Fic: In the Family Way (4/11)

[rusty_armour]

Title: In the Family Way (4/11)
Author: Rusty Armour
Pairing: McShep, Beckett/Other
Summary: Some are born into families; others create their own.
Word Count: 4,738
Category: Slash, MPreg, AU
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Pretty much everything up to and including season three.
Disclaimer: Thou Shalt Not Steal. Even in the interest of fic. Most of these characters aren't mine. I, uh, borrowed them. Yeah.

---

"Are you sure he isn't bulimic?" Jeannie asked.

They were standing outside the basement bathroom, listening to Rodney throw up. Carson had hoped that the B6 supplement and improved diet would help alleviate Rodney's symptoms, but the morning sickness was just as bad as ever.

"Rodney isn't bulimic," Carson said. He tried to sound patient, but it wasn't easy when Jeannie asked him the same question almost every morning. By the stubborn set of her jaw, Carson could tell that she still wasn't convinced.

"Guys can suffer from bulimia too, you know. It was on 20/20 or one of those shows." Jeannie lifted her chin defiantly as if her news program was just as valid as Carson's years of medical training.

As she actually did have her facts straight, Carson tried to appease her. "Yes, you're absolutely right, luv."

"Hmm." Jeannie pressed her ear against the bathroom door. "Rodney, are you okay?"

"What do you think?" Rodney shouted from the other side.

Jeannie winced. "Are you sure he cut back to one coffee a day?"

Carson smiled weakly. "Why do you think he's so cranky?"

Jeannie rested her head against the door jamb. "Did that therapist say how long this would last? I mean, is Rodney going to have 'morning sickness' as long as a pregnant woman would?"

Carson nodded reluctantly. "Uh, yes."

Jeannie sighed wearily. "And that's, like, what? Another three or four weeks?"

"In some cases, it can last throughout the entire pregnancy," Carson said. Then he wanted to smack himself when he saw the look on Jeannie's face.

"You haven't told Rodney that, have you?" she hissed.

Carson almost shuddered. "Good God, no. It would be more than my life is worth." And it would be. Rodney had given him enough grief about the restrictions placed on his caffeine consumption. He'd probably fly into a homicidal rage if Carson even hinted at the possibility of his morning sickness lasting for the whole pregnancy.

"I think Rodney's gained a couple of pounds," Jeannie said. "Have you noticed?" She crossed her arms and studied Carson shrewdly. "What did the therapist have to say about that?"

"Uh…" Of course, Rodney hadn't gone to a therapist at all. During Rodney's so-called "appointment," they had, in fact, taken a trip downtown. As Rodney had spent money at Silver Snail and 3rd Quadrant Comics, Carson had been forced to tell Jeannie that they'd visited these places after the "appointment" to cheer up Rodney. Carson had asked Jeannie not to mention the therapy to Rodney, as Rodney was a bit sensitive about the subject. To Carson's shame, Jeannie had accepted his story, and Carson had realized what an accomplished liar he'd become.

"Maybe Rodney should get some exercise," Jeannie said. "I mean, he's basically been lounging around the house for the past two weeks."

Carson blinked in surprise. "Oh, well…"

Jeannie glanced at the bathroom door. "I know he's…not well, but it couldn't hurt, could it?"

Carson suddenly felt guilty for not giving more thought to Rodney's regimen. Exercise was important during pregnancy. "You're absolutely right. Rodney should be getting some exercise."

"There's a treadmill down here." Jeannie jerked her chin at the exercise equipment that was standing against the far wall. "It hasn't been used for a while, but it should be okay." She cast one last look at the bathroom door. "Try to keep him out of trouble."

"I'm not a miracle worker," Carson said, "but I'll do what I can."

Jeannie smiled and headed for the stairs. "Have a good day, Carson."

"You too, luv." Carson walked over to the treadmill and started pulling it out from the wall. Then he coughed as he stirred up a cloud of dust.

"You're not sick, are you?" Rodney had finally emerged from the bathroom, but he was keeping close to the threshold, as if fearing that Carson might be carrying an infectious disease.

"I'm not sick, Rodney. It's just dust." Carson studied his friend, noticing the greenish tinge to his skin. "How are you feeling?"

Rodney grimaced. "Like the baby is trying to claw its way out of the womb."

"It's too early for you to be feeling any movement from the baby," Carson said. "However, if it makes you feel any better, we'll take a quick look."

Rodney frowned in confusion. "Weren't you going to examine me anyway?"

"Yes, I was." Carson gestured towards the bed, and Rodney, taking the hint, sat down on the mattress.

"So, you're really just humouring me," Rodney said.

"Pretty much, yes." Carson knelt on the floor and pulled the portable ultrasound out from under the bed.

Rodney settled against the pillows as Carson flicked on the device. "Do you actually need me to do anything, or can I just lie back and think of being nauseous?"

"I know it doesn't seem like it now, but you should feel better after the first trimester." Carson positioned the ultrasound over Rodney's belly and tried to get a clear scan of the fetus. He glanced at his patient and smiled when he saw that Rodney was already scrutinizing the image being formed.

"The head is still huge," Rodney said.

