Chapter 21
After a few weeks, Sophie was released from the infirmary. Her hand was almost completely healed but she still had a little bit longer with her leg in a cast, but thankfully she was able to use crutches.
Sophie had spent a lot of time with Ronon while she was in the infirmary; he was like her constant companion. But the 'talk' had never been mentioned since that day, and Sophie knew that now that she was out of the infirmary there would be no escaping it.
So slowly, Sophie hobbled on her crutches to Ronon's quarters where she waited for him to answer. As soon as he opened the door he was at her side helping her and asking her why she hadn't gotten him to help her.
Once she was settled in a seated position on the bed with Ronon at her side, she took a deep breath. After about a minute, "So…you wanted to talk?" she asked nervously.
Immediately Ronon's face darkened, but he nodded his agreement.
"Why…why did you get so mad?" Sophie asked tentatively.
Ronon did not answer but instead looked uncomfortable.
"Come on Ronon, just tell me. I promise I will understand." She prodded.
All she got was more silence, with Ronon even avoided her eye, so she tried again. "Look, whatever it is, whatever you're worried about, you can tell me. I care for you and now I'm worried for you," she said.
This was not at all what Sophie had expected. Why had he just frozen? Was it really that bad?
Realisation struck Sophie like a bolt of lightning…Sateda.
"Is it about Sateda? Did something happen there?"
Ronon looked up into Sophie's eyes and she saw pain, loss and…love.
"When Sateda was attacked…" he began, speaking in a barely audible whisper, "…I had a fiancée. Her name was Melena. She was a nurse. I had gotten her and me transport off Sateda, but… she wouldn't go. She said she was needed." He paused his face clouded with hurt and loss, it was weird seeing him so overcome, and Sophie realized that this must have been something very difficult for him to do; to actually talk about it.
Sophie took his hand giving it a gentle squeeze, giving him the strength to continue,
"She was killed right in front of me in an explosion."
"Oh my god, Ronon, that's awful. I'm so sorry."
"Do you understand now?" he said his voice stronger this time. "Do you understand why I did it? Why I got so mad? I couldn't bear to loose you like I lost her; I wanted to protect you and thought that I could do that by sending you away. But you wouldn't go, I couldn't make you leave. I didn't want to loose you." His gruff voice conveyed so much emotion and his eyes sparkled as he spoke, Sophie became a little overwhelmed at it.
Tears prickled Sophie's eyes. "Ronon, thank you, and I am sorry, but you have to understand it was my decision to make, as it was Melina's. It's not your fault you know."
Sophie smiled up at him and pulled him into a hug. She felt privileged to learn this from Ronon.
"You've not told many people this have you?" she asked curiously.
He shook his head.
She smiled up at him "this means a lot that you told me then, truly it does. I wanna be there for you like you've been there for me."
He was a private man—but a good man.
The threat from the Kali hovered over Atlantis for a few weeks longer than Sophie's stay in the infirmary. It was through tricky negotiations between Colonel Carter and Colonel Sheppard's team that the Kali agreed to leave Atlantis alone for now, under the condition that they didn't stray in to the Kali controlled section of the Pegasus galaxy.
Sophie and Ronon's relationship also grew and became the hot topic of gossip for quite a few weeks afterward. Although McKay was disappointed that Sophie lost her 'powers,' the readings he had gathered when she had them proved interesting. Sophie however was more than relieved to have escaped his clutches, although the constant 'are you sure you haven't still got some of it left?' was really beginning to bug her.
As she sat on her balcony, Sophie smiled as she reflected over those last few weeks.
She finally was at peace with herself, she thought back to before she came to Atlantis she hadn't been the same person then. Atlantis had changed her. She wondered if it did that to everybody. Maybe McKay wasn't such a know-it-all before he came to Atlantis? No she would have happily placed money on it that he was. Sophie looked out to the ocean; she had everything here friendship, happiness and a life.
Even a little thing called love.
The smile turned into a grin as Ronon reached his arms around her, turning her around and pulling her towards him. She sighed contentedly as he lowered his lips to hers.
.
The End.
A/N: So that's it its finished. This was my first fic and I just want to say Thank you to everyone who Beta'd (especially Renisanz for this chap) and everyone who read, reviewed, added to their fave list and alert list. I think I have developed as a writer during this and I hope you have all enjoyed it!