![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Title: “User Defined”
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
helenkacan / Helena K.
Pairing: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard (coming out?)
Characters: Jennifer Keller, Team, McShep
Rating: Barely PG for some adult concepts (depends on whether one thinks it was partner betrayal or finally facing reality and choosing sexual orientation over sexual conformity).
Word Count: 1,475 words
Summary: Jennifer gets some unexpected news and reflects on how everything has changed. And Rodney changes his family status.
Time-line: Post EatG, Atlantis is back in Pegasus. Just pretend that DADT was really repealed long before now.
Disclaimer: Not mine (through no fault of my own).
Author's Note: Written for the “family” prompt at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
mcsheplets (Challenge #79). Okay, so I'm a wee bit late in finishing this.
Dr. Jennifer Keller was trying to maintain good posture but it was late and she was so damn tired. She glanced at the clock, knowing she should have left an hour ago. But, ever since residency, she'd persisted in not leaving until her charts were updated, her desk clean. As CMO, especially on Atlantis, she no longer had to worry about so many procedural reports, but there was still paperwork. She really shouldn't blame Mr. Woolsey, but he did seem to appreciate a well-filed hard-copy.
She sighed and pushed back a limp, greasy strand of hair. And that was another thing. Every day, she started out with bouncy clean hair but, without exception, her hair was a mess by the end of her shift. Yes, it was vain of her, but it was the one luxury she'd always permitted herself. She wondered if it was because they were floating in the middle of an ocean. She'd never had to worry about oceans or excessive humidity in Wisconsin.
But she'd returned along with most of the senior staff and crew to Pegasus because of one person. It was no surprise that this person was Dr. M. Rodney McKay, PhD, PhD, the man she hoped to marry some day real soon, though she had to admit she'd been dismayed he hadn't presented her with an engagement ring. He'd had plenty of opportunities to pick one up while they'd been stuck on Earth. She'd made sure to drag him around through a couple of stores, thinking he'd get the hint.
She risked a glance at her IN box, fearful it might suddenly be full again. But there was only one document left. It appeared to be one of those redesigned Change of Status forms that people filled out to designate Medical Proxy and Power of Attorney.
Jennifer picked it up, idly wondering who'd just gotten married or was involved in some kind of unconventional relationship. That was something else she hadn't been exposed to, back home. With people on Atlantis from so many nations that either had legal same-sex marriages (or at least civil unions), or those that allowed openly LGBT people to serve in their military, she'd already processed a bunch of forms.
Seeing the name of the applicant left her stunned. Rodney -- Rodney was.... She scanned the list of names twice, to be absolutely sure her name was not among them. Unless her name had been inscribed in invisible ink, it was missing. First and foremost on the list – which, in retrospect, shouldn't have surprised her at all - was Col. Sheppard's name, then Teyla's and Ronon's. Even Kanaan's. At this point, she wouldn't have been surprised if Torren's name had also made the cut. Or Mr. Woolsey's.
She pressed her fist to her mouth repressing a silent moan, reminding herself that she would not start to cry, not while she was on duty (even if her shift was technically over). She made a face, remembering the doodles on a scratch pad from months ago. Mrs. Rodney McKay. Or Dr. Jennifer McKay Keller, so that the Keller surname on her degrees would still be recognized. Well, that was all a moot point now.
Jennifer wondered how Rodney could break up with her this way – because how else could she interpret the document. And then she realized she wouldn't have given him the breath to do it in person. She couldn't help herself and tears began to slide down her face. She'd just come to the horrifying conclusion that she'd been treating Rodney the same way she treated her dad most of the time: someone who needed to be told how to behave and what to do. How could she have been so stupid? Her dad hadn't minded, because he missed the fact her mom had acted that way, so it was a familiar mannerism that kept mom's memory alive.
Jennifer grimaced, remembering how she'd been pretending to be the relationship-savvy one when she'd gone out with Rodney for that initial drink. Truth be told, she'd been just as emotionally stunted as Rodney, considering she'd missed so much of all that important boy-girl stuff by skipping through high school grades the way a stone skipped over the surface of a pond. She'd just covered it up more easily.
As Jennifer typed the data into the appropriate fields in the entry, her mind was already racing. How soon could she be packed and on her way home, to her dad who was all the family she had left, to the normal life she'd always wanted. She wasn't worried to be leaving Atlantis in the lurch. On the contrary. There were so many talented physicians already there and any one of them would make a more than suitable replacement.
After she pressed the command key, she poured herself a cup of lukewarm coffee. It wasn't as if she expected to get any sleep that night anyway. And then she composed her official letter of resignation, as well as a separate letter of recommendation regarding her potential successors.
Having completed her duties, she fled to her quarters. She intended to pack only the essentials. The other things could be sent back home via the Daedalus. After adjusting the settings on her computer to deliver her letters after she'd returned to Earth, she entered the Gateroom with as much dignity as she could muster. Citing a family emergency to the tech on duty, she walked through the Stargate for the very last time. Away from a life she'd never been suited to, she reassured herself, whether or not Rodney had been a part of it at all.