"It's supposed to be. The rest of the body will catch up soon enough." Carson pressed a button and the picture grew sharper. Then he saved the scan and set the ultrasound down on the mattress, so Rodney could get a better look. "That big head has ears and an upper lip now."

Rodney stared at the ultrasound, transfixed. "Are-are those organs?"

"Aye, all of the baby's vital organs will have developed by now." Carson pointed to the frail skeletal limbs. "Do you see the wee fingers and toes?"

Rodney nodded, his eyes not leaving the ultrasound. "Yes. They're…wow."

Carson chuckled quietly. No matter how much Rodney moaned and griped about his symptoms, Carson knew he couldn't help being excited and fascinated by the baby. "So are you satisfied that it's not trying to claw its way out of the womb?" Carson asked.

"What? Oh, yes. For now, yes." Rodney dragged his eyes away from the ultrasound and looked at Carson. "Do you know what the sex is yet?"

Carson shook his head in amusement. "It's too early, Rodney. You know that."

"Yeah," Rodney said, "but your ancient toy produces superior scans. I thought you'd have a better idea of what's going on…down there."

The external genitalia had started to develop, and, with the scans the portable ultrasound had rendered, there were some clear indications of what the baby's sex might be, but Carson still couldn't be absolutely sure at this stage. He could end up misleading Rodney, and possibly disappointing him, if his prediction was wrong.

"Not even a hint?" Rodney asked, still hopeful and annoyingly persistent. Carson simply gave him a look. "What? I just want to be prepared. Should I be buying a tiny Leafs jersey, or…or…Oh, God! Carson, what do little girl babies like?"

"Rodney, why don't you wait until you know the baby's sex before you start worrying about what you'll need to buy?" Carson was hoping to keep Rodney calm, but Rodney wasn't about to cooperate. In fact, he looked like he was about to hyperventilate.

"Okay, okay, what did Jeannie have when she was a baby?" Rodney's gaze returned to the ultrasound, as if it might somehow supply the answer, then snapped his fingers. "A bunny! Jeannie had a little pink bunny!"

Carson nodded enthusiastically. "A pink bunny sounds perfect."

But Rodney was now shaking his head, looking crestfallen. "No, it isn't."

Carson was perplexed. "It isn't?"

"No," Rodney said. "My parents got her that."

Carson waited for an explanation. When one wasn't forthcoming, he asked, "And this is bad because…?"

Rodney sighed impatiently. "My parents sucked, Carson. Why do you think Jeannie's so screwed up?" Rodney's eyes widened and he began to flap his hands frantically. "I have crappy role models! What am I going to do? I-I don't know what to do! I don't know how to be a parent!"

Jeannie's not the only one who's screwed up, Carson thought. "Rodney, the baby won't be here for months. You'll have plenty of time to prepare." He laid a hand on Rodney's shoulder. "You won't be alone. I'll be there to help you." When Rodney still looked doubtful, Carson said, "There are also books you can read on the subject."

Rodney's curiosity was piqued. "Books? What kind of books?"

"Parenting books," Carson said.

"Really?" Rodney sounded surprised. "And these parenting books, they're available to the general public?"

Carson had to cough to hide his laughter. "Aye, you can find them in places called 'bookstores'."

"Bookstores," Rodney muttered absently. Then he broke out of his trance. "We're going to World's Biggest. We still have tokens left. We can go down on the TTC." He hopped off the bed and started rooting around for some clothes.

"Before we pop off to buy parenting books, there's something I'd like to discuss with you," Carson said.

Rodney spun around, a sweatshirt clutched in his hand. "But inappropriate role models. No parenting skills. Can't it wait?"

"This concerns the welfare of the baby too, Rodney." Carson nodded at the treadmill. "You need to start exercising."

"Exercising!" Rodney dropped the sweatshirt and flopped back on the bed.

Carson crossed his arms over his chest. "Yes, exercising."

Rodney flung a hand over his face and groaned. "But I thought the point of being pregnant was to gain weight, not lose it."

"It's about being healthy, which means getting some form of exercise." Carson began moving the treadmill again, but stopped when he heard something thump on the ground.

"What was that?" Rodney asked, sitting up on the bed.

"I don't know." Carson walked around the treadmill and stared at the black case lying on the floor. He hadn't noticed it before and realized that it must have been propped up against the wall, behind the treadmill. He lifted it off the floor and showed it to Rodney.

"Oh, that must be Jeannie's portfolio," Rodney said.

Carson raised both eyebrows. "Jeannie's portfolio?"

"Bring it here," Rodney said, motioning Carson over to the bed.

Carson handed the portfolio to Rodney. "Do you think we should be doing this?"

"Probably not." Rodney unzipped the black case, and a series of paintings began to stretch across the mattress. There were several still lifes, some portraits and landscapes, and even some experiments in modern art.

"Jeannie painted all of these?" Carson asked in wonder.

"Yep." There was a hint of pride in Rodney's voice, and he smiled as he studied his sister's work. "She went to OCA -- the Ontario College of Art."

Carson picked up one of the landscapes and examined it more closely. "So Jeannie has a degree in Fine Art?"

"Uh, not exactly," Rodney said. "She dropped out."

