Still don't own it. Never will.

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Rodney McKay sat in the waiting room adjacent to the delivery room that Jennifer and Carson had set up in the Infirmary and tried not to stand up and pace across the floor. After getting dressed in a set of hospital greens he'd taken to the seat and leaned forward so that he could rest his elbows on his knees and look at the floor. Not that the floor was interesting by any means, but the neutral color calmed him for reasons that he couldn't even begin to pinpoint.

It had been twenty minutes earlier while walking into the Jumper bay with Sheppard that he'd gotten the call. No, not the call…he'd gotten THE call. Jennifer had gone into labor and had been rushed into the delivery room. Not for the first time in his life, he'd silently thanked Carson for his insight, the former CMO having confined Jennifer to the Infirmary just the day before as a precaution and much to Jennifer's consternation.

He looked up as someone rushed past the door leading into the delivery room, and then returned his attention back to the floor.

His mind wandered to the task at hand, or more specifically his part in it. It wasn't as though he hadn't seen a baby being born. He'd been there with Teyla when she gave birth to her son, and though he didn't do a whole lot, he was proud of himself for not freaking out entirely and messing the whole thing up.

And he was supposed to do even less for Jennifer. All he was supposed to do was go in, hold her hand, rub her back, give her encouragement and remind her to breath.

But it was Jennifer.

It was bad enough witnessing Teyla go through the pain she'd experienced during Torren's birth, seeing the strong and noble woman he'd come to know and care about like a sister scream so loudly as a full term baby was pushed out of her body. He'd never forget those screams of agony and the tears that fell from her eyes, even if they did turn into tears of joy.

He wasn't sure that he could see and hear something like that from the woman he loved so much. She'd already gone through so much for him and because of him, so much that he wasn't sure why she even tried.

And now, after having endured a certain amount of ostracization because of her being with him, after having to defend his rudeness on a number of occasions, after suffering through his inexperience with relationships, she'd had to put up with nine months of pregnancy and the pain of childbirth.

And she'd done it all without so much as a complaint, without so much as a single frown or comment. She'd given him so much.

"Rodney?"

Rodney looked up to see Carson, decked out in standard green scrubs complete with hat and a mask that was hanging down just below his chin, in the doorway watching him with grave concern. He bolted up out of the chair and descended upon Carson as though the doctor knew the meaning of life.

Before he could even ask how Jennifer was doing, his Scottish friend smiled and laid a reassuring hand upon his shoulder. "Jennifer's fine, and so is the wee one." Carson gave Rodney a pat on the shoulder. "Things are moving along quickly, Rodney." Carson chuckled as he added, "The way things are going she may have already delivered before we get back in there. Are you ready?"

Rodney stared at Carson and struggled to find the words to answer him. Finally Rodney just nodded and Carson turned to walk back into the delivery room. Rodney took deep breath and followed his friend.

He didn't notice anything in the room, didn't see any people or any equipment- he only had eyes for Jennifer. She was on a bed in a semi-reclined position with a green blanket covering her from toe to the top of her pregnant belly, which was rapidly bobbing up and down because of her quick and shallow breaths; a line of clear tubing ran from the IV in her right hand to a nearby pump; all sorts of wires snaked their way up from underneath her gown and made their way to various monitors; her hair rested on the pillow about her head and, despite the pain he knew her to be in she managed a full smile when she turned and saw him.

Her eyes closed tight and her smile disappeared in a grimace due to pain he thanked his maker he would never have to experience, and the sight of her in such a condition froze him to his spot.

His paralysis lasted only a second as the small moan that escaped her lips was enough rouse him. He quickly moved to her and took her hand in his, relieved and worried at the same time by the strength she gripped him with. He gently moved the hair that had been matted to her forehead off to one side with his free hand and received a grateful smile from Jennifer.

A masked woman appeared from out of nowhere and handed him a cloth, and by the big brown eyes situated above the top edge of her mask and the crop of straight, honey brown hair sticking out from underneath her surgical hat, Rodney recognized her as being one of Jennifer's most trusted nurses. He held the cloth out in front of him as though it was some sort of alien technology that he had no idea how to handle until the nurse, Sandy he remembered, motioned to her own head and then to Jennifer. Rodney looked to the cloth, then to Jennifer's glistening forehead and realization hit him.

