holiday

Holiday.

Celebrate.

Holiday.

Celebrate.

If we took a holiday.

Took some time to celebrate.

Rodney frowned and looked around the large hall, music thumping loud everywhere. There was someone singing on a podium and the air smelled like someone had smoked a factory of cigarettes. Rodney peered across the hall to see if the woman on the podium was the actual singer of the song. A close inspection showed that past the make up and fingerless gloves she was someone else. Someone he had seen before.

Around him, everyone else was equally scary as her. The hair was big and frightening and he was sure he'd spotted more than one mullet. Rodney looked around shiftily before his hand went to the back of his head and found at least two inches of hair that were not cool.

He looked down at himself. His suit was...blue and his tie was of a ridiculous width and if he wasn't mistaken, there was a bridegroom moonwalking across the dance floor, ending the move by pointing his finger like a gun at someone.

That was when it all clicked horribly into place.

"Oh no, this...this is bad," Rodney murmured.

Feeling his face warm up, Rodney turned around and looked for the exit, a task made hard since everything was obscured by mullets and perms and yep, some kid that had lost his diaper and was happily running towards his mother with no shame whatsoever. Okay, so kids that age really did have no concept of shame, but still.

Rodney made his way through the hall, weaving in and out of the closely arranged tables, nodding and nervously smiling at people he still remembered loathing. It was near the doors to the exit of the hall that he caught his reflection.

Rodney frowned and stopped. He looked the same as ever. He was wearing his Atlantis uniform and his hair was thankfully without a mullet, yet sadly still thinning in all the wrong places. Rodney felt at the back of his head again, finding hair he couldn't see in the mirror.

Rodney shook his head at the reflection, stilling when he spotted Teyla at his side. He immediately spun around to see that she wasn't there at all. Rodney eyed the room suspiciously and turned to the mirror.

"Teyla?" he asked with a frown as he found her at his side, tilting her head curiously at the mirror.

Rodney let his hand reach out next to him, until he found Teyla's arm. He let his hand close around it before he turned to find himself looking at a girl who couldn't have been older than sixteen or seventeen, her red hair artfully fashioned and big enough to hold a flock of seagulls.

Though her soft features and fair skin were nothing like Teyla's, the curiously raised eyebrow was utterly recognizable.

"Rodney?" she asked slowly.

Rodney looked back at the mirror and nodded. "You see me in there?"

Teyla's reflection nodded. "Yes. But out here, you look...different."

Rodney looked at her and swallowed. "Skinny? Scary hair? Big angry pimple around here?" Rodney asked, pointing just under his mouth.

Teyla smiled, but it was warm and affectionate. "I take it you know what is happening."

Rodney sighed and shook his head. "Actually, I have no idea what's happening here. If we've somehow managed to travel back in time, then one, where are Sheppard and Ronon and two," he turned to stare at his reflection. "What the hell is that?"

"Time travel," Teyla said, brows raised.

Rodney looked back at her. "Right. Of course, you have no idea what's going on."

"You do?" Teyla asked.

Rodney sagged and then sighed when he eyed Teyla. "I know a place where we can talk."

They found some cold concrete steps outside the building, next to a dumpster that wasn't smelling too bad yet, thanks to the freezing cold. The night sky was dark and every now and then a car drove past.

"So, 1985, I'm seventeen and my cousin is getting married. I didn't want to go to the wedding because number one, I was working on this huge project that was going to get me far away from my family and number two, McKay weddings always end in disaster. By the end of this night, if I recall correctly, the bride found out that her new husband slept with the stripper at his bachelor party and knocked his front teeth out."

"What is a stripper?" Teyla asked with a frown.

Rodney watched her closely, red haired, fair skin looking chilled and so horribly young. It was weird how much he was missing Teyla even though she was right there. "Strippers? Um...they're...nice ladies that entertain people?"

Teyla nodded. "I see."

"Anyway, this was the worst McKay family event ever," Rodney said flatly.

"Why do you think we're here?" Teyla asked.

