Fic: In the Family Way (10(a)/11)
Mar. 8th, 2009 08:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rusty_armourTitle: In the Family Way (10(a)/11)
Author: Rusty Armour
Pairing: McShep, Beckett/Other
Summary: Some are born into families; others create their own.
Word Count: 4,068
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.
This installment isn’t as long or as polished as it should be and, as usual, it’s long overdue. Reality, as is so often the case, kept rearing its ugly head. I, uh, also fell off the proverbial horse and lost the will to write. Completely. In fact, I wasn’t able to write a single word for a couple of months. Anywaaaay, the next (and final) installment will probably be longer and will hopefully be posted much sooner.
Rodney was woken, as was often the case these days, by a tiny kick inside the womb. As his bladder wasn’t quite ready to burst, Rodney just kept his eyes closed and began drifting back to sleep. Then he heard the voice.
“So, you are awake. I thought you might be.”
Rodney opened his eyes, fully expecting to see Sheppard smirking at him, but Sheppard wasn’t there. Rodney blinked in confusion before his eyes drifted further down the mattress and he spotted Sheppard’s dark head down by his swollen belly. Rodney’s t-shirt had either ridden up when he was asleep or Sheppard had pulled it up. Rodney suspected the latter as Sheppard’s head was almost lying on his belly, and his face was so close that his nose was nearly touching Rodney’s skin.
The day before, Rodney’s first reaction would have been to push Sheppard away and hide his exposed belly. However, Rodney’s instincts were now telling him to keep still, pretend he was asleep, and see what else might transpire. Rodney was a scientist after all, and curiosity was an inherent part of his nature.
“You’re such a clever little princess, aren’t you?”
The baby kicked enthusiastically, as if she were in complete agreement.
Sheppard chuckled. “I don’t care what Carson says about your real parents: you’re your mommy’s daughter.” He patted Rodney’s belly gently. “I bet you wave your tiny baby arms around and drool in your sleep too.”
Rodney frowned. I never, ever drool, he thought, ignoring the damp spot on his pillow. Then he winced as the baby kicked again, using both feet this time.
“Oh, wow. That’s fantastic.” Sheppard’s voice was tinged with awe, and Rodney couldn’t help feeling a little smug – on the baby’s behalf, of course. “You’ve got a really powerful kick for an itty bitty little baby, don’t you, sweet pea?”
Rodney’s eyes flew open. Sweet pea?
“Don’t tell your cousin Andrew, but you’d make a really good football player with a kick like that,” Sheppard said. He drew even closer, and Rodney could feel a warm gust of air on his belly. “It’s going to be at least a few years before we can start thinking about that, though, because you’re kind of small right now: a mini McKay. An adorable squishy bundle of--”
“Right, that’s it!” McKay cried. He sat up and tugged his t-shirt down forcefully. “‘Sweet pea’? ‘Squishy’? It’s your brain that’s squishy! And you’ll turn the baby’s brain into mush if you keep talking to her like that!”
Sheppard didn’t have the courtesy to be embarrassed or even repentant. He just crawled up the mattress and kissed Rodney. “Morning, Rodney. Glad to see you’re awake at last.”
“At last?” Rodney sputtered. Then he looked at the clock on the table beside him. It was 10:06 according to the red numbers on the digital display. “Oh,” he said. “I guess it is kind of late.”
Sheppard kissed him again. “Never mind. It’s not like either of us needs to be anywhere. In fact, I’d be happy to spend all day in bed.” He leaned in and began nuzzling Rodney’s neck.
“I-I need to pee,” Rodney said, bolting into the bathroom with surprising speed for a pregnant man.
Rodney took his time in the bathroom, going so far as to tidy the area around the sink and straighten up the medicine cabinet. He hoped that if he took long enough, Sheppard would get bored and go upstairs. Somehow, Rodney wasn’t surprised to find Sheppard still lying on the bed when he walked out of the bathroom.
“Are you okay?” Sheppard asked.
Rodney nodded stiffly. “Yes, certainly. Pregnant wo-people need to use the facilities more frequently because--”
“There is more pressure exerted on the bladder from the baby as it grows in the womb,” Sheppard answered. When Rodney stared at Sheppard incredulously, Sheppard said, “I’ve been reading up on the subject.”
