Chapter 2: Preparations

They had made it to the tree line without any difficulty or resistance. Whatever game the Wraith were playing with them it obviously hadn't started yet. Ronan saw this as an opportunity to create makeshift weapons and scout the area and try to use the natural environment as a weapon itself. Elizabeth despite having a million questions remained silent as she followed him, knowing that he was an expert having survived for seven years.

Besides there wasn't anything about their situation that he could tell her that she didn't already know. She's glad that she's stuck in this situation with Ronan but there's a part of her that wishes John was here instead. It's not that she doesn't trust Ronan, on the contrary she trusts him completely but John eases her fears and makes her feel safe in a way that she's never felt elsewhere.

Not having John with them is probably for the best because he is the best qualified to mount a rescue mission. He and Rodney will come up with a drastically heroic plan of that she has no doubts but she just hopes it doesn't take them that long.

They've stopped at a stream and filled their already dehydrated bodies, the temperature is high and air is humid. Their clothes are thick and heavy but with no alternatives they have no choice but to wear them. Ronan starts to fashion himself a few wooden knives using a sharp edge of a nearby rock on some thick sticks. Obviously not the best quality weapon but they would do some serious damage if struck in just the right places.

Elizabeth is knelt next to him doing her best to keep her hands from shaking and idly scratches her arm. As she does so she feels the skin raised a little bit and pulls back the long sleeve to discover Wraith markings. It looks as though they've been inked onto her skin and after a moment she realises they're actually numbers.

"173." She says quietly to herself and lightly traces the numbers with her fingers, hoping it's not permanent.

Ronan stops making his sixth knives and checks his own sleeve and frowns when he sees the same markings. He presents his arm to Elizabeth and asks "What number am I?"

The numbers are almost identical but not quite. "172." She reads to him and covers her own up again before looking into his eyes. "They've branded us, but why?"

Ronan has an idea as to why but he doesn't want to say in case he's wrong. He's heard of rumours that a sect of the Wraith like to play a sick game with their food. They gather a group of people and dump them on a planet and let them struggle amongst themselves. Apparently they feel that if their prey is fighting competition it'll taste better. But with no proof that this has happened to them he doesn't want to alarm Elizabeth more than she already is.

"Something we don't want to find out." He quickly finishes making his last knife and hands it to Elizabeth. "You're going to need it, trust me."

She is dumbfounded that he gave her a reason that she couldn't dispute without her even refusing it to begin with. She hadn't noticed that Ronan knew her so well; after all they don't spend a lot of time together. She felt a bit guilty that he seemed to know her well enough but she couldn't say the same for about him.

Ronan turned and began tearing the bark off a log and turning it into strips similar to rope. She watched him in amazement as he seemed so natural here just turning everything into a tool for survival. Elizabeth made a mental note that after they made it back to Atlantis she was going to dedicate more time to getting to know Ronan.

Wordlessly he glanced at her over his shoulder and signalled that he was ready to move on. She nodded her approval and off they went further into the forest. Every so often Ronan would stop and make a trip wire trap using the shrubbery and trees to conceal them. Satisfied that he made enough traps in their current location he found a suitably large tree and instructed her to start climbing.

She didn't hesitate to do as he said and continued up and up until finally he told her to stop on a large branch that was wide enough for both of them to sit on. She slowly pulled herself up onto it and moved along, aware that if she fell, it would certainly kill her.

Ronan was right behind her and propped his back against the trunk and relaxed his body but his vigil over the area. Elizabeth just stared at him disbelievingly at how comfortable he was sitting so casually high up in a tree with no safety gear.

"We stay here for now." He announced to her horror and he smirked just a little at the look on her face.

"We do?" She asked hoping that he was joking with her but when he merely nodded her heart sunk. "I'm afraid I might fall out if we stay here for a long time." She commented dryly as she peered down at the ground that seemed to be even further away than the last time she looked.

"Here." He beckoned to her as the placed his legs of either side of the trunk, making space for her to lean her back against his chest. "You'll be safe." He offered with a tiny smile to reassure her.

Elizabeth didn't know why but she wasn't sure if it was a good idea for her to practically cuddle up to Ronan several floors above the ground. Her mind wondered back to John and she felt a pang of guilt again because she knew if it had been asking she wouldn't be hesitating.

So she cautiously manoeuvred herself to sit between his legs, her back against his chest. She hadn't known her breathing was quick until she slowed it down to math Ronan's own deep calm ones. When their breathing was finally in sync Elizabeth felt herself relax into his invitingly warm body and she felt safe.

Eventually she started to drift off and Ronan moved his arms around her protectively just to ensure she didn't move too much in her sleep. Just as she succumbed to sleep she heard him.

"I won't let you fall." Ronan whispered in her ear.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for not updating sooner but I was trying to finish my story Stranded first. Let me know what you think.