fateandfortune | Just two vampires, traveling the galaxy... [For Todd the Wraith]

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Just two vampires, traveling the galaxy... [For Todd the Wraith]

[continued from here]

It was a pleasant surprise to glance over and see Todd asleep on the bed, relaxed and peaceful. He can't have gotten much quality rest the night before propped up in the chair as he had been, certainly not when he'd been woken by her nightmare. She hoped that didn't happen again tonight, he had important things to take care of tomorrow; she didn't know all of the details, but with a civil war going on between his people, he needed his wits about him.

To that end, Rogue forced herself to stay awake for hours into the night, eating the dinner he'd brought for her and looking through one of the books from the collection he'd shown her before their sparring session. She didn't recognize anything on the pages, but it gave her a topic for conversation with the voices in her head, providing ample entertainment to pass the time. Eventually she fell asleep herself, the book held carefully to her chest as she curled up in the armchair, her boots set on the floor beside it. It was a fairly deep sleep, and she didn't dream for one of the first times in many weeks, something she was eternally grateful for when she awoke.

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Technically Todd had been on the diet for two years, including his time in the hospital here on Atlantis, but he and his crew had been on their own eating for about three months. He said nothing of it, and this only confirmed how much Rogue would mean to be on board the ship. Even with sparse ingredients, she'd created dishes that impressed the colonel who was perfectly able to get three meals a day without lifting a finger here.

For some reason, it was...good to hear Rogue laugh. Perhaps her tension and anxiety had rubbed off on him in the last week.

The wraith that had already been given their physicals had been escorted to the cafeteria already but weren't quite sure what to make of the trays of food they'd been given. And for many reasons, they were drawing eyes from the rest of those here to eat.

Sheppard's team were already at a table, plus one extra, a boy toddler in a highchair obviously gotten from earth because of the Batman print on it. Teyla was trying to get the kid to eat some peas when the three of them arrived.

"Guess what, they got ratatouille for dinner." Sheppard said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at Rogue and Todd.

"Wasn't that a movie about a rat?" McKay said, mouth full of mashed potatoes.

"Doesn't sound very appetizing" Ronon said.

Rodney was living up to his reputation alright. Rogue chuckled quietly and said, "There was a cartoon movie, yes, about a rat who becomes a chef in Paris. The dish, however, is just layered vegetables with seasoning, no rat included."

The little boy at the table gave a sudden squawking almost battle cry and sent a trio of peas flying at Rodney, who flinched and nearly fell out of his chair trying to avoid them.

"I apologize, Rodney," Teyla said, grabbing the small hand that was about to send another green barrage at the scientist.

The man in question just waved it off with a slightly embarrassed look. "It's fine, I'm okay."

Rogue smiled at the easy, family-like exchange between the group. It reminded her so much of the mansion, of how things had been before the war, especially with the little boy. Leaning down to get closer to the tiny warrior, she pointed at the pile of peas on the high chair tray. "Aren't you going to eat those?" she questioned him with a playful air of seriousness. "Because if you're not, I will. I'm really hungry," she exaggerated, then picked up her own trio of peas and popped them in her mouth.

The little boy stared at her with wide eyes, then still uncoordinated hands grabbed two handfuls of peas that he proceeded to stuff into his mouth.

Rogue laughed and told his mother, "Your son is adorable, Teyla."

"Why thank you Rogue." Teyla smiled.

"How is Kanaan? Still not over the flu?" Sheppard asked

"Afraid not, but he's doing better." she said, letting her son have his juice box, but the boy had caught sight of the Wraith and was staring at him with wide eyes.

Todd knew the boy shared his mother's ability, in fact he'd witnessed her control a queen with a boost from him while he was in in the womb. His gift was stronger than his mother's, thanks to his father a having the same gift. He said nothing though as he sensed another mind knocking at the door of his own.

Torren went back to eating his peas before the woman with the duel-colored hair stole them all, and Sheppard, Todd, and Rogue got in line for dinner.

While they waited in line, Sheppard turned to Rogue, saying, "You were great with Torren back there. Have much experience with kids?"

"I used to work at a boarding school for mutants," she explained with an easy smile. "The youngest student we had was eight, but we'd have even younger ones come through while we found new homes for them." At Sheppard's confused look, she added, "Parents didn't always take it very well when they found out their child was a mutant. At least half our kids didn't have anywhere else to go."

He muttered something under his breath and shook his head, seeming completely disgusted at the idea. He didn't say anything more about it as they got their trays of food.

Todd listened as Rogue talked about her time with kids at the mansion.

Wraith may not be affectionate warm puppies but you always looked out for one another, especially before maturity. The idea of kicking out a young male or female from a hive because they were different was unthinkable.

