To my readers, more directly, to Saffy: Saffy, you can not steal Evan from me. I thought you would have learned this from all your previous attempts. Glad you like it though.

*sneaks Evan back away from Saffy, Evan thanks his Grey and life goes on like it should* No more trying to steal him, kay? He's mine here, on MNI and everywhere else you can think of. XD

Chapter 13: Missions and Misunderstandings

The sun was just starting to pierce through the windows of my quarters when I stirred in my bed. Evan's arms were around me, much in the same way they had been last night. I was able to slip out of his arms, without waking him. I had no way of knowing how much longer he stayed awake after I had fallen asleep to the sound of his voice.

I stepped into my bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror as I brushed my teeth and my hair. I looked happy. There was this light in my eyes that I had never noticed before. On top of that they seemed to be this bright, unnatural green. That boy was gonna make myself and my drivers license liars, if this kept up I wouldn't be able to get away with telling people my eyes were hazel when they clearly looked green.

I pulled my hair up into a tight bun before slipping into my off world BDU's. I came out of the bathroom holding the button up BDU top to find Evan sitting up in bed, rubbing his face, trying to wake himself up. I smiled to him as I grabbed my boots and slipped them on. Unlaced I walked over to the bed, sat down and tied the laces of my boots. I felt a gentle kiss to the small of my neck before he was up off the bed and taking his turn in the bathroom.

I put my watch on and grabbed my headset, setting it in place. I knew I wouldn't actually need it on the mission, but I had grown very accustomed to having that or a radio near me at all times, incase something went wrong. That was one thing that I loved about living on Atlantis. Even though you were afforded a 'day off' every once in awhile, you never really had a day off, one was expected to be 'on call' 24/7 so long as you were on the base. I wasn't sure how I felt about feeling this way, until Evan came out of the bathroom, still looking half asleep.

He was the reason I loved living here. Not the only reason of course, but he was a major contributing factor in how I felt. "How come you're up?"

"Woke up, I tried to fall back to sleep, but my mind wouldn't stop. Guess I have trouble sleeping without you now."

"I want to say I'm sorry, but honestly, I kinda like that I affect you in that way."

He chuckled. "Well, kiss me now, cause I am gonna wait a bit before coming out of your quarters."

"So you can make it look like you were looking for me and not that you had slept here?"

"Yeah."

"What's the point, most everyone on base knows to look for you in my quarters if we didn't end up in yours."

"The IOA contingency that is arriving today doesn't know. We don't want to give them fuel to dump on us and light us on fire."

"Nice analogy." I kissed him deeply before drawing back. Wordlessly I walked to the door. I stopped for a moment to turn and give him a week smile.

One thing we didn't do was say goodbye to each other. Yeah, we'd say see you later, but when it came to missions, we felt it was better off not said. We felt the same way that if we said any departing salutation that it would jinx the likely hood of coming back in one piece. We attributed this to the fact of what had happened to him before he went off world. Goodbyes had been said with reassurances that we'd see one another later rather then sooner, and I almost lost him.

I made a quick pit stop to the mess to grab a berry muffin, water and a yogurt. The yogurt I ate before leaving the mess and the muffin I picked at on my way up to the control room, where I was meeting Anne, Major Teldy, before our briefing. Anne was waiting in the control room for me. She gave me a slight nod as I approached her.

"Something put a bounce in your step this morning." Anne said with a wink.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I smirked at her as we walked the short distance from the control room to the conference room.

"Sure you don't. With the IOA contingency arriving today, instead of Woolsey, your brother is supposed to do the briefing this morning."

I laughed. "Johnny up early for something that isn't a mission of his, that's a good one."

"I thought the same thing."

"Where's Missy and Sasha?"

"They'll be here shortly. Actually, scratch that, here they come." Sergeant Missy Dent and Lt. Sasha Bentley came walking down the stairs from the Jumper Bay. The four of us walked into the conference room, grabbing seats as we waited for my slow moving brother to arrive.

