Days later, Brendan swung his legs back and forth under the bed. He'd been waiting for 30 minutes, but he didn't mind too much. It amazed him to observe the inner workings of the infirmary, especially since it was equipped with a lot of fancy Pegasus gizmo's. One or two nurses passed by him, smiling, but no one stopped to ask if he was waiting for anyone.
"Kennedy," Dr. Keller came over to the medical bed. "I almost forgot. I'm late. You had an appointment."
Brendan shrugged. "Not a problem. I really don't have much to do around here, except when Sheppard schedules me for a mission."
Keller pulled up his limited file.
"Can you lift up your shirt? I'd like to check the wounds again. Is the pain fading?"
Tugging his shirt over his head, but keeping his arms through the sleeves by loosely cradling the t-shirt in his lap, he nodded.
"Yeah," he said. "I think the down time back home helped. The materials I've been reading since getting to Atlantis helped as well. That, and Lorne's warning about staying out of the training room for now. I just stick to the weight room instead."
"So you're behaving?" Keller smirked. "Think you can influence a few other men to take that approach? They don't understand how the body needs time to heal."
"Well," he began, pulling his shirt back over his head when she indicated she was done. "You have to understand, most military people have experienced bullet and knife wounds, especially if they were in combat duty. It begins to not be a big deal anymore."
"Hmph," Jennifer absentmindedly replied. "Your brain may be telling you that, but your body certainly needs to be considered. Don't abuse it, and it'll treat you well."
"So, you mean you should not overwork yourself... smile once in awhile. Not take life seriously 24/7?"
"Of course," she scoffed. "Everyone needs to take time to rest and for themselves mentally."
"Are we done here?" Brendan said, ready to hop off the table.
"Yeah," she replied.
"Do you have another patient after me?"
"Hmmm?"
Brendan watched Keller look up, confused.
"A patient? Was I your last one?"
"Oh," Keller nodded. "Yeah."
Brendan had a determined look on his face.
"Then clock out, doctor," he said, plucking his file out of her hands and stopping to drop it off on her desk. "I need your help."
"I can't just leave- I wanted to take another look at-"
"Sorry," Brendan said. "But this is important."
Sighing, Keller peeled off her medical coat and neatly placed it over her chair. She noticed a few nurses giving her strange looks.
"It's alright," she assured them. "Major Kennedy needs my assistance. I'll be back later."
"No, it's going to take a few hours," he objected.
Beginning to get annoyed, Keller stopped and starred at him.
"Is this something official that Sheppard or Lorne asked you to do? Because if not, I don't think I have to listen to you order me around."
"Relax," he said, placing his hand below her elbow to lead her out of the infirmary. "Let's get out of here. I've spent enough time in hospitals and medical units to hate being in there one extra minute. I don't know how you can take it."
"It's called being a doctor," Keller replied dryly. "It's kinda a requirement of my profession."
"Yeah, I got that," he said. "My name is Brendan. Did you read my file?"
Confused, Jennifer quickened her pace to keep up with him. "Of course I read your file- the little that was there."
"Then call me by my name," he requested.
"I was," she stubbornly said. "People go by rank here- well, for the most part."
"Sheppard and Lorne call you by your first name," he reminded her. "I got the impression that things are more informal here. And considering you volunteered to be my official guide of Atlantis today, I figured we could go by first names."
"What? I didn't volunteer for-"
"So do you like Jennifer or Jen?"
A look of annoyance flashed on her face.
"Did Sheppard or Lorne put you up to this? They've been hovering lately."
"Nope," Brendan said. "So where to first, Jennifer?"
Primly, Jennifer closed her lips. Finally sighing in defeat, she relaxed her body.
"Fine," she said. "To get you off my back, I'll show you around. But what do you want to see that you haven't already in the weeks you've been here?"
"Nothing specific."
"Seriously?" She looked up at him and stopped, not seeing the point of continuing. "Are you trying to be annoying?"
"Just following doctors orders," he said, coming up with something for her to show him. "My tours didn't include any of the outer perimeter. Can you show me a good place to take a walk? I hate feeling cooped up."
"What doctors orders?" she asked, practically growling. "This way- I like to walk on the south pier area."
"Yours," he picked up the conversation naturally."'Everyone needs to take time to rest and for themselves mentally.' You need it. You're cranky."
