Fic: In the Family Way (7(b)/11)

[rusty_armour]

Title: In the Family Way (7(b)/11)
Author: Rusty Armour
Pairing: McShep, Beckett/Other
Summary: Some are born into families; others create their own.
Word Count: 4,111
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.

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This is a bit of a landmark post for me. For one thing, this story has finally earned its NC-17 rating! I'm also unveiling my reader's guide -- A Canadian Glossary. Ironically, this seems to be the one part that doesn't have any cited references, so you'll have to check out other installments to find links to glossary entries.

I owe a huge thanks to GateWorld's Stargate Omnipedia. It was an invaluable research tool and I recommend it to any fic writer needing information about the Stargate universe.

As far as gestures go, this one seems very small. Nevertheless, I would like to dedicate this installment to unsung_hero_99. I hope she's now travelling among the stars.

---

While being pressed against the wall wasn't doing much for his back, Rodney's libido didn't complain when Sheppard started nibbling on his neck.

"Do-do you still think this is a joke?" Rodney gasped, his eyes sliding shut.

Sheppard removed one hand from Rodney's hips and smacked him on the side of the head. Then he leaned in even closer and started sucking on Rodney's earlobe. Rodney shuddered and thrust his hips, grinding against Sheppard's groin. Sheppard moaned and bit down on Rodney's earlobe.

"Bed," Rodney said. "I have a bed."

Sheppard released Rodney's ear and turned his attention back to Rodney's neck, licking the swath of skin along the jugular. "A bed is good. I like beds."

In their haste to reach their destination, they knocked the picture of Rodney's cat off the bedside table. Although Rodney heard glass breaking, he barely gave it a second thought. Sheppard was lying on top of him, pushing him into the mattress. His fingers were in Rodney's hair, and his tongue was plunging inside Rodney's mouth. Rodney's hands scrambled for Sheppard's t-shirt, seeking warm bare skin. Working their way under the black cloth, Rodney's hands stroked Sheppard's back. Then they wandered further south to cup Sheppard's ass.

Sheppard broke the kiss and stared down at Rodney. He was breathless and his eyes held a wild, almost feral, look that both thrilled and frightened Rodney. When Sheppard sat up, dislodging Rodney's hands, Rodney felt his heart beat faster and he didn't know if it was because he was afraid Sheppard was about to end this encounter, or because he suspected that they were just getting started. Then Sheppard purposely settled back against Rodney's erection, and Rodney knew it was the latter.

"Take off your shirt." Sheppard's voice sounded hoarse, but to Rodney's ears there was no question that this was a command. As Rodney was lying down, he was only able to push his t-shirt over his chest and poke his head through the hole at the neck, before he had to sit up to wriggle his arms out of the sleeves. "You're such a tease, McKay," Sheppard said, but he reached out to help remove the t-shirt, tossing the garment over his shoulder once Rodney was free.

Rodney lowered himself back down on the mattress and gazed up at Sheppard expectantly. When Sheppard just sat there and studied Rodney's chest, Rodney grew nervous under the scrutiny. "Uh, what are you planning to do next?" Rodney asked.

Sheppard tilted his head, as if considering the question. "I don't know," he said. "What do you think I should do?"

"Me?" Rodney squeaked. "Why are you asking me? You're the one on top."

"That doesn't mean I have to call the shots. Besides, who's to say I'll be staying on top?" Sheppard rand a hand down Rodney's torso, tangling his fingers in the hair on Rodney's chest.

"That," Rodney said. "I like that. Keep running your fingers through my manly chest hair."

A snort of laughter escaped from Sheppard's lips before he could smother it, and he raised his hands apologetically when Rodney glared at him. "I'm sorry, Rodney, but I was caught off guard by your colourful use of adjectives."

Rodney frowned peevishly. "It was just the one adjective and there was nothing colourful about it. My chest hair is manly."

Sheppard bit his lip and nodded. "Of course it is." He splayed his palms across Rodney's chest, and Rodney squirmed when Sheppard's little finger brushed a nipple. "Oh, you like that, do you?" Sheppard pinched the same nipple between his thumb and index finger and rolled it gently. Rodney drew in a sharp breath and almost jerked upright.

