A/N: This one is dedicated to all the Gibblets…
"You are the only one that needs to know. I'll keep you my dirty little secret. Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret. I hope that you can keep it. My dirty little secret. Who has to know? When we live such fragile lives, it's the best way we survive. I come around a time or two just to waste my time with you." - All-American Rejects, "Dirty Little Secret"
Breathing heavily, Sheppard glanced up at the clock. "Evie?"
"Hmm?" She didn't look up from where she lay, panting, snuggled in his arms.
"What time… you s'posed to be… in the Gate Room by?" he huffed, his fingers tracing lazy designs across her back.
"0930," she answered. "Why?"
"Sweetheart… it's 0932," he said, nudging her.
"What!" Evie quickly turned over to look at the clock on her bedside table. "Crap!" She threw the covers back and jumped out of her bed, searching for her clothes among the vestments that lay strewn across the floor. She grabbed various pieces that belonged to her and quickly put them on, ignoring the pleased smirk that her husband was giving her as he watched her hunt frantically for her clothes. "Pants," she muttered to herself. "Where are my pants? John, where did you throw my pants?" she asked, looking under the bed, but not finding her missing reg pants.
"Over there…somewhere," he said, waving his hand towards a corner of the room.
"Where! You could help me look, you know," she said, searching where he had indicated, but finding no pants.
"Are you kidding me? I'm wasted, little Miss Energizer Bunny," he grinned as he watched her continue looking.
"Oh, please," Evie groaned, rolling her eyes. "Aha!" She grabbed her pants from under the desk and quickly put them on. Then she grabbed her socks and shoes, jamming her feet into them. Glancing in the mirror, she quickly attempted to smooth her tousled hair. Then she dashed for the door, calling back a quiet, "Love you. Bye."
By the time Evie made it to the Gate Room, the rest of her team was there, ready and waiting. "I'm sorry I'm late, sir," Evie apologized to Johnson. "It won't happen again."
Johnson nodded. "Dr. Weir, we're ready to go," he called. Elizabeth ordered the Gate technician, and the Stargate began dialing. As the lights spun on the inner ring of the Gate, Johnson couldn't help but notice that Evie was breathing heavily; he knew that even if she had run all the way from her quarters, it wasn't very far. "Are you alright, Lieutenant?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. I was…jogging. Morning routine," she added quickly.
Summer snorted. "Since when?"
"I started last week," Evie answered, shooting her friend a mutinous glare.
Summer's eyebrows rose in realization and she covered with, "Oh. Good for you."
After resting in her bed for a few moments more, Sheppard got up and took a shower. Then he snuck out of her room and set off to find Elizabeth. "And just what left that grin on your face, John?" she inquired as he entered her office a few minutes later.
"'Top Gun,'" Sheppard answered perkily. "Really good movie."
Elizabeth smirked, obviously not buying his story, but decided to leave the subject alone. "So, how can I help you?" she asked.
"Actually, that's what I came in here to ask you," Sheppard answered, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm not going off-world until Thursday, so I was wondering if you had anything for me to do.
"Hmm…" Elizabeth thought for a moment. "Well, we're going to need several guys to help unload food crates when the Daedalus gets back tonight, but as for right now… Oh! Dr. McKay said that he could use some help in his lab, if you're up for spending the day with Rodney," she said with a smile.
"I guess I could," Sheppard said. "What's he working on?"
"No idea," Elizabeth answered, smirking. "Why don't you let me know?"
"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a wry smile.
Using the transporter, Sheppard arrived at Rodney's lab just a few minutes later. "Morning, Rodney," he greeted. "Elizabeth said you could use my help?"
Rodney frowned. "I don't need help," he assured. "But I could use a hand going over these equations to make sure they're correct. That is, if you can understand them," he sniffed.
Sheppard rolled his eyes and looked at the marker board that was covered in numbers and letters. "Okay, what have we got here?"
"I modified some Ancient calculations to see if we can…maximize--" He suddenly began sniffing at something in the air. "Is that…strawberries?"
