The next few weeks flew by very quickly. For once, Carson was saddened to see his aunt leave. He asked Kayla why she seemed a little different before they left and was shocked to hear that it was because she had a been in a car accident a few months back and while she was in the hospital, she had taken a good look at her life and realized that she needed to change a few things.

Carson and Rodney soon found that they really had no time to do anything together but fall into bed at night exhausted. Since it was their senior year, the teachers decided that they should give them a small taste of college and assign large assignments that require lots of outside work. So between that and rehearsals, life was very hectic.

But finally the big day was upon them. Opening night. The cast had not been told exactly how many of the tickets they had already sold, but they knew it was quite a bit. It was right before they were to start that Harry came back and told them. "Didn't want to tell you this earlier, but we've sold out."

"What!" "You're kidding!" "That's fantastic!"

Harry nodded. "We've sold out of every performance this week and still have people wanting tickets. If you guys were up for it, I was thinking that we could do some more shows in January. I don't want an answer now, but think about it. We'll talk more after tomorrow's performance. Oh, and break a leg!"

Excitement quickly filled the room. There was not one person who didn't want to do this all over again in January. They were having too much fun for it to be all over with in a week.

Finally, it was show time. And it went perfect. There was so much energy flying around on stage and in the audience that everyone was feeding off each other. When the cast members were interacting with the audience after the show, they were shocked to learn that Aiden was there.

"You guys did great!" he said.

"You're looking good," John said as he gave him a hug.

"I feel tons better. Last time I was checked, it was almost gone."

"That's good to hear," said Teyla.

"Oh, McKay, what's this I hear about you finally finding someone to date you?" Aiden teased.

Rodney, knowing it was all in jest, gave his friend a fake glare. "Ha ha ha. Very funny. I'll have you know I'm a prize. Aren't I, Carson?" he asked as he turned to the person he found who would date him.

Carson just quickly turned to Elizabeth on the other side of him and started asking about the weather.

"Oh, I see how it is. Fine. Be like that. We'll see if I actually sleep with you tonight."

Aiden's jaw dropped.

Carson turned back around and wrapped Rodney up in a hug. "Oh, ye will. Or else ye'd be punishing yourself."

Aiden just pointed and tried to say something.

"Yes, Rodney is dating the very hot Scottish man. Yes, Rodney is sleeping with the very hot Scottish man," Rodney said slowly, trying to cover up the fear that Aiden would no longer speak to him since he now knew he was dating a man.

Aiden turned to John. "Why the hell did you not warn me!"

John started to say something, but Aiden plowed ahead.

"How the hell does Rodney McKay loose his virginity before the rest of us!"

The crowd around them went silent. Rodney blushed and buried his head in Carson's neck. "He just had to yell it, didn't he," he mumbled. Carson just kissed the top of his head.

"That's what you're angry about?" asked John. "That he got some before we did?"

"Well, yeah! I want to know how the hell that can happen, how the geek gets laid before the jock."

"Hey now," Rodney started.

Aiden turned to the couple. "Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for you guys, but really, you have to be wondering the same thing."

Rodney was silent before saying, "It did cross my mind at one point. But then all thoughts left my head, so I didn't think about it anymore."

John and Aiden shook their heads. "Didn't need to hear that, thank you very much."

"What? I fell asleep. What the hell were you guys thinking?" Carson whispered in his ear. "Oh. No, that was before I thought that."

John just shook his head and changed the subject.

It was closing night of their first run. They had already made over five thousand dollars in ticket sales, four hundred in concessions, and five hundred in donations. With the two weeks they were going to run in January, they were hoping to have seventeen thousand dollars for Aiden's hospital bill. When the cast learned that, they were overwhelmed. They never imagined that they would make that kind of money. Harry did point out that they were only making that much because everything had been donated. They didn't care, they just wanted to celebrate! The fact that they were now on winter break made the cast party that much more festive.

"What are your plans for break?" Radek asked Rodney as they stood against a wall.

"I plan to relax. Just enjoy being with Carson."

"Are you going to be seeing your family at all?"

Rodney looked into his cup as if it held all of life's answers. "Jeannie wants to spend some time together when she's in town."

"What about your parents?"

"I got an email from my mom last week. She said that my grandma set up an account for me to help pay for college. She gave me the information and then told me to have a good life and not to mess it up."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I place all the blame on them."

"Were do you want to go for college?"

"I always wanted to go to MIT or Stanford. But now I think I just want to go where Carson is going."

Radek just shook his head. "You have got it bad my friend."

"I know."

"Rodney! Radek! Stop being wall flowers and get your asses out here!" yelled John from across the room.

"Guess we had better go be social," Radek commented as he pushed off the wall and went to talk with their friends.

Rodney stayed for a bit just looking at everyone around him. When his gaze landed on Carson, he was surprised to have it returned. He smiled and went over to join his boyfriend in talking about the newest gossip about a few of their teachers.

"So, I was thinking," Rodney said suddenly while he was Christmas shopping with Carson and Peg.

"Oh no. Should we be scared?" asked Peg.

"No, I was just realizing that I don't know what your plans are for Christmas."

Carson and Peg gave each other a confused look. "What are you talking about?" Peg asked.

"I don't know how long you celebrate Christmas, so I was just wondering so I know how long I have to find a place."

"What do you mean, find a place? You have a place," Carson said.

Rodney stopped and looked at the Beckett's. "You're not kicking me out for Christmas?"

"Why would we go and do a daft thing like that?" Peg asked. "You live with us. And even if you weren't dating my son, I still wouldn't kick you out, especially at the holidays."

Rodney just stood there with his mouth open, trying to say something.

"Oh, luv, what an awful childhood you must have had," Peg said as she scooped him up into a hug. "You are a part of this family now and we don't kick our family members out."

By now, silent tears were falling down Rodney's face. For the past five years, the relationship with his parents was unpleasant, to say the least. He had thought that the relationship he had with his parents was the type he would have with all parents, since John's parents didn't seem to want him around either. But to learn that just his parents didn't love him, well, it hurt.

When he finally stopped crying, Rodney quietly said, "Thank you."

Peg gave a pained sort of smile. "I only wish I could do more."

Rodney just nodded and grabbed onto the first topic he could think of to change the subject. "I think we need to get John a stuffed pink teddy bear for Christmas."

Carson smiled and linked his fingers through Rodney's. "You do realize that he is getting you teddy bears as well, I think the last count was five."

"Elizabeth told me as much. Which is why we must find him an outrageous one."

"Why don't you just get him a very large one?" asked Peg.

"I wouldn't know, oh. My. God. That's perfect!" exclaimed Rodney as they walked into the store that was selling a five foot tall bear. They even had a pink one.