The sky swirled dark and low above their heads as they skirted their way out of the tiny village. It had taken close to forty minutes at a reasonably brisk pace to reach the small hamlet. They'd followed a thin and twisted path as it wound around trees and moss-topped boulders. Then, after stopping to check in with the local villagers, the team made their way down another winding, wooded trail towards a narrow, rocky gorge. The cave they were looking for was located in a cavern beside a low flowing waterfall.

"You pack an umbrella in there, Doc?" Evan stared up at the heavy gray clouds passing above the wind-whipped leaves. A long, low rumble of thunder echoed through the thick foliage. The branches above swayed dangerously, but the air at ground level was thick and static.

"Nope." Jen turned her gaze skyward with a frown. "Think we're going to get wet?"

"Oh yeah." Evan nodded, then smiled knowingly. "Definitely."

"Oh come on." She glared at him. "This has absolutely nothing to do with me."

"If you say so." Evan shrugged.

Jen sighed and looked over her shoulder at Captain Sanchez. "What's the bet at this time?"

Sanchez grinned. "The disaster pool's over five-hundred. It took a hit after Todd took over the Daedalus. Too many people picked a double-cross over technical malfunction."

Jen rolled her eyes. "Must you bet on other people's misfortune?"

Lieutenant Williams laughed. "Not other people's, Doc. Just yours."

"Oh. And that makes me feel so much better." Jen shook her head, then laughed. "And what were today's choices?"

"Um… wraith attack… geological catastrophe…" Sanchez listed.

"And zombies." Edison added.

"Zombies?" Jen looked incredulous. "Wow. Radek must have been into his screech when he came up with that one."

"Not really." Evan shrugged. "The last lab had zombies. It's a valid option."

Jen sighed. "And who picked what?"

"Now, Doc." Evan chastised. "You don't honestly think the men and I would be betting against you, do you?"

"Oh hell ya." Jen nodded. "For five hundred bucks? You lot would sell your mother."

Evan shrugged, but couldn't hide the grin as the others snorted in amusement.

"Zombies." Edison raised his hand.

"Zombies." Sanchez and Williams echoed.

Jen shook her head and turned towards Evan.

He shrugged then grinned. "Wraith attack."

"What?" Jen laughed.

"Gotta go with the best odds."

"I hate you all." Jen sighed dramatically, shaking her head at their laughter.

"You rang?" Laura drawled out as she stepped into John's office.

"Shut the door." John stood up and angled his chin. "Bright enough for ya?" He eyed the lime green hoodie she was wearing over her jeans.

Laura swiped her hand over the door control and shrugged. "It's warm. It's functional. It's my day off…" She added suggestively.

"Yes, yes." John muttered. "And I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule."

Laura shrugged again then flopped down in the guest chair that was mashed in between two filing cabinets and a stack of file-folders. "Folders go in the cabinet, you know."

John rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, leaning against the side of his desk. Realizing it probably looked a little too dramatic, he relaxed and dropped his hands to the side, scooting himself up to sit on the surface of the desk.

"So." Laura eyed him warily. "What's up?"

John hesitated. He could skirt around it… or he could blurt it out and get it over with. With a sigh he went for Option B.

"How close are you and Dr. Keller?"

Laura raised an eyebrow.

"It's… important, Laura."

Laura pursed her lips. "We're friends. Why?"

John stared at a spot on the wall above Laura's strawberry blond hair. "When's the last time you talked to her?"

"Yesterday."

John looked down, noting the wary expression in the Lieutenant's eyes.

"All right…" Laura angled her head. "What's wrong."

"Has she ever mentioned having any kind of… problem with... me or…" He shrugged. "Any member of my team?"

Laura snorted. "You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"Not particularly. Although your hair does seem overly…" She wiggled her fingers over her head. "Sporadic today."

"Lieutenant…" John warned.

Laura rolled her eyes and brushed her hair away from her face, tucking several wayward strands in behind her ears.

"What happened this time?" She frowned.

"This time?" John's brow furrowed.

"Just… tell me what happened to have you call me in here." Laura looked directly at him, unblinking.

John shrugged. He supposed trading information was as fair a game as any. He briefly told Laura what he'd just learned from Woolsey.

Laura sat back in her chair and snorted again, shaking her head slowly side to side, fighting a smirk. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Cadman." John leaned forward. "If there's something going on I need to know about it… especially if it's directly affecting the ability of my personnel to work together. We don't have time for games. Now spit it out."

"Off the record?" Laura raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Off the record?" She repeated.

John's exasperated sigh was long and drawn out. "Yes, off the record."

"Because I'm not giving up any information if you're going to go blabbing this to Woolsey, or anyone else for that matter.."

John glared at her.

She held up her hands in defeat. "Fine. But you didn't hear any of this from me, got it? I'll deny it to my death."

He nodded.

