Disclaimer: I sadly own very little, and the Atlantis characters are not among the things I do own.

Author's Note: Back from a long hiatus, this is my first fan fiction in a while. It is set while Elizabeth Weir is still in command and shortly after Ronan comes to stay at Atlantis.

All comments and constructive criticism is more than welcome and greatly appreciated.

Chapter One

"I think I'm coming down with something." Rodney sneezed loudly and sniffed.

"You're always coming down with something." Ronan shook his head and continued down the overgrown path.

"Do you think anyone even lives on this planet anymore?" John kicked at a half buried stone. "I mean, look at this place. Everything's completely overgrown; it doesn't look like anyone's been on this path in years."

"Perhaps they do not know about the Stargate," Said Teyla.

"Perhaps," said John scanning the surrounding woods.

"Maybe, maybe not but we're about to find out." Rodney waved his life sign detector in John's face.

"That's weird." John took the detector and shook it.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing?" Rodney took it back. What was John thinking? "You can't just . . . that is strange."

"What?"

Rodney glanced at Ronan and then gave the ancient device a little shake himself. "There seems to be some sort of malfunction. According to this the other life sign we detected should be standing right in front of, well you Ronan."

Ronan spread his hands out in front of him. "Nothing."

"Huh." John pocketed the device. "I guess we're flying blind this mission."

I am invisible.

I watched as the strangers come through the gate. What could they want?

No one has come through the gate in over ten years, not since before the last wraith culling.

I stand before the four strangers, willing for them to see me. I know they can detect me with that small device they are holding. To them I am a malfunction. To my people, I am a ghost.

I close my eyes as they put the device away and continue on the abandoned trail. Why had I even hoped that they might be different? We come from different worlds yet we are the same in more than just our appearances.

Their clothing is strange. I can tell they are military from the weapons they are holding.

I do not fear for my people. They do not seem to want to cause us any harm. I gather they are explorers from a place called Atlantis.

One of them sneezes explosively, the others yell at him to keep up. I think he is a man of science. Men of science, in my experience, have more trouble believing in the unexplainable than others. Perhaps there is hope for me still.

It does not take them long to find the town that I grew up in.

I swallow hard, fighting back the homesickness. I am only here to find out what the visitors want. And to see if they can possibly help me.

The town is strangely quiet; I try to think back, what day is it? Can it have been so long already? I am loosing all sense of time, and that scares me. Everyone must be at the festival. Yes, that is what day it is.

The strangers pause as they spot a young man coming from around a corner. My heart nearly stops.

Anthony.

Rodney felt his forehead for the tenth time that day, positive that he must have a fever. He also had the uneasy feeling that someone was following them.

They met one of the natives. Teyla and John were talking to him, explaining where they had come from. He didn't seem surprised that they came through the gate, he knew exactly what it was for.

He informed them that they had no need to travel off world. Rodney scoffed, that was the most ridiculous statement he had heard all day. Teyla gave him a look from where she stood. "What?"

The town wasn't remarkable, he doubted they had anything that would benefit them in their fight against the wraith. Elizabeth would still insist that they build any kind of alliance that they could with these people. They were explorers after all, even if there wasn't much to explore.

On the bright side, they were invited to join the townspeople in their festivities. Rodney's stomach growled, maybe a little bit of food would make him feel better.

Teyla and John hiked back to the gate to inform Elizabeth that they would be staying the night, learning whatever they could.

Much to Rodney's relief John allowed him and Ronan to stay behind in the town. Ronan didn't seem too pleased to be left behind.

"My name is Anthony." The young man said. "Let me introduce you to my people."

The first person that they met was the mayor. He didn't seem to keen on Rodney and Ronan but he was civil enough. Anthony seemed embarrassed and herded them along to a long table covered with food.

Once Anthony was satisfied that Ronan and Rodney had enough food to last them a while he left to take care of some urgent business. Rodney sat across from a gloomy looking woman.

"Hello."

She smiled sadly. "You are the travelers who came through the gate."

"Yes. Might I say you have some very good cooks on your world?"

She blushed, "You are too kind. My name is Anna."

Mother.

I am ready to cry. I did not think it would be so painful to see them after so many months.

I sit on the wooden bench next to her, resting my head on her shoulder, wishing that she could see me or at least sense my presence.

She seems to like the strangers. Anthony has arranged for them to stay with her and my little brother for the night.

Any doubts I have about them is completely washed away by Anthony's trust. He always was a good judge of character, except when it came to the woman he fell in love with.

My mother looks so sad. I wish I could tell her I am all right. I wish I could tell her not to worry. I wish . . . I wish . . .