He was busy, but not just slightly busy; no he was busy up to his eyeballs, so busy that he honestly couldn't remember getting a full night's sleep; between his, now seven month old daughter, and the trouble they'd been having around Atlantis; he was busy.

"Rodney…" Elizabeth said smiling as she stepped into the transporter with him. Whatever had occurred between them was gone. Or at least for the most part.

"Good morning Elizabeth," Rodney said smiling at his friend. She grinned and stood by his side.

The two were quiet, Elizabeth was unsure whether it was because they were still uncomfortable around one another or if it was simply because they had little to speak of.

She opened her mouth to speak when the transporter came to an abrupt halt. "what the…" she began, but Rodney was already on it, talking to Zelenka over the comm. Unit.

"Well can you fix it?" Rodney asked suddenly, "three hours! Radek! That's insane!"

"Rodney," Elizabeth's warning voice came.

"Fine do your best," muttered Rodney as he slumped against the wall.

"So what happened?"

"Kavanagh was supposed to fix the transporters…well he didn't do a very good job. Zelenka says it'll take at least three hours, possibly more than that….worst of all there's nothing we can do," he mumbled.

"Don't worry Rodney, we'll get out of this," Elizabeth said touching his arm gently.

"Yeah…right, I'm just not a big fan of small spaces…" Rodney said looking around.

"Rodney, you've gotta calm down…don't worry the ancients knew what they were doing when they made this place, I'm sure we'll be just fine… all we have to do for now is relax and wait."

"Relax? Elizabeth I have ten projects at least all going right now, I don't exactly have time to relax…."

"Which is exactly why you need to relax, Rodney you're driving everyone insane and you're working yourself to the bone. Come on, sit down," Elizabeth said as she slid down the transporter wall and patted the floor by her side.

"There has to be some…"

"Rodney, Zelenka already said there was nothing you could do…"

"It's just…" he sighed and slowly he moved over and sat down a few inches from her side. "So now what?" he asked quietly.

"Well…we could talk, I hear it's all the rage nowadays," Elizabeth said poking fun of her friend.

"Smart ass," he said grinning weakly.

"You know it's been awhile since we've really been able to just talk," she whispered.

"Two years and six weeks…"

"You're counting?" Elizabeth was surprised.

"It was the first day I arrived on Antarctica, I was one of the first scientists to arrive and you found me in the lab yelling at someone…"

"And we ended up talking for four and a half hours…I remember, best conversation I've had in a long time," she said smiling softly at the memory.

"Elizabeth…I'm really sorry I let you down…" he whispered.

Elizabeth looked over at the sullen scientist. Her scientist, her Rodney, her best friend: she had been angry, yes, but she hadn't stayed angry for very long. "I'm not angry anymore Rodney…you made a mistake, and you paid much more for that mistake than anyone of ever intended."

"I know this is probably a really inappropriate question…but…are you and John…" he paused realizing how bad this conversation was starting to sound.

"No, there is nothing between John and I, Rodney John's like a brother to me," Elizabeth said smiling as she leaned her head back against the wall.

"Yeah…me too," he said smiling.

"We should probably avoid that subject," she said smiling.

"You never told me about what happened when you went home? You seemed…frustrated," he replied gently.

"That's not avoiding the subject Rodney," Elizabeth said a little sadly.

"Why, what happened?" he asked suddenly concerned.

"You really want to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't…"

"Simon…well apparently Simon took my Dear John…tape to heart…he broke it to me before we had a beautiful candlelight dinner, that he was seeing someone…" she said softly as she fondled the beautiful necklace that hung around her long slender neck.

"We could kill him for you," Rodney said seriously.

Elizabeth chuckled softly as she looked over and saw the small smile reaching his lips. "I haven't cooked in years…I missed him…a lot more than I thought possible…and yet, I was glad to leave."

"Elizabeth, you spent a year of your life without him…you don't need him in your life…you're perfect without him…" Rodney blanched at the fact that he had really just said that.

"You're not so bad yourself,' she said as she gently knocked her shoulder into his.

"When…when we went into the future…I know this sounds strange, but when we had that accident with the solar flare…I met my daughter twenty some years from now…Elizabeth if something ever happened to me…."

"Rodney, nothing will happen to you…" she hated hearing conversations like this. They depressed her, they always had since the death of her father years ago when he had wished to say a final goodbye to her.

"Elizabeth…just hear me out for a second okay….if something ever happened to me, promise me you'll care for Lauryn…you're…she's familiar with you and she loves you a lot. She's a strong kid, but she will be so much stronger with you in her life."

"I'll care for her Rodney, you didn't even have to ask…you know I love her like a dau…niece."

There was silence again between the two of them, Rodney looked over at her through the corner of his eye. Without a second thought he scooted closer to her gently, "are you okay?" he inquired gently.

"It's been a rough day… the last few days have been kind of rough actually," she said gently as she looked down at her hands.

"Need to talk about it?"

"I'm not sure it would be…I don't know…" she whispered shaking her head in a soft reply.

