A/N: Thank you for the comments.

Sheppardlover928- I have finally made my mind up on where this is going and despite my better judgement there will be a pairing by the end.

Bobbi - It will take a while for John and Jennifer to get back to where they were, but they will make progress in this chapter.

Guest - Thanks!

"Hi." John said as Jennifer opened her door a couple of weeks later.

"Hi." Jennifer replied. "Wait, why aren't you in the infirmary?"

"I was discharged." John said.

"You were?" Jennifer asked suspiciously.

"I was." John confirmed. "I had a feeling you wouldn't believe me so I brought this." He said handing her a note.

"What is it?"

"A discharge note."

"We don't actually have those." Jennifer pointed out.

"I know so I had to bribe Sullivan to write that for me. And to be clear Tanaka had already discharged me. The bribe was for the note only."

"If you say so." Jennifer replied. "You know I could have just read your medical file? That would have contained the discharge order."

"But I could have had Rodney hack the system." John countered.

"Opposed to forging this note?" Jennifer argued.

"Aren't notes more fun?" John tried.

"I guess. So why are you here? I am assuming not just to hand me this note?"

"Just dropping by. Can I come in?"

"Sure." Jennifer said.

"So I've not seen you around much." John pointed out.

"I was off world dealing with the fallout of an Earthquake."

"So I heard." John replied. "But that doesn't account for today or yesterday."

"I was beat when I got back. I slept for almost twenty hours straight."

"So you weren't avoiding me?"

"Should I have been?"

"Well I was a jerk."

"You've been worse. You were in pain and frustrated. It was a standard reaction."

"So you are not mad at me?"

"No."

"And yet it feels like you are avoiding me." John said.

"Not exactly, but it did make me realise something."

"What?"

"This whole fake dating thing is wrong. Because of it I couldn't treat you and you clearly don't respect other members of my team."

"That's not entirely true, I just need time to warm up to them." John said.

"Either way, I jeopardised this expedition for a lie. So I think we need to call it off."

"You're dumping me?"

"We were never actually dating to begin with. But if you want to be the dumper, that's fine."

"That's not what I meant." John said.

"I really appreciated everything you tried to do, but let's just move on."

-00-

"Did you apologise?" Teyla asked as John joined his team, who were sitting with Lorne in the Mess Hall.

"Yes." John confirmed, while frowning.

"And?" Teyla pressed.

"She dumped me."

"Because you were a jerk?" Rodney asked.

"Dating was putting the expedition at risk." John explained.

"That sounds like an excuse." Rodney said. "I think it was the jerk thing."

"So what are you going to do?" Teyla asked.

"Not much I can do. For now I will just focus on my rehabilitation."

"But to be clear you and Jennifer are over?" Rodney asked.

"Yes." John said as Rodney stood.

"Where are you going?"

"To see Jennifer."

"You are really making a move on your best friend's ex girlfriend the same day it ended?" Lorne asked. "That's low, even for you."

"I'm not making a move, I am trying to be nice." Rodney protested.

"Well if you want my advice both of you should back off." Lorne said looking from Rodney to Ronon before leaving. As he walked off he muttered. "I am so going to pay for that in Ronon's next training session."

-00-

"Hey doc." John said slightly awkwardly as he entered the meeting room the next week.

"Colonel." She nodded. "How is you leg?"

"Good as new. Almost. I managed to go for a run."

"Don't push it too hard." Jennifer warned.

"It's not my first rodeo doc."

"Yet you keep repeating your mistakes."

"I think that is just one of my many charms." John grinned as Woolsey walked in.

"Colonel Sheppard, Dr Keller." Woolsey greeted. "Thank you for coming." He said shutting the door. "How is your leg?"

"Peachy." John said. "I'll be back on active duty next week."

"Subject to medical sign off." Jennifer added.

"Who will be doing that sign off?" Woolsey asked.

"Dr Tanaka, but I will have oversight." Jennifer said.

"You will?" John asked.

"I am concerned that Tanaka may bend to undue pressure." Jennifer said.

"From who?" John asked looking innocent.

"Well I will leave it to you Dr Keller." Woolsey said before falling silent.

"Is that it?" John asked.

"No." Woolsey said, pausing again. "The thing is, I need to raise a delicate and awkward matter. Especially in light of your recent break up." He said stopping again searching for the words. He then looked at both of them and asked. "How do you feel about fake relationships?"

"Excuse me?" They both asked in tandem. Both looking guilty.

"We still have the issue with Chief Rals. Your injury allowed a postponement, but we can't put it off forever. There is a festival in two weeks that I have said you will attend. The choices are to take Dr Keller or someone else."

"We can do it." Jennifer said.

"Are you sure?" Woolsey asked. "I know it won't be easy."

"It's fine." Jennifer said before turning to John and asked. "Unless you'd prefer someone else? I mean I am sure there are plenty of options."

"I'm good with you." John said surprised she was volunteering, but not wanting to accidentally encourage anyone else.

"Very well. Try to stay out of trouble for two weeks." Woolsey said relaxing.

-00-

"You sure you are okay with this?" John asked as he and Jennifer walked down the corridor.

"We've been doing it for weeks." Jennifer reminded him. "At least this time I won't be transferred off cases as Woolsey knows it is fake."

"Okay then." John said. "I'll catch you later."

"That looked civil." Laura said catching up to Jennifer.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"You've been avoiding him. So are you friends again?"

"I guess."

"Details." Laura prompted.

"Remember the incident that led everyone to think he was cheating on me?" Jennifer asked.

"The one that was going to lead to your first off world date?" Laura asked.

"Yeah. Well that is happening."

"So you are fake dating again?" Laura asked.

"One time only."

"Uh huh. On the bright side you and the Colonel can clear the air. I mean your reason for dumping him wasn't completely wrong. But what makes it wrong is the fact you have avoided him since."

"I'm not avoiding him."

"Definitely not anymore. I mean you are dating again." Laura smiled walking off.

-TBC...