Authors Note: This hasn't been beta-read so I apologize if it has grammar/spelling errors in or if the characters sound a bit off. Please let me know what you think of this, complaints, suggestions; any feedback would be helpful as long as it is constructive.

Well I've seen a few moments in the series where Grodin seems like hemight have a thing for Weir, so I thought why not do Grodin/Weir – though its one way (not seen any others, might well be this is the first for the pairing!). So here it is, also has McKay/Weir UST/friendship and bit of hinting to McKay/Heightmeyer too. Hope it isn't confusing and loved to know what people think of it.

Spoilers: "The Gift" - for character introduction. No plot spoilers but if you don't want to know of a new minor character before it airs then don't read yet, not that her actions in this are canon, her behaviour here is pure fanon.

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Stargate in any incarnations of course and I'm not making any money, this is just some harmless fanfic fun.

Chapter 1: Between the lines

Peter looked up from the console, seeing Dr. Weir in her office.
She sat at her desk but she wasn't quite as upright as she normally was. There was a slight slump to her shoulders that most would miss.

Her office door was open but it missed the point that you could always see, that she as the leader was on public display even if there had been no glass windows surrounding the top half of the room.
It was obvious she thought no one was looking, that she could steal one moment of resignation and be herself.

Peter knew she worried over a lot of things and he was sure she had doubts too, sometimes about herself, and the decisions she'd made since coming here, just like she seemed to have now.
What went through her mind? Did she wonder if she'd done the right thing?
He trusted her implicitly to do what was best and only found it a shame certain others undermined her confidence.

There was a wipe of her forehead with the back of her wrist. The Atlantean summer heat seemed to get to her though she was already wearing as little as was appropriate, her red short sleeved shirt and rest of the uniform, as most on Atlantis also did right now.

Peter glanced back at his laptop, checking over the data coming through.
When he looked back up his view was blocked by someone. Switching back to his work casually he greeted McKay as though nothing was up, who took it as a given, not suspecting for a minute the Peter Grodin would be checking out Elizabeth Weir. Who would think after all?

It was so unexpected to everyone that his facade was easily accepted. Even when people had on occasion caught him watching her form, they'd always accepted he was merely checking up on her, concerned for her wellbeing and the running of Atlantis.

Another reason it went down so well because he did care and it showed, just that no one interpreted it correctly. She was a wonderful woman, but she was his leader and he was her adviser. Nothing would or should ever come from it. He was professional whatever galaxy he was in and besides that he knew he would of had competition.
And not from Simon.

Peter was one of the few who knew she had left someone back on Earth. He was sure she'd never meant to say, a comment that revealed the truth, let slip in frustration and he'd acted as if it was nothing, being discreet as was his job to be.

Shame that they weren't more discreet thought Peter, watching McKay knock on the glass and peer round the door to her.
Peter could only see her face, lighting up as Rodney appeared and Rodney playfully tapping on the door as he undoubtedly double checked that he wasn't interrupting her. Rodney's other hand twitched nervously behind his back, unconsciously rubbing is fingers together, which was just one of the little things he'd noticed the scientist did often around Elizabeth. There was the fidgeting whenever he was asking for something, so many different ways it occurred it but they alway showed the same thing.

Peter watched cautiously, wary of what he was doing. McKay entered her office, standing straight with his hands behind his back. All that gave him away was the slight bobbing of one foot as he asked her to join him for lunch. It changed to a tapping that put him on edge as the man waited for her reply.

It was silly really because they nearly always had lunch together and yet Rodney McKay still asked each time, an action strangely polite for him that was not lost on Peter.

She broke out into a small delighted smile and shifted to uncross her folded arms, her body language indicating openness, trust in the man before her.

There was a nod from Rodney and an equally pleased expression upon hearing her words. Rodney paced a little as she got up and put on her radio, attaching it to her ear. The awkward chief scientist was bearing a full and rare smile as he motioned out of the office saying 'Ladies first'.

Dr. Weir walked just past Rodney before pausing to give him an amused look, standing ever so slightly closer than usual as she did, making Rodney's smile falter under her scrutiny and belaying her affect on him, only seen in Rodney's eyes.

Then it was over and gone. Both of them back to friendly chatter and city matters, McKay babbling on about his latest discovery as she listened intently.
She always did that, though Peter hadn't yet figured out why. It could have been simply that she was patient and that it was something she ought to know about as leader, taking in all available information about Atlantis and the Ancients.

But it nagged him because it didn't feel quite like that as it. He'd spent a lot of time studying the two of them, finding their interactions intriguing and furthermore hard to ignore. There was something on her face as the pair passed him, something light, like a comfort and an interest. As if she listened only to hear Rodney speak and to understand the man better.

Did she know why, he wondered.
Did she see everything that he, as their mutual friend, was privy to?
Did McKay and all his genius see what there was between them?

Because there wasn't much but it meant a lot.
It was in the little things that one might observe if you really looked for them, if you wanted to believe.

And against his better judgement he did want that. He wanted her to know, wanted her to see what was right in front of her nose and to accept it. Because maybe he could never be more than her adviser and a pleasant acquaintance but he wanted her to be happy. He wanted her doubts gone, washed away from her by joy, the kind of joy he saw in her when she was around Rodney McKay.

One day maybe they'd realise, for he would never say. It wasn't his place as her adviser or friend. Beside that, he couldn't let go that easily. He wanted her to be happy and he could see how that might be achieved but it still battled against his own heart, his selfishness stopping him from ever advising either of them on the matter. But it was only human to be like that. Only human to love and find love in the most unexpected places, in another galaxy and as she had in another man than the one she still had back home.

He wondered for a second if that was why the two were only friends but it he didn't really think that.
It was better to believe they hadn't any idea. It made it fun almost to find the clues they missed, a distraction from his sadness over the matter.

He wasn't the only one either. Dr. Heightmeyer seemed to have the same hobby, only she watched Rodney and likewise she got away with it because it could well be her job to be that concerned.

But in Kate's eyes he saw hope. She would do something he was sure, waiting for the right time and place, the weakness in the relationship. When she could try at least to win over a man who didn't know he'd already given his heart away to his best friend. It might work possibly, not that Peter liked her for it.

For now all he did was observe as a neutral party, seeing how it all played out. Whatever happened would not change his position. He had hope too, but not for himself – instead for Elizabeth Weir.

He heard the lingering laughter, that was unmistakably hers, as Drs Weir and McKay walked off to the mess hall.
Then came the predictable feigned hurt of Rodney, who whined back at her lack of sympathy to his predicament.

It played over and over. The same moves each time, always a draw, no winners there.

Turning to watch them leave he saw her hand resting on Rodney's back, as if to push him forward, though it was not needed. There was a glint of excitement in Rodney's eyes as he glanced back at her with a snarky expression, especially the lopsided grin his lips twisted into that was so natural for him. McKay would definitely say something more but Peter had long since learnt that it wasn't the words they said that mattered most.

Elizabeth met Rodney's look with an equally challenging one of her own, playfully daring him to do his worst. A very short exchange but there never the less, something often done and seemingly always missed.

It was all on show and no one knew, hidden to everyone except him and Kate, their pathetic watchers who strained to see and were satisfied to simply know what went on.

One day it would change.
The play stopped or revealed. the curtains opening or the show called off entirely.
But who could say what might happen.
He at least would not place any bets.
Kate, however...
The woman had placed all her eggs in one basket.
She would be there already, waiting for them to walk into the dining area. Ready to study her prey, waiting to make her move.
And he knew that she would sometime soon.
Ready for the practice to be over and the real show to begin.

A/N: Thinking I might do Kate's perspective, yes or no?