Fic: True Voice (rewrite)
Mar. 12th, 2008 01:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
libra_travellerWhen editing this story I took into consideration all the points of OOCness that was made about the sequel. I hope this is more to people's liking. I imagine though that editing the sequel is going to be more of a challenge.
Title: True Voice
Author: libra_traveller
Pairing: John/Rodney
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Rodney tumbles down a hill and into a coma.
It happened on a normal mission while checking out a village on some world. They were walking down a hill when Rodney’s foot hit a rock and he tumbled head over feet into a boulder at the bottom of the hill. John and his team ran down after him but Rodney lay unconscious. Ronon picked Rodney up and the team raced to the gate.
Back on Atlantis, Carson confirmed their fears. Rodney was in a coma. John stayed by his bedside whenever he could, but it didn’t look like Rodney would ever wake up.
***
Rodney woke up in the infirmary room with a pounding headache and a sprained ankle. He lay there a second in silence before he felt it his right to bitch for a nurse. “Ow, ow, ow, a little pain relief here would be nice.”
Immediately a blond nurse whose name he did not recall pulled aside the curtain around his bed. “Here, as long as you’re awake. Just Tylenol though.”
“Fine.” Rodney swallowed the pills with some water.
Soon enough boredom set in. Before it could really frustrate him John appeared in the hallway bearing blue jello. “A bee told me you were awake and I got this for you.” John sat in the chair by Rodney’s bedside and gave him the jello and spoon.
Rodney happily slurped it all down. He then noticed that John was strangely grinning at him. “What?”
John looked down at his lap and then back up. “I’m just really happy you’re awake, you had me scared.”
“Oh? Sorry. I mean, it’s not my fault, but I didn’t want to upset you.” Rodney put the empty jello container down.
John shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. As soon as you’re out of here I have a new computer game we can play.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a surprise.” John leaned back in the chair with a smirk on his lips.
“Sure. Of course it is. You know I hate waiting.” Rodney huffed.
John laughed. “It’s not like you weren’t going to be impatient about leaving the infirmary anyways.”
“You may have a point.” Rodney laid his head on the pillow, feeling strangely tired.
“I’ll just let you rest. Maybe bring you some food later?” John patted Rodney’s hand and left.
Time passed quickly and soon enough Rodney was inching his way to his quarters. When he arrived at the door John was standing in the hallway. “Can’t the game wait?” Still Rodney opened the door and let John in.
Rodney sat on the bed and watched John sit in the chair by the desk. He seemed different, Rodney noticed, almost shy.
John bit his lip, then sighed and looked in Rodney’s eyes. “I’m not good at this. When I saw you fall and hit your head it freaked me out.”
“Of course it did, my mind is the most capable we have on Atlantis.”
“Would you let me finish?” John stood up and started pacing. “Gah. Okay. When you took so long to wake up, I was afraid, I mean really afraid. Afraid I’d never get a chance to tell you how I felt.”
“Wait, what are you talking about?” Rodney’s eyes were wide as he watched John continue his caged animal impression.
“I care about you dammit.”
“Okay… I care about you too, it’s what this whole being friends thing is about.” Rodney slumped down on the bed feeling dizzy.
John nearly punched the wall then kneeled down by the bed. “Screw it! Rodney I love you, okay?”
Rodney could only blink. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll give us a chance, please?” John looked so hopeful.
Rodney sighed. “If you want us to be together, then yes I’ll try to make it work. But if we do this, no more getting yourself almost killed.”
John laughed. “Deal.”
Rodney smiled and impulsively leaned forward, touching John’s mouth with his lips. The kiss felt surreal yet Rodney’s heart beat a little faster. John broke the kiss and stood up.
“We can continue this later, maybe when you’re more up to it?” John smirked.
“Okay, when?” Rodney shrugged, trying to not seem too eager.
“How about I bring you dinner tonight?” John’s eyes were laughing at him, Rodney could tell.
“That’s good. Just knock, or you know, whatever, I’m likely to be sleeping, so if I don’t answer, just let yourself in.” Rodney grinned, then lay down on his bed, and watched John leave the room.
***
John felt haggard. His back ached, his eyes were gritty, and his heart hurt more than a little. He stared down at Rodney’s closed eyes, and wished desperately that he could see them open.
It had only been three days, but everyday just made him surer that he would never hear Rodney speak again or see his eyes sparkling with mischief. According to Carson Rodney’s brain was still healing, so they should give it time, but John just wanted his friend back now.
***
Rodney hovered by his bathroom mirror, staring at his face. He wore slacks and a nice shirt. He kept thinking he was being silly, that John was just bringing dinner from the mess hall. Yet it felt like a date. All day he wondered what they would talk about and if they would kiss some more.
When John arrived Rodney stared openly. John was dressed in tight fitting jeans and a muscle shirt. Rodney didn’t even know John had a muscle shirt, or jeans for that matter. John put the trays down on the desk and then stood there, his eyes flitting around. Rodney got up and wrapped his arms around John making John laughed happily. He then leaned down bringing their lips together. Rodney felt lightheaded when they broke away.
