"Sometimes a sudden jerk of energy causes a gate to skip," Lieutenant Madison Taylor explained to Ronon Dex while she splinted his arm. "Or so I've been told." Lieutenant Taylor was new to Atlantis, she came in with Colonel Carter, she and Ronon would have never talked together if they had not been literally tossed through the gate together. "Okay I'm done," she announced putting the med kit back into her pack.
"What do we do?" Lorne asked as Lieutenant Taylor checked unconscious Major Lorne's pupils again.
Madison looked up shocked. The three had been chucked onto the non-descript planet after getting into trouble off world. Major Lorne was out cold and had been since they arrived at their new location. Madison was not used to being asked her position. Ronon had gotten used to the military hierarchy, it was the reason that he asked for the young Lieutenant's view. He had also no idea why the gate had done what it had and she seemed to. Madison bit her lip and looked around a second time, there was no DHD, they weren't going anywhere very soon. "Food, water, shelter?" she asked, unsure of where she stood in the pecking order with the Satedan from the Alpha team.
"It's a plan," Ronon said picking Lorne up.
The two (three) walked in silence for a while before Madison spoke up, "We really haven't been formally introduced. Which wouldn't have been a problem if we weren't stranded on an unknown planet with no DHD."
Ronon paused and held out his good hand, a custom he had adopted while watching others in Atlantis. "Ronon Dex."
"Madison Taylor, people call me Madie," she responded. "I guess you know Major Lorne?"
"I do," Ronon responded. "We spar on Fridays."
"Great," Madison said trying to be positive. "We shouldn't get too far from the gate."
"Agreed," Ronon replied. He noticed a large cliff with a sizable overhang. It was a defensible location that would keep dry in the event of rain. He led the way, glad to find it because Lorne was not a light man. "Good?"
Madison nodded. Normally she spoke more, however, Ronon struck her as a man of action and few words and she was happy to follow his lead. She helped Ronon carefully set Major Lorne down. Madison would have given anything for him to be conscious, being in the military and a t low rank she was accustom to being told what to do. She checked his vitals and pulled an emergency blanket out of her pack once it was securely around him she removed her jacket and placed it under his head.
"You're bleeding," Ronon said noticing a sizable gash on Madison's arm. In doing so Ronon took his first good look at the girl he was stuck with. She was small but had toned muscular structure, her thin dark hair was pulled back tightly in a ponytail and her skin was tanned almost more than Teyla's. She was cute, Ronon concluded after he turned away.
"It's nothing," Madison said trying to clean the blood away with a shaky hand showing the fear her face refused to display.
"We need a plan," Ronon announced while helping Madison clean the cut.
Madison sighed and began scribbling in the dirt with her finger. "The gate can only jump to a planet close by. Dr. McKay and Colonel Carter both know that. We were right behind the others coming through the gate so this scenario is an obvious conclusion. They'll start looking for us." Madison wasn't just a solider, she was hand picked by Colonel Carter for the position at Atlantis and had unofficially taken the position of her prodigy. "Can you stay with Lorne? I'm going to go look for food, water and firewood."
"I can go," Ronon offered.
"Two arms are better than one," Madison said emptying the contents of her pack. "I'll be back in an hour, if you need me use the radio." Madison turned the safety off on her P90 and started out. She told herself it was just like camping, camping in another galaxy, she would be fine.
Ronon was happy when Madison returned although he wasn't sure why.
"There is a river a mile east and I saw a rabbitish thing eating these applish things so I'm sure they're fine," Madison said while emptying the food and firewood out of her pack. "I also went to higher ground, there is no sign of anyone else out there." Madison paused for a moment to see Ronon listening intently to what she had to say. "The sun is also setting."
"I've cleared a spot for a fire," Ronon said pointing over to the edge of the overhang. "We also have 3 MRE's but I think we should attempt to save them."
"Has he said anything?" Madison said looking over at Lorne.
Ronon shook his head 'no'.
"That's not good," Madison noted. "How's your arm?"
"It's fine." Ronon had begun making a fire while Madison went through the supplies that had been laid out. She set up a tarp shelter around Lorne that would protect from the wind while Ronon lit the fire. Once she checked on Lorne again she went out an sat next to Ronon passing him a protein bar. "Thanks," Ronon replied. After sitting in silence Ronon began to get stir crazy. "Where are you from on Earth?" he asked. From what he understood from Sheppard Earth was divided into many different countries.
