Disclaimer: -Throws paper ball in air and catches it, repeating the motion as she leans back far in her chair, following the ball with her eyes, as Jack had taught her to do when she was bored during meetings- How many time do we have to go through that I DON'T OWN THE DAMN SHOW?! -Glares at Disclaimer and the S falls off in fright-
Lol Okay, by popular demand... Here's chapter three, all new and fresh from my computer to this site for the adoring McWeir fans! Lol A section on the color change was requested by Lady Rosebit, and I promise that I WILL try to fit that in at some point. Remember, Rodney refused to let himself be seen, so they won't be able to laugh at the pinkness of our belovéd doctor, but the other two are good to go for ridicule!
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Chapter 3- Well FINALLY! And A Midnight Meeting
Liz sighed and called to Rodney, "Go again."
Rodney was being more careful now that it was Elizbaeth in there. For some reason he couldn't begin to fathom, he was worried about something going wrong.
With a mental curse he pulled the lever without rearranging the crystals.
Liz screamed from behind the door and Rodney jumped to his feet, eyes widened in horror.
Oh God, I've hurt her. I've injured her badly and I'll never forgive myself if she doesn't recover-
The door slid open and Liz stumbled out, screaming again, a grin on her face as she threw herself on him in a hug, dark brown hair back.
"It works! Oh, I told you you could do it!"
Rodney, startled and relieved that she was okay, just blinked, then wrapped careful arms around her, trying to remember the last time he had been hugged and coming up blank.
"We did it," he insisted, smiling as her infectious excitement got to him.
She pulled back just enough to let him see her grin and look him in the eye. "We have to tell John."
"Tell me what?"
Rodney looked past Liz while she turned slightly to see John standing there, eyebrow raised and giving them a strange look.
"It works!" Obviously she wouldn't be coming down from that emotion trip soon. She did, however, let go of Rodney and usher John into the room. "Let's fix you now."
Rodney shifted uncomfortably now that the moment was over, and couldn't look at John as the major stepped back into the hallway, normal again.
"Your turn, McKay," John said, looking absolutely wicked.
"I'll pull the lever," Liz broke in, giving John a reproving look. "Major, why don't you go see Dr. Beckett and make sure there are no lasting physical effects." She made the supposed- suggestion question into an order.
Rodney gave her a grateful look and stepped into the room, closing his eyes as the flashes- they had to pull the lever twice on the same configuration to get back to normal- passed, then waited a moment before peeking with one eye at his hand.
"Finally!" He stepped out to see Liz looking anxious, then relieved at his normalness. "I... am a genius."
Liz smiled mocking and gave him a look that put him back in his place instantly, though he kept up the arrogant face. "Don't get cocky."
"Well excuse me for being proud of getting us back to normal."
Liz rolled her eyes. "All right, congratulations again."
"Thank you," he replied as they began walking. "I thought it was rather good myself...."
Liz just grinned indulgently, causing him to grin back in the same way, both settling into a relaxed stroll, not really heading anywhere in particular.
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Liz dropped her pen onto her desk and buried her face in her hands before checking her clock, which blinked 2 A.M.. That meant it was actually 2800 hours, or the exact middle of the night. She had been working for over 3 hours on paperwork and she was dead, but still had some to go.
A soft knock on the doorframe caused her to look up, and alerted her to Rodney's presence and studying gaze.
She stretched her arms high above her head as he entered, letting out a tiny stretching noise. She smiled calmly at him as he sat across from her.
"You look like I feel."
She laughed softly at that. "Thanks, I feel just as bad. At least I can always count on you to be honest."
"Don't mention it."
"I won't."
They fell into silence, looking at each other in the dim light of her desk lamp. Rodney finally broke it by standing abruptly.
"Well, I'm going to go get something to eat." He hesitated, then tentatively offered, "You want to come?"
She blinked, no brain functions working properly that late, then smiled and stood. "Sure. I need a reason to stay awake."
Rodney gave her one of his friendly-but-cheeky grins that people rarely saw, and motioned before him. "After you."
