One Day Late (Jennifer Keller/Ronon Dex, PG)
Title: One Day Late
Author: sasusc
Recipient: matt1969
Pairing: Jennifer Keller/Ronon Dex
Prompts: Atlantis balcony, start of a relationship, in the roles of Doctor and team member
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3721
Spoilers: Season 5 (nothing major), takes place before "Tracker"
Ronon inhaled deeply. The midnight's fresh air helped to cleanse his lungs and mind. He needed to go away, to take time to think and adjust to the situation. And tonight, staring up at the stars from one of the numerous balconies, was just the perfect opportunity to do so.
He shifted his body in a better position on the cold metal floor. His arms were folded behind his head for support and one of his legs was bent forward, his boot flat on the floor.
Jennifer Keller only saw him as a friend--a fellow co-worker and patient. She didn't see him as a man, a potential lover. He could work with that. He had been working with that. He had been letting himself get injured so he could go to the infirmary and have her patch him up. If she wasn't in that day, he would immediately walk out. He was used to patching himself up. He also had volunteered to help whenever she asked. His plans were to get her to notice him. Until last night he thought he was doing okay. The good doctor had always smiled at him and she had sought him out when her lunch break coincided with his.
And when he realized that his fellow teammate had also developed a crush on her, he never felt threatened by Rodney's attentions. He was so sure of himself--so sure she would have chosen him over Rodney. As much as he respected and like Rodney McKay, most women didn't flock around him. They usually noticed Sheppard or himself before they realized that McKay was there. Why would she be any different?
But she belongs to the small percentage of women who saw something more in Rodney McKay and could overlook his inflated ego and his insensitive words. He should have realized that sooner. Jennifer could see into a soul and see the goodness they carried. She could see past all of Rodney's flaws, and still like him for the man underneath his insecurities and ego. She was very much like Melena in that regard.
Melena had seen the real him underneath the tough exterior he exposed to the world. She loved him and had never once doubted him nor the love they felt for each other. But Melena had loved him before the Wraith got a hold on him and turned him into a Runner. She hadn't known the darkness that crept into his soul as he ran. She had loved him before he fell. That was the difference between Melena and Jennifer. Jennifer saw a twisted and mutilated soul. Melena had only known the healthy and full soul. If she was alive, could she still love him? Or would she take one look at the darkness surrounding him and turn away from him as it seems Jennifer had done? Who would want to love a broken man who had been forced to glue himself back together with pieces missing and damaged? No one--not when they had someone like Rodney McKay to turn to.
How could he fault her for turning to him?
Last night, walking through the halls and ridding his mind of nightmares and death, he came across them. He had paused in the shadows to observe them. They were all smiles and laughter as they talked. Jennifer looked breathless and beautiful with her back against the door and her arms wrapped around a computer tablet. Rodney stood in front of her, his fingers locked together behind him as he leaned forward. Before he realized it, they were kissing and the door behind her opened. Ronon didn't stick around long afterwards. He had been so angry and hurt; he didn't take his frustrating out on someone or something. Luckily, there was no one in the workout room and he was free to vent his feelings on the exercising tools offered. The red punching bag took the blunt force of his anger. He was surprised the thing lasted as long as it did. He left the mess for the cleaning crew and hoped he could intimidate anyone who dared to question his whereabouts when the punch bag was destroyed.
It was after noon when John Sheppard went looking for him. He stayed away from the mess hall. He was afraid that his hands might still be good for one more solid punch. His hands were a mess. He was sure he had a few broken fingers to go with his scrapped knuckles. Jennifer would be all over his hands and harass him over the damage he had wrought to himself. She would try to extract a promise not to do it again, and she would have pestered him endlessly over the reason for his injuries. He couldn't tell her that he destroyed a punching bag over her and Rodney.
John noticed the bandages he had wrapped clumsily around his hands first and made a wisecrack comment about the damages in the workout room. Ronon ignored him in favor of the taking another sip from the beer he had stolen from Sheppard's mini-fridge. He had attempted to get him to talk; but after all the grunting replies, he took the hint and sat down with him to drink their sorrows together. His final words before he sat down next him accurately described the situation: "There must be a woman involve. I'm sorry, man."
He hadn't stayed long. He drank one bottle before getting up and reminding him of their debriefing in the morning. Ronon realized he couldn't get roaring drunk that night and be alert tomorrow for their mission. He dumped the third bottle in the trash. And it was here, on this balcony, that his feet had taken him to clear his mind. He had been out here ever since.
