A/N: This is set just after Rodney and Jennifer get back from their leave on earth at the end of Brian Storm.
All characters belong to MGM as always
Spoilers: There is a small reference to both The Shrine and Brain Storm
A HUGE Thank you to DanniWilder for her Beta, ideas and encouragement on this – but any mistakes are all me!
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Chapter 1 – Rodney being Rodney
Okay so they had joined the mile high club but now they were back on Atlantis and Rodney was not quite so sure of himself. Since their return Rodney had been busy in the lab and out on a couple of missions. Jennifer was rushed off her feet in the infirmary. Other than a passing 'hello' they had not had a real conversation since they got back two weeks ago. Rodney was standing in his lab looking for the thousandth time at his computer screen and not reading what was there. This was getting stupid.
John Sheppard popped his head around the door and spoke to him. He grinned at himself when he got no response and walked further into the room.
"Rodney!" He yelled. Rodney jumped a mile then turned to face him.
"Sheppard I didn't see you there."
"Yeah I realised that. What's wrong? Something I should know about?" he asked looking at Rodney's computer screen. Rodney glanced down at the computer in confusion.
"It's nothing like that. I was thinking that's all," he told him. John studied his friend for a moment.
"Come on let's go for beer. It's late," John told him. Rodney looked at the computer screen again.
"I can't. I need to get this finished," he protested.
"Rodney," It was drawn out as a sure sign he was not going to take no for an answer. "I will make it an order if I have too," he told him. Rodney looked in defeat at the computer screen and turned it off following John out of the lab.
They settled themselves on the pier with a six pack of beer, something they had done a couple of times since Rodney's dip into his Second Childhood. John studied his friend. Rodney in turn was studying the sea.
"Ok what gives?" John asked him. Rodney looked at him. He was no good at this. He had no people skills whatsoever and had no idea how to explain what was wrong. John sighed. He began to prompt him.
"Ok I'll tell you what I know and we will go from there," he told him. Rodney just looked at him waiting for him to start.
"Am I right in thinking your date with Jennifer was a success when you were back on earth?" he asked him.
Rodney thought back to the disastrous physics presentation. He was not sure he would say it went well but the end result had certainly blown his mind.
"It kind of did," Rodney replied.
"Well did you get to kiss the girl?" John asked him. Rodney smirked at that.
"Yes," he said. John looked at him sharply.
"Ok I tell from your expression you did more than just kiss her. Was it a nice hotel room perhaps?" Rodney grinned then. It felt good to impress John for a change.
"No it was in the back of a private jet," he informed him. John grinned.
"Way to go Rodney. Welcome to the mile high club!" Rodney did have the grace to blush.
"So what's the problem?" he asked Rodney.
"Jennifer went to her father's and we came back here," Rodney explained. John studied him again.
"So other than the one time nothing has happened since?" John asked him.
Rodney shook his head. "Between three weeks on the Daedalus and being back here we haven't even seen each other let alone had any time together," he said. He looked at John.
"But we would have made time if we really wanted too, wouldn't we? I think I must have put her off somehow," he confided in John. John looked at him again.
"Has it occurred to you that Jennifer could very well feel the same way?" The Colonel asked his scientist.
"No! Why should she? She's gorgeous. She could have any man on the base why would she feel that way?" John shook his head. Between Rodney's really low opinion of himself with women and Jennifer acting shy it could be decades before they got together again. John popped another beer and handed it Rodney.
"If a guy sleeps with a girl and then doesn't call her she assumes that he's not interested anymore. And from what I have just heard about Doctor Keller she is throwing herself into her work for some reason," He told him. Rodney looked at him with interest.
"She is?"
"Yea Doc Carson just told me that she is working double shifts and not sleeping. He is worried about her and asked me if I knew what could be wrong. And seeing as you have been even more distracted than usual I put two and two together and decided to talk to you about it," he told his friend.
They were interrupted then by John getting a call on his head seat from Doctor Beckett. He looked at Rodney in apology and answered.
"Sheppard,"
"Colonel Sheppard. I need you in the infirmary. Doctor Keller and one of the marines have got into a fight. I can't break them up." Sheppard looked at Rodney.
"Which marine?" he asked getting up and gesturing Rodney to follow him.
"Lieutenant Davis." Sheppard frowned. He broke the connection and turned to Rodney.
"We need to get to the infirmary. Keller and Davis have got into a fight. Beckett can't break them up." Rodney frowned and began jogging after Sheppard.
"Which one is Davis?" he asked.
"She's the tall brunette. She's fairly new, but I can't imagine what those two would have to fight about. I do know for a fact that Davis is on her period and is being a real bitch, I have pulled her once today already so I am guessing she has said something and if Jennifer is upset anyway it might have been enough to spark it."
They rounded the corner of the infirmary to hear the commotion coming from further down the corridor. They could hear Beckett pleading for them to stop. John and Rodney rounded the corner and slid to halt together. They took in the scene before them. Davis had Keller in a head lock and to Keller's credit she was doing a good job of trying to get the marine on the floor. Beckett looked helplessly at John. John exchanged glances with Rodney.
"You grab Keller. I'll get Davis," Rodney nodded and they waded in. John grabbed hold of Davis and Rodney managed to get a hold of Jennifer. They finally got them apart and John stood between them.
"Ladies! What the hell is going on?" he yelled at them both. Jennifer was in some sort of red mist and made a lunge for Davis again. John pushed his hand out to stop her and Davis took that moment to side step around him to get back into it. The language coming from the pair of them was impressive. John had enough and grabbed Davis pushing her to the floor holding her there with his knee as he glared at Keller. She made a dive again and Rodney got between Keller and Davis managing to push Keller up against the wall and hold her there. He had her trapped now and finally she focused on him. John glanced up from a struggling Davis to see Rodney with Keller firmly pinned to the wall.
"Rodney, get her away from here and keep her somewhere until I can have a word with her," Rodney nodded and grabbed hold of Jennifer's arms pulling her protesting along with him. John loosened his grip slightly on Davis.
"Okay Lieutenant. Can I let you up now or do I need to get a stun gun?" he asked her. She relaxed a little under his weight and nodded. Sheppard got up and pulled her up with him holding onto her arm and frog marching her to his office.
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A/N: Any reviews greatly appreciated. Chapter 2 is from Jennifer's point of view so if you want to find out why she was fighting...
