Fic: The Mystery of Presents (McKay/Sheppard, G)
Title: The Mystery of Presents
Author: goddess47
Recipient: silverraven11
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard
Rating: G
Words: 3400
Spoilers/Warning: Minor spoiler for "The Shrine" but only if you don't blink; major sap warning.
Summary: Anonymous presents are appearing on Atlantis and there doesn't seem to be one for Rodney.
Author's Note: Thanks to fenchurch1 for the plot bunny. silverraven11 asked for McShep, first time and a happy ending - hope I got it right!
"Huh." Dr. Rodney McKay looked at the box, faintly puzzled. It was addressed to "Dr. Radek Zelenka" and looked like personal mail but had no return address. He had found it in the recent delivery to Atlantis from the Daedalus that was supposed to be equipment for the science labs. Someone else had supposedly sorted and counted boxes before they had been placed in the science lab store room but they had missed what obviously was a personal delivery.
Rodney didn't have to do this, he could have sent someone else to check what had been delivered by the Daedalus but he was always curious to see what really had been sent to them instead of having to rely on a report from someone else. He also got his hands on the cool toys first, but he'd never admit that.
He put the box aside while he kept working. In the end, he came across packages for Miko Kusinagi and a name he didn't recognize but he suspected was one of Sheppard's soldiers. None of the boxes were large but Zelenka's was solid and heavy for its size.
Carrying the boxes to the lab, he put Zelenka's and Miko's on their workstation. He took the last with him.
"Is this one of your guys? L. Hackett?" Rodney asked John Sheppard, stepping into Sheppard's office. As the military commander of Atlantis, he knew Sheppard was better than he was in knowing who the people who worked for him were. He put the box on Sheppard's desk, trying not to dislodge the stack of reports on the end of the desk. "And how did it get here with only a name and not an address. Shouldn't there be an FPO address or something?"
Sheppard looked at the package and replied, "Yes, Hackett's one of the guys who's staying for a second rotation. Don't know how it got delivered," he answered slowly. "What is it?"
"It was in the lab shipment," Rodney told him, shrugging. "There were a couple others. Someone didn't sort out the personal packages from the lab shipment."
"Oh?" Sheppard looked quizzical. "Who for?" Rodney couldn't read the look in his eyes, which was curious since he had gotten pretty good at understanding 'Sheppard' in the last couple of years.
"Zelenka and Miko," Rodney recounted. "I put their packages in the lab for them. I'm not a delivery man, you know. Who did the sorting, they need to do a better job."
Sheppard grinned at him, "Well, I helped, so you can bitch at me if you want."
"Over lunch?" Rodney grinned back.
"Sure," Sheppard replied easily. "Meet you in," he glanced at his watch, "about an hour?"
"Works for me," Rodney agreed. "I hear there's meatloaf," he added.
Lunch was indeed meatloaf, which Rodney ate happily. While the food had not been as problematic lately as it had been in the first year, it was always a treat to have really Earth-based food for a meal. One of the other gate teams must have found the vegetable, something olive-green-ish that looked like a cross between broccoli and asparagus, since it was not familiar. He had taken a token serving since he had learned to try most of everything for times when they were the main part of the meal and not an optional side dish.
"This isn't awful," Rodney offered, pointing to the new vegetable.
"Major Lorne's team found this," Teyla offered. "Dr. Parrish tested it in his lab and says it has some.... vitamins?" she continued at Sheppard's nod, "that some of the other vegetables do not have." She took a mouthful. "This is something I was not familiar with and it tastes very good."
Ronon ate his way through the tray of food, having taken good size servings of everything. "Food's good," he agreed. "Hey! We up for a movie tonight?"
Rodney looked around, "Well, I was going to work in the lab..."
John rolled his eyes, "Come on, take a break. It's the new Batman movie..."
"Really?" Rodney asked. "Okay, I have some simulations that will need to be set up but I'll meet you. What time?"
John looked at Teyla, "If we start at 8 pm, will Torren sleep through the night? Bring Kanaan along."
Teyla nodded, "Thank you, that will work. We will be there."
