Title: Mistletoe Kisses
Author: KellethMetheus
Spoilers: none
Category: Drama
Summary: Rodney tries to bridge a gap with a little mistletoe.
Disclaimer: Not mine never will be need I say anymore?
Warnings: none at all

Challenge: 12 days of Christmas Day 8 ~Who's kissing who under the Mistletoe~

~0o0o0~

Rodney slipped out of Teyla's quarters and he knew he had to be very quiet because if he got caught he'd be in very big trouble.

In his hand, he held his piece of contraband he found on the mainland when Teyla had taken him there yesterday. It had been wrapped around a tree and he took a sprig and tucked it away in his handkerchief. The he wetted it to keep the small plant fresh and hidden. He thought if John found him with it, the Colonel would throw it away because he was angry with Rodney, and the boy had no idea why.

This year, John seemed to be a bit of a scrooge, or so Rodney thought from the way the others spoke of past Christmases. John Shepard was usually the brains and push behind Christmas festivities, but this year he hung back, and Rodney was sure it had something to do with him and his accident.

Slipping around the last corner, Rodney entered the common room where the large Christmas tree stood in the corner. It was fully decorated with a star on top twinkling merrily. For a few moments Rodney just stared at the sparkling lights and enjoyed them. They were beautiful, and Elizabeth and Teyla let him put a few of the pretty balls on the tree.

Slowly he spun around the room looking for the right place for his surprise. It took a moment, but he found the perfect spot. Moving to the opposite corner from where the tree sat, he pulled a chair with him. It made a loud noise as he dragged it across the floor, but he had no other choice, he just wasn't tall enough on his own.

Crawling up on to the chair, he stretched as high as he could, but even on the chair, he was too short.

A sharp voice demanded, "Rodney, what are you doing out of bed?"

The little boy jumped, almost falling off the chair, but two strong hands steadied him.

Ducking his head, he looked at the floor. "I wanted to do something for John. Too make him not so grumpy and mad at me."

Teyla gathered the little boy in her arms. "Do not worry. Colonel Shepard is not mad at you, only himself. He blames himself for what happened to you. He is concerned we will not be able to return you to your proper age."

"I like me the way I am!" Rodney protested.

"You do not miss all the knowledge and experience you once had?"

Rodney shrugged, people told him that he'd once been big, but it was hard to miss what you could remember. "I just want John to be not mad at me or himself."

"Then let me help you, and then you must get back to bed or Santa Claus will not come." Teyla put her arms around him the little boy's waist and lifted him high enough to tack the mistletoe to the the wall a little higher than John stood.

Once he was done, Teyla lowered him to the floor and took his hand. "Now, young man, let us get you to bed."

Rodney nodded. "All right, but first you have to kiss me since we're under the mistletoe. It's the rules. I looked it up."

The little boy turned his head and presented his cheek. Teyla bent down and brush a soft kiss and then with a firm grip on his hand, she lead Rodney out of the room. Neither of them saw John Shepard standing in the shadows or the tear he wiped away… or the stuffed whale in his hand that he planned to leave for Rodney to try and bridge the chasm that he'd created.