Chapter 3

'Rodney! How could you!' Sheppard shouted.

'It's not like I intended to drop him. I just couldn't hold him.' Rodney defended himself but inside he was shouting the same accusing words to himself. Why hadn't he held on better to Ronon? If the roles had been reversed, Ronon would not have dropped him.

He sat quietly in the hold, looking at the floor in front of him, replaying the moment he felt Ronon slip through his hands over and over again.

John grumbled. Inside he knew he could not blame Rodney. If anything, he should have made sure everyone was inside before taking off.

He spotted a small clearing for landing. As soon as the jumper hit the ground, he got up, reattached his P90 and walked out. Teyla followed but Rodney just sat down. John noticed he wasn't following and turned on his heels.

'Come on, Rodney. Get yourself moving. With a bit of luck he fell through the trees without too much damage. Ronon is strong.'

Finally Rodney looked up at John.

'He . . . ' he hesitated.

'He wat?' Sheppard was fast losing his patience.

'Ronon got hit.' Rodney said still stunned.

'What do you mean he got hit?' John started to shout.

Rodney got up and started to pack things together as quickly as he could.

'Rodney?' That threatening tone Sheppard used on him, usually made Rodney stop. But not this time. So he tried again.

'Rodney!' he shouted a little shorter.

Finally Rodney turned to him, hands filled with bandages.

'Ronon got hit by a spear. . . . in his back.'

Sheppard swallowed hard. Different scenarios playing out in his mind, none of them betraying the anxiety he felt for his friend.

'Let's move out.' And with that John turned and started walking in the direction they had come from.