Ronon heard Jennifer scream around a corner and down a long hallway. It would have stopped another in their track – there were members of SGA-1 heading there with him who did pause for a second to get their bearing on the sound. But not Ronon. It pulled him to her with a desperation that was unlike anything he had ever known.

He had run from Wraith for years. And then he banded with these people from Earth to fight them, hunt them. Now the Wraith were there – in the home he had made with Jennifer, and it was like lava inside of him set to erupt.

He had sent her to safety.

She returned to save their home.

And that sound could only mean that the Wraith had found her.

He slid around the corner with grace and agility, picking up even more speed at the sight in front of him.

A Wraith. In feeding stance. With his hand on Jennifer. And then it lifted its hand. It brought the hand holding her hair down and put it around her throat while she fought him, and began feeding again.

Ronon instinctively reached for his gun only to find it gone.

He roared a yell of power and possession and fury as he reached the Wraith, drawing the long knife that Jen called his sword and driving it into the Wraith's side. He twisted it, angled it differently, and pulled it out, doing as much damage as he could in both directions. The Wraith stumbled backwards as Jennifer collapsed down the wall to the floor, and Ronon thrust again, this time catching the Wraith right through the heart. He twisted it, and pushed it to the hilt before jerking it out and discarding it.

He went immediately to his knees in front of Jennifer, terrified.

That he had been too late.

That she was forever changed.

That he had failed her.

But when he lifted her chin to see her face she was unchanged. Undamaged. Unaged.

He lifted her to him and turned her so his back was against the wall. The hunt was too present in his tension to turn his back to the hallway. Always vigilant.

She sobbed and crushed herself to his chest, her breathing erratic and her grip weak.

Then he looked up and saw the rest of SGA-1 there, arriving only seconds behind him. And from the look on their faces, they had seen what he had seen. The Wraith had attempted to feed on Jennifer twice, and could not. There was confusion and concern in their eyes.

John looked around the immediate area and took stock. He picked up one of the scattered new guns, and looked at it. He called in the kills to control, and then went to Matthews, who was starting to regain consciousness.

"Two Wraith down."

"Roger that, Colonel. Two Wraith down."

And then on the military channel it went out.

"Seven Wraith, two pair, three solos on the ground."

Jennifer pushed herself away from Ronon slowly and moved to lean on the wall. She bent over, putting her hands on her knees, finally catching her breath. He didn't rush her, or push her. He lightly ran his hand across the small of her back while she got her bearings. Then she lifted one hand and started to lightly press against the base of her neck, as if she was examining herself.

"Are you ok?" he asked cautiously.

She nodded her head quickly but didn't speak. And she didn't look at him.

"Jen," he said, getting her full attention. When she looked up at him, he didn't need to ask again. She was nowhere close to ok.

"We need to get her to Beckett," Ronon said as John looked on with concern.

"Six Wraith, two pair, two solos on the ground. Medical team needed in section 22 level 7."

Ronon put his arm around her waist and began leading her towards the medbay. SGA-1 fell in around them, offering additional support. Matthews was on his feet and moving with the group. John picked one marine to accompany him back to Control.

"I'll meet you guys there."

Ronon nodded but didn't stop.

He wanted to scoop her up and carry her. Faster. Safer. But she wanted to stand on her own, so he slowed the pace. One of the marines had a newly configured sensor to detect the Wraith, and the six that were still in the city were nowhere near their path, so he didn't rush her.

If it had been one sector more, she wouldn't have made it.

Ronon called to Beckett immediately as they arrived, and finally did lift her to get her up on the examination table. He supported her back as she sat and Beckett's examination began.

"If you like it in here so much you can quit all this heralding and come back to work, lass. No need for all the theatrics," Beckett joked with her. The corners of her mouth registered the start of a smile. Short lived, though, as he placed a hand on either side of her neck and began assessing the damage. Jennifer's neck was already turning purple with bruising from strangulation pressure, and the contact made her wince.

"Fractured larynx?" he queried.

She nodded.

"I thought you were being too quiet. What level? Two?"

She held up one finger.

"Of course you would say level one. You just want to get out of here quicker. I'll probably still put you under the scanner just to test that keen diagnostic sense of yours."

The ease of Beckett's banter started to calm Ronon. Although she still hadn't spoken, she was already seeming more herself.

"Now, this" Beckett said with purpose as he gestured to her neck "explains what you've been up to since you got back. I hear you weren't doing so well while you were away."

Ronon knew that look. Maybe all good doctor's had it. It was the one that told a patient that they could see right through any attempt to be brave, or stoic, or misleading.

Jennifer looked annoyed that someone had already told Carson something was wrong, but instead of arguing with him, she just presented her hands. There was a small bandage on one, but that isn't what got Ronon's attention. It was the way that they trembled.

She was shaking.

Becket took off her boots and socks, and the same was true of her feet.

"Is it adrenaline? Are you still coming down from your run in with the Wraith?"

She shook her head no.

"Five Wraith, two pair, one solo on the ground," Ronan heard in his ear.

And then the shaking got stronger. It moved up her arms and legs until it encompassed her whole body. She fell backwards to an inclined position as her muscles tightened outside her control. Her eyes rolled back as she lost consciousness, but the convulsions only got worse.

"Seizure!" Beckett yelled as additional staff came running to hold her down.