Disclaimer: I'm only going to say this once: I don't own any of the characters and I'm not making money off of doing this. This is simply for fun.

Note: Thanks for your comments, guys. In my point of view, I've always thought that Ronon was a gentleman. Spoiler alert!! Tracker and First Contact.

So this isn't all about Ronon and Keller, this chapter is about… well, you'll see what I mean.

Present Day (Chicago, December 4th 2008):

"Sweetie, did you see what we got in the mail today?" Katie asks her husband, as she pours dressing over her salad.

"The invitation ya mean? Yes I did. It would be nice to see everyone again." Carson Beckett says as he takes a sip from his wine, looking at his wife of seven years.

"Yes, and then maybe, you and Rodney can become friends again."

"Maybe." He says thoughtfully.

Flashback to After Party (Sheppard Residence, April 2000):

"Are ya crazy Rodney?!" Carson says to his best friend Rodney McKay as they weave their way through the throng of people gathered by the pool at John Sheppard's family home. "Why don't ya just apologize to her, and not drag me into all this."

"How can you say that Carson? We're best friends! Friends do these kind of things for each other." Rodney exclaims.

"No. Not this kind of thing. Not at the expense of hurting other people." Carson says as he opens the back door to the house. "I've been wanting to go out with Laura since the beginning of the school year. Now's my chance!"

"That's why I'm going to ask her instead, while you ask Katie out." Rodney explains.

"Don't ya think that it's a bit obvious what my intentions are towards Katie if I do. She's not dumb ya know!" He argues as he grabs a bag of chips on the kitchen counter and heads for the great room.

"Of course she's not dumb. Would I even like her if she is?" Rodney shakes his head "But that's not the point. Look, at least if you ask her out, then I could somehow get to talk to her at the prom, and you can talk to Cadman."

"Exchange dates ya mean? I don't think that that's right, Rodney." He tells him "And besides, what makes ya think that Cadman would even agree to be yer date? Yer both always at each others' throats."

"I dunno. I haven't gotten to that part yet." Rodney grabs Carson's arm "I promise I'll owe you big." He pleads.

"Fine." Carson finally agrees, and turns around just in time to see Ronon Dex and Jennifer Keller walk through the front door. "Well look at what we have here…" Carson says in a voice low enough for only Rodney to hear.

Ronon is ushering Jennifer into the great room, then nods at John Sheppard and Evan Lorne who have come to greet them.

Back to the Present:

"I wonder why Jennifer and Ronon never ended up together." Carson says out loud.

"Well you should know. You and Jennifer are so close."

"Yes, but I never asked her. I mean I brought the subject up once, but she had this look on her face." Carson says as he recalls the memory. "I knew right there that she never ever wanted to talk about it."

"Carson, sweetie, let's try to keep our noses clean during the wedding. Apparently, Evan and Marie are requesting some of us to be in Palm Springs a week before the wedding." Katie says as she's clearing the table. "There's enough intrigue as it is."

"Aye."

X

Somewhere in Houston, Rodney McKay is at his own Condominium, talking on the phone with his sister Jeannie Miller, eating a piece of pie. "So did I tell you that I got an invitation to Evan and Marie wedding?"

"Yeah? sounds like fun. I know you and Evan were close, but what about Marie? Jeannie Miller asks

"She wasn't very outgoing back in high school." Rodney explains. "She was a year below me. I don't know when they started going out though. Probably after I graduated. Evan was also a year below me. So they must've hooked up then." Rodney prattles on.

"So are you going then?" Jeannie butts in,

"I dunno. I'll call Radek tomorrow to see if he's going."

"Do you think they're going?" Jeannie cautiously asks.

"Who?"

"You know who I'm talking about." She says.

"Oh. Them. How should I know?"

"Most likely they will be. They kept in touch with Marie Ko."

"And what gave you that idea? You didn't even go to Atlantis!" Rodney argues.

"But I am your sister. Every time you had a Stargate meeting, it was at our house, remember?" Jeannie spits back "Why are you being so snippy? It's been nine years!"

"Almost. Almost nine years."

"Even so. It's been a long time. You should let it go."

"Fine. Anyway, back to my question, how do you know all this?"

"Laura told me." Jeannie simply explains.

"Laura Cadman? What you find in common with her, I will never know." Rodney says as he finishes his pie off.

"I like her. We keep in touch. And she apparently keeps in touch with Katie and Carson." She explains. "Carson has been friends with Jennifer since high school. And Jennifer is Marie Ko's best friend. I think they all worked in one hospital in L.A. at one point." Shifting the phone from one ear to the other, "So I'm guessing that Jennifer is the maid of honor?"

