Chapter 2: In the Mess Hall

John dragged Elizabeth by the hand around Atlantis to the mess hall with many people staring until finally they reached their destination. Elizabeth was out of breath.

"Did you…have to go…so fast?" She said putting her hand on her chest and began evening out her breathing.

"Well, if we went at your speed it would be lunchtime. Plus the fact that fifty scientists would of come up to you asking you pointless stuff which always goes on forever." Before Elizabeth had the time to hit him for implying she was slow he dragged her off to the food section. John grabbed a plate and put everything he could find on it. Elizabeth looked at his plate and at him, somewhat shocked.

"Okay, why do you need so much food?" She said grabbing a muffin and a cup of coffee and began to sit down with him. He took the sit opposite her.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." He said while stuffing in his muffin. She brought the coffee to her lips, blew on it and smiled.

"What?" He said while taking a sip of his juice. She chuckled and broke off a piece of her muffin.

"Nothing. I was just thinking." She ate the piece of muffin and looked around the mess hall to see Rodney and Teyla coming over.

"Thinking what?" He asked, very intrigued, but didn't hear an answer as she called over to the pair coming to sit with them. Teyla sat by John and Rodney by Elizabeth. Teyla had some Athosian fruit and water and well Rodney had more food than John.

"Hungry, Rodney?" Elizabeth smirked and John, who tried to laugh, starting choking a bit oh his food.

"Rodney, do not be so inconsiderate." Teyla said not approvingly, patting John on the back to stop his choking. Elizabeth burst into laughter over Teyla's remark and started choking on her muffin. John and Elizabeth looked at each other choking and laughing and kept choking until their food went down and then they just kept laughing.

"How is John choking when he tried to laugh at Elizabeth's comment of how much food I have got when John has practically the same as me?" Teyla frowned and had appeared to have finished her food and got up to leave.

"If you excuse me, Dr. Weir and Major Sheppard as I will be travelling to the mainland." She squinted her eyes at Rodney. "Rodney McKay."

John looked at Teyla and Rodney and started laughing again. "HEY!" Rodney threw his arms up in the air and getting up, but Teyla had already left the mess hall and so he was shouting to anyone who would listen.

"How is Sheppard being stupid enough to laugh while eating and so choking my fault? Idiots!" He cried while people looked at him and called out things like 'weirdo' and 'freak.' He sat back down and angrily got back to stuffing his face full of food.

"No Rodney." Elizabeth said looking at him calmly, he turned to look ate her very confused. She had a very serious face.

"Huh? Elizabeth I don't have time for-"

"You're the idiot."

"What? How dare-"

"What kind of man with severe citrus allergies picks up a glass of fruit juice which is 40 lemon juice?" Her serious face turned into a wide grin and John went into fits of laughter. Rodney looked from one to the other.

"You two are so…mean. You know that! You're worse than Carson…and Zelenka…put together!" John pulled himself together.

"Look Rodney, Liz is just playing, lighten up. Hey! I've just had an idea!" John looked at Elizabeth.

"Yes."

"Me and you should go to the gym."

"Well, I don't know that-" And before she had to chance to say no. John had grabbed her hand and was whisking her off to the gym, leaving Rodney all alone.

"Yeah, that's right!" He shouted back at them. "You go off! I'll be fine! I'll just sit here and eat my breakfast. You have fun children!" He took a sip from his drink. "Typical." He looked down at his glass.

"Shit. Allergies! I'm going to die!" Rodney ran out of the mess hall and to the infirmary, leaving the normal people of Atlantis who didn't eat enough for ten men each, who weren't workaholics, who didn't grab their so-called just a friend's hand and who weren't an alien who could sense the enemy. Funny that! The normal ones always tend to be the least interesting.