"Y-yes," Rodney said. "It's very--" His voice broke off into a moan as Sheppard leaned across him and latched on to the other nipple with his teeth. Rodney threaded his fingers through Sheppard's hair and arched his back when Sheppard bit down. Rodney seized Sheppard's t-shirt with his free hand and tried to yank it off without much success. Then Sheppard sat up and, grinning down at Rodney, he pulled off his shirt.

"Is that better?" Sheppard asked.

Rodney stretched out his hand, but stopped just short of touching Sheppard. "I take it back. My chest isn't manly -- not compared to yours."

Sheppard caught Rodney's hands before they could retreat and placed them on his chest. "This isn't a competition, Rodney. Relax." He smiled when Rodney's fingers curled into his chest hair. "There you go," he said.

"I can do better." Rodney ran his hands down Sheppard's chest and headed straight for his fly. This time, Rodney didn't hesitate to make contact. As soon as he unzipped Sheppard's fly, he was reaching inside Sheppard's briefs and wrapping his fingers around Sheppard's cock.

Sheppard gasped and thrust his hips. "I think 'better' is an understatement."

Rodney started tugging at Sheppard's pants. "Off, off, off."

Sheppard nodded hazily. "Yeah. Good idea." He climbed off Rodney's legs and stood.

Rodney sat up in alarm. "I meant your pants, not you!"

"I know, but I can't get my pants off unless I get off you." Sheppard bent over to untie his boots. When he straightened, it was to find Rodney sitting on the bed, watching him intensely. "You know, you're welcome to join me."

"In a minute," Rodney said. If Sheppard was stripping off all his clothes, Rodney didn't want to miss a second of it.

Sheppard shook his head. "Okaaay." He grabbed a hold of the pants Rodney had managed to shove part way down his hips and shimmied out of them, dragging his briefs down at the same time.

Rodney's eyes were now glued to Sheppard's thighs and the erect penis that jutted out stiffly from a mass of dark hair. It wasn't quite as long as Rodney had imagined it would be, but he was by no means disappointed. "Come here," he whispered.

Sheppard smiled though the expression in his eyes was serious as he moved towards the bed. Rodney thought that Sheppard resembled a black panther, all dark and lean with those long agile limbs. But if Sheppard was the panther that meant Rodney was the prey. Maybe that's why Rodney was surprised when, instead of pouncing on him, Sheppard slinked to the foot of the bed, took one of Rodney's ankles and tugged at the laces on his shoes. Once Rodney's feet were bare, Sheppard was on the mattress, stalking his quarry.

Rodney swallowed nervously as Sheppard crept up his body on all fours. When Sheppard was directly above Rodney, he bent his head and kissed him, his tongue diving into Rodney's mouth. Rodney groaned at the intrusion and gripped Sheppard's bare ass, kneading the smooth mounds that fit so nicely in his hands. Rodney could feel Sheppard's hard length between them as Sheppard's erect penis poked his stomach. Unable to resist the temptation, Rodney reached down to stroke Sheppard's cock.

Sheppard moaned into the kiss, almost shoving his tongue down Rodney's throat. But then he was withdrawing his tongue, licking and nibbling his way down Rodney's neck and chest. Rodney was forced to let go of Sheppard's cock as Sheppard began to slither even further down. When Sheppard's hands reached for Rodney's fly, Rodney took a deep breath and held it as Sheppard slid his pants and boxers down his legs. Rodney was glad he was lying on his back, as it would make his stomach seem less flabby. He couldn't help blushing when Sheppard gave him an appraising look.

"Damn," Sheppard said. "For my sake, I'm glad it's not a competition." He trailed both hands down Rodney's thighs, and Rodney had to bite his lip to keep from whimpering. But Rodney couldn't hold back a cry when Sheppard held his hips down on the mattress and swallowed his cock.

As Sheppard lathed Rodney's shaft with his tongue, Rodney fisted the sheets on the bed and began to breathe heavily. He was writhing when Sheppard rubbed and squeezed his testicles. All it took was two fingers circling his anus for Rodney to throw back his head and shout his release.