Jennifer ignored him.
"You're not taking care of yourself. You have that pinched look on your face- you know the one you had when I- how did you put it? 'Cavemanned you' back at the SGC. I haven't seen you without it since we got to Atlantis- other than a brief period on Midway and a tad bit at the end of our first mission."
Walking in silence for a few minutes, Jennifer began to fidget.
"Why do you care?"
"Because I don't have much else to do around here," he shrugged. "Okay, that sounded bad. How about... since you're my only official duty, then I should take it upon myself to watch you on and off the field. I take my jobs seriously."
Jennifer scowled.
"I've been taking care of myself for a long time," she said.
"Well, then, I won't bother you," he replied. "So let's just go on a walk."
"Do we need to talk?" Jennifer grumpily asked.
"Sure, good idea," Brendan laughed. "See, you're warming up to me."
"This is not warm," she glared, then took a breath.
Smirking, he looked at her. "I noticed."
They walked in silence. He noticed how she began to slow down and relaxed her posture. The further they walked, the more evenly she began to breathe.
"I forget how beautiful it is here," she stated, breaking the silence.
Brendan motioned for them to stop and approach a railing.
"It's incredible," Brendan agreed. "The city is unbelievable by itself. But the view here- it's unlike anything I've ever seen."
Jennifer covered her arms with her hands while propping her arms over the rails.
"It's so quiet- so peaceful," she continued. "As if the city hasn't a care in the world- no threats of the Wraith, no evil viruses..."
"Sometimes," Brendan said thoughtfully, "we forget why we do what we do. It's hard when you're in the trenches and constantly battling something. But you take one moment to step back- to appreciate the bigger picture. It puts it into perspective."
Sighing, Jennifer nodded.
"You shouldn't make so much sense," Jennifer admitted. "Especially after being here for only a few weeks."
He shrugged. "I've been in the situation. You begin to see how people begin to lose their way. It can happen anywhere."
Jennifer turned.
"So," she admitted. "The walking thing felt good. Want to keep going for a bit?"
Brendan grinned.
"I'm growing on you."
"Hmph," Jennifer dismissed him. "We'll see."
Lorne and Sheppard watched a slightly disgruntled Jennifer walk by with Brendan, who looked as if he'd just accomplished something great.
"Huh," Sheppard said, giving a smirk. "Looks like Kennedy is doing a good job watching over Keller. She's never out of there this early."
Distracted, Lorne shot a glance to the couple and nodded.
"He'll be good for her," he agreed, then returned his attention back to the paper.
Sheppard wouldn't have noticed anything odd, but he saw Lorne's head pop up again and check something over Sheppard's shoulder.
Noticing, John turned around before he heard a protest from Lorne. Spying the nurse from the infirmary approaching an empty table, he swung back around with his face lit with humor.
Lorne closed his eyes for a moment, waiting for the inevitable.
Deciding to not comment, John chuckled a bit.
"Not saying a word, Lorne," he assured him, unable to keep a straight face. "Not a word."
Instead, Sheppard read through a few more reports. Earning back the full attention of the Major, he waited until they were finished.
He couldn't leave their weekly meeting in the cafeteria after noticing Lorne's interest in the young woman without teasing him a bit.
"She's cute," he mentioned, nonchalantly. "Lily, is it? Pretty name."
Lorne sighed and shook his head.
"So much for not saying a word," he muttered under his breath.
Sheppard's hearing was in perfect working order. Hearing the Major's comments only made the situation more humorous.
"Lorne," he said, trying to sound professional. "That matter we talked about regarding the infirmary and providing them some military men on hand for certain situations..."
"Yeah?" Evan responded.
Sheppard got up, motioning for him to follow. Setting down their trays, he walked over toward Lily's table.
"I want you to get a second opinion on it," he continued, smiling at Lily. "I think your friend here can provide it. Jennifer's always busy. I want a report back on it tonight."
Lorne's lips twitched.
"Very smooth, Sheppard," he said under his breath, then walking over to Lily's table.
Sheppard observed the nurse smile and slightly redden as Lorne sat down, looking apologetic but not very reluctant to be able to sit and talk to her.
Whistling, he headed back to the training room, where Ronon was probably tearing in to a few men.