Disclaimer: look chapter one...

Sorry...I know it's been a while since the last update...


CHAPTER TWELF: MOVIE NIGHT

4 weeks later:

"Ronon, don't you dare!" Kaylena snarled and he couldn't keep himself from grinning, knowing well she would be pissed.

"I'm fine. I can carry that by my own." She slapped him slightly when he didn't handle the tray over to her.

"Hey kids, stop fighting!" Sheppard called behind him.

"Oh, very funny," Kaylena muttered while she tried again to get her hands on it. "I will, when you tell this oversized bullhead to hand my tray over."

"The doc said you should let it go slow," Ronon disagreed and held it high, so that she couldn't reach it.

"You've got to be kidding me. That's only a tray!" She spit out and the expression on her face forced Sheppard and him to chuckle.

"Unbelievable," she mumbled and crossed her hands in front of her chest.

"Yeah, but Ronon is right," John grinned. "Even if your ancestor genes allow you to heal a lot quicker than us normal mortals you should take care of yourself. You got yourself almost killed this time!"

Against his will Ronon flinched. If there hadn't been a second stargate in space above the planet she wouldn't have made it.

When they had arrived at Atlantis, Kaylena had shown hardly any life signs due to the huge amount of blood she had lost. And Ronon was sure a lesser skilled doctor than Beckett wouldn't have been able to save her life. The surgery had lasted over four hours and Beckett had assured them it was a wonder she was still breathing. Her genetical disposition and physical had played a vital part in that, apart from an unbelievable amount of luck.

And all of that had only happened because she wanted to save his life. John told Ronon that she already had hands on her brother in law, when one of the other men targeted his gun at him. According to Sheppard she had let go of Mikosh by instant and rushed over to him.

He pushed those thoughts aside. There was no use to worry over spilled milk.

"So... I've heard you plan a movie night?" John's grin was settled somewhere between amusement and huffy, because he hadn't been invited.

Ronon rolled his eyes. Kaylena and he had planned to spend this evening together without the others. And a teasing Sheppard was the last thing he needed tonight.

"Yeah".

"Yes. We want to watch the movies I won at the match."

"Alien, hmm?" Sheppard asked and grinned. "I don't think that she will be acting like ordinary girls, you know," Sheppard teased him with a smug smile.

Ronon was sure Kaylena would be annoyed about Sheppard's indication, but instead she only raised an eyebrow in his direction. A wordless demand to translate what the Colonel was talking about.

"Later," he answered, after he remembered Sheppard's affirmation that most girls were so frightened during that movie that they clung to the next man as if their life depended on it. He had no doubt that Kaylena wasn't like that. But he also asked himself what had happened that she didn't act grumpily, like she did normally, when John had his casual way.

Apparently the Colonel had sensed that too, but shrugged his shoulders after a moment.

"So, Ronon piled up enough food to survive a possible war." He grinned but raised his hands a moment later. "Alright guys. Have fun." And with that he left them alone.

With a last half heated effort Kaylena tried to reach the tray but he was quicker.

"No chance," he chuckled as she curled her lips in a mocking attempt to sulk.

"Okay," she gave in and grinned sneakily. "But then we will watch Pitch Black first. Ally told me it was a good one and the guy is really hot."

"Hot?" he snarled and was sure that he hadn't any longing anymore, to watch this movie but was likewise surprised about her diction. Muttering that she definitely learned the wrong words, they walked back to his quarters.

Kaylena only grinned and walked silently beside him. Nobody spoke a word till they arrived at his quarters and Kaylena nestled on his bed, the only seating in his room.

"What happened between you and Sheppard?" he asked while he fumbled with the DVD player. When she didn't answer he looked up only to find lost in thoughts, apparently searching for the right words.

Instead she only shrugged.

"Sometimes there is more than you can see at first glance."

His raised eyebrow urged her to go on.

"He isn't that superficial and arrogant as I first thought!" she answered truthfully. "He only acts like that to hide his feelings."

