Title: You Know, Guy Stuff.
Summary: Another day, another dollar if not more in Sheppard's pocket. This is what happens on an off day in the city, strange things take place when the boys of Atlantis get together and the gambling bug starts biting.
Disclaimer: As with all these fics, I own nothing of Stargate Atlantis, nor any of its characters. I also own nothing of Nintendo nor one of its more famous games mentioned in this story.
A Brief Warning: This story includes mild swearing and alcohol consumption.
A/N: I had this idea, thought it might be an amusing little one-shot. Somewhat a day in the life of our lads in Atlantis, something they might do with too much time on their hands. Also, a good excuse to mock McKay and mmmm. . . . mini pretzels. Hehe. Enjoy.
"Wait, how many cases do you have?" John Sheppard stopped suddenly, turning back to catch the puzzled look from his second in command, Aiden Ford.
The young lieutenant was about to reply when he looked down to the long rectangular boxes made of heavy-duty, hard, black plastic, which he carried under each curled arm, giving them a quick mental count before glancing back up to Sheppard. "Ah, four. You?"
"Three---you think that'll be enough?" Narrowing his eyes in thought, John shifted the cases under his own arms as they dug slightly into his flesh. All this sneaking around had gotten him quite sweaty so he had removed his coat and had flung it over his shoulder. Perhaps it was all the excitement of getting possibly getting caught. It reminded him of the feeling he use to get back in high school when John use to pull the fire alarms to skip out on a test. That rush.
"I don't see why not." Shrugged Aiden, trying not to drop the cases he held, finding his grip on them beginning to slip a bit. "But if I don't put these down soon, I'm gonna drop'em sir."
Sheppard gave the young man a knowing smile as he nodded in the direction of a door that lead to one of the many balconies that scattered the city.
Ford followed quickly behind him when out of no where, a voice came, directed at them and sounding awfully familiar. "Ah, what the hell are you guys doing?" Aiden paused, sighing as he watched Sheppard turn to his left, the Major unable to hide his irritation at being caught, especially by him of all people.
John knew the minute that he heard that voice, prying, sarcastic, and overly obnoxious in his humble opinion, that Rodney McKay must have been nearby. He could even sometimes hear it before the man had even entered the same room, announcing his coming like a plague. Like the faint flutter of locus wings.
McKay must have just come from the kitchens for his jacket was wide open –to which Sheppard was expecting the man's pants to be unbutton as well, McKay did eat like a man ten times his size- and he carried black mug of what smelled like coffee in one hand, and a glazed donut with multicolored sprinkles in the other. John could even see the trace shine of glaze in the corner of the physicist's mouth as he frowned disapprovingly at the two soldiers caught red handed in doing some, irresponsible.
Rodney looked both Sheppard and Ford over, cocking a brow as he asked suspiciously. "What are guys doing with those cds---wait, you're not stealing them are you?" He'd recognized the cases that the Major and the young Lieutenant were holding, in fact, he knew them very well because they were from his lab. "And, those are mine!" He pointed a shiny glazed finger, donut in hand while his eyes went wide and wild.
"No!" John hissed, glancing around to see if anyone else was in the general area, wishing Rodney would keep his voice down, though in all truth, he was in fact right. " Now---now we're just, ----borrowing them." He replied lamely, jerking the cases under his arms, the jabbing from before becoming more and more uncomfortable.
McKay winced up his face, finding the Major's answer completely absurd. What would Sheppard need with cds especially that many, each case on its own held about two hundred compact disks, and glancing over each of them now, saw at least, seven cases. "Ah, borrowing them, for what?"
"A little, experiment." Spoke up Aiden, catching a glance from John as if to say 'don't you dare tell him for what'. He cleared his throat staring down at his feet as a knot twisted in his stomach, he knew McKay wouldn't buy a single lie they put out, even he knew they looked too damn guilty.
"It's ah, just something we had a—ah—bet on." He said finally, swallowing hard when hearing John exhale angrily from his side. Yes, he could feel it now, the Major was going to kill him.
"And you need, twelve hundred cds for it?" Rodney took a sip of his coffee, finding this all too comical that he, and only he had busted Sheppard on something, finally.
"One thousand four hundred." John quickly corrected, watching McKay's frown deepen at being caught in the miscalculation. He tried to save face by shrugging, cases scraping against each other with a creak. "Just, a lucky guess. And besides, we've got plenty, I'm sure they're, you're, not gonna miss, a case or two."
"Sure." McKay snapped back, he hated when the Major did that. "And does, Dr. Weir know about you're little, bet?" He grinned, sipping at his coffee once more, putting the pressure on John with the threat of a possible, ratting-out.
Sheppard drew up his mouth, nodding, this didn't surprise him in the least, he glared back to Rodney then, sounding almost disgusted. "What do you think---"
"No, she doesn't." Ford cut in suddenly, taking a few steps towards McKay, looking to him in the most sincere expression he could, trying to reason with the physicist before this bad situation got any worse. "But, maybe we can strike up a little deal."
Rodney chuckled, finding this all too rich. "You---want to make a deal-----with me?"
"We want to make deal with him?" Asked Sheppard, looking at his second in command like he was nuts, finding this far too confusing, and wondering just then what the Lieutenant had in mind.
