fic: "Back Home" [Pt.9]

[renisanz]

TITLE: Back Home – Pt. 9
AUTHOR: renisanz
SUMMARY: Settling down won't be easy for either of them. A sequel to “Making Up the Past.” Ronon/Keller.
CATEGORY: Romance/Drama
RATING: PG-13
WORDS: 1,416
DISCLAIMER: I don't own 'em, but they're fun to play, not for profit.
NOTES: I beta'd this myself. So I apologize for any errors.

 

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Back Home - Pt. 8

Ronon slowed his steps as he heard the women's voices drifting down the hallway from the break room. They weren't talking any louder than normal, but his sensitive hearing could well distinguish what they were saying even though he was several feet down the hall.

“Ronon Dex seems to be. . .I think he cares about you very much.” His ears perked at the mention of his name. He wasn't terribly surprised that they were talking about him. Still, the fondness laced in Ana Ramirez's words surprised him.

There was a pause, and he expected to hear Jennifer response, but the silence continued until Ramirez spoke again. “I was able to observe the way he looked at you. He wasn't overly affectionate, but you definitely had his attention.”

Ronon really wished he could stand in the hall to hear more of their conversation. It would end once he entered the room. However, he and Jennifer still needed to make their flight, so he couldn't afford to delay any longer. Resolved, he dug his hands into the pocket of his jeans, barely suppressing a smirk as his fingers pressed against the small slip of paper where he had taken down a few notes from the coded message. He wished he could remember it all, but she had given him so many details.

Ana, who was sitting facing the doorway, looked up and nodded as he entered. Jennifer didn't seem to notice the woman's gesture, so Ronon said, “Hey.”

Jennifer whirled round in her chair, her wide eyes meeting his as a vivid blush rose in her cheeks.

“Oh, hey,” she said as she got up from the table. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, it's cool,” Ronon said as Jennifer walked over to meet him. He definitely couldn't tell her the details of the message.

Jennifer looked as if she wanted to ask him more, but she simply nodded.

Ronon suddenly had the urge to hold her. So he reached, gently grabbing Jennifer's hand while taking pleasure in the loveliness of her confused expression. Still, she came to him, let him pull to him and wrap his arms around her slight, soft frame, breathe her in. He felt Jennifer's slim arms encircle his waist and then she sighed contentedly as she relaxed into him.

He could stay like this forever.

But they had to go.

With reluctance, Ronon stepped away from the embrace, but took ahold of Jennifer's hand, not ready to end the contact.

He and was a bit surprised to see Ana standing in the doorway. He'd barely noticed her move. A ghost of something twinkled in her eyes, and in an instant it was gone, replaced by a calm, neutral expression.

“I'll show see you two out. You've a flight to catch.”

Ronon nodded and proceeded to follow Ana, but he felt a gentle tug of Jennifer's fingers laced in his. “Hey, Ana. . .”

“I'm sorry, could I . . .” Ronon followed Jennifer's gaze as she turned to look toward the table. His eyes rested on the small green and white box setting there.

Ana face broke into a knowing smile and she nodded. “One for the road? Why not?”

“Actually, I wanted Ronon to try one,” Jennifer explained. Ronon wasn't releasing her hand, she she dragged him along with her and she went to retrieve the . . . donut from the box.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“So. . .they have Krispy Kremes in Wisconsin?”

“My God, I've created a monster,” Jennifer laughed.

The hilarious mental image of Ronon raiding the donut establishment made her forget the bout of panic she felt when the body of the plane vibrated and bounced as it made its ascent into the skies. She didn't release the white-knuckled grip she had on the arm of her seat, though.

That is, until she felt strong, warm fingers work their way under her palm and around her clammy hand.

The tension in her stomach eased a great deal.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jennifer woke up to find that they were still on the plane. Ronon's chest rose and fell in long, even breaths. Jennifer sighed and lifted her sleep-heavy head from it's place against him. She blinked her eyes and flicked her tongue across her dry lips, tasting a trace of wetness in the corner of her mouth. She sat up more, bringing her right hand up to wipe the right side of her face, and then her eyes darted to the spot on Ronon's shirt, dark with moisture—her drool.

