Skirt Challenge: Last Call by maverick4oz
Meep. My first post here. I hope I'm doing this right.
Challenge: Skirt
Title: Last Call
Author: Maverick
Pairing: McShep but PreSlash.
Story Notes: A flashback to Earth not seen in Intruder, so vaguely spoilery for that episode.
Disclaimer: Not my sandbox or my galaxy. Just playing for fun, not profit.
Thanks to cheights for her usual amazing beta.
Last Call
by Maverick.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Of all the places that Rodney had followed Major John Sheppard over the last year, he never thought he’d find himself in a place called Diamond Debs. He squinted as he entered the darkened bar, the light from the street lamp outside the door temporarily blinding him. After the surroundings finally blinked into focus, he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was just a regular bar and not some “Gentleman’s Club” as he first imagined. When Sheppard had called asking him to pick him up as he’d been drinking, Rodney’s first thought was to tell the other man to call a cab. But something in the Major’s voice had stopped him. He’d heard that voice before. And that time, it had ended with Sheppard hopping in a puddle jumper with a one-way ticket to oblivion.
It took him a minute to find Sheppard sitting by himself in a corner. He was wearing a blue oxford button-down shirt and what looked like a suit jacket was hung over the back of the chair next to him. Rodney couldn’t remember ever seeing Sheppard dressed in such *normal* clothes. It was momentarily disorienting. Although there was nothing new about the way the waitress was touching his arm and giggling, her ample chest directly in the Major’s face. Perhaps it *was* that kind of club after all. He walked over to the table. “You owe me $27.50 for the cab ride over here.”
Sheppard looked up and gave Rodney a wry smile. “Thanks for coming, Rodney.”
Rodney waved his hands and leaned back against the wood paneled wall. “Oh, no problem Major. It’s not like I had anything better to do than be your designated driver.”
“It’s Lt. Colonel now.”
Rodney ignored what Sheppard had said. “I mean why would I want to go through the files of the nearly 100 scientists I have to whittle down to the 20 I can have work on the “project” with me when I can instead watch short-skirted waitresses flirt with you.” It took a moment for Rodney to realize that the short-skirted waitress was still standing right there. “Oh, sorry, no offense, but your skirt *is* short.” He turned his attention to Sheppard. “Do you want another one Major because I could go for a beer?” Rodney asked, slumping in the chair across from John.
Sheppard just nodded.
“Okay, two of whatever he’s having. And put it on his tab. Thanks.”
Taking a swig from his beer, Sheppard smiled. “And people say you don’t have a way with women.”
“What women? Her? I’m sorry, but she’s so not my type. Sure, she’s got a nice pair of legs, but as I’ve said many times in the past, I’m partial to blondes. Besides, it wasn’t me she was almost giving a lap dance to.”
“You think?” John’s voice was slightly slurred. “Man, your timing sucks then McKay.”
“Sorry. Wait a minute, no I’m not. If you were on a mission to get laid tonight, why in God’s name did you call me?”
John just cocked an eyebrow.
“Very funny.” The waitress returned setting down four bottles of Coors Lite in front of them. “Lite?”
“I’m watching my figure, and it’s two for one.” John said, picking up a full bottle and taking a swig. “Thanks Missy.”
Rodney held his tongue until the waitress walked away this time. “Her name is Missy? Let me guess she’s a cheerleader too.” Rodney said rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his beer.
“Her name is Melissa but everyone calls her Missy. She’s a chemistry major actually. She gave me her number if you’re interested.”
“I think I’ll pass. So what brought on this need to tie one on? A response to your new responsibilities as Lt. Colonel?”
John smiled. “So you were listening?”
“To what?” Rodney asked taking another sip of his beer.
John ran his hand across the back of his neck. “Never mind. How’d you find out about the promotion?”
“Elizabeth told me before I left SGC this afternoon. Congratulations. Although, it’s not like you haven’t been doing that job for the last year already.” Rodney looked around to make sure no one was listening before leaning across the table. “Or that your new rank will stop the myriad of ways the Pegasus galaxy will try and kill you in the next year. Of course I will be around to stop that from happening so everything should be fine. Did I say congratulations?”
John smirked. “Thanks Rodney. Your concern is touching.”
“Well I’m not exactly known for my interpersonal skills, I would think you’d know that about me by now.”
John drank the rest of his beer in one long swig. He started to say something then stopped.
Rodney could normally decipher all of the Major’s expressions, but this one was elusive and that made him nervous. So he did what he did best when he was uncomfortable, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Do you play darts?”
John looked up startled. “Darts? Actually yes. It’s been a while and I am inebriated, but I’m game. 301 okay with you?”
“Double in, double out?”
“Of course.”
John picked up their beers and walked over to the nearest dart board. “I don’t suppose you’ve got any quarters on you?”
Rodney padded down his pockets. “Let me go see if Daisy Duke there can give us change,” he said pointing with his head to their waitress.
“Daisy Duke wore shorts. Missy’s wearing a skirt.”
“Of course you would know that. Let me guess, as the red-blooded American flyboy that you are, the Dukes of Hazzard was your favorite show.”
“I wouldn’t say my favorite. I was more of an A-Team kind of guy. But the Dukes man, what’s not to like, fast cars, hot chicks and a kick ass theme song.”
