A/N: Hi everyone, SerenBunny here. (I swear LadyDarkHop is doing one of these!) This one is for St Andrews Day, but is also for a new series, called Dates. It will become clearer later on.
Please read and review, we would love to hear from you guys, even if you think its too negative a critisism, how can we imporove if no one tells us we're bad?
"Is there any chance we can go to Atlantis next week?" Kimberley asked Dara, smiling through her computer screen at her friend.
"Why?" Dara replied, looking at her friend as if she was up to something.
"Because we haven't seen the guys in ages!" Kimberley tied to look like she wasn't up to anything.
"And the real reason?" Dara asked.
"I gotta get away from here for a while, all these assessments, shifts in work - its driving me loco mad!" Kimberley raised her voice, throwing her hands into the air. "Please, please, please!"
"Fine!" Dara threw her hands up in air, wincing at the last second as a bit of her peppermint hot chocolate spilled from the glass. "When do you want to go?"
Kimberley grinned ever more. "Yay! When are you free?"
"Monday during the day." Dara thought for a second then shook her head. "Make that Tuesday this week, so Monday night. How long do you want to stay for?"
Kimberley bit the inside of her lip. "Just a day or two."
"Just a day or two?" Dara raised an eyebrow.
Kimberley nodded.
Monday night Dara flew the puddle jumper to Kimberley's house, curbing her initial reaction of honking the horn. 'Three in the morning, not a time to be making a lot of noise.'
Slowly the gate at the back of the house opened and Kimberley began to sneak out the back, smiling and waving to her friend once she got past the metal gate.
Dara opened the back hatch of the puddle jumper and smiled to her friend. "How are you?"
"Good, you?" Kimberley asked, dumping her bag in one of the overhead bins and moved so it on the co captains chair.
"Pretty good." Dara bobbed her head and began to automatically type in the commands.
"Scanners are detecting unusual activity on section 'Oh Crap'." Chucks voice rang through the gate room.
"Can we turn the lights off?" John Sheppard implored. "Submerge the city?"
Carter just looked at John. "Maybe the girls will have some Intel for us?"
Rodney looked at her as if she was crazy. "The day those girls share with us will be the day Michael decides he like pink dresses and hair bows."
"They gave us the Zee PM before." Carter pointed out.
Rodney grumbled something about it only having 6 percent in it, wandering over to one of the consoles to begin a calling sequence.
John motioned to Lorne to grab a few pieces of weaponry from the armoury 'just in case'. Rodney motioned with a thumb that they were about to send a transition.
Carter stepped closer to the scientific genius and peered over his shoulder, backing away with a slight smile as he glared back at her.
"Okay, just waiting for them to respond." Rodney nodded to the ground.
"Someone's hailing us!" Kimberley called out as she swivelled around her chair, pouting as Dara reached her hand out and stopped her mid twirl.
"You know the rules, if I can't swivel, no one can." She mock glared her friend.
Kimberley grinned as the beeping changed from a soft beep-beep-beep to 'ANSWER ME, ANSWER ME!' "Maybe you should answer that?"
"When did you get Len to record that?" Dara asked, hand hovering over the 'accept' button.
"Catherine has it on file." Kimberley replied, looking to the ceiling of the jumper. "Are we there yet?"
"Almost." Dara replied as she accepted the call, smile falling at the sight of John Sheppard standing in front of the screen. "Greetings Col. Sheppard."
"Miss Baldwin." John asked, head cocked slightly.
"John."
"Dara." The head of military paused, then grinned. "Phone number?"
"No chance." Dara replied. "Permission to come to Atlantis?"
"If we say no?" Rodney snarked.
"Ignore him, please come visit us." Carter smiled.
"So...why are you here?" John asked Dara as she and Kimberley were examined for any airborne pathogens and such like, things that could put the rest of the expedition at risk. "More Zee PMs, news of Wraith movement, miss my hot bod?"
"If I miss any hot bod it would be Kavanaughs." Dara replied, rolling her eyes. "You should ask Kimberley."
Johns face down turned a little but he nodded. "I would, but Teyla is speaking with her."
Kimberley bit her lip, unsure how to respond. "Well...I promised someone something and I wanted them to get it before it went off."
Teyla moved her head, showing she was confused, again.
"Its haggis, a type of food, for Captain Gordon." She smiled, and moved to take a silver package out of her bag. "His grandmother on his father's side was originally Scottish, and I promised him some since it's his birthday just after Thanksgiving."
"That is very nice of you." Teyla smiled.
"What are you getting out of it?" Ronon asked, casing Kimberley to jump.
"Wha-seriously!" She clutched her heart. "Wear a bell will ya?"
Ronon just looked at her, but there was a twinkle in his eyes.