"Yeah." Ford shot a glance to John, licking at his lips before he turned back to McKay. He drew his voice down low, leaning in closer to Rodney who, finding this matter strangely intriguing, leaned in a bit himself, taking a bite of his donut and chewed it intently, waiting for Aiden to continue.
"How about, you keep this all on the down-low, and we'll---" He nodded his head towards Sheppard. "Let you in on the bet."
"You're kidding right?" John snorted, rolling his eyes.
"For once, we agree---" Rodney gave the Major a smirk. "You have to be joking." He directed this back at Ford.
Aiden let out a huffing breath as he tried his best to tempt the physicist with an offer. "Come on, it's for money. I'm sure even you wouldn't mind a few more green lining your pocket?"
"That's not the point---you two are pilfering government owned goods------what's the bet anyway?" McKay asked suddenly after, not sure why he did so in the first place, perhaps the aspect of money peeked his interest more then any guilt in shtooping-over the military.
Ford laughed lightly, comparing the conversation to a fishing trip, you only had to offer a juicy enough worm to hook a fish. "We, well, Major Sheppard bet me that I couldn't hit twenty moving targets in a row. I said he couldn't do it either, so, we're testing out the theory. I'm sure an esteemed scientist such as yourself couldn't snub a simple experiment between two men?"
"Oh I think he can get quite snubby." Commented Sheppard flatly, seeing the expression on McKay's face unchanged. He knew this wouldn't work, no one could tempt Rodney unless they were waving an Ancient whosey-whatsit in front of the man's face. And now McKay was going to run off, thinking himself all superior to Weir and bust them both. John really didn't want to get court-martialed for something as stupid as stealing cds. If he was going to be arrested, it might at least be for something less, silly, and not by freaking Rodney of all people.
McKay thought the statement over for a moment, slurping loudly at his coffee before he scoffed. " Nice try. Big ol' E for effort but I'm not dumb enough to fall for a bribe, nor low enough to except it. You two boys just go on, have your little bet. I'm sure there's nothing more important you should be doing instead, might as well leave it to us, professionals." Rodney quipped sourly as he turned his back to them both and began to walk off.
"Sorry." Sighed Ford as he looked back to John, thankful to see the Major wasn't mad, instead replying with a reassuring nod. "Eh, I told you he'd be snubby. Besides, old Roddy boy knows he couldn't do it anyway."
"Twenty bucks says you're wrong." Came Rodney, spinning on his toes as he sent a defiant glare at Sheppard, his fingers gripping tighter on his half-eaten donut.
A smile spread across Aiden's face, having a good idea that Sheppard had done that just to get McKay's goat, knowing that if the Major called Rodney's skills in to question, the physicist would bite. Hook, line, and sinker, he snickered to himself. All that was left was to gut him, of his money that is.
"You're on." Determined, Sheppard with a jerk of his chin, motioned towards the door as Rodney walked back up to them. "But you gotta get the door."
McKay complied, moving near the sensor to the door, placing his donut in his mouth as he waved a sticky, glazed hand of the glowing panel. John was surprised that it worked with the amount of junk on the physicist's hand. The door slid open, letting in the fresh ocean air as all three men walked out onto the open balcony, rolling seawaters just below them.
Thankful to finally put the cases down, Ford bent his arms in and out, feeling the strain in his muscles for holding the damn things for so long.
Sheppard did the same with a displeased grimace, pulling his gun from his back he placed it on top of the stacked cases he had dropped. "All right boys, twenty each in the pot, winner takes all, now ante up."
Each man checked their pockets as Aiden pulled off his hat holding it out for them to place the money inside as a neutral place of safekeeping. McKay shoved a hand in his pants pockets pulling out some loose change and a few crumpled bills, sorting through with sticky fingers he managed to locate a twenty bill and straighten it out, tossing it into Ford's hat. Sheppard followed suit, as Aiden placed the hat on the deck, dropping his own bet in with the others.
"Here's the rules to this little experiment of ours." Sheppard emphasized, picking up his rifle from off the stack of cds and holding it up in front of his collogues. "This, is a gun."
"Thank you, I wouldn't have known." Grumbled McKay rolling his eyes as he leaned against the balcony rail, taking up his donut that he had rested on top of the coffee cup which sat on the deck beside Ford's cap.
"With the way you shoot, sometimes I wonder." Sheppard openly mocked, receiving a deathly glare from Rodney as he then ignored him and continued on. "We'll use it to fire on the targets and nothing else other then said targets, understand?"
Ford highly amused, nodded, McKay looked like he was about to object, finding the rule common sense and so, not needed. "Understand?!" John rose his voice staring at the physicist who backed down, mumbling what sounded like a yes.
"Good. Now, targets will be the cds, please, for the sake of this bet, limit your shot to one bullet per target. I'm thinking we'd probably should conserve ammo. Besides, in keeping with old Earth tradition it'll be more legit."
"The nature of the bet is this---"John continued as he was interrupted by a very impatient McKay. "Can we speed this up?"
"The NATURE of this bet is as follows---" Sheppard loudly spoke right over Rodney's unsurprisingly annoying comment. "Whoever reaches a total of twenty destroyed targets, in a row, will win the cash in the betting pool, are we all in agreement?"
