Summary:- Rodney's in a spot of trouble and John bails him out. Shep whumping

Spoiler:- Conversion. Takes place in season 2 sometime after that episode.

Pairing:- A hint of Sparky. John/Rodney friendship. Not slash

Rating: -TMild language and physical abuse

Disclaimer: - I don't own Stargate Atlantis or its super characters. Unfortunately! Sgt. Tom Macklin and Hans Meyer are mine.

Sorry no Beta, I live in a country where the first language isn't English. So the mistakes are mine.

Beckett: You have a splinter, Rodney!

McKay: Yes, a very nasty, painful splinter.

Beckett: This might hurt a wee bit.

McKay: as a nurse extracts his splinter OW!

Sheppard: I'm sure it will.

Beckett: I know ya have a high threshold for pain.

For The Love of a Friend

Part 1 – It Started Out a Sunny Day

Stepping away from the event horizon, Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard surveyed the peaceful early morning landscape of M7P-455 as his team members came through behind him. Immediately, Ronon and Sgt. Tom Macklin, who was standing in for Teyla as she was feeling a little under the weather with, as Carson had put it, a bit of stomach problem, spread out guns at the ready.

Rodney held up his hand scanner and went off to stand near the DHD muttering. "Here we go again."

"What's that supposed to mean, Rodney?" John asked, ambling over to his position.

"What? Oh, the usual, of course. No energy readings, perfect pastoral setting and I'm betting that the town over there," he said, pointing to a stone walled community about half a mile away, "Is at least 500 years behind in technology. A perfect waste of time!"

Sheppard threw him an exasperated look. "You knew before we came that this was just a contact and trading mission. So if you don't like it why don't you go back home?"

"What and leave you all alone to get into untold kinds of trouble? Not likely!" Rodney expressed.

John suppressed a smile, he knew Rodney was just using that as an excuse for his negative attitude. "I'm a big boy, Rodney and I'm not alone," he said, pointing to Ronon and sergeant.

"No, no it's okay. I'm sure they have something to offer even if it's only a bowl of fruit."

Teasingly, John warned. "There might be some lemontype fruits in there!"

Rodney was ready for it. "In that case, I'll just have to get you to taste the fruit first. In fact," he pondered, "that's a really good idea and then if the fruit is poisonous it won't harm me."

"Nice one, McKay, and here's me thinking you're my friend." Without waiting for a comeback, John gathered up the others with a look and started to walk towards the town.

They passed various fields of nutritious looking fruit and vegetables along the way and soon entered the town's ancient stone gateway to receive a surprisingly warm welcome from the locals.

Looking around the community, Sheppard commented that it looked like a picture post card setting complete with stonewall, quaint thatched cottages, narrow streets and a monastery like structure perched on an incline overlooking the town. He heard McKay's loud groan at the comment.

The team quickly introduced themselves to the town Elder, a stocky old man by the name of Eskeran, who took them into a small meetinghouse to start negotiations. At first, he'd seemed to be pleased to talk and accommodating to their requests but all that went down hill when the town leader suddenly declared that they weren't good enough negotiators for his liking.

Feeling somewhat insulated, John exchanged an eye rolling gesture with Rodney before suggesting that they go back home and bring a superior negotiator with them. Sheppard didn't like bringing Elizabeth into an unknown situation but these people had stuff that they badly needed, namely fresh produce. Even though the Daedalus was now making regular runs, fresh fruit and veggies were far superior then the frozen or preserved produce bought back from earth.

As Sheppard gathered the team for the return to Atlantis, Rodney suddenly expressed his desire to look around the town while they were gone as he thought he saw some indication of ancient writings along the pathway leading up to the monastery. Mr. Eskeran agreed to his request but stated that he must respect their beliefs and rules. Feeling a little uneasy at leaving the inquisitive and sometimes thoughtless McKay alone, Sheppard ordered Ronon to stay with him.

-SGA-

Everything went surprisingly smoothly and a few hours later, Sheppard and Macklin returned with Dr. Weir plus a couple of extra men. John quickly introduced Elizabeth to the Elder and when re-negotiations were under way, he contacted McKay to see how things were his end.

Rodney answered with his typical enthusiasm stating that the pathway did indeed shown some weather worn but interesting script stretching all the way to the building. He then went on to describe the obviously highly religious sect that lived in the monastery after he had literally invited Ronon and himself in. The monks had reluctantly allowed them to look around.

Before signing off, Sheppard warned McKay to be careful and said he would contact him again in two hours. He then rejoined the negotiations.

Bored out of his mind John tried hard to pay attention to the useless barter exchange between Dr. Elizabeth Weir and the unrelenting bureaucratic Eskeran, but it was a losing battle. Examining his fingernails for the umpteenth time, Sheppard eventually found himself dozing off.

Suddenly jerking upright, John quickly looked to his watch to find that Rodney's couple of hours was nearly up, so half-heartedly he retuned himself back into the negotiations only to find that Elizabeth had made no progress, what so ever. He could tell she was becoming more and more frustrated with the man and he vaguely wondered how much longer she would last before calling it a useless venture.

Catching Weir's eye, Sheppard gestured to his radio that he was going to contact McKay again. She nodded quickly before turning back to the stubborn native. However, before he could call McKay, his radio came alive with Ronon's worried voice.

Quickly hitting the send button, John asked. "What's up?"

Ronon's no nonsense tone stated. "Sheppard! You'd better get here fast! McKay has upset the holy men!"

tbc

Please be kind and review. Thanks!