A/N: I would like to thank ladygris for her Beta assistance with this chapter. As always, her comments were a source of laughter just when I needed it most.

Namaste,

~Sandy

The Healing Touch

Chapter 4

A Soul is Touched

At their usual table, Team Sheppard discussed their next offworld mission, Rodney again wanting to know why he had to go if the MALP had picked up no traces of advanced technology. All John could come up with was, "Because Woolsey said so."

Turning to speak to Teyla, John felt a sudden warmth on his arm and looked down to see Rodney's hand resting there. He gave the appendage a quick squeeze to get John's attention and he did. Just not in the way he'd wanted to. John jerked away startling Rodney. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Excuse me?" His friend was genuinely confused.

"You keep…touching me."

"Oh, sorry." Rodney looked at his hand.

"Just don't let it happen again."

Later, as they were headed for a senior staff meeting, Rodney walked alongside Teyla, his hand on her shoulder close to the back of her neck. Unlike John, she didn't seem to mind and didn't pull away or comment.

John watched realizing that Rodney had engaged in more casual physical contact in the few weeks since he and Charlie had been seeing each other though he doubted either would know what he was talking about if he brought it up. But dinner together almost every night, showing up late for morning meetings, actually smiling instead of glaring at everyone and he practically lights up when she enters a room. All the signs were there. Rodney was falling in love.

~~O~~

The meeting ended and the team went their separate ways. Or rather Rodney went and the others stayed in order to talk about the physicist.

"Have you noticed something weird about McKay lately? He's gotten a little…" John wiggled his fingers in the air, "…touchy-feely."

Teyla nodded. "Yes, I have noticed. He buried himself in work, avoiding physically touching anyone for fear of getting to close when Jennifer declared her love for Major Lorne. Now he seems to crave human contact."

"Probably something to do with that scientist with the weird accent." Ronon crossed his arms.

"The one with the red hair and…" John made what some would construe as an obscene gesture meant to indicate a portion of the female anatomy.

Ronon snorted and grinned. "Yeah."

Teyla smacked the men on their arms. "Leave Rodney alone. He is happy again. I had not thought he'd get over the heartbreak so quickly."

"I know," John told her sheepishly. "Doesn't mean I can't be a little jealous that he's finally met someone who…" His voice trailed off as Amanda Cole approached the group. She wore her uniform with a lab coat over it, one hand in a pocket while the other carried a tablet.

~~O~~

Teyla nudged Ronon, indicating the silly grin John now had on his face.

"Colonel." Amanda's honey-blonde hair was back in a ponytail, little wisps that had escaped the elastic floating around her head. Her grin mirrored John's.

The military man nodded a greeting. "Doc."

Amanda greeted Ronon and Teyla with a smile that was different, less soft than the one she bestowed on John. "Are you ready to go over the semi-annual physicals for the military staff?"

"Sure. Excuse me, guys." He gestured for her to go ahead of him then followed, quickly coming up beside her.

When they'd gone, Ronon said, "He likes her, doesn't he?"

With a grin, Teyla started walking again, Ronon falling into step with her. "They are quite fond of each other but don't know it yet."

~~O~~

Chuck kissed his girlfriend good-bye at the transporter, she got in and was gone. Then he stepped in and got out on the science level, making his way to the main lab for a meeting of the science and research staff.

The meeting hadn't been underway more than a half hour when Rodney and Charlie began arguing…again. From the look on her face, Chuck was certain that this would be the day she would finally blow and he had a front row seat-and five bucks-riding on it.

She had her arms crossed, her face turning first a light pink then darkening each minute the argument continued. And just when he thought it would happen, she stomped her foot and said, "Oh, bless your heart!" and headed for the door.

Around Chuck, the men and women went almost completely still knowing what Rodney would say to that. But he didn't. All he did was huff at her. "I don't understand. Every time we have a discussion, you say that and storm out. Why would you wish me well if…"

Loudly clearing his throat, Chuck raised his hand to get his superior's attention. "Um, Dr. McKay, that's not what that means."

