41A/N: This was written for the June writing challenge on the Gateworld Forum for Ronon Dex/Jennifer Keller Appreciation/Ship/Discussion (Doctor & Wild Man) thread. The prompt was to use a random title generator website provided. Pick a title and write a story around it. The titles were amazingly bad, but I found one I could work with.
Thank you to ShaViva for your comments, corrections and encouragement. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Stargate Atlantis or it's wonderful characters.
Spoilers ~ Season 5 Episode 1 Search and Rescue
The Truth of the Dragon
"Fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty," Marie counted slowly aloud, "come on count with me, sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-three."
Dr. Keller laughed as she heard the voice of her young patient join her head nurse's voice. Jennifer finished applying the anti-biotic and bandage to the bottom of the little girl's foot. "I think I beat you guys because I'm all done," Jenn announced.
Marie nodded at the wink the doctor sent her way. "I think it's a tie because we're done too, aren't we sweetie," she asked the little girl, Esa.
The little girl nodded her head vigorously, her complete attention captured by the wet cloth Marie held against the back of her hand. Marie slowly lifted it off, then peeled back the wet backing to reveal the beautiful orange butterfly that lay beneath.
"Wow," Esa breathed in awe. She hopped off the table Jennifer had set her upon to take the festering splinter out of her foot a few minutes ago. She quickly took the few steps to her mother and showed her the butterfly, before skipping off to go show her friends.
"Thank you," the mother said.
"It was no problem," Jennifer responded with a grin."She was a very good patient." She handed Esa's mom a few extra bandages and a small tube of antibiotic ointment to combat any further infection before she left.
"So, who's next?" Jennifer asked.
"Actually, I think the rest are just here for temporary tattoo's, not for ailments."
"By all means than Marie, send them in." Jennifer dipped her cloth in the bucket of water and waited for her next young patient.
In the end it only took about fifteen minutes to add temporary tattoos to the remaining seven children. The longest part always seemed to be deciding which tattoo they wanted. Jennifer had a box full they could peruse with everything from flowers to alligators, smiley faces to swords. Jenn had no idea there was such a variety of children's tattoos until she'd tasked a friend to send her as many as she could find. Jenn was sure the challenge of 'as many as you can find' had been taken to heart if the hundreds she had were any indication.
"Too bad we can't take you boys back with us," Sheppard praised the two young boys helping them re-shingle the damaged roof on a home that'd suffered during the last storm to sweep through the village. "Ronon and I could really use a couple of good assistants for all the jobs we do."
The younger of the two boys, Rey, handed Ronon a wooden shingle before scampering back down the ladder to retrieve another. Ronon didn't miss the huge grin on the boy's face due to Sheppard's compliment.
"Our moms wouldn't let us go," the older boy, Simeon, declared matter-of-factly as he too scampered down a ladder to get John a new shingle.
"That's because she knows what hard workers you are," John commented as he hammered the newest shingle into place. "Because of your help we're just about finished here."
Ronon shared a look of humor with Sheppard at how serious the boys could be. He nodded at his section of the roof, indicating to John that he was almost done too. "Only need one more," he told Rey as he accepted a shingle from the returned boy and had to hold in a chuckle at how quickly the boy climbed back down to retrieve the last shingle.
"I only have two more to do myself," the Colonel agreed. "Ronon, why don't you take our two carpenters here over to Dr. Keller for her once over? You can get that cut looked at while you're there."
Ronon turned his arm to get a look at the cut on the back of his forearm. He'd fallen hard against the roof earlier while trying to keep one of the boys from falling from the roof. The injury looked nasty, but Ronon knew it wasn't as bad as the dried blood made it look. "I'm fine."
"I don't think the Doc will be happy if she finds out she missed out on an opportunity to doctor you," John said with a self-satisfied grin at the Satedan. He was pretty sure Chewie had a crush going on the doctor and loved to tease the big guy about it subtlety. "Boys, make sure the pretty doctor sees Ronon's cut."
Both boys nodded solemnly at Sheppard as if he'd given them a direct order and they were new recruits. They each turned and watched Ronon from the ground as he grumbled all the way down the ladder.
Ronon shot a hard glare at Sheppard before he turned to walk the boys to the make-shift clinic in town.
"When Doc's done with the boys let her know we're about ready to leave and help her pack up will ya," John called after Ronon. Even though the warrior never broke stride or turned around, the Colonel knew he'd heard and would do so. "Hopefully the Doc dotes on the big guy a bit or the next sparring session will be a bitch," he murmured under his breath as he climbed down from the roof and began to clean up and collect the tools they'd brought from Atlantis.
