025. Strangers; Patience
Title: Patience [3/3]
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Amelia Banks, Ronon Dex, OC
Prompt: 025 Strangers
Word Count: ~1.450
Rating: G - minor swearing.
Summary: Never in my life have I more dreaded going home than this day. Part 3
Notes: Part 3 of a short series. This piece probably has many mistakes so please tell me and I'll fix them straight away. I'm sorry but I'm sick, I'm tired and this series was dragging a little so I just figured I'll finish it now and it's done :) A little Bandex for my shipper readers but mostly Amelia/OC. Please comment, they will make me feel better :). LDT.
[ Part 1]
[ Part 2]
*
Never in my life have I more dreaded going home than this day. When that ship fell from the sky a few days ago, I was both overjoyed and panicked. But as time wore on, the dread won over to the point where I can’t even stop my leg from tapping as I sit in the common area, staring out the window at the hyperdrive’s telltale blue streaks.
Even with the short, yet (hopefully) clear conversation I had had with Nathan, I was still worried. The more I thought about it, the more I realised I didn’t need to be worried. So what if we accidently got married? More than likely, it wouldn’t even be recognised on Atlantis or anywhere else for that matter. And Nathan was a good guy, he knew this wasn’t exactly my idea of a fun time. He wouldn’t go against what we agreed, right?
Tap tap tap. Unfortunately, my leg refused to comply with my (somewhat) rational thoughts.
Tap tap tap. That was weird. That wasn’t my foot that time. Sure enough, I look up and there is someone at the doorway. Nathan is in the doorway. I give a small smile, inviting him to come inside even though it is a common area and I don’t have to give him permission to enter.
We quietly and insecurely say our hellos and the silence ensuing makes me start to tap my foot again.
“Are you okay?” He asks me and the genuine concern I hear in his voice makes me smile despite my strange mood.
“Yeah, I’m fine...” I say, thought I suppose I don’t really mean it. Does anyone really mean it when they say they are fine? I suppose it’s more of a courtesy than anything else meant to prevent the other person from knowing how screwed up we actually are inside... and I’m rambling in my head. Lovely. Another sign of how nervous I am.
I can tell he sees it too, but I silently thank him for not saying anything. We wouldn’t want the situation to get any more awkward, now would we?
This is quickly turning into a disaster.
“I, uh... just wanted to clarify some things.” He finally says, interrupting my roaming thoughts. I look at him and that is enough for him to continue. “We aren’t going to tell anyone we’re married, right?”
I nod.
“And we’re just going to act like we did before we went to that planet, right?”
I nod again.
“So that means we’ll just be strangers again, right?”
I hesitate.
“What I mean is, I do like you, Amelia.” At my slightly shocked and confused expression, he was quick to explain. “As a friend, of course.” He sighs, rubbing his hands over his stubbled face. “What I mean to say is, I don’t want to be strangers, anymore.”
“I don’t, either,” I say to him and the responding smile is enough to close the conversation. Of course, there are many more things to work out. But they can wait. We still have a few more days on the Deadalus before we reach home again.
*
Despite my earlier feeling of constant dread about reaching Atlantis, when I finally see the angular architecture and the familiar sight of the Atlantis ‘gate, all I want to do is kiss the ground and thank the stars we made it home before I went crazy.
I had never been one for long periods of time outdoors and the farm planet had been the closest to driving me insane. Sure, I had been camping as a kid and such, but as an adult if I don’t have a computer in my sight, I don’t feel altogether comfortable.
Before i could even turn around, someone has bounded down the gate room stairs and grabbed me from behind, hugging me tight. So tight, it takes my breath away... literally. And that can only mean one person.
“Hey, Ronon, I missed you, too.” He drops me and his deep, rumbling chuckle is enough for me to feel like I’m home again.
But my eyes catch Nathan’s from across the room. He’s talking to a nurse but when he sees me looking at him, he stops and smiles at me. I return it gladly.
“Who’s he?” Ronon asks, interrupting my moment with Nathan.
“A new friend.” He stares blankly at me and I have to laugh at him, if only to make him less serious right now. It was good to know he hadn’t lost his strong sense of protection over me in the few weeks I had been gone.
But only if he knew...
*
I went straight to my quarters to sleep that night after the doctors had checked us all out. I insisted that we were fine but those stupid precautions and protocols and such trumped my protests. After spending more time than originally intended at that place, my sense of time adjusted to the wrong planet. It was approximately three in the morning for me, seven at night for the people not with us on the little adventure.
It was good to be in a proper bed again, that was for sure. I didn’t know how much I had missed my laptop, either. My collection of music and movies from back on Earth was all still neatly stacked on my desk and I was even tempted to run to the mess to find the coffee maker and hug it. But I restrained myself with a grin and slipped quietly and snugly into my freshly made bed.
I had just turned off my lamp and had all but crashed under the covers when my door chime sounded. I grumbled, but also knowing that most of Atlantis would still be wide awake, I begrudgingly made my way to the door, bunny slippers and all.
“Nathan!” I exclaimed with surprise, my weariness lifting slightly at the surprise of seeing him. But bless the man who brings you coffee, so I moved aside to let him in.
As I walked behind him towards the couch, I couldn’t help but noticing how well he cleaned up. His hair was no longer a dirty mousy blonde, but a pale, almost golden yellow colour. His tan - well, what I thought was a tan - was actually mostly dirt and his complexion was a pink-white more than the brown I thought. He was wearing his military standard jacket but she could see his track pants and slippers as well and briefly wondered if he had gotten dressed to go to sleep but decided against it in the end only to end up at her door.
“How’d you find me?” I asked. It wasn’t exactly a friendly, warm welcome. But he knew it was in jest... mostly.
“I know some people who knew some people. You know, I’m very well connected in this city.”
“Ah, I see,” I say, letting some sarcasm through. Then I remember the coffee and the reason why I let him in in the first place. “So, trying to beat the jet lag?”
He hands me one of the mugs and the warmth that emanates from it through my fingers feels oddly like home. “Just thought I’d come visit an old friend.”
“Hey,” I snap back, lowering the cup I was about to take a sip from. “Are you calling me old?”
He laughs and its good to know that even with everything that happened, we can still act without any awkwardness. But knowing that thinking about it only makes it worse, I take a drink and feel the caffeine-y goodness slide down my throat. Man, this guy can make amazing coffee.
“So, first night back in Atlantis. What’s the verdict?”
“I am a technician, you know. The whirr of computers and random beeping of machines is what makes me comfortable. I wouldn’t have survived for much longer on that farming planet.”
He shakes his head at me and I just offer a smile, showing him that at least I’m being honest.
“Yeah, I suppose I would have missed flying if I had stayed much longer. It’s why I became an Air Force Officer, the flying.”
I hate to admit this but something about this man tells me I can tell him anything.
“You know, I’ve never been in a 302...”
“I’ll take you. When everything gets settled back into place, I’m going to take you flying.”
I’m not sure whether to be scared or excited, but I don’t mind either way.
We are friends after all. And even in the space of such a short amount of time, I do trust him.
I’m in for the ride of my life with this one.
Oh, boy.
*