stargateficrec | Freak by Stealth Dragon (Rated T)

Show: Stargate Atlantis

Rec Category: John Sheppard

Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Carson Beckett, Elizabeth Weir

Pairing: None

Gen

Warning: Mentions of violence, torture

Author on LJ:

kriadydragon

Author's Website: Mini Fanfic Archive

Link: Freak

Why this must be read:

No one does Shepwhump! quite like Stealth Dragon. :) In "Freak," John gets captured off-world and experimented upon by a group of truly mad scientists. When his team finally rescues him. to everyone's dismay they find that John has been surgically altered to have wings. John's immediate response after rescue is "Get them off!" until Rodney asks if they work, which leads to some great team interaction as they work with John to help him not only accept the change, but make use of it.

Then [John's] wings and his back began to ache. He angled around to come in at the nearest balcony, which happened to be the one belonging to the mess, and he was coming in fast. He flapped forward to slow himself and still shot in arrow-quick to land sliding, tumbling, and flipping across the floor into the commissary, knocking into tables and chairs before slamming to a halt against the wall.

The world spun and tilted around John. He was still able to recognize the face of a shocked Elizabeth standing over him with a tray in her hands. John shook his head clear and rolled, grimacing against new bruises, onto his feet. People were frozen to the spot, staring at him. John smiled self-consciously and lifted his arms and the wings.

"Well, now you've seen 'em," he said. He stood there for a moment, letting everyone get an eye-full, then took off at a run out of the mess before anyone had a chance to mentally regroup, snorting as he tried not to laugh.

What I liked most about "Freak" is the way it deals with overcoming a disability, and all of the characters' reactions are spot on: John's reluctance, Rodney's inquisitiveness, and Teyla and Ronon's support.