::~::~::
Rodney knew he should feel like a jerk, but he just felt relieved. By the time the day shift had started ... and the gossip had spread ... the Mess was abuzz with chatter. Still, he wasn't about to be deprived of his customary cup of coffee or breakfast with his team. Teyla, Kanaan and Ronon were already at their usual table. Of course, John wasn't there yet. Rodney knew he was filling Richard in on the news and requesting larger accommodations for the two of them. He wondered how long that would take as he was reluctant to face any questions from his curious friends by himself, but was surprised when John slid into the chair next to his only a few minutes later, after laying a warm hand on his back.
Rodney's voice was soft, uncertain. “Is – is everything okay?”
A small smile played on John's lips. “Yeah. He didn't faint, just looked momentarily stunned until his sense of decorum kicked in. He suggested we wait until the end of the week to make any move. That should give us a few days to check out all the quarters available.”
Rodney nodded nervously several times at he turned toward his other teammates. “Look, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you what was going on between John and me but, with his government's stupid military policies until recently, we couldn't risk it.”
Teyla graced them with one of her warmest smiles. “Be at peace, Rodney. We came to the conclusion you were not asking us to step into the role of family only as a formality. That this was something more ... for you and for John.”
“So ... so you're okay with that ... with us?”
Teyla grasped Kanaan's hand in hers, halting the progress of the fork to his mouth. “To find love and to keep it is one of the precious blessings in life. We are sorry that your relationship with Dr. Keller failed. But you deserve to be happy if you truly love John and he loves you.”
This time, John took Rodney's hand in his and made his own public declaration for the first time. “Yeah, we kinda do.”
“Then that is all that needs to be said. Do you not agree, Ronon?”
Ronon merely shrugged. “McKay loves Sheppard. Sheppard loves McKay. 'S okay by me.”
Rodney's face twisted into a scowl, though he was really trying to suppress a grin. “Oh, good. We just got Conan's official seal of good housekeeping. I think that calls for cake.”
Everyone burst into laughter. John gave Rodney's hand another squeeze before replying, “Let's wait for the housewarming party, okay, buddy?”
Rodney harrumphed and then dug into his breakfast. With his family surrounding him, he could get back to the really important stuff in life. Such as food, coffee, John, coffee, John. And, yes, work. He wasn't aware of when his priorities in life had changed, but he was content. And, speaking of family, he couldn't wait to send one e-mail in particular. No, he certainly was no John Sheppard, but John Sheppard was definitely his.
Author:
helenkacan / Helena K.Pairing: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard (coming out?)
Characters: Jennifer Keller, Team, McShep
Rating: Barely PG for some adult concepts (depends on whether one thinks it was partner betrayal or finally facing reality and choosing sexual orientation over sexual conformity).
Word Count: 1,475 words
Summary: Jennifer gets some unexpected news and reflects on how everything has changed. And Rodney changes his family status.
Time-line: Post EatG, Atlantis is back in Pegasus. Just pretend that DADT was really repealed long before now.
Disclaimer: Not mine (through no fault of my own).
Author's Note: Written for the “family” prompt at
mcsheplets (Challenge #79). Okay, so I'm a wee bit late in finishing this.Dr. Jennifer Keller was trying to maintain good posture but it was late and she was so damn tired. She glanced at the clock, knowing she should have left an hour ago. But, ever since residency, she'd persisted in not leaving until her charts were updated, her desk clean. As CMO, especially on Atlantis, she no longer had to worry about so many procedural reports, but there was still paperwork. She really shouldn't blame Mr. Woolsey, but he did seem to appreciate a well-filed hard-copy.
She sighed and pushed back a limp, greasy strand of hair. And that was another thing. Every day, she started out with bouncy clean hair but, without exception, her hair was a mess by the end of her shift. Yes, it was vain of her, but it was the one luxury she'd always permitted herself. She wondered if it was because they were floating in the middle of an ocean. She'd never had to worry about oceans or excessive humidity in Wisconsin.
But she'd returned along with most of the senior staff and crew to Pegasus because of one person. It was no surprise that this person was Dr. M. Rodney McKay, PhD, PhD, the man she hoped to marry some day real soon, though she had to admit she'd been dismayed he hadn't presented her with an engagement ring. He'd had plenty of opportunities to pick one up while they'd been stuck on Earth. She'd made sure to drag him around through a couple of stores, thinking he'd get the hint.
She risked a glance at her IN box, fearful it might suddenly be full again. But there was only one document left. It appeared to be one of those redesigned Change of Status forms that people filled out to designate Medical Proxy and Power of Attorney.
Jennifer picked it up, idly wondering who'd just gotten married or was involved in some kind of unconventional relationship. That was something else she hadn't been exposed to, back home. With people on Atlantis from so many nations that either had legal same-sex marriages (or at least civil unions), or those that allowed openly LGBT people to serve in their military, she'd already processed a bunch of forms.
