A/N: Sorry this took so long to update. I've had a lot going on with school and I was thinking about turning this story into a series. So naturally my brain is jumping ahead with new story ideas. But hopefully the rest of the updates will come much faster and I'll be posting an update to my other story within the week (with any luck). Please review, I like feedback.

Chapter 6

The Puddle Jumper skimmed over the clear blue expanse of water. Atlantis was rapidly disappearing behind them, and Elizabeth could tell that the craft was moving at a high velocity.

It had taken her at least fifteen minutes to track down someone with the ATA gene that wasn't currently occupied with something else. She would've thought that being the head of the expedition and running this city would give her some perks…obviously she was wrong.

Elizabeth quickly reached out and grasped the bulkhead as the Jumper jerked to the left. She'd never been one to get air sick, but this was ridiculous.

"Sorry, ma'am," the young lieutenant next to her accompanied the apology with a sidelong glance, which caused another dip in the flight pattern, "I'm still a little rusty."

Rusty was definitely an understatement. Lieutenant Collin Rowan was a marine that was about as green as you could get. And there were only two reasons he was on Atlantis; one was obviously the gene and the other was the fact that he was a mathematical genius. He was also the only one not doing anything at the moment. With Major Sheppard and Lt. Ford missing everyone was scrambling to do what they could to get them back.

Elizabeth had hesitated in asking Rowan, because John had specifically told her never to ride in a Puddle Jumper, or any other craft, with him. And the major would be the one who would know, since he had taken it amongst himself to teach all of the people with the gene, and all of the people undergoing gene therapy, to fly the Puddle Jumpers. He'd taken great pleasure in keeping her up to date on all of the crazy things he was making them do, but one time in particular he had not been amused. In fact John Sheppard had been down right shaken, and he'd stumbled out onto the balcony and right into her. After finally getting him to calm down he had told her all about one pilot that had made his life flash before his eyes. That pilot was Collin Rowan. And Elizabeth knew for a fact that if John's life wasn't the one in danger she wouldn't be in this ship with him.

The next dip jostled her left knee and she resisted the urge to yell at the kid. Her only mission right now was to get to the mainland and talk with the people that Teyla was speaking with, so that she could find a way to rescue John and Ford.

Elizabeth had contacted Teyla a few minutes before they had taken off and informed the Athosian of her intentions. The woman had agreed to allow her speak to any of the elders that wanted to speak to Dr. Weir, which apparently weren't many.

John's voice was still echoing in her mind from earlier. He was the one person in this galaxy that she could really talk to. They'd had many late night talks about nothing but nonsense; their favorite movie, childhood memories, and even old pranks they used to pull. He'd been surprised that the pristine Dr. Weir had been a trouble maker in her youth, but she was equally surprised that he had been a math geek.

The Jumper wrenched to the side making the irritated diplomat regret not dragging McKay out of his lab by the ear. According to John even Rodney was a better pilot then Rowan.

"You can just set the Jumper down outside the main village," her grip tightened as he banked the Jumper sharply to the right, aiming at the beach, "the village, not the beach, the village!"

"I know ma'am, I'm just getting a better angle for the approach," he smiled at her and she sunk down into her seat slightly. She knew enough about flying a Puddle Jumper to know that you don't need an approach to land.

The lieutenant lined up and skimmed over the beach before banking and sliding to a rest somewhere in the forest, which surround the encampment. Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief when the ship finally stopped moving.

"There you go ma'am. Safe and sound," Rowan was smiling at her as he powered down the ship.

She didn't answer him as she moved to the back of the Jumper, watching the back hatch glide down to rest on the ground. There was a large tunnel, the shape of a Puddle Jumper that was carved into the trees and foliage behind them.

"Welcome to the bunny massacre of 2007," she muttered it under her breath as she carefully walked down the ramp, "Stay here and guard the ship lieutenant."

Elizabeth didn't bother to see if he was following her and she moved off in the direction of the Athosian settlement.

Tents were set up in the sprawling community, all of which had the signs of being well lived in. There were children running around the area who were playing with a large ball, while the adults were working in the camp. It all had a very homey feeling and she suddenly felt like she should come here more often, and under better circumstances.

"Dr. Weir!" Teyla's voice pulled her from her reverie. Turning she noticed the slightly shorter woman leaning out of a nearby tent and waving her in.

Elizabeth slowly made her way over to the hut and ducked under the flap. It was a large space with many shelves resting on the floor that were covered with jars full of incense and what appeared to be herbs. An elderly woman was sitting on a bench at the only table in the room weaving some sort of rug.

"Are you all right?"

"What?" Teyla's question had startled her, but the old woman still didn't pay them any attention. The younger woman gestured toward her leg, "Oh, it's just an old injury flaring up, I'm fine."

She seemed satisfied with the explanation, "This is Roma; she is the only elder that I could get to agree to speak with you. Some of them are still bitter about their treatment while they resided in Atlantis, though I have tried to explain that it is not your fault. She however doesn't speak much, hardly at all to the rest of us."

"Why? I thought that everyone was very friendly with each other."

