Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate: Atlantis or any of its characters. I do, however, own the original characters. Any similarity between these original characters and any other person, living or fictional, is entirely coincidental and not the intent of the author.

Author's Note: For everyone out there wondering why I'm publishing this before finishing my Lorne AU story, I needed a break. I've reached a point in that story where I need to step back. My good friend, DaniWilder, also suggested taking a few days. So, I'm returning to a favorite pairing with a fluffy, angsty story about their Thanksgiving on Earth. With the US Thanksgiving Day only Eighteen Days away, I figured that will give me the chance to sort out the remainder of the AU. (Yes, I capitalized those words on purpose. ;) Please stick with me, and I should finish that one by Christmas. This story, however, is set immediately after "Quarantine" and contains spoilers for anything up to that point. Enjoy! ~lg

oOo

Jennifer Keller glared at her quarters as she let out a rushed breath. She'd tried to get the time off to prepare for her trip, but life just got in the way. Life on Atlantis, anyway. She had spent the last three hours convincing McKay he wasn't sick. There wasn't an epidemic on Atlantis. And she hadn't kissed Ronon.

That thought brought another wave of heat to her face. Just what had she been thinking? Out of all the people on Atlantis, she had to get trapped with Ronon. She liked the Satedan well enough, but his sheer size and gruff comments set her teeth on edge. While most women liked the mystery, she preferred men who smiled when she talked, listened to what she had to say, said "Ma'am" in such a way as to make her think it a compliment. She preferred. . . .

No, I am not thinking about him, she ordered herself. Jennifer dragged her wheeled suitcase from her closet and started packing the few things she'd take to Earth with her for her oh-so-short trip to see her father. With the inter-galactic space bridge operational, she could step through the gate in Atlantis and come out in the Milky Way. On Earth. At home. She had put in paperwork for this vacation months ago, and she felt she deserved a break. After watching some of the greatest losses Atlantis had ever seen, she got eighteen days. Eighteen glorious days to spend either on the Midway Space Station or in her father's house, preparing for Thanksgiving. Anywhere but in an infirmary.

With her packing finished in record time, Jennifer straightened her desk and found the novel she'd bought before coming to Atlantis. Back then, she'd thought she would have a steady job with the occasional set of rounds to throw off her schedule. She'd arrived and immediately went to work. Her first patient, Ronon, had simply glared while she stitched a cut on his arm. Jennifer had managed to keep her hands still until the Satedan left the infirmary. Then, she sagged against the bed with relief. She'd heard of taciturn, but Ronon could put a mute to shame.

"Whoa, hey." Strong hands had caught her shoulders as she sagged. She whirled and saw him. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She nodded, already trying to keep the blush from covering her face. "I was just. . .overwhelmed."

"Yeah, well, Ronon can do that." He stepped back, letting his hands fall to his sides.

Before he could introduce himself, Dr. Beckett appeared. "Jen, love, are ya hurt?"

"No, Carson, I'm fine." She smiled at both men. "Just tired. And overwhelmed."

Carson had accepted her response, and he went his way without another word. She later learned his identity, learned that he kept to himself outside of work, and learned that she didn't stand a chance. Some of the more attractive women on Atlantis had tried to get his attention. They all failed miserably.

Now, the week before Thanksgiving Day in the United States, Jennifer forced herself to put aside the memories. She had come to Atlantis to be Carson's assistant. Within the year, she'd gone from his assistant to his replacement. And, shortly after that, she had authorized the procedure that led to the death of Dr. Elizabeth Weir.

"Not a great track record to take home," she muttered as she left her quarters behind. She would miss this place with its breathtaking views and ocean sunrises. She saw them often enough as she ran in the mornings, and she wondered if anything back on Earth would compare.

As she reached the gate room, Jennifer's steps slowed. He stood in front of the gate, clearly waiting for her to appear. She stared at him, enjoying this change in his appearance. Rather than his Atlantis uniform, he wore jeans, button-down shirt, and hiking boots. He carried a large, flat case and a duffel bag over his shoulder. His blue eyes sparkled when he saw her. "Doc."

Jennifer nodded to him. "Major."

Sheppard, from above them, looked down. "You kids don't have too much fun."

"Don't worry, Sir." Evan Lorne grinned at his CO. "Just please don't destroy anything while we're gone."

McKay, sitting behind a computer, snorted. "Oh, har-de-har-har."

Sheppard glanced at Chuck. "Dial Midway."

As the gate came to life, Jennifer stood next to Lorne and tried to control her features. This couldn't be happening! Once they reached Earth, they'd likely go their separate ways. But, before that happened, she had twenty-four hours on the Midway Space Station to kill with him in close proximity. She wasn't sure she could handle that much of his personality. Not if he intended to keep acting carefree and cheerful.

The wormhole engaged, and Jennifer stepped through the gate before she'd fully figured out exactly how she'd survive the next day.

oOo

Evan exited the gate behind Keller, already breathing a sigh of relief. He loved his job, but he needed a break. Looking around, he nodded. "This is different."

Keller glanced up and blinked at the two gates side by side. "You could say that again, Major."

"Hey, I have an idea." He fell into step as Dr. Lee from the SGC appeared in a doorway. "We're off duty. So, while we're here, it's Evan."

She glanced at him, her gaze skittering away before it fully focused on him. "Jennifer," she said quickly.

Lee chose that moment to interrupt. "Welcome to Midway!"

"Thanks, Doc." Evan wanted to roll his eyes but resisted the urge. "From what I hear, we're to wait for a day before heading on to Earth."

