THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR REVIEWS

They walked into the lab and Sheppard placed a hand on Rodney's chest and pulled him back out into the hallway.

"What's going on?" he said glancing into the room, "What's with all the people?"

Rodney gave him a shifty look towards the room and casually said, "Oh that, yes didn't I mention we always have a brainstorm session."

Sheppard shook his head, "No, you didn't. I thought it was just going to be us in there not the geek squad." He said having another look into the room.

"Its formality," said Rodney shrugging, "And undoubtedly they will still come to my conclusion." He smiled, "They always do."

"I don't want to go in there." Said Sheppard putting a hand on his hip.

"They know we're here now." Said Rodney sighing, "Plus it wont go on any longer than it needs to," he said and with that pulled Sheppard into the room.

They went to sit at the end of a long table in front of a lap top and Rodney switched it on, "Now before we begin, I don't want any mention of this," said Rodney holding up his wrist. Sheppard forced their hands back onto the table and the bracelets connected with a loud thud.

"Oh but I have some questions about that," said Zelenka smiling.

"We have more important items to talk about," said Kavanagh from across the room. He was shuffling some papers around and waving a biro in the air, "Now about this generator. Has the energy output been converted correctly?" he asked giving Sheppard a satisfactory glare.

Sheppard sneered and looked down at the table, absent mindly drumming his fingers.

"We converted it," said Zelenka from beside him, "You always think, we make mistake," he said raising a hand and flapping it in disgust.

"Well I've done that already," said Rodney mimicking Zelenka, "The more important issue is the exact scanning perimeters and looking at its long term use,"

"And its implications for Altlantis." Said a woman from the far side of the room.

Sheppard caught her eye and they drifted down to where his and Rodney's hands touched.

"Yes, good," said Rodney nodding.

Sheppard fingers drummed louder.

"So..we…should," Rodney looked down at Sheppards hand, "We should look at….." The fingers were getting faster, the noise louder, "So we should…..Major, please could you stop that!" he suddenly shouted, rising from his seat slightly.

Sheppard seemed in a daze and shook his head, "Huh?"

"The drumming of the fingers, very annoying." Said Kavanagh from across the room and pointing with the pen. Sheppard wanted to shove that pen somewhere.

"Oh," he said retracting his hand, "Sorry, guess I zoned out there."

"Oh great, a pilot that zones out," said Kavanagh snorting, "That's all we need."

"Could you even pilot a ship?" asked Sheppard sitting forward, "No? I didn't think so,"

Kavanagh turned his eyes back down to his calculations and muttered something about the complex scientific structures they work with and Sheppards inability to understand what they do.

Rodney gave Sheppard a warning look and turned to the other members of the 'brainstorming' team. In all there were about eight people crammed into the tiny lab and Sheppard didn't know half of their names. He sat back in his seat and listened for a while whilst they discussed the use of power and its long term effects. He decided to keep his mouth shut. It would be quick and painless if he sat back and didn't interrupt proceedings, no matter how dull they were. It couldn't go on for that long.

Two hours later and Sheppard had drummed his fingers for so long he was sure there was no way of actually stopping them anymore. They had taken on a life of their own and even the odd irritated look from Rodney had not stopped them.

He had counted the ceiling tiles, (Two thousand and sixty two), recited all the American states in his head, (forwards and backwards) and had amused himself by trying to build a pencil tower, (until it had fallen and averted everyone's attention to him.)

"So, lets talk about the scanning perimeters," said Rodney drinking the last dregs of his coffee.

"That was mine," said Sheppard grabbing the mug off him and turning it upside down.

"Sorry," said Rodney and he turned back to his geek friends.

Sheppard turned towards the coffee pot and stretched out his good hand towards it. His fingers touched the handle but that's as far as he got and defeated he turned back round and slammed the coffee cup down on the table, a little too loudly.

"So what exactly are you talking about?" asked Sheppard yawning and leaning forward.