Rodney hugged his belly self-consciously. “Oh, I see.”
Sheppard raised an eyebrow. “Are you coming back to bed?”
Rodney blushed. “Oh…uh…I’m kind of hungry.”
Sheppard lifted himself up on his elbow. “Great. I’ll whip up some breakfast for you and bring it down.”
Rodney sighed. “Look, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but it really isn’t necessary.”
Sheppard’s brow furrowed. “You said you were hungry. I was just offering to make you breakfast. What’s the big deal?”
Rodney shook his head impatiently. “I’m not talking about breakfast. I’m talking about-about this!” He gestured at Sheppard and the bed, hoping to get his point across without having to spell it out. However, when he saw the blank look on Sheppard’s face, he knew that wasn’t an option. Not meeting Sheppard’s eyes, Rodney mumbled, “Sympathy sex.”
“What?” Sheppard rose from the bed and grabbed Rodney by the shoulders. “Are you serious?”
Rodney brushed off Sheppard’s hands and stepped back. “Yes, I’m serious! I mean, just look at me!”
“I’m looking,” Sheppard ground out, obviously trying to control his temper. “I don’t see a problem.”
“Then you’d better get an ophthalmologist to check your eyes because I’m a blimp!” Rodney snapped. “A big fat pregnant blimp!”
Sheppard’s expression softened, though his voice was still gruff. “The only part of that description that’s true is the ‘pregnant’ part and, if anything, I think it only enhances what’s already there.”
“If you tell me I’m glowing, I’ll deck you,” Rodney growled.
“Well, go ahead and hit me, then,” Sheppard said, “because you are glowing. And, if you want my honest opinion, you’ve never looked better.”
Rodney scowled and turned away from Sheppard. “Don’t patronize me.”
“I’m not, Rodney. I’m really not.” Sheppard laid his hands on Rodney’s shoulders again. “Do you have any idea what it’s been like living under the same roof as you and barely being able to see you, talk to you, touch you.”
Rodney shrugged his tense shoulders and didn’t say anything.
“Rodney,” Sheppard said.
Rodney closed his eyes. “What?”
Sheppard spun Rodney around and kissed him hard on the lips. Too shocked to react at first, Rodney just stood there, motionless. Then he melted against Sheppard and responded, granting Sheppard’s tongue access to the inside of his mouth.
When Sheppard maneuvered Rodney towards the bed, Rodney didn’t resist. It wasn’t until they were settled on the mattress, and Sheppard was peeling off Rodney’s t-shirt, that Rodney began to protest.
“No, no, no, no, no!” Rodney cried. “What do you think you’re doing!”
Sheppard leered at him. “What do you think I’m doing?”
Rodney’s eyes widened. “Well, you can’t. I’m-I’m pregnant.”
“Yeah. Kinda noticed.” Sheppard tried to grab the hem of Rodney’s t-shirt again, groaning when Rodney evaded his hands. “Rodney, lots of pregnant wo-people have sex.”
“Not me,” Rodney said.
Sheppard made no attempt to hide his pout. “Ah, Rodney, come on. It’s been months.”
Rodney rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. You were on an alien planet in an entirely different galaxy. It’s statistically impossible for you not to have had sex.”
Sheppard glared at Rodney. “It was this galaxy and it was both statistically and logistically impossible because I wasn’t with you.”
Rodney’s mouth fell open. “Really?”
Sheppard took Rodney’s open mouth as a silent invitation to explore his lips. Rodney moaned into the kiss, his fingers tangling in Sheppard’s dark hair. Then his breath hitched and he broke the kiss as Sheppard’s hand found its way inside his boxers.
“S-someone might come downstairs,” Rodney said.
“They won’t.” Sheppard wrapped his hand around Rodney’s cock and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Lie back on the bed. You’ll be a lot more comfortable.”
Rodney gulped nervously, but obeyed Sheppard’s command, lying back against the pillows. Then he was biting back a whimper as Sheppard gave his cock a long, firm stroke. “Wh-what about the baby?”
