This popped into my head as I was finishing my last story. Thanks to a few of you, the pairing of Mitchell and Jennifer Keller has really peaked my interest, even more than Lorne, Sheppard, or Ronon lately.

Two months off Atlantis. As Doctor Jennifer Keller descended the stairs at Stargate Command, she had mixed feelings about leaving her new home.

Of course there'd be perks. Her father was scheduled to land soon at the airport, where they planed to vacation for a week before she was scheduled to resume working at the SGC. The IOA now required for both her and the head scientist on Atlantis on a rotation schedule to come back to Earth twice a year for two months to go over mission reports, study anything new they had found in the Pegasus galaxy, and to train any potential new recruits.

General Laundry stepped through the protective doors of the gate room to greet her. She carried a briefcase and laptop slung over her shoulder, as well as a good sized suit case behind her.

"Dr. Keller. Glad you got back safely. How was your layover on board the Daedalus?" He took the bags from her, guiding her down the staircase.

"Oh, just swell. You know us doctors," Jennifer said warmly. "We make the worst patients."

Nothing had changed since she had first been sent to the Daedalus from this room. The gray walls, all unadorned, may have looked cold to others, but to her it was a welcoming site. It felt good to be back on Earth. Although Earth had its threats as well, major attacks seemed to be spread further apart than those on Atlantis.

"I'm going to have someone show you to your quarters you'll be staying in while you're here. Your father's plane landed a few minutes ago. We'll give you a lift to meet him afterward," Laundry said. "Ah, here are your tour guides."

Jennifer turned and squealed. "Sam! I was hoping to see you at some point!"

Samantha Carter wrapped her arms around the doctor, kissing her on the cheek. "Jen, I'm so glad the IOA did something that makes sense. We're going to be working together occasionally when you're back on base." She beamed at the young doctor. "I miss you."

"Not as much as we miss you," Jennifer teased. Turning toward the woman who was clearing her throat and smiling at Carter pointedly, she smiled at the woman. "Hello. I don't think we've been introduced."

"Oh," Carter said, rolling her eyes. "Sorry. Jennifer, this is Vala. She's-"

Vala shook the doctor's hand with enthusiasm, cutting off Carter. "I'm Vala Mal Doran, alien, new resident of Colorado, United States. I'm described by some as unpredictable, funny, loving, and absolutely thrilled that you're here. You see, Carter has some plans for when you're here and she pulled some strings." She grinned widely. "I get to come with you some times. You see, they don't let me out much."

"Shocker, huh?" Jennifer heard Landry murmur to Carter, earning a glare from Vala.

"It's nice to meet you Vala," Jennifer said warmly. "That's a shame you don't get to leave base often."

Carter smirked. "You won't think that in a few days, Jen. She's a handful."

The woman put her hands on her hips. "Listen to them, after all I have done for the great people of this planet." They simply stared at her, making Jennifer smile at the trio. "OK, OK, maybe I can be a handful at some times. Especially around the hunky men around here, not like my Daniel would notice or anything." Her eyes trailed off, grinning. "Speaking of hunky men-"

Landry looked in the direction Vala had her eyes trained. "Mitchell. Just in time. She's all ready, we just need to drop her stuff off at her quarters."

Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell, dressed in his black BDU's and boots, turned the corner. He looked a little exasperated at Vala, who greeted him with a quick kiss on the check.

"Geez, Vala," he complained, searching for the doctor he was to drive to the airport. He had never met Dr. Keller, and only knew she was a younger woman who had suddenly been forced to take over as Chief Medical Officer on Atlantis when Carson Beckett had the accident. Spying the woman looking amused at Vala, he walked over to her.

"Cameron Mitchell, at your service." He offered a hand, which she took in her own. "I'll be taking you to the airport in a few." Cameron studied the young woman. She was slender, about a foot shorter than him. At first glance, she looked very quiet and timid. He noticed a few scrapes on her hands that Landry and Carter hadn't mentioned to Jennifer. From mission reports he'd read from Atlantis, the doctor had gotten into a few tight jams in the past several months.

Keller tried to look serious. "It's nice to meet you, colonel. I've read a few missions reports about you." Her eyes gave her away as she tried to hold in the laughter as Vala began mouthing something from behind him. Narrowing his eyes, he spun around to see Vala fanning herself and pointing at Cameron. "Vala, don't you have to be somewhere?"

"Nope," she said saucily, patting his cheek. "But now that you mention it, I guess I could find something to do. How about I show the doctor to her room and then meet Cameron at the elevator?

Looking at Landry and Sam, Jennifer shrugged and followed the woman.

"I thought you liked this doctor?" Cameron said in a low voice. "And you're sending her to the wolves already? Some friend you are, Sam."

Carter stuck her hands in her pockets, leaning back. "Keller didn't get much down time on Atlantis. We kept her pretty busy." Walking along side of them, she grinned. "I think the Doc needs someone to shake up her life and have some fun."

Landry shook his head. "Next time, just introduce her to a nice young man and not our local psychotic alien. I have a feeling the doctor doesn't know what she's in for."