"Okay." She took a deep breath, and shook her head quickly. Curls popped out from behind her ears and she stuffed the hair back again. "J's been under a lot of pressure lately. She's a little… stressed. Between the Hoffan virus, curing Teyla's people of Michael's so called hybrid therapy, Rodney's foray into childhood, looking for a way to cure the wraith, plus all the other stuff she has to deal with on a day-to-day basis…"

"So, she needs a vacation?" John frowned.

"I wasn't done." Laura glared at him.

He waved his hand for her to continue.

"It's not the work. She thrives on it. But it's all the… other crap she has to deal with in between all the work."

"What crap?"

Laura frowned and watched him warily from her slouched position in the chair. John stared back, clueless as to what the Lieutenant was mulling over.

"What… crap?" He repeated slowly. "Paperwork? Staffing issues? What?"

Laura sighed and stared at a spot on the far wall. "She's going to kill me if she finds out I've told you this…"

"Cadman!" John groaned.

Laura looked back at John. "Okay, look. Lately things have been getting a little awkward for Jen. Personally."

"Awkward?"

"Jen's… pretty, right? Blond. Beautiful. And she's well… she's available. And right now she has…" Laura quickly counted on her fingers, whispering under her breath. "Five… no… six regular… you know… stalkers."

"Stalkers…" John drew the word out slowly with a frown.

"Yeah, you know. Guys that follow her around on a regular basis? Angling for dates. Being all… Romeo to her Juliet."

John glared, realization of what Laura was telling him flashing tightly through his chest. "Marines?"

"It's a mixed bag." Laura shrugged. "I've already dealt the Marine's a threat of death and dismemberment… but the scientist, the engineer, um… the intern, and the ah, pilot… I'm still in the process of threatening. They don't quite believe me... yet."

John sighed. "How far has this… gone?"

"Meh…" Laura shrugged. "Flowers, candy, impromptu dinner invitations, the occasional grab-ass…"

"Grab ass?" John strangled out.

Laura frowned. "You asked!"

"I know… but…" He ran his fingers through his hair. "So she blames me?"

"No." Laura shook her head. "Why would she blame you?"

"Okay…" John frowned. "Then why is she refusing to deal with my team all of a sudden?"

Laura hesitated, then scrunched further back in the chair.

"Cadman." John growled. "What's this got to do with my team?"

Laura shifted nervously in her seat, briefly bit her lower lip, then blinked up at John.

"Laura... " John lowered his voice. "I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think this was important."

Laura hesitated, then sighed. "Last week… I'm pretty sure J… told… Ronon to, ah, you know… back off."

"Ronon?" John frowned. "Why'd she tell him to…" Then he sighed. "Don't tell me. Ronon's going after them…"

Laura shook her head. "No. If he did they'd probably be dead."

John nodded his agreement. "True enough. But then why'd she tell him to back off? Back off from what?"

Laura blinked. "From her."

"From her what?"

"No…" Laura frowned further. "Back off from her. Look. You've seen how… protective Ronon is when he thinks one of his friends is being threatened, right?"

John stared at her. Protective. Yeah, it was as good a word as any to describe the Satedan.

"And have you seen the way he looks at her?" Laura questioned.

John shook his head. "The way Ronon looks at… Jennifer?"

"God, men are dense." Laura muttered. "Yes Jennifer."

"Laura, just get to the point. If Ronon's not… going after these… guys… then what?"

Laura sighed. "Ronon's turning into number seven."

"Number seven?" John was confused. What did numbers have to… Oh. Oh! Oh, hell. "Ronon?" He blurted out.

Laura nodded.

"Ronon's grabbing her-?"

"No." Laura snorted. "He's not that stupid. At least… I don't think he is." She pursed her lips, then shook her head. "But he has been overly… attentive lately. He's practically her shadow. I think his added attention, on top of everyone else, is, well, freaking her out. Something happened when they got back from the Daedalus and all she would say is that she'd made him mad, and she was pretty sure he'd never speak to her again. She's been hiding on midnights ever since."

"Ronon." John muttered, shaking his head, slotting puzzle pieces into place. It certainly explained the Satedan's odd requests for spending his free time lately. Hell.

"So she's avoiding Ronon." He muttered under his breath. He shook his head and checked his watch. Ronon would be in the gym. He slid off his desk, his boots clumping loudly on the bare floor.

"Thanks Cadman." John nodded, swiping the access panel. The door swooshed open and he hurried off. "I owe you one."

"Colonel!" Laura called after him.

John stopped, and Laura quickly caught up to him in the hallway.

"There's probably… well… there's something else you should know." She looked quickly around, making sure they were alone.

"What?" He asked, impatient to get to the gym and have it out with Ronon.

"Um…" She sighed, then shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "Rodney's number eight." She blurted out, then turned on her heal and quickly disappeared around a corner.

"What?! McKay? Rodney McKay?" John called after her, but she didn't return. "Damn it, Cadman! Cadman!"

John stood in stunned silence, staring down the empty hallway. Then, with a muttered string of expletives, he turned and jogged towards the transporter.