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Chapter 1

"Are you sure you want to do this?" General O'Neill asked Alexandra for what felt like the hundredth time as they stood beside the Daedalus.

"Yes I'm sure." Alex responded turning to face the General. "I need to get away from here. Go somewhere there's not so many people who know what happened to me."

General O'Neill looked angry. "What happened to you wasn't your fault."

"I know." Alex smiled softly at him. "But every now and then I see people look at me with fear or pity. I'm getting tired of those looks. At least most, if not all of the people on Atlantis weren't here when I was taken."

"I've had to tell Dr Weir and Col Sheppard what happened but they'll keep it to themselves. They're not ones to gossip." Jack placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I just want you to feel like you again. And if you feel this is going to do that then go right ahead. But the minute you want to come home just say the word. Can't have my goddaughter unhappy now that she's back with us."

Alex gave him a large grin, feeling almost lighter now that he gave his blessing. "I love you Uncle Jack. Thank you for letting me do this." She leaned into his side for a hug. Jack O'Neill was the best godfather a girl could have. He was there for her when her parents died in a car accident while she was in college. He helped with all the lawyers and various low life family members that came out of the woodwork trying to get their hands on her parent's money, well her money now.

It was that money that allowed her to stay in school and then join the SGC as one of their medical research scientists, after all, it wasn't like the government paid well.

Jack was the one to recommend the job to her, partly Alex thought, was to keep an eye on her and the other that he just knew all of this would fascinate her. She had actually completed a double degree while in college, medical research and archaeology. They were skills that came in hand and were an asset until one day off world when she caught the attention of a Goa'uld.

She shook herself out of the memories as commotion picked up around them. People were beginning to board the starship.

Before she could move though, Jack turned her side hug into a full one, squeezing her tight. "I mean it kid." His voice sounded a little gruff. "The second you want out, I'll make it happen. Then you can come home and head to the beach."

Alex laughed into his chest, being 5'3'' sucked sometimes, but other times it was nice. "You've got a deal." She pulled away and leaned down to grab the bag at her feet, her other belongings already being on board. "I love you uncle Jack."

She turned to the ship and took a deep breath. This was going to be an adventure. She just hoped it was nothing like the last time she went off world.

John Sheppard knocked on Dr Weir's door before entering. "You wanted to see me Dr Weir?"

Elizabeth looked up from the paperwork in front of her. "Yes John, some in and take a seat." She pushed the papers aside as John sat. "The Daedalus should arrive tomorrow and as you know Alexandra Nelson will be joining us."

"This is the girl that used to be a Goa'uld?" John questioned picking up the file Weir has pushed over to him.

"She's also General O'Neill's goddaughter." Elizabeth dropped that bombshell.

"What?" John's head jerked up. "You can't be serious."

"Deadly serious, and the General has delivered a message that no harm is to come to her while she is a resident of Atlantis."

"After everything that happened to her why would she want to come here?" John questioned.

Weir shrugged. "Her reasons are her own. But she is committed to the expedition and will be assisting in the research labs. We come across too many things that are affecting us and medical research is her specialty. She also knows a few languages, including much of the ancients so she will assist where needed there as well. When she arrives I'd like you to show her around the city."

"So I'm on babysitting duty?" John asked with disgust.

"No John you're not. Once you've shown her around you can leave her to her own devices. I just want her to feel welcome. And it goes without saying that she is not to be treated any differently because of what she's been through. The Goa'uld was removed. Please do not say anything to anyone about it. It's her story to tell."

"Of course Dr Weir." Sheppard stood to leave. "Let me move some things around so I can be there for when she arrives."

"Thank you John." Weir went back to her paperwork.

"So you're a babysitter?" Ronon mocked as he and John sparred.

John ducked one of Ronon's swings. "No I'm not. Once I show her around the city, she's on her own."

"What makes her so special anyway?" Ronon threw a kick at John that knocked him back a few steps and took his breath away.

"She's General O'Neill's goddaughter."

"What's a Gods daughter?" Ronon asked

John stepped back putting his hands up signalling a break. He walked over a table and picked up a water bottle. "Not a Gods daughter, just goddaughter. Back on Earth some people, when they have children go to their friends or family and ask them to be godparents. It's original intent was for those two people to be in charge of that child's religious education, but nowadays it's more like an honorary aunt or uncle for most."

"A protector." Ronon put in before taking a long drink from the bottle John had thrown at him. "We have those on Sateda. They will look after the child if something happens to the parents. They're also responsible for training and tactics. It is an honor to be asked. General O'Neill must be a great man."

John thought back to some of the talks he'd had with the General before coming to Atlantis. "He is a great man."

"So why is he letting her come here? Wouldn't she be safer on Earth?" Ronon questioned.

"Maybe yes, maybe no." John shrugged. "What ever the reason she'll be here tomorrow."

Ronon slapped John on the back. "Enjoy babysitting duties." He laughed.

"Thanks Ronon." John relied dryly.

After two long weeks they were finally here and Alex couldn't wait to get off the ship and into some fresh air. You can only be locked up in a tin can for so long before you go crazy, no matter that the tin can is bigger than some cities.

