Disclaimer : I do not own Stargate Atlantis nor am I making a profit from this story, I do own Dr. Orla Grant though.
Rating : M for sexual content
Plot : Off World, Mud, mild whumpage and hopefully a pairing you will all love.
Pairings : Ronon Dex/Orla Grant more later
Spoilers : Set in Season 5 but I had changed a few things, Ronon has Season 4 hair NOT that wig, Teyla has not had her baby (hurry up John), Laura Cadman is now stationed on Atlantis and Carson Beckett is the CMO, I love him sorry.
A Massive thank you to bailey1ak for you patience and guidance your a star *hugs*.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a long and arduous return back up the hill, with everyone weary and most of them in some sort of pain. It took almost an hour to get back to the top.
They finally made it to the long "road" that would eventually lead them to the Stargate.
"Can we rest Sheppard, I need to eat. All this exertion… I need extra sugar," Rodney protested.
"Okay, not for long McKay, we'll probably have to stop again before we get to the gate so no more than ten minutes," Sheppard explained hoping McKay would not complain, he was too tired for that.
"I had some extra power bars in my rucksack but I don't know what happened to it," Orla stated. "I took them in case Dr. McKay… Rodney, needed them," she continued.
"You did?" McKay replied nonplussed at Orla's thoughtfulness.
"I have your bag, Orla," Teyla said handing the bag back to Orla.
"Thank you, Teyla," Orla beamed and opened the bag hoping its contents were still okay. She grabbed a handful of power bars and said "I have a quite a few, so who would like what?" Orla offered.
"Oh, any peanut butter ones?" Rodney asked moving towards Orla like a man possessed. Dr. Rodney McKay would soon come to realize he had completely forgotten he was in mud, simply at the sight of food.
Ronon and Sheppard were discussing getting back to the gate when a woman's voice screamed in agony. Ronon recognising it as Orla turned towards the cry to see a certain Rodney McKay laying on top of a clearly distressed Orla.
In Rodney's haste to have something to eat he'd slipped in the mud and fallen straight on Orla. Orla being much smaller, surprised and injured, couldn't stop McKay in flight and lay beneath him in the mud crying out in pain and surprise.
Ronon's large hand grabbed at Rodney's TAC vest and picked him up in one scoop and dropped him unceremoniously behind him earning an "Owww," from McKay. Ronon bent and as gently as he could gathered Orla into his arms and as delicately as he could checked her for injuries whilst threatening violence on Rodney.
"It's okay, Ronon, it's just my shoulders and arms that hurt," Orla tried to cajole Ronon from turning on Rodney.
"Rodney!" Sheppard and Teyla shouted in unison.
"I'm sorry, I slipped I didn't mean to fall on Orla, you are okay, aren't you Orla?" Rodney asked meekly.
"I will be Rodney, but please, don't do that again, okay?" Orla begged.
"He won't," Ronon growled looking at Rodney daring him to even come close to Orla.
"Alright people, let's calm down. Orla take a few minutes ok, then we'll head off," Sheppard calmly spoke.
They set of in relative silence once more towards the gate.
After a few more minutes Colonel Sheppard turned to Orla and said, "So, Orla, how many times have you been off world?"
"Three, if you include this time. It was quiet with Major Lorne's team though," Orla smiled weakly at the Colonel.
"So, you're saying you're not having fun?" Sheppard taunted light heartedly.
Ronon grunted at Sheppard while Orla looked at the Colonel deciding she never wanted to go off world with this team unless she was specifically dragged kicking and screaming to do so. "Not so much, Colonel," she diplomatically answered.
"Sorry, Orla. We seem to have a knack of finding trouble," the Colonel almost bashfully revealed.
"It's rare for me to go off world, so, I'm okay with the lab," Orla replied quickly.
"I prefer you in the lab… safer," Ronon murmured in a low tone to Orla.
"Because you think I can't look after myself?" Orla pretended to be offended before slipping in the mud and ruining the whole effect.
"Not so much, just like knowing your safe at home," Ronon smiled.
"Atlantis isn't always the safest place to be though," Orla retorted.
"No," Ronon sighed, "It isn't, but if there's trouble on Atlantis, then chances are I'd be there to protect you," he answered.
"I know you'd protect me, Ronon," Orla smiled.
Ronon knew Orla couldn't walk much further and they still had a while to go, he stopped their progress turned and picked up Orla into his arms without effort.
"Ronon?" Orla gasped, "It's too far to carry me," she cried.
Sheppard looked back at the couple and smiled, "Don't worry Orla, sometimes the big guy's had to carry Rodney, for miles, so carrying you for twenty minutes or so won't even break Ronon into a sweat."
Ronon chuckled and held his precious cargo even tighter.
"Oh right, Sheppard, like I've not had to carry your sorry ass and even once Conan's back alone," McKay grumbled loudly.
"You've carried Ronon, Rodney?" Orla asked in amazement
"No," Ronon countered tersely.
"Yes, I did, on P35-544Y. You got shot, Sheppard and Teyla were being held prisoner and I carried you to the gate," McKay indignantly shouted.
"McKay, I was there too you know. You helped, sure, I leaned on you all the way back. None of you have ever carried me," Ronon replied firmly.
"Okay, maybe not carried you over my shoulder but you'd have never made it back without me," Rodney sneered.
Ronon snorted at McKay's statement.
"McKay, if you'd ever really carried Ronon you'd still be in traction. Nearest I have was when he'd drunk all that Athosian ale, in one go," Sheppard laughed.
"I am here you know," Ronon barked.
Orla was smiling, the banter between the team was definitely amusing, she figured out now that the danger was gone they'd gone back to taking pot shots at each other.
After another thirty minutes they finally neared the Stargate, much to relief of the whole party.
Rodney saw the DHD and set off on a lop-sided run, though in truth he was again flailing about like an infant towards the device, panting.
"DHD, I love you," Rodney exclaimed.
"MCKAY, DIAL !" they all shouted.
TBC... Please review