"And what brought you to that thought?" Although he was glad that she finally was able to see the real Sheppard, he was curious about where that conclusion came from.

"A lot of things but mostly Teyla."

From all possible answers that was the last one, he had expected but on the other hand he knew instantly what she meant.

"He acts different around her. Why aren't they...?"

He shook his head lightly as he joined her on the bed. "It's difficult!"

"Because of the team."

It wasn't a question but he nodded all the same.

"I understand," she added quietly and for a long moment they both keep quiet but unlike their normal silence, this one was uncomfortable.

In the end it was Kaylena who spoke first.

"Hey!" she protested. "That's not Pitch Black!" she snapped as the title Alien flickered over the screen.

"This one is better!" he grinned.

"You only say so because you're afraid of competition," she retorted teasingly and he couldn't keep himself from growling, which only forced her to chuckle.


Again she was running as fast as she could through a forest. Of course she was bare feed –like always. As if there wasn't enough to handle!

The thing was behind her, so close that she could feel its ice cold breath in her neck and she had no time to think about shoes.

Cold shivers went down her spine urging her to increase her speed, but she knew that she couldn't hold this tempo for a long time. Her heart was already pounding against her chest as if it was trying to break free while her lungs screamed in protest.

She had no idea how long they played their usual game till she noticed that her surrounding was changing. The trees in front of her thinned out until she was suddenly running onto a clearance. A clearance crowded with people.

Her heart nearly stopped as she noticed who these people were.

"NO!" she choked in a breathless whisper which soon turned into a frightened scream as she recognised that the thing, behind her, had noticed them too.

She couldn't say why but she was sure about it and she felt the moment it turned its attention towards the others. And suddenly it disappeared. The cold shiver she always felt when it was near was gone and she knew that the only possible reason why it ceased from her was...

"No!" she screamed again, her eyes wide with fear. She tried to run quicker and although her legs were tired, like the rest of her body, the knowledge of what would happen pushed her adrenaline level to a new height and increased her speed. But it seemed that the distance remained the same.

"Ronon!" she screamed as loud as she could when she noticed the vague shadow appearing behind the group.

No! No! No!

"Ronon, Ronon! Behind you!" she yelled nearly out of breath, but without any success. He and the others didn't seem to notice her or her warnings. They were talking and laughing, standing together in little groups completely oblivious to the danger behind them.

A hand of cold fear gripped her heart and slowly crushed it as more and more shadows appeared behind her friends.

She was screaming and yelling but without any result. They would get them and kill them and all she could do was watching helplessly. As always.

Her exhausted body wasn't able to keep on running and she stumbled. The last thing she saw was an amorphous hand reaching for Ronon's throat.

Screaming his name, she hit the ground.


A quiet sigh made Ronon and a grin appeared when he noticed that Kaylena had fallen asleep. Apparently the movie wasn't even frightening enough to keep her awake.

He watched her thoughtfully. The sleep had softened her expression and she looked peaceful. It was a totally different sight of her. Usually she was too watchful to relax, or too furious to even think about it.

A warm wave of satisfaction washed over him as he realised how deep her trust in him was, that she allowed herself to rest beside him and counted on his protection. Not that her trust wasn't justified. He would never betray her.

Ronon didn't struggle against what he felt for her any longer. It was still strange that he felt this close connected to someone else and that she had such an easy access to his feelings. But on the other hand, he felt something that could turn into something deeper. A vague hope of something which he thought, he had lost it during his runner years: the capability to love.

Ronon pushed the thought quickly aside. He knew too well, that it was dangerous to let such feelings get the upper hand and be ruled by them.

To admit that he felt something for her was one thing. To hope for love and a relationship, like a man who still had dreams, was another.

But he also had to admit that things had changed since he was on Atlantis. He had dreams again because here he could hope for a future which comprised more than just the survival up to the next day.

Was it safe or not to allow himself such thoughts?

No matter what, his inner animal betrayed his logical self with ease, purring in affirmation of those tempting illusionary thoughts of what could be.

But even if he allowed himself such daydreams, he couldn't be sure of her feelings.

