Author's Note: Okay therethere's somethingI should have probably cleared up in the first chapter:

Time line: This doesn't take place in a specific time. I guess maybe a few months after "Rising"

A/N2: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, you guys are awesome! I honestly didn't expect to get such great responses. Please keep the feedback coming, I really love hearing what you all think.

Chapter Two

Another Night, Another Day

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She sat there watching the very same scene that had played before her eyes every night since as far back as she could remember. The woman who had so selflessly thrown herself off of the platform only to plummet to what had to be her death to save the life of another was all very heroic, but Shonna didn't understand what all of this had to do with herself. She had long since learned to go along with it all, however, seeing as how there wasn't much she could do about it.

She never knew the woman's face, always too far away to make it out clearly. And the only distinguishing feature she could see was the woman's golden blonde hair and her short stature. Despite her height, the power that radiated from this woman was extraordinary. And yet, Shonna still didn't know why her dreams continued to take her here.

And the scenery changed. The woman was now standing alone and clearly confused. Shonna could not see it, but for some reason she could sense it, just as she sensed that confusion transform into irritation.

And then the woman said something, despite the fact that there was no one else in sight, she continued to speak. Shonna was surprised to find that she could walk closer. To get a better view, to hear what was being said. She took a step, and then another, not bothered by the fact that there was no ground beneath her feet. She continued on until finally she stopped cold. Her eyes widened and her body froze. It was her. The woman she saw was herself. Her hair was lighter, and her clothes foreign, but she knew her own face, and she knew that this woman had it.

The woman did not notice her presence at first. She had a strange far away look on her face. And she continued to speak to the unknown presence.

"Who are you talking to?" Shonna asked finally when she could no longer take just standing and watching without comprehension.

The woman before her (she found it strange to consider her as being her own self) finally seemed to notice her. She had a surprised, yet curious look on her face and she reached her hand out tentatively as if confirm that what she saw was really there. She touched the other her's cheek and quickly recoiled with shock.

"Who are you?" The woman demanded, throwing her a suspicious look.

"That's the thing." Shonna replied. "I don't know."

"And I'm supposed to help you?" The woman asked her sarcastically.

"Well, we do look an awful lot alike, maybe you're my future?" She asked.

"I doubt that. I was never that… unfashionable." The woman said.

"Not my fault." Shonna replied. "There isn't really such a thing as name brand clothing where I'm from."

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It's where you're headed." Replied another voice. And yet there was still no one else in sight.

"Hell?" The woman asked in a nervous voice.

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?" Shonna asked in irritation and confusion, but it was no longer anything new.

"When the past meets the present, answers can be found." Said the disembodied voice.

"That's nice wisdom boy, but that doesn't really help." The woman replied.

"Help will be found in unlikely places, and the key to restoration lies within the gateway to your fate."

"Restoration?" Shonna asked.

"All in good time." Was the voice's reply.

"Did that make sense to you?" Shonna asked the woman.

"Not one bit." She answered.

"Just checking." Shonna said.

"Okay, cut the crap. Speak clearly or don't speak at all, this isn't getting us anywhere." The woman demanded.

"Fine. I'll shut up, but you'll know what I mean sooner or later." He told them huffily.

And suddenly she found herself alone.

And then she awoke.

Once again she found herself unclear on the details of her dreams. But this time it came back to her, or at least, most of it did. And yet they did not clarify anything, and she was left with a sense of disappointment, as always.

When it became clear that she would not be able to go back to sleep, she got up and sighed. After pacing around her small room for a few minutes she finally walked outside into the cold breeze of the night. The sky was black, no moon or star in sight, hidden beneath thick clouds that hovered above.

She walked around her small home and saw the remains of the camp fire. The flames had long since ceased, leaving behind glowing embers that emitted a minimal amount of light so that it was just enough to illuminate the face of another figure sitting besides it. He was looking the other way and she quietly walked over and sat down beside him.

"What're you doing up?" She asked quietly into his ear so that it snapped him out of his reverie.

"You startled me." He said with a glare.

"So I can see." She said, noting the surprised look on his face. There was a moment of silence before she spoke again. "Ford is it?" She asked.

He nodded.

"You never answered my fist question." She reminded him.

He thought for a moment before replying. "Couldn't sleep. You?"

"Same," was her simple response.

She looked at him intently for a few moments, and the sense of familiarity suddenly came rushing back to her.

"You're different." She said bluntly.

"Excuse me?" He said, clearly puzzled.

"All of you. Well, all except Teyla. You're different from anyone I've ever met, from this planet or any other."

"How so?" He asked.

"I don't know. You guys seem so familiar. I don't know if we've met before, or what."

"I think I'd remember if I'd met you." He replied.

