Disclaimer - "Stargate" and all related characters are the property of MGM Television Entertainment

Set in Season 3 - No specific references or spoilers for any episodes

Rating - T

Characters - Team involvement throughout, but main focus will be on McKay as he's my favourite!

Chapter 1 – The Beginning

The sound cut through his unconscious mind like a buzz saw.

The noise grew and grew as his brain woke up. It built to such a level that he could no longer take it.

Leaning across from the bed, Sheppard flicked off the alarm clock and checked the time; 6am.

Okay, he thought as he rolled out of bed and sat on the edge rubbing his face, Tuesday morning. Training, breakfast, briefing. He checked off the list in his head as he sleepily stumbled over to the bathroom.

He quickly showered and pulled on some clothes. He tucked his radio headset behind his ear and walked over to the door.

Sheppard reached out his hand to swipe it over the control crystals and open it, as he did many times every day on Atlantis. His hand was about an inch away from the panel when it was hit by a powerful and painful blast of energy.

He cried out in surprise as he was thrown away from the door. His back hit the edge of the bed and he crumpled to the floor.

"What the hell?" He muttered, cradling his burnt hand and feeling a bruise forming across the back of his ribcage.

He closed his eyes and pushed himself upright. He staggered slightly so he sat down heavily on the bed.

He eyed the control panel and frowned in disgust. It looked so innocent. There was no indication that it had just attacked him. There were no burn marks nor was there any visible field around the device.

Sheppard narrowed his eyes and walked tentatively back towards the door. As he drew up, he stopped a short distance away and examined the crystals more closely.

Gingerly, he brought the fingertips of his undamaged hand up and moved them very slowly towards the offending control panel.

When his hand was close, another bolt of energy struck him, "Damn it!" He said as he burnt his other hand. As he had been moving more carefully this time, he had not been thrown back.

He backed away from the door and sat on the bed again. He reached up and winced as he tapped his radio, "Sheppard to McKay." His voice was impatient and angry. He had not meant for it to come out like that.

"What?" Snapped the reply in his ear. Sheppard was not really surprised; McKay was usually annoyed and his tone had probably done nothing to calm the scientist. However it was strange to get such a quick reply at this hour.

"Uh…I'm stuck in my room. The door panel keeps zapping me when I try to get out."

"Oh, not another one!" McKay sounded more irate than usual.

Sheppard frowned, "What do you mean by 'another one?'"

"Fifth one this morning," he replied, Sheppard thought it sounded like he was speaking through gritted teeth, like something more than the door problem was paining him.

"I'll just finish up here and be over in a couple of minutes. Uh…sit tight."

Like there's anywhere else I could go! Sheppard thought, but he just replied, "Acknowledged."

Sheppard turned his burnt hands over as he studied them and grimaced. The skin was red and angry and in some places there were painful blisters forming. An early morning trip to the infirmary would be in order when he was freed. Not a very good start to the day.

He walked over to the bathroom and ran some cold water over his hands to soothe them. He felt them going numb under the running tap and he sighed in relief as the smarting pain faded away.

After a couple of minutes his radio activated, "Sheppard?"

"Go ahead Rodney."

"I'm just fixing your door now. Don't touch the door or control panel. In fact, don't even get close to them."

"Now you tell me," Sheppard said slowly in reply, studying his reflection in the mirror above the sink. "Who were the other four people you had to rescue?"

He heard a soft sigh over the radio, "Just some of your people. I think they were upset about being late for your torture session."

Sheppard frowned and then grinned, "Oh, you mean the morning run?"

"If that's what you would call it. To me it feels more like the middle of the night."

"Well, they needn't worry as I'm late too."

There was the sound of a sharp intake of breath, "Ow, damn it!" Rodney mumbled. Sheppard thought it sounded like there was something in McKay's mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"Little zapper just got me again!" Rodney replied angrily and took a deep shuddering breath. "The only way I can release the door is to turn off the power. And the only way to do that is by cutting the conduit in the wall next to each malfunctioning control panel. Just got a little bit too close to it. Again."

"You're alright though are you?"

"Not really. I learnt it the hard way the first time. Thought it was going to kill me."

Sheppard grimaced as the water continued to flow over his damaged hands and the bruises on his back ached, "Yes, I got zapped by it too."

"Okay, I think I'm done," Rodney said, "Of course, cutting the power conduit means that we now have to open the door manually."