“You really are twelve years old aren’t you?”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” John motioned with his eyes to see if it was okay if he drank Rodney’s second beer. After a nod from Rodney, he took a swig.
“Let’s just say twelve doesn’t hold many fond memories for me. I’m going to go get those quarters now before you decide to give me a wedgie or something.”
John laughed and began scrolling through the electronic dartboard menu. By the time Rodney walked back over with a roll of quarters, he had it all set up. “Are you going to be able to do the math in your current state of drunkenness, Major?”
“Lt. Colonel, Rodney. And yes, even drunk I think I can manage basic multiplication and subtraction. It’s not exactly diophantine analysis. Not to mention the board does most of the hard stuff for us.”
Rodney looked at John surprised. Sometimes he forgot that Sheppard wasn’t as dumb as he liked to play it. “True,” Rodney said, handing the money over to John.
Sliding the quarters in the slots, John picked up the black winged set of darts off the board. He handed Rodney the blue set and cocked an eyebrow. “You want to diddle for middle?”
Rodney choked on the beer he was drinking, liquid sputtering out his mouth. “What did you say?”
“Diddle for middle. We each shoot one dart and the closest to the bullseye goes first in the game.”
Wiping beer from his face with his shirtsleeve, Rodney coughed as he set his drink down. “I think diddle must have a whole different meaning where I’m from.”
John winked and handed Rodney a napkin. “Nah, it means that here to. But I’m an officer and a gentlemen, so there will be no such diddling going on tonight.”
“Daisy will be so disappointed,” Rodney said under his breath as he tossed a dart at the board. It went well wide of the bullseye. He sighed. “Even drunk, I’m sure you can do better than that, Major.”
“Colonel. It’s Lt. Colonel, Rodney.” John planted his feet behind the throw line and tossed his dart. It landed just on the inside of Rodney’s dart.
Rodney walked over and pulled both of their darts out. “You’re up first then.”
John squinted his eyes in concentration and pumped his wrist a few times before releasing the dart. It came close, but missed the double ring. So did his second dart and his third. He stepped to the side to let Rodney throw.
Rodney missed the double in his three throws as well. They both scratched the whole next set as well. Rodney chuckled as John walked up to the throw line again. “I guess we’re both a little out of practice. But all in all, I think I prefer these “darts” to the ones we’ve been playing with over the last year.”
“Oh yeah, I hear that,” Sheppard said finally hitting the double line of the 20 point wedge.
Rodney made it into the game on his next throw as well. After that, it became a pretty even match of tosses. It was actually quite nice to do something as mindless as a game of darts, Rodney thought. And for someone who never thought anything mindless was worthwhile, that was quite a change. Most days he still woke up in a panic that he’d have to figure out a way to save Atlantis again. And obviously those fears weighed on Sheppard as well.
“You never answered my question,” Rodney said, twirling a dart between his fingers as he waited his turn to shoot. “What brought this on?”
“This?” John asked, obviously playing dumb.
“Yes, *this*,” Rodney said waving his hands wildly between John and the bar.
Finishing his shot, John shrugged his shoulders. “I went to visit Ford’s family.”
Rodney stopped mid-throw and turned to look at John. “By yourself?”
John just nodded.
Rodney walked to the table and picked up both their beers, shoving John’s into his hand. “Well that was stupid.”
“I owed it to Ford,” John said, his voice dangerously low and harsh.
“I’m not disagreeing that talking to his family was the right thing to do. I’m questioning why you would do it alone?”
“Ford was...Ford is my responsibility. I had to do this.”
“And you couldn’t have called me or Elizabeth to come along. Or Beckett. He was looking for a reason to get the hell out of SGC Headquarters.”
“Everyone was busy.”
Rodney snorted. “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response. It’s your turn.”
John threw his darts in quick succession before turning back to Rodney. “So you would have just dropped what you were doing and come with me?”
Rodney folded his arms across his chest. “Hello? I’m here now, aren’t I? Any of us would have. No one here can understand what Atlantis is like or what it means to us, except us. We’re a team, you numbskull.”
Nodding in agreement, John looked up with a brief smile. “I guess you were right, I am stupid.”
“Well, it’s a matter of degrees, Major. This faux pas doesn’t even make it on the scale with I don’t know, say flying a nuclear bomb into a hive ship.” Rodney met John’s eyes briefly before throwing his next dart.
“You’re never gonna stop bringing that up, are you?”
Rodney snorted. “Not anytime soon.”
“And Rodney, it’s Colonel.”
Rodney just nodded. “So how did Ford’s grandparent’s take the news?”
“How’d you know about his grandparents?”
Rodney threw his darts. All he had to do was double out. He needed to hit double 11 to win. His shot went wide. “You don’t have to look so shocked. I have on occasion managed to have a conversation with my team members. But to answer your question, Zelenka, Ford and I went out for a,” Rodney stopped and lowered his voice. He made quotation marks with his fingers before continuing. “‘Thank god we’re alive’ beer after the whole nano-virus thing.”
Sheppard frowned. “Went out?”
“Don’t look so hurt. When I said went out, I meant back to Zelenka’s lab for the last three beers from his private stash. Czech beer is remarkably good. Of course that could also have been the whole ‘not-dead’ endorphins talking.”
