Walking down the corridor headed for the lab where he'd left Kilik with Rodney, John thought back over the last two weeks. Kilik hadn't been in the city long, but he'd certainly managed to wrap just about everybody tightly around his finger, even Rodney who was the poster boy for Mr. Anti-kid.
Also in that time Kilik had started to come out of his shell a little. John could now leave Kilik alone with Rodney, Carson, Teyla, and Aiden with out him throwing a fit and Kate was getting close. Kilik still hadn't spoken yet, but Kate had assured John that it was ok, that Kilik would talk when he was ready, they just had to be patient.
Entering the lab John spotted Rodney right away hunched over some device fully engrossed in studying it. When he didn't see Kilik any where in sight John felt a small wave of panic wash over him.
"Rodney?" John tried to keep the fear out of his voice.
Not looking up from what he was doing Rodney pointed behind him towards the back corner of the lab, knowing what it was John wanted to know. Making his way to the corner John nearly burst out laughing. Laying on a small cot was a sound asleep Kavanagh, next to him sat on the floor was a perfectly content Kilik happily drawing away on the scientist's face with a permanet marker. Pausing a moment Kiliked turned to look up at John.
'You like?' Kilik signed an impish look on his face.
"A work of art." John playfully ruffled Kilik's hair before turning back to Rodney. "Well McKay you seem to have every thing perfectly under control, I'll let you and the half-pint here get back to work. Be in briefing room if you need me." Rodney barely acknowledged John's departure.
Watching as John entered the briefing room Elizabeth didn't miss the poorly hidden smirk on John's face.
"Every thing ok with Kilik and Rodney?" Elizabeth had to admit she had her doubts about leaving Kilik with Rodney.
"Peachy. Both are alive and in one piece. Rodney's doing his beaker thing and Kilik's happily drawing away being a perfect little angel." John plopped himself down in a chair and waited for AR-3 so they could start the briefing.
An hour later Elizabeth was sat in her office facing an angry Kavanagh - face covered in permanet marker - trying very, very hard not to burst out laughing.
'Perfect little angel my butt.' Elizabeth thought as she tried tuning out the scientist.
Later that night after a lecture - if you could call it that considering she didn't even really try, it was all just for show - from Elizabeth, John and Kilik were leaving their room headed for the rec-room for movie night. Normally Fridays were John's night to pick the movie, but considering he was semi responsible for Elizabeth having to listen to Kavanagh rant and rave for over an hour John had had decided - purely as self preservation - to pass his choice to Elizabeth.
When Kilik suddenly broke into a run for no appearent reason John, alarmed, immediatly started after him, usually Kilik didn't randomly do things for no reason. It was only when Kilik, a huge grin on his face, turned his head to look back at John did John realize that Kilik was just being playful and wanted to race to the rec-room. Kilik had only recently started letting his playful side show and started acting like a regular five year old. John was still trying to adjust to the change from terrified, shy little boy to playful, energetic, trouble maker.
If someone had told John a few years ago his future life would include alien cities, living in another galaxy, life sucking aliens, and parenthood, John would have laughed the first one off as plasible but not likely, would have listed the second as an in your dreams, the third would have been listed as someone watching too many sci-fi and horror movies, and the last would have been written off as pure insanity, who in their right mind would let him be a parent. Yet here he was dealing with all the above and strangly enough it was the last one that had him terrified and thrilled out of his mind at the same time.
Forgetting all about the race John slowed his pace down to a normal walk. Lost in thought it wasn't until he felt Kilik pulling on his sleeve that John realized they'd finally made it to the rec-room. Entering the room they found Elizabeth, Carson, Teyla, Aiden, and Rodney all ready there and by the looks of it Elizabeth was still deciding on a movie. Picking Kilik up and gently tossing him over the couch to Aiden who caught him with out missing a beat - which got the desired grin from Kilik - John hopped over the back of the couch and settled himself in waiting for the movie to start.
