Possession 1/83
So, we've finally managed to complete another fic for you and we're going to start posting it a piece at a time. Hope you enjoy it!
-dee and toni


Title: Possession
Author: Gategeeks (aka SGC Gategirl and Girrlkitty)
Status: Complete, posting in parts
Rating: Ages 18+ (T+)
Size: 192,965 words
Category: Drama, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Whump
Summary: When ancient computers and the trust get involved, McKay and Beckett fight for the right of free will—can they regain control before it gets out of hand?
Spoilers: Takes place immediately following the events in season two's "Grace Under Pressure"
Warnings: Torture (mental and physical), suicide, language, non-con/rape is mentioned but not shown
Archive: Do not archive without the authors' express permission.
Disclaimer: The Stargate, SGA, the Wraith, and all characters that have appeared in the series Stargate Atlantis, together with the names, titles, and back story, are the sole copyright property of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., the Scifi Channel, and Acme Shark. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea, and the story itself are the sole property of the authors.



Authors' Notes: SGC Gategirl: Well, this story certainly took on a life of it's own. Much thanks go to Toni for putting up with me and for allowing me my tangents. Also much thanks to Kat and Lee for the betas—along with the YIM girls, of course.

Girrlkitty: Yes, this one definitely went in a different direction than either of us thought it would, but it was a fun ride. Thanks to Dee for letting me have a little fun with a much darker character than I’ve ever written before. Thanks to Kat and Lee for all their awesome suggestions, and last but not least, thanks to our YIM Support Group who were forced to listen to us both whine about how we weren’t sure it was a good story or not.


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Possession
By Gategeeks (aka SGC Gategirl and Girrlkitty)


Doctor Carson Beckett really didn’t like going off-world. His place was back in the infirmary of Atlantis, fixing up all the people who got injured, shot at, held captive, and any number of things the teams seemed to stir up just by stepping through the Gate.

But when Rodney McKay found a mention in the database about a medical lab, and he, John Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan, and Ronon Dex had successfully made first contact with the local people, Elizabeth decided—thanks to the rather loud recommendations by one particular scientist and his military escort—that someone who was both a doctor and had the ATA gene should check it out.

Unfortunately, there was only one person who fit those criteria.

So Carson found himself hiking along behind Rodney. He made sure to use Gaelic for his muttered complaints, and questions about the parentage of those who had dragged him out here—the Ancients who had built the lab miles from the Gate, Rodney for finding the notes in the first place, and Elizabeth for ordering him on this little jaunt. They really didn’t need to know what he was saying.

Rodney glanced over his shoulder, pulling his eyes from the life signs detector he held in his hands. Raising an eyebrow, he regarded Beckett for a moment before turning back around and nearly tripping over a tree root.

Carson shook his head. "It's a wonder you manage to come back from these things alive at all if ye can't even walk in the woods."

"Usually I don't have a Scot walking behind me calling down curses in Gaelic," he muttered.

Carson caught himself from stumbling at the last second. "You, ah, speak Gaelic?"

Rodney glanced over his shoulder, a semi-blank expression on his face. "Did I say that?"

Carson eyed the Canadian. "Rodney McKay, if you speak Gaelic and never told me, I promise you there will be large needles involved next time you visit my infirmary."

"Let's just say that you keep using some of the same words over and over again, so I thought it was in my best interests to figure out what you were saying."

Lovely. The man could probably curse in Gaelic, but wouldn't know if he asked where the bathroom was. Carson was going to have to be more careful from now on. "And just when did you decide that?"

The scientist's steps faltered a little and he turned away, but not before Carson caught a glimpse of the sheepish expression on his face. "A few months after we got here." He paused for a moment, before rushing ahead. "My vocabulary in a number of languages is increasing…Czech, Japanese, Spanish, French…Latin is the most interesting, but I already know a lot of the good ones there."

Carson felt his eyes go wide. He hadn't thought anyone could understand him, so he tended to slip into his native tongue when he needed to vent, and his language at those times was a bit...colorful. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I figured it was safer that way," he shrugged. "And from what I can tell, Zelenka is a whole lot more creative than you are."

"Zelenka has to deal with you on a regular basis. It's probably driven him out of his mind." Carson felt himself blushing, recalling some of the things he had called the scientist in the past.

"Hey!" he protested, coming to a full stop and whirling on the doctor. "I may be difficult, arrogant, petty, and bad with people but that doesn't mean that I deserve to be called half the things everyone says." He paused, narrowing his eyes before turning and plowing ahead once again. "Why is it again that Sheppard wanted you here?"

Carson sighed. Rodney was right. He hadn't actually wanted to hurt the man's feelings. A corner of his mind was already working on ways he could make it up to him. Extra Jell-O next time Rodney was visiting the infirmary maybe. "I have no bloody idea. You could have just downloaded the database and brought it back for me to look at."

Rodney shot an unreadable look over his shoulder, but kept moving, eyes fixed on the device in his hands and where he was putting his feet. "There's too much in the database to transfer it," he finally said, "and there's some other…devices and equipment and whatnot there you probably need to see."

"Right, more bloody machines I have to turn on and pray it doesn't kill anyone. Lovely. Just promise me there won't be any chairs with missiles I can accidentally set off here." He fought down the urge to mutter a few more curses.

