MGM owns SGA; KOI does NOT.

Minor characters, some canon and some not, take center stage in this story, while Jennifer, Rodney, and Ronon are relegated to supporting roles. I'd compare it to a certain episode of another starry sci-fi franchise if a fellow author hadn't claimed the title already. She knows who she is.

- Nurse Sandy appears courtesy of dwparsnip.

- Captain Kidd and Doctor Heather Cove appear courtesy of DaniWilder.

Thanks to beta readers, DaniWilder and BetherdyBabe.

Spoilers: Quarantine, Trio, Tracker

STARGATE: ATLANTIS

Team Rodney vs. Team Ronon

Part 1

by Koinekid

Nurse Sandy Klein narrowed her eyes at the pair of diners seated two table over. Her team must be alerted at once. Out of habit, she reached for her mobile. But the phone had been left back on Earth. Atlantis was slightly outside her coverage area.

"Having trouble with your contacts?"

"Hmm?"

The boyishly handsome grin of Major Evan Lorne reentered her field of vision, and Sandy chided herself. Having finally scored a lunch date with one of the city's most eligible bachelors, she ought to be focused on a set of gorgeous dimples and the straightest, whitest teeth she'd ever seen on a man. Yet she couldn't tear her eyes away from the other table. Why?

"Jennifer mentioned you switched to contact lenses," Evan said. "Are you having trouble adjusting?"

Ah, that's why. Sandy's boss, Doctor Jennifer Keller, was one of Evan's best friends. The two were close enough that Sandy once suspected there were unresolved feelings at play. Recently, Jennifer had explained away those concerns:

Evan is the big brother I never had. Or wanted.

And he feels the same? Sandy had asked in the least pathetically lovestruck voice she could muster.

The guy once called me by his sister's name. Trust me, he's not interested. Neither am I.

Since Jennifer had been the one to nudge Evan in Sandy's direction, it was only fitting that the nurse be concerned when her boss and, dare she hope, friend was poised to make a terrible mistake.

A quick search of the mess hall for a friendly face turned up only antagonists, such as Doctors Cole and Foster. The infirmary's second-in-command and its chief dentist had little in common besides their disdain for various members of the opposition. Cole was watching the goings-on at the table with something approaching mad glee. Foster, too, had noticed, though the bulk of his attention was directed elsewhere.

Sandy followed his eyes and saw...yes! A compatriot – Marie Cho, the medical department's head nurse and Sandy's immediate superior. Rumor had it Marie briefly dated the much older Doctor Foster six months prior. If so, he clearly wasn't over her. That her fingers were entwined with those of her current beau, an Air Force captain, didn't help matters.

Excited gestures with his free hand animated the captain's speech. While Marie did her best to feign interest, a seasoned observer could easily detect her boredom. Still, her attention wavered only long enough to exchange subtle nods with her fellow nurse. They'd talk later. This was his time.

A hand waved in front of Sandy's face. "Hullo, are you in there?"

She blinked. "Oh, Evan – Major? Sorry I'm such poor company today."

"You do seem distracted. Is everything all right?"

"It's just that—" I'm borderline obsessed with my boss's love life. "—Doctor Keller is leading this big relief mission at the end of the week. Once Daedalus arrives, I'll be busy cataloging and organizing supplies."

"And you're already crunching the numbers in your head," Evan concluded. "Believe me, I understand. Colonel Sheppard always saddles me with the administrative work too."

Sandy sighed. She hated lying, especially to Evan. But the truth would extinguish their romance before it could begin.

He frowned. "If you'd rather do this another time—"

"No!" Sandy reached across the table to seize his hand. A deep blush stained her cheeks, and she withdrew, folding her hands and tucking them into her lap.

A stunned silence followed with Sandy's blush growing deeper by the moment and Evan struggling to form a response. Before he could, a chair scraped loudly across the floor. They both winced at the sound.

Two tables over, Jennifer's lunch date rose and gathered their trays. He waited for her to stand then followed her to the tray return. As she passed, Jennifer shot Sandy a knowing smile. Ronon Dex, his hands full, barely acknowledged her.

Once they were out of earshot, Evan found his voice. "They make a nice couple, don't you think?"

