They were a third of the way back to the gate when Evan stopped so suddenly Jen had to sidestep to avoid smacking into him. She was feeling quite impressed at her prowess…until her foot caught a tree root. She twisted sideways and would have fallen if not for the Major's fast grab on the straps of her knapsack.

He set her back onto her feet. "New feet , Doc?"

Her retort was cut off by a growing reverberation echoing through the dark forest. Unlike thunder, this rumbling seemed to be coming from the ground. Jen could even feel the tremors through the soles of her boots.

"What the hell…?" Evan glanced over his shoulder at Sanchez.

The captain dug into his pocket for the scanner. Blue light from the small screen illuminated his face. "It's not the power source." He looked up and shrugged. "I mean, the scanner's not showing any power surges…if that helps?"

"Not really."

"Has this happened before?" Jen asked.

"No," Evan replied turning towards the trees to their left. "This...this is new."

"I don't like new…" Browne muttered, watching the right side of the trail.

Jen held her breath, listening, analyzing the feel of the thumping vibration beneath her feet. There was no way this was going to be anything but trouble.

"This is so not going to be good," Evan sighed. He turned on his flashlight and aimed the beam up the trail.

"Look." Jen pointed at the glowing reflection of two tiny eyes peering out from behind a rock.

The glowing eyes were then joined by another pair. Then two more. Then a dozen more. And more after that. And they were getting closer. Fast.

Cursing, Evan yanked Jen off the trail as a large group of furry critters bounded past. They scurried by in an undulating stream of feet and ears, bounding around legs and over combat boots. Rabbits, larger raccoon shaped animals, several bigger, lumbering creatures that resembled stout pigs. The surge scurried past, snorting and huffing. Jen wasn't sure the wild parade was going to stop, but after what seemed like several minutes the last pairs had disappeared down the path, leaving the group in silence once again.

Jen glanced at the others as P90s were slowly lowered. She let out the breath she'd been holding. Rabbits? All that for a stampede of rabbits and raccoons?

She clamped her hand over her mouth but a giggle escaped. She couldn't help it. The tension of being on such a creepy planet cracked at the sight of a flurry of fuzzy animals. She'd been so convinced that every noise translated into monsters that it had never occurred to her it could be something so unassuming as a bunny.

A stampede of bunnies. It was so preposterous, even Zelenka couldn't have thought that one up if he'd tried. This time she couldn't stop the laugh.

"Come on Dr. Doolittle," Evan snorted. "Let's get back to the gate before the rest of Noah's ark decides to go for a run."

Everyone stilled as another wave of rumbling slowly increased, and this time, the ground was vibrating with enough force their bodies were swaying.

"You just had to say it…" Ellis groaned.

"I don't think those are rabbits," Sanchez shouted as they quickly moved off the path and into the underbrush.

Jen stared at the ground in shock, her mind instantly defaulting to earthquake. She stumbled to the side, sliding across the vibrating earth.

"Take cover!" Evan shouted. He grabbed Jen's knapsack, slung her into the forest and shoved her to the ground. Jen scrambled forward on her hands and knees, wedging herself in beside the toppled trunk of a tree. Evan dropped beside her, covering her body with his.

The entire forest shook under a deafening roar. Shadows and shapes blocked out the moons. Heavy bodies flew over and around them. A multitude of large beasts thundered past, bouncing around the trees, leaping over the undergrowth and crashing through the foliage. Dirt and pebbles rained down, kicked and thrown by running hooves. There were growls and snorts, screeches and screams, high pitched barks and something that sounded very much like a cougar or mountain lion.

Jen tried to make herself as small as possible. She squashed herself back against the log they were partially sheltered under, but her knapsack was too bulky to let her move any further. She grabbed for Evan's vest, pulling him closer against her to keep him as flat as possible against the ground. She had half a mind to tell him not to be so damn macho protecting her and to get himself lower, but the only sound she managed was a loud shriek when a massive shape vaulted overhead, blocking out everything.

Evan swore and covered her head and face with his arms. She buried her nose against his throat, threw her arms around his torso and clung tightly, riding out the nightmare as the world crashed around them.

The rush of creatures seemed to go on forever.

Just when she started to think it would never stop, the stampede abated, returning the ground to a normal stability. The last stragglers—smaller and weaker—skittered after the faster moving throng in a flurry of chattering squeaks.

And then…silence.

After a few moments, Evan lifted his head.

"You okay?" he whispered, his face hovering above hers. It was too dark to read his expression but Jen could pretty much guess it reflected the shock she too was feeling.

"Yeah…" she whispered back. "I…I think so. You?"

"Still in one piece."

Jen accepted his hand, clinging a little longer than necessary after he'd helped her up off the ground. He didn't release her fingers and she want him to. Not quite yet.

