She woke from a hard sleep. Skin on skin and arms around her kept her from opening her eyes. Lennah felt like a child. She felt like nothing could ever be wrong again with the surety that can only be felt by someone under the age of ten. She half expected to see the non-descript white walls of government housing when she opened her eyes. But she knew the whole city of Atlantis was lying open for her. Feels like home.

She made him feel like a child. They way he'd felt about his primary teacher. He was humbled by what she'd given him and wanted nothing more than to earn her approval, to read every inch of skin as worshipfully as he had his first primer.

The air hung and it still rained when Lennah opened her eyes. They'd left the balcony door open but all she could smell was him. The clock on her desk said several hours had passed, making it dinner time. That was why she'd woken. Food, she sighed.

She felt his slow, steady breathing at her back and little else. Everything was tangled and she had no idea where to start without waking him.

Ronon had expected her to sleep more than two hours. He wanted her to rest while he went for supplies.

Lightning struck one of the many rods that topped the towers of Atlantis. The resonating thunder sounded like a cannon and they could feel the vibrations as the city trembled. She froze and he smiled. He growled in her ear as he tightened his grip on her.

"The storm scare you?" He whispered.

She melted into a puddle at his voice. "Just wondering if it woke the neighbors."

"What, like you did?" She stretched and he moved to a better viewing angle.

She snickered and giggled. "Shuddup."

"Not complaining." He kissed her shoulder. "You can sing—Was that your stomach?"

"Yup. Obey its command."

"Hail to the chief." He planted a wet, sloppy kiss on her cheek and jumped off the floor. She rolled onto her stomach to watch him dress. He started toward the door and she snickered. His back and arms were marked with angry little lines.

"What?"

"You need a shirt." She found the long sleeve shirt under the bed. Lennah held it over herself as she walked toward him. The possessive look he gave was epic and it clenched in her belly.

"Close your eyes and hold out your hands." He complied with a grin and she helped him into his shirt. He kissed her cheek as his head reappeared. There was a soft thunk as something inside her chest fell. Her eyes closed and she could feel his on her.

"Go back to bed." He pulled her hands off his shirt. Food first. "Don't open this door for anyone but me. No matter who it is." Her face was flushed. He held her chin up and she bit her lower lip. Food. "No matter who it is."

She heard the door snap shut and opened her eyes. A lump rose in her throat and her eyes flooded. She scoffed and laughed it off before checking the lock on the door. God forbid somebody waltz in on her current state.

Curiosity led her to the bathroom mirror and she took stock of her own marks.

**

Sheppard had been in the Mess Hall for an hour. He was supposed to be meeting Ronon and Lennah for dinner. Their tardiness wasn't doing anything good for his attitude and it was too much to hope… Who the hell is whistling the 'Imperial March'?

John turned in his seat to see Ronon enter the Mess Hall in quite the chipper mood. "Well, I'll be damned."

Dex grabbed a tray and loaded up as only he could, whistling away. The whole cafeteria stared. Sheppard snorted and made a B-line to the pantry.

Ronon was oblivious either by choice or blind dedication. Jello, mashed potatoes, roll, jello, gravy. Okay, good enough for now.

"Heads up."

Dex caught the can John threw at him. His grin broadened when he recognized it.

"Try it." John smiled rakishly. "Works great."

Ronon nodded to Sheppard and spun the can. The maturity of the cafeteria crashed and burned loudly as Dex left.

**

Lennah lay snuggled in blankets but was far from sleepy. She looked at the clock but only minutes had passed since she last checked it.

There was no other way to put it. She was a mess. A wreck. A fiasco of dynamic proportions. There was elation. There was an appetite. There was fear. There was euphoria.

There was a knock at the door.

"Colare?" It was Sheppard. "We need to talk."

She flopped back onto her pillows with disappointment. "Go away."

That seemed to make him pause. "We need to talk." He insisted again.

"Ronon's in the cafeteria. Go talk to him." She reached for her robe in case Ro decided to let him in. It wouldn't hide the marks on her neck. That sent a little surge of pleasure through her.

He rapped on the door again. "This is serious." He was loosing his patience. That was good. "Colare?"

She leaned on the doorframe and sighed. "Go be serious with Dex, fly-boy." Lennah faltered. Sheppard was her boss and she was already in enough stink with him. She wanted to apologize but she was going to do exactly what Ronon said. It usually worked out soo nice. A moment passed. "John?" She considered opening the door to check the hallway and spent a moment weighing the options.

A thud hit the door and she jumped away from it. "Lennah, open up, it's me."

"Ro?" She practically laughed.

"Who else? Open up."

She waved the door open and smiled. "Missed you."

"Missed you too." He smirked and set the tray on the desk.

"Not you, the food." Lennah bit into a green bean.

He scoffed at that and licked the spoon he pulled out of the mashed potatoes.

"Did you see Sheppard?" She asked as she snatched the one utensil out of his hand.

"Yeah." He cocked his head at her. "Why?"

"He stopped by while you were gone. Wanted to talk to me." Lennah hummed at the taste of food.

"Really?"

"Yeah, what'd he say?" She smiled up at him but something in his expression made her pause.

"John was in the cafeteria." He regretted having to tell her but she needed to know. "We had plans to eat with him for dinner. He was waiting there when I showed up. He was still there when I left."

Lennah nodded as she considered what that meant. She wanted to freak out and she felt herself sliding that way.

"What are you thinking?" He flicked his dreads to the side as he crouched next to her. She laid a hand on his face.

"I think that we're getting to him." She smiled and shook off tears. "I think that we should tell Sheppard somebody wants to be him and then enjoy our meal. What do you think?"

"I think that's a good idea." He plopped the can of whipped cream on her desk and enjoyed her look of scandalized shock.

"Oh my God." She gapped and laughed. He pounced her out of her chair to the floor and grabbed a bite of her.