"Los Angelus, California."
"LA," Ronon said. "I've seen it in a movie, Sheppard showed me."
Madison smiled happy to have some conversation. "It's a nice place. I kind of miss it right now."
"Sheppard has been talking about taking Teyla and I to Earth eventually," Ronon said poking at the fire. "He says we'll need a cover story. Maybe I could say I'm from LA."
"That could work." Madison shivered once the sun had fully set it started to become very cold. "Do you like Atlantis?" she asked trying to keep the conversation going.
"Yes." Ronon noticed at this point that Madison was shaking like a leaf without her jacket. He opened another emergency blanket and gave it to her. "I can take watch, you can stay with Lorne."
"Okay," Madison said standing up. Call me if you need anything." Madison went into the shelter and sat down next to Lorne. She knew there was no way in hell she was going to be able to sleep a wink so she decided to do the next logical step. Licking her lips she leaned down and yelled, "MAJOR LORNE!" as loud as humanly possible inches from her CO's ear. His eyes shot open and looked up at her. "No more sleeping sir, you have a head injury," she explained shifting putting his head in her lap so she could get him to drink some water.
"Taylor you are a pain in my ass," Lorne said after guzzling the water. "And in my head."
"Thank-you sir," Madison responded.
"Where?"
"The where is a little tricky. The gate overloaded and dumped us here," Madison said. "It shouldn't be a problem there are only a few gates we could have jumped to."
"How many is a few?"
"One hundred twenty to give or take. I haven't had time to memorize the gate network in this galaxy yet." Madison noticed Lorne's eyes were beginning to close. "No sir," she said flicking his nose Lorne immediately opened his eyes and shot his Lieutenant a look of anger. "It was for your own good sir. Talk to be for ten minutes and then I'll let you sleep for ten. That's the deal, like it or lump it."
"You suck," Lorne groaned.
"You'll thank me in the morning sir when you don't wake up dead." Madison spent the first half of the night waking Lorne up every ten minutes; she then switched to fifteen, then thirty. By the morning she was waking him up every hour and he was responded more coherently.
Ronon too had stayed up all night. He had found it easy to do so while listening to Madison's banter with Lorne, most of which was exceptionally humorous. "We should go get some more water," he suggested after Madison forced and awake and slightly alter Major Lorne to drink what was left of the canteen. "Major Lorne will you be alright to hold camp so we can both go?"
"Sure," Lorne nodded picking up his gun. "I'll radio if the Boogieman comes."
"We'll be back in an hour sir," Madison said grabbing her pack.
Ronon and Madison had been walking for about ten minutes when Ronon asked, "What or who is the Boogieman?"
Madison laughed. "It's a fictional monster, it's supposed to live under your bed and come after you when you're sleeping."
"I don't get it," Ronon admitted.
"It's like if the Wraith weren't real but you believed they were in your closet," Madison said trying to think up a better explanation. "It's really not important."
"Madie?" This was the first time Ronon had addressed Madison by her nickname.
"Yes?"
"How long do you think it will take for Atlantis to find us?" he asked. Ronon didn't like to stay in one place, the only thing he liked less than staying in one place was the feeling that he was trapped.
"No more than a month." It sounded better in Madison's head. The prospect of being stuck on the planet with very few redeeming qualities sucked even more now that a timeline had been established. "On the bright side Lorne seems to be doing better, I think he may have a skull fracture but he's probably not going to die from it."
"You're a very positive person," Ronon snarled. "What if they don't find us?"
"If they don't find us it may be possible to power the gate through the use of a natural force like lightening and then dialling by hand," Madison replied, she remembered reading about it in a file back at the SGC. There was an outside possibility she might be able to make it work if things got really desperate.
"Why can't we try it now?"
"Because," Madison said while navigating around a fallen tree, "You have a broken arm, Lorne can't stay awake and well… I can't do it on my own." Madison felt like she was failing Ronon and her commanding officer. "Let's give it a week. If the cavalry doesn't show up by then we'll start pulling idea's out of the crazy hat."