Carson placed the painting back on the bed. "Oh, that's a shame. Do you know why?"

Rodney frowned thoughtfully and shrugged. "Maybe she started doubting herself. She's always had self esteem issues."

Carson pointed at the paintings. "But these are really good. She was obviously very talented."

"Ah, but I'm not sure Jeannie ever believed that." Rodney started gathering up the paintings, but a hand fell on his wrist.

"No, wait," Carson said.


~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~


Rodney waited until Sheppard was off duty. Then he waited some more, waited until Sheppard had reached his usual destination, the place he went to every day. For the past week, Sheppard had been standing in the same spot, on the same balcony, watching the sun set. It was as if he were trying to burn the image into his mind, as if he were afraid he'd never see it again. It was really starting to freak Rodney out.

"Is there some reason why you're staring at the back of my head?" Sheppard asked.

"Oh, uh, hi," Rodney said. He chose a place at the railing beside Sheppard and gazed out at the ocean.

Sheppard studied him curiously. "You're not looking for Sam again, are you?"

"Sam?" Rodney glanced over his shoulder, and Sheppard rolled his eyes.

"Your whale, Rodney," Sheppard said through gritted teeth.

"What? Oh, right." Rodney's eyes returned to the water. "Hey, we haven't seen him for a while. Do you think he's okay?"

"I'm sure he's just fine." Sheppard leaned forward, resting his elbows on the railing.

"Hmm. You're probably right." Rodney mimicked Sheppard's pose, allowing some of the tension to seep away from his tense neck and shoulders. He closed his eyes and breathed in the crisp sea air, feeling the wind sweep his hair. Even the fading sunlight was pleasant, despite the harmful UV rays.

"Not that I don't appreciate the company," Sheppard said, "but is there some reason why you're here?"

"No, no." Rodney opened his eyes and saw the skeptical look on Sheppard's face. "Well, actually, yes. Yes, there is."

Sheppard waited a few moments before impatiently twirling his hand. "And that would be?" he asked.

Rodney straightened from the railing and lifted his chin. "I found something interesting in the database we should check out."

Sheppard raised an eyebrow. "Interesting as in new Ancient toy interesting, or interesting as in a hidden cache of fully-charged ZPMs?"

"Uh, somewhere in between," Rodney said. "I've found several references to a laboratory on a planet called Creseda."

Sheppard made a face. "A laboratory? That's your 'interesting'?"

Rodney scowled and crossed his arms. "Laboratories are always interesting. However, this particular laboratory is interesting because the scientists were apparently conducting research into an alternate power source. If the notes I found were at all accurate, this power source could produce an even greater energy yield than a ZPM."

"Cool," Sheppard said. "How?"

Rodney deflated slightly. "Ah. I'm not exactly sure."

Sheppard's forehead creased. "You're not sure? How can you not be sure? I thought there were several references in the database." His eyes narrowed. "What's your current definition of 'several'? Two or three?"

Rodney deflated even more. "Four or five," he admitted.

Sheppard snorted and shook his head. "A few references in the database isn't a lot to go on, Rodney. As a scientist, I would have thought you'd need more substantial proof."

Rodney wouldn't meet Sheppard's eyes. "There were notes."

"Yeah, incomplete notes by the sounds of it," Sheppard said.

Rodney shifted uncomfortably. "There might be more complete notes in the lab on Creseda."

"If the lab even exists," Sheppard mumbled.

Rodney's head shot up. "Maybe you've forgotten, Colonel, but we came to the Pegasus Galaxy to-to learn stuff."

Sheppard's eyebrows almost disappeared under his hairline. "Learn stuff?"

Rodney's eyes gleamed almost maniacally. "Yes, learn stuff!" he cried. "Learning stuff --learning stuff is our business. It's a part of our mission -- our mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and civilizations, to boldly go--"

Sheppard clamped a hand over Rodney's mouth. "Whoa! Hold it right there, mister!" He stared into the pair of blue eyes glaring back at him and sighed. "And you accuse me of being Kirk. You're the Kirk around here, not me."

"Ahm nah Kur," Rodney said.

Sheppard removed his hand. "You were channeling William Shatner just now. You're totally Kirk."

Rodney's chin jutted out aggressively. "I'm totally not! I'm Spock, not Kirk!"

Sheppard grinned. "I don't know, Rodney. I don't remember Spock ever spouting monologues like that one."

"Ah," Rodney said, "but Spock's a Vulcan, so he's curious. He would want to explore this laboratory."

"Oh, he would, would he?" Sheppard placed his hands on his hips. "Don't you think Spock would find it illogical to explore a strange new lab without all the facts?"

Rodney blushed but continued to stand his ground. "Yes, but Spock knows that Kirk is leaving Enterprise in a week, so if they're going on this mission they need to put together an away team, like, yesterday!"

Sheppard's eyes widened and Rodney wished he could learn to keep his mouth shut for once. It was now patently obvious that the lab on Creseda was just a flimsy excuse for him to spend some time with his team before Sheppard left Atlantis. Rodney steeled himself for a barrage of sarcastic comments and insults, but Sheppard didn't say anything. Then Rodney looked at Sheppard, really looked at him, and was startled to see that Sheppard wanted this mission just as badly as he did.