Ford nodded with a smile, impressed with how professional his superior officer was being, when it came to money, it seemed John took things very seriously. Granted, he did take this bet seriously too, but in truth, Aiden was happier they were all just hanging out, doing something other then constantly working. He loved exploring and all, just a little downtime was much needed in his opinion. That, and he loved a bit of competition as the next man. "Yes sir." He said, making Sheppard turn his attention to the scowling physicist.
"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this over with." McKay waved a dismissive hand, shoving the rest of his donut in his mouth, gnawing on it as he spoke with a packed mouth, sucking the glaze off his fingers. "Whoows---goimg firfst?"
"Well not you, Mr. Manners." Sheppard shook his head in contempt handing the gun to Ford. "Aiden here is the youngest, so, he'll go first."
"Thank you sir." Ford replied taking the rifle from him with a excited boyish smirk, he knew he had this bet in the bag.
"Come on, we're not doing any work here, call me John."
"Can I call you John?" Asked McKay, swallowing hard as he tried to get the chewed donut down his throat finding it way too dry, he reached on the deck for his cooling mug of coffee.
"No, McKay, you can call me Major." John smiled ruefully, as he took a seat on top of the cd cases, finding them surprisingly sturdy to support his weight, he mused with himself on how the military built everything---strong and long lasting.
"How exactly are we going to---get the cds airborne? Rodney asked, moving his hand upwards in a diagonal line towards the bright afternoon sky. Speaking as if the idea just suddenly dawned upon them, of course the first person to point out their downfall, much like he always seemed to do.
"DAMN." Sheppard spat, slapping his knee, looking to Ford. "I knew we forgot something. Might as well lay the things on the deck and shoot them."
"I didn't even think about that when we left the lab." Aiden's smile quickly faded, realizing their enormous blunder. Sheppard expected Rodney to come out with some snide remark on proper preparation for an 'experiment', but instead the man stood against the railing, looking as if he was in some serious contemplation.
"I Ah, think I might have an answer to our problems." McKay raised a finger to his lips, glancing round the deck as he thought to himself, tapping the finger a few times before he looked to John, who didn't reply to him, puzzled at just what the physicist was getting at. "I'll ah, be right back---" Rodney said quickly as he stalked off, re-entering the city. Sheppard and Ford watched him leave, shrugging to one another.
Within a few minutes of wait, Rodney returned carrying an armful of complex looking metal, wires, and bolts all massed together in one machine. Carefully, he set it on the deck, squatting down and positioning the device towards the deck railing, squinting his eyes in concentration. He held a hand out, not looking at nor commanding anyone in particular. "Cd please."
Ford gave an odd glance to Sheppard and opened one of the cases, sliding out a brand new cd, its surface shining in a rainbow of colors in the sunlight as he handed it to McKay. The physicist took it briskly, looking the cd over before he slipped it into a slot that was far wider then the cd and large enough for Rodney to fit a few fingers into.
Shifting back to sit on his rear, Rodney moved his hand over the strange device, pressing a few triangular shaped buttons on its side as the machine came buzzing to life. He paused then, glancing towards the sky's horizon as he pressed a large hexagonal shaped button towards the back of the device.
Suddenly there was a sharp whooshing sound like a hydraulic pump letting off a small burst of air, the cd shot out of the dark slot, flying away over the ocean where it caught the updrafts from the water below and wavered for a bit before dipping violently and falling into the rolling sea.
McKay grinned triumphantly as he gazed up to Sheppard, still looking baffled as to what just happened. Finding this would be the time for explanation, Rodney stood, hands on his hips as he took on a smug, glorious expression. "You see, I found this---" He pointed to the device at his feet. "In one of the storage compartments scattered round the city. I, I haven't really figured out exactly what it's for yet. But upon examining it, I kinda got a screwdriver stuck inside and when I accidentally hit that button, kinda---shot the thing at one of my assistants."
"Was that the day Metcalf went to the infirmary with a busted jaw?" Ford remembered suddenly, thinking back on how their resident doctor, Carson Beckett cursed McKay out on being more careful with his research before he got someone killed. "Yeah Dr. Beckett was pretty angry about that one."
"Well---" McKay stammered over his words, trying to defend himself, thinking back on how the Scotsmen nearly busted his jaw for some smug comment Rodney made about Metcalf making a great catch with his teeth.
"Well, I think old Roddy-boy here has more then made up for that, little, accident. Wouldn't you say Aiden? I'm sure though it was, a shame, it did wield some positive results. For us at least. Hey do you think you can shoot off another one?" Sheppard asked gleefully, handing the physicist another cd.
McKay nodded elatedly as he loaded up the device once again, slipping the cd into the slot and standing back, John did so too, not wanting the cd to fly out and lob his head off. Rodney hit the same large button on the back of the machine and the disk went sailing into the air, hitting another draft as it sailed to the right then drifted off out of eyesight.
"I'll be damned. Good job McKay." Sheppard commended after watching the cd disappear into the water.
"I think we're in business." Ford laughed holding the rifle up as he set his sight on the sky above. McKay stepped into action, throwing open a nearby case as he loaded another cd into the Ancient contraption and waited ready at the button.
