Fyd818 – I really enjoyed writing the phone conversation with John and Elizabeth and Ronon being sensitive is always fun to write especially with Teyla. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Germangirl678 – I'm glad you like the story and the friendship between John and Teyla. Thanks for the review and I hope you like this chapter.

Angel-Huntress – I'm glad you're enjoying the story and thanks for the review.

Steph7085 – Glad you like the phone conversation between John and Elizabeth, thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

MalSheppard – Good to know all the characters have been kept in character and that you like the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter too and thanks for the review.

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Chapter 7

Ronon sat in his car outside Detective Emmagan's apartment building watching closely for any sign of Sheppard or that Sheppard had made contact. He had been sat there for almost an hour and the sun was beginning to set casting an orange glow over everything when Emmagan walked out of the building wearing a light jacket and walking down the street.

She clearly wasn't taking her car or catching a cab to wherever she was going so he decided to get out of his own car and walk. He followed her making no real effort to hide the fact that he was there. He knew that she knew he was there and therefore the chances that she was going somewhere to meet Sheppard were slim. However he did hang back and make himself look as unobvious as he could in case Sheppard was anywhere around.

About ten minutes later Emmagan turned into the park and immediately went and sat on the swings that were secluded behind some trees. He watched her for a moment and was taken aback by the look of sadness on her face; she didn't even seem to register his presence. Until that point she had looked somewhat defeated but had for the most part she had kept up a brave front. Now though the full extent of the effect her partners' case had had on her was obvious for anyone who bothered to look.

She looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and that's when the realisation hit him. She did have the weight of the world on her shoulders, her world. He had spent time looking at her files and he and Elizabeth had questioned people about her as well as Sheppard. They both lived for their jobs; she didn't have any family both her parents had died when she was young. The closest thing either of them had to family was each other.

Now her partner had gone on the run and she was left to pick up the pieces, she firmly believed he was innocent and the task of proving it rested on her. To make matters worse having the FBI on her case couldn't be helping and he was following her around everywhere she went.

He made a decision and moved from behind the cover of the trees sitting on the swing next to her. They sat together in complete silence for a long while neither looking at the other.

"I needed to clear my head," Teyla answered his unasked question with a lifeless tone.

"I can understand that."

"He didn't do it and no matter what it takes, even if it kills me, I'm going to prove it," she told him quietly after another moment and he was once again surprised by the conviction that had crept back into her tone.

"What if he did do it?" he asked her.

"He didn't."

"You can't know that for certain."

"Yes I can, he's been my partner for years and I can tell you with absolute certainty that he didn't kill any of those people," she stated adamantly. "How long have you been partnered with Agent Weir?"

Ronon was surprised by the question but answered it anyway. "Three years."

"If someone told you that she had killed five people in cold blood would you believe them?"

"No," Ronon answered immediately, he knew Elizabeth wasn't capable of that and that he believed was her point. "There's a lot of evidence against Sheppard though," he told her knowing it didn't make a difference, someone could give him all the evidence in the world and he still wouldn't believe Elizabeth was a cold blooded killer.

"I don't give a damn what the evidence says, it's wrong," she stated. "Tell me Agent Dex, in all of the other murders how much evidence did you find as to the killers identity?"

"None," Ronon replied after a moment.

"Then do you find it somewhat convenient that all the evidence you could possibly need to convict my partner for all of the killings just falls into your lap in just one of the murders?"

Ronon once again thought about Teyla's words and now that he did think about it, it was rather convenient, though that by no means meant that Sheppard was innocent. "Killers make mistakes."

"Not this many in just one of their crimes, someone doesn't go from making no mistakes whatsoever to making them all in one go. Think about Agent Dex, the finger prints mean no gloves to cover his hand, the knife came from is own apartment and he left it at the scene. These are rookie mistakes, if that, not the mistakes of someone who has four other murders under their belt."

Ronon had to admit, she had him there, and he'd also wondered a couple of times how the killer could have got so careless in the latest killing. Then of course there was the fact that no matter how hard they tried him and Elizabeth had not been able to come up with a solid motive or reason for Sheppard to commit these crimes. The only thing they could think of was that he was just insane but they couldn't even make that stick, according to every report they had read and every person they had spoken to bar one who Emmagan had told them had issues with Sheppard, had painted him as a good man and a good cop.

"As I said Agent Dex, he didn't do it," Teyla stated effectively ending their discussion and leaving Ronon with a lot to think about. For the first time he was seriously doubting Sheppard's guilt.

- - -

He had been watching everyone who was playing a part in this. Sheppard, up until the moment where he'd lost track of him, his partner and the two FBI Agents. His partner was sure of his innocence but he had known she'd be a problem since this had started.

He watched as the female FBI Agent walked out of the Police Station, she was playing one of the most vital roles in this whole thing. She was determined to get Sheppard for what he had done and that was what he needed. Sheppard would pay for what he had done he'd make sure of it.

He had killed all five of those people making sure not to leave any clues behind and then he had broken into Sheppard's apartment and grabbed the knife from the counter. He had then waited for Sheppard to arrive home and timed the murder so that Sheppard would here the scream of his victim. He knew that Sheppard's heroic good guy instincts would bring him to the apartment. He had also timed the first two murders with Sheppard's visits to New York and Miami.

The first part of his plan was completed and very successfully if he did say so himself. Now it was time to take things up level, to take away the thing that mattered to him the most; his partner.

TBC