Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and all their characters belong to MGM. I just like to poke at them sometimes.

A/N: This is a tag, sort of, to Brain Storm, and it's a ship soup. You've got your D/V, your J/R, even pinches of J/S and C/C to taste. I hope that makes sense. If it doesn't…ah, you're smart folks, you'll figure it out. I imagine that Keller and McKay could have been beamed back on the Daedalus from wherever they were when their vacations were over, but let's assume, for the sake of this little fic, that Keller was required to see Dr. Lam before heading back due to the whole dying momentarily thing, and that McKay insisted on joining her. Let's all assume that.

Months passed. Daniel married his space pirate under a rose arbor in their own backyard. He touched his wedding ring and considered the photo of her on his desk. He kept most of his photos on a separate shelf to keep them from getting knocked over when a stack of files inevitably tipped, but this one he'd situated next to his computer monitor. It was from their wedding day. Her hair was swept up, gleaming blue-black in the sun. She'd opted to forego a veil, and had instead worn a small fascinator of flowers and feathers in her hair. The photo showed a moment of relaxed happiness—she was reacting to something Jack had said, mouth wide and laughing. It was pure Vala, and even when they were fighting—which they often were—the photo made him smile. The fight would end, one of them would concede defeat, make up sex would be had, and that smile would be waiting for him in the morning.

He'd retired from SG-1 not long after returning from Atlantis. Cam had looked at him askance when he announced he'd be heading up the SGC's archaeology department full time—he'd held the position for years but had delegated much of the work to allow for regular missions. He still participated in the field, but let others do the more dangerous legwork. He was a married man; he mused, and would be a family man if their efforts proved fruitful. An SGC "desk job" was far from boring, after all. Let someone else shoot the zats.

He heard a faint humming in the hall, a sure sign his wife was approaching in a good mood. Moments later, she appeared in the doorway. "Hello, darling!"

"Vala." He lifted his head with a smile to catch the warm kiss she laid on his lips. "Mmm," he murmured as she pulled back. "You've been eating cake."

"Leftovers from Jack's retirement party. They sure did make a lot of cake for a man who hasn't even worked here for the past several years."

Daniel shrugged. "The man likes his cake. I can guarantee that's the only thing he cares one whit about at his own wedding." He paused. "Well, cake and Sam."

"I would hope he care about Sam! They've put it off long enough."

"So what's the word?" Vala had spent years on her own, never knowing how much joy working with a large organization would ultimately bring her. And it did bring her joy—the joy of gossip. Every morning, unless she was called elsewhere, she started her day information gathering in the mess hall. Because Mr. Woolsey had been right after all—airmen did love to talk. Daniel didn't particularly care about most of what she gathered, but it made him happy to see her happy, and she had a way of spinning even the most mundane pieces of news until they were as exciting as anything else that happened on the base.

"Oh, let's see." She set her chin on her hand and pretended to consider the question. She loved to put on a show did his Vala. "Lots of baby talk this morning. Wells' wife has had number three, a little boy, and Muscles is a grandpapa again—oh damn, I was supposed to keep that one to myself. He's going to tell you later. Forgot I've said anything, will you?"

"Consider it forgotten."

"What else…Cam's bumped that nice Lieutenant Hailey up to SG-1—I guess the other science soldier—"

"Jordan."

"What?"

"The, um, 'science soldier.' Major Jordan."

"Yes, well, I suppose he wasn't working out. So Hailey's up."

"Sam will be pleased."

"Will she? I'll pass it along to her, then."

Daniel thought General Landry had probably already done so, but stayed silent. He had it on good authority that Sam got a big kick out of receiving Vala's newsy "state of the SGC" transmissions while off-planet on the USS Hammond.

"The new mess sergeant is a vegetarian, so everyone's grumbling about that."

"It'll do 'em good."

"Probably. Major Davis finally shaved that terrible moustache of his—much rejoicing about that—and…oh! That awful man from Atlantis who got you zapped to bits when you were out there is here."

Daniel looked up at that. "McKay?"

"Yes, that was his name."

"Why is he here?"

"Vacation, I think. But his girlfriend froze to death wherever they were, so he's in the infirmary."

"What?"

Vala waved a flippant hand. "Oh, she's fine now."

"Wait—his girlfriend? Did you catch her name?"

That question earned him an offended look. "Darling. Of course I did. It's…oh...Kelly. No! Keller. The head doctory person out there, so I hear."

Daniel stood. "Oh, I've got to see this." He looked at his wife. "Coming?"

"Are you going to tell me that he's not awful once you get to know him and I should refrain from slapping him for almost getting you killed?"

"Nope."

"Well then." Vala stood and linked her arm with her husband's. "Lead on, my love."

Jennifer Keller was proving the old adage true—doctors truly did make the worst patients. She eyed the various tubes and tools lined up on the small metal table next to her bed. She new what each and every one of them was for, and she knew exactly why Dr. Lam was running each test, but that did not mean she had to be happy about it. "Really, Carolyn?"

Carolyn Lam arched an eyebrow at her fellow CMO. "Submit gracefully, Jenny. It'll be over soon."

Jennifer grumbled to herself. She liked the other doctor. She trusted her. They hadn't known each other long, just since Jennifer herself had joined the Stargate program, but the pool of medical professionals with their level of security clearance was small enough that they all knew one another fairly well. No one else truly appreciated the horror stories they could tell.