"You've been sat here for hours and you still don't know?" asked Kavanagh with a tone of disbelief.

"True, I've been sat here," said Sheppard, "But I've managed to block you all out."

"We have testing a….how do you say….implement a scanner to locate anything in our skies around Atlantis," said Zelenka.

"How come I don't know about this?" said Sheppard turning to Rodney.

"We put the report on your desk three weeks ago." Said Rodney sighing, "Don't tell me you didn't see it?"

"Wait a minute," said Sheppard sitting stiffly, "I have a desk?"

Kavanagh rolled his eyes and a few of the other scientist snickered.

"We're just setting the parameters," said Rodney angling his laptop towards him.

Sheppard cast his eyes over the equations and did a quick mental calculation.

"Well I think you'll find that-" began Kavanagh and Sheppard was sure he even heard Rodney sigh.

"Uh, hey!" said Sheppard raising his hand.

Kavanagh rubbed at his head and not looking up said, "What now?"

"You're wrong," he said smiling, "This calculation here is off."

"No it isn't." said Rodney looking over the lap top, "Where?"

"You've not accounted for this here," he said pointing at the screen, "Add on a few hundred more square miles, otherwise you're leaving a big blind spot."

"What!" said Rodney and he took out a calculator to check his calculations.

Sheppard picked up a pencil and wrote it out, "Here."

After a minute Rodney's eyes went wide and he swallowed visibly, "I don't believe it. He's right."

"He cant be," said Kavanagh, himself getting out a calculator.

"He is right," said Zelenka pushing up his glasses.

Kavanagh shook his head, "I cant believe this," he said sagging in his seat.

"Wow, I guess I can pilot a ship and do the kinds of complicated equations you work on every day."

"There was no need for that," said Rodney as everyone left the room after hours of more 'brainstorming'.

"Oh there so was," said Sheppard smiling, "Come on, he's so arrogant."

Rodney raised an eyebrow at him.

"Im bored," said Sheppard in explanation, "Ford and Teyla have been offworld for the past few days on that trading mission,"

"You hate trading missions," interjected Rodney.

"Yes I do," said Sheppard tersely, "But Im not usually attached to you."

"I go on the missions with you," said Rodney looking up from typing.

"Yes but like I said, not attached," said Sheppard sighing.

He checked his watch and then activated his earpiece, "Elizabeth, any word on-"

"-Before you say it Major, no. You're still not cleared to go."

"But it's like 8:00," said Sheppard sighing.

"I know Major. I'll send the MALP through every five hours and you'll be the first to know about it. Its doubtful it wont be till tomorrow morning though. Our experts say there's no indication of the earthquakes stopping yet."

"Fine," said Sheppard turning off his earpiece, "You hear that?" he said rubbing at his neck.

"Yes," said Rodney equally as annoyed. "So your place or mine?" he asked meekly.

Sheppard shot him a look and shook his head, "Neither."

"Do you want to be the spooner or the spoonee?" he asked just as Zelenka walked into the room.

He looked at the two men very suspiciously, made a quick excuse and then left the room.

"Oh great, now he thinks there's going to be spooning," shouted Sheppard, "And there will be no spooning," he said grimacing. "We'll have to sleep in the infirmary."

"That's not what you said to Weir though was it when you were attached to her?" said Rodney closing his lap top.

"She choose my room," said Sheppard innocently.

"Oh right, she choose," he said, "So is that all you did?" asked Rodney, "Sleep?"

"A gentleman never tells," said Sheppard raising an eyebrow.

"Oh no, what are you two doing here?" said Beckett as Sheppard dragged Rodney into the room.

"Stop walking like that," snapped Rodney.

"Like what?" asked Sheppard turning around.

"Like you're trying to lose me."

"Am i?" asked Sheppard turning to Beckett and giving him a wink.

"I just asked a question, what do you want?" asked Beckett shoving his hands into his pockets.