Shocking enough he was actually on time for the briefing. "Morning Major, Colette, Lieutenant, Sergeant, I'll try to make this as quick as possible. Recon is the name of the game. We've been sent our very own set of Sodan cloaking devices, which is what you'll be using. Jumper 4 has been prepped for your use on this mission as the target area for recon is several miles from the gate. From what the intel suggests strange things are starting to happen to some of the inhabitants of MJ4-757. While no Wraith activity has come to the area, it's been brought to our attention, from the way the inhabitants are acting, it would suggest that a creature much like the Goa'uld are behind what is going on. If the Goa'uld or a creature like it has made its way into this galaxy we need to know so we can take proper precautions to eradicate the creatures as soon as possible. Remember, stealth recon is the key. It's up to you, Major, to decide if you are going to observe from the Jumper or while using the cloaking devices.

Word of advice when it comes to the cloaking devices, remember, you can't be seen, walking through people is creepy and since we know nothing of the creature taking control of the inhabitants, we don't know if they will be able to see or sense you while wearing the devices."

"Sounds like a fun filled day, sir."

"Certainly does Major, you move out in 30, I suggest you are ready."

"Already am Colonel. Dr. Kerrigan just needs to get ready and we are good to go."

"Good, dismissed."

Sasha, Missy and Anne were out of the conference room mere seconds after being dismissed. I was moments behind them when Johnny stopped me. "Colette, be careful alright. I know you've read the mission reports on what the Goa'uld are, but it doesn't compare to coming across one in person."

"Don't worry John. I'll be fine." Before he could say another word I headed to the locker room. I gathered my stuff, stopped by the armory for my weapons then made my way up to the jumper bay.

I walked to Jumper 4 and into it. Settling my things properly I glanced at Sasha, who was glaring at me. Missy noticed the look Sasha was giving me and went to the front of the jumper where Anne was. "What's your problem this morning Lieutenant?"

"You are, Doctor."

"What did I do this time?"

"I don't like you."

"Why? You've never actually explained to me what your problem is."

"Don't psycho analyze me doc."

"Not trying to. Just trying to find out why you don't like me. What did I ever do to you?"

"You were born."

"Was it that I was born, or that I was born as Colonel Sheppard's half sister?"

"I don't think its right that the commanding officers sister gets special treatment."

"Special treatment?"

"Yeah, you just show up on Atlantis and get everything handed to you."

"The only thing that was handed to me was my job, as the head of my department. Nothing else was given to me Lieutenant. Major Teldy asked me to be a part of this team, I didn't have it handed to me. My first mission I returned injured. I have been through quite a bit on this base in my short time here, so please, enlighten me as to how I have everything handed to me?"

"Lieutenant, Nic is right."

"Maybe about that stuff but she has friends handed to her and a man just handed to her like its nothing."

"Everyone of my friends on this base chose to be my friend. I'm not some charity case that gets friends handed out to and for the second, if you are referring to my relationship with Major Lorne, get two things straight. One, he wasn't handed to me. I met him on Earth, before coming here and became friends with him and two, its none, and I repeat, none of your god damned business."

"When you have the commanding officer and the second in command of this base eating out of the palm of your hands, it is my damned business."

"Lieutenant, knock it off before I remove you from this mission. Nic isn't military, Colonel Sheppard is a hard ass when it comes to Nic being well prepared for these missions and two, with Major Lorne being out of commission, I am second in command of the military contingent until he can return to active duty. If you ever imply that I am eating out of Nic's hand, or that anyone is, ever again, I will see to it personally that you are removed from this base."

"This is just what I mean. People have been sent away because of her."

"The only person who was sent away because of me was Dr. Saunders and that was because he tried to do more then make a pass at me."

"You're a liar. He tried to be nice to you and because you didn't like him, you had him sent away."

"Sasha, I've seen the security camera footage of the incident. Saunders was guilty."

"No he wasn't Missy."

"That's what all this is about? You were involved with Saunders, weren't you Sasha?"

