John could not remember a time when he had ever seen Rodney so happy. He was practically bouncing through the halls between classes and during the classes they shared with Carson he could not stop smiling. Not that Carson was any better. He was not seen without a smile on his face. The rest of the cast just figured that they finally got together and were shocked when John told them that they hadn't. If this was the result that they got when they were living under the same roof, John was a little frightened to think of what would happen when they actually started going out.
"Are you guys going to the Winter Dance next Saturday?" asked Teyla during a set building break.
Rodney looked over at Carson. "I hadn't planned on it."
"We should all go as a group," John added.
"You have to go with a date," Elizabeth said as she passed around drinks.
"That's a stupid idea," Rodney said, not very upset.
"Well then. Elizabeth, wanna go to the dance with me?" asked John.
Everyone looked at him. "Uh, sure," Elizabeth said.
"Great." John then looked over at his friends with a smile on his face. Rodney knew the cause of that smile since he was the only one that knew that John secretly had a crush on Elizabeth for the better part of a year.
Just then Laura came running over. "Carson! About the Winter Dance next Saturday. Do you have a date yet?"
Carson looked over at Rodney who was glaring at Laura. "Uh, not yet.
"Great! We can go together then!"
"Uh."
"It'll just be as friends," she quietly added looking over at Rodney.
"Sure."
"Great! I'll talk to you later? Oh, and Harry said that we would start up again once he is sure the stairs are stable."
"You mean the stairs that lead to nowhere," Rodney added sarcastically.
"They'll be finishing them after we're done today. You can suck it up for one day," Laura added before she left again.
Rodney turned and glared at Carson while Carson was making it a point not to look at his roommate. After a few seconds, Rodney turned to Teyla and asked, "Would you like to be my date for the Winter Dance, Teyla?"
"It would be my honor."
"There. Now we can go as a group!" John said cheerily.
"With an extra member in the group," mumbled Rodney.
"Oh, I found our box office people," John said, wanting to change the subject.
"Who?" asked Carson.
"At the last math club meeting, he told everyone that if they weren't in the play or already helping backstage that they had to do the box office for at least two nights," Rodney answered for him.
John glared at him. "I merely suggested, as president, that this would be a good way to help out. And since it is the math club, their skills are best put to use in the box office."
Rodney snorted. "He said that since he was president he could make it an activity that they had to do."
"It doesn't really matter, does it? We now have people to run the box office all nights," John concluded.
"What did Mr. Quinn have to say about this idea?" asked Teyla.
"He was excited for it. He actually volunteered to be in charge of the box office for all the nights."
"Stairs are ready!" Harry yelled. "We're going to start with Jonathan's first entrance. The timing's off. Places people!"
And rehearsal was back on.
Rodney walked through the door in a huff. "Rodney, its not like it's that big of a deal. We're just going as friends. And why are you in such a tizzy about it?" asked Carson as he closed the door behind them. "Hi mum."
"Hi luvs. What's wrong with him?" Peg asked as Rodney closed his door.
"I really don't know what exactly is the problem. I think it might have something to do with me going to the dance with Laura," he said as he sat next to his mom on the couch.
"Dance with Laura? What is this all about?" she asked, putting her book down.
"Laura asked me to the Winter Dance next Saturday, as friends," he hastily added.
"I take it you said yes and that is when Rodney started this little fit of his?"
"Aye."
Peg patted his knee. "Why don't you go order something for dinner while I have a talk with Rodney."
"Pizza or something else?" he asked as he crossed over to the phone.
"I think pizza would be perfect for tonight. We can watch Monty Python as well. Don't forget to get some drinks as well. You boys finished the last what we had with John the other night."
Carson just nodded his head as he searched for the local pizza parlor's number. Peg meanwhile crossed over to Rodney's room and knocked. "May I come in?" Upon hearing a mumble, Peg opened the door and found Rodney face first on his bed. She crossed over and sat on the bed with him, startling him a bit.
"Are you going to tell me what's gotten you in this tizzy or am I going to have to start asking questions?" asked Peg as she ran her fingers through his hair.
Rodney was too startled and surprised to answer. His mother had never done this before so he was a little unsure of what was going on.
"Alright. Is this because of Carson going to the dance with Laura?" Peg asked, getting straight to the matter.
