A/N: Thank you for the comments.
Sheppardlover928 - My original plan was not to have anything serious in this, but it was also to only have one chapter, so I don't know if it will get a little more serious as it goes on. The rumour mill in Atlantis will definitely work against John though.
Antipodes - Thanks! Laura will definitely be stirring things up.
"Shouldn't you be on a date with the Colonel?" Laura asked as she entered her friend's quarters, earning an eye roll from Jennifer. "I'm serious, if people don't see you together they will start to doubt that you are an item."
"They just need to believe it long enough for Ronon and Rodney to start hitting on other people." Jennifer countered.
"And how many people have they actually dated since being on Atlantis?" Laura asked.
"Not many."
"One between them. That means you and the Colonel need to pretend date for about five years. Which is going to be a real problem when he Kirks it off world."
"Should you be talking about you superior like that?" Jennifer asked.
"You can't dodge my logic." Laura countered. "Besides Teyla is getting suspicious."
"She is?" Jennifer asked.
"She is. So if you want this plot kept secret you need to start acting like a couple."
"Yeah, that's not happening." Jennifer said.
"Because?"
"I am not going on a date, fake or otherwise, with anyone."
"You need to loosen up." Laura said.
"It's not to do with that. I have too much work to do."
"Um, you are sitting in your quarters, reading a book, eating chocolate, not working. But we can work with this, I mean if you substitute the book for the Colonel you have a great date."
"I'm not trying to date the Colonel, just make people believe I am dating him."
"Which you can't do hiding in here, while he is out there, clearly not with you."
"He has already done enough, I don't want to burden him."
"You wouldn't be. You'd also be saving him from all the new lonely, single geeks."
"He has better things to do." Jennifer argued.
"Are you afraid of being alone with him?"
"No."
"Wait! Do you actually have feelings for him?" Laura asked.
"No. Of course not." Jennifer said just as she was summoned to the infirmary.
-00-
"So, you and Jennifer." Teyla said she sparred with John.
"What about us?" John said.
"You kept your relationship secret."
"I didn't want to rub it in the face of Ronon and Rodney." John said.
"Un hum." Teyla said. "So when did you and Jennifer start dating?"
"I don't know, a month maybe."
"A month?" Teyla asked landing some blows. "Interesting."
"Interesting how?"
"Jennifer said two weeks."
"She's never been good at keeping track of time." John said.
"Indeed. But I am sure she is excited about tonight."
"Tonight?" John asked.
"Her birthday." Teyla said landing a blow on John and sending him to the floor. "What gift did you get her?"
"That's a little personal." John said.
"Fair enough. But I am sure Jennifer is excited by your plans for this evening."
"My plans?"
"Birthdays seem very important to the people from Earth."
"And being from Earth I know that and have it all in hand." John said.
-00-
"Happy birthday." John said as he turned up at Jennifer's apartment holding a cake.
"Thank you." Jennifer said looking confused. "But it's not actually my birthday."
"It's not?"
"No."
"Then why did you tell Teyla me that you were excited by your birthday surprise."
"I didn't. I have been avoiding her as Laura said Teyla was suspicious."
"So you didn't tell her we had been dating for two weeks?"
"No. I think Teyla played you." Jennifer said. "I think she knows. We should probably talk to her and tell her everything."
"See there is a problem with that." John said.
"She'll feel betrayed." Jennifer guessed.
"No. Well yes. But bigger than that."
"What?"
"Right now people think I won that fight when in fact I cheated."
"Colonel, everyone knows you cheated." Jennifer said.
"They do?"
"Yes. I mean even I have heard people talking it."
"Oh." John said. "Then we should come clean to Teyla before she gives me any more training scars."
"Good luck with that."
"What do you mean good luck? Isn't this something we should do together?"
"As in like a couple?" Jennifer asked.
"Exactly." John smiled.
"Only we're not and seeing you are going to be telling Teyla the truth why do we need to do as it as a couple?" Jennifer asked.
"Why are you trying so hard to get out of it?"
"Why are you trying so hard not to do it alone?" Jennifer countered.
"Because Teyla might become the third person as my team to use me as a punching bag."
"Rodney is using you as a punching bag?"
"No. Of course not. He has just broken my quarters."
"Broken your quarters?"
"Yeah, no lights, no hot water."
"We should just come clean." Jennifer said feeling guilty.
"It wouldn't make any difference." John said. "Rodney is always mad at me for something. Besides Ronon and Rodney are in my team and that means I am responsible for them."
-00-
"Teyla." John greeted as the Athosian opened her door.
"John." She replied before seeing the doctor. "Jennifer."
"Teyla." Jennifer smiled.
"Would you like to come in?" Teyla offered.
"Thanks." John said.
"So what can I do for you?" Teyla asked.
"We thought we should talk." John explained.
"About?" Teyla asked.
"Um, us." John said looking awkward.
"Us?" Teyla questioned.
"The Doc and I."
"The doc? You mean Jennifer?" Teyla pressed.
"Yes." John replied.
"Before you do, let me congratulate you both." Teyla continued.
"The thing is we aren't actually, well..." John started.
"Well?" Teyla asked not giving him an easy ride.
"We aren't really dating." Jennifer finished for John.
"I know." Teyla replied. "And the city will also know soon of you don't start acting like a couple. So why are you pretending, badly, to be a couple? Has this got something to do with Ronon and Rodney?"
"You know about that?" Jennifer asked.
"The whole city knows about that." Teyla said.
"How am I the only one not connected to the gossip?" John asked.
"Poor social skills?" Teyla guessed.
"Funny." John replied before Teyla went on.
"But I do not think this plan will work."
"Because we are not out there enough?" John asked.
"While that doesn't help, I do not think that it will deter Ronon or Rodney. Unfortunately neither of them will see reason."
"Are they actually competing for Jennifer, or just against each other?" John asked.
"It was definitely the former, but now I am not so sure. I tried to talk to Ronon, but he didn't want to discuss it. But I will keep trying." Teyla said.
"Well if it isn't going to deter them, we may as well put a stop to it." Jennifer said.
"Ronon and Rodney?" John asked.
"No I meant us."
"Why?" John said.
"It's not working and you can't have hot showers." Jennifer said.
"But, none of the new recruits are hitting on me."
"I thought you liked being the centre of attention?" Teyla asked.
"Why do I have such a bad reputation round here?" John asked.
"I kind of feel like we'd have to date for six months before we reach that level of honesty." Jennifer replied.
"I don't know how to take that one." John said. "But what I do know is for this to work we need to be a little more public."
"Public?" Jennifer asked.
"Don't look so worried. I meant actually have dinner together every so often. If people don't see us they won't believe it." John pointed out before asking. "My company isn't that bad is it?"
"What? No. Of course not."
"Good. Then let's go."
TBC...