"Good morning everyone." Woolsey said as he took his seat. "Sorry I'm late."
"Not as late as some." Rodney pointed out nodding to Jennifer's empty seat.
"Dr Keller is not coming."
"Has something happened?" John asked concerned.
"She is not fully fit." Woolsey explained.
"For a staff meeting?" McKay asked.
"What exactly is wrong?" John questioned.
"I don't know all the details, but she has been having some problems with her jaw muscles. Currently they keep tensing and she is in considerable pain and can't sleep."
"Probably caused byBruxism. I had terrible problems when I was a teenager. My jaw could clamp shut for days." McKay started to explain.
"Really?" Ronon asked leaning forward. "What caused it?"
"My case, as I said, was Bruxism and that is caused by stress, anxiety and, wait why are you so suddenly interested?"
"No reason." Ronon said staring at the physicist.
"Perhaps we can move this on gentlemen." Woolsey said sensing his muscles were about to get very tense.
-00-
"Hey, how are you feeling?" John asked as he entered Jennifer's office. In response Jennifer just shrugged. "I take it that means your jaw is still bad?" To which Jennifer silently nodded.
"Anything I can do to help?" John offered to which Jennifer shook her head.
"Should you be at work? You look really tired." John probed. In response Jennifer picked up a mug of coffee.
"Dr Keller!" Cole snapped as she entered the office. "Put that cup down. You know that is the reason you are in this mess."
"Have I missed something?" John asked.
"Dr Keller's problems stem from her muscles going into spasm. Something that is more likely to happen when tired, stressed and high on caffeine. Which is why," she went on turning her attention to Jennifer, "you are meant to be in your room resting and most definitely not drinking coffee."
"I'm fine." Jennifer mumbled through a barely open jaw, even that movement causing her to wince.
"No you're not. Get out of here. Colonel please help me with this."
"Come on doc, no offence, but you look like you could use some sleep."
"Can't." Jennifer mumbled whilst wincing before picking up a notepad and scribbling.
'Hurts too much to sleep. Work helps me relax.'
"I have already offered you pain killers. Take those and sleep." Cole said.
"Come on." John said taking Jennifer's hand and tugging her away from her desk.
"And Colonel, she needs to relax." Cole added.
"Okay."
"That means no tormenting her with threats of revenge."
John was about to make a quip when he took in Cole's stern expression and he asked. "Is this my fault?" As Jennifer shook her head Cole said.
"Not entirely, but your behaviour probably didn't help her stress level."
"Sorry doc." John said guiltily to Jennifer who had already scribbled.
'Not your fault.' On her paper.
-00-
"So what do you want to do? I'm assuming eating is out of the question. So how about a movie?" He suggested as they entered her quarters. When Jennifer nodded he asked. "What would you like to watch?"
In response Jennifer scribbled something on the pad and showed it to John.
"Your writing is really bad." John complained before smiling and said. "You want to watch Alien?"
Confused Jennifer flipped the pad round and tried to figure out how her writing was so bad John thought she had written that.
Crossing it out she re-wrote her previous request, larger and neater.
"Oh, sorry." John said re-reading the note. "You sure you want to watch the last three Super Bowls?"
Jennifer again turned the pad round to face her then looked back at John and saw he was laughing.
Frustrated that John was deliberately mis-reading what she wrote she ripped a sheet of paper off the pad, screwed it up and threw it at John.
"What was that for?" John asked grinning as the paper bounced off his head. "Okay, I have a movie idea, that is mutually acceptable. You get comfortable and I will be back in a few minutes."
-00-
"Shouldn't you be lying down?" John asked returning to her room and seeing her sitting against her bed rest.
'Hurts more to lie down.' Jennifer wrote on her pad. She gave John a chance to read it before scribbling another message. 'As much as I appreciate everything, shouldn't you be working?'
"Not off world until tomorrow." John shrugged. "And Lorne can handle the paperwork. So I am free to nurse you back to health."
'There's no need.' Jennifer wrote, feeling guilty for taking up so much of his time.
"There's always a need to get out of paperwork." John smiled. "But seriously I am happy helping in anyway I can. So why don't you get comfortable and I will get the film started.
'Thank you.' Jennifer wrote before putting the pad down.
"You want some more pillows?" He asked, to which she shook her head. Not knowing what else to do John put the DVD the computer only to turn round and see Jennifer fight to get comfortable. Next he went to the bathroom and doused a face cloth in warm water and then squeezed off the excess water before returning to Jennifer.
"Try this on your jaw. It may help loosen the muscle." John said holding the cloth gently to her face.
Once Jennifer had taken control of the cloth John retreated to a chair on the farside and watched for several minutes as Jennifer struggled to find a comfortable position. Unable to take it anymore John finally stood and walked back to Jennifer, removing the cloth from her before saying.
"Up. I've got an idea."
John sat on the bed, his back against the head rest. He then placed a pillow over his stomach and directed Jennifer to sit between his legs and lean back against his chest.
"Comfortable?" He asked. When she nodded he put his hands on her scalp and started to massage her head. "Hopefully this will help you relax."
Ten minutes later Jennifer was fast asleep.
