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Title: Exchange Program
Fandom: SGA/SG-1
Pairing: Rodney/Jack (Implied Jack/Daniel, John/Rodney)
Rating: Adult themes
Word Count: 4,205 (ok, oops, kinda blew out the ficlet)
Spoilers: None
Prompt: Rodney with anybody (but I'd love some Rodney/Jack or Rodney/John)
Notes: Yes, there was supposed to be a soaking wet Rodney in here somewhere but there just... isn't. Please forgive my lapse.
Summary:Rodney’s eyes grew round again, much the same way they had when he’d regarded the Asgard device and Jack supposed, considering who he was dealing with, that he should be flattered.
This fic was written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lillyjk
Jack wasn’t quite sure why torture would only make him bear down and become more resistant, but Daniel nagging always managed to get under his skin in about three seconds flat and have him agreeing to the most amazing things.
This was why he was standing on the ramp leading up to the Daedelus’ belly, tugging on Daniel’s backpack strap and his other hand firmly grasping Sam’s shoulder.
“You both be good and play nice with the other explorers,” Jack said, willing his hands to unclench from their white-knuckled grip on both Sam and Daniel, knowing that they were earning some pretty strange looks from the other crew as they were boarding.
“We’ll be fine, Sir,” Sam promised, but the grin Jack saw when she ducked her head had him suspecting that she was pleased by his hesitance to let them go.
“Three months,” Jack reminded them sternly, finally prying his hands loose and tucking them into his pockets so he wouldn’t reach out and grab them as they both stepped away from him.
“You made sure of that,” Daniel grumbled and Jack merely grinned at him. He’d arranged a swap of sorts, only agreeing to let Daniel and Sam check out Atlantis if he could get two people equally valuable to the other side in return, knowing that once Elizabeth had her hands on the likes of Daniel and Sam, she would find excuses to hang onto them.
Jack certainly had.
In approximately two hours, time enough for Jack to get back to the mountain, the wormhole would open and John Sheppard and Rodney McKay would be coming through for some forced shore leave.
Jack was many things, but stupid was not one of them.
***
Rodney stepped through the Event Horizon mid-sentence, his tone pitched high so probably in the middle of a complaint. Jack watched in wonder, having never gotten over the urge to hold his breath every time he stepped through. He supposed the reason was that not many people currently in the program had taken those first few bumpy and chilling rides that had been smoothed out with the tinkering of Sam.
Once you felt like ice had pierced your lungs in a dozen places, you were hesitant to invite a repeat of the experience.
John was already unzipping his tac vest as he sauntered down the ramp, occasionally looking back at Rodney to nod as he continued his ranting but when Rodney’s eyes snapped up to the control room and he raised one finger in Jack’s direction, a non-too-complimentary finger at that, John took a moment to look horrified before snapping his own hand out and slapping Rodney’s down.
Jack resisted the urge to order the SF’s to wrestle both men to the ground and cuff them.
Just.
***
“-And I don’t see why… oh, hello,” Rodney snapped, noticing Jack leaning a shoulder in the locker room doorway. Jack watched with amusement as John shifted just the tiniest amount to the right, effectively putting himself between Jack and Rodney. He camouflaged the move by coming to attention and Jack waved him to ease and watched as he zipped up his hoodie and then dropped onto the bench in front of the row of lockers to do up his sneakers.
“Look, I know that-“ Jack began, but Rodney just slashed the air with a hand, huffing in annoyance.
“I was in the middle of something very important and you have no right to just yank us out of there whenever you damn well please,” Rodney snarled and Jack saw John smirk before his face closed down into a careful mask of neutrality.
“Actually, he does, Rodney,” John sighed in a tone that Jack suspected he used often.
“He… well, fine! It doesn’t mean he should. Impending Wraith and all.”
“He needed leverage and you’re it,” Jack said, smirking when Rodney flushed an interesting shade of purple.
“If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my apartment,” he snapped, snatching a duffle bag up and starting towards the door.
“Debrief first,” Jack said, watching the purple deepen to almost blue.
“Fine!”
***
“You got it to work?”
Jack was eyeing the ugly piece of equipment in front of him dubiously, knowing that it should have been familiar because he had apparently built the damn thing, but nothing of the mish-mash of wires and components struck a chord.
He supposed when you built Ancient technology on the fly, it was never really pretty. The makeshift Stargate that had been put together in Sam’s basement and then gleefully claimed by Area 51 could attest to that.
“I’m not sure how you got it to work, but yes. It’s really only good for maybe one or two bursts of power before it will be fried again, but it’s a good in case of emergency thing to have around I suppose.”
A lot of equipment that went on board the Daedelus, along with a new compliment of personnel and weapons, were items that Area 51’s R and D department had gotten as far as they could get with Earth’s current level of technology. It was hoped that such items, most of which it was suspected had at least some tie to Ancient technology, would be able to be figured out in the Ancient labs. Jack’s jerry-rigged power booster had made the trip and now here it sat, looking unimpressive.
“Shouldn’t you guys hang onto it?” Jack asked.
“Well, we do have a ZPM,” Rodney said smugly and Jack rolled his eyes.
“Plus, Rodney backwards engineered it and made another one,” John added, a note of pride in his voice but Rodney just looked annoyed.
“I don’t backwards engineer anything. I innovate,” Rodney said archly. “I made a lot of improvements on the original and-“
“Kept the better one, even though you have a ZPM as well?” Jack asked, frowning. For the first time in six hours, Rodney lost his annoyed air and looked embarrassed.
“I, uh…didn’t think about that.”