"I know. Then what is it? It's all very frustrating." She told him.

"I'm sorry." He said, and it was clear that he had no clue as to what he should say beyond that.

She smiled a little bit at his discomfort. "Unless you somehow managed to rip my memories from my brain three and a half years ago, it's not your fault."

"Huh?"

"Sorry. Never mind."

"You mean, you actually can't remember anything?" He asked.

"Nothing past this one, insignificant day over three years ago."

"I can't imagine." He said.

"Well, I've learned to live with it. It's just, I still have this hope that maybe someday I'll remember again." She said.

"Well, you seem to have made a good life for yourself despite the memory loss." He said.

"Yeah, I know. But this still feels so strange. I mean, I can't know for sure, but I just get the feeling that my life was no where near this before."

"Do you know what happened? How you got this way?"

"I don't know. I just remember waking up one day to find some old man staring down at me in surprise. Nice old guy, claimed I fell through a 'tear in the sky', I don't know what he was smoking, but other than that he was okay. Named me too."

"So Shonna isn't your real name?"

"Nope. Can't even remember that."

"It's pretty, do you know what it means?" He asked.

"No clue. It's really common. Seems like you can't go anywhere without hearing it these days, least not on this planet."

"So you've been to other planets?" He asked, "Through the gate?"

"No, not me personally, but I've met with traders from different worlds. Personally, the whole going-to-other-planets-in-only-a-few-seconds thing kinda gives me the wiggins."

He laughed.

"What?" She asked.

"Sorry, but for a moment there you were starting to sound like the people from where I'm from."

"Maybe I am from where you're from."

He shook his head. "I highly doubt that."

"In any case, I'll probably never know. But hey, it could be worse. At least I found a place that has taken me in."

"I have to ask." He said, suddenly reminded of a question he had earlier but never voiced.

"Yeah?"

"Why were you so quick to help us, without even hearing what we have to offer in return?" He asked her.

"Because right now we don't really need anything, as you guys so clearly do, but we might need something in the future. We're just looking for friends."

"Sounds fair." He said.

"I thought so."

And they continued to talk about different things throughout the night, unaware of the time that was passing. Shonna listened intently to Ford as he told the story of how he had come to Atlantis. And she in turn told stories of different events and mishaps that had occurred in the past few years. And as they sat there and got to know each other, Ford couldn't help but become captivated by the woman before him. The manner in which she conducted herself and the confidence she exuded despite her losses intrigued him.

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"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Sheppard asked as they made their way through the brush.

Shonna rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure."

"It's just, none of this looks familiar." He said.

"How can you tell?" McKay asked. "Everything looks the same to me."

"I told you, it's a short cut." Shonna said to them, but both men continued to look skeptical.

"I wouldn't exactly call this a short cut if it takes longer than the original route." McKay replied.

"Only because you slowed us down." She shot back.

"Well maybe I wouldn't have had to if someone had informed me to pack a lunch."

"Excuse me, I didn't realize this would be an all day excursion." Sheppard said.

Shonna leaned over to Ford and Teyla and asked quietly, "What crawled up his ass?"

Teyla looked like she was trying to hold back a smile while Ford let out a small laugh before sobering up at Sheppard's disapproving glance.

"I heard that." Sheppard said.

"I meant for you to." Shonna replied.

"I just want to know how much longer." He said.

"That anxious to get back, are we?" She asked him.

"Didn't realize you were in such a hurry to see Dr. Weir." Ford said with a smirk.

Sheppard shot him a look that wiped the smug look right off Lt. Ford's face.

"Someone's touchy today." Shonna observed.

"Okay, will everyone just stop the bickering?" McKay asked in annoyance.

"Ah, I was having fun." Shonna pouted. "Besides, you're one to talk."

"Ah yes, here we are." Teyla said as they approached the large round object.

"Okay, I'll be back in a few hours." Sheppard said to his team. "Try not to get into too much trouble while I'm gone."

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on them." Shonna told him.

"Oh yeah, that's reassuring." Sheppard said.

And with that he dialed the gate and watched as an event horizon was formed. And they watched as he stepped through.

Shonna looked at it for a moment. She had a weird feeling. It was as if she was anxious but for what reason she did not know. She had felt it earlier, but it was faint. The feeling seemed only to intensify as she neared the gate. As if someone unseen was trying to tell her that she needed to go through. But she pushed it to the back of her mind as she turned to the three remaining foreigners.

"So, what do you guys wanna do for the next few hours?"

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Another Author's Note:

Okay, I know this chapter, as well as the first one, seem kinda slow. But I promise that the pace will pick up soon. Please bear with me! Things will get more interesting and I am actually going somewhere with it. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update, I'll try to be faster in the future. And hey, don't forget to review! Thanks.