Seeing the name of the applicant left her stunned. Rodney -- Rodney was.... She scanned the list of names twice, to be absolutely sure her name was not among them. Unless her name had been inscribed in invisible ink, it was missing. First and foremost on the list – which, in retrospect, shouldn't have surprised her at all - was Col. Sheppard's name, then Teyla's and Ronon's. Even Kanaan's. At this point, she wouldn't have been surprised if Torren's name had also made the cut. Or Mr. Woolsey's.
She pressed her fist to her mouth repressing a silent moan, reminding herself that she would not start to cry, not while she was on duty (even if her shift was technically over). She made a face, remembering the doodles on a scratch pad from months ago. Mrs. Rodney McKay. Or Dr. Jennifer McKay Keller, so that the Keller surname on her degrees would still be recognized. Well, that was all a moot point now.
Jennifer wondered how Rodney could break up with her this way – because how else could she interpret the document. And then she realized she wouldn't have given him the breath to do it in person. She couldn't help herself and tears began to slide down her face. She'd just come to the horrifying conclusion that she'd been treating Rodney the same way she treated her dad most of the time: someone who needed to be told how to behave and what to do. How could she have been so stupid? Her dad hadn't minded, because he missed the fact her mom had acted that way, so it was a familiar mannerism that kept mom's memory alive.
Jennifer grimaced, remembering how she'd been pretending to be the relationship-savvy one when she'd gone out with Rodney for that initial drink. Truth be told, she'd been just as emotionally stunted as Rodney, considering she'd missed so much of all that important boy-girl stuff by skipping through high school grades the way a stone skipped over the surface of a pond. She'd just covered it up more easily.
As Jennifer typed the data into the appropriate fields in the entry, her mind was already racing. How soon could she be packed and on her way home, to her dad who was all the family she had left, to the normal life she'd always wanted. She wasn't worried to be leaving Atlantis in the lurch. On the contrary. There were so many talented physicians already there and any one of them would make a more than suitable replacement.
After she pressed the command key, she poured herself a cup of lukewarm coffee. It wasn't as if she expected to get any sleep that night anyway. And then she composed her official letter of resignation, as well as a separate letter of recommendation regarding her potential successors.
Having completed her duties, she fled to her quarters. She intended to pack only the essentials. The other things could be sent back home via the Daedalus. After adjusting the settings on her computer to deliver her letters after she'd returned to Earth, she entered the Gateroom with as much dignity as she could muster. Citing a family emergency to the tech on duty, she walked through the Stargate for the very last time. Away from a life she'd never been suited to, she reassured herself, whether or not Rodney had been a part of it at all.
::~::~::
Rodney knew he should feel like a jerk, but he just felt relieved. By the time the day shift had started ... and the gossip had spread ... the Mess was abuzz with chatter. Still, he wasn't about to be deprived of his customary cup of coffee or breakfast with his team. Teyla, Kanaan and Ronon were already at their usual table. Of course, John wasn't there yet. Rodney knew he was filling Richard in on the news and requesting larger accommodations for the two of them. He wondered how long that would take as he was reluctant to face any questions from his curious friends by himself, but was surprised when John slid into the chair next to his only a few minutes later, after laying a warm hand on his back.
Rodney's voice was soft, uncertain. “Is – is everything okay?”
A small smile played on John's lips. “Yeah. He didn't faint, just looked momentarily stunned until his sense of decorum kicked in. He suggested we wait until the end of the week to make any move. That should give us a few days to check out all the quarters available.”
Rodney nodded nervously several times at he turned toward his other teammates. “Look, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you what was going on between John and me but, with his government's stupid military policies until recently, we couldn't risk it.”
Teyla graced them with one of her warmest smiles. “Be at peace, Rodney. We came to the conclusion you were not asking us to step into the role of family only as a formality. That this was something more ... for you and for John.”
“So ... so you're okay with that ... with us?”
Teyla grasped Kanaan's hand in hers, halting the progress of the fork to his mouth. “To find love and to keep it is one of the precious blessings in life. We are sorry that your relationship with Dr. Keller failed. But you deserve to be happy if you truly love John and he loves you.”
This time, John took Rodney's hand in his and made his own public declaration for the first time. “Yeah, we kinda do.”
“Then that is all that needs to be said. Do you not agree, Ronon?”
Ronon merely shrugged. “McKay loves Sheppard. Sheppard loves McKay. 'S okay by me.”
Rodney's face twisted into a scowl, though he was really trying to suppress a grin. “Oh, good. We just got Conan's official seal of good housekeeping. I think that calls for cake.”
Everyone burst into laughter. John gave Rodney's hand another squeeze before replying, “Let's wait for the housewarming party, okay, buddy?”
Rodney harrumphed and then dug into his breakfast. With his family surrounding him, he could get back to the really important stuff in life. Such as food, coffee, John, coffee, John. And, yes, work. He wasn't aware of when his priorities in life had changed, but he was content. And, speaking of family, he couldn't wait to send one e-mail in particular. No, he certainly was no John Sheppard, but John Sheppard was definitely his.
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