“What about her?” Sheppard asked. He ran a finger along the underside of Rodney’s penis, and Rodney shivered in pleasure.
“The baby…” Rodney said. “Won’t this be weird for the baby?”
Sheppard laughed. “Rodney, it’s not as if she’s going to remember any of this later.”
Rodney placed a hand on Sheppard’s wrist. “All the same, there must be certain, uh, safety issues to consider.”
“No, Rodney, there aren’t,” Sheppard said. “I checked with Carson and he said sex would be fine.”
Rodney’s jaw dropped. “You checked with Carson? That was rather presumptuous of you, wasn’t it? I mean, I wasn’t even talking to you yesterday.”
Sheppard grinned. “Oh, I knew you’d come around…eventually.” When Rodney opened his mouth to argue, Sheppard bent over quickly to kiss him, running his hand down Rodney’s cock for good measure. Rodney released a ragged breath, his hips bucking helplessly. “That’s what I like to see,” Sheppard murmured. He tightened his grip and began to pump Rodney’s penis.
Rodney fisted the sheets and, about forty-five seconds later, he shuddered and came. Flushed and panting, he said, “Oh, the baby’s so going to need therapy.”
“It’s about to get worse.” Sheppard yanked down Rodney’s boxers and climbed on top of him. Then, freeing his cock, he began to thrust against the crease of Rodney’s groin.
“Oh,” Rodney said. “That’s…oh.” His hands moved instinctively to Sheppard’s back, lingering at the shoulders for an instant, before wandering down lower to cup Sheppard’s ass. Sheppard grunted deep in his throat and sped up, pounding against Rodney.
“Missed this,” Sheppard gasped. “Missed you.” A trickle of sweat rolled down his forehead, but he blinked it away. “Don’t know how I’ve been able to-to keep my hands off you.”
Rodney didn’t respond at first. Then a finger slid down the crack in Sheppard’s ass and prodded his anus. Sheppard’s hips stuttered before he froze and came with a long drawn out moan of pleasure. He collapsed on top of Rodney, breathing hard. A couple of minutes later, he said, “I’ll pay for the baby’s therapy.”
Rodney swept a sweaty strand of hair off Sheppard’s forehead. “Yes, you will.”
Sheppard snuggled against Rodney’s side, resting a palm on Rodney’s belly. “I could help out with other things too, you know,” he said. “I could feed and change the baby, be there when she learns to walk, teach her how to ride a bike and toss a football.”
Rodney snorted. “What? Are you saying you want to be…be her daddy?”
Sheppard threw his arms around Rodney. “I’d love to. Thanks, Rodney.”
Rodney stared down at Sheppard in confusion. “Uh, sure. No problem.”
“I’ll be a good daddy – the best daddy you’ve ever seen.” Sheppard kissed Rodney and rose from the bed.
“Where are you going?” Rodney asked.
“I’m going to make you breakfast,” Sheppard said.
Rodney quickly sat up. “But you can’t. You’re-you’re…” He waved a hand around as if that were all the explanation that was required. “You should shower or, at least, wash your hands.”
Sheppard smiled and gazed at Rodney in what Rodney could only assume was a fond expression.
“What?” Rodney demanded.
“You’re going to make such a great mommy.” Sheppard headed for the bathroom, turning to face Rodney at the threshold. “You should join me. You need to get cleaned up too.”
“Uh, no,” Rodney said. “It’s okay. I’ll wait till you’re finished.”
Sheppard shot a disapproving look at Rodney. “You’re going to have to trust me again at some point.” He walked back to the bed and held out his hand to Rodney. “I promise not to laugh this time.” Sheppard looked so hopeful that Rodney didn’t have the heart to deny him. He took Sheppard’s hand, and Sheppard beamed brightly as he pulled Rodney off the mattress.
Sheppard was still beaming when they went upstairs after their shower. When Jeannie walked into the kitchen, her lips twitched at the sight of the blissful colonel cooking an omelet in her frying pan. Then her eyes fell on Rodney, who was sitting at the table watching Sheppard with a bemused expression. Jeannie leaned over Rodney’s shoulder and whispered, “I’d ask but I really don’t want to know.”
