—Chapter 3—

Ronon stood across from her bed, watching her sleep.

He would understand if she never wanted to speak to him again.

He would find a way to deal with the loss.

He always did.

He promised himself he would stay until she woke up.

The doctors had informed him that the creature had injected her with some sort of narcotic. It wasn't deadly, they had said, as its purpose seemed to be to render prey helpless. His insides clenched at the thought. Things had been going well. He had found out that Jennifer liked swimming as a form or recreation. He had gotten Zelenka to scan the pool to make sure what he had feared might happen didn't happen. He had even tested it out himself. Had the creature been there all along and just ignored him? Why did it decide to act now, and with Jennifer? Did it sense that she was weaker, easier prey?

Ronon shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thoughts that had plagued him for the past two hours. He should have know something was wrong when Jennifer didn't notice that he had been injured as well. He reached beneath his shirt, smoothing his hand over the bandages on his side. The cuts had not been terribly deep, not requiring stitches. Ronon was thankful for that more than anything, because he couldn't handle anyone besides Jennifer stitching him up, and the fact he was the reason she wasn't able to—

His ears trained on the sound of Jennifer's vital signs monitor, a quickening of the beep that monitored her heart rate. Her legs shifted beneath the sheets of the infirmary bed. She inhaled deeply and let out a low moan. She blinked away the sleepiness and looked around, not seeing him at first. He took a step forward.

"Hey," was all he could think to say.

"Hey," she said, pushing herself up in the bed.

"I'll get the doctor," Ronon said, turning to leave.

"Wait," Jennifer called, and he obeyed. She met his eyes, and then looked away, seeming to consider something. "I mean, I'm fine, right. I think that thing injected me with something through his tentacles."

"Yeah," Ronon confirmed. "That's what they said. Said they'd keep you here for a day just in case."

Jennifer scoffed at that. "What a way to spend my first day off in two months."

Ronon felt the twisting in his heart again.

She stared in front of her, at nothing in particular. He was still waiting for her to dismiss him, had expected her too, and was amazed that she had not yet tired of his presence.

"Thank you, Ronon."

Ronon just stared at her, too shocked to say anything.

Jennifer took the opportunity to explain, "For getting me out, for . . . everything you went through planning the day. The clothes. It made me feel really . . . special."

She held his gaze, her hazel eyes glistening in the dim light of the room. She ducked her face away from his view, but she couldn't hide her hand as she swiped it across her cheek and under her eye. She was upset and still trying to make him feel better about the situation. Always thinking of others first. Of him. Even when he didn't deserve it.

He sighed, trying to find the words to relieve her of the burden. "Look. I'm sorry it . . . things didn't. . ."

"No," she interrupted. "I had fun up until. . .well. It was nice."

Why was she making this so hard for him? She was just trying to be nice, he knew.

She seemed to sense his turmoil. "Ronon," she soothed, "I . . . I know it's not what you wanted of the day. And that kiss wasn't at all I expected our first one to be. It's rather fuzzy actually. . ."

At that Ronon's eyes darted up to her face. She looked at him, expectantly, having intended to illicit a reaction. Her face broke into a smile that was pure sunlight, a ray of hope—of promise.

Ronon suppressed the overwhelming urge to take her face in his hand and sear her lips with a kiss she would never forget.

"So. . .what did you have planned for the rest of the evening?" she seemed genuinely curious.

Ronon looked at her, startled by the abruptness of her question. Shocked that they were even having a conversation right now. After everything.

"I mean, before the whole saving-me-from-alien-creepy-crawly fiasco?" she smirked.

Ronon took a few steps to stand right beside her bed. "Uhm . . .," Ronon faltered as he tried to remember the proper term for it, "dinner and a movie?"

"Ah," Jennifer nodded. "What movie?"

"Iron Man." Sheppard had said it was good, and Teyla had taken an unusual level of interest in the film's lead actor.

"Ok, then."

"'Ok then' what?"

"Ok then, let's go. Remember, it's my day off. It would be a sin to spend it cooped up in here," she said, throwing back the sheets.

As she did so, she was made aware of the bandages on her left leg. She wiggled her toes, and then lifted her knee, then quickly lowered it back down. "Whoah, that feels weird," she said, laying back against the pillows, as if the sudden movement had made her dizzy. After a few seconds she looked up to him. "A little help, please?"

Ronon obliged gently sliding one arm under Jennifer's legs and the other around her back as he prepared to lift her slight form from the bed. He lifted Jennifer up, but stopped short when he saw Marie entering the ward. She looked up from the tablet in her hand, and she took in the scene before her. Jennifer's breath caught in her throat. Though she was technically "the boss," she was nevertheless caught in an awkward position, in the process of being whisked away from the infirmary by a thoroughly smitten Satedan when she was supposed to be under observation.

"Marie. Hi," Jennifer squeaked.

Marie straightened, maintaining a professional air. She looked from Ronon to Jennifer, and then back to Ronon. "You'll want to go out the back way," was all she said, only her twinkling eyes betraying her otherwise cool demeanor.

Jennifer and Ronon watched in stunned silence as the woman strolled past Jennifer's bed and across the ward, her attention focused on the computer on nestled in her arm, as if she hadn't seen a thing.

Little look, little smile
Flick the switch and it's over
Like it's lost and can never be found.

But maybe there's a tiny glow
That won't die and won't leave us alone
Star shining. The sun is rising.

There's a tiny glimmer flickering on the horizon.

—"Glimmer" by Aqualung

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A/N: Well, that's the story. I hope y'all enjoyed it. It's the first story multi-chapter fic that I've completed on one go. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you'll take the time to leave feedback, no matter how brief. It's all appreciated, and helps motivate me to write more.