Yes, it's true. Finally an update.
Disclaimer: I only own who doesn't belong to the show.
One hour before the sun rose, Sage jerked awake. She looked around and took in her surroundings remembering that she wasn't on the base she called home, but in the woods of the planet, Etuate.
Looking back, she saw the older Satedan sleeping peacefully. The rise and fall of his chest assured her that Ronon had survived everything and was now only asleep. She reached out to feel for a fever, but retracted her hand at the last moment. "He's really there, Sage. Come on. He's there. He won't disappear like in your dreams," she whispered, assuring herself.
She touched his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't disappear like she thought he would, and there was only a small hint of fever indicating that there was no infection. She only needed to worry about the blood loss and the reoccurrence of the poison, knowing she didn't get all of it out of his blood.
She grabbed the empty water canteen and made her way back toward the stream. She filled it up as much as she could and made her way back to the cave to find a still sleeping Ronon. She used the water to clean as much dirt off of his face and body as she could using the few rags that weren't soiled with blood.
When Ronon was as clean as Sage could get him, she gathered the canteen and all the cloths and headed back to the stream. She cleaned them as well as she could with the feeling inside that she was going to need them in the near future.
She sat at the base of a nearby tree when she was done, waiting for the sun to come up.
Just as the sun peaked over the horizon, she heard the sound of a twig snapping behind her. She reached for a gun at her hip and chastised herself when all she grabbed was air. She continued to sit with her back facing the threat and waited for it to make the first move. "Who are you?" the deep voice rumbled.
Sage turned around and saw Ronon using another nearby tree to keep himself standing. "What are you doing awake?" Sage replied.
"My body told me it was time to wake up. Now you answer my question."
"Does it matter?" she asked moving to a standing position and brushing herself off.
"To me, it does."
"I saved your life. Shouldn't that be enough?"
"And I thank you for that. But you still didn't answer my question."
"You will remember eventually. Come, have a seat by the stream." Sage didn't make an attempt to help because she knew that he was stubborn and wouldn't have accepted the help anyway. He sat down next to the area she was sitting and waited for her to join him. "I'm actually surprised you're awake."
"Me too," Ronon answered not knowing why he did or why he was having such an easy time talking to her. "I thought that I would be…"
"Dead? You should be. But I wasn't about to let you die."
"You don't even know me."
"You only say that because you don't remember me. It has been nine years."
"You won't let me."
"Because you already do. You know me. I promise."
"You're going to keep saying that aren't you."
"Maybe. Now sit up. I have to check your back. See any if any of your wounds are infected. I was so concerned with your most significant injury I completely ignored the others."
Ronon straightened his back while Sage inspected all of the wounds. She took one of the rags she had just cleaned and used it to clean his back. Ronon hissed and sucked in a breath as the coolness of the rag met his healing back. When the ministrations stopped, he breathed a sigh of relief. "How does it look?"
Sage wished she had brought a shirt with her that he could have worn. "Better than I expected. But then again, you're a Dex. Fast healers."
"Who are you?"
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"Why not? You said you know me."
"I do."
"Really?" Ronon replied incredulously. "You just know my name."
"Specialist Ronon Dex of Sateda. Made Specialist at the age of 19 after joining the Satedan military at age 15 against your family's wishes. Was married to a woman named Melena for just over a year. You-"
"Okay, okay. I got it. How do you know all of this?" Ronon pried.
"You should know. But you're delirious."
"You could be a bounty hunter."
Sage stood up taking the dirty rags to the stream to clean them again. "Not really."
"You act like it."
"Yes, I admit that I've hunted people down for money. But that was the past. There are people that want to see you alive and they would have given everything to see it happen," she said solemnly.
"But they didn't," he replied.
"They didn't need to."
"Why?"
She stood up and dried off her hands on her pants. She walked over to him and squatted before him. "Do you trust me?" she asked in Satedan.
"I trusted you before you stuck that knife into my side," he subconsciously replied in the same language. His hand went to his mouth. He hadn't used ancient Satedan in a conversation in nearly a decade, but those specific words felt right to use.
"I know. But do you trust me now."
"I do," Ronon said.
Sage smiled that he trusted her. The smile quickly faded when Ronon inhaled deeply then suddenly let out a strained cough. "Ronon? Are you okay?"
Ronon shook his head as he continued to cough. His whole body shook as he did. When the coughing finally subsided, Ronon spoke up. "Something isn't right," he whispered.
He wiped his mouth and a streak of blood came away. Both Sage and Ronon took it as a bad sign. Sage's hand immediately went to Ronon's forehead and she bit her lip in anger. The thing she worried about had happened. The poison was coming back more potent than before. "We have to go."
