When Darkness Falls

**When Darkness Falls**

This Story Is Disclaimed! Thank you.

WARNING:- SPOILERS from "Sunday", implied SLASH and a McWeir Ship to boot.

xoxox

_As you walk the path of least resistance  
Is it as simple as you claim it to be  
Your tongue, Your eyes, Your lies,  
They do deceive you…_

Elizabeth sighed.

Her job, her life, heck even the whole damn city was just getting too much. It seemed like every day someone was hurt or worse. Having to tell all those families, all the Wife's and Husbands and Mothers and Fathers. "Classified" just wasn't enough.

This was the kind of stress that cracked even the toughest of all war heroes and she was just a lowly civilian. She couldn't handle this.

She picked up her latest report it wasn't finished but she was tired so it got labeled carefully for filing.

A young lass gently knocked on her doorframe. Weir looked up and smiled in politeness.

"Ma'am" her voice so soft it was almost too quiet to hear.

"Mr. Ronan wanted you to know that Dr. McKay is still out on pier 3."

Elizabeth hung her head. It was nearing nine o'clock Atlantis planet-side-time and Rodney hadn't budged. He had been out there every day since they had got back, standing in the same spot for hours, sometimes even for days and nights.

He was taking it bad. Worse infact, than anyone else.

She had never known that they were so close, and judging by his reaction, neither did he.

"Ma'am" the messenger hadn't left "if I may, I think he wants someone to talk to"

"Thank you" Liz waved her off.

Standing up she put on her coat. It wasn't cold, more a force of habit.

xoxox

Weir took the long way down, hoping to see an empty dock by the time she arrived but alas, no such luck.

He was like a statue, carved from old stone, a little worn around the edges but still standing strong.

And all by himself.

She frowned a little, Ronan had obviously had enough of baby sitting and left. She didn't want him here all by himself. Just incase.

No. She wasn't going to think of that. He was perfectly stable, emotionally. Negative thoughts like that were unconstructive.

But still, she worried.

"Hi Rodney, I brought you a sandwich. I thought you might be hungry" She set down a shoulder bag and began unpacking its contents.

Elizabeth took a small moment to study his composer; she hadn't come down until today. She had reasons she supposed.

But being there, with him now, she could try to make up for it.

He was just standing. As if he was just waiting for something. She didn't know what that 'something' was, but he wasn't tensed or angry or sad. Just…expecting.

"Oh, and some coffee to wash it down" She flashed a smile at him.

"Oh… Thanks Elizabeth" He didn't even advert his eyes from the sea. Just…watching.

"Uh..well" She stammered, only slightly, but stammered all the same.

This time he spoke up. A little more, as if he could sense her discomfort with just…standing.

"Please, stay if you like"

She smiled.

"Well you could certainly do with some company".

He didn't smiled back.

_I stand firm in my solidarity  
The path I walk, I walk in with my own resolve_

The wind picked up, surging the sea and sending a salty mist over them. It gave the air a tangy taste and stung their eyes that little bit more, making them blink rapidly to try and disperse of their irritative friend.

"Rodney…" She began,

"I like the sea" He cut her off, half not wanting to hear what she had to say, half wanting to explain. "Funny as it might sound, I can't swim to… well… save my life, but there is something calming and reassuring about it." He nodded as if that was the solution to everything. Weir opened her mouth to comment but was shot down again.

"All he wanted to do was go fishing. On the main land. Where it was nice and safe but nooo… I was too pig headed, too smart for my own good, too…"

"Rodney what you did or didn't do has nothing to do with what happened!" She reached out for his arm, trying to quell the anger that was building inside of him but he pulled way.

"No Elizabeth! It was _**my**_ fault!" He raised his voice, almost to the point of yelling.

"It was my fault because I was too damn afraid!" One kick sent the coffee canister flying across the ground. The brown liquid leaving a messy map of its violent journey.

Weir stepped back. Surprised not only at his outburst, but also at his confession. She knew he was extremely self-centered almost to the point of being annoying but afraid? Why? What could he possibly be afraid of? Fishing? The mainland? It made no sense.

McKay glanced at her, scrutinizing her reaction. At least she wasn't the only one stunned. He defiantly hadn't planned that. But still, she was judging.

"I know what your doing" he said waving his finger at her, "your trying to analyze me, trying to figure out what Im on about!"

The wind caught a hollow, howling into it, dramatizing the whole situation.

xoxox

"Rodney…" This time she put one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand. "You and Carson were best of friends, I understand that, I do, but I don't…Just…"

"I didn't… know we were best friends that is, I mean we sat together at mess, and we talked but…"

He looked down at their hands, at how well they fit together.

"Elizabeth, I think it was different from that. It was another level it think, I mean I don't know for sure, but…"

She squeezed his hand, giving him encouragement. He sighed. The ocean doing nothing to calm his thoughts now.

"Was it wrong? To feel like that?" His question barely making a scratching noise.

She almost chocked from the honesty she saw. Tears welled up, and try as she might, they would not stay hidden. One rolled down her face, catching just under her chin.

All the pain and truth in his eyes. How did she miss it? Hiding behind a pile of work or that poker face they all wore?

He was hurt and couldn't find the right answers, not from the stars or the sea, probably not even from her. Still she could try her best. She would at lest do that.

It came only as a whisper,

"no"

xoxox

The sun had set completely, the starts twinkled dimly. There was no moon tonight.

Two silhouettes stood against the steady hum of the city. All alone in the darkness.

A sad smile creased his lips as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"good"

_We are the hope._

_AN:- there is something wrong with the way this showed up, the format is all screwy... any help?_

_anyway i hope you liked it!_


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