a blue true dream of sky

[rachael-recs.livejournal.com]

My Sheppard/McKay rec50 table.

Claim: Stargate Atlantis: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Title: a blue true dream of sky
Author: isilya (isilya)
Characters: McKay, Sheppard, Ronon, Teyla
Prompt: 02 - AU
Rating: Mature
Length: Long
Brief summary: To me, the Harlequin challenge on sga_flashfic produced some amazing stories, romances with plots and interesting characterizations influenced both by canon and by the worlds the authors created. In this contemporary-feeling story, the world is a variation on the modern Australian outback, where Wraith is is a deadly mystery, a virus that reoccurs periodically and turns lush farmland into a toxic desert, destroying it utterly. In this story, John is a desperate rancher trying to get his cattle to market while Rodney is an agricultural researcher who demands that John take him on the cattle drive, as he is intent on figuring out how Wraith spreads so he can eradicate it. Personalities clash, there's action, danger and suspense in the wild outdoors.

And there's love.


It's still raining when first light rolls around. Rodney must have passed out from sheer terror at some point in his pool of mud and sleeping bag. The first thing he hears is Sheppard singing, low and tuneless, over the rain. He opens his eyes. They feel gritty. His head throbs, his back hurts and then his elbow hurts more. Even his kidneys are sore, like something scored a direct hit. He's shivering, and he can't seem to catch his breath in anything more than great shuddering gasps. He sits up awkwardly and sees a deep gouge in the earth next to him, a deep hoof-shaped gouge. He shudders and turns aside to throw up.

"I'm singing in the rain," he hears, when he stops retching. "Just singing in the rain! What a fucking beautiful day--"

"Sheppard," Rodney manages to croak, before throwing up again.

"Jesus, McKay," Sheppard rushes over, sounding shocked. "What happened to you?"

"I was almost fucking killed last night," Rodney spits out, struggling to get to his feet. Sheppard holds out a hand to help him up, but it's wet and slippery and Rodney falls, lands on his arse. Sheppard shakes his head and hauls Rodney up.

"Look at my tent!" All that's left is a muddy mess of torn nylon. "And none of you even fucking bothered to--you're singing for God's sake."

"Hey, you're bleeding." Sheppard bats away Rodney's defensive hands and wipes at Rodney's forehead. "Are you hurt?"

Rodney swings his limbs, rolls his shoulders. His elbow still hurts but he can bend it.

"Everything hurts."

"Jesus, I had no idea any of the cattle came out this far--"

"Somebody should have woken me up!"

Sheppard steps back and looks down at him. Water is pouring off the top of his Akubra hat like a little waterfall, so Rodney can't see his expression.

"Fuck," he says, tightly. "It was a stampede, McKay. Two thousand cattle took fright last night. We could barely tell our arses from our elbows. Come on, you can dry up in the caravan."
Sheppard starts walking and Rodney hurries to keep up with him. The ground is rough and slimy under Rodney's bare feet.

"I heard Ronon out there--he couldn't come and get me?" It's getting harder to make himself heard over the rain, and he has to concentrate on where he's putting his feet.
Sheppard stops so suddenly Rodney bumps into him.

"Ronon," Sheppard turns and says slowly, "was almost killed himself, last night. For an hour he was right in there, riding with the cattle, trying to calm them down. Teyla had to follow, and shoot all the cattle that fell and broke their legs. Had to put down the same bloody stupid cattle we're trying to keep alive."


Link to the story: a blue true dream of sky