Sheppard pulled his hands out of the sink and turned the tap off, "Hang on, I'll be over in a minute." He let the water drip off his hands and walked over to the door.

He approached slowly with his less damaged hand out in front, just in case.

He reached the door without incident and leaned against it. He used his shoulder to push it sideways.

Rodney was already prying the door open from the other side. Sheppard could hear his straining breaths over the radio and soon he heard them right in front of him as the door parted in the middle.

Lots of huffing and shoving followed and they soon had the it open.

Sheppard raised his eyes and looked at Rodney. His eyebrows quickly shot up as he took in the scientist's appearance.

"You look like hell McKay," Sheppard said.

"Is that your way of saying, 'Thanks Rodney for letting me out of my room. I'd have had to forfeit the run and breakfast without you on the other end of my radio at all hours of every day.'"

Sheppard grinned, "Thanks Rodney, but I think we both need a trip to the infirmary."

Rodney looked dead on his feet. He had a permanent grimace on his face and rested a hand on his stomach. His hands themselves were roughly bandaged. Sheppard thought it looked like he had done it himself, like running repairs on the fly. A tablet and a small tool kit were abandoned on the floor underneath the outer crystal panel to Sheppard's quarters. Just to the right of the device there was a wall panel missing. Inside the wall some wires had been pulled down and cut.

Sheppard marvelled that Rodney had not killed himself cutting into the power conduit wires like that.

McKay walked over to the toolkit and closed his eyes in pain as he crouched down and gathered up the kit. Sheppard rushed over to help, but when he got there Rodney had already finished and was scooping up the tablet in his damaged hands. He straightened up and winced, pressing a forearm on his midsection. He leaned back heavily against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Hey, what happened to you?" Sheppard said, putting a hand on Rodney's shoulder and grabbing the toolkit. McKay did not protest, even as Sheppard himself shuddered a little as the feeling came back into his burnt hand as it curled around the handle of the case.

Rodney sighed and looked at Sheppard from his doubled up position, "Let's just say I now have yet more definitive proof that humans can't fly."

Sheppard pulled him away from the wall and supported him until he got his balance.

Rodney had the tablet tucked under his arm and held both hands out in front of himself like he had just finished pulling on rubber gloves and was examining them. His mouth was turned down in pain and he furrowed his brow and breathed through gritted teeth as he tried to straighten up.

Sheppard frowned, "Come on. Infirmary."

He was just guiding Rodney down the hallway slowly towards the transporter when Rodney stood up straight and alert. He winced again, "McKay here…what? Another one, where?…I'll be right there."

Sheppard spun Rodney around to face him, "Hey, get Zelenka to look at this one, okay? Just tell him what to do."

McKay looked back at him defiantly, "No, I'll go. Wouldn't want to interrupt sleeping beauty this early in the morning."

"Don't make me order you," Sheppard said narrowing his eyes, "You're obviously hurt, and I think you've had your fair share of zapping door panels for one morning."

Rodney opened his mouth to protest, but never managed to speak as suddenly both their radios activated.

"Teyla to Colonel Sheppard and Dr McKay," her voice sounded strained and it kept chopping out in between a loud roaring noise in the background.

Sheppard reached up and tapped his own radio, "Sheppard here. Go ahead."

"Colonel, I require your assistance and Dr McKay's too, if he is there."

It was very difficult to make out Teyla's words and Sheppard had to turn down the volume on his radio to hear her clearly.

Rodney replied, "Yes I'm here," then he muttered, "Rather be asleep right now though."

Sheppard grinned, "You're not stuck in your room are you? Have your door and control panel become…shocking?"

Rodney grimaced and rested his forearm on his stomach again while he held his other damaged hand out in front of his face. The tablet had almost slid from under his arm. Sheppard quickly reached forward and cursed his painful hands as he grabbed it.

Teyla's breathless reply came over their radios, "No, John. However I am stuck and require your immediate assistance."

Rodney frowned at Sheppard and said, "Looks like Carson'll have to wait a little longer to poke and prod us."

McKay radioed Zelenka and grudgingly asked him to get a team together to release trapped people from their rooms if any more called in.

He was glad he did, because as soon as they left the transporter and began walking towards Teyla's quarters, another three frantic people radioed him with stories of electrocuting doors and control panels. He allowed himself a tight and grim smile as he redirected them to Zelenka for help.

--

TBC

As always I will be eternally grateful for all feedback received (good or bad). Thanks! x Varda x