"What? Of course it does!" He paused thinking it through and finding no traps. "Doesn't it?"

Charlie turned when she reached the door giggling at Rodney's stunned expression. "Most of the time it doesn't."

"Well, what does it mean?"

"It means you're bein' a horse's backside, honey."

"A horse's… Wait. Did you just call me 'honey'?"

The giggling was replaced by a sweet smile. "Yes, I did."

"So what does that mean? 'Take me to the grocery store'? 'I've got a headache'? 'My mother's coming to live with us'?"

She returned to look up to him with a gentle smile. "Rodney, dear, it's a term of endearment one bestows on the object of their affection."

"A term of endearment? Why would you…" The physicist's eyes bugged out of his head as he made a slow "A-ha!" grin. The room cleared out so fast some of the chairs kept spinning, except for Chuck. He rolled his eyes and left the room locking the door on the way out. "Oh."

Her hands came to rest on his shoulders, but he didn't take her in his arms. "Rodney?"

"Huh?" He was still stunned by her words.

"Kiss me."

"O-Okay." And he did. They continued kissing for some time and when he pulled back, the look on her face said more than he ever thought it would. "Charlie, do you…"

"Oh, Rodney, honey, you are not ready for that yet, though I wouldn't mind doin' a little more o' this makin' out business. Just not here."

He took her by the hand and led her to "their" balcony.

~~O~~

Shouldering his case of equipment, Rodney reached down and picked up a large insulated container provided by the kitchen staff. When he reached the Gate Room, John, Teyla, Ronon, Charlie, on her first offworld mission, and a squad of Marines waited impatiently. He ignored the glares aimed in his direction.

"Dial please, Chuck." John turned to stare at Rodney, forehead creased in thought.

"What?" Rodney finally asked.

John shrugged. "Nothing. Let's move out."

~~O~~

On the other side, Charlie stumbled as she stepped out of the wormhole. "Whoa. That was some ride." Her companions looked at her curiously. "Only m' second time through. I s'pose I'll get used to it bein' as I'll be the one comin' here from now on."

"Why's that, doc?" John asked.

"Rodney's assigned me to do the repairs on the shield from now on, Colonel."

Turning to the physicist, John gave him a mild glare meant to wound. "McKay?"

With a grunt, Rodney hitched his equipment case higher on his shoulder and picked up the food container again. "She knows this is a planet of children and doesn't mind."

"You don't?" Ronon asked. He liked the kids well enough and had even taught a few of the older ones some Satedan fighting techniques.

"'Course not. Why would I?"

"Rodney and Zelenka can't stand kids."

"Really?" She looked over at the man who had become very important to her in the last few weeks. "Hadn't noticed."

The others had no answer for that so they continued their trek through the forest to the settlement. The news of their arrival spread fast and soon a group of noisy kids, all under the age of ten, came running into their midst. But they didn't swarm around Ronon, Teyla or John. To Charlie's surprise, they called out Rodney's name with delight at seeing him again.

Rodney stopped and swung both packs to the ground then stood up straight and crossed his arms, a stern expression on his face. "What are the rules?"

As a group, they said, "No jumping, no screaming, form two lines." Which they immediately did.

"What else?"

"Say please and thank you."

Kneeling beside the container that Charlie had been curious about, he opened it and she could see it was filled with bars of chocolate. "And don't try to tell me you have a twin or a sick friend to get more."

Again they chorused, "Yes, Rodney."

Charlie watched from beside John as Rodney gave each child a bar of chocolate, accepting hugs and the occasional kiss on the cheek in payment. And in this moment, she fell a little more in love with him. She'd known for some time now that she cared about him in a way she hadn't for anyone before, but this was it. The moment of truth.

As they shouted their thank yous and good-byes, Rodney called out, "And brush your teeth!"