'Oops,' Sheppard thought to himself. 'Knew I shouldn't have used the shampoo in the pink bottle.' "Uhh, I don't smell anything," he said quickly. "Go on."
Rodney sniffed one last time, then shook his head. "Weird. Anyways, the formula should maximize power efficiency in the jumpers." Sheppard sighed as Rodney went into a very, very detailed McKay-explanation.
XXXXXX
"Are we keeping you from something?" Caldwell asked with a sigh.
"Sir?" Sheppard looked up at him.
"That's the fifth time you've looked at your watch," he observed. "Are we keeping you from some pressing engagement?"
"No, sir," Sheppard answered, hefting another box. "Nothing important anyway," he lied.
Grabbing a crate and falling into step beside Sheppard, Michael asked, "Dude, you've been fidgety all evening, what's up?" When Sheppard didn't make an immediate reply, Michael commented absently, "I mean, it's not like you have a wife waiting for you…" Sheppard couldn't help but grin, and Michael couldn't help but notice how pleased the Colonel suddenly looked with himself. His eyebrows shot up. "Are you serious!" he all but squealed. "You married her?"
"Calm down," Sheppard whispered with an amused smile. "And don't tell anybody," he hissed. "Neither one of us wants a court-martial."
"Right, right." Michael nodded. "So, when did this happen?" he inquired quietly.
"When we went to Venalia last week," Sheppard softly answered.
"Ah. Well, congratulations," Michael said as they deposited the heavy boxes in the kitchen.
"Thanks," Sheppard grinned. "Any idea where she might be?" he asked as they exited the kitchen.
"Last time I saw her she said she was heading for Zelenka's lab, I believe," Michael answered.
"Thank you, very much," Sheppard said and set off in that direction. "Good evening, Lieutenant," he greeted with a smile as he entered the lab.
"Evening, sir," Evie returned perkily.
"How'd the mission go?" he casually asked her.
"Oh, you know," she said with a shrug. "Met some people, talked a lot, ate some food. And it was good food."
Sheppard chuckled. "No trade agreements, though?"
Evie shook her head. "Negative, sir. Their technology is very primitive. But they can cook some good food," she repeated, her eyes lighting up. She crossed over to stand next to him, brushing past Dr. Harmon in the process.
Noticing the smirk that was exchanged between his wife and the scientist, Sheppard asked, "Did something happen between you and Dr. Harmon?"
"Did something happen between you and that Chaya chick?" she questioned back, tilting her head to the side.
"Touché," he replied with a small grin. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. "But you never--?"
"No, we never," Evie reassured him. "Did you two ever--?"
"Well, it's been a long day. I'm off to bed," he said quickly.
Evie shook her head. "Kelso," she tried in her best Mexican impression, "you are a whore."
"Oh, you're just jealous," he teased with his trademark grin.
"Psh." Evie rolled her eyes. "Jealous of what?" she said, giving him a quick glance up and down. "You might think you're all that…"
Sheppard licked his lips, smirking. "Well, for not being 'all that', I sure had you behnng frrr nnh."
"Marc is six feet away," she hissed, keeping her hand pressed firmly over his mouth. When he mumbled something, she removed her hand. "Come again?"
"Almost getting caught gives it that extra edge, though. Don't you think?" he murmured with a grin.
Evie rolled her eyes. "I'm hitting the rack," she announced and turned to go.
"Oh, darn. And I had the most interesting idea…" he pouted.
Evie stopped and sighed. She turned back around to face him. "What?"
Sheppard grinned and leaned over to whisper in her ear, "So I was hoping we could……kitchen and then……chocolate and…" The softest of moans escaped her lips after a moment. Smirking triumphantly, Sheppard said quietly, "Follow me after five minutes?"
Evie nodded, the smoldering look in his eyes sending pleasant chills down her spine. 'Evie,' she thought to herself as she watched her husband leave, 'you're officially the luckiest girl alive.'