Continuity: Set about eight months after Brain Storm (5x16), set after Enemy at the Gate (5x20)
Set in the same 'universe' as Rodney McKay and the Piano (and, by extension, Rodney McKay the Concert Pianist).

Author Note: A short (probably) multi-chapter 'story' on two common tropes, Rodney proposing, and Jennifer telling Rodney that she's pregnant, and the circumstances that surround such.

Spoilers: Anything including the whole of season 5

Obviously, I don't own Stargate Atlantis, or any of its characters.

Rings

After Rodney's Second Childhood incident, John and Rodney had struck up something of a tradition. Regularly going to the East Pier of the city, sitting on the edge, talking, laughing, and drinking some beers.

Rodney knew that his second childhood reinforced his friendship with John, and he was thankful for that, since he had to get some advice and couldn't think of anyone but him to give it.

The small box in Rodney's pocket reminded him of the seriousness of what he was considering, so he decided to muster up the courage and just ask his friend for his advice.

"So, I've, err, been meaning to ask for your advice, and, well, now that we're here, I suppose it's as good a time as any." Rodney said, a little timidly.

John immediately knew something was up, if not for the fact that his friend was decidedly less confident in tone than normal, it was the sudden change in direction of the conversation, as well as the change in its overall feel.

"What's up buddy?" He asked.

Rodney fished into his right pocket to pull out a small box.

"Is that what I think that is?" John asked with some degree of wonder.

"Yes, I've been thinking of asking Jennifer to marry me. I actually have since before we got Atlantis back in Pegasus," Rodney paused as he gave the small box to John and watched as he reacted to the ring inside it.

"Jeannie gave it to me just before we left, she knows I want to ask, so you know, I just... I just don't know how, you know?" Rodney clarified.

"You're not worried this will go like it did with Katie, are you?" John had to ask.

"Yes! Exactly, what if something happens like that again and I can't ask her, and she sees how I react or even if I did ask her she'd say no? What if she doesn't want to get married? Or doesn't want to get married to me, or..." Rodney rambled, but was interrupted by John

"Not going to happen, pal, you'll ask, regardless of what happens, and she'll say yes. I can guarantee it. I'd actually bet an entire year of pay to it in fact. And don't you encourage her to say no just so you can win that bet, you will ask her, and she will say yes." he said resolutely.

"Really?" Rodney asked with a glimmer of hope in his eyes

"Really." John replied.

"Wow, so, this is actually going to happen. How should I ask her?" Rodney uncertainly asked.

"That depends, how do you think she wants to be asked?" Rodney shrugged at the question "Well, if I might make a suggestion, do it in public, to avoid a repeat performance. Who else knows, anyway?"

"Well, you, obviously, Jeannie, Kaleb, Jennifer's father too, that's all really." Rodney replied

"Okay, good, well, I guess we should start planning out how you can ask Jennifer."

Two months ago

Rodney huffed out a sigh as he looked out the window of his car to the tidy lawn and front garden of his sisters house, the conversation with Jennifer's father still fresh in his mind.

"This isn't the first time we've visited your sister, you know, what're you so pensive about?" Jennifer asked.

Rodney collected his thoughts and slid behind his mask, then turned back to Jennifer.

"Oh, it's nothing, just worried about the tofu surprise's we're going to have for the next three days, is all"

Jennifer eyed him critically, but decided to leave it alone, knowing well enough that'd he'd tell her what's on his mind when he was ready, and not before.

"Well, there's no sense in hiding from them now, just grin and bear it and you'll do fine." She smiled back to him as she got out of the car.

"If I grin and bear it, then Jeannie will know something is wrong, no, it's best if I just complain, loudly, as always." Rodney quipped back with a laugh.

"Grin and bear what, Mer?" Jeannie said as she walked up to them with Kaleb and Madison.

"Oh, you know, the food, it's why I only stick around here for three days at a time, so I don't die of hunger" he snarked to his sister.

It was six hours later before Rodney mustered the courage to tell his Sister. Jennifer, Kaleb and Madison having already gone to bed.

Just as he took an intake of breath, he was undone by his sister.

"She'll say yes you know." She said with a smirk.

"Wha? How did you know?" Rodney blustered out exhaling the deep intake of breath he made just moments ago.

Jeannie laughed, "You've been acting strangely, even for you, all evening. You and Jennifer were close the first time you came here together, but to look at you two now, well, if I didn't know any better, I would have thought you were already married. I figured you must have finally figured that out and decided to make it official, it was pretty obvious actually, I think even Madison noticed." she said, still laughing.

"Oh no, she didn't? If she did, then Jennifer must have, oh this is a disaster" Rodney sagged in his seat.

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't know, I mean, it did take you both, what, over a year before you both found out you loved each other? You both may be Genius' but when it comes to love, you're pretty backwards. Don't worry, she doesn't know," Jeannie paused, "actually that reminds me, I have something to show you, I'll be right back." She said.

Before Rodney had a chance to go follow her she was back carrying a small box.

"What's that?" Rodney asked, curious.

She handed him the box, "Open it and find out"

Rodney sat down and open the box delicately, in it, he found four rings, two silver looking rings and two gold ones.
Immediately, he could tell that two were for a man, and two for a woman, not only by their size, but by their styling. Each pair had a minor and a major, recognising that to mean engagement, and wedding rings, respectively.
He also noted some small Gaelic text on the inner bands of each ring, the text of the engagement rings were similar, and the text on the wedding rings were also similar.

He didn't ask what they were, he had already figured it out, and even he knew how stupid that question would sound, so he asked the next stupid question he thought of instead.

"Where did you get these? When?" He said, shocked.

"Dad, before he, you know. He showed them to me, said they came down from Grandpa McKay, but, well, I forgot to tell you about them, and then we stopped talking..." She paused, knowing that they both didn't like bringing that subject up, "Anyway, seeing you two together reminded me of those rings, and, well, here we are." she finished.

"They're beautiful" Rodney said with astonishment, and they were, simple, but not plain, elegant enough in their beauty that even Rodney, someone who was well know for his lack of appreciation or understanding of beauty or aesthetics in general, could see their elegance.

He was even confident that Jennifer would appreciate them too.

All he had to do was ask.

Jeannie must have seen the look that crossed his face with that thought and moved to sit next to him.

"Really, don't worry, she will say yes." she said, while laying a comforting hand on her big brothers.

I'm a cruel, cruel person to end the chapter there, I know :B

There will probably be a similar structure in the next chapter, and that chapter will be written from Jennifer's perspective.

Tell me what you think, and, of course, please do tear this apart.