I still own nothing. I'm just having fun playing about with the characters. :)

Chapter 7

Jennifer tossed and turned restlessly in her bed, a fine layer of sweat over her body. She had been tossing for the past two hours and had finally had enough.

It had been a busy day at the infirmary – what with Carson's time being taken up with the research and Todd the majority of medical decisions fell on her - though there had been no disasters (the biggest injury being a broken finger from a training accident – she had been shocked to see that for once Ronon hadn't been involved) the constant stream of minor injuries and ailment had been tiring.

And so just when she had been ready to collapse on her bed and fall asleep the environmental controls or life support or whatever it was that they called it had to go on the blink and send the humidity levels in her section of the city sky high - the problem only affecting ten or so rooms. Two of the room didn't have anyone staying in them anyway, five rooms belonged to a bunch of very zealous botanists who were currently of doing whatever they did on another planet, one belonged to a marine who was currently on night patrol and the last was a storage room - leaving only her to suffer through the heat.

Hitting her mattress in irritation she swung herself from the bed and un-ruffled her night shirt from where it had gathered in a soggy bundle around her stomach and pulled on the white cotton pants that she had shed nearly an hour ago.

With it being so late she didn't have to worry about being seen by anyone. The only ones who wandered the city this late were those on patrol and the chances of her passing any of them were slim and none of the teams were due back until lunch time the next day.

She slung on a pair of slip on pumps as she opened her door and jumped on one foot out into the corridor as she pulled on the last one.

Peering around to make sure no one had been around to witness her rather embarrassing balancing act she started towards the infirmary before turning around and darting back into her room to grab her cover. She hitched it under her arm and took off again.

The city was a bit spooky at night – she had decided that the first time that she had worked a late shift – everything was too quiet, too much of a contrast to the bustling and busy life that filled the rooms and corridors during the day.

She made her way through the now familiar corridors of the base to the infirmary and smiled as she began to cool with each step. The temperature was just right. She was just making her way to one of the beds when she heard it.

Retching.

Unable to ignore her doctor's instincts she abandoned her blanket on the bed and turned the corner to see one of the staff nurses seeing to someone who looked like a scientist.

"Oh Dr Keller," the nurse greeted as she glanced up from the patient.

"Can I help Hannah?" she asked softly.

The nurse shook her head, obviously confused by her sudden appearance.

"No, it is only a mild case of food poisoning,"

Jennifer nodded her head and moved away, giving up on the idea of getting the ideal nights sleep in her cosy, quiet infirmary. She was doomed to getting no sleep it appeared.

She yawned widely as she picked up her quilt and got ready to head back towards her room when she was hit by a sudden burst of inspiration.

The lab.

Carson and Todd's lab had been assembled in rooms that had been an extension of the medical facility. Medical facility meant medical equipment and medical equipment meant beds!


Todd studied the data gathered so far. The doctor was efficient if not a little random in his technique and there was nothing missing and nothing requiring him to ask questions.

"Well, I had better be off," the doctor stood from his place at the desk and ran a hand over his eyes as he stretched.

Todd quickly glanced at the clock that hung from the wall. The red, flashing digits irritated him but what it told him irritated him even more.

He had at least another six – if not seven – hours to wait until the majority of the humans on the base awoke – though there were always two guards posted at the door to any room that he was in. Not that he could blame them. He had not been very ... loyal in the past. So as soon as the doctor left he would either remain longer and read through more of the data or return to his ship.

He didn't feel very inclined to do either.

He found the conversation of these earth humans interesting – whither the conversation was addressed at himself or he was listening to them speaking to each other.

When he was held prisoner along with Sheppard he had found him interesting – with his strange code of honour. He was sure that if he had been in the same situation with the runner he would have been dead ten times over before they had even reached the surface of the planet, especially as he had been in no state to defend himself - being kept like a starved dog before being set loose on something...or someone.

The silence that had fell between himself and the doctor was interrupted when movement and talking could be heard at the door.

A minute later a small figure came in and he was surprised to see the young doctor he had met a few days previously.

