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[lady-lirenel.livejournal.com]

Title: Black Widow
Author: lady_lirenel
Pairing: Mckay/Weir
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Elizabeth's family has a deadly secret, a power she never wanted.
Note: This is my first attempt at a flashfic, and it's kinda closer to 1500 words than 1000, so apologies.
Spoilers: Mentions of 'Rising', 'The Long Good-bye', and a tiny reference to 'The Real World'

            Elizabeth Weir never met her father. He died when she was a baby and all she had of him were pictures and a silver pocket watch he had left for her. When she was ten, her mother told her that he had died from a form of progeria, a condition that caused him to age rapidly. Elizabeth had not understood the sad guilt in her mother’s eyes. Not until six year later when she had her first kiss.

            His name was Kyle Martin and she had not really liked him. She was just anxious to be kissed. Her delight ended as she felt his life-force drain from his lips to hers. Frightened, she had shoved the puzzled boy away and ran from the schoolyard, not stopping until she reached her house. As she lay sobbing in her mother’s arms, the older Weir stroked the girl’s brown curls and told Elizabeth the truth about her father and her future:

            No one knows how it happened, but millennia ago in the forests of Germania, the druid of a certain village came up with a plan to defeat the conquering Romans. He called it ‘a spell of salvation and sorrow.’ Somehow he imbued one brave woman with the ability to change the course of history for the good of her people. She was given incredible skills and intelligence, but there was a price to pay. To conceive a child with the same talents would take too much energy and the mother could not provide it

            So the woman was also given the ability to drain the life force of others through a kiss. However, the power taken was proportional to the love given, so to have a child, the woman would have to truly love her husband. The woman agreed and managed to save her people from the Romans. As she did this, she searched for her love, taking life-force as her lips searched for their match. The more she cared for someone, the faster his life-force drained. These tastes supported her until she met her true love. Everything happened as the druid said and after she gave birth to her daughter, her husband died.

            Thus the Black Widow curse took hold. The cycle repeated itself again and again through the generations. And it will continue until the line is ended by the birth of a son, a birth only possible if the father knowingly and willingly submitted to the curse’s power. It has not happened before, and one doubts if it will ever happen.

            Despite the absurdity of the story with its curses and druid, Elizabeth believed her mother. After all, she had felt Kyle’s life-force drain and knew her mother, a renowned surgeon, had saved the lives of many influential people including Senator Henry Hayes.

            Elizabeth lived her life, floating from one uninteresting guy to the next. She did not want to hurt anyone, but was terrified of being alone. Thus she figured that she would only date guys she didn’t care one way or the other about. When she made exceptions, often she would leave them after they started commenting on their premature grey hair. Then she fled to the Pegasus galaxy and thought she was safe from the curse. As expedition leader, she could enjoy the company of other without fear of acting on feelings: she could not date subordinates, particularly in a war zone.

            When Elizabeth first heard of the Wraith and their abilities, she had feared that perhaps being a Black Widow was related to the Wraith feeding process. An entire month passed before she felt strong enough emotionally to laugh and Rodney and John’s childish antics. Even then it remained a hidden fear

            Unfortunately, it was soon that she felt the stirrings of the inevitable. What had been a friendship in Antarctica became the faint palpations that struck her heart as Rodney smugly ginned at his own genius, or when he was in danger. At first Elizabeth thought she was sick. Then she realized that it was worse: she was falling in love. Horrified, she began distancing herself from Rodney McKay. She ignored his hopeful looks, and threw herself into flirting with Colonel Sheppard. John was safe; he would never do more than flirt with her. She thought the curse would not touch her again. Of course, there was that incident with Phoebus taking over her body and kissing John. She was thankful that she thought of John as a friend, that she could only take a few months, perhaps a few years from him. At least it served to keep Rodney at a distance.

            Four years later the Wraith were defeated. Atlantis held a calm it had never seen before. To Elizabeth it was a deadly calm, for now she had no distraction from her heart’s yearning. Everywhere she went, Rodney pervaded her senses. Elizabeth knew it was only a matter of time before Rodney mustered the courage to pursue her…and she didn't believe she had the strength to resist.