“Sounds like you guys had a great time.” John threw his last dart, doubling out, and winning the first round. “Wanna go again?”
Rodney nodded yes. “As I said, don’t look so damn hurt. We weren’t excluding you. It was just that Zelenka only had three beers. And the next day things were back to normal. I was giving Ford a hard time for sucking so bad at prime, not prime, and he was laughing at me for shrieking like a little girl when he showed the Athosians how to use C4 without warning me first.”
John looked briefly at Rodney, his face unreadable. “So Ford talked about his grandparents?”
“Yes. How he really hoped he’d make it back to Earth to have his grandmother’s blue-ribbon peach cobbler. And that he’d get the chance to go fishing with his grandpa.”
“I knew about the fishing. We talked about maybe rigging up some fishing poles and seeing what we could catch off the East Pier when we finally got some downtime.”
Rodney laughed as he doubled-in to the next round. “I’m almost afraid about what sort of fish you’d catch in Atlantis.”
“You’re right. They’d probably be telekinetic fish that would set us on fire.”
“Or make Jaws look like a guppy.”
John shuddered. “Maybe I’ll take up origami instead.”
“Much safer except for the paper cuts. You want another round?” Rodney asked motioning to the waitress even before he heard John’s answer. “Two more beers, please. And do you have food?” Before she could answer, Rodney knew what he wanted. “Oh my God, chicken wings? Tell me you have chicken wings?”
“We have chicken wings,” Missy said dutifully. “How many do you want?”
“How do they come?” Rodney asked, his mouth already salivating.
“Five, ten or twenty.”
Rodney licked his lips. “Bring us two orders of twenty. You want anything else, Major.”
“No, chicken wings sound good, Rodney, but I’m not sure I can eat twenty of them. And it’s Colonel.”
“That’s okay, I’ll eat what you don’t finish,” Rodney turned back to the waitress. “Bring some extra blue cheese, please.”
“Hungry?” John asked, stepping up to the throw line again.
“Yes. I haven’t eaten since lunch. Man, chicken wings. They weren’t even on my list, but nothing sounds more appetizing then they do right now.”
John cocked an eyebrow. “Your list?”
“Yes. When I found out we were coming back to Earth, I made a list of everything I wanted to eat before we headed back.”
John smiled. “That sounds like you.”
“Yes, my love of food is a constant in any universe. Is it my turn?”
John nodded yes and moved out of the way. “What was number one on the list?”
“Meatloaf and mashed potatoes.”
“We had meatloaf in Atlantis.”
“We had a meatloaf like substance which was okay, but nothing like the real thing.”
John stepped up to the line. “Have you eaten it yet?”
Rodney waited until the waitress sat down the new bottles of beer. “No. I was waiting until right before we go back. I want the memory to last.”
“Actually meatloaf sounds good to me too.”
“You can come with me then. Maybe we’ll round up Elizabeth and Carson too. God, I hope Daisy comes back soon with the chicken wings. I’m starving.”
“What, you don’t have a powerbar at the ready in your pocket?”
Rodney frowned. “No, I ate it in the cab on the way over here.”
John just laughed.
Rodney frowned some more. “My turn again?”
John nodded and handed him his darts.
Out of the corner of his eye, Rodney caught the waitress exiting the kitchen. “Here she comes with our food. Let’s end this, shall we?” He quickly and with deadly accuracy finished off the round.
John leaned up against the wall, his mouth agape. “Ok, so are you a ringer or just *really* motivated by food?”
Rodney already had a chicken wing in his mouth. He answered while he chewed. “A little of both. It takes me a while to find my rhythm but then I’m pretty unbeatable. Plus, you know, you’ve been drinking.”
John nodded. “How are the wings?”
Rodney shoved a basket at Sheppard. “Wonderful. Just hot enough.”
“Well I’m glad to see that you don’t rate coming to get me a total loss on your part.”
Rodney looked up and stopped chewing. “Shut up and eat.”
John took a bite of a chicken wing and Rodney could tell instantly that he was enjoying them too. They continued eating in silence for several minutes, each stripping the wings clean like they hadn’t eaten in days. John stopped eating first. “You were right, these are good.”
“It’s the simple pleasures you know. I mean I drank an entire container of milk directly from the carton in the grocery store last night.”
John took a long swig of his beer before closing his eyes.
Rodney stopped eating, “What?”
Wiping his hands on his napkin, John looked up and shook his head. “Nothing. Don’t let me stop you.”
“You were thinking about Ford again?”
John nodded.
“So I take it, it didn’t go well with his grandparents?”
John shrugged. “Hold that thought.” He stood up and motioned with his head toward the men’s room.
Rodney nodded okay.
John looked down at Rodney before walking away. “And go back to eating. There’s no use in wasting those wings.”
Rodney ate two more wings before John returned. He had Daisy bring another beer for Sheppard while he was gone.
“Figured you could maybe use one more for the road.”
“Thanks Rodney.” John sat back down.
“So Ford’s grandparents?”
John sighed. “I didn’t actually get to see them. I spoke with his cousin. They grew up together and were very close.”
“His grandparents are all right, aren’t they?”
“They’re fine. She just didn’t think they could take the news, or lack there of.”
