It was Wednesday, and Rodney was nervous. The dance was on Saturday and nothing had really been discussed. Which is why he was relieved when Laura came over after rehearsal and demanded that they decided what the plan of action was for Saturday.

Carson looked a little startled at her abrupt arrival and didn't reply. Which was probably good since he knew what Rodney did, which was nothing.

"I'm using the van for the night and picking up Elizabeth and then all of you guys at Carson's," John started.

"You are?" asked Carson.

"It makes sense. If your dates meet you there, then there will already be four people at one house."

Laura looked confused. "Why would Teyla meet Rodney at Carson's?" she asked.

"That's where I live," Rodney replied with a little sarcasm and pride. (The pride was evident when he draped an arm around Carson's shoulder.)

"Oh." Laura still looked confused.

"Anyways. So you'll be picked up at Carson's. Do you know how to get there?" asked John.

"No," Laura replied.

Carson got out a piece of paper and started to draw a map and write directions. "Continue explaining. I'll get this to you when I'm done." Rodney looked over his shoulder and 'helped' draw the map.

"Okay, so after we are all picked up,"

"At what time?" interrupted Teyla.

"Uh, five thirty sound good? Dance starts at eight. That should give us plenty of time to eat dinner."

"Where exactly will dinner be?" Elizabeth asked.

"I was just getting there," John said with a look. "So dinner will be at The Athos. After dinner, we will go to the dance and have fun. I will then drop everyone off at their prospective houses, unless you are staying with someone else," he said, looking at Teyla and Elizabeth.

"Sounds like a plan," said Elizabeth.

"Here you are," Carson suddenly said as he pushed a piece of paper in front of Laura. "If you have any questions, me number's at the bottom."

"Thanks." She got up and gave Carson a kiss on the cheek, much to the amusement of John, Teyla, and Elizabeth and the annoyance of Rodney.

"I told you she liked you!" yelled Rodney. "And you probably like her too! This is great! Just so you know, I will fight for you, don't think I won't!"

Since Carson figured that Rodney could ramble on for hours, he did the only thing he could think of to shut him up: he grabbed him and gave him a very passionate kiss.

"Wish I had someone to kiss me like that," Teyla commented while fanning herself.

When they broke apart, Carson leaned his forehead against his boyfriends and commented, "She can like all she wants. I only have eyes for you."

Rodney felt himself start to tear up so to stop them from falling (or from at least John seeing them), he brought his lips back into contact with the very soft ones just centimeters from his.

"John? Dad, oh geez guys! I see enough of this at home!" Jon said as he came around the corner.

Carson and Rodney broke apart. "Well, that's not our fault."

Jon just rolled his eyes. It didn't really bother him; he just liked to tease Rodney, like everyone else in the cast (well, really the school). "John. Dad has to push back the annual football BBQ to six instead of four on Sunday."

"Okay, what for?"

Jon blushed. "He, uh, lost a bet with Daniel."

"I don't want to know, do I?" John asked.

"Probably not."

John shook his head. "See ya tomorrow?"

"Of course." Jon left with a wave of his hand.

Carson looked at Rodney and started, "I'm confused."

Rodney flapped his hand. "Coach O'Neill and Mr. Jackson are partners, lovers, whatever. They've been together now for the better part of the decade."

"Ah. That explains a lot actually."

The night of the dance was finally upon them. Peg was excitedly walking around taking pictures of her boys in their nice suits. Carson was wearing a dark charcoal grey suit with a pale blue dress shirt while Rodney was wearing a black suit with a three quarter length jacket and a dark blue dress shirt. Rodney choose the blue shirt once he learned that Carson would also be wearing blue. It was the closet he could get to matching his boyfriend without being too obvious that that was what he was trying to do.

They got the pictures of the two of them out of the way first before Teyla and Laura were to arrive. When Teyla and Laura did arrive, Peg was still a little picture happy. It became even worse when John and Elizabeth arrived.

It did amuse everyone that John and Elizabeth were matching with John in his black suit and maroon dress shirt and Elizabeth in a strapless, full length maroon dress. They even had matching red roses for their flowers. It really was sappy and they were teased to no end until John pointed out that Rodney and Carson were also matching. Rodney bustled like a peacock at that remark and threw his arm around Carson's shoulder. Carson just rolled his eyes.

