Chapter 12: Get a Room

A/N: This is the 'clean version' of this chapter and it is rated T as the rest of the story. There is another 'explicit version', but that one has a M rating. You have been warned! If you do want to read the 'explicit version' you can find it here on FanFiction. I posted it as a standalone story, named 'Get a Room'. Just click my (pen)name and you'll get a list of my published stories. Furthermore, the 'explicit version' is double the length/size of this one because by scaling back the rating I was forced to get rid of a lot of the text.

Beta: Thanks to my beta-reader x Varda x.

Rodney and Jennifer are each wearing a special Ancient ring on the ring finger of their left hands. They've put them on, but didn't know about the side-effects. Until now they haven't found a way to remove the rings from their fingers. When they got separated by too large a distance, both got an anxiety/stress attack and almost died. The rings also give them the ability to read one another's minds. Rodney McKay can't hide anything from Jennifer Keller and nor can she hide anything from him. After their attacks they were brought to the infirmary to recover.

Colonel John Sheppard entered the infirmary. He walked towards the far end and turned a corner.

"Oh, please! Get a room."

He had walked in on Jennifer and Rodney sharing a kiss. When they heard Sheppard's voice they quickly broke apart. Jennifer nervously tried to smooth out non-existent wrinkles in her shirt. They both had very red faces and were looking rather ashamed of getting caught. The duo were also looking very unhappy that they had been interrupted and were silently cursing Sheppard for disturbing them.

Jennifer thought it was good that the Colonel could not read Rodney's mind like she could or else the Colonel would not have kept smiling.

Rodney retorted, "This was a perfectly private… uhm… conversation until you stormed in, Mr.-Smartass-the-Wise-Guy!"

"Some conversation."

"How can we help you, John?" Jennifer quickly intervened before Rodney could say anything else.

Sheppard was still smiling and answered, "Well, Jennifer. I was coming to check on McKay, but it seems like you two have everything under control here."

Oh, boy, she thought. This sure was going to create some gossip. They will be talking about this for weeks.

However, at the same time, she realized she did not really care. Having Rodney at her side made her happier than ever before. Maybe now, people would stop asking her if she really had a relationship with McKay. Maybe they would stop implying that she could do better.

Before anyone could say anything else, Carson Beckett joined them. "Ah! Glad you're awake now, Rodney. How are you feeling?"

Sheppard sniggered and said suggestively, "Oh, he's fine, Carson. Already very active. Dr. Keller here is making sure of that. I think Dr. McKay prefers her examining him and she has been very thorough. I can vouch for her."

Sheppard looked smug and started to laugh. Carson looked between Rodney and Jennifer. They were behaving like two teenagers, getting caught in the act. Then he realized what had happened and also started smiling.

Carson raised his eyebrows at them in disapproval, "Jennifer? Rodney?" He paused and frowned, "In the infirmary?"

They both looked away and avoided everyone's eyes.

Sheppard managed to stop laughing. He informed the two lovers, "Woolsey is calling it a day. He wanted me to tell you all that there will be a briefing at 10.30 tomorrow, where we'll decide what to do next. Also, you don't have to go back to your isolation chambers anymore."

"I have just seen Radek," Beckett said. "He agrees with me, you should be safe, as long as you both stay near each other. For now, you'll both have to stay on Atlantis."

Sheppard mentioned, "Seems to me that staying close together isn't going to be a problem for these two."

Beckett went on, "Seems like the signal from these rings you're wearing, is limited. You'll only get those attacks if you are separated by too large a distance. That's one of the differences with the original design. This is actually good news, seeing as this doesn't allow the Wraith Queens to track you down or pinpoint our location. So, Atlantis is still safe from discovery by the Wraith. Dr. Zelenka is very sure that the Wraith would have to be in orbit around the planet to be able to pick up the signal."

Jennifer got a hold of Rodney's hand and gave it a squeeze, so that he would not say anything. She did not want to give Sheppard the opportunity to make some more suggestive comments.

Rodney bit back the remark he was going to make and asked instead, "How did Zelenka obtain that information?"

"Radek found a clue in the database," Carson told Rodney. "There was some obscure reference to a lab. It turned out to be 'the' secret lab in Atlantis you discovered earlier."

"Janus' lab? The lab Dr. Jackson and I discovered?"

Rodney had not seen this one coming. He even forgot to claim all the 'discovery-credit' for himself. He wondered whether this was just because of the effect Jennifer was having on him. Trying out the whole humble thing was apparently quite a hit with the ladies.

Carson said, "Yes! Apparently Janus hadn't agreed with the other Ancients on…"

"Well, there's a surprise for you…" Rodney managed to find his usual ironic tone again.

