A/N: standard disclaimers apply. R&R.

"Fuck." Evan cursed as he slid through the mud. He had just spent the last three hours trying to negotiate the release of fifteen. It had worked, but it had started to rain the moment he had arrived and hadn't stopped so everything was just a sea of mud.

And now, on the way back to the Gate, he lost his footing and slipped down into the mud. So now he was tired, frustrated, and covered in mud.

This wasn't what he had in mind when he asked Max on a date.

Getting back up, he trudged to the Gate and stepped through. After reporting to Doctor Weir and Colonel Sheppard Evan stopped off at his quarters to change. It took around a half-hour to get all the mud off of his skin but he didn't want to look like the Mud Creature. Putting on some fresh BDUs, he felt infinitely better than when he came back.

Walking out of his room, Evan made his way to the lounge and arrived just in time to see everyone leaving. "Great." He thought. Sighing, he made his way through the crowd and walked into the lounge. Scanning the room, he saw that the spot where he had left Max was empty.

"She left awhile ago." Evan heard someone say behind him.

Turning around he saw that it was Crysta. "Where'd she go?" he asked her.

Crysta shrugged. "Why should I tell you? You disappear and she looked pretty upset when she left." Crysta folded her arms, raised an eyebrow, and glared at Evan. "What'd you do?"

"I didn't do anything." Evan said, defending himself. He hated dealing with friends of someone he was dating; he always got the feeling that he was being interrogated by the father before a first date. Plus, if he actually knew the friends and things didn't work out; things got ugly fast. "I was just doing my job; it's not my fault that it took the entire length of the movie."

"Oh." Crysta said, looking sheepish. "Sorry."

"Whatever. Which way did she go?"

"Well, Lydia did tell me that she was taking Max to check out the stars."

"Thanks." Evan said, heading towards the door. He then made his way to the observatory, hoping that's where he would find Max.

Entering, he spotted a door ajar. Smiling, he made his way up the steps and as he got closer he could hear voices and giggling.

"…didn't think he would do something like that."

"Who do you think talked him into doing it?"

"You?"

"Yup. I just didn't think he would do it at my graduation. It was freezing that day."

"Did anything get frostbitten?"

Evan poked his head out and saw Max and Lydia sitting by the railing with their legs over the edge. As he stepped all the way outside, he cleared his throat. They both fell silent and looked at him. Nervously smiling he said to Max, "Can I talk to you?"

"Depends on what you have to say." Lydia replied, shooting daggers at Evan.

"Lydia!"

Lydia stood and said, "I'll talk to you later Max." She then walked past Evan, giving him a look and then it was just the two of them. Suddenly feeling self-conscious Evan asked, "All right if I sit down?"

"Sure."

Evan walked over to where Lydia had been sitting and sat down, swinging his legs over the edge. "Sorry about missing the movie, it took longer than I thought."

Max shrugged, "I'm over it." She looked at Evan and said, "We even now?"

"How so?"

"Well, I ditched you the first time and then you ditched me this time so I figure that we're even now."

Evan smiled at the thought, "Yea, I guess we are. You up for another try?"

"Sure."

"Great, how does tomorrow sound?"

"What do you mean? There's not another movie until next Friday."

"So? We can have our own little movie night."

Max laughed, "You'll bring the popcorn?"

Evan grinned, "Sure. You can supply the movie, how does that sound?"

"Sounds like a date to me, what do you think?"

"It's a date." Evan said smiling. He then realized that, somehow, during the conversation he had put an arm around her shoulders, with her nestled against him. It all just felt so right to him and Evan wondered why he hadn't done it sooner.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Max sighed and stood. "Leaving already?" he asked, not wanting her to leave.

"Yea, it's getting late and all that caffeine I drank earlier is wearing off so I'm going to head back to my place. I'll see you later?"

"Yea, later." Evan said as Max walked towards the door.