As Rodney lay spent on the bed, he was only vaguely aware of Sheppard climbing back on top of him. It wasn't until he felt Sheppard's cock jab his pelvis a couple of times that he realized Sheppard was jerking off against him. While frottage was all fine and good, Rodney knew, once again, that he could do better. He enveloped Sheppard's cock in his hand, and Sheppard made what sounded like a grateful sob. Rodney tightened his grip and began to stroke Sheppard's cock from base to tip. He watched avidly as Sheppard whimpered and began to thrust faster. Sheppard's eyes were glazed and his face was flushed and sweaty. His mouth was open and he was panting harshly. Rodney's grip grew even tighter and he picked up the pace.

When Sheppard came, his eyes went wide and his whole body froze. Then his hips were jerking wildly and he was crying out as he came. Sheppard collapsed across Rodney, his body still shaking, and Rodney pulled him into his arms, caressing his trembling shoulders.

"Wow," Rodney said. "That was really…" He had been about to use the word "incredible," but lost his courage when Sheppard raised his head to meet his eyes. "It was good, wasn't it? I mean, you thought it was good."

Sheppard kissed him deeply. "Yes, Rodney, it was good." He mussed up Rodney's hair playfully and rolled on his back in a lazy sprawl. When Sheppard folded an arm behind his head, Rodney thought he had never seen him looking so relaxed. All he needed was a cigarette dangling from his fingers to complete the picture. Rodney couldn't fight it. He threw an arm around Sheppard's waist and snuggled against his chest. Sheppard only tensed for a second, but Rodney noticed.

"Is this okay?" Rodney asked.

"Yeah, sure," Sheppard said. "You just surprised me, that's all." He took the arm that was behind his head and wrapped it around Rodney's shoulders.

"Can you stay?" Rodney asked.

Sheppard tensed again. "For a few more minutes," he said, "and then I really should get back to work. Unlike some people, I wasn't given the rest of the day off."

Rodney grimaced against Sheppard's chest. "I told Carson I was okay. I don't know why he didn't believe me."

Sheppard laughed, his breath ruffling Rodney's hair. "Yeah, I don't know either. I'm sure it had nothing to do with those hallucinations you were having back on Creseda."

Rodney pinched Sheppard in his side. "They weren't hallucinations."

Sheppard patted Rodney's back. "If you say so, Rodney."

Although he knew Sheppard probably couldn't see it, Rodney rolled his eyes anyway. Then, knowing this wasn't an argument he was likely to win any time soon, he decided to return to the original topic of their conversation. "You could radio Elizabeth and ask for the rest of the day off, you know."

"Oh, I could, could I?" Sheppard asked. "And what excuse would I give her?"

"You could tell Elizabeth that something came up," Rodney said, dragging a finger across Sheppard's flaccid cock, "and it would be the literal truth for once."

Sheppard took Rodney's hand and placed it back in its previous position. "Go to sleep, Rodney."

"But--" Rodney said.

Sheppard pressed a finger to Rodney's lips. "Sleep."

"Okay." Rodney closed his eyes and held Sheppard a little more tightly.


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


"Well, I certainly didn't see that coming," Jeannie said.

"You mean the Canadian scientist faking his own murder and turning out to be a double agent?" Carson asked.

"No, you performing the Highland fling to prove to Inspector MacDonald that you really were Scottish and not faking the accent." Jeannie laughed when Carson blushed, but then hooked her arm through his when they rose from their table and made their way out of the library. "Of course, I knew all along about the Canadian scientist," she added with a grin.

"Oh, be off with you," Carson said, smiling himself.

They were walking down Peacock Alley, and Carson scanned the different oil paintings as they passed. Jeannie seemed equally impressed by their surroundings, reaching out to touch the oak wall beside her. In the Great Hall, they both gazed up at the iron wrought chandeliers suspended from the high ceiling and the colourful flags that stood out from the walls like medieval standards. They remained there for a few minutes, taking a second look at the fireplace and Wurlitzer organ. When they left the Great Hall, they ended up in the stone portico outside, as if by mutual agreement. Carson leaned against a column, while Jeannie sat on the railing, her bouffant skirt billowing around her.

