cosmic_llin

bunnyvon, your fic is ready!

Title: Hugs
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Pairing: Rodney/Carson
Rating: G/Suitable for all (Sorry about that... it's hardly even slashy...)
Word Count: 1000
Author's Note: Episode addition to The Hive. I thought Carson was so sweet about Rodney in this episode, and also I thought it was a bit unrealistic to have him seem completely normal again at the end, so in this fic I've assumed that it took several more days for him to fully recover. And, sorry, I couldn't resist giving Elizabeth a cameo! It's quite first-drafty, so concrit is welcome!

‘Carson?’ Rodney asked.
There was no reply. Rodney shuffled about on the bed to look around the infirmary.
‘Carson?!’
Still nothing. He could see Carson, though, in the next section, working busily on his computer. Why wasn’t he listening?
‘CARSON!!’
‘WHAT?’ Carson stood up and strode through to stand by Rodney’s bed. ‘What do you want now? You were thirsty; I brought you some water. You were hungry; I brought you some food. It was too bright; I turned the lights down. It was too noisy; I turned off a machine which was in the middle of, I should tell you, a very important experiment. You were cold; I brought you a blanket. You were bored; I brought you something to read. What could possibly be the problem now, Rodney?’
‘I just wanted to ask when I’d be allowed out!’ Rodney said. ‘So that I can stop bothering you! Is that alright? Hmm?’
He stared at Carson, panting a little. His eyes were wet. Carson frowned.
‘Rodney, calm down. I’m sorry, alright? I didn’t mean it.’
‘Yes you did. You hate me! Everyone hates me!’
Rodney sat back on the bed, his arms folded. A single tear ran down his cheek. Carson sighed.
‘Rodney, we talked about this. You’re not very well.’
‘I was alright earlier! You let me go and help them blow up those hive ships!’
‘Yes, and in hindsight, I’m not sure that was the right decision. I should have been supervising you until the enzyme had completely left your system, but you were so adamant that you needed to go…’
‘Well, I did! I was vital to the mission!’
‘I know you were, Rodney. I know. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re still not completely recovered. Your emotional stability has been affected, and it’s going to be hard for a little while. But nobody hates you, I promise.’
‘Not even you?’
‘Especially not me. And, in answer to your question, I’ll be letting you out when I get your latest set of test results back, I expect. But I’ll want to check on you pretty regularly over the next couple of days.’
‘Oh. Okay. Um… Carson?’
‘Yes, Rodney?’
‘Um… could I have a hug?’
Carson grimaced. Rodney looked at him, his lower lip wobbling pathetically. Carson sighed and put his arms around the usually acerbic scientist. Rodney squeezed Carson tightly, and they stayed that way for several minutes. They were silent, except for the occasional sniffle from Rodney.
They were interrupted by one of Carson’s staff, bringing Rodney’s test results. She looked a little bemused, but said nothing.
‘Well? Well?!’ Rodney asked, as Carson mused over the results. ‘What’s the verdict?!’
‘Good news, Rodney. You can go back to your quarters.’
Rodney’s eyes lit up. ‘Really?’
‘Yes. And by ‘your quarters’, I mean ‘your quarters’. I do not mean ‘the lab’, ‘the gateroom’ or anywhere else to do with work. You need to rest and recuperate. I’ll be calling Elizabeth and Radek to make sure you’re not cheating. And I’ll be checking in on you every hour on the hour.’
‘Alright, Carson, you’re not my mother.’
‘Of course not, Rodney,’ Carson sighed as he watched the other scientist bounce out of the infirmary, no trace now of the tears of the moment before. Rodney McKay on an ordinary day was hard work – Rodney McKay hyped up on the enzyme and having dramatic moodswings was nigh on impossible to handle.
As the door closed behind Rodney, Carson sunk into a chair, shaking his head wearily.

Carson’s communicator beeped.
‘Carson??’ said Rodney’s voice.
‘Yes, Rodney?’
‘It’s two minutes past four, and you haven’t checked on me. You said you were going to check on me every hour on the hour.’
‘I was just about to.’
‘Well… good.’
‘So, are you alright?’
‘I’m absolutely fine.’
‘Well then.’
‘But you didn’t know that for sure.’
‘Well, no…’
‘So those two minutes could have been absolutely crucial…’
Carson opened his mouth to respond, but he stopped as a second voice issued from the communicator.
‘Rodney, leave the poor man alone. He’s had a very hard day. Carson, Rodney’s fine. There’s nothing to worry about.’
‘Thank you, Elizabeth,’ said Carson.
‘Don’t take her word for it! She’s not a medical doctor! What does she know?’
‘Rodney!’ Carson said, shocked.
Elizabeth’s bubbling laugh was unmistakeable even over the communicator.

The next week, Carson was sitting quietly in the empty infirmary, poring over some fascinating new medical journals that had come from Earth on the last trip. The door opened.
‘Carson!’
Carson winced. Rodney could never just say his name. He always had to exclaim it. He wasn’t sure what that said about their relationship, and he didn’t think he wanted to know, anyway.
‘What do you need, Rodney?’
‘I don’t need anything.’
‘Then, what are you here for?’
‘I wanted to thank you.’
‘To… to thank me?’
‘Yes! Is that so surprising?’
‘Well… a little.’
‘Well… I know I’m not the most… grateful of people. It’s because I have so much more important things to think about than social niceties. When people are calling on me every day to save the universe, manners are not high on my list of priorities. But you did save my life, Carson, and I appreciate it. So… thanks.’
‘Any time, Rodney.’
Carson extended a hand and Rodney shook it, with a smile.
‘There was one other thing…’ he said, not taking his hand away.
‘Yes, Rodney?’
‘About the hugging…’
‘I won’t tell anybody if you won’t.’
‘Ah… good, that’s good. Because I’m not usually the hugging type…’
‘Don’t I know it…’
‘But it was appreciated, at the time. So, thanks for that too.’
‘You’re welcome.’
‘And now, I have to go save the universe some more.’
‘Have fun…’ Carson trailed off as Rodney dashed out. He shook his head. It was nice to have him back to normal. Well, relatively normal. Normal for Rodney was probably borderline insane for anybody else – but it was nice, all the same.