Laura, who was angry with herself for not wearing the light blue dress and instead going with her lavender knee length one, glared at Rodney, which only Peg and John saw.

Teyla, who was wearing an off the shoulder cream colored dress, said, "Should we not be heading out?"

"Yeah, we probably should. Come on guys," John said, holding his arm out for his date.

"You kids have fun tonight," Peg said as they headed out the door. "Rodney, I expect you to watch out for my son."

"Mum!"

"Always," he answered with a smile. He then turned and dropped a kiss on Carson's cheek.

"He's my date for the night, thank you very much," Laura said as she pulled Carson away from Rodney and into the van.

"I think we might need to watch out for her," Teyla quietly said as she slipped her arm through Rodney's on the way to the van.

"You think?"

"We are on your side, Rodney," she said quietly as they entered the van.

Rodney looked in the backseat where Laura and Carson were sitting and into the frightened face of his boyfriend. He gave him a smile since there was really nothing he could do right then and there. When he got in his seat, him, Teyla, John, and Elizabeth all exchanged glances. They were now united in their quest to keep Laura from Carson all evening. John was very angry about this situation, especially since Laura had told him after the football game against Genii that she would help him get Rodney and Carson together. And now that they were together, she seemed to be doing everything she could to get them apart.

The only sound in the van on the way to the restaurant was Laura who was chatting up a storm to a very silent Carson in the back seat. Rodney was slowly starting to loose his sanity and it was only the presence of Teyla beside him that made him keep his cool.

When they got to the restaurant, the car was not even off before Carson was out of his seat and out the door. He hurried towards the Athos like hell was on his heals, and for him, it was. When Rodney caught up with him just inside the door, he was startled when Carson grabbed him and led him toward a semi-private corner and gave him a quick, hard kiss.

"She's scaring me. I can't take another minute of that. She was never like this before."

Rodney was a little worried about the panic in Carson's eyes. "It alright. We're going to try to keep you two apart for the rest of the night. I really don't know what's gotten into her. I've never seen her like this before as well."

Carson took a couple deep breaths to pull himself together before smiling and giving Rodney another kiss. "Sorry, I really needed that. But now we have to behave."

"Easy for you to say," mumbled Rodney as he followed Carson back into the lobby, staring half way between the floor and the back of Carson's head.

"Carson, what's wrong?" Laura asked coming over to him.

"Car sick," he lied.

"John, party of six?"

"Love reservations," stated John as they followed the hostess to their table.

Rodney was very happy with his friends when they arranged for Teyla to be sitting between Laura and Carson. Even more so since he was on Carson's other side. Laura, on the other hand, was not thrilled, especially since she had John on her other side of the round table and she knew that he was probably not very happy with her right now.

Dinner was at least semi pleasant. Or it was after Laura figured out that everyone was a little friendlier to her when she wasn't trying to flirt with Carson. Laura also finally figured out that she had no chance with Carson. The looks and inside jokes between him and Rodney was enough to convince her of that.

"Laura? May I speak to you?" Teyla asked as they were heading back to the van after dinner.

"Sure."

"I'm sure you are aware that Rodney and Carson are dating," Teyla simply said.

"Yeah, I know. I also know that I've been out of line. I thought that maybe it was just a passing thing. I mean, it is Rodney. I mean, he's a great guy, he just drives everyone insane sometimes."

Teyla smiled. "That he does. But he is my friend and Carson is good for him."

"I know that too. I didn't really see it before tonight, maybe because I didn't want to, but I see it now. I won't try to get Carson for myself anymore."

"Good."

It wasn't until they were almost to the van that Laura asked, "He really wasn't car sick earlier, was he?"

"No. He is not particularly fond of forceful personalities. I believe you were making him uncomfortable."

"Oops."

Once they were all in the van, Elizabeth put in the best of Queen album to get them in a dancing mood. They pulled into the parking lot of the school with Bohemian Rhapsody blaring from the speakers, which earned them glares from the five rap fans at the school.

The dance was a huge success. The music was great since they were trying to play music from artists who were from the Northwest.

