Evan Lorne was not given to impulse, nor was he indecisive. Those particular traits appeared only when he contemplated the beauty surrounding him on Atlantis. During those times, he would spend hours studying the way the afternoon light glinted off of the main tower of the city before deciding to paint the sunset at the western pier.

He was, however, given to compassion. Perhaps that was why he ignored the thunder rumbling outside the cave as he settled next to the woman staring at the fire from a safe distance. They were all soaked to the skin, and Lorne sported a slight cut above his eyebrow, thanks to a careless scientist allowing a branch to snap back and into the face of the man teaching him what it meant to be off-world. Anna, the woman, was not the scientist. Since meeting her earlier that day, she'd been quiet. Observant. Distant. Part of him wondered why, and he wanted to make sure she didn't stay so distant as to deprive herself of the warmth the fire offered.

The training mission could have gone better. Lorne had gathered a group of new recruits in the Gate Room, ready to show these newbies how life survived without their computers and gadgets. These missions were the bane of every experienced team leader, and Lorne had drawn the short straw. This particular group of scientists had complained like most of them, but they had all endured somewhat gracefully. The cut over his eyebrow was simple carelessness and did not deserve his wrath. The rain, however, was fully deserving. Twenty-four hours into a three-day camping trip, the weather had changed suddenly. High winds had forced them to head toward the Stargate, but they hadn't made it before the skies opened with fury. Had he been alone, he might have admired the rain and water rushing past the opening of the cave. He wasn't alone, however, and most of the scientists looked shell-shocked.

Everyone except Anna. She was a geneticist from Earth assigned to work and live on Atlantis. Lorne knew her last name, of course, but he didn't press her for it. He hadn't read her file, but he'd asked around when he'd first seen her. Apparently, she was working in conjunction with Dr. Beckett and Dr. McKay on the Ancient gene. The fact that someone else had been brought in to work on the ATA gene ate at McKay, and Lorne's estimation of her grew just for that reason. Anna had come to Atlantis only a week ago, and her eyes held a weariness that most new people couldn't quite fathom. She watched everything around her warily, and she hadn't blinked an eye when she saw the two moons on this planet. Everything about the way she moved and acted spoke of greater experience than her time with the SGC should have given her. And she was aloof. She'd held herself apart from the others and kept her personal thoughts to herself. That, alone, intrigued Lorne. Most of these scientists wanted to brag about their accomplishments. Instead, she listened and didn't say a word. Lorne wondered why.

As he shed his tac vest and stretched his legs toward the fire, Anna finally moved. She pulled the long braid she'd worn down her back over her shoulder and proceeded to wring rainwater from it. Lorne watched from the corner of his eye, not wanting to be caught staring. Most women on Atlantis kept their hair short. Long hair past a woman's shoulderblades was unique. Anna's hair fell to her hips. It had to be a sight when it was dry and loose.

The artist in him considered different settings for displaying that hair while the soldier in him watched the activity around him. Most of the scientists had begun to complain, saying they were cold or hungry. Lorne pressed his lips together to keep from snapping at most of them and shook his head. These people weren't happy if they weren't surrounded by computers, technology, and a steady supply of food. After the rain let up, they would all be going home. But, judging by the river running past the cave opening, that would take a while.

"Okay, everyone." Lorne finally spoke when the grumbling increased. Eight sets of eyes swiveled his way. "We're going to bed down here until the rain passes. Try to make the best of it."

"But, Major, all of our supplies were back at the campsite." Zachary, a physicist in Rodney McKay's department, stared at him. "How are we supposed to stay warm and dry?"

Lorne shook his head again. McKay and Zachary would get along well. He pointed at the fire. "Warmth. You'll dry out eventually." That sparked another round of grumbling. He opened his mouth to reply, but Anna chose that moment to acknowledge the activity around her.

"Would all of you quit complaining!" She stood and glared at everyone except Lorne and his team. "It could be a lot worse than this." She turned her back to everyone, walking toward the cave's opening. Lorne had the feeling she'd rather be out in the pouring rain rather than standing in a confined space listening to complaints. He wanted to congratulate her for putting an end to this round of grumbling, but he didn't want to anger her any more than she was. She had the look of someone who had seen too much. Surprising for her age.

The rain went on for several more hours. By this time, Lorne, Anna, and all of his men looked ready to commit murder. Most everyone had dried out, and the two women in the group let their hair down. Lorne had watched Anna edge closer to the fire as others moved away. Her fingers deftly released her hair, and he took her place at the cave's opening. He wasn't impulsive by nature, but he wanted to run his hands through those dark waves. Earlier that day, the sun had caught her braid, making it look like spun copper. Now, it looked brown but was still so inviting. Attraction wasn't something he dealt with on a regular basis, but this mysterious woman with hidden issues drew him more than he cared to admit.

"Major Lorne, this is Colonel Sheppard." The crackle of the radio surprised everyone.

Lorne turned toward the cave's opening. "It's good to hear your voice, sir."

"I bet." Sheppard's voice held a slight chuckle. "You missed your scheduled check-in for today, and Dr. Weir sent us to investigate."

"I'm glad she did." He eyed the hopeful faces around the cave. "We're holed up in a cave about three clicks from the Gate. The rain and flash floods cut off our access to the Gate and destroyed the campsite."

"I can see that." The rain outside the cave wavered, and a Puddle Jumper materialized. Sheppard smiled from inside, looking warm and dry. "We're ready to get you all home."

