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I wanted to say something up here, but I forgot what it was. Eh.

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Workday Wonders: Chapter Three

"McKay…" John whined, he had his right arm folded under his head, resting on the table top. Rodney winced, wondering if that's what he sounded like. "It's been an hour, don't you know anything yet?"

He didn't look up, he just continued to examine and poke and scrape the device under a microscope, sensors placed close to the hands to read the energy out puts, looking for any change in the readings. He was growing tired of John's excessive questions and was deadly close to really letting the man have a piece of his mind.

"What, did you walk away for ten minutes? I would have told you if I knew something. It probably didn't help that I had to walk you to the bathroom every five minutes." He needed to eat something, and then maybe he'd be more apt to listening to the man. He had, however, come to respect John a bit more, it took a lot to put up with McKay and his personality, and whether John new it or not, he was giving Rodney a taste of his own medicine.

"I'd hardly say it was every five minutes, we went twice." Sheppard said, readjusting his head so that he could see what Rodney was doing. He looked to the other side of McKay, at the computer screen. He watched the digital feedback, with half hearted interest.

Rodney was running over the options left to him before lunch, he doubted he could manage to get it off by then. So Sheppard would have to come, he'd sit in on his and Elizabeth's lunch and McKay would be no closer to knowing her than he was when he decided to come to Atlantis.

Maybe he should call it off; it was probably a dumb idea anyway. Of all people, why would she choose to be with him, especially with someone like Sheppard chasing after her?

"Rodney" Elizabeth's voice came over his radio, startling him slightly, to John's amusement.

"Yes Elizabeth?"

"Could you by any chance make it to lunch now?"

The words fumbled through his mind, and stuck in his throat. He didn't want to have to share Elizabeth with John, who was sitting now, grinning at him during his moment of weakness. Was he even bothered by the fact they were stuck like this? Wasn't he worried what Elizabeth might think?

That took him back, people laughing at his failure or uneasiness. Contrary to popular belief Rodney didn't spring forth fully grown and all knowing from his mother's womb.

Once during a speech in high school he'd been laughed out of the room…

Realizing his mind was wondering, he shook his head, wiped a hand over his face, and did what he could to turn from John's gaze.

"Uh…yeah. Sure."

"Ok…" her voice sounded concerned, she'd want to know what had taken him so long to answer, "I'll see you soon then."

"Yeah…" he turned back to John, who tilted his head in that way that said 'now what?'. McKay just shook his head, "I'm sure Ford already spread the good news."

"She didn't sound like she was laughing about anything."

"Well why would she? She's probably concerned, and that's if she knows."

John rolled his eyes, "Of course she knows, she just doesn't want to hurt our feelings. Now, what's really important…we can't walk to the mess hall with our backs to the wall."

"Just, uh, just walk beside me and try to keep time." John stood, letting out a long sigh. They reached the door and Rodney said, "Just make sure your hand goes when mine does, you know, so we look a little less stupid than we already do."

"It's not like my hand could not go when yours does." John responded. McKay closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth, hoping to be free soon.

They made their way to the mess hall with an easy stride, but still they could hear the snickers and murmurs passing behind them. It was the first time since they'd gotten stuck together that they agreed that everyone else was being stupid, and stopped picking on each other.

Unfortunately it was only a temporary thing. They went over to the table they saw Elizabeth at, her dark curls falling by her face as she leaned over to take a sip of whatever soup was being served today.

Rodney saw that as his chance. His chance to make it to the table and sit without her seeing him tied to his competition.

In hindsight, rushing toward the table might have been a bad move. Sheppard was unprepared for Rodney's leap forward, and he stumbled a bit, trying to regain his footing. What attention had come to them during that moment was nothing compared to when Rodney tried to sit.

He whipped out a chair, it screeched as it was drug across the floor, drawing Elizabeth's, as well as everyone else's attention, he sat and shoved his hands down into his lap. It was a funny scene, at least to anyone who wasn't John or Rodney. The Major was next to McKay, standing, but bent over, one hand on the table the other hidden beneath.

Elizabeth stared at the pair, lowering her spoon back into her bowl. John pulled a chair around and slowly sat, his eyes on McKay, who stared back at Elizabeth.

"Slick Rodney."

Rodney shot astunned glare at the man, shaking his leg like something horrible was on it, and dropping his arm to hang next to the Major's between the two men's seats, "Dont ever touch me like that!" McKay growled at Sheppard in a low voice, wanting no one to hear. Honestly, what was going through John's head to squeeze his thigh like that?

Lousy bastard, this was no time to play with each others heads.

"Major, what are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked. Rodney smiled a bit, that probably wasn't the greeting John was hoping for.

At the thought, the word 'change' came to Rodney again. What if he didn't get Elizabeth, if he was denied and Sheppard welcomed? Would he be happy for the pair, or would he avoid them at all costs? What would he do about 'gate travel? He couldn't just give it up, and no other team would take him…and he liked where he was.

