CONTENT WARNING: The second half of this chapter is definitely rated M for sexuality. I couldn't figure out how to change the ratings by page so here's the warning. I've tagged the beginning of the section so you can read the final piece of the story before it gets... hotter. :)

SEVEN

When Jennifer reached Ronon's quarters she stood in front of his door, hand raised to knock, still trying to talk some sense into herself. She was completely overreacting. She had no reason to believe anything else had happened. She was just tired and over excited and everything would look better in the morning.

Exhaling slowly, she turned to leave as the door swished open.

She spun back around, her voice suddenly lost as she stared at the man she'd come to see. The fact that he was wearing only a pair of leather pants overriding any thoughts of why she was there in the first place. Yes she'd seen him topless before – but she'd always been working. Stitching him up. Helping sooth or repair an injury. She wasn't used to seeing him half naked and, well, upright. His wrists were bare – no gauntlets, no wrappings, and heck even his toes were bare.

"Doc?" He questioned, his face showing concern.

She looked up, seeing the darkness of his room. "I'm sorry." She repeated, taking a step back. "You were sleeping. I didn't mean to wake you. It's not important. I'll let you get your rest."

"Doc." He stepped towards her, reaching out and gently taking hold of her upper arm turning her back around to face him. "What's wrong?"

Jen opened her mouth. Closed it. Looked away. Looked back. And shrugged.

She couldn't find the words.

"Come on." Ronon said quietly, pulling her into his room and out of the hallway. He raised the lights enough to cut through the darkness.

Ronon hadn't been sleeping. He'd been staring at his ceiling, unable to stop thinking about her. He'd felt a presence in the hallway and had used the excuse to get up off the bed.

He hadn't expected it to be her.

She should be resting.

He studied her, bare arms threaded around her midsection holding herself tightly. The pink tank top she wore was slipping slightly off her left shoulder, leaving it bare and exposed. She was dressed for sleep, and wasn't even wearing shoes. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, the ends still damp. He inhaled sharply, enjoying the faint scent of flowers that always surrounded her.

She bit the inside of her lower lip, her eyes locked on his. He could see worry etched on he face.

"What's wrong?" He asked, stepping closer.

She shook her head, clearly not quite ready to explain why she'd come.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" He raised an eyebrow, trying for a question she should be able to answer.

"I can't." She shrugged. A few moments of silence passed before she continued. "My brain won't shut off."

He nodded in understanding. "It happens."

He watched her eyes widen slightly and a furrow appear on her forehead while she furiously chewed her lower lip. She was going to start bleeding if she didn't let up with those teeth.

"I need to ask you something." She blurted out.

He waited.

"Did I…" She sighed, pursed her lips, then continued. "Did I say anything to you when you found me?"

"Like what?" He inched closer, not taking his eyes off of hers.

"Like… anything? I mean did I say if they… did… anything else to me? Blood tests and a brain scan. That's all I said?"

"That's all." He was now standing directly in front of her. "Why? Do you remember something else?"

She shook her head, but he saw the uncertainty flash behind her eyes. "No. I don't. That's… that's the problem. I can't stop replaying everything. It's going around and around. I was gone for a while. I can't remember anything. I don't know what happened. Maybe it's from watching too much television or, or seeing too many movies but I can't stop thinking about the fact that they drugged me."

She blinked and looked away, then lowered her head with a sigh.

"I was drugged, tied up, and… um, alone… with a group of men. Where I come from that usually means…" She trailed off, unable to actually say the word aloud.

Her words ended so quietly he was unsure he'd heard correctly. He shook his head, his mind numb with the question she'd just asked him. Was she asking him if he thought she'd been… assaulted?

"Nothing happened." He growled, a lot louder than he should have. This is what worried her? His hands shot out and he pulled her against his chest, holding her tightly.

He felt the cool skin of her arms squeeze tightly around his waist and lock against his back. "So you don't think…" she whispered, her face buried against his bare chest.

"No." He shook his head, squeezing her for reassurance. "I don't." He leaned his cheek against the top of her head, the softness of her hair sliding smoothly under his jaw as she nodded.

"Okay." She said softly, her shoulders slumping as she exhaled with relief. "Okay. That's good."