She grabbed her suitcases and made her way through the ship. Jack had told her that someone was going to meet her at the ship to show her around. Part of her resented the escort but the other, practical part knew it made sense. After all this was a completely foreign place to her. Walking down the gangplank she looked around trying to see an obvious choice of who her guide was.

"Miss Nelson!" A voice called out to her left. She glanced over to see Lt Col John Sheppard standing there waving at her.

She smiled and made her way over. "Lt Col. thank you for meeting me here. I'm sorry you got stuck with tour guide duties."

John smiled at the girl standing before him, she couldn't be older than 25 and with her platinum blonde hair and bright green eyes she was beautiful. He could see why the General wanted her looked out for. "Don't worry about it." He reassured her. "It gets me out of some paperwork." He leaned over and took two of her suitcases. "Now what do you say we drop these off at your room then I'll give you the grand tour."

Alexandra's eyes lit up in excitement. "That would be fantastic! Thank you Lt Col."

"Please call me John." He insisted.

"As long as you call me Alex." She smiled at him as the left the ship behind.

"So how am I as a tour guide?" John asked as they found a table in the mess hall.

"Not bad, although I could have done without the drunk poker night stories about Major Lorne." Alex responded.

"I just wanted to give you some of the history of our fair city."

"I don't think that's the kind of history the Ancients would want out there." Alex laughed.

John shrugged. "But it's still history."

Rodney McKay coming up to them and dropping his tray onto the table interrupted Alex's laugh. "So you're the General's goddaughter. Must be nice to know people in high places."

"Rodney!" John yelled.

"It's okay John." Alex placed her hand on his arm. She turned to Rodney. "It is nice to know people in high places, but that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I'm the top in my field for medical research and I speak multiple languages. It has nothing to do with who I know. And believe me, if Jack could have stopped me coming here he would have."

"Then why did you?" A deep voice asked from behind her.

Alex stiffened at the sound of that voice, then turned her head as she felt body heat next to her as a large male sat beside her. And he was a male, to simply say man wouldn't do him justice. He had to be six and a half feet tall, and his biceps were as thick around as her thighs with long dreadlocks and piercing dark eyes.

Dark eyes that were currently fixed on hers, unblinking. Alex found herself being drawn into those dark depths and it wasn't until John's voice sounded that she snapped out of it.

"That's really none of our business Ronan."

Alexandra mentally shook herself out of a daze and turned back to John. "No, it's a valid question. I guess I wanted a change of scenery." Alex knew that John was aware of what happened to her but he obviously hadn't said anything to his team which she appreciated. "And while I love my godfather, he can't control what I do."

Alex could feel Ronan continue to look at her but she refused to turn her head and be drawn back into a staring contest.

"Well I must say it is nice to meet new people from Earth." Teyla put in softly smiling at Alexandra. "I am Teyla Emmagan."

Alex reached over to shake Teyla's hand. "Hi Teyla, I'm Alexandra Nelson, but you can call me Alex, it's nice to meet you."

John jumped in his seat a little, almost as if he had been kicked under the table. "Sorry Alex, yes this is Teyla, Rodney McKay as you may have figured out and Ronon Dex to your left."

Rodney leaned over, a smirk on his face. "I'm sure you've heard of me."

"I've heard some things." Alex let her tone convey what those things might be. "It's nice to meet you both." She shook Rodney's hand but when she turned to Ronan with her hand outstretched for his, she saw him still staring at her, so she just smiled and turned back to her lunch.

"So Alex what will your duties be here on Atlantis?" Teyla asked.

"Medical research mostly." Alex answered. "Studying the Ancient gene and anything else that comes up. I'm also here as a linguist as necessary."

"I have always loved the study of languages." Teyla commented. "What made you decide to study them?"

"I travelled a lot as a child with my parents and picked up many during those times. As I got older I found I had an affinity for them and a fascination with ancient cultures. There wasn't always translations around for some of the places we were so I would learn the language." She smiled wryly. "But my practical parents didn't think I could made a good living doing that so I went into medical research to pay the bills."

John choked a bit on his food when she mentioned paying the bills. He knew who she was and what she was worth and knew paying the bills wasn't a problem for her.

Alex smiled innocently at him as Rodney pounded him on the back. "You okay John?"

He coughed. "Yes, just bit off more than I could chew."

Alex and the others laughed at him and continued to talk for about an hour before everyone took off for their own tasks.

Alex watched them go after insisting to John that she knew how to get back to her room. Her eyes fell on Ronon as he left. There was something about him that scared and intrigued her. Feeling his body radiating heat next to her during lunch made her feel things she hadn't felt since before she had been taken. But the big man hadn't said anything to her during lunch after his initial question. He just sat there eating his lunch and staring at her periodically.

She slowly made her way back to her room, all of today's arrivals had the rest of the day to unpack and explore the city before reporting to work tomorrow so she was in no rush.

The city really was a beautiful place and it called to a place in her soul that she had thought long buried by her experiences over the last 6 years, the first 5 being as a prisoner of the Goa'uld and the next year in the emotional roller coaster of coming back to earth and dealing with everything. She was determined to make the most of this situation.