A/N: I wasn't going to continue this, but here is another chapter. Thanks Betherdy Babe for beta and all of the reviews.

It was ridiculous that Jennifer should be so upset after hearing the story of what happened on that planet last year. Sheppard and McKay had no clue they were really affecting people's lives. The more she heard from Marie and Captain Joseph Kidd at dinner that night after their return the more heartbroken she felt.

Rodney McKay was as arrogant as everyone said he was. Every time she had worked with him, he'd seemed to share credit with her or at least accept her ideas. But the first thing he did was stick his face on a flag and change the women's dress and hairstyle. Pixie little bobs for their hair. She wrinkled her nose with annoyance.

Jennifer wandered back to her room via a longer route that brought her past the workout rooms. The sounds of hand-to-hand combat filled her ears and she smiled as she thought of the night shift getting all kinds of bumps and bruises.

"Okay, Jett Li, what do you have for us?" Sheppard's voice drew her out of her thoughts.

Rounding the corner, she looked in to see Rodney in a white gi holding a staff in front of him. Sheppard was easily swinging his around and Rodney's eyes were following it. Of course that meant he wasn't watching Sheppard, who easily swung his leg out, hooking Rodney's and sending him on his backside.

Jennifer took a couple sparring lessons with Ronon and knew to always watch your opponent's eyes. Even though she was annoyed with what McKay had done, she couldn't stop charging in to see if he was okay.

"You making house calls now?" Sheppard asked when Jennifer knelt next to Rodney.

"I should set up shop down here. Ronon and Teyla fill my infirmary most days," Jennifer said. Her eyes met Rodney's for the first time since he walked her to her quarters after their drink. "Are you okay?"

"Uh… just my pride," he mumbled, pushing himself up.

"I've already seen you lose that. You'll get it back," she said with a smile because she was certain his eyes could melt steel.

John laughed and Rodney groaned as Jennifer reached out to help him get up.

"Thanks," he mumbled. "What have you been up to? We just got back a while ago."

"And you're working out?" Jennifer questioned.

"We sat on our butts for three days. My team needed some exercise," Sheppard said as he walked over to grab a water bottle. "Heads up, McKay." He tossed one at Rodney and Jennifer grabbed it before it hit him in the face.

"Stop teasing Rodney," she said to the Colonel. "He's going to be upset once I tell him where I've been."

"What?" Rodney asked with concern in his voice.

Jennifer faced him and tried to keep the bite out of her voice. "I just came back from M4D-058."

"Anything wrong?" Rodney asked as a red flush spread over his face.

"I delivered a baby." Jennifer stared into the baby blues as they widened.

"That's nice," John said. "Anyone we know?"

"Yes," she replied. "Nola from Geldar."

"Nola had a baby? But…" Rodney shut up as soon as he saw the glare Jennifer shot him.

"Yes, Rodney. Your perfect woman had a baby with her perfect husband, Baden." Jennifer saw the angry look cross Rodney's face.

"Baden? That barbarian?"

"Hey, he was the leader of my people," John added.

Jennifer felt pricks of tears in her eyes. Rodney immediately was concerned that Nola had married a warrior, the opposite of him. "It looks like you'll live, McKay," she said. The two men were arguing about their societies and Sheppard was gloating that the tough guy got the girl. It was too much for her to take, so she left. "Enjoy your night."

Jennifer sat between Major Lorne and Ronon at the senior staff meeting the next morning. Her eyes refused to even glance at McKay as he and Sheppard came in still arguing about something.

"Well, it looks like we've all been invited to a party tomorrow night," Sam said as she began the meeting.

"A party?" Sheppard questioned.

"Yes, Baden and Nola want us to join them at the naming ceremony for their sons."

"Now, I can't let the entire senior staff go, so Sheppard and your team along with Doctor Keller get to go."

"I'm really busy in the infirmary and don't need to…" Jennifer started. No way was she going to be around McKay and his little blond harem in Geldar.

"Baden specifically asked for 'the healer Jennifer, who saved my wife and sons'," Sam said. "Doctor Cole can pick up the slack."

Jennifer nodded and smiled at Sam. "Of course, Colonel Carter."

After the meeting Jennifer headed to the infirmary. Her intention was to get very busy and for the first time in her life, refuse the direct order of one of her bosses. There was no way she was going to that planet to watch Rodney swoon over other women.

"Jennifer," Rodney called after her.

"Doctor McKay," she replied.

"Are you mad at me?" the physicist asked.

Jennifer crossed her arms and cocked her head. "Why would you ask that?"

"Uh… You called me McKay, which usually means your upset. And you're standing like I do when I'm really mad." Rodney shuffled his feet and looked around. "I… Um… I…"

"What, Rodney? I'm annoyed that I have a lot to do and now have to go and be social. I hate being social. Parties are not my thing," she confessed.

Rodney smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You said Rodney."

Jennifer fought the upturn of her lips, but failed. A smiling, happy Rodney McKay was very rare and she couldn't resist him.

"And I made you smile," he said. "Listen, I-I didn't get a chance to thank you for the drink the other day."

"You bought it," she said, trying to stop smiling.

"At your prompting," he replied.