Rodney seized Jeannie’s arm and, managing to haul himself out of his chair, dragged his sister to the living room. “He wants to be the baby’s daddy,” Rodney hissed. “What do I do?”
Jeannie gaped at him in disbelief. “Uh, say, ‘Yes, please’ and then go down on your knees and thank God – or whatever divine power you might believe in.”
“I’m serious, Jeannie,” Rodney said.
“And you think I’m not?” Jeannie asked. “You’re going to need all the help you can get. You should be grateful he’s offering at all. Have a lawyer draw up an ironclad pre-nup, get a ring on his finger, and don’t look back.”
Rodney glared at Jeannie. “Hello? Have you heard of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’? Even if it wasn’t an issue, do you seriously expect me to waddle down to City Hall in my condition and get married?”
“No, of course not,” Jeannie said.
Rodney heaved a sigh of relief. “Well, good.”
“No, obviously you’d wait until after the baby’s born and then get married – secretly, of course, so that the military doesn’t find out.” Jeannie was grinning openly, but Rodney saw nothing funny about the situation.”
“What if something goes wrong and the baby…the baby doesn’t survive?” Rodney asked.
Jeannie instantly threw her hands over Rodney’s belly, as if to cover the baby’s ears. “God, how can you say such a thing?”
Rodney crossed his arms. “Somebody has to,” he said. “Even if the baby does come to term, who’s to say I’ll be allowed to keep her?” Rodney glanced down at his belly sullenly. “If her real mommy wants her back, there’s not much I can do to stop her.” He frowned to himself. “Do you honestly think Sheppard would want to marry me if the baby wasn’t in the picture?”
“Maybe you should ask him.” Sheppard was standing just outside the kitchen, still holding a spatula in his hand. Rodney blushed, refusing to meet Sheppard’s eyes, but Sheppard wasn’t about to let the subject rest. “I’m glad you’ve finally started to give some serious thought about what you’re going to do when the baby comes to term,” he said.
Rodney’s eyes flicked back to Sheppard and he thrust up his chin defensively. “Oh, and you think I haven’t given it any serious thought before now?”
“Well, if you have, I haven’t heard anything about it.” Sheppard glanced at Jeannie, who shook her head.
“I’m as much in the dark as you are, flyboy,” Jeannie said.
Sheppard rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know how these things work in Scarborough, but we’d hold a family meeting where I come from.”
Jeannie nodded. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”
Rodney’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. I almost got killed the last time I attended a family meeting.”
When Sheppard stared at Rodney quizzically, Jeannie said, “He’s exaggerating. The plate missed his head by a mile. Besides, Mom wasn’t even aiming for him. It’s just lucky for Rodney and Dad that she used to throw like a girl.”
Sheppard tossed a nervous glance at Rodney, and Rodney knew that Sheppard was remembering all the objects that had been thrown at him from the basement bathroom. Sheppard cleared his throat and looked away. “Where’s Carson?” he asked. “He should be here before we discuss anything.”
“He went to the park with Andrew,” Jeannie said. “He seems to think he can get Andrew talking again through a bit of male bonding.” She shrugged. “I guess it can’t hurt.”
Sheppard smiled sympathetically. “You don’t sound too convinced.”
“Andrew’s extremely stubborn,” Jeannie said. “I figure I’ll be lucky if he’s talking to me by the time he’s old enough to vote.” She grimaced. “I just hope Harper isn’t still in power. It would be just my luck for Andrew to vote for him just to spite me.”
Rodney shook his head. “Andrew’s a smart kid: he wouldn’t vote for Harper – not even to spite you.” He leaned against the back of the armchair, not wanting to sit down because he knew breakfast would soon be ready. “Maybe we should hold a family meeting for Andrew because this not talking thing is pretty serious.”
Sheppard pointed his spatula at him. “Not as serious as an imminent birth.”
Rodney laughed. “Imminent? Please. It’s not as if the baby’s about to pop out of me.”
“No,” Jeannie said, “but the event’s not too far off. You’re how far along now? Twenty-four, twenty-five weeks?”