Sheppard directed his gaze back to the ocean. "I'll talk to Elizabeth, see if I can sell her on the idea."

"That would be great," Rodney said.

Sheppard's nod was barely perceptible. "Yeah, yeah."

"No, really. I mean it. I appreciate it." Rodney patted Sheppard's back awkwardly then decided to make a hasty exit. He had almost reached the door, when Sheppard called out to him.

"This had better not be another Doranda."

Rodney froze and turned around slowly. Sheppard regarded him sternly for an instant, and Rodney swallowed nervously. Then Sheppard smiled and waggled his eyebrows, and Rodney knew he was only joking.


~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~


It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Carson had chosen a watercolour from Jeannie's portfolio -- Toronto Harbour, according to Rodney -- and had measured it for a frame. Rodney had tried to warn him, but Carson had ignored his advice. Rodney had continued to voice his doubts as Carson hammered the nail in the wall. He had then shot concerned glances at the painting once it was hanging over the couch. However, Carson had dismissed Rodney's anxiety as paranoia. What Carson should have remembered was that, despite Rodney's deplorable people skills, he was pretty adept at reading his sister, the sister who was currently staring at the wall in horror.

"What the hell…?" Jeannie gasped. "How…? Why…?" Her cheeks flushed, and her fingers curled into fists.

Carson tried to catch Rodney's eye, hoping for some assistance, but Rodney had wisely buried his head even further inside his parenting book.

"You had no right to go into my portfolio! You-you…How could you?" Jeannie's chest was heaving, her breathing harsh.

Rodney lowered his book. "Jeannie, calm down."

Jeannie ignored her brother. "Well?" she demanded.

Carson couldn't help flinching at her tone. "I'm sorry," he said. "I-I thought you'd like it. After everything you've done for us, I just wanted to do something nice in return."

"Like invading my privacy?" Jeannie crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "What have I done besides letting you both stay here?" she asked. "You've been doing everything else around here: cooking, cleaning, daycare. If anything, I should be thanking you. I'm amazed I was possibly able to cope before you got here."

Rodney set his book aside. "Lay off him, Jeannie. He's just been trying to help." When Jeannie glared at him, Rodney said, "Okay, the painting was a mistake, but you're seriously over-reacting."

Jeannie's expression grew even darker. "How would you like it if Carson recorded you on the piano and then played it back to a bunch of people?"

Rodney tensed. "I don't play anymore."

"And I don't paint!" Jeannie shouted. "I haven't painted for years!"

Rodney rose from the armchair. "Yeah, well, maybe you should! You'd be a hell of a lot happier! Certainly happier than being a waitress!"

"'Happy' doesn't pay the bills, Rodney," Jeannie growled.

"Then let me pay them," Rodney said. "I could loan you some money. You could--"

"No!"

Rodney threw up his hands in frustration. "Why do you have to be so stubborn about this? I'm your brother. I'm supposed to help you, look after you."

Jeannie laughed sharply. "Oh, that's rich coming from you! You're barely able to look after yourself!"

Rodney frowned in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," Jeannie said, "you're not exactly firing on all thrusters, are you?"

"What?" Rodney exclaimed. Then he whirled around when he heard a polite cough. A dark-haired man, with an earring, black leather jacket and jeans, stood inside the front hall. Andrew and a blond girl, with pigtails and a Toronto Raptors t-shirt under her jacket, had also stepped through the front door. Then the kids were just a blur as they tore through the living room and out the side door, into the backyard.

"We obviously should have knocked." The man smiled sheepishly and dug his hands into his pockets.

Jeannie stared at him blankly for a moment. "Uh, Jamie. Hi."

"Hi." Jamie toed off his sneakers and headed towards the group, halting mid-stride when he saw what was hanging over the couch. "Hey, cool painting."

"Oh, for God's sake!" Jeannie stormed out of the living room, and, about ten seconds later, the three men heard a bedroom door slam.

"Well, that was interesting," Jamie said. Then he lowered his voice to a whisper. "It must be her time of the month." He patted his pockets and sighed. "I left my BlackBerry at home, so I can't check."

Rodney gaped at him. "You keep track of Jeannie's cycle in your BlackBerry?"

Jamie nodded. "Yeah, I keep track of all the women I know."

Rodney stared at Jamie as if he were deranged. "Uh, why?" he asked.

"I had four older sisters growing up," Jamie said. "It was a matter of survival." He looked in the direction of Jeannie's room and smiled fondly. "I use 'JE' for 'Jeannie' because 'J' is already taken by my co-worker, Jill." He shuddered dramatically. "Jill's a bitch even when she doesn't have PMS."

Rodney lost his patience altogether. "Who the hell are you and what planet are you from?"

Jamie beamed, his whole face lighting up. "You must be Uncle Rodney. Ah, it's great to meet you, honey."

Rodney squawked and flailed his arms as he was engulfed by Jamie. "Carson, he's hugging me! Carson, he called me 'honey'! Carson, he keeps track of my sister's cycle in his BlackBerry!"