            Sure enough, Rodney soon approached her as she stood alone on her balcony. In his own bumbling, enduring way he asked Elizabeth on a date. Struggling with herself, Elizabeth forced herself to answer, “Rodney, I would like nothing more than to go out with you, but I can’t.”

            Rodney frowned. “Why not? Frat regs don’t really apply to civilians and the Wraith are not longer a threat, so it isn’t even a military situation.”

            Elizabeth felt tears prick the edge of her eyes. “You…you wouldn’t understand.”

            The scientist hesitated, then spoke again. “Is it because of the Black Widow curse?”

            Her head whipped around as she stared at him in shock. “How do you know about that?”             Rodney had the decency to redden in embarrassment. “Before I agreed to work for you, I looked at your file. I thought it was interesting that your dad died of a progerial disease, as well as your grandfather, despite not being related to each other except through marriage. I investigated a little and found an old reference to a curse. I didn’t put much stock in it then, but of course now I’m in a galaxy that used to be populated by vampiric aliens. And then I heard that your, er, former boyfriend was diagnosed with a mild form of progeria. It was too much of a coincidence.”

            Elizabeth knew she should be mad that he had pried into her past, but it was Rodney. He had not been the most moral person when they first met, though he had changed greatly since then. Plus she was just astonished that he knew about her and was still on the same planet, let alone the same balcony. Rodney McKay was nothing if not talented at self-preservation. “If you knew, then why did you ask me out?”

             After an agonizing moment, Rodney sighed and looked straight at her. Elizabeth was startled at the intensity in his blue eyes as he admitted his feelings. “I asked you out because I love you. I have since the big storm, maybe even since Antarctica.”

            “Loving me will get you killed,” she whispered as he stepped closer.

            A look of calm passed over Rodney’s face as he gazed at her, his decision made. “I would rather have a year with you, than a lifetime alone. I love you Elizabeth.”

            The words “I love you too” traitorously broke from her mouth. A tear ran down her face as she realized their fates. She was not strong enough to save the man she loved from himself.

            Rodney smiled and wiped the tear away with his thumb. “No regrets,” he said simply as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Elizabeth felt his life-force pass to her with an intensity that left her breathless.

            As he broke off the kiss, Rodney held her face between his hands. “Don’t feel guilty. I made my decision and I won’t have you blaming yourself for it. I love you.”

            She understood and forced the guilt from her thoughts. She had precious little time with Rodney and would live and love every moment of every day she had left with him. She would deal with the guilt after.

            Rodney and Elizabeth married quickly, not wanting to waste time. They had a year together before Elizabeth found she was pregnant, news both joyous and heart-breaking. At the beginning to Elizabeth’s second trimester Dr. Beckett diagnosed Rodney with progeria. If Carson noticed the couple’s lack of surprise, he did not say anything.

            Three months after the baby was born, Rodney died. The ceremony on the Mainland was small, only Elizabeth, the baby, and a few friends were in attendance. Afterwards the crowd trickled away. Elizabeth watched with detachment as John ran his hand through his premature grey hair. He glanced at her as he left and she recognized that he knew the truth. She was thankful that at least she might have someone to grieve with, someone from which she would not have to hide anything.

            Soon only Elizabeth was left, her child sleeping contentedly in her arms. She looked at the gravestone and swallowed to hold back the tears. “I miss you already, Rodney. I wish…” her voice broke off. There was so much she could wish form but nothing would bring her husband back. Sighing, Elizabeth gave a sad smile. “Even in the end you have given me a gift. The curse ends with me and our child will not have to suffer this pain. Thank you Rodney.”

            Elizabeth hugged her son closer, breathing in his baby smell as the wind ruffled the brown fuzz on his tiny head. “I love you,” she whispered to both of them. Turning, she walked to the waiting jumper, leaving behind the past to face the future.

           

Comments

[jargonelle.livejournal.com]

This might be an odd thing to say first, but I really liked the use of John in this, and it was an interesting take on the challenge. I love this kind of idea and it was very enjoyable to read, thank you.

And I think you typed 'frown' instead of 'brown' in the last paragraph.

[lady-lirenel.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked John's part I was hesitant to add him in. And thank you for the frown/brown mention, I fixed it. Thanks for commenting!