Disclaimer: I do not own SGA or any of the characters.
A/N: This starts a short time after Tracker and is a John/Jennifer pre-ship.
"So, seeing my team is down fifty percent due to the flu I was thinking of getting Horne to take the next mission." Lorne said to John, who sat opposite him in his office. Not getting a response the Major raised his eyebrows. "Something wrong?" Lorne asked, noticing John was more distracted than normal.
"Hmm?" He asked looking up, clearly having no idea what Lorne had just said.
"I asked if anything was wrong. You seem rather preoccupied." The Major said.
"I don't know. Maybe. Have you noticed anything with the doc?"
"Keller? Like what?"
"She seems to be shying away again. She barely leaves the infirmary anymore."
"She does seem to have withdrawn." Lorne agreed, worried that John had picked up on it too.
"Since her last mission." John stated.
"She was kidnapped, perhaps she has loss confidence." Lorne suggested.
"Maybe. But then Ronon and Rodney have been acting strange since then as well."
"Have you asked them about it?"
"They both swear everything that happened was in the mission report."
"You don't believe them?" Lorne guessed.
"I'd like to. But something seems off. Jennifer was alone with Kiryk for a long time, he could have done anything to her."
"You believe she was-"
"It has to be a possibility." John confirmed, cutting Lorne off before he could voice his concern.
"She would have mentioned it." The Major argued.
"Maybe, maybe not."
"But Ronon and Rodney?"
"She could have sworn them to secrecy. Or maybe they don't know know. But they may suspect."
"If that were the case do you really think that Ronon would have let Kiryk live?"
"Probably not. But something's up and it is the only thing I can think of."
"Have you talked to Jennifer?" Lorne asked.
"No. Not really sure how to. Not exactly my area of expertise. I was hoping Teyla would be back by now and could talk to her as she may feel more comfortable confiding in a woman."
"If something actually happened." Lorne interrupted.
"If something happened." John agreed. "But someone needs to talk to the doc." He paused and took a deep breath before adding. "I'll talk to the doc."
"You're sure?"
"More or less." John said.
"Remember Sir, it may not be what you think."
"I hope you're right."
-00-
"Hey doc." John greeted as he approached her in the infirmary.
"Colonel." Jennifer smiled as she looked for injuries. Seeing none she asked. "What's up?"
"Can we talk? In private?"
"Um sure." She said leading him to her office. As she directed him to a chair she shut the door and was concerned with how nervous he looked.
"So how are you doing?" John asked.
"Fine, thanks." Jennifer replied assuming the question was helping John feel comfortable enough to get to the point. "You?"
"Good. So the reason I'm here is about your last mission."
"Have you found Kiryk?" Jennifer asked.
"No. I was wondering if you left anything out of the report?" John asked after a pause during which he tried to assess if Jennifer's comment was spoken in hope or fear.
"Not knowingly." Jennifer said, confused where John was going.
"So you didn't leave something out, because you didn't want it officially recorded?"
"No."
"Because if you did. I understand. And I'm happy to keep it off the record, but you need to talk about it, albeit unofficially."
"I didn't leave anything out. Well nothing big anyway."
"You sure?"
"What's this about? Am I in some kind of trouble?" Jennifer asked, assuming the worse.
"No. Absolutely not. I'm just concerned that something happened on the last mission that you weren't comfortable putting in the mission report."
"Like what? I included the whole being kidnapped thing, which just adds to my reputation as a jinx."
"I meant something more personal, after you'd been kidnapped." John said.
"Colonel I have no idea what you're talking about. If you have a concern just ask." Jennifer said completely bewildered.
"After Kiryk took you and before Ronon and Rodney found you did anything happen? Did Kiryk do anything?"
"Is this to do with the betting pool?" Jennifer asked getting angry. "Did Lorne put you up to this? What is it? Extra points for guessing the type of knot used to tie me up or how many times I got stunned or how many failed escape attempts?"
"What? No." John said. "I'm here solely out of concern."
"Concern about what?" Jennifer asked calming down.
"Okay. Did Kiryk assault you, sexually?" John said feeling uncomfortable.
"What? No. Where did you get that idea from?" Jennifer said feeling stunned.
"You sure?" John asked starting to feel relieved.
"Of course I'm sure. What's going on?"
"I…Well…you've been acting differently since the last mission. I thought something had happened. Coupled with Ronon and Rodney's odd behaviour I assu-" He started, noticing Jennifer tense at the mention of his team mates. "Something did happen." John stated.
"Nothing happened on the mission." Jennifer assured him. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine."
"Have they done something?" John pressed.
"I really don't want to talk about it." Jennifer said, pinned by John's stare.
"What did they do?"
"Nothing. It's my fault. I heard something I shouldn't."
"Heard what?" John asked. "I can go and ask Rodney, but I'd prefer to hear it from you."
"It's nothing. I'm just being stupid."
"Tell me doc." The Colonel pressed.
"Fine. After the mission I overheard them talking in the gym about their intentions."
"What intentions?"
"Towards me." Jennifer said, looking uncomfortable.
"What?" John asked, now feeling as confused as Jennifer had earlier.
"Romantically." Jennifer clarified.
"Oh."
"And now they're off competing over me. Taking part in some game where I'm the prize. Expecting me to chose one of them, even though they don't I know I know any of this. So I thought it was best if I kept my distance until they got over their competition."
"They're fighting over you?"
"Not physically, Rodney refused." Jennifer said. When John realised she wasn't joking his face darkened.
"I'll talk to them and sort this." He said leaving the office, not hearing Jennifer's requests to leave it.
-00-
"What?" Rodney demanded as he entered John's office. Walking past the physicist John shut the door and turned to his two team mates.
"Anything you want to tell me?" John asked.
When both Ronon and Rodney stared silently, but confused, back he said. "Anything regarding a conversation you had in the gym? A conversation you had about Keller?" Noticing Rodney begin to fidget, indicating his guilt, John shook his head. "What were you thinking? She's a person. Not a piece of meat you can fight over."
"We're not fighting." Rodney said.
"I know. You refused. But the idea was still there."
"Ho..how do you know?"
"Keller. She heard your conversation and has been trying to avoid the pair of you ever since."
"She heard?" Rodney asked paling.
"Yes. You two weren't only stupid enough to have the conversation in the first place, but you were also stupid enough to have it with the door open."
"We really didn't say anything bad." Rodney protested. "I think yo-" He started only to be silenced by John's glare.
"I don't want to hear your side of the story. What you did was wrong. Until you learn how to show Keller respect I suggest you stay out of her way. You two had better never do something like this again."
"You don't understand." Rodney protested. "What we said was-"
"What matters is what the doc heard." John cut him off before ranting. "You have stooped low before but this is a new low. And as for you Ronon, I expected better." Before either man could respond they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come." John called, still irate.
When the door opened a nervous looking Captain entered.
"You wanted to see me Sir."
"Yes. Come in, take a seat." John said, recalling a meeting he had previously set up. Looking at Ronon and Rodney he said.
"We'll finish this later." He glared at the backs of his two former teammates as they left the room before turning to the Captain.
"Horne, I need your team to replace Lorne's team tomorrow."
"Of course Sir. Is there a problem?"
"Nothing serious. Just Flu. It has taken out half his team so we thought it made sense to just use your team instead. I believe you're all back to active duty now?"
"Yes Sir. Childs is still getting over the end of it, but he's been cleared."
"Good. In that case you're to escort Dr Keller to 341. Last time we went it turned into an overnight stay, so go prepared."
"Yes Sir."
"Good. A full briefing will be at eighteen hundred."
To be continued...