For my sister. (PS - Not mine!)

"All I'm saying," Rodney started.

"Well excuse me for not believing you," John said before Rodney could say what he wanted to say for the fifth time since they had stepped through the gate about an hour ago.

"Teyla, you agree with me, right?"

"I do not wish to get involved in this," she responded.

"Hey look, the village," John said as they stepped out of the forest. "Lets go make some new friends."

The rest of the day was spent negotiating a trade that would work for everyone. It was with much joy for everyone when they finally agreed on something right before dinner, which turned into a feast in honor of the new friends.

When the leader of the village learned that John and Rodney had the ability to operate some of their sacred items that were from the Ancestors, he hurried out of the room and came back with four silver bands.

"What are those?" asked John.

"These are bracelets left by the Ancestors," was the excited reply.

"What do they do?" asked Rodney as he picked one up.

"They allow a descendant of the Ancestors to find their soul mate."

"So, only someone with the gene could use one of these," stated John.

"Apparently. How do they work?" Rodney asked.

"We are not sure, but from the readings we have of them, when the wearer of one sees their mate, they will glow blue and they will feel compiled to place the mate to their own bracelet on their mate."

"Interesting." Rodney then placed one of the bands over his right wrist where it immediately wrapped itself around his wrist. "Whoa."

"Rodney, why did you have to go and do that?" asked John.

"I want to find out how it works," was the reply.

"Great, now can you take it off?"

Rodney attempted to take of the bracelet, but was unable to find a way to do so. "I can't!"

"The bracelet is not meant to be take off once put on," the leader stated as he handed Rodney the mate to the bracelet he now had on his wrist. "You will need this."

Rodney just looked around. "Can I just say that I'm glad that none of you are blue?"

"I'm very happy to hear that. Hey!" shouted John as the village leader placed one of the bracelets on his wrist. "That wasn't very nice!"

"You are our friends. We want our friends to be happy. Now you can find your happiness."

"Is there anything else we should know about these things?" asked Rodney.

"We believe that they might be able to transmit your emotions through them as well."

"Oh, that's just great," moaned Rodney.

"It would have been a lot nicer if you had asked before putting this on, you know," complained John as the leader was escorting them to their room for the night.

"You will be grateful when you have found your other half."

Rodney spent the next few hours running tests and examining his bracelet and its mate before John yelled at him to get some sleep.

John noticed that Rodney seemed a little quieter than normal the next morning as they were walking back to the gate.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, nothing. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Nothing really."

"Oh come on Rodney. Just tell me," John pleaded.

"I was just thinking about these bracelets."

"We'll be home soon enough and you can play, and then you can play to your hearts content."

"Actually, I wasn't thinking about that."

"What, oh. Yeah, I've been trying not to think about that."

"Why?"

"Oh, just the thought that I'm pretty much going to be forced to be with someone that I may not have wanted to be with."

"But they would be perfect for you. That's the idea of the bracelet, the other one belongs to your soul mate!"

"I'd rather find that out myself, thank you very much. This is one thing in my life I would rather not have dictated."

"Well, that's what you get for joining the military."

"So what were you thinking about then?" John asked.

"What my life could be."

"I take it then that you're excited about this then."

"I wouldn't say that exactly."

"What would you say exactly?"

Rodney stopped and turned to John. "It's a well known fact that I have problems with women. But whoever gets this other bracelet will probably be able to look past all that."

"You mean they'll be able to put up with all your shit."

Rodney nodded. "Yeah."

"Rodney, there is not one person on Atlantis who can put up with you when you are at your worse." John paused. "Except for Carson."

In an attempt to keep the blush off his face, he quickly added, "You do."

"Yeah, well. I'm a pretty easy guy to get along with. And sometimes you really annoy me. And we have already thankfully established that I am not the unlucky recipient of that other bracelet."

"Yes, thankfully."

"Lets get back home and see what poor unlucky soul is stuck with you for the rest of their life," stated John as he patted his friend on the back and started walking back towards the gate.

"Well, how did it go?" Elizabeth asked as they stepped through the gate. Upon seeing her, John stopped dead in his tracks.

"It went well, Dr. Weir," Teyla answered.

"That's good news. What's wrong with John?" she asked.

The rest of the team exchanged glances. "The leader decided to give us a little present once he found out that John and I have the Ancient gene," answered Rodney.