Jennifer looked up from the packing she'd just started and noticed Ronon approaching with two young boys in tow. She used the time it took for them to reach her to calm her nerves. The first few times she'd treated Ronon, she'd found herself flustered. It'd angered her at first that his presence could rattle the professional side of her. She was a doctor and after all the schooling and then work as a doctor, Jennifer felt she should be able to separate her personal feelings from her job.
She'd like to pat herself on the back now though because although he still had the ability to fluster her, it didn't happen as often. Jenn found that if she concentrated on her task and his injuries she was able to get through most encounters with the man and come out still feeling like a competent doctor rather than the bumbling teenager of their first few physicals.
"Well hello boys," Jennifer greeted as the three entered her clinic. "What can I do for you?"
"We're fine, but Ronon has a cut," the older boy explained.
"I'm fine," Ronon refuted, not wanting the attention. Having the Doc's undivided attention unnerved him more than he'd care to admit. John was right, she was pretty, and although almost shy at times, she could be real bossy in the infirmary. He found her intriguing and enjoyed watching her work;she could be so compassionate one moment and fierce the next… a fascinating contrast.
"The Colonel said he was supposed to see you," the youngest tattled, earning a smile from Jenn.
"Well, since the Colonel said, than I guess I'd better take a look," she assured the boys, giving a quick smirk to Ronon before diverting her attention back to the kids. "Why don't you both pick out tattoos while I clean up Ronon's cut?" She handed the boys the box to look through, then turned and indicated the make shift bed for Ronon to sit on.
"Avoiding me?" Jennifer teased, knowing that keeping the moment light would help her move quickly through the exam. She also didn't have to worry about what he was thinking during the silences if she kept him talking.
"No, just been cut enough times to know it isn't serious," he answered back defensively, trying to hold in his smirk at her remark.
"You've also been cut enough times to know better than to not get it cleaned right away," she chided as she finished washing the old, dried blood away. "If you're ready to start diagnosing injuries though, I'm always short staffed in the infirmary."
"I'd just scare off the scientists that come to see you," he responded with a grin, "course then you'd need less staff."
"See it'd be a win-win for me to have you hang around the infirmary," she laughed. "Less of the scientists who just need more sleep, a better diet and a lot less caffeine… and less time for you to be drumming up business for me with the new recruits and their so called training."
"Sounds boring," he commented as he flexed his arm a few time testing the bandage she'd applied.
"It's all in your perspective I guess," she replied, putting the few supplies she'd used away. "Okay boys, what tattoos have you picked out this time?"
They both turned tribal looking tattoos her way and she knew their selections had everything to do with the Satedan who'd obviously impressed them both. Ronon was good with kids, not in the entertaining way John was, but in the quiet way that had kids seeking his approval, hoping for a smile or nod from the quiet warrior.
Dr. Keller dampened two cloths and had the boys sit down. She gave Ronon a cloth and pointed to Rey, the youngest boy, while she went and stood next to Simeon, the oldest. "Where would you like the tattoos?" Both boys indicated their wrists.
Jennifer placed the temporary tattoo face down on Simeon's wrist, waiting and watching as Ronon mimicked her movements. "Perfect. Now place the wet cloth over the tattoo and hold it very still," she instructed as she did the same, glad that Ronon hadn't protested her assumption he'd help.
"Okay boys, count with me. One, two, three…" The boys continued to count with Jenn, getting louder as they neared the number thirty. When finished she slowly lifted off the cloth and watched Ronon do the same.
"Now peel off the paper slowly," she instructed, "then we give it a minute to air dry and you're done."
"Is Ronon going to pick out one too?" Rey asked, looking shyly over at the man in question.
"No," Jenn smiled conspiratorially at the youngster, "I only give out tattoos to the special ones… my favorite patients who have stolen my heart. Besides he already has a couple of tattoos."
"We're your favorite patients?" Simeon asked with a smile on his face.
"You two have stolen my heart completely," she confided with a smile. "Now you should probably scat before I give in and have to kiss one or both of you."
Both boys looked at each other in shock before hopping to the ground and fleeing the room, with Jennifer laughing lightly in the background.
Ronon chuckled to himself as he began to help the Doc pack up. If the boys were a few years older they'd know better than to run off when a pretty doctor offered a kiss. At least he knew where he'd be standing if Doc ever made a threat to kiss him. He gave her one last look as Marie walked in asking about the fleeing little boys that'd almost knocked her over in their haste to escape.
Two Months Later
Ronon stood under the spray of his shower, not willing to move yet, but letting the hot water soothe his sore muscles. The last twenty four hours had been hard but rewarding. After being stuck in an imploded building, he was filthy and he knew cleaning his hair would be a chore all by itself, but for now he just stood and let the water wash over him.