I know your scent so well I would have smelled another man's touch on your skin. He almost said. But didn't. Instead he stated a simple truth. "I would not have left anyone alive if I thought you'd been harmed in such a way."

He felt her body jerk, a soft laugh reaching his ears. "You know," She nodded, her hair tickling his chin. "I believe that."

"You should." Ronon tightened his grip. He definitely had not been joking.

He continued to hold her, reveling in the feel of her body pressed firmly against his, her arms circling his torso. With a soft sigh, he felt her shift her weight and lean closer into him. Then a long low rumble echoed through the stillness of his room prompting her to laugh. He could feel her body shaking against his as she giggled out an apology.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry." She tilted her head back and grinned up at him. "I guess I'm hungry."

Her bright smile warmed his heart and he found himself smiling in return.

He slowly lowered his arms and released her – reluctantly –surprised to be the one who moved first. After a brief moment her arms slid slowly back around, fingers lingering along the front of his waist before she pulled away.

He stepped back, keeping his eyes locked on hers, wanting to keep the connection. Without looking away he yanked a shirt off the back of a chair and quickly pulled it over his head.

"Come on." He nodded his head towards the door. "Lets get you something to eat."

M RATING STARTS HERE

They left the empty cafeteria, Jen's stomach sedated and her mind at rest. She had to have talked his ear off, but in a way she blamed him for it, and told him so. It was his fault for asking questions. It hadn't taken him more than a few minutes to have her laughing at herself. Heck she'd even had him laughing at one point and she'd been so distracted by how young – how carefree – it made him look, she bit down on her fork without realizing she hadn't put any food on it first.

Part of her was glad the cafeteria had been empty. She wasn't sure how the rumor mill would react if anyone had seen her running around in her jammies and socks with a barefoot Satedan. But another part of her didn't care – he was here with her and that had to be worth something… right?

As they walked side by side, her hand brushed his. She wasn't sure who's fingers moved first, but together their hands threaded, and remained, as they continued their trek. Something in her heart skittered when she realized he'd slowed his pace, almost moving in half steps so she wouldn't have to speed to keep up with his longer gait.

It also gave her more time to continue to keep his fingers twisted against her own. It was so… natural. Comfortable. It sent her mind into places it shouldn't be going. But she couldn't help it. She found herself purposely slipping in her socks just to feel the warmth of his arm brushing against hers. She flipped through the what if's and could be's as they approached the area containing the living quarters, then her brain started to argue would-she-could-she as they reached the corridor where her room was. But this was Ronon. He was just being… friendly. Nerdy girls like her never got to be with the sexy guy. Unless he needed help with his homework.

"Well I guess this is my stop." She said with a smile, as they reached her quarters. Glancing up into his face her smile faltered. He looked… serious.

"What?" She blinked, suddenly unsure. She moved to extract her hand from his but he held it tightly. "What's wrong?" She asked softly.

He shook his head, moving his arm to pull her hand against his chest. "I'm glad you're okay."

Jen could feel the beat of his heart through the back of her hand. Its strong steady rhythm making her heart beat just a little bit faster. She stared at the contrast her pale fingers made against his larger, tan ones.

"Me too." She smiled, "Have I said thank you enough times yet?" Inching forward, she repeated his movements, gently tugging his arm closer to her body, and pressing the back of his hand against her chest. She raised her free hand and placed it on his chest, flattening it so she could feel his heartbeat through her palm. When she looked up, her eyes were instantly drawn to his. He was staring at her mouth, which made her automatically part then lick her lips. She hadn't meant to – it was an automatic reaction to the direction of his gaze. Yet she felt his heart beat increase through her palm.

He lowered his head and her heart kicked into high gear. She lifted her chin, raised herself up onto her toes, and met his lips with hers. What she thought was going to be a quick good-night kiss was lasting a lot longer. Her fingers tightened in the material of his shirt and she pulled herself higher. The soft, tentative push of his tongue parted her lips and she pressed closer, angling her head and dancing in with her own tongue.

A physically required need for oxygen pushed them apart. Jen felt the cold press of her door against her back as she leaned away. He straightened slowly, dropped his arms, and took a step back.