Again his inner animal was quick with the solution to this new dilemma: to court her with everything he had.

Slowly his fingers caressed her cheek and gently removed a dark strand of her hair. Instead of waking up she snuggled her cheek against his palm and let out a low sigh of comfort, which he took as a sign of being on the right way. At least of this he could be sure- she wasn't averse to his touch.

Without any effort his thoughts turned to the last time he had been with a woman: Melena. Although there was still a feeling of melancholy it didn't hurt to think of her, as it used to be during all those years. As he remembered their first meeting a small smile appeared on his face.

On Sateda it was the woman who made the choice and approached her chosen one and although Melana's personality was actually shy and sweet she had been very clear and direct when it came up to him. Despite the fact that their personalities were quite contrasting he had deeply loved her and still felt honoured that she had chosen him.

Among Kaylena's people, it was the man who made the first step but they had nearly the same values when it came up to warrior women. So maybe she couldn't even imagine a relationship or wasn't interested in one.

Up to now he hadn't detect a single sign in her behaviour which might indicate he could hope for more in their relation ship than mere friendship.

And yet his instincts disagreed. And maybe they were right. After all she trusted him without any doubts, she spent most of her free time with him and not with somebody else and she didn't hesitate to risk her own life for his rescue.

Ronon swallowed hard but the numb feeling which sprawled up in his chest, every time he conjured of the memory of that moment, didn't vanish.

He was a fighter and wouldn't think twice to risk his life for his friends but he didn't like that character trait in them. Especially not in Kaylena.

His eyes roamed over the, in all likelihood harmless, woman beside him and he snorted lightly. He better came to terms with her behaviour, because he doubted that she would be willing to change.

Since they had been back from Xizor it seemed, that the number of Marines who had a crush on Kaylena had sunk.

It was strange, if he considered her first appearance on Atlantis, her behaviour and all the sparring matches, but suddenly she seemed to have proven too wild and unsteady for their taste. The respect was still there and maybe even raised up but the Xizor story apparently reminded them of Kaylena's real temper. And obviously that was nothing earth men were looking for in a woman or could deal with. At least not when it came up to a relationship.

Ronon had been on Atlantis long enough, to register that earth men didn't like women who could surpass them as a warrior. It seemed to crush their ego when a woman was able to look after herself. And Kaylena was more than able to do so and slowly but steady the men on Atlantis seemed to become aware of that. More than that. They also sensed something dangerous and untamed about her. Something that seemed to allure trouble.

Unlike earth men that fact only raised his interest but most of all his effort to look for her safety.

In her sleep she snuggled closer to his side. He sighed deeply and decided that it was enough for now. Instead of thinking about what might be he should enjoy what he had.

Slowly and silently he slipped deeper down his bed, so that he was lying. He pulled her closer, leant his face against the top of her head and closed his eyes.

With the familiar scent of her hair he fell asleep.

Ronon had no idea how much time had passed when her thrashing around woke him up. She was anxiously moving back and forth and panted as if she had difficulties to breath.

He rose up or at least tried to. Her fingers had gripped him firmly and her nails dug deep into his flesh.

"No," her whisper was a hoarse and fearful sound. "No!" This time she was louder.

"Kaylena?" he called her softly and shook her lightly with the only effect that she struggled harder and more hectically.

"Ronon!"

"Kaylena," he tried again. "Kaylena!" He shook her with more force but she didn't stop shouting.

"No... no...no!" Now she was kicking and lashing around with all she had and that was a good deal even while she was asleep. "Ronon, behind you!"

"Kaylena, wake up!" He shook her and tried likewise to dodge her thrashing fists. Her whole body shook violently from her fight against an invisible enemy. "Kaylena!" With a quick move he caught her fists and blocked her legs with his own so that she was unable to move.

"Ronon!" And with a last scream she woke up.


Like always when she woke up from her dreams, she shot up ready for battle. At least she would have, hadn't there been arms and legs restraining her. She struggled harder till a familiar voice soaked through the rest of the sleepy fog which surrounded her.