“Missed you,” John whispered.
“You’re being silly.” Rodney said delightedly.
“So. I want to be with you all the time.” John guided them to the bed and they lay down and cuddled as the food went cold.
***
It had been over a week. Carson told them that Rodney’s brain had healed so he should have woken up already. Alone in his room John cried silently.
Carson advised them to talk to Rodney. John didn’t know what to say so let the others talk to him first. But John couldn’t stay away and found himself sitting with Rodney’s hand in his. He quietly willed Rodney to wake up. He tried to speak and coughed over his words. He grabbed a glass of water and spoke looking into the water.
***
Rodney was alone in his room with the lights off when he heard a voice. Lately he had been hearing other voices echoing in his head when he was away from John. But there was one voice he secretly hoped to hear and tonight that voice spoke. “Please, you have to wake up.”
Keeping his head on the pillow Rodney listened. “You can’t just stay like this. We need you. I need you. I feel lost without you. Wake up.”
The door opened and John was there. The voice disappeared, and Rodney immediately missed it, but he had John, so he tried to ignore the desperation in those last words.
John sat down on the bed and kissed Rodney. Rodney looked at him. “Stay tonight?” John smiled and crawled into bed with him. John nuzzled Rodney’s neck making Rodney moan. John grinned into his skin.
***
Carson told them that it wasn’t working and Rodney’s brain pattern hadn’t changed. They talked about sending him to Earth, but John was vehement that they give Rodney more time. So they did. And John kept talking.
***
Whenever Rodney heard that voice everything seemed dark and his room or the lab he was in faded away. The dark scared him, but that voice called to him, so strongly, that he wanted to follow it. He started to question which was reality. His moments with John were perfect and he’d never felt as loved as he did with him. But it seemed too easy.
As time went on, and that voice sounded even more dejected, Rodney yearned to see the person that voice belonged to. One night while lying in John’s arms, Rodney closed his eyes and surrendered himself to the dark, following where that voice led.
***
John was unshaven and probably smelled, but he sat in that chair and kept talking, about anything, from what was going on in the labs to personal things about his past. It was late in the night that he finally saw Rodney’s eyes flicker open.
John leapt up, shouting to the on duty nurse. Then he grabbed Rodney’s hand and squeezed. “Come on buddy, stay with me here.”
Rodney looked up and squinted. “John?” he croaked.
“Yes.” John smiled.
Rodney shook his head and looked at the ceiling, a lone tear trailing down his face. It hadn’t been real.
John looked on in worry. Carson came in a few minutes later, to see John holding Rodney’s hand and Rodney trying to smile. “I’m glad you’re back with us son.”
Rodney closed his eyes and fell asleep, dreaming of what could have been.
Title: True Voice
Author: libra_traveller
Pairing: John/Rodney
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Rodney tumbles down a hill and into a coma.
It happened on a normal mission while checking out a village on some world. They were walking down a hill when Rodney’s foot hit a rock and he tumbled head over feet into a boulder at the bottom of the hill. John and his team ran down after him but Rodney lay unconscious. Ronon picked Rodney up and the team raced to the gate.
Back on Atlantis, Carson confirmed their fears. Rodney was in a coma. John stayed by his bedside whenever he could, but it didn’t look like Rodney would ever wake up.
***
Rodney woke up in the infirmary room with a pounding headache and a sprained ankle. He lay there a second in silence before he felt it his right to bitch for a nurse. “Ow, ow, ow, a little pain relief here would be nice.”
Immediately a blond nurse whose name he did not recall pulled aside the curtain around his bed. “Here, as long as you’re awake. Just Tylenol though.”
“Fine.” Rodney swallowed the pills with some water.
Soon enough boredom set in. Before it could really frustrate him John appeared in the hallway bearing blue jello. “A bee told me you were awake and I got this for you.” John sat in the chair by Rodney’s bedside and gave him the jello and spoon.
Rodney happily slurped it all down. He then noticed that John was strangely grinning at him. “What?”
John looked down at his lap and then back up. “I’m just really happy you’re awake, you had me scared.”
“Oh? Sorry. I mean, it’s not my fault, but I didn’t want to upset you.” Rodney put the empty jello container down.
John shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. As soon as you’re out of here I have a new computer game we can play.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a surprise.” John leaned back in the chair with a smirk on his lips.
“Sure. Of course it is. You know I hate waiting.” Rodney huffed.
John laughed. “It’s not like you weren’t going to be impatient about leaving the infirmary anyways.”
“You may have a point.” Rodney laid his head on the pillow, feeling strangely tired.
“I’ll just let you rest. Maybe bring you some food later?” John patted Rodney’s hand and left.
Time passed quickly and soon enough Rodney was inching his way to his quarters. When he arrived at the door John was standing in the hallway. “Can’t the game wait?” Still Rodney opened the door and let John in.
Rodney sat on the bed and watched John sit in the chair by the desk. He seemed different, Rodney noticed, almost shy.
John bit his lip, then sighed and looked in Rodney’s eyes. “I’m not good at this. When I saw you fall and hit your head it freaked me out.”