"Did you have a good time?" Carson asked.

"Yeah, it was fun. It's been a while since I've gone out on a…Well, since I've gone out anywhere." Jeannie smiled ruefully then crossed her arms, not quite able to hide a shiver.

"You're cold." It was late June, but it was still a cool evening. Carson took off his jacket and draped it over Jeannie's shoulders, his hands lingering on the sleeves. "I would very much like to kiss you," he said.

Jeannie rose from the railing. "I would very much like to kiss you too." She tilted her head, leaning towards Carson, and Carson tugged on the jacket, pulling her even closer. Then Carson's arms were sliding around Jeannie's waist, his lips moving against hers.

Jeannie closed her eyes and melted against Carson. As Carson began to suck on her bottom lip, Jeannie opened her mouth and clutched at Carson's shirt. She made a sound between a gasp and a moan when Carson's tongue nudged hers gently. The arms around Jeannie's waist tightened of their own volition. Carson could feel himself growing hard and, for the first time, he wanted to be inside Jeannie's Honda. Unfortunately, Jeannie seemed to have other ideas. Just as their tongues were colliding again, Jeannie pushed against Carson's chest with both hands and ended the kiss.

"I'm sorry," Jeannie said. "I-I can't do this." She was pressed against the nearest column of the portico, and Carson was sure she would drift even further away if she could.

Carson raised his hands slowly and took a step back. "It's all right, luv. I was moving much too quickly. I'm sorry if I've upset you."

"No! No, it's not that." Jeannie sighed and rested her head against the column. "I…I liked what we were doing. A lot. But I'm not sure if it's a good idea for us to start something we can't finish. In fact, I know it's not."

Carson stared at Jeannie in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Jeannie shut her eyes, her hands clenching into fists. "You're not always going to be here, Carson," she said. "It's going to be hard enough to let you go without adding sex to everything."

Carson laid a hand on her arm. "Jeannie--"

Jeannie flinched and jerked away from Carson. "I'm not going through that again. I'm not going to fall-get involved with someone, only to discover that he's left me the next day."


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


When Rodney reached across the mattress, he knew Sheppard wouldn't be there. He was never there: no matter how many times Rodney stretched out his hand. Rodney settled for the pillow, clutching it to his chest for a moment before tossing it aside with a snort of disgust.

It was ridiculous. He was pregnant and on the run from the military, and, yet, Sheppard was the subject that seemed to preoccupy his brain the most. When Rodney found himself lying awake in the early hours of the morning because of heartburn, backaches, swollen ankles, and leg cramps, he didn't freak out about Braxton Hicks, pre-eclampsia, or Bell's palsy. He worried about Sheppard. Was Sheppard coping without his team? Had he been hurt or brainwashed by the Ori? Was he okay?

Sheppard would be due back in the Pegasus Galaxy soon, assuming his current assignment hadn't been extended. Rodney wondered if Sheppard had missed him and what his reaction would be when he didn't find his lover in Atlantis. For that matter, Rodney wondered what Sheppard would do if he ever found out his lover was carrying an Ancient woman's baby.

Sheppard had been pretty spooked when Cadman was in Rodney's head, so Rodney could only imagine how Sheppard might handle this piece of news. Then there was the fact that Sheppard worked for the very people Rodney was trying to evade. If Sheppard learned about the baby would he feel compelled to report it?

Rodney sighed and placed a hand on his belly. Fortunately, as long as he remained in hiding, his pregnancy wasn't going to be an issue Sheppard would have to deal with.


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


Sheppard thought he'd been anxious to return to Atlantis when he had been stationed on Dakara, but now that he was faced with the prospect of staring at the same grey walls for the next several days, he was positively desperate.

During the brief time he'd been assigned to the SGC, he'd felt closed in, almost claustrophobic. He'd become used to standing on balconies that looked over a wide stretch of ocean and seeing tall, graceful spires that touched the sky. Even before Atlantis, he'd had the open white expanse of Antarctica. The SGC was none of these things. It was deep underground, cut off from the four elements. At least last time he'd been stuck at Cheyenne Mountain, he'd been able to go through the Stargate. Now, he didn't even have that.

