New Fic: Men in Stiff Procession (SGA/SG-1, Gen, PG-13, AU from 5X13) Part

[vain_glorious]

Men in Stiff Procession 4/4

Part 1 for header info

From then on, Cameron went with Dex on these rescue missions just about every other week. His own team mission generally didn’t last longer than a few days and it wasn’t like his social life was booming. In doing so, Cam did realize that he lost any and all ‘plausible deniability’ to protect his job if an IOA rep showed up on the Daedalus and wanted to know where he was. That probably should have bothered him more than it did. It nudged at him as a danger with an outcome that he really wouldn’t like, but also seemed like a distant, unlikely possibility.

He wondered if that wasn’t a consequence of being an entire galaxy away from his bosses.

His absence from the city didn’t seem to bother anyone. Lorne was there and could handle an emergency. It wasn’t like Cam could sit in the Chair or fly a Puddlejumper, anyway.

Traveling with Dex was enlightening. It was the same thing over and over again. Arrive on a planet, usually one with no sign of life around the ‘Gate. Cam immediately checked the life sign detector and it was always blank. And then they’d dial up the ‘Gate and go on to their next address. Waiting for the DHD to engage made them both tense. Cam always got the impression that Dex wanted it to fail, like that would mean Sheppard would suddenly materialize. But of course, the ‘Gate always lit up and Sheppard never appeared.

Sometimes before dialing out, Dex would poke around the vicinity of the ‘Gate. Even when the scanner was black and empty. He didn’t say anything about it, but Cameron eventually figured out the man was looking for a grave.

Cameron had a new appreciation for how awful this had been for Dex and McKay. They’d been doing this, totally fruitlessly, for a year and a half. Barely made a dent in the list of planets and had nothing to show for it. Cam imagined how he might feel in their place, searching for the body of Sam or Jackson or Teal’c or Vala. It made his chest twist, made him realize just how crazy this would make him if he’d loved Sheppard the way the rest of the city had.

The failure was the worst part, but the search itself sucked. Nine times out of ten, the planet they came out on was a nasty, inhospitable place. If it wasn’t empty because the Wraith had gobbled up the residents, it was empty because it was a shitty planet where no humans in their right minds would want to live. That meant ridiculously hot or insanely cold weather. Or terrain that made it next to impossible to stand, like the ‘Gate positioned on rocks surrounded by something that sure as hell resembled quicksand. How McKay had managed to get hurt was fairly obvious now.

Everything about the search was hard. Everything about it seemed like a constant reminder that it was basically desperate and futile and doomed.

Cam had decided to come along, in part, so he could try to convince Dex of that. But actually being there made him realize that Dex, who had been doing this for some time, had to know that. And yet he wouldn’t stop.

The other reason Cameron had joined the search was more selfish. He wanted Dex to actually acknowledge Cam’s presence on Atlantis, wanted Dex to realize Cam was more complex than just the second guy the IOA had picked to fill Sheppard’s shoes. Wanted Dex to stop looking at him like he thought Cam was a slightly annoying bug. Maybe if he could get the man to have a conversation, he could gently convince him to give up and go home.

That part of the Cameron’s mission goal was about as successful as they’d been at finding Sheppard.

Dex didn’t seem to mind Cameron’s presence, but neither did he act like he needed it. If anything, he seemed to view Cam as a packhorse to carry the heavy equipment. That was a bit irritating, especially because after one mission it was instantly apparent that Dex didn’t need anyone to carry anything for him ever. He also understood Sam’s warning against sparring with Dex, even if it hurt Cam’s pride. Dex was younger, lither, probably stronger and definitely faster than Cam. No wonder Emmagan hadn’t been at all worried for McKay’s safety with Dex at his side. Cameron also noticed that Dex wore dog tags intertwined in his dreads. At first, he thought they were issued to Dex and he just wore them unconventionally. But when he got close enough to read, he realized the name printed on the tags was John Sheppard’s. He had no idea where Dex had gotten them.

Cam had all these new observations about Dex that were just that, observations. Dex still wouldn’t talk to him beyond telling him to check the life sign detector or deciding it was time to go back. If Cam tried to talk to him while Dex examined the ground for some invisible sign of Sheppard, he more often got glared at than told to shut up.