Carson couldn't help laughing at Rodney's predicament, but then he was backing away as Jamie advanced towards him. "I'm Carson Beckett," he said, extending his hand quickly to forestall any attempts at hugging.

Jamie grasped Carson's hand and flashed another smile. "Oh, my God! That accent is so sublime, I could bathe in it!" He smacked Carson lightly on the arm. "Andrew never told me you were Scottish! I would have come over here sooner if I'd known, despite having to nurse my daughter and husband back to health." Then Jamie thought about what he'd said and shook his head. "No, on second thoughts, I still would have stayed away. It would have been tragic if you'd become infected with the flu and developed laryngitis."

Carson blushed profusely. "Uh, it's very kind of you to be so concerned about my health."

Rodney, who was still stuck a couple of sentences back in the conversation, was staring at Jamie in disbelief. "Daughter?" he asked. "Husband?"

If anything, Jamie looked even more shocked. A hand flew to his mouth, and Carson noticed the gold band on Jamie's finger for the first time. "Oh, come on!" Jamie said. "You must have heard about it! We were the juiciest scandal in the neighbourhood when we first moved here. There was a petition to get rid of us, and we even had Children's Aid show up at our door…" He trailed off when he saw the dumbstruck expressions on Rodney's and Carson's faces. "Oh, wow. You really didn't know?" Jamie laughed softly. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Poor Claude will be so disappointed. Maybe if we adopted another kid. Our tomboy could probably use a little brother or sister."

Rodney snapped his fingers. "Oh, that's who you are. You're Britney's dad."

"Well, one of them. Actually, I'm her 'daddy' and Claude is her 'dad'." Jamie suddenly grew sober. "This isn't going to be a problem, is it?"

Carson shook his head emphatically. "No, no, of course not."

Rodney met Jamie's eyes with a calm, level gaze. "I'd be a pretty big hypocrite if it were a problem."

Jamie grinned. "Ah, I wasn't sure. Don't take this the wrong way, but you kind of dress like a straight man."

Rodney's lips twitched. "I've heard worse, believe me."

"He's said worse too," Carson said, earning a glare from Rodney and another grin from Jamie. "Will you stay for supper?" he asked their guest. "I've made shepherd's pie."

"Oh, sweetie, I'd love to, but I should really get back to Claude." Jamie shoved his hands back in his pockets again and rocked on his heels. "When I said I'd nursed my daughter and husband back to health, I told an itty bitty lie. Claude's still sick. Oh, he's past the infectious stage," Jamie hastened to add. "I wouldn't have allowed Andrew to come over if I thought Claude was still infectious. He's just lingering, the big baby."

"I'm a doctor," Carson said. "I'd be happy to come over and take a look at him."

Jamie's mouth fell open. "You're Scottish and a doctor! Oh, it's such a shame that you're straight! Still…" His eyes wandered back to the hall leading to Jeannie's bedroom.

Carson immediately retreated to the kitchen. "You can take some shepherd's pie home with you," he called through the hatch. "I made more than enough." When he returned to the living room, Jamie had a completely innocent expression on his face, but Rodney looked like he was trying not to snigger.

"Thanks, doc," Jamie said, accepting the container Carson handed to him. "I'll let you know if we need a house call, though I think you'll have your hands full playing doctors and nurses over here."

"Oh, be off with you," Carson grumbled, waving him away.

Jamie laughed. "Send Britney home when you get tired of her."

"We might have to keep her here to eat Jeannie's portion of the shepherd's pie," Carson said.

Jamie patted Carson's shoulder. "Oh, she'll show up for dinner. She'll be embarrassed and stammer out an awkward apology, but she'll be there."

Jamie's prediction came true. Jeannie did emerge from her room in time for dinner. She muttered an apology and refused to look anyone directly in the eye, even Andrew. Later, when Carson had settled down for the night, Jeannie came and sat on the edge of the couch. As she didn't flick on the end table lamp, her face remained concealed, and Carson couldn't read her expression.

"It isn't about the painting," Jeannie said. Then she paused, and Carson thought he saw her pass a hand across her face. "Okay, it is about the painting, but…" She sighed heavily. "You're doing too much. You're-you're helping too much."

Carson pushed himself into a sitting position, his back resting against the arm of the couch. "I'm not helping too much. I'm here all day with nothing to do except look after your brother. I can at least help out with some of the chores."

Jeannie groaned. "Carson, you disinfect my toilets and fold my underwear. You would have cleaned Andrew's hockey equipment if I hadn't warned you in time."

"I was just trying to help," Carson said meekly.

"I know and it's wrong." Jeannie sighed again. "Don't you get it? It's only been two weeks and we're already becoming dependent on you."

Carson reached across the blankets and squeezed Jeannie's hand. "It's okay. I don't mind. Really."

"Well, I mind," Jeannie said. "You're not going to be around forever. I think Andrew's already becoming too attached to you, which is bad enough, but if I start relying on you then we're really screwed. When you're gone, I'll have to learn how to cope on my own again and I don't know if I can do that."

Carson really wished he could see Jeannie's face. "You're not on your own," he said. "You've got--"

"Family? Friends?" Jeannie asked. "I'm a single mother, Carson. I'm always on my own." She patted Carson's leg through the blankets. "Just back off, okay? And stop being so…so nice."