Sheppard gazed forlornly at the dressings on his abdomen. Dr. Lam had informed him that he would be staying in the infirmary until his hemoglobin level had returned to normal and she was sure the antibiotics had cleared the infection in the wound. She had also told him that he was damn lucky to be alive, and Sheppard wholeheartedly agreed with her assessment.

Kar'tok's dagger had missed Sheppard's liver by barely an inch and, by some minor miracle, all of his other organs were still intact. However, he had lost a lot of blood, and the wound had become infected on the journey from Dakara to the nearest Stargate. The Ori had destroyed the Dakara Stargate before Sheppard had arrived on the planet and, while he'd been thrilled to arrive there in a Ha'tak, he had enjoyed the second painful journey a lot less. Still, the Marines and Jaffa warriors had taken good care of him and had transported him to the SGC as quickly as they could.

He'd miss the men he'd trained, especially the young Jaffa warriors, who he'd quickly grown to respect and admire. Despite the loss of Kallana, the attack on Dakara, and the destruction of the super-weapon, the Jaffa warriors were still determined to fight and wipe out the Ori once and for all. Perhaps that's why Sheppard had been so surprised when Kar'tok, who had seemed so loyal to the Free Jaffa Nation, had turned out not only to believe in Origin but to be acting as a spy for the Ori as well. Even when Sheppard had caught Kar'tok in the act, and found the Jaffa's dagger sticking out of him, he'd still struggled to understand how it was possible. But, then, he'd never been able to understand how anyone could worship the Wraith either.

After everything he'd seen and heard about the Ori, it helped put the Wraith into perspective. Oh, sure, they culled and slaughtered millions, but at least they didn't brainwash their victims or convince them that they were anything but monsters. All the same, a day didn't pass when Sheppard didn't think about the people he'd left back on Atlantis -- his friends in particular.

Sheppard had hated not receiving news from Atlantis, but being on a planet without a working Stargate meant that information only trickled through after long intervals and, even then, it was usually intel directly related to their mission. It also didn't help that they were trying to keep a low profile on Dakara, so as not to attract the Ori's attention, which meant that the SGC had only made contact when it was absolutely necessary. Sheppard had comforted himself with the knowledge that if anything had happened to Atlantis, the SGC would have found a way to send him a message. He had to trust that his friends had managed to take care of themselves. He knew Teyla and Ronon would have looked after Rodney, even if he hadn't asked.

Sheppard wondered how pissed Rodney was about not having heard from him and if Rodney had tried to make contact himself. Had Rodney thought about that last night they'd spent together as many times as Sheppard had?

"You really miss him, don't you?"

Sheppard snapped out of his daze to find Samantha Carter standing beside his bed. "Colonel, I…" He shook his head. "I'm sorry. What?"

Looking amused, Carter took a seat in the chair beside Sheppard's bed. "McKay. You were just thinking about him."

Sheppard's eyes widened. Had Carter somehow acquired psychic abilities from one of the planets she had visited? "Was it that obvious?" Sheppard asked, trying to sound casual and failing miserably.

Carter was smirking now. "You had this crooked little smile on your face."

"Damn," Sheppard muttered. "I must have picked up some of his habits on Atlantis."

"I'd be surprised if you hadn't," Carter said. "McKay has a way of getting past your defences."

Sheppard nodded, not daring to meet Carter's eyes. "Yeah, you can say that again."

"So how is McKay?" Carter asked.

Sheppard looked up from hands. "I wouldn't know. I didn't receive any word from Atlantis while I was on Dakara and I haven't had a chance to contact them since I got here." He shot a glare at Dr. Lam's office then lowered his voice. "First chance I get, I'm going to sneak to the Gate Room and…" He trailed off when he saw the look on Carter's face. "What is it? What's happened?" He tried to rise from the bed, but Carter immediately grabbed his shoulders and kept him pinned down.