A collective cheer went up from the scientists, led by Zachary, and a collective sigh sounded through Lorne and his team. He noticed that Anna looked neither relieved nor excited. She looked as if someone had just informed her that the sky was blue. Lorne turned back to the Jumper. "Well, sir, if you're offering a ride, we won't say no."

The group excitedly gathered their jackets and the packs they'd been able to rescue from the campsite as Sheppard deftly turned the Jumper around. The back hatch lowered, and Teyla stood next to the door. Blankets and hot coffee waited for them. Lorne stamped out the fire and made a final round of the cave before following Anna into the Jumper. She didn't flinch at the thought of hovering over empty space as she jumped, and she settled closest to the hatch. Lorne sat next to her in the only seat available, noticing how the other scientists avoided her.

What was it about this woman? That question circled in his head as Sheppard turned the Jumper toward the Stargate and home.

SGA SGA SGA SGA

Back on Atlantis, Anna Travis endured the requisite physical examination. Dr. Beckett knew everything about her, as did Weir, and that made the exam so much easier. Beckett watched her, she noticed. But, most everyone watched her these days.

After debriefing, Anna returned to her room and slipped into a flowing sundress. The turquoise fabric fell to her feet, leaving her feeling like a princess. Then, she grabbed the guitar case that sat in the corner and left her room.

Times like back at the cave brought back too many memories. She'd not been in a natural cavern in nearly a year, and it had affected her. So had the other people she'd been stuck with. The military guys and their commander, Lorne, hadn't been that bad. They hadn't complained and bickered over every tiny development. The other scientists, however, had shunned her from the beginning. They preferred to compare notes on who had done the most good out of two galaxies. It didn't help that they spent the majority of the time in the cave bragging over one achievement or another. Part of her wondered just how she would endure the bragging and bickering here on Atlantis. She wasn't known for her diplomacy. Not anymore.

While the other planet had been dark and dreary, nearing nightfall by the time they left, the sun was still high in the sky here at Atlantis. Anna stepped onto a sun-drenched balcony and smiled. Warmth flooded her being, and she shook her hair from it's loose braid. It brushed her shoulders and caught the rays of the sunlight. The waves, put in it by the sudden drenching it had received, gave it a wildness that she'd always liked.

After taking a few minutes to let the sun warm her, she set the guitar case next to a wall and opened the top. The guitar, a Martin that had belonged to her grandmother, glowed in the sunlight in spite of the minute scratches that marred its surface. Anna picked it up, reveling in the utterly smooth feel and the woodsy smell of the spruce top. She ran her thumb over the strings, listening to each one. A few tiny adjustments to the tuning pegs in the headstock brought the strings into tune, and she gently strummed the strings. The mellow tones resonating through the guitar and vibrating against her body chased any tension from her shoulders as she played. Soon, she lost herself in the music. This, at least, hadn't been taken from her.

Anna wasn't sure how long she played. She allowed her fingers to find their place, creating melodies that no one had ever heard. Occasionally, she played a favorite piece, but this was her time. This was her way of releasing all of the guilt and anger she'd stored up inside of her. This was her way of forgetting that dark, damp cave that nearly destroyed her life a year ago.

The sun had barely set when she left the balcony. Her shoulders felt like they'd absorbed the sun's rays and glowed in the dim hallway. Anna knew that wasn't so, but it felt good. The weight of the guitar in her hand also comforted her. She received several appreciative glances from men as they passed her, but she ignored them all.

"Doc." The straightforward voice pulled her out of her musings. Major Lorne stood just outside the transporter that would take her to her room. His bemused expression concerned her on a personal level.

Her stoic mask slipped into place easily. "Major." She stopped, not sure what to do. "Thanks for today."

"Me?" He stepped into the transporter, leaving her with little choice but to follow him or be rude. "I didn't do that much."

Anna followed him into the tiny room, not really feeling like being rude. "You did enough." She didn't clarify-didn't want to. The fact that he'd chosen to ignore her aloof attitude and the way the others had shunned her had been a shot in the arm. But he didn't know how badly she had needed his presence beside her, and she preferred it that way. The fewer people that knew what had happened, the better. It was easier to forget that way. Still, she wanted him to know that he had done some good.

Lorne pressed the button that took them to crew quarters. He didn't say much, but she felt him near her anyway. He'd changed out of his wet clothes, but that didn't mean he didn't look great. Back in the cave, he'd been fascinating. Even with blood from his head wound running into the rainwater on his face, his blue eyes had been clear and direct. He'd kept her from panicking in that cave.

When the door to the transporter opened, he motioned for her to precede him. Once out of the tight place, she made sure to carry the guitar between them. He eyed it. "You play?"

"Yes." She smiled, content to keep the conversation on familiar turf. "This was my grandmother's. There was some grumbling when I had it shipped from earth, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to leave it at home."

Lorne seemed to accept that. He stopped when the main corridor intersected with another one. "Well, I'll be seeing you around."

"Thank you, Major." Anna kept her mask in place. As he walked away, she stared at him. She hadn't felt drawn to anyone at all in over a year. Since that fateful night in the cave, she'd sworn that she'd never let a man get that close again. Fortunately, she didn't know many men on Atlantis. Unfortunately, the one man she could say she knew had drawn her attention. One attractive, direct, and seemingly uninterested major had broken through the initial panic by being a calm presence when she'd needed it. Maybe, just maybe, she'd found a friend that could help her truly forget the past.

~TBC~