Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. No profit is made from this.

AN: This is set after The Lost Tribe. This is a little different and starts of dark, but will have a happy-ish ending.


-24th November-

"So that leads us onto report number 234267." Woolsey said changing the documents on his screen. "Do you have any comments?"

"Nope." John said, wishing he had brought a larger mug of coffee to the meeting.

"Have you actually read this one?" Woolsey asked wearily.

"Yes." John said. Seeing Woolsey's doubtful look he added. "Well skimmed. Major Teldy wrote it so it will be well written and by the book."

Before Woolsey could answer his radio bleeped.

"Woolsey here." He said, hoping he was not going to be greeted to another emergency.

"Mr Woolsey please report to lab 433." Captain Miller's shaky voice demanded over the radio.

"What's the problem?" Woolsey asked.

"Please switch to a secure channel." Miller requested.

Indicating to John he should do likewise Woolsey switched to a secure channel and said. "Go ahead."

"It's Dr Keller Sir."

"What about her?"

"She just jumped off the balcony."

"McKay." John growled into his radio as he stood and started running towards the recently found ancient lab.

"Kinda busy." Rodney retorted.

"I need you to find Keller."

"I'm not a-"

"Now Rodney." John said.

"Fine, fine, fine. That's weird."

"What's weird?"

"She's not in the city."

"How about outside the city?"

"The sensors don't work outside the city."

"Rodney, now is not the time."

"Sheppard, I am telling you that the sensors can't find Jennifer anywhere within their range."

"Meet me in lab 433 now." John ordered before changing channel.

"Lorne do you read?"

"Go ahead Sir."

"I need you to take a Jumper and scan the water outside lab 433 for lifesigns."

"Yes Sir." Lorne replied. Hearing the tension in John's voice he refrained from asking whose lifesigns he should search for.

-00-

"What the hell happened?" John demanded as he entered the lab immediately scanning the room before heading to the balcony.

"Well Sir, Burke cut his hand and I requested a doctor come down to look at him."

"Why not go to the infirmary?" Woolsey asked slightly breathlessly as he ran through the door.

"Dr Keller was insistent that a doctor examine anything that penetrated the skin in here, just in case."

"Very well, go on." Woolsey instructed.

"Dr Keller arrived a few minutes later. I should have known something was up, she was really quiet, even for her. Then she got really frustrated while she treating Burke."

"Why?" Woolsey asked.

"She thought she had brought the wrong bag with her, it didn't seem that big a deal to us, but she got really upset. Then she finished treating Burke and said we should report to the infirmary. When she didn't come with us I asked what was wrong and she said she needed some air and would be up shortly. So we left, but, I can't really explain it, but I had a feeling something wasn't right so we went back in. That's when we saw her jump. We tried to get there, but we were too far away. If only we came back sooner. I should never have left her."

"None of us saw this coming." Woolsey said sympathetically.

"Colonel Sheppard, come in." Lorne's voice sounded as Rodney entered the lab.

"Go ahead Lorne."

"I have scanned the area outside lab 433 and there are no lifesigns for ten clicks. Do you want me to expand the search?"

"Do it and then do a visual search for a body."

"Whose body?" Lorne asked.

"Keller." John said. The name causing shock and grief to spread across Rodney's face.


A/N: Thanks for reading. Next chapter up tomorrow.