It went on like that for a couple of months.

McKay’s leg healed, but Cameron refused to let him rejoin the search. Especially after seeing the conditions first hand, he didn’t want the guy that kept the city up and running out there. Dex was only human, after all, and the search was supposed to be about finding Sheppard not protecting McKay.

McKay threw a tantrum. For the first time, he was every bit as annoying as Cameron had expected him to be about everything.

Surprisingly, Dex took Cam’s side.

“He’s right,” Dex said, causing McKay’s mouth to drop open and gape at him. “You’ll get hurt again.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t shove me down a mountainside again,” snapped McKay. He jabbed a finger at Cameron. “You’d rather take –” Cam tilted his head, curious what insult McKay was going to come up with. Unfortunately, McKay remembered Cam was in the room, and settled on infusing the word “him” with as much disdain as possible.

“He doesn’t care if I get hurt,” Cam said, because it was probably true.

Dex didn’t deny it.

“He can handle himself,” Dex said.

“And I can’t?” McKay demanded, still red in the face.

“Rodney, you are needed in the city,” Emmagan tried. “If there is another attack.”

That pacified McKay a little. Dex took the opportunity to leave and Cam chased after him.

“Hey, you think I can handle myself?” Dex didn’t answer. “That’s like a compliment, right?”

Dex just kept walking, not even looking back.

~

It was a good thing Cameron insisted McKay remain in the city. While Dex and Cam were away, there was another projectile attack. Cam missed it – and was a little hurt if not too surprised that his absence hadn’t really mattered – and McKay’s presence was vital. He and Zelenka managed to hijack the projectiles’ navigation system before the things even penetrated the shield. They redirected the explosives back to their point of origin. It was a brilliant plan, even if McKay was obnoxiously proud of it. Cameron hoped it blasted the hell out of that Michael guy or some Wraith hive.

It made him feel more confident about leaving the city with Dex, though perhaps it should have bothered Cam that he was so unnecessary to the city. And it did kind of bother him that he was suddenly as dedicated if not more to the pointless search for Sheppard as he was to the rest of his duties.

Dex may have picked on his hesitancy. The man dropped by Cameron’s quarters the night before they were scheduled to go out again.

“Hey,” Cameron said, when he answered the door and found Dex standing in the hallway. “What’s up?” It was the first time he’d talked to Dex without having to seek him out first.

“Where we’re going tomorrow,” Dex said, without preamble. “It’s winter.”

“Okay,” Cam said. “So, you’re saying winter gear.”

Dex just looked at him.

“Winter gear,” Cameron repeated. “Thanks for the warning.”

“You don’t have to come,” Dex told him.

That was the first time Dex had actually expressed an opinion, verbally anyway.

“Oh, I’m coming,” Cam said. “I thought you said I could handle myself.” He was a little hurt by the rapid turnaround.

“You don’t have to,” Dex repeated, glancing down the hallway like he was about to leave.

Irritated, Cam straightened up and crossed his arms. “Tough,” he said, firmly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Dex nodded, turned sideways, and strolled off without saying goodbye.

“Goodnight!” Cameron yelled at the man’s retreating back.

Dex hadn’t been kidding about it being winter and his warning to Cam might have been a genuine – maybe even friendly – act of compassion. Cameron had his doubts, especially after he showed up in the morning in heavy duty winter gear and Dex was only wearing his slightly heavier leather coat.

The moment Dex and Cam stepped out of the wormhole, snow blasted them so hard Cam couldn’t even see. It was bright white and cold and suddenly really hard to move. Cameron was instantly disoriented, unsure even which direction the ‘Gate was. His hands, preparing to pull the life sign detector out of its bag, fumbled inside their gloves and he dropped the thing. Cameron couldn’t see or hear Dex, the snow blowing fiercely into his face.

Then, someone grabbed Cam by the shoulder, hauling him forward. Cameron wasn’t entirely sure how, since it felt like he was standing in snow up to his thighs, but he managed to get moving. He stumbled more than walked, but Dex was pulling him and didn’t really give him a choice about stopping.

Dex shoved him one more time, and suddenly they were out of the snow. It was dark and Cam couldn’t see anything, but it was warmer and he could feel solid ground beneath his feet.

