With Arms Wide Open, a stargate: atlantis fanfic

Title: With Arms Wide Open

Author: Marianne H. Stillie

Categories: Romance

Rating: M

Pairing: Ronon/Elizabeth

Season: Season 2

Summary: Romance becomes a universal language for Elizabeth Weir and Ronon Dex in some very interesting ways.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and places for Stargate Atlantis are the property of MGM Worldwide Television Distribution, Sony Pictures Television and Acme Shark Cooper/Wright Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment, not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks are intended. Previously unrecognized characters, places and this story are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Archive: Please do not archive anywhere without the author's permission.

Author's Note: This story started as a writing game on the Elizabeth Weir/Ronon Dex Fever Group site. The first and third paragraphs belong to Donna Lynn, our leader. Paragraph two and the rest of the story are mine after Donna graciously said yes to my begging to finish it my way. I wanted to explore more of the perceived differences between these two very strong characters that actually make them so perfect for each other.

With Arms Wide Open

Ronon watched her. He loved to watch her. Her eyes captivated him. They held strong determination but a warming compassion at the same time. He didn't know when his fascination happened but it took him by surprise. Elizabeth Weir was not his type physically. She was pale, too skinny and her hair was too short. Although she had let it grow out since his stay in Atlantis. But he still felt the need to tie her to a chair and shove some food down her throat and put her out in the sun for a few hours a day. All in all, his unbidden attraction was starting to get to him…and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

He'd never had a problem finding women who interested him, for a time anyway. The casual attachments were easily ended, whether by his decision or the woman's. The number of women he'd noticed looking at him in Atlantis was tempting, but he still wasn't sure he'd be staying. Elizabeth Weir was different. He knew if he made a move, he might not want to let it go at just a quick physical romp. He sensed she wasn't the kind of woman a man could leave easily once he got to know her.

He took the occasional opportunity to prod Sheppard about her but didn't ask anything too personal. Sheppard might get protective and get on the offensive like he usually did when it came to Elizabeth and Teyla. The man was a beast when it came to those two women. Not that Ronon blamed him. Teyla was an amazing woman, but her care and devotion to him were that of a sister and that's what he needed in a way. Plus, Sheppard would probably unleash his caged fury if he so much as touched Teyla Emmagan. No matter though, Ronon had his sights set on someone else…someone who would never see him coming.

Elizabeth stood frozen in the doorway of her office, gaping at the single vividly colored flower on her desk. Finding flowers randomly left in her office was unusual enough, but this was the fourth morning in a row. What was even more bizarre about this unusual situation was that she had found a flower just like this one on the floor in front of her quarters for the last three nights. In Atlantis, random coincidence didn't just happen. She had a secret admirer and she had no clue who it was.

She put her mug of tea down as she sat behind her desk. Picking up the heavy purple and red bloom, she was surprised, again, by the heady fragrance it gave off. It was almost a mixture of rose and gardenia but with a spicy exotic tang that reminded her of the Far East back on Earth. The best way she could describe the scent was sensual.

Running down the list of men in the city, the only possibility she'd thought of was Colonel Caldwell. Ever since he'd been de-Goa'ulded, he'd made it obvious he was interested in her. Along with the continuing chess ploys, there were the very transparent sweet smiles. She didn't dare say anything, but there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell she would be receptive. It was definitely time to put up her barriers again.

She breathed the rich, heady fragrance deeply into her lungs. The sudden tremor of familiar lust that coursed through her belly radiated down, then rushed up to manifest in a flush of heat on her cheeks. That blush of desire reminded her that there was one man she wished could be her admirer.

A tremulous laugh escaped as she tried to picture Ronon Dex following the old Earth courtship ritual of giving a woman flowers. If he chose to pursue a woman, he would be more purposeful and direct. She also knew the sex would come very quickly in a relationship with him.

She'd caught him watching her on several occasions. In meetings, his concentration never missed a word she said. His stoic intensity gave her the feeling that he was devouring everything about her with his eyes and ears. Reading his silences had become a challenge. She often wondered what he really thought of her, as his boss, as Atlantis' leader and, especially, as a woman. She was the one for words and she sometimes needed to hear them. But that wasn't Ronon's way. He showed his approval or disapproval by his actions.