Rodney shook his head, frowning at the sidewalk. "I have no idea. I mean, one minute we're talking to the Doorans and the next minute I'm standing in the middle of a wedding reception. Also, where the hell are Sheppard and Ronon?"

"We would not be able to see them without a mirror if they are here," Teyla pointed out. "When I saw you, I didn't recognize you. Although, you seemed very familiar."

Rodney groaned. "I could have done without a trip down memory lane."

"Why?" Teyla asked.

Rodney loosened his already loose tie. "Well, it wasn't exactly a decade worth remembering," he murmured. "Also, seriously, the hair offenses alone are worth wiping this decade from people's memories."

Teyla laughed and it was nothing like the way she sounded when she laughed. When she really laughed. Rodney looked at her and frustrated at not finding her there, he looked away and blinked up at the sky.

He was startled a moment later. Teyla's hand was reaching for his hair, smoothing it down and finding his neck. Her palm was warm on his skin and he closed his eyes, imagining her real face, the mischief of her mouth, the warmth of her eyes.

"Why do you look so wounded?" Teyla asked softly.

Rodney frowned at her. "What?"

Teyla was looking right into his eyes, his frown reflected right back at him. "You look different. Not the way you are in Atlantis."

Rodney shrugged. "Teen angst. And trust me, in my house, there was a lot. You should meet my sis...ter."

"What is it?"

Rodney stood up. "It's just occurred to me that on the off chance that we have traveled back in time, everything has to happen the way it did that night -- Stacy Hart!" Rodney said, snapping his fingers.

Teyla looked at him with confusion.

"That's who you are," Rodney said. "I remember now. My cousin James was thinking about hitting on her and I was pretending not to care, but really, I kind of wanted to ask her to dance."

Teyla stood up, looking down at he very shiny green dress. Then she looked at him with curiosity. "Did you?"

"What? Dance? Are you kidding me? She wouldn't have even looked at me twice. I was so awkward and the minute I'd start talking to a girl I just turned into an idiot."

"Well, you do not seem to have that problem now," Teyla said, the small twist to her mouth implying that she was perhaps teasing Rodney.

"Well, maybe it's because I meet nicer girls now," Rodney said, using his most smug and superior tone.

"Let go of me, you jerk!"

Rodney and Teyla both turned towards the sound.

"Oh great," Rodney said.

"What is it?" Teyla asked.

Rodney started walking down the street and towards the corner of the building. "Look, Teyla, things might get a little weird, but you can't interfere because on the off chance that that we're really on Earth and in 1985, then things have to play out exactly the way same way they did then."

Rodney found his arm being grabbed and he was being turned around to see Teyla looking a little annoyed. "If I feel I should intervene during whatever's about to happen, Rodney--"

"Then you'll ignore it," Rodney said, forcefully. "I'm serious. If we're really here and things don't play out the way they did back then, we could severely harm our own time line. That means screwing things up for more than just us two." Teyla looked even more pissed off, but Rodney could tell it was because she understood. "Teyla?"

"Very well," she said, grudgingly.

Rodney gave a nod. "Okay, Good. Let's go." He turned to go, but then immediately turned back. "Wait, just one thing." He put his arms around Teyla and kissed her firmly.

When he pulled away, Teyla was eyeing him suspiciously.

"What?" he asked.

"It does not count if Stacy Hart is unaware," Teyla said simply.

"I can't believe you think so little of me!" Rodney sputtered.

Teyla folded her arms across Stacy Hart's ample chest.

"Oh, come on! I was seventeen! I wrote a poem!" Rodney said. Teyla shook her head and he turned on his heel. "I was sensitive once, damn it!"

They reached the corner of the building and walked out in front where a young mulleted man with excessive gel in his dark hair, wearing a jacket that had rolled up sleeves was pulling a young woman by her elbow.

"Cut it out, Ryan!" the girl spat at him.

"This is bullshit!" Ryan spat back. "I told you, she's my friend. Quit being so crazy."

"Yeah, and I told you you're a jerk. I have friends, but I'm not having sex with them in the back of my car!"

