emeraldsnakes

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis/Stargate SG1
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Elizabeth Weir, Radek Zelenka, Carson Beckett, Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, San Carter, Teal'c, Caroline Lam, Hank Landry
Rating: Teen
Length: 20,335
Content Notes: Disability due to aging, anger, grief and loss.
Creator Links: respoftw on AO3
Themes: Angst with a happy ending, Established relationship, Hurt/comfort, AU: canon divergence

Summary: A canon divergent AU after 'Common Ground'
“We just don’t have the resources or the facilities to care for him here. I wish that circumstances were different, you have no idea how much I wish that, but the fact remains. My medical recommendation is for us to send him back to Earth.”

Rodney refuses to leave John behind.

Reccer's Notes: In this story, John isn't given back his years after they were taken from him in Common Ground by Todd the Wraith, so he's very old and frail. Elizabeth and the Atlantis expedition are shocked when, after they decide to send John back to Earth for care and treatment (and to die), Rodney resigns and goes with him. However, the first obstacle to that is of course John, who half kills himself angrily rejecting Rodney and telling him he doesn't want him to come. The story is about the struggle they both face with John so frail, scared and ashamed, and Rodney, trying to cope while grieving and exhausted - and not too physically well himself. SG1 rally around to help, as do Teyla and Ronon back in Pegasus, and, well, this is the angst with a happy ending tag, after all. An at-times gruelling, but sometimes funny and overall heartwarming read, with great characterisation.

Fanwork Links: Grow Old Without You