A/N: This is not my first attempt on writing any fanfic, but definitely the first time I had the balls to post it here. So, forgive me for any mistakes. Million thanks for Len-chan who acted as my beta (though not an SGA fan). Last but not least, reviews and comments are very much welcome.

Rodney's POV

"Outcast" Tag.

David Sheppard opened the front door after the third rang. "You came for him?"

Can it, McKay. Rodney could almost hear his friend's griping drawl in his ears. Unable to cease his fidgeting stance, he cleared his throat and advanced a hand toward David, trying to give the man a smile. Sadly, it came out tight. "Yes. I, uh, I'm Dr. Rodney McKay. I believe you've met Ronon Dex." The man inquired who stood on his side nodded with a grunt. "We came as soon as possible after we received your call."

David backed out from the door to welcome his two guests. "Please, come in. He's upstairs."

Rodney made a quick glance to Ronon before accepting the invitation. "So, uh… How, uh, how is he?"

"Sleeping." David started to guide them inside the house. While Rodney had come to terms to the lazy gait and slouching steps of John Sheppard, the man in front of him took them in slow but sure strides like how a leader should've been. "I called our residence physician to look at him."

"Oh." But at the moment, Rodney was already half-lost in contemplation. John Sheppard never mentioned about his family. Not even once. And suddenly he found out that his best friend actually had a father and a brother. Why would he never talk about them? Not to mention this RANCH and big house. And the horse stable. AND the big pool. He craned his neck, taking a peek towards thepool seen from large windows on the back of the luxurious two storied mansion.

"You're a doctor, Dr. McKay?" Well, at least David seemed to be swifter in building conversation than his younger sibling. He'd heard from Ronon that the man now took over the business empire left by their father. He's a frikkin' royal heir! And he never told us!

"Yeah. Science, not medical." They climbed a set of stairs heading for the second floor. Damn, this house is HUGE! How could he NOT like this place!?

"So, the Air Force is now not only working with civilians, but with scientists, too?" Rodney almost snapped his neck turning up abruptly to David, cringed when he realized the sense of disbelief in his comment.

"It's, ah…" Yup, THE Dr. M. Rodney McKay was actually stammering. I REALLY hate Sheppards.

"I know. Classified." Okay. Was it just me or did he sounded like he was sick of that fact?

Just about Rodney was ready to give an excuse—which he knew exactly would sound pretty pathetic—his host brought his guests turning right into a simply decorated corridor, unlike the other part of the house. "This is John's area." He stopped in front of the first door on the left and opened it.

Rodney absent-mindedly drift inside, jaw dropped and wide-eyed.

The cluttered room was covered in cream colored wallpaper. A gigantic Johnny Cash poster hung on the middle of the left side. One side of the wall held a wide bookshelf, heavily laden with books about math, engineering, chess, aeronautics, and planes, while other parts of the wall almost covered with pictures of planes and helicopters in various sizes. Another smaller shelf was decorated with shining trophies, proof of achievements in sports, math, and chess competitions. On the corner was a table where tiny plane and chopper models stood in lots of neat rows.

"Dad never had the heart to clean this room up 'till the end. So we just clean it here and there from time to time," David provided the answer of Rodney's unsaid question. He could almost swear he caught a glimpse of blush creeping to the man's cheeks.

He swept his glance to the far edge of the room, to the queen-sized bed near the large window. There laid Lt. Col. John Sheppard on a bed covered to the waist. Gone was his dark suit. His breath is even and deep, seeming to be in peace as he was lost in oblivion. He looked younger than his actual age, Rodney couldn't help to muse. Much younger, since worry lines that usually etched his face were all gone. But the ashen color on his face ruined the scenery. So were the bruises around his neck shown from the half button-downed dress shirt he wore which had started to grow deep purple.

"Dammit, Sheppard. What have you done this time?" Rodney muttered under his breath, closing his eyes in exasperation. He staggered to his friend's side and let himself slumped over the nearby couch, resting his head on his hands.