Mitchell met Jennifer as planned and they made their way up to topside. Going through security protocols, her bags were searched and they were both checked with alien devices for the presence of anything that may have taken over their bodies.

"Jeesh, and I thought the airport would be bad," Jennifer whispered over to him.

Cameron laughed. "Just think, I get to do this every day. Unless I'm off world."

"I'm guessing that everyone up here has the same security clearances as us?"

He shook his head. "Yes and no. Yes, they know what's going on down there. But no, they're not privy to mission reports and the details."

Taking her elbow in his hand, he guided her toward the direction of his car. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take my own vehicle for stuff like this. Unless you want to ride in a Hummer..."

She shook her head. "Whatever's best for you and will get me to my dad. I'm not picky." They threw her luggage in the back of his SUV. He paused to open the door for her, surprising her, and shrugged. "My momma taught me right. It stuck, you could say."

They only had a short drive to the small airport strip where her father's plan was landing.

"Where are you from?" Mitchell asked, glancing over at her. Like a few others from Atlantis he had driven around, she seemed to be orienting herself with Earth life again. They had only mostly passed trees, but there were a few gas stations and party stores they had come by.

"Hmm... what? Oh, sorry," Jennifer said, sheepishly. "I haven't been back in awhile. It's a lot to take in. Anyways, I'm from Wisconsin."

"Small town girl? Same here. Well, not the girl part," he laughed. "I grew up in Kansas. My dad was a test pilot for the Army until his accident. Mom retired a few years back, so they're enjoying the high life."

She smiled. "Do you get to see them much?"

He shook his head. "Not as much as I want, but more than you, obviously. Added to the fact that I can call or email them anytime I want." They drove in silence for a few minutes. "So what are you and your dad going to spend your time doing on your week off?"

"Camping for a few days, believe it or not. It was something we enjoyed doing when I was younger. Then we're going to get a few hotel rooms and relax, be lazy around the pool. Just catching up with one another," she said, still looking out the window.

He grinned. "Sounds like a good plan. When are you due back at the SGC?"

"One week from today. But I get a total of two weeks off when I'm here, so I'm going to fly in to Wisconsin my last week on Earth before returning to the Daedalus and then Atlantis."

Turning into the airport, he slowly made his way over to the parking lot Landry told him her father would be waiting at. Landry had arranged for a rental vehicle for the father and daughter to be driven there and waiting for them, since there was no rental place on the property or nearby.

"Is that him?" he pointed at an older man, waiting by a compact car and looking anxious.

He wasn't surprised to see her teary-eyed. "Yup, that's him. He looks fantastic. Lost the weight I've been nagging him to do for the past ten years."

"Must be fun having a doctor as your daughter," he laughed, parking and turning off the engine. While Jennifer gathered her purse, he quickly made his way over to her door and opened it. She jumped out, sped around the vehicle, and leaped into her father's arms.

"Daddy!" She had dropped her purse next to them and held on for dear life. Her father had his eyes squeezed shut, arms wrapped around his daughter and began to spin her around.

"There's my princess," he said roughly, obviously choked up with emotion.

Cameron grinned at the reunion, and then gave them some privacy while he got her bag out of his trunk. Shutting the door, he walked over and set it down next to the rental car.

Jennifer finally released her father, wiping a tear away from her face. Her father did the same, then walked over to Cameron with her.

"Dad, this is Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell. He was kind to give me a ride today," she said, making introductions.

"Sir, it's nice to meet you," Cameron said, smiling at the man.

Her father shook his hand, but not before giving him the once over. Cameron grinned, knowing full well the man was wondering if his daughter was involved with him. Deciding to put her dad at ease, he stepped back. "I just had the honor of meeting your daughter. She got in a few hours ago. I read a lot about her in mission reports that cross my desk. You should be proud of her work, sir."

The corner of her father's mouth tugged up. Sensing Cameron had read him correctly, he did feel more at ease. "I am proud of her. Just wish I knew what she was doing for a living," her father grinned. "So I'll ask you. If you were her father, would you be worried?"

"Dad," she chided, smacking his arm, "you know he can say anything."

"Actually, I can say this," Cameron said, earning a warning glance from Jennifer. He nodded at her, assuring her he wouldn't scare her father. "She's safe most of the time. And when she's not, she's surrounded by a group of people who are the best at what they do. No one can get through this team to her, I can assure you."

Her father, seeming satisfied with his answer, shook his hand again.

"It was good meeting you, Mitchell."

Cameron helped her father with the bags and then turned to her. "If I'm around, I'll try to be the one to pick you up to bring you back to the mountain."

Surprised again, Jennifer looked over her shoulder. "Thanks, colonel. I know you're probably busy. You don't have to bother."

"Hey, any excuse to get me out of there. And away from who know who," he grinned.

Cameron got back into his vehicle, making his way back to the SGC. The doctor was intriguing. He told himself he wasn't interested, but already could tell he would like having her around for a few months out of the year. Nothing more, he told himself. Just another friendly face to have around the SGC, possibly who will distract Vala from time to time. Cranking up the radio, Cameron sang to himself and enjoyed the fresh mountain air.