"Yup." Rodney confirms. "And Sheppard's the best-man. And you know what that means?" He says smugly.

"What?"

"Ronon Dex, Sheppard and Ev all live in Northern California. I think they have poker night every Wednesday. At least that's what John said." Rodney explains.

"So?"

"For someone who tagged along so much, you don't…eh, anyway, Ronon Dex had it bad for Jennifer Keller."

"Aaah. Now I get it. Wait, but if Jennifer is very good friends with Marie, wouldn't they have crossed paths by now? Ronon and Jennifer I mean." Jeannie asks.

"Maybe. I dunno. But I still talk to Jennifer once in a while, and she's never mentioned it. Besides she lives all the way in San Diego, and travels along with the Chargers."

"But, see, that's my point, Mer, isn't Ronon playing for the Raiders?" Jeannie inquires.

"Maybe she avoids him. It's football, anyone can get lost in the crowd." Rodney says with a shrug.

"So what happened with them anyway?"

"I'm not so sure. I know she broke his heart. He fell really hard for her. Which was unusual for him. He was so hung up on his dead girlfriend…"

"Mer! Don't be so crude!"

"Well, it's true." Rodney says defensively. "Anyway, it was weird at first when we found out about how he felt about her. He never, and I mean never, dated anyone when he was transferred from Hawaii. But the moment she stepped on Atlantis soil, he was a goner."

Flashback to Jennifer's first day in Atlantis (March 1999):

Peeking through the door of the school clinic, Rodney McKay spots Ronon with Nurse Rogers. He's been avoiding him for days now. He can't risk being seen by Ronon after what happened in gym class the other day.

"Rodney McKay, another symptom? Allergy?" Dr. Lam asks him from across the room. She's sitting with an unknown blonde girl who is cupping her right eye and reading the letters out loud off of the chart ahead of her.

"My tongue feels a bit thick. And I think I just developed a rash behind my neck. And…"

Sighing loudly, Dr. Lam says "Nurse Rogers and I are a little busy right now, why don't you have a seat, I'll be with you when I'm done."

"Okay." Running from the doorway and ducking behind the privacy curtain, Rodney, takes a seat on a stool, and constantly peaks through the curtains.

"What is wrong with you, Rodney? You're acting stranger than usual." Dr. Lam asks him. He turns to look at her and then he notices that the blonde seems to be really young, probably a freshman.

"Uh…" He starts to say.

"Are you hiding from Ronon?" Dr. Lam asks with a snort.

"He's out to get me." Rodney whispers as he leans forward. "A few days ago in gym class, Coach Teal'C had us perform Arnis. And just my luck…" Rodney says, "I got partnered up with Ronon. Well I wasn't very good at it…"

"And so you accidentally hit him on the head." Dr. Lam continued for him.

"Exactly."

"I heard that you ran away as soon as you landed that blow." Dr, Lam teases. Jennifer Keller tries to stifle her laugh.

"I did not run!" He says in a louder voice, and then realizing what he had done, looks back through the curtains. He hears the conversation between the nurse and Ronon.

"She is. She's somewhat of a prodigy. Skipped 3 grades I think. Here. Rub that on your shoulder when it gets sore. What's with all the questions?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing, huh?"

Then looking back at the blonde. "So you skipped three grades then?"

"How'd you know?" Jennifer Keller asks, sounding surprised.

Rodney just shrugs and says nonchalantly "I have my sources." And then upon hearing approaching heavy footsteps, ducks around the curtain to avoid being seen. Dr. Lam just shakes her head, then turns to Ronon.

Back to the Present:

"Is that why you never asked Jennifer out?" Jeannie asks. "Coz you knew he liked her?"

"I guess. I had a teeny tiny crush on her for a while, but it seemed like she liked him too. So I backed off. Besides, he was different when he was around her."

"Well, the wedding is in February. You still have time to find a date, if not, you can always bring me along."

"Bring my baby sister. Yeah, that's not pathetic at all."

"Hey!"

"Like you said, it's in February, so I still have time. Look, I'll call you tomorrow after work. I feel like wallowing in my misery."

"Oh Mer…" She says smiling. "Goodnight!" Click.

TBC.

Note: If you've noticed, Jennifer's first day starts in March... not August or September. She transferred after spring break. So she only spent a year and a half in Atlantis. And also Jeannie never went to Atlantis. In my mind she wanted to go to a regular school. She was smart, but she preferred to lead a more regular life. Atlantis Private Academy, like I said, was for the gifted. Artists, leaders, intellectuals and athletes who excelled at a higher level.

Arnis is the system of Filipino martial arts (with sticks).