Take a Chance
Disclaimer: I still don't own anything of SGA. Just dvds. MGM owns all of that.
Rating: K
Summary: Ronon convinces Jenn to take a chance on them. A couple of weeks after TLT but before Outsiders.
A/N: For Gateworld Love Shack's 7?th Intentions Day! Happy shipping!
Ronon just didn't get it. She said she was interested in someone else. And yet, she was eating alone. Again. McKay was done with the repairs on the Daedalus. McKay who also had intentions toward her.
The light spilled across Jennifer. The Ancients's fondness for stained glass somehow framed her in light every time he came across her. Right now, it looked as if the evening sun reached down and gently kissed fire into her hair and left a glow on her skin.
And, like always, it took his breath away.
But she was interested in someone else.
Yet she was alone in the mess.
If Ronon kept circling these thoughts, he'd go insane. He went back to the serving tables and grabbed two dishes of something sweet. He snaked his way across the room to where Jenn was sitting and plopped down in the chair kitty corner from her. "You look like you need company," he said as he slid the second dish over to her. Jenn looked up startled. "Well since 'Someone Else' isn't here."
Jennifer had a faintly shocked look on her face. "I...I thought..." she trailed off.
"Look. I need to apologize if I made you think our friendship is over." Ronon took a spoonful of the custard – it seemed. "I just needed time."
"I'm sorry I can't be what you want me to be." Jenn looked – regretful? No way was he interpreting that right.
Ronon took a minute to consider what she might have meant. She can't be what he wanted? Jennifer was everything he wanted. She can't be… That seemed the central point. She still felt she can't... something.
"I don't get it," he rumbled.
Jenn looked away. "I can't…." She fidgeted in her chair now. Ronon found that enlightening. He was getting very close to the mark. "I can't take that risk."
That threw Ronon a bit. "But you take risks all the time."
"What? No...no… I never do. Not really." Jenn denied his assessment. She actually believed it.
"Did you have to skip so many grades?" Ronon stumbled a touch over the unfamiliar terminology. "Did you have to come to Atlantis? Did you have to step in as Chief Medical Officer? Did you have to develop the gene therapy for the wraith? You take risks all the time."
"It's different!" That was louder, more emphatic than he anticipated.
"How?" He was genuinely curious.
"I can't lose anyone else in my life." Jenn stopped abruptly. "I lost my mom when I was twelve. It's a horrible age for anybody, but especially bad for a girl to lose her mom." She took a deep breath.
And Ronon understood. He'd lost everyone as well. More, how could he even promise he'd be home after every away mission. There were easy ones, but there were also ones he'd barely walked – or been carried away from.
Just twenty minutes ago, he'd started feeling hopeful that he and Jennifer might find a way to each other. Now, there was nothing. Again.
No, dammit! Ronon had fought too long and too hard to have a family and contentment to not share that with someone he loved. With Jennifer.
"I understand."
Jenn met his eyes with a startled, understanding look. "You lost everything. You lost her."
"Yeah. And would I be with Melena if I knew if I knew how it would end?" Ronon waited two extra heartbeats to accent his point. "Yes. What we had was worth it." Ronon let her think about it for a couple of minutes as he continued to sample the custard. "It's a lonely life to not have somebody. Take one more chance. On me. And I'll take one more chance on you."
There was trepidation in Jennifer's eyes. Almost like when their first training session and he forced her to make some defensive moves. He could tell she was thinking through everything he said. Finally, she nodded.
"Dinner on the west pier tomorrow night. I know a spot," Jenn offered with a small smile.
Ronon grinned. "I'll pick you up at your quarters."
A/N 2 - Hope you all enjoy! Reviews are amazing!