This update ended up a little shorter than anticipated but I hope you still enjoy it. I was planning on holding off and publishing it in a day or two but I was so excited I couldn't wait. I am in awe of the authors who have the self
control to write ahead and set up a schedule 😂

Happy Reading!

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Runner Cont.
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Kai stood in shock for a moment as Colonel Sheppard literally took off into the dead of night running towards the gunfire. She cursed him up and down for his stupidity. She could see fine in the dark forest, but there was no way he would be able to. He was going to get himself killed. She made a move to follow him when their comms activated.

"Colonel Sheppard we got gate activity!" Major Lorne's voice came over the radio. "Three wraith darts just came through."

Kai could hear the whine of the dart engines through the comm and moments later they were overhead. Kai tightened her jaw. Things were falling apart rapidly. The darts would start scanning for life signs and all they would find would be their men. Colonel Sheppard brought her with the keep an eye on Beckett, and as badly as she wanted to chase after Sheppard to watch his back she knew she should stay put rather than leave Teyla alone with Beckett and Ronon.

"We should get back inside," Teyla called as a dart zipped overhead. She turned back to face Beckett and Kai.

The three of them turned to see Ronon was gone, as were his weapons and armor. 

Kai swore and stuck her head into the cave. She could hear his nearly silent movement across the rock and gravel cave floor. He had promised to help them find Ford. He also knew this planet better than any of them and stood the best chance of getting them Ford, finding McKay and helping Sheppard. Not necessarily in that order.

She turned back to Teyla. "Stay with Beckett!" she yelled and she tore off through the cave after Ronon. 

Teyla let out a tired sigh and activated her comm. "Colonel, Ronon's gone. There was a back way out of the cave. Kai is in pursuit," she added grimacing slightly. She knew how badly the Colonel would take it and she hated being the bearer of bad news.

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John pushed himself as he ran in the last direction he had heard gun fire. It had been sporadic and undisciplined. It had to be McKay. No marine would discharge his firearm so recklessly. He couldn't miss out on this chance to find McKay and hopefully Ford in the process. McKay had to be shooting at something.

Things were going from bad to worse. Kai was out here on her own chasing after Dex. It wasn't that she couldn't defend herself, he knew better than anyone how good she was, but it was pitch black and too many people were running around with itchy trigger fingers on an alien planet with Wraith buzzing overhead. For most of the marines on the planet this was their first time off world. The laundry list of all the things that could possibly go wrong made his stomach turn.

He didn't want to think about what could happen if Kai found Ford before he did. There was no telling if Ronon would fight with her, or turn on her to escape on his own. Kai had ended up in a coma after her last one-on-one encounter against Ford. Even her injuries on the Wraith planet had technically been in the pursuit of Ford. John's jaw clenched, Ford wasn't her problem and certainly wasn't worth her risking herself again. He never should have brought her here. He should have taken the chance with one of the female marines and left Kai working in the jumper bay. As much as he tried to deny it, she was a distraction, and John Sheppard couldn't afford distractions.

"Get back to the jumper," he snarled as he ran. He changed the channel to the general one. "Everyone fall back to the jumper. That's an order," he waited a beat and then activated it again. "That means you too Zian," he told her, but there was no answer. 

He swore under his breath and pushed himself faster.

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When Kai burst out of the other side of the cave into the forest Ronon was waiting for her. He pointed his gun at her chest. She skidded to a stop, her hand dropping towards her own gun.

"Don't," he warned.

Kai froze, with her fingers only inches from her gun.

"I don't remember too many nurses carrying guns," he observed. Although his tone was casual, his muscles were tight with tension and the need for action.

"The Colonel prefers all his people able to protect themselves," Kai replied smoothly. It wasn't a lie but she was skirting around the truth. She wasn't sure yet if Ronon Dex was truly a friend.

Ronon grunted and more shots sounded out in the forest. They both turned towards the noise. Kai heard a loud keening wail that she recognized immediately as McKay.

