Carson narrowed his eyes, watching the CMO from the other side of the infirmary. She straightened from her bent position listening to Captain Sanchez' chest and rubbed her back while she scolded the young man over something.

Carson smiled down at Evan Lorne. "Alright lad, you're all set."

Lorne flexed his arm and pulled the sleeve on his shirt down over the bandages Carson had applied.

"Thanks Doc."

Carson didn't respond so the Major turned on the bed to look over his shoulder, following the good doctor's gaze to where Jennifer was treating Sanchez for that cough he'd been ignoring for a week and a half.

"Is she okay?"

"Aye." The doctor said in a tone that said he was not entirely pleased with whatever it was he saw.

"She should probably sit down or something." Lorne said, noticing how tired Jennifer looked and the way she kept stretching her back and neck.

"Aye." Carson said again. Then he inhaled and blinked. "Excuse me Major."

Carson crossed the infirmary to where Jennifer had left Sanchez and was now approaching the storage locker where they kept the Level 2 medications. She opened the cabinet to retrieve a bottle of antibiotics and turned around and gasped when she almost ran into Carson.

"I'll take that." He said, taking the bottle from her.

"Carson," Jen complained, but without much vigor.

"You've been on your feet all day, I think it's time you had a break."

Jennifer braced her hands against her lower back. "I'm fine. I'm pregnant, not an invalid. I'm perfectly capable of continuing to do my job." Jen bristled, but didn't pull away when Carson put a comforting hand on her arm.

"Aye, lass I didn't say you couldn't. But you've got two jobs right now." He raised his eyebrows. "One is to be a doctor, thats true. But the other is to grow a healthy wee baby."

"I can do both."

"I know you can, Jennifer. But are you doing justice to them both?" Carson dipped his chin and carefully kept his tone calm but firm.

Jennifer sighed and dropped her shoulders, releasing some of the tension she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"You're right," she said quietly, then shook her head. "I just don't..." She exhaled deeply and looked at the Scot. Met with the open, careful gaze of her mentor, she bit her lip.

"What is it?"

"I want to be able to do this." She started, haltingly. "I want to be able to do both. I'm a doctor. It's who I am. It's what I'm good at. But what if…what if…"

Carson smiled and put both hands on her shoulders.

"Jennifer. You are a wonderful doctor. You're smart as a whip and pretty to boot." He grinned when she flushed. "But I'm sorry lass, it's not who you are. You are so much more than that. You're a teacher, a friend. A lovely daughter and…well I'm not sure if you're a wife yet but…" he laughed a little and Jennifer smiled in response, looking to the floor. He sighed, she was still tense, but his words seemed to have hit close to home.

"Most importantly Jennifer," he caught her gaze again, "you are going to be a terrific mother."

Jen smiled and covered his hand with her own.

"Thanks Carson." She appreciated the words. Needed to hear them. But she still had her doubts. Could she really do both? More importantly, did Ronon think she could? Did he want her to? If he didn't, what would she do? She hadn't thought to ask what it was like on Sateda. What if there was some sort of expectation for her to give up everything to focus on being a mother. It was common on Earth, was it less common in Pegasus?

Unaware of her worried musings, Carson smiled at her.

"You're welcome lass. Look, I haven't had lunch yet, have you?" Jen shook her head and Carson looked at the antibiotics in his hand. "I'll give this to Captain Sanchez and we can go get a little something to eat, okay?"

Jen nodded but put her hands out to stop him before he could step away.

"But I will give this to Sanchez."

Carson started to protest but finally gave in, handing over the pills.

Jen brushed past him and started toward her patient still sitting on the bed near the far wall.

"Alright Sanchez I want you to-" Jen started across the infirmary but cut herself off, a frown forming on her face and she tilted her head.

Carson watched her steps slow and then stop and started toward her.

"Jennifer?"

She hissed and bent forward, one hand reaching out to grab the empty bed next to her, the other dropped the antibiotics and went to her side.

"Jennifer!" Carson was at her side in an instant, followed by Sanchez and Lorne.

"Doc?"

Jen waved off their questions, breathing through the sudden wave of pain that had overwhelmed her.

"I-I'm fine." She shook her head. "That was uncomfortable."

She looked up and attempted to smile at the three worried male gazes around her.

"I'm fine." She repeated.

"You're sure?" Lorne asked, his hands slowly returning to his side. Beside him Carson was still giving her a wary look, not sure if he believed her.

Jen nodded. "Yes." She looked around and spotted the pill bottle on the floor. Before she could try to bend over for them Sanchez scooped them up.

"I got 'em Doc."

"Okay," Jen nodded, still trying to catch her breath. "So take one with every meal and remember to-" She cut herself off again with a pained wince and staggered a little on her feet.

"Right, lads help me get her into this bed." Carson ordered.

"Carson," Jen tried to protest, but was cut off quickly.

"None of that from you, young lady. You'll let me have a look at you and that's the end of it."

