A/N: Thanks for all the faithful reviewers and readers. I'm glad I didn't let you down with the Jack/Rodney scene. No real beta so all mistakes are mine.

Jennifer felt her heart rate increase to a thunderous pace. I need to relax, I'm not even running yet. She took a deep breath, followed by another, trying to concentrate only on the in and out of her breathing. The scents of the forest assaulted her nostrils and brought her back to happier times camping with Dad and Uncle Jack. That's all this is, a race back to the campsite.

She and Teyla had worked their way quietly back to the gate at dawn. There was no sign of the Bola Kai hunting for them. Teyla thought they didn't want to exert themselves over night since the two of them should be easy prey. The Athosian said their enemies' overconfidence could be used against them. Jennifer wasn't sure about that so she spent the morning trying not to throw up.

A hand squeezed her arm, drawing her out of her thoughts. Looking into brown eyes that held an intense expression, Jennifer realized it was time. She nodded to the Athosian and prepared to move into position when they heard the familiar sound of the gate dialing.

Jennifer's heart leapt for a moment. Rodney's coming! That instant of joy was shattered by the sound of gunfire. She and Teyla moved along the ridge and peered carefully over a fallen tree to see several Bola Kai shooting randomly at the kawoosh and the subsequent puddle. Jennifer knew the bullets couldn't go through to Atlantis, if it was Atlantis dialing, but they would hit anyone who exited the gate.

No one came out of the gate after a minute though. Jennifer leaned very close to Teyla's ear once the gate closed and whispered, "What was that?"

"Someone radioed?" Teyla offered with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Or dialed a wrong number," Jennifer countered. She couldn't let herself believe that Atlantis would be dialing ten hours early. Unless Gunny's sixth sense is going off because we're in danger. No, don't go there. Concentrate on the plan.

Teyla's eyes narrowed as if to say Don't be so negative. The Athosian then inclined her head and looked off in the distance as a sign for Jennifer to move.

The physicain took another deep breath. Her thoughts were apparently dead on; the Bola Kai would kill anyone who came through the gate. Nothing's changed, she said to herself. You still need to draw enough of them away for Teyla to dial and get through the gate.

The plan was for Jennifer to be some distance away from the Athosian leader, draw their attention, run as fast as she could back to the bridge and, once across, cut the ropes with a knife Teyla gave her. The bridge would collapse with any weight with the next easiest place to cross the river miles away Jennifer should have plenty of time to get back to the hunter's blind and hide. They didn't discuss what would happen if any part of the plan failed.

Another nudge from Teyla brought her back to the present again. It's time to go. How the hell do I get their attention? Jennifer felt a stab of fear as she began to tremble and felt a tear slide out of her eye. Now's not the time. But she couldn't control herself.

The physician grabbed Teyla's arm carefully to avoid the handgun and leaned close, "Tell Rodney I love him."

"Jennifer…" Teyla began only to stop. There was nothing the warrior could say to the physician that would make this any easier.

The girl from Wisconsin looked at Teyla for a moment before her eyes were drawn to the gun. Of course! An idea suddenly popped into her head, Before she could say anything to Teyla, adrenaline kicked in and Jennifer grabbed the handgun.

Rushing some distance from Teyla, she jumped up and fired two shots. The distance and her aim were off but it drew the Bola Kai's attention. She ducked down, scurried back another way, jumped up, fired two more shots. Then she scampered toward Teyla, tossing the gun in her general direction, and ran.

At the top of the hill, she saw half of the Bola Kai near the gate head in her direction, firing randomly as they went. Great, they bought it. They think I'm armed and possibly that there's more than one of me. She allowed herself a moment of pride at decreasing the warriors Teyla had to battle. But now four savages are running toward me and I'm unarmed. The physician took off down the hill before they got within firing range.

Jennifer was certain she ran for hours, but a glance at her watch, as she paused behind a large outcropping of rocks, told her it was only about ten minutes. Teyla should be fighting at the gate by now. She heard periodic gunfire close to her position, which told her that the Bola Kai were still behind her. It was unsettling but she was glad they hadn't turned back. Teyla has a better chance against four than eight.

After her brief respite she took off again heading toward a new sound, the river. Her body got into a zone and all she noticed was her footing. A few slips and some branches to the face were the worst injuries she sustained by the time she broke free of the underbrush with the river in front of her.

Her eyes widened as she frantically looked up and down the cliff edge. Where's the bridge? Tears of frustration fell unchecked as she tried to calm her racing heart. One glance at the churning, raging water that was at least a hundred feet below her caused the physician to turn and face the forest. Angry shouts and the occasional gunshot descended on her position. There was nowhere for the young woman to go. "No, no, no!"

Rodney wavered between anger and pain so often the past half-hour that he gave up trying to rationalize away either emotion. Jennifer was Jack O'Neill's niece and she never told him. Her family relations really didn't concern Rodney-he'd like to get along with her dad but that was all. It was the fact that she kept a secret of such magnitude that hurt him the most. Did I really fall for a woman that only wanted me for a casual fling?

Before he could answer the question for himself, the cause of his anger resurfaced. General O'Neill wanted to go collect Jennifer… alone. Master Gunny Richards along with Colonels Carter and Sheppard refused to allow it so a compromise was reached. O'Neill, Sheppard, Ronon and Richards were going through the gate to see why the radio was down and to get Jennifer.

McKay was left on Atlantis with Lorne and the Major's team as potential back up if something was amiss. Rodney was certain some Athosian turned the radio off during the celebration. He had complete confidence that the Athosians and Teyla could handle any problem that might possibly arise.

The physicist found himself pacing in the control room after being left out though. Colonel Carter came up the stairs and offered him a wary smile because it was obvious O'Neill kept the secret from her as well. They do a terrible job of keeping their affections secret.

Chuck dialed the gate and called one more time to no response on the radio. The Canadian glanced at his fellow countryman. "Silence, Doctor."

"Really? I didn't know that's what silence sounded like," Rodney barked, hoping he could unleash his pent up anger on the technician.

"Colonel Sheppard," Chuck said, ignoring Rodney. "No response."

"Okay. We'll radio back once we find out what's happened," John said. "Major Lorne, standby."

"Yes, sir," the Major replied.

Rodney avoided the Major's eye, as he knew what must have been going through the other man's mind. Evan made his initial interest in Jennifer clear even though the physician rejected him. I bet he's waiting to pounce once she officially dumps me.

The radio channel was left open as the General and others went through the gate. Multiple shouts and gunfire erupted causing everyone to jump in the control room a few seconds later.

"Sheppard?" Rodney shouted as he ran down the stairs to the open wormhole.

Lorne bolted up the stairs to the jumper bay without Carter asking him too.

More gunfire and indistinguishable shouts came over the intercom. "Sheppard!" he screamed as the gunfire subsided.

"Colonel Carter, this is Sheppard. I need at least two more teams and a full emergency medical unit."

"John, what's going on?" Rodney couldn't hide the panic or cold feeling going through his chest.

"We'll need you with a scanner, Rodney," John replied. "Jennifer's in danger."

Rodney ran to the wormhole, his Tac vest, scanner and weapon forgotten in the control room.

TBC

A/N: I will try to get another chapter up quickly. I've only got 4 active stories now, so I should get it done faster than before.