"So what?"

"You're pissed that he made a pass at me while he was with you, told you he didn't then got removed from base because he did. Look, I'm sorry that you were brought into this in anyway shape or form. Trust me when I tell you I have requested, twice now, to be sent back to Earth, but this is where the IOA and Stargate command want me. Unfortunately for me I signed a contract stating I would go where they wanted me, for as long as they wanted while my contract is valid."

"I loved him. What makes you so great that I wasn't enough for him?"

"Nothing. Saunders, I think, only did what he did because I embarrassed him my first week here. I think it was more of a revenge thing then him wanting me over you."

"That sounds like something Thaniel would do."

"Still hate me?"

"No, I'm sorry. I just didn't want to believe that he actually did that."

"It's alright Sasha."

"Alright, enough with the girl bonding bullshit, if we don't leave now, Sheppard will have my ass handed to me on a spiked platter."

"Nice image Anne."

"Thanks Nic. You alright to drive this thing?"

"I suppose, after all, despite my warning to not let me, my brother forced me to learn how to fly this thing."

It had been a while since Johnny had shown me how to fly the jumper and it was a little easier for me now to go through the Stargate, so I wasn't nearly as nervous as I used to be. This was my first actual mission flying a jumper though. With everything and everyone secure, I closed the rear hatch and hovered above the floor as it opened to the gate room below. Easing the jumper down into the gate room I noticed how much easier flying it felt then the last time I had. Maybe because I wasn't nervous or scared anymore or perhaps I was finally feeling the connection to Ancient technology the same way my brother did. Whatever the reason I didn't care, I was happier not to be nervous and make a mistake. Anne dialed the gate and I took us smoothly through. The second we were through I activated the ship's cloak and banked her left.

Just as John had said, the village was several miles from the gate. The cloak still activated, I set the jumper down about a half mile from the village. Donning our gear we left the jumper and headed towards town. We activated the cloaking bands a short time later, as to be on the safe side and not wanting to accidentally come across an unsuspecting villager, especially if it was one that we were looking for.

Nothing eventful happened at all. We observed the village, nothing seemed out of place. Either the rumors of the Goa'uld like creatures were being careful or it was just that, a rumor. We roamed around the near deserted parts of the village before calling it quits. That was when an odd thing happened. It felt like I was bit by something, it took the wind out of me for a moment with how sharp the pain was, but I would check it after we got back home.

The trek back to the jumper seemed long, but it was just as uneventful as the day. We turned the bands off as we stepped back into the jumper. I took the pilot seat with a sigh, I glanced at Anne, she seemed bored, or annoyed that the mission had gone smoothly. Missy seemed to feel the same way. Sasha was looking at me oddly; I wasn't sure if it was remnants of our argument from earlier or if I was going to have to worry about her coming after me.

The flight back to the gate went faster than I had hoped it would. While the feeling of the bite was gone, I still wanted either Jen or Carson to check it out. You never knew what could happen to you off world.

Once the jumper was safely parked in the Jumper bay the 4 of us stopped at the armory to return our weapons, the locker room to deposit our gear then headed to the infirmary. On our way there I noticed Evan walking with Radek, arguing with him about something. It made me smile.

John was waiting for us outside the infirmary.

"Colette, Major, Lieutenant, Sargeant."

"John." I said while the others responded, "Colonel."

"Mission debrief in an hour."

"Yes sir." Anne stated before we shuffled into the infirmary.

Sometime later, after neither Jen nor Carson could find anything that could have caused the pain, even with scans and an excruciatingly long debrief I headed for my quarters, feeling like I needed a power nap. Halfway there something compelled me to go to my office, which I did. I walked in, thankful not to find anyone there I locked the door and slumped down into my desk.

The next thing I knew there was this sharp pain, again, but this time I nearly doubled over. The room spun and I felt like I passed out. That's when the fear set it. I felt it. I felt another consciousness mingling with mine. I wanted to scream but I had no control over my body. Everything went dark.