He needed to take a break. He didn't want to see how happy Rodney and Jennifer will be in their new relationship. He could already hear the man gushing over how beautiful Keller was and how lucky he was to have her. He doubted he could sit there and listen to it all without wanting to bash McKay's head in. And he didn't want her to see how beat up he was over her. He needed a couple of days to bury his pain and put his carefree attitude back in place. No one but Sheppard would be the wiser. He didn't think he could take her pity if she found out that he harbored more then friendship for her nor her guilt she was bound to have if she learned his injuries were over her. All he needed was a couple of days to set things back in order.
He exhaled softly as he felt relief flood his body. His decision was made.
THE NEXT DAY
Woolsey adjusted his glasses as he watched Teyla Emmagan take her seat. "Let's get started, shall we?"
John Sheppard's face whipped up from the notepad he was drawing on. "Wait, Ronon's not here yet."
Richard folded his hands together on the table and gave him a small smile. "Mr. Dex won't be able to make it."
Sheppard settled back into his seat as he glanced towards Dr. Keller. "So he finally made it to the infirmary last night."
Confusion clouded Jennifer's face. "N-no," she stammered. "He needed medical attention last night? Why didn't you bring him in?"
Surprise raised John's eyebrows. He ignored the doctor's question in favor of asking his own questions to his superior. "Then where is he?"
"He asked to take a few personal days." He cleared his throat as he remembered the Satedan threats to have clearance to leave immediately. When he had granted him permission, he had assumed he would leave after breakfast was served. Ronon Dex had grabbed the bag he had left in the hallway and threatened to drag him all the way to the gate room if he hadn't radioed the night technicians his clearance. He should have realized that one of the reasons why Ronon wanted to leave immediately was because he hadn't told Sheppard first. "He almost busted down my door at three in the morning to leave."
Sheppard banged his fist on the table. "Damn him. If I knew he was going to ran, I would have tried harder to get him to talk to me last night. Damn. Do you know where he went?"
Woolsey shook his head. "I didn't ask. He said he would be back in three days, and he would contact us if there was any trouble."
"Colonel, how bad was his injuries? What happened to him? He could have a concussion, for all we know, and he's confused." She glared at Woolsey. "How could you have let him leave without having him checked over first?"
"I'm sure he didn't have a concussion, Dr. Keller. His hands were injured--nothing serious. He had them wrapped, but I'm sure they were only bruised from the pounding he gave. You know how he is."
Jennifer sighed. "You should still have let me or one of my doctors have a look at him."
"What's done is done, Dr. Keller. He's not here. Mr. Dex is very capable of seeking out medical attention on which ever world he went to if he needs it. If it'll make you feel better, I'll send him to you when he gets back from his leave." Richard tapped the paper report in front of him. "You can all talk about Mr. Dex at another time. We have things we need to discuss," he said getting right back to business.
FOUR DAYS LATER
"Are we sure this is necessary?" Rodney asked as he glanced around. "It's only been one day. Maybe he's just having too much fun?" His face scrunches up as he takes a couple steps to his left. "Are those lemons?"
"Yes, Rodney, this is necessary. Ronon said he would be back yesterday. He would have said something if he planned to stay longer. Something must have happened."
Teyla studied the tree lines looking for the hidden trail that would lead into the nearest village. She's been to this planet a few times. The Moholians weren't the friendliest people. They were known to take hostages and ask questions later. They also had one of the most contradicting cultures she had ever seen. One minute they would be fighting, and the next they would be in each other's arms making up.
She sighed. "I have to agree with Rodney, John. Ronon came here for a reason. He’ll come back to us when he's ready."
"What if he's hurt?" Dr. Keller spoke up. She fiddled nervously with the strap of her backpack.
Before anyone could say another word, a small group of men suddenly appear. Sheppard, Teyla, and Rodney quickly brought up their weapons and aimed them towards the men. Jennifer jumped slightly, unsure how these men had snuck up on them with no warnings.
One of men squinted. "Teyla Emmagan?"
"Yes?" she answered. She never took her eyes off of the man in front of her.
"That means the rest of you are friends of Dex." The six men surrounding them smiled and relaxed their stances. "Welcome. Dex mentioned that you might come looking for him. You're early; we weren't expecting you until tomorrow or the next day."
