Chapter Text
Crackle. Crackle. "McKay!" Crackle.
Two small blue-gray eyes cracked open and let the world fill in the darkness.
Crackle.
Eyes widened suddenly at the foreign sound. 'What was that?'
"McKay. Come in, McKay." There was a pause of complete silence, during which the blue-gray eyes wandered around a large room and marveled at the bright lights and interesting patterns all over the walls, and finally focused on a black piece of plastic just two inches away from a small, gray, fluffy - "Meredith!!!" - 'Aaaahhhh!' He toppled over and stared up the ceiling.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
John tapped his earpiece once more in frustration and let his irritated feelings flow out in one word: "Meredith!!!"
He half-expected a cynical response somewhere along the lines of: "Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny, Colonel." from the working scientist, but instead he received an earful of static.
Still slightly annoyed and a little worried that McKay had been out of contact for over three hours, Sheppard headed back to Dr. Weir's office to apprise her of the situation - before taking it into his own hands, of course.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Elizabeth stood behind her desk with a dumbfounded expression plastered over her face. She had her arms crossed firmly against her chest and was eyeing a small bundle held firmly by the man standing before her.
"Carson... a cat?" She narrowed her eyes slightly before she smiled. "How did you sneak a cat into Atlantis?"
"I didn't. He just appeared. I was wondering if you know to whom he belongs. This is no place for a kitten; no matter how adorable." Carson stroked the kitten's head and and whispered soft encouragements as if her were addressing a tiny baby.
"I'll look into it. In the meantime we should find a suitable place for him to stay."
"Don't look at me; I've never really been an animal person." Sheppard emerged from behind and eyes the cat wearily.
"I'm a dog person myself." Elizabeth grinned and both she and Sheppard glanced at Carson.
"No-" Began a very trapped Carson, "- couldn't you find somebody else? I'm so busy down at the infirmary." With puppy dog eyes, he looked from Elizabeth to John and back again. "Okay, fine, I'll go find him a home."
"Good man, Carson." Said Sheppard with a quick, friendly slap on the back before he stepped closer to Elizabeth's desk. "Permission to go find Rodney and have Ronon kick his ass?"
"He still hasn't reported in?"
"Well, you know how these scientist-genius-types are. They never call the next day because they've locked themselves in their labs."
"Well when you do find him, remind him what the protocol for checking in is." Despite the small smile on Elizabeth's face, her eyes told the world that she was still worried. Anything could have happened; especially in Atlantis. The Pegasus Galaxy was chock full of the unknown. Atlantis was no exception.