Disclaimer: as usual so not mine, wish it was but its not

A/N: sorry it took forever for me to get this up but i kept on getting annoyed with how everything was flowing so i hope its better this time around and i hope that you all like it.

Chapter thirty-seven

It's been about a week since Ronon had woken up and everything was going as usual, or at least as usual as it was for people in Atlantis. Ronon, at the moment was out on a mission with John, Rodney and Teyla so Natalie decided to take the time to make a video to send to her sister – she hasn't sent a video message to her sister since before Ronon went into a coma.

"Hey Michie, Ma and Asia and Rora of course," Natalie said with a smile into the video camera. "I know, I know it's been like a month in a half since I've contacted any of you. I'm sorry." she said sincerely. "But it's been busy with work and, well Ronon got hurt so my mind was focused solely on him. They gave me a few weeks off – I was too distraught to really do much of anything." Natalie gave a shake of her head. "Don't worry though Ma, I know you are worried. My friends made sure I ate and slept, well as much as I could for worrying over my boyfriend's health."

Natalie smiled to herself, "But everything is fine now, right now he's off working." she said vaguely, can't get too descriptive with what her job was. "Ronon and I recently moved into a shared room, the second he woke up, well okay the day after he woke up we moved into the room."

"Well Becky is now working with me, I didn't think I'd ever see her in this line of work but I'm glad I had one of my old friends from back home to talk to now. Myself alone with Emilia and Lorne are teaching Becky some self defense; she needs to know how to defend herself and well sparring against one and another helps pass the time."

Pushing her hair back Natalie looked at the camera again, "Asia I hope you are doing good in school and taking care of your sister; when I come back for a visit us three girls are having a sleep over. We can watch weird creepy movies, have s'mores and eat tons of junk food all night." she said with a smile. "Well as much as I love making these video's for you guys I really have to go. I have a lunch date with some of my friends. Love you guys, bye."