She mockingly returned a smile as she passed, the two heading down the relatively dark hallway. She flinched slightly at the lack of lights, which increased the lack of knowing what was in the shadows, but felt comforted as a warm hand rested on her shoulder.
"Are you going to collapse? If so I'd much rather get you to your room before you faceplant and I have to drag you to your room." Now that was Rodney; worried about having to do the work of carrying her back.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. And you're hungry, right? Wouldn't want you to have a hypoglycemic reaction." Her voice was slightly sarcastic and in reply, Rodney- unable to think of anything else- childishly stuck out his tongue at her. She returned it without hesitation, eyes more adjusted to the dark, then pushed open the door to the good sized kitched, glad that the glass doors leading to the balcony allowed moonlight to flood the kitchens with a ghostly light.
"So... where do we start?"
Rodney went straight for the cabinents beside the fridge. "You can get the drinks from the fridge. I'm...." His voice trailed off as he stuck his head in the cabinent and Liz couldn't resist a chuckle as she opened the fridge.
He surfaced again as she kicked the fridge door closed, holding two cans of soda- thank God for General O'Neill's insight- and cradling chocolate bars in her arms.
Rodney set the snack bags down on the counter quickly and helped her with her things.
"Thanks," she breathed, setting the sodas down as the chocolate bars fell to the counter top with a clatter, dropping into a seat and sliding one to Rodney as he sat. "Do this often?"
He paused, hand in a bag of potato chips and blinked. "Uh... only when I'm up late and get hungry."
Liz smirked good naturedly. "Which is all the time, right?"
"Well... I... that is to say...." Rodney trailed off his defense as he realized she was only teasing. "You don't exactly seem to sleep yourself."
Liz sighed and opened a bag of Fritos. "Not really. I love these." She waved the bag at him as she ate a few, changing subjects. "Best food there is. Next to chocolate, of course."
"Of course," he said sarcastically, but smiled oddly.
They ate in companionable silence for a while before Liz adopted a curious look, obviously having been thinking.
"Back home..." That really drew Rodney's attention to her from his food. "Were you-" She stopped as a shuffling noise in the doorway made them both turn.
Ford yawned as he entered the kitchen, then paused and looked confused. "Am I interrupting anything?"
Liz glanced at Rodney, who kept his expression blank but for a bit of his arrogance, then smiled warmly at the young soldier. "Of course not. Grab a soda and pull up a chair."
Ford did so, plopping down on the stool next to Rodney- who he didn't find as annoying as others said he was-, and grabbing some of the doctor's chips, causing Rodney to glare slightly.
They hadn't been making meaningless conversation long before John and Teyla entered the kitchen together, holding hands. The hands dropped as they saw the company, and John smiled in that annoying way of his.
"Why weren't we invited to this private meeting?"
Liz smiled slightly. "You're welcome to pull up a chair, Major. You too, Teyla. Drinks are in the fridge."
Teyla took a bottle of water instead of a soda, and grabbed the seat next to Rodney's other side while John dropped next to Liz. No one took note of Rodney's slight tensing at that but the ever-observant Teyla; and she kept her mouth shut about it, although her eyes were sharper and more alert afterwards.
"So, what's your excuse for being up?" John asked the collective people.
"I just couldn't get back to sleep," Ford replied. "Figured a glass- bottle of water would help. Found Dr. Weir and Dr. McKay down here talking, so I joined them."
"Oh?" Rodney steeled himself when he heard the tone in John's voice; it meant trouble. "Were they really? So, what's your story?"
Liz blushed in the slight light as Rodney testily answered, "I got hungry and happened to notice in passing that Elizabeth was up as well and decided to invite her along."
"Ah, well then, I'm sorry to interrupt you two in your moment," John apologized, albeit mockingly.
"Watch it, John," Liz warned, the only one not to notice Rodney bristle this time. John smirked.
Well, well, well. Looks like McKay's really got himself a crush. Maybe it's time we "helped" him some.... John's smirk widened slightly at the thoughts.
"But Lizzy," Liz flinched at the hated nickname, "I didn't do anything."
"You're turning this around and I want you to stop before you even start. And don't call me Lizzy. I hated that nickname back in school and I hate it just as much now."
"All right... Lizzy." Liz glared and Rodney stood, looking sick.
