A/N: Three more chapters after this, and an epilogue. :-) Thank you as always for your very kind reviews!

Chapter Ten

"Sheppard's acting weird," Ronon declared.

"So you have said before," Teyla remarked, carefully balancing Torren in one arm as she attempted to eat her breakfast.

"This is different," he answered. Teyla sighed.

"It seems to me that the Colonel is more at peace with himself these days," she replied. "Perhaps you should be, as well."

"He's sleeping in McKay's lab," Ronon said bluntly. Teyla frowned.

"He is?"

"Yeah. Every night since just before McKay got sick."

Teyla's brows knit together. "Are you certain?," she asked.

"I see him coming out of there every morning," Ronon replied. "And he's never had his coffee yet."

"Perhaps he is simply visiting Elizabeth before his shift begins?," Teyla suggested.

"Or maybe there's something else going on," he said.

"Ronon. Whatever Colonel Sheppard is doing in Rodney's lab is none of our concern. It is still preferable to him brooding out on the balcony each day."

"It's weird."

"There was a time when he and Elizabeth were very close," Teyla reminded him. "Perhaps with everything that has happened with Rodney, John needed the comfort of a true friend."

"We're his friends," Ronon noted gruffly. "And since when does he even believe that's the real Elizabeth?"

"Perhaps since he took the time to speak with her," Teyla replied evenly. "There is much of the Elizabeth Weir I remember within Rodney's virtual reality."

"I know," Ronon replied. "But still."

"If you wish to know what is really going on, perhaps you should speak with the Colonel," Teyla advised. "I see no harm in John spending time with an old friend, especially given everything we have been through these past few weeks."

"Maybe I will," Ronon retorted, stabbing a piece of food from his plate.

Elizabeth smiled warmly at her morning guest. She hadn't seen the doctor in weeks, ever since Rodney had been diagnosed with the Second Childhood. She had missed the young woman's easy manner and friendly chats.

"I hear that you managed to save our Rodney," Elizabeth said, still grinning at the news John had brought her just the night before.

"It was Ronon, actually," Dr. Keller confessed sheepishly. "I really didn't believe him about the Ancient shrine. If it hadn't been for his insistence, and Jeanie's belief, McKay would still be..." She stopped, at a loss for words.

"Well, I'm just glad everything worked out," Elizabeth answered reassuringly.

"Yeah, me too," Jennifer sighed.

"Is something wrong?," Elizabeth asked, noting the slight look of defeat in the doctor's stance.

"It's just...When he was sick. McKay said some things...Some things I wish could be true."

"Such as?," she pressed.

"He told me he loves me," Keller said in a rush. "But he was already starting to forget a lot by then. And he'd never really even hinted at anything before..."

Elizabeth smiled brightly. "Not to the person who needed to hear it, maybe," she replied, remembering some of her own chats with the scientist. "But Rodney can never keep his thoughts to himself for long."

Jennifer blinked in surprise. "Did he say something to you?," she asked, hope filling her voice.

Elizabeth only smiled. "Just give him some time," she said, giving the doctor's hand a gentle squeeze. "He'll find the courage to tell you again."

"I hope so," the doctor confessed. Then, "I'm really sorry I haven't been visiting. I've just been so worried, trying to find a solution..."

"I know," Elizabeth replied understanding. "And it's all right. Really. I haven't been alone."

The doctor looked surprised. "Really? I thought Rodney and I were your main visitors," she said, flushing slightly at how that sounded.

Elizabeth laughed. "You were. Then John started dropping by."

"Colonel Sheppard?," the doctor squeaked. "He hasn't been giving you a hard time, has he? Because I could have Ronon talk to him..."

Elizabeth shook her head. "He's been...wonderful," she confessed, smiling.

Jennifer's jaw dropped. "Are you...? I mean, not that it's any of my business, but are the two of you...together?," she asked awkwardly.

Elizabeth grinned. "We're...something," she replied happily. "We'll just have to see how things go, I guess."

Ronon was waiting outside McKay's lab when John reached the door.

"Ronon," he greeted, frowning slightly at the large Satedan's defensive stance.

"What are you doing in here every night?," Ronon demanded, skipping right to the point.

"Visiting Elizabeth," John replied honestly.

"Every night? All night?," Ronon asked skeptically.

John shrugged, acutely conscious of the fact that Ronon was coming uncomfortably close to the truth.

"So when do you sleep?," the Satedan asked.

"At night. Like everyone else," John replied easily.

"In the virtual reality?"

"Look, what difference does it make?," John demanded. "First everyone kept telling me to just come talk to Elizabeth, and now you're questioning the amount of time I'm spending with her?"

"Is it her?," Ronon asked.

John froze. She was so much the Elizabeth he remembered, warm, intelligent, funny. And so much more, besides. In just a few short weeks, she'd reintegrated herself as an integral part of his life, the voice of reason in a galaxy that made so little sense sometimes.

"Yes," he answered at last, not knowing what else to say. How could he deny it now? She was, in every way that mattered, Elizabeth Weir. And he was quickly realizing just how much she'd always meant to him. How much he'd really lost when he'd lost her...

Ronon looked surprised. "Are you two a couple then?," he asked, blunt as ever.

John felt himself colour slightly. "What difference does it make?," he asked, rather than answer the question. Ronon shrugged.

"Just curious."

"Well, it's really none of your business," John retorted.

Ronon frowned. "If you keep this up, other people will notice. And they'll start to talk," he warned.

"I know," John sighed.

Ronon eyed him carefully. No doubt looking for signs that he'd somehow been compromised.

"Just be careful," the Satedan grunted at last, pushing away from the door.