stargateficrec | Four Times Rodney McKay Got Shot Saving the Day (And One Time He Didn't) by linziday (PG13)

Show: SGA

Rec Category: Five Things

Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, Aiden Ford

Pairing: none

Het/Slash/Gen: gen

Warning: none

Author on LJ:

linziday

Author's Website: Fanfic.net

Link: Four Times Rodney McKay Got Shot Saving the Day (And One Time He Didn't)

Why this must be read:
Rodney McKay, the scientist who always pulls an ideas out of his ass to save the Expedition, the galaxy, and the universe, not always in that order. However, in this wonderfully put together Five Things, linziday gives us a Rodney who is also courageous, dedicated to team, and willing to "let his hair down" with the Pegasus natives. With deft use of emotions and situations, linzi gives Rodney five instances in which to shine outside his normal scientist mold. It's a lovely look at a man who has more depth than most people know.
Story Summary: Teyla and Ford were hunkered down behind their own boulder less than twenty yards away, and how all four of them had gotten this far without a scratch, Rodney had absolutely no idea.

The Miiloth had killed Sheppard.

But Rodney firmly squashed voice and plowed on. Ronon and Teyla were still. . . they hadn’t yet been . . . they still needed him.
Rodney’s left arm suddenly tingled, a streak of pinpricks hard and sharp, and in its wake left — nothing. He couldn’t feel anything. His fingers fell open, lax, and he fumbled for the package even as he saw it drop. He snatched at it, grabbing air, air, air before his fingers closed around the rough material just inches from the ground. Rodney clutched the package in his right hand, then pressed it against his side for added security.

The Miiloth said he was the weakest. They were right.

There was sunlight ahead. The clearing. He tried to pick up speed, pushing himself to move, but his lungs burned and his legs ached and his left arm flapped uselessly at his side, a dead weight holding him back. He burst into the clearing just as his silent count ticked twelve minutes.

“I got it!” he shouted to the circle of Miiloth, their backs to him. “Stop! I got it! Don’t — ”

One Miiloth man moved, then another. Rodney caught a glimpse of three people on their knees, tied to stakes in the center of the circle, and his heart seized. He was too late for them all. He’d killed them all.

Rodney stumbled, fell. He didn’t bother trying to get up again. The numbness was creeping up his arm now, past his shoulder and in a band across his chest, but he didn’t care.

Murmurs filled the air.

Shouting, far away. Then closer.

“Rodney? They didn’t. Jesus, Rodney, can you hear me? They didn’t. They said no one’s ever made it back that fast. They let us go. C’mon, look at me, buddy. Look at me!”

But Rodney let the darkness take him away even as hands scrabbled at his clothes and voices begged him to stay.