"I'm uh, suddenly very tired. Passing out tired; obviously didn't get enough sugar in my bloodstream fast enough. So uh, I'm heading to bed and getting coffee in the morning. Night."
Everyone saw right through the nervously- for an angry, upset Rodney- stated facade. Liz stood, looking worried.
"Rodney!" She called after him, but recieved no reply. She sighed and placed a hand to her forehead, then scooped up a chocolate bar, her bag of Fritos, and her soda. "I'm going to turn in too; let Rodney cool down by himself. Good night, everyone."
A chorus of good nights followed her and John had the good grace to wait till she was long gone before grinning.
"This'll be an interesting few months."
Ford raised his can. "A toast."
"To an interesting few months," John intoned with a grin.
"To Dr. Weir and Dr. McKay discovering each other," Teyla replied scoldingly, giving him a warning look as she raised her bottle.
They clicked- each to his or her own version of the toast- and took a drink, almost unable to wait to see how things progressed. The look in John's eyes, however, promised trouble for the two doctors if he decided to go against Teyla's wishes and get involved.
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A/N: Ha ha! I am done with Chapter 3! Chapter 4 to be announced when it's written. I've started it a bit, but got side tracked today with Andromeda fics. Okay, yesterday(Tuesday) when the first of the Andromeda four hour Tuesday things was on, I was watching, right? AND THE POWER GOES OUT MIDWAY THROUGH THE SECOND HALF OF THE ORIGINAL EPISODE! And I missed all the rest thanks to downed power lines! AUGH! I was so upset! So even in the dark I continued to write that fanfiction and lost last night and today because I was oriented on that. But seeing all the great reviews, I'm back on track, and I'll continue working on this. Lol
Whadid ya think? Oh, and take Liz's "Back home, were you-" comment as you will. -Smirks- Yes, I did have a plan for that, but you guys can decide what she was going to ask for yourselves. If you'd like I'll reveal my thoughts on that next chapter. Lol Those two are in trouble now that John's entered into "helping" McKay to "thank" him for the colored closet issue. And I'm already thinking up the toasts to have at their wedding for Teyla. Lol Just in case it turns that way.
Don't worry, Ter, I won't wait to update till Jan! Lol I'll just keep working and add stuff in as it comes with the new episodes if this isn't done by then(though I'm guessing it will be).
Thank you to Courtknee and Lirenel for reviewing both my McWeir stories(); and also thanks to all the people in the McWeir group I belong to who read these as well: M.A.(Good idea, I'll keep it in mind! Lol), Teri, Col. Kathryn O'Neill, and you others!
And, of course, to all you other people who have been keeping up with these chapters! Kudos to you all! -Begins passing out Kudos bars for real-
Lady Rosebit
Moondoggy
Hassawassa
Quinndolynn(Even though you prefer Teykay.... Lol That's cute, I like that short name, even if I don't support the pairing. Or McKeyla? McKeyla is better. ... Isn't that already a name for girls? Lol Where did that come from, anyway? MOVING ON!)
And anyone else I've missed, sorry, and thanks to you too!
What to do with the flames I haven't yet recieved(Thank Eru!).... Hmm.... -Begins making a list of things to use flames for; just in case-
- V.
Current Music: Dragonriders of Pern- "Masterharper of Pern" CD
(See, my friend Morgan started reading them because her "stalker" read them and gave her the books to read, and her friend also had the CD, which Morgan was borrowing. I spazzed and asked to borrow it for a night since my CD player decided to run low on batteries, and she agreed to that and my request to burn a copy for myself. YAY FOR COOL PERN-Y MUSIC! LoL Although the song Fighting Thread- which is about dodging or being burned and dying- is FAR too cheerful... and I really mean far too cheerful. Ridiculously so. Lol I was getting mad about it at Morgan when it wasn't her fault. It's light and airy and STUPIDLY ANNOYING. -Glares at staring people- Oh bugger off....)
.... Actually... It's catchy. Lol Now I get it! Morgan was right! It's done this way to teach kids, so it has to be catchy in the long run. Now I'm having fun singing it... ugh... help.... Lol