"All set?" John asked Jennifer as he jogged into the Jumper.

"I think so." Jennifer nodded nervously.

"You'll be fine." Teyla assured her as she sat behind Rodney in the cockpit.

"I really wish you hadn't said that." Jennifer muttered, associating the word fine with impending doom.

"Relax doc, you've got the A-team this time." John grinned taking his seat.

"Out of interest, which one of us are you calling mad?" Rodney asked.

"You really have to ask Howling Mad McKay?" John questioned glancing over at McKay.

"Funny!" Rodney retorted.

"You were the one who asked." John pointed out as he tapped the console. Looking over his shoulder and seeing the final member of his team standing at the back of the cockpit between Jennifer and Teyla the Colonel added.

"Ronon, you want to sit down?"

"No."

"Glad I asked." John muttered as he powered the engines.

Once the Jumper was finally through the gate John looked at McKay and questioned.

"You know where we're going?"

"According to Miller's team we just follow the energy source….so head towards the mountain." Rodney said tapping at his controls.

"Any particular mountain?" John asked waving at the several in the view screen.

"The big, cold, unfriendly, looking one." Rodney clarified.

"Being mountains they're all big and being winter they're all cold." John shot back.

"Fine head to the one on bearing 246."

"Was that so hard?" John asked as he swung the Jumper round to the bearing.

"Looking at this there is a flat piece of land about a kilometre away." Rodney said changing the display. "Unfortunately I don't think we're going to get closer."

"I see it." John confirmed landing before looking round at the rest of the team. "Looks like we'll have a bit of a trek so pack accordingly." The last comment apparently directed at Jennifer.

-00-

"Okay kids here you are. Don't press anything that will destroy the planet or, in your case Rodney, part of the solar system. And Rodney, play nice and share the consoles." John announced as they finally made it to the Ancient Lab they had been hunting.

"You make it sound like you're not staying." Jennifer pointed out, pulling off her gloves.

"I'm not. Well not here anyway. I'm going to go look at the other rooms, see if there's anything interesting." John replied before looking at Teyla and Ronon and asking. "You staying or coming with me?"

"Coming." Ronon replied instantly.

"I'll stay here." Teyla offered.

"You sure?" John asked, unable to imagine anything worse than watching the two doctors paw over the consoles.

"I am sure." Teyla nodded.

"Okay then, we'll be back in an hour. Check in every ten." John replied before leading Ronon out of the room.

"Right let's get started. Based on what was in the database this whole room was a medical research centre. So see if you can figure out what any of these machines were for." Rodney said to Jennifer. He then paused and added. "Perhaps I should do a quick check first and make sure they aren't actually weapons. I don't want you breaking anything."

In response Jennifer rolled her eyes, but silently shadowed Rodney as he started investigating the consoles.

-00-

"Found anything?" John asked when he and Ronon returned.

"Hard to tell. I have downloaded as much data as I can." Rodney replied. "We can review it back on Atlantis."

"And you doc?" John asked.

"No obvious clues about its purpose. We'll have to wait until we have reviewed the data."

"So a waste of time." Ronon chipped in.

"This is science not hunting. You chip away at the truth piece by piece." Rodney explained indignantly. "You can't just charge in and expect answers straight away."

"Why?" Ronon asked as he lent against the wall.

"Because it's science." Rodney said getting flustered. "It takes skill, hard work and a touch of genius. Something clearly you don't appreciate."

"Rodney." John cut in. "Stop insulting Ronon. Ronon stop upsetting Rodney. Remember we agreed we'd all be on our best behaviour in front of our temporary team member."

"No we didn't." Rodney and Ronon replied, almost in unison.

"Well we should have." John stated before changing the subject. "Let's move out."

-00-

"Something's wrong." Ronon said as they left the buried caverns and emerged from the mountains.

"Want to be more specific?" John asked tensing and scanning the area.

"We're being watched." The former runner clarified.

"I thought you said there was no one else here." John hissed at McKay.