“Oh crap. . .” she whispered.

“It's fine,” a low voice rumbled in her ear.

Jennifer gasped as she felt the heat of a fresh rising in her cheeks. “I. . . I didn't know you were awake,” she stammered. “Sorry,” she winced. Jennifer tore her eyes from the traitorous spot and dare to look up into Ronon's face. The look he was giving her wasn't what she had expected, as his eyes twinkled and a smirk tickled the corners of his full lips.

“What?” She asked, confused. She would not been as amused if Ronon had drooled on her shirt.

“You were snoring, too. It was cute.”

She was what? Jennifer's eyes widened. “Wha. . .I don't snore,” she shook her head in disbelief. Her eyes darted around the cabin as she wondered how loud she had been, if she had disturbed any of the other passengers. She paused when her eyes fell on the small, chubby hand that belonged to a child sitting in the seat in front of her. A round brown eye peeked at her through the space narrow between the seats.

Ronon hugged her into his side and kissed her forehead. “I guess you do now,” he murmured.

“Oh, great,” Jennifer mumbled, but she couldn't help but giggle at the thought. “I'm sure it wasn't 'cute,' but thanks for lying. You could have shaken me awake or something,” she added.

Ronon just quirked his mouth and furrowed his brow at her in a disbelieving expression.

Jennifer laughed. “Ok. . . I guess not.”

“It wasn't bad. You needed the rest,” Ronon said, and Jennifer looked up to see nothing but warm concern in his eyes. Since receiving the news about her father's illness, Jennifer had been so wound up with worry that she barely managed to get more than a few hours of sleep a night. And then on Midway station it seemed even worse. In the cold, sparse environment coupled with the lack of personnel, or anything to do, except wait, she thought she might go mad. People she was close to were there, but it wasn't home.

It was in the madness, Jennifer experienced a frightening moment of clarity. She realized that this might be what Ronon felt like all the time. Knowing that Wraith were alive, culling, destroying worlds as they had done to Sateda—his home. He fought the war bravely, had killed many Wraith, but it wasn't enough. Jennifer felt it, too, on a smaller level, but most of the time her responsibility extended as far as the health of the members of the expedition. They were her foremost concern, so much so that she oftentimes she lost sight of the bigger picture. One could reason that this was due to her youth and inexperience. Jennifer—Dr. Keller—knew better. As a medical doctor, she had stared into the often mocking face of the harsher realities of life—death. It was like staring into the blinding brilliance of a supernova and the infinite, crushing depths of black hole it may eventually become.

Her eyes stung with tears at the thought.

Ronon must have sensed the change in her, she thought, as he hugged her closer and rested his cheek against the top of her head.

She barely heard his murmured words of comfort as they caressed her ears.

Soon she was asleep. She didn't stir again until the plane touched down in Eau Claire.

I look down and on the ground
Really can't believe it
Gravity could pull me from this height
Close my eyes and hope that it's a
real smooth flight
this time
—“A320” by Foo Fighters

Back Home - Pt. 10

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A/N: Next stop, Chippewa Falls. No, I haven't forgotten about the coded message. All will be revealed in time. :)
Feedback is much appreciated.

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Comments

[creidh.livejournal.com]

<3 I love your Ronon/Keller. :)

[renisanz.livejournal.com]

*hee* Thanks. :)

[krissie678.livejournal.com]

*lol* Had to get Ronon a donut. Great work.

[renisanz.livejournal.com]

Of course Jen would want Ronon to experience the joy of Earth foods. :)

Thanks.

[lizbet0.livejournal.com]

This was great! Thank you for continuing the story, and I look forward to meeting Jen's family soon (and seeing what was in that message...!)

[renisanz.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) Ronon meeting Jen's family is defintely going to be more than a little hilarious. Jen really should have told Aunt Joanna he was coming.

[little-profiler.livejournal.com]

Aw, that was really beautiful. How he pulled her into an embrace and didn't even care that agent Ramirez was still with them. And her drooling on his shirt in her sleep. I certainly would have died of embarrassment (once again). But I loved his reaction and how he can always scent when something is wrong.

Oh, and did I mention that I totally need more? Pretty please? :)