“I know you all have Wraith at the doorstep, but don’t forget we have problems back here at home,” Jack said, standing and rapping on the table with a fist.
“Yes, Sir.” John nodded and Rodney just looked glum.
***
Jack watched John climb out of the X302 ‘s cockpit. He removed his helmet and rubbed at his hair until it was standing up.
“I thought flying those Puddle Jumpers would make this old hat,” Jack observed as John fell into step with him, heading for the large hangar that was reserved for the more secret of the Air Force’s current fleet.
“No way, Sir. The Jumper is sweet as but I miss the feeling of the G’s pressing me into the seat.”
“They have dampeners,” Jack commented, looking at John with a raised eyebrow.
“Not at the speed I’m flying,” John quipped, grinning and tossing his helmet, catching it deftly again.
***
“They leased my apartment,” Rodney grumbled, brushing past Jack, dressed only in a robe and socks in the SGC hallway.
“We could put you up in a nice-“ Jack’s offer was met with a slammed door to the VIP suite and he sighed. “-hotel.”
***
“Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?” Jack asked, stepping over a looping bit of cable in one of the SGC’s larger storerooms, which had been cleared out to make room for something that looked like a big tank.
“How does Samantha Carter relax?” Rodney asked, half under the tank with only his legs sticking out.
“She tinkers with… oh.” Jack nodded, knowing that he would never truly understand the mystery that was a devoted scientist. He could sit idly on a dock with a line in the water for hours but he knew from experience that it just bored Sam silly. She would sit with him for maybe half an hour before having to do something. He liked when she came up to the cabin. A lot of things got fixed.
“What is this anyway?” Jack asked, leaning over and bracing his hands on his knees. He saw Siler wander in and stop short, looking guilty. Jack gave him a ‘carry-on’ wave of the hand, because although there were any number of other things Siler could be doing, helping to keep Rodney McKay occupied was a job in itself.
One Jack appreciated.
“Desalinisation unit. The Ancients have made some great headway and considering their outpost was under a tonne of water, it was prudent to be able to extract drinking water from their surroundings. It uses much less power and creates less bi-product than anything we have currently.”
“So you innovated this?” Jack asked, not able to keep the smirk from his voice and was amazed how a pair of legs could reflect annoyance so accurately.
***
“Why does he bother you so much?” John asked over coffee the next day and Rodney huffed, rolled his eyes and then crossed his arms and scrunched down in his seat. His non-answer was all the answer John needed.
“Oh wait, I’ve seen this before, haven’t I?” he asked, smiling into his cup.
“Oh you really have to shut up now,” Rodney grumbled.
***
“You know, we can really set you up somewhere nicer,” Jack said, edging his way past a tower of books to get into the conference room that Rodney had claimed. Already he’d had about fifteen separate complaints from people who had booked the room for meetings and then were met with a growling Rodney when they tried to boot him out.
“I’m fine here,” Rodney snapped, reaching across the large table to retrieve a just-out-of-reach tome that Jack ended up pushing towards him.
Jack suddenly longed for Daniel’s clutter because it seemed tiny in comparison.
“You really don’t understand the meaning of holiday, do you?”
“What, and waste of lot of valuable time? I’ve finally got a spare second where I do not fear for my life so I’m using it to work on what I want to.”
“McKay, you seriously-“
“Honestly, I’m good. I’m working on a way to create a feedback loop into the gate to maximise power and therefore not need an Ancient device to get to Atlantis. There’s a small chance of catastrophic power build up that could result in the levelling of Colorado, but it’s only a tiny chance.”
“I’m sorry I asked,” Jack said, holding up his hands and backing out of the room.
***
“I know why I’m here, but why are you still here?” Rodney asked, watching as Jack stretched on one of the uncomfortable control room chairs.
“SG-16 is overdue and it’s their first mission back since…” Jack’s face tightened and he waved a dismissive hand. “I just… I’d like to see them come back.”
Rodney heard the unspoken “In one piece” as if Jack had shouted it.
***
“I really don’t have a problem with it,” John sighed, rolling onto his stomach on the VIP room bed and watching as the other man paced the room.
“Are you sure, because it’s not that long since we… you know,” Rodney gestured helplessly and John chuckled.
“Had the most amicable break-up I’ve ever experienced in my life?” John prompted. “Rodney, you’re my friend and I care about you and you obviously have a thing for men in authority who look great in uniform so who am I to stand in the way of that?”
Rodney rolled his eyes but then stopped his pacing, a frown firmly in place. “Have you… since?” he asked, twisting his hands in the bunched fabric of the bottom of his shirt.
John flushed and looked at his own hands. “I haven’t wanted to, but that doesn’t mean you can’t.”
“Why didn’t we work? I would’ve liked us to have worked.” Rodney sighed, dropping into the chair close to the door and looking at John seriously.
“Just sometimes it doesn’t work, no matter how much you want it to. I might not have been exactly the one for you, but apparently you were on the right track.”
Rodney sighed and covered his face with his hands. “I don’t even know if he-“
“He is.”
Rodney dropped his hands and snorted. “Oh yeah? How do you-“
“Rodney, trust me. He is.”
***
“I’m not known for my tact, so do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“I’m not sure I like where this is going,” Jack said, eyeing Rodney. It was another late night in the control room and Rodney had brought coffee and donuts this time. Jack had accepted the peace offering without a word and had given the gate tech the night off, knowing that if anything went wrong, it was a little moot to have someone other than Rodney present.
“There’re rumours around the mountain. I know there’s always rumours, but these seem be particularly prevalent.”
