"Strange as it seems she's the one I'm after. 'Cause she's bittersweet, she knocks me off of my feet. And I can't help myself; I don't want anyone else. She's a mystery, she's too much for me. But I keep coming back for more. She's just the girl I'm looking for." - The Click Five, "Just the Girl"
"Wow, I'd forgotten how crazy Americans were in traffic," Summer commented as she watched several of the drivers exhibiting obvious road rage.
"We're crazy at everything," Evie joked. Summer made a reply, but Evie wasn't listening. She missed Sheppard. She became attached to people very quickly, and didn't do well being away from anyone that she liked, let alone loved. They hadn't hadanything more than their usual "co-worker" contact and occasional chat sessions since the night three weeks ago when Sheppard had informed her that he loved her. Evie had been fine with the limited contact, but now she, Summer, and Michael had just spent eighteen days cooped up on the Daedalus with the likes of Colonel Caldwell. To say Evie missed Sheppard was putting it lightly.
She missed the way he could make her melt with just one kiss. She missed the expression on his face when they flirted. She missed his smile. She even missed that unruly, sticking-out thing that his hair did. She missed the way he made her laugh…
"You're kidding me!" Evie said with a giggle. "The natives got him drunk enough that they were able to put him in a dress?"
Grinning widely, he said in a pouting Hispanic accent, "Oh, like you never woken up in a dress before."
Evie laughed. "That is the best impression of Fez I've heard in a long time," she complimented. That show cracks me up."
"More than 'Gilligan's Island'?" Sheppard asked.
"No. Gilligan is funnier. Cuter, too," she answered. "But nothing beats Fez in that dress."
"'You mean nobody is going to get drunk and put on a dress?' 'Hey, Fez, you want a beer?' 'Sure!'" Sheppard quoted and Evie laughed again. "Here. One hundred pounds fresh from whatever the hell country I am from." With each new quote making Evie laugh harder, Sheppard just kept on going. "You have done a horrible thing with a children's toy. So…when do we meet your new fellah? Good day. I said, 'Good day.' And by the way, I hope you do not have a good day." Watching her continue to giggle, he said, "Man, you're easily amused."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," she teased.
Sheppard grinned. "And in answer to your previous question, 'Yes.' They seriously had him in a dress. Oh, and it was pink."
Evie laughed. "I would love to have seen that."
"Well," Sheppard said, leaning in closer. "If you swear never to tell a soul, I can show you the copy we made of the DV that we were able to take of him. He thinks he destroyed the only evidence."
"Ooh, your secret's safe with me," she said with a devilish grin…
"Earth to Evie," Summer called.
Evie snapped out of it. "Huh?"
"I said, I sure am glad we talked Dr. Weir into letting us come back home for a week, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Evie nodded. Since Summer, Michael, and Evie had yet to make a voyage back to Earth, Elizabeth had graciously given them a one-week vacation, plus travel time. "I'm hoping to hook up with some old friends."
"Totally."
"Oh my gosh, look!" Evie cried, pointing to one of the pedestrians and his canine. "It's a puppy! Isn't it crazy that it's been over three years since we've seen a dog?"
"Hard to believe," Summer said nodding. "Ah, here we go. Hannah's Bridal Outlet. This is where Tammy got her dress," she said as they stepped into the small boutique.
"Welcome," said a woman who approached them from the window display. "May I help you?"
"I'm looking for a dress," Summer said with a smile.
"Congratulations," the woman, her nametag read LaFawnduh, said. Noting that Summer was slightly older than the young brides to which she was accustomed, she asked "Which marriage?"
"Uhh, my first and last," Summer answered.
"That's what we all think," the woman replied dejectedly. "Right this way." She began walking in the direction of the gowns.
Summer looked over at Evie and raised an eyebrow. Evie just shrugged. "You noticed she doesn't have a wedding ring, right?" Evie commented.
Summer nodded. "But I could tell by the tanline that she used to,"she added sadly.
"Oh, cheer up," Evie said, bumping her friend's shoulder. "You and Michael will be together for forever."
"Yes, ma'am, we will be." Summer grinned.
Like a child waiting for a sibling or friend to return from camp, Sheppard had been marking off the days on his calendar, anxious for Evie to return. He sighed dejectedly. Twenty-three more days, and she'd already been gone nearly three weeks. Despite his best efforts to take things slowly, he had fallen for her hard. Wanting to ease some of his tension, he decided to go for some target practice.
