Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate: Atlantis or any of it's characters.

A/N: This chapter is the conversation that Sarah starts to hear at the end of Tired and I'm such a dork I forgot to fix the authors notes on the last chapter, the next chapter after this one is going to end with a big shock.

Casually strolling into the mess hall at 0600 hours Friday morning, Sgt. Chris Bates was in a very good mood. He quickly took to getting himself breakfast before his shift started, as he approached the food line he noticed that Lt. Col. John Sheppard was just ahead of him in line.

After a few moments Chris notices that Col. Sheppard keeps looking at him, "is there a problem, Sir?"

The Colonel's lips twitch up into a mischievous smirk, "new girlfriend, Bates?"

Chris's eyes widen, as an unintelligible, "ah," spills from his lips, "I'm not sure how exactly to answer that and how did you know?"

"You were humming and you had this very uncharacteristic little smile on your face," John says his smile getting a little bigger.

Just at that moment Lt. Laura Cadman walks up to the line to get breakfast, "morning Sir, Sgt. Bates," she says cheerfully, "how are you two today?"

"Well I'm quite sure I'm not doing as well as the Sergeant here," John says with his usual boyish grin.

Laura looks at Chris questioningly, "I met someone alright, it's no big deal," Chris says trying to hide his embarrassment.

However, Col. Sheppard decided to inform Laura with that same mischievous smirk as before, "he was humming."

Laura laughs out loud, "I guess that explains why neither of you showed up last night," she says her mouth settling into a grin.

Chris narrows his eyes at her, "you should mind your own business."

John and Laura start laughing, "you know who it is, alright Cadman spill, who's the woman that's put Bates into such high spirits."

Laura smiles at the Colonel, "sorry Sir, but if the Sergeant doesn't want you to know I think that I should respect his privacy," but she add sarcastically, "besides I can't imagine she'd want anyone to know she was crazy enough to be interested in him."

Chris glares at her, "uh thanks I do have some good qualities too you know and besides that would be like asking what does Dr. Beckett sees in you."

Laura just smiles at him, "I was just kidding and I see you've returned to your normal cheerful self. Besides I was there when you two met remember, I noticed the sparks between you."

Chris gets a slightly embarrassed look on his face, "could we just drop the subject of my love life please."

John and Laura fall silent for several moments, but then Laura can't stand the silence anymore, "so are you going to see her again?"

Chris lets out a frustrated little sigh, "Cadman I asked you to drop it."

Laura just gives him a sickly sweet smile, "you know Bates I checked the duty roster we're buddied up for security detail today and I can keep this up all day so I'd probably be easier for you to just answer my questions now."

Chris just looks over at John, "Sir seriously how did Dr. Mckay survive having her inside his head."

John just laughs as he walks away from the food line, Chris quickly walks over to an isolatedtable hoping to get away from Laura's annoying questions but of course she follows him and to his surprise Col. Sheppard comes along as well.

"Alright I know why she followed me over here but Sir come on my love life couldn't possibly be that interesting," Chris says as the other two sit down at the table.

Tilting his head to the side John contemplates Chris's statement for a moment, "actually there hasn't been any really good gossip recently, other than people speculating as to why that Asgard from the deadalus feinted last night, so you hooking up with a woman is actually pretty interesting."

Chris blinks at the news that Hermiod had fainted, "you're agossip and the Asgard feinted is he alright?"

"Haven't heard anything yet and nice try at changing the subject," Laura started, "and you still haven't answered my question are you going to see her again?"

A faint smile comes to Chris's lips, deciding it's just easier to give in than listen to her go on like this all day, "I don't know… but I hope so."

"You really like her don't you," Laura asks with a big smile.

Chris looks away trying to hide the sudden smile that develops on lips, quickly regaining his composure, "yes I like her."

"Excellent, so what did you two end up doing, since neither of you ever showed up at the party?" Laura asked still not losing her smile.

A little lopsided grin comes to Chris's features, "we just talked… for hours, actually it was really nice."

Laura smile proceeds to become a full fledged grin as she asks her next question, "so did you kiss her?"

"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell," Chris says cryptically as he takes a bite of his eggs.

Laura's eyebrow raises at Chris's response, "so then you kissed her," she says more like a question than a statement. Chris doesn't respond he just continues to eat his eggs, "fine I'll just ask her myself when I go down to the infirmary later to see Carson, I'm sure she'll be there since Hermiod's sick."

John's eyes widen at Laura's statement, "you're seeing a scientist! I am so glad I sat down the gossip factor on this just shot up like 90 percent."

Chris shakes his head feeling slightly embarressed at the Colonel's outburst, "you might want to say that again a little louder Sir, I don't think they heard you all the way to the control room."

John opens his mouth to speak but stops short when suddenly someone near the table clears their throat making all three of the occupants look up, they'd been so wrapped up in their conversation that they hadn't even noticed the other presence.