Aside 2 – Rumors

Ronon sat down with his tray and dug in without pause. After his fourth bite, Helena sat at his table and leaned forward to speak to him.

"I have heard that you are an excellent marksman," she said, lowly, without preamble.

Ronon slowed his pace and asked. "You want me to shoot somebody?"

Helena smiled. "Don't tempt me."

Ronon's eyebrows rose even as the corner of his mouth twitched up.

She frowned. "Seriously, the Marines are talking about how you picked up a P90 and a 9mm and shot center mass without any training."

Ronon shrugged and shoveled more food into his mouth.

"So it's true?"

Ronon looked at her, chewing, thoughtfully.

She frowned. "Okay, you're going to have to actually speak because my powers of telepathy are completely unrefined and I haven't learned how to read your face yet."

Ronon swallowed. "Yes."

Helena's eyebrows rose. "That's pretty impressive, you know."

Again, Ronon shrugged.

Helena swallowed, then sighed. "Well, I was wondering if I could ask a favor."

Ronon sat back. "You can ask."

"Every year, all military members have to qualify with their weapons. I am not the greatest shot in the world. Quite honesty, I'm lucky to qualify with the 9mm every year. I have never gotten anything higher than Marksman."

Ronon tilted his head and looked at her. "Marksman?"

She held up three fingers and counted off, in order. "Marksman, Sharpshooter and Expert."

He nodded. "So?"

Helena sighed. "So…" she sighed again. "Could you teach me how to be more comfortable with a weapon so that I can qualify without freaking out every year?"

Ronon picked up his fork again. "I could."

She smiled, then frowned. "Would you?"

Ronon grinned slightly. "What's in it for me?"

Helena's face turned guarded and her left eyebrow went up. "What do you want?"

He swallowed and sat back. "Yesterday, you had these square, brown, cake things."

"Brownies?"

He shrugged.

"If you can get me feeling comfortable with a firearm, I will make sure you have a large tin of brownies you can keep in your room and eat whenever you want. AND I'll keep it stocked for a year."

He smiled. "Deal."

She sighed, and sat back. "Great."

oOo

Helena walked out of the armory, rubbing her shoulder and flexing it to loosen it up. Ronon had her holding the 9mm with an extended arm at eye-level for an impossible amount of time. She looked at her shaking hand and shook her head.

"Helena!"

She paused and looked back at the fast approaching John Sheppard.

He was grinning like a boy with a new toy. "Been practicing?"

She nodded and shrugged, trying to seem non-chalant. "I'm a little rusty and trying to get back into the feel of it before quals in a couple months."

He nodded and wiggled his eyebrows. "Ronon's been getting in a bunch of practice, lately, too."

She stopped walking to face him. "And…?"

"And…It just seems a little ironic that the foremost weapons expert and the 'I-can't-hit-the-broad-side-of-a-barn' mess chief are suddenly 'practicing'. And quite a lot, I might add." He bounced on the balls of his feet.

She couldn't help but smile at his exuberance, but then tried to scowl. "What are you trying to imply, John?"

He took her arm and led her into a nearby room, which was unoccupied. He looked around the room to double check they were alone and smiled down at her. "I've heard a rumor that you two have hooked up."

Her eyes widened, her eyebrows rose and a short, astonished laugh escaped her before she clapped her hand to her mouth. Her eyes were dancing, however.

"Well?" He smiled. "Is it true?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "John, you should know that you can't believe the rumor mill in this place. If anyone spends any amount of time with anyone else, people start to speculate."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, you're right." He paused. "Is it true?"

She laughed again and moved to a counter. She lifted herself up onto the counter, fighting the weakness in her shoulder, to sit. "Well, let's see what other rumors are floating around here, that we need to confirm. There are a couple involving you, you know."

He frowned. "Really." He sounded as if he didn't believe it.

Helena nodded. "Oh, yeah." She lifted her hand and began to count off on her fingers. "Let's see. There's the one about Cadman and Carson. Carson and Teyla. Teyla and you," she chuckled at his "oh, come on" look. "You and Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Ronon. Elizabeth and Rodney." She made a sound.

"Did you, seriously, just giggle?" he sounded incredulous.

"Ah…" She tried to swallow the smile as she said. "Rodney and you."

John looked alarmed.

"Then, to bring it full circle, there's even one about you and me."

John's eyebrows rose and he smiled. "Really."

Smiling, broadly, she nodded. "Really."

He leaned against the counter that she sat on, close to her. "And we both know that one's not true."

"Absolutely." She looked downward in his direction.

"Couldn't be." He moved slightly closer to her.

"Couldn't be."

"I am, after all, your CO."

"You are, after all, my CO."

"And for us to be involved would be breaking all kinds of rules."

She pouted, playfully, and leaned closer. "All kinds."

He smiled his most charming smiled and shifted slightly to face her more fully, so that their faces were only inches apart.

Then she kissed his nose.

He sputtered and stood straighter, laughing. "Okay, okay. I've learned my lesson. Don't believe rumors." He offered his hand to her.

She took it and used it as leverage to jump down from the counter. She looped her hand into his arm. "Although, I can think of worse people to be linked with than you and Ronon."

John frowned. "Rodney?"

Helena threw her head back and laughed out loud. Still laughing, she looked up at her. "Aw, come on, John. I think you'd make a cute couple."

His eyes widened and he looked like he was going to strangle her, but she broke away and bounced out the door. Instead, he smiled, shaking his head and followed her out.