"Okay."
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"So where are they McKay?" John asked walking into command.
"I've narrowed it down to…" Rodney took a look at the computer screen. "One hundred twenty."
John sighed, "Rodney we've got people out there. Very resourceful people who haven't dialled in."
"I know, I know," Rodney said shaking his head side to side. "Listen there could be lots of reasons why they haven't dialled in, it doesn't mean, well it doesn't mean what everyone is thinking and nobody is saying."
"Since when are you the optimist?"
"Since I narrowed it down to one hundred twenty."
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It had all started with an argument. That was the way most days began. Madison, Ronon and Lorne had spent a week and two days on the planet Lorne has started to refer to as the island. In these nine days Ronon and Madison had manage to build a respectable shelter, find food and water and keep Lorne off his feet. What they couldn't stop doing was fighting. It had started small; Ronon wanted to build the shelter one-way, Madison another. Everything was a battle and it was driving Lorne crazy. What Lorne didn't know was that most of the time Ronon and Madison were just doing it to bug him, and to pass the time. This however was not one of those times.
Ronon and Madison had made their first attempt at manually dialling the gate; it had not gone well. At the one-week mark Madison, true to her word, began constructing a half hazard-lightening rod out of one of the supports in her pack and the wiring from one of the radios. When the downpour started Madison and Ronon went to the gate hoping it would get hit. It did. The problem was that the task of manually moving the inner ring fell to Madison due to Ronon's fractured arm and she had not done well. Ronon, who frustrated easily, took his disappointment out on Madison.
"I tried Ronon!" she shouted throwing aside her soaking jacket.
"You were one symbol away!" he retorted. Ronon knew in his heart that it wasn't Madison's fault but felt he had to direct his anger somewhere.
Madison picked up the canteens that lay around and threw them into her pack. "I'm going to go get more water," she announced venturing out from under the overhang. She too was disappointed their actions had not resulted in a success.
Ronon threw his hand up gesturing that he didn't care. He sat down next to Lorne and added more wood to the fire. He must have dozed off because the next time he awoke Lorne was gone and it was dark. With his head injury Lorne had no concept of time and had gone into the shelter to sleep. Ronon scanned the area looking for Madison she was not there. He called out for her several times and got no response. "Lorne," he said shaking the Major awake. "Where is Madie?"
"Water," Lorne said before rolling over and going back to sleep
'This is not good,' Ronon thought to himself while grabbing a flashlight. It was raining harder then it had been previously that day making it hard for Ronon to hear. He headed out towards the river shouting out for Madison. Before the river there was a steep hill ending in a set of vines. "Madie!" Ronon yelled shinning the flashlight down the hill.
"Ronon," it was low and almost inaudible, but it was there.
At the bottom of the hill he spotted Madison sitting waist deep in the swells of the river. Carefully he made his way to the bottom to see what the trouble was. Madison's leg was caught in a thorny vine; she had most likely slid down the hill and gotten her leg tangled. Ronon pulled out one of his knives and carefully began cutting the vine away. Madison stayed silent with the exception of a few hisses of pain. It took the better part of an hour for Ronon to free her but he had taken his time and made sure to be exceptionally careful. When he finished he used his good arm to guide a shivering Madison back to the campsite.
"Thanks," Madison said sitting down next to the fire pulling the med kit out.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Ronon said sitting down next to her.
"It's okay." Madison's leg was bleeding badly and she was shivering so hard she could not get the band-aids on.
"Want help?" Ronon offered. Madison nodded. Ronon took a small piece of gauze and cleaned the cuts, removed the thorns and then wrapped up the leg.
"Thanks," Madison said when he finished. "Okay lets go through it again."
"You want to do it now?" Ronon asked. For the time that they had been stuck there; Madison and Ronon, with a little input from Lorne, had been developing Ronon's cover story in the event that he ever went to earth.
"Yes," Madison said wrapping herself in an emergency blanket. "Where are you from?"
"I was born in New York. My dad was in the military we moved around a lot. I currently live in LA," Ronon responded as though it really was his life.
"Interesting. What do you do for a living?"
"Independently wealthy, internet based company. I surf and teach martial arts."
"And how did you meet Colonel Sheppard?"
