A/N: Sorry for the long delay on this but RL has taken its toll on my writing abilities. Thanks to any of you who are still reading this story and Betherdy Babe for the brief beta.

Rodney paced, something he'd never done too often. He was always sure and confident with his actions but this was out of his comfort zone. The physicist had never given a gift before.

It was an odd realization for the thirty-something to realize, but gift giving wasn't something his family did. This was the first of two gifts he had in mind for the captivating blond physician on her way down. If this one backfired he'd know not to bother with the other one.

"Don't lose your nerve, McKay," he said, as his fingers stroked the velvet box he held. The gift for his sister was really something he wanted to give Jennifer to remember him by. If it showed the doctors who would be sniffing around his beautiful date that she was really with him, all the better.

"What was that, sonny?" the elderly woman sitting on the couch nearby asked.

"Did I say that out loud?" he asked.

"Don't lose your nerve," she stated as she pulled a cell phone out of her purse. "Are you proposing?"

"Proposing? No, this is only a second date," he replied as blue eyes met his.

"And you're giving a gift already? Sounds serious to me." The lady glanced back at her phone. "My Artie still gives me surprise gifts. On our first date he had flowers and on our second he had an engagement ring."

"So a necklace isn't too much too soon?"

"My husband was off to war and didn't want to lose me," she confided, meeting his gaze once again.

"Well, Jennifer is leaving for a while. She's a doctor with Doctor's Without Borders. She's going somewhere in Africa," Rodney explained, unable to explain why he was chatting to a stranger.

"That's nice. I'm sure she'll remember a sweetie like you," the woman said before she started dialing a number.

The elevator dinged and Jennifer stepped off, causing Rodney to stare. He'd seen her in the dress at the store but now that she was dressed for their date he was rendered speechless. The dress seemed to cling more to her curves than it did earlier in the day. Rodney mentally thanked the salesperson for pushing Jennifer into the modest one-inch heel instead of the flats she wanted. Her hair was down and framed her face, giving her an even more innocent air about her. Oh I'll be the envy of every man in that room.

A broad grin split his face and all fear of giving Jennifer her gift left him. "You look beautiful."

"I look ridiculous," she replied. "I'm going to fall on my face and…"

"I'll be more than happy to let you lean on me if you're not steady on your feet," he responded, wiggling his eyebrows and smirking.

"You insufferable…"

"Hey. I come bearing gifts so be nice." Rodney held up the box.

Jennifer looked confused as she looked at the velvet box in his hands. "That's for your sister."

"No, it's for the most beautiful woman I've ever had the pleasure of going out with." Rodney stepped forward and removed the necklace from it's box.

"I…"

"Oh that's lovely," the elderly woman said as she stopped next to the couple. "Don't you dare let this one get away, honey," she addressed Jennifer. "Men today just don't know how to woo a woman, but this one sure does."

Rodney held in a laugh because the lady reminded him of his grandmother who passed away years ago. "Only the best for my date." He raised an eyebrow as a speechless Jennifer Keller looked between the elderly woman and the physicist.

"That's the spirit." Her grey eyes sparkled and she patted Jennifer's arm. "I mean it. Don't let him get away." She turned and headed for a distinguished looking younger man in a suit waiting at the door.

"R-rodney, I can't take this. It's for…"

"You." He leaned forward, catching a scent of flowers as he clasped the chain behind her neck.

"I…"

"No more complaining. We're going to be late," he said and physically turned her toward the door.

The necklace was only the beginning of her amazing night. As she lay in her hotel bed full of a restless energy she'd never felt before, every detail of the night unfolded for her once again. The feel of Rodney's hands as they gently brushed her hair aside to let the necklace settle around her neck still sent a shiver down her spine. The sound of his voice as he whispered comments in her ear during the dinner party echoed in her head. Smiling as she snuggled against her pillow, the physician told herself she wasn't such a bad judge of character after all.

All her fears about Rodney insulting their hosts were disproved because, once again, Doctor Rodney McKay saved the day. This time it was fixing the dean's stereo system, which Rodney modified to play any satellite radio channel in the northern hemisphere. The physicians were in awe of his skills and one of them from Mass General hospital actually knew Carl Sagan. A discussion ensued about how arrogant the famous author and physicist really was.

