Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Stargate Atlantis or it's wonderful characters.

Spoilers: Through Reunion in Season 4

On the timeline: First Strike – Season 3

10 – Uselessness

Ronon wandered through the infirmary feeling conspicuous. It'd seemed like a good idea when he'd first headed to the infirmary in search of Jennifer.

Now that he was there he was starting to have second thoughts. The beds were as empty as the rooms. Ronon's plan had been to wander in, there'd be people about, they'd talk a little and he'd suggest a run before he left. But now it was becoming a little more formal. He was going to have to go to Jennifer's office and it'd be obvious he'd come looking for her specifically.

He'd never sought her out to ask her to do something with him before. She'd never sought him out specifically other then their kiss. Any time they'd spent together was just by chance, other than the running. The running was a little bit trickier to understand and so he'd decided not to dwell on it.

Ronon caught sight of Jennifer working at her desk. He felt a hitch in his chest and took a deep breath to clear it. Whenever he caught sight of her lately he experienced this…hitch feeling. He didn't want to deal with what it meant. Not now, not with everything that was going on. He took one final look around the infirmary before leaning against her door frame and making his presence known with a light cough.

Jennifer was poring over the files on her desk, trying to keep herself busy. The incessant sound of the beam from the Replicator satellite was making any concentration impossible. She'd tried sleep, she'd tried to make herself useful, but eventually she'd made her way to her office, trying to drown herself in her work. Having a patient or two would be helpful. It'd take her mind off her lack of anything to do and the noise that wouldn't go away.

She heard a cough at her door and whipped her head up to find Ronon lounging against the frame. Thank god, something to do!

"Hey, Ronon, did you need something." She waited a moment for a response, but her anxiousness had her jumping right back in, "Anything, please. I so need something to do."

He laughed lightly because that is exactly how he was feeling.

"You want to go for a run?" he asked with hopefulness written across all of his features.

"I really can't be that far away from the infirmary. I'm sure you shouldn't be that far away either," she teased with a smile.

Ronon moved into her office, the disappointment evident in his shoulder slouch as he plopped himself into a chair across from her.

"I just feel so… there is nothing I can do to help. Sheppard is busy working on stuff with Rodney and Zelenka. Teyla is helping with stuff in the control room."

"Well, there are certainly no injuries or pressing matters here either," she said looking at him with the same frustration. They needed something to do.

Ronon cocked his head to the side and looked at her speculatively, "You wanna spar? I could teach you?"

Jenn began to laugh, "I don't think that'd be a good idea. I don't think they'd be real excited to hear the CMO was hurt while sparring during a city wide emergency."

"I'd never hurt you," came Ronon's quick, offended response.

"I know you'd never hurt me, but I heard about your sparring time with Rodney," she said unable to hide her grin. "He seemed to have trouble maintaining eye contact and avoiding bruises when you were teaching him."

"He needs to learn to focus."

Many people thought Ronon was this stoic, brooding, unapproachable, warrior type of man. Jennifer knew differently. If you watched his eyes you'd catch the emotion that tempered his words. Jennifer laughed at him; she knew Ronon had probably enjoyed teaching the whiny scientist a little too much.

Jennifer tidied her desk and looked back at Ronon, "I have an idea."

He wearily asked, "What?"

"Where is your sense of adventure," she said standing and coming around her desk where he still slouched looking skeptical.

Jennifer grabbed his hand, "Come on, I promise you'll like it and we won't have to go far in case they finally do need our expertise in this crisis."

Ronon clasped her hand and allowed her to pull him up and out of the infirmary. He had no intention of pulling his hand away and hoped she didn't either, at least for a few more moments.

Jennifer waved at Marie, indicating that she was stepping out.

Once they entered the hall she let go of his hand and he instantly missed the connection. But within a second she'd hooked his arm with her elbow and was walking with him down the hall. She had mischief in her eyes as she talked to him and a bounce in her step. He'd have let her lead him anywhere.

Jennifer had retrieved two spoons and some type of wrapped tube from her room while he waited in the hall. They made their way to the deserted kitchenette off the crew quarters. The balcony would've been better, but the noise from the satellite beam was even louder outside.

She hopped up on the counter and looked back at him expectantly.

"Can I use one of your knives?"

Ronon furrowed his brow at her, but fished a knife out from behind his back and handed it to her. He scooted back on the counter next to her and watched her cut a third off the tube, handing him the remainder and a spoon.

He looked at it speculatively, gave it a sniff before a big grin broke out across his face. He quickly dug in. "How did you get it in the tube?"

"They sell it in stores that way?" she grinned back at him not able to help the flip in her stomach. His smile was incredible, maybe in its rarity, although she was getting to see it more and more as they became better friends.

"Didn't John take you to any grocery stores while you were on Earth?" She imagined that if he found cookie dough in a tube enjoyable, that he must have been a riot in a grocery store.

"We went to a lot of places like the mess hall here…only different," he ended with a shrug.

"Restaurants?" she nodded as she spooned another bite.

"You keep these in your room?" he asked around his last bite.

"Yeeesss," she said tentatively.

He just smiled innocently, well… as innocently as the big Satedan could look.

She poked him in the side to tickle him, "They are mine, and I will only share if I want."

"You'll want to," he assured her as he tickled her side causing her to laugh as she leaned away.

"That's a bit arrogant, even for a good-looking guy that can kick my ass," she said while trying to tickle his side in retaliation. As her words registered in her head she pulled her hand back quickly… but not fast enough.

He clasped her hand firmly as her words repeated in his head. He didn't look up at her or utter any words. He was too intent on watching her hand, feeling the slight resistance of her trying to pull it back.

He took a deep breath to clear that stupid hitch in his chest. It might have worked, but at that moment he felt the resistance in his hand slacken and the ever so gentle squeeze as she tentatively held his hand too.

He didn't look up, afraid of her seeing the stupid grin on his face. Instead he concentrated on the feel of her hand in his while he concentrated on breathing.

After several minutes passed he felt a gentle tug from her hand forcing him to look up. He could see the blush upon her face still and the wonder mixed with confusion in her eyes. It was a complete mirror of his own thoughts.

"Ronon," she whispered, then cleared her throat. "I need to get back to the infirmary." She knew that she was chickening out, running even, but the emotions racing through her body were overwhelming her and she needed time for her analytical mind to process.

He nodded his head, but didn't let go of her hand as he helped her down.

"I'll walk you back," he offered.

She smiled at him shyly, nodding her head. She pulled her hand from his grasp and disposed of their snack and washed up the spoons, leaving them on the counter to dry.

They walked back in silence. Jennifer made sure her hands were busy with all of her fidgeting, not sure if she was ready to hold his hand again… if he even wanted to hold her hand again.

He said goodbye at the infirmary and she tried not to read anything into his quietness. The thoughts, questions and insecurities already crowding her mind, demanded she begin processing them.