Title: Ready or Not

Author: sablecain

Disclaimers and acknowledgments in part one

Summary: the follow up

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"Man down," Rodney quipped as the medical team surrounded him and began to check him over. He didn't want to think about what he'd just done…what Elizabeth said he'd done. Fact was he couldn't remember much of it. He remembered watching the gateroom fill with the huge dark entity and remembered holding the shield device and knowing, despite his near-paralyzing fear, he was their only option.

His head throbbed as he strained to remember more. Dizziness swept over him and he swallowed a sudden wave of nausea. What was wrong with him?

"You alright, sir?" one of the medics questioned.

"Yeah, fine. Fine." Rodney tried to sound confident, as his thoughts drifted again.

No one had noticed him putting the shield on or slipping out behind them. It wasn't until he'd reached the first landing that he'd heard Sheppard calling his name. He glanced up at John now, still talking with Teyla. He remembered the concern in the Major's voice and the fear as John had run towards him. It'd helped strengthen Rodney's resolve; he'd known he couldn't let John stop him. He had to keep going whether he was ready of not.

That was about all he could recall, he realized as the medics helped him to his feet. Everything else was a blur of darkness.

"You okay?"

Rodney looked up, realizing John was talking to him.

"Yeah. Fine, just…" His thoughts were sluggish. What was he trying to say? God, his head really hurt.

"Rodney?" Elizabeth turned toward him. "Are you sure you're okay? We could use your help getting the main power back online."

"Right. Sure. Yes, I'm fine." Rodney tried to shake off his confusion. It was just the stress of the day, he told himself. It'd been a long one with a roller coaster of emotions and the intense fear ofwalking into that entity…he hadn't gotten burned at all…he'd just passed out.

"Here, McKay." Grodin handed him the ancient device, dull green again. "I think it's drained of all its power," Peter commented almost apologetically.

"Thanks, yeah. Probably." Rodney slipped it into his pocket. The Medical team had backed off now; suitably assured that he was no worse for wear. Quietly, he turned and followed Elizabeth up the steps to the control room. It felt like he was trying to climb a mountain and he paused on the landing as another wave of dizziness threatened to make him sick.

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John finished his conversation with Teyla as he kept an eye on McKay. Even though Rodney had pretty much shrugged off the medical team's attention, Sheppard was concerned. Something wasn't right.

At first, he'd just assumed that McKay had passed out from the stress of the situation, but now…as he watched Rodney's slow, stilted movements up the stairs, he was wondering if there was something more to it.

He watched as McKay paused halfway up and swayed slightly before he continued on his way. Yup, something was definitely wrong.

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Rodney starred down at the control panels. He knew this. Why couldn't he just fix it? Panic flared through him and he looked around anxiously to see if anyone was paying attention, but thankfully everyone seemed busy. Why couldn't he get this? He already knew this control room better than anyone else on Atlantis, but why couldn't he concentrate on it now? He rubbed his temple and commanded himself to calm down. "Think. Think," he whispered frantically. Then, instantly, he knew what to do. He pressed the correct sequence of crystals and watched the panels as they showed that power was now restored to the parts of the city currently in use. He sighed with relief. Maybe he just needed rest. It was late after all, and it'd been forever since he'd taken the time torest.

Elizabeth stopped him on the way out of the gateroom. "I want to thank you again, Rodney." She smiled. "It was a brave thing you did."

He blushed, not knowing how to respond. He didn't feel brave, he just felt…sick. It was a slow trip to his quarters and, by the time he got there, his head was killing him. It pounded, throbbing with his pulse and even the muted lights in the hallway burned like he was staring right at the sun. He just wanted to curl up in his bed and sleep until he felt better.

Inside his room, McKay slid under the covers of his bed and tried to get comfortable, but he ached all over and it felt like his bed was floating. He felt like he had the one time his father had attempted to take him fishing. Out on the lake in a row boat…all Rodney could do was turn green and throw up over the side.

Suddenly he was leaning over the edge of his bed, retching. The smell and sounds of his own illness just made him all the more sick until he was wracked with dry heaves. He could hear his dad complaining that he was too weak to control himself and he closed his burning eyes and wiped his runny nose on his sleeve. God, he was so tired.

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John wasn't sure he was doing the right thing but he decided he'd take the chance.

"So, tell me again wha' happened?" Carson said as they walked towards Rodney's quarters. He listened as John described everything again.

"So you aren't sure he actually fainted then?"

"I thought so, assumed so," John admitted. "But watching him, I'm not so sure now."

"You think that thing did something else to him?" Beckett inquired worriedly, shifting his duffle of med supplies from one hand to the other.

"I don't now. He wasn't burned at all and he sounded okay too…just different."

"How so?"

John frowned. "How would you expect McKay to act if he'd just saved the day like he did?"

Carson grinned. "Arrogant as hell."

"Exactly. He didn't though, he looked pale and acted almost confused."

They slowed as they reached the door to Rodney's room.

"Do you think he could have hit his head?" Beckett asked, lowering his voice.

