A/N: I have had sudden inspiration for this story...this basically wrote itself out. Well-deserved fluff chapter!

Lady: Yes, with good reason lol. I'm excited for what Carson's gonna do next, too! Carson is very smart, so I figured I could bring that out in him.

Mujona: I think it'd be pretty cool to see Selena and Ronon duke it out, too! I think so as well because she's very methodical and quick...

Suddenly, the moment's here

I embrace my fears

All that I have been carrying all these years

Do I risk it all? Come this far just to fall, fall

Christina Aguilera - Bound To You

"Seriously, you need to learn how to defend yourself in the case of a fight, Carson," Selena informed him. Carson faced her quizzically as she circled him. Te sparring room was one he had been daunted by. Upon learning of his inept fighting skills, the petite Hispanic woman had taken it upon herself to teach him.

"I have a gun, love," he reminded her. She rolled her eyes skywards as she moved her bangs out of her face. Carson watched her move slowly, her dark brown eyes on him. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her lithe body clad in a dark gray sports-bra and a pair of yoga pants. It made it impossible to be without fear with the menacing glint in her gaze.

"Okay, your gun has been knocked out of your hands. What do you do then?" she asked, planting her hands on her hips. It was nice of her to offer, but violence scared him.

"Run?" he guessed. Selena shook her head, muttering something under her breath. Something about him being a pacifist and wondering how he survived this far.

"I won't hurt you. Come at me," she told him. He towered over her by several inches, but something about her seemed downright intimidating. "Seriously, Carson, I'm not gonna bite."

When he slowly swung at her, she moved back.

"Try not to strain yourself," she said sarcastically. "You try to deflect me."

With that, she swung up her leg and he reflexively blocked it. She swung her fist forward and lightly hit him in the ribs. Her movements became swifter and he was moving all around the mat.

"Would you like a demonstration?" she asked after she had knocked him down. Selena hadn't hurt him, but it was surprising to see that she was able to topple him over. "Hey, Ronon, Dr. Beckett here can't fight. I want to show him how, but he's a pacifist."

Ronon Dex was a very large and muscular man, towering over them both. Selena appeared undaunted by him, but Carson was terrified.

"You've got to be kidding!" he exclaimed. She touched his shoulder with a chuckle.

"I'm going to fight him," she assured him. "You need to know what you're doing."

He watched, shocked, as Selena started to fight Ronon. When she was tossed onto the ground, she leaped right back up. She continued to fight, but to no avail.

"You cut your head," Carson commented as he saw the blood trickling from a wound on her forehead. Selena touched her forehead and smiled sheepishly.

"I never know when to stop," she explained.

"Did you have tonight off for dinner?" Selena asked quietly as Carson stitched her forehead. Carson chuckled as he pulled out two bandages.

"Blue or pink?" he asked. She pointed to the blue with a laugh. He smoothed it over the cut and tossed the wrapper into the garbage. "I do have dinner off. Are you asking me out, Major Fuentes?"

Selena's brown eyes were warm with amusement as she watched him. "Considering you asked me out last time. I don't have time to call in any favors," she replied. He kissed her forehead and rubbed her back. She was the sort of woman he could see himself spending more time with and genuinely enjoyed doing so; she was charming and smart. Many liked her because of her wit, but many were also put off by her bluntness.

"I thought you'd want to eat with Cadman," she commented. So that was why she had treated her friend so bitterly.

"Lieutenant Cadman is a lovely lady, but that's as far as it goes. As far as I'm concerned, I'm seeing someone," he informed her. A shy smile spread across Selena's pretty face.

"I wasn't sure what we are," she admitted.

"Then forgive me for being presumptuous," he replied. He felt a little guilty for being so up front about it, but she hadn't seemed to mind.

"I didn't mind," she told him quietly. Elizabeth had commented on Carson's growing fondness of the petite mechanic over lunch the day before.

"You two really seem to like each other," she had said.

"Alright then, dinner at six?" he asked. Selena's smile gave him his answer as she quietly walked out of the room.

Selena stood ankle-deep in a pond on the mainland while she pulled grass from the muck. With the back of her hand, she wiped a bead of sweat that had formed on her brow. She blew her bangs out of her face and tossed the grass into her bag.

"Hey, McKay, you could help me," she hinted not-so-subtly. "This is your job, too."

"I'm trying to test water here, Fuentes," he replied, his tone harsh with condescend. Selena rolled her eyes up to the sky and straightened her back. Her jeans were rolled up to her knees, her Converses tossed on the dry grass behind her. The botanists had expressed a desire for plant testing on the mainland and Rodney had decided to jump at the chance to be with Katie. "I think you have it covered."

"Hey, brainiac, the water's going to still be there when you get back," she retorted as she rolled her shoulders to release the mounting tension. She waded out of the water and sat down on the grass, cleaning the mud and grass from her skin. The sun was warm and blissful on her skin as she tilted her head back, her eyes closing.

"Look who's slacking now." Rodney's voice cut through her thoughts and her eyes opened.

"I've been weeding for four hours," she told him. Her legs stretched out as she crossed them. "Not like you can say the same." She slid the straps of her camisoles back onto her shoulder. Selena heard someone sit on the grass next to her and she turned her head to face them. Teyla.

"Good afternoon, Major," she greeted her. Selena smiled in greeting to the attractive Athosian.

"Hello, Teyla," she replied. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and stretched out again. "Man, it feels good to be on dry land. All this sun...the grass is comfortable."

"It is nothing like your homeland, I take it?" Teyla asked. She had always been curious of Earth ever since she had heard of its lack of Wraith and enjoyed the stories Selena told of her family.

"There's sea-grass and such, but nothing like this," Selena answered, closing her eyes in the sunlight. She let the sun warm her skin as she happily stretched out. The sound of another Puddle Jumper caught her attention and she sat up. Botanists were coming in waves; this meant the second group was there now. Selena was to stay until everything was finished, Teyla included. "How are your people?"

"They are very well. In fact, Jinto and Wex have been inquiring of your well-being," Teyla replied with a smile. During their stay on Atlantis the year before, the two young Athosian boys had developed a crush on her.

"They're sweet boys," Selena commented. Her gaze rested on Carson stepping off of the second Puddle Jumper and felt a smile spread across her face. She felt an elbow to her ribs and looked over to see Brandi.

"You're staring," Brandi informed her in a hushed whisper. Selena shoved her friend back playfully before emptying the bag of grass into the burlap sack.

"Ha ha, Brandi," she retorted good-naturedly. Her gaze rested on a tall blonde woman in an Army uniform and her eyes narrowed. She knew that woman. Captain Serena Evans, her roommate back on Fort Buchanan.