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“You and Daniel-“
“McKay!” Jack snapped, dropping his feet off the console and sitting up. “You are not seriously-“
“I’m just curious,” Rodney broke in a rush. “Because you both always seemed close and he’s handsome if you like that kind of thing and-“
“McKay, I would stop talking, if I were you,” Jack growled, voice low and dangerous. His eyes flicked up to the camera over the console room and then he blinked.
The red light was off.
He looked back at Rodney and then down at his hands, which had been toying with something for the last half an hour. It looked like a jumble of wires.
“Are you breaking things in my mountain for nefarious purposes?” he asked, expression unreadable.
“What better purpose is there?”
Jack stood stiffly, hands hovering over his coffee cup for a moment before he clenched his fists and stalked from the room, leaving Rodney behind and only feeling slightly guilty that he had just abandoned him to a long and lonely shift in the control room.
Jack’s feet automatically took him to Daniel’s office and he hovered in the doorway for a few beats, looking over the too-familiar clutter, before he smacked a palm against the doorframe and then stomped to his own office.
***
“It’s nice to know the Air force doesn’t scrimp for some people.”
Rodney stepped back from the door to his hotel room, watching as Jack hovered for a moment, hands thrust into the pockets of his jeans, before he seemed to take a breath and breech the threshold.
“I’m important, or didn’t you know that?” Rodney huffed, following Jack’s amble into the room and then darting around him to push a stack of books and papers off one of the dining room chairs so he could offer a seat, but Jack just waved him off and headed for the balcony.
“Nice,” he remarked. Rodney was situated on the tenth floor of a fairly reasonable four star hotel that was only about twenty minutes from Cheyenne Mountain.
“Did you need something?” Rodney asked, looking marooned in the middle of the room.
“Got any beer in the mini bar?” Jack evaded, leaning over and hooking the bar fridge door open with a finger. He retrieved two bottles and held one out to Rodney, who made a face and shook his head. Jack popped the caps off both with a practiced flick of the hand and pushed one at Rodney before he dropped into a nearby couch.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you out of BDU’s,” Rodney remarked, perching on the arm of the opposite couch and Jack looked down at himself and then back at Rodney.
“Worlds collide?”
Rodney huffed. “Not really, I guess I’m just used to them now. I didn’t see Colonel Sheppard in jeans until we came back to Earth the first time. It’s just… bizarre.”
“It would probably weird you out more to see Doctor Weir in a dress then,” Jack smiled and Rodney widened his eyes,
“Don’t. You’ll break my brain. Even when we came back to Earth she was always in a suit. I know there was a dress wearing episode in there somewhere but I apparently missed it.”
“Bad?” Jack prompted, plucking at his vintage blue jeans.
“Just different. BDU’s are baggy in all the important places and I really have to stop talking now,” Rodney finished in a rush, colour flooding his cheeks.
“Why did you ask about Daniel and I?” Jack asked, leaning forward, fingers playing with the neck of his beer bottle.
“Don’t you… I mean, isn’t there a risk of-“ Rodney trailed off when he saw Jack reach into the front pocket of his jeans and pull something small and dark blue that looked kind of like a smooth stone out. Jack placed it on the coffee table between them and let Rodney pick it up and handle it, eyes growing round.
“Asgard, isn’t it?”
“I’ve got friends in high places,” Jack said, pointing up at the ceiling. “Jams everything, short of, you know, an Asgard.”
“How does it work? I mean, I can’t even see a way to –“
“Rodney, don’t get distracted,” Jack said, but there was amusement in his tone and Rodney grimaced and put the Asgard device back on the coffee table.
“Sorry, right. Okay. You and… yes, I did ask, didn’t I?” Jack raised an eyebrow and took a pull of beer, waiting for Rodney to stumble into a real sentence. “It’s what I’d heard. He asked you to go to Atlantis and you just let him-“
“I didn’t just let him. There was a long drawn-out battle of wills there.”
“Right, fine, whatever. In any case, you arranged for our swap so you could make sure you’d get him back. It’s a lot of trouble to go to.”
Jack nodded, rubbing his chin with the back of his hand. “I guess it would seem that way.”
“Anyway, most of the rumours have you both together, most of them for years. I thought most people would be up in arms about it but the general consensus is that you both have earned it.”
“That’s nice of everyone.”
Rodney rolled his eyes. “What I mean is, it’s all very acknowledged.”
“Right, without actually asking either of us, you know, ever.” Jack grumbled.
“Well, I’m Canadian. Maybe it didn’t occur to everyone else that they could and besides, don’t you have a rule against that anyway?”
“Yes, but there’s nothing to it.”
“The rule or-?”
“Me and Daniel. He’s the best friend I’ve ever had. I love him dearly but, that’s it.”
“You mean you and he… never?”
Jack’s eyes ticked away for a moment and then back to Rodney. “I didn’t say that, but it’s also not the great romance everyone seems to be making it out to be.”
“Oh please! You’re not going to give me the old ‘just helping out a friend’ line are you?”
“No, it wasn’t that either. He was married to Sha’re and it took me a long time to get over Sara. Stuff kept happening and we kept… missing our chance. We made a couple of drunken passes at it but it never really… worked. I’m assuming something similar happened with you and Sheppard.”
Rodney, who had finally taken a single small sip of beer, spat it all out again. “What? Sheppard and I never – “
“Nice McKay, but you don’t have to protect him. I wouldn’t do anything, and not because I’m in a similar circumstance. I’ve lost too many good people to petty politics and if it’s not hurting anybody and not endangering the mission, then I’m good with it.”