So with that said Natalie waved at the camera one last time before she leaned forward and turned the camera off and left her and Ronon's room and made her way towards the mess hall to meet up with the girls.

~~~~~~~~ Mess Hall ~~~~~~~

Once Natalie grabbed some food to eat she headed over to the table that she saw that Emilia, Becky and Teyla were sitting at.

"Hey girlies," Natalie said with a smile and sat down next to Becky. "No Keller?" she asked.

Teyla shook her head, "No Keller said she was unable to join us today, she had a lot of paper work that she needed to catch up on. She promised that next time we have a girls lunch that she will be more then happy to join us then." she explained to her.

At that Natalie grimaced, "Ugh! That's no fun. I hate doing paper work because one, totally boring and two there is always so much we have to do whenever we get back from a mission." she stated with a put off expression on her face.

"As boring as it is, it is something that we must do." Teyla said with a small smile.

"Too bad paper work here isn't like it was in high school," Natalie said with a sigh.

At that Becky gave Natalie an amused look, "What? You mean just not do it or turn it in?" she asked with a laugh.

Natalie shook her head, "No, I mean cheating off each others papers for the answers." she told her.

"You cheated during your education?" Teyla asked with scrunched up forehead.

Becky laughed, "No not really, very rarely did we do that and that was even if we had the same classes together. We may have been in the same grade but we took completely different classes." she explained. "Natalie was way into the arts and English stuff and well I was more of a math and science person." she admitted.

"This why she is a biologist," Natalie said with a grand wave of her hands towards her friend.

Staring at her friend Becky shook her head, sometimes Natalie is all badass all the way and could kick anyone's ass no matter what their size was but at other times Becky seriously wondered about her friend's sanity – Natalie was a complete dork but an adorkable one.

"Anyways," Becky said leaning forward and looking at Emilia pointedly. "I heard from a little someone that you've had a crush on Lorne ever since you got here yet you haven't told him yet." she said giving Emilia a curious look. "Why is that exactly?" she asked.

Hearing that Emilia sent Natalie a glare, "Natalie!" she hissed at her. "Do you have to tell everyone?" she asked and crossed her arms. "Pretty soon the whole base is going to know and then someone is going to tell Lorne."

Teyla shook her head, "I very much doubt that would happen Emilia, Natalie would never disobey your trust in her." she said to her.

"Yeah, Yeah," Emilia said with a sigh. "Sometimes I hate it when you all make so much sense." she feigned annoyance.

Natalie smirked at her, "Can't help that we're amazing." she said to her jokingly.

At that Becky rolled her eyes, "Yeah and oh so humble." she said sarcastically but before Natalie could respond to that she turned her eyes back on Emilia. "So what's up with you not telling Lorne that you like him? I mean it's obvious that he likes you and doesn't find you annoying or repulsive? I though you Italian's were supposed to be direct."

"No, us Italians love to eat while the Greeks are the more direct ones." Emilia said to them knowingly as she gestured to her tray of food that was piled up almost as much as McKay's was on most days.

Natalie gave Emilia a look, "Emilia you need to get with the program and tell Lorne that you have the hots for him and want to jump his bones." she said giving the girl a look. "If you don't who knows what may happen, hell some other girl may come along and will snatch him from right under you." she said to her with a shrug.

"Come on guys," Emilia whined. "I doubt Lorne even likes me in that way, I mean do I even look like his type?" she asked them with a skeptical look.

The second she said that all three girls gave her unhappy looks, Teyla gave Emilia a gentle smile. "You may not believe so but I know that Lorne likes you quite a bit, maybe as much as you like him. You will never find out if you do not take the chance. And we all know Lorne is too much of a gentleman to actually find out." she told her.

"Yeah no kidding," Natalie said. "Lorne thinks that you don't have any interest in him, he thinks that you think of him as only a brother. So he won't make a move on you Emi, you need to be the man of the situation so to say and take charge."

Emilia shook her head, "He doesn't like me like that guys, get over it." she said with a disappointed expression.

That made Teyla shake her head, "You know I seem to remember having a very similar conversation with Natalie a few months ago," she said with a pointed look as she gestured to Natalie and gave her a small smile. "Now she and Ronon are very much in love and living together I do not doubt that you and Lorne could be like that if you told him exactly how you felt."

"Come on Emi you are a strong confident woman," Becky said with a grin. "I know you Italians love to eat but I know you all speak your mind when you want to. So harness your inner Italian and go over and tell Lorne what you think of him and about all of the things that you want to do to him at night in the bedroom." she said with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"I don't know," Emilia said hesitantly as she took a big bite of her food.

Natalie rolled her eyes at Emilia's nervousness, "Its not like he's going to kill you for telling him how you feel." she told her in amusement.

Teyla looked at Emilia, "You and Lorne have been growing much closer and hanging around each other a lot more often since your time on Abaroia haven't you?" she asked curiously.

A while back, when Becky had first arrived in Atlantis Natalie and her had a one on one girls night so that she could explain to Becky what exactly happened to Natalie a few months before on Abaroia. Natalie told Becky how she and the rest of her team had been captures and held hostage in a small room, that the people of that planet wanted information about where they came from and who they were but Natalie and her team refused and let themselves be tortured rather then give up the people of Atlantis.

"Lorne and I are friends," Emilia said. "Us spending more time together then we used to do doesn't explain anything." she defended and crossed her arms and gave them annoyed looks.

"Someone's in denial," Becky stage whispered to Natalie.

Natalie nodded, "Oh yeah."

Just as Emilia was about to yell at Natalie and Becky for talking about her as if she wasn't there Lorne came up to the table and sat down besides Emilia who gave him a tight smile and looked down at her tray of half eaten food.

"Hey girls, how are we doing today?" Lorne asked looking at each of them.

"Fabulous," Becky said and looked at Emilia and then back at Lorne again. "How about you Lorne? How are you doing?" she asked with a smirk.

Lorne gave her an uncertain look but answered anyways, "I..I'm great Becky." he said to her hesitantly. "Anyways, I was wondering if any of you three would want to go and spar with me for a while?"

Hearing that Natalie looked straight at Emilia with a smirk and silently gestured to Lorne without him noticing, in response to that Emilia just shook her head.

Shaking her head Natalie looked at Lorne, "What none of the guys wanna spar with you so you've decided that fighting us girls would be an easy win?" she asked Lorne teasingly.

"Come on Nat," Lorne said with a smile. "We all know that you can kick my ass as well as any marine. Specially with Ronon giving you one on one lessons." he said with a grin on his face.

Natalie gave him a smirk, "Who says he's teaching me to spar?" she asked with a raised brow.

Lorne winced when she said that, "Nat I do not need to hear about your sexcapades okay." he told her shaking his head. "So," he said turning to look at Becky, Emilia and Teyla. "Any takers?"

"Emi would more then love to spar with you Lorne," Teyla said with a hint of a laugh. "She has been saying how she misses sparring with someone more at her level, Natalie just is too used to sparring with myself and Ronon. She does not know how to go easy on someone."

At that Lorne gave Teyla and Natalie questioning looks before turning towards Emilia, "So you gonna come and spar with me?" he asked.

"Uh, sure Lorne." Emilia said as she gave him a smile and quickly turned to look at Natalie and Teyla with glares, yup she definitely wasn't amused at the impromptu trick to get her have some alone time with Lorne.

At that Lorne gave Emilia a big grin, "Well come on lets get going then," he said standing up and offered up his arm to Emilia.

Emilia shook her head at him and took his arm and let him lead her out of the mess hall, Emilia looked back at her friends with a glare and mouthed 'I'll get you back' and then turned back around and started to talk to Lorne again.

Becky glanced at Natalie, "Should we be worried about what she might do to us?" she asked curiously.

"Nah," Natalie said with a shake of her head. "I wouldn't, by the time she remembers that she said that she would get us back she will be thanking us for giving her and Lorne some alone time."

"Well," Teyla said standing up. "I am sorry to say but I must leave you two, I am expected by my people. I am going to be visiting them for a few days." she told them with a smile. "I will see you when I get back." she said and then left.

After Natalie and Becky finished their lunch Becky went back to the Biology lab to continue working, for a while Natalie sat with her there and listened to her talk about what she was doing and how it would help so many people but soon enough Natalie herself had to leave and go down to the weapons bay to do some work with her weapons.