Rodney tightened his grip on the back of the armchair. “Almost twenty-six.”
Jeannie crossed over to the armchair. “Rodney, you’ve got just a little more than two months – less if the baby decides to come early.”
Rodney shot Jeannie a frantic look. “Why would she do that?”
Jeannie shrugged. “Babies are born early for all kinds of reasons.”
“And given the, uh, unique circumstances of your pregnancy,” Sheppard said, “Carson might have to deliver the baby early – for her safety as well as yours.”
Rodney felt his knees buckle and was grateful when Jeannie guided him into the armchair. “Oh my God,” he gasped. “What am I going to do?”
“Well, you can’t have the baby here,” Carson said. “You know that, don’t you?” He was standing in front of the armchair, gazing down at Rodney, his arms crossed over his chest.
Rodney, who had been staring up at Carson with big blue eyes, huffed indignantly. “Well, of course I can’t have the baby here. It’s the living room: someone might come to the door or look through the window.”
Carson exchanged a weary glance with Sheppard. “I meant here in Scarborough, Rodney.”
“Oh.” Rodney was at a loss for a moment, but then he snapped his fingers. “Toronto! Toronto has some of the best--”
Carson shook his head. “Rodney, it’s not the hospitals that are the problem,” he said. “You’re the problem. You can’t be admitted into a hospital. You know that.”
Rodney rolled his eyes. “Well, obviously. We’d have to sneak in or-or borrow some equipment.”
Carson’s eyebrows soared up on his forehead. “Oh? And how do you reckon we do that?”
Rodney lifted his chin. “Sheppard and I have snuck into all kinds of places. A hospital should be a piece of cake.”
Carson shot a beseeching look at Sheppard, who crossed over to the armchair and crouched before Rodney. “You’re not exactly in any condition to sneak anywhere, buddy,” Sheppard said. “Besides, what would happen if we got caught? Is it really worth the risk?”
“I-I guess not.” Rodney laid a hand on his belly, refusing to meet either Sheppard’s or Carson’s eyes.
“Rodney, you know what the answer is,” Jeannie said from the couch. “You have to go back to either the SGC or Atlantis.”
Rodney’s head snapped up. “But they’ll take the baby, turn her into a lab rat.”
Sheppard took Rodney’s hand. “You don’t know that.”
Rodney pulled his hand free. “And you don’t know that they won’t!”
“Rodney, it’s the only safe option for you and the baby,” Carson said. “I didn’t mention it before because I didn’t want to worry you, but this birth could have added complications given your physiology.” He sighed. “I don’t know if I can perform the procedure alone and I certainly wouldn’t want to perform it without the facilities both the SGC and Atlantis could provide.”
Rodney swallowed convulsively. “But there has to be another way.”
Carson smiled down at him sadly. “I’m sorry, Rodney, but I don’t think there is. We have to go back. We can’t stay here any longer.”
Sheppard, who hadn’t been able to bring himself to look at Rodney’s face, caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Gazing at the hallway, he saw a flash of dark hair before a small figure turned and disappeared. Sheppard patted Rodney’s knee and stood.
“Uh, I’ll be right back,” he said.
When Sheppard reached Andrew’s room, he found the door was closed and he was facing a big red and white STOP sign. Sheppard knocked anyway. Then, when there was no response, Sheppard turned the door knob and walked into the room.
His eyes fell on the Leafs posters first and then took in the boy sitting on the edge of the bed. Andrew’s back was to him, but Sheppard could see the thin shoulders shaking and the fingers clenched in the sheets.
Sheppard approached Andrew cautiously and sat down on the bed. He placed a hand gently on Andrew’s back, and Andrew released a sharp breath that sounded like a sob. Then Andrew was sobbing, and Sheppard wrapped his arms around him, cradling him against his chest.
It took a couple of attempts before Sheppard could speak and, even then, the voice that emerged from his throat was hoarse to his ears. “It’s okay, buddy. It’s going to be okay.” He propped his chin on Andrew’s head and rubbed his back. “Is this because we might be leaving?” Sheppard asked.
