"How about we just call it a day then?" grinned John as he eyed his closest friend for a moment.

Elizabeth nodded, "now that we can do…John, how's Rodney holding up?"

"Fine I imagine…why?" John inquired suddenly confused if he had missed something.

Elizabeth simply shrugged, "no reason…have a good evening Colonel," she offered watching him leave. She waited for him to leave then looked back down at her data pad, with a deep breath she shook her head, trying to refocus her attention, but she had one thing on her mind, and that was her favorite scientist.

She knew where to find him, it wasn't like he kept it a secret from the world. Any of his closest friends knew that he went to the balcony just south of his room, to hide out for a couple hours, recollect his stepped out onto the balcony and gasped at the sight, before her the sun was just beginning to set over the beautiful ocean, casting a stunning array of pinks, oranges and reds through the sky and against the ocean.

Rodney must have heard her gasp, he turned to eye her and smiled softly, reaching out his hand he gestured for her to come. She slowly moved toward the balcony edge, a grin spread across her face as he wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, threading his fingers through hers. He remained silent as the two watched the sun slowly begin it's decent into what seemed like to ocean.

Elizabeth almost expected smoke to rise from the ocean where it looked like the sun was meeting water. She grinned when she felt a kiss to her neck, and then another, he was beginning a rampage and for once she wasn't sure she wanted to stop him completely.

"Are you all right?" she asked softly as she lifted her head to give him further access to her throat.

"I'm fine," he replied as he turned her face into his, capturing her lips in a strong and passionate kiss.

She instantly melted into his body, he made her weak. She turned completely into his arms, sunset forgotten as she wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing the sudden make out session he was deciding to engage in.

When he finally pulled away they were both left gasping for breath, "I love you," he whispered as he pressed his forehead against her's.

"I love you too…so tell me the truth, are you really okay?" she whispered, dipping in for another quick kiss.

"I'm getting there…I was terrified Liz…I haven't seen the Genii for…well…" he shook his head, she understood how long it had been, but she also knew it still felt painful to him.

"I'm so sorry," she replied gently, reaching out and stroking his cheek gently, smiling as she felt stubble there. "You've got a five o'clock shadow…way past its prime," she mumbled with a grin.

"Uh huh," he captured her lips again, deepening the kiss he pulled her closer, as if to reassure himself that she was truly here with him. He pulled away and looked at her, then suddenly he pulled her into a hug.

Elizabeth smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, his own arms sliding around his waist as he lifted her slightly off her feet, bringing them to the same height as he met her lips yet again. "You're beautiful," he whispered between chaste kisses.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked, remaining close to him.

Rodney nodded slowly, almost thinking about what he would say, "I will be…stay with me tonight…"

"Rodney I…"

"No," Rodney quickly corrected, "nothing funny…just, stay with me tonight…help me realize I'm safe?"

Elizabeth looked into his eyes, as though looking for reassurance that he didn't want to mess around, but that he simply needed company. Finally she nodded, she would remain with him for as long as he needed the company he requested. "Of course I'll stay," she replied gently. "I was terrified…I couldn't get it out of my mind that I'd sent you to your death," she whispered.

"I would have gotten us out Lizzie…I swear…I will never, ever leave you…unless I physically am not capable of coming for you. I'll always be here," it was a promise they both knew he couldn't keep, but for now, it was a promise they both wanted to hold onto.

Rodney sighed as he pulled Elizabeth closer to him, they lay in his bed, she was curled up against his stomach; having sung to their little girl, she was already fast asleep in his arms. He squeezed her for a moment, allowing time to revel in the feeling of her in his arms. He needed reformation that she was still here, that he was still alive and not back on some planet with the Genii, waiting for the nuclear bomb to explode and wipe them all out. He wouldn't sleep for days, he knew it, as much as he didn't want to admit it, the nightmares would return. It had been one of the many reasons he'd asked Elizabeth to stay with him tonight.

John had been correct, they could count this one as some sort of victory among Atlantis, however…Rodney knew it wasn't over. There was still a chance Koyla was alive, still a chance that someone would try another Coup and take the Genii back over. He felt Elizabeth's hand glide over his and slip in between the two hands he had placed against her stomach. "Go to sleep Rodney," she mumbled as she slipped off to sleep again.

