Title: Closer Than Ever

By Technician Fan

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I never was really expecting that much. I got some tips from them that I have written into this chapter. Sorry about the wait, too. I was going to update this weekend but I went camping with some of my friends. So all in all, here's the next chapter.

Chapter Two: Stupid handcuffs

Cadman woke to an alarm blaring. She jumped up in her bed, elbowing something in the process. That something gave a moan of pain. Cadman then remembered what had happened the previous day. She sighed and dropped back onto the bed, covering her eyes with her arm.

"Morning," Lorne said. Cadman groaned in response. He chuckled softly. "C'mon, sunshine, get up. Time for me to get to work."

Cadman took her arm off her face and saw Lorne looking down at her with expectant eyes. She looked over at his alarm clock. It read 5:33 a.m. She groaned again. "No sensible person gets up at 5:30 in the morning."

Lorne gave another laugh. "In that case, I'm not sensible, am I? But seriously, Lieutenant, it's time to get up. I need to get to work."

Cadman sat up and glared at him. "What the hell are you going to do for work at this time? I mean, really, it's not like you're going to go on a mission. And you most certainly are not going to do much else during your day. So I ask you, what are you going to do if I get up?"

Lorne looked at her as if it was the most obvious thing ever. "I don't know, I was just going to try and get these stupid handcuffs off so that we can get on with our lives. That is what you want, right?" Cadman nodded. "Well last night I had an idea. Maybe we can at least cut the chain off that's connecting the cuffs."

"That's a good idea. Fine, I'll get up. But you'd better give me some coffee!"

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"Okay, this plan had better work," Cadman said. They were about to try and cut the chain off. They'd already had two failed attempts. One of those times, both Lorne and Cadman got their hands ever so slightly burned. "And if my hand is cut off in the process, I will sue you for everything. I don't care if this was started by Sheppard, I'm suing you."

Lorne shook his head in amusement. "Yeah, whatever. Speaking of Sheppard, though, we should get back at him somehow. You know, as payback for what he did to us."

Cadman nodded her head. "I've been thinking about that. I can think of a bunch of ideas, but they aren't enough. He needs something big done back to him. And I mean BIG."

"Okay, but before we do anything to him, we need to see if this will work. You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Let's just get this thing over with. I'm sorry, but I can't go another day like this." Cadman shuddered at the thought.

"Gee, I feel loved," Lorne said sarcastically. He got the saw thing ready. He took a deep breath and turned it on, aiming it for the chain. Sparks flew everywhere. After about half a minute, he turned it off and they looked at the chains.

"Not even a scratch," Cadman said. "What are these handcuffs made out of?"

"Only one way to know: ask the person who handcuffed us in the first place," Lorne said.

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"Colonel!" Lorne said when they finally managed to catch up to Sheppard.

Sheppard turned around and smiled in delight at the sight of them still together. "Ah, Major, Lieutenant, how's it going?"

"Horribly," Cadman said. Her fists were balled up and Lorne could tell that she was two seconds away from punching his face, which both of them knew was out of question. "But that's not why we're here. We need to know what these handcuffs are made out of. They won't break. We tried sawing the chain. It didn't work. We tried flame blowing it, and all that caused was our hands to be burned."

"I can see that," Sheppard interrupted, looking at their hands. He looked back up at Lorne and Cadman. "And I'd love to help you, but I can't. I don't know what those handcuffs are exactly made of. All I know is that they're made from some sort of metal or mineral or something found on Athos. One of the kids gave it to me before they moved onto the mainland of our old planet. Maybe Teyla can tell you what it's made out of, but you'll have to wait. She's off world with Ronon right now till tomorrow."

"NO!" Cadman yelled. Both Sheppard and Lorne jumped slightly at the amount of volume in her voice. "I can't wait until tomorrow! Tonight is girls' poker night! No guys allowed! And I am so not missing it. This is the only time of year that prices are tripled, and everyone knows that I'm the best one there. I could make millions! Well, maybe a few hundred, but you get my point! I can't go if he's handcuffed to me!"

"Uh… maybe you could ask one of the other girls if I could tag along," Lorne said. "I'm sure they'd understand."

Cadman thought for a minute. "I guess that might work. I can't promise that you, or I, will be able to go, but I think I could convince Katie Brown. Yeah, I'd be able to do that."

"Great! Then let's go and ask somebody," Lorne said. She turned and headed off towards the botany lab with Lorne in tow. When they were far enough away from Sheppard, he said in a low voice, "Hey, Lieutenant, I had an idea about how we can get back at Sheppard, and I think your little girlfriends can help us."

Cadman giggled. "I bet that they would absolutely help. Most of them have been doofed up by Sheppard at one point or another."

"Doofed up? What the hell does that mean?" Lorne asked her as they walked into the botany lab.

"I don't mean like, you know, really far. I just mean that they have been under Sheppard's little flirtations. And they all love his hair. I mean, who doesn't?" Cadman asked, looking around for Katie. She saw Lorne looking at her with a strange look. "What? Seriously, you have to admit that he's got the best hair. Don't worry, though, you have your own little club of fan girls." She laughed at Lorne's surprised look. She looked at someone behind Lorne and said, "Katie, there you are!"

Lorne turned around to see the redhead right behind him. "Laura, Major, what are you doing here?" She noticed the handcuffs and gave the two of them a confused look.

"It's a long story, Katie," Cadman said with an annoyed voice. "Don't even ask. Look, about tonight, can the major come? I know it's GIRLS' poker night, but I'm kind of attached to him and I can't get away. That and I don't want to miss tonight, with all the tripling of prices and everything."

Katie gave a soft smile, the kind of smile that always comforts you. "Well, I guess so. But know this, Major: none of the girls are going to treat you the way that you would want them to. These are hard core girls looking for money. So don't think you're going to get lucky."

"I wasn't going to-" Lorne started to say.

"Good! And if you want to play with us, I guess you can, but don't think that you're going to win. Especially if you go up against Laura." Katie exchanged an amused glance with Cadman.

"I'll keep that in mind," Lorne said. He was about to turn and leave with Cadman but then he remembered something. "Oh, yeah, Katie, I need to ask you something. You see, Sheppard's the one that did this to us." He gestured to the handcuffs. "And these are, like, completely indestructible. So could you, perhaps, help out with the revenge? I had this brilliant idea…."

A/N: I know, cliffy, sort of, but I wanted to update as soon as I possibly could, so yeah. The next chapter will be the poker night, and I might I say that it will be very amusing. Please review!!!! Once again, I love you all that reviewed before and story alerted and favorited this story. Thanks!! Toodles!