A/N still going, I may add some wumping in... we'll see.

McKay stumbled to lunch half looking for Wynnie, half still questing if she had just expressed interest in him or not. He ran into Sheppard on his way. "Heading to lunch?" Sheppard asked him.

"Yeah, how's your arm?" McKay asked in reply.

"It's good, nothing big. Hey I'll join you for lunch. Teyla's already there."

"Sure… great." He said staring off into space not really listening to what his friend was saying.

Sheppard waved his hand in front of McKay's face. "Hello…" McKay looked up and gave Sheppard and angry look.

"What…"

"Nothing you look as if you left your brain in the lab again. You all right?"

"For your information I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. I was working on an extremely important project. I'm starving and I'll pass out soon if I don't get something to eat." Sheppard just shrugged and walked with his friend to the commissary. As soon as McKay entered he spotted Wynnie. Immediately his eyes scanned her over as she was talking with her friend. A small smile broke over his face as Sheppard tried intently once again to get his attention.

"Rodney! Are you sure you're alright? You're actually being quite, I mean I'm enjoying the silence, but it's not normal."

"I told you I'm just tired," McKay snapped back. Sheppard's eyes followed his to the small form of Wynnie, and a grin spread over his face.

"I though you only liked blonds?" He questioned, knowing how much his friend liked a certain Major.

"I do like blonds, but red heads aren't bad either," McKay looked up startled. "And I don't like her, she just intrigues me." Sheppard shook his head while laughing.

"Alright, I guess I shouldn't tell you that back on Saphus you wouldn't stop radioing me asking if we had found her yet. I had to turn the damn thing off so no one would find our position. Don't forget you were fighting with Beckett to go in and see her."

"I just wanted to make sure she was alright."

"Right…and you are concerned about people you don't like?"

"Sheppard… Stop being a dick." In the back of his head McKay knew his friend was right. Truth be told he had been spending more and more time thinking about the petite, cinnamon haired girl, with her sharp olive eyes that were now glancing up at him. She looked away immediately as McKay gave her a half smile. "Okay maybe I think she's cute, but that's all. She's kind of scary. I've seen her punching the bag in the gym, it never stood a chance. She beat the crap out of it; solid as a rock. I'll admit she is rather feisty, but I don't know, she's not really my type."

"Come on she's perfect for you, she actually is here, now, and not just a fantasy in your mind. You two seem to have a lot in common based just on that… well… except maybe the fit part."

"Hey I've gotten better. Also I'm smarter than she is, I mean she's not stupid but she's not nearly as smart as me or the stunning Samantha Carter." Sheppard rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"She is cute, you should talk to her." He got an evil look in his eye, "maybe I should invite her and the beautiful Lt. Darius to sit with us." Sheppard walked over to the two girls and flashed a smile. He pulled the chair out and glanced over Madeline; even if he was a taken man, one glance couldn't hurt. He turned his gaze to Wynnie. "I was wondering if you two ravishing ladies would like to join Dr. McKay and me for lunch. I believe we will be joining the lovely Teyla Emmagan," he said pretending to be a perfect gentleman. Madeline flashed her runway smile at him and elbowed Wynnie in the side.

"Yes we would love to join you for lunch," she replied. Wynnie shot her friend a nasty stare and then looked up at Sheppard.

"Thank you Colonel, but Lt. Darius and I were leaving." Madeline looked annoyed.

"Excuse me a moment… please," she turned to her friend. "Wynnie, what do you think you are doing," she growled in a low tone, "the hottest guy in the city just asked us to lunch and you turn him down. Hun, he's gorgeous."

"First of all Maddy," she said in a whisper, "you gorgeous Colonel is currently involved with Dr. Weir, and from the looks of things he is not willing to stray from her. Second he is eating with Dr. McKay… the very same Dr. McKay I happened to have a minute, itsy bitsy crush on, which I stupidly let slip… to him. I mean I can't look at him with out turning… maroon. Please I beg you, let's just leave." Madeline sighed and gave her friend a motherly smile.

"Alright, I've got your back." Madeline and Wynnie smiled innocently at Sheppard. "We are both very sorry Colonel, but my dear friend here is right. We must be going, we've got plans." Sheppard nodded to them as they gathered their things and hurried out of the cafeteria. Madeline turned to her friend and giggled. "You are crazy you know that. How can you like that Dr. McKay when you have the gorgeous Colonel to lust after. Or even the cute Scottish guy, Beckett. He really likes you, but no you go for the scary sarcastic one."

"Okay for one I'm sarcastic. Alright look any normal girl would have accepted Dr. Beckett's invitations at once, but you know as well as I do I'm not normal."

"You can say that again." Wynnie sighed at her friend and grinned.

"Well I can't say anymore about you. You think you were put here to just-- mother everyone. I can see it now… don't forget your woolly socks, put on a sweater or you'll get cold. I mean God help your children."