The entire front of Jen's body chilled with the sudden loss of heat.

"I should let you get some sleep." He said quickly, the rough sound of his voice sending a shiver down her spine.

Jen searched his eyes, hoping to see something, anything to indicate what he was thinking but she could barely make her own mind function. She'd never felt such an overwhelming urge to throw every caution to the wind before in her life. She wanted him to stay with her. To stay the night. She didn't want to think about rules. Procedure. Right and wrong. Why she shouldn't. Why they shouldn't. She didn't want to be Dr. Keller, CMO of Atlantis. Tonight she simply wanted to be Jennifer.

He took another step back and turned slowly, moving to go.

"Do you want to come in?" She blurted out, watching his hesitation as he froze and turned slowly back around. Oh lord, I can't believe I just said that out loud.

He stood silently watching her. The intensity of his gaze made her suddenly feel very stupid for thinking he'd want to. With her.

"I'm sorry." She stammered, lowering her head so he couldn't see the heat rising to her face. "I don't know why I just said that. I shouldn't have… I mean you're… I'm… I'm sorry. Forget I said anything." She turned and quickly waved her hand over the access panel. The doors to her quarter slid open and she hurried into the dimly lit interior.

His fingers seared her arm as he spun her roughly around. She didn't even get a chance to speak before his mouth claimed hers and this time… there was nothing tentative about it.

The door swished closed behind her and he turned again, forcing her back against the wall. His tongue explored her mouth, tugging and teasing before he broke away and trailed a row of kisses down the side of her neck.

Jen felt her body respond instantly, and she arched against him, tilting her head to give him greater access. He trailed kisses across her collarbone, the ends of his dreads tickling across her skin, making her shiver.

"Cold?" he asked, his breath hot against the nape of her neck.

Jen shook her head.

His mouth quickly returned to hers. She felt his hand reaching for her ponytail and with a swift twist, he pulled her clip out and buried his fingers in her hair. He gently tipped her head back and placed a quick succession of light kisses along the sensitive skin beneath her chin. She inhaled sharply and dug her fingers into his shoulders as his mouth moved lower, stopping just above the neckline of her tank-top.

He dropped to his knees, trailing his hands slowly down her bare arms before placing his palms on either side of her waist. When his thumbs slowly moved the bottom hem of her shirt up, she inhaled sharply as his heated skin touched her abdomen. He placed a short, light kiss on her navel before looking up.

Jen found herself unable to move – to breathe - the intensity of his gaze holding her frozen. Her fingers tightened against his forearms.

"Do you want to stop?" He asked, his voice even lower than she could ever remember.

She shook her head and attempted to speak, but all that came out was an audible gasp when his tongue swirled a circle around her bellybutton. His hands slid slowly up her body, forcing her shirt up and exposing her torso to the cool air. With trembling fingers, she reached for the material of her shirt and pulled it up, Ronon's eyes locking quickly on hers as she yanked the shirt off and dropped it to the floor.

He growled low in his throat and stared at her now exposed breasts. Her body tensed in response to the raw hunger in his gaze and her nipples hardened instantly. He leaned forward, his mouth moving hungrily over an exposed bud. The minute his tongue touched her skin Jen knew she was completely lost.

Her entire body jerked and she moaned. She could feel the heat building between her legs and couldn't stop her hips from shifting.

When he moved to her other breast, he didn't leave the first one lonely. With his mouth kissing, pulling, and teasing one, and his thumb tracing invisible circles around the other, Jen could do nothing more than lean her head back against the wall and close her eyes.

The pressure in her lower abdomen was gaining intensity and she could feel the wetness building, the slow swirls his tongue was making around her nipples driving her closer and closer to the brink. She gasped when he nipped, then moaned when he gently kissed it better. His mouth moved lower, his lips sliding down below her navel, his fingers matching their movement as they slid under the waistband of her pajamas.

Jen shuddered as he lowered the material with agonizing slowness. When he reached her feet, he gently lifted first one, then the other, to remove her pants entirely. She was now completely naked.

