Author Notes: This is my first Stargate: Atlantis fic so I'd love all feedback. I adored Ronon/Keller from the moment I saw 'Quarantine' and they ate my brain until I wrote this fic. It's a tag to 'Trio'. Enjoy.
SOOTHING
It was only when she was on her way to her quarters in the early hours of the morning that Jennifer Keller realised how tired she really was. It was the first time in…...well, ever that work hadn't been the cause of it. There'd be no need to go to the infirmary tonight to work herself to sleep like she'd planned, to take her mind off the fact that her bed would be empty tonight.
Jennifer paused, and sighed. Dammit.
She hadn't thought about that since before getting out of the Genii mine. She'd been too occupied with being out of the mine and getting back to Alantis and then taking McKay out for a drink that they both needed. Now, she wasn't going to be able to get her mind off it. It would stop her sleeping, despite how tired she was and how much every part of her body ached. She'd feel better after a good night's sleep and some painkillers tomorrow. Only the first part wasn't likely to happen now.
The timing was horrible. Whatever wonderful twist of fate that had brought her to Atlantis at the same time as Ronon Dex and caused him to actually be interested her, had now turned against her by making sure he was off-world during a time when she really wanted, needed, to see him. Jennifer just knew she'd feel better if he was around tonight.
She was so preoccupied by her thoughts that when she got into her room, she didn't notice that she wasn't alone. Not until it moved.
Someone or something was sat on her bed. A big dark and scary shape, in her room, on her bed, very late at night. She was so unnerved that she didn't recognise it as she should.
She had a shaky hand to her radio, taking a breath in to ask for help, when the shape lifted its head and she heard the familiar whisper of dreadlocks.
"…….Ronon?"
It felt like she was in the middle of one of the good dreams she always had when he was away. But Ronon flowed to his feet, his eyes sweeping over her silently.
"You alright?" his voice wrapped around her in that way that made her shiver just a little bit. It was a good feeling and she could feel herself blush, hoping that he didn't notice in the darkness. The curve of his lips that told that he had made her blush even more.
She stared at him, all her words dried up. It was so like she'd made a wish, and here he was, fully formed and amused that she didn't believe it, that it scared her. But she'd learnt in both hard and wonderful ways that in Atlantis, in this galaxy, the impossible was closer to reality than she'd ever believed it could be.
He was still there, she couldn't blink him away. He was watching her in that distinct Ronon-way that she'd thought about a lot down the Genii mine. So she moved and maybe he did too and then she was in his arms.
Ronon let out a huff, of amusement or surprise, but he held onto her as tightly as she clung to him. Jennifer could feel a gentle hand smoothing through her hair. Her eyes fluttered shut. He was definitely real. He smelled real, of sweat and leather and something that was just Ronon. It was him and he was here, with her. Like a granted wish.
Then he pulled back and didn't give her the chance to do more than catch her breath before his lips found hers. She responded eagerly. It was relief and joy and fierceness and sent a bolt of something electric and exciting through her. It was being alive. It only increased as he pulled her flush against him and let out a growl as her tongue traced his lower lip. Both of their actions were speaking louder than words.
When they finally resurfaced, Jennifer was glad that Ronon had his arms around her. Whoa. Her legs had been shaky before that, now she didn't think she could hold herself up
"I can't believe you're here," she said at last against his skin.
"Trading finished early," Ronon replied, a smile tugging at his expression in a way that made her own lips curl in response. "Heard you ran into some trouble."
"Oh……..," Jennifer smiled to herself at how she'd managed to forget her trying day once she was with Ronon. For someone she'd first thought scary and intimidating, she'd come to find his presence very soothing. She knew she'd be safe with him. "It was pretty……awful. Colonel Carter's going to be alright though. She was lucky"
Her off-world experiences were getting progressively worse. Her commanding officer had badly broken her leg and every plan they'd come up with had fallen apart. Jennifer hadn't been sure that they'd get out of there at all, everything kept going wrong. She held onto him a little tighter.
She wanted to be as strong as he was, going out there everyday and seeing what he saw. They needed her out there and she couldn't always hide in the infirmary.
Ronon nodded, his eyes fixed on her. Jennifer wondered what he saw, worry and anticipation jangling up and down her spine. This long together and he still did that to her. He knew it too, if his smirk was any indication, and her blush deepened.