"That's right." Lee looked between them. "Don't want anything from Pegasus getting through to the people back home. In the meantime, we have a few movies, some food, and some Sudoku books, if you can get them away from Kavanaugh." Lee escorted them through the small corridors to a tiny room with two bunk beds, a miniscule television, and an even smaller shower. He clapped his hands. "Enjoy your stay."

Evan vaguely wondered if the good doctor had drawn the wrong conclusions about him and Keller. Jennifer, he reminded himself. Instead of saying anything, he stood back and let her pick the bunk she wanted.

Jennifer gave him a wary glance before looking at the ceiling. She wheeled her suitcase to the bottom bunk furthest from the door. "So, um. . . ."

Evan grinned. "Going to see family?"

"Yeah." She sounded relieved that he'd chosen the topic. "My dad always hosts a Thanksgiving Dinner with his sister, and he's pretty excited I'll be there. It's the first time in three years that I've been able to make it home."

"What happened for the last two years?"

"Stuck at the SGC in the middle of freak blizzards." She shrugged. "This year, it's only a galaxy that keeps me away."

Evan hefted the flat case he carried onto the bunk above his and dropped onto the bed next to hers. Looking her in the eye, he nodded. "I understand. My sister quit asking when I went to P3X-403. This is the first time I've made it back for either of the two holidays."

"Does she know you're coming?"

"No." He chuckled. "Though, now, it sounds kinda silly that I didn't inform her that I'd be there."

She let her smile widen. "Well, if she's not around, you can join me." Then, her face reddened. "I mean. . . . That is. . . .I meant, you can join my family. For Thanksgiving. Dinner, I mean. Um. . . I'll shut up, now."

Evan laughed softly. "Thanks, Doc. I'll let you know." He rather liked the flush on her face and, for the first time, allowed himself to think of his first impressions of her. She'd appeared in the infirmary over a year ago, staring at Ronon while she stitched a cut on his arm. Then, when Ronon left, her knees buckled, and she tried to catch herself on the bed. He'd reacted, grabbing her shoulders to keep her upright. She'd blushed, a lot like she was now, and had captured his attention, if only briefly. The months had buried that momentary distraction, and this time alone with her, on Midway, unearthed it. He stood and glanced at his watch. "You hungry?"

"No." She stood with him. "But I could use some coffee."

"Me, too." He motioned for her to leave the room ahead of him. He needed a few moments to school his features. This wasn't Atlantis, but it was SGC territory. He needed to stay mindful of that. If he didn't, Dr. Jennifer Keller just might intrigue him to the point that he couldn't put things aside after they returned to Atlantis.

oOo

Late that evening, Jennifer lay on her side, facing Evan and laughing until her sides hurt. They had shared coffee that morning, sat across from each other and talked. He'd surprised her with his easygoing ways, and she discovered they had quite a lot in common. Oh, he was a soldier while she was a doctor, but they saw eye-to-eye on many different issues.

Now, however, his blue eyes sparkled as he told her about a recent incident on Atlantis. "So, I'm crouched behind this wall, tired, hungry, angry, and ready to head back to the Jumper. And Coughlin chokes. At first, I thought he choked on some water from his canteen, but he draws in a deep breath and points. By this time, we're close to being discovered. But I poke my head up over the fence and stare. There, on a flag, is McKay's face. I simply stared. McKay?"

Jennifer snickered as he continued to tell the story of the "game" Sheppard and McKay had discovered. While it hadn't been as funny at the time, Evan made it sound like the most hilarious thing that had ever happened. He'd completely shed the blasé mask he wore on Atlantis, and he tucked one hand behind his head as he told the story. By the end of it, she'd laughed until she regretted that last cup of coffee.

As the hour grew late, however, their conversation moved to more serious topics. Finally, Jennifer hugged her pillow a little closer. "So, are you celebrating Christmas with your family while you're on Earth?"

"Yeah." He sobered and turned onto his side to watch her. "It's pretty normal to combine the two holidays when you live several million light years away."

"I bet that's a phrase you never thought you'd say."

"No, it isn't," he agreed. "What about you and your dad?"

"Day after Thanksgiving sales are my Christmas gift." She shrugged. "He gives me a credit card and sends me off to the store. It was something I did with my mom before she passed away, and Dad never got over that."

He nodded. "I understand."

Seeing the shadows that entered his eyes, Jennifer lifted her head slightly. "Evan? Everything okay?"

"Yeah." He lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "I'm really hoping my sister doesn't have plans."

"Why?"

"It'll just be weird being back in the old house alone." He sat up. "Mom passed about five years ago, and Dad lasted until this past January. It's the first set of holidays without him."

Jennifer sat up and instinctively reached out to touch his hands. "Evan, I'm so sorry."

"It happens." He caught her hand in his and held on for a few seconds. Just long enough for her to feel the calluses and the strength. "I should have made it home before now."

He released her hand and stood, saying something about getting dinner. Jennifer let him go, not wanting to crowd him while he dealt with the reminder of his loss. She wished she'd known how difficult this holiday season would be for him. She wouldn't have mentioned family so freely.

Unable to resolve the issues, she walked to the tiny bathroom and washed her face. With Evan bunking in the next room, she couldn't just take a shower. Her face heated at the thought, but something, deep inside, warmed to the idea of keeping that man around for more than a few hours. In their short day together, he'd proved that he wasn't just one of Atlantis's heartthrobs. He needed friends as much as she did, and she hoped her crush wouldn't ruin the progress they'd made toward friendship. Perhaps being stuck on Midway with Evan Lorne wasn't so bad of an idea, after all.

~TBC