"I'm so sorry," Rodney said as he wiped the sweat from Jennifer's brow with the cloth Sandy had given him.

"Why?" asked Jennifer breathlessly.

"For this," he replied instantly. "You shouldn't have to go through…"

"Stop," Jennifer said with a particularly sharp puff of breath. "Don't you dare…apologize for this." She stopped and closed her eyes as a contraction came upon her, and when it passed she looked at him and went on as though nothing had happened. "We're having a baby," she said, and even in such discomfort she managed a smile that almost made Rodney forget where they were and what was happening. "That's…that's the most beautiful thing in the world...not a reason to apologize."

Rodney gently dabbed more beads of perspiration from Jennifer's forehead and looked into her eyes. He managed to smile at her and he joked, "No turning back now, right?"

"No," she said with a sharp breath of laughter.

Rodney was about to comment on them being stuck with each other when Carson appeared at the bottom of the bed. "Alright, love. How are you doing?"

"She's in labor you voodoo witchdoctor!" complained Rodney with a withering look thrown at Carson for good measure. "How do you think she's doing?"

Carson gave Jennifer a knowing look and said as he glanced to the monitors, "It's nice to see that you're still your usual happy self, Rodney." Before Rodney could respond Carson turned back to Jennifer and said, "I need to take a look, love."

Jennifer nodded and Carson lifted the bottom edge of the blanket up and let it rest on top of her knees.

Rodney turned his attention to Jennifer and gave her hand a supportive squeeze, then nearly doubled over in pain as Jennifer's hand tightened around his so tight that it would have made an anaconda proud.

He was about to complain, and rather loudly, when Carson peeked up over the edge of the blanket and announced, "All right then…it's time."

Suddenly Rodney could hear a pounding sound in his ears, and it took second for him to realize that the object making the sound in question was his own heart.

Okay, Rodney, he said to himself as his eyes found Jennifer's. Jennifer has to do all the work. The least you can do is stay conscious and help her. You can do this.

And suddenly time slowed to a crawl for him, his vision becoming slightly blurred and his hearing becoming dragged out. He could hear Carson speak, though the words were slurred to the point where he just couldn't understand what the doctor was saying. He was aware that Jennifer still held his hand, and he could still feel her grip tighten and release, though he couldn't be sure how much time went between the tightening and the releasing. There were sounds, oddly familiar yet strikingly odd sounds trying to penetrate the fog in his ears, and it took one particularly loud noise, accompanied by a very painful squeeze of his hand and the vision of Jennifer leaning forward to realize that those noises were her screams.

Rodney's vision cleared and he edged in to place his right hand on her back to help support her as she leaned forward, and when she fell back he found the cloth he'd discarded on the edge of the bed and used it to once again clear her forehead of perspiration.

The respite didn't last long. He heard Carson's voice again and Jennifer squeezed his hand as she once again leaned forward and growled in pain and determination.

Finally Jennifer fell back onto the bed and he could see a small smile play on her lips as she looked down her body. Rodney followed her gaze and time snapped back to normal as the high pitched wail of his newborn child shattered the fog that had enveloped him.

He looked on in complete awe as Carson looked up to him and then to Jennifer. "Congratulations you two," he said with pride and joy permeating his Scottish brogue. "She's a beauty."

Rodney's eyes bulged open and he turned towards Jennifer, whose smile had gotten so wide that he was certain he'd never seen her truly smile before. And when she turned towards him and fixed her beautiful smile upon him he couldn't help but smile as well.

"A girl," he said softly, more than a little overcome by everything. He reached over and used the thumb of his free hand to gently wipe away the tear that had slipped from Jennifer's eye and was winding its way down her cheek. "A girl."

"A girl," Jennifer repeated with a happy sob. "Our daughter."

"Aye, and here she is," announced Carson as he stepped up to stand at the other side of the bed.