Jennifer stood in awe of Rodney's ability to talk about anything with total confidence. She only felt comfortable talking about medicine and Wisconsin, not in that order. Small talk about the latest electronic gadget or cell phone technology was lost to her, but her date still included her in the conversation.

He talked as if he and Jennifer had known each other for years, telling of her goal to be chief of staff at a major research hospital and her desire to make a difference with her service to Doctor's Without Borders. By the end of the night she had three physicians begging her to call them once her time in Africa had ended. This one man did more to advance her career aspirations in one night than her father did over the past decade.

"Jennifer, can I come in?" Rodney's voice and his knocking sounded through her hotel room the next morning.

"Be right there," she called and let out a sigh. The physician closed her eyes for a minute to shut out the fact that this was going to be good-bye for at least a year. Jennifer wanted to remember her first real date and how good it made her feel, but skip the ending.

She had let him walk her to her room last night but they separated with nothing more than the squeezing of hands and warm smiles. He'd kissed me in front of Dad, but won't when it's just the two of us. That is so not fair.

"Morning," Rodney said when she opened the door to find him in a brown coat and tan slacks like the other day. He had an early flight and was obviously ready to go. "I come bearing gifts." He had a tray with two coffees from the shop down the street, a computer bag over his shoulder and a bag containing something else sitting between the coffees.

"Let me help you with this," Jennifer offered and reached for the tray.

"Thanks. I got your favorite French Roast and one of those chocolate croissant things you liked."

His smile was broad but Jennifer could see concern in his eyes. He knows this is good-bye and seems to be worried about it too. She couldn't help but smile reassuringly, trying with her eyes to tell him she would wait to see him again for as long as it took. "You're the best."

"Don't I know it," he said, rocking on his heels and staying close to the door.

Jennifer giggled as she took a drink of the heavenly coffee. "I'm going to miss this."

Rodney stiffened and crossed his arms.

Jennifer felt as if the room chilled around her and was at a loss of what to say or do. She motioned for him to sit on the lone desk chair. "When's your flight?"

"Soon." He took off the computer bag and set it on the bed. "I-I…"

"Don't say it," Jennifer said and held up her hands. "We'll see each other again. I promise." She felt a red wave flood her face. What are you saying? You're being clingy. You might as well offer him sex now to remember you by, her father's voice echoed through her head making her feel even worse.

"I know we will. That's what this is all about." He gestured to the laptop computer he was removing from the bag.

At least Jennifer thought it was a computer. It didn't look like anything she'd seen in computer stores. It was razor thin and the surface looked like a solar panel.

"It's state of the art. The cover catches solar radiation to charge the battery…" he began.

"No way. I know enough about solar power to know it can't be captured by a tiny computer." Jennifer moved away. A terrible premonition occurred to her.

"It's something I've been working on."

"Rodney," she scolded. "You can't give me a top secret government experiment."

"First it's not top secret. Do you think I could take it from the lab if it was? Second, I don't want you alone in the wilds of Africa. I need to know you're safe." His voice rose as he held the computer out for her to take.

"Rodney." She wanted to scold him but the way he said he needed to know she was safe pushed all her anger aside. It was genuine concern, not the domineering need to know what she was doing that her father exhibited.

"Jennifer, I want to stay in touch with you. This computer will charge itself and connects to a satellite to transmit your messages. We'll even be able to video chat…"

"Video chat?" Jennifer was overwhelmed and nearly stumbled. Rodney was offering her a way to stay in touch with him while she was isolated in a third world country. He offered her an invention of his own-probably something he whipped up in his spare time. In all of five minutes. A smile toyed with the corners of her mouth.

Rodney's eyes zeroed in on the battle she waged to keep her lips from curling upwards. The intensity of his cobalt gaze made her heart skip a beat. The genius put the laptop down on the desk and stepped toward her.

Jennifer gazed up when he got closer and a gasp escaped her lips when he reached out and took her hands in his.