"Why?" Ronon asked.
"Because if I'm right, the poison is already attacking your body. And it's stronger than it was before," she said solemnly. "You're going to have to walk."
"I can."
"For two hours."
"If it gets me out of here, I can walk." Using the tree to help him, he was able to stand. "Is there something that I can call you? Because I don't like talking to people if I don't know their names."
"Then I guess we won't be talking that much. But if you really need to call me something, call me… Ama."
"Okay. Ama," Ronon repeated in agreement.
"We have to go back to the cave. I have to get all of my supplies then we can leave. Are you okay with that?"
"Yeah. Let's go," Ronon said.
Sage and Ronon walked back to the cave together. Sage gave Ronon his space, but kept her eye on him the entire time. When they reached the cave, Sage ran back inside and quickly packed all of her things. She pulled out an earpiece and put it where it needed to be before she walked out. "I'm packed."
Ronon leaned against the cave entrance looking in. His eyes never leaving a spot on the dirt floor. "Is that my blood?"
"Yeah."
"All of it is mine?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You did what you needed to do."
"Not enough, because you're not in the clear," she whispered with guilt.
Ronon heard it in her tone and didn't want her to feel that way. "I'll be fine." He reassured her. "I can't have gone through all of that and die from something like poison."
Sage laughed in reply. "I guess you're right." She looked back into the cave to make sure that she had everything that she brought to the planet. "We can head out, but I have one rule."
"What?"
"If I think you look like you need help, I'm helping you, no complaints."
"Okay," Ronon replied.
Sage was surprised that she didn't get more a fight from him. But he wanted to live, and that's all that Sage cared for. And it showed that he trusted her. Something that should have taken years to earn, she earned in less than two days.
Or maybe it didn't have to be earned. Just remembered.
Sage hoped for the latter. "Let's go," she replied.
"Let's," Ronon agreed.
The two of them started walking with Sage taking lead. The walk was mostly silent, besides Ronon's strained breathing in the background. She felt that hearing him having difficulty breathing was better than him not breathing at all.
Sage slowed her pace when she had trouble hearing Ronon's footsteps behind her. That was an hour and a half into their walk. "Are you all right?" Sage asked, walking back to him.
"Yeah," Ronon said.
"Why don't we take a break?" she suggested. "We're not that far, and we have plenty of sunlight to kill."
"Sounds good."
They found a fallen tree and they both thought that it was a perfect spot to rest. They took their seats on it and sat in silence. "There's something else on your mind."
"I just want to know who you are. I know it sounds like I'm repeating myself."
Sage held up her hand to stop him from talking. "I can't tell you. Not in the state you're in. And I want you to remember."
Ronon sighed in defeat. "I'm delirious and my thoughts are clouded. I probably won't remember having this conversation."
"You're probably right," Sage laughed. "Are you rested enough?" Ronon nodded. "We should continue."
"I'm ready," Ronon said, and he stood up without Sage's help.
They continued walking in the same direction they were headed before taking their break. "You stood up by yourself," Sage whispered. She noticed that he was walking a little easier. "You look better."
"Not reflecting the way I feel," Ronon groaned.
Sage laughed. She realized that it was subtle, but it was Ronon's attempt at humor. "I've missed you, Anari," Sage said. Her hand quickly went to her mouth hoping that he didn't hear her.
He did. "Anari?" Ronon asked. "Only one person has ever called me that. You said that your name was Ama. Ama…" his voice trailed off as he tried to remember. "Amano."
Sage turned around to face Ronon. She made eye contact with him and silently begged him to look into her eyes and remember. "It's me, Sage."
"Sage?" Ronon repeated. "I thought that you had died. "Sage, my—"
A gunshot nearby rang off interrupting Ronon's revelation. Even in his weakened state, he could hear the sound of distant footsteps coming toward them. Sage stepped in front of Ronon to make sure that whoever was running toward them, she would be the first person they met. "Run!" she yelled, and unholstered both of her guns. "You're not strong enough to fight."
She turned them on as soon as she heard Ronon's footsteps heading away from her.
Okay, so it has been a year since I've updated this story. I've had this chapter sitting in my drive forever. I just couldn't finish writing it because the last episode I'd seen was Sateda. So, basically, this story is without the knowledge of future episodes. If there are any Ronon-centric episodes that I've missed, can someone please fill me in? Also, thanks for reading this story. I promise I'll try to update it more often. I've been inspired again. Please review and no flames. Lil-Rock.
