AN: This one is an answer to lady Gris and theicemenace's Dark and Stormy Night Challenge. Every submission must begin AND end with the phrase, "It was a dark and stormy night…" and be between 500 and 1000 words. I have 782 words not including my AN and title. I also haven't had this one beta read so any mistakes are all due to me. Drop me a PM if you find anything glaringly obvious and I will change it. Well, ladygris, you did it again, motivated me to answer a challenge.

Dark and Stormy Night Challenge Response

By: Crye 4 Me

"It was a dark and stormy night." Evan began he and SGA-1 were sitting around the campfire. The rain was pelting down and the lightning flashed around him.

"You have got to be kidding me." Rodney complained. He was bundled up in his blankets and sitting in the doorway of his tent. "A cliché. At this time of night. I don't want to hear this. I'm going to bed." He zipped up his tent and from the rustling they heard it was assumed the persnickety doctor went to bed.

John shook his head and turned to his second in command and stated. "I could defiantly go for the clichéd story right about now. Continue, please."

Evan grinned and continued with his story starting from the top. "It was a dark and stormy night. The lightning flashed and the thunder roared." On queue both the lightning flashed and thunder roared. Evan raised an eyebrow. He smirked. "Maybe, I should change the subject. This one is hitting a little close to home. If I can conceivably call the thunder and lightning just by talking about it maybe we don't want the oogly booglies to come out of the stories."

"What's supposed to be so scary about a stormy night?" Teyla asked confused.

"Yeah, I know your planet doesn't have to worry about the Wraith, but why is a stormy night suddenly a cliché?" Ronon was also confused.

"It's a cliché because it says that all bad things happen on stormy nights." John said sagely. He reached over and grabbed a marshmallow to roast on his stick. "It's not true because just as many things happen in broad daylight or on clear evenings. We generalise our horror story telling so that most start with that, it was a dark and stormy night."

Ronon looked at Teyla, who looked back at Ronon. They both shrugged and in unison they said. "Oh, okay."

"In the clichéd stories its either the dumb blonde or the super smart scientist who dies first. That's why I don't like them." Came Rodney's muffled voice from in the tent.

"Rodney, if you want to participate in our discussion, you had better come out of the tent." Evan stated waspishly.

"No, it's cold out there and your going to start telling ghost stories." Rodney complained.

"Then, stay out of the conversation." John interjected.

Rodney harrumphed. The assembled group heard a rustling in the tent before the zipper opened and a grumpy doctor crawled out. "If I get sick sitting here in the damp, you'll be sorry."

"No, Rodney, I'm pretty sure you'll be sorry. You'll be the one sick." Teyla reasoned.

Rodney glared and sat down next to the Athosian woman.

Ronon was frowning slightly. "I thought your planet didn't have anything like the Wraith?" When the Earthlings all nodded he continued. "What are oogly booglies?"

John and Evan roared in laughter. John elbowed Evan in between his guffaws and stated. "You can answer that one."

Evan, wiping his eyes of the few tears his laughter had managed to call, retorted. "No, Sir. I'll leave that one to you."

"Are you refusing an order?" John stated looking in wonder at Evan.

"Was that an order, Sir?"

John's face scrunched up, he really didn't want to have to explain the differences between the real and make believe monsters.

"Oh, for heavens sake." Rodney exclaimed. "You two remember the monster movies we all watch when John has his pick on movie night?" The two Pegasus galaxy natives nodded. "Those monsters are oogly booglies. There are other types as well, but we won't get into those tonight. That's the clichéd story Major Lorne was starting. They always seem to go along the same lines. The start is, it was a dark and stormy night, blah, blah, blah. Then the oogly booglies come out and chase the characters. Then either the dumb blonde or the really smart scientist dies and finally the hero saves himself, the semi-smart girl and maybe one or two other, usually killing said oogly boogly in the process. And they lived happily ever after. The End."

"Way to ruin the plot to a really clichéd story, Rodney." Evan complained rolling his eyes.

"We have those on Athos." Teyla exclaimed with a smile.

"We had them on Sateda as well." Ronon stated. "I could tell you one if you'd like."

"That would be wonderful, Ronon. I'm sure Rodney, John and I have heard every Earth one there is." Evan stated kindly. "And as the weather seems to have taken a shine to my voice maybe we'll try our luck with someone else."

"Well, It all starts on a dark and stormy night. . ."