"Pull!" shouted Aiden, finger ready on the trigger as Rodney fired the disk, sending it into the air. Ford followed the cd, letting it get a few feet between the deck and itself before he opened fire, hitting the disk and shattering it into small glimmering pieces with a single shot.
Ford lowered the gun with a smile, looking over to Sheppard who nodded back to him, impressed with the hit.
"Well that's one." Aiden said, keeping tally, eyeing his cap full of money, which was good as his. He gave the ok for McKay to load up another disk. "Pull!" The cd took flight, Ford raising the rifle and taking aim as the winds caught the disk and sent it to the left, plunging it slightly. The Lieutenant compensated for the wind and followed the cd with his sight, firing with a direct hit. "And that's two---better say goodbye to your cash boys."
"Ah, that's only two, you still have eighteen more to go there buddy." Sheppard corrected him, from where he sat, knowing with the winds picking up the way they were, that each man had their work cut out for them. The cds were so light that the strong breezes caught them so easily, carrying the disks in various and unpredictable directions, making it hard to get a clean shot. As Ford rudely found out upon his seventh shot, missing the disk completely because it hit a sudden updraft, tossing it violently to the right before pitching it into the ocean.
"Ooo, that's gotta hurt. My turn." John laughed softly, standing up, seeing the disappointment on Aiden's face as the young man handed the gun to him.
Sheppard walked out onto the deck, holding the rifle up and aiming into the sky. "Now let me show you how it's really done." He waited a moment, centering himself, one eye shut, the other glued to the crosshairs of his sight. "Pull!" McKay complied, the cd was sent spinning into the sky as the Major followed it carefully, letting it sail farther then Ford had, watching the disk bow to and fro in the wind before he plugged it, shattering the disk. "See, you have to let the wind play with it a little, get a feel for the way the breezed is going to go, then anticipate it. Nothing to it." John smiled humbly.
"Ah, but you're still just one in, and I have six." Ford mused, watching Sheppard narrow his eyes, and straightened himself out to look even taller then he normally did.
"Them's fighten words!" John hollered, getting a laugh out of Aiden before he turned quickly back to the sea, raising the gun in one smooth fluid motion. "Pull!" He shouted, catching Rodney off guard who fumbled for a cd, placing it into the machine and punching the button at the back.
Sheppard followed the cd, his breathing calm, face at ease, like he could do this all day. He probably could, especially when there was money involved. The cd suddenly dipped low, being tossed to the right then spun back towards the left. John took the disk easily, clipping it right before it hit the water. Now he was getting cocky, which he knew quite possibly could lead to his downfall.
So, the next twelve disks were taken down in smooth brisk shots, John picking the shiny almost translucent cds as they hit the sun light breaking from the clouds one by one. Ford could feel that cash slipping through his fingers. McKay was simply getting aggravated that he hadn't had a chance to go yet, fearing the Major would win the whole bet right then and there.
"Oh that better not be that wretched machine from your lab McKay!" Came a thick brogue from behind the three men, making McKay fall backwards onto his rear as he accidentally hit the launch button on the device, casting the cd skyward. Sheppard, caught off guard by the comment, tried to knick the cd as it was hit by a strong gust of wind and launched upward. He lost sight of it in the glare of the sun, cursing softly, he lowered the rifle in defeat.
"No offence Dr. Beckett, but monsoons have better timing." John sighed mournfully, carefully yet harshly placing the gun back on the cd cases. He couldn't believe it, he had it, he so had it. He believed Rodney to be no contest, but Aiden was a crack shot, he'd make the next round for sure.
"Sorry to make you miss your shot Major, I was just looking for Dr. McKay here and someone said they spotted him one minute in the mess-hall, the next no where to be found. So I thought I'd check it out, make sure nothing was going on." Carson Beckett said regretfully, truly sorry he had caused John to mess up in whatever they were all doing out here. "And by the way, what is going on?"
"Just, a little experiment." McKay grunted as he stood up, dusting off the back of his pants before he crossed the deck, heading for the rifle waiting for him.
"Experiment?" Beckett exclaimed growing a bit flustered. "With that? You know what happened the last time you----experimented with that bloody contraption, nearly cost Ray Metcalf four of his front teeth!"
"He shouldn't have been standing behind me." McKay shrugged acting as if he didn't think the incident was his fault at all, even though he turned his back to the doctor, cringing as he waited for the response. Rodney knew he was as guilty as Sheppard and Ford were for taking the cases of cds.
"Behind you?! Ray was halfway across the room behind you. It was that blasted thing you screwed with. Have you ever had to wire a jaw shut right after pulling out a two and a half inch screwdriver from someone's mouth? Aye?"
"Well, when I win, Metcalf can have a quarter of my winnings." Rodney smirked taking up the long rifle. He was more use to the heavier guns they lugged with them on missions, or the compact handgun he usually carried on his side. This one was nice, sleek, heavy in all the right places. McKay ran a soothing hand over the coated wood, up and around the cool metal of the barrel.
"Hey! Would ya quit getting to second base with my gun and take your turn McKay!" Sheppard spoke up forcefully, shocked at the physicist's sudden gun lust. That and the rifle was a classic given to John by his dad when he was younger, it was one of his lesser know secret personal items he smuggled into the city. But no one need to know about the rest.