Rodney nodded in understanding. “I guess you really couldn’t give her any details could you?”
“No, just that he’s MIA and that we’re doing our best to find him, to bring him home.”
“Well she had to appreciate that you took the time to come by in person.”
John shrugged. “I think she did. But I don’t think she liked me much.”
“Come on now, no one’s immune to the Sheppard charm,” Rodney said with mock sincerity. “Oh God, please tell me you didn’t give her the line about the ferris wheels.”
John shot Rodney a brief smile. “No, no ferris wheels involved. I think the secrecy of it all just bothered her.”
“Well that’s understandable.”
John shrugged again. “It is. And part of me wishes I could have told her more, but another part of me never wants his family to know anything about the Wraith or what Ford went through.”
“No, you’re right. There’s definitely mercy in the not knowing.”
“She asked me.” John stopped and took a deep breath and a long drink of beer. “She asked me if Ford’s faith in me had been misplaced.”
“What?”
“She said Ford had mentioned in that tape we sent that I was...” John stopped and ran his fingers through his hair. “That I was a good man and that he trusted me with his life. And then she asked if that trust was misplaced.”
Rodney met John’s eyes. “It wasn’t.”
Taking another swig of his beer, John scrubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “The way she looked at me. I mean she was nothing but polite, but her eyes were full of disbelief and anger. It made me wonder if maybe she’s right. Maybe Ford shouldn’t have trusted me.”
Rodney dropped the wing he’d been holding and looked directly at John like the other man had grown a second head. “And people say, I have an ego. You were not responsible for what happened to Ford.”
“He was under my command.”
Rodney rolled his eyes. “No technically he was under Colonel Everett’s command. But even so, what happened to Ford was no one’s fault.”
“She needs someone to blame.”
“That might be so, but she’s wrong, dead wrong to place that blame on you.”
John leaned forward until his head was huddled next to Rodney’s. “How do you know?”
“Because Ford would have followed you *anywhere*. So would Teyla. So would I for that matter. And Colonel, I can assure you. I wouldn’t put such faith or trust in just anyone. Neither would Ford. You’ve earned our respect and our admiration. So she was wrong. And if I would have been with you, I would have told her so.”
John looked stunned by Rodney’s admission before a wide grin spread across his face. The darkness in his eyes was soon eclipsed by the genuine brightness of his smile. “You called me Colonel.”
Rodney shook his head and pushed John’s beer away. “Okay, that’s it, you’re cut off. You’ve had more than enough if you’re hearing such nonsense.”
John’s smile just got bigger. “No, you called me Colonel, Rodney.”
Licking the last of the chicken wing sauce off his thumb, Rodney smiled back before putting on a serious face. “So do you only hear voices when you drink or is this a much more common problem Major?”
“You can’t deny it now McKay. You called me Colonel.”
“Okay, maybe I’ve been drinking too much.”
John reached across the table and squeezed Rodney’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
“Figured I should throw you a bone,” Rodney said stealing the last of John’s chicken wings. When the waitress came back, Rodney handed her his credit card.
“I thought I was buying?” John asked leaning back in his chair.
Rodney shrugged his shoulders and kept on eating. “Consider it a congratulations on your promotion dinner. I’ll charge it to the SGC.” When the waitress returned, he signed the receipt leaving her a more than generous tip.
John smiled and stood up. “Don’t worry McKay, I won’t let anyone know what a real softy you are at heart. You ready to go, or do you want to lick that basket out?”
Rodney stood and wiped his hands on the napkin one more time before picking up John’s jacket off the chair. “Be nice Major, or I’ll make you ride in the trunk.”
John looked at Rodney and waved his hands. “Ohhh, I’m shaking in my boots over here, McKay.”
“Well stop it, shaking’s probably not the best movement in your condition.
“My condition?” John asked laughing. “I’m drunk Rodney, not pregnant.”
“Very funny Major. But giving where we live, that reality could be right around the corner.”
John stopped and shuddered. “Way to kill a buzz there, McKay.”
Rodney stopped and turned around. “Oh my God, you’re not gonna puke are you?”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m not *that* drunk.”
“Okay good because that whole following you everywhere thing really didn’t include holding your hair back when you puke.”
“It’d be kind of hard for my hair to get in my face don’t you think?” John asked fishing out his car keys.
“True. Hurricane winds couldn’t knock that hair down, but I’d still prefer if you didn’t throw up.”
“I’ll do my best to oblige.”
“Glad to hear it.”
John buckled his seat belt as Rodney adjusted the mirrors. “You need directions back to the hotel I’m staying at,” John asked, suddenly feeling very sleepy.
“No. You can just crash at my place. I’ve got aspirin and a comfy couch.”
John smiled in the dark. “You’re too good to me McKay.”
“Oh, I was unclear. I’ll sleep on the couch. You can have the lumpy bed. And then you can buy me breakfast in the morning.”
“Thanks Rodney.”
“Anytime Colonel.” And the funny thing was, Rodney truly meant it. No matter what adventures Sheppard lead him on, Rodney knew he would follow.
fin
~*~*~*~*~*
Author’s notes:
While there is a Diamond Debs in Colorado Springs, I have no idea what it looks like on the inside. The name made me giggle and they had darts boards which is what I was looking for.
