Disclaimer: STARGATE: ALANTIS – and all of it's characters are all property of Sony Pictures, MGM etc. This story is for fun & giggles and hopefully your entertainment purposes only. Please note no copyright infringement is intended or has money been exchanged. This is for fan fiction purposes only. All original characters and the story belong to the author only. I just want to "borrow" the team for a while.

This is just a first attempt at fan fiction writing….Second time around, with this story, some major rewrites…Time will tell…I am so sorry to all of those who had taken the time to read the fic first time out…I lost track of time, didn't post, life took a sudden twist….time got away on me…Thanks

Please let me know what you like and\or dislike…all reviews welcome. Also looking for a new beta…if interested please let me know…

Kellan

Chapter One -

His dreams were not welcoming, he dreamed again of the end and the beginning, the gate, the fire, the scent of blood. He can hear her calling out his name over the sound of gun fire; the sound of his own voice screaming for her to run; the devastation in her eyes, and then silence, there is nothing but the sound of thunder, his heart beating. He had startled himself awake, trying to smother the cries of her name into his pillow. This time he did not try to dry the tears. He had been here before too many times in the past couple months to know he can't stop this nightmare, and closed his eyes to regain what sleep he could.

Sheppard slid further into his blankets, reaching up for his pillow he breathes slowly searching for "happy thoughts" to carry him back to sleep; he can still hear her calling out to him trying to pull him back into the nightmare. He reached out to her voice echoing deep within his mind allowing him to embrace the apparition tighter.

The frightening dream began to swirl again in his mind pulling him back to the beginning. The setting is familiar. The sun was setting, the quick perimeter search showed that it was the same as almost every planet he had visited before, the same small clearing set within a grove of protective tree's, the path to the gate worn to dirt. Lush green grass grows along its side. The trees look all the same, everything is the same, and it feels as if nothing changes. Yet, he knows he has never been there, it was Plan B. He looked around the small weary group of soldiers and refugee's letting his eyes fall on the last place he saw her. She was gone.

Trapped within the dream he can feel the sense of dread and uncertainty begin to surface, turning around he rested against a fallen tree he watched through his minds eye as Ronon stared into small campfire, hand on his weapons ready, night had fallen quickly. Unable to draw Ronon into conversation, his words had no voice, all he needs to know was where she had gone, and he anxiously searched the many faces around the fire for her.

Unable to find her, he stood up, now searching among the sleeping forms. He knows with concentration he might be able to sense where she has traveled, and what troubles her if she is close.

His thoughts drift as he began the search for her. It has not been easy working with her; and yet she and the rest of team have adjusted well to the life that was offered to her at Atlantis. For him it's the knowing that he should be accustomed to her behavior and skills and yet there is still many times when it takes him by surprise and makes him uncomfortable.

He searched again amongst the others; she is not within the outer circle of the guard. Instead he sees her standing at the edge of the trees, there is a mist swirling around her feet. There is such a deep sadness within her eyes as she turns from him. He follows her at a distance, unsure how to apologize for their latest disagreement.

She walks towards the edge of the partial frozen lake. The moon is now high in the sky giving off an eerie glow to the ice. He is not sure how long they had to wander through the trees to get here. He needed to distance himself, and push as much of the swirling emotion away. He stood watching her as she fell to her knees at the edge of the ice.

"Why have you forsaken me?" She called out to him. "I have gone against everything for you; I was asked by your people to help you, my heart wonders why you torment me so."

The amulet she wears around her neck is glowing; the fire red stone burns bright in the darkness.

He was unable to decide as to what he should do, having decided that it was safer to maintain his distance; unable to hear fully what she was saying he stepped forward.

Her voice is lost on the night's breath. The sky begins to darken; clouds gather and begin to cover the moon. He is captivated by the sight, watching as the wind picks up, swirling mist around her, lighting crashes above them.

Without warning she let out a cry of pure fury within the same instant a ball mixed of lighting and fire leapt from her outstretched fingertips towards the sky. The power alone sent her flying into the frozen river. She did not surface;

"No" he screamed out in his sleep.

He raced for the waters edge, rushing in; he waits knee deep in the water for her to resurface, and when what seems like an eternity for him. He knows that he can't wait any longer. Diving in he pulls her from the darkness. Fighting against the icy fingers that threaten to drag them both down.

He is not ready to let go. He decided that this is not how it will be. Damn it all to hell.

"Please no" he cries out to an empty room.

Reaching the waters edge he climbs out with her in his arms. His fingers search to find a pulse, but he can not find one; there is nothing but icy cold skin. Looking up at the group quickly gathering, he noticed as Ronon silently offered to help, McKay and Teyla stepped forward. Waving them back, he carried her back to the camp and knelt at the fires edge.

"So cold, she is so cold" he whispered choking back the rage building within his sleeping form.

She was dead, which is the only, thought that he had. She lay in his arms unmoving, not breathing.

Unable to believe what he had witnessed, he allowed the darkness of despair and the tendrils of cold black fog swirl through his conscious thought.

She is dead. He turned to look down at her lying in his arms.

The planet's moon had gone dark, the pale glow of moonlight gone, and the fire was dying. The flames should be leaping and dancing when she is this close. … She is dead

The pain ripping through his heart as he looks at her ashen coloured face. Her lips have begun to turn blue, he had lost a great many friends before to death, but it did not wound him like this. He understood just how much he loved this woman; he was prepared to offer his life in exchange for hers. He softly kissed her cold lips.

Her wet hair was spread around them and tangled in his hands; even in death she was beautiful he thought. His fingers wiped the last of the water from her face, grasping her to his chest. For the first time in a very long time he began to pray. He would pray to all of the different gods in this galaxy if it would help. Just hoping that one would listen to his cries, he calls out to them again,

"Do not take her from me" he prayed to the pillow held tight within his arms.

As if he was shivering from the icy cold water from his dream he pulled the blankets across his shoulders to try and help keep warm.

Sheppard tossed about in his bed, pulling the blankets & pillows to his chest.