Ronon stared at the man. "You want to explain that to me?"
"You have to remember that I'm the outsider in this group, even Sola is distant family to Petar Hant and I've only been with them around three years, but in that time I've seen how she operates. She's good at manipulating anybody that she thinks can help her get what she desires and she doesn't care who gets hurt in the process. Your woman could be in danger" he finished quietly.
Ronon growled, looking distinctly unhappy. "Then it is just as well that Colonel Carter has refused their request to stay on Atlantis. I'll have to make sure that she is not left alone until they're gone". Unexpectedly he smiled. "Not that that will be any hardship" he added.
"What about Petar and Sola?" Carron inquired. "How will this City's leaders punish them for what happened?"
"They'll be kept in the holding cells until it's time to leave and then they'll depart with the others".
"But Sola tried to kill your Doctor" Carron protested.
"I know. But Jennifer contacted Carter and asked her to let it go. She said she didn't want to split the family group and truthfully the Atlanteans do not seem keen on taking prisoners at any time. One day though, her kind heart is going to cause problems if I can't teach her to differentiate between those that deserve her help and those that don't".
For a while the two men reminisced about their lives together on Sateda before they moved on to more recent times. Ronon told of his years as a Runner and how he had encountered Teyla and John Sheppard, how he held the Athosian hostage as the then CMO, Carson Beckett, had removed his tracking device. He told how from Atlantis he had learned of the destruction of their Homeworld, his decision to join the Atlanteans in their explorations and fight against the Wraith, the deaths of Beckett and Elizabeth and finally of his hopes for a better life with Jennifer and their child.
The whole time that he was recounting his tale, Ronon kept glancing towards the door waiting for Jennifer to appear. Carron had just started to tell his story when Ronon smiled and waved her over to the table.
Expecting Ronon to want time alone with her, Carron began to rise.
"No, stay. I know Jennifer wants to meet you". Ronon said, resting his hand on the other man's arm to halt him.
"I thought that you...." began Carron.
"Hey, sorry I'm so late. I had to check up on Major Preston before I could get away". Jennifer's voice was slightly breathless as she slid into the chair beside Ronon.
He pushed the tray a little so that it was between them before commanding "Eat".
Jennifer looked at him, eyebrows raised.
"Please" he added with a grin.
"Okay. I must admit I'm feeling kinda hungry. It's been one of those days you know, no time to stop and grab something. So Carron" she turned to look at him, eyes twinkling with mischief "Ronon says you two knew each other as children. Are you going to tell me what he was like then?"
Jennifer burst out laughing at the looks she got from the two men – Carron's considering and Ronon's that plainly said "Don't you dare".
"I'm not sure that would be good for my health. Maybe when he's not around...." Carron laughed and after a moment Ronon joined in, the sound echoing around the near empty Mess.
Tucked away at a corner table John Sheppard smiled.
"They look happy" he murmured to Teyla.
"It is about time" agreed Teyla. "We must try and keep them that way. I have heard of a few people who are not too pleased with their relationship".
"It was to be expected I guess - some will undoubtedly be jealous. Got any names?"
"Nobody that Laura and I cannot deal with. There is no need to concern yourself – at least not yet".
"Okay then, but take it easy. It wouldn't look too good – pregnant warrior lady beats up female Marines" Sheppard smirked "if it gets back to the SGC".
"I will be careful" she promised as she finished her meal.
John watched her surreptitiously for a while, his mind filled with what ifs. If he'd had the nerve to tell her how he felt months ago, would he still be jealous of the father of her unborn child, a man he'd never even met. He gazed out over the ocean not realising that he'd been staring into space until Teyla spoke.
"John, is something wrong?"
He shook his head, quickly coming up with a believable excuse for his day dreaming. "Sorry, I was miles away. I was just thinking how it's going to be inevitable now.... that people are going to want to start pairing off. I mean, I know several of the scientists have been forming relationships and I'm pretty sure it's been the same for the military personnel, even though it's against regs. With Ronon and Jennifer going public, I guess we can expect more people to do the same. Carter and I are going to have to see if we can arrange some sort of dispensation from the brass back home".
"Surely they will see the advantages?"
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" John shook his head. "Oh well it'll keep till the morning. In the meantime if you're ready, I'll walk you to your quarters".
The pair managed to make their exit without being noticed, Jennifer being too busy laughing at the little she had gotten out of the two about their childhood pranks.
"So in those days you chased all the girls" she said when she could catch her breath "and now they're all chasing you".
"Not any more they won't, 'cause you caught me" he said seriously.
"Oh you'll still be chased I'm under no illusions about that, in fact I imagine you'll be chased until the day you die. But that's okay as long as you remember to come home to me, that you're mine".
"You know I will". Ronon gently took her hand, his thumb rubbing tiny circles on the palm.
Jennifer looked up from their joined hands to his face, blushing furiously and cleared her throat before turning back to Carron.
"You were about to tell your story before I came along and interrupted everything. Please carry on".
"It's not very exciting I'm afraid. I was off world when the Wraith attacked, part of a trade delegation to Herista of all places. We had no idea what had happened so you can imagine our shock when we returned to Sateda, 5 days later".
Ronon broke in. "And the Hants were not a part of this delegation?"
"No. There were 8 of us, all male. We must have spent 2 maybe 3 months scouring the place for survivors and by the time that we gave up we were a group of 25, only four of whom were women. It was a recipe for disaster".
"Too few women even if some of the men were more inclined the other way" agreed Ronon.
"Yeah, there were some who preferred a male partner just as always. We managed to stay together for a few months without any trouble, but then the fights started breaking out and I knew it was time to leave. Three of us from the delegation left, going through the Ring to other worlds that we'd visited before, trying to find any others who might have got off Sateda before the end".
"It must have been a terrible time for you" Jennifer remarked quietly. "I can't imagine being separated from my people like that".
"In a way, living with the threat of the Wraith made many of us stronger. We learnt early that things could change in the blink of an eye and we adapted" Ronon explained.
"Still, it's horrible that...."
"Jennifer, you can't change the way things were. Nobody can do that, well except maybe McKay with a time machine. What matters is how they are now, okay". He squeezed her hand tightly.
"Yeah okay" she conceded sadly. "I'm sorry Carron, please go on".
"There isn't much more to tell. We'd check out any reports of other Satedans and we found a few well scattered groups. But they were content to stay where they were and I.... well I just never found anywhere that felt quite right. Then roughly three years ago I arrived on a strange world where the really wealthy people lived in a fancy tower, ruled by somebody called the Lord Protectorate. The Hants and Sola were living in the tower and I fell afoul of the local laws".
"Sounds familiar" grinned Ronon. "The place as well as what you did – you always were in trouble as a child".
"Anyway, short story is that they saved me from being put to death and I've been with them ever since. We left that planet after about a year and eventually landed up on Herista, 6 months ago".
"What are you going to do when the Hants leave Atlantis?" asked Ronon.
"Go with them I suppose. I told you that I owe them my life – you know what that means".
Jennifer looked blankly at Ronon as he nodded.
"It means he must stay with them until either he dies or they do, or they let him go" Ronon said quietly.
A/N. Many thanks to all who keep reading and reviewing. Sorry no cat fight. You never know, there might be one eventually.