A/N: A little attempt at humor before some more action...

Chapter 4

Anirul had settled nicely in Atlantis, she was glad Tom had suggested she go. Moving out of Bealle to the country hadn't been far enough from Makina, here would be. Of course she made sure her team would send her updates three times a week about any progress. One thing she thought was annoying though was that lights always turned on for her and doors opened. It would be hard to sneak up on people around here. "I can do this all myself!" she even yelled at Atlantis once in the middle of the night walking through the hallways on her way back to her room from the lab. The city must have heard her because now she had to consciously think the doors open. She didn't mind. She spent most of her time down in the labs working with Dr. McKay and the other scientists. Well, mostly Rodney since they were always there after everyone else left. The rest of her time was used to search the Ancient database for references about Z.P.M.s.

It was Anirul's tenth day in Atlantis, and as usual it was nighttime and she was still in the lab with McKay. He was working on some sort of handheld, rectangular device at one of the tables, and she had a small sealed triangular tube filled with a liquid of some kind. Rodney was getting frustrated, as he couldn't turn his device on.

"What good is gene therapy if I can't use it!"

"Here let me try to activate it." Anirul asked from across the table.

Slipping it across the table, Rodney responded, "Fine, here."

It took but a second for Anirul to activate it. She didn't even have to pick it up; just touching it was good enough. "There, that should help."

"Thanks."

"Mmhmm, anytime at all." She picked up her own project again and managed to twist the top open.

Dr. Kavanagh came in, mumbling about forgetting a notebook, and bumped right into Anirul's chair, causing her to squeeze the tube and the liquid squirted out all over Rodney's shirt.

"I'm so sorry Dr. McKay…" Anirul said.

"Yea, its fine, just ruined my shirt that's all." As he stood up. "Aren't you done messing things up Kavanagh?"

"I'm going." He gave a short wave as he left with his work.

"Here, let me get you something." Anirul got up and went over to the counter behind her to get a towel. Rodney started heading over to her, "Do you even know what this stuff is?"

"Not yet."

"That's just great."

"I'm sure you will be fine, big baby." She smiled.

"Hey!"

She turned around, not expecting Rodney to be standing so close, facing her, and bumped right into him with enough force to knock them both down. She fell on top of him.

"Would you like to get off of me anytime soon?" Rodney snipped.

"I'm trying! Uh oh…"

"What?"

"I think I know what this stuff is now…"

"Don't tell me."

"An Ancient super-binding agent."

"That's just wonderful…"

"We should try to stand up."

"Right."

Rodney braced himself with his hands flat on the ground, Anirul did the same. They pushed themselves up off of the ground and got to standing up. The fronts of their shirts were indeed glued together.

"Well this is embarrassing." Anirul was trying to break the tension.

"You think?" Their faces were practically on top of each other. "Let's try pulling apart quickly."

"Alright"

"Now!" They tried to separate, but it hurt too much.

"Ahh! That hurt."

"You are a big baby." Anirul said, but in reality it really did bring tears to her eyes. Rodney could see them.

"We won't try that again. The binder must have seeped through our shirts onto our skin."

Their stance was awkward to say the least, with their arms just at their sides, so Anirul cautiously put her left hand around on Rodney's back, like in a dance, put the other on his shoulder, and rested her head on his shoulder so at least their faces weren't close to touching. He smells good… Rodney also didn't know what to do with his hands, so he just wrapped his arms around her and folded his hands together behind her back. Man is she thin, I could wrap my arms around her twice…

"We should page Dr. Beckett." Anirul suggested.

"Good idea."

Just then, Dr. Radek Zelenka walked in and saw them in what seemed to be a rather passionate embrace. He started backing back out, but Anirul saw him.

"Hello Dr. Zelenka."

He stopped, "Hi Dr. Belacu, Rodney, am I interrupting something?"

"No, no, it's not what it looks like. We're binded together. Sort of an Ancient super-glue."

Radek nodded half believing, "Of course Rodney."

"Just bring Carson would you? Keep this quiet too."

"Sure." Radek left, laughing.

'This is going to all over Atlantis isn't it?" Anirul said; her head still on his shoulder.

"I'm sure it is Dr. Belacu."

"Just call me Anirul, Dr. Belacu was my brother, is my brother… you know what I mean."

