Dr Linda Parsons, is not your average linguist. With an unfinished doctorate and a messy event from her past still haunting her; she's just trying to get by in the city of the Ancestors day by day. She doesn't need flyboys messing up her day.

Disclaimer: Not mine

A/N: So, there will be hints of John/OC Lorne/OC and expect a little of everything in this story; drama, hurt, comfort, friendship, adventure, angst, romance, humour. Read, enjoy and review.


Chapter 1

Linda, marker in hand, stared at the images taped to the wall next to her desk and glanced at the notes in her notebook. Stepping forward she pulled a picture down and sat it on the table. Running a finger along some of the photographed inscriptions she underlined a section with the marker. She picked up a pen and drew out the inscription in the notebook, labelled it and translated it.

Circling another section she put a question mark next to it. Whoever had taken the pictures hadn't done a very good job, which meant that she couldn't do her job properly. Frowning, she turned the picture over and read who had taken the pictures and from which planet. Dr McKay, M3G - 329.

With a sigh she collected the other relevant pictures, which wasn't many, and put them into a pile before deciding to make her way towards Elizabeth's office. Perhaps the expedition leader would allow her to go to that planet and get a complete set of pictures. There was something interesting in the text.

An arm linked itself with hers and she turned to smile at Lieutenant April Bozeman, her best friend since high school. "April."

"Linny," she replied with a smile.

Linda rolled her eyes and made her way towards a set of stairs, "What do you want?"

"Where're you going?"

She must've been bored, extremely bored, which wasn't anything new. "Elizabeth's office. I'm gonna ask if I can go to M3G - 329, get some better photos." For emphasis she waved the pile of photos in her face.

April nodded, her black hair bobbing up and down in its bun. "Taking a transporter would cut your time by what, twenty minutes?" Linda gave her a look and April sighed heavily, tugging her friend in the direction of the nearest one. "You're only in them for a second. It's not going to kill you."

"And what if the power cuts out? The scientists haven't yet properly got the city running." Another sigh escaped from April and Linda tugged her arm free and made her way back to the stairs. Sure, it took longer, but it made her feel safe.

April's footsteps caught up to her, "Can I ask to go with you then? If she approves? I need to get off world."

"Well," she shrugged her shoulders and tucked a loose strand of sandy blonde hair behind her ear. "That's up to Elizabeth, not me."

"Yeah," April drawled with a smile, "but, you could ask that I go with you."

Linda smirked and wrapped her arm around April's and pulled her close, "I will ask, but I make no promises."

"Anyway," the Lieutenant said, "In other news…"

Her sentence was cut off by Major Sheppard's shout of "Doctor?"

Taking her foot off the step she turned back down and nodded to him, "Yeah?"

He nodded to April next to her, "Lieutenant."

"Major," she supplied back with a nod.

John turned his attention to Linda, smiling politely he said, "Elizabeth suggested that if you're going off world, then it'd be wise to do a short session at the firing range, just in case we run into trouble you know?"

He offered a reassuring smile and Linda smiled back. "Sure, okay, later?"

"Well?" he looked sheepish as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, "We leave in four hours, so the sooner the better."

"Oh," she said, looking at the floor. Dragging her gaze back she shifted the photos in her hands, "Well, I was just on my way to see Elizabeth."

"But," April added, "That can be put on hold Major." Linda turned to look at her, her blue eyes narrowing and April smiled, took the photos and nodded to the two of them. "I'll take care of these for you."

"You don't even know why I'm going to see her," she tried to argue.

Her friend gave her a knowing smile, "Incomplete photos, interesting text, you don't have the whole picture, that sort of thing?"

Linda was speechless. "I'm not sure whether or not to be creeped out or not."

This earned a laugh from the Lieutenant who nodded to John on her way past, leaving the two of them alone at the bottom of the stairs. She gave a tight smile and waved him on, "Lead the way Major."

"John, please Doctor."

He held out his hand and she was surprised by the action. She knew some of the military people on the base and not all of them were keen to get to know any of the civilians on the base. "Well, please, call me Linda. I never exactly got my Doctorate."

"You didn't?" He gave her a sidelong glance, the corners of his lips twitching up into a smirk as they began walking.

With an uncertain smirk she nodded, "Yeah, I didn't exactly finish the course properly."

His brows furrowed at the comment and she elaborated, "I started a Greek and Latin course at University, but before I finished it I ended up working at the SGC."

"Ah," he nodded in understanding before his earpiece buzzed. Frowning he tapped at it and held a thirty second conversation with Rodney. Tapping it off he turned to Linda, "Excuse me, McKay wants me in one of the labs. I'll see you down at the range."

