Tag for Missing.

The medical staff of the Atlantis expedition was in an upset. This had never happened before. They had never even considered the possibility of it happening. Way back in the deep recesses of their mind, they had acknowledged the possibility, but all of them had firmly believed that such a thing would never happen. And now it was happening.

Dr. Jennifer Keller and Ronon Dex had stopped talking.

The medical staff didn't know what to do now. They were all terrified of the big warrior. Keller was the only one who had ever been willing to deal with him. Unfortunately, Ronon was unwilling to deal with her right now. That had the staff in a fury as they tried to bribe each other into treating Ronon. So far it had been determined that there was no amount of money or no item too cool to be worth the hassle of dealing with him.

The whole fiasco had started when Dr. Keller had returned from her mission to New Athos injured. At that point, everything had been fine between her and Ronon. The big warrior had refused to leave her side and had even helped her up to the infirmary. That was where the trouble had started. While the other doctors had worked to wrap Keller's injured ankle, Ronon had begun to berate her for going off world without the proper defense training. Keller had heatedly replied that it was a peaceful mission to New Athos and not even Teyla had expected anything to go wrong, since she didn't bring a weapon. Ronon went on to call Dr. Keller naïve and irresponsible for not considering that even peaceful, routine missions could go horribly wrong. That sparked a shouting match between him and Dr. Keller, and finally the other doctors had gathered up their courage and kicked him out of the infirmary.

They had hoped that would be the end of it. Dr. Keller was returning to earth for a few days leave, and once she returned the other doctors anticipated everything returning to normal. However, after Dr. Keller had left, Ronon had gone to Colonel Carter and demanded that weapons be carried on all missions no matter what and that all personal go through basic self defensive training. Carter had granted his first request right away and weapons were now mandatory for all off world travel. She had yet to make a decision on his second request, though. None of the scientists or medical personal wanted to take time out of their day for self defense lessons.

Jen Keller was no different, and she told Ronon right to his face when he came in for stitches not long after her return from earth. Ronon had coolly replied that he wanted another doctor to treat him, and Keller had happily handed him off to her staff. Things hadn't gotten any better since.

"Heyhey!"

Jen looked up and grinned as Lieutenant Laura Cadman stepped into Dr. Beckett's office and settled down in the chair across from the desk. "Hey yourself," Jen replied. "What blew up in your face this time?"

Cadman laughed. "Why must you assume that I only come here when I'm hurt? Can't a girl come visit her friend without being accused of an ulterior motive?"

"Laura, you only came up here to visit Carson when you were injured," Jen said. "Why should I believe that I hold a higher status in your book than he did?"

Cadman laughed again, but this time it didn't really meet her eyes, and Jen felt awful about brining Carson up in their conversation. Cadman had been the first person outside of the infirmary to greet her when she had first came to Atlantis. At that point, Laura and Dr. Beckett had been something of an item and sometimes Jen suspected that some of Cadman's minor injuries were just an excuse to see the good doctor. They had called it off a few months before Carson's death but had still remained close enough that his death had affected her.

Despite that, Cadman and Keller had remained close friends over the past two years. They went running together almost every morning and almost always had breakfast together after that. Jen was glad to see her now, especially since this whole thing with Ronon had gotten so out of hand.

"You know me too well," Cadman sighed. "No injuries, but I am the bearer of bad news."

"Oh no," Jen groaned. She knew what was coming.

"Colonel Carter just made it official. All Atlantis personal are required to have basic self defense training."

"Damn it," Jen cursed, slamming her fists down on the desk.

"Hey, listen," Cadman said. "I think you know that you need this. As head of medicine, you're going to be going on a lot more off world missions. Even Carson took some basic lessons. Granted he wasn't very good, but…"

"Yeah, I know," Jen agreed. She really wasn't upset about the lessons. She was upset that she had lost to Ronon.

"I do have some good news though," Cadman added. "I've just been certified to teach these self defense classes. I thought we could cut our runs short in the morning and I could give you yours then."

Jen grinned. "Thanks. That's a great idea, actually. I doubt I'd do very well in a real class."

Cadman scoffed. "You'd do fine, but with personal one on one lessons with me, you'll be able to kick Ronon's butt the next time he talks down to you."

Jen laughed, even though she didn't believe it. The only people who could beat Ronon were Colonel Sheppard and Teyla. Still, it was a nice thought and it put her in a better mood throughout the day. In fact, she was in such a good mood that she agreed to take the graveyard shift for another doctor who wasn't feeling well. She wasn't thinking when she agreed to it, which was why she was mildly surprised when Ronon stepped into the infirmary, took one look at her and turned around to leave.

"Ronon!" she cried rushing after him, since her medical eye had quickly caught his limp. "What happened? Should you even be walking on that?"

"You're not supposed to be here," Ronon growled as he tried to get past her. "I checked. You're not on duty tonight."

"I switched with another doctor," Jen said, her cheeks flushing. When had this fight gotten so bad that he was checking the roster to avoid her? "Come on back to the infirmary, Ronon. Whatever is wrong with your leg, you need to have it looked at."

Ronon grudgingly turned around and started back to the infirmary. Jen slipped up next to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. She felt him stiffen for a moment, but then he leaned on her and allowed her to help him back into the infirmary and onto one of beds. She leaned down and pulled off his boot on his bad foot. It took some work, and her eyes widened when she saw why. His ankle was swelling up.

"What did you do?" she demanded as she went to get an ice pack.

"You don't want to know," he growled as she came back around and wrapped the pack around his ankle. "Is that it? Can I go?"

"No, you can't go," Jen said. "Not until the swelling goes down a bit and I wrap it. Even then I may make you stay the night." Ronon snarled at her and Jen chuckled. "Those tactics might work with my staff, but not with me. I know how to stand up to you."

"Yeah, but I still win in the end," he gloated, and Jen felt her anger return at how he had been acting since her trip to New Athos. In fact, her anger was so great that she did something she never would have done otherwise. She twisted his ankle ever so slightly and was rewarded by him yelping in pain.

"Just because you may think you know what is the best course of action for me doesn't mean you get to make those decisions for me," Jen told him.

"So who does when you're too stubborn to make them for yourself?"

"While spending a night in a tiny hunt praying that I'd still be alive the next morning, I promised myself that if I got through it alive, I'd ask Cadman to teach me a few things," Jen admitted. "But when we got here and you started to go at me like that- I just got so angry! I can't believe you think so little of me! I know how to take care of myself."

Ronon looked away from her and Jen returned her attention to the ice pack around his ankle. It was ironic, in a way. It was her ankle injury that it had started this whole mess. Maybe his would fix it.

"I didn't handle that well," he finally admitted, looking back at her. "Knowing what you had gone through I just… I didn't handle it well."

"Well, I acted rather childish too," Jen admitted, rechecking his ankle. The swelling had gone down, so she grabbed some bandages and wrapped it. When she finished, she looked back up at him. "There you go, all done. It'll take a few days to heal, so try and take it easy."

"Thanks doc," Ronon said, jumping off the table and leaving the infirmary.

And the medical staff of the Atlantis expedition began to breathe easier.