She dropped her head and stared down to where he crouched on the floor at her feet. She watched – and felt – his hands and mouth skimming slowly up her legs. Ankles. Calves. The incredibly sensitive area behind her knees. Higher towards her thighs. Using his knees he slid her feet apart, parting her legs, leaving her fully exposed in the cool air. She shuddered and gasped, suddenly realizing exactly where his mouth was heading. Ronon kissed the inside of one hip, then the other, before joining with the middle.

She'd never had… no man had ever… oh God he was going to…

The second his tongue touched, her hips bucked and she gasped, jerking her head back. Her body was wound so tightly she could barely breathe. It was all she could do to keep herself upright.

He kissed and licked, circled and probed, pushing her further and further towards the edge until she felt like she was going to explode. With a strangled cry her hips rocked violently forward and she dug her fingers into his shoulders, arching her body and riding the flood of release. Her legs buckled and she would have fallen if not for his sudden, swift movement.

Jen found herself weightless as he carried her across the room towards her bed. The rough material of his shirt teased her bare breasts and she squirmed. He lowered her on to the bed and straightened, leaving her naked and exposed on the covers. The combination of the cool air and the heated hunger behind his eyes made her tremble.

She wanted more.

Needed more.

Needed him.

She whispered his name.

"Ronon." Her voice sent a shiver of need down his spine. He stood beside the bed, staring down at the woman laid out before him. By the Ancients she was beautiful! Cheeks flushed with passion, mouth swollen and parted as she gasped for air, her pale skin glowing in the faint light. He wanted to bury himself deep inside her and loose himself forever.

He tried to hold back – wanting to give her as much pleasure as he possibly could before he took his own.

Then she whispered his name.

He was lost.

With a low growl Ronon crawled onto the bed. He kissed her mouth, her cheeks, both sides of her jaw, up and down each side of her neck, crossing her collarbone and moving slowly lower. He felt her hands tugging at his shirt and with a swift movement yanked the offending material over his head and threw it across the room.

Her fingers lightly explored the bare skin of his chest and he groaned, the pain in his groin increasing as his swollen member strained against his pants. He leaned down to suckle a nipple and she arched against him, her legs slipping apart as her ankles hooked over the back of his knees. He pressed himself against her, feeling the heat of her swollen center through his pants. She gasped and he swiftly covered her mouth with his, stealing her breath.

She squirmed beneath him, her fingers tentatively sliding down his back. Her movement nearly drove him to the brink and rolled off her, quickly shedding his pants before returning to the bed. He covered her body with his, taking care to keep most of his weight on his arms. He could feel her soft skin along the entire length of his body and it was driving him wild.

He dropped his mouth to hers and she raised her head, meeting him halfway, her fingers locking behind his neck to pull his head down. He slid himself between her legs and she parted, raising her hips. He reached out and lifted her knee, urging her to wrap her legs around him. When he felt her heels slide down along the back of his legs he groaned and pushed forward, sliding himself slowly into the hot, slick, wetness.

Her body tensed suddenly and she gasped. He froze, his eyes locking onto hers. She hesitated, her tongue licking her lips. "Sorry." She whispered softly. "It's been… a while."

She closed her eyes and shifted her hips, digging her heels into the back of his thighs. Her fingers slid slowly down his back and dug sharply into each cheek, pulling him deeper.

"Ronon." She whimpered, "Please."

His resolve broke. With a low growl he slid himself completely inside her and nearly exploded at how tightly she felt around him. He lowered his head and took a deep breath, struggling to control himself. She placed soft kisses along the side of his neck. He moved slowly at first, but the feel of her body beneath him and her legs wrapped around him, drove him closer and closer to the brink. As his thrusts increased, so did the motion of her hips as she rose up to meet him. They met and parted, met and parted, increasing in urgency until he felt her body buck and arch, she clamped down around him, screaming his name and throwing him over the edge. With one final thrust he buried himself to the hilt and cried out with release.

He collapsed against her and she wrapped her arms around him, cradling his head. Placing his forehead on hers, he concentrated on breathing, feeling her chest rise and fall with short gasps. He moved to roll off her but she dug in her heels.

"Not yet." She pleaded.

"I'll crush you." He replied, nuzzling her neck.

"At this point…" She whispered softly against his ear. "I don't really care."

He smiled and kissed the side of her neck.

"I care."

- END -