They received a call from David couple hours ago, informing that John had collapsed in his house. And when the SGC relayed the information to Atlantis, there was no stopping of Rodney to go fetch his buddy. Teyla had wanted to come along, but Rodney insisted it wasn't necessary and managed to convince her to stay. Besides, he really couldn't imagine how John's brother would react if he brought along a seven-month pregnant woman after almost four years of no contact. I'm so going to get whipped with Bantos rods after she had her baby. Well, it's not like she couldn't do it now, but still…

"What did the doctor say?" That was the first words coming out from Ronon since the two of them exited SGC.

For a moment, they were transfixed to the pilot's prone figure until David finally chimed in, "Several sprained back muscles and mild case of concussion. And he's going to have a couple days of sore throat. He's running a low grade fever, but it's more due to exhaustion and minor malnourishment. He's been given light sedatives, so he won't be waking up soon."

"We just can't let you out of our sight even once, can't you?" he sighed loudly.

Rodney had just arrived home from the maintenance mission to M7G-677. Yes, the planet with all the kids. The one day visit had become two after the little ones' reluctance on letting him, Radek, and their Marine escorts go after they finished on the evening by latching frightening tight claws around their legs. Boy, Radek was equally as miffed as he was. He was tired, hungry, and up to the point of being miserable when the alarm introducing unscheduled incoming wormhole blared. He immediately barked commands to reestablish the wormhole back to Earth. From the determined look he shot Chuck, Col. Samantha Carter knew nothing in two galaxies would stop him.

With a lot of whining and complaints from Rodney and, surprisingly, the help of Col. Ellis and the Apollo, he and Ronon skipped the mandatory 24-hours quarantine at Midway Station and arrived in front of the Sheppards' ranch in just no time—God bless the Asgards for beaming technology.

"Did he have any decent meals while he was with you?" he cast a dark look to Ronon from above his laced fingers. By the way the ex-Runner shrugged, he knew instantly the answer. How problems seemed to rob all appetite from his skinny friend was still way beyond him. "Figures."

David rubbed his chin, a gesture also familiar from the slumbering Colonel Gene Boy. Maybe they were brothers after all, no matter how they didn't share any resemblances. Well, except for the lanky build. "I presume this was not the first time John got involved in trouble."

Rodney snorted. "Now, THAT was an understatement. The man is literally atrouble magnet." Despite Ronon rolling his eyes, he continued on his tirade. "He just can't stay still. Stupid energizer bunny. What is he, like, five? And let's not forget the hero streaks he so often pulled off…"

"Hero streaks…?" David altered his eyes from his brother to both men. Rodney blinked twice when he noticed a twinkle sparkled in his dark hazel eyes. Okay. That was different. Sheppard's were greenish-gold.

Rodney let out a long sigh. "He's one over-protective SOB. Not only to us his team, but to everybody on base. Always thinking that he's expendable, throwing himself in front of any danger coming ahead any of us. Of all moronic… Now don't get me wrong. Not that I'm not thankful, he saved our lives like millions of times. But, still…"

Parked on the edge of the bed, David dipped his head slightly, evidently hiding a small smile. "I see. So, after all these years, he hasn't change at all."

The words caused Rodney to lift his head from his hands with a deep frown on his forehead. He shared an exchanged look with Ronon who leaned casually near the door. "What are you talking about?"

"That hero streak of his. He had it since he was 5 or something." Clasping his hands on his knees, David took a deep breath. "Our mother died of cancer. She spent most of her last year in bed or hospitals. That day, she fell ill. Due to her state of delirium, she asked for me and John to sit with her all day in her room. But the room was packed with doctors and nurses. And it smelled like a hospital. Very unappealing to, as you said, an actual five-year-old who was like an energizer bunny. When she finally fell asleep, he slipped outside to his private 'playground', the small forest behind the ranch, and broke his wrist after a failed attempt of an acrobatic landing from his swing."

At this point, David's hands were practically shaking, albeit faintly, though Rodney never knew whether it was to the building emotion or rage alone. He ran his hand through his hair—another similar gesture often seen made by the Colonel. "He crept back into his room and went straight to bed without telling anybody about the broken limb, thinking it was just badly sprained. When his nanny checked on him that night, his wrist was so swollen it was puffed up like a balloon and he was burning up and delirious from an infection. He was so damned close from losing his hand permanently just because he didn't have the heart to tell our sick mother that he had injured himself."