Ronon heard the gun fire, but not McKay's cries. Kai's eyes flickered to Ronon's gun and then back to his hard, green gaze. "I'm going after my friend," she warned him.

"I gave my word to help find him," Ronon told her.

"HELP ME!" McKay's scream echoed through the trees. This time loud enough for them both to hear.

Kai shared a long look with Ronon for a second before the two of them tore off through the woods towards the yelling. She wasn't comfortable having an armed stranger behind her, but she couldn't stop now. She hesitated at a fork for only a moment, she could hear Ford and McKay's voices to their left. She turned towards it without a word and Ronon followed. 

"You tried to kill me!" Ford screamed irrationally. Ford lifted his gun determinedly, leaning forward in eager anticipation for the kill just as Kai and Ronon broke into the clearing.

McKay was hanging upside down from a snare. "Wait! Wait!" Rodney whined. "You can't kill an unarmed, upside down man!"

Ronon didn't hesitate. He slammed into Ford, taking him to the ground. Kai heard his gun skitter away out of reach. Ronon pinned Ford easily, but Ford locked his legs around the larger man and wrenched him away.

Kai ran in throwing one of her small knives. It buried itself in Ford's side and she aimed a kick for his head. Ford caught her ankle, moving faster than he should have been able to. He gave it a jerk. Wrenching her off her feet easily. Kai slammed onto the forest floor on her back with the wind knocked out of her.

It gave Ronon time to recover. Ford threw himself to his feet just as Ronon charged him. He and Ronon exchanged strikes and blocks so fast it was hard to track. Kai jumped to her feet and drew another knife as she ran towards the fighting men. Ronon was holding his own, but he wasn't as fast as Ford and it was beginning to show.

Kai ran towards Ford's back but he was able to twist and arc holding the two of them off. She swiped at him with her blade at the same time Ronon charged from the other side. Ford jerked back just in time and she opened a line of blood across his cheek bone. Ford pulled a knife and swiped at her. She jumped back just clear of the brade.

Ronon grabbed Ford's arm, jerking it up to the point of breaking. Ford kicked him in the stomach as Kai landed an elbow strike to his temple. He twisted away from the two of them, holding his knife out.

Ronon drew his own blade, a pleased smile on his face. He lifted the blade up and pointed it at Ford with a dangerous smile. Ford charged them both. He kicked at Ronon as Kai rolled forward. She swiped across his thigh with her blade. She felt the knife bite into muscle. Instead of going down he threw one knife at Ronon to distract him.

Ford twisted towards Kai and slammed his fist down with all his power. He was aiming for Kai's temple, but she deflected it and the blow glanced off her shoulder. She grunted in pain and crumpled as her arm went numb. Ford drew another knife. Ronon slashed towards Ford's face with his knife. Their blades clashed and they leaned against them with all their strength.

John charged into the clearing drawn by the sounds of Rodney's continued screaming. At first it was hard to track what was happening. It was a macabre ballet. Ronon and Kai looked like dancers as they fought together against the single opponent. Ford was moving almost too fast to track and it was impressive how fast Kai and Ronon had adapted to each other's fighting style. They were easily able to attack and strike without getting in one another's way. Ford for his part was able to impressively hold them both off.

Ford got in a lucky shot. Slamming his fist into Ronon's jaw, sending the larger man stumbling back, then he kneed Kai in the stomach and threw her at him. Unable to stop her momentum, Kai landed on top of him and they both tumbled across the ground.

Ford bolted for his stunner.

"Lieutenant!" Sheppard yelled, lifting his P-90 now that he had a clear shot.

Ford was crouched over the weapon, his fingers tingling to grab it.

"Don't," John warned. He tightened his grip on his gun as Colonel Caldwell's warning to take the shot if it presented itself ran through his head. But Ford was just a kid, and he needed their help. They didn't leave their people behind.

The buzz of darts directly overhead distracted John. He glanced up to make sure there wasn't one of their transport beams headed their way.

In that second Ford bolted for the trees.

"Ford!" he yelled and took off after him. "Be safe!" he hollered over his shoulder, leaving Kai with Rodney. Ford was so close he could taste it. He wouldn't let him slip through their fingers again.

