Finding Home (SGA | Ronon Dex)

Chapter 2

Nicki groaned and pushed her blanket off her, letting one of her legs dangle off the edge of the bed.

"Why can I see your foot?" Lorne complained, sleepily.

"Because you're not sleeping." She retorted.

"You're not either." He groaned and sat up, tugging on her leg. "What's wrong?"

She rolled over onto her stomach and leaned her head over so she could see his eyes. "Will we ever get off this ship?" She whined.

He shook his head. "I hope so. I hate sleeping in bunks." He wrinkled his nose in disgust at their quarters.

The Daedalus was nicely furnished for spacecraft but anyone not staying in officer's quarters was subjected to a bunk almost the size of what you would get on a submarine. There were many mornings so far that they'd been tripping over each while trying to brush their teeth. And forget about privacy. Nicki was comfortable enough with Lorne that she could change in the room with him, but he still turned around out of respect. And she did the same for him. All in all, they were getting cabin fever at having nothing to do but eat, sleep, and hang out with each other.

"I never thought space travel would be this..." Lorne started.

"Mind-numbingly boring?" Nick rolled onto her back again and stared at the ceiling. She kicked her leg out in the air surrounding her bunk and Lorne just watched it, sleepily.

"Major Lorne, this is Colonel Caldwell." A voice squawked over their room's intercom.

"Yes, sir?" Lorne stood as he answered, grabbing his pants and boots.

"There's been an...issue. Can you and Dr. O'Neill meet Dr. Beckett in the infirmary?"

Nicki rolled out of her bunk and quirked an eyebrow in confusion. Lorne shrugged back at her.

"We'll be there in five." He responded.

Nicki pulled her pants out of her locker and put them on as Lorne finished tying his boots. She looked at her sleep shirt and knew she needed something else on.

"Here." Lorne tossed her his hoodie after seeing her dilemma.

She smiled and pulled it over head as she followed him out the door.

The ship was eerily quiet as they jogged to the infirmary. When the transporter stopped at the infirmary's level, Nicki could hear some voices but couldn't make out what they were saying. It wasn't until they entered the infirmary that the voices became clearer.

Rodney, Sheppard, Caldwell, and Beckett were standing over a gurney. The rest of the infirmary was dark and quiet, save for the snoring nurse in the bed at the back of the room. He seemed to be on call but none of the others had woken him. Nicki's forehead wrinkled as she tried to figure out why.

"Colonel?" Lorne stepped forward, gently ushering her with his arm behind her back.

Hesitantly she looked at the gurney, ignoring the looks she was getting from the rest of the group. Caldwell especially glared at her and Lorne—her half-dressed in his clothes and Lorne's arm comfortably around her shoulders as they entered. It painted a picture that they had an intimate relationship and Caldwell doubted the young Lt. Colonel would address it appropriately.

"He's dead," Dr. Beckett said quietly.

Nicki's eyes shot up to his and then back to the scientist on the gurney.

"Monroe?" Lorne frowned as he recognized the man.

Nicki focused on the burns visible on his skin. "Electrical?" She mused aloud but quietly, not thinking they were listening.