Jennifer wanted to stay mad. She let the faces of all the women she saw with short haircuts wash over her and anger began to churn again. "I need to go. Is there something I can do for you?"

"I was wondering… I mean… If you… Ah… Maybe if we hang out together tonight, you won't mind being social, so much," he spoke rapidly and looked at the floor.

Jennifer closed her eyes. Why did this happen now? After she saw how arrogant he could be: putting his face on the flag of a land he created, molding the women to his preferred style, changing the rules and cheating to get ahead and… looking adorable. His expectant expression left her feeling awful at doubting him, but Jennifer wanted something more than a hook up with Rodney. It appeared what she wanted probably wasn't possible since she didn't fit the mold of his perfect woman.

Rodney took her closed eyes and pause as rejection and said, "Never mind. I have so much to do I probably won't make it either."

Jennifer wanted to pour out her heart, but didn't. She felt awful for not responding but he'd turned and left before she could control herself.

"Doctor Keller," a voice spoke from behind her.

She turned and saw Colonel Sheppard who'd obviously watched the entire exchange step out of a doorway.

"Colonel, how long have you been standing there?" she gasped.

"Long enough." His voice was laced with ice.

"I…" Jennifer saw the look in his eyes and knew what he thought. She'd thought the same thing about herself. "Atlantis is too small for… dating."

"You've had no problems turning down damn near every man under my command. Most of them don't think you like guys any more," John said, ignoring her attempt to interrupt. "But then you go and invite McKay for a drink. He hasn't talked about anything else since, by the way."

Jennifer swallowed. "I…"

"Don't," John interrupted. "Guys like Rodney dream about women like you all their lives…"

"Not women like me, Colonel," she interrupted. "My hair's too long and I'm not petite and perfect."

"What?"

"I don't look like Nola. Or Sam," she vented. The Colonel obviously thought she was a tease, so she couldn't look any worse in his eyes by showing her insecurity. "He went out to drink with me because he felt like he had to."

"Then why did he ask you out now?"

"I'm sure because Sam wasn't going and so he had company as he cried over losing Nola to a barbarian," she replied.

John narrowed his eyes. "Come with me."

"I need to get to the infirmary."

"Do you really think McKay doesn't like you?" John asked.

Jennifer didn't respond, but decided to follow the Colonel to the transporter.

John was seated at the desk in his quarters. Jennifer was surprised the military leader had so much stuff in his room. The few times she'd been on the barracks level the rooms were all pretty bare.

"Colonel, what are you doing?"

"Hacking into McKay's account," he replied.

"What?"

"I want to show you a game we've been playing."

"Another game?" she nearly shouted.

"Batman to be exact. Well we've made it so Spiderman and Batman are in the same game," John explained like it was nothing. "Okay, come here and see this."

Jennifer walked over to look at the laptop in front of the Colonel. There was a list of characters and dates next to them. One drew her eyes in and caused her mouth to drop open.

Character creation January 28, 2007 Jennifer Keller Batman's girlfriend

"I don't think I need to tell you who Batman is?"

"But, he was dating Katie?"

"Yup."

"I'd only been here for three weeks?"

"Surprised it took him that long, actually." John hit a few keys and the photo of the character showed up. She had long blond hair, brown eyes and wore a sleeveless baby blue shirt with grey pants.

Tears sprang into her eyes as she realized she owed Rodney a huge apology. Just like everyone else who thinks the worst about him. She clutched John's shoulder. "T-thank you," she muttered, her voice almost breaking. "Thank you."

"No problem. Now go make a nerd happy," he said with a smile.

Jennifer found Rodney in his lab shouting at Zelenka. "Sorry to interrupt," she said, smiling at the geniuses.

"Not at all, Doctor Keller," Radek said. "I was just going to let Rodney think he'd won this argument."

Rodney didn't say anything as Radek left with a pat on Jennifer's shoulder. The genius surveyed her with eyes that were full of pain, but masked in a face full of arrogance. "I'm really busy."

"That's too bad," she said. "Because I owe you an apology. I was so surprised you asked me on a date that I didn't give you an answer."

"What?"

"Yes, I'd love to hang out with you tonight," she said. "Even if we will be surrounded by women you perfected." Jennifer used air quotes around the word as Rodney's face changed to one of shock.

"You want… A date?" Rodney stammered. "I-I didn't… I mean it wasn't…"

"Do you want to go on a date with me tonight to this party?"

"Absolutely," his voice and face conveyed his honest shock.

"Great. It's a date," she said as she stepped forward, invading his space.

"Um… I should tell you that the women of Geldar aren't my creation," he said, stepping back only to bump into his desk.

"You told them what to wear and how to cut their hair," she said as she smiled slyly, enjoying her view of his eyes from this close. They were entirely blue, without any other colors blended in, only light and dark blue shards.

"I did. But I'd never have them do that anymore," he muttered as his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Don't like short hair anymore?" She tossed her own hair back.

His eyes flicked to see it and then returned to her eyes. "Not really."

"Good, because it will be a cold day in hell before I'll cut it." She quickly leaned up, gave him a kiss on the cheek and fled from the lab. Tonight was going to be a lot of fun.

The End?

A/N: If I feel really fluffy, I might continue, but I'm but going to end the story for now.