A Simple Misunderstanding

I do not own Stargate Atlantis. If I did there would be a 5 more seasons. MGM owns it all.

"Talking" _Thinking_

As happy as I was with "Brain Storm" from a Bill Nye/ McKeller standpoint, I still like the "relationship" that McKay and Keller have before it. That being said, this is set before "Brain Storm"

Same story as before, I just fixed a couple errors that had been bugging me.

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A Simple Misunderstanding

John Sheppard turned the corner and continued to walk at a leisurely pace with no destination in mind. He often did this on a slow day or a night when sleep seemed to elude him. Simply strolling through the city and taking in the sights tended to calm his mind and help him focus his thoughts almost as well as golf…..almost.

He distantly noted that he was currently walking past the Infirmary when he heard a sudden laugh, almost a giggle actually. His pace slowed and he took a quick sip of coffee as he turned and moved closer to the door to see what the source of the noise was.

"_Probably Dr. Keller joking with a patient."_

His steps came to an abrupt stop as a groan of pure contentment and joy escaped the room. He knew that sound; he'd been the cause of it quite a few times. Raising an eyebrow, tilting his head and taking another sip of coffee he began to hesitantly edge closer to the door.

"Oh my God Rodney, you're so good at this." As soon as Dr. Keller had said Rodney's name John had once again stopped in his tracks.

"Well Jennifer, I'm glad you're enjoying it," he could hear the smirk in Rodney's voice.

"I've just needed this for so long. *groan* If I had known you were so good I would...*groan*… would have asked for this a long time ago. How did you get so good?"

A smirk formed of John's face as he began walking away from the door, "_Rodney McKay, you sly dog, I guess I underestimated you._"

As he walked away, thinking that it was about time that Rodney made a move on the woman that he so obviously had feelings for, he heard Rodney reply, "I used to practice a lot on my sister." It was at this point that John Sheppard's brain shut down. Had he just heard that? And had he just heard…THAT admitted so care-free, like it was a comment about the weather?

"Well, lucky her," Dr. Keller replied. Rodney laughed and added, "Plus all that work on the computers that I do helps with my finger dexterity."

_WHAT!?!?!? _John didn't know what to think. He knew these people, they were his friends, but what they were saying just wasn't making any sense. Then something occurred to John, _I'm dreaming! I don't know why I'm dreaming about this, but that's got to be it! Although, these ones usually involve Teyla….._

"Oh, Dr. Keller, Dr. McKay, I hope I am not interrupting anything." Teyla's concerned voice now also came from the Infirmary.

"No, not at all, Rodney was just helping me relieve some stress. How can I help you?"

"Well, I actually have a similar problem. Would it be too much to ask if…I could join the two of you?"

John's jaw dropped. _This can't be happening. It HAS to be a dream, a very bad dream, but still a dream. This isn't real. There's no way any of this would really happen….right? I mean, come on! Rodney with TWO chicks? Rodney with one is unlikely! _John promptly pinched his thigh and flinched as it did in fact cause him pain. _…O.K. so it's not a dream…WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?_

A groan, different from the previous ones, escaped the Infirmary. "I must admit Rodney, you are in fact quite skilled at this," Teyla said, causing John dropped his coffee mug. As he bent down to try to pick up the broken pieces Dr. Keller exited the Infirmary at a quick pace looking around for the source of the noise, Rodney and Teyla on her heels. They all turned towards John as he looked up at them from his position near the floor. The first thing that John noticed about them all is that they were all fully clothed, a fact that he found important enough to tell them.

"You all have your clothes on," John slowly said. They gave him a look as if he had just told them that he had discovered the Earth was round.

Rodney quickly double checked that they were all in fact clothed--just in case--and then replied, "Um…yes?"

Jennifer and Rodney shared a quick look before she said, "So do you. Um, I'll go get a trash can and a mop to clean that up."

"Oh, I'll help," Rodney quickly replied.

As they returned to the Infirmary Teyla kneeled beside John and began helping him to collect the pieces of the broken mug. "John, are you feeling well?"

"What? Oh, right. Yes. I'm fine. I was just, uh, distracted, by, um, I was walking down the hall and-" His ramble was cut off by the return of Jennifer and Rodney with the mop and trash can.