"They are not a couple." Softened her tone, she added, "At least not that I've heard."

Evan shrugged. "Know what I heard? That Jennifer asked Ronon to accompany her on that relief mission of hers."

Sandy gave a measured nod. "A good bodyguard is a valuable asset. Isn't Doctor McKay going as well?"

"Why not?" Evan laughed. "Every asset needs a liability."

Liability? Sandy rose abruptly, nearly tipping her chair. "I – I've lost my appetite. Maybe we should do this another time."

"Wait, Sandy..."

She turned on her heel and stalked away before he could finish. At the door she heard a chirp and reached up to tap her radio. "Major, if this is—"

"Tonight. The gym. Nineteen hundred." The voice in her ear belonged to Marie. "I have a plan."

=\0/=

A sports bra and shorts flaunted the slender, toned figure Marie's shapeless uniform only hinted at. Sandy was impressed. Her fellow nurse obviously kept to a regular fitness regimen, even while maintaining a career and a steady boyfriend. Sandy herself hadn't seen the inside of a gym in weeks.

The pointed clearing of a throat told her she was staring. Mumbling an apology, she averted her gaze.

"You should consider a wardrobe change yourself," Marie grumbled, "if you intend to catch the major's eye."

Modesty demanded of Sandy a more conservative ensemble, namely baggy sweats and a battered pair of cross trainers. A retort that a real man wouldn't care how she dressed died on her tongue. Marie might be a friend, but she was also Sandy's supervisor.

Catch his eye indeed. Sandy blanched when the comment registered. "Evan's not who we're waiting for, is he?" The other woman's skimpy outfit took on a new, more sinister significance.

Marie laughed. "Relax, it's just us girls tonight."

Sandy heaved a sigh of relief. "Then who?"

"Doctor Keller. She's agreed to help you brush up on your combat skills."

Uh-oh. Sandy got a sinking feeling. "Why would she do that?"

"Because," Marie said, "you're going on the relief mission with us. And those big, hulking marines intimidate you."

"There are female marines."

"They intimidate you more."

"No, they don't. Wait, why am I going?" Sandy groaned. "I hate traveling off world."

"Doctor Cole will be there, and I'll need my number one operative as backup."

"But—"

"Quiet." Marie held up a hand. "I think Doctor Keller is coming." A smile crept across the nurse's face. "And she isn't alone."

Two voices approached, one flavored with the relaxed cadence of their boss, the other decidedly masculine. Ronon! It had to be. Who else would Jennifer drag to a training session besides the man who taught her self-defense? But then why was Marie so happy?

There was little time to ponder the question before the door swished open and the speakers entered the gym. Absorbed in conversation, neither noticed their audience.

"Yes, it's possible," the man said. "But I'd need to divert power from half the science labs."

"Only for an hour," Jennifer insisted. "And the experiment is worth the trouble. You said so yourself."

"Granted, but—"

Jennifer, a triumphant smirk on her lips, turned to face the man. "Then you'll do it."

He snorted. "I didn't say that."

"Come on, Rodney. You know I wouldn't ask unless it was really important." She leaned in close. "Don't make me beg."

The poor man nearly jumped when her fingers grazed the bare skin of his forearm. He was in his shirtsleeves, the first time Sandy had seen him that way outside the infirmary. Like most base personnel, Doctor Rodney McKay seldom removed his duty jacket while in uniform.

The source of his reaction was easy to pinpoint. For the training session Jennifer had chosen tight-fitting Capris and a blue tank top that hugged her every curve. Though the outfit retained a healthy Midwestern modesty, it was clearly too much for McKay.

For Sandy too. The thought of dressing that way for Evan made her toes tingle, and her hands rose to cover her blush.

The quick movement alerted McKay to her presence. Shock twisted his features. Then irritation. For a moment it appeared Sandy might find herself on the receiving end of one of the scientist's infamous rants.

Then he spotted Marie, hands on her hips, a challenging sparkle in her dark eyes. He began edging toward the door.

Jennifer grabbed his arm. "Not so fast, Doctor. We have unfinished business."

Nervous laughter spilled from his throat. "We can discuss it later. Maybe over breakfast?"