Rodney visibly gaped over the man who didn't even look to be related to his best friend. The thing that made him more furious was the fact that Ronon was grinning from ear to ear like a proud father about it. "Did you say he was 5?"

"Ever since that day, he stopped crying or complaining every time he fell. And it became worse after our mother died six months after that. He hid every single injuries attained during his adventures of growing up; twisted joints, scrapes, bruises, concussions, chipped or lost teeth, fighting marks, broken bones; you name it." Rodney then saw how David fought to control himself from letting his tear fall as his eyes grew distant by each word slipped from his lips. "Then, he started protecting his friends, especially from bullies. He even stood in front of me, going against three boys twice his size. They had him good that time, but I was left unscathed since. There wasn't a week gone by without him getting hurt. Since our father was very busy, I was the only one who knew."

Swallowing thickly, Rodney was completely dumbfounded. When he glanced over to Ronon who had wiped away his grin, the towering Satedan's gaze had turned dull. "He…"

"He fell in love to flying at the age of 8, the first time we went on Dad's private jet. Yeah, the jet was really impressive. The interior, the machine, the sultry body." A ghost of smile made the edge of his lips slightly curled, before he cleared his throat at the memories assault. "The pilot was an ex-fighter pilot. Seeing how John went ballistic asking about the iron bird we're on, he started telling John about planes, jets, and choppers he ever laid hand on. My brother was totally awed. And obsessed ever since. All he talked about was flying. Even took flying class right after he got his driving license. Then, started babbling about building a plane company, designing one."

"W-what? Design? He wanted to design planes?" No doubt, Rodney was spluttering. The deceivably lazy, always drawling and slouching Colonel once had a dream to build planes??

David's smile turned into obvious pride over his little brother. "Not that he wasn't unable to. As you'd probably have known, John's a closet math prodigy. He got his double degree in Math and Engineering from Stanford at the age 18." His smile abruptly fell. "Until he found out I was interested in the business."

That bastard… Not only math, he also had a degree in engineering… That's how he knew how to tweak and override the damn Jumpers. The idiot. Sitting more straight on the couch from his haunch, Rodney gulped in realization. "He went for the Air Force because of you…?"

The older Sheppard stood, buried his hands deep in his pockets while standing over the window, staring outside. "Though Dad despised his choice over Harvard, Dad kept on supporting him. Until one day, John overheard my conversation with Dad. Dad was going to hand over the business to me. First, I was the eldest, after all. And secondly, unlike John, management was the only thing I'm good at. For John, Dad had plans to build his own aircraft company. Unfortunately for him, at that moment, situation was a bit tight and Dad had to delay his plans."

Laughing mirthlessly, David leaned by the window on his elbow. "Too bad John was never the patient one. Knowing his way to the sky was delayed, albeit temporarily, he made a drastic turn."

"He joined the Air Force…" Rodney managed to mumble. Crazy SOB… He loves flying that much…

"Can you imagine the rage that engulfed my father? Second heir of Sheppard Enterprises turned into a soldier." Rodney was expecting a cynical sneer from him, but it never showed. The only thing seen from David was sadness. He was hurting inside, just like Sheppard. "In the beginning, I kept in touch with him, secretly calling to where he trained. Before I found out his other motive choosing the Air Force. Me."

By the time David pulled himself up and faced them again, Rodney had to lift a brow though, for he found anger vibrating all over David's body. "I'm his older brother, for God's sake! I'm supposed to be the one protecting him, taking care of him! And he sacrificed his future for me? What kind of big brother am I? I was the one who should be making sacrifices instead of him."

"He cares," suddenly Ronon answered. He hasn't left his position leaning over the door jamb. "Said it yourself. Hero streak."

Again David laughed, his tears choking him. In normal circumstances, the man might be just as tight-lipped as his brother when it came to expressing feelings. Well, pot, kettle, Mer. "Dammit, John… Should've seen that… But still… I, uh…."

"You'd do the same if you were him." Ronon must've had 'succinct' as his middle name. But the curt answer delivered seemed to penetrate deep into David Sheppard's mind.