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Ronon climbed to his feet. He moved over to where Kai had just pushed herself up on her elbows. He reached down, offering her a hand up, an aggressive smile on his face. "I knew you weren't a nurse," he said appreciatively.

Kai snorted. "I'll take that as a compliment," she said turning back to McKay.

She drew her Blade and sliced through the rope. Rodney dropped to the ground with a shout. Ronon stepped close to her, and she rocked back on her heels, prepared for an attack. It seemed stupid to suddenly be so aware of his proximity now when they had fought nearly on top of one another just moments before. Instead, his eyes landed on the Blade in her hand. He looked at it and then back to her face. She could see the question in his eyes, but she wasn't going to volunteer any information. Her past was her business and she was working to put it behind her.

She slid the Blade away in her spine sheath and leaned down to offer Rodney a hand up.

"Ouch," he whined. "You know you could have done that more-" he pulled back when he came face to face with Ronon. Kai didn't blame him, the large man was a full foot taller than her and incredibly intimidating. His eyes flickered over to Kai for reassurance. "I mean thanks," he said quickly.

"Come on McKay," she said pulling McKay to his feet. "Sheppard went after Ford alone," she called over her shoulder as she took off running into the trees. Surprisingly, McKay groaned but followed without further complaint. What surprised her even more was that she could hear the nearly silent, but steady footsteps of Ronon following behind them both. She had honestly expected him to make a break for the gate the first chance he got.

She tune out all other noises and instead focused her senses ahead of them. She needed to find Sheppard. It was difficult to hear much over the zipping of the darts. She slowed and nearly came to a halt at a junction of trails. McKay was puffing as he stopped beside her but Ronon was a silent, steady shadow behind them. She strained her hearing for any sign of Ford or Sheppard.

"There," she called pointing to the right. She could just hear Sheppard's voice.

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John chased after Ford. "Ford!" he screamed as they broke out of the trees.

Ford stopped and faced him.

"Keep your hands where I can see them" Sheppard warned. The little bit of the fight he had seen had left an impression. Kai was a hell of a fighter, and Ronon was even better. The fact that Ford had managed to hold them both off was impressive. "We want to help you," he told the younger man.

Ford shook his head and John could see he was losing him. Whatever the drug did to him, it had taken over completely. There was nothing left of the overeager kid who had joined their expedition.

John gritted his teeth as Ford reached for his sidearm. John fired into Ford's thigh still not willing to take the killing shot.

Ford flinched but didn't go down. His eyes lit with betrayal and he jerked his gun out of the holster and aimed it at Sheppard's chest.

"You're not getting off this planet." Sheppard warned him. The Wraith darts were buzzing all around them, their beams sweeping the clearing. John tensed, preparing to make a break for the woods if necessary.

"I'll show you!" Ford growled and his eyes flickered to the beam sweeping towards them. "You'll see!" and he ran straight into the transport beam.

John stepped forward in stunned, disbelief. Ford had just willingly given himself up to the Wraith.

Kai broke through the trees just in time to witness their exchange. She jogged up to Sheppard, and stopped just over his shoulder. Sheppard's shoulders were heaving as he stared after the dart as it flew away towards the gate. He swung back around to face them. His gaze touched on McKay, Ronon and finally landed on Kai.

"I'm sorry Colonel," she told him sincerely. She knew that despite the steely set to his jaw he was hurting. Sheppard held himself responsible for Ford. Kai was tempted for the first time in a while to open the connection between them, just once, so he would know he wasn't alone.

"Let's get the hell outta here," he said gruffly.

Kai nodded and quickly banished the thought.

Sheppard turned to face Ronon. "I don't suppose you know the fastest way to the gate?" he asked.

Ronon grunted and nodded, leading them away into the darkness.

Kai waited until McKay turned to follow Ronon and she stepped up next to Sheppard. She lightly bumped him with her shoulder like he often did to her, just to let him know he wasn't alone.

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Hope you enjoyed the update!