"Jeannie, at least me explain," Ryan said, pulling her back.

"Ryan!" Jeannie growled, trying to pull away.

"Hey! Let her go!" Rodney shouted, his heart thumping a little.

Ryan didn't let go, but he gave Rodney a cold stare. "Keep out of this, pencil neck."

Rodney stepped forward. "I said, let her go."

Ryan laughed and then pulled Jeannie a little closer, letting her tug at him. "Or what?"

Rodney stared. Oh yes, he remembered this well. This was the part where he'd gone up against the bigger guy and had gotten the snot kicked out of him. But his sister had said, "Wow. When did you become so cool?"

On one hand, it would be worth hearing that again. On the other, he had been fighting the Wraith for two whole years now. He'd seen people die. He'd almost died himself and what for? For guys like Ryan who had no idea?

"You think you're a big man, Ryan?" Rodney asked. "You think you're something else because you're stronger? Because you stole some kid's milk money before you were even out of diapers? Well, here's some news. You're just some snot-nosed punk getting off on the fact that maybe you scare people."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "I'm a punk? What does that make you?"

Rodney stood up a little straighter. Once you'd faced the Wraith, Ryan Patterson was no big deal. "It makes me the guy that's going to kick the crap out of you if you don't get away from my sister."

Ryan laughed. "Yeah, right."

"Try me," Rodney said. "Seriously."

He felt Teyla stepping next to him. "I would not try him, if I were you, Ryan."

Ryan seemed to think about it. Then he turned his lip up in disgust and shoved Jeannie away. "You know what? Forget you. You're not worth it. Losers."

Ryan gave a snort and turned around to leave, kicking something on the ground in an overly nonchalant manner, mullet fluttering in the air.

Jeannie was staring at Rodney, brows knit together and blue eyes confused. She smiled and then gave a laugh. "You are so weird." She turned to look at Teyla. "He's just trying to impress you, you know?"

Jeannie gave another look and headed back to the hall entrance.

"Jeannie?" Rodney called out.

She turned to look at him. "What?"

Rodney opened his mouth to say something, but nothing seemed to come to mind. "You okay?" he finally asked.

Jeannie beamed. "Yeah. I am."

Rodney smiled back, his heart swelling painfully as he watched her walk away.

"Is that what happened the first time?" Teyla asked.

Rodney shook his head. "No. He kicked the crap out of me." Teyla was already looking at him when he turned to face her with worry. "I really hope we don't get back to our own timeline and find Sheppard and Ronon have turned into caterpillars."

Teyla gave a nod. "That would be unfortunate."

A woman laughed, as if it was the funniest thing she ever heard. "Well, yes, I suppose it would be unfortunate."

Teyla frowned and looked around for the voice.

The woman was wrapped in a colorful shawl, her long dark hair falling down her back. Every time she moved, the bracelets on her wrists jingled, happily, if that was possible.

Teyla looked down at herself, finding a light dress, blue and flowing around her legs. Around her, the tent was large and filled with women sitting and standing closely, talking in whispers.

Teyla walked around the tent slowly, memory returning. If she walked to the back of the tent, she would find the bride being decorated in ceremonial markings and having the prayers of Ancients being whispered over her in wafts of incense.

She could already hear the prayers outside, a long stretch of a woman's high pitched voice.

Teyla closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking down at her arm and seeing the thread that had been wound around it. Three twists. One for wisdom. One for courage. One for honesty.

Come, Teyla. The seer has your thread ready. Let's see what the man you marry will be like.

Teyla looked at the thread with a smile and shook her head. Rodney was right. Children were stupid.

Teyla walked to the entrance of the tent, in time to have a girl crash into her. Teyla steadied her and smiled. She hadn't seen Kaya since...well, in a long time.

"Teyla, there is a boy looking for you," Kaya said breathlessly. "He is very strange. He told me to look at his cup."

Teyla tried not to laugh. "And what did you say?"