"Where is he?" demanded the colonel.
"Safe. You can lower your weapons. We'll take you to him."
Sheppard was reluctant to drop his weapon, but there wasn't anything else he could do. These people seemed friendly enough, and they talked as if Ronon was their friend.
"Colonel Sheppard, right?" the tall blonde commented as he lead the group into the trees.
John nodded at the man who was doing all the talking. He must be the ringleader of the group. Everyone here was following his actions.
"So that makes him Dr. McKay. And who is the little lady?"
"Dr. Keller. You know all our names, can we know yours?"
The blonde smiled. "Elaps Dekk," he replied.
The group made small talk on the ten minute hike to the village. John and Teyla spent their time trying to gain as much information as they could. Rodney complained about the heat and the occasional lemon-like trees along their way. Jennifer Keller stayed quiet. She didn't like the looks the men around her were giving and the looks only got worst every time she edged closer to one of her teammates.
Elaps clapped his hands together. He raised his voice so the rest of the curious villages could hear him. "Let's give a warm welcome to Ronon's good friends. Evans, bring the big man out."
A bald headed muscular man nodded before ducking into a doorway.
A sinking feeling blossomed in John's chest. Something didn't feel right. He tightened his hands around his gun. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Teyla was doing the same.
"Ronon!" Jennifer shouted as the Satedan was dragged out. His clothes were bloody and there were bandages wrapped around his head and hands. She ran to him before anyone could stop her. "What happened to you?" She glared at the man holding him up. "He shouldn't be moved. I need to examine him and find out the extent of his injuries."
Evans smirked over towards Elaps. "Looks like the little lady is the healer Dex has been talking about. Aren't we lucky?"
Jennifer wanted to flinch away from the man, but she couldn't leave Ronon. She was a doctor and it was her duty to help him. She couldn't back away down after realizing that these men were keeping Ronon, and now the rest of them, hostage.
"Dr. Jennifer Keller," Elaps called out to her. "Did you know you broke Ronon's heart?"
Evans nodded vigorously. "Mmm-hmm. It was all Dex spoke about. The pretty little doctor wouldn't give him the time of day."
One of the villagers came up behind Rodney and grabbed his arms. He protested the treatment. Teyla and John brought up their guns. John's gun was aimed at Elaps.
"Let them go," Sheppard demanded.
"Did you know your friend was brokenhearted, Colonel Sheppard? Ah, you did. Did you know Dr. McKay and Dr. Keller are involved with each other? Ronon found out and ran to us."
"And so your help involves beating him up and keeping him here?"
Elaps shook his head. "We didn't beat him up. He came to us with broken fingers. Ritun had to knock him out when he insisted on going back home. Ritun's little sister took a fancy to the man. They're getting married this evening."
"You can't force him to marry," Teyla hissed at him.
"Teyla Emmagan, you know that we never release our visitors without some sort of compensation. How much did your father spent for us to release Amon?"
"My father gave you wanted. You still didn't release him."
"And Amon didn't want to go back to your people. He was happy to stay here and start a family." He smiled. "Let's all sit down and have a meal. We can discuss Ronon's possible release over hot food. Come."
"We're not going anywhere."
Elaps smiled as he clapped a hand over Sheppard's shoulder. "I'll make a deal. Dr. Keller can stay with Ronon while we work out the details. Evans, take the pretty lady and Ronon back inside."
* * * * *
Ronon squinted through his good eye. "Dr. Keller, why are you here?"
Jennifer lifted her hand to his check. "Oh Ronon, what have you gotten yourself into now?" she asked softly, almost too softly for Ronon to make out the words. She cleared her throat and spoke louder. "Let's take a look."
She started to unwrap the head bandage. She winced slightly at the long cut across his forehead and into his hair. "It doesn't look that deep; probably doesn't even need stitches," she commented. "All bark and no bite--or at least just a tiny nip." She quickly rewrapped the wound before going for his hands. The bandages were dirty--stained with blood, sweat, and dirt. His hands were swollen and multicolored. They should have been in a splint days ago.
"Why did you come here?"
"We were worry. You didn't come back on time." She gently probed his knuckles and fingers feeling for broken fingers and possible fractures.
"That still doesn't explain why you are here," Ronon said. A pain hiss whistled through his teeth as her fingers pressed too deeply on his swollen skin.