"Yeah, I would."

Rodney felt David eyeing him and Ronon carefully as trying to judge how close these men to his brother were.

David clearly knew since young that John was a private man and people he trusted well enough to fetch him at one of his weakest point must worth more than just friend. So, he made a decision and went over it. "Would you tell him that our father left the ranch for him? Also a trustee enough for him to build the aeronautics company he wanted before. That's if he feel like it."

Blinking through the sudden trust he was bestowed upon, Rodney gulped against the lump in his throat. "I'll tell him."

John Sheppard chose the awkward moment to return to the world of consciousness, stirring his head as a weak groan escaped his lips. In full practiced move, Rodney grabbed the straw-dipped glass of water he eyed on the side of the bed and sat beside him. "Drink."

Blindly, John accepted the straw and took tiny sips. "Thanks." He lifted a hand, massaging his temple, and squinted up. "What'r you doin' 'ere?"

His words were slurred and jumbled. So, the said light sedatives might not be light after all. The good doctor must've known about his high tolerance of pain thing. Good job, doc. "Nice to see you, too, Colonel. You know what? You are such a pain in the ass. If you really wanted Ronon and I to pick you up that much, so you won't be seen crying all over the Ga—…Main hall," Ups, that was close. "Why don't you just give us a call? You just had to make a scene and faint, didn't you?"

David had one brow cocked at the sarcasm threw blatantly over his brother. "Not faint… Pass out…" John answered with still hoarse voice, dropping his hand back to his side.

"Dr. Linden left me a message. Restrain yourself from using your voice in the next several days. Person who managed to put a grip on your throat had your larynges kinda' bruised." David shuffled closer and wrapped himself tightly with both arms, making him looked a bit vulnerable. Rodney could tell he was as worried as he was, but trying to keep it down.

"Ol' Dr. Linden?" John lifted his head an inch and stopped midway. Must've be one hell of a migraine he had. He apparently bit himself to stifle a moan and settled back to the pillow, looking a shade paler than before. "God…"

All three knew exactly he was hurting quite badly to let that out. "No, Johnny." Now THAT had Rodney snapped his head so fast to David who was standing near him. Johnny? "Linden Junior. Remember him? He used to beat me up at school before you bashed his head."

The deep rumbling snicker from Ronon made John turned his head, albeit really slow, with a weak scowl. "What?"

"You're bad boy, Sheppard," he said, showing his feral grin.

John grimaced. "Shuddup." He threw his big brother a withering glare he could possibly muster under the influence of the drug. "Din' bash 'is 'ead, DAVE."

"Riiight. How would I forgot the horror on Dad's face when he saw Preston running with blood all over his head while you stood not far behind him with a rock in hand? His timing really sucked, suddenly deciding to pick us up from school as a surprise only to witness such heroic act." David could no longer hold the restrained glee, hiding his wide grin behind a well placed knuckle. "And the name's 'David', JOHNNY."

"Dave," John mumbled his last word, a ghost of smile dancing on his lips, before his whole body sagged and once again fell asleep.

In turn, David's fade grin had changed into a full-blown smirk. Although not having the irritating lopsided grin like his brother, they definitely shared the boyish smug Rodney sometimes hated so much.

"You know what?" Sighing theatrically, Rodney relieved himself from the glass in his hand and heaved to sit back on the couch. "Both of you are just helpless. One Sheppard is more than one can handle, yet alone two. Your father must've had kittens while you two grew up."

Trains of colorful childhood memories rushed over David, causing the laughter he'd been keeping at bay burst like a series of weird hiccups. His body convulsed a bit as trains of hacking assaulted him. "Forgive me. Your words reminded me of some of our mishaps."

The looming Satedan on the threshold managed to beat Rodney into it. His feral grin totally failed to conceal any blackmail plans that had started spinning in his head. "So, what's he like as a kid?"

Normal POV

"Can I go now?"

Dr. Jennifer Keller placed a hand on her hip and put on a scowl to the whining man. "Colonel, my decision is final. You're not going anywhere 'till tomorrow."

