She was getting better at hiding, he'd give her that.
But she wasn't good enough.
Ronon wasn't sure exactly when Jennifer had started to choose her quiet spots further and further from the main tower. Before, he would usually find her sitting in solitude on the upper balcony on the north east corner of the crew tower, but lately, she'd been moving further and further away from the center of the city. And further away from anyone looking. It had happened gradually over the past few weeks and had somehow developed into a game. A challenge of sorts. One he accepted without hesitation.
She'd disappear into the city to escape into her thoughts, or sometimes just to get away from the harried insanity that occasionally surrounded the infirmary. Usually at the end of a particularly grueling shift, or when she'd worked herself so hard she couldn't concentrate.
She'd wander out onto the piers, and he'd go get her.
It was never a question of try. He always found her – and always outside. There was something she found comforting in the wind and the waves.
He couldn't argue with it – being indoors stifled him enough as it was, and he passed most of his time outside or off-world. He couldn't imagine spending every waking hour locked inside a windowless section of the city like the infirmary.
He might have questioned her need to be alone, if she wasn't so happy to see him whenever he arrived. And of course, the feeling of her in his arms when she would quickly burrow herself against him. Definitely a prize worthy of the chase.
Except today, the chase required a different outcome.
He'd left her to her shift this afternoon, deciding to wait until they were alone, before cornering her into talking. Despite his repeated attempts to trick Teyla into revealing Jennifer's secret, the Athosian simply redirected him back to Jennifer herself. He would have to go directly to the source.
As he crossed a portion of the west pier, the dark hues of the sunset silhouetted her frame where she stood in silence, staring out across the ocean.
Pausing a few feet behind her, he was content to simply watch, and for some reason, he didn't want to startle her this time. There was something incredibly enchanting about the way she reacted - always with laughter, never with direct fear - when he snuck up on her, but today, tonight, he didn't want her to feel any fear. Even if it was in jest.
"I guess I owe you an explanation, huh." She said clearly, her back still turned.
It startled him.
Ronon knew damn well he hadn't made a sound when he'd approached. He'd snuck up on trained soldiers with less effort. How the hell did she know he was there?
He shook his head in amusement, then pushed his mirth down and out of the way. This wasn't the time to be beguiled. He was here for answers, and wasn't leaving until he got them.
Jen turned towards him, her heart happy to know he'd come to see her. She knew he had a specific reason this time, it wasn't just because she'd turned her spare time into some kind of bizarre stalking ritual, but it didn't matter. Not really. He was here.
The expression on his face was stony, and she wondered briefly if he was angry with her for not confiding in him. It was a reasonable reaction, and she couldn't fault him if he was.
She stepped forward, away from the side of the pier, stopping when she reached the edge of his personal space.
Relationships were definitely not her forte. She had little knowledge and even less experience. Keeping secrets was definitely not something people did who cared about each other. She hadn't been trying to make it a secret, it was just that there was something decidedly wrong about what she'd been dreaming about that she needed to put it straight in her own mind before trying to convince anyone else. Especially him. And after her refusal to believe what he'd tried to tell her about the Shrine, she couldn't blame him if he wouldn't believe that she – Miss I-need-facts – was having what she was beginning to think was a premonition. It was too much for her analytical mind to contemplate much less put into words.
She couldn't not tell him.
But what if she did?
The long, soft sigh escaped and she shook her head.
"Ronon, I… I'm sorry." She said softly, her eyes darting down to his chest then quickly raising back up to his face. His expression remained unchanged, and she threaded her arms over her torso, trying to keep herself in one piece.
Oh, this was so not going to be easy.
When he stepped closer, she couldn't stop herself. Her arms untwined and she collided with his chest, her hands wrapping so tightly around his torso she wasn't going to give him the chance to get away.
His arms crossed her back and she leaned into him, her fingers clustered against his lower back, her palms wide, stealing his strength.
"I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong." His voice rumbled in his chest.
"I know." She replied, closing her eyes, the feeling of his warmth and presence clearing away the confusion.
"You talked to Teyla."
Jen nodded, understanding it was more of a question than a statement. "I needed her help."
"But not mine."
She raised her head, tilting her neck back to look up into his face. The position slightly awkward because she refused to release him. If anything, she tightened her grip, willing him not to back away. To give her a chance to explain. She could see the guarded look in his eyes and knew she'd made a grave mistake by not talking to him first. She should have. But she didn't… she couldn't… it was hard enough to think about him… but to bring it to words?
Oh hell.
Her explanation tumbled out in a mix of apologies and explanation.
"I'm so sorry. I wanted to… I mean I tried to… like… three times! It was just in the middle of the night and I didn't want to wake you up. And it was silly, really. I mean, it's just a dream, right? There shouldn't be anything to worry about and it's not like I believe in this kind of thing. I mean, you know me… I need facts. All this creepy mind stuff is way beyond my comfort level and-"
"Jennifer."
"- I don't know. I mean, I know. I'm sorry. I should have talked to you first. But after what happened with Rodney and the Shrine and… well, I just didn't want you to think I was making it up, you know? Until I had more information. I mean I don't really believe there's anything to it… but Teyla said sometimes they can mean something else and-"
"Jennifer!" He growled.