"So, um, what were you all, um, doing? In there…together," John asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Jennifer smiled at this and gestured to Rodney. "I was telling Rodney that I've had sore shoulders all day and he offered to give me back massage."

"Oh thank God!" John exclaimed and let out a small laugh, quickly cutting it off and turning it into a cough when he noticed how everyone was looking at him. He quickly added, "I mean, if Rodney hadn't then you would have had sore shoulders, um, All Day Long. And we can't have someone in your position not being on their 'A-game' because of that now could we?" Patting Rodney on the back he added, "Good job McKay. Another potential disaster stopped thanks to your, um, genius. And, um hey! I bet with all that computer work that he does he's got great finger dexterity." To emphasize his point John was actually holding up and wiggling his fingers.

Looking slightly confused Rodney replied, "Yes, I just said that as a matter of fact."

"Really? I had no idea, I wasn't here at the door listening," John replied, not quite as casually as he had hoped it would sound.

"John, are you certain that you are feeling well?" Teyla tried again, sounding and looking concerned.

"Yeah. I'm great. The coffee thing earlier was just, well let's just call it a simple misunderstanding."

Dr. Keller didn't seem convinced, "Colonel, do-"

John quickly cut her off and tried to make his escape. "I'd love to stay and chat but I've got to go and…um…hair. Yes." Pointing to his hair and sounding like it was perfectly obvious, "Look at it. It's all wrong! I don't know what I was doing this morning."

Rolling his eyes and laughing Rodney replied, "Well, we can't have you running around playing Captain Kirk without the perfect hair can we?" Walking backwards John said, "That's right! I'll just go fix this then and I'll see you guys later." With that he disappeared around a corner.

"Was he…..serious?" Dr. Keller asked Rodney and Teyla.

Rodney laughed and answered, "Oh yes. That man has some serious Kirk issues." Getting a mischievous look in his eye he turned to Teyla and asked, "Do you remember that one time when I stole all his hair gel?"

"Ah, yes. I did not expect that reaction from him." Teyla laughed, but then looking serious continued, "Nor did I expect him to pull his knife on you."

Rubbing his hand on his neck as he looked at the shock on Dr. Keller's face, he added, "Yeah, neither did I. But don't worry, he kept it at least a foot away from me." Jennifer could only look from Rodney to Teyla before she shook her head and sighed.

Looking at her watch Teyla turned to Dr. Keller and Dr. McKay and said, "I am sorry but I must meet with Ronon to review basic combat skills with several Marines. Good day to you both." With that she turned and left Rodney and Dr. Keller alone.

Looking at Rodney and smiling Jennifer said, "Thank you. For the back rub. I feel great now."

Rodney began to play with the ends of his uniform and looked at the ground as he replied, "Yes, well, you're welcome. It was my pleasure." Suddenly looking up at her and waving his hands his voice became quick as he tried to explain, "Not in a sick pleasure kind of way or anything! Not that I didn't like it at all, I did. But in a perfectly normal kinda way. Not that there's not anything special about you! You're a great person, and, and, and a beautiful woman—not that I'm looking at you like that! I mean I am, but not like a stalker or anything. Oh boy, I shouldn't have said that. Let me rephrase that. I-"

"Rodney," Jennifer mercifully cut him off. "it's O.K. I know you're not a creep like that."

Breathing a great sigh Rodney simply shook his head and said, "Oh, O.K. Good." Smirking at him she continued, "You know I think it's only fair for me to return the favor. Would you mind?" Looking slightly flustered Rodney managed to get out, "Um, no. Not at all. Wait! That is, um not that I-" he promptly, and wisely, stopped the rant before it began when he saw the look that Jennifer was giving him. Instead he simply nodded his head and they began to walk back into the Infirmary.

_This should be fun,_ Jennifer thought to herself._ If I can do this to him when we're just talking I wonder what he'll be like during a back rub? After all, I'm a surgeon and I've got some finger dexterity that might even surprise him._

_A/N: Well, that's my first fanfic! I hope you all like it. This started as a one-shot, but if I get any more ideas for things like this for other characters I may just make it a series of one-shots. In the next story I write I promise Ronon will be in it. Also, huge thanks to dwparsnip for being my beta._


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