"Hmm?" Rodney stirred in the chair next to her bed. They hadn't come directly from the disaster of a physics conference where she'd nearly met her end, but had each spent a week with their respective families. Rodney's niece, Madison, had apparently discovered a love for all things musical, and had serenaded her parents and uncle on all manner of instruments at all hours of the night. No one had slept very well.

Jennifer had had a wonderfully restful stay with her father in Chippewa Falls, which made this whole barrage of tests seem all the sillier. Yes, she'd died—technically—but that was a week ago. She was fine now. "Just more prodding, Rodney, go back to sleep."

He nodded, patted her hand absent-mindedly, and dropped his head back in his chair.

Carolyn shot her a look that seemed to say, Seriously? and Jennifer shrugged and smiled. She knew how Rodney came across. It drove her nuts sometimes, too. She knew he wasn't the most classically attractive man in the world—or on Atlantis. She was surrounded by marines, and had been hit on by more than one. And then there was Ronan, of course…but she couldn't help it. Rodney attracted her. He was no Tom Cruise, but his face had character. And he was, wholly and completely, himself. She loved him, quirks, complaints, questionable citrus allergy, and all.

But she could certainly see where Carolyn was coming from. Her lieutenant colonel beau had dropped in a while ago, and Jennifer was fairly certain that her fellow doc had managed to snag the most attractive man on her base, anyway.

A discreet throat clearing in the doorway drew both doctors' gazes. Jennifer smiled. "Dr. Jackson! It's so good to see you! I'd shake your hand, but…" she indicated the needle currently drawing blood from her forearm with a rueful nod.

Dr. Jackson smiled. "No trouble. Just heard you were on-base and thought I'd drop in. If it's alright." He directed the last to Carolyn who nodded.

"I'm nearly finished here." She collected the last of the blood and headed further into the infirmary.

Jennifer grabbed a cotton ball and applied pressure to the puncture wound, then smiled back at Jackson. "I'm glad you came by! How are you feeling?" She knew it had been months, but she couldn't help asking. The last time she'd seen him he'd been crippled with debilitating pain.

"Oh, fine, fine. Much less…zingy." Another throat cleared itself, and Jackson smiled down at the dark-haired woman who shouldered her way out from behind him and into the room.

"You're the one who patched up my Daniel?" He voice was low and accented; she sounded British but Jennifer knew she hailed from somewhere much farther off than that.

"Plied him with pain-killers, more like. You must by Dr. Jackson's fiancée."

"Wife, actually." She held up a hand that glittered with a truly fantastic black diamond.

"Dr. Jennifer Keller, Vala Mal Doran," Jackson introduced.

"It's so lovely to meet you! I'm so sorry you missed out on seeing Atlantis. Well, not sorry, exactly, as you might have gotten kidnapped, too."

"Indeed," Vala responded sternly, which had Jackson covering a laugh with a cough for some reason. She'd zeroed her gaze on Rodney. Jennifer had forgotten he was there.

"Oh! Rodney," she said. He slumbered on. "Rodney!" She folded her left arm so it would continue to apply pressure on the cotton ball, and reached out her right hand to nudge him.

"Wha—?" he sat up and blinked at her unseeingly. "I wasn't sleeping, Radek, I was just…" he trailed off as his vision cleared and he realized where he was.

"Yes, Dr. McKay? You were just…?" Jackson teased.

Rodney scowled, then glanced at Jennifer. She'd raised her eyebrows in expectation. If he was serious about humility… His expression cleared. "Dr. Jackson," he said with great dignity, "how are you feeling?"

There was a pause, and then Jackson exploded with laughter. There was no other word for it. He bent over, clutching his side, and excused himself from the room.

Rodney's scowl was back as he watched him go. Jennifer looked at Vala. "What…?"

The other woman waved a flippant hand. "Oh, who knows. I don't understand half of what he does. So." She pulled over the chair that Carolyn had vacated and settled into it, as if gearing up for a long talk. "I hear you two are a couple."

It was an odd thing to say, considering they'd only met moments before, but Vala regarded them with wide grey eyes, clearly expecting a response. Rodney surged to his feet. "I'm just going to go…science," he finished lamely, and marched out the door.

Vala watched him go. "Hrm."

Jennifer wasn't entirely sure what was expected of her here. She returned to Vala's previous question, hoping it would shed some light. "Um, yes. We are a couple."

"Really?" Vala asked. "I mean, I see the appeal of the absent-minded scientist thing—clearly—but…well, he did get you killed, didn't he?"

"No—I mean, indirectly. And besides, he also saved me. Chopped a door down with an axe and everything," Jennifer threw the last in there proudly. It really had been impressive to see after the fact.

Vala studied her a moment, then broke out in a wide grin. "Well, then! Everything's worked out for the best, hasn't it? You must be feeling drained dry. Caro will page you when the tests are done. Let's get you some tea."

"Oh, but I should…" she looked over at the chair where Rodney had been sitting, then realized that he'd probably fled to the mess hall, anyways. She hopped off the bed. "Nevermind. I'd love something, if you don't mind leading the way."

Vala stood and linked her arm with Jennifer's. "Of course, darling. And it's your lucky day. There are simply piles of cake."

"Perfect."

End

That's it! Just a little ditty to tie up some lose ends that were bugging me. I hope you liked my mashing together of these two couples. I got a kick out of it, anyway. Astute readers might notice that I retired Jack in Atlantis' 5th season, when he was still around for SGU. If you're still assuming, let's assume that SGU never happened. Ever. I'm happier that way. Thanks for reading!