Physician and Physicist by AndromedaMarine
A/N: Their night together will not be covered in this story. Clarification: they do not sleep together until later in the relationship.
15 April 2010 0730 ZULU
Jennifer's heart beat wildly as she approached the Gateroom behind Team Sheppard. It was the first mission for the SGA team since their medical stand down, and Jennifer worried more than usual because of her sprouting relationship with the Department Head of Science and Research. Despite Rodney's insistence that "standard recon" would indeed be standard recon, the young American found herself going through scenarios in which she would lose the only man she'd ever loved.
Chuck dialed the gate, but before Woolsey gave the go-ahead to open the wormhole, Jen called to Rodney. He turned and smiled, walking towards her while glancing back over his shoulder at his colleagues. He stopped a modest distance away. "Hey."
Jen frowned. "What're you doing over there? Everyone knows about us by now anyway." She stepped towards him, entering his space, and gripped one of his hands. She threaded their fingers together.
Rodney tensed.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, it's just..."
She cut him off with a squeeze of her fingers. "It'll be okay. And if it's not, you know I'm here and I'll do anything I can to keep you safe and with me. Carson and I are good at our jobs."
The astrophysicist let a smile tug the corners of his lips upwards. He nodded. "I trust you with everything," he said quietly.
"Yo, Rodney, let's move," John yelled at him. "Just kiss her and get it over with."
McKay scowled at Sheppard over his shoulder, but before he could do anything Jennifer gripped his TAC vest, tugged him down, and kissed him hard in full view of the entire Gateroom. Chuck blinked and Woolsey rolled his eyes with a sigh. A few moments later, she released him, her palms still flat on his chest. "Be safe," she whispered.
Rodney smiled and returned to the team. The wormhole opened with a kawoosh, Team Sheppard stepped through, each disappearing into the shimmering aqua pool, and the Gate disengaged.
Dr. Jennifer Keller released a worried sigh and headed back to the infirmary, the kiss on repeat replay through her mind.
0745 ZULU
John paused beside the MALP to check the camera. "UAV spotted a village four klicks east." He rested his hands on the P90 clipped to his TAC. "So, Rodney, get any action last night?"
Rodney began to feel his anger level rise. "Even if I did," he said hotly, "it's none of your damn business." Even he was amazed by his control over the desire to yell at John for being immature. Jennifer's disposition had already begun to rub off on him. "Now keep your ugly, inappropriate thoughts to yourself so we can go meet these villagers. And try not to get anything broken or sprained this time." He started walking east at a brisk pace.
John shrugged when Teyla gave him a scathing look. "What? I can't have a little fun with Rodney?"
"Not when it raises his blood pressure," Ronon said gruffly, eliciting startled stares from both the American and Athosian. Without responding to the surprised looks, Ronon set off in the opposite direction that Rodney had gone. John and Teyla trailed behind him, apparently not realizing their bearing pointed west.
In the woods a while away, Rodney was muttering to himself. "Kirk just can't keep his half-assed thoughts to himself, can he? Goddamn flyboy..." He was a klick into the walk before he suddenly realized that the other three weren't with him. He turned around and started walking back towards the Gate. "Damn military brats can't keep up..."
The one thing about the planet that surprised Rodney was that it looked too much like the woods of Vancouver. He shivered.
When he got back to the clearing with the MALP and Gate, he noticed that his teammates seemed confused, and just as he was about to ask why they all had dazed expressions, the sky opened up with Ronon-fist-sized hail. Cursing, they ran for the tree line. A few minutes later the hail stopped, and they noticed a thick mist flowing around their feet.
Rodney felt the numbness crawl from his toes to his knees, lost his balance, and fell heavily into the fog. The last thing he thought of before the black of unconsciousness came was how worried Jennifer would be.
0836 ZULU
Jennifer cursed as the klaxons sounded. "Medical team to the Gateroom!" Chuck's voice called over the citywide PA. "Dr. Keller to the Gateroom!" She gathered the equipment and set off down the corridor with the gurney and emergency medical team in tow. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. As they rolled into the Gateroom Jennifer realized how jinxed Team Sheppard was when it came to "standard reconnaissance."
The wormhole opened and Chuck immediately lowered the shield. Everyone watched with bated breath as John came through first, followed by Ronon with Rodney slung over his shoulders, and finally Teyla. Just as she stepped into Atlantis Chuck hit the shield button, the golden shimmer returned, and an enormous thud echoed throughout the control tower.
Jennifer rushed forward with the gurney, heart in throat. Ronon set the unconscious scientist on the rolling bed and watched with his teammates as the medical team hurried down the corridor. Carson appeared beside the three Atlanteans and quietly shepherded them to the infirmary for full physicals.
A/N: I will post a separate "story" next week titled "Mission Report," which covers the team's experiences on the planet, designated M2T-097. Look for the alert! R&R.