McKay flinched, nearly tossing the gun in the water, and even then John would have tossed him in after it. Rodney raised the rifle getting his sight straight as Ford knelt down by the mysterious disk-hurling, screwdriver-shooting machine. "I load the disk in here right?" He asked, cd in hand.
"Yep, in the slot, hit the big ol-button in the back." McKay smiled thoughtfully, not taking his eye off the sight. Aiden complied as Beckett moved over and stood behind Sheppard, both men watching the physicist and noticing how uptight he was holding a gun. John was about to tell him to loosen up when Rodney suddenly yelled. "Pull!"
Ford launched the cd into the sky then, McKay following the cd with the crosshairs like a hawk, licking his lips as he moved his finger over the trigger, ah it felt all too right, bringing him back to when he was a kid, ah the simpler days. Within a few moments of silence mingled with the shrill wind, Rodney's body jerked back as he fired, catching the cd right in the middle and busting it into pieces.
He stood back, admiring his work as John let out a long impressed whistle. "I've gotta hand it to ya Skippy, that was a pretty sweet shot."
"And where, did you learn to shoot like that?" Beckett spoke up, equally impressed with the physicist's aim and skill with the rifle.
McKay beamed, looking at one man and then the other before he spoke, smugly. "Duck Hunt."
Sheppard shook his head seeming mystified. "Wait, you use to go duck hunting?"
"No, no. Duck Hunt. You know, the old Nintendo game. Orange and gray arcade gun and all that. I kept the highest score five years in a row in my hometown. I---was a legend in my youth." McKay said in a factual tone, basking in his secret success.
"You're meaning to tell me when you weren't building bombs for science fairs you were on your ass playing video games?" John remarked, honestly not surprised in the least.
"Well, one can't devote their whole existence to science. Besides, got me a medal too." Rodney smiled like he was a kid in the candy store, living it up. He knew he'd kick all their butts when it came to organized games, specially ones with time-based strategies.
"Figures…" John mumbled to himself, though secretly he was far too impressed with the man's skills to ever admit it. He might have more competition on the board then just Ford it seemed. "Wait---a--- minute----" Sheppard cut himself off suddenly, the narrow eyes of suspicion falling on McKay. "How come when you're on the field, you can't shoot worth spit? Have you been, faking?!"
"No." McKay retorted. "There's just a big difference between shooting a little harmless disk and firing at some raging alien who happens to be firing right back at you. This is more, relaxing. I can, let myself be one with the disk."
"You're gonna be one with my fist in a minute." Sheppard Grumbled, catching a look from Rodney who wasn't sure if he heard correctly what the Major said. "Just take your next shot alright?"
"Easy. Hey Carson you wanna get in on this? Twenty to play, that'll be a hundred to win if you do." McKay nodded towards Ford's cap that sat on the deck, a hint of green peaking over the rim.
"Eighty." Sheppard corrected pulling a small bag of mini pretzels from his coat pocket ripping the top open as a way to ignore Rodney's death glare. He just loved busting the man on calculations when the physicist was trying to be clever, it seemed doing so cause Rodney to mess up on the simplest of things. Pulling out a pretzel with two fingers, Sheppard tossed it into the air and caught it in his mouth chewing with a smug grin when he finally looked at McKay, who, was still giving him the twitching stare to end all twitching stares.
Beckett peeked at the money, shaking his head disappointedly. "Eh, a wee bit too rich for my fancy, but, I'll put down ten says the Major here takes your Duck medal and makes you eat it."
Wide-eyed and now, doubly insulted, McKay spun round, not even bothering to reply, he rose the gun up, flustered as tried to calm himself, not wanting to miss this shot, considering it was only his second one.
John chuckled warmly, clapping Carson on the shoulder as the man tossed a ten spot into the cap, standing back up with his hands in his pockets as he waited, remarking to Sheppard. "You better win that too, now my money's on the line."
"You got it doc." John replied with a grin watching McKay's back. That was just the motivation he needed.
"SHHHH!" Rodney hissed, irritated far beyond he could ever recall being. "I am trying, to concentrate!"
Sheppard raised his hands in defense, mini pretzel clutched between his fingers as he tossed it up, catching it again and munching loudly, making McKay's shoulders tighten up with every crunch. He then gave a nod to Aiden, the young lieutenant readying another cd.
"Pull!" Groused McKay as the disk was quickly airborne, catching a updraft and curling towards the sky. Wincing against the sun light, Rodney took aim and blasted the cd from existence. Yep, he thought, just like Duck Hunt, except I don't have that obnoxious dog giggling at me when I miss. He remembered how, out of frustration he would unload a few more shots at the 2D dog's image, though they really didn't do anything but make him feel better.
In the meantime, while McKay set up and took his next shot, picking off the cd with ease. Carson pointed to the bag of pretzels that John was holding. Shrugging, Sheppard held the bag up letting Beckett reach inside and pull a few out from within. They both chewed loudly together, John sitting, Beckett still standing, highly amused by how much it was bothering Rodney. Served him right for what he did to poor Ray Metcalf.
"Now all we need, is some beer." Remarked Carson sadly, feeling the salt drying out his throat and making him quite parched.
"You know. I was just thinking that!" Sheppard looked up at him with a touch of surprise.