"There wasn't." McKay said defensively, quickly pulling out his Ancient lifesign detector and groaning.

"What?" John asked.

"This isn't picking us up. The rocks must be emitting some type of radiation, masking all lifesigns." Rodney explained.

"So what you're saying is that we could be surrounded by an army?" John asked.

"Technically, yes."

"Well thanks for the precise intel." John retorted just as a gunshot echoed off the surrounding stone.

If John gave the order to take cover Jennifer didn't hear it as she was pulled behind a boulder by Ronon, who carefully shielded her body with his own.

"Everyone okay?" John asked, looking for the enemy.

"Ignoring the whole being shot at, great!" McKay responded as he pinned himself against the boulder.

Having seen everyone else nod John ordered.

"Keller, McKay, stay here and stay hidden. Teyla, Ronon, let's see if we can flush out the less than friendly natives."

-00-

Jennifer waited with Rodney behind the boulder watching as John, Ronon and Teyla tried to out maneuverer the as yet unseen enemy. Eventually Rodney exclaimed.

"Got it!"

"What?" Jennifer asked.

"I've recalibrated the sensors."

"So you can see us?"

"Us, them, hopefully some not so big wild mammals as well or else we're screwed."

"What do you mean screwed?" Jennifer asked, trying to keep calm.

"I mean there are way too many lifesigns here for us to stand a chance. But hopefully I just made this a bit sensitive." He explained waving the detector. "Okay this should do it…..and that seems more likely."

"How many not us are there?" Jennifer asked.

"Ummm, seven. And none of them are approaching us." Rodney said relaxing. Looking at the screen again he suddenly tensed and added. "Except that one."

"What do you mean except that one?"

"One is heading straight for us." Rodney said before taking a deep breath. "Okay, stay here I'll go and deal with it."

"How?"

"How do you think? Just stay down and out of the way." Rodney ordered before scampering off to where he thought the enemy was. As he left, Jennifer peered over the rock and watched Rodney like a hawk, trying to figure out what was happening. Then all of a sudden a gunshot echoed and Rodney crumpled.

"Rodney!" Jennifer exclaimed as she saw him go down. Without thinking she pulled her gun a fired a few shots in Rodney's general direction, hoping to scare off the enemy. She then grabbed her bag and sprinted towards the prone physicist. As she reached him she was relieved to hear him groan.

Seeing Jennifer hover over him he asked grimacing.

"Is it bad?"

"I don't know yet." Jennifer said trying to cut Rodney's shirt away so she could see the wound.

"I'm so cold." Rodney said. "Cold is a bad thing isn't it? I'm dying aren't I?"

"Rodney, you are lying on a slab of cold rock and it is 5 degrees out here." Jennifer assured him, trying to keep his blood pressure down.

"No need to sugar coat it. If this is it, I can take it."

"Rodney, it is barely a scratch." Jennifer said in disbelief as she caught sight of the small flesh wound.

"A scratch? I'm bleeding to death here." Rodney said waving his bloodied hand. The movement causing Jennifer to grab the physicist's wrist and attempt to lower his hand. As she did so she saw a dark figure aim a gun at them. Quickly, she did what Evan had trained her to do and grabbed her sidearm before discharging several rounds at the figure. As the man crumpled Jennifer kept her arm outstretched, almost frozen in place.

"Jennifer?" Rodney asked as he recovered from the shock. When the younger doctor remained silent and still he carefully reached up and took the gun from her. "How about I look out for more homicidal maniacs and you stop me from dying?"

Snapping back into focus Jennifer silently turned her full attention to Rodney and cleaned his wound.

"You sure it's a scratch?" Rodney asked trying to keep Jennifer focused on tending his wounds rather than the man she had just killed.

"Ronon gets deeper scratches from sparring." Jennifer said applying a dressing.

"Ronon is a cave man. I'm evolved past the point of coping with getting shot."

"Rodney." Jennifer said sternly. "It is a scratch. You are not going to bleed to death. Right now the danger is infection."