Elizabeth also wondered what it would be like to be his woman. Somehow, that term didn't imply the low class crudeness with him that it did with other men. He was so uniquely himself that the old stereotypes of her world didn't fit.

How she envied Teyla the time she spent with him, the experiences they shared, especially since their escape from the hive ship and their near-addiction to the Wraith enzyme. The envy could have escalated to a painful jealousy except that she knew Teyla had given her heart elsewhere.

"Good morning, Elizabeth," John Sheppard said as he breezed into her office.

Putting the flower down self-consciously, she responded, "Good morning. So, how are your two teammates? Recuperated enough from their little encounter with that swarm of bees to go back out there?"

"Teyla's healing just fine. And you know Ronon. Nothing keeps him out of commission for long. I've scheduled them for tomorrow's mission." John picked up the flower from Elizabeth's desk. "I see you've discovered Dr. Parrish's new baby. He's so proud of that hybrid he developed, I had to bribe him for the bouquet I gave Teyla. But it was worth it."

Elizabeth kept herself from laughing at the satisfied boyish grin John couldn't help. What was more interesting to her was that she could finally find out who her secret admirer was.

As his six students started out the door of the training room, Ronon picked up his towel. It had been a long, intense session and he was dripping wet. This was the advanced group, so he'd pushed them hard.

He was looking forward to a good lunch and one of his exploratory walks to a new section of the city. Having another day free from Sheppard's team had its advantages. He was also hoping to run into Elizabeth Weir sometime during the day. He'd noticed the lines on either side of her mouth getting deeper as each day passed. Her puzzled frowns told him the flowers were definitely getting to her.

"Dr. Weir," he heard each man say in clipped, respectful voices.

Ronon's stomach clenched along with that very predictable part of his body that increasingly reacted any time she was in close proximity. Wiping his face and chest to give his hands something to do, he turned.

To his surprise, he saw her use the control panel to close and lock the door. Her face was coolly impassive as she walked up to him. He'd seen her use the same neutral expression in staff meetings. The total composure made him understand why she had been so highly respected as a diplomat and negotiator on her world.

She held up the flower Ronon recognized, and rested it against his bare chest. In a silky voice he had never heard her use before, she said, "Thank you."

Keeping his own voice heavily controlled, he answered, "You're welcome."

What Elizabeth Weir did next was so unexpected, he didn't have time to think. He just reacted in the most natural way his body demanded.

Her arms coiled around his neck, her body pressed hard against him and her mouth went from a simple kiss to deep probing in his mouth in a matter of a few swift seconds.

His arms, mouth and tongue gave back in equal measure until, breathlessly, they relaxed their hold on each other. Smiling, Ronon asked, "Was that for all the flowers or just this one?"

Brushing the flower against his chest again, she answered, "Just for this one. You'll have to come to my room tonight to collect for the others." With a teasing smile, her hands slowly slid down his sweaty chest to his hips and down his buttocks.

The very-near scent of her skin combined with the heavy fragrance of the flower as she kissed him again, this time very lightly. She very slowly moved away from him to the door.

After she had walked out the now open door and disappeared into the hallway, he couldn't help the painful groan that escaped. Anticipating what her invitation would bring, he knew he had been right about what it would mean to know Elizabeth Weir better.

Ronon watched her as he stood just inside the closed door of Elizabeth's room. For the first time since he'd arrived in Atlantis, he was uncomfortable around her. Being in her private quarters was the easy fact to accept. The way she was dressed had totally amazed him. He had been anticipating peeling away each layer of the utilitarian clothes she wore to discover all the secrets she kept so carefully hidden. Instead, she had answered the door wearing a thin robe loosely tied at the waist. Despite how slender she was, he'd always admired the ample curves of her breasts. The robe clung to her body, making all her curves readily accessible.

"Are you sure about this?"

Her eyebrow arched in her familiar questioning way. "You don't want to have sex with me?"

He moved away from the door. Towering over her, he covered her cheek with his big hand. "I do."

"Good."

