I still own nothing

Hmmm…

I think I will just call this. The random chapter. Enjoy

"So let me get this straight," Jennifer started, speaking slowly and taking deep breaths.

She was not going to lose her temper. She was going to stay calm.

"You just sent seven marines to the infirmary with various bruises, sprains, two broken fingers and a fractured wrist because you were – I quote – 'in a bad mood'" she made quotation marks in the air with her fingers and when she got no reply from Ronon she turned to face John.

"And you want me to come to movie night tonight because if I don't you will feel un-forgiven and rejected?"

It wasn't that she was annoyed at them in particular but she and the infirmary staff had been dealing with an influx of illness ranging from stomach cramps to vomiting since the day before and so have seven recruits trudge into the infirmary with un-necessary injuries while she was being puked on…she just wasn't very happy with it.

And then because of the illnesses she hadn't been able to go to lunch and because of this John thought that she was avoiding them because of the 'Todd incident'. Now, if there was one thing that Jennifer hated about her personality it was her inability to hold a grudge and her ability to let things go. Oh sure she could get good and mad at the time but she always managed to cool off quickly. And she hated it. Sometimes she wished that she could hold onto a grudge but she just couldn't. She had tried once and had ended up feeling awfully guilty about it the whole time so she had decided that it was more trouble than it was worth.

John was nodding his head in the same way a puppy would wag its tale.

She rubbed at her eyes tiredly - the smell of illness clinging to her clothes and skin. All she wanted was a nice shower but she couldn't see herself getting one anytime soon.

"John I'm not angry and I'm not avoiding you. But I'll come to movie night anyway,"

The colonel looked at her as though she had just told him that Christmas had come early and as though he was about to hug her but before he could she backed away holding up her hands.

"I'm covered in sick colonel, believe me you don't want to do that," she laughed, turning her back on them and making her way to the sink.

"So you will talk to be in between now and movie night yeah, cos there is three days yet?" John face appeared in front of her as he leaned awkwardly over her shoulder as she scrubbed viciously at her hands.

"Really colonel," she put on her most adult," I'm a grown up, you stop being a child" voice but she couldn't stop the corner of her mouth from twitching up into small smile.

"So you will?"

"I was never in a mood with you to begin with remember, things have just been busy around here, that's all,"

This guy was worse than a two year old, she thought as he wiggled his eyebrows at her and pulled back from hanging over her to rest his chin on her shoulder as she dried her hands.

"So you'll talk to me?"

She let out and exasperated sigh.

"Yes, I'll talk to you,"

"Great!"

John planted a quick kiss on her cheek and backed away as she turned around, smiling at his crazy actions.

He all but skipped over to the scowling Ronon.

"Come on Chewie," John patted Ronon's shoulder and dragged him by the arm to the door.

"Just try to not send anymore marines my way, huh John," she called after them as they disappeared round the corner.

"You got it doc,"

She shook her head and smiled.

1 days later

"Great, new recruit day tomorrow," Rodney mumbled miserably from behind his data pad.

Teyla and Jennifer paused mid-sentence to join Ronon and John in peering at the scientist.

"Oh come on now Rodney, you should be used to it by now," John chuckled, slurping at his cup of coffee.

Jennifer was well and truly confused. She had her meals with SGA1 whenever she could and was used to Rodney bursting out with the occasional irrelevant comment but she didn't see what was bad about the new recruits – other than that it meant she would have a whole load of physicals to carry out – and besides it meant that the mail would be arriving and she hoped that there was something from her dad.

"What's so bad about new recruits?" she whispered to Teyla.

Before the older women could even draw breath Rodney had begun his rant in reply to John's comment.

"Easy for you to say," he complained, slamming the pad onto the table. "Things just get settled and you think that you have a chance with the girl and then WHAM a whole load of thick skulled marines with a Kirk complex come strolling in and suddenly all you hear is "Oh isn't he hot?"" Rodney finished in a squeaky voice and stuck a finger in his mouth, pretending to retch.

Jennifer couldn't help but giggle and quickly swallowed the coffee that was in her mouth to avoid embarrassing herself. She felt sorry for him – she really did – but his situation was funny.

"Oh if it isn't the child genius," she ignored his comment and turned back to Teyla, ready to start the conversation from where they had lest it when Rodney spoke to her again.

"Don't tell me you're another Kirk worshiper too?" he drawled.

Jennifer had finally had enough of the underhand and not so underhanded comments and thought she would play along with the grumpy scientist. She had another them minutes or so to spare before returning to the infirmary.

"No I'm more of a Spock girl myself," she answered sweetly, sipping at her coffee.

"You know. Brains and brawn rolled into a pointy-eared package, can't go wrong with that,"

Rodney squinted at her and the others just waited. John to see where things were heading and Teyla and Ronon because they really had no idea what the strange earth humans were talking about. They had heard Rodney make reference to Kirk before – usually when speaking about Sheppard. But who was Spock? And what did point ears have to do with anything?

"Besides, who wants a guy who goes around hooking up with anything in a skirt? No thank you," she stated decisively.

Mischief danced in her eyes.

"I bet you're a Seven of Nine fan yourself huh Rodney," she chimed, leaning forward and smiling devilishly.

John proceeded to choke on his coffee and Rodney blushed to the tips of his ears.

"Hey if I were I guy I would too," she told him trying to alleviate his embarrassment. She had been embarrassed by people too many times in her life to purposefully do it to someone else.

Rodney's eyes began to shine as a small smile spread across his face.

"Bat man or Spiderman?" he asked.

Jennifer couldn't believe it. But then she supposed that the scientist and comic book thing just went hand in hand and she guessed that she should be glad that he didn't go to town on her after embarrassing him.

"I'd have to go with the guy with the gadgets. Batman. Besides Peter Parker has the whole hormone thing…Too much drama,"

Okay, so who was she to knock poor Peter Parker for being a boy when she was the same age he was. But then again cutting into people on a daily basis had a way of maturing you very quickly.

"I think Rodney just made a friend," she heard John stage whisper to Ronon who only grunted in reply.

"So you like comics," Rodney asked, leaning forward slightly.

She shrugged her shoulders delicately and sat back in her seat.

"I had the social life of a rock back home when I was in school Rodney. I needed something to give me a break from the medical journals,"

Rodney stared at her as though he was seeing her for the first time and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat until he smiled broadly and held out a hand to her.

She cocked her head at hi, puzzled.

"Hi, I'm Rodney McKay," he announced.

Ronon stared at the couple before turning to face John, wondering if McKay had finally lost his mind.

"She already knows who he is," he grumbled.

Jennifer smiled back at the beaming Canadian and raised her hand slowly to shake the one being offered.

"Jennifer Keller. It's nice to meet you Mr McKay,"

Hi guys.

So here is the next chapter. What did you think of the Rodney/Jennifer interactions? I'm afraid I was writing this while watching re-runs of all the Star Trek films on TV. *sigh* it was 2 days of nothing but Star Trek (even if I do find it difficult to take William Shatner seriously). And I just felt like writing a playfully John.

So moving on.

This chapter was originally going to be 2 separate ones but it flowed better having it as 1.

Anyhoo. Please let me know what you think.

Keep safe

:)