We're on the mainland for two weeks until we can come back to the city. The kids fall asleep on the way back and when we arrive the parents are there to meet us. We wake up the kids and head back into the city. As we walk through the hallways, an alarm goes off. Elizabeth taps on her headset and asks what's going on. The conversation's short, but I can tell from the look on her face that it's not good news. It's in low tones and short, so I have no idea what's going on. She then turns to the other adults and they talk in quiet tones. I manage to hear a word here and there; Replicators…hive ships. All of which makes no sense to me other than hive ships. Who are the Replicators and why are they so worried about them?

Elizabeth then turns to me and says, "Something's come up. Could the kids spend the night at your place again?"

"Sure, why not?" I say plastering a smile on my face while inward I'm groaning. So I'm going to be left out of the loop again.

Elizabeth gives me a smile and says, "Thanks."

"No prob." I say, but I don't think that she or the others hear me because they're already jogging down the hallway. I sigh and say, "Alright let's go get your overnight stuff."

We stop off at everyone's quarters, pick up their stuff, and drop it off at my place. We then head over to the cafeteria only to find that it's been shut down for the time being. I sigh, so much for getting something to eat. Oh well, I have some junk food; we can pig out when we get back to my room. We trek back to my place, but I end up carrying Jamie and holding Kelly's hand. The rest of them just follow me quietly. I can see that they're worn out and once we get back to my place I have them change into their pj's and roll out their sleeping bags (they never did pick them up) almost right away and they settle on the couch while I root through my stash. "Ok, what'll it be?" I ask. "I've got Cheetos, Doritos, Fritos, basically the whole itos family. What do you kids feel like?"

I get silence as a response and I look up to see that they're all asleep. Jason, Kelly, and Patrick are leaning against each other on the couch while Maria, Jamie, and Stuart are on the floor in their sleeping bags. I stifle a laugh and cross the room for my camera. I just found some pictures to send home with my next letter. After snapping a few pics, I set the camera down and get Jason, Kelly and Patrick into their sleeping bags. They hardly stir when I set them down. I sigh and brush a strand of hair out of my face. I gaze out the window for a bit, thinking and then pick up a bag of M&M's and pop some in.

Feeling a bit grimy I decide to take a quick rinse. The kids are asleep and will stay that way. I enter the bathroom and turn on the shower, letting the water heat up a bit before I jump in. When it does I get in and let the water wash over me and get rid of the sand and grit. It feels good to finally have running water again after two weeks of using a bucket as a shower. After a bit I turn off the water and towel off, putting on my terry cloth robe and wrapping a towel around my hair. I exit the bathroom and peek in on the kids, to make sure that they're still asleep.

They are and I duck back into my room and quickly put on my Grumpy pj pants (Grumpy but Sweet) and Oscar the Grouch top (I'm not a morning person!). Taking off the towel on my hair, I run it through my hair to soak up a bit more water and then hang it up. I then get in bed, grab a book from my nightstand, open it and begin to read. I sigh; a relaxing end to a relaxing day.

-fast forward sevral hours because the author wants to move the story along-

I must have dozed off because the next thing I know I'm being jolted awake by the sound of an explosion. "What the hell?" I mutter as I get out of bed and walk out into the living room to see if everyone's ok. They are, just a little confused and Maria's still asleep. The girl can sleep through anything. Before I can explain everything there's a second explosion and this one is closer than the first one. Ok, even I'm starting to get a little worried. I radio for Elizabeth to find out what's going on, but she doesn't answer me. By now the kids are starting to get scared and I'm finding it hard to keep calm myself. Then someone's pounding at the door. I go over and open it, my heart racing. But it's Marc. "What's going on?" I ask him.

"C'mon, we've got to go now."

"Where? Why?"

"There's no time to explain, just get the kids."

"Ok." I then go back inside and put on a smile. I have to keep strong for the kids, no matter what happens. Kneeling in front of them, I look at Jason and Stuart and say, "I'm gonna need some help with everyone, you think you help?" I figure give them something to do so they won't think about what's going on.