Rodney took a moment to mop spilled beer up with one of the hotel cushions before he finally slid sideways into the couch proper. “We were a disaster,” Rodney admitted morosely and Jack chuckled.
“I know the feeling.” Jack was wearing a black, button-down shirt and he slid further down in the couch he was sitting on and then flicked the top button open with a finger. “Tell me I’m not reading this wrong,” he said, his voice low. Rodney’s eyes grew round again, much the same way they had when he’d regarded the Asgard device and Jack supposed, considering who he was dealing with, he should be flattered.
“No, you really aren’t,” Rodney said, his voice wobbly.
“That’s good to know,” Jack said, popping another button and running a finger down his chest, watching Rodney's gaze follow it but then Rodney’s face pulled down into a grimace and Jack sat forward. “What?”
“It’s just… no, it’s stupid,” Rodney waved a dismissive hand, dropping an arm over his face.
Jack got up from his own couch and stepped over the coffee table, sitting on it so that his legs framed Rodney’s. “What is it?”
Rodney dropped his arm enough so one eye regarded Jack. “John’s just going to be really… smug. I hate it when he’s right because he can gloat like no one I’ve ever met before.”
Jack blinked. “I’m not really sure I like that it’s Sheppard on your mind at the moment.”
“No, no.” Rodney moved forward and put his hands on Jack’s knees when the older man made to stand up. “I’m sorry, I think my mind just skipped a couple of tracks here. You’re so handsome you’re almost hard to look at and you just swanned into my hotel room being all… you know. You’ve undone a total of two buttons on your shirt and I’m hard enough to drill holes.”
Jack snorted and leaned forward, placing a firm hand on Rodney who squeaked. “You weren’t exaggerating,” he allowed and Rodney sniffed.
“That’s not helping it.”
Jack dug his fingers in, curling around Rodney as much as he could with the hindrance of a couple of layers of fabric. “Did I want to do that?”
“You can’t… do you always do this?”
“Do what?” Jack asked, firmly stroking upwards. Rodney let out a bark of surprise and his right leg shot forward, shin banging against the coffee table.
“Just swan in and get what you want.” Rodney’s voice was a little strangled as it felt like all the blood in his body had retreated south.
Jack half shrugged. “Usually.”
***
John’s eyes ticked sideways to acknowledge Jack’s presence as they watched test-flights for some of the newer model fighters that were modelled more closely on the single death gliders first seen on Abydos.
“I would say the usual hurt him and I’ll do something but…”
“But what?” Jack prompted, shielding his eyes from the sun.
“But I suspect you could snap me like a twig, Sir. Or have Teal’c do it for you.”
“You’d be right.” Jack turned and clapped John on the shoulder. “Besides, if I ever did something stupid, McKay could always level a couple of city blocks just to get me without breaking much of a sweat.”
John grinned. “I’m good with that.”
***
Rodney was lying at counterpoint to Jack, head pillowed on his stomach. “Two more days,” he said.
“Yep,” Jack sighed, running fingers across Rodney’s forehead.
“This was-“
“Yeah,” Jack’s fingers ran over Rodney’s eyes, down his cheeks and along his jawline. “Yeah, it was.”
***
Jack fought the urge to tighten the straps on Rodney’s pack, knowing it would ring too familiar. The last of the relief crew was boarding on the Daedelus and John had already gone on, waving a jaunty goodbye and giving Rodney a pat as he passed.
“I liked this… liked us,” Jack said, his voice pitched low.
“I did too. We could-“
“Rodney, no promises, no plans. We go where the wind will.”
“That’s dreadfully poetic,” Rodney snorted, but he lost his bemused expression when he saw Jack’s eyes darken.
“Get that alternate power source refined and bring us one,” Jack said, fingers circling Rodney’s forearm, squeezing briefly and then letting go.
“Look, Jack, if it’s circumstance or timing that’s getting in the way of you and…” he changed tack when he saw Jack’s eyebrows draw down into a frown. “-Anything you want, you should maybe rethink your priorities.”
“McKay, you should know from experience that if it’s something I want, I find a way,” Jack said, face solemn but eyes alight. “Just, remember the power source. We’d like to visit Atlantis sometime without having to take the long way.”
Rodney nodded, hefting his pack and starting up the ramp. He turned when he was nearly at the top. “You’re a braver man than I, O’Neill.”
“Why’s that?”
Rodney grinned. “You’re trusting Elizabeth to send Daniel and Sam through after you let us go.”
Jack chuckled, but then his face fell when his mobile shrilled. He looked at the display and noted it was the SGC.
He looked at the Daedelus as the loading ramp lifted, putting the phone to his ear. It was a very nervous-sounding Walter on the other end.
“Uh, Sir? We just-“
“Don’t tell me,” Jack groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.
“-transmission from Atlantis. They had some kind of emergency and-“
“Walter!”
“Yes, sir?”
“Patch me through to the Daedelus’ Bridge.”
“Sir?”
Jack looked at the ship above him, thanking whatever providence had caused a two hour delay in its departure.
Jack was many things, but stupid was not one of them.
Fandom: SGA/SG-1
Pairing: Rodney/Jack (Implied Jack/Daniel, John/Rodney)
Rating: Adult themes
Word Count: 4,205 (ok, oops, kinda blew out the ficlet)
Spoilers: None
Prompt: Rodney with anybody (but I'd love some Rodney/Jack or Rodney/John)
Notes: Yes, there was supposed to be a soaking wet Rodney in here somewhere but there just... isn't. Please forgive my lapse.
