Author's note: Hey! Look what I found! Remember this story anyone?

OOOOOOOOO

"Ah, Major… just the person I was looking for. Or was that… just the person who was looking for me?"

Sam Carter rolled her eyes and forced a polite expression.

"Doctor McKay."

"So…" his smile was smug and superior and it annoyed her immediately. "Where's this thing you can't figure out?"

"I didn't say I couldn't figure it out, McKay."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't. I just mentioned that I wasn't completely positive what it was."

"Which sounds a whole lot like 'I can't figure this thing out…' doesn't it?"

She scowled.

"Never mind. I'll figure it out."

"No. No. I'm here, now. Show it to me."

"No."

"Come on…" A look at her expression made it clear that she wasn't going to agree, and he tried another tack. "Look… you shouldn't be bothered by this thing. You're smart, Carter, just not as smart as me. It's not your fault you don't know everything."

"Oh, and you do?"

He tried to look modest and failed.

"Well… maybe not everything…"

"Oh, please…"

"C'mon, just let me see it."

"What are you doing here, McKay?"

The new voice had both of them turning around, and Jack O'Neill walked into the room with a scowl on his face that should have warned McKay not to be flippant.

He didn't even notice.

"I'm here to succeed where Sam here has failed."

O'Neill's scowl deepened. He didn't like the smug attitude and especially wasn't all that keen on the informal address.

"What does that mean?"

"He's here to look at the device they brought back from C9-099, Sir."

"The one she couldn't figure out," McKay added.

"How did you find out about it?"

Carter looked a little sheepish.

"I called him, sir."

"You called him?"

"Yes." She noticed McKay puffing up like a bantam rooster, and sighed. "Although now I wish I hadn't."

"Just let me at it," McKay told her. "And I'll be happy to explain this device to you." He looked around. "I believe your lab is this way…?"

And with that he walked out the door, heading for the corridor that led towards Sam's lab. Jack and Carter followed at a fair distance.

"You called him?"

"It was driving me crazy…" she whispered. "I just can't figure out what the stupid thing is and-"

"Why didn't you call someone… normal?"

"McKay probably has the best chance of telling us what it is."

"And the best chance of driving me insane," O'Neill told her. "Why not bring in a swarm of killer bees, too? Just to add some ambiance?"

"He's not that bad, sir," she said, stung.

"You know, Major," McKay said, stopping at one of the intersections in the corridor. "You could go get me a sandwich. By the time you get it to me, I'll probably have this whole thing figured out."

"Watch it, McKay," Jack snapped, even before Carter could retort. "You're pushing it."

He gave O'Neill an innocent look.

"I was just thinking that it would save time, Colonel. I missed lunch coming here and airplane food is good but not very filling."

"The lab's this way," Sam said, hoping to change the subject before the other astrophysicist found himself laid out on the deck. She turned to her CO. "I'll get back with you on this thing, sir."

"You don't want me to stick around?"

She shook her head.

"I'm not even going to stick around – if I can avoid it."

Jack scowled once more, gave McKay another warning look, and turned, heading for the control room.

"Come on, McKay."

He watched as she moved out ahead of him and couldn't help but admire the view.

"She wants me."

There was a loud snort, and McKay turned and glared at the Marine who was guarding the corridor.

"Who asked you?"

Before the Marine could reply – assuming he was going to – McKay hurried along after Carter.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"So?"

"I just got here."

"Either you know what it is, or you don't."

"Look. How long have you had this thing?"

"About a week."

"Then give me a chance to-"

"How's it going?" A new voice interrupted.

Carter wasn't at all surprised to see that O'Neill hadn't stayed away long. As much as he didn't like McKay, he trusted him even less.

"He doesn't know what it is," she told him, unable to hide her smug smile.

"Yet," McKay corrected.