A few feet away Ellis stood up with a groan. He rolled his shoulders. "Did anyone get the number of that bus?"

Sanchez stepped out from behind the trunk of a large tree. He flicked on his flashlight and shone the light down the trail. What had once been a narrow trail was now a trampled swath of destroyed plants and uprooted trees the width of a city street. He whistled. "Someone needs to put the Jumanji board back."

Exiting the undergrowth on the far side of the trail, Browne brushed dirt off the front of his vest. "Okay, seriously?" he exclaimed. "Next time Zelenka says someplace is safe I say we send him to explore first."

Jen felt Evan's fingers tighten against hers. She looked up, then down to where he was staring. The beam of his flashlight outlined the deep press of a massive paw print in the dirt, dangerously close to where her head had been. A few inches closer…

"Oh my," she croaked, surprised she was able to find her voice. Don't think about it, don't think about it.

Another faint rumble made everyone spin towards the end of the path.

Evan released her hand and stepped in front of her. He raised his P90, adding light to the beams of the others to illuminate the crushed trail left by the stampede.

"Good lord," Jen exhaled. If the little ones were running from the big ones, what are the big one's running from?

Ellis groaned. "Never say it out loud, Doc. Never say it out loud."

"Sorry," she whispered, automatically taking a pre-emptive step towards the protective shelter of the trees along the side of the trail.

"I'm thinking a trip to the gate right now is not our best course of action," Evan said firmly. He took a step back and placed a hand on Jen's shoulder, turning her in the direction the animals had run.

"Village?" Ellis questioned.

"Village," Evan confirmed. "Double time."


Despite the fact that the gate was in the opposite direction, Jen was quite happy to return to the safety of the village. Since the other option involved a very real possibility of being trampled to death, spending the rest of the night in a horror-movie style abandoned town seemed like the lesser of two evils.

They'd just reached the smaller storage buildings on the outskirts of the town when the third wave of beasts broke through the tree line to the south. Jen stared in shock at the hulking shapes crashing across the open field. Silhouetted by the moons, the shadowy stampede crushed shrubs and saplings as they made their way around the outskirts of the tiny town.

Jen gasped. Several of the animals looked as big as elephants.

Evan's shoulder bumped hers and she stole a quick glance at the man beside her. His expression was grave.

"I really hope that's the last of them," Sanchez commented, moving to stand on Jen's left.

"Just be glad we didn't have to play mouse to that," Browne commented, pointing out a massive, hulking shape that was the size of delivery truck.

"Come on," Evan backed towards the main street. "Let's get out of the open."

Jen was very happy to comply.

As soon as they reached the larger, structured buildings, Evan commandeered a simple, two storey unit. After ensuring the place was indeed unoccupied, they set up shop on the main floor.

Sanchez would take the first watch, although no one could give Jen a straight answer when she asked what they were watching for. More stampeding animals? And if so, just what exactly, were the animals stampeding from. Or better yet… where were they stampeding too? Wasn't this entire land mass an island? Would they run right off the side into the ocean?

In the end she gave up on the questions and deferred to the Major's expertise.

Because she'd been sent on a medical mission, Jen hadn't confirmed a required check-in. The standard default was twelve hours, which meant they wouldn't be missed until noon the next day. The gate was about a thirty minute hike, which would get them back in plenty of time, if they left at dawn, which was approximately six hours away.

Six hours to 'get some rest' as Evan had put it.

Standing at the top of the second floor stairway, Jen glanced around the only other room in the house—the bedroom. One bare wall framed a tall dresser, and the opposite side centered a narrow bed with a naked mattress. The shadows were darker than black, drawing long across the floor, sliced only by the light from the moons filtering in through a pair of narrow windows. It was dark and creepy and made her think of all the horror movie rules that seemed to translate quite well to Pegasus - including the standard never go into the basement when the power's out, and never run upstairs when someone or something is after you.

Yet here she was.

Upstairs.

She couldn't seem to convince her feet that there was nothing to be afraid of. Instead she remained frozen in place on the landing.

In the room below Evan and the team discussed next steps. Jen almost laughed aloud to hear Ellis' objection to getting any sleep what-so-ever, but bit it back when he voiced his reason; the thought of sleeping in a bed previously occupied by a recently vanished person was very Stephen King indeed.

Even if she was suddenly feeling completely exhausted.

It had been the end of an unscheduled double shift when she'd received the request from the gateroom. Opting to save time in trying to find someone to take the call, Jen had stepped up and taken the request herself. Now, coupled with the rise and fall of adrenaline her heart had dealt with several times over today, her body was more than ready for a crash. But her mind wasn't.

Stiffing a yawn, she talked herself out of any Freddie Kruger references and walked towards at the edge of the uncomfortable looking mattress. Yet no matter how many positive words she quoted in her head she couldn't quite bring herself to lay down.

