For the first few days Jennifer barely slept, but as time went on tiredness took over and she found herself getting more sleep than she had in a long time. Her sanity was maintained by falling into a routine with Barnett, whereby they hunted in the morning, checked their well stocked secondary base in the afternoon and spent the rest of the time trying to engineer a beacon.
On the fifteenth day Barnett threw what his was working on across the Jumper in frustration. Looking up at him Jennifer said.
"They'll find us."
"As touching as your faith is, how? We were caught up in the Wraith hyperdrive window, we could be anywhere. We can't transmit a beacon and have no way of contacting the city. For all Atlantis knows we were killed in the culling. Face it, we will not be found."
"Colonel Sheppard never leaves anyone behind. He'll find us." Jennifer replied without a hint of doubt.
"No he won't. It's impossible. We are on our own and always will be. The only company we are likely to get is a very hungry Wraith." Barnett pointed out, his voice raised. With that the Lieutenant fell silent before eventually saying. "Sorry. Just trying to be a realist."
"I know, but you need to have faith and make it as easy as possible for them to find us."
"You really do believe they're coming don't you?" Barnett asked.
"I do. If I lose that, what else is left?"
"Me. I mean I know you said if we were the last two people in the Galaxy you wouldn't sleep with me. But now, for all intents and purposes we are, so I'll let you reconsider that statement."
"For your sake you had better be joking." Jennifer said starting to once again feel uneasy round Barnett.
"Sure." Barnett shrugged unconvincingly before standing. "I'm going to get some water."
-00-
The following morning something woke Jennifer and she immediately knew something was wrong. She sensed a presence close by, far too close. Then she felt a hand touch her naked stomach and start to snake its way up her body. Acting on instinct Jennifer's eyes flew open as she jerked her knee up and caught Barnett in the groin. As he keeled over in pain Jennifer scrambled back, towards the cockpit and grabbed a gun, which she trained on the Lieutenant.
When Barnet had recovered enough to stand and look at Jennifer and the gun he said.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Can you forgive me?" He asked taking a small step towards Jennifer.
"Stay away from me." Jennifer said holding her aim steady.
"I'm…" Barnett started only for Jennifer to cut him off.
"Don't say anything. I don't want to hear another word from you. Get your stuff and go to the secondary shelter. You're staying there from now on. Go."
Nodding Barnett picked up his bag and silently turned to the Jumper hatch. When it had opened he stepped outside muttering another apology before walking away.
Jennifer watched him go, keeping her gun trained on him at all times. When she was happy he was far enough away she scrambled forward to the hatch and shut the door, programming in a new access code as she did so. Content that the Jumper was secure she moved away from the door and sat on the bench sobbing, feeling more alone and scared than ever.
-00-
After three hours of ignoring Barnett's attempts to contact her over the radio Jennifer had finally calmed herself enough to respond. Picking up her earpiece she cut off his latest apology and demanded.
"What do you want?"
"Je-, Dr Keller, I really am sorry for what I did. I really don't know what came over me. I understand that you don't want to be anywhere near me and you don't want me in the Jumper. But if we are going to survive we are going to have to work together, at least in the day."
As angry as Jennifer was she knew she still needed Barnett's help. Shutting her eyes, she took a calming breath before saying.
"I agree. But there are rules. One, you never come to the Jumper unless I specifically ask. Two, you sleep and live in the secondary shelter. Three, you so much as look at me in a way I don't like I will shoot your kneecap."
"I understand." Barnett said.
Jennifer took another breath before saying. "Come to the Jumper in thirty minutes and we'll go hunting."
"I'll see you then." Barnett agreed before the radio went dead.
Jennifer spent the next twenty minutes arming herself both mentally and physically for her next face to face encounter with Barnett. When she was content she could put up a good fight if it came to it she sat and waited. She chose to wait in the Jumper so Barnett would attempt to let himself in and learn that he couldn't. When the thirty minute mark was finally reached she heard the tell tale signs of someone trying and failing to get in. She waited until her radio finally sprung to life and she heard Barnett say.
"I'm outside the Jumper."
"I know. Step back and I'll be out in a minute." Jennifer replied before taking another calming breath and opening the door. She waited for it to shut behind her before stepping towards Barnett who said.
"I understand why you did that, but I promise I will try to get into the Jumper without permission."
"Then you won't mind one way or the other about the lock." Jennifer pointed out. "Let's go. You lead."
"Okay. I thought we'd try heading along the ridge. The berries should be ready by now."
"Okay." Jennifer agreed, although the thought of being on a ridge did not appeal. "I'll be right behind you."
They had only walked one hundred metres when they reach a part of the path that had eroded into nothing, leaving a five foot gap over a very deep fall.
Noticing Jennifer's unease Barnett said. "We can go back to a different path, or you can give me your gear. You'll find it easier to get across without the load."
"We'll keep going." Jennifer said unable to turn back whilst the Jumper was still in sight.