"Ronon?" she mumbled unsure and suddenly her eyes widened. "Ronon!"

His low answering growl was enough to dispel the last dreamy clouds.

"Kaylena? You okay?" Ronon asked while he let slowly go of her.

She swallowed hard as she noticed the concern in his eyes. Apparently her dream hadn't been as quiet as she would have preferred it. Damn it, why did she drift off?

Oh yeah sure, cause she was with Ronon and to be with Ronon meant that she was safe. Wonderful! She ran her fingers through her hair and remembered that he still as waiting for an answer. So she nodded, to tell him that everything was okay even though she wasn't sure if that was the truth. To be honest, nothing was okay.

"No," she whispered and flinched as she noticed that she had spoken loud.

"It...it's nothing," she stuttered and tried to crawl away from him. She needed space to cool down but obviously Ronon begged to differ. With one fluently move he pulled her against him so that she was sitting on his lap. He didn't say a single word only pulled her close.

At first she stiffened and wished he would let go of her so that she could escape to her room. Probably that was the reason for his behaviour.

She never before had faced another person after waking from her nightmares. Truth to be told it had been over six years ago that she last woke up next to another person. Except for Kaaron but he was always sleeping peaceful and far away from her in his own bed.

After a while she started to relax and allowed herself to lean against him. After all it was Ronon. She sighed deeply and snuggled her head into the curve of his neck and felt his arms, which hesitantly circled her form. When she didn't push him away, he rested his hands on her back and she felt his chin on the top of her head.

Kaylena had to admit that she could get used to this. It felt...good.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. It was the first time she noticed that his familiar scent smelled kind of nice. It also calmed her and reminded her that it had only been a nightmare. Nothing special only the usual stuff. The same stuff she had handled on her own for years without any help.

She shouldn't allow him to be this close. Physically and mentally. It only made her vulnerable. But truth to be told he already was closer to her than anybody else, apart from her family, had ever been. And she didn't want to push him back cause she really liked being close to him.

It always felt as if...well to be honest she had no idea how she felt. She only knew that around him she could be Kaylena. The real one or at least what had remained of her old self.

The last six years had changed her in so many aspects that she sometimes had troubles to believe that she was still Kaylena Lirren. But her inner part was still there; only these days she was more cautious to protect it, than she had been six years ago when she hadn't known the painful value of having friends and family.

But around Ronon it was easy to let go of the protective barriers and behave like she wanted to do without looking for possible danger. She felt freed and well...happy.

She felt his fingers stroking gently through her hair and she relaxed even more. Suddenly she felt overwhelmed. His smell, his nearness and his care –it all was too much. But she didn't feel the urge to wrestle herself free and run away. Instead she felt the need to tell him about her dream.

"It haunts me," she whispered nearly voiceless but she knew that he could hear her and from the short hesitation of his fingers she could tell that he listened, so she went on.

"I run. I always have to run," Kaylena started unsure. "Sometimes I have to climb to escape and sometimes I'm in the water but most of the time I'm running."

He said nothing but the hand, which pressed her toward him, had increased the pressure. Only lightly but enough to be taken as an encouraging comment from his side.

"I run till I'm tired. My heart is throbbing frantically, my lungs are burning but I run. Sometimes I'm stumbling and it nearly gets me, sometimes I hurt myself in the effort to get away from it and sometimes the fear sprawls over my whole body till I'm shaking wildly, but I never stop running," she told him quietly but her voice was steady now.

His stroking fingers in her hair comforted her and gave her the courage to go on.

"It never gets me. It's only inches behind me, sometimes so near that I can feel its ice cold breath but it doesn't get me." Quietly she sighed and deeply inhaled his soothing scent. For some seconds she remained silent, but after a while she heard the rumbling sound in his chest even before she heard him speak.

"Who is haunting you?"