Not knowing what to say, Carson simply nodded. Jeannie's teeth flashed in what might have been a smile, and then she rose from the couch and headed back to her room.

Carson lay awake for a long time after Jeannie left, staring into the darkness. He kept thinking about what she'd said. He didn't want Jeannie to be angry or upset, and, yet, he didn't know how he would possibly be able to obey her request.


~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~


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Comments

YAY with more!

[krysalys.livejournal.com]

So glad you're able to continue this, hon.
More please! Eagerly looking forward to finding out how exactly John knocked Rodney up!
-----]-@

[tazzles.livejournal.com]

At last! There's more! I've been waiting forever!!!! ;)

Nice to see another chapter. Interesting to see that Jeannie still thinks Rodney's a fruit loop and that Carson is encouraging the idea but not telling Rodney about it.
Nice to see a little snippet of John, but I can't wait for him to appear on the doorstep wanting Rodney and his baby. I hope he does want Rodney and the baby. :pouts:

[losyark.livejournal.com]

Oh, wonderful! I was really hoping you`d update soon. Can I say that I totaly adore Jamie? (He reminds me of Clive the Leather Hairdresser, even though Clive wouldn`t be caught dead saying `honey`... dunno why.)

I`m really enjoying the dynamics between Carson and the siblings, how Carson has to tred carefully, and he feels so guilty about lying to both that he`s going out of his way to make both happy.

I also totally get Jeannie`s "Oh, god, don`t make me need you because it`s just going to hurt even more when you`Re gone." God, YES, do I know that. Even if Jeannie doesn`t know (won`t ever) that perhaps what she may feel for Carson (or visa versa) may ever slide into romance, even on a platonic level it`s heartwrenching because clearly Jeannie DOES need someone in her life - someone to help her, someone to support her. She has that in Carson, but is distancing herself because she knows that when Rodney gets either worse or better, Carson will go away.

And John deserves a smack.

Please don`t keep us hanging!

[losyark.livejournal.com]

Also - SILVER SNAIL!! YAY!

[eldanna.livejournal.com]

Yay! Been waiting for more.

Poor Jeannie. It must be so hard for her to want to accept the help and yet not want to at the same time. But really, what else is Carson going to do with his time?

Yay for more!

Re: YAY with more!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was afraid people might give up hope of ever seeing another installment. *g* It took me longer to write this part than I expected. I can't make any promises, but I'm hoping the next installment will be ready a little faster. If not, I'll be sure it's longer to make up for the fact. ;-)

I know I keep saying this, but the circumstances surrounding the knocking up of Rodney McKay will be revealed. In fact, they may be revealed sooner than you think...

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I'm glad the wait finally ended. As I said to krysalys, it took me longer to write this part than I originally anticipated. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the John snippet. I obviously can't tell you whether he will appear on the doorstep wanting Rodney and the baby. However, it's certainly a possibility.

Thanks again for reading! I appreciate your comments! :-)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hey, losyark! Thanks once again for providing such generous comments! :-) I'm so glad you like Jamie. I wasn't sure if anyone would. Although I tried not to make him into this, I think he came out as a bit of a stereotype. However, I had been picturing him for a while and had to include him in the story.

Poor Carson is stuck between a rock and a hard place (or maybe a McKay and a McKay *g*) when it comes to both siblings. He really is trying to keep them both happy, which is becoming more of a struggle as time goes by.

You hit the nail right on the head when it comes to Jeannie. That's pretty much what I've been thinking while writing her. Even though she could really use some support, she's afraid to take it in case she and Andrew get hurt in the process.

I'll try not to keep you hanging too long for the next part. Thanks again for taking the time to read and review! :-)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Yay! Someone else who likes Silver Snail and gets the reference! :-) Yes, I'm quite fond of Silver Snail, and it seems like the kind of store McKay might visit.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I'm happy I could finally bring you more. :-) Yes, the situation with Jeannie and Carson is kind of complicated. Jeannie wants to accept Carson's help and, yet, feels she can't. Carson really wants to help, but Jeannie has asked him not to help. I think these two crazy kids need to pay a visit to Rodney's fictional therapist! *g*

Thanks again for taking the time to read and review, eldanna! It's much appreciated! :-)

[overchay.livejournal.com]

I have so, so much love for this story. I wish I had the words to convey how much :]

[losyark.livejournal.com]

*sniff* I miss the Silver Snail. I can totally see McKay spending hundreds of dollars there on stuff to take back to Atlantis. Entire runs of comics, all (what is it twelve?) volumes of Sandman, that kind of stuff.

People would appreciate that - hey, I wonder if they`ve set up a lending library on Atlantis. Huh. There`s a thought. If it`s sort of an obligation for everyone travelling to Earth to bring back a few paperbacks or something to put in the library. And when you`re done with the book, you just put it back in the room and take a new one.

Book swap!

Liz left "International Policy for Dummies", and Carson donated his copy of "The Vet", and McKay is determined to fill it with as many INTELLIGENT graphic novels as possible, to balance out the crinkled issues of Spiderman that the marines bring.

