A/N: I know I'm behind the 8 ball here, having just discovered SGA, but better late than never I say. I'm quite captivated by the character of Ronon, and was disappointed that he never really got a love interest on the show. I was hoping he would get together with Jennifer, but with only six episodes of the final season left to watch I doubt that is going to happen - so I've written him a love interest of my own. I haven't read any other fanfic on the show, or Ronon, so everything here is my own and Ronon is written on how I see him. I hope he is not too OOC for the hard core fans! Because SGA is probably old news in fanfiction circles , I wanted to post the first chapter to see if anybody was interested in reading before I continue. So if you like (or not!) please review and let me know.

I am without a beta, so please feel free to correct any technical aspects of the show or otherwise. Rated M for future chapters. One day I will write a PG fan fic - but Ronon will not be a part of it!

Disclaimer: I don't own SGA or any of the characters, but I sure would like to have Ronon to play with.

To Run Or To Hide - Chapter 1

Ronon POV

My stomach growled with anticipation as I skinned the scrawny looking rabbit. Food was extremely scarce on this world and it was longer than I cared to remember since I had eaten a decent meal. A spit roast tonight would go a long way towards replenishing my strength - not to mention my spirits - I thought as I worked. I cast a glance towards the far end of the forest clearing in which I was crouched. Seven years on the run had left me wary, constantly on guard for the next wraith who might be hoping to add my name to his list of conquests. Despite the stillness of the forest and my eyes being unable to locate anything amiss, I was suddenly sure that I was no longer alone. I put the rabbit down and slowly reached for my gun, my hand closing around the familiar grip just as the wraith stepped into view. I shot him dead before he even had chance to draw, but unfortunately he had not come alone. A blast skimmed past my ear and I threw myself to the ground, rolling a short distance before righting myself into a crouch and taking out the two wraith that were closest. One, two...three, four more, I mentally counted as I turned my back and dived behind a nearby log. Wood splinters flew into the air as the wraiths closed in around me. I waited for a moment, caught my breath and then leaned over the log and quickly picked off two of the remaining four. The third was in my sights, but before I had time to fire he convulsed and fell to the ground. I frowned, what the? Vital seconds passed before I swung around to locate the remaining wraith, and I quickly bought him down with two shots to the chest. I experienced a moment of triumph that was suddenly cut short when the wind was knocked from my lungs and I was thrown backwards onto the ground. My mind raced as I gasped for breath, had I been shot? No, I realized - not shot, stunned! I looked around, trying to locate my assailant even as I struggled to remain conscious. My eyes fell upon a woman, tall with long auburn hair styled in braids. She wore a long fitted leather coat, deep burgundy colored against her pale skin. She was walking towards me, and I tried to lift my gun but the strength seemed to have gone out of me. Despite my efforts, I felt my eyes close as I unwillingly succumbed to my fate.

Sara POV

I'd witnessed some battles in my time, but never before had I seen a man take on seven wraith single handedly and come out on top. Honestly, I was more than a little impressed - which was why I'd taken the precaution of stunning him before I approached. Now I intended to rouse him and hopefully find out a little more about him - if for little more reason than to settle my curiosity. I figured I had a good ten minutes or so before I should be on my way again.

I checked each wraith for signs of life, satisfying myself that all were dead and no longer posed any thread before I approached the stranger. He lay sprawled out on his back, arms flung to the side where they had fallen. Even lying prone, I could tell he was a big man, muscular and toned, I estimated he would probably stand somewhere around the 6ft 5" mark. A dark vest that had seen better days covered his chest, and matching leather pants - equally as worn, hugged his body. His arms were bare, showing an expanse of tanned skin over taut muscle that I couldn't help but admire briefly, despite the circumstance by which they were displayed. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about him though was his hair - worn long and braided into thick dreadlocks, the strands fell about his face haphazardly, giving him a rather fierce look, especially when coupled with the scruffy goatee that sprouted from his chin. My eyes fell to his neck, and I noticed he had an unusual tattoo etched to the left side. It was small, but no doubt significant to him in some way. I neither knew nor recognized the pattern, and I mentally filed it as a question I would ask when I got the chance. Under my scrutiny, he had not moved a muscle and so I leaned over to gently slap the side of his cheek to try and rouse him. Before I knew what had hit me, I suddenly found my wrist snatched up in an iron-like hold. The man's eyes flew open, and I barely had time to register how brilliantly green they were before I was thrown onto my back, pinned to the ground beneath the full weight of his body.

"Who are you?" He ground out, his bared teeth millimeters from my face.