"I pushed him and I ran. He had the look of the crazed about him," Kaya said with narrowed eyes.

"You pushed him," Teyla said with a nod.

"I told you. He was very strange," Kaya said shrug.

"I will speak with him," Teyla said, moving to walk around Kaya.

"Teyla!" Kaya said, looking a surprised. "He could be anyone. We don't know half of the people from this wedding and I hear the groom's side is teeming with strange men."

Teyla smiled and nodded. "Do not worry. I will be fine."

Kaya shrugged and then went off towards the bride's corner with a shake of her head and muttering things under her breath as Teyla watched her quietly, her smile fading on her face, sinking somewhere deep in her chest, where memories were like stones marking the burial places of the dead.

She stepped out of the tent, her eyes drawn to the largest one where everyone would gather and witness the wedding. Where the ground was being sanctified for the marriage ritual with soft prayers.

Teyla stood there, watching the tent that stood highest amongst the circle of the rest, the ground in the middle wet from washing and under a wooden framework from where jars of incense hung, sending incense smoke wafting in every direction. The cold crisp day smelled smoky and calm, everything before Teyla looking foggy and unreal for a moment. It was all the way she remembered it.

Something fluttered above and Teyla looked up into the air to see an almost translucent slip of material, bright red above the white smoke, floating up on the breeze, signaling the nearing time of the wedding vows.

Teyla walked across the wet ground and through the smoke, seeking out the young boy that was looking for her and sneaking behind the large marriage tent. She saw him before he saw her. He was standing there under a tree, cleaning off his clothes, brushing away mud and dirt.

He looked up when Teyla neared, brown eyes wide, full mouth slightly open and confused. He was staring at her for a moment, looking a little flustered and then he finally spoke.

"Oh my god. Teyla?"

Teyla smiled. "Rodney."

"Oh my god," Rodney said again.

Teyla frowned down at her dress. "Yes. It is slightly...well, different."

Rodney was still staring, mouth open wide and Teyla could almost see him, his wide blue eyes, that oddly slanted, soft mouth, the long lashes of his eyes. Past this young, lean boy with dark skin, his hair black and short, it was amazing how much she could still see Rodney.

"Huh," Rodney said. "I guess I should have figured you'd be one of the popular girls."

Teyla frowned. Most of the time, some of the Earth things were so beyond irrational they seemed a little too dull to be questioned further. "How did you know it was me?"

Rodney laughed. "Are you kidding? You look like you, only, well...you're kind of cute."

Teyla lifted an eyebrow. "Cute."

"Well, yeah. Your hair's all different. You look..." Rodney stopped.

"What?" Teyla asked quietly.

"Not so serious," Rodney said with a small smile. Teyla gave a small nod, smiling when Rodney's mouth quirked into something familiarly mischievous. "You now, if I knew you when I was seventeen and met you, say at a wedding or something, I'd totally ask you to dance."

"I don't know your Earth dances," Teyla said.

Rodney pointed at her. "Excellent, because I kind of suck at dancing."

"Then what would we do instead?" Teyla asked, using her most innocent face.

Rodney was staring at her for a second. Then he blinked and brought up a finger. "So, the working theory is that we're both being thrown around back in time. However, that doesn't explain why we suddenly jumped from an event in my life to what I'm assuming is an event in yours?"

Teyla nodded. "Halling's sister is getting married today."

Rodney nodded back. "Right. My guess is that you probably have to do something, which will create another jump."

Teyla frowned and shook her head.

"See, originally, I got into a fight with Ryan and he won. This time, I stopped the fight from happening. Now, I can't be sure what major effect it's had on our time line, but it definitely saved one day of parental freakouts. Maybe there's something you need to do today, which is different to the original event. My guess is we'll probably make another jump forward, this time into an event from my life."

Teyla nodded, frowning as she looked around her village. "There is just one thing."

"What?" Rodney asked.

"Why weddings?" Teyla asked. "How could we both have events of significance that occurred at a wedding?"

