A/N: This is a one-shot inspired by BiteMeTechie's "100 starting lines" on the When Plot Bunnies Attack forum, (go read her stuff, it's incredible) line #125, "Why are you hiding?"

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"Why are you hiding?" a voice said from behind him. He sighed, knowing she would catch up to him sooner or later but dreading it all the same. She walked around to the front of him but did not squat as he was doing. He peered at her feet through his dreadlocks without lifting his head.

"I'm not hiding, I'm just . . . meditating," he attempted. But he could tell from the way her legs were set and from the cross of her arms that she did not believe him, and heard clearly the skepticism in her reply, "In a broom closet?"

"Really, I'm fine!" he insisted.

She made a non-committal sound through her nose and he glanced up at her face. He saw from the way one of her brows was raised and the angle of her head that he wouldn't be able to explain his way out of this one.

"Don't laugh?" he pleaded.

Now she crouched down to his level, small worrylines appearing above her nose as she reached a hand out to him. "Why would I laugh?"

He winced away from her light touch on his cheek, and she frowned concernedly at him. "Ronon what is wrong?"

He sighed and gave up. He pushed the curtain of dreads away from his face and turned toward her. She gave a small gasp as she saw the colorful swelling around his left eye. Again she reached out to him, this time much slower and gentler, to brush a finger over the purple and yellow bruise.

"What happened? Were you in a fight?" she breathed.

He grimaced. "Sort of. You promise you won't laugh?"

She gave him "the look" and he hastily put up his hands, as if to ward off her annoyance. "Okay, okay, you win, yes I got in a fight. But it's not how you think!" he added quickly.

"Oh? Then how was it exactly?" she asked.

He sighed again. "Um . . . you know how protective Doctor McKay gets of his power bars?"

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A/N: So? Love it? Hate it? Unclear on the concept? I'd appreciate any comments anyone has to offer.