A/N Unbetaed, like all my shorter chapters. Mistakes are mine. Enjoy this chapter. Please read and review

Chapter 8- Tracker

Rodney was in a very good mood as he headed toward the gate where he was supposed to meet Jennifer. It was supposed to be an easy mission for a medical follow-up on M33-985 and it would give the couple the freedom to have some alone time without sneaking around. His good mood instantly vanished when he saw Ronon waiting at the gate with Jennifer. The confused scientist gave his girlfriend a questioning look.

Jennifer shook her head and gave Rodney an apologetic look. "Sorry," she mouthed when Ronon had his back to her.

The angry scientist went to grab one of Jennifer's equipment bags and struggled with it until the muscular man nudged him out of the way.

"Here take this," Ronon gave him one of the smallest bags.

Rodney grumbled to himself. Just emasculate me, why don't you. "Thanks," he offered meekly, but the other man was already through the gate. "Just great," he was officially in a bad mood.

Once on the planet, Jennifer let Ronon get several steps ahead of her and grabbed Rodney's arm to talk to him, "Are you okay?" his mood change since he arrived in the gateroom was not hard to miss.

Sarcastic Rodney was the first to reply, "Why wouldn't I be? Why doesn't he just castrate me so he could further emasculate me? And what is he doing here anyway? I thought it was supposed to be just us." His anger would not be what it was if Ronon had not tried to show him up in front of Jennifer. It was humiliating, whether intentional or not, to be made to look incompetent the way he did.

Jennifer bit the inside of her cheek, "He just showed up and said he was coming. I tried to convince him not to come, but he didn't take the hint." She was sure Ronon was clueless as to the trouble he had stirred up by coming and unintentionally hit a nerve with one of Rodney 's insecurities.

"Because subtlety is something he is good at," the physicist rolled his eyes. "Look at him, trying to show off carrying all those bags," Rodney could not hide the disgust in his voice.

He's jealous. "You think that impresses me?" Jennifer gave his arm a gentle squeeze and fought the urge to kiss away any of his insecurities, but neither were ready to make their relationship known the general population of Atlantis. "There is someone who impresses me much more and that's..." she said with a big grin, but was cut off by Ronon calling to both of them.

Ronon could only hear the hushed murmurs of the conversation, but they were trailing too far behind for his liking. He thought it was odd for McKay to volunteer for a mission like this, but in the month and half since his recovery from Second Childhood, he thought Rodney seemed different and rarely saw the scientist outside of meetings or missions. "You two need to keep up," Ronon looked back at the two who were ten yards behind him.

"Pardon us if our strides are not are not in line with keeping up with you," Rodney made his annoyance clear. A piercing glare from Jennifer kept him silent for the rest of the walk to the village.

Once the trio arrived at the village, things deteriorated rapidly and when Jennifer was kidnapped, Rodney was beside himself with worry. At every turn Ronon made him feel incompetent, knocking his reliance on technology. He was tempted to remind the burly man that he was a scientist and as a scientist technology was his expertise. Voicing those thoughts would only cause further tension and finding Jennifer was the top priority and his only concern. Rodney's inner voice wanted to scream and place the blame on the Satedan because if Ronon had not come none of this would have happened. That was the scenario that the Canadian had run over in his head and every time Dex was to blame. He had convinced himself that had it only been the two of them, Rodney would have waited outside the house and who ever took Jennifer would not have had taken her and if he did that he would have been kidnapped too. Then that way, at least they would be together and Rodney would know she was okay.

The worry only increased when the Wraith showed up and Rodney started to think he was never going to see Jennifer again. The rest of the time on the planet was a blur between dodging the traps from the runner and trying to deal with the Wraith and no one had the time to process what had gone on until they were safely back in Atlantis.

It was not until Jennifer emerged from his bathroom a few hours after their return to the city that Rodney was able to fully relax, "Are you sure you are okay?"

Jennifer nodded as her arms encircled Rodney's waist. "I don't want to be alone tonight," her head came to a rest on his chest. During the time that Kiryk had her, she relied on adrenaline to survive and then her attention was on taking care of Celise. Now that the adrenaline was starting to subside, the reality of what happened was taking its toll and Jennifer wanted to be in her safe place, which was exactly where she was; in Rodney's arms.

"That's what I'm here for," he kissed the top of her head and soon Rodney's arms were holding the woman tight. "Do you need me to get you anything?" the worried boyfriend asked.

"Just you."

"Are you sure? Anything else?"

"Positive," Jennifer nodded. For the next few moments she just wanted to enjoy the warmth and comfort of Rodney's embrace. After a few minutes, a smile tugged at the physician's lips.

The smile was contagious, "What's the smile for?"

"Just thinking it was time to share my secret with you," she placed several kisses along his jaw. Jennifer had known it for some time now, but after today it was the right time to let Rodney know.

Rodney frowned, not sure what she was going to tell him, "You mean besides taking sparring lessons from Ronon?" the jealously was starting to show again.

"I only took those lessons because I had to do something those nights you worked late," she placed a kiss behind Rodney's ear. "My secret is that... I love you," Jennifer whispered into the man's ear. She could feel the smile form on his face. It was the first time since Rodney's recording that either of them spoke those three words.

Hearing those words made any jealous feelings vanish in an instant. "That's your secret?" the grin on Rodney's face was not going to disappear anytime soon. "I love you too and I hope I'm not dreaming."

"If it is, then this is a shared dream. This is reality, McKay," she felt an enormous relief to get those words off her chest. "If you still think this is a dream, I can pinch you to show its not."

A year ago, Rodney never thought hearing those words could bring him such joy. They had been said in previous relationships, but never did it have the effect on him as they did when Jennifer said them. "Can you say it again?" he asked with an impish grin.

"If I must," Jennifer said with a teasing grin. "I...love...you...Rodney...McKay!" Each word was followed by a quick kiss on the lips.

TBC...

A/N: Next up is a follow up to Lost Tribe. From this point so of the chapters will use S5 episodes as springboards to keep somewhat of canon.