They nod their heads and Jason says, "I'll look after Jamie an' Stuart can look after Kelly, Maria, an' Patrick."

I smile. "How about I take Maria since she's still sleeping? That alright with you Stuart? You can still look after Patrick and Kelly."

"I can watch after Kelly." Patrick says, moving closer to his sister.

"I know you can, but I want Stuart to watch over both of you so you'll be safe. Ok?"

"'K." he says in a small voice.

"Good." I say, standing.

"Max." Marc calls out from the door.

Oh, right. "Coming." I call out. I make my way to where Maria is and pick her up while softly saying, "Maria, wake up." She opens an eye and looks around. Just then yet another explosion rocks through the city, this one close, and I feel her tense up. "Don't worry, everything's ok." I soothe. That seems to calm her down some and she lays her head on my shoulder and drifts off again.

"Max, we gotta go now." Marc says, looking around like he's waiting for something to happen.

"C'mon guys let's go." I say herding them towards the door. "Jason, Jamie, hold hands and no matter what don't let go." I say, emphasizing the last part. "And that goes for the rest of you, ok?" They nod their understanding as we head towards the door.

"What about our clothes?" Patrick asks as we step out into the hallway. People are running around and there's extra military all around.

"No time, we gotta get to the Gate before they dial in." Marc says, starting down the hallway at a jog.

"Who's they?" I ask, after making sure that everyone can keep up with him.

"Not the time Max." he says distracted.

We all cram into a transporter and then exit in a hallway not far from the Gate room. I open my mouth to ask when the right time would be when there's a huge explosion and everyone in the hallway is knocked off their feet. It sounds like whoever's attacking Atlantis is right over us. "Everyone ok?" I ask when the dust settles. Other than a few cuts and bruises everyone's alright. Maria's wide awake by now and I can tell she's scared. She's not the only one.

We stand up and Marc says, "There's not much time left, they're here. We need to carry them. Up for that?"

I nod my head and pick up Kelly in addition to already holding Maria. Marc picks up Jamie and Patrick. "Stuart, Jason, can you guys keep up with us?"

"Yup."

"Sure."

"Let's go." Marc says, heading towards the Gate Room. I make sure that Jason and Stuart are in front of me as we run down the hallway. I don't want to leave anyone behind.

As we run I hear Marc say, "...all most there, go ahead and dial it."

We're going off world? What's going on? We make it to the Gate room just as it activates and I spot Elizabeth, John, Laura, and Rodney by the control panel. Marc runs up the steps and joins them there. The kids spot them as well and with cries of 'Mommy!' and 'Daddy!' go running towards them. I set Kelly and Maria down and they go running towards Elizabeth and Marc as well. The adults go down the steps when they see the kids running towards them and embrace them in hugs.

I make my way towards them and ask, "Where are we going?"

"M7G-677.It's a planet of children and you'll be safe there." John says, releasing the twins.

"Hurry up, you don't have much time." Rodney says, looking at a computer screen.

"But I don't wanna go." Jamie says, clinging to John.

"Me either."

"I wanna stay."

"Me too." The others chorus in.

The adults look at each other and I can see that Laura and Elizabeth are fighting back tears. "I know, kids, I know." Elizabeth says, blinking them back. "But it's not safe here. But don't worry you'll be safe where you're going and Max will be there to watch after you."

I watch them cling to their parents and I can't help but get a little teary myself.

Elizabeth then looks at me and says, "There'll be someone to meet you on the other side, his name is Keras. He knows us from the times we've been there before and will take you to his village." She then pulls out a radio and IDC. "We'll contact you when it's safe, but if we don't within a week, try to dial the Alpha Site."

Before I can ask what we're to do if I can't, another violent explosion rips through the Gate Room. Sparks shower down from light fixtures as well as equipment and people are thrown everywhere. The parents cover themselves over the kids to protect them from the sparks.

"Elizabeth if they're going it has to be now!" Rodney shouts from his place at the control panel.

"You'll come back, I promise." She says.