Dart definitions and rules of the game were verified HERE
And an explantion of John’s big math words can be found HERE
Challenge: Skirt
Title: Last Call
Author: Maverick
Pairing: McShep but PreSlash.
Story Notes: A flashback to Earth not seen in Intruder, so vaguely spoilery for that episode.
Disclaimer: Not my sandbox or my galaxy. Just playing for fun, not profit.
Thanks to cheights for her usual amazing beta.
Last Call
by Maverick.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Of all the places that Rodney had followed Major John Sheppard over the last year, he never thought he’d find himself in a place called Diamond Debs. He squinted as he entered the darkened bar, the light from the street lamp outside the door temporarily blinding him. After the surroundings finally blinked into focus, he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was just a regular bar and not some “Gentleman’s Club” as he first imagined. When Sheppard had called asking him to pick him up as he’d been drinking, Rodney’s first thought was to tell the other man to call a cab. But something in the Major’s voice had stopped him. He’d heard that voice before. And that time, it had ended with Sheppard hopping in a puddle jumper with a one-way ticket to oblivion.
It took him a minute to find Sheppard sitting by himself in a corner. He was wearing a blue oxford button-down shirt and what looked like a suit jacket was hung over the back of the chair next to him. Rodney couldn’t remember ever seeing Sheppard dressed in such *normal* clothes. It was momentarily disorienting. Although there was nothing new about the way the waitress was touching his arm and giggling, her ample chest directly in the Major’s face. Perhaps it *was* that kind of club after all. He walked over to the table. “You owe me $27.50 for the cab ride over here.”
Sheppard looked up and gave Rodney a wry smile. “Thanks for coming, Rodney.”
Rodney waved his hands and leaned back against the wood paneled wall. “Oh, no problem Major. It’s not like I had anything better to do than be your designated driver.”
“It’s Lt. Colonel now.”
Rodney ignored what Sheppard had said. “I mean why would I want to go through the files of the nearly 100 scientists I have to whittle down to the 20 I can have work on the “project” with me when I can instead watch short-skirted waitresses flirt with you.” It took a moment for Rodney to realize that the short-skirted waitress was still standing right there. “Oh, sorry, no offense, but your skirt *is* short.” He turned his attention to Sheppard. “Do you want another one Major because I could go for a beer?” Rodney asked, slumping in the chair across from John.
Sheppard just nodded.
“Okay, two of whatever he’s having. And put it on his tab. Thanks.”
Taking a swig from his beer, Sheppard smiled. “And people say you don’t have a way with women.”
“What women? Her? I’m sorry, but she’s so not my type. Sure, she’s got a nice pair of legs, but as I’ve said many times in the past, I’m partial to blondes. Besides, it wasn’t me she was almost giving a lap dance to.”
“You think?” John’s voice was slightly slurred. “Man, your timing sucks then McKay.”
“Sorry. Wait a minute, no I’m not. If you were on a mission to get laid tonight, why in God’s name did you call me?”
John just cocked an eyebrow.
“Very funny.” The waitress returned setting down four bottles of Coors Lite in front of them. “Lite?”
“I’m watching my figure, and it’s two for one.” John said, picking up a full bottle and taking a swig. “Thanks Missy.”
Rodney held his tongue until the waitress walked away this time. “Her name is Missy? Let me guess she’s a cheerleader too.” Rodney said rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his beer.
“Her name is Melissa but everyone calls her Missy. She’s a chemistry major actually. She gave me her number if you’re interested.”
“I think I’ll pass. So what brought on this need to tie one on? A response to your new responsibilities as Lt. Colonel?”
John smiled. “So you were listening?”
“To what?” Rodney asked taking another sip of his beer.
John ran his hand across the back of his neck. “Never mind. How’d you find out about the promotion?”
“Elizabeth told me before I left SGC this afternoon. Congratulations. Although, it’s not like you haven’t been doing that job for the last year already.” Rodney looked around to make sure no one was listening before leaning across the table. “Or that your new rank will stop the myriad of ways the Pegasus galaxy will try and kill you in the next year. Of course I will be around to stop that from happening so everything should be fine. Did I say congratulations?”
John smirked. “Thanks Rodney. Your concern is touching.”
“Well I’m not exactly known for my interpersonal skills, I would think you’d know that about me by now.”
John drank the rest of his beer in one long swig. He started to say something then stopped.
Rodney could normally decipher all of the Major’s expressions, but this one was elusive and that made him nervous. So he did what he did best when he was uncomfortable, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Do you play darts?”
John looked up startled. “Darts? Actually yes. It’s been a while and I am inebriated, but I’m game. 301 okay with you?”
“Double in, double out?”
“Of course.”
John picked up their beers and walked over to the nearest dart board. “I don’t suppose you’ve got any quarters on you?”
Rodney padded down his pockets. “Let me go see if Daisy Duke there can give us change,” he said pointing with his head to their waitress.
“Daisy Duke wore shorts. Missy’s wearing a skirt.”
“Of course you would know that. Let me guess, as the red-blooded American flyboy that you are, the Dukes of Hazzard was your favorite show.”
“I wouldn’t say my favorite. I was more of an A-Team kind of guy. But the Dukes man, what’s not to like, fast cars, hot chicks and a kick ass theme song.”