"Must be the ATA gene you share!" Cried McKay, beyond frustration, as he whipped round glowering at the two men behind him. "Must be the same one that keeps making you interrupt me every—single---time I try to shoot!"
Beckett shrugged his shoulders about to take another handful of pretzels when John leaned back and dug into his coat and produced another bag of them. " Thank you." He returned his attention to Rodney. "Which you also have, I might add, and you're doing quiet a bit of interrupting yourself there."
"NOT the point." McKay fumed clutching the gun in his hand as he took on the tight lipped expression of his when he was really starting to get ticked off.
"You know what?! I forfeit this turn." He growled and handed the gun to Ford as he stood. "Besides, I have to use the lavatory."
"Good, you can get the beer then." Carson clapped his hands together, now this was getting to be interesting. He just wished it wasn't cutting into his time back at the med-lab, hoping no one was waiting with anything serious. Then again, there were others there plenty qualified, let them take it over for a while. This was the first time in a long time, he'd been able to just sit back and have a good time for once.
"FINE!" Exclaimed McKay as he stalked off, smacking the door sensor with his palm.
"And wash your hands before you get the beer!" Sheppard called after the physicist's fleeting image, finding this all too entertaining. "Well someone needs a cookie and a nap." The comment causing Carson to nearly choke on the pretzel he was chewing.
"Alright Aiden, you're up again, show us what you got." John smiled motioning towards his coat. "And if you do well, there's a bag of pretzels in it for ya."
"Where, might I ask did you acquire all these bags Major?" Carson inquired, crossing his arms over his chest as he took a seat on a stack of disk cases behind him.
"Well, I kinda raided the mess-hall. But we're just borrowing them, honest." John nodded, trying to sound as sincere as he could muster without looking too guilty.
"Just like the cds" Ford added reloading the rifle after he checked inside, seeing they were already out of ammo.
"See." Sheppard waved a hand at his second in command, speaking with an almost tender tone, making it all seem like it was a moral and honorable thing to do. "This is all going to good use, in the name of science."
"Right. On Dr. Weir's order aye?" Beckett laughed deeply, pulling open his tiny bag of pretzels and partaking in the stolen contraband, strangely enough, making them taste just a touch better in his opinion.
By the time Ford hit his twelfth disk, tying him with John, all three men heard the door to the outer deck slide open and looked to see McKay return, pushing a hand cart on two wheels. The cart had something stacked on it, covered by a green vinyl tarp. Rodney, had a touch of sweat on his brow, watching the cart in strict concentration so he wouldn't lose control of it, not to mention the paranoia of getting caught with what was underneath it.
Coming up alongside where Beckett sat, McKay tipped the cart carefully forward, standing it upright. The physicist breathed a long sigh of relief at being back in one piece. Looking to his collogues, John gave him a irritated gaze.
"Well took you long enough, been nearly a half an hour and Aiden's already tied me."
Shaking his head, and brushing off the complaint, McKay went about the bounty of the difficult venture he had taken, releasing a few bungee cords that had the tarp fastened down, springing them and yanking the cover off. He stood by his plunder, proud and equally exhausted. "Ta-da." Rodney said flatly, motioning like a Price is Right girl to the newly revealed army issued plastic boxes, big ones stacked three high.
"Yay, boxes." Sheppard mused dryly. "We asked for beer McKay."
"Coolers." Rodney corrected, raising a finger as he turned to the cases and popped the metal latches on the top most one, opening it up. There was a haze of cold air floating like fog from inside as McKay reached in and produced a can of beer, tossing to John as the Major sat back down next to Beckett. Then one to Carson and Ford as well before he pulled a last one for himself, shutting the lid and clamping it down tight to keep the chill.
John scanned the can over in his hand, looking up at Rodney under his brows. "You did, wash your hands right?"
Beckett chuckled as he popped his beer open, taking a swig and nodding in approval. "Mmm, not bad. Not bad at all."
"Yes Major, I washed my hands, thank you very much" McKay replied with a scowl, plopping down on the deck as he pulled his can open. "You better appreciate this, I had a hell of a time getting it here. I almost went undetected before I passed Zelenka in the hallway with this thing. I told him it was alien equipment I was researching that was highly sensitive to light. Needless to say…"
"You suck at lying?" John smirked, holding his beer out from him, over the deck as he pulled the tab. He knew the toss from McKay to him would have caused some excess pressure in the can, which he was right in assuming. The beer sprayed slightly and then leveled out as the Major drank it back, licking his teeth. Yeah, not the best he had ever had, but it hit the spot especially since it was getting quite warm out there now what the sun was nearing its highest point.
"Well, yeah." Rodney shrugged in all honesty, taking a sip.
Ford set his beer aside after taking a drink, readying himself for his next round of shots whenever McKay was ready to load up the machine again, John had taken over while the physicist was away procuring liquor.
Seeing that he was in fact, needed, Rodney got back up with a grumble, shuffling over to the ancient technology that had saved their butts that day and got a disk from out of the nearby case, slipping it into the slotted space in the front of the machine, fingers gingerly resting over the button near the back.
"Whenever you're ready lieutenant."
"Miss it….missss it….missss it!" Chanted Sheppard softly before Beckett smacked him in the arm for being a poor player. Leave it to the doctor to play fair.