Jennifer frowned. "I told you, we were worry."
Ronon shook his head. "You're not a part of this team. You shouldn't be on the recon mission. Sheppard wouldn't risk your safety without a reason. So why are you here?" he repeated.
Jennifer couldn't understand the antipathy in his voice. "I insisted on coming."
"You didn't want to be away from your precious lover," he sneered at her.
"What are you talking about?" Confusion clouded her face. She didn't have a lover.
Ronon pulled away from her. He couldn't look her straight in the eyes. He hadn't meant to voice his frustration and anger. He hadn't meant for her to realize the extent of his feelings for her. She didn't need to know. He didn't want her pity nor any feelings of awkwardness that might ensue.
"You and McKay. I saw the two of you." He inwardly groaned. He was revealing too much. He pressed his lips together.
"When?"
Why did he have to bring it up? He shouldn't have said anything. Answering would confirm exactly how strong his feelings for her were. It was something he had only just discovered these last few days as a prisoner to the Moholians, and something he hadn't plan to let Jennifer Keller know--ever. He had left Atlantis to forget the beautiful healer, but instead he had discovered his feeling for her were stronger than he thought. He couldn't forget her. Everything around him reminded him of her. He hated that he hadn't tried harder to gain her attention and affection. Now it was too late to do anything about it.
"It was the day you left. Rodney had asked me out the previous week. It was our first date."
"It doesn't matter," Ronon told her as he closed his eyes. "You don't need to tell me anything more." He didn't want to hear the details.
She brought her hands to his cheeks. "Nothing happened. He kissed me goodnight and the next morning over coffee we talked. Starting a relationship together didn't feel right. Rodney realized it was too soon after Katie Brown to start a serious relationship."
Ronon slowly opened his eyes. "You still have feelings for him."
Jennifer glanced away. Her hands dropped listlessly to her lap. "I don't know. He's a good friend. It's too soon to tell if all I feel for him is friendship or something more." She nervously picked at her clothing. "I've never been in love. I've had crushes and I've been on a handful of dates. I focused on my school work throughout my education," she explained. "It was easier than attempting to interact with people." She peeked at him looking for his reaction. Ronon was listening. He was trying to figure out where she was going with this conversation. She sucked in a breath as she forged on. "I can count the number of men on one hand that showed any interest in me. I never had two men interested in me at the same time. It's a little unnerving, and I don't know what to do."
"Jennifer," he said softly.
"Let me finish. I like you. I really do. I thought we had a connection in the infirmary months ago when we locked in together. I wanted to act on it, but I didn't know how to go about it. It's hard to make close friends here--in Atlantis I mean. They all are my patients and I work with them all. I had no girlfriends to discuss this with. But then it seemed you back away. Sure you visited the infirmary more often with your bogus injuries, but I started to realize that maybe this connection I thought we had weren't real. I had come to believe that all the trips to my office were only signs that you wanted to become my friend and nothing more." She gave him a wry smile. "I was wrong, wasn't I? I only saw that you also charmed my female staff. I was positive I must have imagined anything more between us. And then Rodney came along. He also visited me in the infirmary with imaginary illnesses. He didn't have half of my staff fawning over him."
Ronon smiled. "That's because they've been on the receiving end of Rodney's arrogance and contempt."
She compressed her lips to hide her smile. "Yes, well . . ." She shrugged her shoulders. "He's not that bad once you get pass all that."
"Rodney had more courage than I had. I never thought so."
"What do you mean?"
He leaned in closer to her. "I should have gone after what I wanted instead of waiting. I should have done this." He kissed her. His lips were soft and gentle as he waited for her to respond. He groaned when he felt her hands land on his chest before slowly sliding up to his neck. The kiss turned rougher as their passion ignited.
Jennifer pulled back to stare into his eyes. "What did you want?" she asked breathlessly.
"I want you." He pulled her into his lap and rested his head on top of hers. "I'm an idiot."
"For what?"
"For not doing something sooner. I think I was scared that you would refuse me. It held me back from doing anything more. After I left I realized that my fear of your refusal allowed McKay to step in and I thought I lost my chance to find out."
Jennifer listened to the rhythm of his heartbeat. "So where do we go from here?"
"We find away to escape, rescue Sheppard from Dekk's greedy hands, and go home."
She lifted her head to grin up at him. "That's all? Gee, I thought it would be much harder. And just how do you plan to escape?"
