The Long Goodbye

"What the hell?" Helena cursed after bouncing off the door to her quarters, which would not open. "What is going on here?"

She turned and retrieved her earpiece, which she almost always forgot to take to the cafeteria with her. "Chuck! Oh, Chuck!"

"Not now, Chief."

"Don't give me that, Chuck. I can't get out of my room. What the hell's going on?"

"We have a situation, Chief."

"Of course, we do. Another normal day in Atlantis." She frowned. "So, why am I locked in my room?"

"Colonel Caldwell's orders. All non-essential personnel are confined to quarters."

"Since when am I 'non-essential'? And why is Caldwell in charge?"

"Doctor Weir and Colonel Sheppard have been taken over by aliens. Security forces are looking for them…"

Helena sighed. "Fine. Say no more. Put Caldwell on."

"Caldwell, here, Chief. I don't have time right now."

She bit back a retort. "Colonel, I need to return to the cafeteria. I have pot roasts in the ovens that will cause a fire if they burn."

"May I ask why you're in quarters if you have a roast in the oven?"

"If you must know, I spilled something all over myself and came here to change – "

"I'll send a security team to turn off the ovens. Caldwell, out."

Helena took the earpiece off and threw it across the room. Then the power went out. "Perfect!" She sighed. "Well, at least the roasts won't burn."

oOo

"Hey! 'S good to see you up and about."

Ronon smiled at Helena after entering the kitchen. He unconsciously rubbed his stomach, where he'd been shot by Elizabeth while she was possessed by Phoebus. "Thanks."

He grabbed a chair and turned it around then sat on it, resting his arms on the back. He studied her as she worked at the stove, stirring and stirring, with her chef's coat off and her apron covering her black t-shirt and pants. Her long red braid was wound into a knot on the back of her head. There was a smudge on her cheek and a white mark on the rear of her pants.

She looked at him and smiled. "Hungry?"

"Yep."

She continued to stir and looked at him again, then frowned. "What?"

"Doctor Beckett told me that you came up to check on me and to bring me food while I was in recovery."

She shrugged. "It's what I do."

His green eyes did not waver. "He said you even brought brownies."

She frowned and looked at him. "Don't tell me you didn't get them."

He smiled. "I got 'em."

She nodded, continuing to stir. "There are sandwiches in the cooler over there."

"What're you making?"

She looked back at him again and smiled. "Fudge. For this week's batch of brownies."

He drew his eyebrows together. "But you already delivered this week's batch."

She smiled. "It's an extra batch."

"Why?"

She bounced on her toes, slightly, with a huge smile. She looked at him, then frowned.

"You found out!" She accused.

His smile broadened to include teeth.

"Who told you?"

"Sheppard."

She removed the pot from the heat and folded the melted chocolate into another bowl. "He's a brat."

He stood and approached her. "So how'd you do?"

She grinned, pleased with herself to no end. "Expert."

He dipped a finger into the batter and scooped up the chocolaty mix, "Congratulations." He popped the finger into his mouth.

She dropped the spatula she was using into the batter and hugged him around the waist. Then she pulled back. "Oh! I'm sorry. I hope I didn't hurt you!"

Chuckling, he patted her shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

She smiled. "I am so grateful, Ronon, I can't tell ya. I've never fired so well nor felt so comfortable doing it. I can't thank you enough."

Ronon put the finger back in the batter and she rolled her eyes. "It's a good thing this batch is only for you. That is quite unsanitary, you know."

His eyes danced.

"Do you want me to actually bake the brownies, or just get you a spoon."

He backed up, hands raised, chocolate dripping off his right index finger. "Go ahead."

He went over to the cooler and got out a sandwich and ate while he watched her finish and put the brownies in the oven. They sat talking while the brownies baked. When the brownies were finished, she cut them and put them in a container for him to take with him. She reserved one, however, and put it into a bowl with vanilla ice cream and caramel syrup.

"It's called a brownie sundae and it's the next best thing to sex you can get around here."

Ronon's eyebrows arched up as he accepted the bowl and spoon she offered. "How can I turn that down?"

She grinned and sat back down to watch his reaction.

This is how John found them. Ronon grinned over the bowl. "Sheppard, you want sex in a bowl?"

Helena choked out a laugh that almost unseated her. She covered her mouth with her hand and began to turn red.

John frowned and looked concerned. "Excuse me?"

Ronon showed him the half-eaten sundae. "It's really good."

John looked in the bowl, then to Helena, whose eyes were dancing, then shrugged. "Okay. I'll…try it."

Helena put another of the still-warm brownies in a bowl with ice cream and syrup and handed it to John with a spoon.

"When you get finished," Ronon said, evil dancing in his eyes. "You should take some to Doctor Weir."

This time, Helena completely lost her seat as John glared at Ronon, who simply continued to eat.

John stabbed the sundae with his spoon. "I think you want to get shot again."

Helena continued to laugh from her spot on the floor and Ronon grinned widely at John. John glared at both of them and started eating.