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"Could you talk to McKay?"

John looked over to Dr. McKay, who sat at his usual table with a tray of food in front of him. Everything looked as it usually did.

John tilted his head and looked at back at Chief Helena Leiter. "Why?"

Helena sighed. "I think he's depressed."

John looked at McKay again then back to Helena. "What makes you think that?"

Her eyebrows rose. " He actually thanked me for a 'delicious meal' and he's not talking with his mouth full."

John frowned, then. "Something is wrong."

Helena nodded and she and John moved in opposite directions.

"Hey, McKay."

Rodney finished chewing and wiped his mouth with a napkin before answering. "Oh, hello, Major."

John sat across from the lead scientist. "How are you?"

Rodney smiled in his way of seeming self-conscience despite his usual over-confident bravado. "Good. Good. Having dinner. You?"

John puckered and nodded. "I'm good."

Rodney nodded. "That's—" he offered a half-smile. "good."

John felt keenly uncomfortable, then.

Rodney looked down at his tray. He picked up his fork and poked at his food.

"McKay – Rodney," John started, then stopped. "I don't know, but it seems like something is bothering you."

Rodney looked up. "What? Me? No, no, I'm fine…"

John's eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"Really."

John's eyes narrowed. After a long minute, the thought occurred to him. "You feel responsible for us not getting back to Earth."

Rodney's façade faded. He looked down at this food. "I was so sure…"

John shook his head. "It wasn't your fault. I think we all made it clear that this is where we belong. This is home, now."

Rodney shook his head. "We all wanted to go back. We would have, eventually, come to terms with staying if they hadn't made mistakes in continuity. You were even having a party. You didn't even know that they were telling us that we couldn't go back."

John remembered the taste of the beer and smiled. "But I would have found out eventually, and, just like you and Dr. Weir, I would have fought to get back. Like I said, Rodney, this is home now."

Rodney looked at John, earnestly. "You're really not upset about not being able to really go?"

John leaned back in his chair. "No." At Rodney's look of incredulity, he added. "Sure, it'll be nice if and when we ever get the chance to go back, but I think I will always want to come back here."

Rodney thought about it. "Don't you have anyone on Earth you miss?"

John shook his head and looked away. "Not as much as I'd miss…this place."

Rodney nodded. "Still, it'd be nice to have steak and beer."

John smiled. "Yes, it would be nice to have steak and beer."

Rodney picked up his fork and dug into his meal as though he hadn't eaten in weeks and they continued to talk – often, with Rodney's mouth full of food.