“Of course it did, my mind is the most capable we have on Atlantis.”
“Would you let me finish?” John stood up and started pacing. “Gah. Okay. When you took so long to wake up, I was afraid, I mean really afraid. Afraid I’d never get a chance to tell you how I felt.”
“Wait, what are you talking about?” Rodney’s eyes were wide as he watched John continue his caged animal impression.
“I care about you dammit.”
“Okay… I care about you too, it’s what this whole being friends thing is about.” Rodney slumped down on the bed feeling dizzy.
John nearly punched the wall then kneeled down by the bed. “Screw it! Rodney I love you, okay?”
Rodney could only blink. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll give us a chance, please?” John looked so hopeful.
Rodney sighed. “If you want us to be together, then yes I’ll try to make it work. But if we do this, no more getting yourself almost killed.”
John laughed. “Deal.”
Rodney smiled and impulsively leaned forward, touching John’s mouth with his lips. The kiss felt surreal yet Rodney’s heart beat a little faster. John broke the kiss and stood up.
“We can continue this later, maybe when you’re more up to it?” John smirked.
“Okay, when?” Rodney shrugged, trying to not seem too eager.
“How about I bring you dinner tonight?” John’s eyes were laughing at him, Rodney could tell.
“That’s good. Just knock, or you know, whatever, I’m likely to be sleeping, so if I don’t answer, just let yourself in.” Rodney grinned, then lay down on his bed, and watched John leave the room.
***
John felt haggard. His back ached, his eyes were gritty, and his heart hurt more than a little. He stared down at Rodney’s closed eyes, and wished desperately that he could see them open.
It had only been three days, but everyday just made him surer that he would never hear Rodney speak again or see his eyes sparkling with mischief. According to Carson Rodney’s brain was still healing, so they should give it time, but John just wanted his friend back now.
***
Rodney hovered by his bathroom mirror, staring at his face. He wore slacks and a nice shirt. He kept thinking he was being silly, that John was just bringing dinner from the mess hall. Yet it felt like a date. All day he wondered what they would talk about and if they would kiss some more.
When John arrived Rodney stared openly. John was dressed in tight fitting jeans and a muscle shirt. Rodney didn’t even know John had a muscle shirt, or jeans for that matter. John put the trays down on the desk and then stood there, his eyes flitting around. Rodney got up and wrapped his arms around John making John laughed happily. He then leaned down bringing their lips together. Rodney felt lightheaded when they broke away.
“Missed you,” John whispered.
“You’re being silly.” Rodney said delightedly.
“So. I want to be with you all the time.” John guided them to the bed and they lay down and cuddled as the food went cold.
***
It had been over a week. Carson told them that Rodney’s brain had healed so he should have woken up already. Alone in his room John cried silently.
Carson advised them to talk to Rodney. John didn’t know what to say so let the others talk to him first. But John couldn’t stay away and found himself sitting with Rodney’s hand in his. He quietly willed Rodney to wake up. He tried to speak and coughed over his words. He grabbed a glass of water and spoke looking into the water.
***
Rodney was alone in his room with the lights off when he heard a voice. Lately he had been hearing other voices echoing in his head when he was away from John. But there was one voice he secretly hoped to hear and tonight that voice spoke. “Please, you have to wake up.”
Keeping his head on the pillow Rodney listened. “You can’t just stay like this. We need you. I need you. I feel lost without you. Wake up.”
The door opened and John was there. The voice disappeared, and Rodney immediately missed it, but he had John, so he tried to ignore the desperation in those last words.
John sat down on the bed and kissed Rodney. Rodney looked at him. “Stay tonight?” John smiled and crawled into bed with him. John nuzzled Rodney’s neck making Rodney moan. John grinned into his skin.
***
Carson told them that it wasn’t working and Rodney’s brain pattern hadn’t changed. They talked about sending him to Earth, but John was vehement that they give Rodney more time. So they did. And John kept talking.
***
Whenever Rodney heard that voice everything seemed dark and his room or the lab he was in faded away. The dark scared him, but that voice called to him, so strongly, that he wanted to follow it. He started to question which was reality. His moments with John were perfect and he’d never felt as loved as he did with him. But it seemed too easy.
As time went on, and that voice sounded even more dejected, Rodney yearned to see the person that voice belonged to. One night while lying in John’s arms, Rodney closed his eyes and surrendered himself to the dark, following where that voice led.
***
John was unshaven and probably smelled, but he sat in that chair and kept talking, about anything, from what was going on in the labs to personal things about his past. It was late in the night that he finally saw Rodney’s eyes flicker open.
John leapt up, shouting to the on duty nurse. Then he grabbed Rodney’s hand and squeezed. “Come on buddy, stay with me here.”
Rodney looked up and squinted. “John?” he croaked.
“Yes.” John smiled.
Rodney shook his head and looked at the ceiling, a lone tear trailing down his face. It hadn’t been real.
John looked on in worry. Carson came in a few minutes later, to see John holding Rodney’s hand and Rodney trying to smile. “I’m glad you’re back with us son.”
Rodney closed his eyes and fell asleep, dreaming of what could have been.