Marriage: Rodney
It's not that I wouldn't be interested in-in-in getting married to someone, I mean someone like you, I mean someone just like you – you even, maybe one day – I just, uh…
McKay tentatively walked into the botany lab, wincing as he caught sight of Katie Brown watering those baby ferns from M4L-279. "Katie?"
The red-head looked sadly up from her work. "Rodney. How are you doing?"
Rodney shrugged. "OK. I mean, it's different being here, without…"
Katie stood and walked over to the scientist, placing her hand tenderly on his shoulder. "I know. I'm so sorry about Carson. I've been meaning to tell you that, but…"
"I've been ignoring you again." Katie nodded, and Rodney sighed at the question in her eyes. "Katie, I, er, what I mean to say is…" Come on McKay, get it over with! "Katie, I'm sorry. This isn't going to work out."
The botanist bit her lip before answering. "It's because of what happened to Carson, isn't it?"
Rodney looked down at his feet. "I…well, it's just that everytime – I just can't help but think that if I hadn't had lunch with you, he would still be alive."
Katie's blue eyes started brimming with tears. "I guess…I guess you blame me…"
She was immediately interrupted by Rodney's forceful protest. "No! No, no, no, I didn't mean…" He sighed. "I don't blame you for any of this. I blame myself for not just going fishing with him, and I don't think I'll ever forget what happened, and…and that isn't fair to you."
"I understand." Amazingly, Rodney realized that Katie completely understood where he was coming from. The thought struck him that maybe she felt the same way, reminded by the presence of the other of what could have been. Katie gave him a soft smile and gently pressed a kiss on his cheek. "We can still be friends?"
"Of course. Yes. I'd like that." With that, Rodney turned and practically fled from the room.
Katie turned back to the ferns who stood silent witness. "I hope someday you find someone else who knows you like I do, Rodney. And she will be one lucky woman."