She stared out over the city, the lights shining against the darkness like the beacon she imagined they were supposed to be. The Ancients had built their city on a grand scale, showing off their ingenuity and progressive culture. And for thousands of years, it had been just that.

She wondered, not for the first time, how painful the moment had been when they realized that their time was over.

There was a soft footfall behind her, and she knew that it was him. Everyone had a different feel to their approach, an air of anticipation – his was heavy with responsibility, but she could almost feel his smirk as well.

"Heard a rumor you were evading Carson."

"A rumor, huh?"

John came up to stand beside her, leaning his arms on the railing. "Ronon's very put out. Turns out he's not very successful in escaping the doc."

Danni shrugged, smiling over at him. "I'm better at sneaking and misdirection."

He chuckled. "That would explain it." His eyes dropped down to her waist before coming back to her face, but she had seen the flash of guilt there. "How's it healing?"

"I'm fine," she said firmly. "It's practically gone. You boys get so worked up about these things."

"About civilians bleeding? Yeah, it tends to put us on edge. We're irrational about stuff like that."

Her smirk widened. "As long as you're aware." She was quiet for a moment, feeling the tension that still sat in the air. "I really am fine."

He grimaced. "I know." Standing up straighter, his hands clasped the railing, his knuckles turning white as he squeezed. "I'm not really sure why it bothers me so much."

"You care. It's not a bad thing." Danni shrugged. "Besides, we're running buddies and I'm on your team. We're almost friendly enough to be friends, aren't we?"

John nodded. "Yeah, I guess we are." He shook his head almost immediately, though. "Why does it feel like I know you better than I do?"

She was quiet for a few seconds, seemingly thinking about his question. "Maybe we knew each other in another life."

He turned to look at her, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "You really believe in that?"

Danni laughed. "No. But it seemed like the appropriate thing to say."

"Fair enough."

They fell silent again, looking out over the water. Danni let out a quiet sigh – she didn't have a lot of friends, and it had been a long time since she'd gotten to know people. She loved the banter and the teasing, but this was what she had really missed – just being with someone and feeling better because they were there. It was a feeling that not much else could rival.

"You can tell Lorne to stop hovering, by the way," she finally said.

John's eyebrows shot up. "He was off the hook for that two days ago." He grinned at her. "He likes you."

Danni glared at him. "Watch it, Sheppard."

His face was the epitome of innocence. "What? I was simply pointing out a simple fact…"

"And there are plenty of simple facts I could point out about you and Dr. Weir."

He paused. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right," Danni said with a smirk. "You just follow her around like a smitten teenage boy…"

"Alright, alright, alright. That's enough out of you."

"As long as we're on the same page." She tucked an errant curl behind her ear. "So…"

"So?"

"You still gonna let me play on your team?"

He slid his eyes over to her. "Well…" He shrugged. "Yeah. 'Lizabeth and I decided that you're pretty useful. So you get to stay." His grin was sudden and earnest. "Besides, it'll drive McKay nuts."

Danni just laughed and shook her head.


Rodney sighed as they trudged through another jungle. "I still don't understand why you're here."

Danni rolled her eyes. "I'm part of the team, Rodney."

"Yes, as the 'cultural expert'," he said, contempt heavy in his voice. "But this planet is uninhabited!"

"Supposedly."

"Excuse me?"

"The database says that nobody lives here. But it's been a long time since it's been updated – anybody could have moved in and started calling this place home." She paused. "Besides, if there are no people here, there's probably no technology here, which means you're pretty useless as well."

The scientist opened his mouth in protest, but John turned around and glared at them both. "Seriously?
Every time?"

Danni nodded. "Yep."

"Why?"

"Well…you're all busy being the leader. Teyla's too nice. And teasing Ronon seems like the equivalent of poking a bear with a stick."

The big man grunted, and Danni smiled. "See?"

Before John could reply, Teyla held up a hand, her face anxious and tight. "We are not alone."

Everyone tensed. "Wraith?" Ronon asked, his voice low.

"I believe so."

That was all the warning they had. The jungle was suddenly alive with movement, the Wraith seeming to appear out of nowhere. Shots rang out, and everyone dove for cover, Sheppard yelling at them to get down.

There was nowhere to hide, though. The jungle didn't provide enough protection from their enemies' weapons, and it wasn't long before John was ordering them to run. They hadn't been standing too closely together, and the Wraith were able to get between them, splitting the group. Danni found herself racing through the trees with Rodney, three Wraith pounding the earth behind them. Turning and making a stand would have been suicide, and without even speaking, they simply ran.

Danni was impressed with the scientist. He may not have looked like it, but the man could run, and they both proved to be swifter than the monsters chasing them. After jumping a fallen tree, she tugged on him to signal that they should take a break, her ears straining for any sounds of pursuit.

"Holy shit," Rodney breathed. "Where the hell did they come from? And why are they here? This is an uninhabited planet –"

"Maybe they're the new inhabitants," Danni muttered.