Heh.

[losyark.livejournal.com]

Well, you`re welcome. A good story deserves them, and I always get just a little bit homesick when I read them... (five more months, I keep telling myself, five more months and I can eat "wee little donuts" and go to the silver snail and have TIM HORTONS oh my god, just five more months...)

*ahem*

Carson really is stuck in a hard place, adn I like that you have made it hard from him. It`s not some fanficcy thing where he can just slide into his friend`s family life with no issues, and that`s what I appreciate most about this fic.

That there are ISSUES. Real issues and they are delt with. John can`t handle the baby, he freaks out. Jeannie wants help but is scared of being hurt, and she`s too proud to take Rodney`s money. Rodney wants to help her in the only way he knows how - he can`t do it with affection so he`s trying to toss cash at her, which offends Jeannie because she doesn`t see how it`s his only, desperate, way to show that he still cares about his family. (Especially now since there`s going to be one more soon.)

I do have a question... how did Jaimie know Carson was straight, right off? Perhaps I have to re-read, forgot something in the time between postings (yes, that is a jibe to post more soon, please), but I`d think that he`d assume that he was Rodney`s partner before he found out that Carson was Rodney`s doctor. Unless Jeannie told him already, which she probably did.

And *snort* blackberry cycle tracker!

[losyark.livejournal.com]

(LJ ate my comment... I`ll try to remember what I said...)

You`re welcome for the comments - I feel that well-written stories desserve well-written comments. Also, your story makes me feel all warm-fuzzy-homesick when I read it. (Just five more months, five more months, I can eat "wee donuts" and go to the Snail and have TIM HORTONS ICED CAPS oh my god, only five more months...)

I don`t think Jaimie is TOO much of a stereotype yet. If you fail to really flesh him out in the enxt chapter, then yes, he will turn into a stereotype. Otherwise, it was just a character introduction and there`s only so much you can do. I really love the little blackberry thing, that`s a very fleshing-out sort of thing to do.

A question though - how did Jaimie know that Carson was straight? If he didn`t know that Carson was a doctor - Rodney`s doctor - then I would have thought that his first assumption would be that Carson was perhaps Rodney`s parter (if there is any evidence that at least Rodney was gay). Unless Jeannie told him a head of time, but if she had then I would assume that Carson`s profession wouldn`t have been such a surprise.

What I really like most about this fic (aside from being able to go "oh, I totally know where that is!") is that there are real ISSUES here.

No, Carson doesn`t just slide into the McKay family, because it`s not that easy. Jeannie is too proud to take money from her brother and has suffered too much to take kindness from some random man living in her house, and is all prickly and terrified and hurt because Rodney has gone around the bend. And Rodney is frustrated because he wasnts to HELP dammit, because now that there`s going to be another family member, he realizes how much family means - but he doesn`t know how to show that he cares and wants to care for his sister besides throwing money at her, which he has to spare, but which gets her all defensive.

And also that John had a big paternal freakout and ran away. Also beleiveable.

It drives me bonkers when I read a fic and suddenly everyone is all "Oooh! He`s carrying my assbaby and I`m so in luuuuuuurve and I don`t care that it`s totally unnatural and strange! Cause he`s gots mah baby!" and everyone totally accepts it and there`s no government problems, no DADT issues, no medical panics.

What I love the most is that this story is so REAL. It`s gritty and it HURTS. Thank you.

Also, please don`t make me wait... *sniffle*

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

You've conveyed it perfectly as far as I'm concerned! Thank you very much! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! :-)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Also, your story makes me feel all warm-fuzzy-homesick when I read it. (Just five more months, five more months, I can eat "wee donuts" and go to the Snail and have TIM HORTONS ICED CAPS oh my god, only five more months...)

As I've been trying to give readers a little piece of Canada (or at least the GTA), it means a lot to me that the story has been making you feel all warm-fuzzy-homesick. I also feel a little guilty for putting you through that...but only a little. *g* Only five more months to go.

A question though - how did Jaimie know that Carson was straight? If he didn`t know that Carson was a doctor - Rodney`s doctor - then I would have thought that his first assumption would be that Carson was perhaps Rodney`s parter (if there is any evidence that at least Rodney was gay). Unless Jeannie told him a head of time, but if she had then I would assume that Carson`s profession wouldn`t have been such a surprise.

I probably should have explained that in some way. In my mind, Jamie was using gaydar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaydar) to figure it out. This is going to come off sounding like another stereotype, but I can picture him being able to size up people really quickly and, well, make an accurate guess as to their sexuality. I thought it would be funny if Carson came off as being hopelessly straight, while Rodney was a bit of a puzzle because of his bad dress sense. And there's another stereotype right there! I should just label this scene the "stereotype scene" and be done with it. *g*

It drives me bonkers when I read a fic and suddenly everyone is all "Oooh! He`s carrying my assbaby and I`m so in luuuuuuurve and I don`t care that it`s totally unnatural and strange! Cause he`s gots mah baby!" and everyone totally accepts it and there`s no government problems, no DADT issues, no medical panics.