"You can talk to me anytime Liz…I know I may be a pain in the ass at times, but…as a friend and someone who honestly cares about you…I'm always here and willing to talk to you. Believe it or not I'm actually a really good listener…"

She grinned and chuckled softly, "sometimes it's…well it's hard being the leader. Not that I'm complaining, I love this job, I love working with everyone here…except Kavanagh, but…"

"Even leaders get lonely sometimes…it's true what they say, you know that it's lonely being at the top."

"Yes…it is. Today has just been one of those days," she replied gently.

"People giving you a hard time, talking back?"

"Yeah…we lost another officer today…it's heartbreaking at times the when I think the number of people we've lost on this mission."

"We're going to lose many more…but we've gotta keep the hope…think of it this way, no one is dying without a good reason. Everyone we've lost has sacrificed for the greater good. I know how wrong it seems…but think of all the knowledge we gain everyday. Without those who are willing to make the sacrifice we wouldn't have some of that information."

"Including you…don't count yourself short Rodney…without you we wouldn't be nearly as far along as we are today," she said gently.

"None of us would be here if it wasn't for you…you're our intrepid leader…but that doesn't mean you can't feel Elizabeth. Don't believe for a second that because you're our leader that you have to always be strong and that you always have to put on a good face. Kate…Dr. Heightmeyer says it's not good to hold in all those emotions…and she's right. You won't do anyone any good if you don't break down once in awhile. Maybe not in front of everyone, but I'm here…and Carson is here…we're all here to help."

"I wouldn't feel comfortable breaking down in front of your brother," she said gently.

"He's good at being comforting…he's a good man."

"Yes he is, you both are…your mother would be very proud of both of you."

"I miss her," Rodney whispered.

"I'm not surprised; I must admit I miss both my parents as well…"

"How'd they die?" Rodney inquired.

"Mom died of breast cancer…she didn't catch in time…by the time they found it, it had already spread to her lungs…I was twelve," Elizabeth whispered.

"And your dad?"

"He died of a sudden heart attack a few years before I started working at the SGC…William was only twenty…so it was a rough road for the two of us…"

"I'm so sorry," Rodney said gently.

"It's okay…you learn to move on…what about your parents? How did you end up in the Sheppard's care?"

"My mother died of a brain tumor when I was…seven…she wasn't perfect…and she was weak…very weak, but I loved her very much…She and my dad rarely got along…and yet when she died my father's world died with her…dad was already drunk and evil by the time my mom died…but there I was eight years old…my sister Jeannie left to protect herself and my niece…and I was stuck with dad."

"How did he die?"

"Sudden heart attack, he…he was very heavy for two years after my mom's death…I found him on the bathroom floor," Rodney whispered his eyes distant and full of pain.

"My god," she spoke softly.

"I survived…"

"Yes…yes you did," Elizabeth replied smiling.

"Seriously though Liz…I'm always here, for a shoulder or ear to lean on," Rodney said softly.

"Thank you Rodney…I may have to take you up on that sometime."

"Rodney?" came Zelenka's voice over the communicator.

"I'm here," Rodney said not moving from his position on the floor next to Elizabeth.

"We're running into small glitches, but we should have everything fixed in another hour…how are you holding up?" John's voice came across the speaker.

"We're hanging in there Colonel," Elizabeth said calmly.

"Could you guys try to hurry up the process though, I'm starving," Rodney spoke.

"We'll do our best Rodney," Zelenka replied.

Rodney sighed as he leaned his head back against the wall, "you doing all right?" Elizabeth's voice filled with concern.

"Little shaky…but…I'm okay," he whispered softly.

"What does it feel like? Hypoglycemia?"

"Strange…it starts out as hunger, in the beginning it's just agitation…I become angry and frustrated easier and quicker. Then my head gets heavy…almost foggy…I become tired but at the same time I wide awake. My body feels heavy and I'm shaky…then the hunger goes away…and that's when the problem begins…"

"Why?"

"Because then I assume I'm not hungry…and that's where many of us have the problem…we become almost nauseated…so we don't eat…and then we end up in the infirmary."

"But you can control it?"

"That's why I always try to eat early on…it's not a fun reaction to have."

"Well, now I'll know," Elizabeth replied.

"What about you? Any allergies?"

"Um…no…but I did have asthma when I was little…that was scary."

"My sister had that for a few years as well…they said she grew out it…and that some kids grow out of it and some don't."

Neither one had noticed they seemed to gravitate closer to one another, now sitting side by side. They're conversation continued for another twenty-five minutes while they waited for the doors to open.

When the doors finally slid open John smiled as he stood there, "cozy?"

"Oh shut up," Rodney said as he stood and gave Elizabeth a hand up from the floor.

"Glad you're both okay," he said smiling.

The doors slid open as she stepped out onto the balcony and smiled. Rodney stood by the railing, a coffee cup in hand. Smiling she reached out and gently rubbed his back . He turned slightly and smiled at her, "hi," he said grinning.

"So what's happened between us?" she inquired.

"I dunno…I'd say we came to a mutual agreement of enjoying each other's company," he said smiling.

"Well I think I can handle that," she said as she leaned against the railing at his side. Smiling she reached out and squeezed his free hand. "Friends?" she asked softly.

He turned to look into her beautiful hazel eyes and smiled, "until the end," he whispered in return.

Leaning over she pressed a kiss to his cheek, then leaned her head against his shoulder.