“You really are twelve years old aren’t you?”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” John motioned with his eyes to see if it was okay if he drank Rodney’s second beer. After a nod from Rodney, he took a swig.
“Let’s just say twelve doesn’t hold many fond memories for me. I’m going to go get those quarters now before you decide to give me a wedgie or something.”
John laughed and began scrolling through the electronic dartboard menu. By the time Rodney walked back over with a roll of quarters, he had it all set up. “Are you going to be able to do the math in your current state of drunkenness, Major?”
“Lt. Colonel, Rodney. And yes, even drunk I think I can manage basic multiplication and subtraction. It’s not exactly diophantine analysis. Not to mention the board does most of the hard stuff for us.”
Rodney looked at John surprised. Sometimes he forgot that Sheppard wasn’t as dumb as he liked to play it. “True,” Rodney said, handing the money over to John.
Sliding the quarters in the slots, John picked up the black winged set of darts off the board. He handed Rodney the blue set and cocked an eyebrow. “You want to diddle for middle?”
Rodney choked on the beer he was drinking, liquid sputtering out his mouth. “What did you say?”
“Diddle for middle. We each shoot one dart and the closest to the bullseye goes first in the game.”
Wiping beer from his face with his shirtsleeve, Rodney coughed as he set his drink down. “I think diddle must have a whole different meaning where I’m from.”
John winked and handed Rodney a napkin. “Nah, it means that here to. But I’m an officer and a gentlemen, so there will be no such diddling going on tonight.”
“Daisy will be so disappointed,” Rodney said under his breath as he tossed a dart at the board. It went well wide of the bullseye. He sighed. “Even drunk, I’m sure you can do better than that, Major.”
“Colonel. It’s Lt. Colonel, Rodney.” John planted his feet behind the throw line and tossed his dart. It landed just on the inside of Rodney’s dart.
Rodney walked over and pulled both of their darts out. “You’re up first then.”
John squinted his eyes in concentration and pumped his wrist a few times before releasing the dart. It came close, but missed the double ring. So did his second dart and his third. He stepped to the side to let Rodney throw.
Rodney missed the double in his three throws as well. They both scratched the whole next set as well. Rodney chuckled as John walked up to the throw line again. “I guess we’re both a little out of practice. But all in all, I think I prefer these “darts” to the ones we’ve been playing with over the last year.”
“Oh yeah, I hear that,” Sheppard said finally hitting the double line of the 20 point wedge.
Rodney made it into the game on his next throw as well. After that, it became a pretty even match of tosses. It was actually quite nice to do something as mindless as a game of darts, Rodney thought. And for someone who never thought anything mindless was worthwhile, that was quite a change. Most days he still woke up in a panic that he’d have to figure out a way to save Atlantis again. And obviously those fears weighed on Sheppard as well.
“You never answered my question,” Rodney said, twirling a dart between his fingers as he waited his turn to shoot. “What brought this on?”
“This?” John asked, obviously playing dumb.
“Yes, *this*,” Rodney said waving his hands wildly between John and the bar.
Finishing his shot, John shrugged his shoulders. “I went to visit Ford’s family.”
Rodney stopped mid-throw and turned to look at John. “By yourself?”
John just nodded.
Rodney walked to the table and picked up both their beers, shoving John’s into his hand. “Well that was stupid.”
“I owed it to Ford,” John said, his voice dangerously low and harsh.
“I’m not disagreeing that talking to his family was the right thing to do. I’m questioning why you would do it alone?”
“Ford was...Ford is my responsibility. I had to do this.”
“And you couldn’t have called me or Elizabeth to come along. Or Beckett. He was looking for a reason to get the hell out of SGC Headquarters.”
“Everyone was busy.”
Rodney snorted. “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response. It’s your turn.”
John threw his darts in quick succession before turning back to Rodney. “So you would have just dropped what you were doing and come with me?”
Rodney folded his arms across his chest. “Hello? I’m here now, aren’t I? Any of us would have. No one here can understand what Atlantis is like or what it means to us, except us. We’re a team, you numbskull.”
Nodding in agreement, John looked up with a brief smile. “I guess you were right, I am stupid.”
“Well, it’s a matter of degrees, Major. This faux pas doesn’t even make it on the scale with I don’t know, say flying a nuclear bomb into a hive ship.” Rodney met John’s eyes briefly before throwing his next dart.
“You’re never gonna stop bringing that up, are you?”
Rodney snorted. “Not anytime soon.”
“And Rodney, it’s Colonel.”
Rodney just nodded. “So how did Ford’s grandparent’s take the news?”
“How’d you know about his grandparents?”
Rodney threw his darts. All he had to do was double out. He needed to hit double 11 to win. His shot went wide. “You don’t have to look so shocked. I have on occasion managed to have a conversation with my team members. But to answer your question, Zelenka, Ford and I went out for a,” Rodney stopped and lowered his voice. He made quotation marks with his fingers before continuing. “‘Thank god we’re alive’ beer after the whole nano-virus thing.”
Sheppard frowned. “Went out?”
“Don’t look so hurt. When I said went out, I meant back to Zelenka’s lab for the last three beers from his private stash. Czech beer is remarkably good. Of course that could also have been the whole ‘not-dead’ endorphins talking.”