Rodney quickly sat up. "Why would that bother me? He can go to the dance with anyone he wants to."
"Who are you going with?"
"Teyla and I are going together as friends."
"Just like Carson and Laura?"
"Not quite since I know for a fact that Teyla only thinks of me as a friend, the same I feel about her, while Laura has less than friendly thoughts for Carson."
"How does Carson feel about Laura?"
Rodney started to say something, but then shut his mouth. "I really don't know. They seem friendly enough at rehearsal, but whenever she approaches him, he seems a little scared and looks over at me." He paused again. "But he could just be worried that I won't be nice to her."
Peg, who knew her son's feelings on the matter, smiled and started running her fingers through Rodney's hair again. "For someone so smart, you sure don't see what's right in front of your eyes." Rodney looked over at her with confusion in his eyes. "Carson doesn't deal well with strong women. My sister is a very strong person and he had some bad experiences with her as a child. And from what he's told me about this Laura, he is a little apprehensive around her since he is never sure what she is going to do. He will never think of her as more than a friend."
Rodney had a pensive look on his face. "That explains quite a bit. When he first meet Elizabeth, he was a little unsure around her."
"She does have a strong personality, but her kindness and the fact that she is a good friend to you, yes you," she added at his surprised look. "He's always thought highly of you, Rodney. And he wanted so much to get along with your friends that he tried to look past Elizabeth's strong personality. With positive results I'm glad to see."
"Elizabeth and Teyla really love him. They want to protect him almost as much as John and I do."
"I'm really glad to see he's got such good friends. I haven't seen him this happy in quite a while." At Rodney's questioning look, she added, "It's not my story to tell. Carson will tell you when the time is right."
Rodney nodded and fell silent again.
"Are you still upset that Carson is going to the dance with Laura?"
"I know I shouldn't be, but I am."
"If it makes you feel any better, I know if it were possible, he would rather go with you." Peg stood up then and crossed to the door. She smiled at the shocked look on Rodney's face. "Just take care of him, luv. That's all I ask. That you love him and take care of him when I can't. I'll call you when dinner gets here." She then walked out the door and closed it behind her. Rodney just sat there in shock. He never imagined that his feelings would be returned. He sat there in a state of shock until Carson knocked on the door about twenty minutes later.
"Rodney? Pizza just arrived." Upon seeing the look on his friends face, he crossed over and sat on the bed next to him. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"
Rodney looked up into the concerned look on his best friend's face. He looked a little harder and was surprised to find what could have been a loving look in those eyes. Remembering what Peg had told him, and quickly putting together hundreds of little instances over the past few weeks, Rodney made a decision. He reached up and placed his hand on Carson's cheek.
"Rodney?"
Rodney just smiled and leaned in and gently placed a kiss on his hopefully soon-to-be-boyfriend's lips. As he pulled away, he was shocked when Carson put his hand on the back of his head and pulled him in for another kiss, this time longer and with a lot more passion. When they broke apart due to lack of oxygen, they rested their foreheads together.
"Why didn't you tell me?" whispered Carson.
"Why didn't you tell me?" retorted Rodney.
"Good point."
"You really don't like Laura?" Rodney just had to ask.
Carson placed a quick kiss on the stubborn man's lips. "Ever since I met you, it was only you."
"Boys, your pizza's getting cold!" Peg shouted from the kitchen.
"We should go eat and talk after dinner," said Carson as he reluctantly got up, pulling Rodney after him.
"Quick question. Are we going to hide this from your mom? From our friends?"
Carson chuckled. "I don't think we have a chance in hell of hiding this from me mum. Just like I don't think we can hide it from John."
"You're right. But can we let him squirm and ask first. I want to see the look on his face," Rodney asked with an almost sadistic smile on his face.
"You really love tormenting him, don't you?' asked Carson as they left the room.
"He would do the same thing to me and you know it!"
"Aye that I do."
Peg looked over at the pair and smiled. "I see you two finally got your heads out of the mud?"
Rodney blushed but had to ask. "If it is a problem with me staying here now that you know how I feel about your son…"
Peg cut him off immediately. "Luv, I've known since before you moved in. It's no problem. Now, eat your food before it gets cold." She walked into the living room to put in a movie leaving two shocked boys standing in the kitchen.