"We'll make it up as we go along."
Author: sasusc
Recipient: matt1969
Pairing: Jennifer Keller/Ronon Dex
Prompts: Atlantis balcony, start of a relationship, in the roles of Doctor and team member
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3721
Spoilers: Season 5 (nothing major), takes place before "Tracker"
Ronon inhaled deeply. The midnight's fresh air helped to cleanse his lungs and mind. He needed to go away, to take time to think and adjust to the situation. And tonight, staring up at the stars from one of the numerous balconies, was just the perfect opportunity to do so.
He shifted his body in a better position on the cold metal floor. His arms were folded behind his head for support and one of his legs was bent forward, his boot flat on the floor.
Jennifer Keller only saw him as a friend--a fellow co-worker and patient. She didn't see him as a man, a potential lover. He could work with that. He had been working with that. He had been letting himself get injured so he could go to the infirmary and have her patch him up. If she wasn't in that day, he would immediately walk out. He was used to patching himself up. He also had volunteered to help whenever she asked. His plans were to get her to notice him. Until last night he thought he was doing okay. The good doctor had always smiled at him and she had sought him out when her lunch break coincided with his.
And when he realized that his fellow teammate had also developed a crush on her, he never felt threatened by Rodney's attentions. He was so sure of himself--so sure she would have chosen him over Rodney. As much as he respected and like Rodney McKay, most women didn't flock around him. They usually noticed Sheppard or himself before they realized that McKay was there. Why would she be any different?
But she belongs to the small percentage of women who saw something more in Rodney McKay and could overlook his inflated ego and his insensitive words. He should have realized that sooner. Jennifer could see into a soul and see the goodness they carried. She could see past all of Rodney's flaws, and still like him for the man underneath his insecurities and ego. She was very much like Melena in that regard.
Melena had seen the real him underneath the tough exterior he exposed to the world. She loved him and had never once doubted him nor the love they felt for each other. But Melena had loved him before the Wraith got a hold on him and turned him into a Runner. She hadn't known the darkness that crept into his soul as he ran. She had loved him before he fell. That was the difference between Melena and Jennifer. Jennifer saw a twisted and mutilated soul. Melena had only known the healthy and full soul. If she was alive, could she still love him? Or would she take one look at the darkness surrounding him and turn away from him as it seems Jennifer had done? Who would want to love a broken man who had been forced to glue himself back together with pieces missing and damaged? No one--not when they had someone like Rodney McKay to turn to.
How could he fault her for turning to him?
Last night, walking through the halls and ridding his mind of nightmares and death, he came across them. He had paused in the shadows to observe them. They were all smiles and laughter as they talked. Jennifer looked breathless and beautiful with her back against the door and her arms wrapped around a computer tablet. Rodney stood in front of her, his fingers locked together behind him as he leaned forward. Before he realized it, they were kissing and the door behind her opened. Ronon didn't stick around long afterwards. He had been so angry and hurt; he didn't take his frustrating out on someone or something. Luckily, there was no one in the workout room and he was free to vent his feelings on the exercising tools offered. The red punching bag took the blunt force of his anger. He was surprised the thing lasted as long as it did. He left the mess for the cleaning crew and hoped he could intimidate anyone who dared to question his whereabouts when the punch bag was destroyed.
It was after noon when John Sheppard went looking for him. He stayed away from the mess hall. He was afraid that his hands might still be good for one more solid punch. His hands were a mess. He was sure he had a few broken fingers to go with his scrapped knuckles. Jennifer would be all over his hands and harass him over the damage he had wrought to himself. She would try to extract a promise not to do it again, and she would have pestered him endlessly over the reason for his injuries. He couldn't tell her that he destroyed a punching bag over her and Rodney.
John noticed the bandages he had wrapped clumsily around his hands first and made a wisecrack comment about the damages in the workout room. Ronon ignored him in favor of the taking another sip from the beer he had stolen from Sheppard's mini-fridge. He had attempted to get him to talk; but after all the grunting replies, he took the hint and sat down with him to drink their sorrows together. His final words before he sat down next him accurately described the situation: "There must be a woman involve. I'm sorry, man."
He hadn't stayed long. He drank one bottle before getting up and reminding him of their debriefing in the morning. Ronon realized he couldn't get roaring drunk that night and be alert tomorrow for their mission. He dumped the third bottle in the trash. And it was here, on this balcony, that his feet had taken him to clear his mind. He had been out here ever since.