"Hey just because you lack common sense don't mean everyone else does. You're the only one I need to nurture, I'm sure my kids will be smart enough to fend for themselves." Wynnie stuck her tongue out at her friend and they laughed. "Well since you already seem to be planning our evening, what do you want to do now?"

"Well first I've got a post release check up with Beckett, but then I'm thinking I need a good dose of McDreamy." Madeline nodded enthusiastically.

"I can't say no to a good healthy dose of Grey's Anatomy. However, I can't stay out to late dear; I've got my first mission in the morning. But hey I've got a question, don't you think it's weird that that Grey's Anatomy's McDreamy has the same last name as my McDreamy. I think its fate, my favorite show… my favorite guy." Wynnie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"They're spelled differently, but I'll let you believe what you want." She giggled to herself as she walked off towards the hospital.

The next day Wynnie was allowed to sleep in, meaning she got to get up a 0600 as opposed to 0430. She was assigned to SGA-6 as the jumper pilot under the command team leader Lt. Colin Myles. The previous pilot had been killed in combat a couple weeks before she had arrived. They went over briefing and some strenuous team training before being let go for the evening. To put it lightly Lt. Myles was a hard ass who had to have everything flawless. He was a former marine who took his job quite seriously and Wynnie was having a hard time taking orders from a man with a lower rank than her own. She accepted he had more experience than her in the city, but didn't like it none the less. But he did his job well and to this day still only has one fatality from his team. After training Wynnie's first thought was to look for Madeline, but she knew her friend had been sent off world on a mission, so she set off for the cafeteria alone.

Sheppard and McKay were just sitting down to eat when McKay was caught looking Wynnie eating by herself. "I bet a two mile jog tomorrow, you can't go up and talk to her." Sheppard said picking at his dinner.

"I can talk to her, I just don't feel like getting up right now. She looks busy."

"I'll double that," A voice behind them said. McKay looked up to see Ronon leaning on his crutches.

"So I see Beckett finally let you out." Sheppard noted causally. Ronon nodded as Teyla came up behind him holding two trays of food.

"How can you bet me four miles, you can't even run," McKay asked.

"No, but I think you need a good run. I'll go double you can't talk you her."

"I'll go eight miles if you ask her out to a nice evening around the city and she agrees," Sheppard added in. "You can probably get Zelenka to give you some of his moonshine to help encourage her to say yes."

"Alright but when she says yes Sheppard's running eight miles tomorrow and Ronon… you can't eat any of my chocolate stash for one week."

"Deal," he agreed in a gruff voice. McKay stood up and took a deep breath. He then hesitated and glanced at Teyla who smiled encouragingly at him.

"Okay here it goes." McKay walked over to the table were Wynnie was reading a book. "He…Hello Captain Flynn, Wynnie, how are you." She looked up and glared at him before her gaze soften slightly.

"Hello Rodney, I'm well how about you," she replied with a sigh

"Errr… I'm good, busy, but good."

"That's good…" She smiled waiting for McKay to continue.

"I was just wondering if you would maybe like too… go for a walk with me around the city… that is if you're not busy." He face turned a deep shade of crimson as hers turned maroon.

"Ooohhh," she sputtered and thought about it for a moment. McKay looked at her with an almost hopeful face, though he wasn't sure if it was because he didn't want to run eight miles of if he really wanted her to say yes.

"It could be kind of fun, I may even get Zelenka to give me some of his moonshine."

"Wait you have access to real alcohol? Well I guess a little walk around wouldn't hurt. Just don't keep me out to late." He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Sheppard and Ronon and grinned. Wynnie gathered her things and walked off with McKay. "You know you're lucky. If you had caught me when Madeline was here I would probably have said no. But I guess I need to get out of my shell."

"Yeah, I guess I don't get out much either. I'm either out on a mission of working in the lab. I always have to fix everyone else's problems so I'm very busy."

"Ah a workaholic I see. I like to work hard but I play hard too." He nodded slightly.

"What do you like to do in your spare time? You know besides take offence to everything everyone says to you." She laughed at him.

"I like music so I try to go to a lot of concerts. Mostly I go to the bar with my squad and every now and then Maddy gets me out clubbing. I can't dance so I end up sitting at the bar drinking way too much, while I watch her dance with every possible guy in the place, gay or straight. What about you?"

"Before I came here most of my nights were spent at home with my cat. I'd work out physics problems. You know genius stuff." He laughed embarrassed but she smiled warmly at him.

"There's nothing wrong with taking work home." They walked out on to one of the balconies and Wynnie looked up at the breathtaking sky. "Oh wow it's beautiful out here. Quite honestly I've been here close to two weeks now and I've not been outside here. The stars are so bright." She looked up at McKay.