"Calm down," Carter said. "It's okay. Nothing bad has happened to Atlantis. Well, at least, I don't think it's bad."

Sheppard's eyes narrowed. "What exactly is it that you don't think is bad?"

Carter released Sheppard's shoulders and plopped back down in the chair with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew. Rodney took a leave of absence."

"Oh." Sheppard visibly relaxed. "When?"

"Umm…about three or four months ago," Carter said.

Sheppard raised both eyebrows. "Three or four months ago?"

Carter winced. "I'm sorry. I honestly thought you knew."

Sheppard waved off her apology with an abrupt wave of his hand -- another gesture he had probably picked up from Rodney. "Why did he take a leave of absence? Do you know?"

Carter bit her lip. "No…but I think it might have been for medical reasons. Carson Beckett was with him and, well, Rodney was looking a little green around the gills." At Sheppard's questioning stare, Carter said, "They were leaving the infirmary as I was coming in. I…I had a headache."

Sheppard leaned forward, ignoring the painful twinge in his abdomen. "But you spoke to them. Did they tell you where they were going?"

Carter grimaced. "No, they were surprisingly close-mouthed on the subject. Rodney barely said two words, and the most explanation I received from Dr. Beckett was that they were taking a 'wee holiday'."

Sheppard huffed out a laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like something Carson would say." His gaze shifted to Dr. Lam's office again and he calculated what his chances would be of making a break from the infirmary once Carter was gone. Unfortunately, Carter didn't seem to be going anywhere.

"Look," Carter said, "if you promise to stay put, I'll see what I can do about contacting Atlantis."

Sheppard's face lit up. "You'd do that?"

Carter smiled. "Of course, Colonel, but only if you promise to stay in the infirmary."

"You bet." Sheppard settled back against his pillows, trying to look like the model patient. Carter rolled her eyes, and Sheppard knew she wasn't buying the act when she crossed over to Dr. Lam's office before leaving the infirmary. However, he didn't mind considering the favour she'd be doing him by contacting Atlantis. Sheppard needed to know what had happened to Rodney and wouldn't be happy until he knew that Rodney was okay.


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Comments

[losyark.livejournal.com]

Oh, John's POV, finally!

What a lovely, smutty installment. You know I am always eager for more updates, and I very much enjoyed this one, as usual. I wish you had written more about the actual muder mystery party, but I do love the idea of Carson fling-ing.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Yes, it took long enough, but we finally got John's POV! :-) I'm glad you liked the degree of smuttiness in this part. I figured that after all this time, people deserved something in the way of smuttiness! *g*

I actually regret not writing more about the murder mystery night. I mean, I spent all that time setting it up and then made the classic mistake of not having it pay off. However, I just ran out of time and energy when it came to that scene. I know it's not a justifiable excuse, but it's my excuse. *g* Maybe at some point I'll go back and add more, or include new material as a missing scene. Well, at least you have the image of Carson fling-ing to sustain you for the time being...

[gateruner.livejournal.com]

Eeeh, John! We finally got John! And I have a feeling he's not going to let things go either. And I like how you had him working with the Jaffa and battling the Ori, very cool.

And poor Jeannie and Carson. *hugs them*

I'm really loving this story. More! Soon!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hi, gateruner! Yes, John finally put in an appearance! I hadn't actually planned to include that scene in the present at this stage, but then I decided a couple of weeks ago to move it forward. Anywaaaay, I'm glad you liked the Jaffa/Ori backstory. It took a while for me to figure out exactly what Sheppard was doing all this time. As I mentioned in my headnote, the Stargate Omnipedia (http://www.gateworld.net/omnipedia/index.shtml) was a big help!

I feel bad for Jeannie and Carson too, but you never know what might be coming around the next corner... ;-)

[vonnix.livejournal.com]

another great chapter! more soon, please!

Though a question occured to me as I was studying for an exam; how does Carson expect Rodney to give birth to the baby? He's not exactly equipped for the job, and with them on the run from the USAF they can't just waltz into a hospital and say 'yeah, I'm a doctor and need to take over your surgery room for a little while. Oh, him? He's fine. Just a top-secret accident that happened a few months back. The reason we need to borrow your surgery room, actually, so we'd appreciate it if you don't tell anyone. No, we're not crazy. Trust me, I'm a doctor!"