He needed to take a break. He didn't want to see how happy Rodney and Jennifer will be in their new relationship. He could already hear the man gushing over how beautiful Keller was and how lucky he was to have her. He doubted he could sit there and listen to it all without wanting to bash McKay's head in. And he didn't want her to see how beat up he was over her. He needed a couple of days to bury his pain and put his carefree attitude back in place. No one but Sheppard would be the wiser. He didn't think he could take her pity if she found out that he harbored more then friendship for her nor her guilt she was bound to have if she learned his injuries were over her. All he needed was a couple of days to set things back in order.
He exhaled softly as he felt relief flood his body. His decision was made.
THE NEXT DAY
Woolsey adjusted his glasses as he watched Teyla Emmagan take her seat. "Let's get started, shall we?"
John Sheppard's face whipped up from the notepad he was drawing on. "Wait, Ronon's not here yet."
Richard folded his hands together on the table and gave him a small smile. "Mr. Dex won't be able to make it."
Sheppard settled back into his seat as he glanced towards Dr. Keller. "So he finally made it to the infirmary last night."
Confusion clouded Jennifer's face. "N-no," she stammered. "He needed medical attention last night? Why didn't you bring him in?"
Surprise raised John's eyebrows. He ignored the doctor's question in favor of asking his own questions to his superior. "Then where is he?"
"He asked to take a few personal days." He cleared his throat as he remembered the Satedan threats to have clearance to leave immediately. When he had granted him permission, he had assumed he would leave after breakfast was served. Ronon Dex had grabbed the bag he had left in the hallway and threatened to drag him all the way to the gate room if he hadn't radioed the night technicians his clearance. He should have realized that one of the reasons why Ronon wanted to leave immediately was because he hadn't told Sheppard first. "He almost busted down my door at three in the morning to leave."
Sheppard banged his fist on the table. "Damn him. If I knew he was going to ran, I would have tried harder to get him to talk to me last night. Damn. Do you know where he went?"
Woolsey shook his head. "I didn't ask. He said he would be back in three days, and he would contact us if there was any trouble."
"Colonel, how bad was his injuries? What happened to him? He could have a concussion, for all we know, and he's confused." She glared at Woolsey. "How could you have let him leave without having him checked over first?"
"I'm sure he didn't have a concussion, Dr. Keller. His hands were injured--nothing serious. He had them wrapped, but I'm sure they were only bruised from the pounding he gave. You know how he is."
Jennifer sighed. "You should still have let me or one of my doctors have a look at him."
"What's done is done, Dr. Keller. He's not here. Mr. Dex is very capable of seeking out medical attention on which ever world he went to if he needs it. If it'll make you feel better, I'll send him to you when he gets back from his leave." Richard tapped the paper report in front of him. "You can all talk about Mr. Dex at another time. We have things we need to discuss," he said getting right back to business.
FOUR DAYS LATER
"Are we sure this is necessary?" Rodney asked as he glanced around. "It's only been one day. Maybe he's just having too much fun?" His face scrunches up as he takes a couple steps to his left. "Are those lemons?"
"Yes, Rodney, this is necessary. Ronon said he would be back yesterday. He would have said something if he planned to stay longer. Something must have happened."
Teyla studied the tree lines looking for the hidden trail that would lead into the nearest village. She's been to this planet a few times. The Moholians weren't the friendliest people. They were known to take hostages and ask questions later. They also had one of the most contradicting cultures she had ever seen. One minute they would be fighting, and the next they would be in each other's arms making up.
She sighed. "I have to agree with Rodney, John. Ronon came here for a reason. He’ll come back to us when he's ready."
"What if he's hurt?" Dr. Keller spoke up. She fiddled nervously with the strap of her backpack.
Before anyone could say another word, a small group of men suddenly appear. Sheppard, Teyla, and Rodney quickly brought up their weapons and aimed them towards the men. Jennifer jumped slightly, unsure how these men had snuck up on them with no warnings.
One of men squinted. "Teyla Emmagan?"
"Yes?" she answered. She never took her eyes off of the man in front of her.
"That means the rest of you are friends of Dex." The six men surrounding them smiled and relaxed their stances. "Welcome. Dex mentioned that you might come looking for him. You're early; we weren't expecting you until tomorrow or the next day."
