Jennifer was a very popular patient and the following day she had a steady stream of visitors – scientists, military personnel and children. The one person though, that she really wanted to see failed to come near the infirmary all day. By late afternoon, Dr Jenkins had had enough. He stationed an orderly at the main door with instructions that there were to be no more visitors because 'Dr Keller was exhausted and needed her rest if she was to recover quickly'. Even Dr McKay and Col. Sheppard were turned away when they tried to see her, later that evening.

By the time it got to 02:00 hours, both the orderly and Dr Jenkins had retired for the night and the infirmary was quiet. The nurse on duty was Marie which was fortunate for Jen, because she was bored. Her morphine had been reduced and she had napped earlier, so when Marie came to do her rounds, Jen persuaded her to sit and talk for a while.

"Dr Keller, you really shouldn't worry so much, you know. We'll cope and you can always dispense advice if we need it" said Marie, as Jennifer started apologising, yet again, for all the extra work her staff were having to do.

"Marie, it's just you and me here. For God's sake call me Jennifer, please".

Marie laughed. "So Jennifer, how are you feeling, really feeling I mean. I know what all your results say, but how are you. Do you need anything – other than a big hunky Satedan, that is?"

Jen blushed. "I know he's been busy. Teyla told me, when she visited this morning, but I thought – hoped – that he would have come to see me. Sometimes I just don't know what's going on. I mean is he interested or not? I guess I'll have to wait until this crisis is over before I stand a chance of finding out".

As Jennifer was talking, a slight movement by the door caught Marie's eye and as she glanced up, she smiled.

"Tell you what, Jennifer, you could always ask him" she said, pointing at the figure who was steadily making his way over to them. "I'll leave you to it, keep an eye out for trouble coming back".

"Thanks Marie" she murmured, never once taking her eyes off the approaching man.

Marie smiled at Ronon as she passed him, lightly patting him on the arm, on the way to her desk.

"Hi", Jen said shyly.

"Hey Doc. Wasn't sure if you'd be asleep or not". Ronon spoke quietly, not wishing to disturb any of the infirmary's other patients, as he sat down next to Jen's bed. "How do you feel tonight?"

"Oh you know. Bit sore, bit tired, dead bored. This 'no visitors' rule sucks".

"Yeah, tried to get in to see you earlier. Didn't want to cause trouble, so I waited till I got the all – clear".

They both glanced towards Marie, head bent over her desk, busily writing up her reports.

'Must remember to thank her later' thought Jen. "You look tired too" she said, as Ronon rested a hand on the bed, stretched out his legs and briefly closed his eyes.

"We had a few problems with the children..." he began.

"What kind of problems?" asked Jen quickly, struggling to sit up a little straighter and letting her hand come to rest over his.

"Easy Doc, take it easy. Nothing medical's wrong, at least I don't think it is".

"Then what did happen?"

"One of them keeps disappearing...".

"Literally or..." cut in Jennifer.

"Stop interrupting" he laughed "or I won't have finished telling you by the time your jailer gets back".

Jennifer, feeling daring and just a bit silly, stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed even harder.

"The little girl, the one you were worried about, her name's Rula by the way, somehow she keeps getting out of the room that's been set aside for some of them. Nobody ever seems to see how she does it".

"Where does she go?"

"From what we can tell, she just wanders the corridors, looking in some of the labs and watching the scientists at work. She never says anything but she's given a few people quite a nasty shock".

"I'll bet. What about the other kids? Have you had any luck finding their homes?"

Ronon shifted in the uncomfortable chair, acutely aware that Jennifer's hand was still on his. Gently moving them, he started to stroke the back of her hand with his fingertips, his eyes locked with hers. When she didn't remove it, he grew bolder, his fingers slowly moving up and down her arm. Jennifer shivered and glanced down but made no attempt to stop his actions.

Clearing her throat, her voice shaking slightly, she repeated her question.

"Yeah sorry. We've contacted several worlds", he said, dropping his gaze momentarily "going to start taking some home tomorrow. There will be many that will have to stay on Atlantis until we can find someone to take them. Teyla says that the Athosians will welcome them, when we manage to find them , that is".

"How many, do you think?"

"Don't know yet. Certainly Penta, Kazy, Rula and 3 others that were taken on the Planet Castin will be among those staying".

"Are they Satedan?" asked Jennifer, smiling at the thought of the 2 brave little children.



"Again, I don't know. I hope so. It seems that quite a few groups of survivors from Wraith cullings were living on Castin, so it is possible. Some of the children definitely seem to be at home in a city environment, they will be the hardest ones to resettle".

"You think Rula used to live in a city, don't you?"

"Yes I do, but she says so little, we may never know which is her home planet".

"Mmm" murmured Jennifer, lying back against the pillows and closing her eyes.

"You're tired. I should go and let you sleep" said Ronon as he started to rise.

"No wait" said Jen, clearly struggling to stay awake. "Are you going with them off world tomorrow?"

"Probably. Why?"

Jennifer took a deep breathe, looked Ronon straight in the eye and gripped his hand tightly. When she didn't speak though, he became increasingly worried about her.

"Doc, what's the matter?" When she still didn't answer, he tried again. "Jennifer, What's wrong?"

Jen blinked rapidly – he'd called her Jennifer. She couldn't remember him ever calling her anything other than Doc.

"I need you to be careful off world, I won't be around to patch you up if you get hurt, remember. Please don't forget what I said earlier – don't let them send me back to Earth – for any reason, okay. I don't really understand why, but there are only 2 people on this base that I trust completely – Marie and you. If something should happen to me, anything at all, you talk to her. Do you understand me, Ronon?"

Ronon was both honoured and confused. He couldn't believe that she trusted him that much. Even though he was seriously attracted to her, he didn't really know her that well. Oh, he knew that she was clever, hard working, loyal and brave – even if she didn't think she was – but he didn't know HER. He was confused though about the rest of her statement. Was it the pain and the drugs talking or did she believe that she was in real danger.

"Doc" he said softly "what do you mean 'if something should happen'".

There was no reply. Jennifer, totally exhausted, had fallen into a deep sleep. He sat by her bedside for a long whle, just watching her, before he realised that he should leave the infirmary before the day shift arrived and he was thrown out. Dropping a light kiss on her forehead, he slipped away, unseen by anybody.