The Protector (Stargate Atlantis fanfic)

Chapter 4

Carson spent the rest of the day watching her, wondering if it was possible for her to turn into a wolf as Colonel Sheppard suggested. He was pretty sure he had a dream about it that night, but he couldn't remember it at all. He could see why Sheppard thought of her as a werewolf. In fact, it had even crossed Carson's mind. She had the ears of a dog, elongated canines, and longer fingernails then was normal.

He wasn't really paying attention that morning, to what he was doing until a wave of heat ran across his arm. He looked down and yelped when he saw flames running up his coat sleeve. He quickly shrugged it off and stamped on it, but not before he burnt the top of his hand. He cursed quietly, looking at the burn. He knew it wasn't bad, but it still hurt. He looked down at the smoking lab coat, and stamped on it some more. It was early, so no one was in the kitchen, except the cooking staff who looked at him oddly, then seeing as he was the doctor and could fix himself, snickered and moved on. He had left his sleeve too close to one of the Atlantian version of a stove, and hadn't noticed as it burst into flames.

He sighed and looked up as the door slid open. It was the girl. She had gone for a few minutes, he assumed to the bathroom, and had missed the whole ordeal.

She froze, staring at the lab coat laying on the floor. Her eyes shifted to his hands and narrowed. She barred her teeth and growled, leaping on to the coat and shredding it almost instantly. Little ribbons of white flew everywhere , draping Carson, her, and several nearby tables in them. When she was done, Carson stood there blinking at her. She was breathing hard and had effectively made them look like half-wrapped mummies.

"What the...?" Carson heard behind him. He slowly turning his head and saw Sheppard standing in the open doorway, eyes wide and mouth open, staring at the mess. He slowly looked at Carson.

"What happened?" He breathed. Carson realized his mouth was open too. He quickly closed it and sighed, looking back at her. She was looking at him the way a mom looks at her kids after they fall off their bike. Carson shook his head.

"I'm not entirely sure Colonel. I...Well..." He stuttered. This story was gonna be a little embarrassing.

"I accidentally caught my coat on fire and burnt my hand, then she went absolutely crazy and shredded it." He said. He waited for Sheppard to laugh but he was met with silence. Confused, he looked up. Sheppard was looked thoughtfully down at the girl.

"What?" Carson asked.

"Well, it's kinda like she's...I don't know...Like your protector." He said, without looking up. Carson shifted his feet at crossed his arms thoughtfully, looking down at the young girl.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, when she first got here, she never let you leave her sight, and she was hostile to anyone and everyone, unless you told her they were ok. Now, she destroyed something that she perceived had hurt you?" Sheppard says, walking over. The both look down at her. She had sat down, crossed her arms and was now glaring at Carson with handfuls of cloth.

"You know, I think you might be right," Carson said, "But, I don't need a protector." He continued, looking at Sheppard," And why me?"

Sheppard shrugged.

"Probably had something to do with the fact that you saved her life." Sheppard said.

"Oh, I don't know about that. She did just fine without me." Carson chuckled.

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that, does she?" Sheppard asked. Carson shook his head doubtfully.

"I wouldn't put it pass her." He said.

"Then I suggest that you stay out of trouble, before she....does more of this." Sheppard said, gesturing to the cloth spaghetti on the floor. The girl had started to weave some of the pieces together. Sheppard and Beckett watched in fascination and she expertly weaved and braided the ribbons to form a cloth basket, not noticing the people that had started to trickle in. When she was done, she smiled and stood to present the basket to Carson, who graciously took it and examined it up and down.

"That's amazing," He whispered. Sheppard nodded out of the corner of his eye. Sheppard took a sharp breath and straightened.

"Well, I'm gonna go eat breakfast. You're welcome to join me....both of you." He said, smiling at the girl. She narrowed her eyes at him, looked at Carson, then smiled pleasantly back. Sheppard tried not to make a face at her fangs.

"No, that's alright. I have some things that I need to take care of." Carson said looking at his hand. Sheppard shrugged.

"Ok." He said, then headed to the line. Carson sighed and looked down at the basket and the left over shreds.

"Oh sweetheart, what am I going to do with you?" He breathed. She smirked playfully at him.

In the last few days, she had started not to hover as closely, still making sure that she could see him at all times, but she was comfortable with being across the room, or even in another room, just as long as she could see him. Now, as he took care of the burn on his hand and forearm, she was practically on top of him, or at least when she wasn't rushing about the room, getting any medical supplies that she thought he might, possibly, just by some chance, however slim, need.

Carson thought about what Sheppard had said, about her acting as a protector. The longer he watched her, the more she seemed to fit the profile. He wondered what that would mean for him and his friends in the future. If he could get her to protect his friends off world, he might not worry as much. Maybe.