A/N This is my first SGA fanfic, so, HI! :) I actually have about 5 chapters written that just need editing. And 5 more planned. Hopefully my little muses will be kind to me and updates will be given at reasonable intervals. Hope you enjoy it, I had fun writing it.

And I guess I better add that I don't own anything or anyone related to Stargate Atlantis.

"Jen is so gonna kill me," Rodney McKay muttered to himself as he scrambled around his lab, shoving things in mostly the right places. He stashed an LSD in a desk drawer, and absently stuffed the small device he'd been trying to figure out in his jacket pocket. He chanced another glance at his watch. He might have time to change, but not enough to shower or shave. "If she can't take me at my worst . . ." he muttered.

Shoving the laptop under his armpit, Rodney glanced over his domain once more to see if there was anything he had forgotten. He snatched up a small velvet box and shoved it in the opposite pocket. Once he was satisfied that everything could stay in its current state until tomorrow, he turned the lights off with a simple thought and rushed out of the room.

There was no way he was going to miss his romantic off world excursion with his hopefully soon-to-be fiancee.

Rodney was too lost in his thoughts to notice his surroundings, which was a problem he suffered from often. He didn't notice the puddle of water until he was already sliding on it, failing at keeping his balance on the heels of his feet. He soon found himself on his butt.

"Great. That's just great!" He yelled to the floor. "I really don't have time for this! What moron spilled water and didn't bother-" He continued to grumble as he worked his way up onto his knees. He heard more than felt the small round object fall from his pocket. He turned to look behind him, reaching to grab the runaway device. His hand stopped short, however when he noticed it was sparking.

"Oh, not good. Water. Electronics. This is bad." He watched the device for another beat, then jumped up suddenly. "And why am I just sitting here in the puddle with the electric current? Do I have a death wish?"

He was fine, however. He hadn't even received the slightest of shocks, but he still felt better standing on drier ground. He stared at it a moment longer, he really didn't have time for this crap. Rodney shucked off his jacket and wrapped it around his left hand and arm, hoping the fabric would be enough insulation to keep him from frying when he grabbed the object. He looked back at the device once more before bending down, his arm outstretched inches away from its sparking target. Then, without warning, a round ball of light, about the size of a golf ball shot out of the device.

Rodney took an instinctual step backwards.

"What the?"

For the better part of two days he'd been trying to figure out the artifact they'd collected at MP6-529. It had to do something. However, nothing he tried had been able to get even the smallest response from the stubborn round ball. He hadn't resorted to getting Sheppard to activate it, yet.

"Perhaps, it is just toy." Radek had said.

"And why would Ancient scientists leave a toy in their labs?"

"Perhaps, they could not find a babysitter on day they decided to abandon their projects."

Rodney definitely hadn't tried getting it wet. Because, well, water and electronics rarely mixed, and usually with unfortunate results. But apparently, water was what made this electronic artifact tick. Or shoot out light balls. He watched as it floated through the air, slowly, gracefully.

"So, what do you do?" He asked the light, not able to keep the awe out of his voice.

The ball of light suddenly stopped, hovering inches from his nose, seemingly as a response to his question. Then with equal abruptness, it exploded in his face.

And Rodney McKay dropped to the floor.

"This is not a good angle for me."

Rodney stared down at the crumpled shape at his feet. The crumpled shape of himself. His face a mask of pure horror. Thoughts began to race around his mind, ranging from panicked to absurd. And he soon found himself in full rant mode.

"Oh, no! I'm dead! I died. That . . . that thing . . . killed me! This, well, this is making me seriously question my views on theology and the afterlife. How can I be witness to my own death if if if there is no afterlife? Oh, I am so not in the mood to be questioning my 'spirituality' right now."

He dropped the hand that had been air quoting a moment earlier and began snapping his fingers aggressively.

"Maybe, maybe I've ascended. I almost did once. No, but then . . ."

He lost grasp of the thought, but that wasn't enough to stop the rant from coming.

"Jen is so gonna kill me!" He repeated his thoughts from a few minutes ago. "Oh, no! Jen! What will she do now that I'm dead? I'm sure she'll be devastated. Who will be there to . . . Ronon!"

He shouted, not to complete his thought, but to grab the attention of the hulking figure that just walked past the perpendicular hallway without so much as glancing Rodney's way.

"Ronon! Hey! Stop! I'm dead over here!"

Rodney toyed with the idea of leaving himself and chasing the big goon down, but didn't for two reasons. First, that if he really was a ghost and no one could see him, it was of no use anyway. And second, the thought of leaving himself to die alone was unsettling.

"And now I'm crazy! Thinking about myself as if I'm two different people!"

He looked down once more at his prone body.