Before Jennifer could get another word out, the exhaustion finally won its battle over her and her body sagged, legs buckling. Distantly, she catalogued what had happened, what vitamins she might need, how much rest, how embarrassed she was to be practically fainting on Ronon. She could feel him supporting her, strong arms holding her as they helped her sit down on the bed. Jennifer leant against a familiar sturdy shoulder.
"You have good reflexes," she yawned. "Thanks."
She felt the rumble of Ronon's laugh and then the brush of a kiss to her forehead. Her smile widened.
"Can you stay?" she asked impulsively, her hand wrapping around his arm tightly. He'd been scheduled for another mission tomorrow anyway that would probably be moved forward because of his early return. She didn't know when she'd see him again.
"Planning on it," she felt him press her closer, his nose buried in her hair. "Do you want to clean up first?"
"Are you saying I smell bad?" Jennifer managed to pull away a little so that she could look at him properly.
Ronon actually grinned, a slow wide smile that went right through her. He looked especially good like that and she'd caused it. Jennifer flushed with pleasure.
"I just want to sleep," she confessed. "It's been a really long day and I have to get up early."
"Yeah, me too," Ronon didn't sound bothered by the thought of an early start after a handful of hours sleep. Jennifer remembered stitching him up the night that the alien crystal had given them all nightmares, he'd been sparring with Colonel Sheppard then. In the middle of the night. "You sure you're alright? I heard reports, you're not hurt?"
His hand cupped her face, feeling rough and gentle all at the same time. It warmed her all the way through. She covered his hand with her own.
"I'm exhausted and a little banged up, nothing serious," she managed to put a laugh into her words. "And bruised, thanks to Dr McKay."
Ronon's brows drew together at that and he was clearly coming to several wrong conclusions so Jennifer hurried to explain.
"Oh, we were drinking in the bar. He's upset about Katie leaving and it was difficult to get him back to his quarters," her free hand wandered to her aching hip. "That's why I'm back so late."
"You got McKay drunk?" Ronon sounded very amused now.
"No! I just…..invited him out. He needed to talk to someone," Jennifer grinned at the memories of McKay's endless talk about Katie. It'd been sweet, erratic and hard to follow as he compared the complexities of his feelings for her to calculating star clusters, but sweet. Jennifer could sympathise. "He's passed out now."
"You took pictures, right?"
Jennifer patted the pocket that held her palm-sized camera. She'd taken just a couple, something to show Ronon when he got back from the trading negotiations. Ronon laughed and squeezed her a bit tighter. Jennifer closed her eyes, she could sleep right where she was.
Then her world tipped sideways and she opened her eyes to find the pillow under head and Ronon carefully pulling her shoes off. She tried to protest, embarrassed at needing to be taken care of like a child, but her body didn't co-operate so she wiggled her toes instead and heard Ronon's snort of laughter. She liked that she could do that. Colonel Sheppard had acted like it was a miracle when he'd come across Ronon laughing at something as Jennifer was stitching him up again.
She watched with sleepy happiness and that bit of disbelief that'd never gone away as Ronon pulled off his leather shirt, stepped out of his shoes, and slid under the covers with her. He made a better pillow than she remembered. He held her as close to him as he could.
He could have been sparring with Sheppard or meditating with Teyla or even actually sleeping before the mission tomorrow. Instead, he'd waited in her quarters and chose to sleep beside her.
Jennifer felt overwhelmingly lucky and cared for wrapped up in his arms. Someone she had lucked out and here was Ronon, a man from another world, another galaxy, who wanted to be with her. Ordinary, quiet and studious Jennifer Keller. That made even less sense now that her mind was hazy with approaching sleep.
Jennifer kissed the bare scarred flesh that her cheek had been resting on and managed a brief and heartfelt smile up at her lover. The bruise pulled at her hip as she twisted a little and she felt Ronon's silent probing gaze and warm experienced fingers brush against her hip, cautious and concerned. Sometimes Ronon treated her like he'd break her. From someone who barrelled through life like he was invulnerable, it made Jennifer feel overwhelmed. In a good way mostly.
"I'm fine," Jennifer said, feeling the sleep she thought wouldn't come begin to claim her.
And, despite the long awful day of bruises and exhaustion and possible approaching death and the fact that there would be another disaster tomorrow, she was. She was with Ronon.
-end