He directed Sanchez and Lorne as they helped Jennifer onto the bed.

"Doc you want me to get Ronon?"

"No!" Jen said immediately, then hissed as she rode out another wave of pain. "It's probably nothing. No need to worry him."

Lorne didn't look so sure but nodded and he and Sanchez left when Carson shooed him away, pulling the privacy curtain.

"So...You gonna tell Dex?"

Evan raised an eyebrow at the Captain.

"Wouldn't you want to know if it were you?"

Sanchez bobbled his head. "Sure. Still, I don't know about you, but I'm more scared of her than him."

The sound of Jennifer's voice cursing on the other aide of the curtain startled them both and Evan slowly nodded.

"You know what Captain? I think you might be right about that."

SGASGASGA

The look on Ronon's face was not one to be trifled with and the staff parted like a sea as he stalked the halls to the crew quarters.

He was probably going to shoot Lorne when he saw him. He hadn't been able to shoot Carson, but he was definitely going to shoot Lorne.

Carson had taken Jennifer's side and always would if he had to choose, which Ronon had reluctantly come to terms with. But Lorne...Lorne should have known better.

He swiped the door controls and entered their room with hardly a pause. His anger was replaced with concern when he saw the bed empty, but returned quickly when he heard the bathroom door open and Jennifer emerged.

She'd replaced her maternity uniform with a pair of leggings and one of his shirts, hair caught up in a messy bun on top of her head.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Jen blinked at His brusk tone but didn't break her stride. "Going to the bathroom."

"I thought you were put on bed rest." He narrowed his eyes at her as she padded back across the room in bare feet and settled on the bed.

"It's not literal Ronon. And it's only for a couple days so don't get used to it." She said reaching for the medical journal she'd been reading before she'd gotten up.

Ronon frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and glowered at her.

Jen sighed and put down the magazine. "What is it?"

"You told them not to tell me." He said immediately.

"It was nothing! I didn't want you to worry."

"Carson doesn't seem to think it was nothing." He raised an eyebrow at her, indicating the orders for bedrest the older doctor had prescribed.

"Carson is overly cautious."

"And you push yourself too hard."

"Ronon." Jen huffed, tossing her reading aside. "I'm a doctor. I have responsibilities on this expedition. I am not going to stop. Not now and not after the baby is born."

His eyebrows drew together and he uncrossed his arms. "What are you talking about?"

"If you've gotten it into your Macho mind that I'm going to have this baby and just…stop working, stop doing what I do, then you've got another thing coming."

He tilted his head. "Did I say that?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"You didn't have to." Jennifer crossed her arms and turned away.

He stepped forward, trying again. "Is that why you think I'm mad? You think I want you to quit working?"

Jen pursed her lips but didn't respond. She refused to turn toward him when she heard clothes rustling and the thud when he dropped his sword and holster to the floor. The mattress dipped and she felt him crawling across the bed. She stiffened, anticipating his touch, but it never came. Instead, he settled against the headboard beside her.

"I wouldn't ask you to stop."

She turned to look and found him seated with his hands in his lap, his legs crossed at the ankles.

"I wouldn't want you to." He continued evenly.

She swallowed, instantly feeling guilty. She'd gotten lost in her own head, convinced herself he wanted something that he'd never voiced and gotten mad at him about it. And instead of returning her ire he was quietly calming her down with reason and honesty.

Patient, she thought. Sometimes she forgot how patient he could be. He hated waiting in enclosed places, he hated being still when there was work to be done. But when it was important, when it came to things that mattered, the man could have the patience of a saint.

"You wouldn't?" She asked meekly.

Ronon turned toward her, his face serious. He stared at her in a way Jennifer recognized as him gathering his thoughts, carefully preparing his words before he spoke.

She waited.

"You are my balance." He began. "Where I hurt things, you heal them. If I bring death, you guard life." Jennifer opened her mouth to cut him off, he was selling himself short but he shook his head, asking her to let him finish. So she did.

"I wouldn't ask you to give up that which makes you whole. I…am a soldier. It's how I was raised, it's what I understand. You are a doctor. For everything else that you are, that is where you draw your strength." He placed one hand on top of hers over her stomach. "This child is of us both. I can never give you more than you are giving me." He licked his lips. "And I will never ask you to do anything you don't want to do unless it means keeping you safe. Thats all I want. For you to be happy. For you to be safe."

He finished and Jennifer realized she'd been holding her breath. She inhaled sharply and blinked past the tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

He shook his head again, reaching up draw a thumb across her cheek.

"Don't be. I didn't know you felt that way."

"It seems stupid now."

"No. I'm glad you said something." He quirked a smile. "Feel better now?"

Jen nodded.

"Good." He leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead. "Need anything?"

Jen shook her head and tucked herself under his arm.

"Just sit with me for a while."

Ronon nodded. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, happy to oblige.

TBC