lovedRating: PG
Warnings: Slash implied
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Rodney McKay, Carson Beckett (with mentions of other cast mates)
Shippers: McBeckett
Spoilers: McKay and Mrs. Miller
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis and I'm not making money off this
Notes: Be nice! This is my first Stargate fanfiction and I'm also pretty new to the series and this is a trial run. Please be nice? –Insert puppy eyes here-
Summary: Rod has a little sit down with Carson. They compare universes. Rod reveals the other Carson's personality.
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Dr. Carson Beckett was torn between excitement, fear, frustration, and amusement. Really, what were the odds that a carbon copy of Dr. Rodney McKay would show up out of nowhere? Well, not out of nowhere per-say. They knew where he had come from, even how he had gotten there, but still… two McKays? Wasn't that one of the signs of the Apocalypse? He would have to look it up, but he seemed to recall it jammed in there somewhere between the Seven Horse Men and the Judgment Seat.
Of course, the copy only looked like Rodney. The two doctors where different in key ways. For starters, when this Rodney showed up in his office, it wasn't to start ranting about how a bump on his head meant he was going to die. No, this Rodney stopped by "just to chat." There was also the way which Rod approached Carson. Rodney would stand there, an 'I'm-way-smarter-than-all-of-you' look on his face. Rod was smiling a warm, friendly, rather flirty smile. Carson's mind returned to the night Cadman, in Rodney's body, had asked him to come along on Rodney's date.
These little differences were what was making this whole conversation weird. He liked the Rodney he was used to: self-assured, self-absorbed, stuck-up Rodney McKay. This Rodney was far too much like John Sheppard for his taste (not that he didn't like John of course).
"It's creepy, right?" Rod said as he lowered himself into the chair across from Carson's. "I keep wanting to make jokes with you lot but I don't think you'd get them. What with you not being the same Carson I have inside jokes with."
"I'll admit that it's a bit…" Carson searched for the right word. He had to be careful because he didn't entirely trust Rod. "Strange," he said finally. "T' see ye not havin' your flag on yer shoulder is especially what I notice."
"Ah, yes," Rod looked at the arm which Rodney would have had his Canada flag on. "I seem to be quiet proud of my heritage in this reality, don't I? It doesn't really matter to me back where I come from. Just a place I put on my applications and that the other you puts on all my medical charts."
"Do ye mind if I ask… what am I—" He stopped. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what his other self was like. Would the other Carson Beckett be a nice guy, or one that everyone avoided? Would he be clever or a little slow? Did he even want to know?
"Actually, you are just about the same there, too," Rod said with a slow grin. "Few small changes. For one, you are a lot more sarcastic where I come from and a lot less friendly when people get themselves hurt doing stupid shit. Once, John was messing around with some new fangled weapon and blew his big toe clean off. You wouldn't shut up about it for like a week."
Despite himself, Carson smiled. The idea was somewhat insane to him. Sure, he might mentally scold someone for doing something stupid, but he had a little more tact than to say it aloud.
"But other than that, you are just the same. Still pretty sweet and still everyone's favorite."
Was that the smallest of blushes that ran across Carson's face? "Oh I'm hardly everyone's favorite."
"Modest, too? Damn Cars, you are going to drive me crazy acting so cute like this. Don't tell the other one I told you, Kay? You are jealous where I come from."
"Aye, well I—Wait, what?" Jealous? Why would the other him be jealous of Rod complementing this him? Suddenly the wheels began to click together. "Oh." He said, then a slightly more significant "Oh." So, he and Rod were… what? Lovers? Friends with Benefits?
"So, do you and my other self secretly make out?" Rod asked, clearly missing the look on Carson's face, or just ignoring it.
Carson was very glad he wasn't drinking anything at the moment because it would have been spewed all over the room. He coughed a few times and then gave the smirking Rod a look of horror. “No! I’m sorry, Rod, but I’m afraid I’m not gay in this reality.”
“Huh… That’s too bad.” Carson wasn’t sure he liked the look in Rod’s eyes as he said that. “I think that’s the one thing I’ll truly miss. Something rather comforting in having the other you right in bed next to me.” A look of sorrow crossed Rod’s face. “He’s never going to forgive me.”
“Forgive you? Forgive you for what exactly?”
Rod smiled a sad sort of smile. “Well, about a week ago, I asked Cars to marry me. He said yes. Guess now that’s not going to happen.”
Carson was at a loss. He bit his lip and couldn’t think of anything to say. Finally, all that came out was “I—I’m sorry.”
“Ah don’t be. It’s okay. He knows why I had to do it. I mean, I make a big show here of being noble and wanting to save a universe just for the fame. But really… I just wanted to save him.”
Was it strange that Carson had never felt so loved in his entire life? Would this world’s Rodney do that for him? Wait, no, bad things came from that train of thought… like the bad thing that was creeping into his head of the shape of Rodney cuddled against him, his lips on his neck. Gah! No! Bad, Carson!
“Doctors McKay to the Containment Chamber, Doctors McKay to the Containment Chamber.”
Carson had never been so glad to hear Radek’s voice. He didn’t think he could look Rod in the eye without giving away the image that had just slipped into his mind of it’s own free will.
“That’d be me,” Rod stood up and smiled. “Real glad we had this talk, Cars— I mean Carson. Man does that take some getting used to. See you around, yeah?”
“Aye, you will.” He smiled and shook Rod’s hand before the carbon copy of Rodney McKay left him alone to his thoughts. Carson sighed and banged his head on the desk. This was going to end badly, he just knew it. The image appeared back in his mind and he smiled. Well, maybe not so badly… after all, they were only little differences…