See part one for the disclaimer and other important information.

"Yes, Radek, I get it—After all I am the…"

"Smartest man in universe."

"Yes, thank you," Rodney continues, "It, however, does not solve any of our problems."

"But we have first step."

They have finally figured out the Ancient machine after much deliberation on how to change an Ancient light bulb. It really doesn't do them much good at the moment, though. The machine creates the containers for the ZPM's, not the quantum foam itself, and it's out of materials anyway.

"First step gets…" he gesture, "I can't even think of a good analogy for this."

"You are negative man, Rodney McKay."

"No, I'm realistic," Rodney pauses, continuing this fight isn't productive by any means and plus he has already gotten the final word, "Let's pack up and get lunch."

"Tebe a tvůj žaludek"

"If you keep that up the only words Anezka is going to learn in Czech are swear words."

"All I said was 'you and your stomach'"

"Oh," the fuel has been taken out of his snark

"I got you there," Radek laughs.

"Hey, are you headed to lunch?" John asks.

"Yeah," Elizabeth smiles.

John falls into step beside her.

"What is it? Meatloaf day?"

"No, macaroni and cheese," and adds with a knowing smile, "Somehow the last shipment of meatloaf got lost in transit."

"What a shame."

They round the corner onto a sight neither of them had ever expected to see—Rodney and Radek holding hands oblivious to the fact that someone has joined them in the hallway. John and Elizabeth stop in the junction not wanting to disturb the couple.

"When did that happen?" John asks in a whisper.

"I don't know," she pauses firmly, "but it's good for them—especially Rodney."

"What do you mean?"

"He's always seemed so alone"

"Yeah," John nods firmly and then grins goofily, "Rodney has a boyfriend."

"John, you will not tease him about this."

"Hey—my lips are sealed until they announce themselves—I'm not that cruel."

"Alright," Elizabeth acknowledges, "Come on before we get stuck with the edges."

John laughs.

Radek mumbles to himself as he walks back to Rodney's quarters. To say it had been a bad day would be an understatement—a very large understatement. Radek had woken up alone this morning to a screaming Anezka. He didn't think much of it at the time—the warm fuzzy feeling of actually being able to acknowledge the enjoyment of cuddling was clouding his brain along with an upset infant. However, the lab was quiet when he arrived—loudly announcing the lack of Rodney. He didn't have much time to ponder that before a minor emergency required his attention—one that he had just finished solving. The quarters are still empty.

Radek sighs—he knows that he has to locate Rodney. He looks down into the eyes of his daughter, "Daddy needs to find you a baby sitter."

"I dunna know about this. I've had training, but that's nothing like the real thing."

"It is simple—when she cries give her bottle, check her diaper, and then put her down to sleep."

"I don know all that—I just…"

"It'll be fine—I trust you."

Radek dashes out of the infirmary.

Actually finding Rodney turns out not to be that hard. The life signs detector registers one white blip in a newly explored sector—it is either Rodney or a wraith.

"Rodney?"

"Yes, yes, I'm working," he waves Radek off.

Radek stares at him—the exhaustion turning into outrage.

"What?" Rodney asks sharply when Radek doesn't leave.

"I have had terrible day—you leave me alone with Anezka and to deal with Kavanagh almost blowing up the lab."

"I know that I am indispensable everywhere, but I can't handle everything."

"Yes, we all know that the Great Rodney McKay must have vacation whenever he wants." Radek opens his mouth to continue to rant, but Rodney interrupts.

"I'm not gay—I can't be gay."

Radek tilts his head the other way, taking in the down trodden form Rodney's body has taken.

"Is that what this is about?"

"My sister is a lesbian," he pauses at Radek's confusion, "There's a huge age gab between us. My parents never let her back into the house after she came out. They never liked me. I can't …"

Radek sits down on the floor next to Rodney and leans his head back, "We are not really gay."

Rodney turns his head and gives him a confused look.

"Unless homosexuals are different in North America, there is lifestyle with being gay. We act no different than before this started. We are perhaps quasi-gay." He says that with a questioning look on his face and making a so-so motion with his hand. He wants to talk more about two people finding each other and being meant for each other, but the time isn't right.

This is enough to make Rodney smile, "I know I can be a pain to live with—well most of the time-- but thank you. I don't know why I let my parents bother me. It's highly unlikely that they care what I do as long as they don't have to see it or me."

He slips his hand into Radek's, squeezes it, and decides to leave it there.

Radek scoots over to peer at the laptop cradled in Rodney's lap, "What is this?"

"I'm still translating."

"Still?"

"I was a bit distracted today."

Radek begins to read what Rodney already has done.

"Where's Anezka?"

"With Carson"

"What?"

TBC

Thank you to all my loyal readers!