Yes, I've always found it strange how easily male pregnancies are accepted in some stories. Like you, I think it makes more sense for characters to struggle with the situation and for there to be problems and concerns throughout the pregnancy. I've been trying to show that in this story and make the circumstances as realistic as possible -- in a sci-fi fic involving a male pregnancy.

Also, please don`t make me wait... *sniffle*

Well, I'm afraid there's going to be some waiting involved because...I haven't exactly started writing the next part yet. I mean, a lot of it has been plotted out in notes, but there hasn't been any actual writing yet. I plan to start working on it this week. Honestly. And I'll try to get the next part out faster...if possible.

Please don't hurt me. I need certain body parts (like my brain, eyes and hands) for writing. ;-)

[canadian-plant.livejournal.com]

New installment! I'm so pleased :-D I've been waiting all this time, you see.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Ooooh! Thanks for commenting again! :-) Yes, I made everyone wait an insane amount of time for the next part. Thanks for hanging in there. I hope you'll enjoy this latest installment if you haven't read it yet.

[losyark.livejournal.com]

As I've been trying to give readers a little piece of Canada (or at least the GTA), it means a lot to me that the story has been making you feel all warm-fuzzy-homesick.

You`re doing a great job of it.

I like the idea of Carson being hopelessly stright - probably even apologetically straight. I just don`t see any subtext in him at all, don`t know why anyone ever slashes him cause I just don`t see it... Rodney, on the other hand... yes, Rodney swings any which way the wind is blowing. I really love the line about "Well, I`d be a hypocrite then, woulnd`t I?" I think it`s fab!

Also: *begs on hands and knees for more fic*

To the Bookmobile!

[jackycomelately.livejournal.com]

Hey ClaireClaire!

Sorry to take so long to respond. Work is nuts. I see you were mentioned in the SGA newsletter again!

"Rodney's eyes widened and he began to flap his hands frantically. "I have crappy role models! What am I going to do?"

Hee!

Rodney spun around, a sweatshirt clutched in his hand. "But inappropriate role models. No parenting skills. Can't it wait?"

Yes, clearly it's a book emergency! To the Bookmobile!

World's Biggest Book Store! Yay!

"He's just lingering, the big baby."

Did ya mean "malingering"?

Great installment!

Re: To the Bookmobile!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Sorry to take so long to respond. Work is nuts.

Don't worry about it. I knew you were probably insanely busy at work, so I was prepared not to hear from you for a while. As usual, I appreciate you finding the time to read and comment on the latest installment. :-)
I see you were mentioned in the SGA newsletter again!

*Lowers voice to a whisper* I should have mentioned this when I first realized it, but I'm pretty sure my fic is only included in the SGA newsletter because I post the link for each new part at altantisfic (http://community.livejournal.com/atlantisfic). I'm guessing that the SGA newsletter goes around to all the communities to search out fic links, etc. However, that doesn't make it any less cool and I certainly get a thrill out of seeing my story listed there!

"Rodney's eyes widened and he began to flap his hands frantically. "I have crappy role models! What am I going to do?"

Hee!

I'm so glad you liked that part. You have a knack of zeroing in on some of my favourite lines -- if a fic writer is allowed to have favourite lines in her own fic. *g*

World's Biggest Book Store! Yay!

Yes, I thought you'd like that. I knew that if anyone appreciated that reference, it would be you. *g*

"He's just lingering, the big baby."

Did ya mean "malingering"?

I can see why you would think that, and "malingering" would actually work just as well in this context. However, I double-checked both words in my handy-dandy OED (just to be absolutely sure) and I'm pretty sure that "lingering" is the word I wanted. I was thinking of "lingering" in the sense of something dragging on or being slow to die (OED definition). In my mind, Claude was referring to the fact that Claude had pretty much recovered, but was still lingering (in his illness) because he wasn't feeling 100% better -- if that makes any sense.

Great installment!

I'm so happy you liked it! I'm hoping the next one will be even better! Thanks again for taking the time to read and review! It means a lot to me! :-)

[2of7.livejournal.com]

I love the way you keep switching back from Atlantis to Earth.
I can't wait to read more about this last mission they went on and I think Jamie is really great too :)
Back to work again though :(
more reading time in about 1 hour :)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I love the way you keep switching back from Atlantis to Earth.

I didn't know if people would like the switching back and forth or not, so it's great to hear that this works for you! I decided to resort to flashbacks because I was too lazy to start from the very beginning and tell the story chronologically, filling in every little detail. On jackycomelately's advice, I decided to start the story where I wanted to start it (in Scarborough) and provide the necessary information/backstory through flashbacks.

I can't wait to read more about this last mission they went on and I think Jamie is really great too :)

I hope you enjoyed reading about the mission. I know I sound like a broken record, but I'm glad you like Jamie. He was another character I wasn't sure about in terms of audience reaction. However, once again, I've been pleasantly surprised. :-)

Back to work again though :(
more reading time in about 1 hour :)

Ahhh! You've been reading through this story so patiently. I hope the rest of your day managed to go quickly.

[2of7.livejournal.com]

The workday always goes fast when there is good fic to read. Unfortunately I have to sneak reading in between work. Things would be so much easier if I could just read fic for a living *g*