"We're staying here for the night," said Sheppard walking over to one of the beds and sitting down. Rodney stood beside him, one hand outstretched, the other clasping at his lap top.

"Oh no your not," said Beckett with a shake of his head, "I have genuinely sick people here, they don't need to be exposed to your arguing all night."

"We don't argue," said Rodney.

"Yeah we do," said Sheppard swinging his legs back and forth, "Look Doc, you see the problem we're having. One night, and we'll be out of your hair."

"We'll be good." Said Rodney nodding.

Beckett walked over to one of the beds and pushed it so that it was flush against the one Sheppard was sitting on. "Fine" he said smoothing down the sheet, "But if you two bicker, that's it."

"We will be quiet," said Sheppard, "We're just going to sit here and Rodney is going to try and interpret this inscription on this bracelet."

Rodney managed to get up onto the bed beside Sheppard's and turn on his laptop.

Rodney had had no success in translating the inscription and once it got beyond midnight Sheppard had finally drifted off into a peaceful sleep. He wished the same could be said for his other half, who was currently still typing away on his damn laptop.

Click, click, click, click, click.

Click.

Silence…click…..click.

Sheppard rolled over and cracked open an eye, "What are you doing?"

"These simulations won't write themselves," said Rodney taking a bite of a power bar. He looked at Sheppard, "Want some?"

"No," stated Sheppard clearing his throat. He looked at his watch, "Its four in the morning."

Click…click

"I know,"

"So, go to sleep."

Click…click "I don't sleep at night. I work."

"You could have told me this earlier." Said Sheppard readjusting his pillow and the vest he was still wearing. The pockets were uncomfortable and Velcro kept making little noises when he moved. "We have a long day tomorrow," said Sheppard closing his eyes again, "We're going back to that planet."

"Not if its still unstable."

Sheppard cracked open that eye again, "Oh, we're going. Stable or not."

"Does Weir know of your decision?"

"Nope."

"Would you two keep it down!"

"Sorry Beckett," said Rodney.

"Sorry," said Sheppard and he gave Rodney a shove. "Shut up."

Rodney gave him a glare and repeatedly pressed a few buttons to annoy him. Sheppard sat up suddenly and hit his hand away from the laptop, "I'm not kidding. I have the headache from hell and you're making it worse. So shut up." He pressed the off switch to his laptop and the screen fuzzed to black.

"I cannot believe you just did that!" shouted Rodney angrily turning it back on, "I hadn't saved that."

"Well that's your own fault." Snapped Sheppard wrenching Rodney's arm to his side and lying back again.

"You just better hope that work is still here or I'll be up for another five hours."

"That's it you two," said Beckett as he walked into the infirmary looking rather dishevelled, "I want you out of my infirmary."

"Oh Beckett, it's Rodney not me."

"Well I can hardly throw one of you out" said Beckett sharply and he scanned the room to look at his other patients.

Sheppard sat up and Rodney collected his laptop and they both stood up, "You're a sadist." Said Sheppard rubbing at his face, "Can I get some Tylenol first?"

Beckett near threw a bottle at him and started to usher them out of the room.

"Carson, you're making a big mistake," shouted Rodney as he clung to his work for dear life.

"I don't think so," said Beckett and if he had a door he would have slammed it.

"Major Sheppard, Major Sheppard." Sheppard jerked his head up and cursed when he realised he still had his nagging headache.

He opened his eyes and Weir was stood over him, hands on her hips, "What are you two doing?" she asked.

Sheppard pushed himself up and realised that Rodney himself was stirring.

They had set up camp last night in Weirs office. On the floor they had laid out two sleeping bags and begrudgingly attempted to sleep.

Although Sheppard had been used to sleeping in close proximity to men before in army barracks, he had quickly realised that Rodney wasn't and had slept as far apart as he physically could have all night.

"Oh, we had nowhere else to go."

"Beckett threw us out," said Rodney rubbing at his eyes.