He frowned. "But why?"

"What do you do when you're trying to conquer people?" she asked, her attention almost completely focused on the area around them as her eyes scanned the landscape. "You go in, you remove the threat, and then you leave a force there to make sure nobody takes it back from you. Conquer, claim, continue on."

His frown deepened as he thought his way through her words. "You mean like a military outpost?"

"Makes traveling to new planets a hell of a lot easier."

Rodney groaned. "Oh, that would be bad on epic proportions."

"Serious understatement." She looked around one more time, assuring herself that they were alone. "We've gotta find the others."

Rodney's hand went up to his radio, but all they got was empty static on the other end. Either they had lost their radios, or they were too busy with the Wraith to answer. "Oh crap."

"We gotta move."

"Where? They ran in a different direction. They could be anywhere. I don't even remember which way we ran!"

"I do," she said firmly. "And we can't just leave them, Rodney. You know that."

He sighed. "Yeah, I know. It doesn't make the idea any less insane, though."

He pulled a 9mm out, and Danni raised an eyebrow. "Do you have any idea how to use that thing?"

"Yes."

"Are you any good with it?"

Rodney made a face. "Well, no."

She held out her hand. "Give." He just stared at her, and a few seconds later, Danni simply snatched it out of his hands. "Let's go."

She hadn't given the Wraith enough credit. They didn't make it a hundred yards before two stepped out from behind a tree, one of them grabbing McKay and slamming him into a tree. The scientist fell to the ground, unconscious, and the two creatures leered at Danni.

The one who had knocked out Rodney began to circle her. "I believe you're the one I'm looking for."

Danni raised her eyebrows, surprised. "Oh, really? Does that pickup line work on all the Wraith babes?"

The snark was lost on him. "There are those of us who have been entrusted with finding you. A blonde woman traveling with the one they call Sheppard."

"Damn," she muttered. "One mission and I'm already famous."

"We have our spies everywhere."

"So…what? You're supposed to bring me in?"

"Yes."

"Sorry. Not on the agenda today."

He laughed. "There is only one of you. You cannot fight off the both of us."

Danni gave him a cold grin. "A common misconception."

It was the other Wraith, the one that hadn't spoken, that ran at her first. She ducked his charge easily, stepping to the side and kicking him in the face with enough force to send him to the ground. A quick spin on her heel brought her face-to-face with her other opponent. His hand was already outstretched though, and his fingers attached themselves to her chest in one swift mood. There was a cruel grin on his face as she winced in pain.

"I'll only take a taste," he promised. "I have orders to bring you in alive."

Danni grimaced, her skin burning slightly where he touched her. But the pain didn't go any deeper than that, and the Wraith's smile began to fade.

Then the burning reversed.

He snatched his hand away as quickly as he could, but it was already too late. It lanced up his arm, eating away at him and he fell to his knees, staring up at her in confusion as he began to scream.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, leaning over him. "Did I forget to mention that I'm like poison to you bitches?"

Lifting one foot, she kicked him onto his back. Then she pulled out the gun and put two bullets in his head, turning just in time to see his companion finally fighting his way back to the feet. Danni didn't hesitate. Two more bullets and he was down as well, leaving her in a quiet jungle once again.

She turned from the bodies and went to Rodney. He was still unconscious, but his pulse was steady, and she knew that he would be okay.

Her hand went straight to her radio. "Sheppard?"

This time there was a burst of static before she heard his voice. "Danni! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Rodney got knocked out, though. What about you guys?"

"Some close calls, but we'll be alright. We're tracking your path now." He paused. "Do you have a gun?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Then sit tight and we'll be there soon. Sheppard out."

Danni glanced down at the bodies behind her. They would draw a lot of questions, ones that she wasn't ready to answer yet. Sticking the gun in the back waistband of her pants, she picked one of the Wraith up by his shoulders and dragged him off into the trees. She took the second one in a different direction, being vigilant about obliterating the drag marks in the dirt. She hastily zipped up her jacket and had only just knelt beside Rodney again when the rest of the team showed up.

"What happened?" John asked.

"A tree," she responded, the half-lie coming easily. When the others just stared at her, she shrugged. "We were running."

Ronon was already chuckling, the sound deep in his chest. "Only McKay."

Teyla didn't look as amused. "We should leave. We may not be so lucky if the Wraith have a larger presence here."

"Can't you sense them?" John asked.

She shook her head, frustrated. "No. Something is blocking me."

"Then we go," he said firmly. "You think you can carry him?" he asked Ronon.

"I got him."

He easily lifted McKay off the ground and slung him over his shoulder. Danni fell in with the rest of the group as they warily made their way back to the jumper.

"You're sure you're okay?" John asked, his voice low.

She nodded, refraining from lifting her hand to the wounds her jacket held. "I'm good."

She never once looked back toward the bodies.