As Sheppard's team walked through the gate they all picked up on the atmosphere in the gate room and wondered what had lifted everyone's spirits.
"Colonel Sheppard welcome back. Dr Beckett it is good to see you again." Woolsey said jogging into the gate room.
"Aye, I just wish it was under better circumstances." The doctor said.
"Please can you all come up to the briefing room?" Woolsey asked breathlessly.
"Okay." John asked, feeling like something was wrong. "Much happen whilst we weren't here?"
"Yes, it has been a very eventful few days."
"How eventful?" John asked as McKay questioned.
"What has he broken?"
"Nothing has been broken." Woolsey assured McKay as they reached the briefing room. "In fact things have been fixed."
"What exactly has happened?" John asked feeling Woolsey was hiding something and beginning to feel uneasy.
"Please take a seat and I will fill you in." Woolsey said taking a moment to catch his breath. "Before you ask questions, please let me tell you everything." Woolsey added before recapping recent events.
-00-
When Woolsey finished he looked round the room and waited.
"So Jennifer is alive?" Carson asked as the others sat in silent shock.
"Very much so." Woolsey smiled.
"And Torren is safe?" Teyla asked.
"Yes. Major Teldy is guarding him and Kannan." Woolsey assured her.
"Where's the doc?" John asked.
"In the infirmary."
"How bad?"
"She's okay. She was suffering from dehydration when Major Lorne found her. But she has been treated and Dr Cole assured me that Dr Keller would make a full recovery." Woolsey smiled as looked onto the still shocked faces. "Teyla, why don't you see Torren. And I am sure that Dr Keller would like to see the rest of you." Woolsey said.
-00-
John, Carson, Rodney and Ronon silently made it to the infirmary in record time, but they all stopped short of entering, each convinced they were caught up in some twisted dream. It was Carson who was the first to cross the threshold. Spotting Jennifer on the far side he strode over and said, whilst engulfing Jennifer in a hug.
"Good to see you lass."
"Good to be seen." Jennifer said smiling.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I'm ready to leave the infirmary. How long are you staying for?"
"I don't know. As long as you want me I guess, but seeing as there is a queue behind me I'll leave you be for now. But we'll talk soon." He said hugging her once more before backing away.
"Hey." Jennifer said as Ronon, Rodney and John stared at her in disbelief.
"Hi." John said smiling. "You know there are less extreme ways to get a day off?"
"I'll bare that in mind." Jennifer smiled as John approached the doctor and gently placed a finger below her chin and raised her head so he could see the bruising.
"You okay?" He asked seriously.
"I'm fine."
"Sir." Lorne said approaching John at Jennifer's bedside.
"Major, I see you have relocated that missing razor." John said noticing Lorne's lack of facial hair. "And raided the entire mess?" He added seeing the two trays of food he was carrying.
"For the doc. She's hungry."
"Great so am I." Rodney said about to take some food off the tray.
"Rodney!" John chastised.
"Go ahead. There's probably too much for me anyway." Jennifer said, the offer directed at everyone.
"Besides I can do another food run." Lorne said emphasising the word 'another' as Rodney took a sandwich.
"I've got more paperwork that needs doing if you'd prefer." John offered half joking before sobering and adding. "I am looking forward to reading the write up on this one."
"It's not often that Zelenka gets to play the hero. I'll make sure he gets full credit." Lorne said, resulting in Rodney rolling his eyes adding.
"Don't stroke his ego, he'll start making mistakes."
"Yeah, can't have physicists with big egos." John said looking at Rodney who ignored the barb and asked Jennifer, whilst he chewed on a sandwich.
"So, you have been roaming round the city with no restrictions? Able to go anywhere, see anything."
"I guess." Jennifer said.
"How'd you cope with hearing and seeing everything but not being able to join in?" John asked.
"That wasn't so bad, kinda like being back at high school. Although it was uncomfortable being able to listen to everyone's conversations."
"When you say everyone's, who exactly?" Rodney asked as John chipped in.
"Plenty of blackmail material?"
"Jennifer," Teyla smiled as she approached the group carrying Torren, saving Jennifer from having to answer the question. "It is so good to see you."
"Teyla. How's my favourite guy?"