Finally, Cam’s eyes adjusted and realized they were in a cave, light peaking in from the entrance Dex must have found.

“Holy hell,” Cameron breathed. He dusted his clothes off with his hands, feeling the snow shake off. “You weren’t kidding about winter.”

Dex was dusting snow off the tops of his own boots. “Yeah,” he said. “You didn’t have to come.”

“Well, I’m here,” Cam muttered. He took a step and peered towards the entryway. All he could see was a pane of white. “Wow.”

“Where’s the life sign detector?” Dex asked. He was already down to business.

Cameron automatically reached for his shoulder, then stopped. “I dropped it,” he said. Dex looked at him. “Out there.” He pointed to the outside.

The irritation stayed on Dex’s face.

“It’ll be right in front of the ‘Gate,” Cam said. “We can get it when…does this ever stop?”

“Yeah,” Dex said, finally. “It’ll stop.”

“Okay then.”

Dex was peering around the cave, abruptly starting walking further in. Cam whipped a flashlight off his vest, turned it on, and followed.

“You been here before?” he asked Dex’s back. “Or are you part Yeti?”

That made Dex look over his shoulder in annoyed confusion.

“Giant hairy snow beast,” Cam offered as explanation, which didn’t make Dex any happier.

Eventually, the reached a wider section of the cave and Dex stopped. He sat down against the wall and squinted up at Cameron and his flashlight.

“Just gotta wait,” Dex said. “Warmer in here.”

“Okay,” Cam agreed. He sat down next to Dex, allowing generous space between them. He swung McKay’s improvised DHD bag on to the floor next to their feet.

“I was here before,” Dex said, after a few minutes of silence.

“When the Wraith were chasing you?”

Dex looked at him sideways, then nodded. “Uninhabited,” he said. “Good place to stay.”

“Good?” echoed Cameron. “It always like this?”

“Mostly,” answered Dex. His lips stretched into a smirk. “Wraith don’t like snow, either.”

“Oh,” Cam said. “Good to know.”

Dex didn’t answer. Cam didn’t blame him. He wasn’t sure how to ask the guy about the seven years he’d spent being hunted. It seemed really trite and insensitive to reduce it to the fact that Dex had personal knowledge that the Wraith didn’t like snow.

Cameron was distractedly waving the flashlight around the opposite cave wall, not really paying attention to it.

“I’m not a huge fan of snow, myself,” he said, making a face. “I had a bad experience with crashing into some.”

“Stop,” Dex snapped, abruptly grabbing Cam’s arm so hard his grip hurt.

“Ow,” Cameron said, trying to pull free. “A simple ‘shut up’ will do, thanks.”

“No.” Dex didn’t release his hold on Cam, moving down to his wrist and forcibly pulling the flashlight from his fingers. “Stop the light.”

“What?” Cam asked. He let Dex take it from him, followed the beam on the opposite wall with his eyes. Dex was holding it steady, aimed at a strange red squiggle marked against the rock. “Hey, what’s that?”

“Someone’s been here,” Dex said. He rose, the light still aimed at the mark.

Cameron followed, slinging his bag back on his shoulder and adjusting his weapon.

“That say something?” he asked.

Dex didn’t answer, now scanning the rest of the wall with the light. There wasn’t anything else painted on the wall.

Cameron followed Dex deeper into the caves, watching him shine the light up and down the walls. They found a few more red squiggles, maybe primitive arrows. Dex went on, not saying a word. Cameron didn’t either, though he thought that if Sheppard had left those marks he would have used something more distinctive than a squiggle.

Dex stopped and stood still, forcing Cameron to halt. He listened intently, heard muffled noises and what sounded like voices.

“There’s people living here,” Cam said, softly.

In response, Dex nodded. Cameron read traces of disappointment on his face. Dex turned around to go back the way they’d come. Silently, Cam led the way.

They didn’t go all the way back, just enough that they could no longer hear the sounds of bustling activity below. Dex dropped to the floor again.

“No one was here before,” Dex said, flatly.

“Yeah, well,” Cameron replied. “Like you said, the Wraith don’t like snow.”

Cam unhooked his bags and his gun, sliding down the wall next to Dex. His legs cracked audibly as he sat, and Dex glanced over. Cameron stretched his feet out, rubbing at his hips.

