A/N: So, finally little Dana is back, too. And still my Gaelic skills haven't improved ;-) . I hope you'll enjoy the little twist anyway...
xxxxx
For the next few hours Rodney retreated to his lab, plotting revenge. It was right when he felt like getting somewhere at last as Dr Kavanaugh made his appearance forcing him to put off his plan.
"Oh, what is it?" Rodney snapped impatiently.
Kavanaugh with his arrogant ways took offence at once, "I don't know what I've to you done again. You'd really..."
"Yeah, yeah", the physicist rolled his eyes, "So, what do you want?"
"I've been looking for a file", Kavanaugh sneered deviously, "and I've got the feeling that it vanished right here in your lab."
Rodney scowled at him, "There's nothing vanishing here. But, well, look for yourself."
Annoyed her turned back to his plan of vengeance as suddenly something brushed his thigh. It was Dana.
"What the heck are you doing here?"
Her and Kavanaugh was one nuisance too much for him right now. Unnerved he keyed his mike, "Carson, this is Rodney. Where the heck are you?"
No response. Apparently he had to go look for him to get rid of this little Gaelic troublemaker. Hastily he trusted her to Kavanaugh's care, though he was objecting fiercely.
Quickly Rodney slipped outside into the hallway and headed for the infirmary. But he didn't have to get far to hear glasses breaking from down the hall. It looked like Dana had found Kavanaugh's personal test tube collection. Perhaps this was enough of a vengeance for now...
xxxxx
Elizabeth was just relaxing over a hot cup of coffee as suddenly Dr Kavanaugh entered her office, dragging Dana after him. A moment later he was followed by a disturbed-looking Rodney. Something bad must've happened...
"This little brat has just ruined my lab", Kavanaugh, whose face had turned crimson, blurted out.
The expedition leader let out a sigh, "First of all you'll calm down, okay?" For a moment she let her eyes wander from Rodney who was seemingly pissed off, to Dana who looked as happy as always back to Kavanaugh who seemed to be gathering himself again, at least a little bit, "So, what happened?"
"She... she completely destroyed an elaborate series of tests, breaking all of the tubes. And now... " he sucked in a breath, "all that's left is a big, slimy black puddle on the floor."
Elizabeth watched how Rodney struggled to hide a titter behind his hand. She too had the feeling that Kavanaugh was exaggerating way over the top.
"I don't thing she did it intentionally", she winked and Dana, "she's just a cute little girl."
"Now, that's really helping", Kavanaugh yapped, "she should be beaten for it."
That moment Rodney spoke up, totally disgruntled, "Kavanaugh, your whining pisses me off. Why don't you just take a mop and sweep that oh so awful mess up? Before you make poor little kids pay for your inconsiderateness?"
That little speech was enough for Dana to run over to him and leap into his arms which had definitely not been the physicist's intention...
xxxxx
Once Carson woke up from his little nap he reached out for Dana, but she was no longer resting by his side. She must've slipped out of the room while he had still been asleep. He got up and left his quarters to find the little one, hoping that she had not wreaked any more havoc on her way through the city.
On his way he bumped into Radek Zelenka asking him whether he had seen Dana somewhere. The Czech told him that she might be in Dr Weir's office because he had seen her, Kavanaugh and Rodney headed into that direction.
Hastily Carson thanked him, quickening his pace with a very uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Hopefully she had not accidentally done something really bad...
As he reached the office door Kavanaugh trampled past him growling, "You better lock up that pesky kid somewhere safe..."
Stirred Carson tried to ignore him and entered the room to find Elizabeth, Rodney and Dana looking at him.
"Carson!" merrily Dana leapt out of Rodney's arms and jumped into his, giving him a kiss.
"Aye, lass, I'm here", he rocked her up and down a bit while turning his attention to Elizabeth, "What has she done this time?"
But she merely smiled at him, "I don't think she's done anything too bad. To me it looks like Kavanaugh just needed someone to vent his anger again. He's been making a fuss about some cracked test tubes, nothing big", she shrugged.
"Are you sure?" the physician inquired carefully as Dana whispered something into his ear, "You say Rodney saved you from the bad Dr Kavanaugh?"
"Ronny!" Dana agreed with a squeak.
Carson gave him a suspicious glance and then faced Elizabeth who gave him a confirming nod, "Well, maybe the two of you might become inseparable friends in the end. Aye, lassie?"
Smiling Dana nodded her head.
Rodney merely glared at the three of them and trudged out of the room without another word.
xxxxx
After another short chat with the expedition leader Carson was returning to infirmary with Dana still sitting in his arms. On their way they passed the gym. The doors where open a crack and a dribbling noise could be heard.
As Carson went past he could see Sergeant Bates inside throwing baskets. That moment Dana started stirring in his arms and in no time she had landed on the ground and slipped into the gym, fascinated by the big, bouncing basketball. At once she grabbed it from the security officer who didn't look happy about the interruption at all.
"Hey, give that back at once", he shouted at her as she began to run around him with the ball.
For the moment Carson stood by determined not to intervene, All he did was calling to Dana that the ball needed to be thrown into the net.
As Bates saw him standing there he scowled at the Scotsman. "You're finding that way funny, don't you?"
He made an attempt to snatch Dana along with the ball; but all he reached was that he found himself face-down on the floor. That made the girl a little sad and she knelt down, still clutching the ball against her belly, and kissed his nose. He pulled a face and jumped back to his feet. Meanwhile Dana threw the ball at the basket, but didn't reach the top and so it bumped into the wall and landed on the floor. Clever as she was she left it right where it was, waiting for Bates to pick it up. Quietly she watched him dribble and score before she ran for the ball again. Angered the sergeant followed her.
Carson cracked a smile calling, "I think she wants to play with you."
"Oh, really", Bates groaned. Judging from his sour look the two of them would never be friends...
That moment Dana's throw hit the basket making her cheer happily. As Bates saw this his attitude changed all of a sudden. He had realized that she was just an innocent little kid looking for challenges, just like his little brother back home. He took up the ball from the ground and told her, "Look", showing her that she had to dribble before aiming for the basket.
Hopping up and down Dana watched him, waiting for him to score another basket, cheering and clapping as he did.
Carson let out a relieved sigh. His wee lass was no longer afraid of the big, bad Bates.
"You think I could leave her with you for little a while?" he asked the security chief carefully.
"If you have to", Bates replied, trying hard to hide his own enjoyment.
"Well, all right", the Scot waved at Dana, "See you later, love." He hoped that what he was doing was right, praying that the little girl would behave herself properly while she was away from him.
If she didn't she might get locked up. But together with Kavanaugh so that she was at least having someone to tease...