As she slowly woke up the young doctor became aware that something was not quite right. Sensing she was lying in a strange position she recalled the night before and realised she must have fallen to sleep mid-film. Surprised she had not awoken from a nightmare she slowly opened her eyes. As they adjusted to the light she saw something looking down on her. Shutting her eyes again, her brain slowly processed what she had just seen. As the penny dropped, her eyes flew open and she gasped. "Ronon?"
"Morning doc." He replied. Noting the confusion in her face he tried to explain. "During the film you had a nightmare. I tried to comfort you, but you fell to sleep on me. I didn't want to move in case I woke you up. I thought you could use the sleep."
"I am so sorry." Keller started as she tried to sit up. "You must have been so uncomfortable. You are barely on the bed and I was lying on you. You must have been losing feeling." Sensing she was babbling again she paused. "Thank you. You did not have to."
"I know. I wanted to." Said Ronon. "You ready to get up?" He asked wanting to move his pinned limbs.
"Sure." As she tried to sit up she grimaced in pain.
"What's wrong?" Ronon asked.
"Leg. Could you pass me that bottle please?"
Noticing a bottle of pills on the bedside table he passed her over the bottle and watched her dry swallow a couple of pills.
"You ok?" He asked.
"I will be when they have kicked in." She responded shaking the bottle in her hand.
"What are they?"
"These? They are painkillers. The things you always refuse."
The conversation was interrupted by the door chime. Carefully disentangling himself from the young doctor Ronon stiffly made his way to the door. As he opened it he saw Teyla and Torren. Unable to hide her surprise she said, "Ronon? I did not expect to see you." Turning her attention to the doctor she said. "Jennifer, how are you this morning?"
"Hi Teyla. I'm fine." As it dawned on her, how the situation must have looked to Teyla, she could not help but blush.
Seeing the obvious discomfort that the doctor was in Teyla responded, "Would you like to join me for breakfast?"
"Um sure. But I need to shower first. Perhaps I could meet you there?"
"Of course. I will see you shortly."
"I should be going as well. I will pick you up in twenty minutes." Ronon added to the surprise of both women.
When Ronon and Teyla had left the CMO's quarters, Teyla turned to Ronon and said, "Ronon a word please." As she indicated to a nearby balcony.
Having ensured no one else was about Teyla began. "Need I remind you that Jennifer has been through a lot in the last few days. As fond as she is of you should you be rushing her into such a relationship when she is so fragile?"
"I am not rushing her into anything. Nothing happened." Seeing Teyla raise an eyebrow he explained, "We were watching a movie, she fell to sleep and had a nightmare. I tried to comfort her and she fell to sleep on me. I like her too much to rush her."
"Good because if you hurt her I will no longer hold back when sparring." Noticing Ronon had broken out into a smirk she asked. "What exactly do you find so amusing?"
"It is just that you are much less threatening when Torren is in your arms." As Ronon continued to smirk he turned and headed to his quarters.
-00-
When Teyla reached the canteen Sheppard and McKay were already there in a deep discussion. Pulling up a chair opposite Shepard she said, "I hope I am not interrupting anything."
"Not at all. Sheppard was just about to prove how ignorant he was be declaring Kirk the best captain of all time."
"He is the original. He beat the klingons. No one else defeated a major enemy like that."
"All Kirk did was rip his shirt off, get with the natives and blow stuff up. Whereas Picard took on the Borg and won, beat Q through intellect, held of the Romulans. All with his shirt on."
"But he allowed Troy on the bridge. No self respecting captain could stand for that."
"Just what is it you are discussing?" Questioned Teyla.
"Weren't you listening? Best Star trek captain ever." Said McKay.
"I'll explain later." Said Sheppard. "The little guy keep you up last night?"
"No. Why?"
"It is just you are down to breakfast much earlier." Sheppard shrugged.
"I stopped by to see Jennifer." Teyla explained.
"She not coming to breakfast?" Sheppard asked slightly concerned.
"She will be here shortly. Ronon will make sure of it."
"Ronon?" Sheppard smiled. "So things went ok last night?"
"What things?" McKay asked, mouth full.
"Don't speak with your mouth full. You'll teach Torren bad habits." Sheppard said, causing McKay to glare back.
Turning his attention back to Teyla, Sheppard asked, "So?"
Teyla was saved from answering by the approach of the two in question. Sheppard quickly jumped up and moved a seat out for the doctor so she would have easy access despite her crutches. Ronon placed a tray in front of her before taking a seat opposite.
"So doc how you feeling this morning?" Sheppard asked as he retook his seat.
"Better thanks." Keller answered. Before McKay said.
"What happened last night?" Before Keller's face had completely flushed to Ronon's amusement, Rodney exclaimed, "Ow! What was that for?"
"Sorry my foot slipped." Sheppard explained, trying to look as innocent as possible.
Ronon further intervened by asking, "How is the butt?"
"My piriformis muscle is still sore, thank you very much."
"It shouldn't still be sore Rodney. You should get it looked at. Have you been resting?" Keller asked.
"Of course I have not been resting. When would I get the chance? Apparently I am now a chaperone for Sheppard's off world exploits."
"At least you can spend a few days your lab." Said Teyla.
"Are you kidding? That is the last place I want to be right now."
"Why?" Sheppard asked, "You and Zalenka have a tiff?"
"No. That is the first place Woolsey will look for me?"
"Why are you avoiding Mr. Woolsey?" Teyla asked.
"He wants me to re-do those performance reviews."
"Weren't they due in months ago?" Keller asked.
"Thank you for that. That just proves my point."
"What point?" Asked Ronon.
"That medicine is not a real science. If you have that much time free you can do you performance reviews, you don't have enough real work."
"May be you were off-world, causing the doc to have more free time." Ronon responded.
"You must have done them before McKay, can't you reuse them?" Said Sheppard.
"I did. Woolsey noticed and wants me to redo them. How many ways can I say, 'you are not as brilliant as me'?"
"Perhaps you should add a few positive comments." Suggested Sheppard.
"Why? They do not need their egos inflated."
Sheppard shook his head in disbelief and stood to leave. As he did so he added, "You know McKay, there is a definite flaw in your plan for avoiding Woolsey?"
"Really? What?"
"Senior staff meeting in ten minutes."
"But we had one last week."
"Now we have them every week."
McKay stood and looked at Keller asking, "Aren't you coming?"
"Woolsey banned me. He thinks I should be resting." She shrugged.
"You just said I should be resting, so you could sign me off." McKay replied.
"Nope. I am not allowed to see any patients. You are on your own."
"Can't you get one of your staff to do it?"
"No Rodney. There is no medical reason why you can't go to that meeting."
"I don't believe this." Muttered McKay.
"You could always promote Zalenka to head of department." Said Sheppard.
"Are you kidding? He would go power mad."
"Then stop complaining and get a move on." Turning to the others he added, "see you later."