Author: ComputerGoddess47
Author URL: http://goddess47.livejournal.com/
Date: June 12, 2007
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard/Beckett
Rating: PG
Warning: Angst, Character Death (canon)
Summary: Sometimes, the extra room isn't worth the price.
Spoiler: Tag for “Sunday”
Archive: Area 52, anyone else, ask
~*~
John let himself into the room quietly. The lights were dim and he hoped Rodney was sleeping. Neither of them had slept much on Earth or on the trip back and John hoped that now they were in Atlantis – home – that maybe they'd be able to sleep.
He looked at Rodney and John saw he was lying on his back with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling. "Still can't sleep?" John asked quietly.
Rodney shook his head mutely. It was the silence that told John how bad it was.
John draped his clothes over the back of a chair and went into the bathroom. He came out a few minutes later after a quick wash and with a warm washcloth. "Close your eyes," he directed. Rodney sighed but did it. John laid the cloth across Rodney's red-rimmed eyes and crawled into the bed. John lay back and re-arranged Rodney so he was pillowed on John's shoulder and John wrapped his arms around the other man.
After too long, John felt Rodney relax infinitesimally. He knew Rodney wasn't sleeping, but he was at least resting.
John was still astounded to find himself with Rodney. In coming to Atlantis, he had quickly become friends with this prickly man. It wasn't long before John saw the fascinating person under the prickliness and knew what he was feeling was more than friendship. In that same time, he learned that Rodney McKay was already in a serious relationship with Carson Beckett. John liked and respected Rodney and Carson too much to come between them, so he kept his feelings for Rodney to himself and was happy that they were happy.
Until the night that Rodney and Carson sought him out on a balcony while he was watching the night sky. He came out there often to just watch and not think, a luxury he didn't get often enough.
"John?" Carson had asked softly, his soft brogue making John's name a caress. John had looked up and found himself in close proximity to the doctor. Carson put a hand behind John's head, drew them together and closed the gap to brush a kiss across his lips. John closed his eyes involuntarily but opened them when Carson put his other hand on John's hip and pressed their bodies together.
"Wha?" John mumbled, not understanding.
At that point, Rodney moved closer and put a hand on John's other hip. "I think he's interested," Rodney grinned. He leaned in and breathed in John's ear, "Don't think I haven't noticed. Genius here. You've been too damned honorable to do anything about it." John shivered as Rodney nibbled on his earlobe. "But I figured you wouldn't believe just me so I convinced Carson we had to jump you together." John looked at Rodney, then at Carson -- the same welcoming look was in both their eyes.
It wasn't long before they moved John in with them. John never ceased to be humbled that these two amazing men invited them into their relationship and into their bed. The respect and friendship John already had for Carson quickly turned to love and soon John couldn't envision his life without the other two men in it.
Now Carson was gone. Rodney was taking it especially hard, not sleeping and, according to Zelenka, not functioning well in the lab. John had to hope that if a real emergency came up, Rodney would be able to pull it together.
Rodney shifted in John's arms and John tightened his hold. "Sleep," John whispered gently.
"Bed's too big," Rodney muttered sadly.
Not that any one of them hadn't spent time alone in this bed. John and Rodney had been on missions, Rodney had worked all night on a problem in the lab or Carson had been on duty in the infirmary. Although, whenever they could, it had been the three together. Now it would only be two.
"Yeah, I know," John replied, ghosting a kiss on top of Rodney's head as a tear ran down his face. "I know."