Rodney took a deep breath, leaning against Elizabeth's shoulder, he continued contact with Elizabeth, while with the other hand he gently caressed his daughter's hair, before finally drifting off to sleep, acceptance not far away.

John slid onto the stool beside his brother early the next morning. He'd found Rodney tinkering around in his lab, and decided it was time to tell Rodney something he'd been holding off on recently. He looked down at whatever Rodney was working on, it was easy to guess the scientist wasn't really busy, but trying to distract himself while he waited for John to say something, "you remember when we were kids...you'd only been with us for a few months...and you started having those nightmares about your dad? I remember this one night... when you woke up from a really bad one...and dad came hurrying into your room...and for...well the first time really...you allowed dad to give you the comfort you needed…I mean normally it was mom who held you after your nightmares…comforted us when we were sick…but that was one time when…when it was obvious that you needed a dad instead of the usual mother comfort…Anyway…I remember waking up shortly after you and dad moved into the kitchen…and I remember him telling you something…"

"Nightmares are illusions of what we really fear in life," mumbled Rodney.

"Yeah…and you know pop, he was a pretty smart guy…but he was right. Your dreams are illusions of a reality you're living. Anyway I'm no fool…I know you're going to have nightmares after this whole thing…and I suppose part of that is my fault…I dragged you into the whole situation kicking and screaming…you made it pretty obvious that you were a little freaked out…with good reason. Not to mention we have reason to believe that Koyla is still alive…I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you ever need a friend or even a brother…I'm here," John offered softly.

"I'll survive to tell the tale," replied Rodney as he continued tinkering.

"What's really going on Rod?" John questioned knowingly.

"Elizabeth stayed with me last night…"

"Whoa…did you uh…you know?"

"No…it was completely innocent, but it got me thinking," he mumbled.

"Uh…is this going to enter the realm of too much information?"

Rodney rolled his eyes and suddenly stuck his hand in his coat pocket, seconds later he set a tiny velvet box on the desk. John's eyes narrowed on it, he knew immediately what it was and was surprised to say the least. "Wow…uh…you shouldn't have," joked John, trying to lighten his brother's mood.

Rodney rolled his eyes, "I knew I should have told Carson!" hissed Rodney as he went to grab the box.

John immediately stopped him, grabbing the box he flipped it open and smiled at the beautiful three diamond ring that sat inside, it was beautiful, "you've got great taste little brother…so…you're really ready for this?"

"No! Are you kidding me?" Rodney gripped suddenly as he stole the ring box back from his brother.

"Wait a minute…you bought her a ring…you've been thinking: but you're not ready? Then why did you buy it?"

"Because…because…oh hell, stay with me here okay…I'm not going home for awhile…there's no one I care about back home but my sister who won't see me currently…and only God knows why; the point is…I bought it the night after our first kiss. John I knew a year and a half ago I wanted to marry her…hell I knew in Moscow! I bough the ring because I hoped it would help me get up the guts to finally propose…"

"And?" John asked raising his eye brows suggestively with a devilish grin.

"And I can't do it…if anything this is a constant reminder of the coward I really I am…I've carried this with me and suddenly I'm terrified she'll say no, or that she won't want me. I'm not even that freaked out about the Genii…don't get me wrong; I'm scared. But…but I finally found the perfect woman, I love her John…I could marry her right here and now…but I don't think she's any more ready for it than I am!"

"Who, calm down, okay first off Rod, just because you have the ring doesn't mean you have to ask her now, wait until the time is right, you're smart in knowing now is not a good time. We've got a lot on our plate right now, but you shouldn't wait forever either, Rodney think about how you want to do it, by the time you have that decided that…maybe you'll realize you're ready to take that step."

"Yeah…maybe…"

"Here, put the scary box away and lets go get some breakfast…"

"It is a beautiful ring isn't it," Rodney said suddenly looking at the white gold ring, stunned that he had found such a beautiful ring by himself.

"Yeah, it is, very good taste little brother, very good," John grinned as he slapped his brother on the back.