"Don't worry. Everything's already been turned on at least once and nothing's blown up or anything. Everything just seems to be pointing to medical research. You know, the squishy sciences….if you can even call it that."

"You underestimate my ability to find things to blow up." He muttered under his breath. "When do you plan to tell me what you mean by medical research? You've all been rather vague on what exactly you want me to look for."

Rodney glanced back at him briefly before turning back to the path that was growing rockier by the minute. "From what I've been able to decipher from the database, the Ancients were dealing with various things including gene therapies and manipulation as well as general…research on various sentient forms."

Despite himself, Carson perked up a bit. He could and did act as a medical doctor, but genetics was his passion. He wasn't sure what to make of Rodney's brief pause though. He decided there was something Rodney was hiding from him. "Why did'na you say that? And what do you mean research into sentient forms?"

"It's better for you to see them yourself, keep your assumptions uncontaminated from my own hypothesizes. I will tell you that as a genetics lab, it's right up your alley," Rodney said a moment later as he checked the device in his hand before tucking it into his vest pocket. "It's not far now. Just along this ridge. Ronon should be hovering somewhere near the entrance."

Before he could protest this distinct lack of information, they rounded a corner to find John, who had taken point, standing next to Ronon by a hole in the cliff wall. Carson stopped and gave them a hard look. "Decided to take a break before we go any further?"

John shrugged, his eyes tracking behind him. "Figured you'd be along soon. Wanted to give you the official welcome."

"Welcome? Rodney said we were getting close, but I din'na see anything that looks like an Ancient outpost."

"It's just a little ways down," he replied, his eyes following something moving behind Carson. "Rodney, where are you going?"

Carson turned to see Rodney heading down through the trees a bit. "Rodney?" He started to follow him.

Rodney's face flushed. "I have to…you know," he said, his hands waving and gesturing. "I don't need an audience."

Carson came to a complete stop, feeling his face go red again. "Er, right. Sorry." What was it about this planet that had him so jumpy? He usually wasn't this clingy.

Rodney nodded once before disappearing into the foliage. Sheppard cleared his throat, pulling Carson's attention back to the solider. "McKay's been a little…tense. It's close quarters in there," he said, gesturing behind him with his hand.

Carson looked around, still confused that all he saw was a blank wall. "Where? And how close? I know his claustrophobia has been a bit stronger since the jumper incident." He slipped into doctor mode.

"The entrance is around the bend," Sheppard said. "Ancients built the facility into the mountain—God only knows why. Some of the tunnels have low ceilings and the rooms aren't exactly spacious. McKay's been trying to stay in the main room, which also happens to be the largest one and has all the stuff."

Carson eyed the soldier. "Then why is he here? If you're forcing him into this, Colonel, I'll be more than a bit put out with you. There are plenty of bases without small cramped spaces that set off panic attacks." He wasn't aware that he had stalked up and was standing almost toe-to-toe with the man.

"Rodney's insisting on staying," Sheppard hissed, eyes narrowing. "As soon as I took one look at his clammy pale face when we first arrived, I suggested we have another team check it out. He refused."

The belligerence faded, and Carson sagged a bit, feeling a little embarrassed. He knew the colonel well enough to know this wouldn't be his idea of entertainment. "Sorry. I'm jumpy, but there is something about this place has me on edge." He ran one hand through his hair, stepping back out of John's personal space.

"I know what you mean," Sheppard said, eyes shifting back to the forest. He gestured with his chin and Ronon nodded once before sliding into the forest.

Carson quirked an eyebrow. "What was that?"

"Just keeping an eye on him. The locals mentioned some wild game, but it's been quiet. Rather not have any….surprises." Sheppard's eyes twinkled a little.

"Great. First I get wrangled into going on a mission, then I discover said mission will take place in cramped quarters with a possibly panicky physicist for company, and now there are wild animals that could maul us while we pee." He moved over to a tree and leaned against it. "How bad was he when you were in there before? And is there any reason for any of us to leave the main chamber you talked about?"

"On a scale of one to ten? Nine-ish at first. Probably hovering around a four now, but that's pretty normal for a bad mission." Sheppard paused. "And in reality, there's no reason why he should be going outside to answer the call of nature since there are facilities in the outpost. McKay just has some issues about using them." Sheppard shrugged. "Likes the tree better I guess. As long as there's nothing out here, I don't care where he pees."

Nodding, Carson mentally went through all the supplies in his pack. Knowing the kind of things this team got up to, he had brought more than the standard field kit. Just in case. “I have a few low-grade relaxants with me. If he starts to have too much trouble, they'll help take the edge off.” 

“If he’ll take them.” 

“I’ll tell him they’re Tylenol or something.”

Sheppard raised an eyebrow as McKay stumbled into view. "Everything okay, Rodney?"

"Fine," he grumbled, glancing over his shoulder at the hulking shape of the Satedan. "I do know the way."

Carson straightened up and quirked an eyebrow at John. "Well then, now that's taken care of, shall we get started?"

Rodney's mouth twisted in a frown. "Laugh it up, Beckett. We'll see if you're laughing in a few minutes." He waved his hand, gesturing to Sheppard. "Well? We'll get more done inside the facility."

Eyebrows going up, the jumpy feeling suddenly returned. "Ah, Rodney, why do you say 'see if I'll be laughing'?"

"Just wait and see. Just wait and see."


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Part 2