They all put their trays for cleaning and wandered off. In the lab, Zelenka was pouring over a book. "What do you have there?" Rodney asked.
"Did you leave this?" Radek asked.
Rodney shrugged, "It was in the lab shipment. Had your name on it but that's all I know."
Radek handled the book with care, turning it over a couple of times and looked up with Rodney, "Then you do not know where it came from?"
"Sorry, no," Rodney had to answer.
"It's an original copy of Genetics of Pigeons -- there are mostly only photocopied versions. But this is an original and very rare," he explained. "And probably very expensive."
Rodney peered over Radek's shoulder, "No note?" The book itself wasn't of interest but Rodney was curious about the package.
"Nothing, just the book," Radek didn't look up from his treasure.
"Miko got one too," Rodney offered. "Not a book, but a package," he elaborated. "Maybe hers has a note?" At that Radek looked up and shrugged. "Come on, let's find her," Rodney suggested.
They went in search of Miko Kusinagi, who it turned out was working with some geologists in another part of the city.
"Did you get your package? I left one on your workstation," Rodney had to ask. When she nodded, he continued, "Was there a note or anything?" He waved at Radek, "Zelenka got a similar package without a note and we thought maybe it got in yours by mistake?"
"Sorry, but there was nothing to indicate who it came from," she replied.
Radek put in, "If I may ask, what was it?"
She blushed, "A traditional Japanese tea set. A very nice one that I would not have gotten for myself."
Now Rodney's curiosity was piqued. Both Radek and Miko got anonymous, and expensive, gifts from an unknown source. He wondered what was in Hackett's package.
"Well, at least everything is scanned before it leaves the SGC," Rodney had to admit. "Wonder what's going on." He nodded at Miko, "Umm... thanks for helping..."
Rodney went to John's office and demanded, "Someone is sending anonymous things to people...." Even as he said it, he realized it sounded more than faintly petty. "Not... not that there's anything wrong with it but, well, you know..." he trailed off.
He watched John parse through that. "Sending things?" he echoed.
"Well, yes," Rodney shifted uncomfortably. "Radek got some pigeon book and Miko got a tea set. Radek said his book is rare and Miko said the tea set was 'very nice' -- sounds expensive."
"You're telling me someone is sending your people expensive gifts?" John asked with a touch of humor in his voice. "And there's a problem with that, how?"
"Well, when you put it that way," Rodney had to allow. "If I didn't know the SGC scanned personal..." He snapped his fingers. "The SGC! Someone there has to know where they come from. They wouldn't process anonymous packages like that!"
Rodney turned to leave but stopped when John said, "Rodney! Why is this a problem?"
"It's....." Rodney stopped. "Well, I guess it's not...."
John sighed. "I have to do some reports that need to be sent to the SGC, let me check into it?" he offered.
Rodney huffed, "You're right, it's just that... well....." I didn't get anything, he winced at how juvenile that sounded. "Okay, then," he finished brusquely. "Let me know what you find out."
Rodney put aside the mystery of the gifts for the afternoon, only to have it brought up again when he overheard two of the female scientists talking.
"Ohh... I'm jealous!" one of the women gushed. "That is so nice...."
"I don't even know who to thank," the second admitted. "There was no note or return address. It was just delivered to my room with the rest of my mail."
"Bath oils and lotions like that are worth their weight in gold," the first replied. "I can't wait to try them out."
"Any chance I can try some?" her friend asked.
The woman seemed to struggle with an answer but relented, "Sure, since I wasn't expecting it, I can do that."
They walked off chatting, leaving Rodney even more curious.
Under the guise of 'checking up on everyone' and making sure they were working, Rodney wandered around a number of the labs for the rest of the afternoon. He overheard one more conversation about anonymous gifts -- in geology, again, of all places -- but no one seemed to know anything. On the other hand, word had spread about the mysterious gifts and it made everyone unreasonably cheerful for some reason.
Rodney knocked on the door to John's room and John answered in his sweats. "Listen, I gotta take a shower," John explained. "Running late. Can you get things organized?"
