They all stood in silence and stared at the silent gate.

"We should never have let her go. That bitch could do anything to her." McKay said breaking the silence.

"Well. If she doesn't get in contact next week, then we'll go in and get her out. Until then we have to wait." Sheppard replied sadly. Teyla held his hand and bowed her head. She couldn't explain it but she felt a great loss. Like she had lost a friend.

"You little Wraith worshipper." Spat the woman at Amelia. "You dare to leave us do you?" she demanded slapping Amelia across the face. Amelia just looked at her but didn't allow the woman her satisfaction voicing the pain that was going through her face. "You going to run to your friends are you? Tell them what I did?" Amelia shook her head. "I didn't think so. Now get out of my sight." Amelia walked away to the little hut that was her home. Everyday she received beatings for no reason. Everyday Amelia said nothing. She would not say anything until she had her chance at her weekly check-in with her friends. She truly believed that they would come and get her, every night she would dream about it and about what her life could be like on Atlantis. Every night one of the team would scoop her up and take her away, one night it would be Rodney, another night it would be John, another it would be Ronan. But the outcome would always be the same. She would end up back on Atlantis with people who promised to protect her. She woke up on the seventh day with a smile on her face. When the woman came into her little room, she pulled Amelia roughly to her feet and slapped her. "Now. No funny stuff. We'll make your little check-in and then you'll go back to work." Amelia was pulled outside and was greeted by a group of boys. All of which were older than her by a couple of years. "Lets go." They walked to the gate and Amelia dialled Atlantis, once connected she sent through her IDC.

The whole team were waiting on tenterhooks. Today was the day that Amelia was going to check in. in preparation they were all geared up ready to go and get her. Just in case.

"Atlantis?" said Amelia. Rodney was first to reply, "Amelia. We're all here. You ok?" They heard a deep breath and then it being let out in small hiss. "Amelia? Answer me." Rodney said urgently.

"Help me Rodney!" came her little voice in hurry over the radio. After hearing 'help' Ronan, Sheppard, Teyla and even Lorne was down the stairs waiting to go through and get her. McKay could hear grunts coming over the radio. "We're coming. Just hold on." He nodded at the technician to close the gate and dial M7G-677 again. McKay hurried down the steps and joined the others. "Lets go get her." Sheppard said. The gate whooshed into life and they were through the gate in no time at all. What greeted them was horrifying. A group of young boys were in circle crowding something. Every now and then one of them would punch or kick the thing in the middle. Over the taunts of the boys Ronan heard, "Ronan is going to hurt you." Ronan growled and Sheppard said, "What?"

"Its Amelia they're kicking and punching." He rushed over when one of the boys said, "Oh yeah? Who's Ronan?" Ronan pushed two of them away and said, "That's me." They all turned around and stared at him, leaving Amelia they tried to hit him instead. McKay hurried forward and scooped up a bleeding Amelia. She opened her eyes weakly and said, "Rodney?" McKay smiled and said, "Yeah that's me. Come on lets get you home." He started to walk to towards the open gate. As they had come through Teyla had dialled home. He was almost there when a hand caught his shoulder. He turned around and saw that not only was Ronan fighting the boys but so was Lorne and Sheppard. He turned to the person who had caught his shoulder and said coldly, "Let go of me."

"No. Give her back to me." Replied the woman.

"I don't think so. She's coming home with us." Rodney replied. He felt a sharp sting across his face and he felt Amelia tremble. Rodney looked at her and said, "Normally where I come from men don't hit women as a general rule. But in your case I think I'd be willing to make an acception." He went to place Amelia next to the DHD so that she could stand up. When Teyla came up beside him, "No need Rodney. I will handle this. You get Amelia to Dr Beckett." Rodney nodded and walked towards the gate again. He turned to see that Lorne, Sheppard and Ronan had handled the boys easily and were also walking towards the gate. Teyla was kicking the crap out of the young woman when Teyla said, "Where I come from we don't beat up little children and I know that John's people also do not beat up little children. Consider yourself lucky that I do not kill you where you stand. Amelia would not want that." Giving the woman another kick Teyla walked towards the gate and stepped through with the rest of her family.