On the other hand, how would Sheppard treat it if Rodney won out? As much as Rodney wanted to deny that he'd be angry, jealous and hurt, he knew he would. Jealousy was practically human nature, even if you wanted to be happy for someone, deep down some part of you would hate them for it. And he figured Major Sheppard was a touch more "human", so to speak, in the sense that he felt more. But as amilitary man…maybe he really wouldn't be too worried.

It's not like he couldn't have his pick of women on the base, hell, he could have his pick of women in the Galaxy!

"If I had known you were coming Major, I would have saved a bigger table." She was looking directly at Rodney. Was it because she'd wanted to be alone with Rodney, or she was unprepared for John's presence and blamed him for not letting her know Sheppard would be there?

"Yeah, Sheppard, threes a crowd." Rodney shook his head, John couldn't leave it he wanted to.

"No, threes company Rodney." John replied, smile on his face. He looked from Rodney to Elizabeth and back to Rodney. John could make this a long, drawn out, painful, embarrassing ordeal.

"I'm willing to sit with my hand behind my back, if it means that you're facing away, and I can't see you." Rodney's eyes were looking up, over Elizabeth's head, and out the window. She sat back, and watched the exchange between her two top men with inertest.

Sheppard was unfazed, "Now, Rodney, that's not very nice."

"And you don't talk." He added.

"Jeez, what's eating you?" Rodney knew he was being baited, but it had been a long morning, he was at lunch, but there was no food in front of him, and he was fast approaching a stressed out state.

"You think this is funny?" he hissed at the Major, he saw John recoil for a moment, not thinking his comment would exact such a response.

"No, not at first. But since it doesn't look like we're going to die I'm finding it slightly more amusing, along with a few other things."

In Rodney's mind that translated to: You're my friend, but I won't just hand her over to you.

"Rodney?" Elizabeth asked. They were starring at each other; both of their eyes were narrowed to slits. He turned his attention back to her; he'd have to try and get alone time with her some other time.

"This," he said, putting his and John's hands on the table, "is what that device is. Handcuffs; we can't get them off, we don't know what activated them exactly, because I sure as hell wasn't thinking I wanted to be stuck to Sheppard all day."

"And I was thinking 'God, I just wish I could spend all day around a cranky scientist'? Because really, not on the top of my list." John spat back, rather harshly. Rodney, though he hadn't shown it outwardly, was hurt by that comment, as he was sure John was probably hurt by his. He could understand though, he was being cranky, but it wasn't like John was helping the situation.

"Gentlemen," Elizabeth said firmly, "Do I need to get you two a babysitter?" both men fidgeted in their seats, "You can keep working on it, right?"

"Yes, it's just…I can't figure anything out. I have nothing to go off, I don't even know where to begin."

"I have faith in you Rodney." He smiled. "And you'll have plenty of time, so don't worry. Until that thing comes off, you two aren't going anywhere, so Major, I'm afraid we wont need to talk over dinner."

"What?" John practically shouted. Rodney wasn't sure if the anger was over not having any reason to have dinner with her, or because he couldn't leave Atlantis.

"Major, look at yourself, you can't go anywhere in that condition."

"But-"

"No buts Major." Another firm command. McKay was slightly relieved to know that John and Elizabeth wouldn't be having dinner together.

"Elizabeth." That caught both Rodney and Elizabeth's undivided attention, John never used her first name, he was getting serious. He didn't want to be stuck to McKay and be forced to stay on Atlantis for an undetermined amount of time, "It's a recon mission. We're just picking up a food shipment, that's all. I think we can handle that."

"I don't think it's a good idea." She said, pushing her tray away.

"Me either, what are you thinking?" McKay added. If they went off world anything could happen, and knowing his luck something would happen and it'd be bad.

"It's not like we'd be by our selves, Ford and Teyla would be there." He leaned in, over the table, "It's a pick up. We are picking up food, what could possibly go wrong?"

She raised her eyebrow. It could be considered a fairly dumb question. What could go wrong? Anything and everything, something always goes wrong, especially if it's his team. They attracted trouble like flies to honey.

"I'll think about it, on one condition."

"Name it." John said as McKay squeaked out a disbelieving "What?".

"You go see Carson, let him make sure that thing isn't doing anything to either of you. You're bickering like an old married couple, more so than usual."

"You got it." John said with a thankful, flirtatious smile. He loved winning.

McKay looked at Elizabeth, he felt betrayed. How could she even consider letting them go anywhere like this? It was because of that damn smile...or because she liked John and could deny him nothing. Rodney didn't really like either option. "Old married couple? We really sound like that?"

"Sometimes." She said with a smile, it was as much for the thought of their constant, playful fighting as it was for the "handcuffs" holding them together.


So lunch was a bust, poor Rodney, and now he might have to go through the gate like that… :)Hope you guys like! Please R and R!