"What did they give you?"

Rodney raised his right hand. "They gave us bracelets to find our soul mates."

"Really? But that doesn't explain what's wrong with John."

Just then John started walking forward. But it was slowed and looked like it was against his will. When he reached Elizabeth, he slowly reached into his pocket and brought out the other bracelet.

"I knew it!" Rodney yelled.

John spared a moment to glare at his friend before taking Elizabeth's hand and placing the bracelet on her wrist. Once that was done, he stepped back and started to apologize.

"Uh, what exactly is going on?" she asked examining the new addition to her wrist.

"You and John are apparently soul mates," Rodney said with great pride.

John blushed and Elizabeth looked shocked. Everyone else in the control room by this point had stopped what they were doing and were standing around watching.

"What?"

"That's what the bracelets are supposed to do. A blue glow appears around the person and you will feel compelled to but the other one on their wrist. Oh, and they are also supposed to transit emotions." Rodney looked at them expectantly. "Well, do they?"

John and Elizabeth exchanged a glance. "Can't tell," John said shortly.

"Really? That's uh, interesting."

"No Rodney. We will not be your lab rats," John said. "You also have one. Get your other half to be your lab rat."

"Who's Rodney's lab rat now? It had better not be me again," Carson said as he came up behind them. "I see you're all in one piece. That's a relief."

Just then Rodney turned around and got a very excited look on his face. "Carson!"

"Rodney," he answered a little unsure. He was about to open his mouth to ask a question, but found it other wise occupied when Rodney grabbed him and placed his lips on his. When Rodney pulled back, he grabbed Carson's right hand and quickly placed the other bracelet on his wrist. Then he pulled Carson closer and kissed him again.

When Carson was able to talk again, several moments later, he asked, "Uh, what's going on?"

John crossed to the confused doctor and slapped him on the back. "Congratulations on being Rodney's soul mate."

"What?"

"The village leader gave both Rodney and John a set of bracelets that were designed to find their soul mates," Teyla answered.

"Sorry doc. Looks like you're stuck with him for the rest of your life," Ronan said, clasping his shoulder with a smile, not looking at all sorry.

"There is something else you should be aware of. The bracelets were also designed so you would feel your mate's emotions," said Teyla.

"Oh, so that's what that is," Carson said looking down at his wrist.

"You can feel what I'm feeling?" asked Rodney.

"Aye, and would you stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"Stop that!" he answered with a wave of his hands. Rodney just smiled. Carson took a deep breath. "I'll be in the infirmary waiting for you all." He looked over at John. "If you've already given your bracelet away, that person will need to come as well." With one last look at Rodney, he quickly walked away.

Rodney hurried after him and after a quick glance to Elizabeth, John followed.

"What are your feelings on this, Dr. Weir?" asked Teyla as they slowly made their way to the infirmary with Ronan.

"I'm still a little shocked. I guess it hasn't set in yet."

When they arrived in the infirmary a bit later, it was to Carson saying, "No. Now sit down."

"But Carson!"

"Just sit down. Elizabeth, what are you doing here?" he asked as she came in the room.

She held up her hand in response. "Ah. You have my sympathies then."

Carson then proceeded to give everyone their medical evaluations. If it was odd to anyone that he did Rodney's last and spent more time on it than the others, they never brought it up.

"Well, you're all just fine. I'd like to keep an eye on the three of you to see if there are any other side effects."

"What about you?" asked Elizabeth.

Carson looked down at his wrist and sighed. "I'll get Dr. Malcolm to take over. I want you to come in at the first sign of anything odd."

"Are we free to go?" asked John.

"Aye." Before he could say anything else, John was out the door.

"I'm sure it is not personal," Teyla told Elizabeth.

"I didn't ask for this either. I now exactly how he feels!"

"Really? You can feel what he's feeling? 'Cause I'm getting nothing from Carson," he added with a glare at the doctor.

"Well, I'm getting plenty from you!" retorted Carson.

"No, I just understand since we're in the same situation that we didn't want," answered Elizabeth before they got to angry with each other.

Rodney completely ignored her. "So then what am I feeling?" asked Rodney, very curious.

Carson blushed.

