A/N: Please note that because of access issues to this site, this story is usually updated on my LiveJournal page first. My username is j_r_hartley.

When The Night Comes - Chapter 10

Having extra time on their hands with gate travel suspended, the team had had been spending more and more time apart. Rodney had been working on "Something so scientifically brilliant that it could change time and space as we know it!", to which Ronon merely shrugged and said "Good for you!"

Just before the quarantine, Melissa, Teyla's friend from the mainland, had come to Atlantis with a fresh crop of tava beans; and unable to return she was spending most of her time in Teyla's company.

Carson had been kept busy with the steady flow of patients suffering with the same symptoms both Ronon and Sheppard shown. This included most of Lorne's team, and half of the marines on the base; so they had seen little of the doctor either.

When Ronon wasn't with Sheppard, he had been spending more time with Lorne, who in the absence of the rest of his team, had often been in the shooting range and the gym at the same time as Ronon.

The first few times they sparred Ronon had gone easy on him, trying to get a handle on the style and skills of Sheppard's XO; and was quite impressed. Lorne didn't look as strong or agile as he was, and although he was no real match for the Satedan, he had certainly given him a run for his money, pinning him to the floor more times than Ronon would care to admit.

"I seem to spend half of my life in here these days." Ronon sighed looking around the commissary, after another long day. "I'm bored. What the hell are you doing all day, Sheppard? We've hardly spent more than a couple of hours a day together in two weeks."

Shrugging, Sheppard replied "Got no excuse not to catch up on paperwork now we're on lockdown. Weir's coming down on my ass like a ton of bricks." Leaning across the table, Sheppard smirked at him "I know it's not ideal buddy, but you can't say I haven't been making it up to you. We always manage to be full of energy when it comes to our nights together!"

A goofy grin spread across Ronon's face and he chuckled. Sheppard certainly had been making it up to him, and he had the cuts and bruises to prove it. Despite Ronon's protests, it was always Sheppard who took the lead, something Ronon never thought would happen. In his head it would be him that took charge, but there was just something so incredibly sexy about Sheppard wanting to do everything he possibly could to satisfy the bigger man, regardless of how hard he had to work to do it.

Their antics had become increasingly rough, and only the aches in his muscles from sparring took away to the tenderness of those cuts and bruises. Ronon never would've guess that being literally manhandled was actually pretty hot; but he was just as rough with Sheppard when he got the chance. Some nights it had gotten to the point where he didn't mind the pain so much, because Sheppard had a way of kissing the pain away that felt exquisite. He managed to give Ronon the feeling that he was floating with each touch of his lips, feeling every inch of his body being worshipped by that hot, luscious mouth.

Ronon could feel his pulse racing and he was getting hard at the thought of it – or even just the thought of being close to Sheppard, and how they didn't seem to be able to be near each other and not want to rip each other's clothes off. If he thought about it, Ronon decided it was actually a bit scary how badly they wanted each other, now that they'd finally started down this route. It was like they were addicted to each other, and whilst being apart sometimes felt like it physically hurt, when they did get together, it was so passionate that they forgot all about the pain of being separated.

He was drawn out of his daydreaming by a voice saying his name.

"Hey Ronon! Good evening Colonel."

Looking up, he saw Lorne standing at their table. "Oh, hi!", Ronon said with a smile, and gestured to a chair. "Do you…do you want to join us?"

Smiling widely Lorne said "Oh no, I'm off to meet Zelenka. We're developing a strategy to try and find what McKay's up to. I just wanted to say hi, but thanks for the offer. See you in the gym tomorrow?"

"Sure thing Major!" the Satedan grinned. He looked forward to the new challenges Lorne set for him – it was always good to fight against different styles.

Ronon turned back to Sheppard who had smirk on his face, and an eyebrow raised in Lorne's direction. "You two are becoming very friendly these days." he said teasingly. "It's a good job I'm not they jealous type!"

"Very funny Sheppard!" Ronon replied sarcastically. He noticed that the Colonel's smirk had faded somewhat, and a frown was beginning to form. He looked almost offended by his own jealousy comment. The Satedan brushed it aside and carried on speaking. "He's pretty good you know, more capable than you'd think. You should have him training more with the Marines, he could really put them through their paces. Plus with him around, I've got to have something to occupy me while you're on that toplap all day."

Sheppard laughed as he rose from the table, "Number one, it's laptop!" He paused and looked over at Lorne and Zelenka who were hunched over their table conspiring away with lots of laughing and hand gestures, "And number two, Lorne's pretty damn hot. I'd count yourself lucky throwing him around all day!"

Slightly affronted, Ronon called after him "Wait! What's that supposed to mean?"

Sheppard's reply was a laugh as he went out of the door.

"Oh screw you!" he mumbled to the empty chair. He felt suddenly angry that Sheppard had made the observation that Lorne was hot. Sheppard was his damn it, and Ronon wasn't the kind of man to share. He growled low in his throat, and tried to quell the urge to grab the Colonel and remind him that he was with Ronon, and didn't need to be looking at anyone else. That's a conversation they would definitely be having very soon!

TBC…