"He is fine, thanks to you." She smiled and handed Torren to Jennifer as Ronon silently slipped out of the infirmary.
-00-
"Have you talked to Jennifer yet?" Teyla asked as she parried Ronon's blows in the gym later that evening.
"No."
"Why?"
"Didn't want to upset her."
"So you ignore her?" Teyla said launching her own attack.
"It's easier."
"For you."
"You said she lied about being interested in someone else because I put her under too much pressure."
"So?" Teyla asked regretting telling Ronon.
"So, if I don't see her I can't pressure her."
"I also said she missed you as a friend. She needs her friends." Teyla argued as the pair continued to clash bantos rods. When Ronon did not respond she asked.
"Do you still care for her?"
"Yes."
"Then why won't you speak to her?"
"When we thought she was dead, it was hard." Ronon said.
"It was and that was when you weren't talking. If something happens to her it will be hard regardless of your relationship. So why destroy a friendship."
"Kinda already destroyed it." Ronon shrugged.
"You were hurt, but it is not too late."
"I gave up on her." Ronon said, suddenly stopping sparring.
"How do you mean?" Teyla asked lowering her guard.
"When she first came I thought she was weak and didn't belong here."
"Many of us had doubts." Teyla said.
"I told her what I had thought and that I didn't think that anymore. But then
I believed she jumped. I should have known she was stronger than that."
"We all should, but we can't change the past. We can change the future."
-00-
"Hey Rodney." Jennifer said from the door of his lab.
"Jennifer? Should you be up?" Rodney asked.
"I'm fine." The doctor answered. "Do you have a minute?"
"Um, sure. Just give me a second." He said as he finished typing his code. When he was done he turned and smiled. "All done. You want a seat?"
"How about we walk." Jennifer said.
"Oh, it's one of those conversations."
"One of what conversations?" Jennifer asked.
"The one of those where you say I'm a nice guy but."
"Rodney, you are a great friend and I treasure our friendship. I don't want to risk it for anything, which is why I want to clarify something."
"It's okay." Rodney said. "I understand. But Jennifer if you were to have feelings for anyone don't ignore them, life's too short."
"I'll bear that in mind. So are we okay?"
"We're fine." Rodney said. "And thank you for telling me, rather than leaving the galaxy without a word."
"Rodney, she's coming back."
"Who?"
"Katie. She's on the Daedalus." With that Jennifer left Rodney to ponder the news.
-00-
Jennifer returned to her quarters beginning to feel restless. Hoping she and Rodney would be okay she wondered if there was any hope of salvaging her friendship with Ronon. Based on the complete lack of contact since his return she feared the worse. As she sat on her bed she considered going to talk to Ronon, but decided against it. Instead she moved to her desk and thought about writing the report of her recent exploits. Before she got that far though her door chimed.
"Ronon? You okay?" Jennifer asked when she opened her door.
"Yeah. No. Can I come in?"
"Sure." Jennifer said stepping back, letting the former runner into her quarters. She watched as he entered and stood awkwardly in the middle of the room until he eventually asked.
"How are you feeling?"
"Bored. And, as no one is letting me go back to work, frustrated"
"They're worried about you." Ronon reasoned.
"I wasn't badly hurt," Jennifer said.
"We thought we'd lost you." He said before stepping towards Jennifer and engulfing her in hug.
After overcoming her initial shock Jennifer relaxed into the hug, concerned at what was upsetting Ronon. When Ronon finally pulled back Jennifer asked.
"You okay?"
"I want to apologise."
"For what?" Jennifer asked.
"How I acted."
"Acted? When?"
"After you said you were interested in someone else, I shouldn't have walked away. I gave up on our friendship, then I gave up on you. I believed them when they said you jumped. I should have known better."
"Ronon, when I was cloaked I kinda overheard some of the conversations you had with Teyla so I know you know I lied about the someone else."
"Because I pressured you."
"No, because I'm a coward. But the point is I lied to you, so I really didn't deserve your friendship."
"Still shouldn't have abandoned you. I'm just not good at this."
"Neither am I." Jennifer said. "I'm sorry for hurting you."
"I missed you." Ronon confessed before hugging Jennifer again.
Before Jennifer knew what was happening Ronon pulled away and walked out of her room.
A/N: Thanks for reading, next chapter up tomorrow.