"Call me Rodney then."

"Okay Rodney," Anirul smiled. "You've got to admit, this is pretty funny."

"Yes, I can hardly contain myself from bubbling out with laughter."

"You'll laugh at this someday. It could be worse; you could be standing like this with Kavaunaugh."

Rodney smiled, "True, I would have to kill myself then..."

"I can imagine someone asking me, 'So how was your night Anirul?' and I say 'Was in the lab, got glued to Rodney, you know the usual." They were both laughing now. "Or Major Sheppard asks you, 'Rodney, anything interesting happen last night?' and you say 'Actually, Anirul and I were quite inseparable the whole night."

"It was almost like we were glued together." Rodney added. Now they were hysterically laughing.

"This memory is certainly worse losing a shirt over."

"Oh right, Carson's going to have to cut us loose." Rodney realized.

"You wouldn't happen to have a couple extra shirts lying around here would you Rodney?"

"No. We're going to have to walk up to the infirmary like this unless I can convince Carson to bring us some."

"Fantastic. At least most of the normal people are in their quarters by now."

"You saying we're not normal? I resent that."

"Oh get a clue. Only abnormal people work through the night and get glued to their co-workers." She said laughing.

Dr. Beckett walked in at this moment, followed by Major Sheppard. Anirul and Rodney were still standing in the same position.

Anirul greeted John, "Hello Major."

"Hi Doctor."

"I told Zelenka to keep this quiet." Rodney scowled.

John smiled, "I passed him in the hallway laughing, and I pried it out of him."

"So what exactly happened you two?" Carson said as he placed his medical bag on the table and opened it. Rodney had his back to Carson, and John was still standing by the door.

"I was attempting to decipher what that tube was on the table there and just when I got it open," she pointed then put her hand back, "that jerk Kavanagh bumped me so it squirted all over Rodney's shirt. I got up to get a towel but then I bumped right into him and got stuck."

Carson walked over to them and Anirul brought her right hand to her side, Rodney his left, so he could get a better look.

"You're going to have to come up to the infirmary. That solution soaked through to your skin, who knows what sort of reaction it could cause."

"Couldn't you just bring us some shirts and cut us loose here?" Rodney asked.

"You're coming up to the infirmary anyway; I'm not making another trip lad." Honestly, Carson thought this was funny.

Rodney looked over at John, and John said smirking, "Don't look at me. I'm not even supposed to be here, remember?"

So began the walk through the hallways to the infirmary. It suffices to say that the few people in the halls started laughing when they saw Carson walking ahead of Rodney and Anirul walking sideways, then switching to Anirul walking backward, then Rodney walking backward, and John broadcasting behind them "Nothing to see here, they're just glued together. That's right; the two smartest people in Atlantis glued themselves together." Rodney could feel that Anirul was laughing too, trying her hardest not to though. He was just attempting to keep a brave face on. She thought there were worse ways to spend a night.

The next morning, the team was getting ready to go on a mission to investigate some Ancient ruins. Rodney was standing by the Gate when John came up to him.

"So am I still the Kirk or has that torch been passed to you McKay?"

"Very funny Major." Rodney snarked.

"I think she likes you."

"What? No she doesn't."

"Just saying what I suspect. The late night lab sessions, gluing herself to you…"
"That was an accident."

"How do you know she didn't do it on purpose?"

"She wouldn't do that."

Lt. Ford walked up, "Who wouldn't do what sir?"

John answered him, "Dr. Belacu and McKay got glued together last night. Carson had to cut them apart. I thought everyone knew by now."

Aiden snuffled his laughing.

"Everyone knows? Great, this is just what I need, a rumor floating around about me and her."

"Think of it this way," John began, "When you two do get together, it won't be big news."

Teyla was the last one to walk up. "What would not be big news?"

Aiden turned to her, "That Dr. Belacu and Dr. McKay will get together."

"Oh I heard about the incident last night."

"Fabulous," Rodney muttered. "There is nothing going on I want you all to know."

"Now." John said as the gate activated.

"Good luck." Dr. Weir called over the communication system.

They waved as they stepped through the Gate, not knowing that this mission would be the catalyst to the revelation about the Tialysians.

A/N: Im stealing this line from Belisse "feed the bunnies, keep them happy" !