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you enjoyed this latest installment! :-) As for how Carson plans to deliver the baby, I'm afraid I can't say anything without giving the plot away. However, it's nice to see someone questioning how Carson could possibly deliver the baby in their current environment. In fact, I'm kind of surprised that no one else has asked me about it. *g*

[lazy-8s.livejournal.com]

Yay! I am so glad to see an update of this fic. The sex scene was very steamy, just the way I like 'em. Poor Rodney, missing John and worrying about his reaction the baby. Also, our resident flyboy made an appearance, and I would not put it past him to head for Atlantis against orders. I so love this 'verse!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! I'm very happy that you're still enjoying the fic! :-) I always find it a little nerve-wracking writing sex scenes because I'm afraid they'll end up being laughable, so I'm relieved that you found it "steamy"! Of course, I can't comment on what our resident flyboy may or may not do next, but I think it's great that you're thinking ahead to possible future events!

[njc2007.livejournal.com]

More. More. More. Please, pretty please.

I have to admit I only scanned the sex scene between John and Rodney (not my thing); but I really look forward to seeing how Carson and Jeannie work out.

As to how Rodney is supposed to deliver the baby; I just figured you had that in hand already. I'm happy to just wait for your answers to all the questions.

I'll keep waiting.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I know slash sex scenes aren't your thing, so don't worry about reading it. Scroll bars were created for a reason. *g* There will be quite a bit of focus on Carson and Jeannie in the next installment, so I think you'll enjoy it. :-)

Thanks for having faith in my ability to answer all the unanswered questions. I've known how things are going to turn out for a very long time, so I should have the situation in hand.

[njc2007.livejournal.com]

Yippee! Carson and Jeannie. Woohoo! Can't wait.

"Carson and Jeannie sitting in a tree....K.I.S.S.I.N.G...."

See, you bring out my inner child.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Yay sex scene! And a big yay for some nice John POV as well, I'd been wondering what he was up to this whole time and whether or not he knew about Rodney. Can't wait to find out how he's going to react when he discovers they're missing. And OMG can't wait to find out how he reacts to the baby!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

It was great to finally be able to bring Sheppard into the present. Hopefully that last scene provided a reasonable explanation of what he's been up to and why he didn't know about Rodney. I'm really looking forward to writing Sheppard's reaction to the baby! *g*

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Can I just say I'm also *dying* to know precisely how you're going to handle the birth. And oh jeez what about a name? So many questions yet to be answered! So, um, how many more chapters do you think?

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I hope you won't be disappointed when you do learn how the birth will be handled. *g* Same goes for the name, which is something else I figured out months ago. As for how many chapters are left...I think there will be at least three -- maybe four.

[reen212000.livejournal.com]

YAY! I'm glad to see John. And I'm glad to see how their relationship was in bed. At the beginning, John seemed understandably offish, but now he's become a bit more fleshed out. I can't wait to read his reaction to Rodney's condition.

Nice work!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! :-) I'm happy that you enjoyed seeing how the McShep relationship would play out in the bedroom and that you feel Sheppard's character has been a bit more fleshed out. I'm hoping readers will get a kick out of Sheppard's reaction to Rodney's condition. *g*

[sparrowhawk17.livejournal.com]

Yay update!! And sex!!

It'll be interesting to see how John reacts to Rodney being pregnant. I loved how he's picked up a few mannerisms from Rodney. ::biggrin::

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hey, sparrowhawk17! I'm glad you were happy to see another update. Oh, and sex, of course. *g* I'm hoping that people will be entertained by John's reaction to the big news. Thanks for commenting on John picking up on Rodney's mannerisms. As the writer I shouldn't be saying this, but it's one of my favourite moments from that scene.

[pyrateanny.livejournal.com]

Great installment! (Shep-centric -- my favourite flavour!)

And the smut was both hot AND humorous! I LOL'd the moment I read "manly chest hair" and laughed even louder when I continued reading and discovered the phrase had made Shep laugh too.

