MGM owns all characters except OCs.

A/N: Yes, it's back and going very AU for Season 2. Not sure if anyone can follow this if they haven't read Season 1, but give it a try if you'd like. This chapter takes place in the weeks between seasons.

Thanks, KoineKid, for your patience and beta.

Jennifer's eyes were drawn to the cot stuffed behind the storage cabinet in her office, as they often were when she was working late. The memories of her and Rodney's last time alone together caused warmth to spread through her. After five long, lonely weeks to think about her relationship with the physicist, she was certain she'd fallen in love with him. She also had a sense that Rodney would run in terror if she told him, so she was going to keep it to herself for a while. At least until I make him fall in love with me. An impish grin spread over her face as she imagined all the ways she might nudge him in that direction.

Jennifer turned back to the medical file open on her computer after giving into her fantasies for a few minutes. A wave of sadness swept over her as the once boyish face of Aiden Ford looked back at her. The Marine Lieutenant was in an isolation lab being withdrawn from the Wraith enzyme he'd been addicted to. It was Jennifer who originally fought with Carson about how to treat him and against an immediate withdrawal.

She argued that his altered brain chemistry and the physical changes, his blackened eye and malformations on his cheek, proved something else was going on with him beyond simple addiction. The young woman didn't want to risk losing another member of the expedition so close on the heels of Peter Grodin's death. As a resident she'd seen a recovering addict dislocate his arm trying to free himself from restraints during his withdrawal. Her wish to spare Aiden extra pain made her suggest that he be slowly weaned off of the enzyme. Her hope was that she'd have time to find another way to remove his need that wouldn't cause him any suffering.

The last meeting of the medical department and Carson's guidance via his last email pointed to only one thing: total withdrawal. Jennifer grudgingly admitted defeat to herself and reduced the dosage slightly that evening as a way to placate her guilty conscience.

"Doctor Keller?" Sergeant Kyle Wilkins voice came over her earwig.

"Yes, Sergeant?"

"Lieutenant Ford is complaining of a severe headache, ma'am. He wonders if you can give him some painkillers?"

"I'll be right there," she replied and got up to swing by the pharmacy.

Jennifer couldn't help but smile as she went on her way. Ford had turned on his full charm the last month and she had to admit she was flattered at the attention. Of course her heart was already taken, but it didn't mean the young woman didn't enjoy an ego boost from someone her own age flirting with her.

"Good evening, Kyle," she said to the young Marine outside Ford's door. He had a stunner and side-arm, which Jennifer still thought was too much.

After a few weeks of model behavior from Ford, Major Hawley, the temporary military commander during Sheppard's absence, agreed to reduce the number of security guards from two to one. Doctor Heightmeyer wrote off Ford's initial violent outburst directed at Carson as residual trauma. The only ones to vehemently object to the change were Sergeants Raven and Cole. With Richards, Warrington and Carter recalled to Earth for promotions and a bit of R&R, they were some of the only Marines with Special Ops backgrounds left on the base. Since there was no gate travel while Doctor Weir was gone, there was little for anyone to do but patrol the city and run drills. The less going on, the more paranoid those two get.

"Ma'am," Kyle said, his green eyes twinkling as he opened the door. "Remember not to fall for his smooth talk," the Marine said quietly as he stepped into the room.

"Hello, Aiden," Jennifer said as she stepped in behind Kyle. "I heard you needed a house call."

Ford chuckled as he sat up on the bed. "The best kind of visits from you, Doc."

Jennifer mirrored the broad grin on his face. "When did your head start hurting?" She walked over to the infirmary bed where Ford sat, handed him a cup with some pills and turned to pick up his water cup. Something hard hit her in the center of her back sending her forward into the small table.

"What the hell!" Wilkins shouted and reached to grab her before she fell down with the table, his Wraith stunner dropped to the floor.

Jennifer's arms gripped Kyle's as she steadied herself. She started turning only to be yanked backwards by her ponytail and crashed to the floor.

Like watching a movie, Ford wrapped his arm around the Marine, pinning the man's arms to his sides so he couldn't reach his sidearm or knife. Then the Lieutenant took out Wilkins' gun, held the barrel to the young Marine's head and pulled the trigger. Ford dropped the dead body, fired a few shots at the cameras around the room and then at the door mechanism, causing the isolation lab door to open.

"Move!" he screamed as he turned back to Jennifer with a crazed look on his face.