"I'm going to die." McKay grimaced. "On this planet there is no way I won't pick up some bug or the other.

"Rodney, just try to stay calm." Jennifer added before snapping her head round when she heard footsteps.

"What happened to staying behind the rock?" John asked, slightly annoyed, as he ran over to Jennifer and Rodney.

"I thought I saw something." Rodney said. "How was I to know I'd get shot?"

"You were shot?" John asked, suddenly concerned.

"It's only a flesh wound. He'll be fine." Jennifer said. "But I need to get him back to the infirmary and clean it properly."

"Ronon, help McKay." John ordered. "Doc stay by my side. Teyla keep your eyes open."

As Ronon helped Rodney to his feet and assisted him back to the Jumper the scientist asked.

"Where is it?"

"Where's what?"

"The sarcastic comment about being shot."

"No comment."

"Why?"

"You took down the enemy."

"Actually that was Jennifer."

"Jennifer?" Ronon asked surprised.

"Yeah."

"Where were you?"

"Bleeding to death on the floor. I'd been shot."

"You let him shoot you before shooting him?" Ronon growled.

"I didn't let him. He just shot me." The physicist argued. Ronon chose not to comment further and instead dropped Rodney onto the bench at the back of the Jumper.

"Everyone here?" John asked, quickly counting before taking off and heading for the gate.

-00-

"Lorne." Ronon called as Lorne's team walked down the corridor.

"Ronon." The Major replied, surprised Ronon was being so talkative.

"We need to talk." The Satedan said, causing all of Lorne's team to come to an abrupt stop. "Just you." Ronon said hoping to get rid of the other men. However, they were all too curious so just stood where they were until Lorne ordered.

"Go get the post mission check started. I'll meet you in the infirmary." Noticing their reluctance he added. "Now." He waited until his team disappeared before turning to Ronon and asking.

"What's up?"

"You need to see Keller."

"Why? Did something happen?" Lorne asked, concerned by Ronon's words, but knowing if something really serious had happened Carter or Sheppard would be talking to him.

"It was a hard mission for her. She killed someone. She's taking it hard." Ronon stated before turning and leaving.

Torn between protocol and his friend Lorne ran to the infirmary and rushed through his post mission check up before going straight to Jennifer.

-00-

"You okay?" The Major asked as he entered Jennifer's quarters.

"I will be. I just need time to process everything."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"So you don't need some good news to keep your mind off things?"

"Good news?" Jennifer asked perking up.

"I thought you were okay?"

"Good news is always needed round here." Jennifer pointed out.

"But I could save it until you are prepared to admit that all is not fine." Lorne suggested, earning a glare from Jennifer, causing him to say. "Or I could just tell you."

"Still waiting." Jennifer pointed out.

"Okay, fine. Why do you think I'm here?"

"You were worried about me."

"But how did I know I should be worried about you?"

"Someone told you. The fact I'm the subject of the rumour mill is not making me feel better."

"Not just someone." Lorne said grinning. "A very specific someone. A someone who barely speaks was so concerned he came to find me and tell me what happened."

"How is that good news?"

"It's proof he cares."

"Or thinks I'm weak and don't belong here."

"Have you always been this optimistic?" Lorne asked.

"I'm a scientist, I'm just following the evidence."

"And you questioned why I don't date scientists." Evan muttered.

"Actually I think I questioned why you don't date, in general."

"Currently I spend all my free time sorting out your love life."

"There's nothing to sort out." Jennifer pointed out.

"Exactly, which is why it takes all my time."

"Funny."

"I thought so." The Major smiled before offering his arm to Jennifer and adding. "Shall we?"

"Shall we what?"

"Go."

"Go?"

"It's film night."

"I really don-"

"The only way I am taking no for an answer is if you wanted to stay here and talk about what happened on the mission. So which is it talk or movie?"

"Movie." Jennifer conceded taking Evan's arm.


A/N: I'll try to update soon, depending on any new ideas that may emerge.