That was a good question. When it was in front of her it was nothing more than a vague shadow. A formless fear without a face but when it was behind her it was different. Somehow she knew that she could get an answer to this question if she would turn around. But she couldn't turn around and run. To risk a look would destroy the little chance she had and she would die. That much she knew. And she had to admit that she feared the answer.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "It's too close behind me to look at it or too far away to be more than a shadow!" His chin was moving lightly over her head till she felt his cheek on its place. She suppressed a deep sigh but couldn't keep herself from snuggling closer to him.

She was acting like a frightened little child but at the moment she didn't really care.

"What happened this time?"

Again Kaylena could feel the vibration of his deep voice rumbling in his chest. For a short moment she asked herself how he could know that this time her dream had been different but than she suspect that she hadn't only screamed his name.

She pressed her still closed eyes further together and mused if she should tell him. In the end she decided that it didn't make any difference at this point.

"This time...this time it wasn't after me. And it wasn't alone." After a moment she went on. "They were after you and the others. Kaaron, Evan, Ryan, Teyla, Ally, Carson even John and Rodney," she mumbled. "I tried to warn you but you couldn't hear me. I tried to run faster. Really!" The sudden, totally insane, fear that he wouldn't belief her washed over her.

"I ran faster than ever before...but...but I stumbled...I...I called you...really...!" She stuttered but was stopped by his calm voice calling her name.

"It's okay!" But she shook her head as hard as she could.

"No! No, it's not! I couldn't do anything. Only watch. Watch how everyone I know and love die and leave me alone. Like always."

"You aren't alone anymore. You are with us now," he told her and even though she knew he really meant it, she also knew, that he couldn't promise her that. "I will not leave you."

She really hoped that this promise would never be tried, because she knew the only way he would break his promise was by dying.

"Come on," he growled after a while and reluctantly she opened her eyes and detached herself from him. But before she knew what was going on they both lay on the bed and he pulled her to his side again. For a second she struggled with herself, but in the end she just stopped thinking and sighed deeply.

None of them spoke a word, they were both satisfied resting side by side and for the first time in a damn long period of time she felt safe enough to sleep peacefully.


4 days later:

"I didn't say the names are stupid, I only say that my names..." Rodney started but was instantly interrupted by Sheppard.

"Voyager and Enterprise!" The Colonel snorted. "I'm surprised that you didn't suggest Millennium Falcon or Firefly!"

Even Ronon had come to know these names in the meantime, because Sheppard had introduced him to the movies, and he couldn't fathom why Rodney tried to name the ships after them every time they found one.

"Oh, very funny, Sheppard!" The Scientist snapped. "The new ones aren't that better!"

"You should be careful with that," Sheppard grinned and looked over at Lorne who was standing on the other side of the feastful decorated place in the Athosean village, right beside Dr. Biggelow.

"It was Ally named the Super –warship."

After having troubles to name the Orion, Weir decided that this time everyone on Atlantis could make a suggestion and they would hold a vote and choose the most popular name in the end.

Ronon had no idea what was so exciting about that, but Teyla explained to him that this communal decision would show a sense of solidarity for all people on Atlantis and affirm Dr. Weir's sincere interest in their opinion.

Finally it had been decided that the smaller one would be named Sirius and the ship from the superclass Medusa.

At first Kaylena didn't seem very happy with the names but after Ally explained her their mythological meaning she was okay with them. Especially with the name Ally had chosen.

Ronon looked over at the petite redhead who was shyly answering Lorne's smile at her.

Apparently the major had followed Kaylena's advice and this time he hadn't waited too long to ask her. And it was obvious that Lorne enjoyed his date.

"Looks like the doc has turned the Major around her pretty little finger already!" John grinned who had obviously followed his glance.

"Oh, please!" Rodney snorted with contempt. "As if that had been such a hard job," he added and rolled his eyes.

Obviously he was still huffy that his theory about Ally's feelings for him hadn't been right.

"You are only jealous," Sheppard grinned brightly.

"Of whom?" Kaylena's voice sounded from behind them and Ronon turned around to find her right beside Teyla. Both women wore girdles of flowers, made by the children of the village, wrapped around their necks and also some single flowers in their hair.