"I'm not getting anything." She denied. "It's his birthdays, I like birthdays."
"You hardly know the man." Ronon pointed out.
"I really, really, really like birthdays." She stressed. "Hey when's yours?"
Ronon looked at her then left the room.
Teyla smiled and laughed silently.
"Hey Teyla, when's your birthday?" Kimberley turned to her.
Teyla stopped laughing.
"So she's just here to see Mack Gordon?" John asked suspicion ripe in his voice.
"Yup. That's all." Dara nodded. 'I wonder why he's so susp—no, I don't. It's Kimberley.'
After the girls finished their physicals and got the all clear, they gathered in the meeting room.
"So, what is Kimberley up to?" Samantha Carter asked Jennifer and Teyla.
"She wants to give Captain Gordon some haggis." Jennifer replied.
"Haggis?" John asked.
"It's a Scottish delicacy." Dara explained, waiting for Kimberley to finish rooting through her bag.
"It's for Mack." She explained needlessly.
Carter nodded and pressed her earpiece. "Chuck, can you get Captain Gordon to the debriefing room please?"
The room shared an unusual silence as they awaited the Air force personnel to arrive.
"You wanted to see me Col Carter?" Captain Mack Gordon, Air Force, descendant of the Scottish people and mainly American, stood at attention.
"Please have a seat." Carter motioned for one near Kimberley.
"Miss Boyce, how are you!" Mack exclaimed and hugged the female, as he got close. "What are you doing here- can I smell what I think I can smell?"
Kimberley grinned.
Dara rolled her eyes. 'Somebody's got a cru-ush.'
Slowly Kimberley started to pile things out of her bag, cluttering the desk with notebooks, pens, a mini laptop, screwdriver set, first aid kit, date diary, purse, mobile, make up, iPod and umbrella before setting a plastic contained on top of the empty bag.
"Since it's your birthday I wanted to get you some haggis, since you said you missed your grannies recipe." She explained and blushed when he hugged her again.
"Oh thank you Miss Boyce, thank you." Mack was close to tears as memories of his home and his grandmother came back to him.
"Also, there is a St Andrews dance tonight." Kimberley replied slowly.
Macks face lit up. Quickly he turned to look at Carter, who looked to John, who shrugged.
"Have him back by midnight." Carter ordered.
"Uh, wait a minute." Dara interrupted.
Everyone turned to look at her.
"Anyone want to ask me before making me a taxi/ferry service?" The Puddle Jumper driver asked.
Twenty minutes later Mack was already for his adventure into the alternate reality, and was trying to hide from Rodney McKay who was bitching about not being able to go.
"You could go as Daras dance partner?" Kimberley suggested.
"Uh, have fun." Rodney waved them goodbye and ran from the jumper bay.
Dara rolled her eyes and opened the hatch, motioning with one hand for the duo to enter. "Remember, you will have an hour and a half at the party. That gives you enough time for a few dances, some haggis and no hanky panky."
Kimberley giggled nervously at her and Mack looked at her like she was speaking Greek.
Once the two had left for their dinner date Dara pulled the mini van/puddle jumper into a secluded spot and popped her head phones in, letting her Zune sweep her to sleep.
Kimberley handed her and Macks ticket to the guy on the door, smiling to Mack as he tugged at his collar. "Leave it be Mack, or you'll stretch it out."
"Oh, sorry Miss Boyce." Mack replied, blushing slightly.
"Don't call me Miss Boyce. Its Kimbo." She smiled brighter and led him towards the food where the Céilidh was being held.
"Sure thing Miss Boyce." Mack nodded, attention on the food, the females, and the music, his mind completely forgetting the girl that he was with.
"Whose that?" A male voice added, a hand laying on Kimberley's shoulder.
"Gah!" Kimberley yelped, turning around to shout at them, pausing at the sight of her ex boyfriend, Allan. "Oh, hey Allan."
"Hey Kimbo." Allan, with black spiky hair, light blue jeans and a plan top grinned cheekily before extending his hand. "Gay Gordon."
"Sure." Kimberley nodded and lay her hand on his, moving to the dance floor and going through the moves as the music picked up, other couples doing the same.
As she circled around Allan she spotted Mack sitting beside a mousy looking girl with brown hair, a plate of haggis piled high between them, both eating off of it.
"So, who is he?" Allan asked again, bringing her close to him before they separated.
"He's a friend from work. Its his birthday and he loves haggis, so I thought I'd bring him tonight." Kimberley explained, bowing lowly to Allan before smiling to him. "We'll I'd better get back to my date."
"I think your date has picked his own." Allan smirked. "Hang with me for a while, for old times sake."