"Through Teyla and another friend," Ronon smiled, his fictional life was very close to the truth, except for the surfing part but the sport sounded kind of fun.
"LA, have you got a celebrity story? Everyone in LA has a celebrity story." Madison always got that question when she told people she was from LA.
"I taught an A list celebrity self defence, but I'm keeping the who to myself."
"You're a pro," Madison smiled. "I'd never believe you were from another planet, another galaxy even." Madison paused and shivered violently, so much so that Ronon had to steady her.
"Are you okay?" Ronon was truly concerned; anything wrong with any of them it was everyone business.
"I'm just cold," Madison admitted.
"Go get some rest I'll watch," Ronon advised not wanting to make it sound like an order.
"Thanks Ronon, I think I will." Madison went into the shelter and fell asleep instantly.
Madison had gotten worse in the morning; she sat almost in the fire trying to get warm. "What happened to you?" Lorne asked giving his dry jacket to her.
"I got caught in the rain," Madison said rubbing her hands together.
"Well you look horrible."
"Thank-you sir," Madison responded wrapping her arms around her stomach. "I'm fine, the morning water run will warm me up."
"I'll come with," Ronon offered picking up a pack. Madison fell behind almost from the start despite having a five-minute head start. Ronon slowed down his pace so he could keep an eye on her. When they got to the river he noticed sweat pouring down her face. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.
"Yeah." Madison closed her eyes and began to sway.
"Madie!" Ronon said placing his hand on Madison's back to keep her from falling over. "Lets sit down." Ronon guided her to a nearby rock. "Madie?"
"I'm okay."
"No, no you're not." Ronon pushed a few stray pieces of soaked hair out of her face. "You've got a fever." Carefully Ronon picked Madison up with his good arm and headed back to the camp alerting Lorne that something wasn't right.
"What happened?" Lorne asked.
"She was caught in the rain for hours yesterday, now she has a fever." Ronon was worried, it had only been ten days, it could be another twenty before any help came. Also Madison was the only chance of getting home without a rescue.
"Okay let's get her in the shelter," Lorne said helping Ronon. They put Madison down where Lorne had been sleeping; it was the most comfortable spot. Lorne cradled her head in his lap the rolls had been reversed. "Taylor, wake up Taylor."
"Sir?"
"Good girl. I've got some water here for you to drink," Lorne was still having trouble focussing but put in the effort for Madison's sake. He spent a whole day sitting with her. When night fell he wrapped her up in the emergency blankets ad went out tot the fire to meet Ronon and have some dinner.
"How is she?" Ronon asked passing Lorne one of the apple type things.
"Not good," Lorne admitted. "Do you mind if I take watch tonight and you keep an eye on Taylor?" Lorne wouldn't admit it but seeing a member of his team so ill was a little too much to handle.
"Sure thing." Ronon finished eating and headed into the shelter. He hadn't really had a lot of sleep in days and was looking forward to laying his head down. Unfortunately, through no fault of her own, Madison's teeth were chattering away making it impossible for Ronon to sleep. After about an hour he got up and made his way through the dark to where Madie lay. Carefully he pealed away the blankets and instead wrapped himself around her placing the blankets on top. Within moments Madie's shaking subsided and she and Ronon were both able to sleep.
The following three days followed the same routine. Ronon would wake, revealing Lorne from watch at which point Lorne would go to sleep and Ronon would go for water. Upon returning he would get Madison up and give her a canteen of water to drink. It usually took her the better part of the morning to finish it. When she did, Ronon would give her something to eat, and then help her when she threw it up. She'd go back to sleep, Ronon would sit around for the afternoon and Lorne would relieve him at dinner at which point he would go into the shelter as curl up with Madison.
Ronon walked into the shelter on the two-week mark after getting water. He helped Madison up noticing she had become much lighter. She also couldn't stand on her own or hold the canteen; it also took her the morning to drink only half the canteen.
"She's going to die isn't she?" Ronon asked Lorne at dinner.
Lorne didn't know how to respond in a way to keep Ronon's hopes up so they just sat in silence. It was in the silence that Ronon heard a familiar sound; it was that of a wormhole. Swiftly he grabbed. Swiftly he grabbed his gun and ran for the gate. If it was the wraith he wasn't going to wait for them to come to him, Madie. If it was the Atlantis rescue team they needed to hurry.
