She woke to a raging headache, an insanely bright sun beam directly in her eyes and a mouth she could have sworn was covered with fur. Wincing she rubbed a hand across her face, and squinted at her room. Wine bottles, tequila bottles and empty bags of junk food were strewn everywhere. The twister mat was scrunched up in a corner, and—she frowned—a table from the cafeteria set up for what looked like water pong with shots. She didn't even remember moving it the night before. Ripley groaned as her door opened and Wick entered with a tray. "Morning sunshine." He greeted her cheerfully. Ripley moaned and burrowed her head beneath a pillow. "Yeah, figured you'd be hung over. Here, coffee, toast, and a bloody Mary. I don't know what works for ya." He set the tray down on her night stand. "And the guys are coming to move the table back to the café."

"Appreciate it," she said, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Wick smiled and took a seat in her armchair as her bed tousled brown hair appeared. "Feel better?"

"Stupid," she admitted and burnt her tongue on the coffee she thoroughly despised, but was willing to drink.

"And?"

"Ashamed." She nibbled at the toast, felt her stomach churn and set it aside, fell back to coffee.

Wick nodded with a grim smirk. "Well, at least you woke up by yourself."

"That's something." She rose from her bed, and realized her state of dress. It hurt to move, and she could give a shit if Wick saw her body at that point. "I'm gonna shower."

"I'll clean up." Wick rose and tapped his headset to call in Omega. Ripley turned in the doorway of the bathroom, watched her team enter with trash bags.

"Thanks you guys…for everything."

"That's what brothers are for." Flea quipped with a grin. She returned it and prepared to return to single life.

0-0-0

Ronon Dex watched Ripley from the doorway of the gym. He had been gone off world for nearly three months on a negotiating mission and had returned a week before. He hadn't seen Ripley in a total of four months and he could see those four months had taken a toll on her. She was focused on the punching bag that hung in the gym. She bounced lightly on the balls of her feet, hit the bag twice with her right hand, one on the left and finished with a roundhouse kick that had her landing hard on her ass. He watched her shoulders hunch forward in what he took for defeat, until she slowly gained her feet. She was thinner, there was no denying it. The fury burned in him for what Craig had been able to do to the woman he had secretly yearned for. The woman who should have been his to begin with. Instead he had stood idly by and let her be snatched up.

"You stepped," Ronon said gruffly as she landed once more this time on her hip. Brown eyes zeroed in on the intruder, and he saw her relax, only slightly. He offered a hand, wriggled his fingers when she hesitated and hauled her to her feet once she conceded. "Pivot, don't step." He instructed and stepped back. He could see the tightness in her shoulders from being told what to do. She did it once more and landed, in his opinion, the perfect kick. "Again." He ran her through the kicks until her hip ached and then had her switch sides, watching patiently as she picked herself up another four times. When she finally dropped to the mats to stretch he sat near her, leaned on the wall. His green eyes watched as she extended one long, toned leg to the side.

"How was the negotiations?" She finally spoke, brown eyes glancing casually at him, checked for injuries.

"Uneventful," admitted Ronon. "Missed home." He still found it hard to believe that after three years he could call Atlantis his home and mean it. "Missed you." He added quietly, so quiet that she almost didn't hear it.

"I coulda used you two months ago," said Ripley as she switched the side she was stretching on. He understood her meaning. She had needed a sparring partner.

"I heard…"

She let out a bitter laugh. "All of Atlantis heard champ, I'm surprised it hasn't spread to the entire galaxy." She lay down and pulled her leg across her thigh, gazed at the ceiling. "I'm over it."

"Are you?" He challenged. She gave him a quiet look. He shrugged. "You look thinner, not that there was an issue before."

"There was an issue before; at least by military standards," she shot back, stretched easily. "But yeah, I've lost weight, like fifteen pounds or something."

"Your chest is smaller."

She puckered her lips. "Thanks for noticing." Was the dry remark. He grinned easily. "You're one of the few who's noticed."

"I notice you Rip," he confessed as he rose to his feet, he looked down from where he towered at 6'5. "More than I should." And with that he departed. Ripley, brows furrowed, watched him leave.

