Just a little comic interlude before we start on the angst. Well I hope the humour doesn't fall too short, thanks for the reviews!

Usual disclaimer, not mine :(

"Sooooo McKay, you ever been on a military base in another galaxy before?" Sheppard asked.

"Yeah sure all the time, I try and make it to one every third weekend but you now, I usually find myself busy with…….what is it? Reality." At that Lt Ford could barely hold back a snigger and Teyla merely smiled. "why do you call me that by the way? I mean, call me by my last name."

"Well, I don't know, its just easier in the field you know, I can call you Rodney if you want. Its not a problem"

"Yeah, all this second name stuff is a bit, weird. It makes me feel old. I don't really wanna feel old considering I already am its very weird, and I'm freaking myself out so I think I'm just gonna stop talking right now…jump in anytime you want." Rodney rambled on, someone may say he was annoying but his three team mates found it amusing. He was like their very own McKay without the stress of a city on his shoulders.

"Hey talk as much as you want Doc, I'm sure you might actually say something if you talk enough." Ford put in. McKay being the age he was, he found it easier to talk to him, somehow. Lt Ford, was one of the youngest members of the expedition, now having a 17 year old tagging along gave him a sense of authority that really didn't last long once Rodney replied, stopping his thoughts on that subject going any further.

"Doc, I like it, Dr Rodney McKay, inevitable really, I mean, like I wasn't ever going to get my doctorate. Hey, scrap Rodney, or McKay call me Doc!" He said jokingly, but Sheppard never one to miss out on an opportunity to banter with McKay put in:

"Yeah you can be like the Doc from Back to the Future"

"Like who?" Rodney looked curious, then realisation dawned on the rest of the team, except Teyla who looked just as curious and unaware as Rodney.

"The Doc, Back to the futu………..hold what year do you think it is?"

"1985, why? Whoa, if I'm supposed to be 37 its 2005 right? Now ok, maybe it's the whole alien base/different galaxy thing, but why has this just hit me! This is amazing! What's happened in the past 20 years? Come on! This is…wow. I don't know what….just ok, wow."

The enthusiasm in young Rodney's voice was awe inspiring and Sheppard found himself growing to really like young McKay, as did Teyla and Ford.

"Well, later on in your year, they'll release a film called Back to the Future, with Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd about a kid who can travel through time, he's starts to mess stuff up but then he's gotta put stuff right, it's a great movie. He's only 17 aswell. We should call you Marty not Doc. Ha, I like it! Marty McKay!" Sheppard didn't try to hide his amusement, neither did Lt Ford, but Teyla didn't quite understand and Rodney, seemed to still be in awe over the whole 20 years time thing. Until it suddenly hit him…

"The kid out of Family Ties, makes a film where he can travel through time, in what? And how? And, what the hell? That's cool. So I take it Christopher Lloyd plays..."

"….the Doc, and they can travel through time in a nuclear powered DeLorean"

"WHAT? That's so impossible I'm not even gonna get started on that, but if your so hell bent on calling me Marty, thenwhich one of you isthe Doc?" He punctuated his remark with such a typical McKay smugness grin that at this point Sheppard could not hold back his laughter, he silently swore to himself that if McKay wasn't on crutches he would have done the patented finger snap/chin jut. Ford and Teyla were also having trouble controlling themselves, even though Teyla still didn't fully understand. "what? Did I miss something?" Rodney asked, interested in his three companions sudden fit of giggles.

"Nothing Marty just not the first time we've had this discussion is all!"

"Dr….I'm sorry, Rodney, I think the Major and Lt Ford find it amusing that though you are only 17 years of age you still have all the same principals as your older self." That was enough to send the other two over edge into uncontrollable laughter. It was infectious it seems, because soon McKay found himself feeling more comfortable with these companions and could understand why his future self was proud to call them friends.