Archive of Our Own ^beta

Prologue:

It should have been a really romantic dinner. No, Laura decided, smiling as she met Carson's eyes. It was really romantic. He must have saved and horded and traded for weeks to set up the time; all night; the food - fresh vegetables; recognizable meat, wine, there was even chocolate; and the room. It wasn't his quarters, but a room that had a balcony looking out on Atlantis and the seemingly never ending ocean. The lighting was soft, there was music playing softly in the background. It was perfect. Almost.

"Is something wrong, Laura ?"

Carson's voice had that tone to it that meant she'd been thinking longer than she meant to, and that she'd dropped her smile. Laura shook her head. "No, nothing." Then meeting his eyes again, she smiled, feeling it come up from somewhere within. "Nothing at all. It's beautiful. That's just what I was thinking."

A week later it was still bothering her. Almost perfect. What was the almost ? She hadn't thought about it often, because her team had been on rotation away from Atlantis for the past three days and had only just gotten back. On the job was on the job, especially when there was the possibility of Wraith on top of potentially hostile aliens. She kept her mind focused and clear. Now, safely in Atlantis, things nibbled.

Teyla and Ronon were walking out of the cafeteria as Laura walked up. She smiled, the two aliens; and it was amusing to realize they were in fact aliens for her just by not being from earth; looked deep in conversation. When Teyla turned and caught her eye, she smiled and waited for them to pass first so she could enter.

"Lt. Cadman,"

Laura blinked in surprise. "Yes ?"

"Colonel Sheppard told me you are an instructor in unarmed combat."

"Yes ?" Behind Teyla, Ronon nodded hello and she nodded back. He usually ran with Colonel Sheppard, but they'd met up once or twice and running with him pushed her endurance.

"I would like to learn."

"But aren't you already....?" Laura's stomach rumbled, reminding her that she was hungry and it would not appreciate missing out on a chance for solid hot food. She rubbed her stomach refusing to be embarrassed, but Ronon and Teyla only smiled.

Teyla continued. "Yes, I know my people's ways of offensive and defensive body movements, but I would like to learn more. It is a warrior's duty." She smiled again. "And a leader's. Martial arts has so far only been shared one way between our peoples."

"Ahh, stick it to me with the old diplomacy angle." Lara said smiling. "Sure, no problem. I can alternate it with my morning runs. So, tomorrow ?"

Teyla nodded. "Tomorrow would be fine. I can come meet you somewhere ?"

Laura already had one foot inside the cafeteria, her mind on food. "Uhmm, how about I meet you where you and Colonel Sheppard practice. I'll bring some mats. " She looked to the line and saw what could quite possibly be mashed potatoes and started to speed up, calling over her shoulder. "Ronon knows what time I get up."

Laura was early. Mostly because she'd woken up more excited than she'd anticipated. Colonel Sheppard had been practically hogging Teyla and her unique fighting style all to himself. But now she had a perfectly valid way of asking for some training too. Diplomacy and all. The thought made her smile in the middle of stretching. And when the doors to the room opened and Teyla walked in, Laura waved from where she was crouched and peering between her legs.

"Hi."

"Good morning."

Teyla hadn't brought the sticks. Laura's face fell.

"Lt. Cadman ?"

"Laura." She replied automatically. "When we're training you can call me Laura."

"Is something wrong ?"

Laura pointed. "You didn't bring your sticks."

"We are going to be learning your style of combat," She paused then said somewhat shyly, "Laura. I did not think it was necessary to bring my weapons."

"Oh." Laura said shrugging. "I was going to ask you if we could trade off. I can take my runs in the evenings. It works out better for me anyway, gets me exhausted enough to sleep. And we could go every other day, your style, my style."

"You wish to learn my style of fighting, like Colonel Sheppard ?"

Laura rolled her eyes. "No... not like Colonel Sheppard. I a.." She paused, Teyla might not be directly in the chain of command, but insinuating that John Sheppard was only using the training as an excuse to get close to Teyla wouldn't be proper either. "I thought it would be fair. And your style is interesting. I heard you can take on the Wraith like that."

Teyla smiled. "I would be delighted to teach you as well. Colonel Sheppard often does not practise as much as he should. It would be gratifying to have a truly dedicated student."

Laura smiled. "Cool." She stood and shrugged making her body loose and then motioned to the mats. "Alright, let's begin with stance."

"How's training coming."

Laura looked over where Ronon wasn't even breaking a sweat and wondered what exactly it would take to bribe Rodney McKay to suggest to Weir that someone on his team wanted to study the affects of heavy gravity exercises on a human being. Who knew, maybe after a couple weeks as a volunteer she'd be able to do more than puff out one word in three when she ran with Ronon.

