17

Ronon helps Jax down the hall and into her quarters. She's still woozy from the concussion, though now completely awake, though limping slightly, having sprained her ankle during the run-in with the Bugman as she refers to him. Not to mention the bruises on her back from being slammed into the wall. She's stiff and sore, but as always, Jax is fine.

She refuses to consider that Sheppard had any part in her attack. In fact, she's convinced Ronon that Sheppard actually saved her from the Bugman. He left her before Bravo Team emerged from the transporter, so part of the Colonel knew to stop before it got out-of-hand…or more out-of-hand.

Her rye humor on the subject, however, makes Ronon's stomach clench. It started after she woke up in the infirmary yesterday. "Out of everyone, it picked me as a possible mate? At least I'm guessing that's what it had in mind…you never know with men…especially bug men. They're a bit hard to read. What with the reptile like eyes and all. Suppose I should be…flattered." She didn't say it loud enough for anyone other than Ronon to hear. She didn't want anyone else to know…at all.

Especially Sheppard.

It's been two days since Dr. Beckett gave Sheppard the cure he concocted. Everyone's waiting patiently for the Colonel to recover, but none so much as Jax. Ronon wonders if seeing him getting healthy will change her opinion about the alleged curse she swears she brought down on everyone here.

In the meantime, Dr. Beckett has ordered something called a bubble bath followed by bed rest. Jax swears someone owes her a massage, but Ronon knows she's not going to ask anyone simply because she doesn't trust people to touch her.

Waving a hand over the control crystal, Ronon opens her door and leads her to the bed where she sits. She kicks off her shoes, lies back and crosses her arm over her eyes. "Okay, that's enough exercise for the day."

"C'mon, Jax. Thought you had more stamina that that?"

She peeks out from under her arm. "That is not a discussion I ever plan on having with you."

Ronon smirks, feeling a bit of red in his cheeks. "Dr. Beckett wants you to have a bubble bath. What is that exactly?"

"A bath with bubbles," she says wearily. She pulls herself up with much effort, though without a sound, then sighs. "I don't have any."

"Any what?"

"Bubbles." She frowns. "Not much of a girl, I'm afraid." Ronon's brows crease and she laughs. "Well I've got the parts! Just not the whole," she waves her hand in a circle. "Necessary stuff that goes with it."

He shakes his head. "I'll never understand females."

She laughs harder which then makes her grab her head in pain. "Stop it. You're going to kill me." Jax points to the bathroom. "Could you fill the tub…nice and hot." Ronon disappears into the bathroom.

According to Sheppard, the Ancients were very advanced in everything, including bathing. The large, long tub not only has temperature control that keeps the water at the specified degree for as long as the occupant wants, but it also has a fiber that cushions the user if they lie back. Very different from what he calls Earth crap.

Ronon checks the display on the wall after turning on the water. "How hot do you want it?"

After a moment, Jax calls: "101 should be good. And hit the bottom left button to turn on the Jacuzzi."

Ronon doesn't know that word, but as soon as he presses the button the water starts churning in the tub. He leaves the bath to rise; it has a sensor so that it will not overflow. The Ancients were truly geniuses according to Sheppard.

When he steps into her bedroom, Jax is slouching forward, probing her swollen ankle and grumbling. "That's a good two weeks without dance. Fuckin' Bugman!"

"Would you really have done it?" Ronon asks, leaning against the door frame.

Jax looks up sharply at him. "Done it?"

"Stabbed him. With your dagger."

She sighs, chuckling slightly. "Oh…that." She catches his gaze. "I really don't know." She sighs again. "Probably. If it made me."

The chimes jingle at the door. "Yeah." Jax says.

The door slides open and Teyla appears. "Hope I am not interrupting anything."

"Nope," Jax smiles through her pain. "How's he doing?"

Teyla smiles and Ronon catches a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. She must know how Jax feels, but she doesn't let on. "Col. Sheppard is doing well. Still unconscious, but Dr. Beckett said that is to be expected." Teyla holds out a bottle of green liquid toward Jax. "Dr. Weir heard of your medical instructions. She wondered if you would enjoy this."

Jax takes the bottle and opens the top, sniffing the contents. "Wow. That's nice." She hands the bottle to Ronon. "Very girlie," she says.

Ronon smells it but does not recognize the scent. It is very…female however. "Is this bubbles?"

Teyla smiles. "I was informed as such." She looks at Jax. "Dr. Weir also mentioned the use of candles. Do you require such things?"

Jax smiles softly, dropping her gaze to the floor. "Not really. But thanks." She catches Teyla's gaze. "And thank Dr. Weir for me too, please. I promise not to use it all." Teyla nods then heads out.

