Another chapter! Sorry this is taking me so long!


Weir rose to her feet. "I'm going to go see if I can talk to him. But so help me John Alexander Sheppard, you put so much as one toe out of line and you WILL pay for that..." she warned. "Oooh, you're in trouble..." Carson observed. She shot him a look. "Carson Alan..." she growled.

"We're both in trouble...let's leave it at that." Sheppard offered. The Scotsman nodded vigourously and Elizabeth had to laugh at the pair. "Keep going with those plans, boys...I think you both owe Rodney an EXCELLENT party..."

The two men looked at each other as their CO left the room. "I'm a doctor, not a bloody party planner!" Carson groused.

John chuckled. "Easy there, Doctor McCoy...we'll figure something out."

A low growl escaped Carson's throat, but he nodded briskly and they went back to figuring out just what they were going to do for Rodney. As the plans began to take shape, Beckett's eyes widened. "What on earth are we going to do for presents?" he cried in alarm.

"Aw hell..." Sheppard muttered. "I didn't think about that..."

"Neither did I...but there has to be SOMETHING at least, even if it isn't the galaxy's greatest present." Carson sighed.

The two of them sat there in contemplation for a few minutes until Carson brightened. "I know! We could do something I used to do when I was a college student in Edinbrugh and had no money. I used a tape, but my lap top can burn cds so that'll work..." the Scotsman mused.

"What's the brilliant plan, oh wise one?" the Major asked sarcastically.

Carson shot him a look before he spoke. "I used to go through ALL of the music I owned and picked out songs that either had to do with the person's occupation, their hobbies, even sometimes their name and basically made a "birthday mix". I was thinking we could have every section pick out a song that reminds them of him and put it all together." he finished.

"That's actually a pretty good idea...and I've got the perfect song." Sheppard said with a wicked grin.

Reaching over, he got his lap top out and pulled up Windows Media Player. Soon, the strains of "She Blinded Me With Science" filled the room as Carson laughed.

"Good choice!" he chuckled.

Sheppard grinned proudly as the doctor thought for a long moment. "What about Oingo Boingo's "Weird Science"?" he queried.

The Major wrote it and the previous song down on a piece of paper. "Let's go ask Zelenka." Sheppard said wickedly. Carson rolled his eyes and got to his feet. "Aye, we might as well..."

They arrived in the lab and asked those assembled their question. Radek suggested the Everclear song "Science Fiction" since Rodney was into Star Wars and the rest of the techies wanted the Darth Vader theme from Star Wars on there as well. When Carson gave them a look, one of them protested, "Hey, you wanted something that reminds us of him and we told you!"

He sighed as Sheppard laughed. "Yes, we did say that didn't we..." he admitted.

The other techies nodded and the Major picked up the list. "Thanks for your help guys! We appreciate it!"

"What this for?" Radek asked absentminedly.

"Rodney's 40th birthday is today." Beckett replied.

Jaws dropped open and the Czech scientist cried, "Kurva drat!

"I'm not even gonna ask..." Sheppard said, laughing a little.

One of the techs in the back piped up timidly, "What are we going to do about a cake?"

Everyone looked at each other. It was Carson who finally broke the silence. "I'm a good cook and unless I miss my guess, someone brought some eggs up from the mainland. Granted, we've got Athosian flour, but I'm quite certain I can make it work...we just need to keep Rodney out of the cafeteria until we're ready for him."

Some of the lab workers offered to help decorate the place while Carson went to take over the kitchen and start cooking the cake.


Teyla was leaning against the opposite wall of Rodney's room, listening to the music when she saw Weir striding swiftly toward her.

"Teyla, have you talked to Rodney at all?" she asked, a look of concern on her face.

The Athosian shook her head no. "I have not spoken with him today, but judging from the music he is listening to, he is not in a happy mood."

Quickly, Elizabeth filled her in on what had happened. "So there is to be a celebration for him?" Teyla queried.

"Yes, there is."

She considered for a long moment. "I must go speak with Sheppard, but I shall be there this evening."

Elizabeth looked at the door, wondering if she should go in when the strains of "Leave Me Alone" by Extreme could be heard. Deciding to take that as a sign, she started back off the way she'd come.


Carson had just gotten the cake batter into the oven when Teyla entered the kitchen. Her eyebrows rose as the sight of him with oven mitts and an apron on! Suppressing a mild groan, he took the mitts off and apron, placing them carefully where he'd found them. "Is there something I can do for you, love?" he asked.

She smiled at him slightly before a slightly more nervous look spread over her face. "Major Sheppard informed me that you sing and play the guitar."

"Aye, I do..." he replied, puzzled as to what this had to do with anything. Teyla seated herself on a stool and fixed her gaze on him. "Among my people, it is traditional to sing the person who is celebrating the day they came into world a song of some kind. Your people sing a song called "Happy Birthday" or so I am told..."

"Yes, we sing that to everyone." He said.

She cocked her head slightly to one side. "For us, we choose a unique song that is not sung for everyone...I was wondering if you would help me choose one that would be suitable for such an occasion."

He grinned at her and Teyla could sense a strange warmth in her heart. "I would be glad to, lass. Just gie me moment until this cake comes out of the oven and then we'll get started."


Please read and review so I know what you guys thought of it. Thank you!
Please read and review so I know what you thought of it...thanks!