With the help of Teyla and Ronon the two of them were soon free of the wires and on their way. With a quick wave Merry disappeared into the throng of passing people her usual light hearted disposition firmly back in place.

Deciding lunch was a great place to start he followed Ronon and Teyla through the people and down the many hallways. He felt rather hungry and filled his tray a little more than he would normally. There was nothing majorly out of the ordinary just much larger portions than he would have. The only exception was the thick slice of chocolate fudge cake. He never really had that much of a sweet tooth. His companions shared a look as he sat down glancing between his food and his face.

After seeing him eat several forkfuls with an unusual gusto they settled into their own food a comfortable silence between them. A conversation soon sparked regarding Torren's ever growing knowledge of words which courtesy of a few marines now included several swears. He knew it was completely irrational but the fact that Ronon found it absolutely hilarious that the young boy had decided to curse at Rodney several times truly angered him. His anger boiled his blood as the man chuckled around his mouthful of food to the point where he saw red. Before he knew what he was doing he pulled his fist back putting his full weight into the swing. He managed to hit Ronon, a feat in itself but also knock him back throwing him to the ground.

His body was frozen in shock as he took in the sight before him. Fist still clenched in front of him he looked at the food trays scattered on the table puddles and patches of spilled food and drink decorating its top. Teyla's chair was pushed back leaning precariously on one leg against a nearby table. Following it down to the floor he looked at Teyla knelt beside the still toppled over Ronon. Her hand was on his face gently touching the already swelling skin. Both of their faces were locked in shock as they stared back at him.

"I….I don't know what just happened," He watched as his hand slowly uncurled as though it wasn't part of him. "Maybe… I think I'll go to the infirmary."

"I believe that would be wise. Should we alert Dr Briggs?" Had it been anyone else he was sure it would have sounded patronising but her calm, soothing way was always anything but.

As he attempted to not help Ronon up from the floor he tapped his earpiece practically ordering her to the infirmary. The short reply he got sounded as though it came from behind clenched teeth but he thought it was just his imagination. Or just a bad connection.

Weaving his way through the group of onlookers he led them quickly towards their destination. Glancing back he looked at Ronon. The man looked no different than usual his posture maybe a little more rigid than normal.

He couldn't understand it. Everything had been fine. He had actually been amused by Torren's new affection for certain words, not that he would ever admit that to Teyla. But then in a flash he seemed to lose control. The rage that overtook him didn't feel like his own but he couldn't stop his body from releasing it. It was old, pent up frustration with a new set of seething anger added to the top of a teetering pile. He hoped this could be solved easily. Aside from the fact he hated to lose control of anything this was dangerous and could compromise anything and everything if he wasn't careful.

Stepping into the infirmary he was surprised to find Merry stood chatting with Dr Keller. He was about to ask how she got there so fast from the other side of the city when he was cut off by Keller whizzing passed him to Ronon's side.

"What happened to you?" Her concern thick voice was broken only by Ronon's grumbled mutterings as he pushed her hands away from his now swollen eye.

"Colonel Sheppard appeared to….lose his temper over nothing."

"You did that?" Nodding he moved away from the group settling against a nearby bed. "When?"

"Around ten minutes ago." Teyla looked to be more intrigued as Merry grew more anxious. "Dr Briggs is there something wrong?"

He watched her eyes flickering to Ronon as guilt grew in his chest overlaying his own. "Merry?"

"I guess the machine works." The small nervous laugh that followed did nothing to hide just how uncomfortable she looked.

"Merry?" He was growing impatient with this whole thing. A part of him knew this wasn't going to end pretty.

"Dr Andrews is back in the city."

"Ah." His head whipped around to Teyla fast and hard pulling on the side of his neck. Seeing his look she seemed caught or words. "Dr Andrews is….

"Think McKay on a really bad day but without the intelligence to back it up."

"Do you mean that little string of a man?" Ronon asked face scrunched up in thought.

"That's the one." Ronon grimaced as she answered sparking Sheppard's interest. He couldn't picture the man at all but somehow his team could.

Rubbing his forehead already feeling the grind of a headache that he knew was going to get worse he tried to think. He knew what he needed to do but the idea was most definitely not something he wanted to do but something he had to.

"Mr Woolsey, Major Lorne to the infirmary." Sighing he hopped up onto the bed awaiting a conversation he didn't want to have. The ache in his head grew worse scratching behind his eyes. Looking over to the petite brunette he watched her lean her weight on the bed beside him, pinching the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes.

"Headache?" he asked voice sounding a little croaky. She nodded her head her thumb pushing into her forehead. "Me too."

"Dr Briggs, you have quite the sweet tooth, do you not?" The chuckle that erupted from the archaeologist sounded full of hilarity to his ears, her finger poking into her sides as she spoke.

"You could say that. Why?"

"Have you had lunch yet?"

"No not yet. I usually wait until later when it's quiet so I can continue working."

Teyla's eyes flitted over to him before swinging back to Dr Briggs and then to Dr Keller.

"I believe their connection has become rather pronounced. Colonel Sheppard had much more than usual for lunch including a large slice of cake."

Keller instantly launched into action drawing more blood and beginning to set up the scanners. It was that moment that the doors to the infirmary opened and Woolsey and Lorne walked in.

/

"So you felt her anger on the opposite side of the city and struck Ronon?" His smile and shrug seemed to be all the answer Woolsey needed.

"There doesn't seem to be a distance set to it. The records show that the subjects had been on opposite ends of a planet even with one in orbit and still held a strong connection with each other."

"So this will still be active if Colonel Sheppard is off world?" Getting the nod from McKay the stern man turned to face him. "In that case Colonel under no circumstances are you to travel off world. Major Lorne will take over all aspects that involve the security of the city in anyway. The same goes for you Dr Briggs. Your trip will have to be postponed again. Now if you will excuse me I have a report to write." With a curt nod he turned leaving the infirmary in a brisk walk before he could even object.

He felt completely miserable. His normally active body suddenly felt heavy and limp, the effort of just keeping up his head seemingly to much effort. It wasn't him, it wasn't his. As unhappy as he was to have had almost his entire job taken away he had gotten used to it over the years. Somehow he always seemed to end up in some sort of situation.

But as fast as it had come on the feeling went allowing him to lift himself from the slouch he had found himself in. Looking over to her he watched her lift her head that smile back on her face as she pulled her shoulders back. Watching her watch the others he couldn't help but admire her ability to mask everything so easily but he wondered just how often she hid herself behind a smile.

Hearing McKay's ramble he looked over trying to pay attention to what he was saying to the others but he couldn't. A sudden realisation hit him. She wasn't the only one who locked everything away. How was he going to cope if parts of himself that he revealed to no one were to be shown to someone without his control?