Chapter 2

Colorado Springs Hospital

48 hours later, Evan has only made 4 trips out of the hospital but had left Carson with Kaley every time in case her condition changed or if she woke up, he had kept a vigil by her side talking to her. Kaley's eye started to flutter

"Kaley?" Evan calls gently "Babe can you hear me?" she groans and moves her head

"Evannn" she slurs

"Yes its me, I'm here" Drs and nurses flood into the room pushing him aside as they bombard her with questions, shine lights at her and prodded her

"Go away, leave me alone!" she cries waving her arm around and trying to kick out, Evan looks shocked at the compassionless people but is powerless to make them stop, after a 30 minute interrogation they all leave except Dr Taylor, Kaley tries to sit up

"Please stay lying down" he insists, moving towards his patient

"It's uncomfortable" she grumbles pulling a face like a toddler

"We are pleased with your progress" he responds

"May be you can tell me what happened?" demands Kaley

"We were hoping you could tell us? Your memory should return"

"What did I break?" as she tries to sit she moves her left arm

"Some ribs, skull, cheek bone, vertebrae" Kaley concentrates "And you radius and ulna, the bones…"
"I know, my lower arm" Dr Taylor looks puzzled "I'm a nurse" a look of embarrassment spreads across his face

"Bad then" Kaley spots Evan standing well back from her bed "Evan" her eyes welling with tears she holds out her right arm, he moves forward and takes it

"Hey babe I thought I'd lost you"

"Me too, when can I go home" she pleads emotion welling

"A week to 2 weeks" Kaley lets out a huge sob Evan embraces her

"Shhh, it's okay I'm here"

"Either help me sit up or I do it myself" she half begs and half demands

"I'd prefer it if you remained flat, you know the procedure" he tries to reason with her but Kaley tries to sit up, Evan helps her as Carson walks in.

"Good to see you awake Lt" he greets with a smile

"Lt" questions Dr Taylor

"Yes, Lt Rivers United States Air Force" informs Carson "And Major Lorne"

"I didn't know" he looks very shy now embarrassed at a 2nd mistake on his part "I'll leave you alone"

"Dr Beckett good to see you" smiles Kaley with red eyes

"Good to be seen by you, Carson remember, how do you feel?" he asks

"Carson, my head is pounding, arm aches, and chest hurts"

"To be expected"

"Can I get transferred to CMC?" she asks

"I asked that 2 days ago" informs Evan

"I've already made the arrangements" Evan looks confused "For when she was awake" pre-empting his question "I figured you'd ask, I'll call Dr Lam tell her your awake, we'll have you home soon"

"Thanks Carson" whispers Evan

"Any time Major"

SGC infirmary

8 hours later, much to Dr Taylor's concerns Kaley is in the infirmary at the SGC with SG-1, Dr Lam, Carson and Evan

"So have the police talked to you?" enquiries Daniel

"Yes at the hospital to great length, don't remember much; I was driving to the store, it was busy on the roads I felt a bump from behind and then waking up in hospital"

"It is possible you will never remember" says Dr Lam

"It is good to see you will make a full recovery Lt" adds Teal'c

"It will be slow but thanks T" he bows slightly

"Did the driver not see you?" asks Jonas

"The police say he was drunk and speeding, so hit Kaley which forced her to the other side of the road, of course front and rear impacted" says Carson

"Right time for everyone to leave please she needs to rest" orders Dr Lam, Gen Landry chooses to enter at that moment, "Gen I'm sorry but it will have to wait"
"I won't be long Dr" Dr Lam sighs

"5 minutes" SG-1 minus Sam, Dr Lam and Evan leave, Sam and Dr Lam stand in the corner far enough away to not be notices but close enough to still here

"Lt, good to see you awake" exudes Landry, Evan makes to leave "Hold on Major" he stops "Why did the hospital call you?"

"I don't know sir" not fully knowing himself why he was called, Landry looks stern

"Now this is partly none of my business, but" he pauses not wanting to ask "but are you seeing each other?" Kaley looks at her hands

"Yes sir" mumbles Evan

"How long?" he continues gently

"A few dates when Evan came back 10 weeks ago" answers Kaley "Sir we didn't... ..."

"Lt, please" he stops her "I know what the regs say and it partly doesn't apply, what with Major Lorne being in Atlantis, but still"

"But still you gave Cam the go ahead Gen!"
"You know how Gen O'Neill liked Col Mitchell"

"Yes sir, you said it yourself Evan is normally in Atlantis"

"Rules are rules" states Evan heavy hearted

"I had a feeling you were seeing him Lt" Kaley looks up to Sam shocked

"We all need to talk about this, but not know" Landry turns and leaves, Evan looks at her

"Oh Kaley" he sighs, she starts crying "Oh babe"

"Why is nothing simple!" she croaks, he hugs her gingerly

"I know, but we'll find a way" he lays next to her on the bed until she has fallen asleep.

2 weeks later

2 weeks later Dr Lam has released Kaley to her base quarters, later than planned due to a major complication; Kaley had had to undergo further surgery to repair her lacerated spleen, she is sitting up on her bed with many pillows behind her, her arm in a sling and a blanket of her legs, Evan enters

"Hey you" he smiles

"Hi, where have you been?"

"With the Gen, I've got to go back to Atlantis next week"

"Oh that time already?" her face falls "I'll miss you"

"And I'll miss you too but we still have a week"

"In which I can do squat except lie in a bed"

"Ah but with me at your beck and call" she laughs and then coughs holding her side

"Ow pain, no laughing it hurts" he sits on the bed and kisses her

"Ok no laughing. shall we try a short walk?" he suggests

"Go on I need a change of scenery" with Evan's help she makes to the bottom of the corridor and back again which starts a major part of her recovery, getting her body and blood moving felt so good.