“You sound old,” Dex said, bluntly.

That made Cameron snort in amusement.

“That crash I mentioned?” he said. “In the snow? Got a couple dozen pieces of metal in my body from when they put me back together. They don’t take too kindly to sudden changes in temperature or humidity. Now I hate snow even more.”

Dex was still looking at him, expression curious rather than derogatory. Cameron took that as interest, since it was unlikely the man was ever going to actually ask.

“Anubis,” he said, “this Goa’uld bastard, tried to invade Earth. I was in a fighter jet that fought him off. We won, but I couldn’t stick the landing.” He leaned backwards, tried to crack his spine. “Since you asked, that’s how I ended up in the Stargate program. Save the planet, they’ll give you whatever you want.”

Dex was still looking at him.

“That was SG-1, though,” Cam admitted. “I’m not entirely sure what I did to get Atlantis.” All he’d really done, evidently, was share certain personality traits with Sheppard, except the IOA liked him more.

Now, Dex looked away. As he did so, Sheppard’s dog tags jingled against the backside of his head. Brazen, Cameron reached out and touched them. Dex glanced at him, but didn’t pull away. Cam ran his fingers over Sheppard’s name.

“Why do you wear these?” Cam asked, dropping his hand.

“So I can give ‘em back,” Dex answered.

Cam pursed his lips, put his hands flat on the gritty floor. Trapped in a cave during a blizzard was probably not the best time to start goading Dex, but at the same time, maybe it was. At least the guy couldn’t run away from him.

“You know,” he began, “I don’t know anything about what you believe on Sateda.”

Dex raised an eyebrow.

“But how I grew up, what I believe, about what happens after…” Cam paused, glanced at Dex’s face. The man was at least making eye contact and he didn’t look angry, yet. “I believe that John Sheppard is looking down on us thinking you are the most stubborn son of a bitch that ever lived in the Pegasus Galaxy and possibly any other. And that I’m an idiot who couldn’t order pizza effectively.”

Bizarrely, Dex’s eyes crinkled up.

Cam went on: “Here we are, trapped in a dark, dirty cave, hiding from a blizzard, spending time together even though you quite obviously think I’m ridiculous and I got a little tired of your attitude problem after the second day I met you.” Cameron sighed, leaned back against the wall. “I sure as hell hope he thinks it’s funny.”

Dex was wearing a tiny, sly smile.

“I don’t think you’re ridiculous,” he said, after a minute.

“You gonna stop?” asked Cam, in return.

Immediately, Dex shook his head. “Nope.”

Cam dipped his head. “Of course not.”

They were interrupted, then. In the darkness, Cameron didn’t see anything, only heard shuffling footsteps and then a bobbing light illuminated the cavern. A scrawny, bearded young man dressed in furs stood at the far end of the cave, holding a lantern.

~

Instinctively, Cam grabbed his P-90 and held it ready, even though the newcomer didn’t look like much a threat. He saw Dex’s hand move under his coat, grabbing his own gun.

“Hey there,” Cameron said, striving for warm. “We just came in out of the cold. Sorry if we’re trespassing or anything.”

The kid didn’t look scared or angry. “You have to turn your weapons in.”

“Um, what?” Cam asked. “I don’t think so.”

“You can stay,” the kid said. He held out one arm, open handed. “But you have to give your weapons up. They scare people. It’s the rules.”

“I think I’m going to stick with my original answer of no,” Cam snapped.

Young Fred Flintstone crossed his arms, lantern still dangling loosely. “I’m gonna call the militia.”

Dex jabbed Cameron in the side with his elbow.

“Fine,” Cam said, interpreting the blow as Dex wanting him to obey the kid. “We don’t want to fight the militia. You can have my gun. I’m just gonna unload it first.”

“Okay.”

Cameron not only took the magazine out, he disassembled the entire P-90 before handing it over. He felt silly. The kid looked to be about nineteen, even with a deceivingly thick beard.

“You have any guns?” the kid asked Dex.

Dex shook his head, spread his arms out like he didn’t totally have a small but incredibly cool gun stashed under his coat. And who knew how many other weapons, too.

“Okay,” the kid said, and departed with Cam’s disassembled P-90 in hand. Cam kept the ammunition.