He patted her shoulder and turned in the opposite direction at a steady pace. She sighed and turned to go down a set of stairs. "Thanks April," she muttered underneath her breath, marking out a route in her mind to the firing range.

SGASGASGASGA

Ten minutes later and she was stood in a stall, a 9mil laid out in front of her with a spare clip next to it. She sighed. As much as she loved being in the firing range it just didn't sit well that she was going to be watched as she fired a gun at a paper target. Maybe I can tell him I don't need the practice. It had been close to six months since she'd been down here, the last time being the day before a mission with Major Domino's team, of which, April was a member.

Somehow, from that point until now, she'd been bogged down with work. It was mostly helping to teach some of the scientists the Ancient language and help refine their memory on it. At other times it was helping to translate the text on foreign objects that had been brought back where the language wasn't Ancient.

There were three Linguist's in the city, and all three of them had been given task after task to do, finish and return.

When Elizabeth had asked one of the them to accompany Rodney McKay in translating some text he'd found she'd happily stepped forward. She needed to get out of the city and needed to step through the Stargate again. The last time, was two months ago.

She was slowly being integrated onto Major Domino's team, and that made her happy because; it meant more chance to go off world and explore other planets and learn about other cultures as well as expanding her language database.

Picking up the 9mil she pulled back the safe guard and listened to the clicking of the gun.

The Major still wasn't there and she was beginning to get bored. A bored Linda, with a gun in hand, was usually not a good combination. Many people had learnt that in the SGC, only taking her off world then when it was absolutely necessary.

A smile filled her face when she recalled a mission involving; Major Lorne, the team he was on, a lot of C-4 and a Goa'uld mothership. That was a little fun to her, besides the whole getting zatted, captured, shot at and the usual stuff that came with the job.

Clicking a button the clip fell out and she caught it then put it back in and clicked it out again.

She continued this until John finally did turn up, five minutes later. "Sorry about that," he said coming to stand just behind her. "McKay wanted me to turn something on. Anyway," he looked down at the pistol in her hand, fully loaded and ready to use, and up to the target ahead of them. "Okay, when you're ready."

She nodded and waited until he had stepped back before bringing the gun up to eye level and firing off a small burst of shots. They made their impact near to the centre of the target, a couple of bullets edging the three and four mark zones.

Polishing off the clip she set the empty gun down and smiled at the target. That wasn't bad in her opinion. Every bullet had hit and only one had hit the one mark zone, the rest ranging from three to even a one ten mark zone.

"Not bad," John quipped, coming to stand next to her. "How good are you with a P-90?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I'm okay with them I guess."

He held up a finger and disappeared. Minutes later he turned up with the weapon in hand and handed them over to her. "Show me what you got."

Rolling her eyes she locked a clip into place, slamming it on the top, and pulled it against her shoulder. She quickly sent off another small burst and put the gun on the small table, satisfied with the result. John appeared satisfied too as he stood next to her, eye on the paper target. "You're a lot better then McKay." He turned to face her, a smile lighting up his eyes, "Perhaps you could give him some pointers?"

She gave a small chuckle and shook her head. "I've seen him working before, no thanks."

He gave a nod and eyed up the used weapons in front of them. "Okay, you're good. I'll see you in the 'gate room in," he looked at the watch on his wrist, "Three hours."

She nodded, "Yes Major. I'll put these back."

"Nah," he waved her off. "I'll do that. You go talk to Elizabeth like you wanted to, and please," he pointed a finger at her, "Call me John."

A sheepish smile filled her face, "Right, sorry. Old habit I guess, John." He nodded and she left the firing range.

SGASGASGASGA

Sheppard waited as Grodin dialled up the Stargate. Teyla stood on his left, silent, as McKay made his way towards them, complaining about 'incompetent staff'. Ford rolled his eyes and John shook his head, waiting for the fifth member of the 'mission' to show up.

Dr Parsons walked through, kitted up the same as the rest of them and John nodded to her. "Major," she greeted.

"Doctor," he nodded back. "John please." He prompted her for the third time. "How'd your talk with Elizabeth go?"

"Well," she said with a small smile, "It went well. I'll have to wait a while but she said I can go the next time she gets a chance to schedule the trip." She glanced around the group, smiling when her eyes caught Ford's and she turned back to the Major. "And please, John, call me Linda."

He nodded and watched as she and Ford started talking, striking up a conversation.

With the 'gate dialled up John led them through, with Linda and Ford lagging behind the group, both still talking, only half aware of where they were going.