"For the last time," grated the driver with admirable restraint, "we are not lost!"
He could see the two passengers in the back seat exchange unsure glances in the rear view mirror, but thankfully neither Teyla nor Ronon spoke.
Rodney glanced to his right to find Jennifer studying the hastily drawn map she was holding in her hand. He'd turned on the interior lights when she'd asked him to so she could try to make sense of the map. That had been an hour earlier.
Teyla leaned forward from her place in the rear behind Jennifer and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It is dark and we are all unfamiliar with this territory."
Rodney would have sighed or rolled his eyes if it had been anyone but Teyla or Jennifer pointing out those blatantly obvious facts. As it was he nodded and said, "I know." He paused for a moment and then motioned out the windshield with a nod. "But we're here."
He brought the car to a stop and turned off the engine. Fifty feet in front of them a party was in full swing at the Sheppard family cottage, with people milling about and music blaring from inside.
Rodney, Jennifer, Teyla and Ronon got out of the car and surveyed the scene. It wasn't until John finally noticed them and waved them over did Teyla and Ronon move towards the party leaving Rodney and Jennifer standing next to the car.
Rodney looked over to Jennifer, and seeing her frown deeply at the map she still clutched in her hands he asked, "What's wrong?"
She looked at him and then held the map up between them. "How did you figure this out?" she asked, her voice filled with exasperation. "I've gone over each and every line a hundred times and still have no idea how you found it!"
Rodney shrugged then put his arm around her shoulder. "I remembered that Sheppard drew the map," he said with a smirk, "and then tried to think like him."
As Jennifer laughed Rodney's free hand moved up to rub his temple and he said, "Now my head hurts."
A/N: "The Code" part 4: "You've Overcome Bad Directions to Find Your Friend's Cottage."