"Roma tends to keep to herself, rarely seeing anyone except for trading. I was actually quite surprised when she called me over and told me that she wanted to see you. And she doesn't come from the same settlement; we found her wandering around near the Stargate when I was a little girl. She has told some of the others that she doesn't remember anything and that she doesn't wish to be bothered by the other Athosians."

"Why doesn't she want to be bothered by the other Athosians?"

"I think…"

"Go!"

The outburst startled both of the women. Roma was still weaving but her eyes were focused on Teyla. There was something about her eyes that put Elizabeth slightly off, they were bright blue, unlike the Athosians who mostly had brown eyes.

"You wish me to go?" the Athosian's soft voice was tinged with wonder, and she had the impression that Roma didn't speak like this very often.

"Go!" this time the word was accompanied with a curt nod. Teyla gave Weir a smile and ducked out of the tent, leaving Elizabeth alone with the woman.

"Teyla says that you've been to a planet where it feels like people were watching you. Would you mind telling me what you remember from that place?" it was a long shot that the woman would speak to her, but she had to try. After all, the woman had wanted to see her.

Elizabeth limped over to take a seat on the other side of the table, trying to hold back the grimace that she knew played on her features. Roma was watching her closely, she wasn't even weaving anymore. The blue eyes were slits now, regarding the diplomat with a wondering expression, before she reached around the small table and placed her hands on Weir's left knee.

"Please don't…"

Before Elizabeth could finish the sentence a warm feeling started to spread from the area of contact. It engulfed her entire knee and seeped into her skin and deeper, immediately the pain vanished.

"How did you do that?" she knew that her voice was soft and awed, but she didn't care.

"An old trick of my people," the old woman's gruff voice startled her even more.

"Teyla said that you don't speak very often, why did you want to see me?"

"I thought that I could help you, because Teyla said that you wanted to know about a certain planet. And I don't speak with the people often because I like my privacy and I can't have them finding out about my little gifts now, can I? I would have all of them knocking on my door asking to cure a small cough," Roma stood and walked slowly over to one of the shelves, placing the half finished rug onto it, "I know why you've come here and you should never have sent your people to that planet. Especially knowing what you know."

"What…what is it that I know? I keep having these dreams, is that what you're talking about?" Elizabeth was more then confused now, nothing this woman was saying was making any sense.

"Dreams? Yes I guess it could manifest as dreams," Roma turned and saw the confused look still on Weir's face and elaborated, "You see things that others don't, maybe even when you were a child you saw these things. No one will believe you, but they always come true."

"How do you know that?" the bite in her voice was entirely unintentional, but she was beyond caring. This woman with skin as wrinkly as a three week old prune had just uncovered her deepest, darkest secret.

"I don't really know; I have no memories of my life before I came to live with the Athosians. But I do know some things. You have to embrace your gift if you are to use it to any degree of efficiency. And I'm guessing that you saw something about that planet or else you wouldn't have come all the way out here, am I correct?"

The hint of a smile could be seen playing at the edges of Roma's mouth as she resumed her seat on the bench, across from Weir. Elizabeth had never liked revealing too much about herself, not even to Simon or her family. The only one that she even felt remotely comfortable with was currently being held on another planet. Now this woman, who she had met less then fifteen minutes ago, was prying into her life. But if it meant getting John back then she would tell Roma whatever she wanted. She'd even tell her of the time when she was five, where she danced around the house singing the Barney theme song with her brother's boxers on her head, if she wanted to know.

"Two men off of one of my teams are being held hostage by a man with black eyes…and I saw it all happen in a dream."

Roma was watching her intently now, with all traces of amusement gone. The unseen watchers appeared again, wrapping around Elizabeth as if trying to suffocate her. Pain exploded in her head and she dropped to her knees, not even having enough air in her lungs to scream.

She looked up into the intent, but unsurprised, eyes of the old woman and realized that she was behind the phenomenon. Shadows were wrapping around her vision due to lack of air. They embraced her and all she wanted to do was let go and be swept away in the flood.

Only one thing kept her fighting, a presence on the very edge of her awareness was holding her in reality once again. John Sheppard was anchoring her there, reminding her that she needed to hold on in order to save him.

After what seemed like an eternity the pressure vanished, allowing the much needed air to flow into her lungs. Elizabeth fell all the way to the floor, gasping and coughing at the sudden intake of breath. Hands appeared patting her on the back and helping to get the precious gas back into her lungs.

"Don't try to breathe it all in at once, dear, or you'll pass out," the elderly voice had a tinge of admiration in it coupled with something Elizabeth couldn't identify. But she knew that voice and she doubted that she'd ever forget it.

Not thinking about her recent ordeal she scrambled away from the woman and collapsed in the farthest corner. Elizabeth was glaring at the old woman who was now at least five feet away from her, as far as the hut would allow.

"What the hell did you do that for! What do you want with me?"

Roma smiled and stood up from her crouched position, showing all of the stiffness that her age entitled her to. She regarded Elizabeth again, but this time no pain came.