After another minute or two Elizabeth finally made her decision, that night they'd be watching Shrek a movie susuitable for Kilik to watch yet entertaining enough for the adults. Once everyone was settled - Carson and Rodney in a couple of Lazy-Boy like chairs, Aiden and Teyla sitting on the Ancient's version of bean bag chairs, and Elizabeth and John spread out on the couch with Kilik, who'd abandoned his seat in Aiden's lap, snuggled between them - they started the movie.
By the time the movie was over Kilik was the only one in the room still awake. Carson had zonked out first followed by Rodney, Aiden and Teyla had disapeared at various points during the nigh, John had dozed off at the end of the movie and Elizabeth during the credits. Careful so as not to wake anyone Kilik slid off the couch and out of the room, a few minutes later he returned dragging the blanket he'd swiped from John's bed behind him and the Athosian version of a stuffed animal Teyla had given him tightly tucked under one of his arms. After spreading the blanket over John and Elizabeth, who'd both snuggled pretty close together after he'd left, Kilik and his stuffed animal laid down on the bean bag chair closest to the couch and just watched the people he cared most about sleep until he too drifted off to sleep.
Waking up a couple of hours later Elizabeth decided it would be a good idea for everyone to go back to their own beds. Waking John up with a nudge she indicated for him to get Kilik while she delt with Rodney and Carson. On her way back to her room passing the rec-room Elizabeth spotted the top of John's head poking over the side of the couch. Seeing that John, who'd at least woken up enough to pick up Kilik who was now snuggled up against John on the couch, was out cold Elizabeth decided to leave the two be.
Sitting at his desk trying to catch up on some of his paper work John used his ATA gene to open his door when he heard a knock, welcoming the distraction. Entering the room Kate was a little surprised by the chaos that greeted her, there were papers, pencils, and computer parts scatrered all over the place as well as clothes piled all over. Seeing the odd look on Kate's face John glanced around his room then shrugged - he didn't see anything wrong with the place.
"Bit chaotic in here don't you think?" Kate weaved her way through the mess into the room.
"What you never heard of organised chaos?" John grined as he cleared off a chair for the doctor to sit on. "I know exactly where evrything is."
"Really and just where is Kilik?"
"Uh..." John took a quick look around the room. "Hey half-pint sound off." A second later two small thuds were heard. "Closet."
"The closet?"
"What can I say he likes playing in the closet. Don't ask me why I mean I could give you a theory but like I told Elizabeth I tend to like leaving that kind of stuff to the beakers."
"Too bad I guess I'll just have to keep this candy bar for myself." Kate directed her comment towards the closet.
No sooner had the words left her mouth did Kilik pop out of the closet, but only long enough to snatch the treat before trying to disapear back into the closet again, of course John was quicker and managed to snag him around the waist and swing him up to sit in his lap.
"You forgetting something." John looked from Kilik to the candy bar to Kate.
'Thank you.' Kilik hastily signed wiggling out of John's lap disapearing into the closet to eat his candy.
"You're welcome, Kilik." Kate smiled as the boy disapeared. It really was amazing how much he'd changed over the last few weeks, John too for that matter.
"So what can I do for you doc?" John brought Kate's attention back to the reason for her visit.
"I'm here to take Kilik off your hands for a bit."
"Why?"
"Well you obviously have a lot of paper work to catch up on." Kate indicated the pile of paper on his desk. "But more importantly Dr. Weir wanted to see you in her office when you had a minute."
"Great what'd Kilik and/or I do this time?"
"Don't worry neither of you are in trouble. I think she wants to discuss a possible Athosian family for Kilik."
"So she and Teyla have found a family possibly willing to take Kilik in?"
"I believe so." Kate didn't miss the way John's face dropped slightly and the sorrow that clouded his eyes. She made a mental not to discuss all of this with him later.
"Well I'd better go get this over with." John slowly pushed himself out of his chair and left the room in search of Elizabeth.