"Fine."

"Looking forward to when Teyla comes back from off-world ?"

Laura paused to catch her breath. "Is that your way of asking if I've missed our early morning runs ?"

"No." He looked away for a moment. "It's my way of asking if you'd mind if Telya switched off some mornings so we can spar. We haven't been lately. She's been busy.

She started running again. "Why would I mind ? I mean, as long as she tells me which mornings."

"See. I knew you wouldn't. But..." He looked over at her and shook his head. "Never mind." He smiled. "If you beat me up this incline, I'll carry your breakfast."

"And...if I don't ?"

Ronon grinned and took off. Laura didn't even pause to flip him her middle finger, she was already breathing hard and trying to catch up.

Teyla's room was somehow both exactly like, and nothing like what Laura had been expecting. There were soft cloths and tapestries, candles and lights. But then there were weapons on the walls. Her sticks, a shield, some kind of discus.

Teyla herself was also nothing like the Teyla she'd seen at practice, or on a mission or those times she went over to the mainland to be with the Athosians. She was wearing something clingy and soft. It looked...touchable.

Laura shrugged. "I feel under-dressed." She had on black camos and a black t-shirt

Teyla smiled and shook her head. "No, you are simply yourself. As you always are. That can never be wrong."

The white bandage on her arm was not spotted with any blood, but still Laura made a soft clucking sound. "That's where they got you, huh ?"

"It is a flesh wound, nothing more. Dr. Beckett took very good care of me."

"Carson's good like that."

Teyla set down the pot of stew she had been making on the table and then settled on a cushion on the floor to ladle it out. "You also call Carson by his birth name ?" She looked curious.

"Birth.. oh. Uhm, Carson's not military. On Earth if you're friends with someone you can call them by their first name. That's what we call it. Or given name. Athosians don't ?" Laura would have blushed, except it wasn't exactly her fault she didn't know more about Teyla's people. They'd moved to the mainland after a very rocky situation involving some kind of beacon and there just wasn't time to go out to the mainland unscheduled. Or at least she'd never found the time.

"Then I am Emmagan, daughter of Tegan, named Teyla after him." She handed Laura the bowl of stew. It smelled delicious, thick and rich and meaty. And the loaf of warm bread on the table only made her stomach grumble.

"Go, eat, Laura. I made it for you."

Laura arched a brow, "Really ? You didn't have to. We could have caught a bite to eat at the cafeteria."

"I will be unable to continue our lessons for a few days, I thought this could make up for it."

Laura smiled. "There really was no need. I'll live." She moved to put a spoonful in her mouth and then stopped. "You bless your food, don't you ? I mean, I thought I've seen you close your eyes a moment before you eat. Shouldn't we..."

Teyla smiled and stretched out her hands, when Laura's met hers she closed her eyes. "Ancestors, bless us and this food we have grown and prepared to nourish us. Keep us strong in our ways and close to those who would be in our hearts."

It took three days for Carson to clear Teyla for practice again. He'd smiled when Laura walked in and had asked when next they'd be having dinner. He was saving up for something special.

Laura walked out of the infirmary with a date. But it flickered out of her thoughts the moment she saw Teyla and could give her the good news. They'd been working on Teyla teaching her stick style for the last few days. Teyla instructing from the sidelines in form. She'd even combined a lesson with Colonel Sheppard and that had been an interesting hour in her life.

Sheppard was a capable commander in the field. But either he wasn't mastering the technique or Teyla was right and he didn't practice hard enough. She'd just started and she was already besting him in some moves. Granted, she studied other martial arts, but still. The plus side was that he was less distant than Caldwell when things didn't go his way. And unlike McKay, he was actually a pretty good sport.

Though listening to Dr. Zelenka complain about Caldwell in the infirmary moments ago, she was wondering if all the other scientists saw Sheppard as the second coming. Apparently he was better with non-military personnel that she would have thought. Dr. McKay had also been slightly injured on the mission that had wounded Teyla, and Zelenka had had to go on the Daedelus in his stead. He'd been in the infirmary for a routine end of mission check-up when she saw Carson, and when she'd left he'd reached a level of fury in Czech and didn't seem as if it would calm down to english any time soon. Though the only english she had understood had been 'That man!'.

"Laura."

"Emmagan." Laura replied a bit cheekily. It was fun using the name now that she knew that everyone else was effectively calling Teyla by her last name all the time. "I just saw Carson. He says we're good to go tomorrow. And you're cleared for active duty again."

"I shall have to see him myself, to thank him."

"Oh, if you're free later tonight, I had an idea."

