Disclaimer: Alas, I don't own these adorable Stargate characters, I merely play with them for our amusement :D

Elizabeth sighed as she watched Rodney walk out of the mess hall. She had gotten there just in time to see him quietly exit the table and empty fully half his food into the garbage. Those two things alone let her know all was not well with her Chief of Science. Rodney never gave up the chance to eat or talk, and his walking away from both had her alarmed. Hovering at the food line, Elizabeth observed the rest of his team to see why he had been so unlike himself.

After a few moments of observation, Elizabeth thought she had figured it out. It was Rod. No matter who Elizabeth looked at, everyone within ten feet of the man was laughing and attentive. Never good with socializing in the first place, Elizabeth knew that the popularity Rod enjoyed naturally was causing him self-doubt and hurt.

And seeing as no one noticed him leave, I can see why he feels overlooked, Elizabeth contemplated. About to sit down with the rest of the team, Elizabeth suddenly decided not to. Rodney needed a friend right now, and it looked like she was going to be it.

Walking briskly out of the cafeteria, she headed towards his lab, guessing he might want to burry himself in science for a while. Sure enough, she found him huddled with his laptop in a corner, typing furiously. She cleared her throat to announce her presence.

Rodney looked up quickly, surprise written across his face. "Lizbeth? What are you doing here?" he asked puzzled, looking at her lunch tray with interest.

"I thought you could use the company," Elizabeth said simply as she crossed the room and put her tray on the lab counter.

"You wouldn't rather eat in the mess hall? After all I am very busy and I'm not that interesting to be around anyway…" Elizabeth cut off his excuses quickly.

"No Rodney, I came here to eat with you." Looking at Rodney's hopeful blue eyes was all thanks Elizabeth needed. Closing his laptop, she placed a wrapped sandwich on top of it.

"I have a power bar-"

"Eat," Elizabeth demanded, smothering a giggle when lunged for it. She knew he was hungry.

They passed the hour in comfortable silence punctuated by idle chatter about work, Elizabeth careful to avoid anything related to Rod or the project, focusing instead on the new ancient technology and personnel problems. Anything to make McKay feel needed.

Leaving Rodney's office when there was no longer any excuse for staying longer, Elizabeth carried a faint smile. Spending any amount of time with Rodney made her feel better, and Elizabeth could never understand why others found a man so full of wit and humor irritating and abrasive. One thing was certain- she preferred her snarky, blue-clad version of Meredith McKay to any amiable, alternate leather-clad ones any day.

And back in his lab, Rodney was smiling because he knew just that.

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