"We already discussed it, Rodney. I need an answer."

His eyes darted back to Marie. Finding no help there, he looked to Sandy in desperation. A shrug was her only response. His shoulders slumped. "Give me two weeks to work out logistics."

Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Jennifer smiled sweetly. "Next week would be better."

"Fine. I'll see what I can do."

A radiant smile replaced the sweet one, and Jennifer squeezed his hand. She pulled him close and whispered something into his ear. Whatever she said put a bounce in his step as he headed toward the door.

There, he turned back. "Jennifer, about breakfast?"

"Sorry. I'd like to, but Marie and I are meeting to work on duty rosters."

McKay glared at the nurse. Whether his frown was a reaction to the acre of flesh she had on display or the result of disappointment was hard to tell.

"Actually," Marie piped in, "I was hoping we could reschedule. Jay is leaving bright and early to scope out some ruins tomorrow. Breakfast is our last chance to see each other for nearly a week."

"Looks like I'm free then," Jennifer said.

"Great," McKay said. "Oh seven hundred?"

She nodded. "It's a date."

McKay's grin was a mile wide. "Looking forward to it."

"Me too." Jennifer retrieved a pair of banto sticks from the rack on the wall. "Now, shoo. If we don't finish our workout soon, I'll yawn my way through breakfast."

He eyed the batons with distaste, and Sandy knew why. They were Ronon's weapon of choice for close quarters combat. Jennifer's familiarity with them spoke to the hours she spent alone in this very gym, perhaps in this very outfit, with McKay's competition. Still, he managed a brave half-smile before slipping away.

The workout began the moment the door snapped shut. Batons at the ready, Jennifer circled the nurses like a tigress. Sandy hoped her boss was teasing, using fear to get the heart pumping for a vigorous round of calisthenics. The predatory gleam in her eye suggested otherwise.

"Ladies, " she purred, "shall we?"

=\o/=

Sandy inspected her bruised arm in the locker room mirror. "Guess I won't be wearing short sleeves this week."

"Do you ever?" Marie flopped onto the wooden bench in front of the lockers and began drying her hair. She crossed her legs, causing the towel wrapped around her slim frame to ride up.

"I'd like to have the option," Sandy shot back.

Marie bent to rummage through the gym bag at her feet and straightened a moment later holding an instant cold compress. Sandy eyed it greedily and nodded gratefully when her supervisor offered to toss it over. The compress chilled rapidly and raised goosebumps on her skin.

"Say what you will about Ronon." Marie chuckled. "Our Satedan friend is one hell of a self-defense instructor if Doctor Keller is an indication."

Sandy grunted noncommittally.

"Okay, my dear, what's bothering you? Spill." Marie spoke like an older sister, sympathetic and demanding both at once.

"Do you always wear the same—" Sandy groped for an inoffensive word. "—getup when you and Doctor Keller work out?"

Marie crossed her arms. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing," Sandy was quick to reply. "But you saw Doctor McKay's reaction. He couldn't wait to get out of here."

"So?"

"So, maybe Doctor Keller knew how you'd be dressed and steered him here to fluster him."

"You think she took advantage of the situation to get her way."

Sandy nodded. "Don't you?"

"Maybe." Marie shrugged. "What's your point?"

"It's manipulative. You don't do that to someone you care about."

"I do. All the time. Doesn't mean I care for my guy any less."

Sandy looked at her skeptically, and Marie glared right back. "You ask Jay if he minds one bit when I—" She made air quotes. "—manipulate him."

"I didn't mean to imply—"

"Oh, yes, you did. But we'll deal with that later." Marie patted the bench. "Sit."

Reluctantly, Sandy obeyed.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I went out with George Foster?" Marie said.

"You and the dentist? I thought that was a rumor." Strictly speaking, it was a rumor Sandy believed, but pointing that out seemed unwise.

Marie snorted. "I wish. No, it's true, and it's all Doctor Keller's fault. If she hadn't been so excited about her date with Rodney, I'd never have agreed to go out with George." The nurse shuddered. "All older men are not alike."