"An idea ?"

"Has Colonel Sheppard ever mentioned Bruce Lee ?"

"No ?"

Laura grinned. "You'll love this. I just have to see if anyone has any popcorn."

Carson's newest romantic idea had been a picnic. A rare sunny day off. Her barely twenty-four hours recovered from a routine off-world mission. He'd packed a cooler full of goodies and chosen the perfect spot. It was calm. Serene. The food actually wasn't half bad.

"It's a pity we dunna have a sailboat. It's the perfect day for it."

"We have a puddle jumper, fly close to the water and it's almost the same thing."

"Maybe, not really though. There's something about sailing... Ah!"

The leather bloated bladder had caught him square in the side of the head. Laura couldn't help laughing, even as she looked around to see who'd thrown it and if they were coming to get it back.

A scrabble of Athosian children came running out of the tree line and at the sight of them both, and Carson holding the offending 'ball', they looked immediately contrite.

"I believe I have something belonging to you." He said, not really sternly. And Laura smiled at him for that. "You think if I give it back to you, you could stop it from coming for my head again ?"

The youngest one giggled and nodded. And the older ones nodded as well. Laura was trying to figure out how it'd come bursting through the trees in the first place.

"What were you playing ?"

"Colonel Sheppard is teaching us Stick-Ball for the Festival Day."

"Festival Day ?" Beside her Carson threw the ball back, rubbing at his head and murmuring under his breath that he just knew John had to be involved somehow.

"The elders mapped the stars, first quarter has passed. It will be moving into the time before the cold soon."

"A Summer Festival ?" Carson asked suddenly interested. "Like Summer Solstice ?"

"What's a Solssice ?" Asked one of the children.

"Solstice." Carson replied. "The day the sun is in the sky more than any other day. The longest day."

The children brightened immediately. "Yes." The youngest held out her hand. "Would you like to come ? We have food and games and singing."

Carson looked at his little picnic; blanket, cooler, glasses of sparkling cider.

"Carson, can we ? I've been meaning to learn more about the Athosians."

He sighed. "You'd think Teyla would have mentioned it was a blooming holiday when I asked her for a good spot."

Laura arched a brow. "You asked Teyla ?"

"Well, " He said. "You were just on a godforsaken planet of ice and snow for seven whole days. I thought a little sunshine would do you good, so I asked an expert about the mainland."

"Where is the Festival ?" Laura asked the children. But they waited until everything was all packed up and took them there themselves. Breaking through the trees, Laura saw strands of color, and something a bit like a maypole, children and adults running races, food cooking at many fires.

Teyla saw them walking in and smiled as she walked up. She caught Laura's shoulders and gently bent her head forward until their foreheads touched, then looked over at Carson. "Dr. Beckett."

"Teyla."

"Welcome to our Festival Day." She looked confused for a moment. "But, I thought you were having a day of sun and rest, Laura ?"

Laura grinned. "Carson just got a ball to the head. I think he's come for a little revenge on Colonel Sheppard. Where is he anyway ?"

Teyla pointed to where John Sheppard was currently surrounded by children and was showing each of them how to bat. There was no way the ball could have hit Carson in the head, unless it somehow rolled downhill and bounced off a rock. Laura's brow wrinkled as she thought about it. But Teyla was slipping a hand into hers. "Come, there are people I would like you to meet. I was going to do a demonstration of form. But since you are here, perhaps we could show my people your style of fighting."

"Carson ?" Laura asked turning around.

He smiled politely and nodded. "The food'll keep."

Over a ridge Zelenka and McKay appeared, arguing softly under their breaths. Rodney looked up, spied her and immediately started walking in the other direction; except Zelenka caught him by the collar and turned him around. Their argument exploded suddenly and quickly into loud.

Laura leaned forward. "It's better this way. McKay and I don't really get along. I'll be back in a little bit."

Carson nodded, then turned to walk towards the two scientists when something they said caught his attention. "Did one of you just say fireworks ?"

The fireworks were beautiful. Carson had his arm around her. The children were oohing and ahhing as only children could. She felt pleasantly sore from first a demonstration, and then an impromptu lesson with some of the villagers. Not to mention the eventual three-legged foot race. John Sheppard, bringing earth's more silly customs all over the universe. It'd been fun though. It'd been a good date after all.

All around familes or couples were huddled together on blankets or around fires, looking up into the sky. Teyla was somewhere among her people, probably in the midst of the children, sharing their joy. John Sheppard was... who knows where. She'd seen him go under a pile of children he'd mistakenly tried to teach football to. He was probably somewhere among the children too.