"Sure," Rodney agreed, not thinking too much about John taking a shower while he was in the next room. Not much, anyways. Too much thinking about John in showers was dangerous territory and he had packed that particular dream away a long time ago. "Go ahead."
Rodney was organizing seating, since Torren and Kaanan were coming they needed a couple of extra seats, and moving John's laptop to a better location so it would be out of the way when he noticed his name in an email heading. He couldn't help looking.... Rodney's cat :-(
What the hell? he asked himself. That the message was from Jeannie made him even more curious. As he was reaching out to open the message, John came out of the bathroom, scrubbing a hand through his hair to make it slightly less chaotic than the toweling had left it.
"John? What...?" Rodney waved at the computer.
John glanced at the computer and flushed. "Ummm.... I....... " He was saved from having to answer by a knocking at the door and Teyla calling, "We're here!" Torren was asleep and put into a drawer John had put a couple of blankets in that would serve as a temporary crib. Ronon came in as they were settling Torren in and he sprawled on the floor in the middle of the room.
"After the movie," Rodney hissed.
John nodded reluctantly then turned to make sure everyone was comfortable and snacks were distributed before starting the movie.
The story drew Rodney in, although he couldn't stop the stray thought that wondered what Jeannie had to write to John about... and his cat? That was even more bizarre.
"If this is the same city as that other Batman movie," Ronon observed, "they sure fixed it up in a short time."
"Well, that's literary license for you," Rodney answered. "The writers can make changes like that."
They chatted about the movie for a bit but the evening broke up when Torren stirred and Teyla suggested, "I think he should be in his own bed at this point."
After a round of 'see you in the morning' and offers to help straighten up that Rodney countered with, "You go, I'll help here," that John couldn't very well turn down, the others left.
Rodney really did help put things back in place and picked up after the others before he sat down and said, "Okay. What the hell is going on?"
John sighed and asked, "Can you let it go?"
"No, I can't let it go!" Rodney countered. "This is my sister, who do I have to remind you is happily married? And what is she writing to you that I can't see?"
John rubbed the back of his neck in indecision. "I.... I wanted it to be a surprise...."
"Well, consider me surprised," Rodney huffed. He snapped his fingers and pointed to the laptop. "Show me!" he demanded.
Without saying anything further, John opened the mail and opened the mail message, handing the machine to Rodney.
John,
David was good enough to recommend a private detective to help me trace Rodney's old neighbor. Turns out the woman had moved to Georgia to be with her sister and had taken the cat with her. Once he found the woman, she told him that the cat had contracted cancer and she had it put to sleep about 18 months ago. I'm so sorry, since I know you were hoping to get the cat back for Mer.
I've gotten most of the things you've requested and Walter has been a god-send with a number of ideas. I suspect he's using the SGC personnel files to find things some of the others would like and he's passed along another list of suggestions. I've sent most of the items you thought would be good along to him and he'll put what he can in your next shipment. I've attached the last list Walter sent to me -- take a look at it and make any changes.... Walter's figured out that price is mostly no object here, so don't let him take advantage of your generosity.
You know, you need to ask for something for yourself, John. Only fair that you get something out of this. But it's fun helping and anything else I can do, don't hesitate to ask.
Madison sends you a hug and tell Mer I send him my love.
--Jeannie
Rodney blinked and read the message again. When he looked up, John was gone and he was alone. Rodney closed the mail, powered down the laptop and lay down on the bed to wait for John to return.
Sunlight on his face woke Rodney. He opened his eyes and had to think twice about where he was... John's room. He rubbed his eyes to try to wake up and sat up. "Ugh," he muttered, "what a nasty bed." He got up and figured since he was here that he'd use the bathroom before he went back to his own room for a shower and fresh clothes.
John wasn't at breakfast when Rodney finally got there and after not finding John in any of his usual places, he finally pried out of Lorne that John had volunteered to take his place to fly a couple of the scientists out to the mainland. "They're scheduled to be back about dinnertime," Lorne finally informed Rodney.