"Hold on, you're telling me Keller and McKay actually dated?" Sandy's jaw dropped. "And you didn't feel the need to share this information with your so-called 'number one operative'?"

"It was only a drink," Marie offered in defense. "Though she was walking on air for days afterward."

"What happened?"

"He never followed up." Marie shook her head. "I begged her to do something about it, but you know our Jennifer. It took all the courage she had to ask him out the first time."

Sandy had noticed Marie's transition to first names but said nothing.

"You should have seen her," Marie went on. "The forced smile, the sweating. I thought she was going to faint. Then Rodney tried to argue her out of it, like he couldn't believe a woman would ask him out."

"Was that the genesis of Team Rodney?" Sandy said.

"The spark. Jay was the genesis."

Sandy marveled at the faraway look on her supervisor's face. This was the same woman who poked fun at her for reading romance novels?

Marie lowered her head and blushed. "Do you know the bulletin board off the entryway? Well, George cornered me there to ask for another date. I panicked and grabbed the first flier I could get my hands on."

"Which was?" Sandy prompted.

"An advert for language tutoring," Marie said. "I told George I couldn't go to movie night because I needed to brush up on my Ancient."

Sandy thought she could see where the story was going. "Let me guess. Did Doctor Keller happen by?"

"Uh-huh. She told me to leave early and go straight to the head of linguistics. Said he owed her a favor." Marie smiled. "Jay finished my first lesson in time for movie night. We haven't missed one since."

"Sounds like a plot from one of my—" Sandy cleared her throat. "—trashy novels: Captain Joseph Kidd owed her boss a favor. But she'd be the one to get payback!"

Marie groaned. "Oh, God."

"Come to think of it, 'Captain Kidd' sounds like a hero from one of those bodice-rippers."

"Please stop talking."

Sandy's eyes widened. "I just realized. If we conflate your names, we get—"

"Don't say it."

"Cho-Kidd."

Marie sighed. "I hate you."

"Did you ever find out why Oh-Captain-Your-Captain owed our boss a favor?"

The irritation drained from Marie's face. "He didn't. It was a setup. Jennifer had seen the way he looked at me and figured he was too shy to make a move."

Sandy nodded. At once she understood why Marie had organized this effort to give the clueless Doctor McKay and the mousey Doctor Keller a fighting chance at love. Before Sandy had jumped on the pro-Rodney bandwagon, her own motives had been less than noble. Maneuvering her boss into a relationship left Evan all to her. Well, her and every other single civilian woman on base. But it was a start.

A nagging doubt still tickled the back of her mind. "What if Jennifer's feelings have changed? What if—?" She choked on the words. "What if Ronon is the one she wants now?"

Marie gave a crisp shake of the head. "Jennifer got me a keeper. I can't return the favor unless I do the same. Speaking of Jay." She retrieved her watch from the gym bag and stacked a blouse and pair of slacks on the bench. "He's expecting me." She stood.

Sandy averted her eyes right before the other nurse dropped her towel. "Aren't you meeting for breakfast? You said that was the last time you could see each other."

"Never said I wouldn't see him before breakfast, now did I?" Marie's voice took on a sensuous tone. "Besides, I'm hungry now."

"Oh, I do not need that image in my head while I sleep."

"Get some rest." Marie laughed. "You have a long day ahead of you."

"Don't I know it? An afternoon shift, and I'll be sorting supplies all night with Doctor Cove." Sandy sighed. "I plan to sleep till noon."

Marie fastened the snap on her pants and reached for her blouse. "Good idea. How do I look?"

"Perfect," Sandy replied automatically.

"Thanks." Marie stuffed her towel into the gym bag and headed toward the door. Pausing to check her appearance in the mirror, she undid her top button. "I'll let you know what happens at breakfast."

"As long as you leave out what happens beforehand."

"Ha. Ha. I meant what happens between Rodney and Jennifer."

"Sure, you did," Sandy said, feigning disbelief. "But, we're clear? I want no details that might sully the reputation of the head of linguistics."

"What about the head nurse's rep?"

Sandy released an exaggerated sigh. "I'm afraid it's far too late for that."

Marie whipped the wet towel out of her bag and threw it at her.

To be continued

Thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated.