The Brotherhood Episode Tag Take 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate: Atlantis or any of its characters or story lines. No infringement is intended upon anyone or any subsidiary connected to Stargate: Atlantis or its parent series, Stargate: SG-1 or Stargate The Movie. I'm poor; you'll get nothing out of me!

Summary: The story I almost burned. Drama version of why Sheppard hides his smarts and how McKay finds out about them.

Rating: Teen

Warnings: Few mentions of abuse, nothing graphic or gross. Minor cussing.

Category: Friendship/Drama

Author note: This story lasted 6 months in a wad of paper I just couldn't burn and so I took said wad with me and revised it. I will be posting 6 chapters over the next 2 weeks. PLEASE REVIEW! Authors thrive on reviews like plants do on miracle grow. You can reach me at at the doorway to the cafeteria, Major John Sheppard quickly scanned the thinning crowd for one Rodney McKay. Not catching sight of him, the Major relaxed and ambled over to stand in the now-short line.

Picking up a ham and swiss sandwich and a glass of Athosian juice, John decided he didn't feel very social at the moment, and so set out for the furthest corner in the cafeteria where he put his tray down. Halfway through his blessedly quiet meal, he caught sight of a fast moving object in the periphery of his vision. Oh, not again, he thought as the very man he'd been avoiding since the disaster of a mission to P3X-422 spotted him and began to make his way over.

It wasn't that John disliked Rodney. In fact, most days he even considered him a great friend if slightly high-strung and mouthy. But since their last mission when Rodney had discovered that John had not only taken the Mensa, but also passed, he'd been hounding John nonstop. And to be honest, John really didn't want to discuss the reasons behind the decision to take the damn test in the first place, which of course happened to be one of the very persistent questions that Rodney wanted answered.

Finally reaching John's table, Rodney puffed out triumphantly at having finally cornered the ever-elusive Major. Really, much more searching and Rodney might have started to believe that John was purposely evading him.

"Ah, Major. There you are. I wonder if you had a few minutes to spare?"

Seeing his chance, John slowly started getting to his feet with a, "Well, actually…"

"Good." Rodney interrupted, sitting down at the table and snatching the remaining half of John's sandwich from his tray and scarfed it down in three bites. Maybe he's hungry? John silently mused as he sat back down with a quiet, but heartfelt sigh. Who knows, maybe Rodney isn't here about Mensa.

"I actually wanted to know a few things about you taking the Mensa."

Or not.

"What?" John asked resigned.

"Well, no offense, but I never took you for an intellectual kind of guy. I also somehow doubt that you really changed that much over the years, so I can only assume that your personality was relatively about the same when you decided to take the Mensa in the first place." Realizing he was starting to ramble, he concluded with, "I guess what I'm really asking is what in God's name compelled you to take it. And how old were you, by the way?"

John might have even answered his questions fully if not for the comment about him not changing over the years. Rodney couldn't have known he'd hurt John's feelings by echoing the voice of his stepfather all those years ago, but it stung just the same.

John stood up abruptly and picked up his tray, turning to leave when Rodney voiced a surprised, but hesitant, "Major?"

Still not turning towards Rodney, but forcing his posture into a more relaxed looking stance, he took a steadying breath before looking over his shoulder and flashing a quick, small lopsided smile as he said, "Well, it was either take the Mensa or go to a Juvenile Detention Center for a while."

With that said, John walked away from the temporarily speechless McKay.

He watched John drop off his now empty tray and exit the cafeteria before he could come up with a suitable comeback, but it was too late. Juvenile Detention Center? There was definitely a lot more to this story and Rodney could never resist a mystery.