Stepping into the room, he placed on the required safety glasses and ear protectors. Then, using his nine millimeter, he began firing into the target, each one a kill shot. He knew he didn't really need the practice, but it allowed him to concentrate on something other than how much he missed Evie. He missed her laughter and wit most of all. He smiled as he ejected the empty clip and reached for another. She had had several snappy comments on her last mission with him. Teyla had gotten sick at the last moment and when Elizabeth had allowed Sheppard to choose a replacement, he had, of course, selected Evie…
"How much farther, sir?" Evie asked after they had walked nearly four miles through the forest.
"Yeah, it's kinda hot out here," Rodney commented.
"According to the UAV, it should only be about two more miles," Sheppard answered. "Don't be whiny."
Evie looked over at Rodney and wiggled her eyebrows. "I'm tired."
Rodney immediately picked up on her intentions. "My feet hurt."
"How much longer?"
"When we gonna get there?"
"This is boring."
"I'm hungry."
Without turning around, Sheppard called back in a mock-warning tone, "Don't make me come back there."
Evie and Rodney exchanged amused grins. As they continued walking, Rodney's hand accidentally brushed Evie's. "You trying to hold hands with me, Lieutenant?" Rodney teased.
"No. Gosh, Rodney, quit fantasizing," Evie said, barely managing to keep her face straight. Sheppard smirked as they continued walking through the thick forest.
After a moment, Evie noticed that Rodney appeared to be pouting. "Relax, Rodney, I was just messing with ya," she said, bumping her shoulder against his. There was a sudden whooshing sound, as of something sliding quickly through the grass, and then Evie and Rodney found themselves being abruptly yanked off their feet, a thickly weaved net encompassing them and pulling them about ten feet up in the air.
The net, obviously intended for smaller prey, had them pressed against each other, despite Rodney's efforts to push away from Evie. "What's the matter, Rodney? You claustrophobic?" Evie asked with a grin, her face only inches from his. "Or is it just being in close proximity with a woman?" Before Rodney had a chance to answer, Evie called, "A little help!" to Sheppard and Ronon who had been several yards ahead of them.
The two men were already almost beneath the net when Evie yelled for them. "And just what do you two think you're doing?" Sheppard called, looking up at his two teammates dangling there helplessly.
"Oh, you know, we thought we'd hang out for a while," Evie answered sarcastically.
"Well, can you cut yourselves down?" he asked, trying to hide his amused smile.
"Maybe." Evie tried to reach her knife secured at her waist, but couldn't bring her hands around behind her back. "Rodney, I can't reach my knife. Think you can stop hyperventilating long enough to grab it?" she asked. Rodney nodded and attempted to reach around her. As he fumbled across her lower back, Evie couldn't resist teasing, "Rodney, what did I tell you about fantasizing?"
"Would you just hold still?" Rodney mumbled, his fingers finally grasping the desired weapon. "Got it!" Unfortunately, as he attempted to bring his hands back around, the knife slipped from his grasp. "Oops. Lost it."
"Oh, for pete's sake," Sheppard muttered when he saw the knife fall to the ground. Noticing that Ronon had already found the main cord tied to a trunk a few feet away and was standing near it with knife drawn, Sheppard said, "Hey, Ronon, think you could cut the rope and--" With a quick slash, Ronon severed the rope, Rodney and Evie falling the ground with muffled groans. "--let them down slowly. Right." Ronon shrugged and the two men approached the tangled heap. "You two alright?" Sheppard asked, trying to untangle his companions.
"I will be as soon as you get this heifer off me," Evie groaned from underneath Rodney.
"Heifer!" Rodney repeated, insulted, as he rolled off her with a pained grunt. He reached a hand up to Ronon. "Well, I nev--ooh!" Ronon yanked Rodney roughly to his feet. "Careful!" Rodney cried. "I think I might have cracked a rib," he said, examining his chest gingerly.
"You might have a cracked rib?" Evie asked incredulously as Sheppard pulled her up. "You didn't have a pudgy scientist lying on you."
"Pudgy! And, hey, I didn't ask to be the one on top," Rodney countered. Suddenly, his eyes widened in realization of what he had just said. The other three snickered for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Wait…I didn't mean…I…uhh, Evie?"
"Not helping you out of that one, McKay," she said with a giggle, shaking her head…
"Ugh, no," Summer said, waving the attendant away. "Not that one. If I wanted to look like a ragamuffin, I would have gone shopping at a thrift store." Nodding ashamedly, the woman quickly ran off to retrieve the desired dress.
"Be nice, Summer," Evie chastised her friend. "She's only trying to help."
Summer sighed. "I know, I know. I'm sorry." She slipped the pair of white sandals off her feet and reached for the next box of shoes they had selected. "This is just a really important decision, you know? I want to look beautiful for Michael." She slid her feet into the ivory stilettos and walked a few steps in them. "Definite no," she said, kicking them off.
"Girl, Michael would think you were beautiful if you came in barefoot, wearing a potato sack," Evie assured her.
Summer laughed. "True. True."
"Are you nervous?" Evie asked after a moment.
"Not right now, but I'm sure I will be," the other woman answered. "And I know Michael will be." She laughed suddenly. "Remember when he proposed?"
Evie giggled. "The poor dear. I'd been coaching him for days and he still blew it."
"He didn't blow it," Summer corrected, trying on another pair of shoes. "He just did it in his own unique way." She laughed again at the fond memory…
"This was so sweet, Michael," Summer said from where she lay on the blanket next to her boyfriend. They had flown to the mainland for a late afternoon picnic and Michael had played the perfect gentleman the entire time. "But, what's the occasion?"
"Well, it's Valentine's day, a-and I love you," Michael offered nervously.
"Aww, that's so thoughtful." Summer smiled. "I love you, too, babe," she said, resting a hand on his knee.
Reaching for the last piece of blueberry pie, Michael's shaking hand accidentally knocked over his glass of Kool-Aid(indeed, wine would have been more romantic, but neither one of them drank), spilling the crimson liquid all over Summer's blouse. Summer yelped, the cold drink soaking through to her skin.
"Oh, man, Summer, I'm so sorry!" Michael exclaimed, grabbing the rest of the napkins and handing them to her, not wanting to take the liberty of wiping off her chest.
"It's okay, Michael. I'll live," Summer said, blotting the red stains with the napkins. "This blouse has probably had it, but that's okay. I don't wear it much anyway," she said, trying to ease his tension; he looked like he was about to completely freak out. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, standing up to stretch out her shirt and wipe away the rest of the Kool-Aid. "You've been jittery all evening."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled. "I'd just hoped for a more romantic lead-in."
Summer's heart skipped a beat and her hands immediately stilled. "Lead-in for what?" she asked. Looking down, she noticed that Michael had raised himself up to one knee and was fumbling in his pocket. "Ohmigosh, Michael…" she breathed, the napkins falling from her grasp.
He finally managed to find the small box and yanked it from his pocket. "Summer," he murmured, opening the box to reveal a ring with a gorgeous diamond. "Will you marry me?" His green eyes looked expectantly into hers.
A slow smile spread across Summer's face and she began nodding, slowly at first, then more emphatically. "Yes!"
Michael breathed a sigh of relief. Grinning widely, he stood to his feet and slid the ring onto Summer's finger. Although it seemed rather redundant after proposing, Michael proclaimed it anyway. "I love you so much, Summer."
"Clearly," she joked, then replied, "I love you, too." Wrapping his arms around her waist, Michael pulled her into a passionate embrace, the gentle kiss soon turning into a much longer, questing one…
"So, Rodney," Sheppard said, idly wandering around McKay's lab, "What are you working on?"
"I'm trying to translate some more of the information in the Ancient database."
Sheppard grunted his approval and continued poking around with the equipment.
Rodney frowned. "Do you actually have any interest at all in what I'm doing, or are you just bored?" he asked, glancing up to watch Sheppard touch the different machines. 'He always has to touch…' Rodney mused to himself, returning his focus to the computer.
"Just bored," Sheppard answered, poking a button and causing a machine to start beeping.
"What did you do?" Rodney asked, annoyed, as he pushed away from the desk, rolling over to the beeping apparatus.
"Nothing," Sheppard said, holding his hands up innocently.
Rodney punched a few buttons on the expensive machine and the beeping ceased. He sighed as he turned to frown at Sheppard. "Don't touch anything, okay?"
Sheppard nodded and backed off. But only for a few moments. When Rodney returned to hunching over his computer, Sheppard began reading over his shoulder. "What's that mean?" he asked, pointing at a random symbol on the screen.
"It's a symbol the Ancients used for one of their enemies," Rodney explained, his patience wearing thin. "The Kray."
Sheppard nodded and then was quiet again for a whole minute. "What's that one?" he asked, pointing to the screen again.
"Look, Colonel, I'm trying to work here!" Rodney cried, exasperated. "Can't you go harass somebody else?"
"Sorry, sorry," Sheppard said, taking a step back.
"It's your day off," Rodney said, shooing him out of the lab. "Go do something."
"Fine. What do you suggest I do?" Sheppard asked, backing up.
"I don't know. I really don't care. Just let me work on this, okay?" Having pushed Sheppard out of the doorway, Rodney returned to his computer.