"Give me your stuff then. You go first and I'll throw the bags over when you are safe."
Agreeing with the logic Jennifer handed him her bag and stood on the edge preparing to jump. She was just about to leap when she heard a primeval roar as something that felt like a claw struck her back. The blow was so hard and so unexpected it knocked her over the edge, leaving her powerless to do anything other than fall, scraping and bruising her body as she did so.
-00-
When Jennifer finally came round everything hurt. Trying to push the pain to one side she reached for her radio and called for Barnett. Getting no answer she gingerly stood, gasping in pain when she put weight on her ankle. Sitting down again she looked for any sign of Barnett. Seeing none she tended to her wounds as best as she could before starting her slow, steep ascent. As she climbed she found herself grateful for the pain, which was so great, it distracted her from looking down.
Having finally made it to the top she looked for any sign of Barnett or her things. Seeing none she limped her way back towards the Jumper, wondering what had happened. Just as she reached the flatter ground that led to the Jumper she saw a boot near a bush. Walking over, filled with dread, she saw a leg and body attached to the unmoving boot. Bending down next to the body she rolled it over, recoiling when she saw the shrivelled remains of Barnett showing signs of a Wraith feeding.
Not having any idea how long she had been out for or how long it had been since the Wraith had fed she grabbed the bags and guns from Barnett's body and sprinted to the Jumper. Having entered her code she lunged inside, dropping the bags, and shut the door behind her, ensuring it was locked.
Sinking down onto the bench Jennifer realised she was truly alone, totally cut off from humans. Knowing she was no match for a recently fed Wraith she also realised she was going to have to survive on the rations in the Jumper.
Carefully she emptied all the crates and bags and organised her supplies. At the end of the stock taking she realised that in ten days she would have no choice apart from to risk the Wraith.
-00-
As time marched on she realised that the biggest risk was solitude based insanity. She tried to maintain structure to her day, but determined to minimise her need for rations she found it hard to fill the time. After a couple of days she remembered the cameras that had been mounted on the Jumper. Knowing that if they were still working and if she could get to the feed she could use them to determine if the Wraith was nearby. Suddenly with purpose she started searching for wires from cameras. After a few hours of dismantling panels she conceded she had no idea what she was doing and went back to lying on the bench cursing herself for expending so much energy.
Having run out of anything practical and useful to do she wondered if it was as good a time as any to invent an imaginary friend, to give her someone to talk to. However, the thought of it only made her more lonely and miss her friends even more.
As the days passed by and her supplies started to dwindle she finally started to accept that she would not be found alive. She had no doubt that they would find her, eventually, but by then it would be too late. With that in mind she searched for her note book and a pen so she could write letters to those she was leaving behind, not only for her peace of mind, but their sanity. She knew she owed her father an apology for leaving him. She new that John and Rodney needed to know it wasn't there fault and she didn't blame them for not finding her.
Putting pen to paper she started to write only to be thwarted by no ink coming out. Sighing she tried to get the ink flowing, but all to no avail.
"That's why the Russians used pencils." Jennifer muttered as she started going through one of the bags searching for another writing implement. She was pulled from her search ten minutes later by a banging on the Jumper. At first she ignored it, assuming she was hearing things. But when the knocking persisted she put down the bag and picked up a gun, which she trained on the door, convinced there was a Wraith on the other side. As the knocking continued she wondered why the Wraith would knock, concluding the behaviour was very unwraith like she searched for her radio and turned it back on for the first time since Barnett had died.
"Hello?" She spoke, surprised with how coarse her voice sounded. Her word immediately caused the knocking to stop and within moments a voice she never thought she'd hear again said.
"Doc it's us. Let us in."
"John?" Jennifer asked in disbelief, convinced she must be hallucinating. Hitting the side of the Jumper to ensure she wasn't dreaming she suddenly exclaimed. "Wraith!"
"What? Where?" Rodney's stressed voice said over the radio.
"There are Wraith out there." Jennifer explained.
"Even more reason to let us in then." Rodney snapped.
Deciding she had nothing left to lose she gripped her nine mil tightly and approached the hatch. Having keyed in the access code she retreated to the cockpit door, raising her hand gun.
As John stepped through the now opened hatch and saw the fear and desperation in Jennifer he turned to the rest of his team and said.
"Give us a minute." Nodding the others waited outside looking out for Wraith.
John then turned back to Jennifer and slowly approached her saying.
"Jennifer, it's me John."
"It's really you?" Jennifer asked, her voice trembling.
"It's really me." He assured her, causing her now shaking hands to lower her gun.
"I knew you'd come." Jennifer said as tears began to roll down her cheeks.
"I'd never leave you." He stated as he stepped forward and took the gun from her. With the gun secure he asked. "Where are the others?"
"Dead." Jennifer stated.
Not needing to hear anymore John took Jennifer into his arms and held her until the tears stopped.
A/N: Final up tomorrow.