“Sounds like you guys had a great time.” John threw his last dart, doubling out, and winning the first round. “Wanna go again?”
Rodney nodded yes. “As I said, don’t look so damn hurt. We weren’t excluding you. It was just that Zelenka only had three beers. And the next day things were back to normal. I was giving Ford a hard time for sucking so bad at prime, not prime, and he was laughing at me for shrieking like a little girl when he showed the Athosians how to use C4 without warning me first.”
John looked briefly at Rodney, his face unreadable. “So Ford talked about his grandparents?”
“Yes. How he really hoped he’d make it back to Earth to have his grandmother’s blue-ribbon peach cobbler. And that he’d get the chance to go fishing with his grandpa.”
“I knew about the fishing. We talked about maybe rigging up some fishing poles and seeing what we could catch off the East Pier when we finally got some downtime.”
Rodney laughed as he doubled-in to the next round. “I’m almost afraid about what sort of fish you’d catch in Atlantis.”
“You’re right. They’d probably be telekinetic fish that would set us on fire.”
“Or make Jaws look like a guppy.”
John shuddered. “Maybe I’ll take up origami instead.”
“Much safer except for the paper cuts. You want another round?” Rodney asked motioning to the waitress even before he heard John’s answer. “Two more beers, please. And do you have food?” Before she could answer, Rodney knew what he wanted. “Oh my God, chicken wings? Tell me you have chicken wings?”
“We have chicken wings,” Missy said dutifully. “How many do you want?”
“How do they come?” Rodney asked, his mouth already salivating.
“Five, ten or twenty.”
Rodney licked his lips. “Bring us two orders of twenty. You want anything else, Major.”
“No, chicken wings sound good, Rodney, but I’m not sure I can eat twenty of them. And it’s Colonel.”
“That’s okay, I’ll eat what you don’t finish,” Rodney turned back to the waitress. “Bring some extra blue cheese, please.”
“Hungry?” John asked, stepping up to the throw line again.
“Yes. I haven’t eaten since lunch. Man, chicken wings. They weren’t even on my list, but nothing sounds more appetizing then they do right now.”
John cocked an eyebrow. “Your list?”
“Yes. When I found out we were coming back to Earth, I made a list of everything I wanted to eat before we headed back.”
John smiled. “That sounds like you.”
“Yes, my love of food is a constant in any universe. Is it my turn?”
John nodded yes and moved out of the way. “What was number one on the list?”
“Meatloaf and mashed potatoes.”
“We had meatloaf in Atlantis.”
“We had a meatloaf like substance which was okay, but nothing like the real thing.”
John stepped up to the line. “Have you eaten it yet?”
Rodney waited until the waitress sat down the new bottles of beer. “No. I was waiting until right before we go back. I want the memory to last.”
“Actually meatloaf sounds good to me too.”
“You can come with me then. Maybe we’ll round up Elizabeth and Carson too. God, I hope Daisy comes back soon with the chicken wings. I’m starving.”
“What, you don’t have a powerbar at the ready in your pocket?”
Rodney frowned. “No, I ate it in the cab on the way over here.”
John just laughed.
Rodney frowned some more. “My turn again?”
John nodded and handed him his darts.
Out of the corner of his eye, Rodney caught the waitress exiting the kitchen. “Here she comes with our food. Let’s end this, shall we?” He quickly and with deadly accuracy finished off the round.
John leaned up against the wall, his mouth agape. “Ok, so are you a ringer or just *really* motivated by food?”
Rodney already had a chicken wing in his mouth. He answered while he chewed. “A little of both. It takes me a while to find my rhythm but then I’m pretty unbeatable. Plus, you know, you’ve been drinking.”
John nodded. “How are the wings?”
Rodney shoved a basket at Sheppard. “Wonderful. Just hot enough.”
“Well I’m glad to see that you don’t rate coming to get me a total loss on your part.”
Rodney looked up and stopped chewing. “Shut up and eat.”
John took a bite of a chicken wing and Rodney could tell instantly that he was enjoying them too. They continued eating in silence for several minutes, each stripping the wings clean like they hadn’t eaten in days. John stopped eating first. “You were right, these are good.”
“It’s the simple pleasures you know. I mean I drank an entire container of milk directly from the carton in the grocery store last night.”
John took a long swig of his beer before closing his eyes.
Rodney stopped eating, “What?”
Wiping his hands on his napkin, John looked up and shook his head. “Nothing. Don’t let me stop you.”
“You were thinking about Ford again?”
John nodded.
“So I take it, it didn’t go well with his grandparents?”
John shrugged. “Hold that thought.” He stood up and motioned with his head toward the men’s room.
Rodney nodded okay.
John looked down at Rodney before walking away. “And go back to eating. There’s no use in wasting those wings.”
Rodney ate two more wings before John returned. He had Daisy bring another beer for Sheppard while he was gone.
“Figured you could maybe use one more for the road.”
“Thanks Rodney.” John sat back down.
“So Ford’s grandparents?”
John sighed. “I didn’t actually get to see them. I spoke with his cousin. They grew up together and were very close.”
“His grandparents are all right, aren’t they?”
“They’re fine. She just didn’t think they could take the news, or lack there of.”
Rodney nodded in understanding. “I guess you really couldn’t give her any details could you?”