Rodney snorted. "Please. Ask anyone on Earth and you'll find that at least eighty percent of people had some kind of life changing experience at a wedding. My personal experience was learning how to duck and that you should always be scared of men that spend an excessive amount of time on styling their hair."

Teyla rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Rodney, I have had many significant moments in my life. Why this one?"

Rodney straightened a little, like he did when the tension of an idea wasn't coiling through him. "Huh."

"Exactly," Teyla said. "There is something else."

"And why us two?" Rodney said, his eyes shifting to the side. "I mean, why have we been able to find each other and not Ronon and Sheppard?"

"They are not here," Teyla said with a nod.

"They're not?" Rodney asked, sounding a little worried. "Okay, that's not good."

Teyla took a deep breath. "No. It is not."

Teyla?

Teyla stilled, her heart stopping dead in her chest.

"Teyla?" Rodney asked, his voice fading as if he was rushing away from her.

She found her feet automatically walking away, her body heavy and leaden, her fingers and lips strangely tingling.

She walked along the tent slowly, vaguely aware of Rodney's voice behind her, worried whispers. Teyla stepped around the corner of the tent and everything seemed to slow down, the incense smoke heavy and thick and her mother standing there like a ghost in her pale robes.

"Teyla, there you are," her mother said, her voice light and full of life.

Teyla's mouth opened, eyes filling with words stolen from her lips. She stood there, breathlessly, looking at her mother's smile, obscured by the smoke or the mist of her own memory perhaps.

Teyla smiled then, feeling wetness on her face as she swallowed. "This is not real."

Rodney was at her side, his hand low on her back. "How do you know?"

"I know," Teyla said, her voice feeling thick in her throat. "I would know."

The mist became thicker until her eyes stung and she was forced to close them. When she opened them, Teyla recognized the meditation tent.

Rodney was slowly coming around, looking flushed and Ronon and Sheppard were still passed out on the floor, jacket and coat under their heads as pillows.

"Well, there goes the back," Rodney winced as she sat up. "You okay?"

Teyla nodded and got her breath back. "I am."

They looked around the tent to see others from the tribe beginning to stir and come around.

"Trading is not what it used to be," Teyla said with a sigh.

Rodney looked around and then at Teyla. "Really?"

Teyla gave him a look.

"What? Hello. From a different galaxy here. Like I would be able to tell?" Rodney asked. "Until two years ago, my biggest problem was trying to stay away from planes headed to Russia."

Russia. Yes, she remembered Russia. That was a place Rodney did not enjoy. Though he went strangely red when probed too much.

"Ow."

Rodney and Teyla looked at Sheppard as his head slowly came up, eyes squinting and brow creased.

"You guys okay?" he asked slowly.

"We are," Teyla replied before Rodney could go into why they weren't. "You?"

"Worst hangover ever. Next time Lorne wants to swap a mission, you guys totally get to kick his ass," Sheppard said, flopping back with a groan.

Ronon sat up suddenly, looking disgruntled and drunk. “That was weird.”

Rodney narrowed his eyes at Ronon. “Define weird.”

Ronon narrowed his eyes back at Rodney. “You don't know what weird means?”

Sheppard joined the discussion by groaning, rolling over and hiding his head in his arms.

“The Doorans call it jojak. Kind of like a mental vacation,” Rodney explained at the briefing. “Also their version of smoking the peace pipe, only not so much a peace pipe as a hash pipe.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Well, you all do look quite peaceful.”

“He doesn't. He looks green,” Ronon said, nodding towards Sheppard who was still squinting at anything louder than a pin dropping.

“It's the lights,” Sheppard objected as Elizabeth held back another smile.

“I take it you didn't enjoy the experience,” she said, and Rodney couldn't help notice the strange tilt to Elizabeth's mouth when she asked Sheppard the question.

Sheppard narrowed his eyes at her and made a face. “No, not really. I think I'm happy without flashing back to bad weddings. Not my idea of a vacation.”

“Well, since we arrived during wedding celebrations, they felt we should be a part of the proceedings,” Teyla said with an amused smile. “The time is to be spent on reflecting the meaning of the vows, which are chanted throughout the meditation.”