Once again they responded with, "Yes, Rodney."

The container empty now, Ronon took charge of it while Rodney and Charlie headed for the shield emitters that needed regular maintenance to continue working.

~~O~~

Rodney and Charlie worked side by side for almost two hours before taking a break. Sitting on a fallen tree, they enjoyed a companionable silence as they drank water and chewed on power bars.

Her snack gone, Charlie turned him to face her with a hand on his cheek and pressed her lips to his.

"What was that for?"

"Just for bein' you, honey."

"Oh." His shy embarrassed smile came back. "No one's ever done that before."

"Then it's about time someone did." Taking his hand, she gave it a squeeze. "Dinner tonight?"

"Of course."

Her smile was bright. "Good. Your room. 2000?"

"M-My room? Why…" she let go of his hand, slipped her slender arm around his neck, cuddled close to his side and whispered in his ear. "Oh." They stayed just like that until a voice intruded.

"You're here to work, McKay. Not make-out with your girlfriend."

Pulling slowly apart, Rodney kept hold of her hand. "It's none of your business what we do on a break, Sheppard." He led her back to the small cave-like area and they went back to work, not seeing John giving them both a smile.

~~O~~

John watched Rodney and Charlie work together for a few minutes realizing that Teyla was right. Rodney was happier now than he'd seen him in a long time, as if his soul had been touched. That in turn brought Amanda's pretty face to mind. He'd been having odd feelings when in her presence and began to wonder if maybe he was falling for her. Leaving that question for later, he returned to the main settlement.

~~O~~

The room was humid, the steam from the bath causing a film of condensation to cover the walls, floors, counters and every other surface. Fluffy towels hung on a bar above the tub and clothing was strewn willy-nilly all over the floor.

Rodney was lounged back with his head on a bath pillow, eyes closed, both arms around the woman cradled between his thighs, her bare back resting against his chest. One hand lay on her stomach, her left hand intertwined with his right. Bubbles floated on the surface, sticking to their skin and in the hair on Rodney's chest.

With only the flickering candlelight to illuminate the room, the couple was content to just sit and soak, happy just to be together and alone with no one to bother them.

As in his daydream, Rodney glided his palm back and forth over Charlie's waist pausing to let his finger swirl around inside her navel.

She giggled, her free hand snatching his away. "Stop! That tickles."

"I've been wanting to do that for days."

Releasing both of his hands, she rolled over in the enormous tub, water splashing over the sides. Her arms went around his neck, his arms holding her in a loose hug as she slid up to kiss him. "I'm glad you finally did. Hey!" The last exclamation came when Rodney slapped her lightly on her backside resulting in a friendly tussle that splashed even more water on the already wet floor soaking the bathmat and clothing.

Their wrestling match ended when Rodney began to lay kisses along her jaw until he came to her earlobe. Charlie melted against him when he nibbled on the small piece of flesh then rolled over onto her back again, his hand back on her stomach. Slowly he inched that hand down over her lower abdomen until he encountered a small surgical scar, all the while nuzzling her neck. She'd tilted her head to the side to give him easier access when his lips suddenly stilled on the junction of her neck and shoulder

"That's it," he whispered.

"Mmm. It sure is, honey." At his stillness, she whispered, "Don't stop. I love what you're doin'."

"That's it!" Sitting up, he leaned her forward, reaching for the safety bar he'd installed and using it to help him stand. Without bothering to towel off, he left the bathroom and Charlie, bubbles sliding down his back and legs.

His abrupt departure confused her as did the fact that he was opening and closing drawers. A moment later, he stuck his head in, dropping a pair of pajama pants and a T-shirt on the counter.

"Don't just sit there! Get dressed and come on!"

"But Rodney…" He wasn't listening so she climbed out of the tub, grabbed the clothes and went out into the room where he was just sliding his feet into a pair of slippers. Going to the door, he waited impatiently for her to get dressed and join him then led her down the hall to the transporter.

TBC