The sky lit up with what could only be a finale and Laura looked around, to see if Zelenka and McKay were coming back yet from organizing the explosives. They hadn't asked for her help. They'd distinctly not asked for her help. But when Teyla snuck her over to check the equipment, whomever in Atlantis organized it had done a good job. She smiled when she finally saw them. They were bickering, as usual, hair mussed. McKay must have fallen in the dark.

It'd be a shame to leave and go back to the City. Atlantis was comfortable and all, but this was truly a summer's night. It should end sleeping out under the stars.

As the sky darkened and one by one people began leaving to go back to what Teyla had called their 'Festival Tents', Laura let Carson pull her up.

"I think our Puddle-Jumper is.... that way." He said, quaintly pointing in completely the wrong direction. Laura moved his arm.

"You mean over there."

"Right."

Teyla materialized out of the darkness, firelight casting glows and shadows on her body. "Are you all to return to the City tonight ? You are more than welcome to stay. Tomorrow is the hunt."

"I think I've had quite enough nature for one day, thank you Teyla." Carson said, stretching and then rubbing his back.

McKay and Zelenka moved in closer. "Are you guys organizing to go back ? Cause I am so ready. More than ready." Rodney turned to Teyla. "Not that I didn't have a wonderful time and the food wasn't nicely authentically campfire It was. Very hearty, very outdoorsy. But I've already swatted away one monster mosquito and I don't want the others to come find me."

John popped up in the back. "Well Beckett brought one over, and I brought another one. So we should be fine. You can come back with me, Rodney."

"No. No thank you. It's dark and I would rather fly with someone who respects that and doesn't think the dark of night is a good time to play dare with the ocean."

Zelenka raised his hand. "I agree."

"Guess I'm going by myself then." John said, pretending he hadn't heard the complaints. "Teyla, thank you for inviting me. I had a lovely time. And you can let those kids know I'll be back too. We need a rematch."

Teyla laughed. "I will be sure to tell them."

Laura hesitated. "A hunt ?"

Teyla nodded. "All our warriors will be hunting big game tomorrow. It will be the start of smoking and salting meat for the coming winter. You are more than welcome to stay. I know you can look after yourself." She looked concerned a moment. "Or are you not recovered enough."

Laura shook her head. "Carson was just being a bit overprotective." She looked at him. "What did you tell her ?" Laura glanced back at Teyla. "I'm fine. I was just a little cold. But it's been a beautiful summer day." She bit her lip. "Carson, do you mind ?"

"But, you've got no clothes, no weapons, you're not prepared. Where will you stay ?"

Teyla took another step forward into the firelight. "She can share my tent. And I have clothes and weapons she may use also." She met Carson's eyes evenly.

"Laura..."

John piped in. "Oh, this hunt thing. Is this the thing Ronon mentioned ?"

"Yes, he said he could not attend the festivities today, but that he would be able to come by tomorrow by first light."

John shrugged. "I'll just pick him up tonight and bring him back. He had some shopping to do. Off-world. But he should be done and back by now. Want me to pick up some of your things for you, Laura ?"

"I'd rather you weren't pawing though my things, Colonel."

John held up his hands. "I'm just offering." He started pointing a finger. "So, you, you, you with Carson ?"

Carson nodded and Laura leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for a wonderful day, Carson." He smiled and turned, in the wrong direction.

"Colonel ?" Laura pointed to the right place again.

"Hey Carson. "John said, wrapping an arm around Carson's shoulders and turning him back to where the jumper was actually parked.

The tent was like Teyla's room. Soft cloth, furs, candle and lamp light. Laura sat on a bed of furs that should have been too warm for a summer's night, but was only mildly so. Still...

"Emmagan ? Could we sleep outside ? Watch the stars ? It's how a night like this should end, y'know ?"

Teyla smiled. "As you wish, Laura. Did you enjoy the festival ?"

They were backing each other, each changing. Teyla had provided her with something that looked almost grecian, cloth and clasps, as a night dress. Laura couldn't say it didn't fit the weather.

"I did. It reminded me of camping with my family back home and school carnivals all combined."

"Carnivals ?"

"Carnivals are...well festivals, with games and rides and lots of food." Laura half turned. "Ready ?"

"I am ready."

Teyla was wearing something similar, though she made it look natural and elegant. Laura knew her hair was likely a mess from all the activity today, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

"So, we'll take the bed's outside ?"

Teyla smiled. "These are Festival Tents." She said. And moved to a corner, tugging on something. In the next moment, the top of the tent flapped over, leaving them in an open roofed room with canvas like walls.

Laura stretched "I know the girly thing is to stay up all night talking. But..."