Summary:Rodney’s eyes grew round again, much the same way they had when he’d regarded the Asgard device and Jack supposed, considering who he was dealing with, that he should be flattered.
This fic was written for
lillyjkJack wasn’t quite sure why torture would only make him bear down and become more resistant, but Daniel nagging always managed to get under his skin in about three seconds flat and have him agreeing to the most amazing things.
This was why he was standing on the ramp leading up to the Daedelus’ belly, tugging on Daniel’s backpack strap and his other hand firmly grasping Sam’s shoulder.
“You both be good and play nice with the other explorers,” Jack said, willing his hands to unclench from their white-knuckled grip on both Sam and Daniel, knowing that they were earning some pretty strange looks from the other crew as they were boarding.
“We’ll be fine, Sir,” Sam promised, but the grin Jack saw when she ducked her head had him suspecting that she was pleased by his hesitance to let them go.
“Three months,” Jack reminded them sternly, finally prying his hands loose and tucking them into his pockets so he wouldn’t reach out and grab them as they both stepped away from him.
“You made sure of that,” Daniel grumbled and Jack merely grinned at him. He’d arranged a swap of sorts, only agreeing to let Daniel and Sam check out Atlantis if he could get two people equally valuable to the other side in return, knowing that once Elizabeth had her hands on the likes of Daniel and Sam, she would find excuses to hang onto them.
Jack certainly had.
In approximately two hours, time enough for Jack to get back to the mountain, the wormhole would open and John Sheppard and Rodney McKay would be coming through for some forced shore leave.
Jack was many things, but stupid was not one of them.
Rodney stepped through the Event Horizon mid-sentence, his tone pitched high so probably in the middle of a complaint. Jack watched in wonder, having never gotten over the urge to hold his breath every time he stepped through. He supposed the reason was that not many people currently in the program had taken those first few bumpy and chilling rides that had been smoothed out with the tinkering of Sam.
Once you felt like ice had pierced your lungs in a dozen places, you were hesitant to invite a repeat of the experience.
John was already unzipping his tac vest as he sauntered down the ramp, occasionally looking back at Rodney to nod as he continued his ranting but when Rodney’s eyes snapped up to the control room and he raised one finger in Jack’s direction, a non-too-complimentary finger at that, John took a moment to look horrified before snapping his own hand out and slapping Rodney’s down.
Jack resisted the urge to order the SF’s to wrestle both men to the ground and cuff them.
Just.
“-And I don’t see why… oh, hello,” Rodney snapped, noticing Jack leaning a shoulder in the locker room doorway. Jack watched with amusement as John shifted just the tiniest amount to the right, effectively putting himself between Jack and Rodney. He camouflaged the move by coming to attention and Jack waved him to ease and watched as he zipped up his hoodie and then dropped onto the bench in front of the row of lockers to do up his sneakers.
“Look, I know that-“ Jack began, but Rodney just slashed the air with a hand, huffing in annoyance.
“I was in the middle of something very important and you have no right to just yank us out of there whenever you damn well please,” Rodney snarled and Jack saw John smirk before his face closed down into a careful mask of neutrality.
“Actually, he does, Rodney,” John sighed in a tone that Jack suspected he used often.
“He… well, fine! It doesn’t mean he should. Impending Wraith and all.”
“He needed leverage and you’re it,” Jack said, smirking when Rodney flushed an interesting shade of purple.
“If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my apartment,” he snapped, snatching a duffle bag up and starting towards the door.
“Debrief first,” Jack said, watching the purple deepen to almost blue.
“Fine!”
“You got it to work?”
Jack was eyeing the ugly piece of equipment in front of him dubiously, knowing that it should have been familiar because he had apparently built the damn thing, but nothing of the mish-mash of wires and components struck a chord.
He supposed when you built Ancient technology on the fly, it was never really pretty. The makeshift Stargate that had been put together in Sam’s basement and then gleefully claimed by Area 51 could attest to that.
“I’m not sure how you got it to work, but yes. It’s really only good for maybe one or two bursts of power before it will be fried again, but it’s a good in case of emergency thing to have around I suppose.”
A lot of equipment that went on board the Daedelus, along with a new compliment of personnel and weapons, were items that Area 51’s R and D department had gotten as far as they could get with Earth’s current level of technology. It was hoped that such items, most of which it was suspected had at least some tie to Ancient technology, would be able to be figured out in the Ancient labs. Jack’s jerry-rigged power booster had made the trip and now here it sat, looking unimpressive.
“Shouldn’t you guys hang onto it?” Jack asked.
“Well, we do have a ZPM,” Rodney said smugly and Jack rolled his eyes.
“Plus, Rodney backwards engineered it and made another one,” John added, a note of pride in his voice but Rodney just looked annoyed.
“I don’t backwards engineer anything. I innovate,” Rodney said archly. “I made a lot of improvements on the original and-“
“Kept the better one, even though you have a ZPM as well?” Jack asked, frowning. For the first time in six hours, Rodney lost his annoyed air and looked embarrassed.
“I, uh…didn’t think about that.”
“I know you all have Wraith at the doorstep, but don’t forget we have problems back here at home,” Jack said, standing and rapping on the table with a fist.
“Yes, Sir.” John nodded and Rodney just looked glum.
Jack watched John climb out of the X302 ‘s cockpit. He removed his helmet and rubbed at his hair until it was standing up.
“I thought flying those Puddle Jumpers would make this old hat,” Jack observed as John fell into step with him, heading for the large hangar that was reserved for the more secret of the Air Force’s current fleet.