Rodney couldn't concentrate and snapped at everyone equally through lunchtime. Radek finally threatened, "Take a laptop and go away, you're making it worse than usual." When Rodney didn't move, Radek took Rodney's laptop off the desk, handed it him and said more softly, "Something is bothering you. If we can't help, go away until you at least won't take anyone's head off."
Rodney grunted and grated, "Fine. I'm going away."
Radek put a hand on Rodney's arm, "Be better, my friend." He turned back to the others and waved a hand, "What? You're hoping I'll be nicer than Rodney? Work!"
Rodney took the laptop back to his room but was too restless to stay there. He put the laptop on his desk, swung by the mess for a sandwich and some water and went out on his own. He found himself on the south pier sitting at the edge of the ocean.
Hearing a footstep behind him as the sun was setting, Rodney offered, "Thought I'd have to chase after you. Didn't think you'd come out here on your own."
"Yeah, well," John replied. "Figured you'd have some questions and I had some time to think today so... well... go ahead."
"So don't loom over me, sit," Rodney ordered, patting the space next to him on the wide wall. John settled in next to him, close enough that Rodney could feel the warmth from the shoulder against his.
"Well, I've figured you're the present fairy, and that you conned my sister Jeannie and Walter from the SGC to be your elves in this production," Rodney started. "I guess I don't know why?"
John was silent for a moment before he started. "I overheard one of the Marines talking to his team about something he wished he had. It wasn't really special, just a good bottle of bourbon and some nice glasses to drink it from. But he's married and sending his money home to his wife, not that there's anyplace to spend it here, and that he really couldn't afford the good stuff. I know the SGC pays relatively decently but it's harder when you're just starting out. I realized then that I could do that. Buy the bourbon, that is. My grandfather was a bourbon drinker and had gone on and on to anyone that would listen about what made the best bourbon."
"But then I realized that I really shouldn't do it, him being in the chain of command and all, but it got me thinking. And listening. We don't get a lot of stuff out here and most of the things people ask for are simple treats, chocolate, coffee, computer games, books, movies.... nothing really special. And everyone checks to see that they aren't duplicating requests so there're really no surprises." John ground to a halt.
"So you decided..." Rodney prompted.
"When Jeannie was here.... after that.... thing in your head...." John swallowed. He rubbed his forehead as if to erase the memory. "I asked if she would get things for me. To give to people. So I sent her to my brother David to set up an account, from... ummm.... my trust fund.....that she could use to get things." He smiled. "She's good at that, you know. Has good ideas, too. She thought of getting Walter to help, that we'd need someone inside the SGC to get packages into the shipments."
"Yeah," Rodney answered. "Jeannie always was good at things like Christmas. Knew what to buy people. She must be having a blast."
"She is," John laughed. "I know she wanted to tell you but I wanted...." John became serious.
"My cat," Rodney said softly, amazed. "You tried to get my cat for me. Would they have let it through?"
John shrugged. "Figured we'd deal with that if we got the cat back. If nothing else, Jeannie was to keep the cat so you'd know it was in a good home and you could visit when you were on Earth," John elaborated. "Sorry..... 'bout your cat...."
"Thanks," Rodney replied. "I..... just.... thanks...."
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"What about you? Jeannie said you haven't asked for anything for yourself?" Rodney couldn't help asking.
John shifted uncomfortably in place. "Don't want..... I have....." A deep breath. "Have everything I want... here." He bumped his shoulder against Rodney's.
Oh. Oh!
"Really?" Rodney squeaked. No, he didn't squeak, did he? John's shoulder leaned more firmly into his and Rodney found he didn't care about squeaking.
"Yeah?" But it was more of a question than an affirmation.
"You idiot," Rodney answered softly, but he leaned back to maintain contact. "Yeah."
"Good." John reached over to take Rodney's hand and curled their fingers together. "I'd like to....do more. But, well, someone might see....." He waved his free hand around. "Kinda wide open here...."
"No, no," Rodney babbled. "It's okay. We can.... take this to my room?" He got his answer as John's face lit up.
