A/N: Thank you for the comments.
Guest - I am glad things are getting better for you. In this, I am not sure Jennifer would agree, but Cadman is going to have plenty more fun.
"Is he okay with this?" John asked as he picked Jennifer up from her quarters.
"Is who okay with what?"
"Your date."
"Are you suffering from some sort of personality disconnect?" Jennifer asked confused.
"What?"
"You're my date." Jennifer reminded him.
"I didn't mean now. I meant your real boyfriend."
"What real boyfriend?"
"Cadman said you were dating the flower guy."
"What flower guy?" Jennifer asked confused.
"I don't know, he's your date."
"I'm not dating anyone." Jennifer said. "Apart from this fake date."
"So whatever happens we aren't going to upset anyone?"
"Apart from Chief Rals and his daughters." Jennifer countered.
"Yeah, Woolsey would prefer us not to do that." John said
"So would I." Jennifer said as they entered the gate room.
"Colonel, Doctor. Good luck today, remember the treaty is dependent on Rals believing you are a couple."
"Don't worry we have this." John smiled.
-00-
"Colonel. Welcome back." Rals greeted. "You are healed?"
"I am thank you." John said. "May I introduce you to Dr Jennifer Keller?"
"It's a pleasure." Rals said as Jennifer noticed a woman standing to one side glaring at her.
Rals then looked at the rest of John's team, which this time included Fletcher, and said. "Please come this way."
"I assume she is the one you turned down?" Jennifer whispered to John as they walked down the corridor as she nodded towards the woman glaring at her.
"Yes. Her glare is worse than her bite, probably." John said as they entered the main hall.
"Tonight you are our guests and we invite you to take part in all parts of the ceremony you feel comfortable with. Harth and Jenz will be your guides."
"Thank you." John said as he and Jennifer moved towards some seats.
"Why do we need guides?" Jennifer asked.
"No idea." John whispered back. "Teyla may know."
"Teyla is all the way over there." Jennifer said looking across the room.
"It'll be fine. Have something to drink."
"That is a bad idea." Jennifer whispered back.
"Why?"
"I don't hold my drink well."
"I thought you went to med school?"
"That doesn't mean I spent the time getting drunk. Which is just as well as if I had I wouldn't have spent as much time studying."
"Okay, I will try to shield you from the drink." John said. "But you will have to drink something. In the meantime we need to act more couply."
"More couply?" Jennifer asked.
"Yes." John said. "We need them to believe we are actually a couple. We should dance."
"That is not a good idea." Jennifer said.
"Why?"
"I don't dance, or rather I can't, well technically I never really have, so-"
"Doc relax." John said. "Just think back to your prom."
"Didn't have one." Jennifer said.
"Friends' weddings?" John suggested.
"Need friends for those."
"Cousins' weddings?"
"Never went."
"Just follow my lead."
"What if I break your toes?"
"Then I'll be standing next to the person who can fix me up."
"I'm serious." Jennifer said.
"So am I." John smiled. "Just relax."
"That doesn't help." Jennifer said.
"Have a drink." John said.
"But-" Jennifer started but stopped when Chief Rals approached.
"Is there a problem?"
"No." John said.
"We were deciding what event to participate in." John said.
"You are not limited to one." Rals pointed out. "But as our honoured guests perhaps you would take part in our ritual dance."
"But we don't know the steps." Jennifer jumped in quickly.
"There are no steps, you merely let the music take hold."
"Sounds like a plan." John said.
"Excellent, we shall start soon." Rals said disappearing as Jennifer decided alcohol was a good idea and downed a glass.
"I thought you didn't hold your drink well?" John asked.
"I think being drunk is going to make this evening go much better."
"That hurts." John said.
"No, I didn't mean because of you-" Jennifer started as she blushed.
"Relax doc, I'm just teasing." John smiled.
-00-
"Are they going to do that all evening?" Rodney asked as he watched on from a distance.
"That is why they are here." Teyla reminded him.
"I know, but do they have to be so open about it. It is going to put me off my food." He said as he bit into something that looked like a chicken leg.
"Let us know when that happens." Ronon said unsympathetically.
"I'm hypoglycaemic I have to eat my way through my nausea." Rodney said while chewing. "Now what are they doing?"
"I believe they call it dancing." Teyla said, sensing she was in for a long evening.
"I can see that, but why are they dancing?"
"To appease Rals." Teyla said.
"Couldn't they have done it a different way?" Rodney complained.
"Is that chocolate cake?" Teyla asked desperate for a distraction.
"What? Where?" Rodney asked looking round.
-00-
"Sorry to interrupt." Fletcher said as he approached Teyla a few hours later.
"What is it?" Teyla asked.
"I've lost them."
"Lost who?"
"The Colonel and Dr Keller."
"Isn't your only job to keep an eye on Jennifer?" Ronon asked unimpressed.
"The Colonel ordered me to stand down." Fletcher said.
"Then what's the problem?" Ronon asked.
"That was thirty minutes ago and they were both drunk and I'm worried."
"Let's go." Ronon said hauling Rodney to his feet.
"Thank you." Fletcher said.
"Is there a problem?" Their guide Harth asked when he noticed the group leave the main hall.
"We are looking for Colonel Sheppard and Dr Keller." Teyla said.
"I can not take you to them." Harth said.
"Why?" Teyla asked frowning.
"They are finalising the Janoki."
"I see." Teyla said.