Sheppard snorted. Rodney needed to loosen up; it was his day off, too. He sighed, trying to think of something he could do to occupy his time. Perhaps he'd go to the rec room and play someone on the air hockey or foosball tables that had been brought back on one of the Daedalus's trips. Elizabeth had been convinced by Sheppard and several others that some form of recreation was needed, and so several game tables(along with a load of paintball guns) had been ordered. Walking into the room, Sheppard saw Zelenka beating Johnson miserably at foosball. Zelenka was the reigning champion at the game. And Evie was the reining "un-champion", as she liked to refer to herself…
"Lieutenant Brooks," Sheppard called into his radio. "Paging Lieutenant Brooks."
"Yes, sir?" Evie asked from her stance in the rec room, manning the foosball controls.
"We're debriefing in Elizabeth's office in fifteen," Sheppard informed her.
"I'll be there in a minute, sir. Right now I'm busy kicking Zelenka's butt at foosball." She grunted and Sheppard could vaguely hear the ball being shot back and forth.
He barely caught Zelenka's "I beg to differ, Lieutenant. It is I who am kicking your butt." The smirk was obvious in the scientist's voice. "Alright, Lieutenant," Sheppard said with a grin. "Any idea when you'll be done?"
"Well, this game should be ov-- Aww, what was that!" she cried. "That was in! That was so in!" Zelenka laughed gleefully in the background. "I swear he's got this table rigged. Anyways, we should be done soon. I'll come up as soon as we finish thi-- Don't do that! Darn you, Radek. Alright, c'mon. Best out of seventeen." Sheppard just laughed…
XXXXXX
The Daedalus returned right on schedule, twenty-three days later, and while Summer and Michael carefully put away their wedding clothes, Evie made a beeline for Elizabeth's office, hoping to find Sheppard there. Unfortunately, she did not. However, Elizabeth told her that Sheppard had just left a few minutes ago, saying something about turning in for the evening. "Would you like me to radio him?" Elizabeth asked.
"Oh, no, ma'am," Evie said quickly. "I'll find him." With that, she exited the room, leaving a very amusedly perplexed Elizabeth.
After knocking on his door and receiving no reply, Evie decided to check the balcony. He had mentioned once that he liked to watch the ocean when he was having trouble falling asleep. As luck would have it, she saw his silhouette framed against the sunset. Quietly sneaking up to stand behind him, Evie quickly covered his eyes. "Guess who?" she said.
Recognizing her voice, he decided to tease her with a quote. "Well," he said, bringing his hands up to hers and slowly feeling his way up her arms, "It's either Evie…or the cold, clammy hands of death."
Evie giggled and played along. "Iiiiiiiit's Evie!" she announced, removing her hands. Sheppard turned around and smiled at her. "So, did you miss me?" she asked.
"Nope. Not at all," he answered. "Teyla kept me company the whole time."
Evie pretended to be hurt by this remark. "Well, fine then. I'll just go see what Ronon's up to," she said, knowing that Sheppard knew that she found Ronon attractive, and turned to leave.
"Oh, no you don't," Sheppard murmured, grabbing her arm and yanking her against him. He captured her mouth, wrapping his arms around her waist. He deepened the kiss after only a few seconds, then picked her up, lifting her feet off the floor and swinging her around a few times.
"Wow," Evie managed when he set her down a moment later. "I missed you, too," she said breathlessly.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." He smiled.
"I was so just about to say that," she said with a laugh.
Sheppard grinned. "See? We do have a connection," he joked, gesturing between them. He slipped his arms around her waist and grinned. "Mmm, my cousin Jenny would never approve of such 'fraternization.'"
"Why not?" she asked, resting her hands on his arms.
"Oh, she's just evil like that." Evie smiled. "What do you say we go get some coffee?" he suggested. "We can catch up."
"I'd like that," she answered, smiling. Sheppard nodded, then brushed his lips against hers for one last kiss.
"Aww, how sweet," said a female voice behind them. Sheppard immediately jerked away and found himself staring at Summer. "The lovers reunite at last," she said with a grin.
"No, wait…uhh…" Sheppard tried his best to play it cool, but was failing miserably. "We didn't, uhh…I mean…it's not wha…"
Evie and Summer began laughing at him. Sheppard raised an eyebrow, utterly confused. "She already knew, genius," Evie said, chuckling.
"Oh." Sheppard's brow furrowed slightly as he tumbled this new information around in his mind. After a moment, he said, "In that case, Captain, would you care to join us for coffee?"
Summer shook her head. "Sorry, I can't. I have…plans to discuss with Dr. Weir." She finished with a broad grin.
Evie giggled and Sheppard nodded with a knowing smile. "I'm excited for you both," he congratulated.
"Thank you, sir," Summer said with a smile. "Well, you two have fun without me," she said, leaving the two lovebirds alone.