“No way, Sir. The Jumper is sweet as but I miss the feeling of the G’s pressing me into the seat.”
“They have dampeners,” Jack commented, looking at John with a raised eyebrow.
“Not at the speed I’m flying,” John quipped, grinning and tossing his helmet, catching it deftly again.
“They leased my apartment,” Rodney grumbled, brushing past Jack, dressed only in a robe and socks in the SGC hallway.
“We could put you up in a nice-“ Jack’s offer was met with a slammed door to the VIP suite and he sighed. “-hotel.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?” Jack asked, stepping over a looping bit of cable in one of the SGC’s larger storerooms, which had been cleared out to make room for something that looked like a big tank.
“How does Samantha Carter relax?” Rodney asked, half under the tank with only his legs sticking out.
“She tinkers with… oh.” Jack nodded, knowing that he would never truly understand the mystery that was a devoted scientist. He could sit idly on a dock with a line in the water for hours but he knew from experience that it just bored Sam silly. She would sit with him for maybe half an hour before having to do something. He liked when she came up to the cabin. A lot of things got fixed.
“What is this anyway?” Jack asked, leaning over and bracing his hands on his knees. He saw Siler wander in and stop short, looking guilty. Jack gave him a ‘carry-on’ wave of the hand, because although there were any number of other things Siler could be doing, helping to keep Rodney McKay occupied was a job in itself.
One Jack appreciated.
“Desalinisation unit. The Ancients have made some great headway and considering their outpost was under a tonne of water, it was prudent to be able to extract drinking water from their surroundings. It uses much less power and creates less bi-product than anything we have currently.”
“So you innovated this?” Jack asked, not able to keep the smirk from his voice and was amazed how a pair of legs could reflect annoyance so accurately.
“Why does he bother you so much?” John asked over coffee the next day and Rodney huffed, rolled his eyes and then crossed his arms and scrunched down in his seat. His non-answer was all the answer John needed.
“Oh wait, I’ve seen this before, haven’t I?” he asked, smiling into his cup.
“Oh you really have to shut up now,” Rodney grumbled.
“You know, we can really set you up somewhere nicer,” Jack said, edging his way past a tower of books to get into the conference room that Rodney had claimed. Already he’d had about fifteen separate complaints from people who had booked the room for meetings and then were met with a growling Rodney when they tried to boot him out.
“I’m fine here,” Rodney snapped, reaching across the large table to retrieve a just-out-of-reach tome that Jack ended up pushing towards him.
Jack suddenly longed for Daniel’s clutter because it seemed tiny in comparison.
“You really don’t understand the meaning of holiday, do you?”
“What, and waste of lot of valuable time? I’ve finally got a spare second where I do not fear for my life so I’m using it to work on what I want to.”
“McKay, you seriously-“
“Honestly, I’m good. I’m working on a way to create a feedback loop into the gate to maximise power and therefore not need an Ancient device to get to Atlantis. There’s a small chance of catastrophic power build up that could result in the levelling of Colorado, but it’s only a tiny chance.”
“I’m sorry I asked,” Jack said, holding up his hands and backing out of the room.
“I know why I’m here, but why are you still here?” Rodney asked, watching as Jack stretched on one of the uncomfortable control room chairs.
“SG-16 is overdue and it’s their first mission back since…” Jack’s face tightened and he waved a dismissive hand. “I just… I’d like to see them come back.”
Rodney heard the unspoken “In one piece” as if Jack had shouted it.
“I really don’t have a problem with it,” John sighed, rolling onto his stomach on the VIP room bed and watching as the other man paced the room.
“Are you sure, because it’s not that long since we… you know,” Rodney gestured helplessly and John chuckled.
“Had the most amicable break-up I’ve ever experienced in my life?” John prompted. “Rodney, you’re my friend and I care about you and you obviously have a thing for men in authority who look great in uniform so who am I to stand in the way of that?”
Rodney rolled his eyes but then stopped his pacing, a frown firmly in place. “Have you… since?” he asked, twisting his hands in the bunched fabric of the bottom of his shirt.
John flushed and looked at his own hands. “I haven’t wanted to, but that doesn’t mean you can’t.”
“Why didn’t we work? I would’ve liked us to have worked.” Rodney sighed, dropping into the chair close to the door and looking at John seriously.
“Just sometimes it doesn’t work, no matter how much you want it to. I might not have been exactly the one for you, but apparently you were on the right track.”
Rodney sighed and covered his face with his hands. “I don’t even know if he-“
“He is.”
Rodney dropped his hands and snorted. “Oh yeah? How do you-“
“Rodney, trust me. He is.”
“I’m not known for my tact, so do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“I’m not sure I like where this is going,” Jack said, eyeing Rodney. It was another late night in the control room and Rodney had brought coffee and donuts this time. Jack had accepted the peace offering without a word and had given the gate tech the night off, knowing that if anything went wrong, it was a little moot to have someone other than Rodney present.
“There’re rumours around the mountain. I know there’s always rumours, but these seem be particularly prevalent.”
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“You and Daniel-“
“McKay!” Jack snapped, dropping his feet off the console and sitting up. “You are not seriously-“
“I’m just curious,” Rodney broke in a rush. “Because you both always seemed close and he’s handsome if you like that kind of thing and-“
“McKay, I would stop talking, if I were you,” Jack growled, voice low and dangerous. His eyes flicked up to the camera over the console room and then he blinked.
The red light was off.
He looked back at Rodney and then down at his hands, which had been toying with something for the last half an hour. It looked like a jumble of wires.