They then hug the kids one last time and then send us towards the Gate. I grab onto Kelly and Jamie and, yelling for the boys to follow me, we all run towards the gate. Marc is already waiting in front of it with Maria. We reach it without trouble and I send the boys through first, telling them to wait for me on the other side. Before Jason's goes through, I hand him the radio and IDC, telling him to hold on to it until I come through. After they go through, I send Kelly and Maria through with the same instructions. I'm about to go through with Jamie when Marc says, "Wait."

I pause and he hands me a 9mm.

"Just in case." He says.

I nod and tuck it into the waistband of my pj pants. Jamie goes through and I'm near the wormhole when there's particularly violent explosion that knocks me back. My head hits the ground and I hear a crack. I groan and roll to my side. I try to get up but I find that I can't. Then I hear the sound of the Gate disengaging. I close my eyes and feel someone dragging me away from the Gate. I try to protest and tell them to redial the Gate but only a faint moan escapes my lips. There's more yelling and I feel the vibrations of explosions one right after the other. Suddenly there's the sound of glass shattering, the sound of weapons and gun fire, and people yelling. Then nothing.

-and we're walking...-

I open my eyes and there's an eerie calm. There are people lying about; all dead. I get up and wonder how long I'd been lying there and what happened.

I run up the steps and towards the DHD, but stop halfway and head back down the steps because I have no idea what the address for the planet is. As I walk around the soles of my feet become cut by the shards of glass scattered all around. We left so fast that none of us had time to put on our shoes. I look for Elizabeth, Laura, Rodney, Marc, John, or Logan; someone, anyone that's still alive and knows what's going on. But I can't find anyone. I hear movement in a hallway and move towards the sound, pulling out the 9mm that I still, by some miracle, have. Silently picking my way towards the sound, I pull back the hammer and slowly raise it. I reach the wall and slowly inch towards the entrance of the hallway. I feel like I'm a female James Bond. The name's Wainwright. Max Wainwright.

Reaching it, I pause and slowly peak my head around the corner. I don't see anything so I enter the hallway, the 9mm in front of me, and slowly make my way forward. I'm alone, no one or thing there. I reach another hallway and pause, wondering which way I should go. I decide to go down the other hallway. I'm half way down the hallway when I hear footsteps. Stopping I raise my gun while saying, "Who's there?" The footsteps stop and I call out again, "Who's there? Answer me or I'll shoot."

"Don't shoot."

"Give me a good reason."

"Because I'm with the expedition."

"How do I know that you're not lying?" I ask, creeping closer to the voice. The gun is pointed to where the voice is coming from. "Tell me something only the members of the expedition would know."

"Elizabeth is married to Rodney McKay but still uses her maiden name."

I pause. That's true; I didn't know she was married until the first day of class. I lower the gun and make my way towards the voice. I get closer and I see that the voice belongs to a man with blonde hair and a bit taller than me. "What's your name?" I ask.

"Neium." He replies. "And yours?"

Hmm, Neium. Well I've heard stranger names. "Max. What happened here?"

"Replicators."

There's that word again. "What are Replicators?" I ask.

"I am." Neium says, lunging for me. I try to evade him, but am too slow. He grabs onto me and slams me into the wall, holding me up off of the ground by my neck. Neium then presses down on my throat, crushing my windpipe. I drop the gun and claw at his hand, trying to release his grip. But it's not working. I start to see spots and darkness starts to creep into my vision.

A/N: Gah! -holds hands out to stop pointy flying objects- before you kill me, every thing shall be explained in the next chapter. I had to update before getting stuff done because BiteMeTechie (whom I consider to be my Yoda) reviewed and I had to do something other than dance around like I was in 'Fame' (not that I would do anything like that in the first place...). Before I do the usual disclaimers I have to pimp a story featuring Max and the kids. It's called 'Children In Need' and is beign written by Reefgirl for a very worthy cause. Go read it, tell her what you think of the story, and tell her that I sent you. Ok, having finished said story pimpage, I own Max and the kids (except for Maria who belongs to Reefgirl), MGM/Cooper -Wright own all cannon, James Bond is owned by MGM, and Logan is owned by James Cameron. Let me know what you thought of the chapter and remember that all shall be explained in the next chapter.