~~~~~~ Few Weeks Later ~~~~~~

Natalie was in her and Ronon's room, laying in bed and trying to get some sleep in – she had only gotten back from a mission about an hour or so ago and decided that instead of doing paper work like she was supposed to be doing she would get some sleep in. Before coming to Atlantis Natalie barely ever took naps, she hated wasting the day away by sleeping all of the time but now Natalie changed her view. It was hard work living on Atlantis day in and day out, any sleep or rest that she could come by Natalie didn't hesitate to take full advantage of that fact.

Natalie was just about all the way asleep when there was a loud banging on her door that made her jump awake, before she was able to get up and see who it was that was banging on her door it slid open to reveal Ronon.

"Come on Natalie, get up." Ronon said as he strode over to her and grabbed her arms and pulled her up and off of the bed.

"What the hell Ronon?" Natalie stated looking at him, wondering what the hell was going on that made him rush in the room as if the devil himself was on his heels. "What's gotten you so worked up?" she asked.

Ronon didn't say anything for a few moments he just grabbed Natalie's weapon's belt and shoved it at her, "We're being attacked, so hurry up and put that on." he commanded of her.

The second that Ronon finished saying that there was the sound of gunfire going off, probably only ten or fifteen feet from where there room was located at.

"Attacked?" Natalie questioned as she did as Ronon asked and put her weapons belt on and then started to strap her guns, short sword and small machete onto it. "Who the hell would be attacking us? We don't really have any major enemies other then the wraith and Genii." she stated and looked at him in confusion. "Is it the Genii?"