"You are tired. I understand. I am not yet tired. I will watch you sleep."

Laura smiled. "I think I shouldn't have had that glass of... what did you call it

"Unity Wine."

Laura nodded. "Yeah." And lay down, choosing one side of the bedding. "But it was perfect." She yawned, feeling exhaustion hit her. "Absolutely perfect day."

Beside her, Teyla also lay down, an arm tucked under her head, looking up at the stars. She turned on her side, and Laura saw that she was being watched as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Then she felt heat some closer, an arm snake over her waist and then lips on hers, gentle lips, not intruding just...

Laura's eyes blinked open. Wide. "What the... ?"

She saw Teyla pull back. She saw Teyla looking confused. Teyla could not possibly be as confused as she was. "What was that ? No I know what that was. Why did you do it ?!"

Teyla only looked more confused. "We have been courting for three months. I thought a simple kiss goodnight would be ok ?" She suddenly looked chastized. "I am sorry. It was not meant to mean that anything would happen tonight. You are tired. But I thought..."

"You thought I was a dyke ?!" Laura was pushing up to sit up now. And as she did, it hit her that though the tent walls were high, the roof was still folded back. She'd just been kissed in the open by another woman.

"What is a dyke ?"

"A woman who sleeps with, becomes intimately involved with another woman."

Teyla nodded. "Then yes, I guess I thought you were a dyke. Though that is a very harsh sounding word for it."

"I am not a dyke. Being a Marine, teaching men how to fight, does not make me a dyke!"

"Laura, I do not understand. We have been courting. You decided to stay with me, here, for the hunt..."

"Courting ?!"

"I asked you to teach me how to fight. You accepted. You asked for lessons in turn. We have eaten together, spoken together of many things."

"That's friendship!"

Teyla arched a brow. "Showered together."

"It's a locker room! I can't believe you thought I was a lesbian. I didn't even... I didn't have a clue!"

"Oh." She looked confused but sad now. "Among my people women warriors, strong women leaders, often seek only the intimate company of other women."

Laura was getting up now, she started to dress, then thought better of it. "Where did Sheppard park his puddle jumper ? "

"What ?"

"Where is he going to drop off Ronon ?!"

Teyla started to get up. "I will show you."

"No. You stay here. Just tell me!"

"Laura, please."

"Not now, Emmagan. I just need to get out of here."

"Laura, you are using my birth name again."

Laura looked incredulous for a moment. "Is that what that was all about ? That's intimate use of your name ?"

"Yes." Teyla looked down. "I thought you understood."

"Yeah, well I don't. I can't believe..." She cut off her words and started to step out of the tent. "Where ?"

Quietly, sadly, Teyla told her.

"I'll be back in the morning."

Now Teyla looked even more confused. "But..."

"Listen, we're friends. Just friends. And we'll stay friends, as long as you never do that again. Or anything like that. Understand ?"

Teyla nodded, but looked as if she didn't. Right at the moment, however, Laura didn't much care. " I'll be back in the morning."

"John, you need to talk to Teyla."

John Sheppard looked up from where he was going over supplies for the jumpers and arched a brow, waiting.

"Something's bothering her."

"Yes, and..." John prompted.

Ronon pulled up his shirt to show a purpling bruise. "She's hitting too hard."

John's face did a thing. An 'ouch' thing. But he struggled to control it. "So she thinks you're advanced enough that she doesn't have to hold back. You can take it."

"No, John. Something's bothering her. I don't think she even realizes what she's doing. She's been like this ever since the hunt."

"I thought the hunt went well ?" John asked, checking the list in his hand on the computer, against what was actually stored along the upper sides of the current puddle-jumper.

"It did. But something's wrong."

"And you think this why ?"

Ronon gave John a look. "Because I have eyes."

He'd just finished sending an email to Teyla, canceling his stick fighting lessons for the next two weeks, when Rodney walked into the conference room early. As per schedule and John's own careful timing.

"You need to talk to Teyla."

"What ?" Rodney asked bewildered, and then it hit him what John had actually said and he repeated himself. "What ?!"

"Ronon says something's going on with her and I want you to talk to her."

"What on this green, ok grantedly blue ocean covered planet makes you think I'm the best person to talk to anyone about what's bothering them ?" He waved his hand. "Send Heightmeyer. Make her do her actual job, for once."

"I'm not talking to Heightmeyer at the moment, actually. And I don't think Teyla would appreciate her intruding again."

"Well then, you have a problem, don't you."

"Rodney, she's beating up Ronon."

Rodney blinked. "Oh, so she's messing up your sex life and now you're making it my problem ?"

"Mckay!"

