Chapter Two

"Ronon! Get in here." John called from the hut, and the Satedan looked up from where he was tending to an injured Teyla. The villagers were all gone now, they'd run away if they were smart, dead if they weren't. He looked at Teyla, as if asking if she would be alright if he left her, and she sighed, nodded.

"Go, I am fine." She said quietly, nursing a black eye and a bloody nose.

When Ronon saw the physicist, he growled. Rodney was shirtless. Bloody, bruised, and covered in dirt, and Ronon could see bruises on his ribs and belly. He looked at the body on the floor and was disappointed that the man was already dead, a knife sticking out of his chest. He wanted to pound on someone. For Rodney and for Teyla.

"How's Teyla?" Sheppard asked.

"She'll be fine. That Sol'nis guy's dead, but he managed to get a good hit to her face before she took him down." He paused, not knowing if he really wanted to know. "What happened to him?"

"Looks like the McKay charm has struck again. Come on. Help me with him, we need to get out of here."

Ronon grunted and bent to pick up Rodney. When his arm went around McKay's back, however, Rodney woke with a startled gasp of pain and pulled away.

"No no no no! Leave me alone... don't... what?" Ronon could see the confusion and pain in Rodney's eyes as he pulled away. Rodney turned away from him and he saw the blood and the cuts on his back, and it just made him want to hit something. For all the grief that he gave Rodney, Ronon was fiercely protective of all of his team. Ronon was very very angry right now.

"Rodney, it's OK. It's just us, buddy." Sheppard was saying, and this seemed to wake Rodney up a bit and he recognized who they were.

"Ronon? John?" his voice was small and weak. He glanced at the man on the ground and then shuddered.

"Yeah, it's us. What do you say we blow this popsicle stand, eh?" And John was trying for nonchalance in his tone, but didn't quite get it.

"Uh.. yeah. Yeah, that would be good." And Rodney blinked, shook his head as if trying to clear it and then suddenly shouted "Teyla! That man was going to... is she OK? We have to find her, now!"

"She's OK." Ronon said. And then Teyla was standing in the doorway, her eyes sorrowful.

"I am here, Rodney. I am fine." Teyla said, stepping towards him. "Let's go home." And she took his arm and helped him up, gently placing her arm around his waist.

As they left the hut, Ronon saw Rodney glance once more at the body on the floor and shudder. He didn't miss the concerned look that passed from Teyla to John, nor did he miss the way that the physicist put a hand to his eyes, as if he were trying to block out the memory.

Ronon had found Rodney's pack, radio, and weapon on the ground near one of the long huts. He kept the pack, shouldering it effortlessly, but handed Rodney the holstered gun and radio. Rodney's eyes narrowed and he looked confused for a moment, but then strapped the gun to his leg without saying a word and put the radio on his ear with a practiced ease and a quiet nod of thanks.

Sheppard led the way back to the 'gate quietly and efficiently, his eyes roaming the surrounding wooded area sharply. It was fully dark, and Ronon kept a close watch for anyone who might try to stop them from getting to the 'gate, but it seemed that no one wanted to tangle with them again. There were several places on the trail that would have made an ideal place for an ambush, and Sheppard had the team wait as he carefully checked them out before signaling the all clear.

They could see the 'gate now, but Ronon was becoming increasingly worried about McKay. The physicist hadn't said a word since leaving the village. Not to complain or crack a joke. He leaned on Teyla more and more, his steps becoming slower and slower, and he sometimes looked at her as though he didn't quite know who she was or where they were. Teyla whispered soothing words to him as she tightened her hold around him.

Ronon saw a movement in the trees behind them and fell back to investigate, but was disappointed to find nothing. He glanced back to his team. Sheppard was almost to the DHD. Rodney and Teyla were about halfway between them.

It came as a complete surprise when Rodney bellowed in... pain? anger? fear? and struck out at Teya. His clenched fist hit her already tender face and she staggered back with a gasp of pain and confusion, releasing her hold on him.

"McKay!" Twin shouts came from Ronon and Sheppard, who had started running back towards them.

Teyla quickly reached out for him again, but Rodney lashed out at her again. She dodged easily, and Sheppard was almost to them, with Ronon sprinting towards the pair. She glanced towards him, and was unprepared for Rodney's foot striking. She never imagined he'd paid that much attention to her self defense lessons. His foot connected solidly with her knee and she felt her leg give way and a shooting, intense pain made her cry out and crumple to the ground.

And then Rodney was gone. He simply turned and disappeared into the trees.