first off i appologise for the formatting in the first chapter - i didnt realise that my line breaks had been removed - it really annoys me when others do it and then i did it myself (der)

i think ive figured it out now and it should be right- i hope

to all those people who reviewed - you guys rock... totally ! and it got this chapter out today instead of in a weeks time which is when i had planned to have it done by

Beginners Luck

Rodney caught up to Sheppard only a few metres down the corridor leading to the cafeteria.

"How did you do that?" Rodney demanded

"Do what?" Sheppard's lips raised in a small smile as he continued down the hall.

Rodney crossed his arms over his chest.

"Beat me" he said, falling into step.

"Just lucky I guess"

"Lucky?" Rodney asked, incredulous. "You expect me to believe that that was luck?"

"What else could it be?" Sheppard asked with a smug grin on his face.

"Luck has nothing to do with it, Colonel." Rodney persisted

"Hey you remembered." Sheppard exclaimed happily.

"Yes… yay for you" Rodney said irritably. "Now could you stop changing the subject…?"

Suddenly it hit him. It was so obvious, Rodney had to resist from smacking himself on the forehead. Sheppard wasn't a beginner, he had played before. How else could he have been able to anticipate his moves and set up a defense so inconspicuous that Rodney didn't even notice it until it was too late.

Rodney whirled around in front of Sheppard so quick that the Colonel bumped into him and bounced back a step

"Wha…"

Rodney cut him off.

"You do know how to play" he accused, poking a finger into Sheppard's chest.

Sheppard started to laugh. Rodney stepped back, horrified.

"You set me up!" he yelled

Further down the corridor a small group of scientists turned to watch the drama unfolding. Rodney glared at them and they pretended they were busy looking at their data pads.

"You should have seen your face." Sheppard laughed harder. "Priceless, absolutely priceless."

Rodney gaped at him

"Yeah, just like that!" Sheppard doubled over laughing. "Oh… do you have any idea how long I have wanted to do that?"

Rodney drew himself up to stand at his full height, turned on his heel and strode away.

"Oh c'mon McKay" Sheppard said chasing after him, hands up in a gesture of surrender, "that was funny."

"No, that wasn't funny," Rodney said indignantly, "that was mean."

Sheppard snorted and started laughing again. He was still laughing as they passed the gawking scientists and entered the mess hall.

Rodney grabbed a cup of coffee from the pot that was situated on a table just inside the door and made his way over to an empty table – there were plenty to choose from at this time of night - and stiffly sat down.

He crossed his arms as Sheppard stood in front of him.

"Tell you what," Sheppard said still grinning broadly, "I'll go find us a snack and then I'll come back and explain"

Rodney watched as he strode off in the direction of the kitchen, and considered the Colonel's actions. Why would he ask to be taught how to play when he already knew? Was Sheppard just making fun of him? Even so he still should not have been able win so easily. Rodney knew he was one of the best players on Atlantis. Was he losing his touch?

Rodney was still musing on that distressing thought when Sheppard exited the kitchen balancing a tray in front of him. Sheppard was watching the tray and almost collided with a scientist walking past the kitchen door as he stepped through.

"Oh… j'adoube." He said as he stepped back and let the other man pass.

Rodney choked on his coffee.

Sheppard had made his way to the table and set the tray down by the time Rodney had stopped coughing. He wiped his chin as Sheppard sat down with a smug look.

"Knew you'd appreciate that one." The Colonel said offering Rodney one of the plates.

Rodney wasn't ready to let go of his irritation yet so he just took the plate and glared at its contents.

"If I'm correct, the cooks took what was left of the meatloaf thingy from three nights ago and cut it up into little bits and mixed it into a stew," Sheppard remarked while poking at his own plate and lifting up a glop with his fork, "of course it could be that it mutated into a slime monster that is planning on killing us in our sleep."

"You said you'd explain," Rodney prompted, "so explain."

Sheppard opened his mouth but Rodney ploughed right over him.

"I mean, why would you let me think that you didn't know how to play?" he waved his fork around. "What… do you think that I wouldn't have played against you if you had have told me the truth?"

Sheppard was watching Rodney's fork while he was talking, his eyes following the whirring motion, so Rodney rapped him on the forehead with it.

Sheppard slumped back in his chair, his hand to his head and frowned.

"Well?"

"Did you happen to think that maybe I was a little worried that you might beat me?" Sheppard said sullenly, bringing his hand down and picking up his own fork.

"What?" Rodney was surprised by this answer

"How much would you have rubbed it in, if I had told you that I played chess and that I was pretty good at it and then you completely blew me out of the water?"

Rodney thought about Sheppard's last statement. He had never imagined that the laid back soldier might have been insecure about his own abilities. He was always so confident and self assured; at least he seemed to be. Rodney realized that Sheppard was waiting for an answer.

"I wouldn't have done that." He assured.

Sheppard gave a short laugh. "Yes you would. Before you even agreed to teach me you told me how much better you are… twice."

"But I always say things like that," Rodney protested

"And you're usually right," Sheppard countered, "what makes this time any different?"

Rodney had nothing to say to that so he remained silent.

"I guess I just wanted to find out on my own terms" Sheppard continued, "if I really sucked and you did beat me then I would have let you put it down me being a beginner and leave it at that. Of course the look on your face was an added benefit."

Rodney gave the Colonel a deadpan look, and they both ate in silence for a few minutes.

Sheppard finished his meatloaf stew first and pushed the plate away.

"You know…" he drawled as he go up from his chair, "we'll have to have a rematch sometime since you weren't really trying this time, thinking that I was a learner"

He turned and sauntered towards the exit.

"Well don't expect it to be so easy the next time colonel" Rodney called to him, smiling.

"I would be disappointed if it was, McKay." Sheppard called back over his shoulder just before he rounded the corner.

The phrase j'adoube is normally defined as a French word meaning 'I adjust'. In chess the phrase is used when the player on the move wants to touch a piece without being required to move it by the 'touch move' rule. Sheppard says it to yank Rodney's chain.

(btw - i got this from the ten minutes research i did by googling the words cool chess moves on the net)