"Gentleman." Elisabeth Weir said as she entered the room. "Am I interrupting something ?"

Rodney simply glared at John as he pulled open the files on his laptop. John shook his head.

But the argument started the minute Ronon, Elisabeth and Teyla were out of earshot again and the meeting was over. "Talk to her." John hissed.

"Or what ?" Rodney asked exasperated.

John glared. "I'll think of something. I will have the time now. Won't I."

Teyla was in the room that she and John used for practice. The room she and Laura had also used for practice. Except, that despite Laura's words there had been no more practice. No more dinners. No more anything, ever since the hunt, more than a week ago. She whirled as someone entered the room.

"Dr. McKay."

"Teyla."

Rodney stood a moment, his posture somehow awkward.

"Is something wrong, Dr. McKay ?"

"Yes." He nodded but then didn't continue.

"And the wrong thing is ?" Teyla asked.

She watched him screw up his face, inhale, exhale and then came a rush of words.

"Ok, it's like this. Sheppard asked me to talk to you. He asked me a couple of days ago actually. But I wasn't going to do it. But then he went and got inventive on me and I've been running halfway across the City and back, fixing every little power glitch and hum and buzz that he can find and point out or who knows, damn well create! So I need to know what's been bothering you so I can help you fix it or at least tell him I asked, so I can finally have some free time again and not end up in the brig for murder."

She blinked a moment and ran his words through her head to make sure she got the general jist of it. Her irritation had been showing apparently. "Dr. McKay, why would a woman not want to be a dyke ?"

Rodney blinked. "What ?"

"La...Lt. Cadman told me she was not a dyke. She seemed most displeased I apparently thought she was. She has said that we are still to remain friends, but she had not been acting very friendly towards me anymore."

"You made a pass at Cadman ?" Rodney blinked. "And she refused ?!" He snickered and then yelped as a stick went whistling past his ear to land lightly enough on his shoulder.

"Sorry, no need to get all alpha female on me." Rodney paused and laughed again. "Alpha female!"

The stick whistled again and this time tapped him less gently.

"Ow!" He complained rubbing his shoulder. "Look I don't know what her problem is, but I can go find out." He sighed. "And now I'm running halfway across the City and back dealing with people's love lives."

"You still have not answered my question."

Rodney gave her a look. "Well, I don't know, do I ? It could be because of her religious upbringing ? Or just her regular upbringing, good old biased mom and dad. Or she might not even be a...dyke. There is a better name for it by the way. We call people like that, lesbians."

"Yes, she mentioned that word as well."

"So, you have talked about this ?"

"No, we did not talk. She left. She said she would come back and she did, but she also said things would not change. And they have."

Rodney rubbed his forehead. "Wait a minute she left ? Left what ? Oh.. oh. That night for the...the solstice thing when Cadman came back because she said she forgot her allergy medication. I always thought that was rather a pale excuse for just wanting to sleep in a nice comfortable bed indoors like evolution intended."

"Yes, at the hunt."

"Well, maybe she's not interested ?"

"She has not gone back to Dr. Beckett."

"Beckett ? There's a love triangle ? John sent me to sort out a love triangle ?"

Teyla twirled one of the sticks in her hand and Rodney took a step back. "Look, I'll talk to her. I can't guarantee that it'll change anything. But I'll talk to her. Until then, stop beating up on Ronon. I actually like him whole and hearty and jumping in front of stray gunfire."

Dr. McKay.

Rodney had expected email back, not someone showing up in person to be redundantly aggressive and military at him. So seeing Cadman's face when he looked up at the 'Ahem' currently interrupting his work, was a bit of a surprise. More like a huge shock really. He started, then blinked, regained his composure and scowled at her.

"We need to talk." She said.

"Actually we don't need to talk. You and Teyla need to.. hey!" He shouted as he was pulled up by his arm and Cadman made to pull him away from his desk. "I didn't like you dragging me around when you were in my body and I certainly don't like it now."

"Keep your voice down." Cadman hissed.

"I will not!" He glared at her again and actually raised his voice a little louder. "I'm being abducted by a mad woman. You should all begin to fear for your lives, she's stealing genius."

Cadman shook him a little harder and dragged him out into the hall. "Will you shut up for once ?!" She sounded earnest and frustrated and...scared ?

Rodney sobered, arched his brows and did an impatient half dance in one spot, clearly waiting for her to fill in the silence.

"Don't ask don't tell. I can't believe you sent me traceable email about that!"

Rodney blinked. Then blinked again then snickered. "You're kidding me right ? You are completely pulling, wait no, I'd have to assume a certain level of intelligence for that and I'm not sure I believe that." Laura just stared at him and Rodney sighed.