Falling asleep with his arms around John, Rodney realized that he had gotten the best present of all.
Author: goddess47
Recipient: silverraven11
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard
Rating: G
Words: 3400
Spoilers/Warning: Minor spoiler for "The Shrine" but only if you don't blink; major sap warning.
Summary: Anonymous presents are appearing on Atlantis and there doesn't seem to be one for Rodney.
Author's Note: Thanks to fenchurch1 for the plot bunny. silverraven11 asked for McShep, first time and a happy ending - hope I got it right!
"Huh." Dr. Rodney McKay looked at the box, faintly puzzled. It was addressed to "Dr. Radek Zelenka" and looked like personal mail but had no return address. He had found it in the recent delivery to Atlantis from the Daedalus that was supposed to be equipment for the science labs. Someone else had supposedly sorted and counted boxes before they had been placed in the science lab store room but they had missed what obviously was a personal delivery.
Rodney didn't have to do this, he could have sent someone else to check what had been delivered by the Daedalus but he was always curious to see what really had been sent to them instead of having to rely on a report from someone else. He also got his hands on the cool toys first, but he'd never admit that.
He put the box aside while he kept working. In the end, he came across packages for Miko Kusinagi and a name he didn't recognize but he suspected was one of Sheppard's soldiers. None of the boxes were large but Zelenka's was solid and heavy for its size.
Carrying the boxes to the lab, he put Zelenka's and Miko's on their workstation. He took the last with him.
"Is this one of your guys? L. Hackett?" Rodney asked John Sheppard, stepping into Sheppard's office. As the military commander of Atlantis, he knew Sheppard was better than he was in knowing who the people who worked for him were. He put the box on Sheppard's desk, trying not to dislodge the stack of reports on the end of the desk. "And how did it get here with only a name and not an address. Shouldn't there be an FPO address or something?"
Sheppard looked at the package and replied, "Yes, Hackett's one of the guys who's staying for a second rotation. Don't know how it got delivered," he answered slowly. "What is it?"
"It was in the lab shipment," Rodney told him, shrugging. "There were a couple others. Someone didn't sort out the personal packages from the lab shipment."
"Oh?" Sheppard looked quizzical. "Who for?" Rodney couldn't read the look in his eyes, which was curious since he had gotten pretty good at understanding 'Sheppard' in the last couple of years.
"Zelenka and Miko," Rodney recounted. "I put their packages in the lab for them. I'm not a delivery man, you know. Who did the sorting, they need to do a better job."
Sheppard grinned at him, "Well, I helped, so you can bitch at me if you want."
"Over lunch?" Rodney grinned back.
"Sure," Sheppard replied easily. "Meet you in," he glanced at his watch, "about an hour?"
"Works for me," Rodney agreed. "I hear there's meatloaf," he added.
Lunch was indeed meatloaf, which Rodney ate happily. While the food had not been as problematic lately as it had been in the first year, it was always a treat to have really Earth-based food for a meal. One of the other gate teams must have found the vegetable, something olive-green-ish that looked like a cross between broccoli and asparagus, since it was not familiar. He had taken a token serving since he had learned to try most of everything for times when they were the main part of the meal and not an optional side dish.
"This isn't awful," Rodney offered, pointing to the new vegetable.
"Major Lorne's team found this," Teyla offered. "Dr. Parrish tested it in his lab and says it has some.... vitamins?" she continued at Sheppard's nod, "that some of the other vegetables do not have." She took a mouthful. "This is something I was not familiar with and it tastes very good."
Ronon ate his way through the tray of food, having taken good size servings of everything. "Food's good," he agreed. "Hey! We up for a movie tonight?"
Rodney looked around, "Well, I was going to work in the lab..."
John rolled his eyes, "Come on, take a break. It's the new Batman movie..."
"Really?" Rodney asked. "Okay, I have some simulations that will need to be set up but I'll meet you. What time?"
John looked at Teyla, "If we start at 8 pm, will Torren sleep through the night? Bring Kanaan along."
Teyla nodded, "Thank you, that will work. We will be there."
