Jennifer's sense of direction, while nowhere in the same class as Ronon's, was good enough to get them to Arwens where they were greeted by the two ecstatic children, along with Arwen and his parents. While Ronon filled the adults in on their palace adventures, Jennifer changed back into her Atlantis uniform, now clean - courtesy of Arwens mother, leaving the dress spread on the bed. Joining the others downstairs, she missed the flash of disappointment in Ronon's eyes, but Arwens mother was more observant.

"Children, let us go and see what food we have for your journey" she said, holding a hand out to both children and leading them out, Kazy grabbing her pack on the way.

When they returned 20 minutes later, Kazy's pack was full, Penta had been given an old satchel and all three of them were trying to conceal guilty smirks. Ronon was just about to ask what was going on when Kazy put a finger to her lips and gave a tiny shake of her head. He was beginning to understand just how sneaky the two children could be – must be a Satedan trait he thought, considering how sneaky he was.

Once they'd eaten, it was time to set off, Arwen walking with them towards the edge of the city.

"So do you think you'll make it to the Ring okay, or will the Lady Manonne try and stop you?"

"Don't even think like that Arwen" muttered Jennifer. "We are going home and nothing, and I do mean nothing is going to stop us, right kids" Jen said confidently - even though in reality she felt anything but.

"Right" came the mumbled reply.

"Come on, you two. A little more enthusiasm please".

Kazy wound her little arms around Jennifer's legs and held on tightly.

"We'll get home, mummy" she whispered as Jennifer picked her up. "We have to, I want to see Rula and Marie and Evan and..."

Jen laughed as Kazy started rhyming off the names of everybody she could remember on Atlantis, which turned out to be quite a few.



Ronon looked at her and shrugged. "The children were very popular".

"So it seems. Well we've got a long walk ahead of us, so we'd better get started. Arwen, how long do you think it'll take us?"

"Several hours at least. It might be better to wait till morning. What do you think Ronon Dex?"

Ronon didn't answer immediately, scanning the surrounding area.

"Ronon what's the matter?" Jen was starting to get worried.

"We're being watched. One man at 2 o'clock, another at 6".

"What do you want me to do?" asked Jen, trusting Ronon's instincts, glancing around.

"Take the children and carry on walking, but slowly. Arwen and I will go and talk to them, find out what they want".

"Okay, but Ronon" she paused "do it nicely. I don't think we want to see the inside of one of the Lady Manonne's prisons, do you?"

"No ma'am". Ronon grinned, before stepping close and whispering in her ear. "Don't get lost Doc. I've got plans of my own for you".

Jen went bright red, having some idea of just what those plans might entail.

"Come on Penta" she said taking the boy by the hand and moving off, still carrying Kazy.

Ronon was just about to move towards the man at 2 o'clock, when he suddenly headed in Jennifer's direction only to be intercepted by Ronon's hand pushing on his chest.



"What do you want with her?" growled Ronon.

"Please. We've been waiting for the Healer for ages" the man began.

"Why?" interrupted Ronon.

"To... to take her back... to the Ring" the man said nervously. "Our sister told us to wait for her and the girl. You must be the one she wanted to find – she said you'd been sold to the Lady".

"Stay there" Ronon commanded as he jogged off after Jennifer, catching her easily.

"Its okay" he told her, after nearly giving her heart failure when he took a firm grip of her shoulder and spun her around. "I think they must be the ones you were telling me about – you know, the ones you helped".

"Great, if they're here, that means the cart is here, which means..."

"We don't have to walk" finished Kazy and Penta together, as Jennifer and Ronon laughed.

Making their way back to Arwen who was standing with Jennifer's former drivers, Jennifer was relieved to know that they wouldn't have to walk the whole way at least and also that they were friends watching them and not Lady Manonne's guards. Jen still expected to be arrested at any minute – after all she had pulled a knife on the Lady's favourite, even if it was with his consent.

After saying their farewells to Arwen, they made themselves comfortable in the cart – the two children curling up together, falling asleep almost as soon as the vehicle started moving. Ronon sat against the headboard stretching his legs out in front of him and with his index finger, gestured to Jennifer to come closer. Feeling slightly daring, she crawled over until she was by his feet.

Spreading his legs a little, he crooked his finger whispering "Closer".

Jen crawled a few more inches.

"Closer".

A little bit further.

"Closer still, Jennifer".

A few more inches and suddenly his arms were around her waist pulling her all the way so that she was flush against him, her laughter swallowed by his mouth – the same mouth that she could swear was trying to steal the very breath from her.

"You are very good at that, you know" she murmured, looking at him through half closed eyes. "Our friends up front say we won't reach the Gate before dark so we're going back to their farm for the night. Is that all right with you?"

"You trust them?" he asked.

"Yeah I do. I would also like to check out their father before we leave".

"Okay then".

"Okay? Really?"

"I trust you, so if you say you trust them, then that's good enough".

Jennifer looked at him doubtfully. "Maybe you'd better keep watch. My judgement seems to have gone awry these last few weeks and I'd hate for us to get caught again".

Jennifer turned so that she was now looking out of the back of the cart and made as if to move away from Ronon, who was having none of it, wrapping his arms around her waist bringing her back against him.



"Okay Doc. Let's hear it. What's the matter?"

"What makes you think something is wrong" she muttered, drawing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her own arms around them.

"Because I know you, almost as well as I know myself".

"How are we supposed to get back home? Our IDC's will be invalid because of how long we've been missing. And if we get back, I'm going to be in trouble – they'll probably send me back to Earth away from you all. And then there's still the problem of the crazy and..." All of this came out in a rush and Ronon could tell how upset she was.

"You worry too much" he whispered in her ear. Working through her points, he ticked them off on his fingers. "First, we'll dial Atlantis and send our IDC's then shut down the Gate. Sheppard and McKay will find us, they always do. Second, you won't be in trouble when we get back, or at least not that kind of trouble anyway – we break the rules all the time".

"What kind of trouble will I be in then?" Jen interrupted, leaning her head back to look in his eyes.

"My kind" he growled.

Jen shivered and it wasn't from the cold – the look in Ronon's eyes was unmistakeable.

"And if they do threaten to send you back, well there are still some safe planets in this galaxy, where the four of us would find a welcome".

"And the 'crazy'...?"

"We'll deal. McKay's had plenty of time to find out who it is. You spend your life looking after us, stitching us up and trying to cure all the nasty things we pick up, it's time to let somebody look after you for a change. And that somebody is going to be me, okay" he added.



"Okay" Jen murmured as she relaxed with a smile, feeling Ronon nuzzle her hair, before sweeping it aside and covering the back of her neck with kisses.

Turning her head she met his lips for a brief kiss, before shuffling herself around to wrap her arms around his waist and her head against his heart, letting her eyes drift shut. She dozed, only jerking awake when the cart stopped moving.

"Healer, we're here" announced the driver as they pulled up outside the farm.