Her arms encircled his waist under the loose shirt he had worn. Her hands glided along his rib cage, pushing the shirt up his chest. He let her wait a few seconds before he raised his arms and she was able to pull it over his head. Throwing it on the floor, her hands went around his waist again.

Feeling his body heat increase dangerously with her first caresses, he quickly picked her up and laid her across her bed. He knew what her next move would have been and he needed to keep his control. As it was, he'd already started to react too strongly at the close contact between her thin robe and the light pants he had on.

As much as he wanted an end to his long-unsatisfied physical need, he wanted to give her equal pleasure. Using his weight to keep her on her back, he untied the robe and let it fall away from her nude body. While his mouth held hers in a probing kiss, his fingers tangled themselves in her hair. Sensing that she was totally distracted, his other hand slid down one side of her body.

His hands keeping her body in place, his mouth made its way down her throat. His lips and tongue worked their way around one breast then shifted to the other. She twitched then moaned as he sucked the nipple deeply into his mouth.

Ronon felt a new tightening in his groin. His efforts to give Elizabeth pleasure were adding to his own need. Hoping to ease it, his hand slid between her legs. Her engorged lips were already slick with her own body fluid and his fingers slipped in easily. Her hips moved into his fingers and she groaned loudly when his thumb flicked at her clit.

Elizabeth's legs clamped together and she twisted away from his hand. Breathing heavily, she grabbed his hair, forcing him to look up at her. Before he could say anything, she shifted her body weight and pushed him onto his back. He could have reversed their positions easily but her hands were too fast. She slid them under the waistband of his pants and quickly slipped them down below his knees. He'd expected her hands and mouth to go for his already hard erection. Instead she straddled him and eased his full length inside her.

With closed eyes, her hips rocked on him steadily. The sensations her movements were giving him pushed him very close to the edge. Hoping to regain a little control, he held her around the waist and flipped them over. Still inside her, he gritted his teeth and held himself motionless.

Wrapping her legs around him, she whispered, "Let it come, Ronon."

If only she hadn't said his name. In two deep, hard strokes he released all his pent up need for a woman's loving body into her. Her strong internal spasms as her back arched sharply beneath him, told him that she had joined him in the pleasure.

Elizabeth knew he was watching her closely as she put on her robe and tied the belt at her waist. This was the third time in less than a day they had shared the most intimate closeness a man and woman could know, yet she felt the need to cover her body in her own room simply because he was there.

By contrast, Ronon sat comfortably on her bed, his knees drawn up with his arms loosely folded across them. There was an ease and openness in his relaxed, unclothed body that was in stark contrast to her need to cover herself. It was a holdover from the secretive traditions of the work she used to do. She thought she had let those old barriers down when she'd invited him to her room. That they were affecting this intimate personal relationship she wanted so much was jarring to the changed image she had chosen for herself. Remembering the sweep of emotions she had experienced with him, she wanted the openness he practiced so easily to become a part of her.

They had reached for each other during the night and shared another quick and urgent mating. The sleep that came until the morning light brightened the windows was deep and refreshing. This last time had been so slow and luxurious, she was the one in an uncontrollable frenzy of desire by the time he'd come inside her. She'd heard a soft laugh of satisfaction as he rolled off her.

Her eyes went back to him sitting on the bed. Needing to be close to him again, she sat beside him and stared into his dark green eyes. There was a contentment in them that was very new. There was also a questioning, as if something was unfinished.

With a gentleness that belied his physical size, he caressed her cheek then slid his hand down her throat and between her breasts until it came to rest high on her inner thigh. "You know this can't be the only time between us," he said very seriously.

"I wouldn't do that to you. And I can't do it to myself. Not after having you like this," and she brushed her lips tenderly across his.

He returned the delicate kiss with a possessiveness he couldn't help. "I'd heard that women from your world liked to be courted and romanced before having sex. Why this so soon?"

"You've been hurting for so long. You needed this first." Laughing lightly, she added, "Now we can get to know each other in all those other ways."

Deeply amused at the prospect of getting to know her in other ways, he asked, "Tonight, my room? I'll have another flower waiting."

They began laughing as their arms went around each other and they fell backwards on the bed. They each had places to be outside this room but neither was in any hurry to go there just yet.