"Where is he?" demanded the colonel.
"Safe. You can lower your weapons. We'll take you to him."
Sheppard was reluctant to drop his weapon, but there wasn't anything else he could do. These people seemed friendly enough, and they talked as if Ronon was their friend.
"Colonel Sheppard, right?" the tall blonde commented as he lead the group into the trees.
John nodded at the man who was doing all the talking. He must be the ringleader of the group. Everyone here was following his actions.
"So that makes him Dr. McKay. And who is the little lady?"
"Dr. Keller. You know all our names, can we know yours?"
The blonde smiled. "Elaps Dekk," he replied.
The group made small talk on the ten minute hike to the village. John and Teyla spent their time trying to gain as much information as they could. Rodney complained about the heat and the occasional lemon-like trees along their way. Jennifer Keller stayed quiet. She didn't like the looks the men around her were giving and the looks only got worst every time she edged closer to one of her teammates.
Elaps clapped his hands together. He raised his voice so the rest of the curious villages could hear him. "Let's give a warm welcome to Ronon's good friends. Evans, bring the big man out."
A bald headed muscular man nodded before ducking into a doorway.
A sinking feeling blossomed in John's chest. Something didn't feel right. He tightened his hands around his gun. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Teyla was doing the same.
"Ronon!" Jennifer shouted as the Satedan was dragged out. His clothes were bloody and there were bandages wrapped around his head and hands. She ran to him before anyone could stop her. "What happened to you?" She glared at the man holding him up. "He shouldn't be moved. I need to examine him and find out the extent of his injuries."
Evans smirked over towards Elaps. "Looks like the little lady is the healer Dex has been talking about. Aren't we lucky?"
Jennifer wanted to flinch away from the man, but she couldn't leave Ronon. She was a doctor and it was her duty to help him. She couldn't back away down after realizing that these men were keeping Ronon, and now the rest of them, hostage.
"Dr. Jennifer Keller," Elaps called out to her. "Did you know you broke Ronon's heart?"
Evans nodded vigorously. "Mmm-hmm. It was all Dex spoke about. The pretty little doctor wouldn't give him the time of day."
One of the villagers came up behind Rodney and grabbed his arms. He protested the treatment. Teyla and John brought up their guns. John's gun was aimed at Elaps.
"Let them go," Sheppard demanded.
"Did you know your friend was brokenhearted, Colonel Sheppard? Ah, you did. Did you know Dr. McKay and Dr. Keller are involved with each other? Ronon found out and ran to us."
"And so your help involves beating him up and keeping him here?"
Elaps shook his head. "We didn't beat him up. He came to us with broken fingers. Ritun had to knock him out when he insisted on going back home. Ritun's little sister took a fancy to the man. They're getting married this evening."
"You can't force him to marry," Teyla hissed at him.
"Teyla Emmagan, you know that we never release our visitors without some sort of compensation. How much did your father spent for us to release Amon?"
"My father gave you wanted. You still didn't release him."
"And Amon didn't want to go back to your people. He was happy to stay here and start a family." He smiled. "Let's all sit down and have a meal. We can discuss Ronon's possible release over hot food. Come."
"We're not going anywhere."
Elaps smiled as he clapped a hand over Sheppard's shoulder. "I'll make a deal. Dr. Keller can stay with Ronon while we work out the details. Evans, take the pretty lady and Ronon back inside."
* * * * *
Ronon squinted through his good eye. "Dr. Keller, why are you here?"
Jennifer lifted her hand to his check. "Oh Ronon, what have you gotten yourself into now?" she asked softly, almost too softly for Ronon to make out the words. She cleared her throat and spoke louder. "Let's take a look."
She started to unwrap the head bandage. She winced slightly at the long cut across his forehead and into his hair. "It doesn't look that deep; probably doesn't even need stitches," she commented. "All bark and no bite--or at least just a tiny nip." She quickly rewrapped the wound before going for his hands. The bandages were dirty--stained with blood, sweat, and dirt. His hands were swollen and multicolored. They should have been in a splint days ago.
"Why did you come here?"
"We were worry. You didn't come back on time." She gently probed his knuckles and fingers feeling for broken fingers and possible fractures.
"That still doesn't explain why you are here," Ronon said. A pain hiss whistled through his teeth as her fingers pressed too deeply on his swollen skin.
Jennifer frowned. "I told you, we were worry."