Carson continued, "Because we knew what to look for, we quickly found an interesting log entry of Janus himself. He apparently modified the design, made one pair and put it to use for his own benefit. They were a gift to an Ancient couple who lived in seclusion on R6X-432. They were not as offended by some of his ideas as the others. Regrettably, it doesn't say what he used them for, but they certainly weren't dangerous. They used the rings for several years. Also, the only problem with the original design was the Wraith being able to track them. Janus didn't change much. We entered their names in the normal database. A very short log entry in the Atlantis database states the Ancient couple died at the hands of the Wraith when the outpost was lost during the war. It was an obituary. The rings were never retrieved. Until now…"

Jennifer said, "That's good news. All of it."

Rodney nodded in agreement.

She did not mind staying close to Rodney at all. It would be wonderful to have such a good excuse to spend more time with him. By the look on Sheppard's face, she knew that she had let too much slip. He probably knew what she had been thinking, but she did not mind.

"Yes, and there's more." Carson winked. "I see no reason for me to keep you here anymore. If you want, you can leave the infirmary. As long as you come back if anything changes. But I'm guessing there won't be any problems."

"Come on, Carson," Sheppard said. "Let's go. Leave the kids alone, so they can continue playing. See you two tomorrow."

Sheppard left with a grin on his face. After saying his goodbyes, Beckett followed him. He caught up with the Colonel just before he left the infirmary.

They looked at each other and both started sniggering.

After awkwardly looking at each other when Sheppard and Beckett had left, Rodney and Jennifer got dressed. They left the infirmary and enjoyed a late dinner together, after which they set off for a walk on the west pier. Some fresh air would do them good after being scooped up in those isolation chambers for almost a week.

The sky was clear and they watched the beautiful sunset together. Rodney took Jennifer to the same spot where he and Sheppard had shared some beers, when he had been infected with the parasite.

The duo sat down, he wrapped his arm around her and she cuddled up to him. They just enjoyed each other's company and did not say anything. There was a moment when Rodney wanted to say something about what had happened earlier. He wanted to talk with her about her memories, what he had experienced and seen, before they had awoken in the infirmary. There were a lot of things he wanted to say or ask.

Jennifer interrupted his thoughts and said, "Please, not now Rodney."

It was their perfect happy moment. They had been separated for so long. She did not want it to be ruined. He understood and kissed the side of her head.

After the sun had completely disappeared into the ocean, making place for two moons on the sky, they made their way back inside. They walked towards Rodney's quarters, but soon they found themselves at the door, much faster than they had both wanted.

"So," Rodney said.

"So," Jennifer mimicked.

They were both thinking the same thing. Rodney was fumbling with his hands and Jennifer was shifting her weight from one foot to the other and back again.

Taking the initiative, Jennifer asked, "Don't I get a goodnight kiss?"

She wrapped her arms around Rodney's neck and pulled him closer. She held him near and shut her eyes. Then she gently urged his head down with her hand and their lips met. They shared a gentle kiss and hugged each other. She enjoyed his safe and protective embrace.

Suddenly the blonde doctor pulled away from his grasp. She did not want to get caught again.

She voiced her concern, "We shouldn't be standing in front of your door in the hallway."

"You want to come inside?" Rodney suggested.

"I do," his companion answered. "Before Sheppard comes around the corner again."

"He did say we had to get a room," Rodney recalled.

The Canadian waved his hand over the door sensor and the doors slid open. The American woman took hold of his other hand and pulled him inside. The doors closed as they started kissing again.

The night was peaceful and beautiful. Beneath the twinkling stars, Atlantis rested on the shimmering silvery ripples of the ocean. Everything was still and quiet. Moonlight streamed into Rodney's room and illuminated a trail of hastily discarded clothing on the floor. The only audible sounds in the room were Jennifer and Rodney's breaths. They were lying next to each other in Rodney's new double bed.

Jennifer laid on her side and rested one arm on Rodney's chest with her hand over his heart. As he lifted his right arm to pull her closer in a hug, she rested her head between his shoulder and upper arm. His right arm was behind her back holding her close and their left hands found each other on his chest.

They entwined their fingers together and the rings glowed softly. The crystals had changed into yet another color. They were bright blue now. Rodney turned his head and looked at her. They gazed into each other's eyes and shared a gentle and soft kiss.

"I love you," Rodney breathed.

"And I love you," she whispered back.

Jennifer closed her eyes and smiled in contentment. This moment would get first place on her list of the happiest moments in her life. It would outrank all others. It could not get much better than this. She wondered if she should tell Rodney that this was probably the best moment in her life.

Rodney interrupted her thoughts and said, "Hey, that's not fair! I was going to say that."

So, it was true, this was the best moment in both of their lives. He gave the beautiful woman next to him a tender kiss and closed his eyes too. They almost immediately drifted off to sleep together.

Sometime during the night they turned. Jennifer curled up and Rodney rolled over to follow her so that she could lean back against his chest. He spooned her from behind. Their left hands were still together and rested on her belly.

TBC