Chapter 9

"I see you finally won over our brooding warrior," Marie quietly chuckled as she checked Jennifer's vital signs.

"Huh … oh, not really. He's standing guard, wants to keep tabs on me till the Daedalus arrives," Jen quietly explained through the fog that surrounded her. "It's not like I'm going anywhere," she sarcastically huffed.

"How's your pain level?" Marie asked as she checked her wounds. She noticed that Jennifer wasn't making much sense but attributed it to her condition and the strong drugs.

"It's picking up, I'm really starting to feel it," Jen grimaced.

"I'll get you something to help ease it, you really need to sleep,"

Ronon watched Jennifer move about in her bed trying to get more comfortable. Hearing her soft moans he found himself wanting to comfort her but continued his charade of sleep not wanting to talk with either woman. If he had to explain himself he wasn't sure he could … he wasn't sure why he was keeping a vigil in the corner of the room. He just knew he needed to be there.

"There you go," Marie said as she injected the painkiller into the IV line. "You should be able to sleep in a few minutes. "Do you want me to send Ronon to his quarters?"

"No, it's rather comforting actually but you never heard that from me," Jen tried to smirk through drooping eyelids. "Too bad really, if he didn't hate me so much I think we could have been good together," she added softly as she drifted off to sleep.

Ronon waited for Marie to gather her things and leave the room before his eyes popped open and he rubbed his face in frustration. What did she mean by could have been good together? He stood up and began pacing in front of his chair in a tight path. She was leaving, he would make her leave … he couldn't think straight with her walking the same halls, eating in the same room, sleeping just down the corridor. She was making him crazy and he'd be sure she kept her promise; he'd carry her bags onto the Daedalus himself. Unable to breathe in the same space, Ronon quietly slipped out of the infirmary heading to the gym to take out his growing frustration on the punching bag.

oOo

Ronon worked hard to keep thoughts of the fair-haired doctor out of his mind but being placed on restricted duty made it near to impossible. He tramped through the corridors of the city trying to find some reprieve from his constant anger. Joining Sheppard after dinner he finally found some relief in old episodes of Firefly until late into the night. As he was returning to his room he found his feet had a mind of their own delivering him through the doors of the infirmary and on to Jennifer's bedside.

He stood looking over her injuries wincing at the bruises and cuts that adorned her face. He was kicking himself for taking off that day, for leaving her alone in the meetinghouse. If he'd stayed maybe he could have kept her safe. Once again, he let his personal agenda get in the way. Why did she agree to leave? She'd said she cared about him, what was that suppose to mean, he wondered. Moving over to the empty chair he settled in for the night keeping watch once again, convincing himself that he'd do the same for anyone who'd been injured while in his care.

Jennifer was having a hard time getting any restful sleep. It was difficult for her to be confined to her own infirmary but knew she wasn't ready to take care of herself just yet. She felt restless tonight drifting in and out of weird dreams fueled by physical discomfort. The oddball imaginings seemed to intensify the closer it came to her next dose of pain meds.

Ronon watched as Jennifer tried to find a more comfortable position in bed. She'd been stirring for the past half hour occasionally groaning in her sleep. He kept thinking he'd leave before she fully awakened but waited too long to make his escape.

"Hey, what time is it?" Jennifer asked noticing Ronon sitting in his chair in the corner of the room.

"Late, you should go back to sleep," he grumbled embarrassed at being caught watching her.

"Can't sleep," she sighed rolling onto her side.

"Do you want me to get Marie? She could get you something for the pain," he suggested eager to make his escape.

"No, I'm trying to ease off the good stuff. It makes me feel weird," she explained smiling slightly. "I'm sorry I didn't make it on the Daedalus, I heard they left today. My word is still good Ronon, I will leave on the next trip," she assured him.

"I don't think you're in any shape to go anywhere right now," he answered.

"I appreciate your concern but it isn't necessary to stand guard," she challenged.

"I'm not guarding you," he growled. "Just checking to see how you're doing."

"You know, it wasn't your fault," Jen quietly assured him. "It wouldn't have mattered if you would have been in the room with me, in fact, you may have received more than a concussion. I wouldn't have made it home alive if you hadn't taken care of me."

"I was your escort … it was my job," he reminded her.

"I know but it sort of proved your point about me. I seem to find trouble in this galaxy," she half laughed at herself sarcastically.

"I don't think you can count this," he answered scowling. Ronon knew she would probably blame herself and that was his fault. After months of telling her she was too weak and needed to go home, she was finally starting to believe it.

"Say, do you think we can call a truce until I leave? I would like to part as friends rather than enemies," she asked sincerely.

"Why does it matter?" he asked.