0-0-0

"What kinda cryptic shit is that?" Jess asked as she and Ripley jogged around Atlantis the next morning. She gazed enviously as Rip's long, toned legs, and down at her shorter, thicker legs. They had become more toned since running with Ripley, that was something at least, and the thought perked her up.

"I don't know," Ripley puffed out as she rounded a corner and dodged around a group of chattering scientists. "Was it necessary for him to mention my tits shrinking?"

"Was it necessary to mention your tits at all? Although, you know, they're nice…and all…" Jess drew even with Ripley who had adjusted her pace so her friend could keep up.

"Thanks," Ripley flashed a quick smile at her best friend. "Still more than a handful."

"And you have man hands, so that' something."

"Fuck your mothah." Was the half hearted insult. Jess grinned and caught the wonderful sight of the gate. "Sprint the last." Ripley ordered and kicked it into high gear, her pink and black running shoes a blur as she reached the gates five lengths ahead of Jess. Ronon turned with an arched brow at the panting. John looked around his friend and grinned. Jess was bent over at the waist, wheezing. Ripley stood, feet shoulders width apart, breathing heavily.

"Looking good honey," Shep called encouragingly over to Jess, who gave a thumbs up. "How's she doing Chief?"

"Twenty minutes for a mile nine, so not too shabby. She'll be doing 5K in no time."

"Not cramping your style?"

"She's been cramping my style since middle school." Ripley shrugged her shoulders; Ronon watched them quietly, considering an approach. Her brown eyes, glinting with humor landed on him, and she smiled. "Up for sparring later?"

"I can fit you in," Ronon teased with a shrug. She inclined her chin. "Three?"

"Sounds good." She nudged Jess. "C'mon, we're gonna lift some weights." Shep waited until they were out of ear shot before he turned. "What're you doin'?"

"What?" Ronon raised his brows.

"With Rip?"

"Sparring."

"Ronon." Shep cocked his head to one side, trying to read the impassive expression. "You still like her?" The runner shrugged. "Dude…it's been like three years."

"So?" Ronon shifted his bulk, gazed down at Shep. "What's your point?" He ran a hand through his hair, finally getting used to the lightness of not having dreadlocks.

"I didn't think—you know—it's a crush….three years, having a crush—never mind." John shook his head. "But I'm telling you now, it's not gonna be easy."

"I like a challenge." Ronon replied with a wolfish grin. "I won't hurt her. Worse comes to worse it'll just be sex." He departed with those words.

"I don't think you get it." Shep muttered to himself. "It's not her I'm worried about."

0-0-0

"Again." Ronon helped Ripley off the mats with a one handed yank; she rubbed her ass scowling at him. "You're better."

"You've been saying that for three years Ronon."

"Statement stands." He replied with a shrug. "Again." He waited as she got in position. He attacked slowly, letting her block, and aimed a light slap at her ear. "Don't let the guard down." He scolded. Automatically her hackles raised even as she brought her hands back up to guard her face. She blocked his next two attacks and surprised him by leaping forward and taking him down at the waist. Her ground game was better; she had learned that, she was quicker, and more agile against the larger man. Ronon grunted as her knee connected to his side and after a few moments pegged her with her back against his chest. She sighed, panted with her cheek pressed to the mat below her.

"Give?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah." She muttered, waited till he moved and rammed her elbow into his side. He collapsed with a grunt. "Now I give." He laughed and slapped her gently on the thigh. "I am getting better."

"I told you," Ronon got to his feet and pulled her up. Off balance she fell forward into his chest, clung to his muscular arms for support. Cautiously she lifted her head, and gazed into hungry hazel eyes. Had she ever had a man look at her the way Ronon Dex did? She wondered. His gaze dropped down to her full lips. Her breath seemed to stop as he lowered his head.

"Ripley!" Wick sprinted into the room and watched the two jump apart. "Suit up we gotta go."

"Right, yeah…" Ripley hurriedly gathered her things and smiled apologetically at Ronon before she sprinted out Wick, with a grin at Ronon, went after her.

"Was he about to plant one on ya?" Wick caught up with Ripley.

"I won't know now will I Wick?"

"Oh, I bet you will soon," promised her 2IC. She scowled at him and boarded the jumper with her team.