Kimberley looked at Mack, who was talking quietly with the female and nodded. "but after I tell Mack, we're getting a ride back together later."
"He's the Patron Saint of Scotland." Kimberley caught the tail end of the conversation Mack was having with the girl.
"Hey Miss Boyce." Mack stood, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Please meet Miss Goretti."
"Hey Maria." Kimberley smiled at the girl. "You pinching my date?"
"W-who m-me? Nono!" Maria shook her head, trying to hide in her seat.
"It's cool." Kimberley shook her head. "Mack, I'm going to hang with some of my old buddies, meet you out front at 11.30?"
Mack nodded and smiled gratefully at Kimberley before sitting back down, resuming his talk with Maria.
"He is also the Patron Saint of Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Patras in Greece, Amalfi in Italy, Luqa in Lamta and Esgueire in Portugal." Maria continued, spearing some haggis and covering her mouth as she chewed it, a healthy blush appearing on her checks.
"So, how long have you known him for?" Allan asked, throwing an arm around Kimberley's shoulder.
"A few months." Kimberley replied, liking the feeling of an old comfort, his arm resting where it used to before they broke up.
"Hey guys, Kimbo and Allan are back together!" Someone shouted as they neared a table in the back.
"No we're not." Kimberley shook her head.
"Yea, admit we are Kimbo, I know you've been missing me." Allan bent down for a kiss.
Dara sat in the puddle jumper. Her hands flew to her stomach as it grumbled.
'I need some food.' She thought, moving off the chair to the bundle of coats that Kimberley had dumped on one of the benches. 'She's gotta have a candy bar in here or something.'
Dara picked up a few coats and shrieked, jumping back as an upside down rat moved. "DIE! DIE! DIE!"
"QUIT KICKING MY HEAD!" John Sheppard yelled, throwing his hands above his head.
"SHEPPARD!" Dara yelled, punching him in the arms. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Kimberley knocked me unconscious with a wraith stunner. Next thing I knew you were treating my head like a football!" John explained as he sat up, moving a hand to touch his head gingerly, frowning at the stick note attached.
Dara grabbed it. "Sorry to have knocked you out John, but I knew you would never come without some kind of unconsciousness. Here are some tickets to tonight's Céilidh, have fun and meet you back here at 12!"
"Uh, you wanna get something to eat?" John asked.
Dara nodded and crumpled the note up, then frowned and opened it, checking the back. "PS, please don't kill me."
John snorted and Dara tried to contain a laugh.
"Okay, she is a royal pain in the ass, but she does mean good." Dara heard herself defending Kimberley.
John sighed, smiling as he nodded. "Mind me to tell her that I want a good Christmas present for this."
Dara nodded and they quickly made their way into the Student Union. "Okay, we're just going to sneak over to the buffet, get something to eat, then sneak back to the jumper, no stopping for a pee, dance or quick Kirk okay?"
"Sure thing-is that Kimberley?" John asked, pointing to an expertly dancing Kimberley.
Dara turned from her spot at the buffet table. "Huh?"
John stood beside Dara and pointed to her friend, who walked over to Mack and a girl, before she and the guy she had been dancing with moved towards the back. John began to follow them, Dara trailing behind him.
As the guy grabbed Kimberley be her arm and moved in to kiss her, Dara walked in between them.
"You best not be hitting on my girl." Dara exclaimed, thrusting a hand onto his chest, causing him to jerk back.
"Wait, what?" Allan balked, looking between Kimberley and Dara.
"Nonononono!" Kimberley shook her head, moving away from them all.
Dara put her head in her hands. "That did NOT come out right."
"Yeah, well, after him she couldn't do any worse." John pointed out.
"That doesn't say much about your character did it?" Dara snarked back.
"I um, see ya Kimbo." Allan made a quick exit, stage left.
"Thanks for being my night in shinning armour." Kimberley grinned and hugged Dara.
"You're welcome." Dara replied. "Now, go grab Mack so we can get outta here!"
Kimberley nodded and turned to walk towards where Mack was but paused, placing her foot back on the floor, mouth dropping open at the sight of Mack and Maria snogging at the back, the haggis plate completely polished off.
"At least he has his priorities right." Dara pointed out.
"Sam time next year?" Kimberley asked Mack, giving him one last hug before the girls left Atlantis.
Mack nodded and watched Kimberley enter the puddle jumper, wincing as Dara started shouting at her for abusing her poor puddle jumper.
"So...how's Maria?" John asked.
"Whose Maria?" Rodney asked, looking up from his consol that was making sure the girls left their galaxy.
"Macks new girlfriend." John explained with a grin.
"Way to go Mack!" Lorne grinned and slugged him on the shoulder, then frowned. "Talk about one hell of a long distance relationship though."