"Jennifer lass, what are you doing here?" Carson approached the girl, obviously concerned.

Todd took the time to watch how the two humans interacted - especially this human. Out of everyone that he had met and seen on the base so far during the past two or so days she had been the one that made the largest impression upon him. Her lack of fear had astounded him.

"The humidity levels are silly sticky where my room is and I was going to sleep in the infirmary but someone has food poisoning. I didn't think anyone would be here so I was going to use one of the beds,"

Todd turned quickly and noticed that there were some beds sticking out from behind a curtain.

"Lass, I'm not sure that's a good idea..." Carson trailed of and Todd saw him throw a look his way.

He bit back the desire to laugh at this. What? Did the man think that he was so starved he would feed from her should they be left alone.

"Please, I'm going crazy," she whispered to him.

"There's nothing else I can do and I don't think I can share your room..." the girl smiled playfully.

"Hardly appropriate lass," the doctor coughed.

"...and all the technicians are asleep so I can't ask them to activate another room and I don't want to wake them up,"

"Jenny..." the doctor trailed off.

"If Todd doesn't object I'm sure I'll be fine," she said softly, glancing his way and smiling. This human was strange.

Carson sighed and turned to face him.

"Todd, Doctor Keller here is having some rooming issues at the moment. Would she be in your way if she used one of the empty beds for the night?"

Todd could tell that Carson was not happy with the idea and was no doubt secretly wish for him to throw them both from the room but he felt like amusing himself with the other man's discomfort.

"Not at all," he nodded his head slowly and Carson sighed again – yes, not happy at all.

"Well I see you came prepared Jenny, so I'll say goodnight," the doctor left the room, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder.

Todd listened carefully as the doctor paused outside the door and told the marines standing guard to keep an 'extra eye out' – whatever that meant.

"Um...you won't even know that I'm here," the young doctor mumbled heading to the curtain and the beds.

He followed her slowly and stood watched her as she prepared her bed. He now saw that she was dressed in what was probably sleeping attire and he could sense that she was getting nervous under his gaze.

"Yes?" she asked softly as she continued to sort out her bed, not even looking up from her task.

"You confuse me little human," he told her as she finished her task.

She turned calmly and with her back to the bed she jumped up onto it, sitting with her legs folded underneath her.

"Why is that?"

Todd thought out his answer. It was not often that he admitted to being uncertain but this human intrigued him.

"You do not act afraid," he began.

"That's because I'm not," she answered quickly, leaning her elbows on her legs and holding her face in her hand. How could she be so at ease?

"Why?"

"You are our ally aren't you? Why should I be afraid?"

"Just because I am in a temporary 'partnership' it does not mean that it will last. Even your Doctor Carson had a fear of me although he is glad of my help,"

"I think that it is more a fear of what you can do, than you yourself,"

Her words made him pause and he quirked his head. She was a truthful one. While many danced around the point she came right to it. The feeding was what sent any member of the Atlantis team scuttling from his shadow.

"I have not been here long and I have only read reports..." she paused and took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts.

"It would be like me being afraid of John or Ronon just because I know they can and will kill," she threw up her arms in annoyance.

"I am not explaining this very well,"

Todd held up his hand to stop her.

"No, you are reserving judgment. Am I correct?" he asked her calmly.

The girl nodded her head slowly.

"You will see soon enough that it would have saved you much effort to just accept the word of others,"

"I prefer to make my own decisions," she told him defiantly and he barked out a laugh.

"You are a very strange human indeed," he told her before thinking that she may be offended but she only smiled and nodded her head.

She went to speak but he shook his head.

"You came here to rest. Should you wish to discuss this further I shall be here when you wake,"


Jennifer nodded her head and bid the wraith goodnight as she pulled the curtain a little further over and lay down to sleep.

That had to have been the weirdest conversation she had ever had in her life.

Hi guys. Sorry this is pretty short and a bit rubbish. I am just trying to get back into the swing of things with this story again.

Please let me know what you think...or just yell at me for taking so long...:) (What do you think of the Todd/Jennifer interactions?)

Stay safe.

:)