Spoilers: None
Sequal/Series: Yes pouting I wasn't planning on a series or sequal but it would seem my muse had other ideas.
Feedback: Love it.
Beta: Thanks to Ellex. All further mistakes are mine.
Summary: Sometimes lessons aren't easy.

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Rodney hated Ronon.

After the incident with the food poisoning, the insufferably stubborn caveman felt the need to continually bother Rodney by bringing him healthy food and making him stop work to eat or dragging him off to the mess hall to face the general population. Despite private and public tongue lashings of epic proportions, Ronon had just shrugged, grunted, and pushed the food at Rodney.

That paled in comparison to what had happened to the people involved in the food poisoning incident. By the time Rodney returned to work, three scientists and one of the military cooks were gone, shipped out on the Daedalus. But not before, a weeping Miko told him as she profusely apologized for her unwitting part in the prank, they had a 'training session' with Ronon That had resulted in a thirty-six minute rant by Rodney on how he could fight his own battles, thank you very much. It didn't put a dent in those dreadlocks, much less penetrate the surface of that hard head.

Even more shocking was the vehement verbal dressing down Rodney had nearly walked in on as Sheppard, of all people, told the military contingent that they were there to protect the scientists, not harm them. Zelenka had been dressing down the Science Department at the same time, telling them if they could not handle something as mundane as feedback on their work, this obviously wasn't the place for them.

It left Rodney feeling confused and irritable and not sure on whom to take his bothersome emotions out on as even his best insults bounced right off of Ronon's thick skull. Sheppard wasn't supposed to care; Sheppard should have just laughed it off as a prank that got out of hand. Why let something as trivial as a little diarrhea get in the way of a good time?

Rodney hated Ronon for telling anyone what had happened, but in the end decided to let it go. There was too much work to worry about and he was very good at closing out people, as well as his own feelings.

He hated Ronon for thinking he was incapable of seeking his own retribution in this situation. Rodney was more than capable of making his staff cry when the mood struck him, especially when they were being idiots.

And at the moment, Rodney hated Ronon for playing the stupid grunt and throwing himself into the path of danger.

The lingering smell of disinfectant, though familiar, would never be a comfort, no matter if he found himself a patient in the infirmary or a visitor. Tonight found him as a visitor and though the odors were not comforting, the steady sound of a heartbeat had the affect of soothing jittery nerves.

Unable to sleep, Rodney found himself by Ronon's bedside, occasionally stealing glances over his laptop to make certain the Satedan's chest moved in synch with the medical equipment attached to the unconscious man.

This visit came with the additional guilt that if he'd been there, been on the mission, Ronon wouldn't have been hurt. While Dr. Howard was slightly competent, it had taken him too long to recognize the danger the Ancient device posed. Had Ronon not physically thrown the scientist aside, Howard would be yet another name to add to the long list of personnel Rodney had lost over the years. As it was, only Ronon's pigheaded stubbornness had kept him alive during the trip back to Atlantis.

Ronon had told Rodney the team took turns saving each others lives and now he was left with the bitter feeling of having let Ronon down.

Glancing around to make certain that no one was about, Rodney pulled out the folded letter from the inside pocket of his jacket. It was a letter from the Chinese government on Earth and the possibility of a new life far from here. Despite all that had happened the last few months, they were insistent in their desire to have him on board their new project.

It was any scientist's wet dream.

Last week he would have jumped at the chance. Today, he wasn't quite sure what to do and that made him angry, resentful, and reluctantly introspective. And it was all Ronon's fault, who didn't have the decency to be awake to be yelled at for being a 'caring' caveman and who was unable to keep his messy emotions to himself.

But most of all, Rodney hated Ronon for making him care.

A slight movement caught his eye and he looked up to find Ronon watching him.

"Gunna leave?"

"I don't know."

"Okay."

---tbc