"I have been watching you for some time now, using an ability that I discovered a few years after I was found. I thought that you might be different when I overheard Halling speaking to some others about an incident with one of your teams. How you sent a rescue team after some people before they had even reported they were in trouble. And when it turned out that the rescue arrived just in time, I thought that maybe you had an untapped gift. So I started to watch you, just to see if you could be taught, mind you I wasn't spying on the inner workings of Atlantis or anything like that. But I began to see that you had more of a handle on this then you let on to your teammates and I was intrigued."

"So you are the reason that I keep feeling like I'm being watched?" Elizabeth still had no idea what was going on, but she knew that if this woman didn't kill her first she could be a valuable resource.

"Yes, you are acutely in tune with your surroundings, because I didn't think you would ever notice," Roma smiled mysteriously and shook her head slightly, "So you wanted to know about Minjarno…the planet your team went to. The first thing you need to know is…"

"Wait, what was it you just did to me? It felt like my head was going to explode and I couldn't breathe."

"I was trying to see if you were being truthful with me. Because no one outside my people should know of Narnath, the man with black eyes, as you call him. He is very dangerous and he cannot be killed. I strongly advise you to lock that planet out of the system and never let anyone set foot there again."

"I can't do that, they are holding my people hostage," Roma turned to the fire in the center of the room and removed what looked like a kettle, which Elizabeth hadn't even noticed was there. She proceeded to pour the contents of the kettle into two cups.

"Here drink this, it will help with the headache, plus it tastes good," she smiled down at the diplomat while handing her one of the cups. Despite the seemingly good intentions of the woman, Elizabeth stayed on the ground and as far away as possible; not that it would do any good, "I didn't think that you'd just take my warning and leave it at that, especially with him being involved. Alright, I'll help you get them back but that is all. I cannot fight your battles for you Dr. Weir; you have to do that on your own."

"Show me."

I'm coming John, just hang on.

The words echoed in his head. He knew that Elizabeth had been here and so did the hippy with black eyes. What he didn't know was how she'd gotten here, and how she'd just disappeared like that.

It was daylight again and the enemy camp was nearly dead, probably due to the party the night before. The only sign of life was an immobile foot that was sticking out of a tent across from the two men.

John tilted his head to the left, silently regarding the lieutenant next to him. The kid had been pretty green when they'd first met, but now he was a capable soldier and a good friend. That had been shown when he stayed behind to help John and let the other two members of the team get away. The kid had a large bruise on the side of his face, but nothing else was apparent. John had to smile at the fact that Ford was still asleep, the guy could drop off just about anywhere.

Elizabeth's face seemed to swim in front of his eyes. Her dark hair falling in curls just above her shoulders and her deep green eyes tinged with confusion and concern, just like she had looked last night. John had thought that maybe she was psychic before, now he knew that she was one at least to some degree. Elizabeth had appeared to him and said that she was going to get him out of here, and for some reason he had believed it. Then the freak had seen her and seemed to mentally force her away from him. John's jaw clenched as he remembered her screams of pain. They had shaken him to the core, not once in his entire life had he heard a sound that he most wanted to never hear again. All night he had had dreams about tearing the grey haired man into itty, bitty postage stamp size pieces and then feeding him to the next Steve they found.

Ford had been confused when John had started yelling across the camp at the man. And John had determined that the young marine couldn't see the diplomat. The conversation that he'd had with the hippy right after Elizabeth disappeared started to replay in his head.

The man with black eyes had strode over to stand in front of the two prisoners. Studying them closely he glared at John, staring him right in the eyes.

"Your friend won't be able to help you, she is weak," the man glared at John.

"She's stronger then you could ever know, you bastard. I hope I get to see the look on your face when you find that out."

The two men glared at each other for awhile longer, oblivious to the confusion of those around them.

"She doesn't have enough power or training to fight me on any level. But it is curious that I can still sense some of her presence residing here with you. It appears that there is a connection between you two humans…interesting," he studied John for a moment longer before seeming to brush off whatever he was feeling, "Know this, the woman will die if she attempts to challenge me. And you will reside here for the rest of your natural life."

The man had stalked off into one of the nearby tents, looking the least composed that John had seen him. None of what he said had made any sense, but a bonus was that at least he was ignoring Ford.

A noise like thunder sounded over the forest. John whipped his head around to try and see what it was. And he wasn't the only one there were people emerging from the tents. A black mass was moving on the horizon and was coming closer to the encampment.

"What the hell is that, sir?" John looked over to see Aiden Ford staring with wide eyes in the direction of the noise.

"I haven't the foggiest idea," he turned his head again to try and get a better look at the phenomenon. His bonds were severely hindering his attempts to get a visual, but his movements were enough.

A thousand…a million black crows were speeding toward them. Their black wings flapping in sync with one another and raining a feeling of death down on the people. At the same time the wizard, as he seemed, walked out of his tent and strode across the clearing at the center of camp. The birds conformed to his direction like the Nazis on Earth once had for Hitler. They swept over the area, shading it in their blackness for an eternity.

As John watched the airborne death he only had one thought.

Hurry Elizabeth, I don't think we are going to last much longer. And be careful.

A/N: Like it? Don't like it? Please review, I need feedback to keep me going.