A/N: This was written for the May writing challenge on the Gateworld Forum for Ronon Dex/Jennifer Keller Appreciation/Ship/Discussion (Doctor & Wild Man) thread. The prompt for this month was Wedding.

Thank you ShaViva for the beta read. Hope everyone enjoys the story. It clocks in at exactly 1,000 words before the authors note.

Spoilers ~ None that I can think of.

Covert Maneuvers

Jennifer's hand flew to her mouth, holding in her gasp even as she pulled back and stared at Ronon's forearm. Already blood was gathering along the cut and any hope things were going to be fine went out the window. She dropped the bantos rod she was gripping absently in her other hand as her concern propelled her to Ronon's side, her focus entirely on his wound.

"I'm so sorry," she began, the words flowing quickly. "This is exactly the reason why this was such a horrible, terrible, bad idea. I can't believe I allowed you to talk me into sparring…"

Ronon looked at his cut and then at Jennifer and couldn't keep the pride from his expression. She still didn't have the graceful movements and fluidity Teyla possessed, but her growing ability pleased him tremendously. Jenn leaned in closer as she examined his injury, her sugary scent bringing a smile to his face. This was his now… this woman, this city and the people who inhabited it.

The ex-runner leaned forward amidst her continued rambling and gently kissed the top of her head, "Infirmary?"

"Yes," Jennifer agreed, stepping away to gather her sweat shirt and water bottle. After watching Ronon do the same she took his hand, "We'll have to be quick about this."

Ronon smirked at her worry, but let her hurry him along down the corridors and transporter to the infirmary.

Jennifer stopped at the infirmary entrance and peaked around the corner. Satisfied it was quiet and sparsely populated, she turned back to Ronon. "Hopefully we won't attract too much attention and can get out of here unnoticed by anyone other than my staff."

Ronon tried to nod his head in agreement, but must have failed since he was getting a stern glance from Jennifer.

"This is so not good. If Laura catches wind of this we're both toast." She turned back and scanned the corridor in the opposite direction for any passersby.

Using a term he'd heard Sheppard laughingly use often, he leaned in toward Jenn before speaking conspiratorially, "I think I could take her."

Jennifer whirled around and glared at his amused face, "Not funny."

Ronon grinned indulgently at her, slipping an arm around her shoulders and moving them into the infirmary.

Jennifer quickly set about cleaning the wound, nodding to Dr. Cole, a few feet away at the nurse's station. As she began the first stitch, her worry caused her to pick up where she'd left off voicing her concern. "I know Laura will hear about this, but hopefully not until after tonight."

"You might even be able to take her," Ronon stated, picking up on his same train of thought as earlier and still feeling his pride over her progress in learning to defend herself.

Jennifer rolled her eyes at the man in front of her, knowing he was trying to distract her from her anxiousness. She shook her head in the negative as she gently ran the small needle through his skin with practiced precision.

"If you struck quickly to her midsection," he continued, warming to the subject, "before trying the leg sweep we worked more on today, you'd catch her off guard and send her to the floor."

"And then I'd have to run like hell and hope she didn't catch up or find me before the Daedalus departed," she replied sarcastically, but smirked none the less at the image it conjured.

Jennifer tied off the last stitch, beginning to think they might just make it out of this mess when she heard Dr. Cole clear her throat. When Jennifer looked toward her, Amanda mouthed the word busted.

Jenn let her head fall to her chest in defeat as she heard a much louder throat clearing. She gave Ronon one last accusatory glare that was met with more of his amusement before she slowly turned around to acknowledge the person approaching from behind her.

"Seriously?" Laura Cadman asked as she crossed the infirmary to address her best friend. "You can't take just one day off ever?"

Ronon found it amusing to watch the short female Marine getting all worked up, especially since he knew the women were the best of friends.

"And you," Laura continued, her accusing gaze now turned toward Ronon, "you couldn't, just this once, let someone else stitch you up? She only has…" the Lieutenant consulted her watch before continuing. "She only has two and a half hours to get ready. Hell, I should be getting ready, not having to track you two down."

Jennifer grasped her break when Cadman paused to catch her breath and responded. "We're done here… and Ronon didn't call me down here." Doc paused for just a moment, but knew better than to prolong an explanation for longer than a second unless she wanted the third degree from Laura. "Ronon was antsy…"

"I got bored waiting," he clarified shrugging his shoulders, "Sheppard said Doc would kill him if he agreed to spar with me."

"And," Doc said loudly, reminding them that she was speaking, "I agreed to spar with him for just a few minutes but I accidently hurt him so we hurried down here for stitches."

"You're not even supposed to see each other today," Laura exclaimed, exasperated at their inability to understand her frustration with them. "It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding," her stern gaze bounced between the two.

"Why," Ronon asked, perplexed by the notion.

Cadman opened her mouth, but then closed it and stared at the two of them for a moment, frustrated. "I don't know," she bit out, "It just is. Now get out of here, both of you," she demanded.

"Never would've asked her to be my maid of honor," Jennifer grumbled as she moved with Ronon toward the exit, "if I'd known she was going to be such a traditional wedding hard-ass."

"I heard that," Laura called after her.

"You were supposed to," Jennifer called back with a laugh.