His mind kept replaying Teyla's rescue and the relief he felt holding her close as he'd carried her to safety with his team. She was down in the infirmary now, probably sleeping, her baby at her side. He'd peaked in on her before he left, his eyes taking in the sight of her. He'd never given up hope of finding her, but his fear of what Michael had planned made it hard to hope for the best at times. Yet she and her son were healthy and resting.
They'd been beamed down from the Daedalus just after dinner time, returning after rescuing the teams from the rubble of the collapsed building and rescuing Teyla from Michael's cruiser. Ronon had wanted to leave the infirmary immediately, but Dr. Keller extracted a promise from him to stay until she'd finished up with John's surgery and Teyla's exam. It hadn't taken much to give in to her request. Doc had looked exhausted, but determined to see to everyone's needs before giving in to her own.
Her staff had moved about busily, stitching and checking on everyone. Dr. Cole had seen to Rodney right away. He'd recovered a hard drive of Michael's from the rubble and whined non-stop about needing to get to his lab.
Ronon adjusted the water temperature, making the spray a few degrees hotter as he began the task of cleaning his hair. It was a testament to how worn out he was that he'd actually fallen asleep in the infirmary before Dr. Keller found time to run him through his own physical. She'd softly called to him, trying to wake him, his exhaustion burying him deep in sleep. He wondered, not for the first time, at the amount of security and safety he felt in Atlantis, that he could sleep that deeply after years of light sleep and almost constant alertness as a runner.
Seeing Doc's face when he woke almost felt like a dream, her soft smile as he finally surfaced from his sleep causing a smile of his own and then a little self consciousness as he wondered how long he'd been out. She'd examined him rather quickly before releasing him, thanking him for waiting. Her slight blush when he'd assured her it hadn't been a problem had warmed his heart. She was like a ray of sunshine at times, causing his day to be just a bit brighter without any effort on her part. It was something he wanted to explore and study more closely, but the timing just never seemed right.
While Ronon washed his body he came across a smudge on his lower ribs. He gave it a hard rub and found it coming off his skin before it registered what it was. The warrior grinned, wondering when the Doc had placed the temporary tattoo upon his body. A small part of him worried at the thought that his guard could be lowered to such a degree that he didn't even notice a doctor sneaking a tattoo onto his body, but he quickly tapped that down, it hadn't been just any doctor, but Keller. The fact that she'd even bothered to do so tightened his chest and had him grinning like a fool in his own shower.
He quickly finished up, the need to get back to the infirmary pushing him. Ronon wasn't positive what it meant or what he'd say to her, but he felt the urgency to get there just the same.
Jennifer was never more glad to see Ronon leave the infirmary than tonight. She wasn't sure what had come over her, but she was blaming exhaustion for her rash actions. Jenn had finally gotten everyone settled and went to release Ronon, figuring he'd be chomping at the bit,only to find him asleep. She hadn't realized how long she'd taken.
As she'd moved closer to his bed she'd noticed how peaceful he looked. With his eyes closed, the intensity of his gaze, and the tenseness she typically saw in his body while in the infirmary was gone. Her gaze began a slow inventory from head to toe taking in the dust and debris in his hair from the building collapsing on his team. It brought the realization home quickly that she'd almost lost them… him.
It'd been easy to push those thoughts away as she'd worked hard in the infirmary, but looking at him brought the memory of the fear she'd experienced when she'd arrived with Colonel Carter and the engineers at the pile of rubble. Her eyes continued their inventory as they moved down to his upper chest. Jenn noted that the too small scrubs he wore had ridden up slightly, exposing his lower rib area.
She diverted her gaze and reached for the latex gloves to start her examination, feeling bad that she'd have to wake him. Her hands came up empty and she looked to see that the box of gloves was empty. She'd quietly left his side and went to raid the supply room. As she'd reached for a new box of gloves her eyes had landed on the box of tattoos and the next thing she'd known she was rifling through them trying to find the perfect one.
Once back at his side she gently laid the dragon tattoo below the ribs on his left side. With a warm, wet cloth lying atop the tattoo, she'd counted to 30. With each passing second she could feel the adrenalin rise. Although a part of her wanted him to guess how she felt, she wasn't ready to try to explain this impulse to him now. It was a relief to finally admit to herself what she felt for this man, even if it was in such a manner that only she recognized its truth.
After she'd removed the warm cloth and the backing of the tattoo, she'd looked down to admire the small dragon so dwarfed by Ronon's sheer size. She definitely didn't have the guts to make the first move or declare herself to Ronon, but she had the satisfaction and the rush of knowing she'd done this one act of declaration, even if she was the only one who'd ever know it or understand its meaning.
