"No," Rodney said, planting his feet and crossing his arms as he pinned John with a poisonous glare. "I don't want to."
John sighed and looked down at his four-year-old charge. "C'mon, Rodney. I promise you'll like it."
Rodney looked past John, at the scene outside. Snow had fallen on Atlantis overnight, and the snowflake-shaped city ws now robed in cold whiteness.
"Rodney." When the boy was looking back at him, John smiled. "I know – Before – you didn't have such good memories of snowy winters. But that was a long time ago and a completely different place. C'mon – give it a shot? With me?"
With a sigh that seemed to come from his toes, Rodney grumbled, "I don't want to."
But he put his gloved hand into John's anyway.
Over the next hour and a half, John and Rodney played outside. A misshapen snowman was built in the shadow of one of the towers and promptly christened "Todd" by Rodney, much to John's amusement.
A half-buried by drifts parked Jumper turned out to be just the perfect size sledding hill for small legs.
A pair of snow forts were quickly built and snowballs were soon being lobbed over them.
And then, John saw Teyla and Ronon standing in the doorway with fond smiles on their faces as they watched. He smiled in return. "We've been out here awhile, kiddo. Time to head in."
"Aw, Daddy!" Rodney protested, popping up over his fort. "I don't want to!"
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