“No, just that he’s MIA and that we’re doing our best to find him, to bring him home.”
“Well she had to appreciate that you took the time to come by in person.”
John shrugged. “I think she did. But I don’t think she liked me much.”
“Come on now, no one’s immune to the Sheppard charm,” Rodney said with mock sincerity. “Oh God, please tell me you didn’t give her the line about the ferris wheels.”
John shot Rodney a brief smile. “No, no ferris wheels involved. I think the secrecy of it all just bothered her.”
“Well that’s understandable.”
John shrugged again. “It is. And part of me wishes I could have told her more, but another part of me never wants his family to know anything about the Wraith or what Ford went through.”
“No, you’re right. There’s definitely mercy in the not knowing.”
“She asked me.” John stopped and took a deep breath and a long drink of beer. “She asked me if Ford’s faith in me had been misplaced.”
“What?”
“She said Ford had mentioned in that tape we sent that I was...” John stopped and ran his fingers through his hair. “That I was a good man and that he trusted me with his life. And then she asked if that trust was misplaced.”
Rodney met John’s eyes. “It wasn’t.”
Taking another swig of his beer, John scrubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “The way she looked at me. I mean she was nothing but polite, but her eyes were full of disbelief and anger. It made me wonder if maybe she’s right. Maybe Ford shouldn’t have trusted me.”
Rodney dropped the wing he’d been holding and looked directly at John like the other man had grown a second head. “And people say, I have an ego. You were not responsible for what happened to Ford.”
“He was under my command.”
Rodney rolled his eyes. “No technically he was under Colonel Everett’s command. But even so, what happened to Ford was no one’s fault.”
“She needs someone to blame.”
“That might be so, but she’s wrong, dead wrong to place that blame on you.”
John leaned forward until his head was huddled next to Rodney’s. “How do you know?”
“Because Ford would have followed you *anywhere*. So would Teyla. So would I for that matter. And Colonel, I can assure you. I wouldn’t put such faith or trust in just anyone. Neither would Ford. You’ve earned our respect and our admiration. So she was wrong. And if I would have been with you, I would have told her so.”
John looked stunned by Rodney’s admission before a wide grin spread across his face. The darkness in his eyes was soon eclipsed by the genuine brightness of his smile. “You called me Colonel.”
Rodney shook his head and pushed John’s beer away. “Okay, that’s it, you’re cut off. You’ve had more than enough if you’re hearing such nonsense.”
John’s smile just got bigger. “No, you called me Colonel, Rodney.”
Licking the last of the chicken wing sauce off his thumb, Rodney smiled back before putting on a serious face. “So do you only hear voices when you drink or is this a much more common problem Major?”
“You can’t deny it now McKay. You called me Colonel.”
“Okay, maybe I’ve been drinking too much.”
John reached across the table and squeezed Rodney’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
“Figured I should throw you a bone,” Rodney said stealing the last of John’s chicken wings. When the waitress came back, Rodney handed her his credit card.
“I thought I was buying?” John asked leaning back in his chair.
Rodney shrugged his shoulders and kept on eating. “Consider it a congratulations on your promotion dinner. I’ll charge it to the SGC.” When the waitress returned, he signed the receipt leaving her a more than generous tip.
John smiled and stood up. “Don’t worry McKay, I won’t let anyone know what a real softy you are at heart. You ready to go, or do you want to lick that basket out?”
Rodney stood and wiped his hands on the napkin one more time before picking up John’s jacket off the chair. “Be nice Major, or I’ll make you ride in the trunk.”
John looked at Rodney and waved his hands. “Ohhh, I’m shaking in my boots over here, McKay.”
“Well stop it, shaking’s probably not the best movement in your condition.
“My condition?” John asked laughing. “I’m drunk Rodney, not pregnant.”
“Very funny Major. But giving where we live, that reality could be right around the corner.”
John stopped and shuddered. “Way to kill a buzz there, McKay.”
Rodney stopped and turned around. “Oh my God, you’re not gonna puke are you?”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m not *that* drunk.”
“Okay good because that whole following you everywhere thing really didn’t include holding your hair back when you puke.”
“It’d be kind of hard for my hair to get in my face don’t you think?” John asked fishing out his car keys.
“True. Hurricane winds couldn’t knock that hair down, but I’d still prefer if you didn’t throw up.”
“I’ll do my best to oblige.”
“Glad to hear it.”
John buckled his seat belt as Rodney adjusted the mirrors. “You need directions back to the hotel I’m staying at,” John asked, suddenly feeling very sleepy.
“No. You can just crash at my place. I’ve got aspirin and a comfy couch.”
John smiled in the dark. “You’re too good to me McKay.”
“Oh, I was unclear. I’ll sleep on the couch. You can have the lumpy bed. And then you can buy me breakfast in the morning.”
“Thanks Rodney.”
“Anytime Colonel.” And the funny thing was, Rodney truly meant it. No matter what adventures Sheppard lead him on, Rodney knew he would follow.
fin
~*~*~*~*~*
Author’s notes:
While there is a Diamond Debs in Colorado Springs, I have no idea what it looks like on the inside. The name made me giggle and they had darts boards which is what I was looking for.
Dart definitions and rules of the game were verified HERE
And an explantion of John’s big math words can be found HERE