She clamped her mouth shut.
"Relax." He softened his voice, tucking her head back under his chin. "Now. Take a deep breath… and just tell me what's wrong."
Jen hesitated a moment, her mind spinning with where to start. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head and closed her eyes.
"I keep having the same dream." She finally admitted. "Over and over again."
She felt his shrug and raised her head, understanding his unvoice statement. So what?
"No, I mean it's the same dream. Exactly the same. Every detail. Every part. Every little tiny piece is the exact same."
"A bad dream?"
She raised her eyebrows, and closed her eyes for a moment, pushing back the visual reminders. When she opened them again, she could see the concern etched across his features.
"You have no idea." She whispered, a slight tremble shifting down her spine, prompting him to tighten his grip. "If I close my eyes I can see it… piece by piece… I can hear everything, see everything. It's like… watching the same scene from a movie, over and over again. And it won't go away."
"What happens?"
"It's…" She shook her head trying to find the words to describe the story. "It's… an… an ambush, I guess."
"And who's getting ambushed."
"You." She buried her head against his chest. "You. John. Rodney. Teyla. At least that's all I keep seeing. If it was just a dream I'd let it go… but it's so… so real. So accurate. So damn vivid. It's making me crazy."
"Can you tell me about it?"
She nodded slowly, then groaned when her earpiece crackled to life.
"Dr. Keller this is Colonel Sheppard."
With a exasperated sigh she raised her head and rolled her eyes up at Ronon. Typical. She'd finally get her muttled head out of the proverbial sand and wouldn't you know it… she was being interrupted. Stupid radios.
She reluctantly released her death grip around Ronon's waist and raised her hand to her ear.
"Go ahead, Colonel."
Ronon raised an eyebrow and Jen shrugged, returning her arm to its previous position around Ronon's waist. She grinned apologetically up at him.
"Mr. Woolsey requests the pleasure of your company in his boardroom." John's voice was only slightly sarcastic, and carrying the barest hint of annoyance.
"Okay…" Jen drew the word out. "Is this a medical emergency? I'm a little… far away at the moment."
"No." John answered. "No medical emergency. We're in briefing and could use your expertise."
"Oh." She frowned. "All right. I'm on my way."
"Understood." John answered. "Bring Ronon with you. Sheppard out."
Jen felt her face flushing a dozen shades of red to think that John knew exactly where she was… and who was with her. He didn't even bother to wait to see if Ronon actually was with her. She stared up into Ronon's amused expression.
"What?" He smirked.
"Woolsey's called a briefing. Apparently I'm to bring you with me." She buried her heated face into Ronon's chest, which was rumbling with laughter.
"Come on." He kissed the top of her head then released her slowly. "Duty calls."
"Yeah." She mumbled, accepting his hand as he pulled her forward. "More like duty interrupts." Then she sighed. "You know I swear the fates are conspiring against us."
"Conspiring?"
"I can't even get you alone for five minutes without us being interrupted, and usually by Mr. Woolsey! All we were doing this time was talking." She laughed to herself. So far their relationship had been as chaste as an After School Special. They'd barely ever had time to do more than kiss before something or someone immediately interrupted them, driving them apart, and it was beginning to drive her crazy. Not that she minded the kissing… nope… certainly not… but being in close proximity to Ronon made her want a hell of a lot more than just his kisses.
A hell of a lot more.
She giggled, her face flushing at the thought that popped into her head. "Lord knows what would happen if we ever tried to get naked…"
Ronon growled and spun her towards him, his fingers diving through her loosely falling hair. Twisting it around his knuckles he tipped her head back and covered her mouth with his. Jen melted into his kiss, her fingers sliding up under his jaw. With one hand wrapped in her hair, and the other pressed against the small of her back, Jen was unable to move, and unwilling to even entertain the idea of being anywhere else. His tongue parted her lips and she pushed back with her own. She wasn't sure what the hell prompted him to plunder and didn't care. His mouth was hot and stole all the breath she willingly gave. Her body reacted with a fury and she raised herself higher, pressing closer against him.
They finally parted for oxygen, her body loose and her mind addled, her weight fully supported by the arm around her waist. He uncoiled her hair, smoothing it down her back. She could see the heated fire in his eyes and felt an answering tug in her lower abdomen.
He released her, hesitating while she found her footing, then slowly stepped back.
Jen fought against her wobbly knees, her breath coming in short gasps.
"What was that for?" She croaked, swallowing hard.
"You said naked." He answered.
"I… Oh. Okay. Well. Remind me to be more careful where I say that."
A slow sexy smile teased across his mouth and tumbled her insides.
"Wise suggestion." He growled.
Jen blinked, unable to get her mind, or body, to think about anything else other than the concept of naked, and Ronon.
He reached for her hand. "Come on. Woolsey awaits."
"Right." Jen answered, threading her fingers through his and letting him hurry them across the pier towards the base of the tower. "Remind me to kick his ass later."
Ronon snorted. "Me first."