Everyone was amused when John did not let Elizabeth stray far from his side, preferring to keep an eye on her in case "someone tries to steal her away." Once Laura explained and apologized to Carson and Rodney, their evenings became that much better for it. By the end of the night, Teyla, Laura, Carson, and Rodney had all danced with each other at least twice. (John wouldn't let anyone else dance with Elizabeth, even their friends.)

Carson was quite surprised when he was out dancing with Teyla that he saw Mr. Jackson and Coach O'Neill dancing very close together in the middle of the students.

Teyla saw the question on his face and answered for him, "They claim they can keep a better eye on the students if they are in the middle of them."

"Kinda hard to keep and eye on the students if your eyes are closed."

"It is usually the students who have to call them on their behavior, not the other way around." And sure enough, not thirty seconds later, when O'Neill's hand wandered a little to far south, Radek, who was dancing near by, yelled "hands" to the amusement of everyone around and the embarrassment of the teachers.

Radek then came over to them and asked, "May I cut in?" Getting a nod, he grabbed Carson and started dancing with him, leaving his previous dancing partner, Peter, to dance with Teyla.

"This had better not be a plot to get Rodney jealous again, Radek," warned Carson.

"But he's so fun and predictable when he's jealous." And sure enough, as Radek pretended to place his hand on Carson's ass, Rodney showed up and grabbed his boyfriend.

"Radek, where's Lindsey?" Rodney asked, wanting his friend to leave Carson alone.

"She got the hiccups."

"Again?"

Radek just shrugged.

When John dropped them off after the dance, they had too much energy to go to sleep. They ended up in Carson's room playing poker (not strip) until they both fell asleep on the bed.

The next morning Carson decided he could get used to this. Waking up with Rodney in his arms was very nice. Almost as good was the look Rodney gave him when he finally did wake up.

"Morning," Rodney said quietly as he placed a kiss on Carson's shoulder, too lazy to move much further.

"Morning," he answered before placing a kiss on the top of Rodney's head.

"This is very nice."

"Aye. A person could get used to this."

Rodney stayed silent. His hand however started to wander across his 'pillow.'

"Rodney," moaned Carson as Rodney's hand went lower, but not quite low enough. Carson had enough with the teasing and pulled Rodney's head up for what he believed what a proper good morning kiss. And then some.

When they finally left the room about an hour later, they found a note waiting for them.

"Hope you had a good time at your dance last night. Thought I'd let you two sleep in. I have some errands to run and will be back before dinner. I'll pick something up on the way home. If you boys could do the laundry and clean the house, I would really appreciate it and might consider bringing home the chocolate you like so much, Rodney!"

"What about me?" Carson asked. "I am her son after all!"

"She just loves me more," replied Rodney before giving Carson a kiss.

"More likely she knows I'll actually do the work without a bribe."

"That too."

In between making sure the house was clean, they sat on the couch and 'watched' a few movies. When what they really did was sit on the couch and get to know each other's bodies a little better. By the time Peg got home, Rodney was very frustrated.

"I have some news," she said over dinner.

"What?" asked Carson when she didn't continue.

Peg set her drink down with a sigh. "Mary is coming to stay a week for Thanksgiving. She says she wants to experience this holiday with us."

Carson paled. "Are you serious? She's not staying here, is she?"

Peg nodded. "Kayla is coming with her as well."

Rodney looked confused. "Who are these people?"

"Mary is me sister and Kayla is her daughter."

"Ah." Rodney looked over at the panicked look on Carson's face. "So then what's the problem?"

"Mary is the sister I told ye about, the one with the strong personality. She really doesn't know when not to say things, as well."

"So they'll be staying here?" asked Rodney.

"Aye. I was thinking that ye could stay with Carson for that week, if that's alright."

"Oh, that's no problem. For me at least," he hastily added.

"Carson, luv?"

"Hm? Oh, no problem."

Rodney and Peg exchanged a glance. "I'm really sorry about this, luv."

"It's fine, mum. Really. But please don't feel offended if I spend a majority of that week in my room."

"Not at all. I wish I could do the same thing sometimes. She's my sister and I love her dearly, but sometimes I think that her brain and mouth are not connected."