Apart from the dancing, singing, drinking and eating this was one of the Athosean rituals of this festivity as Teyla had told them some time ago. And it was pretty okay for Ronon. Especially the drinking and eating part.

"Lorne's success with women," Sheppard answered after a long look at Teyla's direction.

But Ronon had to admit that the view was really nice. Even though he was less affected by the Athosean leader than by the tall brunette right beside her.

"What has Evan...?" Kaylena started while her eyes already searched the place for the Major. She stopped herself and smiled. "Oh, I see."

"I'm not jealous!" Rodney snapped. "Why should I? And before you loose yourself in finding reasons I better look for the buffet!" He hesitated a moment. "There is one, isn't it?" He looked over to Teyla, who had stayed quiet until now but couldn't keep herself from smiling due to the frightened tone in Rodney's voice.

"I'm starving!"

"What a surprise!"

Without showing any reaction to John's teasing tone, Rodney turned around and walked towards the other side, without waiting for Teyla's answer.

"He's always that exhausting, right?" Kaylena asked.

"Don't tell me you needed months to get the hang of it!"

"John!" Teyla warned him softly but Kaylena surprised everyone with a low chuckle.

"No, actually not."

Suddenly music filled the air adding a new background for the laughing, the chatting and the happy screams from the children.

"Oh," Teyla beamed happily. "They start with the dances!" And with a swift movement she had gripped Sheppard's arm. "Come on, Colonel! If I'm not mistaken you lost the last match and promised to dance!" A smile was on heir face which turned into an open laugh when she saw the expression on Johns face.

"But..." Sheppard started half-heated, than stopped himself sighing deeply. "Fine." He added and allowed Teyla to pull him with her.

With an amused smile on her lips Kaylena joined Ronon and watched the laughing and now dancing people in the middle of the village.

"How are you?" He asked in a low voice after they had spent some minutes in comfortable silence, which seemed to turn into an uncomfortable one after his question. But in the end she looked at him and her lips curled into a smile.

"I'm fine. I spend the day with Kaaron." Her smile widened and she gripped the flowers around her neck. "He made that for me!"

He raised a brow but nodded.

"Tomorrow we will train together. The Athoseans showed him how to use the banthos sticks and Teyla said he is really talented."

The proud expression on her face made him smile. Ronon knew that she tried to hard to become not too attached to Kaaron but she wasn't very successful. And he was sure that she enjoyed the boy's company. Probably he reminded her of the family she had lost or the one she wished to have by her own.

His last thought paved the way for things he shouldn't think about. Not again. He had never been much of a thinker and he shouldn't change that.

Loud laughter made them turn their heads towards the dancing crowd. The girls and women started to pull the men into the circle, even a wild struggling and protesting McKay. But his protesting half shrieks half groans only forced the people to laugh.

His eyes flickered back to Kaylena and he froze.

"Kaylena?" he asked with a frown. Her happy expression was gone. But after a closer look he noticed that she looked thoughtful not frightened as he had first thought. Her eyes were fixed on the dancing crowed which was now arranged after a certain muster.

The women formed the inner circle while the men made the external one. Both groups moved in different directions and had gripped each others hands. Suddenly the music was interrupted by a loud bang and the women let go of each others hands to slip under the outstretched arms of the men. In the end the men were in the middle and the women started to circle them, twirling around themselves and clapping their hands to the rhythm of the music. He could see John, who was laughing and performing astonishing good and even Rodney tried his best to follow the steps.

"Kaylena?" he tried again.

"I think I remember now," she answered.

"Remember what?"

"The coordinates for the second planet." Slowly her eyes turned back on him. "I finally remember them. The Vehwendi." She smiled. "They are peaceful people much like the Athoseans. I'm sure they will be willing to trade with us."

TBC


A/N: I hope you liked it...

renavatio/crackedmind: I tried my best to hold my "exclamation point obsession" in check...I wasn't really successful but I think it's better than last time.

So please be kind *g*

But I would be very happy about any help ...I'm still no native speaker...

and of course reviews...