Anything with /'s inside quotes is being spoken in Czech.

Chapter 3

A few days after his talk with Rodney, Radek wandered the city at night, feeling her thrumming around him. His own gene therepy didn't take, so he wasn't as close to her mentally as Sheppard, or even Rodney. But he spent so much time with the city and her workings, more even than Rodney, and he felt the city. Sometimes when he was working alone, he'd talk to her. Always in Czech, his words were across between those for a lover and those to a child - soothing, comforting, confiding.

Eventually, his wanderings took him to the jumper bay. He had always liked this place, regarding each jumper as a delightful and beautiful puzzle to be solved and refined and made into sheer perfection. Until now, they were the closest thing he had to children.

Coaxing one of them open, Radek settled himself on the bench in the back, laying down, one leg on the floor. He tucked one hand under his head, the other resting on his stomach. Sometimes he fell asleep here, but never for very long. The little jumpers were a comfort to him, and he needed that right now.

A child. A child his own body was growing even as he thought. Again, his mind ran over the countless reasons he shouldn't have a child now. Then he asked himself the real question, the one Rodney had made him ask. Did he want to continue what had already been begun? Would he love, and care for and cherish the life inside him? His hand rubbed slow, small circles on his stomach, as if soothing the life under his fingers.

"I thought I was the only one who came to the bay at this hour." John Sheppard's voice was slow and quiet, and Radek could understand why Rodney felt as he did about the Lt. Colonel.

"Colonel, I'm sorry." Radek sat up, feeling almost as if he'd violated something – John was the only person he knew who cared for the jumpers as much as he did.

"S'okay, Radek. Stay." John settled on the bench across from the man. "If you don't mind some company. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who ... feels them," he said., studying the other man's eyes in the darkness. Something had happened to Radek recently, he knew that much. Between what Rodney hadn't said, and rumors he'd overheard from the infirmary, and a few well placed and technically illegal keystrokes, he had an idea of what it was. "I come here sometimes at night to think ... Or when I need to not think." That smile that Radek knew Rodney loved so much formed on his face. "Want to take her for a little spin?" he asked, studying the Czech, wanting to make him more at ease.

"I ... I do not wish to intrude but ... if you are willing ..." Radek nodded, liking the idea of taking a flight with the pilot, though he couldn't help but think Rodney might be jealous at the time spent with "his" Colonel.

In the front seats, John informed the gateroom that they were taking the jumper on a quick planetary run, to test a few modifications, winking at Zelenka as he spoke. They were cleared for launch, and without another word, John guided the jumper into the air. He set a course for the small Lantean moon and sat back. "Radek?"

"Yes, Colonel?" Radek had one hand splayed on the panel before him, not in nervousness, but a simple feeling of the jumper.

"If I'm out of line with what I say, I apologize. I've put a few things together the last ... week or so ... Some things Rodney said ... a few files I'm not supposed to have read ... a rumor or three ... From all that I've been hearing, I can come up with one of two conclusions. One ... Rodney got some girl on Atlantis pregnant," Radek saw a twitch in the Colonel's eye that could have been jealousy. "Or ... you and he touched some weird Ancient machine and now you're thinking about whether or not to have a kid because of it. Considering the way things go around here, I'm thinking option two is actually the more likely one."

Radek knew better than to be surprised, and he wasn't, really. The colonel was a lot smarter than anyone thought for. "I should talk to Andersen about increasing computer security," he grumbled a little, neither confirming nor denying what had been guessed at. The rumors didn't surprise him, with the fuss Rodney had made about pregnancy tests in the infirmary And he knew Rodney tended to babble, especially when the Colonel stood there and let him, as he was inclined to do. He should have figured the somewhat maverick colonel would also be able to crack into a few computers.

"I just wanna let you know that whichever you decide, I'll support you. I know Elizabeth will, too, but she has no idea what's going on with you right now, by the way." He wanted to put the nervous looking Czech at rest. "No one does. Carson I imagine does being the doctor and all, but the only other people around here with enough information and brains to figure it out right now are you, me and Rodney."

Radek sat in silence for a long while after nodding that he understood what Sheppard was saying. "Thank you, Colonel. Your support is appreciated. Rodney has ... already tried to talk me into keeping the child, in spite of the many reasons why it's not a good idea."

John gave a soft chuckle at that. "Sounds like Rodney. If my information is correct, half of the starter material came from him. Between the two of you, the kid will be smart enough to build nuclear bombs in the second grade."

"I do not think she will wait that long," Radek said with a laugh, then he felt an odd chill. Not only was the child no longer "it", but a little girl. A gentle clutch in his abdoman cemented the decision for him, though he said nothing right now.

The two rode in silence for a while, curving gently around the Lantean moon and heading back.

"Thank you again, Colonel. You have helped me a good deal with this, tonight. Now," Radek took a deep breath. "If I may return the favor ..." He paused, waiting for a response from the other man.

John said nothing, turning to get a better look at Radek, an eyebrow raised.

"If I am out of line, please tell me, but ... We both know Rodney will never make the first move. If you want him, you cannot wait for him to come to you."

John was silent for so long after this, Radek worried he'd overstepped his bounds, and sank back into his seat a little. "I am sorry, that was wrong of me to s-"

"No, it wasn't, Radek. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run silent on you there. I just wondered if I was being that obvious."

"Not really, no. It is Rodney who is obvious, to me. You, I had to look for, and I watched you for a long time. He cares for you more deeply than he will say, even I think to himself."

"Rodney has good friends," Sheppard finally said with a smile.

"Better than he deserves," They both chuckled at that, and rode back to the city in a companionable silence.

Rodney woke at the insistent chiming of his door, turning onto his back, covers tangled around his legs. He managed to kick them off and grabbed his robe, tugging it on around his shorts and t-shirt he'd worn to bed. "What is it?" he growled drowsily, letting the door open. His jaw slacked a little at the sight of John standing there. "Something, Colonel?" he asked, stepping aside automatically to let the other man in.

"Yeah, actually. I just had a nice little talk with a mutual friend, and I just wanted to say something before I went to bed."

Rodney tried to hide the shivers at that slow fingers-down-his-spine drawl John employed. "Oh? And what was that? Couldn't it wait until mor-mph!" His mini-tirade was cut off by John's lips, and he realized the pilot's arms were around him. He had barely started returning the kiss when it ended.

"Dammit, Colonel!" He growled, keeping his hands on John's biceps. "Why did you do this now? Three am when I'm barely awake? We're continuing this discussion in the morning," Rodney growled, gripping John's shirt as he stalked back to bed. He really was entirely too tired for this – he'd been covering for Radek and stretching himself even thinner than usual the last few days. As much as he wanted to indulge in the dream that was settling into his bed, Rodney needed sleep and his body wasn't allowing anything else.

John chuckled as they settled on the narrow bed, John spooned behind Rodney, who was asleep even before they finished settling.