"With the exception of the Wraith, this galaxy is quite beautiful. Most of the planets are simple, but working with them makes me feel like I'm actually doing something. Plus they all make me feel superior over them, not that I don't feel that way most of the time."

"Oh really?" She said looking skeptical.

"Well I am a certified genius."

"You're also a certified prick, but you know what, I'm okay with that. Just don't try and talk to me about physics. I barley passed it in college and I will be no means understand it now."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He laughed. She smiled as his hand brushed hers.

"What are you thinking about?"

"The distance the light from these stars had to travel to get here at 3.0x108 m/s."

"Oh… that sucks, you've got boring thoughts." She said sarcastically as his hand finally grasped hers.

"Well you know what my field is, so… what did you study in College?"

"I studied Neuroscience at Northwestern University. It was a part of the psychology program."

"Yeah? What did you want to do?" She sighed at looked at him shyly.

"I wanted to be a brain surgeon. You know one of those people who saves the person when all else fails. I couldn't cut it. I mean I got decent grades in college but not enough to get me into med school. I tired obsessively but when it came down to it I wouldn't have been a good doctor anyway. I can't deal well with people, I mean I get along with them, but I don't know, hospitals make me uncomfortable anyway." She started feeling exposed to him but like talking to Dr. Beckett, something told her to trust him. It was time she gave Madeline a break and let someone else have a peak at her heart.

"So you joined the Air Force?"

"If just seemed like the right thing to do, it turned out I was right. I took to the skies like a fish to water. It was probably the best decision I've ever made." She smiled at him and looked him over. He had been asking so many questions but he seemed genuinely interested. "How about you, what made you come to Atlantis?"

"It's my life's work, studying how the ancient's technology worked. Living in this magnificent city built by them and learning about them is a dream come true. I've discovered more in the couple years I've been here than I could have on Earth."

"Didn't you leave anyone behind?"

"No, like you I mostly kept to myself. I have my sister but I rarely talked to her. I think if I ever make it back to earth I would like to try talking to her again. I think she's got a family. I don't know anymore. My family is here now." He brushed a stay hair from her face. Wynnie shivered slightly in the cool air. "What about your family." She hesitated slightly and smiled sadly.

"I don't talk to them anymore. Well I think maybe once a year I may hear from my father but I've not spoken with my mother in nine years. The only person I really talked to was my brother. But…" she shook her head… "but he died four years ago."

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that."

"My too, my mother wouldn't even let me go to the funeral."

"What happened between you and your parents?" Her eyes widened.

"It's getting late I should go the bed." She pulled her hand free and ran off, McKay made a move to go after her but she was long gone. He stood for a moment as he watched her small back turn the corner and made his way to Sheppard's room.

"I know I know I owe you eight miles tomorrow," Sheppard said as he opened the door to see McKay's crestfallen face. "What happened?"

"I blew it. She ran off after I asked about her parents."

"You asked about her parents?" Sheppard exclaimed. "You don't ask about family until at least the third date no wonder she got scared."

"Well she asked about mine! I just though it was an open subject."

"On first dates you stick to small talk, hobbies, music, favorite animals, you know stuff like that."

"I'm not as experienced as you are at dating." He said venomously. "You know it's true I was beginning to like her. She's normally so closed off I just thought she was opening up."

"With women you don't ask questions about personal stuff you wait for her to reveal more information, only ask the basics to sound like you're interested."

"Right and you know so much about rejection. Women practically throw themselves at your feet?" McKay stated skeptically.

"You may not believe it but I've had drinks shoved into my face my fair share of unrequited love. You live and learn with women." He stretched out his arms over his head and just shook his head with a grin. "Give her a couple days and try again with I guess what counts for you as charm."

"Doesn't anyone here believe I can be charming? I can be quite romantic if I want to be just ask my old girlfriend from college."

"You had a girlfriend in college?"

"No, not really, I was tutoring her and I bought her a glass of wine once. She was really pretty with long blond hair and bright eyes. But that's beside the point if I really wanted to I could… you know… be romantic. I mean all it takes are some flowers and music." Sheppard rolled his eyes and shook his head at his friend.

"Good luck with that. For the record I will no be responsible for any injuries you may sustain while attempting to charm Captain Flynn." McKay just shook his head and waved Sheppard off as he walked back to the lab.

After running from McKay, Wynnie waited up for Madeline to return from her mission. Even though she was near exhaustion Madeline smiled warmly as she embraced her dear friend and listened to her weeping about how inept Wynnie was in love. "Honey," she said to her friend while wiping a tear away. "I think you're going to scare him off faster if you don't tell him. I he really likes you he will accept it."

"But my mother still cannot accept and forgive me, how can a man who I barely know accept me," she sniffed out. "I never want to talk to him again, he probably hates me now."

"Oh Wynnie, you're overreacting. He doesn't hate you and unfortunately dear, you are going to have to work with him again. Get some sleep; things will look better in the morning."