“That was weird,” Cameron said, when he was gone. “Hell of a border guard, huh?”

“All they can do,” Dex said, shrugging. He rose, holstering his gun beneath his coat. “Storm might be over.”

“Okay.” Cam struggled to his feet. “I’m gonna have to make up something about losing that.” Dex looked at him blankly. “The IOA audits supply requisitions,” Cameron said. “They keep track of stuff like that.”

Dex shrugged again and Cameron started moving back towards the cave entrance. Cam was in the lead, Dex taking the rear. Maybe he thought the militia might actually show up and Cam wasn’t armed any more.

All the same, Cam could hear the sudden approach of voices in the caverns where they’d just been.

“Where are they? Where’d they go?” from a new male voice and the kid insisting, “They were right here! I don’t know.”

Cameron stopped and turned around, hearing footsteps coming up on them. “Oh, great,” he began. “The militia I gave my gun to.”

But it wasn’t the militia.

It was one man. Dressed in furs like the kid and wearing a thick black and gray-tinged beard of his own, it was hard to see the man’s face. He was holding the disassembled pieces of Cameron’s P-90.

It was John Sheppard.

~

“Ronon?” Sheppard said, breathing the name more than speaking it. Then, “Jesus Christ!” in the same tone, just a little louder. He dropped Cam’s weapon and it clattered in pieces to the ground.

Cameron didn’t move, didn’t speak. He watched Dex take one step towards Sheppard, then envelop the man in an tight bear hug that nearly lifted Sheppard off the ground. For a moment, Sheppard held the embrace. Cam couldn’t see his face, could only see his posture collapse into Dex’s arms.

The kid they’d met fifteen minutes ago came around the corner, peering curiously at the scene. Cam caught his eye, gestured with his head to get lost. Looking bewildered, the kid obeyed and vanished from sight.

Shortly, Sheppard went rigid and pulled away, his arms grasping Dex by the shoulders.

“What the hell are you doing here?” There was fury in his voice. “There’s no way off this planet! They don’t have a DHD!”

“It’s taken care of,” Cameron spoke up. He patted the portable DHD in the bag slung over his shoulder. “Courtesy of Dr. McKay.”

For the first time, Sheppard noticed that he was there. The man stared at him, obviously not recognizing who he was.

“Colonel Cameron Mitchell,” Cam offered, but Sheppard looked too shell-shocked to fully process that.

“Let’s go,” Dex said, planting one hand on Sheppard’s back. “Let’s go home.”

The storm wasn’t over yet. It was still raging if slightly less intense, but Cam could at least see something besides whiteness out of the cave entrance. The three men sat down just inside. Dex still had his hand on Sheppard’s body, like he was afraid if he stopped touching him, the guy would vanish.

Sheppard found Cam’s eyes. “McKay,” he repeated, looking around like he thought the scientist might be there.

“Isn’t here,” Cameron said, quickly. “He built us a DHD-to-go so we could get you home.”

“How long?” Sheppard asked, looking from Dex to Cam and back again. “I traded my watch after three months. How long has it been?”

“Doesn’t matter,” said Dex, shaking his head.

Since it looked like it really did matter to Sheppard, Cameron answered: “Almost two years,” he said. “Little over a year and a half.”

“Oh,” Sheppard breathed. He was still looking totally shell-shocked.

“You okay?” Cameron asked. “You hurt?”

Sheppard shook his head, shrugging at the same time. “No, no.”

“What is this place?” Dex asked, looking sharply down the cavern like he expected someone to come after Sheppard. “Who was holding you?”

“No one,” Sheppard said, voice suddenly bitter. “No one was holding me. It’s a settlement for survivors of the Hoffan plague and replicator attacks. They don’t have a DHD.”

“They hurt you?” Cam checked again. He got another head shake.

“What are you doing here?” Sheppard asked, maybe beginning to make the connection in his own head. “Just the two of you.”

“Looking for you,” Dex said, honestly. Cam knew he wasn’t going to lie.

“After two years?” Sheppard had made the connection, because he was glaring at Dex.

“Hadn’t found you yet,” Dex retorted.

“You have some really good friends,” Cameron interjected. He’d let Sheppard get angry when they were back on Atlantis.

“Can’t believe the IOA let you,” Sheppard murmured.