A moment later the panic set in. What in the hell had she just done? She didn't know if she'd call it bravery or stupidity though, and had quickly woken Ronon for his physical. She could only hope that he'd think it just more of the dirt and grime he was covered in from the collapsed building and that he'd scrub hard to get it off while showering, at least make it unrecognizable as a temporary tattoo.
Jennifer had checked on everyone one last time and locked her office before turning and leaving the infirmary for the night.
Ronon slowed his pace as he got closer to the infirmary. It'd taken him another fifteen minutes to clean up and leave his room. He really wished he hadn't washed the tattoo away; he could have looked at it a bit more. It was proof that she'd really placed it there and that it wasn't just a figment of his exhausted mind.
In the last stretch before the infirmary doors he saw Dr. Keller walking slowly his way, obviously just getting off shift. She lifted her gaze and recognized him, a small smile on her lips and blush in her cheeks.
"Hey Ronon," she greeted, stopping when they were close. "John's still sleeping, but Torren woke Teyla not long ago and I'm sure she'd like the company. Marie is sitting with Lorne, he's taken the loss of his team pretty hard."
"How long will the Major have to stay in the infirmary?" the Satedan asked in concern. He knew the man would want to get right back to work and that it'd probably help with the mourning process.
"Probably tomorrow, but that leg will need to heal before he can be on active duty. I think he's considering going back to Earth while he convalescences. He mentioned some nephews who are growing up too fast without their favorite uncle around." Jennifer smiled as she spoke, but kept walking away, hoping Ronon would move on to his team in the infirmary.
"Do you want to get something to eat?" Ronon asked, wanting to prolong his time with her. He hadn't gotten a chance to even think of how to approach the subject of the tattoo yet.
"Actually, I'd like to, but I'm so exhausted Ronon."
He nodded his head; he could see the exhaustion in her eyes and knew she'd be back on duty shortly, unable to stay away while there were injured people in her infirmary. "Come on," he cajoled, nodding his head toward the transporter.
He walked the length of the hall with her and punched her destination into the transport before stepping back to allow her entry. He held the door an extra moment gazing at her, not sure what to say. "Get some sleep… Jennifer," he said quietly, unable to think of anything else.
He watched her blush slightly, probably because he'd used her name. He wasn't sure what he was doing exactly. He wanted the moment to be about something other than doctor and patient. It was a fleeting moment as he stepped back and let her disappear. But not even a moment later he was regretting letting her go. He stepped into the transporter and punched in her destination.
As he stepped out of the transported he jogged toward her to catch up. "Jennifer," he called out.
Jenn turned around outside her room and saw the Satedan coming her way and she paused, wondering what had him following after her. She waited while he came to a stop in front of her, worried about what his next words would be.
"Ummm…," Ronon wasn't sure how to start and felt a little bit awkward. He looked down the hall in each direction trying to gather his thoughts to put into words. "What you told those boys… about the tattoos."
Jennifer looked at the floor, realizing that there was really no way to get out of this without explaining herself. She should've known he'd remember such a thing, even months later. So the question was whether she was going to spare herself some embarrassment, or whether she was going to tell him the truth and live with his reaction. "Yes?"
"Was what you told them true?" Ronon tilted his head to the side and listened intently, not wanting to miss her answer, his own heart beating so loudly in his ears.
"Yes." Jennifer answered, looking anywhere but at Ronon, her cheeks feeling like they were on fire.
"That you only give them to your favorite patients," he clarified, unsatisfied with her short answer.
"Yes, only those that have stolen my heart." She dared to look back up at Ronon and the hope and glimmer of happiness she saw there flooded her mind with relief. "Look, I may be too tired to go eat something with you right now, but I'd love to go to breakfast with you," she looked at her watch and then shyly back up at the warrior in front of her, "in just a few hours if you don't mind getting up early."
"I'll pick you up," he assured her as he leaned past her, invading her space a bit to palm her door open. "Get some sleep Jennifer and I'll see you in the morning." His hand pausing before grazing her cheek bone slowly as he righted himself, his intense gaze holding hers.
Jennifer consciously swallowed before turning and walking across the threshold of her room.
"Jenn?"
"Yeah," she answered as she turned back around, feeling as if her heart was beating in her throat.
"What was the tattoo?"
"A dragon," she answered with a small smile.
"Cool," he answered with a grin before turning and strolling down the hall.
Jennifer let the door slide closed behind her as she made her way across the room to her bed. She slipped her shoes off, and quickly changed into the pajamas at the foot of her bed, not bothering to raise the soft glow of her lights any higher. After she slid under the covers she stared for a moment at the ceiling as her fingers followed the path Ronon's hand had taken across her cheek just moments before. With a smile she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, wishing for sleep and sweet dreams to take her.