John shrugged again. "It's possible. He was unconscious." New worry filled him. Was there some side effect of the entity they didn't know about? Or of the personal shield? Had draining its power while it was in use hurt McKay? He took a deep breath and looked at Beckett for reassurance as he knocked on Rodney's door.

"Don't worry, lad." Carson managed a small smile. "We'll figure it out."

No one responded to Sheppard's knock. "McKay?" hecalled out, knocking again. He didn't want to wake everyone else with a commotion, not that everyone was settled. Still there was no response.

John exchanged a questioning look with Beckett. "Should we?"

"Worst he can do it get mad at us."

John chuckled. "I can live with that." The thought crossed his mind as he willed McKay's door open. Now that Rodney had the ATA gene, John figured he could be setting himself up for a nasty instance of revenge, but it didn't stop him.

"Ugh!" The smell caught him off guard and he distractedly covered his nose and mouth until his eyes settled on Rodney. McKay lay on the edge of his bed, his skin pasty and his brow furrowed with pain. "Shit," John exclaimed as Carson jumped into action.

"Get some wet towels so I can clean him up," Beckett ordered. "Rodney? Rodney? Come on talk to me."

John heard McKay groan and hoped it was a good sign. Quickly he grabbed a handful of towels from the tiny bathroom in Rodney's quarters and wet them down in the sink before hetossed them to Carson. He watched anxiously as Beckett wiped down Rodney's face, gently talking to the physicist the whole time, trying to elicit a real response.

McKay was sluggish, his words slurred and unintelligible. John worried as he watched Carson shine a penlight in each of Rodney's eyes checking his reactions.

Beckett swore softly.

"Damn it. Knock it off," Rodney slurred, uncoordinated as he tried to bat Carson's hands away. "Quit trying to blind me," he snarled harshly.

"Easy now," Carson placated, folding one of the clean wet towels and placing it across Rodney's eyes. "Yer head hurting?"

"Dumb question." McKay bit his lower lip as Carson gently ran his hands over his head, searching intently. He hissed and jerked away from Beckett as the doctor's hands touched the back of his head. The towel slid off his eyes and onto the bed.

"Okay, then." Carson looked up at John. "Radio for a team to transport him to the Medical lab."

"No. I'm staying here," McKay attempted to argue, but pouted instead.

"You need a CT scan and it stinks in here," Beckett explained softly, but McKay seemed to have drifted offagain.

"Will he be okay?" John asked after radioing for help.

"Aye, I believe he will." Carson stood slowly. "You saw his reactions. I'm guessing he managed to hit his head on the floor pretty hard. Gave himself a concussion. We'll do a scan to make sure nothing more serious is going on." His eyes met John's. "He'll be fine. I'm sure. Quit worrying."

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Rodney opened his eyes slowly, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit surroundings. It took him a minute to recognize the tall dark skinned doctor standing over him. "Sorry to disturb your rest, but Dr. Beckett asked me to wake you regularly."

"Why?" Rodney's voice was thick, his throat dry.

"You have a concussion."

Rodney looked beside him, surprised to find John sitting there, slouched in a chair he'd obviously dragged in from somewhere else. He felt the doctor's hand wrap around his wrist as the soft-spoken man checked his vitals.

"What are you doing here?" heasked Sheppard. "How'd I get here?"

John grinned but waited until the doctor was finished before speaking. "Carson and I found you in your quarters, sick and way out of it."

"You came to my quarters?" McKay looked shocked.

"Yeah." Sheppard looked away, watching as the Doctor moved to another occupied bed.

"Hush now, Olivia. You need to go back to sleep, your mama will be back in the morning." The man tenderly tucked the small Athosian girl back under her covers.

"Why?" Rodney pulled his attention back.

Sheppard shrugged. "I was concerned."

"About me?"

"Yeah, about you. I didn't know what that thing might have done to you. Wanted to double check is all."

Rodney looked at John, noticing for the first time the lit candle on the small counter behind Sheppard.

The Major followed Rodney's gaze. "Elizabeth stopped by."

"Oh." Rodney stared at the flickering light. It didn't hurt his eyes. Silence fell between the two men. McKay swallowed. He was so thirsty but he didn't want to ask for anything.

"You want anything?" Sheppard questioned abruptly.

"Water, maybe?" McKay stared as John turned and reached for a cup already on the counter. How had he done that? The bed was elevated enough that Rodney could take the cup on his own,but he noticed that Sheppard kind of hovered close by. The cool water felt wonderful on his throat. "Thanks," hesaid when he'd had enough and John took the cup again.

McKay settled deeper into the pillow, feeling very tired again and not sure what to think of the whole situation. "You don't have to stay," he managed quietly.

"I know." John slouched in the chair again. "Go back to sleep. I'll leave when I'm ready."

Rodney closed his eyes, already beginning to drift. His head didn't seem to ache as badly as before and his thoughts felt clearer. He knew he should feel awkward with Sheppard sitting right there, but instead he felt--comfortable. He'd never had a friend who'd just sit quietly with him before, he realized…or one like Elizabeth, who'd bring him a candle even after he'd scoffed at the idea earlier. It meant a lot to him, he discovered as sleep began to settle over him. It meant a lot to have friends.