Just went to show that humans could be as equally compassionate as they were cruel.

A shame Woolsey was the way he was, Rogue seemed to be really settling in with Sheppard and his people. So much so, that the commander managed to slip away to sit with the Wraith that had been released from the hospital.

Sheppard saw this but decided it best Todd not sit with his team, though did sit so that he could glance over to the commander and still keep an eye on him as they ate and chatted.

The group talked about everything under the sun during that meal. Rogue asked them questions about Atlantis and their adventures in Pegasus, and they in turn asked about her and life on that alternate Earth. Rodney wanted to know more about the portal she came through, the mutations she'd encountered, whether he'd made any great scientific breakthroughs in that universe and won the Nobel Prize. (She'd just blinked at that one and asked Sheppard how he'd ended up with the Stargate program.) Teyla had asked about her years growing up and learning to deal with her mutation, Sheppard about what it was like to have lived on a Hive ship for a few weeks. Ronon didn't ask anything in particular, but did interject with his own comments now and then.

By the end of the meal, everyone, even Ronon, was at ease with Rogue, though the Satedan and Sheppard were still on alert with the Wraith in the room. Rogue's cheeks actually ached from smiling so much, and she hadn't laughed like this in months, certainly not since Remy died. It was enough to lift her spirits despite the dark cloud hanging over her at the thought of where life would be taking her next.

By the time they finished chatting and eating, the rest of the Wraith had come into the cafeteria. After they'd finished their free meals-with many mutterings that Rogue's cooking was far better-they were escorted back to the pier to go back up to the hive.

Todd and Rogue however would remain on Atlantis as tomorrow the new inoculations would start and there was no sense in traveling back and forth.

The group started to separate for the night, Teyla and Torren had gone a little while prior as he was getting fussy which meant bed time.

Sheppard led the way to the quarters Todd had been given when he'd been on Atlantis before. "I'll have a marine stationed outside your room as usual." he said to Todd, who nodded and went inside to settle down

Sheppard then looked to Rogue, "Let's find you your own room."

Rogue wasn't at all comfortable at being separated from Todd, and it was... stupid. She was being incredibly stupid. There was no reason not to enjoy having her own room for a night, when she would perfectly safe on Atlantis and the same couldn't be said on the Hive ship. Despite knowing that, though, she didn't feel safe when Sheppard dropped her off, briefly explaining things like how to turn the lights off and such.

No marine was left at her door, though she was cautioned not to wander the city alone because it was easy to get lost. And then she was alone. Rogue tried to sleep, curled up in the bed that was foreign but less so than Todd's bed had been, but every sound and shadow haunted her like the nightmares that clung to her consciousness.

An hour passed, then two, and she'd finally had enough. Her nerves were frayed and she was getting dangerously close to losing her mental shields, her stress levels were so high. And it was stupid, she knew it, but she couldn't help it.

The way back to Todd's room had been burned into her mind earlier that night and she found it with little trouble. The marine stationed at the door just watched her as she hesitantly asked, "Is it okay if I..." She gestured at the door and the marine nodded. Rogue was one of the few allowed access to their 'guest', since she was traveling with him.

Exhausted from the day's excitement and the stress of the last few days making sure they weren't followed by non-alliance hives had been the perfect sleep-inducer for the commander and he was out as soon as he laid down. The deedle of someone at the door woke him and he got up, awake and believing the worst had happened.

The blood results had returned and the cancer had returned. Enemy hive had stumbled upon Atlantis...Rogue had touched someone.

Well, he was right about it being Rogue, but the marine outside didn't seem in a panic and Sheppard wasn't here...so obviously no crisis.

"What's the problem?" he asked, but stepped aside to let her in, in case she wanted to keep what she had to say away from Sheppard's people.

She was such an idiot.

He'd been asleep. He was managing to get some much-needed rest and she'd gone and messed it up with her silly panicking, and now she'd made him worry. She could see it in his expression, the assumption that something had happened or was wrong, and she hated that she had done that to him.

Rogue stepped inside and heard the door swoosh shut behind her - she wasn't going to stay, but at least this way her idiocy would only be on display to one person instead of two. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, quickly. "I didn't mean to disturb you, I wasn't thinking. I just couldn't sleep and... Nothing's wrong," she said firmly, though her expression likely said otherwise. "I was just being silly is all. You should go back to bed."

She turned back to the door, ready to make a speedy exit, but she couldn't remember how to open the damn thing.

As she struggled with trying to open the door, he said, "You may stay." He probably wouldn't have slept much longer anyway. While it felt good to be on Atlantis, the dim quiet of a hive ship was home.