Rodney snorted. “They plant the suggestion, we get to freak out.”

“Or they make a suggestion and you get to reflect, Rodney,” Elizabeth amended.

“How very diplomatically put, Elizabeth,” Rodney said, narrowing his eyes and smile.

“Rodney,” Elizabeth said, a warning, but with a far too amused smile. “Well, if that's it, I think I'll let you all recover.”

Rodney looked around the room, waiting for Sheppard and Ronon to mention the part where they shared one of the most uncomfortable moments of their lives. Ronon was already pushing away from the table and Sheppard was slowly getting up, Elizabeth casting him another amused smile. Sheppard caught it and smiled back with a glint in his eyes and shake of the head.

Rodney looked at Teyla and frowned.

She was completely serene, like she knew something he didn't. Then she got up and left, Mona Lisa smile in place, while Rodney sat there completely and utterly confused.

He came like she knew he would. The door opened and Teyla sat up on her bed, bringing up her knees and wrapping her arms loosely around them.

Rodney stood there in the middle of her room, the same frown that he had earlier in the day still on his forehead. His hand came up and he waved it at her, eyes widening and a questioning look on his face.

“Is something wrong?” Teyla asked calmly.

Rodney rolled his eyes and sat down on the seat next to the bed, moving it a little closer while seated on it. “So?”

“Yes?” Teyla asked, moving to face him, feet dropping to the floor so her knees were touching his.

“Oh come on, you know what I'm talking about,” Rodney said.

Teyla took Rodney's hands, watching him smile as his they closed around hers, warm and so much stronger than anyone could ever imagine.

“Is it a secret?” Rodney asked, eyes bright and full of questions as ever.

Teyla shook her head. “Jona says that sometimes, those who have shared a very strong bond--”

“Had sex, yes --”

“Shared a very close bond,” Teyla said, trying to be serious despite her mouth wanting to smile, “sometimes share visions.”

Rodney looked surprised. “Really? Huh. Wow, that's...so, like a telepathic connection? We should probably get a sample of the stuff they used, who knows what properties it might have?”

Teyla pulled her hands from Rodney's, wrapping them around his fingers. “Rodney, not everything has to be broken down to its core. Sometimes, people who share a strong bond are able to find each other, despite whatever obstacles they place in front of themselves.”

Rodney frowned. “Like...bad memories, eh?”

Teyla gave a nod. “Perhaps.”

“That was your mom,” Rodney said quietly. “The woman we saw.”

Teyla gave another nod. “Yes.”

“You said you knew it was a memory. How did you know?”

Teyla looked around the room, not really finding any real answer. “There are some things you just know.”

Rodney looked a little crestfallen. “Yeah. I guess so. I mean, I probably knew that when I saw Ryan.”

Teyla shook her head. “You didn't.”

“How can you be so sure?” Rodney asked, his eyes on Teyla's fingers.

“Sometime you just know,” Teyla replied.

Rodney looked up, amused. “That's your answer to everything.”

“Well, you have so many questions,” Teyla said and leaned forward to kiss Rodney.

Rodney kissed back, his mouth a happy smile against hers, lips soft and wanting, yet grateful and succumbing. “She was right, you know,” he whispered across Teyla's mouth, his hands around her waist and pulling her onto his lap.

“About what?” Teyla asked, wrapping one arm around his neck and stroking a hand down the side of his face, letting him reach up for a kiss, his eyes closed and calm.

Rodney's kiss moved from her mouth to the corner, always so willing to break into a smile near him, like a wave breaking on the shore in relief.

“Jeannie,” Rodney whispered into her ear with a warm puff of breath. “She's always been good at taking care of herself.” He pulled back and smiled up at Teyla, the corner of his mouth high, pulling up a real smile. “I was trying to impress you.”

Teyla laughed. “Did it work?”

Rodney nodded. “Oh, it totally worked.”

Teyla assumed he was right and pulled him onto the bed with a kiss.

- the end -