Chapter 2

Ronon pulls out his gun and sets it to the highest level. "It's the only way to keep us safe until Sheppard can send a rescue," he tells her.

"We can make it to the gate…I know it."

"No…it's too dangerous. Too far. I…can't protect you like this. We need the others to help us."

"They'll come for us?"

"Yes!"

"If you're sure."

"I am."

"Okay. I trust you." She smiles at him and he wants to kiss her more than anything right then, but he knows it would be wrong. He would frighten her.

He should have said something to Sheppard. Been removed from the job. But he couldn't bare the thought of not spending as much time as possible around her. In the short time he's known Alessa, his physical cravings haven't ebbed, but something else has taken hold. Something deeper.

All he can do now is keep her safe. They won't have her, no matter what happens. He made her that vow in the forest less than an hour ago. He will not leave her in their hands.

From his position on the ground, Ronon lines up his aim and takes the shot. It misses…going out the mouth of the cave and bursting onto a tree, igniting a line of sight right into their hide-out. He curses, growls.

Alessa giggles softly. "Wanna give me the gun?"

Ronon coughs a chuckle. "No." Then he re-aims. He has to hit it just right as to bring down the mouth of the cave but not collapse to whole cavern on top of them. The second shot impacts correctly and the rumble of falling rocks deafens them. Alessa cries out as dirt and debris falls around them, blacking out the cavern completely.

5 WEEKS AGO
Ronon found Sheppard in the infirmary with the three doctors: Beckett, McKay and the one with the strange name he simply calls Z. McKay was laying on a bed, unconscious, a bandage wrapped around his head. Ronon looked to Sheppard and gave him a nod. "Lab is clean now."

Sheppard nodded in return. "Good. Thanks." He turned to Beckett. "So…this is what? Number 3?"

"No, four."

"Four?" Z's eyebrows shot up. "What was three?"

"Well," Beckett raised a finger. "The first time they bumped heads in the corridor outside Rodney's lab." Beckett laughed. "That lass has a good head on her shoulders if she can knock him out cold." He cleared his throat when Sheppard didn't even smirk. He held up another finger. "Next was that time on the puddle jumper…"

"Right," Sheppard said. "The thing on her braid hit him in the eye when she spun around too fast. He tripped over his pack and smacked the bulk head."

"Aye," Beckett sighed. "Poor lass felt so guilty she cut off her hair." He made a face. "Lass had some lovely hair, I tell ya. Smooth as silk and straight as the day is long."

Sheppard wagged a finger. "Didn't some of it get sucked into one of the vents and start that fire…"

"And cause city to shutdown," Z nodded. "Labs locked down. Rodney didn't make it to door in time, hit it face first. Almost broke his nose." Z chuckled at the memory then quickly removed his glasses to clean them.

Sheppard laughed. "Damn that girl's got it in for him."

"Do you really think so, Colonel?" Beckett asked.

Sheppard patted the doctor's back. "Either that or she's got a massive crush and this is just her way of showing it."

"Couldn't she just punch him in the arm then?"

McKay groaned. "Don't give her any ideas. Plain Calamity Jane'll probably miss and hit me in the head instead."

"You're awake!" Z called, making McKay wince and shut his eyes tight.

"Yeah, I'm awake. What the hell happened now?"

Beckett moved in to check on McKay. "Dr. D'Angelos is really beside herself this time."

"Yeah, yeah…she spilled my coffee."

"Actually, Rodney, you spilled coffee," Z started.

"After she bumped into me."

Z crossed his arms and shook his head. "Not exactly. You yelled at her, she bumped into Dr. Morgan and she hit your elbow. You spilled coffee."

"That doesn't make it any less her fault."

"She tried to help you clean it up. You stepped on her hand and when she cried out, you back up so quickly, you slip on your spilled coffee and hit desk with your big fat head."

"It's official. She's a menace, she's a…keep her away from me…get her out of my lab before she kills me." He glared at Z. "And my head is not fat!"

Beckett pressed a blue pack to the back of McKay's head and the man howled. Then he glared at Beckett. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Rodney."

"Face it McKay," Sheppard said. "It could've been worse."

"Worse!"

"Remember what she did to that Wraith on M4W-059—"

"She got tasered in the back."

"Before that. After you went down and she picked up your gun?"

"And saved your life," Beckett added.

McKay covered his crotch protectively. "You're not giving her another gun are you?"

Sheppard chuckled, shaking his head.