Unexpected Paths
by
Bluespirit

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Carson wants to finish his conversation with Rodney. (Set during 'The Return Part One'.)
Genre: Established Relationship, romance, vignette
Spoilers: The Return Part One
Word count: 1,190

Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fiction. The characters and universe are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions and the Sci-Fi Channel. This fic is meant solely for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.

Notes:
1. This is a little birthday ficlet for my dear, sweet Xanthe. 
2. Hugs & thanks to my angel Q.H. for the  beta!

Carson stored the last of his test samples in the portable refrigerator and closed the door with a sigh. That was it - the med lab was finally packed up and ready for the return to Earth tomorrow. Most of the heavy equipment had already been beamed onboard the Daedulus and the few remaining pieces would be wheeled through the gate in the morning.

He checked around one last time, noticing the calendar of Scottish scenes hanging forlornly on a now bare wall and tucked it safely into a box file. It was ironic that he'd always felt a little wave of homesick melancholy whenever he'd looked at those familiar images and now he felt that same emotion for Atlantis - the place that had come to feel like home and that he was now being forced to leave. It wasn't just the city though, or even this galaxy - it was the people; the colleagues that he'd worked with and the friends that he'd made. He'd tried to explain some sense of this to Rodney that afternoon but, Rodney being Rodney, he'd failed. Carson had wanted to thank him for being such a good friend, despite their incessant bickering, and for being a braver man than people ever imagined. Rodney had a façade that few thought to see beyond but Carson had seen glimpses of the man behind the babbling sarcasm and he was proud to call that man a close friend.

"Damn it!" Carson muttered, making his mind up and striding determinedly from the lab. He wasn't going to let Rodney stop him from saying what he wanted to this time. Good friends were few and far between and who knew when they'd be together again once they returned to Earth? He turned the corner near to Rodney's quarters only to see Colonel Sheppard, clipboard tucked lazily under one arm, leaning at the side of Rodney's door. Carson stopped and hung back in the shadows. He wanted to get this off his chest without the benefit of an audience, even another good friend such as John Sheppard. Sheppard had clearly only just arrived as in the next moment the door slid open to reveal a rather rumpled looking Rodney, hair awry and pieces of packing tape stuck to one shoulder.

"Oh, it's just you," Rodney said, though his warm tone belied his rather disparaging greeting. Carson smiled to himself from his hidden lookout - only Rodney! "Have you completed your paper pushing and list checking? Or are there still unauthorised paper clips and recalcitrant bullets for you to account for?" Rodney asked, nodding his chin in the direction of Sheppard's clipboard.

"Pretty much done," Sheppard drawled, making a show of reading down the sheet. "Looks like there's just one last thing left on my list…."

Rodney pointed an imperious finger at Sheppard's chest. "It had better involve you, me and a bed - right now!" Carson's smile froze on his face. Rodney hadn't really just said that? Had he?

Sheppard raised one eyebrow and gave what Carson could only think of as a lascivious grin, and then checked the clipboard again, with exaggerated attention. "Well, let me just take a look here…."

"Oh for the-!" As Carson watched, still reeling with shock, Rodney plucked the clipboard from Sheppard's hands and threw it over his shoulder. "Less of the ticking boxes and more with the horizontal mambo, thank you very much."

"Horizontal mambo?" Sheppard's laugh was almost a splutter. "Did you really just say that?" Carson had to agree with him on that one.

"Oh, fuck you!"

Sheppard grinned and wound an arm around Rodney's waist, pulling them closer together. "Now, don't go all mushy on me with the sweet talk, McKay!" he laughed but his face was more open and relaxed than Carson could ever recall.

Rodney blew out a huff of derision that somehow still sounded oddly affectionate. "Because you, of course, are so *very* eloquent when talking about anything not related to guns, explosions and escape velocity."

"I like to think of myself more as an 'actions speak louder than words' kinda guy," Sheppard nodded with mock severity as he picked a length of packing tape from Rodney's sleeve.

"Hmmmm, well I suppose there is that…'Colonel Cuddler'," Rodney smirked, though he stroked a hand gently down Sheppard's neck as he teased.

"Hey!" Sheppard pouted. Carson really could only describe it as a pout - a frankly hugely unexpected sight to see on a forty-year-old US Air Force Colonel, it had to be said. "I thought we'd talked about that!"

"Yes, yes," Rodney soothed, one corner of his mouth turning up in a crooked but somehow appealing smile, "very *manly* cuddling - no one could ever question your membership of The Absurdly Heroic Testosterone Club, never fear."

John smiled and nodded happily. "That's right, 'cus it's that kind of talk that…."

"Oh for-! Will you just get your incredibly manly and yet oh-so-hot ass in here!" Rodney laughed, pulling an unresisting Sheppard into his quarters.

As the door slid shut Carson saw fondness and some deeper emotion warming Rodney's unshuttered blue gaze. He leaned back heavily against the wall and blew out a breath. He had never suspected more than friendship between Rodney and Sheppard, despite the obvious closeness of that friendship. Yet it looked like the two men were sharing something much deeper than that. For a self-confessed student of human nature, Carson felt somewhat of a fraud to have never noticed that his friends were clearly in love. He felt a sharp pang of loss deep in his chest, not that he coveted either man - but perhaps more of a longing for someone to share his own life with. This glimpse of such an easy and happy shared moment between his friends threw into stark relief his own more solitary existence. How long had he been hiding behind a genial smile and a little bit of an 'everyone's big brother' complex? Perhaps Rodney wasn't the only one with a façade….

Carson turned away and headed towards his quarters. All this self-awareness made a man want a nip of Scotch. He walked slowly with his head down, mulling over his reaction to the night's revelations and almost collided with a tall figure striding purposely around a corner.

"Doctor Beckett!" Carson felt strong hands steadying his shoulders as he looked up into surprised yet kind brown eyes. "Are you all right?"

Carson nodded mutely as a rush of heat flooded his face. "I'm fine, thank you. Just a little wool gathering, I'm afraid, what with everything that's been happening over the last few days and all…." He tailed off, suddenly inordinately aware of the closeness of the broad chest in front of him.

"Understandable. Are you done now? Perhaps… you'd like to join me for a farewell nightcap? I have a bottle of nicely aged Scotch and it always goes down more smoothly with good company."

Carson caught a flash of unguarded hopefulness in the gaze meeting his own and smiled shyly in return. "Why, that sounds particularly lovely, Colonel Caldwell, thank you. Lead the way…."

The End

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