When Laura had woken up a few days earlier she had said that Amelia could be in trouble. When asked about this she just said that she had gut instinct that something wasn't right. Laura had looked at Lorne and said, "You have to go with them."

"But why?" he had asked her, "She didn't even like me that much."

"Just please." Laura had said to him.

"Ok. I'll go. You ok?" he asked worried.

"Yeah why?" she had asked him.

"Oh no reason. You just seem really invested considering you were out for the count when you were brought back through the gate and after the surgery. What's happened to make you this way?"

"She needs protecting. We all do and it took me a long time for her to trust me. I want her to live with me." She had turned to the rest of the group and said, "Is that ok with you?"

"Yeah that's fine by us. But I think we'll all be looking after her. Just like we look after each other anyways." Sheppard had replied.

"I wouldn't expect anything else. But I guess we should ask her first. Let her make her own decision?" Laura had said.

"Now that sounds like a better plan." Lorne had said. Laura had shot him a look. He held up his hands in defence and didn't speak to Laura for the rest of the afternoon. Now she was pacing as best she could in the gate room waiting for the team to come back. She had heard about the transmission from Elizabeth. The gate came to life and the team wondered through. McKay was carrying Amelia in his arms. He walked straight past her and headed straight for the infirmary. She looked at them all in surprise. "What happened?" she asked.

"They were beating her up. No wonder she didn't want to go back to them." Replied John shaking his head.

"Come on lets go and see how she's doin." Lorne said. He smiled at Laura and then helped her go back to the infirmary. Once they all arrived Beckett had looked her over and she was in perfect health except for some cuts and bruises to her face and chest area. "She's going to be fine with some TLC. Which I think we can all provide." He said smiling at Amelia. Amelia smiled back and turned to the others and said, "Thank you, Ronan, Teyla, Rodney, John, Evan. Thank you for coming and getting me." John smiled at her and said, "Hey your one of the family you can call me uncle John if you want. Welcome home." He turned and headed out of the infirmary with the others while McKay stayed behind. Stopping he said, "Amelia when's your birthday?"

"I don't understand uncle John. What is a birthday?" she asked him.

"A birthday is a celebration of the day that we were born. Its an earth custom."

"I do not know when my birthday is. Why don't you pick one out for me?" she said.

"Ok. I will. How old are you anyways?"

"Seven."

"Well congratulations you've just turned 8." He said laughing.

"So today is my new birthday?"

"Yes. Today is your birthday. Because you've joined our family today."

"What's today's' date?" asked McKay.

"Er…it's the 17th of October I believe. Why?"

"No reason. Just curious so that I can remember for next year." Rodney replied. Laura hadn't said anything and was also smiling. "What you smiling at?" asked Lorne.

"Nothing." She turned to Amelia and said, "Happy birthday Amelia." Smiling Amelia said, "And to you Miss Laura." Everyone stopped and stared at Laura. "Its your birthday today as well? Why didn't you say anything?" demanded Lorne.

"Coz my birthday is no big deal." She replied.

"How old are you?" asked John. Laura raised an eyebrow at him and said, "That's for me to know and you never to find out. Like I said its no big deal." With that said Laura smiled again to Amelia and walked out of the infirmary. She walked to her quarters and picked up Spot. Walking back to the infirmary she walked up to Amelia's bed and handed her the stuffed cuddly toy.

"What's this?" asked Amelia.

"It's called a teddy bear. He's called Spot the dog. You can have him if you want."

"What do I do with him?"

"You cuddle him. Take him with you everywhere if you really want. He was my first teddy bear when I was born and now he's your first teddy bear." Laura said smiling.

"Thank you Miss Laura."

"You're very welcome and please call me auntie Laura instead of Miss Laura. It makes me feel old." Laura said chuckling and then added, "See you later Mia."

"Bye." McKay had just sat there in wonder and hadn't said anything. He smiled at her when Laura turned and left.