They all put their trays for cleaning and wandered off. In the lab, Zelenka was pouring over a book. "What do you have there?" Rodney asked.
"Did you leave this?" Radek asked.
Rodney shrugged, "It was in the lab shipment. Had your name on it but that's all I know."
Radek handled the book with care, turning it over a couple of times and looked up with Rodney, "Then you do not know where it came from?"
"Sorry, no," Rodney had to answer.
"It's an original copy of Genetics of Pigeons -- there are mostly only photocopied versions. But this is an original and very rare," he explained. "And probably very expensive."
Rodney peered over Radek's shoulder, "No note?" The book itself wasn't of interest but Rodney was curious about the package.
"Nothing, just the book," Radek didn't look up from his treasure.
"Miko got one too," Rodney offered. "Not a book, but a package," he elaborated. "Maybe hers has a note?" At that Radek looked up and shrugged. "Come on, let's find her," Rodney suggested.
They went in search of Miko Kusinagi, who it turned out was working with some geologists in another part of the city.
"Did you get your package? I left one on your workstation," Rodney had to ask. When she nodded, he continued, "Was there a note or anything?" He waved at Radek, "Zelenka got a similar package without a note and we thought maybe it got in yours by mistake?"
"Sorry, but there was nothing to indicate who it came from," she replied.
Radek put in, "If I may ask, what was it?"
She blushed, "A traditional Japanese tea set. A very nice one that I would not have gotten for myself."
Now Rodney's curiosity was piqued. Both Radek and Miko got anonymous, and expensive, gifts from an unknown source. He wondered what was in Hackett's package.
"Well, at least everything is scanned before it leaves the SGC," Rodney had to admit. "Wonder what's going on." He nodded at Miko, "Umm... thanks for helping..."
Rodney went to John's office and demanded, "Someone is sending anonymous things to people...." Even as he said it, he realized it sounded more than faintly petty. "Not... not that there's anything wrong with it but, well, you know..." he trailed off.
He watched John parse through that. "Sending things?" he echoed.
"Well, yes," Rodney shifted uncomfortably. "Radek got some pigeon book and Miko got a tea set. Radek said his book is rare and Miko said the tea set was 'very nice' -- sounds expensive."
"You're telling me someone is sending your people expensive gifts?" John asked with a touch of humor in his voice. "And there's a problem with that, how?"
"Well, when you put it that way," Rodney had to allow. "If I didn't know the SGC scanned personal..." He snapped his fingers. "The SGC! Someone there has to know where they come from. They wouldn't process anonymous packages like that!"
Rodney turned to leave but stopped when John said, "Rodney! Why is this a problem?"
"It's....." Rodney stopped. "Well, I guess it's not...."
John sighed. "I have to do some reports that need to be sent to the SGC, let me check into it?" he offered.
Rodney huffed, "You're right, it's just that... well....." I didn't get anything, he winced at how juvenile that sounded. "Okay, then," he finished brusquely. "Let me know what you find out."
Rodney put aside the mystery of the gifts for the afternoon, only to have it brought up again when he overheard two of the female scientists talking.
"Ohh... I'm jealous!" one of the women gushed. "That is so nice...."
"I don't even know who to thank," the second admitted. "There was no note or return address. It was just delivered to my room with the rest of my mail."
"Bath oils and lotions like that are worth their weight in gold," the first replied. "I can't wait to try them out."
"Any chance I can try some?" her friend asked.
The woman seemed to struggle with an answer but relented, "Sure, since I wasn't expecting it, I can do that."
They walked off chatting, leaving Rodney even more curious.
Under the guise of 'checking up on everyone' and making sure they were working, Rodney wandered around a number of the labs for the rest of the afternoon. He overheard one more conversation about anonymous gifts -- in geology, again, of all places -- but no one seemed to know anything. On the other hand, word had spread about the mysterious gifts and it made everyone unreasonably cheerful for some reason.
Rodney knocked on the door to John's room and John answered in his sweats. "Listen, I gotta take a shower," John explained. "Running late. Can you get things organized?"