Weir just stared down at the two vagrants and shook her head. "You'll be pleased to know that the MALP has reported the earthquakes have stopped. So as soon as you are both ready, you are set to go."
Sheppard got up quickly and smiled, "Yes Ma'am," and pulled Rodney to his feet.

When they stepped through the gate, Sheppard scanned the area and let out a breath he was holding.

The outpost looked wrecked. Fallen rocks had crushed equipment and dented the ground.

"Teyla, Ford stay close to the gate. If this place starts shaking again, I want you to get out fast."

"Its highly likely that even if there was a repeat performance of last time that the structure would fail. Its held fast for this long." Said Rodney checking his scanner.

"So how was your trading mission?" asked Sheppard beginning to follow Rodney's lead.

"Not too interesting Sir, if that's what you're asking." Said Ford smiling.

"No wraiths, explosions, hostile natives?" asked Sheppard hopefully.

"Not one," said Teyla,"It was very quiet."

"Glad I didn't miss anything then." Said Sheppard as he was dragged around a fallen rock by Rodney.

"What are we looking for exactly?" asked Ford, P90 held up in a defensive position.

"Not sure," said Rodney, "Im looking for anything with an inscription like this." He said holding up a piece of paper and Ford and Teyla gathered around to have a look.

They decided to split up into two groups. Teyla and Ford would check the area surrounding the gate and Sheppard and Rodney would check one the back rooms where Rodney had first found the bracelets.

"So what are you going to do first when we're separated?" asked Sheppard P90 held up, flashlight pointing forward as they entered the room.

"I'm going to spend a lot of time on my own in my room." Said Rodney without thinking.

"Oh really." Said Sheppard raising an eyebrow.

"Childish," said Rodney scanning the room.

"So shall we split up?" asked Sheppard.

"Again with the humour." Said Rodney pulling him over to a table, "I found them here."

Suddenly, they both felt a tremor under the ground.

"Uh sir, did you feel that?" he heard Ford say over the radio.

Sheppard licked his lips, "Yeah, it must be an aftershock. Right?" he said turning to Rodney.

Another one made both of them reach out for something to steady themselves.

A piece of rock fell from the ceiling and crashed to the floor.

Rodney gave him a nervous glance.

"Sir we've got rocks falling all around us here," Ford said over the radio.

Sheppard waited for a moment, as if testing to see if the tremors would stop, but they became more violent and the ground beneath them shifted.

"Rodney, you said this place should hold," said Sheppard.

"I said should."

"Ah crap. Ford, Teyla I want you to go back through the gate. Rodney and I aren't leaving till we get these things off us."

"Major is that wise?" he heard Teyla say, "What if you cannot find a solution?"

"We will," said Sheppard with gritted teeth.

"We have," shouted Rodney suddenly and he picked up a round silver object off the table.

"Ford, go through. If we're not through in ten, close the gate and come back for us."

"Yes sir."

Rodney was holding the silver object up, "Do you remember this?" he asked Sheppard.

"What, no, should ?" asked Sheppard as he dodged a bit of falling rock.

"Do you remember when I said I wanted to go back for the silver object that looked important?" he waited and then Sheppard's eyes grew wide.

"You have got to be kidding me," said Sheppard.

Rodney examined the silver piece in his hands and pointed at a string of ancient, "It's the same as on the bracelets," he said turning it over in his hands, "Like an ancient key," he said inspecting it.

"Well get us unlocked then," shouted Sheppard. This time a piece of rock hit him on his shoulder and he yelped out in pain. He sank to his knees and rubbed at the sore spot.

"You okay?" asked Rodney helping up to his feet.

"You think this place will hold much longer?" asked Sheppard still rubbing at his shoulder.

Rodney looked up at the ceiling as a piece of rubble hit him on the nose, "Ow!"

Sheppard stifled a laugh, "Come on."

Rodney held the silver disk towards the bracelets. Nothing happened.

"Perhaps you have to press something," shouted Sheppard as they rocked on their feet.