Ronon shook his head. "You're not a part of this team. You shouldn't be on the recon mission. Sheppard wouldn't risk your safety without a reason. So why are you here?" he repeated.
Jennifer couldn't understand the antipathy in his voice. "I insisted on coming."
"You didn't want to be away from your precious lover," he sneered at her.
"What are you talking about?" Confusion clouded her face. She didn't have a lover.
Ronon pulled away from her. He couldn't look her straight in the eyes. He hadn't meant to voice his frustration and anger. He hadn't meant for her to realize the extent of his feelings for her. She didn't need to know. He didn't want her pity nor any feelings of awkwardness that might ensue.
"You and McKay. I saw the two of you." He inwardly groaned. He was revealing too much. He pressed his lips together.
"When?"
Why did he have to bring it up? He shouldn't have said anything. Answering would confirm exactly how strong his feelings for her were. It was something he had only just discovered these last few days as a prisoner to the Moholians, and something he hadn't plan to let Jennifer Keller know--ever. He had left Atlantis to forget the beautiful healer, but instead he had discovered his feeling for her were stronger than he thought. He couldn't forget her. Everything around him reminded him of her. He hated that he hadn't tried harder to gain her attention and affection. Now it was too late to do anything about it.
"It was the day you left. Rodney had asked me out the previous week. It was our first date."
"It doesn't matter," Ronon told her as he closed his eyes. "You don't need to tell me anything more." He didn't want to hear the details.
She brought her hands to his cheeks. "Nothing happened. He kissed me goodnight and the next morning over coffee we talked. Starting a relationship together didn't feel right. Rodney realized it was too soon after Katie Brown to start a serious relationship."
Ronon slowly opened his eyes. "You still have feelings for him."
Jennifer glanced away. Her hands dropped listlessly to her lap. "I don't know. He's a good friend. It's too soon to tell if all I feel for him is friendship or something more." She nervously picked at her clothing. "I've never been in love. I've had crushes and I've been on a handful of dates. I focused on my school work throughout my education," she explained. "It was easier than attempting to interact with people." She peeked at him looking for his reaction. Ronon was listening. He was trying to figure out where she was going with this conversation. She sucked in a breath as she forged on. "I can count the number of men on one hand that showed any interest in me. I never had two men interested in me at the same time. It's a little unnerving, and I don't know what to do."
"Jennifer," he said softly.
"Let me finish. I like you. I really do. I thought we had a connection in the infirmary months ago when we locked in together. I wanted to act on it, but I didn't know how to go about it. It's hard to make close friends here--in Atlantis I mean. They all are my patients and I work with them all. I had no girlfriends to discuss this with. But then it seemed you back away. Sure you visited the infirmary more often with your bogus injuries, but I started to realize that maybe this connection I thought we had weren't real. I had come to believe that all the trips to my office were only signs that you wanted to become my friend and nothing more." She gave him a wry smile. "I was wrong, wasn't I? I only saw that you also charmed my female staff. I was positive I must have imagined anything more between us. And then Rodney came along. He also visited me in the infirmary with imaginary illnesses. He didn't have half of my staff fawning over him."
Ronon smiled. "That's because they've been on the receiving end of Rodney's arrogance and contempt."
She compressed her lips to hide her smile. "Yes, well . . ." She shrugged her shoulders. "He's not that bad once you get pass all that."
"Rodney had more courage than I had. I never thought so."
"What do you mean?"
He leaned in closer to her. "I should have gone after what I wanted instead of waiting. I should have done this." He kissed her. His lips were soft and gentle as he waited for her to respond. He groaned when he felt her hands land on his chest before slowly sliding up to his neck. The kiss turned rougher as their passion ignited.
Jennifer pulled back to stare into his eyes. "What did you want?" she asked breathlessly.
"I want you." He pulled her into his lap and rested his head on top of hers. "I'm an idiot."
"For what?"
"For not doing something sooner. I think I was scared that you would refuse me. It held me back from doing anything more. After I left I realized that my fear of your refusal allowed McKay to step in and I thought I lost my chance to find out."
Jennifer listened to the rhythm of his heartbeat. "So where do we go from here?"
"We find away to escape, rescue Sheppard from Dekk's greedy hands, and go home."
She lifted her head to grin up at him. "That's all? Gee, I thought it would be much harder. And just how do you plan to escape?"
"We'll make it up as we go along."