"Sure," Rodney agreed, not thinking too much about John taking a shower while he was in the next room. Not much, anyways. Too much thinking about John in showers was dangerous territory and he had packed that particular dream away a long time ago. "Go ahead."
Rodney was organizing seating, since Torren and Kaanan were coming they needed a couple of extra seats, and moving John's laptop to a better location so it would be out of the way when he noticed his name in an email heading. He couldn't help looking.... Rodney's cat :-(
What the hell? he asked himself. That the message was from Jeannie made him even more curious. As he was reaching out to open the message, John came out of the bathroom, scrubbing a hand through his hair to make it slightly less chaotic than the toweling had left it.
"John? What...?" Rodney waved at the computer.
John glanced at the computer and flushed. "Ummm.... I....... " He was saved from having to answer by a knocking at the door and Teyla calling, "We're here!" Torren was asleep and put into a drawer John had put a couple of blankets in that would serve as a temporary crib. Ronon came in as they were settling Torren in and he sprawled on the floor in the middle of the room.
"After the movie," Rodney hissed.
John nodded reluctantly then turned to make sure everyone was comfortable and snacks were distributed before starting the movie.
The story drew Rodney in, although he couldn't stop the stray thought that wondered what Jeannie had to write to John about... and his cat? That was even more bizarre.
"If this is the same city as that other Batman movie," Ronon observed, "they sure fixed it up in a short time."
"Well, that's literary license for you," Rodney answered. "The writers can make changes like that."
They chatted about the movie for a bit but the evening broke up when Torren stirred and Teyla suggested, "I think he should be in his own bed at this point."
After a round of 'see you in the morning' and offers to help straighten up that Rodney countered with, "You go, I'll help here," that John couldn't very well turn down, the others left.
Rodney really did help put things back in place and picked up after the others before he sat down and said, "Okay. What the hell is going on?"
John sighed and asked, "Can you let it go?"
"No, I can't let it go!" Rodney countered. "This is my sister, who do I have to remind you is happily married? And what is she writing to you that I can't see?"
John rubbed the back of his neck in indecision. "I.... I wanted it to be a surprise...."
"Well, consider me surprised," Rodney huffed. He snapped his fingers and pointed to the laptop. "Show me!" he demanded.
Without saying anything further, John opened the mail and opened the mail message, handing the machine to Rodney.
John,
David was good enough to recommend a private detective to help me trace Rodney's old neighbor. Turns out the woman had moved to Georgia to be with her sister and had taken the cat with her. Once he found the woman, she told him that the cat had contracted cancer and she had it put to sleep about 18 months ago. I'm so sorry, since I know you were hoping to get the cat back for Mer.
I've gotten most of the things you've requested and Walter has been a god-send with a number of ideas. I suspect he's using the SGC personnel files to find things some of the others would like and he's passed along another list of suggestions. I've sent most of the items you thought would be good along to him and he'll put what he can in your next shipment. I've attached the last list Walter sent to me -- take a look at it and make any changes.... Walter's figured out that price is mostly no object here, so don't let him take advantage of your generosity.
You know, you need to ask for something for yourself, John. Only fair that you get something out of this. But it's fun helping and anything else I can do, don't hesitate to ask.
Madison sends you a hug and tell Mer I send him my love.
--Jeannie
Rodney blinked and read the message again. When he looked up, John was gone and he was alone. Rodney closed the mail, powered down the laptop and lay down on the bed to wait for John to return.
Sunlight on his face woke Rodney. He opened his eyes and had to think twice about where he was... John's room. He rubbed his eyes to try to wake up and sat up. "Ugh," he muttered, "what a nasty bed." He got up and figured since he was here that he'd use the bathroom before he went back to his own room for a shower and fresh clothes.
John wasn't at breakfast when Rodney finally got there and after not finding John in any of his usual places, he finally pried out of Lorne that John had volunteered to take his place to fly a couple of the scientists out to the mainland. "They're scheduled to be back about dinnertime," Lorne finally informed Rodney.
