Date : 22 June 2007
Title: Love After That Night
Author: ElaineDex
Chapter: 3 of
Rating: M
Pairing: John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter
Lyssa Hunter/Lieutenant Marcus Tyler
Ronon Dex / Ellie Harrison-Dex
Ellie Harrison-Dex/Major Lorne
Ronon Dex / Dr Kate Heightmeyer
Archiving: None
Warnings: Sexual Content
Spoilers: This story follows on from Love's Dark Journey
Feedback: Yes
Disclaimer: Ellie Harrison-Dex, Major James Reece, Lieutenant Franks are mine. Lyssa Hunter and Lieutenant Marcus Tyler belong to Kazavid, the rest of Atlantis, unfortunately have nothing to do with me.
Summary: Will the events of 'that night' force Ronon and Ellie and Sheppard and Lyssa apart for good this time or can love win out once more?
Weeks passed by and Ronon gave up trying to talk Ellie around. If she wanted to be so stubborn then so could he.
Lyssa moved out of Sheppard's room as he refused to talk about what had gone on and she refused to let it drop so their relationship was at a bit of a standstill due to Sheppard's pride.
One afternoon Lyssa was in the training room practicing some moves when Tyler walked in.
"Short of a partner?", he asked and Lyssa stared at him.
"Funny you should ask…", she said and he pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing his muscular chest.
"What are you doing?", Lyssa asked, alarm bells sounding in her head as she took in the bare skin exposed to her starving eyes.
"Getting ready to train. What do you think I'm doing?", Tyler asked coyly and Lyssa blushed, once again cursing Ellie for passing on the trait.
She shook her head and they began to spar.
Lyssa felt a little below par and Tyler seemed to pick up on this and went a little easier on her. He got her flat on her back more than once but on the last time he couldn't resist lowering his mouth to hers and kissing her.
Lyssa fought against the action at first but when he pressed his lower body against hers she gave in to the sensations he was evoking in her and kissed him back in earnest, moaning against his mouth.
Tyler wanted Lyssa more than he'd ever wanted another woman before. There was something about her that excited him….
He kept his weight propped on one elbow and let his other hand move up along her side, cupping the underneath of one breast when he reached it and Lyssa arched against him.
He passed his thumb across the hardened nipple and as desire jolted through her, so did the memory of the last time she had been this way with him and the thought sobered her enough to push at his shoulders.
"Let me up", she mumbled against his mouth and Tyler pulled back enough so he could see her face.
"Lyssa….", he said but she shook her head.
"Let me up. I'm sorry….I should never…..I love John", she said and Tyler immediately sat up and moved off of her.
"I'm sorry….I thought you wanted……", he trailed off and Lyssa touched his arm.
"No….I'm sorry……I shouldn't have kissed you back", she said and he looked at her.
Tyler stood and grabbed his T-shirt.
"I'll just stay out of your way in future", he said, moving toward the door.
"Tyler", Lyssa called, sitting up, but he didn't look back.
Lyssa put her hands over her face and groaned. She felt rotten and not just mentally but physically too. Maybe she should see Beckett….or maybe it was just lack of sleep…..
ooOoo
Ellie was in the lab when her ear-piece buzzed.
It was Dr Weir.
"Ellie could I see you in my office please, right away".
"Sure…..I'm on my way", she replied, hopping off her stool and ignoring the quizzical look Rodney threw her way.
She entered Weir's office, her steps faltering when she saw Major Lorne was already seated.
"Ellie…Hi. Take a seat", Weir said and Ellie perched on the chair next to Lorne.
Even though she was still part of his team, she hadn't really spoken much to him, although they had been off-world a couple of times since that fateful night.
"Ok…now you're both here", Weir began, "The SGC have requested you both return to Earth for an awards ceremony that the Air Force are hosting. Apparently it's going to be quite a grand occasion".
Ellie glanced at Lorne before looking back at Weir.
"Why do they want me to go…..I mean I have Hope to consider…and shouldn't you be going……?", she trailed off as Weir smiled.
"Ellie, you helped to build The Odyssey and have helped repair her when she was damaged. Don't forget how hard you worked on that and I'm sure Ronon can look after Hope for a the weeks you're away", she said and Ellie's eyes widened.
"Weeks?", she said, gulping. She couldn't possibly be gone for weeks.
"Major Lorne and yourself will be staying at a top class hotel for the time you're back home…no expense spared apparently", Weir continued, seemingly oblivious to Ellie's inner turmoil.
"Sounds great", Lorne said, risking a glance at Ellie who seemed greatly perturbed at the thought of going home.
He sighed and Weir said, "You leave in two days", and Ellie threw her a look of disbelief.
She and Lorne left her office and Lorne grasped her arm gently when she went to bolt.
"I heard about you and Ronon", he said and Ellie nodded.
"I'm sorry", he said and she forced a smile.
"It's not your fault. It was my decision…..I've hurt him too much already…..he's better off without me", she said and Lorne frowned.
"I doubt that", he said and Ellie blushed.
"The trip to Earth will do you good", Lorne said and she sighed.
"Maybe".
ooOoo
Ronon was feeling extremely relaxed. He had been drinking in the bar area with Sheppard who had left him to go use the bathroom.
He looked around the room lazily and saw Major Reece in a corner talking to Dr Heightmeyer who was giggling at something Reece had said.
Ronon frowned. Who did that bastard think he was? First Ellie and now Kate.
Well not if he could help it. He'd show Reece who had the most power over the women of Atlantis.
Slowly he stood and sidled over to them.
