Thousandmother (by Springwoof) (M)

[mific]

Show: SGA (with what the author calls "guest appearances" by SG1)
Rec Category: AU - specifically, with alien worldbuilding.
Characters: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, Elizabeth Weir, Radek Zelenka, Evan Lorne, Steven Caldwell, Sam Carter, Vala Mal Doran, Daniel Jackson, Cameron Mitchell, Teal'c
Categories: slash
Warnings: "It's a chose not to warn" one, I think because Teyla is captured and basically tortured by some evil humans (not the alien race). I can't think of anything else to warn for. 
Author on DW: springwoof
Author's Website: See the AO3
Link: Thousandmother on AO3 - or the original SGA Big Bang post on the wayback machine
Why This Must Be Read: This isn't tagged AU on AO3 but it deviates enough from canon, especially at the end, that I consider it an AU, and in fact Springwoof notes on the original post "AU sometime after Season 3's Common Ground." Anyway, it's an amazing read with the team stuck on a world with an alien race, which is where the worldbuilding comes in. I love the imaginative details of the alien culture who aren't just "Pegasus humans", but truly different. It's also excellent action/adventure, crammed with plot, and a really great story. 


A few minutes later, Rodney's anxious face was hovering over him. "Colonel? John? How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." John closed his eyes.

"Yes, all right," Rodney agreed, sitting on the bench at John's side. "Can you give me your hand for a minute?" John didn't have time to even ask why, since Rodney reached under the blankets and found his arm, dragging it out to put his fingers on John's wrist and frown. "Your pulse seems to be steady. A little fast, maybe, it's hard to tell. I wish Carson were here. No, that's stupid. I wish we were back on Atlantis with Carson. He could rattle some beads, put you under a scanner, and make sure you're okay. Your hand seems warm enough. How about your feet?" Without further warning, Rodney turned, digging under the blankets for one of John's legs.

John kicked out at him in annoyance. "Get— Get away! Leave it alone, McKay! Dammit, that's enough. I'm fine. I don't need you pawing me."

Rodney turned back to face him, scowling. "Hypothermia is no laughing matter, Sheppard. You were unconscious! You could still die, you know. If I let you die through neglect, not only would I be put out on my own behalf, Ronon and Teyla would rend me limb from limb." He illustrated the expected rending with suitable hand gestures.

John felt the involuntary curl at the corners of his mouth. "I'm really okay, Rodney. No rending, I promise. Just ate too much after too long without anything in my stomach. Then you went and talked about puking…"

Rodney slumped in relief. "Good. You've really got to stop scaring me like that. You may not have noticed, but I've only got a certain amount of hair left to lose over stress-related trauma, and I'm rather partial to—"

"Rodneee, I have brought myyy Thousandmother to heeeal your Sheppard, as you asked." John nearly jumped out of his skin. Despite the spike of adrenaline it had given him, John noticed how eerie Aleek's singsong voice sounded, coming out of what looked like seven-foot-tall beetle-bear-lemur-thing. Aleek himself lumbered out of the anteroom, and then there was a shadow in the large, timbered doorway.

"HOLY CRAP!" In other circumstances, John might have been embarrassed that his voice could go so high-pitched. He sat straight up and clutched at Rodney's shoulder. "You coulda warned me, McKay!"