"I don't know," shouted Rodney, "Stop shouting."

"Is that even the right thing!" shouted Sheppard as they grabbed onto the table for support.

"The inscription matches…I don't understand!" he shouted and a piece of rubble hit him on the top of the head. He sank to the ground unconscious and pulled Sheppard down with him.

"Rodney!" he checked him over. He would have a sizeable bump on his head but he wasn't bleeding.

"Damn it Rodney I am not hauling your ass around," he gave him a shake, "Wake up!" he looked at his watch. By now the gate would have been open for five minutes. "Rodney Mckay, open your eyes!" He gave him another shake.

Realising the silver device was still in Rodney's hand he picked it up. The device hummed and glowed when he picked it up.

"Ancient gene activated," he mumbled under his breath and bought it up close to their bracelets. The device was suddenly drawn to them and as it connected both bracelets came loose and fell the floor with a clang.

Sheppard smiled, rubbed at his wrist and then for good measure threw both of the bracelets away from him as far as he could.

"Rodney," he shouted into the mans ear, "We're free" he said and gave his radio a couple of clicks, "Ford, you there?"

"Yes sir, we are"

"Did you go through that gate?"

"No Sir, we thought we would wait a few extra minutes."

"Id be pissed off if I wasn't so relieved to have these devices off," he gave Rodney a shove and his eyes fluttered open, "I need some help here. Rodney got popped on the head by a rock.."

"Coming sir."

Suddenly, there was a loud rumble and Sheppard looked on as rocks fell from the sky and blocked the entrance.

With a groan he dived out of the way and felt his head connect with the ground. He saw stars for a moment and pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Ford, we got a problem," he said into his radio.

"We can see that Sir," said Ford.

"We will go back through and get some help," said Teyla over the radio.

Sheppard sighed and scanned the room. "Yeah good idea, there's no way out of here other than that door." He felt a trickle of blood down the back of his neck.

"Okay Ford out."

The rumbling was beginning to die down and Sheppard theorised that those must have been aftershocks, similar to what they had on earth.

Sheppard went over to Rodney and dragged him up into a sitting position. He stirred and opened his eyes, "Urg my head."

"You got hit by rock," he said slapping at his face to keep him awake.

Rodney slapped his hands away and rested his head.

"So you want to hear the good news or the bad news?" asked Sheppard sitting beside him.

Rodney rubbed at his head, "The good," he said.

"Okay well the good news, is-"

"-we're not attached," said Rodney moving his hand around wildly.

Sheppard nodded and smiled grimly, "The bad news is, we're now stuck together in this cave."

Rodney laughed, "What?"

"Funny isn't it?" Said Sheppard rubbing at his wrist where the bracelet had fallen off. It was sore.

"The tremors have died down." Said Rodney looking up at the ceiling. There was a hole where the rocks had been and sunlight was pouring in.

"Yeah," said Sheppard following his gaze up, "And we have a skylight,"

Rodney nodded, but regretted it when his head hurt.

"So we just sitting and waiting?" asked Rodney.

"Sitting and waiting," repeated Sheppard. "So, what's the first thing you're going to do when you get out of this cave?" asked Sheppard. "Spend time alone?" he asked waggling his eyebrows.

"Funny" said Rodney scowling and rubbing at his head, "Why don't we shut up and wait for rescue?"

"Fine by me," said Sheppard laying his head back and closing his eyes.

"I mean, we've been stuck together so long. I don't think I have anything left to say to you," said Rodney.

"Me either."

"Plus I don't want to talk to you. You set me back days with my research." There was a pause, "So we'll be quiet."

"Fine," said Sheppard again.

"Fine," said Rodney, "How did you get the device to work?"

Sheppard gave him a look, "I thought you didn't want to talk to me?"

"Yeah, right."

"Right." Said Sheppard.

They sat in silence and waited for rescue.

THE END

They do get rescued by the way, I just thought it would be funny to end it with them bickering in the cave.