And wounded!Shep -- very appealing!

Carson doing the Highland Fling at the murder mystery party was a nice touch. Coincidentally, I wound up demonstrating Scottish dancing at a party last weekend too! [I wasn't trying to prove my identity -- I'd just had too much rum!]

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I had a feeling this Shep-centric installment might appeal to you. *g* I'm glad you found the smut funny as well as hot. I was obviously heavily influenced by "Hide and Seek" when it came to the "manly chest hair". And, hey, I'm happy that Woobie!Shep worked for you too!

It's too funny that you were doing the Highland Fling yourself last weekend! Small world, eh? *g*

[tazzles.livejournal.com]

Yay! You know, every time I read one of these I can't help but go "is John gonna see pregnant Rodney this time?" and I always get a definitive no. But this time........ soooo close!
Nice to see more of John's POV. Nice to learn about what's been happening and the implication that a meeting with Rodney is in the offing.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Although I shouldn't be giving spoilers, it will happen...eventually. *g* I'm glad you were happy with the Sheppard POV. I know you've been wondering what Sheppard has been doing all this time, so hopefully you found the explanation at least semi-satisfying.

Awesome!

[jackycomelately.livejournal.com]

Sex! We have sex, bebe!

"My manly chest hair" Hee! Yes, Rodney, it's the manliest!

Oh noes! Not John's liver! The peril! Way to be specific there. For some reason that stuck me as funny. Did you do liver-related-research? Fess up! You did, didn't you!

Great installment to rack up the tension before they meet up again.

Re: Awesome!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Sex! We have sex, bebe!

Yes, the long-awaited sex scene. Was it good for you? *g*

"My manly chest hair" Hee! Yes, Rodney, it's the manliest!

For some reason, that line just popped into my head. I'm glad it's been giving people a laugh. :-)

Oh noes! Not John's liver! The peril! Way to be specific there. For some reason that stuck me as funny. Did you do liver-related-research? Fess up! You did, didn't you!

Okay, just so we're clear. The dagger missed the liver, though it came pretty close to hitting it. As it was Sheppard, I knew it had to be a fairly serious injury if it was going to be at all believable. I mean, it wouldn't do if he was sent back to the SGC for tonsillitis or something mundane like that. And, yes, I did do research, though it was more in the line of stab wounds and blood loss than anything liver-related. However, I did look at a diagram of the alimentary canal in my OED when it came to picking what part of the body Sheppard should be stabbed in.

Great installment to rack up the tension before they meet up again.

Thank you so much! I'm really happy you enjoyed it! :-) I just hope that the reunion will live up to everyone's expectations. No pressure, eh? *g*

[fenchurch1.livejournal.com]

Ooh! A new part! I wasn't expecting that! Sorry it took me so long to find it - actually, no, I'm glad I found it and I shall be checking everyday without fail until the next bit turns up!
Thank you so much for this - the voices are just right and Jeannie and Carson? Aw!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Ooh! A new part! I wasn't expecting that!

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later... *g*

Sorry it took me so long to find it - actually, no, I'm glad I found it and I shall be checking everyday without fail until the next bit turns up!

Well, the advantage of finding this later is that you won't have to wait as long as everyone else for the next part. *g* If it's easier in terms of checking, you're welcome to friend me. I'd certainly friend you back. You can also check on atlantisfic and the sga_newsletter. Actually, the sga_newsletter is a wonderful resource for any fandom-related news, such as new fic, new vids, cast news, etc.

Thank you so much for this - the voices are just right and Jeannie and Carson? Aw!

And thank you for reading! :-) I'm always happy and relieved when people tell me that the voices sound right because I try to make them as close to canon as I can. I'm also glad you liked the Jeannie and Carson stuff. There will definitely be more to come in the next installment!

[reen212000.livejournal.com]

Finally! I get to read this chapter! But now I need more!

*backs slowly away from exclamation mark*

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hey, reen212000! I love exclamation marks!!! *g* Thanks for reading the latest installment! It's great that you want to read more! :-) I can't make any promises, but I'll try not to keep people waiting too long for the next part.