"Do you even like Teyla ?"

"What has that got to do with anything ?"

He rolled his eyes. "Listen very closely, alright ? I hate repeating myself. You are part of a secret government exploration project in another galaxy. You are aware of not one, not two but three alien threats against earth. When you even are on earth you spend most of your time in a secret government installation under a mountain and you get there by way of a ship with Asgard technology, which means you know of a fourth alien presence, friendly this time." He shrugged. "Well mostly. You have specialized military secrets that I don't bother myself to understand and you've been screened, what ? At least five times by varied services from oh, seven different countries to assure themselves you weren't going to be a threat to earth's security and you're worried about Don't Ask Don't Tell ?"

He exhaled, loudly. "Look, I don't know and I don't care if you never thought of kissing a girl before. But let me assure you, if you like Teyla you've got nothing to worry about if you choose to do a little experimentation. Just..." He waved a hand. "Don't start any intergalactic incidents. She is our guide to the Pegasus Galaxy after all. Well one of them. Which is another reason you should clear this up. She might accidentally kill Ronon."

Laura was still looking at him a bit like a fish out of water. Rodney snapped his fingers. "Hello ? Anyone home ? I said..."

"I'm career military." Laura said finally.

Rodney rolled his eyes. "I know. It explains the unfortunate lack of use of your brain. And I said congratulations. Your career is set. You've made it. Welcome to the Pegasus Galaxy where we do not throw out talented people because of a little girl on girl action."

"Crude, Rodney."

"That's Dr. McKay to you. And I had to start on crude. You were mouldering."

"I..."

He exhaled again. "Fine, you want a recommendation for the Canadian Military ? I'll give you one. They love me. If America is stupid and kicks you out, you can move over to the Canadian side of Atlantis."

Laura's eyes were brown. Honey brown. And Teyla lost track of even that when she felt her lips part beneath insistent if gentle force. Laura was in her room, had been waiting by the door for her. And now this. A hand gripping the back of her neck and the soft deep kiss, gentling her like a maid's first time.

They broke apart and Teyla arched a brow,just a bit. But Laura only smiled and leaned forward, touching her forehead to hers. "Emmegan."

"This is not... you are not under the influence of some drug perhaps ? Some alien possesion ? Accidental..."

"No." A finger on her lips. "McKay just... We talked." There was a gentle kiss at her ear and warm breath with the words.

"Dr. McKay ?" But Teyla really didn't want to be thinking about him right that moment. Laura's lips were cool against her throat as if she'd been outside. Did the people from Earth run slightly cooler ? She couldn't remember suddenly.

"So." Laura said suddenly, and Telya realized her eyes were closed and she opened them. The face looking at hers was filled with mischief. "About this idea that you've been courting me."

"We have been courting each other. I thought. I... think ?" There were hands cradling the small of her back and stroking lightly.

"You sure about that ? I was sure I'd given many more lessons than I'd received."

Teyla broke the hold between them easily, using the moves Laura taught her. Movement flowed between them, attack, defense. Teyla knew she was improvising, combing the two, but she noted with a smile that Laura was doing the same. The demonstration was tight in restricted quarters and Teyla had the advantage of knowing where, precisely, everything in her rooms were. When Laura landed stunned on the bed, Teyla straddling her, the Athosian bent low, pinning Laura's hands to the bed. "I think you were mistaken."

The resulting burst of laughter seemed loud enough echo in the hallway outside.

Something poked Rodney in the stomach. It woke him up enough to realize that someone was knocking on his door. Distinctly grumped he shuffled off the bed and to the door, scratching his ass and mussing up the wayward licks of hair on his head. "Yes yes, what is it ?"

The door opened to reveal Teyla and Rodney blinked. "Huh." It was curiosity, not a question. Teyla was in running clothes but she was carrying something in a homespun cloth bag, which she now held out for him.

"Lt Cadman told me you spoke with her."

"Uh huh."

The bag was held out a little closer. "Please, it is a gift."

"Uh huh."

Teyla sighed at him. "A thank you, Dr. McKay."

"Oh." He took it. "You're welcome. I guess ?"

"There is something there from both of us. I told her it is proper to repay the matchmaker."

Rodney was suddenly more awake. "Matchmaker ?!"

From somewhere inside his room there was something that almost sounded like a snicker. He didn't turn around or even show he'd heard it. Teyla was smiling at him and nodded. "The person who helps two interested people resolve their final issues."

"You and Lt. Cadman are getting married now ?"

Teyla shook her head, looking puzzled. "Married... ? Oh, wed! No. We've just moved past courting to knowing. And it might not have happened without you."