"Pull!" Shouted Aiden over his shoulder as McKay's finger jerked over the button, for some reason startled. Ford caught the cd just after it crossed over the deck. He felt then if he was going to make any leeway in the score between him and the Major, he'd have to play close to the belt. His efforts awarded him well pushing Ford into the lead with fifteen disks in total, John close behind with twelve and Rodney so far in last place it was silly to let the man have another go.
As Ford round on home with a seventeenth disk the winds picked up, trailing the clouds across the sun, drowning it out as below the waters crashed against the side of the city. Rodney sat cross-legged, head rested on a raised hand as he prodded the launch button once more, a scowl deeply written on his face. Aiden clipped another, making eighteen. Rodney let out a breath letting his lips vibrate over it feeling the bet was as good as over when suddenly he felt a sharp prick on his cheek. Finding it more shocking and cold then painful, McKay sat up with a start touching a hand to his face to then look at it, seeing nothing. He turned his attentions upward wondering what it was when something else dropped into his eye making him squeeze it shut.
"Ah-oww" The physicist said softly, rubbing it with a knuckle as he continued to look up, seeing the sky now laced in a mix of grays and blacks. A few more splats fell onto his face, followed by a low and growling rumble somewhere high above them all. "Great." He mumbled with a frown. "You just don't want me to succeed at anything do you?" Rodney questioned the heavens.
"Not a storm come on!" Sheppard shouted as he noticed the droplets forming on the balcony's surface, becoming more and more frequent.
Carson glanced upwards with the rest, feeling the cool splash of rain speckling his hot skin and clothing. "Ah just a little rain is all." He smiled, closing his eyes, it even felt good.
After he finished his very words it seemed the sky opened up and decided if it was going to storm, it was going to do it well, unleashing a sudden downpour. Ford made a dash for his cap, shoving money and all underneath his shirt to keep it dry.
Beckett hovered a hand over his beer to keep the rain out as he began laughing, catching the 'you just had to say it didn't you' look the Major was giving him before John sniggered along in the amusement of it all.
McKay pulled his jacket up over his head finding his little dry cave only a momentary solution to the rain as it came down in torrents, quickly soaking him though. "I ah, think we should head inside!" He shouted over the downpour.
"Oh, what made you think that McKay?" Sheppard yelled back, standing up as he saved what little pretzels he had left, rolling up the bag and jamming them into his pocket. He set to work, taking the rifle from Aiden and slinging it over his shoulder as the young lieutenant grabbed what he could, becoming blind by the rain.
Taking up a case or two in his arms, Carson made his way towards the balcony door, squinting his eyes to see through the storm as overhead, lighting began to break from the clouds, flashing brightly and making the sky tremor with its thunderous after-blasts.
Following in a soggy close kept line the boys slipped back inside, dripping water everywhere as they hurried into the main base, the Stargate only a few feet away.
Ford brushed himself off as John next to him shook his head vigorously, almost animal like, shaking the water from his hair. Each man tried to de-dampen before even realizing they were in fact, not alone in the gate room.
"Would you mind, telling me just what the hell is going on?" Came the demanding and authoritarian voice of Dr. Elizabeth Weir, she stood before them all, arms crossed over her chest, glaring.
McKay, still under his coat stuttered out an 'Uht-oh' before pulling the jacket off his head, he hadn't seen her there when trying to get the cart full of chilled beers back through the door, leaving the tarp outside because it was too much of a hassle to put it back on in the downpour. He'd also had stacked he disk-shooting device on top and had been trying to keep the rain off of it with the corner of his jacket. Slicking back his soaked and fuzzed up hair he laughed awkwardly. "Ah, well you see-----er---."
Weir cut him off then trying to drive her complete shock and infuriation to each man, making sure they knew clearly how much trouble they were. " I've gotten countless reports from people around Atlantis, saying they've been hearing gun-fire all day, I come to find that the mess hall is, missing items, and that all four of you have been absent without notice."
"Technically---" Sheppard added with a raised finger. "We're all off duty, and being left to our own devices, chose to actually do something with our time."
Ignoring the comment she looked then to Carson, shaking her head in disappointment. "And Dr. Beckett. I expected more from you. Major Sheppard, you're my military head, leave or not you still all have a responsibility to this city. Dr. McKay?, all of you----you're soaked, what in God's name were you doing out there?!"
"Oh just---eating pretzels, drinking beers, shooting cds----you know, guy stuff." He replied Sheppard with a boyish grin and a slight shrug as he shook out his coat slinging it over his shoulder hiding the rifle underneath.
"Guy-stuff?" Weir cocked her head out, mouth slightly open, her eyes narrowing. "I think you're going to have to give me a better reason then that not to have you all confined. And, aren't those cd's from your lab Dr. McKay, did you steal those?" Weir turned to Rodney who flinched, swallowing hard as he looked everywhere but in her eyes.
"Well, y---yes they are. But, I allowed for us to, take---them." McKay stuttered.
"And the coolers, who gave you authorization to take those?" She asked sharply, turning her accusations to Sheppard then, finding him smiling softly back at her, his expression sunk as he cleared his throat.
