24 hours after the party

John, Teyla and Rodney were walking down the winding corridors of Atlantis. The weight of the box in Rodney's pocket was getting annoying.

"I recommend it to be in 2 days." John said.

"I can't wait that long." Rodney said.

"If you propose in 2 days, then the marriage will take place on Christmas day." Teyla said.

"Really? Wait, let me just do the math." Rodney thought a second; that day was the eighth of December. When a proposal is established and an engagement is in place, they have fifteen days until the marriage. If he proposed in two days, on the eleventh, then the marriage would take place fifteen days afterwards which was Christmas day. "Oh, you're right.".

"I advise that first, you see Jeannie. Then you take Jennifer to see her parents..."

"Parent, actually. Her mom passed away peacefully in her sleep and Jennifer doesn't like thinking about it. So she only has a dad to worry about."
"Parent, and ask her dad if you can propose."

"Okay. So, when shall me and Jennifer go?"

"Well, I think you should just go without Jennifer."

"Why?" Rodney asked, puzzled by the suggestion.

"Well, you could just go and see Jeannie. Tell her you're going to propose to Jennifer, and ask her, her wife and child to come over for the marriage and Christmas. And you could go and see her father in the process and tell him the truth about what his daughter works for and where..."

"Actually he already knows. Jennifer calls him every day and she introduced me to him and he is well aware that his daughter works in another galaxy and there's a conspiracy going on and that we have advanced technology. Also, he's well aware about what's going on between me and Jennifer."

"OK then. You just have to visit him and say something speech-like and ask him for his daughters hand in marriage."

"OK. Sounds like a plan."

"Slightly. Only slightly."

12 hours later

Rodney walked awkwardly into Elizabeth's quarters. He kept his box in his pocket, but he fished around in his pockets to keep it in his hands; it was extremely precious to him.

"Elizabeth?" Rodney said.

"Yes, Rodney. What is it?" Elizabeth replied.

"Well: I really need to go to Earth."

"Why?"

"I can only say this. You'll understand as soon as you see it." Rodney took the Ring-box out of his pocket and opened it. Elizabeth looked carefully in and rubbed her eyes as if she didn't believe what she was seeing. She simply smiled and said.

"Good luck, Rodney. And I understand you're giving these to Jennifer?"
"Yes. I need to talk to Jeannie and ask Jennifer's dad for her hand in marriage."

"Very good luck, Rodney. I'll let you go through immediately." They both walked over the catwalk and into the control room. "Dial Earth." She instructed the 'gate-manager. He immediately turned away from his kindle-book and dialled the symbols required to 'gate to Earth. The wormhole established as the last chevron digitalised into place. The usual geyser of energy sprung out, retracted and the event horizon 'settled'. Rodney went down to the 'gate. He looked up at the control room. Elizabeth nodded at him as if to say 'the iris on the other side has been opened'. He nodded back. He went through the wormhole and appeared on the other side. That slight nauseous feeling came to him as he stepped through the 'gate. Damn it, McKay! You should really get something done about that!. He walked down the ramp. Colonel Carter was standing at the foot of the ramp. Smiling in a surprised way.

"Rodney..." Rodney immediately showed her what was inside the black box he was carrying. "Who are you going to give that to?"

"Doctor Jennifer Keller on Atlantis."

"Nice... I didn't except you to be settling down with anyone."

"Neither did I. But we both love each other and I think it's about the correct time I tell her."

"OK. Where are you going?" She asked as Rodney walked straight past through the blast door. She called out to Walter " Disengage the 'gate." She hurried after Rodney.

"I'm going to Jeannie's, then to see Jennifer's father to ask him for Jennifer's hand in marriage."

"Shoulda guessed."

"Yeah, you shoulda. I'm just going to get out of the base. I left my car somewhere outside in the employee's car park."

"OK. Good luck!" She called as she stopped in the corridor and Rodney went into the elevator.

"Thanks!" Rodney called back.

"I heard he's a changed man but... wow! He's changed more than I remember him to be." She muttered to herself as she walked back to her office.

Jennifer lay in her quarters reading the book that was written by Rodney when he had been struck with a beam of energy. She wasn't around for it but she knew he had written a 500-page book about Dr. Weir's decisions at Atlantis while he was under the influence of the 'Ascendomator', coined by John. Elizabeth had recently found out that some of the Atlantis personnel had worked at a publishing studio. She set up a publishing service and the first to be published was Rodney's book about Elizabeth. It had been called 'decisions And Contributions'. And had Dr Weir on the cover. She felt a sudden pain in her stomach. Like something was kicking and punching to get out. She dropped the book and immediately went to the infirmary carrying the lingering pain. "If you ever suspect that you have some kind of alien disease, go and check it out immediately.". That was the first line in Decisions And Contributions. She went into the transporter and selected the general area of the infirmary. She waited for the familiar transportation light to fade then opened the door. She jogged quickly to the infirmary. Carson immediately noticed her.

"Jennifer! I thought... Jennifer? Are you all right, lass?"

"I want an immediate scan!" It was more of a command than a question. It came out more harshly than she'd intended. She winced at the thought of Carson thinking she'd gone crazy.

"'Course, love." Jennifer laid down on a bed. A scanner immediately came rolling next to bed, connected to a large medical screen. Laura came over with a bandage on her arm.

"What happened to you, Laura?" Jennifer asked as the scanner's grid-formation light shone in her eyes.

"Slight mistake in a training exercise. What happened to you?"

"I just felt something painful in my stomach and I decided to come here to check it out; I'm not sure."

"I am. Jennifer... There's no easy way to say this so I'm going to say it as easily and

congratulation-ish as I can: Jennifer..."

"You're pregnant." Laura said, looking at the screen, amazed.

That was just more surprising. The days had never really awarded her with those words. And she never thought they would. But now she had heard them, something really loved her. And she had a feeling it was Rodney.

"Uh... wow?" Jennifer stuttered.

"Um... Aye. She could have put it in a more gentle manner." Carson said, glaring at Laura. "But Aye. You're pregnant with a girl."

"A girl?"

"Aye. The scans show the feminine bone structure of an unborn baby. Which suggests that it's a girl."

Laura gently patted her on the shoulder and Carson hugged her while Jennifer didn't react. Instead she stared at the scan of her baby-girl.