Chapter Two
"Whoa…people!" Rodney stepped in between the guns and the platform, gulping at his own bravery – or was it stupidity? "We don't even know if there IS a threat here. And I really don't think guns are going to free the Colonel and Teyla. In fact, I'm pretty sure that only MY brilliant thinking is going to do that! Well…. mine and probably Zalenka's." He looked over at the other scientist, who nodded his head dumbly in agreement, still in shock. "Radek, radio Dr. Keller and get her down her ASAP! This may have something to do with those medical references you mentioned earlier." Rodney tried not to think too hard about the information being medically related to reproduction. He was worried enough about just getting John and Teyla free of the machine, without also worrying about what exactly this machine was doing to them, if anything.
Dr. Jennifer Keller rushed into the room and promptly collided with Ronon's back. He had been standing just inside the door with his fists clenched, staring at the platform surrounded by flickering blue light. He quickly spun around and caught her by her upper arms, steadying her before she could fall. She gasped and looked up into his dark eyes. "Ronon! How are they? Has there been any change?" For a moment, he couldn't speak, so caught up was he in her stormy blue eyes. Ronon's gaze drifted from those beautiful eyes down to her mouth and then back up again. Unconsciously, she ran her tongue over her lips to moisten them and Ronon drew in a quick breath. His gaze was so intense but it only lasted a few seconds before he recovered his senses and stepped back releasing her arms. Jennifer felt a sense of loss when his touch was gone, but she shook it off. She had other concerns right now and could not afford to spend time thinking about how this large, quiet man made her quiver every time she got near him!
"Can't tell. McKay's been trying to figure out how to get them out of there but I don't think he has a clue." Ronon looked over to where the two scientists were frantically scrambling and pushing buttons. "Damn, but this a weird place to be a doctor!" Jennifer grumbled and Ronon glanced sideways at her with a smirk playing on his lips. There it was, that spunk and attitude he found so appealing about her. He knew she doubted her ability to handle the many odd and scary situations they came across but all that he had seen of her reflected an inner strength and determination she was yet unaware of. She was a good doctor – smart, quick-thinking, compassionate, stubborn and strong and he had been instantly attracted to her.
Briefly, Ronon thought of the first time he had ever seen her. He had heard about the new young, female doctor who had been assigned to replace Beckett but did not have the chance to meet her until a lucky blow from John's bantos stick caused him to have to visit the infirmary late one evening. Jennifer had been standing with her back to him, looking over a file and had nearly jumped out of her skin when he walked up behind her and asked in a low growl "You the new doc?" Her wide blue eyes had taken him in from head to toe and Ronon had felt his heart speed up as if he had just run a mile. She had just stared at him open-mouthed until he lifted the dreadlocks away from his face to show her the cut on his scalp. Then, the small, vulnerable, wide-eyed woman before him instantly changed into the professional doctor that she was. She had stitched him up with just a few words being said between them but he thought maybe her fingers had trembled once or twice. She had also blushed slightly when he jumped down from the exam table too quickly, almost brushing against her.
Suddenly Ronon was drawn back to the present by Jennifer's grim voice. "Something's happening! The lights are changing color, becoming darker." Ronon forced his attention back to the platform in the center of the room. Jennifer just stood rooted closely by his side. His fingers brushed hers and he was surprised when he felt her gently squeeze them and then let go. He glanced sideways at her again but her gaze remained focused on John and Teyla.
The light surrounding the couple on the platform continued to fade and as it did so, Ronon could see them both beginning to sag where they stood. He quickly crossed the room with Jennifer right behind him. When the light faded completely and John and Teyla both collapsed, Ronon was the first to reach them. He went to Teyla and felt for a pulse immediately while Jennifer did the same with John. "He's alive! Pulse is strong and steady. Get those gurneys over here!"
A medical team rushed in and Ronon stepped down from the platform with Teyla in his arms, placing her still form on a gurney while McKay helped move the unconscious Colonel. Jennifer rose to scramble off the platform and was surprised to find Ronon there with his hand out to her. She gave him a small smile then hurried to catch up to the medical teams already out the door with John and Teyla, headed to the infirmary. Ronon glanced at Rodney and Radek and then they all three bolted for the door as well. When they reached the hallway outside the infirmary, Colonel Carter was already there. "What happened?" She seemed surprisingly calm, but then, they had no idea of the things she had experienced since joining the Stargate Program. It had almost gotten to the point where nothing truly surprised her anymore – well, almost nothing. "We don't know." was the only answer she got which DID NOT make her feel any better. "Only three weeks in my new assignment and I already have a crisis" she thought to herself grimly.
They all walked into the infirmary to see technicians drawing vials of blood from both Teyla and John. "How are they, Dr. Keller?" Colonel Carter asked the young woman, only to see her frown. "I don't really know at this point. Their vitals are strong. They just appear to be unconscious but I don't know why yet. I'm going to run some tests and hopefully they will regain consciousness very soon." With instructions that she be contacted immediately of any changes, Colonel Carter left to return to her office. Rodney and Radek also left to return to the room with the odd platform to see if they could learn anything further about what exactly the machine had done to John and Teyla. Ronon lingered a few minutes longer watching Jennifer thoughtfully until she finally walked over to him. "You might as well go too, Ronon. There's nothing you can do here and I promise I'll call you if there's any change." He nodded his thanks and left with a glance back over his shoulder at her. "Hate to see him go...but LOVE to watch him leave" Jennifer thought to herself ruefully before once again turning her full attention to her patients.