February 24
Stargate: Atlantis, Ronon/Keller: Claiming or establishing ownership - "he feels he should clean up for her - that, or grab her and rub his scent all over her"

Jen had been nervous since the moment Ronon had picked her up for their date. He was…all dressed up, looking completely unlike himself.

He was also….jittery would be the best way of describing it. Ronon was generally a man who had a purpose to every move he made. The fact that his left thumb kept brushing against his other fingers, or that his left hand kept drifting down to his pockets was very strange. She tried to brush it off and enjoy the dinner they were having. It wasn't everyday that a man romanced her with an amazing dinner on one of Atlantis' balconies.

"This is wonderful Ronon," she said, smiling at him, "You got all my favorites. How did you manage that?"

He shrugged, "Some people owed me favors. I wanted tonight to be special."

"It was very sweet of you," she said, "This whole thing is, the dinner, everything."

He smiled a little, and then rubbed his neck, looking more anxious by the moment.

Jen sighed, "Ronon is something wrong? You look so nervous, it's not like you."

"Well, I…there's something I wanted to tell you…something I wanted you to know."

"Okay," she said softly, "You can tell me anything."

"I've told you about my people before, on Sateda, well one thing we never talked about is one of our traditions." Ronon shifted his chair, coming to sit right next to her so he could hold her hand, "You see each family on Sateda had a…a symbol, a design that was made just for them. The symbol stayed in the family, following you wherever you went. He pointed to the symbol on his neck—this is my family's symbol. It means strength, not just physical strength, but emotional and moral strength as well."

He paused for a moment, looking up into her eyes, "My mother had a ring with that symbol on it. It was meant to be mine; to give to the woman I choose to be with, but it was lost in the culling. I forgot about it for a long time, not the symbol, but the ring, because I had no one I wanted to share my life with, but that has changed. I want that with you, Jennifer."

She stared at him, unsure of what to say. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring, showing it to her.

"I know that you have…a joining on your planet," he thought for a moment, "Marriage, Sheppard said he was married, but…they can be broken."

"Yes," she said softly, "Sometimes they can end."

"That's not what this ring means. If you want it, if you accept it from me, Jen, then I will never leave you. If things get hard, if things go bad, no matter what happens I will stay by you everyday for the rest of your life and I you will be with me everyday for the rest of him." Ronon looked more nervous now, shifting in the chair, "I know it's a big decision and I don't expect…"

Jen couldn't help but kiss him then. She wanted to say something, something as wonderful ass the things he had said, but she didn't know how. She hoped her kiss would answer for her and she was gratified when he kissed her back and pulled her into his lap.

When she finally pulled away, she reached for the ring, "It's beautiful. Will you put it on me?"

Ronon's smile took her breath away. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life, "Are you sure?"

"I am," she said, her voice more firm than ever, "I'm sure Ronon. I love you."

"I love you," he said as he pushed the ring on her finger, "More than anything. Forever."

"Forever," she echoed, kissing the ring and then kissing him again, "Forever."