“Are you breaking things in my mountain for nefarious purposes?” he asked, expression unreadable.
“What better purpose is there?”
Jack stood stiffly, hands hovering over his coffee cup for a moment before he clenched his fists and stalked from the room, leaving Rodney behind and only feeling slightly guilty that he had just abandoned him to a long and lonely shift in the control room.
Jack’s feet automatically took him to Daniel’s office and he hovered in the doorway for a few beats, looking over the too-familiar clutter, before he smacked a palm against the doorframe and then stomped to his own office.
“It’s nice to know the Air force doesn’t scrimp for some people.”
Rodney stepped back from the door to his hotel room, watching as Jack hovered for a moment, hands thrust into the pockets of his jeans, before he seemed to take a breath and breech the threshold.
“I’m important, or didn’t you know that?” Rodney huffed, following Jack’s amble into the room and then darting around him to push a stack of books and papers off one of the dining room chairs so he could offer a seat, but Jack just waved him off and headed for the balcony.
“Nice,” he remarked. Rodney was situated on the tenth floor of a fairly reasonable four star hotel that was only about twenty minutes from Cheyenne Mountain.
“Did you need something?” Rodney asked, looking marooned in the middle of the room.
“Got any beer in the mini bar?” Jack evaded, leaning over and hooking the bar fridge door open with a finger. He retrieved two bottles and held one out to Rodney, who made a face and shook his head. Jack popped the caps off both with a practiced flick of the hand and pushed one at Rodney before he dropped into a nearby couch.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you out of BDU’s,” Rodney remarked, perching on the arm of the opposite couch and Jack looked down at himself and then back at Rodney.
“Worlds collide?”
Rodney huffed. “Not really, I guess I’m just used to them now. I didn’t see Colonel Sheppard in jeans until we came back to Earth the first time. It’s just… bizarre.”
“It would probably weird you out more to see Doctor Weir in a dress then,” Jack smiled and Rodney widened his eyes,
“Don’t. You’ll break my brain. Even when we came back to Earth she was always in a suit. I know there was a dress wearing episode in there somewhere but I apparently missed it.”
“Bad?” Jack prompted, plucking at his vintage blue jeans.
“Just different. BDU’s are baggy in all the important places and I really have to stop talking now,” Rodney finished in a rush, colour flooding his cheeks.
“Why did you ask about Daniel and I?” Jack asked, leaning forward, fingers playing with the neck of his beer bottle.
“Don’t you… I mean, isn’t there a risk of-“ Rodney trailed off when he saw Jack reach into the front pocket of his jeans and pull something small and dark blue that looked kind of like a smooth stone out. Jack placed it on the coffee table between them and let Rodney pick it up and handle it, eyes growing round.
“Asgard, isn’t it?”
“I’ve got friends in high places,” Jack said, pointing up at the ceiling. “Jams everything, short of, you know, an Asgard.”
“How does it work? I mean, I can’t even see a way to –“
“Rodney, don’t get distracted,” Jack said, but there was amusement in his tone and Rodney grimaced and put the Asgard device back on the coffee table.
“Sorry, right. Okay. You and… yes, I did ask, didn’t I?” Jack raised an eyebrow and took a pull of beer, waiting for Rodney to stumble into a real sentence. “It’s what I’d heard. He asked you to go to Atlantis and you just let him-“
“I didn’t just let him. There was a long drawn-out battle of wills there.”
“Right, fine, whatever. In any case, you arranged for our swap so you could make sure you’d get him back. It’s a lot of trouble to go to.”
Jack nodded, rubbing his chin with the back of his hand. “I guess it would seem that way.”
“Anyway, most of the rumours have you both together, most of them for years. I thought most people would be up in arms about it but the general consensus is that you both have earned it.”
“That’s nice of everyone.”
Rodney rolled his eyes. “What I mean is, it’s all very acknowledged.”
“Right, without actually asking either of us, you know, ever.” Jack grumbled.
“Well, I’m Canadian. Maybe it didn’t occur to everyone else that they could and besides, don’t you have a rule against that anyway?”
“Yes, but there’s nothing to it.”
“The rule or-?”
“Me and Daniel. He’s the best friend I’ve ever had. I love him dearly but, that’s it.”
“You mean you and he… never?”
Jack’s eyes ticked away for a moment and then back to Rodney. “I didn’t say that, but it’s also not the great romance everyone seems to be making it out to be.”
“Oh please! You’re not going to give me the old ‘just helping out a friend’ line are you?”
“No, it wasn’t that either. He was married to Sha’re and it took me a long time to get over Sara. Stuff kept happening and we kept… missing our chance. We made a couple of drunken passes at it but it never really… worked. I’m assuming something similar happened with you and Sheppard.”
Rodney, who had finally taken a single small sip of beer, spat it all out again. “What? Sheppard and I never – “
“Nice McKay, but you don’t have to protect him. I wouldn’t do anything, and not because I’m in a similar circumstance. I’ve lost too many good people to petty politics and if it’s not hurting anybody and not endangering the mission, then I’m good with it.”
Rodney took a moment to mop spilled beer up with one of the hotel cushions before he finally slid sideways into the couch proper. “We were a disaster,” Rodney admitted morosely and Jack chuckled.
“I know the feeling.” Jack was wearing a black, button-down shirt and he slid further down in the couch he was sitting on and then flicked the top button open with a finger. “Tell me I’m not reading this wrong,” he said, his voice low. Rodney’s eyes grew round again, much the same way they had when he’d regarded the Asgard device and Jack supposed, considering who he was dealing with, he should be flattered.