Don't go to sleep. Don't go upstairs. Don't separate from the group. Yep. And now she was upstairs...alone...and thinking of going to bed. It was the perfect horror movie cocktail. The only thing missing was a knife wielding psycho killer.

Oh yeah...definitely not getting any sleep tonight.

She scurried away from the bed to the tiny windows facing the main street. Pressing her face to the cool glass she peered out into the darkness.

Just what had happened to all the villagers? There were no signs of an attack or any kind of struggle, and no indication that any of the animals had ventured into the town. Instead it appeared as though the occupants had neatly packed up and left. But if the stampeding animals were the cause of their exodus, wouldn't the people have been in more of a hurry? Leave more of a mess?

The heavy fall of boots on the stairs made her jump with such violence she bumped her forehead on the glass and cracked her arm off the window sill. She grabbed her stinging elbow. Yellowed light flickered on the walls, swaying its brightness as the carrier approached. Jen started to laugh when she realized was one of the guys, and not some headless maniac with a chainsaw. She clamped her hand over her mouth.

Evan walked into the room, a old fashioned lantern swinging from his fingers. The warm glow chased the creeping shadows back into the corners where they belonged. Feeling ridiculous at her reaction, Jen shook her head violently. She hoped the low light would hide the heated flush that was now creeping across her cheeks.

"What?" he grinned when she let a relieved giggle escape.

"Oh, you know… just going over the standard horror movie rules in my head," she admitted with chagrin.

"Ah," he set the lantern down next to the bare mattress. "Never open portals to hell?" he ventured. "Or never hide in the closet?"

"Never go upstairs when someone's chasing you."

He stepped closer, joining her at the window. "Well, technically someone isn't chasing you, so you're good to go so long as you stay out of the basement… and of course, don't shower alone."

"Right," Jen blinked. "Cos showering alone…?"

"Is never any fun," he winked.

"Uh-huh. " She rolled her eyes. "And does that line ever work?"

"I don't know," he leaned closer. "Does it?"

Jen whacked him across the arm. "No, it does not."

Evan pointed to the lantern. "Found that downstairs. Thought you might appreciate a little light."

"Oh god yes," she exhaled. "I feel like I'm in an Edgar Allan Poe book come to life. I keep waiting for the raven. It's silly, I know. It's just this place is so…"

"Creepy?" he voiced.

"Creepy."

They stood in silence for a few moments, staring at the bed. Jen tried not to connect dots between bed and Evan, but her tired mind was not cooperating.

Evan cleared his throat. "You should get some sleep."

"No…no…I'm…I'm good."

"I know damn well you just finished a double shift," he countered, frowning. He turned towards her and threaded his arms across his chest. "So don't try and tell me you aren't tired."

Jen sighed. She was tired. But sleeping...here...now? She tried to find a good argument but couldn't seem to find the energy to string the thoughts together. She stared up into his face, watching the play of candle light changing the color of his eyes from blue to grey and back again. She knew she was staring, but couldn't seem to move away. He was just so… distracting.

He took a deep breath, then dropped his arms to his side, relaxing his stance. He leaned a closer, a half smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Sleep, Jen. I promise you I'm not going anywhere. No one's getting past me. Okay?"

She felt a tiny little twirl in her stomach when he called her Jen. When he was shouting at her to avoid something death-causing it was usually Jennifer. In the company of others it was always Doc… and in front of the recruits always the respectful Dr. Keller. He rarely—if ever—called her Jen.

She liked it.

Maybe a bit too much.

He dropped his chin and placed his mouth close to her ear. "Go to bed," he whispered, his breath warm against the side of her cheek.

Warmth flooded her cheeks and she turned her head. With a sheepish glance she stepped back and tentatively sat on the edge of the mattress, giving it a slight prod with her fingers before pulling her feet up and laying down on her side. Folding her arm under her head she looked up. Evan shrugged out of his coat and bent to tuck it around her, cocooning her in the residual warmth from his body heat.

He stared down at her for a moment, his expression serious.

"What?" she frowned, lifting herself up.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, stilling her. "Nothing. Nothing. Get some rest."

"Yes, Doctor," she half-smiled, and lay back down.

Evan turned away from the bed and walked towards the doorway. "We'll be right downstairs."

"Okay."

"Jen?"

She rolled her head and looked over her shoulder to where he was standing in the doorway. He took a step towards the bed, hesitated, then backed towards the landing. "Good night," he said quickly, then retreated down the stairs before she could answer.

"G'night," she whispered into the empty room.

She sighed and snuggled his coat further around her upper body. Okay maybe a few hours rest wasn't going to be as bad as all that. Closing her eyes, Jen buried her nose under the collar of his jacket, inhaling the faint scent of his aftershave. After a few moments she relented and let the security of his essence lull her into sleep.

.