It had been a little over a week since the Satedan, Ronon Dex, had come to Atlantis. She guessed he was finding things hard and she remembered his reaction when they had shown him what had happened to Sateda, his home world, by courtesy of a MALP. The haunted, hunted look that he gave the screen would remain with her a long time. Now she stood the other side of the gym door, watching through the glass as he trained one of Atlantis' marines using a knife. She could hear his deep sombre voice as he instructed,
" Thigh, strip, cut, lift, cut…and finish."
She watched as he twisted the marine's arm behind his back and having taken the knife from him, was holding it to his throat. She gasped in admiration. She had never seen anyone quite like him before. He was a big man, tall, muscular with a wild mane of dredlocked hair which swung down his back. He was primitive, primordial almost, and yet undoubtedly attractive. She found herself holding her breath, waiting for his next move, watching his muscles and sinews bunch and stretch, fascinated. She felt like a peeping Tom, a stalker, watching this magnificent animal move gracefully around the gym, until eventually she took another deep breath opened the door and walked in.
She said, "Ronon, could I have a word?"
He handed the knife to the marine, "here," he said, as he walked over to her. She watched him, moving effortlessly toward her and as he came to stand just before her, she said,
"I understand Major Sheppard extended an invitation to you to join his team". Major? What the hell? Sheppard hadn't been a Major for sometime now, it had been through her he had been promoted, what the hell? See what this man does to you Elizabeth, she silently remonstrated, get a grip for God's sake!
She was embarrassed, what a fool, she thought, instead, she plucked up the courage and smiled at him.
Ronon looked back at her, she was something else, this leader of the Atlantians, she scared him stupid! "Yeah, he did." He replied.
Elizabeth had no idea what the man was thinking, she felt flustered and ill at ease. "Well. He was supposed to speak to me about that first." She smiled again; Ronon Dex didn't say much, he replied, "Ok".
"Look," she said softly, her eyes searching his face, "its not that I don't trust you, or value any contributions you may have to make, or that you will make if you join us," she paused, gathering her thoughts, choosing her words carefully, "its just," she hesitated briefly, "it is a rather big decision." She waited, say something, for God's sake, she thought, but instead he just looked at her, his face inscrutable, there was no way for her to know what was going through the big man's mind.
"So," She said eventually, "how do you feel?"
Ronon studied her, she was beautiful in an unconventional way, not like Melina in any shape or form. She was taller, dark haired and a diplomat…Melina had been small, and blonde, a doctor, a healer among his people. This woman was something else, and yet he couldn't take his eyes from her. Sheppard spoke highly of her, he had thought maybe they were together, but looking at her now, he knew that wasn't so. No, this woman belonged to no one but herself, maybe in time, when he was ready, and she was less nervous of him, he could be her friend. He answered, "I'm thinkin' about it"
She held his gaze and hoped her eyes didn't betray the jittering she felt in her heart, don't look at me that way, she thought, please! She said, "OK. Good! Well, I'm thinkin' about it too, So I guess we'll just keep in touch, then?"
With one final gaze, Ronon tore his eyes from her face, and replied, "OK". He turned and walked back to the marines. Enough was enough, he wasn't ready to start anything, but God help him, if he didn't walk away, there was no telling what he would do. He heard her response.
"OK!"
He spoke to one of the marines, "Alright, remember the leading arm. Two knives."
She watched for a moment more as the marine made his first move, turning her back she heard his voice, "Slice, cut!"
Determinedly, Elizabeth made her way back to the control room, a safe place for her, the furthest end of the city from where Ronon Dex was now! She felt the need to get as far away from him as she could. He disturbed her. "It's the rebound!" She remonstrated with herself, "Simon moved on, god, you told him too, don't put your life on hold for me that's what you said, so he didn't! What did you expect, he's a man after all! No, there was no room for romantic involvement in this job, not now, not ever, and not even Ronon Dex could change that!
Later, mulling over earlier events, she had the distinct feeling that someone was following her.
"John?" she asked turning and coming face to face with Lt Colonel John Sheppard.
John scurried to catch her up, "Uh, did you get the chance to talk to Ronon?"
She smiled, nervously, "Yes I did, chatty fellow isn't he!"
Sheppard looked at her, his eyes raking her face, he wanted an answer. "And?"
She narrowed her gaze and replied, "He would be your responsibly!"
He laughed, "Ha! I knew you'd say yes!
She sighed, sometimes her military commander was a bit like a small boy, there were even times that she felt like his mother...God help her!
"I haven't said yes."
"Well, you were about to."
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him, was she really that transparent? John Sheppard wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer when it came to reading peoples thoughts and feelings, it would be just about right that he would manage it with her though. She sighed.
"Yes."
He smiled, a big boyish grin. "There y'go!" he replied, and breezed out of the control room. Elizabeth sighed again, the makings of a headache beginning to attack behind her eyes. A visit to Carson seemed to be the next best course of action. She left the control room and made her way to sick bay, in her mind's eye Ronon Dex, knife in hand, sparring in the gym! She shook the thoughts away and headed toward sick bay. Yes, she decided, a visit with Carson was definitely what she needed!