn’t let me out of his sight when you got back.”
John sighed, “Something happened one the mission. I’m not at liberty to tell you...”
“John,” Alisa snapped, “I end up knowing pretty much everything that goes on around here anyway so you may as well just tell me.”
“That’s not true,” John shook his head.
Alisa simply laughed at him, “People still don’t notice the kid in the corner when they’re talking. And like my father, I take in everything.”
John frowned as he suddenly realised just how dangerous she would be when she was completely trained. With another sigh, he nodded.
“Alright,” he gave in, “You know about Replicators, right?”
“Yeah,” she nodded, “Spider ones and human form ones...” realisation hit her, “These guys were Human Form Replicators.”
“Very similar to,” John nodded.
“Then they...” she trailed off again as her face paled, she swallowed and was silent for a few seconds, “Are you okay?”
John hugged her tightly, “I’m fine, kiddo. Thanks for asking.”
-
Alisa found her father in his lab going over the nanites from the lab that had almost killed him in their first year. Now they knew where they came from, Alisa mused as she stood in the doorway.
“I know you’re there,” Rodney told her, “You do know how late it is?”
Alisa stepped over to the branch, “I was worried about you after today, I wanted to make sure you weren’t sleeping on top of anything that was delicate.”
Rodney smiled slightly.
“Are you going to tell me what they made you see?” Alisa asked softly.
“No,” he stiffened for a second before his hand gently stroked her cheek, “And I never want to think about it again.”
Alisa nodded before she leaned over and kissed his cheek, “Goodnight, Dad. I love you.”
Rodney watched her leave the lab, smiling that she was safe and so were they all.
Featured Stories
Fortune\'s Favor by Offworlder FAM
Winner of the Atlantis challenge for the December 2007 fic challenge contest.
Winner of the Atlantis challenge for the December 2007 fic challenge contest.
Most Recent
Alisa - The College Years by LE McMurray 13+
Having left Atlantis to go to college in no way meant Alisa McKay's life would...
Having left Atlantis to go to college in no way meant Alisa McKay's life would...
Random Story
Nothing is as Simple as We Hope it Will be by Pandor4 GEN
Harry Potter X SG:Atlantis After the events of Last Stand the city is in great...
Harry Potter X SG:Atlantis After the events of Last Stand the city is in great...