Disclaimer: I don't own SGA. If I did, you can bet some things would have been different: as I'm about to show you.

Author's note: Like I said, something went wrong after season 3, as proven by the fact that the show – which was great – was cancelled. Unfortunately is seems as if the only way to put things right is in an alternative universe. My universe.

This story is the official sequel to 'I am Atlantis,' and is basically a reworking of the fourth and fifth seasons – my way. It is set the day before episode 20 (that disappointing last episode) of the fifth season.

Oh, and the credit for the opening scene goes to Meagra Solace, especially as I did not ask permission, I simply informed her I was going to steal it. Sisters are allowed to do that.

Finally: there really is a game called 'Spite and Malice.' A group of the size in the story would play with four decks. Two decks will be equally divided between the players. Those cards are stacked and the top one turned up. The objective of the game is to play all those cards – in your turn. But because everyone can see what card you need to play, they can take steps to prevent that: spite and malice.

Chapter 1

John Sheppard was running. He had mere minutes to report to the control room, so he was trying to dress on the run. Putting on boots while trying to run was proving more difficult than he had imagined, though. That was probably why Woolsey was giving him some strange looks. The older man had joined up with John only a few seconds ago, when John had passed his room, just as Woolsey had stepped out of it.

"Normally I would have asked why you didn't finish dressing in your room," Woolsey began. John squinted at him. He had slung his P-90 over his shoulder, and now it bumped against his rear every step he took.

"But I'd rather you didn't," John finished.

Just then they rounded a corner and Rodney McKay stepped out of a room, also still adjusting his weapon. His tablet was already secured on his back.

Woolsey leaned over to John. "That isn't Doctor McKay's room," he quietly observed. But just then the lovely and exotic Sitnalta exited the room right behind Rodney. Unlike the scientist, she was neatly dressed. Only her hair was still loose, but she was already dividing it in two strands and braiding it into its usual style: two long braids falling down her back. "Oh," Woolsey finally managed. Then he looked at John. "I didn't know they were...umm..."

By now John had finally gotten his boots tied, so he had time to grin while Rodney and Sitnalta joined them on their way to the control room. "Everyone knows. McKay had been trying to get her to marry him, but she is set on a big wedding."

"I take it McKay doesn't want a big wedding, then?" Woolsey asked John: asking McKay would have been difficult, seeing as all of his attention was on helping Sitnalta with her hair. John was aware that – like all other women – Sitnalta was completely capable of doing her own hair. She just liked the power she had over her lover and thus milked him for every second of attention that she could.

"Perhaps in the beginning, but Cadman had given her some books," John mysteriously answered.

Woolsey considered this. He didn't know Laura Cadman that well, but she seemed to be a very sporty kind of person. "She gave Sitnalta books on explosives?" he ventured a guess.

John smiled. "No, worse: romance novels!"

The four of them finally reached the control room where Elisabeth Weir was waiting for them. These days she seldom slept, so it was not unusual to find her in the control room almost any time of the day. The IOA still did not allow her to return to earth. The nanites in her body had also wrought a change in her: the micro-machines were causing her hair to grow at a considerable pace. So now her hair fell almost all the way down her back – something that actually made her look incredibly vulnerable. Especially when John was in the vicinity. He still refused to trust her and he was aware this caused her immense grief.

As they entered the control room she turned around, her green eyes wide. Teyla, Ronon, Lorne and the rest of SGA-2 were already gathered in the gate-room. She looked at John for a moment, but by now she knew she would not get anything but distrust from him. So instead she focussed her attention on Woolsey, who were taking charge.

"The distress call came only minutes ago from M7G-677," she reported. Woolsey – who did not share John and the IOA's distrust in her – nodded.

"M7G-677 is one of the planets you have taken into your care?" he confirmed.

"Yeah, it's the planet with the kids," John acknowledged. Rodney grimaced. The kids seemed to take great pleasure in torturing him. And Radek Zelenka, if John remembered correctly. That was probably why the other scientist was smirking at him: Zelenka had been called to the control-room to oversee the mission, but he would not be joining them on the planet. He probably enjoyed the thought of Rodney being tortured by the little monsters. Softly Sitnalta slipped her hand into his, giving her lover her support.

