Okay, so this is what I get for listening to Johnny Cash for several hours.
Background story which will never be written: Experiment failure on Atlantis, Rodney gets turned into an uber-hot 19-year-old, and he technically has no memories of after, according to the device. It is Karaoke Night on Atlantis because the shrink is weird.
There had been much ribbing going around, especially directed at Rodney, who didn’t want to stand up and sing, because he couldn’t. And he also couldn’t do anything useful, but that was only Rodney’s opinion. Finally, John bribed him with two Mars Bars, the dark chocolate kind, and a box of anything from the Deadalus as a request. Getting up on the stage, Rodney looked surprisingly weary for his 19 years. “I found this song in my Favorites file on my laptop. Maybe somebody can explain to me why it was there.” He almost whispered into the microphone Radek had spent so long setting up, plugging a CD into the player and skipping to the last song. “I think if you know Johnny Cash, you’ll know this song.” The words were whispered very softly into the microphone Radek had spent so much time setting up, as Rodney slumped down into the chair provided and gazed at the floor a couple feet in front of himself (him?). An acoustic guitar filled and echoed in the large room as everyone finally settled down to listen. “I hurt myself today To see if I still feel I focus on the pain The only thing that's real” Rodney’s voice was so tired, and broken, as if he didn’t know how to go on, as if he just wanted to lay down and cry. “The needle tears a hole The old familiar sting” His hands idly traced some scarring that Carson had found but couldn’t explain. “Try to kill it all away But I remember everything What have I become? My sweetest friend” Blue eyes glanced earnestly around the room as if he wanted to know the answer, but they dropped again to the floor before he could receive one. “Everyone I know Goes away in the end And you could have it all My empire of dirt” One of his hands came up as if Rodney was holding sand loosely in his hand and watching it trickle out. He eyes settled on John, Carson, and Elizabeth for the next two lines, I will let you down I will make you hurt before dropping down again. “I wear this crown of thorns Upon my liar's chair Full of broken thoughts I cannot repair Beneath the stains of time The feeling disappears You are someone else I am still right here” Another glance around the room, as a fist unconsciously clenched over his heart. The words turned almost mocking. “What have I become? My sweetest friend Everyone I know Goes away in the end And you could have it all My empire of dirt” One of his hands came up as if Rodney was holding sand loosely in his hand and watching it trickle out while the music swelled in the background. “I will let you down I will make you hurt” He looked up at the ceiling now, before singing the last four lines holding both Elizabeth’s and John’s gazes. “If I could start again A million miles away I would keep myself I would find a way”
The music faded out, leaving everyone speechless. “So, does anyone know the answer?” Rodney asked, completely guileless. have fun; email is puckoberon_shipper@yahoo.com
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Background story which will never be written: Experiment failure on Atlantis, Rodney gets turned into an uber-hot 19-year-old, and he technically has no memories of after, according to the device. It is Karaoke Night on Atlantis because the shrink is weird.
There had been much ribbing going around, especially directed at Rodney, who didn’t want to stand up and sing, because he couldn’t. And he also couldn’t do anything useful, but that was only Rodney’s opinion. Finally, John bribed him with two Mars Bars, the dark chocolate kind, and a box of anything from the Deadalus as a request.
Getting up on the stage, Rodney looked surprisingly weary for his 19 years. “I found this song in my Favorites file on my laptop. Maybe somebody can explain to me why it was there.” He almost whispered into the microphone Radek had spent so long setting up, plugging a CD into the player and skipping to the last song. “I think if you know Johnny Cash, you’ll know this song.”
The words were whispered very softly into the microphone Radek had spent so much time setting up, as Rodney slumped down into the chair provided and gazed at the floor a couple feet in front of himself (him?). An acoustic guitar filled and echoed in the large room as everyone finally settled down to listen.
“I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real”
Rodney’s voice was so tired, and broken, as if he didn’t know how to go on, as if he just wanted to lay down and cry.
“The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting”
His hands idly traced some scarring that Carson had found but couldn’t explain.
“Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything
What have I become?
My sweetest friend”
Blue eyes glanced earnestly around the room as if he wanted to know the answer, but they dropped again to the floor before he could receive one.
“Everyone I know
Goes away in the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt”
One of his hands came up as if Rodney was holding sand loosely in his hand and watching it trickle out. He eyes settled on John, Carson, and Elizabeth for the next two lines,
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
before dropping down again.
“I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feeling disappears
You are someone else
I am still right here”
Another glance around the room, as a fist unconsciously clenched over his heart. The words turned almost mocking.
“What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt”
One of his hands came up as if Rodney was holding sand loosely in his hand and watching it trickle out while the music swelled in the background.
“I will let you down
I will make you hurt”
He looked up at the ceiling now, before singing the last four lines holding both Elizabeth’s and John’s gazes.
“If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way”
The music faded out, leaving everyone speechless. “So, does anyone know the answer?” Rodney asked, completely guileless.
have fun; email is puckoberon_shipper@yahoo.com