"But, I'm bored…" Almost upright on his bed and tucked neatly beneath the cover, sat the petulant John Sheppard. Stuck in the infirmary under the scrutiny of Sheppard-proof Air Force nurses and one Dr. Keller with a bad mood was obviously not the idea of relaxing he had in mind.

Jennifer was already glowering over him. "And how many times have I told you to shut up, Colonel? Your larynges are still bruised."

Huffing in a childish manner and crossing his arms, John gave up but decided to keep the pout. There was no way he's going to give her all the pleasure of keeping him in bed.

The familiar shrill of voice filtered in the room. Rodney McKay came into his peripheral, followed by snickering and sniggering sounds made by Teyla and Ronon at his wake. "Do you know he built his own swing in the middle of a forest in the back of his house? Even after breaking his arm, he kept on swinging on the stupid thing until the rope broke and gave him a concussion. Can you imagine that? A concussion at the age of 6? And did it stop him? No. He built another."

"He fell from a horse, too," Ronon gleefully added. "Repeatedly."

John threw his hands up in the air and plopped his head to the pillows in defeat. Faking sleep was definitely too late now.

Fortunately, Teyla's wide smile worked wonder to his foul mood. Bringing her heavy body across, the usually graceful Athosian reached out to John. Hand in hand, they touched foreheads.

An image of a beautiful wedding in white beneath the shady canopy of the forest in the Mainland danced into Rodney's mind mercilessly. Get a room, will ya', you two!? These two lucky SOB will sure make a cute couple. And a lot of cute kids with Ancient genes AND Wraith genes. Will you imagine that……? Huh? Okay. Where the hell did that come from!? He immediately tuned the image out, making weird horrified faces before finally succeeded to wipe it off completely.

"How are you, John?" Teyla lowered herself on a chair by his bedside, intertwining fingers with his IV-free hand.

She was worried to death hearing that he passed out while on Earth and had been restless since. After politely refusing Dr. Keller and Sam's suggestion to wait in her own quarter, Teyla found temporary refuge to the taste of chocolate chip cookies and couple servings of blue jello. When the alarm blared announcing the return of Rodney and Ronon, bringing back the still drugged to the gills colonel back straight into the claws of Dr. Keller in the infirmary, she practically ran from her seat in the mess hall.

As the subjected pilot was about to answer, he felt the drilling glare Dr. Keller pressed on him. The woman may be small and looked less threatening than Teyla, but those glares she shot has proven to make any Marines wither. He clamped up his mouth and returned to his previous sulking pose, arms crossed patently on his chest.

"Besides from the bruised larynges, low grade fever, and concussion? I'm keeping him for observation until tomorrow," the pretty doc finally replied for him. "He's due to a lot of rest and vitamins."

"That is if you behave, Sheppard. Now, play nice and stay like a good flyboy should be," Rodney butted in, smiling broadly. He groped into his pocket and tossed a PDA to his friend. John caught it rather carelessly, showing how off his equilibrium was still. "Oh. Here. Stole it from Radek, so you won't have to abuse your larynges further and induce more of Keller's wrath."

Keller merely gave a sickening saccharine sweet smile to Rodney as she walked closer to John's IV pole. "I don't WRATH, Rodney. I only had the power to your med-recs. By the way, the Colonel is still kinda' drugged up. Seems like the 'light' sedative Dr. Linden gave him wasn't light at all."

"Explains the sulking and whining," Ronon pointed out, his wide shoulders shaking while he chuckled. He hooked a chair by its foot, dragged it closer and sprawled unceremoniously on it.

Ignoring the ribbing their two teammates were making, Teyla rubbed her thumb over John's hand. "It is really good to have you back, John. I am glad to hear you have settled your differences with your brother."

Sheppard seemed to be sorting out his own thoughts on Teyla's word. But from the lost look shown on his already half-slit eyes, Rodney was kind of sure the Colonel would barely remember they had this very conversation. "Now, Teyla, would you like to hear some more of his childhood adventures? Seriously, that brother of his could sure be such an evil man when it came to walking down the memory lane."

Half way on the story how John caught pneumonia after the tree house he built in his so-called forest crumbled and he fell into the creek during a cold autumn day, they found John fast asleep slightly curled to the side with one hand in Teyla's.