When she said that Ronon shook his head, "No." he told her simply, not elaborating on who it could be that was attacking them.

Natalie turned from putting her small machete on her belt and then gave Ronon a glare, "So who the hell is here attacking us then Ronon, because I seriously doubt that it's the wraith." she said to him with narrowed eyes.

Hesitating a moment Ronon sighed before he finally answered her, "It's the Abaroian people." he told her bluntly.

"What?" Natalie screeched as she suddenly looked at him. "How the hell did they find out about where we were?" she asked, though she knew he didn't know the answer to that question.

Natalie knew that neither her nor Lorne or Emilia let it slip where Atlantis was located at while they were held hostage by Altozia and his people; she was with them almost constantly, except for the few times that she did act out which in return she was punished for. But never in a million years did she believe that while she was gone during those torture sessions that Emilia and Lorne told their location; they knew not to do that no matter what.

"I don't know Natalie but we gotta go and fight," Ronon said to her as he waved his hand over the sensor and opened the door, he glanced around the corner of the doorway with his gun pointed in front of him in case there was any of Altozia's people around who wouldn't even think twice about killing them.

"Is Altozia alive?" Natalie asked with a hard look on her face as she and Ronon slowly made their way down the hall.

Ronon glanced at her and then nodded, "Yeah, he's still alive."

"I thought you guys killed him before you came back to Atlantis when you saved Lorne, Emilia and I." Natalie said as she glanced at Ronon while keeping a look out for any of the Abaroian people who may try and sneak up on them and attack them.

In response to that Ronon grunted, "Yeah, so did we." he said darkly, it annoyed Ronon to find out that the man that he was told was dead and that put his girlfriend through hell was still alive – he would make it his purpose to be sure that he was dead by the end of the night.

Natalie sighed in annoyance, "Great, isn't this just dandy." she said sarcastically. "The guy that tortured me and killed one of my best friends is still alive and now wandering around Atlantis with his followers." she shook her head. "This was not how I was hoping to spend my day."

Ronon smirked at that, "And what way were you hoping to spend it?" he asked as he glanced around the corner and saw two Abaroian soldiers.

The second that the two soldiers saw Ronon they started shooting at where he and Natalie were at; Ronon aimed his gun around the corner at one of the soldier's and shot him and was about to shoot the other one but Natalie did it for him.

Ronon looked down at her with a raised brow and Natalie just shrugged in response to that and grinned at him, "What can't let you shoot up everyone, you gotta learn how to share big guy." she told him jokingly.

In response to that Ronon shook his head, sometimes he really didn't get the Earth people's humor. "Come on," he said and grabbed her arm to have her follow him but Natalie pulled back.

Natalie looked at Ronon apologetically, "I can't go Ronon, I need to go and find Becky. This is her first time being in this sort of situation I can't just leave her to fend on her own – someone might go down there looking for our people and she'd be defenseless. She doesn't have any weapons in the Biology lab."

"I'm going with you," he told her fiercely.

At that Natalie shook her head, "No Ronon, you aren't. For one they need you where the action is going on at and two I can take care of myself. So go and help the others while I go and search for Becky. Okay." she told him.

Ronon was about to open his mouth to argue but once again they were shot at, Natalie turned towards where the gun fire was coming from and pointed her gun at the man and shot him right between the eyes.

"I hate it when people interrupt me." she said in annoyance. "I'll radio you when I get to Becky okay." she said to him and quickly leaned up and gave him a kiss. "Go kick some Abaroian ass." she said to him and then left to go and find Becky.

It bothered Ronon to let Natalie just go off on her own while they were being attacked but he knew that he had no choice, Natalie would go and find Becky one way or another and nothing would stop her not even Ronon. Sighing heavily Ronon ran off towards where all of the fighting was going on at, he was going to kill all the Abaroian people that he could get his hands on.

A/N: there you go, hope its an amazing chapter and REVIEW or else, well i have no idea what to threaten with so please just review.