The turkey was cooking. The fact that with limited supplies being transported from earth on the Deadalous some one had thought to put turkey on board was a nice touch. Not just one turkey, but enough for the entire city. Sheppard followed his nose to the kitchen where they were being cooked. He had barely made it through the door when his nose was accosted with the scent of not only turkey but all the fixings that go with it.
"This smells amazing" Sheppard said trying to get close enough to get a taste.
"Yes and I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Dr. McKay, Dr. Zalenka and everybody else who's been in here today" the unusually irate chef of Atlantis Lizzie Farin snapped at him. "You need to wait until dinner time" she shooed him out of the kitchen threatening to lock the door to keep everything out. Sheppard gave her a smile and a small wave and wandered off the find something to kill time until dinner.
He made his way to the gate room where Chuck the gate technician was the only one on duty.
"Where is everybody?" Sheppard asked leaning against the console. Chuck had a coffee and glared in his direction.
"Woolsey told everybody they could have the day off, but Amelia and I drew straws to see who had to work today." He griped flicking non-existent dust off the gate controls. Sheppard clapped him on the back.
"Buck up. I'll have someone bring you some turkey" he said leaving the gate room. Sheppard wandered down to Rodney's lab knowing that even though it Thanksgiving the astrophysicist would be there working. True to form Rodney was still there working on his laptop.
He was so involved with his work he didn't notice Sheppard come in. Sheppard smiled and walked over to the desk looking over Rodney's shoulder at the complex algorithms on the laptop.
"McKay it is Thanksgiving" Sheppard whispered startling him. McKay jumped a good three feet in the air upsetting the stool he was sitting on.
"Sheppard!" he yelled trying to regain his composer. Sheppard laughed.
"What's the matter McKay did I scare you?" he teased. McKay stopped straightening his jacket.
"You didn't scare me" Rodney protested "I just didn't know you were there." Sheppard shook his head.
"What are you doing here McKay?" he asked "It's Thanksgiving. Let's go play some football. Ronan's been bugging me to teach him how to play."
"I'm working a very important upgrade to the gate shield." Rodney said. Knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere debating with McKay Sheppard just grabbed his arm and pulled him along through the halls out to the dock, McKay whining all the way. They came out and saw Ronan, Teyla and Beckett. They were laughing as Beckett was trying to show Teyla how to throw the foot ball. She tried throwing it and it flew over to Sheppard and McKay. McKay ducked but didn't have to because Sheppard caught it.
"Good throw Teyla" Sheppard said. "Playing football brings back some memories from when I was a kid."
"Me too" McKay said standing up straight.
"Ye played football when ye were little Rodney?" Carson said in disbelief.
"What? No never" McKay said "I just got hit in the head a lot by my cousins who played football." He looked at his feet "Jeannie had a good arm too" he mumbled the last part and this admission was met with laughter.
"C'mon let's play" Ronan said "You said football was like combat"
"When you have protection" Rodney said his voice rising in volume and pitch "Two hand touch is much safer. Especially playing with you" he eyed Ronan's 6'4" frame.
"Perhaps we should play this "Two Hand Touch"" Teyla said "we wouldn't want Rodney to be injured." Her eyes were sparkling with mirth. Beckett laughed and clapped Rodney on the back.
"Rodney don't worry if anything happens I'll patch you up easy peasy" Rodney's eyes went wide
"Patch me up!?!" he said "What makes you think I'll need patching up?"
"C'mon McKay you'll be fine" Sheppard said. They played football for the better part of two hours until Sheppard got tackled by Ronan who forgot about the two hand touch rule.
"Sorry 'bout that Sheppard" Ronan said pulling him up from the ground. Sheppard stood up wheezing a little.
"It's okay, I just got the wind knocked out of me" he said doubled over trying to catch his breath. Rodney's radio buzzed.
*Rodney, Mr. Woolsey wanted me to tell you that they are serving dinner now if you'd like to get food*
Radek's voice floated over the radio it was muffled because his mouth was full. Rodney started for the lift.
"They started eating we're gonna miss the food" he shouted back. Sheppard and Ronan ran after him. Beckett and Teyla took a slower pace laughing.
"This reminds me of family dinner back home" Beckett said "Not Thanksgiving mind ye, that's an American thing, but Christmases were crazy like this."
"You truly have some strange traditions on your planet" Teyla said.
The dinner was spectacular. The turkey and dressing along with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and even some pumpkin pie had been prepared by the kitchen staff and the entire city was there enjoying the food. Zalenka waved to them when they walked through the door. His plate was piled high with food. Woolsey met them at the line for their plates.
"Happy Thanksgiving to all of you." He said.
"Yes, happy thanksgiving to all of us" Rodney said distracted by the food.
"Aren't you Canadian? Your Thanksgiving is in October" Amelia said from her spot in line in front of Woolsey.
"That doesn't mean that I don't love a good meal." Rodney said heaping his plate full of everything.
"Never argue with a man's stomach" Sheppard said.
"Agreed, but don't you think two plates are a bit much?" Woolsey said eyeing the two platefuls of food Sheppard had in his hands.
"One is for a friend." Sheppard said "One year I had to work on Thanksgiving and missed out on the family dinner. I'd rather nobody had to do here. In fact I was thinking we could all head up there and have dinner with him." Woolsey gave Sheppard a smile.
"Thank you Colonel" he said whispering in John's ear. "I'm sure Chuck would appreciate that." Sheppard didn't say a word but just grabbed an entire pie with Lizzie Farin glaring at him. Beckett followed him herding Rodney along with him, Teyla following with Ronan. They made their way up to the gate room. Chuck was still there asleep on the consol. His coffee was empty. Sheppard didn't have a free hand so he kicked the chair that Chuck was sitting on. It rolled out from under him and he started awake.
"unscheduled activation" he shouted as he fell to the floor. Sheppard put down the plates and pulled him up.
"Not quite, but I did bring you dinner." He said. "Eat up" They all say down using the consoles as tables and chatted. All too soon the food was gone and McKay was half asleep in his chair.
"Thank you" Chuck said to them all. "I've missed my family being out here in Pegasus."
"We all have lad" Beckett said patting him on the shoulder. "but I think of all ye people as my family while I'm here and I'm thankful for that." Sheppard nodded.
"I am too. I'm also thankful the wraith managed to take today off."
"I'm thankful there was no lemon in the turkey" McKay said waking up a little bit. Then his eyes grew wide. "I've got it! I know how to fix the gate shield" with that exclamation he ran off in the direction of his lab. Sheppard smiled.
"Everything is back to normal" he said grabbing the dirty plates. "Happy Thanksgiving everyone."
"Happy Thanksgiving" met his ears as he left. He smiled. Thanksgiving on Atlantis was like no other holiday.