Minutes later SGA-1 and 2 disappeared through the event horison. Though the kids' settlements were quite a few miles away from the gate, they could not take a puddle jumper as the same device that kept the planet Wraith-free also knocked out the jumper's controls. The two teams were in for a long walk.

#####

"Incoming wormhole!" Zelenka alerted the control-room. Seconds later the event horison was formed and the two teams stepped through the gate. Ronon was smiling, but the rest of them seemed unhappy.

"What happened?" Elisabeth asked even before Woolsey could utter a word.

"They wanted chocolate," an unhappy John answered. "We walked all that way to hear they had run out of chocolate."

"It's nearly a ten mile walk to the village!" Rodney complained.

"It was two of the smaller ones that sent the distress call, sir," Major Lorne tried to explain to the leader of the expedition. "And of course, after sending it they scampered back to their village."

"So you had to walk all the way," Zelenka – who was still in the control room – grinned.

"As I said before, it's nearly a ten mile walk to the nearest village," Rodney repeated.

"Except the kids were from the village near the river," Ronon grinned as he indicated the village the furthest from the gate. Those who had been to the planet knew the village near the river is just over twelve miles from the gate. No wonder the two teams seemed tired.

"I hope you have taken steps to keep this sort of thing from happening in the future," Woolsey said. Yet he seemed to be enjoying the moment, as well.

"Well, it's not as if we have drawn and quartered them," Rodney sarcastically replied.

"But we have stressed upon them the importance of not using the distress signal in such a fashion in future," Teyla said, always the peace-keeper.

"But we did promise them some chocolate as soon as possible," Sitnalta grinned. Life to her was still fresh and wonderful, and she lived every moment to its fullest. Her argument was that her life would be immeasurably short compared to that of Atlantis, but she was planning to have as much life lived in those years. Therefore life was too short to stay angry.

The best part was that it seemed as if this attitude seemed to be rubbing off on Rodney: though still difficult, he didn't wallow so much anymore.

It was then that John seem to notice that Elizabeth was not dressed in her normal uniform, but in a pale blue dress that actually resembled the clothes worn by the Ancients.

"Where are you off to?" John asked her. But it was Teyla that answered him.

"I am pleased that we are back in time to go to the Athosian planet for Torren's festival."

"That's tonight?" John asked, surprised. The Athosians had heard of the earth tradition of a baby shower, but because Teyla had been kidnapped and held hostage by Michael when she was pregnant, they had decided to hold it after his birth.

Of course, only the women were invited. So as the women scurried away to wash up and get dressed, the men suddenly found themselves – well – to themselves.

Slowly Ronon, John, Rodney and Lorne walked out of the control room. "So, what are the rest of you planning for the rest of the evening?" Rodney asked his friends.

"I might go to the gym," Ronon said.

"Maybe I'll join you," John said.

"I haven't planned anything," Lorne said. Silently they walked on. The evening suddenly seemed very long and boring.

"This is ridiculous," Rodney suddenly said, stopping. "We can't sulk just because the women are going out for the evening!"

"Well, what do you suggest?" John asked his friend.

"I don't know." Rodney replied.

"Hey, what are you up to?" a new voice suddenly asked behind them. One of the Becketts had just come around the corner, smiling. The Becketts almost always seemed to be smiling.

"Carson," Rodney said. He and Sitnalta were the only ones that were able to distinguish between the two Becketts. "The women are going to the planet for Torren's baby shower," he explained.

"Yes, I know," Carson replied. "Laura and Jennifer are going as well." He smiled. "I was wondering if I could interest you in a game of Spite and Malice," he said.

"Spite and Malice?" Ronon asked.

"Yes. Don't worry, you'll like it," Carson smiled. The rest of them looked at one another.

"It's not like we have anything else planned," Rodney finally decided for them.

That was how the men found themselves gathered in the conference room. Both Becketts had shown up with food and playing cards and were now busily showing them how the game worked. Radek had shown up with a few bottles of moonshine he had been fermenting in an abandoned lab: alcohol content unknown. They had considered inviting Woolsey, but in the end they had decided against it. They had also locked the doors to the conference room. This was going to be a long evening.