499 words. Part one of two.

I hope you enjoy this, because it may be my last after Dani tears a strip off my hide for doing this and not her tag. What can I say…my muse works in mysterious ways. Love you Sis. :)

Don't own SGA or any of its characters. Smurf it.

Jennifer Keller was pissed, and even if she'd wanted to she couldn't hide it.

Her staff was keenly aware of their boss' current mental state, each one of them cautiously doing their work as she maintained her vigil in the doorframe of her office, her eyes piercing and arms crossly folded across her chest. It wasn't where she wanted to be. She wanted to be at the bed directly across from her office where Amanda was currently treating the cause of her current fury.

This was the third time in as many weeks that Rodney had come to the Infirmary with an injury. Three weeks ago it had been a bump to the back of his head that he'd received during a sparring session with Teyla. Two weeks ago it had been a bloody nose after a run in with Ronon's elbow during a self defense class. And today, well she hadn't had the chance to find out what had happened because Sandy, brilliant nurse and incredible friend that she was, sensed Jennifer's mood and immediately sequestered her in her office while she called Amanda to treat Rodney.

Jennifer's head sharply turned to her left as John came into the Infirmary. His eyes found Rodney and he immediately made for his friend. Jennifer glared at the Colonel when he looked at her and he quickly looked away.

John and Amanda spoke in hushed tones for nearly a minute. When they stopped John took a deep breath and adopted the air of a man about to do something he really didn't want to do as he turned and walked the few feet to stand before her.

He stood there for a few seconds avoiding her eyes, but eventually he looked up and their gazes locked. "He has a black eye," Sheppard softly informed her. "We were doing some self defense drills and he zigged when he should have zagged." He gave her a lopsided smile and shrug. "Typical McKay." The smile disappeared and he cleared his throat. "He'll be fine."

Jennifer didn't respond and looked past John shoulder to Amanda's back. So far she'd only managed to catch fleeting glimpses of Rodney, and even with those brief looks his eye looked as though it had been hit with a sledgehammer.

"This is the third time he's managed to get himself beaten up lately," she said softly, her voice little more than a fear filled whisper. She looked into John's concerned eyes and silently begged him to tell her why.

John admirably resisted Jennifer's unspoken plea until her eyes became moist and tears threatened to spill onto her round cheeks. "He just wants to be able to defend himself."

There was something in the way John's eyes avoided hers for a split second. There was more to it and the way that John sighed told her that he knew that she knew that.

Finally John said, "He wants to be able to defend himself," he sighed before adding, "and protect you."

A/N: "Sledgehammer" was written by Peter Gabriel and released by him on his 1986 album So.