Title: Stages of Love

Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis

Genre: Romance

Rating: K+

Characters: McKay/Cadman

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate, or McKay, unfortunately. Please don't sure.

Summary: The five stages of love for Rodney McKay and Laura Cadman.

Author's Note: I started writing these to see if I could before signing up for the Stages of Love challenge over on LJ (http/stagesoflove. and while I decided not to sign up, I was almost through writing this anyway so I went ahead and finished it.

Basically the challenge was to sign up and write drabbles/ficlets about the five stages of love: Attraction, Romance, Passion, Intimacy, and Commitment. These are not the greatest things ever written, by any means, but I enjoyed writing them. I'll post each one as a chapter.

I'd like to point out that these have not been betaed, I didn't feel like bugging my friend who usually does it for me.

Chapter One: Attraction

He's infuriating. Self-righteous. Pig-headed. Annoying. A know-it-all. Egotistic.

He's Caring. Determined. Awkward. Intelligent. Funny. Responsible. Shy.

Just a few phrases to describe Rodney McKay and still none of them come close to truly describing him.

He sometimes forgets that I've been in his head. While he'd like to have everyone think he's of the former, I know better. I know how he'd be willing to lay down his life for anyone(well, almost anyone. I doubt he'd be too choked up for Kavanaugh). I know his treatment of others is out of self-preservation. He keeps everyone at arm's length because he's afraid if he lets anyone in, he'll only end up losing them. So he throws himself into his work, always struggling to find that next great discovery to help protect the city. He claims it's for glory, but what kind of glory can he truly get working on a top-secret government project in another galaxy?

Colonel Sheppard sees it. As do Doctor Weir and Teyla. Perhaps that's why they're the most patient with him. Well, not Colonel Sheppard, but that's only because he's the closest thing Rodney has to a best friend and best friends are never patient.

Maybe one day he'll let me in. I know I still freak him out but whether he likes it or not I'm not going anywhere. Because of who he is. Because, no matter how much I've tried, I can't stop that flicker of attraction whenever I get him all riled up. Because I want him, and I always get what I want.

A/N: I'm a feedback whote, so please review:)