"I was hoping you might see another side of me, I'm really not a bad person, Ronon," she entreated.

"I don't think of you as the enemy, Doc," Ronon explained. "A truce sounds good," he agreed hoping he wasn't making a mistake. Getting too close to his constant distraction just might be his downfall.

oOo

Jennifer spent the better part of a week in the infirmary before being restricted to her quarters for the duration of her healing. Ronon continued to check up on her and usually brought her most of her meals especially since he was on restriction too and couldn't go on missions.

"Hey Doc, it's me," he announced closing the door behind him. Since the truce they'd dispensed with formalities especially since Jen had been pretty much confined to her bed. The last thing she needed to do was climb out of bed every time her door chimed.

"Wow, that's a lot of food," she exclaimed wondering what he'd been thinking.

"Thought I'd eat with you tonight. Brought a movie too," he added holding up a DVD.

"My hero! I'm so bored and tired of sleeping."

"Eat first."

The two chatted back and forth while they ate their meals with Jennifer doing most of the talking. She shared with him little stories about her time in medical school and her residency with Dr. Beckett. As they finished up their dessert Ronon retrieved her laptop from the other room and set up the movie he'd borrowed from Sheppard.

"What'd you bring?" she asked eager to see his selection.

"Something Sheppard thought I should watch since I finished up all those space cowboy shows he had."

"This is one of my favorite movies," she declared as the credits began to role on Serenity. You must be referring to Firefly."

"Yeah, that's it."

"Let me guess … your favorite character was Jayne?"

"Pretty safe guess," he said smirking. "I'd say your favorite was Simon since he was the doctor but you really don't seem anything like him."

"Actually, I don't see myself in any of the characters but it is one of my all time favorite movies … I'll have to thank the Colonel if I'm ever allowed out of my room again."

The two sat on her bed with the laptop balanced across both their laps. Jennifer made it well past the halfway mark in the movie before her eyelids began to droop. Ronon pulled a pillow from behind her and placed it on his lap before pulling her down to rest as he watched the rest of the DVD.

He finished the movie with Jennifer sleeping soundly in his lap. He had to agree it was a good choice and even watched the fight scene with the Reavers a couple of times before turning the laptop off but leaving the movie so she could finish it in the morning. After tucking her in for the night he collected the trays and made sure the door was locked behind him. It'd been a nice evening and he found himself smiling as he headed toward the mess hall.

oOo

Ronon was finally released back to unrestricted duty and enjoying off world missions again. He still brought Jennifer her meals when he was on base and always checked on her when he returned through the gate. They'd settled into a nice rhythm and he knew he was getting too close but couldn't help himself. He kept reasoning that it was just a temporary situation so he might as well be pleasant.

"Hey Ronon, what's for dinner tonight?" Jennifer asked as he walked in carrying both trays.

"Not sure … I think it has noodles but there's cake for dessert," he offered with a grin.

"Wow, it looks like Chicken Alfredo … I wonder what inspired the cook and what he used for chicken," she said poking at the delicate glop on her tray.

"Tastes pretty good, so if you're complaining …," he warned.

"No, no, no … just an observation so keep your fork on your own tray," she admonished teasingly. "Do you know how to play cards?" she asked out of the blue.

"Yeah, several of us play poker with Sheppard all the time.

"How about gin?

"Huh?"

"It's a card game," she chuckled. "I use to play with my dad all the time when I still lived at home. We'd play for a dime a game and a penny a point … my first taste of gambling."

"Did you want to play?" Ronon asked clinging to any excuse to stay longer.

"That'd be fun. I'll move our trays and you can grab a deck of cards from my desk drawer."

Jennifer moved her end table so it sat between the couch and the recliner then retrieved a pad of paper from her bedside table. "Did you find the cards?" she asked.

"All I found was the poker cards."

"Bring them … they'll work just fine," she laughed softly. Lately she caught herself often noticing the little differences between their cultures … it was very endearing to see Ronon stumble over Earth meanings and references. Just another quirk to his personality that she'd really miss.

Jennifer taught him how to play Gin and they spent the next week playing every night betting M & Ms and fruit cups. They also enjoyed several long walks along the east pier under the guise of physical therapy. She didn't have the heart to tell him she'd already been cleared for full duty.

Far too soon the Daedalus was fast approaching. During her last week on Atlantis Jennifer began to distance herself from Ronon hoping to make her departure easier. She spent long hours in the infirmary cleaning up her files and bringing her research to some kind of conclusion. She could feel her heart slowly breaking and doubted anything could fix the sorrow than enveloped her.

In the last few days she found herself in constant turmoil. How was she ever going to make a life for herself back on Earth? More importantly, how was she ever going to make a life without Ronon?