"Wave your hand in front of the panel if you want to leave." he said, moving away and sitting on the couch, which he'd turned to the window to look at the sky. The room hadn't been touched in his absence, the book he'd been reading was still sitting where he'd left it, the couch, the same.

It took nearly a full minute of Rogue debating with herself before she finally turned away from the door and moved further into the room, very carefully taking a seat at the other end of the couch. The view of the night sky was stunning and she sat there for a little while in silence, just watching the stars.

Until finally she had to say it. "I couldn't sleep," she said very quietly, "because I don't feel safe here. I know it's stupid. Maybe it's because of all of the military personnel everywhere, but I'm... I was terrified of being in that room by myself."

Soldiers had been the ones to come for her so many times before. The ones who had taken Erik, who controlled the Sentinels that hunted them. She knew these soldiers weren't under those orders, she knew it, but fear could be an incredibly irrational thing.

And Atlantis hadn't accepted her. Despite the warm reception by Sheppard and his team, she was still not welcome here, and that scratched at her thoughts as well, unearthing the instinctive fear that had been her companion since the start of the war.

"I assumed as much" he said. "And I...understand." Sympathize was too strong a word.

A comfortable quiet settled between them a moment, both focused on the moonlit sky, the seemingly endless sea that surrounded them, and the soft continuous waves against the city.

"In fact, perhaps this is an opportune moment" he said looking to her. "We expected that your invitation here might not be permanent one. After what we have to do here is done, I will honor my word to you by dropping you off on an uninhabited but habitable place to live out the rest of your days on. But the last two weeks have presented another option that I will offer to you."

Even if Woolsey had said yes to let her stay, he doubted she'd feel comfortable being followed around all the time by a marine. He was used to it but her world was a different place regarding the military and she'd likely never settle in if tonight was any indication.

"My crew, at least, those who have been inoculated, have taken to you. A cook with long term experience is still needed on board, and you've proven yourself to be a good teacher." He said. "And in between dinner and the occasional spar, we can try to work out controlling your ability."

Rogue didn't need someone to sympathize with her. She didn't need someone to pity her, to walk on eggshells. She needed someone who understood, who accepted her. That was all. Just those simple things.

The things that Woolsey had refused her, and that Todd was now offering.

Rogue opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was too tight with emotion and the words wouldn't come out. She tried again, and finally managed a strained, "You'd let me stay?" The last word broke and she pressed her gloved hand to her mouth, holding in the sobs that were threatening to come rushing out. The stress and fear that had built up inside her was draining away, leaving her ragged and empty, and she couldn't stop the few tears that fell and soaked into her gloves.

She wouldn't have to be alone. She wouldn't spend the rest of her life in complete isolation, feeling unwanted and like the monster the politicians had claimed her to be.

She wouldn't have to be alone.

Todd nodded, "Yes, you can stay." he confirmed. "Are you up for it?"

He quite liked having a human around, and Rogue, even with all her questions, was pleasant company. Besides, they had as much to learn from her as she had them.

He'd have to see about getting Rogue her own quarters though. If he didn't heal so well, he was sure his back would be suffering from the nights in the armchair.

Focusing on her breathing made it easier for Rogue to pull herself together. She could break down later, when she was by herself, and let go of the last of the tension through a good old-fashioned cry. For now, though, she wiped away the moisture at her eyes and gave Todd an only slightly trembling smile.

"Oh yeah, I'm up for it," she asserted, close to bursting with an overpowering feeling of utter relief and genuine joy. He was letting her stay, she could have a purpose and not just be taking up space and existing on some forgotten little planet. It felt like a dream.

"Thank you, Todd," she told him. "This means... so much. Thank you for trusting me enough to give me a place on your ship." The Wraith wanted her more than the humans did. It was kind of funny, in a very sad sort of way.

Todd could sense her tension, her need to breakdown in a mix of pent-up anxiety and happiness, sort of like when she woke up from the worst of the nightmares rolling around in her other subconsciousness's. Except on the other end of the spectrum.

"Good. And you're welcome." he chuffed, then got up off the couch "Now I think you should get back to your room before the marine asks what's going on." he said. Also so that she could explode with her emotions in private.

"Tomorrow we'll be up early starting the inoculations. Sheppard seemed quite fine with your company so I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving you the tour...Or Teyla Emmagan. You could probably use some female company after the last few weeks" he chuckled.

Wraith females and queens tolerated one another when there wasn't a territorial dispute, but preferred isolation from other females. Female humans on the other hand seemed to crave to be together. And as Ronon wasn't the warmest of people and McKay wanted little more than to question Rogue about every minute detail of her earth, it was better to stick with the colonel or the wraith sensor.

[ooc: my novel of a tag is over here]

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Just two vampires, traveling the galaxy... [For Todd the Wraith]

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