"Hey Kate", he said, watching as she looked up at him and smiled.
"Ronon! Are you alright?", she asked and he gave her his most seductive look which she immediately blushed at.
Major Reece watched on, his smile fading as Kate seemed to melt at the sight of Ronon.
"Why don't you join us?", she said and Ronon immediately sat in the chair at her side, smiling smugly at Reece who smiled back stiffly.
Feeling adrenalin rush through his veins at the thought of the challenge of stealing Kate away from Reece, Ronon struck up a conversation with her that effectively left Reece out on his ear and pretty soon the Major got the message and excused himself, leaving Kate and Ronon alone.
Sheppard came back from the bathroom and got himself another drink but on seeing Ronon sat with Dr Heightmeyer decided to just take it back to his room.
Ronon and Kate talked for a while longer…until their drinks were finished and then Kate said,
"I really should go to bed….I have some early appointments".
"Can I walk you back?", Ronon asked and she smiled.
"Sure".
They walked along the corridors and Ronon was only mildly surprised when Kate leaned against him.
She wasn't as short as Ellie and her head was up to about his shoulders.
He put his arm around her waist to steady her.
"You ok?", he asked and she nodded, smiling up at him.
Ronon took the opportunity and kissed her, blocking out any doubts about what he was doing and any thoughts about Ellie.
They stumbled back to Kate's room and went inside, pulling at one another's clothes.
Kate knew she really shouldn't be doing this but she had always found Ronon attractive and now he wasn't with Ellie…her thoughts trailed off as she blocked out the image of her friend.
They began to make love and Ronon did something he had never done before. He used the condom that Kate pressed into his hand. He normally didn't like to use the protection that the people from Earth used and in all the time he had been with Ellie she had never objected to the fact that they never used anything.
But he didn't want to risk getting Kate pregnant.
ooOoo
The next morning Ronon awoke with a pounding headache. He turned over to see Kate, propped up on one elbow, watching him.
"Morning", she said and he forced a smile.
"Hey", he replied, thinking he really should get out of there.
He didn't want to hurt Kate but he was beginning to wish last night had never happened. Although their love-making hadn't been earth shattering it had been pleasant enough…but it wasn't the same as being with Ellie.
"Do you want to take a shower and then get some breakfast?", Kate asked, sitting up as Ronon did.
"Ah…I can't. I'm sorry…I'm sure I have to attend a briefing this morning", Ronon replied, exiting the bed and Kate admired his firm behind.
He pulled on his clothes quickly and she wrapped the bed sheet around herself and followed him to the door.
ooOoo
Ellie needed to see Ronon. She had to tell him about the trip to Earth. She had dropped Hope off with Teyla and was on her way to find him, her arms laden with some data files that she needed to work through today.
She had heard Ronon had been in the bar last night with Sheppard so he was probably still in bed.
She turned onto the corridor where their, no 'his', room was and stopped abruptly as she saw him come out of Kate Heightmeyer's room. Kate was wearing only a bed sheet and Ronon's clothing looked dishevelled.
"So…I'll see you later?", she heard Kate say and Ronon nodded briefly.
Ellie's fingers lost their grip on the files she was holding and they dropped to the floor making a loud slapping noise as they landed all around her feet.
Ronon and Kate turned to see Ellie staring at them and Ronon groaned as he saw the colour drain from her face.
He looked back at Kate who had a 'you'd better go help her' look on her face, so he headed over to Ellie and Kate disappeared back inside her room.
Ellie was bending down to retrieve the files, trying to keep a disinterested look upon her face as Ronon crouched beside her.
"Hey", he said and she glanced at him.
"Hi", she replied a little too over brightly and he watched as she frowned, trying to will her herself to act natural.
"Look, Ellie about what you just saw…..", he began but stopped as she touched his shoulder.
"You don't have to explain Ronon. You're doing what I wanted you to do so it's fine…really", Ellie said wishing her voice didn't sound so strained.
"You don't look fine", Ronon commented and she finally met his eyes before quickly looking away again.
With all the files retrieved she stood and he did the same.
"Well…that's because Dr Weir has told me that I have to return to Earth for a few weeks. That's what I was coming to tell you…you're going to have to have Hope", Ellie said trying to cover her discomfort at seeing him with another woman by making out it was because she was upset about having to go back to Earth.
"That's not a problem. Why are you going back?", Ronon asked, not feeling comfortable with the fact she was leaving Atlantis for so long.
"Some award thing that the SGC are having. Apparently I'm being recognised for my work on The Odyssey", Ellie said and Ronon nodded.
"Emerson will be there then?", he said and Ellie shrugged.
"I don't know", she replied wondering why he would ask that.
"When are you leaving?", he asked.
"Late tomorrow…I'll drop off Hope just before I go if that's ok?", Ellie answered and Ronon nodded.
He wondered who else was going back to Earth for this thing. Sheppard hadn't mentioned anything so he mustn't be going.
"I'm only going to be on Earth for a week, but the Daedalus takes so long to get there that I'm going to be gone for about seven weeks, give or take a few days", Ellie interrupted his thoughts and he folded his arms.
"That's a long time…Hope will miss you", Ronon said and she looked at him.
"I'll miss her too", she said.
They stood for a moment or two and then Ellie said,
"I should get to the lab".
Ronon nodded and stepped to one side.
"I hope……I hope you and Kate will be happy", Ellie said then hurried away before he could respond.
Ronon sighed and closed his eyes.
Why did his life always have to be so complicated?
End of Chapter 3