Cadman chose that moment to come down the hall, dressed in similar clothes. "Ready to go, Emmagan ?" Teyla turned and smiled at her while Cadman had the nerve to wink at him.

Rodney watched them walk away, bodies brushing together every once in a while in an obvious kind of casual intimacy, shaking his head he turned around, door closing behind him and spoke to the crumpled lump in his bed. "Don't say anything."

The covers stretched and Radek's rumpled hair and face peered over the edge. He smiled and looked at the bag. It was enough to make Rodney peer into it. "Great, she must have been talking to Ronon." There were two bottles of oil in there, obviously from Ronon's last 'shopping trip' off-world.

Radek propped his head up on his hand and simply gave Rodney another look. This one made him scowl. "Oh fine, we could actually use it. But we didn't need anyone bringing them and it's not as if we couldn't figure out alternatives on our own till we got a chance to go to the marketplace. One of us is a genius."

The bag was dropped, gently, on a table and Rodney climbed back into bed, determined to still be grumpy. Radek rolled his eyes, made room and settled back down.

"Why aren't you.. oh fine. Say something." Then grumblier. "Just like you to choose now to do everything I say."

"Not just now." Radek said, stretching again all long lines and plump ass as he lay on his belly. He curled his head on his arms and closed his eyes.

"Yeah well..." Rodney trailed off and tried to go back to sleep.

"Think the next one you do could be Dr. Weir and Col. Caldwell ?"

Rodney's face popped up from under the covers exasperated and almost close to outrage as Radek started laughing. Radek's slim hand cupped his face, pulled him forward and Radek kissed him lightly on the forehead.

"Or is that too hard for the Genius Yenta ?"

Rodney's eyes narrowed. "2087."

Radek shrugged. "2089."

"2381."

"2383."

"141079."

"Also Prime. What are you doing ?"

"Trying to remind myself why I keep you around."

"Because you have always wanted your own secretly sexy Czech physicist."

Rodney scowled some more but Radek had closed his eyes and nestled closer, supremely confident.

The route most people used to jog around Atlantis was for the most part deserted. But it did dip along the infirmary and Laura broke off when she saw that Carson was up early and working there. "I'll catch up." She said to Teyla and turned into the rooms the expedition had set up as a clinic.

"Carson ?"

"Laura."

"Uhmm." She stopped running in place and simply stepped in place. "About us dating in the future..."

"I saw you running with Teyla. I take it you two have made up ?"

Laura blinked. "Made up ?"

"You haven't ?"

"We have, I just.. how did you ?"

"That night before the hunt when Teyla invited you to sleep over. I thought I'd given way quite graciously in fact."

She blushed. "Oh. Uhmm well that wasn't what you thought it was. It wasn't then but it is now."

He nodded and smiled a bit. "Ok. It's really alright. I don't think you'd get me up at the crack of dawn to run around the City with you anyway. Glad you found someone who will."

"You're up now." She pointed out.

"Haven't been to bed yet. Something exploded in one of the science labs, I've been patching up the poor lad who did it, so he doesn't have to face McKay wounded."

Laura made a face. "Ouch. Better him that me. I've had my share of McKay's temper."

Carson nodded. "He was scheduled for ancient gene therapy. I think it's taken. If he can wave that at Rodney it mightn't be so bad in the end."

She laughed, then leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for understanding. I really enjoyed your company."

"So I wasn't a beard, then?"

She blushed again. "No. I just, put certain things out of my mind when I decided I wanted this career. But I would never go out with someone I didn't think there could be a future with." She turned to go and almost bumped into John and Ronon running past.

"Colonel. I thought I told you to take it easy on that leg." Carson shouted, moving to the doorway as they went past.

"I am. I am. Look how slow I'm going." John replied, turning to run backwards as he and Ronon disappeared around a corner.

Carson waved a hand at her. "Go on, catch up and see if you can't spy on Colonel Sheppard and make sure he doesn't over do it."

Laura nodded, sprinting down the corridor to catch up with the others. She blinked in surprise as she left the last populated section of the run and turned at the stairs to see John pull away from Ronon, blink and blush before turning around continuing his run. She wondered how she'd never noticed something like that before.

"Your timing sucks, Cadman."

She grinned Ronon. "Tell you what, you beat me up this round, and I'll carry your breakfast tray."

"You're in a good mood." He said, already two steps ahead of her.

"I'm having an almost perfect day."

"Almost ?" He said as they reached the top landing and she could see Teyla and John in the distance. "What would make it perfect ?"

"Well, beating you would be nice."

He grinned back. "Sure, you can try. 123go!"

Laughing, Laura chased after him.