John looked at the bandages on Ronon's arm. "Are you okay? he asked existing the puddlejumper.
"I'm fine," Ronon said passing Sheppard and stopping right in front of Dr. Keller. "Madie needs help," he said before turning around and leading everyone at a run to the campsite. Ronon tore down the walls of the shelter granting Dr. Keller ultimate access to Madison.
"How long has she been like this?" Keller asked carefully examining her patient.
"Four days," Lorne responded, Ronon stood still as a statue.
"I need the spinal board from the jumper and blankets," Keller ordered opening her bag up rummaging through for an IV. John and Ronon took off running in a split second they were back. "Okay, get her feet, carefully." Many hands lifted Madison on to the board. Once Keller was satisfied that Madison was safe fro transport she mentioned at Lorne and Sheppard to carry the backboard. Ronon stepped in front of Lorne and took the board in both hands. "Ronon you shouldn't," Keller began.
"Lorne had a skull fracture, " Ronon announced giving free reign to carry Madison while Keller fussed over Lorne.
Once back at Atlantis the group of three that spent two weeks together was quickly split up. Keller took charge of Madison and ordered other doctors to look after Ronon and Lorne. Ronon sat down under protest so that they could put a cast on his arm. Without noticing he fell asleep.
Ronon awoke expecting it to have been a dream, expecting to be in the shelter wrapped around Madie in an attempt to prolong her life. He was surprised when he opened his eyes to see Sheppard looking back at him. "Hey," was all John could really think of saying.
"How's Madie?" It was the only thing on Ronon's mind. He knew Lorne was fine but upon their return it was Madie's life that hung in the balance.
Sheppard was surprised to her Ronon refer to Lieutenant Taylor as 'Madie' but disregarded it. "Keller says her fever has broken, but she's lost a lot of weight. She'll be fine, which is a good thing to she's like Sam's prodigy… I really didn't know that."
Upon hearing that Madison was going to be all right Ronon felt like a great weight was being lifted off his shoulders. "I don't understand why I'm so tired," he admitted to his friend.
"You've been through a lot," John replied. "The doc said you can leave whenever you want, so you can sleep in your own room, a little more privacy."
Ronon nodded in agreement and even allowed John to follow him to his room making sure he was okay. Ronon slept for thirty-six hours. This long nap was followed by a trip to the mess where he found his team all whom were happy to see him, even McKay. After he finished eating he felt the need to go to the infirmary to check on Madison. He trusted Sheppard when he told him she was going to be fine but for some reason Ronon had to see it for himself. He politely excused himself and made his way to the infirmary. Upon his arrival he found Madison sitting up nibbling on a tray of food in front of her catching Ronon's eye she smiled.
"Come to get me for the morning water run?" she joked.
Ronon smiled, "I'm glad you're okay."
"Thanks," after spending two weeks with Ronon Madison couldn't think of anything more to say. The two had basically exhausted every subject matter.
"Are they keeping you here much longer?" Ronon asked trying to prompt conversation, he did not want to leave just yet.
"No, Dr. Keller is letting me sleep in my own bed tonight."
Ronon could think of nothing else to say except for, "I'm glad. I'll see you around."
Madison nodded while pushing her bowl of oatmeal with her spoon. It was not the response Ronon had hoped for.
At dinner Ronon resisted the urge to go and sit with Lorne and Madison instead of with his team, now that they were back on Atlantis things were very different and he wasn't sure whether he liked it or not. He didn't say much to his team and did not stay after he had finished eating. Instead he went for a run around the city, had a shower and went back to his room. After hours of tossing and turning Ronon was surprised when his door chimed. He looked at his clock on the wall, it was a little after two. He opened the door to see Madison; barefoot and in a slim tank-top and boxer shorts. "I…I…" she stammered nervously playing with her hands.
Ronon smiled. "I can't sleep either," he responded putting his hand on the small of Madie's back leading her to the bed. The two snuggled under the covers while Ronon turned off the light. "Night Madie," Ronon whispered holding her close to his bare chest.
"Night Ronon," Madie said before the two drifted off to sleep.