Part Two

now betaed asof 6/16/06

not mine don't sue

John's mood had done a 180 in less than two seconds. One moment he was feeling good about the day, the next he was ready to kill someone. Not just anyone, Rodney McKay.

The metal clanging under his boots only served to increase his annoyance, but he refused to slow down, his pace increased with his anger. After almost ten minutes of non-stop running John found himself at the entrance to his friend's lab.

He stomped in, covered with sweat, breathless and glared at McKay.

Rodney looked up from his laptop and gave him a bemused expression. The scientist sat up straighter so he could give him a once-over. "Can I help you Colonel?"

"Don't you dare play games with me right now McKay! This isn't funny! Now where is it?"

Rodney's hurt and baffled expression was all the confirmation he needed to realize how wrong his assumption had been. His friend couldn't lie and it appeared he had no idea what he was talking about.

"Ah crap. I'm sorry Rodney." John held his hands up in what he hoped his friend would see as a sign of sincerity.

"Okay...wanna tell me what the hell this is all about?"

John sauntered over to the chair in front of his friends desk and plopped down on it. He wiped some of the sweat from his brow and closed his eyes.

"It's missing."

"Colonel I don't-"

"The gift." John opened his eyes and tried to ignore his pounding head. "The one you caught me inspecting in the storage room. I had it under my bed and now it's not there. The box it was in was there but the contents...vanished."

"And you thought I took it?"

"You were the only one who knew about it. So I just...look I didn't think okay. I know not even you would do something like that."

"Thanks... I think." McKay shook his head and his gaze drifted back to his laptop.

"I'm such a screw-up." John muttered while standing up.

He was halfway to the door when he heard a sigh behind him. "Colonel this is important to you."

It wasn't a question.

John turned and met his friends stare. To his amazement there wasn't a trace of sarcasm in McKay's voice or expression.

"Yes." John admitted.

Rodney rubbed his hands together. "Okay then where do we start looking?"

"We?" John couldn't even begin to try and hide his shock.

"Look no one else knows, so you must have dropped it somewhere right? We can retrace your steps. One of us is bound to run into it."

"I'm supposed to meet Teyla in less than two hours Rodney there is no way.."

"Well we better get started then."

"Okay that's it." He stepped closer to his friend. "Who are you and what have you done with Rodney?"

"Ha ha. Very funny. You should have been a comedian instead of a soldier."

"There's the scientist I know!"

John got another death glare.

"No really though, why are you doing this?"

John might as well have asked him when the last time he had sex was for how uncomfortable McKay became. He looked like he was trying to crawl out of his own skin. "Look I just know she means...I mean I know how much you want to...oh...look I just want to help alright. Is that so hard to believe?"

John wanted to say "Yes" but he didn't. He was touched, not that he'd ever admit it. "Well we better get started then. "

McKay nodded and they headed out of the lab.

"If we want to find this in the next hour we have to move fast. You start-"

"Find what?" A melodic voice asked from not two feet behind them.

They both turned in unison and met Teyla's curious, yet lovely face.

She was wearing her sparring outfit, John loved that outfit. It also made it even harder to think of anything believable to say so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Naturally it sounded idiotic. Mckay didn't do any better.

"Oh nothing."

"Nothing at all."

"Just-"

"Going for a-"

"Walk"

"Meeting."

Teyla blinked several times and then her eyes narrowed. "I see."

Think fast John. "We were walking to a meeting."

"I was not aware of such a meeting."

Abs that perfect should be illegal. Focus. John tore his eyes away from her too perfect form and met her less suspicious stare.

"It's just some scientist thingy McKay and his fellow geeks wanted me to listen in on."

"Oh. Did you still want to go over that last mission report with me tonight?"

"Of course, but could we push it back another hour?"

"That is not a problem. I will see you in two hours then."

She smiled. He melted. Like always.

John watched her walk away until she turned a corner.

"She thinks you're going over a report with her?"

"Yep."

"You are so whipped." Rodney deadpanned.

"Am not!"

Rodney crossed his arms and stared at him.

"What?"

His friend shook his head.

"Oh come on let's get started."

"Whatever you say Colonel."

John bit back a smart ass remark. Instead, he told Rodney what rooms and corridors to check. They split up and headed in opposite directions, radios synched.

As John began searching a hallway he had passed through earlier, he couldn't help but think about the way Teyla's eyes would sparkle, the way her smile would take over her face, and the way her nose would crinkle if she laughed when he gave her, her gift.

The gift that he had had specially ordered, paid too much for, and that had been shipped halfway across the galaxy.

Rodney was right, like always. He was so whipped.

end part two

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