Momentarily stunned, I struggled for breath. "Get off me," I finally managed, bucking my hips and attempting to wriggle out from under him. He scowled and pushed his pelvis further into mine, grabbing and securing my free hand in the process. Great, now I couldn't move a muscle.

His hair fell forward and brushed against my face. "Who are you?" He growled again.

Pinned as I was beneath him, his deep voice reverberated through his chest and I felt each word he spoke penetrate my body. Now was obviously a good time to abandon my efforts to break free physically, I decided.

I opened my mouth, and resorted to words instead. Hopefully, if I showed enough anger, he might let me go, I reasoned. "I just shot a wraith, so I guess you could say I'm the person who helped save your hide," I spat.

He exhaled in a short snort, one that could almost have been mistaken for laughter. Almost The look in his eyes told me he was anything but amused."That's not the way I remember it," he growled.

I shrugged, obviously he was still hung up on the whole stun thing. "Fine. You can thank me later then," I reasoned. "Now. Get off me!"

He stared at me for what seemed like the longest time before I felt his grip on my wrists ease. With the agility of a man half his size, he released me and sprang to his feet. Suddenly able to breath again, I pushed myself up onto my elbows and then into a sitting position. Too late, I saw him bend over and then felt a tug as he removed my gun from it's holster. I made an attempt to lunge after it, but the length of his arm far outreached mine, and so I was left with no option but to resign myself to being disarmed. I got to my feet and watched as he turned my gun over in his hand, studying it closely.

"I am not familiar with this kind of weaponry." He turned his gaze upon me, and once again I was surprised by how green his eyes were. "Where are you from?"

I sighed, regretting now my decision to approach him. If I was to answer his question truthfully, he most likely wouldn't believe me - or at the very least my reply would only lead to a flood more questions that I also couldn't answer. Caught in a quandary, I chose to ignore his questions and asked a couple of my own instead. "Who are you, and why are you out here alone?"

He looked at me, and I could tell he was sizing me up as an opponent. Obviously he must have deemed me to be relatively harmless - no doubt helped by the fact that he still held my gun - because he surprised me by answering. "My name is Ronon Dex. I'm a soldier from the planet Sateda." His voice was impossibly deep, and his gaze held mine squarely. I found that I couldn't look away. "Now your turn," he continued. "Got a name?"

Under his scrutiny, I felt myself begin to waiver a little. I'd come up against many adversaries - mostly of the wraith variety, as of late - but never had I encountered a man like Ronon Dex. Words like dangerous; powerful; unrelenting; swum through my mind as I looked at him, but in the end there was one that stood out above all - masculine. I swallowed, and tried to meet his gaze squarely. "My name is Sara," I said.

"Sara," he repeated, and the word rolled off his tongue in such a way that I felt I was hearing it for the first time. Okay, it was definitely time I was on my way. Unfortunately, he didn't appear to share the same sentiment. "Is that it?" he asked, "Nothing else?"

I shook my head. "No. Just Sara."

He lowered his eyes, and for a brief moment I felt like I had disappointed him. "Look," I began to say, but broke off when he suddenly handed my gun back to me.

"You should be going," he said. "It's not safe for you here."

I reached for my weapon, but when I went to take it from his hand, he re-closed his fingers around it. "I should warn you though. If you ever turn this on me again, I won't hesitate to kill you."

I swallowed. There was no mistaking that he meant what he said. I met his eyes and suddenly became aware of how fast my heart was beating. "You have a deal," I managed to say, and was relieved when he released his grip. The familiar weight of my gun was reassuring, and I felt myself begin to smile. I chanced a glance at Ronon, but he wasn't looking at me any more. My smile froze as I noticed that his stance was now still and alert, his gaze focused towards a distant point in the forest.

"They're back," he whispered, his voice a deep rasp. I watched as he slowly drew out his gun, and as I followed his line of sight, I saw the unmistakable shape of a wraith slip between the trees towards us.

My heart sank. "They've found me," I breathed.

Beside me, Ronon raised his gun to take aim. "It's not you they're here for," he explained. "It's me."

Before I could protest, he continued.

"There's a tracking device inside me. The wraith hunt me for sport." His voice was gruff and so tainted with disdain that I wasn't sure I had heard him right.

"So, your a... You're a runner then?" I whispered, as comprehension dawned.

He nodded curtly. "Sorry to have to break it to you. I didn't think they'd come again so soon or I wouldn't have kept you so long."

My mind was racing. "But you can't be," I whispered. "Because that's what I am. I'm a runner too."