Minutes passed before Andrew answered Sheppard’s question. “Britney has two dads,” he choked out, “and the baby’s going to have two dads. I...I just want one!”
Sheppard sat in stunned silence for a moment before the truth hit him. Andrew had seen Carson and his mother grow increasingly closer and had probably been hoping that they would get married, that the three of them would become a family, that Carson would be his dad.
“Oh, buddy,” Sheppard whispered. “Andrew.” Because even with the best will in the world, or even two galaxies, there was nothing he could do to help Andrew with that problem.
When Andrew finally stopped crying, and was sagging against Sheppard, completely wrung out, Sheppard planted a kiss on his forehead and laid him back against his pillows.
“Get some sleep,” Sheppard said, and Andrew closed his eyes obediently. Then Sheppard rose from the mattress and saw Jeannie standing in the doorway, watching them. Sheppard opened his mouth to speak, but Jeannie put a finger to her lips and turned, walking out into the hall.
As soon as Sheppard had shut the door behind him, he began to speak. “Uh, I didn’t mean to…I wasn’t trying to…” What, John? Play mom? Take over her job?
Jeannie touched Sheppard’s arm. “It’s okay. You did good in there.” She smiled despite the tears swimming in her eyes.
Sheppard couldn’t mask his astonishment. “Yeah? You think?”
Jeannie nodded. “Yeah.”
Sheppard ducked his head almost shyly. “I didn’t do anything special. I just – I don’t know – did what seemed natural.”
“It’s enough,” Jeannie said. “You’d be surprised how hard that can be for some parents.”
Sheppard stared at her, wondering if she was talking about her own parents, her ex, or maybe even herself.
“So is he upset because you’re all leaving?” Jeannie asked, disrupting Sheppard’s thoughts.
Sheppard grimaced. “Uh, it’s a little more complicated than that.”
“Oh, the dad thing,” Jeannie said.
Mistaking Jeannie’s worn out tone for casual dismissal, Sheppard felt his temper rising. “Maybe you don’t know what it’s like, but it hurts like hell when you’re a kid and you think your dad doesn’t want you, or you’re just not important enough, or he’s just never there. It’s…it’s worse than having a Wraith slam its hand against your chest.”
Jeannie gazed up at Sheppard, no longer able to hold back the tears. “Do you think I want this? Do you think I want to hurt my kid? I’ve tried everything I can think of to make it up to him, to be his mom and dad, but it’s just not enough. It’s never enough.” The tears were now running down Jeannie’s face and she was brushing at them awkwardly. Before Sheppard knew what he was doing, he was pulling Jeannie into his arms because, although she wasn’t a nine-year-old boy, she was obviously hurting just as badly.
“I’m sorry,” Sheppard said. “I-I shouldn’t have said anything. Please just…Please stop crying.”
“John.” Carson was standing in the hall, his hands reaching out for Jeannie. Sheppard released her and gratefully passed her off to Carson. Then he bolted to the living room.
Rodney was still sitting in the armchair, looking a bit lost and overwhelmed. Sheppard nudged Rodney’s leg with his foot.
“Are you okay?” Sheppard asked.
Rodney nodded, though he seemed far from convinced.
“Family is hard,” Sheppard said.
Rodney laughed, though it was a hollow sound. “Yeah, tell me about it.”
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no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 01:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 01:42 am (UTC)Well, I hope you enjoy this latest installment. It's not going anywhere, so take your time reading it. :-)
no subject
Date: 2009-03-16 10:55 pm (UTC)>>> “I-I need to pee,” Rodney said, bolting into the bathroom with surprising speed for a pregnant man. <<<
LOL! I can actually picture Rodney doing this.
>>>“He wants to be the baby’s daddy,” Rodney hissed. “What do I do?”
Jeannie gaped at him in disbelief. “Uh, say, ‘Yes, please’ and then go down on your knees and thank God – or whatever divine power you might believe in.” <<<
Amen, sister! I can't wait for the nuptials! [And the birth too, of course.]
Great installment, Rusty!
no subject
Date: 2009-03-17 04:55 pm (UTC)I hope you enjoy the next installment. :-)