“They didn’t.” Dex was reliably honest.

“What?” Sheppard asked.

“They called off the search, what, about a year and a half ago,” Cam told him. “Your people didn’t so much take no for an answer.”

Sheppard was still glaring and Dex tried to distract him. He reached up and unwound the dog tags chain from its place in his hair.

“Here,” he said, hooking the chain over Sheppard’s head and straightening the tags on top of Sheppard’s fur coat.

“You were wearing my dog tags in your hair?” Sheppard asked, suitably incredulous. “That’s actually…really creepy.”

“That’s what I thought,” Cam volunteered.

“Thought you’d want ‘em back,” Dex said, like it was a totally reasonable thing to do.

“I do,” Sheppard said. He was holding his tags in his fist, shaking his head.

“You hungry?” Cameron asked. Sheppard looked okay. He’d always been a lean guy, but his body was concealed in his caveman getup and it was hard to tell if he’d had enough to eat.

Sheppard didn’t answer, but Cameron fished an MRE out of his pack anyway and tossed it to him. Almost automatically, Sheppard caught it. He looked down at his hands.

“Didn’t think I’d ever see one of these again,” he said, mildly.

“Hell of a thing to miss,” Cam offered, going for gentle.

Sheppard stayed silent, just ripped open the MRE and dug in.

While Sheppard ate, Dex rose and walked off with the determined stride of a man needing to take a leak. He cast a glance at Cameron before vanishing out of sight, silently communicating that if Sheppard disappeared again while Dex was gone, Cameron was going to be in big trouble.

“I didn’t tell them to do that,” Sheppard said, the second Dex was out of earshot. “I didn’t tell them to look for me. I would have told them the exact opposite. Jesus.”

“I know,” Cameron said. “I’d plan on having a big I-told-you-so party when we get back, except I also told them you were dead.”

Sheppard paused in scarfing down the MRE, tilted his head.

“Risking their lives for a dead man,” Sheppard muttered, hotly. “That’s not better.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Cam said, clapping a hand on the man’s shoulder. “No one died. McKay got a little banged up, but he’s fine now. I told him he couldn’t come anymore.”

“He okay?” Sheppard asked.

“Fine.”

“Teyla?”

“She seemed to realize you wouldn’t like her being out here looking for you,” Cam said.

“I wouldn’t,” Sheppard agreed, shaking his head.

“She’s fine, her baby’s fine,” Cameron continued. “Your namesake is fine.”

“Atlantis?”

“Just how you left her,” Cam said. “More or less.” He’d mention their efforts to stick the burned out spire back on with krazy glue and Ancient construction beams later.

“You left SG-1?” Sheppard asked, subtly changing the subject.

Cam grinned. “Just keeping your shoes warm.”

Dex came back and peered out the cave opening.

“Snow’s stopped,” he said.

~

They’d never actually tried out McKay’s DHD contraption. It only had one go in it, enough juice for one try.

Cam and Dex waded out into the snow with the box. Sheppard refused to stay in the cave, watching as they climbed around and followed McKay’s directions for what amounted to a giant collection of electric cables and a laptop.

“Didn’t actually know you could dial the ‘Gate with extension cords,” Sheppard observed, mildly. But Cam could read the anxiety on his face, even with the beard. He began to feel some himself, a tingling in his chest.

“It’s McKay,” Dex said.

“Yeah,” Sheppard agreed. “Yeah.”

Cam opened the laptop dialing program, hit the appropriate keys. McKay had written a step by step instruction manual, in language so simple a kindergartner could have understood it. He was impressed by the lack of insults in it.

“Here we go,” he said.

The three men stood there and waited. Cam was almost holding his breath as each chevron lit up in turn and the wormhole engaged. He heard Dex exhale softly, watched Sheppard’s tight face as the ‘Gate bloomed.

Cameron transmitted his IDC to Atlantis, had it received and verified.

“Page Emmagan and Dr. McKay,” he said softly into his radio. “Have them waiting for us.”

“Why?” asked the tech on the other end.

“Because we’re bringing back Colonel John Sheppard,” Cam said. “Alive.”

“Let’s go,” Dex said, his arm across Sheppard’s back.

Together, they walked into the watery surface. Cameron followed them home.

~

~The End~

~Please Feed the Author~