Ronon squeezes some of the green liquid into the tub and watches as foam begins to form. He scoops up some in his hand and rubs it through his fingers. Just soap. Nothing special. As the tub continues to fill, the aroma circulates and he takes a deep breath. Okay, that's different. He leaves the bottle on the counter and passes by Jax, still sitting on her bed. "I believe it's ready. So, I'll go to," Ronon says.

"Wait." Ronon turns in time to see her wince. Then her brows wrinkle in frustration and a deep blush creeps up her neck. She closes her eyes tightly. "I need help." She drops her face into her hands. "I can't move." She looks up at him with such helplessness. "Could you carry me into the bathroom?"

Ronon's brows shoot up. "Uh…Jax. Aren't you supposed to…undress first?"

"Generally." She catches her upper lip with her teeth. "But…you know…not to eager to try right now." She pulls at the hem of her white infirmary scrubs. "I say. Just plop me into the tub, clothes and all."

Ronon sees she's not joking so he does exactly as she asks. He scoops her up and carries in then sets her into the tub. She sits and leans back, fully clothed, bubbles pillowing around her. "Ohhh…that's nice." She closes her eyes and smiles softly. "Thanks Tarzan."

He chuckles and shakes his head. "You're welcome, Cheetah."

Her eyes pop open. "What?"

Ronon grins. "Sheppard told me to say that. If you ever called me Tarzan again."

Jax grunts. "Good thing I didn't know that before."

"Why?"

She closes her eyes again, settling into the water. "'cause then I definitely would have stabbed him."

Ronon smirks as he heads out, not believing her for a second. He looks back once, seeing peace settle over her features and leaves her to enjoy it.

He had planned to stop by after dinner in the mess, only to be distracted by Teyla who asked him to spar with her. They worked out for nearly two hours and by then, Ronon figured it was too late to bother Jax, she should be sleeping per doctor's orders.

But something pulls him to her room anyway. A little nagging in the back of his mind that she might still need his help. He keys his way into the room after knocking twice, expecting her to be in bed. "Jax?" A minute amount of light comes through the colored glass window to the left of the bed, leaving most of the room pitch black. Ronon touches the crystal that turns on the lights, keeping them dim just in case. She's not in the bed.

He steps inside, leans through the bathroom door and sees her figure in the darkness. She's sound asleep in the tub, one arm hanging over the side, dripping water onto the floor. From the light behind him, he can see that the bubbles have long since dissipated. And there's a pile of white, her scrubs, next to the tub surrounded by a puddle of water. "Jax?"

"Hmm?" she answers drowsily.

"Are you all right?"

"Notwls," she mumbles.

It takes a moment for him to understand what she said. He then turns back into the bedroom and searches through her closet. He finds two large towels in the side slot and pulls them out. Given the circumstances, he's pretty sure Jax won't kill him for what he's about to…see.

Pulling down the blanket and top sheet from her bed, he lays one towel out then takes the other back into the bathroom and sets it on the counter.

"Jax. Can you get up?"

"Nvrbttr," she sighs, not opening her eyes.

Ronon takes that as a no. He looks over the control panel and hits the button that drains the tub. It doesn't take long for the water to dissipate. Jax rolls onto her side, bringing up her knees and wrapping her arms around herself. "C..cc..old," she mumbles.

Ronon drapes the towel over her, being careful not to look…too much. He lifts her up, wrapping the towel better in the process. He's amazed by how light she is in his arms, and carries her into the other room. He lays her face down on the other towel and proceeds to dry her off as quickly as possible.

For the first time he sees the second scar he knew she had, but always managed to hide. Just like the one on her chest, it has been surgically altered, but even in the dim light of the bedroom, he can see the tell-tale outline. He traces a finger over it, sending a shiver through her back. Ronon pulls his hand away and continues drying her off.

As he wipes the water from her back, he's careful of her bruises that are worse than he expected. They go up her spine from the mid back and into her shoulders. Sheppard…no Bugman, really did a good job slamming her into that wall. He's surprised nothing is broken. No wonder she's so stiff and sore. Or was. The bath seems to have had the desired effect, leaving her limp and pliable in his hands as he tends to her.

He's never seen Jax so relaxed before when not unconscious because of a head injury. Even under the influence of the sedative in the infirmary, she hadn't relinquished this much control. She's always full of energy, especially when she sleeps. Seeing her like this, helpless, sends a shudder down his spine. If he wasn't seeing it for himself, he never would believe it.

Ronon pulls the sheet and blanket up to her shoulders then rolls her toward him so he can retrieve the towel he placed on the bed earlier. She turns her head on the pillow and sinks deeper under the covers. Ronon sweeps a stray curl behind her ear then kisses her forehead. "Betr notv luked."

Her words barely form as they slip out in her sleep, but Ronon understands and chuckles. "Not too much," he says, patting her covered shoulder before turning out the lights and leaving.