"Those." John began, running a hand down the back of his wet, chilled neck. "We borrowed for a little, experiment, which as you can see got rained out, isn't that the darndest thing?"
Weir straighten up her back, filling her chest up with air and was looking about to tear John apart right there. Instead, she lowered her arms to her side, speaking to the Major in a controlled tone that signaled a quiet rage within the woman. Sheppard knew he was in deep now. "Major, I want to see you, in my office in thirty minutes. And please, put on some dry clothing. For the rest of you, put this stuff back where you found it. Is that understood?" With that, she took one last long glare at John before turning her back, stalking up the stares and heading towards her office.
"I think she just might be a bit, mad, don't you?" John sighed to Beckett who glanced up to him with a worried look. The doctor wondered briefly if he would see the Major in the infirmary after he met with Dr. Weir.
"It was nice knowing you." Carson smiled, patting Sheppard on the shoulder.
"Sir I should go with you, this was partly my fault to begin with." Aiden started when John raised a hand, silencing him.
"I'm the responsible one here, I, should have known better, If anyone is going to take one for the team, it's gonna be me, alright? Just help Dr. Beckett and McKay get this crap back to the lab. And ah, those beers back to my room----" Sheppard mused, motioning to the handcart with the coolers on it.
McKay was amazed by the Major's coolness with the situation, then again John handled most of the dire situations in a nonchalant manner. Rodney then wanted to say something to him but found the right words sounded all wrong. Instead he said this at Sheppard's departing back. "Hey, what about our bet? I mean, who won?"
Sheppard stopped on his way up the stairs, turning back as he jogged down the few he had just climbed. "Well, I guess since Ford had the most cds busted out of all of us, in theory he won."
Ford smiled thoughtfully, shaking his head. "No, you said it yourself whoever made it to twenty in a row would be the winner, I didn't complete the requirements, none of us did, so, no one won." He looked to the other two men standing on the sides of him, catching no objections from either.
"Look at you, being all sportsmen-like." John chuckled. "Alright, lets say, the bet had a weather delay so we'll postpone it for another time, in the mean time, all players will get back their money. Deal?"
"Works for me." Beckett chuckled as Aiden pulled out the hat full of money from under his shirt, each man pulling out the cash he'd previously placed within.
"Maybe even next time, I'll give it a whorl." Mused Carson pocketing his ten, sad that he hadn't seen John whoop McKay's butt like he'd hoped.
"See, now Rodney, that would make a hundred." Sheppard teased, taking his twenty from Ford's hat.
"Oh shut up." Snarled McKay as he crumpled up his bet and shoved it back in his pocket, taking hold of the handcart. "You just get ready for the reaming of your life. I still can't believe you're taking the fall for all of this."
"Yeah, John I mean, Weir looks pretty pissed." Aiden winched, knowing what a verbal lashing Sheppard was in store for and surprised at how well he was taking it.
Sheppard licked his lips shrugging as he thought about what might be to come. He knew it was going to be a long, long night. But it was worth it just to spend some quality time with his teammates, finding they were all becoming fast friends, even McKay. "Eh, comes with being so awesome I guess." He replied smugly, giving them a short wave as he headed back towards the stares and then to the right, so he could go to his living quarters and change.
"Come on Rodney, let's get this junk back before anyone else misses it." Beckett sighed, lifting two cd cases back into his arms carrying them like logs for a fire. McKay nodded silently, pushing the cart after Carson, strange alien device stacked with the coolers as he eyed it respectfully. He'd made out good with that.
Ford followed closely behind the two doctors, curling the rest of the cd cases under his arms much like earlier that day. Outside they could hear the rumbling of the thunder kicking up, feeling it within their bones. Should be quite a storm from what Ford could tell.
As they were leaving McKay spoke up, speaking bluntly. "Hey you don't think Sheppard will get court-martialed for this?"
Beckett glanced to him, shifting the cases in his arms as they made their slow and soggy way to the sector issued for the labs, leaving a long water trail behind them. "Oh, I think the Major can handle Dr. Weir."
"Good." Rodney smiled proudly. "Because I'm still going to win that bet."
"In your dreams McKay---"Ford grinned behind the physicist's back. "In your dreams." He caught the glare that McKay gave him over his shoulder, causing the young lieutenant to laugh aloud, Carson joining him. He thought that, even though John was probably going to be screamed at for a good couple of hours, he could get himself out of it smoothly, like he did most problems, so that was alright. And it felt so good to finally break away from the constant routine they faced everyday at the city. Spending some time with the boys was just what he needed, even if it did entitle theft. He regretted nothing after that, John wouldn't want him to anyway.
Ford smiled to himself, listening to Rodney go on about his game title while Beckett refused to acknowledge that it was an actual achievement. He wondered about the next time they would have such freedom, what laid in the days ahead. Either way, good or bad, Aiden was truly happy in that one moment, and he knew he'd remember that day always----thinking maybe he would give his winnings to Ray Metcalf as well, after all.
A/N: Hope you all got a kick out of that and I hope I kept everyone in character as much as possible. It was a blast to write. Don't be afraid to review, as always I love to hear from ya!!!
I'm thinking maybe if this goes well, I'll write a follow up one-shot with perhaps the meeting between Weir and Sheppard. I just enjoy writing John one-liners.