"Jennifer," Rodney began. "I'm not good at this. I usually go on a date and then months go by before I remember to ask for another one. I don't want to lose contact with you. I…" He seemed to lose his bluster. "I really like you. I know that sounds juvenile…"

Jennifer couldn't hold herself back any longer. She squeezed his hands and leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips. The young doctor had never initiated a kiss before. Her father's voice screamed in her mind that she was throwing her life away with a kiss, but the woman ignored it for once.

There was no way she would let this man pour his heart out to her, give her a way of staying in touch with him and not thank him as a woman should thank the man she was falling in love with.

As soon as Rodney attempted to return the kiss, the hotel room phone rang. Jennifer jumped back like she'd been scalded. The brief contact with his mouth sent her head spinning and nearly erased her ability to think. His lips were soft but firm as they began to rub against hers. I never thought a man's mouth would be soft and smooth. Somehow her father's continuous comments about men and sex made her think men weren't capable of being anything but harsh.

The phone rang again, forcing her to turn away from the stunned face of the physicist and answer it. "H-hello?"

"Jenny, where have you been? Screwing some guy?" The anger and accusation in her father's voice sent a shaft of fear through her. "Doctor Martin told me you had a guy with you? What the hell are you thinking? I'm on my way to Boston," he growled. "And that son-of-a-bitch better be gone when I get there or I'll ruin him."

Jennifer tried to mask her fear for Rodney's safety. "I-I need a few minutes to get ready. I'll call you then."

"A few minutes? You did sleep with him. Oh Jenny, I am so disappointed in you. You better not be pregnant because that'll really ruin everything."

"I'll call you soon. Bye," she said and hung up. It was something she was going to pay the price for but she had to go. Rodney was leaving momentarily for his flight and she didn't want to ruin their farewell. In that instant she realized her father would believe what he wanted to about what happened between her and Rodney. Nothing I say will ever change that now.

"Jennifer, are you okay?" Rodney asked as he placed his hands on her shoulder.

"Of course. It was just a call about my presentation." She turned around and moved out from under his touch. She'd never disobeyed her father like she was doing at the moment and it scared her. "Thank you for everything, Rodney."

"As I said before, I really like you. I take it from the kiss that we were so rudely interrupted from that you like me too." The smug grin was there but tempered with concern in his eyes.

"The interruption was a good thing. I shouldn't have kissed you. We barely know each other," she explained, careful to keep her distance from him.

"Jennifer, was that your father? Is he upset?"

"N-no," Jennifer offered with a forced smile. "We've got some things to plan before the trip, which reminds me that I better get supplies later today." She crossed her arms and looked back at the computer lying on the desk. "I can't take this, Rodney."

"You can and you will." Rodney looked like he wanted to reach out for her but didn't. "Jennifer, I have powerful friends. If you don't take the computer, I just might have to have you tracked by satellite. That would tie up resources and wreck all kinds of havoc with national defense."

"You-you can't. You wouldn't?" Jennifer gasped.

He raised his brows and cocked his head. "Do you think anything can stop me when I set my mind to a task?"

For a heartbeat Jennifer almost begged him to take on her father with all that bravado, but she didn't. Forcing a chuckle, she shook her head and moved toward the door. "I hate to throw you out, but I know you have a plane to catch. I hate good-byes so let's just make this short and sweet." Her eyes looked anywhere but into Rodney's.

"So you'll keep the computer?" he asked as he stopped next to her. "And I have a few minutes before the cab comes, so I can give you a quick overview." The physicist pleaded like a little boy being sent to his room.

"Yes," she replied, melting at the sad expression on Rodney's face. She had no intention of bringing it with her, but couldn't make him sad. "But I want you to take the necklace. I really can't bring that with me."

"I'll keep it until you're back and then you can wear it for our next date."

"Okay," Jennifer replied. "And what's our next date going to be like? It'll be hard to top yesterday."

"I've got a year to plan it, so I guarantee it'll be amazing," Rodney's eyes regained some of their twinkle.

Fighting off sadness unlike any she'd ever known before, Jennifer smiled. "I'll hold you to that. Now, show me about this fancy computer you built for me last night."

The smile on Rodney's face made her change her mind about taking it with her. The computer would remind her of this kind, sweet man who was the total opposite of her controlling father.

A/N: Sorry to end with a cliffhanger of sorts. I will try to update much sooner.