Rodney couldn't concentrate and snapped at everyone equally through lunchtime. Radek finally threatened, "Take a laptop and go away, you're making it worse than usual." When Rodney didn't move, Radek took Rodney's laptop off the desk, handed it him and said more softly, "Something is bothering you. If we can't help, go away until you at least won't take anyone's head off."
Rodney grunted and grated, "Fine. I'm going away."
Radek put a hand on Rodney's arm, "Be better, my friend." He turned back to the others and waved a hand, "What? You're hoping I'll be nicer than Rodney? Work!"
Rodney took the laptop back to his room but was too restless to stay there. He put the laptop on his desk, swung by the mess for a sandwich and some water and went out on his own. He found himself on the south pier sitting at the edge of the ocean.
Hearing a footstep behind him as the sun was setting, Rodney offered, "Thought I'd have to chase after you. Didn't think you'd come out here on your own."
"Yeah, well," John replied. "Figured you'd have some questions and I had some time to think today so... well... go ahead."
"So don't loom over me, sit," Rodney ordered, patting the space next to him on the wide wall. John settled in next to him, close enough that Rodney could feel the warmth from the shoulder against his.
"Well, I've figured you're the present fairy, and that you conned my sister Jeannie and Walter from the SGC to be your elves in this production," Rodney started. "I guess I don't know why?"
John was silent for a moment before he started. "I overheard one of the Marines talking to his team about something he wished he had. It wasn't really special, just a good bottle of bourbon and some nice glasses to drink it from. But he's married and sending his money home to his wife, not that there's anyplace to spend it here, and that he really couldn't afford the good stuff. I know the SGC pays relatively decently but it's harder when you're just starting out. I realized then that I could do that. Buy the bourbon, that is. My grandfather was a bourbon drinker and had gone on and on to anyone that would listen about what made the best bourbon."
"But then I realized that I really shouldn't do it, him being in the chain of command and all, but it got me thinking. And listening. We don't get a lot of stuff out here and most of the things people ask for are simple treats, chocolate, coffee, computer games, books, movies.... nothing really special. And everyone checks to see that they aren't duplicating requests so there're really no surprises." John ground to a halt.
"So you decided..." Rodney prompted.
"When Jeannie was here.... after that.... thing in your head...." John swallowed. He rubbed his forehead as if to erase the memory. "I asked if she would get things for me. To give to people. So I sent her to my brother David to set up an account, from... ummm.... my trust fund.....that she could use to get things." He smiled. "She's good at that, you know. Has good ideas, too. She thought of getting Walter to help, that we'd need someone inside the SGC to get packages into the shipments."
"Yeah," Rodney answered. "Jeannie always was good at things like Christmas. Knew what to buy people. She must be having a blast."
"She is," John laughed. "I know she wanted to tell you but I wanted...." John became serious.
"My cat," Rodney said softly, amazed. "You tried to get my cat for me. Would they have let it through?"
John shrugged. "Figured we'd deal with that if we got the cat back. If nothing else, Jeannie was to keep the cat so you'd know it was in a good home and you could visit when you were on Earth," John elaborated. "Sorry..... 'bout your cat...."
"Thanks," Rodney replied. "I..... just.... thanks...."
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"What about you? Jeannie said you haven't asked for anything for yourself?" Rodney couldn't help asking.
John shifted uncomfortably in place. "Don't want..... I have....." A deep breath. "Have everything I want... here." He bumped his shoulder against Rodney's.
Oh. Oh!
"Really?" Rodney squeaked. No, he didn't squeak, did he? John's shoulder leaned more firmly into his and Rodney found he didn't care about squeaking.
"Yeah?" But it was more of a question than an affirmation.
"You idiot," Rodney answered softly, but he leaned back to maintain contact. "Yeah."
"Good." John reached over to take Rodney's hand and curled their fingers together. "I'd like to....do more. But, well, someone might see....." He waved his free hand around. "Kinda wide open here...."
"No, no," Rodney babbled. "It's okay. We can.... take this to my room?" He got his answer as John's face lit up.
Falling asleep with his arms around John, Rodney realized that he had gotten the best present of all.