Rodney regarded the light pink bundle that Carson cradled protectively in his arms and gulped down the lump that had formed in his throat. He released Jennifer's hand and his eyes followed the bundle as Carson leaned down to gently lay it in Jennifer's waiting arms.

"Hi there," Jennifer said softly and with the sound of happy tears in her voice. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

Rodney watched the infant in Jennifer's arms, and was amazed that the little one actually seemed to be soothed by Jennifer's voice, as though she were already familiar with her mother's voice.

Jennifer looked up to Rodney, and then shifted on the bed so he could get a better look at his daughter. "Say hi to Daddy," Jennifer whispered to the little one. The infant made a sound and Rodney reached down and caressed her cheek.

"She's…she's beautiful," Rodney whispered.

"Aye," replied Carson. "She turns after her mother, thank God."

Rodney shot Carson a dirty look and noticed Sandy approach Carson and then whisper something into his ear.

Carson nodded at the nurse and said, "Alright, Rodney. Sandy here is going to take the wee one so she can be weighed and cleaned up a bit, and we still have some work to do here."

Rodney opened his mouth to argue but Carson cut him off by saying, "The sooner we finish the sooner the three of you can be together."

Rodney thought about asking for some more time, but relented. Sandy leaned in and took the baby from Jennifer's arms and looked at him. "Would you like to come with us, Dr. McKay?"

Rodney looked down to Jennifer and received a smile and a nod.

Rodney looked back up to the nurse and said, "I'll be there in a minute." Sandy nodded and Rodney looked back to Jennifer. "I…I don't know," he sighed and took her hand in both of his as he tried again. "I don't know what to say. You were great, but then you're great all the time." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, leaving his lips on her skin as he said, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she responded instantly and with the warmth of a supernova.

Carson waited a few moments before saying, "All right, Rodney. Go keep an eye on your little girl while we take care of Jennifer."

Rodney moved his lips down to Jennifer's and kissed her mouth as lovingly as he knew how, then straightened up and looked at Carson. "Carson," he said abruptly, and he hesitated as he regained control over his voice. "Thank you, Carson."

"You're welcome," the Scot said with a warm smile. "Now go on."

Rodney gave Jennifer's hand a squeeze before releasing it and following Sandy into the next room. Before he knew it two other nurses and one of Jennifer's doctors appeared out of thin air and began hovering over the infant.

He jumped towards them when the baby started to wail, but Sandy turned and put her hands on his shoulders to keep him still. "She's alright, Dr. McKay," Sandy said in a soothing voice that reminded him of Jennifer's. She lowered the mask she'd been wearing so that he could see the sincerity on her face, then stepped to his side and turned so that they were both looking at the child. "We're only weighing her and measuring her length. Then Dr. Thompkins," she added with a point towards one of the new people in the room, "will examine her to make certain that she's healthy."

Fear gripped him. "Make certain she's healthy? Why? Is there some reason to believe she's not healthy? What if…?"

"No, Doctor," interrupted Sandy forcefully. "There is absolutely no reason to believe anything is wrong with her, but we have to make sure."

Rodney nodded and relaxed.

A little.

Sandy glanced over the other nurse's shoulder. "Seven pounds and fourteen ounces," she reported. "That's a good weight." After a minute of silence Sandy commented with a warm smile, "She's a beautiful little girl."

Rodney turned to look at the nurse. "Yes," he finally replied a moment later. "She's very beautiful."

Sandy smiled at him and said, "Would you like to hold her now?"

"What?"

Sandy nodded to the area in front of him and said, "We're all done. Would you like to hold her now?"

Rodney looked in the direction Sandy had indicated to find one of the other nurses standing before him with his daughter, dressed and neatly wrapped in another pink blanket, in her arms.

"I don't…I mean I'm not sure…you see the last time I held a baby…" Rodney stopped and his shoulders sagged dejectedly.

"Have a seat, Doctor," Sandy said as she gently maneuvered him backwards towards a large chair in the corner. When he was seated she asked, "So you have held a baby before?"

Rodney nodded as the nurse holding his baby approached him. "But it didn't…it wasn't a positive experience."