"You killed him!" she shouted from her position on the floor. Tears rolled unchecked out of her eyes as she looked at the bloody mess that had just been Sergeant Kyle Wilkins. Kyle, who couldn't wait to go home and ride his horse, and now never would.

"No, you did. Now let's get the enzyme and if you mess with me again, I'll kill someone else, Jennifer." He spat her name like a dirty word.

The shocked woman rose shakily to her feet and led the way out of the isolation lab.

Major Evan Lorne couldn't sleep. It'd been a constant problem for the last few weeks and the reasons fluctuated. This evening it was excitement over his new job again, where as yesterday it was a certain cute blond doctor.

Evan had applied to remain on Atlantis and join a gate team before the senior team left. He got more than that when Doctor Weir offered him a position as second in command of the military during the last dial up before the Daedalus started its return voyage. He'd be serving with the newly appointed military commander. John Sheppard's promotion to Lieutenant Colonel had been kept very quiet and was going to cause waves, but Lorne was looking forward to working with him nonetheless.

"Major Lorne to the conference room immediately," the voice of a technician called over the PA.

The Major jumped from his bed and grabbed his earwig. "What's wrong?"

"We need you in the conference room as soon as possible. We have a situation."

"What kind of situation?" Evan asked.

"Major Hawley wants you in the conference room as soon as possible."

"I'm on my way." Lorne grabbed some clothes from his closet and yanked them on as he made his way to the door.

Major Deborah Hawley was a Marine who'd been appointed as interim military commander. She wasn't happy she'd lost out on 2IC to an Air Force officer but didn't seem to hold a grudge against Evan. Lorne was certain that The Corps was content to have the new Master Gunnery Sergeant Richards as its eyes and ears on Atlantis.

When Evan reached the conference room he saw Doctor Heightmeyer, who looked like she'd been physically sick, Radek Zelenka with a gash on his forehead, being treated by a male doctor that Lorne didn't know, and Major Hawley.

"Major," the Marine said. "We're waiting for Teyla to join us."

"What happened?" Lorne could feel the tension in the room.

"Twenty minutes ago Lieutenant Aiden Ford escaped from the infirmary isolation lab. He killed Sergeant Wilkins, Doctor Tate and severely injured Doctor Zelenka while stealing a jumper. He made Sergeant Stackhouse fly him through the gate. He also took Doctor Keller with him. The technicians are attempting to isolate the address he dialed."

"Wha..." he started as the face of his dinner companion came to mind. "I'll get some teams assembled," Lorne stated as he turned to head to the armory.

"No. We can't leave Atlantis," Hawley said. "Doctor Weir's orders. No gate travel until we return."

"What? This is an emergency. If Ford takes them through another gate they'll be lost." Evan was outraged. "Ford's obviously psychotic. There's no telling what he'd do to Jennifer."

Radek raised the eyebrow over his uninjured eye and looked hard at the Major.

"Doctor Heightmeyer doesn't believe he'll kill her. The video I saw showed him forcing her to take all the enzyme from the fridge and materials to administer it…"

"Doesn't believe? Didn't he just kill two people in cold blood? Maybe he won't kill her now, but what happens when the enzyme runs out?" Evan barked. His hands fisted and he rocked on his feet to burn off some of his anger.

Before the red-faced Major Hawley could comment about his interruption, Teyla came into the room. "Oh, Major Lorne, I am glad you are here. I need you to fly to the mainland and bring back Kanaan and several other Athosians."

"We're kind of busy right now," he growled.

"I know. But since you are not allowed to use the gate, my people will search for Jennifer."

"Thank you for the offer, Teyla. We should have the address worked out shortly." She looked coldly at Evan. "Major, will you pick up the Athosians now?"

Evan had never been so angry with a superior officer- superior by three weeks- and barely contained a remark that would have probably cost him his new job.

"The Daedalus will be in radio range in three days," the Marine continued. "I'll contact them and get permission to send other teams through the gate."

Three days. Evan tried not to think of the terrible things that could happen in three days. The sweet doctor from Wisconsin went from being a pretty face to a good friend in less than three days.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he quickly followed Teyla to the jumper bay and hoped his strong gene-as Jennifer called it-would make the Ancient ship go faster than it ever had.

TBC

A/N: Sorry for Ford lovers but he's not just some 'lost boy' in this one. I've got a lot of dark moments ahead in Season 2, so you've been warned.

And I know Gunny went up two ranks, I've been told in rare occurrences by a Marine that it can happen. This was done to appease my Gunny lovers who would have hated losing that nickname. He's also the same rank in most of his stories now so it'll make my life easier too ;-D