As a military tactician, John always sees it coming, no matter what "it" is. He can think around corners, anticipate troop movements and traps; he sees patterns in the chaos. But when it comes to people, he never, ever sees it coming.

He figures that's why he finds himself in the Denver airport with Rodney, waiting in the terminal to meet Rodney's sister, Jeanne, who's inbound from Toronto. They'd been having a casual conversation in one of the common rooms at the SGC - just hanging out after three days of non-stop debriefing. They talked about food and television and sports and, really, anything except Atlantis and the siege, and Rodney had looked up at the clock.

"Oh, shit. I have to go get my sister at the airport. Want to ride along?"

John agreed - he was an agreeable guy, and he had nowhere else to be. The ride is normal, except for the Colorado scenery, which seems otherworldly, and the snack food, which is heavenly. Rodney drives like ass, but he's got pretty good taste in radio stations, so John holds on tight and works his way through a giant size pack of Twizzlers and debates the merits of Aerosmith versus the Rolling Stones with exactly as much zeal as the question requires, which is none.

The airport is busy and loud, and John notices that he's not the only one who finds it overwhelming as Rodney flinches almost imperceptibly away from the knots of people that pass. They find a spot to wait, out of the way, with some pillars for leaning, and they mock the fashion choices and grooming decisions of the passersby until a small, blonde woman throws herself into Rodney's arms, bursts into tears and says, "Oh, my God, Rodney - we have a brother."

Frankly, it makes introductions awkward. John smiles his most charming smile as he's introduced as Rodney's "colleague" and shakes hands with Jeanne after she dries her eyes and blows her nose.

"I'm not usually this dramatic," she says, smiling in a way that crinkles her nose cutely. "But I'm also not used to so much cloak and dagger."

"No problem," John says. "Why don't you give me your baggage claim check and you and Rodney can catch up while I get your bag?"

She hands it over. "Blue floral suitcase with a red ribbon on the handle," she says. "You won't be able to miss it."

As John walks off, he can hear Rodney and Jeanne both start talking really fast.

After claiming the suitcase, which really is hard to miss, John finds them at Starbucks. Rodney hands him a huge cup and herds them all back to the car. John is surprised to see Rodney handling his sister gently, opening her door and making sure she doesn't bump her head getting into the car. From the look on Jeanne's face, she's surprised, too.

The hour-long car ride is educational for John. He learns that Jeanne hired a private investigator after she received the tape of Rodney's farewell message. And while the investigator hit a series of brick walls while trying to find Rodney, certain other facts had come to light.

"Dad had an affair." Jeanne's voice is flat. "Okay, he had a lot of affairs, but only one of them produced a child. Our brother."

His name is Grant Jansky, and he's some sort of banker, as far as John can tell. He's less than a year younger than Rodney, seven older than Jeanne. He was raised by his mother and then, later, in foster care, and he works for a firm called Gardner-Ross in Toronto.

"Have you met him?" Rodney asks, fingers tightening on the steering wheel.

"I was getting ready to set it up when you called," Jeanne says. "Will you go back with me?"

Rodney goes quiet at the question, and John looks up just in time to see blue eyes searching for his in the rear-view mirror. He gives Rodney a small smile and a shrug, and that seems to work for him, though John's really not trying to convey anything more than general support in the face of overwhelming weirdness.

"Yeah," Rodney says. "I will. I've got four weeks off until I have to go back, and I really didn't have anything planned."

He drives them to the Broadmoor, and tells Jeanne to shut up when she says it looks expensive. "I haven't been able to spend money in two years," he says. "So do yourself a favor and go with it."

Rodney books Jeanne a suite, and John follows along with her suitcase, still quietly bemused by the whole thing. The suite is spacious and beautifully decorated, and John finds it a little shocking after the Spartan accommodations at the SGC. Rodney wastes no time, calling for room service and breaking open the mini-bar.

"Show me the information," Rodney says, sitting down at the table with a cold Coors and a bag of honey-roasted cashews.

Jeanne digs in her bag for a folder. John clears his throat.

"I can take the car back to the base if you want..." he starts, and Rodney frowns thoughtfully at him.

"You aren't coming with us?" Jeanne asks, using her beer bottle to point at John. "I thought you two were..."

Rodney flushes dark red and John almost loses his grip on his own Coors.

"'Colleagues' isn't a code word, Jeanne," Rodney splutters. "We work together. Besides, he's military."

"Really?" Jeanne says. "With that hair?"

"Hey," John says mildly.

"Air Force," Rodney supplies, and Jeanne shrugs like that answers her question.

Rodney turns to John. "I'm sorry, Major..."

"Colonel," John says, unable to suppress the grin - the promotion is still too new.

"Colonel?" Jeanne says.

Rodney shoots her a look. "I'm sorry, Colonel. I didn't realize I was dragging you into a whole family thing." He smiles a little. "I guess I've gotten used to having you around to bounce problems off of. By all means, take the car. I can call for a ride later."

John nods, feeling a little relief and a little disappointment.

"Unless..." Rodney says. "Look, do you have anything to do? I mean, I'm guessing there's no one you want to visit here?"

John snorts. "No, Tactmaster General, there isn't, and I don't, but that's not your problem." He drinks a little more of his beer to shut himself up.

Rodney gets up from the table and comes over. "Sorry, sorry. What I mean is...I could use a disinterested third party on this, and I really have gotten used to having you around."

"Are you asking me to go to Toronto with you?"

"No," Rodney says. "I'm beating around the bush because I'm incredibly socially awkward. You in?"

John looks over Rodney's shoulder to Jeanne and cocks an eyebrow.

"Fine by me," she says. "He's being nicer than I've ever seen him, so I'm guessing you're a good influence."

And, just like that, John - an only child - is signed up for the Great McKay Brother Hunt.