“No, you really aren’t,” Rodney said, his voice wobbly.
“That’s good to know,” Jack said, popping another button and running a finger down his chest, watching Rodney's gaze follow it but then Rodney’s face pulled down into a grimace and Jack sat forward. “What?”
“It’s just… no, it’s stupid,” Rodney waved a dismissive hand, dropping an arm over his face.
Jack got up from his own couch and stepped over the coffee table, sitting on it so that his legs framed Rodney’s. “What is it?”
Rodney dropped his arm enough so one eye regarded Jack. “John’s just going to be really… smug. I hate it when he’s right because he can gloat like no one I’ve ever met before.”
Jack blinked. “I’m not really sure I like that it’s Sheppard on your mind at the moment.”
“No, no.” Rodney moved forward and put his hands on Jack’s knees when the older man made to stand up. “I’m sorry, I think my mind just skipped a couple of tracks here. You’re so handsome you’re almost hard to look at and you just swanned into my hotel room being all… you know. You’ve undone a total of two buttons on your shirt and I’m hard enough to drill holes.”
Jack snorted and leaned forward, placing a firm hand on Rodney who squeaked. “You weren’t exaggerating,” he allowed and Rodney sniffed.
“That’s not helping it.”
Jack dug his fingers in, curling around Rodney as much as he could with the hindrance of a couple of layers of fabric. “Did I want to do that?”
“You can’t… do you always do this?”
“Do what?” Jack asked, firmly stroking upwards. Rodney let out a bark of surprise and his right leg shot forward, shin banging against the coffee table.
“Just swan in and get what you want.” Rodney’s voice was a little strangled as it felt like all the blood in his body had retreated south.
Jack half shrugged. “Usually.”
John’s eyes ticked sideways to acknowledge Jack’s presence as they watched test-flights for some of the newer model fighters that were modelled more closely on the single death gliders first seen on Abydos.
“I would say the usual hurt him and I’ll do something but…”
“But what?” Jack prompted, shielding his eyes from the sun.
“But I suspect you could snap me like a twig, Sir. Or have Teal’c do it for you.”
“You’d be right.” Jack turned and clapped John on the shoulder. “Besides, if I ever did something stupid, McKay could always level a couple of city blocks just to get me without breaking much of a sweat.”
John grinned. “I’m good with that.”
Rodney was lying at counterpoint to Jack, head pillowed on his stomach. “Two more days,” he said.
“Yep,” Jack sighed, running fingers across Rodney’s forehead.
“This was-“
“Yeah,” Jack’s fingers ran over Rodney’s eyes, down his cheeks and along his jawline. “Yeah, it was.”
Jack fought the urge to tighten the straps on Rodney’s pack, knowing it would ring too familiar. The last of the relief crew was boarding on the Daedelus and John had already gone on, waving a jaunty goodbye and giving Rodney a pat as he passed.
“I liked this… liked us,” Jack said, his voice pitched low.
“I did too. We could-“
“Rodney, no promises, no plans. We go where the wind will.”
“That’s dreadfully poetic,” Rodney snorted, but he lost his bemused expression when he saw Jack’s eyes darken.
“Get that alternate power source refined and bring us one,” Jack said, fingers circling Rodney’s forearm, squeezing briefly and then letting go.
“Look, Jack, if it’s circumstance or timing that’s getting in the way of you and…” he changed tack when he saw Jack’s eyebrows draw down into a frown. “-Anything you want, you should maybe rethink your priorities.”
“McKay, you should know from experience that if it’s something I want, I find a way,” Jack said, face solemn but eyes alight. “Just, remember the power source. We’d like to visit Atlantis sometime without having to take the long way.”
Rodney nodded, hefting his pack and starting up the ramp. He turned when he was nearly at the top. “You’re a braver man than I, O’Neill.”
“Why’s that?”
Rodney grinned. “You’re trusting Elizabeth to send Daniel and Sam through after you let us go.”
Jack chuckled, but then his face fell when his mobile shrilled. He looked at the display and noted it was the SGC.
He looked at the Daedelus as the loading ramp lifted, putting the phone to his ear. It was a very nervous-sounding Walter on the other end.
“Uh, Sir? We just-“
“Don’t tell me,” Jack groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.
“-transmission from Atlantis. They had some kind of emergency and-“
“Walter!”
“Yes, sir?”
“Patch me through to the Daedelus’ Bridge.”
“Sir?”
Jack looked at the ship above him, thanking whatever providence had caused a two hour delay in its departure.
Jack was many things, but stupid was not one of them.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Heh. I liked John in this.
Actually I liked the whole thing. Rodney and Jack is just such an odd thing to have work so well (at least in the right hands ;).
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eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
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Oooh also I loved the snarky-ness that is McKay, you really did a brilliant job with keeping his usual snark in there. It adds so much to the story's realistic believability. *grins* *waves*
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But I suspect you could snap me like a twig, Sir. Or have Teal’c do it for you.”
Heeeeee! Perfect!
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I'm actually going to be writing a third installment to the Palest Sky series so there will be Jack/Rodney aplenty!
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So glad you enjoyed! :D
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I tend to have a passion for the unsaid and the allude-to, but do realise that this frustrates others... :)
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Oh this is really good. The unusual pairing made me curious, and it really worked. I like you writing style for this, and the excellent characterizations. I especially like this line,
Jack was many things, but stupid was not one of them.
quite effectively used at the beginning and end. Thanks for sharing.
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Not a sequel to this per se but I am revisiting my Palest Sky peg_b which is Jack/Rodney... :)
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Really nice.
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