Sandy laughed and said, "Believe me when I say that it's a different ballgame when it's your own child, Dr. McKay. But you know how to hold a baby, right?"

He nodded as the other nurse leaned down to place the child in his arms. "Jennifer showed me how."

Before he could say anything else he was looking down into the face he had helped to create as his daughter rested in his arms.

Sandy knelt down and smiled. "See? You're a natural." She stood up, looked to the other nurse and motioned towards one of the doors with her head. "We'll give you some time alone with your daughter," she said after turning back to Rodney. "Dr. Keller will soon be ready to see you and your daughter." She gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "We'll be right outside if you need us."

Rodney tore his gaze away from the slumbering child in his arms and looked up to Sandy. He opened his mouth to say something but ended up simply nodding his head. Sandy smiled and walked towards the door, and a moment later he was alone with his daughter.

Rodney looked down and his eyes widened when he saw that the little girl's eyes were wide open and she was looking at him.

Rodney focused on her bright blue eyes and nodded at her. "Hi. My name is Rod…" He stopped and smiled at the little girl as she cooed at him. "Hey there. I'm your daddy."

The little one cooed at him again and Rodney felt a bubble of something warm burst in his chest, something he'd never felt before. It wasn't until she wiggled in his arms and cooed at him again that Rodney realized it was love that he felt, the type of love that he'd been completely ignorant of before his daughter had been born.

"I'm your daddy," Rodney repeated in a whisper. "I'll warn you now, I may not be the best daddy you could have and some, okay a lot, of people think I'm hard to get along with." Did she just smile at me? "How about we make a deal? I promise you that I'll do my best to be the best daddy ever, and between you and me my best is usually enough, and you promise me that you'll do your best to be patient with me."

There was a knock on the door and Rodney turned towards it just in time to see it open and Sandy poke her head in enough to see him. "You can come and see Dr. Keller now, Dr. McKay." She opened the door all the way and stepped inside. "Do you need some help getting up?"

"I…no," he said softly, after having to quash his initial instinct to take Sandy up on her offer. "I need to learn how to do this by myself, right?"

Sandy smiled and nodded her head. "I would imagine you would, yes."

Rodney edged forward in the chair and he took a deep breath before commanding his legs to lift him upwards. They obeyed without question, and a moment later he was standing with his baby in his arms. "I did it!" he exclaimed in a loud whisper. "I did it!"

"Of course you did, Doctor," she replied. There was no sarcasm in her voice, no indication that she thought he was silly, just a simple tenor that said she never doubted it for a second. "I told you that you're a natural."

Rodney gave Sandy a look of thanks and then held onto the child securely yet tenderly as he walked through the door and headed towards Jennifer.

As he neared Jennifer he could see that she was pale and beyond exhausted, and even though her hair was a mess and her eyes were duller than usual, he had never seen her look so beautiful. She smiled as he stepped next to her side and he gazed upon the woman he loved with admiration, affection and awe.

"Hey," she said tiredly.

"Hey," he replied softly. "Are you okay?"

She smiled at his question, not because she thought it was a ludicrous question to ask someone who had just given birth, but because she adored the concern in his voice and wanted to do whatever she could to reassure him that she was fine. "I've never felt better."

Rodney didn't believe her for a second, but decided not to push her. "I have someone here who would like to see her mommy," he said as he looked at their daughter. He looked back to Jennifer and asked, "Do you feel well enough to hold her?"

"Just try and stop me," Jennifer answered swiftly as she shimmied into more of a sitting position, and when she nodded to Rodney he placed their daughter in her arms. "She's beautiful," Jennifer said proudly. She moved her right hand up and gently rubbed the little one's chin with her finger. "I can't believe she's so alert already."

"Well she has two geniuses for parents," said Rodney as he reached down and kissed Jennifer's forehead. As he straightened up he added, "She's got a pretty good chance of being smart too."

Jennifer smiled at the baby and said in a playful baby-like voice, "But it doesn't matter. No it doesn't. Because we're going to love you anyway. Yes we are."

Rodney smiled and nodded when Jennifer looked up to him. "Yes we are."