Through out the next week, everyone in Atlantis was busy watching the very interesting interactions between Rodney and Carson. Anyone who came into the infirmary saw a constantly flushed Chief Surgeon. In Rodney's lab, his staff would observe him pause in the middle of his yelling fits, take a deep breath, apologize, and then get back to what he was doing. To say his staff was thankful would be an understatement. Every night at dinner, Carson was approached by no less than five people to thank him, for what, he didn't know.

It was one week after the bracelet had been put on him that Carson snapped. He was in his lab doing research on the Wraith when he suddenly stood up and yelled, "That's it!" and quickly walked out of the lab. Everyone cleared out of his way as he went straight for Rodney's lab. He ran into Rodney in the hallway outside of the lab.

"Carson," Rodney began as he held his hands up.

"That's it," he repeated. He grabbed one of Rodney's hands and dragged him down the hall to his quarters. Rodney, finally able to feel Carson's feelings through the bracelet, wisely said nothing. But once inside the room, Carson pushed Rodney against the door and attached his lips to those belonging to his other half.

"Finally," Rodney mumbled when Carson's mouth attached itself to his neck.

"I couldn't take feeling how randy you were all the time anymore. Thought I'd help you take care of that."

"That was the idea," said Rodney before he pushed them back to the bed where no more words were needed.

The next morning, at the senior staff meeting, everyone was curious as to why Rodney kept tugging at his collar.

"You okay?" asked John.

"I'm fine, why?"

"You keep on tugging at your collar."

Rodney looked over at Carson as he tugged at his collar again. It was then that John noticed his bracelet. "Your bracelet is glowing."

"Huh?"

Suddenly, it all clicked. "You didn't!"

Both Rodney and Carson blushed.

"You did! It's only been a week!"

"Yes, well, he was very persistent," Carson said suddenly.

"You two are really together?" John asked.

"Of course. You don't pass up this opportunity!" Rodney replied.

"Yes, well," Elizabeth started.

"So then are you going to show us what's wrong with your neck? Have you had someone look at that?"

"Uh,"

"Come on, show us!"

"Rodney, you really," Elizabeth started. But Rodney pulled down the collar to reveal a rather large bruise (hickey) on his neck.

"What the hell did you get that from?" asked John.

Everyone looked at John. "You're kidding me right?" asked Rodney.

"What?"

Everyone continued to stare. Then John got a clue. "Oh. Right. I really don't want to know."

"So you really are together?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yes," Carson answered.

"Why?" asked the head of the botany department.

Carson looked at Rodney. "Why not? I know this isn't the proper place, but I love him."

"I love him too. And not just because he's my soul mate," added Rodney.

After looking at each other for a while, Elizabeth said, "Get out of here. I really don't want to see this!"

Rodney and Carson quickly stood up. "Thanks," they said in unison. They rushed out the door and headed towards Rodney's quarters (closer) where they stayed for the next few hours.

It was a week later when Carson wandered into his soul mate's lab to drag him off to dinner. On the way there, he dropped a bombshell. "We need to talk."

Rodney stopped dead in his tracks. "What did I do?"

"Come on, let's go to my room." Carson took Rodney's hand and didn't let go until they were inside the door. Rodney wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

"What do you want from me?" asked Carson suddenly.

"What?"

"What do you want from me? Besides the obvious."

Rodney was very confused. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Look, when I first came to you, I'll admit it was because the feelings you were projecting through these damned bracelets was getting really irritating. No, let me finish," he said when he saw that Rodney wanted to say something. "At the staff meeting, I meant it when I said I loved you. And this past week has been wonderful. But I'm wondering what you want from me. If it's just the sex, then I'm sorry, I can't and won't do that."

Rodney took a few steps closer and gave Carson a chaste kiss on the lips. "Carson. I love you. I want everything I can have from you. I want a best friend, someone I can turn to when I need help, someone who will be there for me when no one else is, someone who can put up with me when I'm being even more obnoxious than normal, someone who can tell me when to stop, and yes, I do want sex. But even if we never have sex again, I would still want to be with you. This is a forever thing for me, and not just because of the bracelets."

Carson just looked at the man in front of him before pulling him to the bed and showing him that yes, they would be having sex.

Later, right before they were both about to fall asleep, Rodney asked, "Move in with me?"

"What?"

"Move in with me. We can choose different quarters or one of ours, but I want to know that when I come home, you'll be there. Or at least have to come back there at some point."

"I think I'd like that."

"Great! I love you."

"I love you too."