Landry's office

Mean while in Landry's office Carter sits in front of the desk

"Col, how serious are they?" he asks bluntly

"Very sir" Landry sighs

"Lt Rivers has requested that she be allowed to stay in Atlantis until she is fully recovered" Carter looks slightly surprised "I think I am loosing a fine officer"

"Properly sir" states Carter "But with everything she has been through I think he has lost faith" she pauses "Are you authorising it sir?"

"I don't know yet; I'm in two minds" he thinks "if I don't I think she will resign there and then and then request to be a civilan on Dr Becket's team, which I have no control over, but if I say yes I won't be surprised if she doesn't come back"

"No sir" sighs Carter deep in thought

4 days later

3 days before Evan is due to gate back to Atlantis, Kaley is walking to the elevator when Amy, Theresa and Mia appear

"Kaley hi" says a bubbly Amy

"Amy" sounds Kaley a little surprised

"Where are you off to?"

"My quarters, why?"

"So no hot Major waiting?" spits Theresa

"What business is it of yours?" asks Kaley defensively

"Col Mitchell has been dead for 6 months and you've shacked up with someone else" Kaley's eye burn with tears

"I haven't shacked up" she protest, Amy grabs her arm and pulls her towards the holding cells, and forces her inside

"You had the pick of the base, you chose Col Mitchell and this is how you remember him!" screams Mia slapping Kaley making her eyes water; making her feel small and helpless.

"Just like at school you had the pick of all the guys, everyone else got your seconds!"

"I never asked to be the prettiest or most liked girl in school!" replies Kaley hotly, Theresa stands in front of her and punches her right in the abdomen where she had had surgery; this causes Kaley to crumple to the floor, the 3 girls leave locking the door. Unbeknown everything had been witnessed by the SFs in the secondary control room

"Gen Landry to the secondary control room" calls a Sgt over the intercom, he arrives in the control room minutes later

"Sgt?" he asks

"Sorry sir you need to see this" he plays the footage back

"Have Dr Lam, Dr Beckett, SG-1 and Major Lorne meet me there" he orders, the Sgt puts out the call whilst Landry rushes to the holding cells

Lying on the floor Kaley hurt so much not just from the pain of being punched but emotionally too, had she really been so disloyal to Cam's memory by starting to see Evan, was it too son? The questions went around in her head. Drs Lam and Beckett reach the holding cell first, closely followed by Landry and 6 SFs who open the door, Beckett rushes forward

"Kaley love can you hear me?" he asks, clearing her hair from her face

"Yes" she cries

"Where does it hurt?"

"My abdomen where I had surgery, they punched me" she gasps, Lam sits behind her

"It's okay your safe" she whispers

"Find me the 3 nurses and arrest them" Landry orders to the 6 SFs who instantly leave as SG-1 plus Evan arrived

"Kaley" he tries to barge in "what happened?"

"Go away" cries Kaley at him "Go away" Evan looks a taken back but does as requested and waits out side as a med team arrive with a gurney and rush her to the infirmary, Carter looks concerned she had known Cam been good friends with him; she had helped him with dates for Kaley ideas the romantic touch. This wasn't like her, even after his death she had still maintained some of he bounce and flare, which had built up after time.

"What happened sir?" she asks after a minute

"Lt Rivers was attacked by 3 fellow nurses" sighs Landry

"Major" Carter moves to him "Evan" he looks up

"She told me to away Col" hanging his head

"Col I'm letting her go" states Landry, Carter remembering back to their conversation runs after the med team

"Where's she going?" asks Jonas, Daniel and Teal'c looked confused

A short while later in the infirmary Beckett is talking to Kaley

"Well no serious damage just more bruised on top of the surgery, we will hold you for 24 hours to make sure there is no bleeding" Kaley smiles as Carter pops her head in

"Lt" as she walks over, Beckett leaves "you okay?"

"Will be fine ma'am"

"What happened?" asks Carter gently sitting on the edge of the bed

"I was heading back to my quarters when Amy, Theresa and Mia blocked my way, they accused me of shacking up with the Major" Carter's face looks stern, she also noted how she referred to Lorne "They grabbed me and shoved me into the holding cell, punched me and left"

"You told Evan to go away" tears well in her eyes at remembering the harsh words

"I know, I didn't mean it" she tries to speak "I love him but it's against regs, like with Cam and I feel like I'm offending Cam's memories" Carter hugs her

"I know regs suck and you're not offending Cam okay, whatever they said it's not true" Landry and Evan appear "he loved you and would want you to be happy" Carter motions for Evan to come over

"Babe?" he coos gently starling her, after a short composure

"Evan I'm so sorry I didn't mean it, I love you"

"I know, and I love you" he embraces her, Landry sighs

"Lt" he calls softly she looks at him "I'm authorising your trip to Atlantis" Kaley manages a small smile "I will leave your active duty status to Dr Beckett"

"Thank you sir" she mumbles in reply

"When did you ask for that?" asks Evan

"About 4 days ago" he smiles "Thank you Col, you and SG-1 have been like a family the last 3 years"

"Not a problem, it's been a pleasure" knowing from the look in her eyes and tone of voice that she isn't coming back "We'll let you rest"

Outside Beckett, Lam, Landry and Carter stand

"That lass is going to be staying in Atlantis isn't she" says Beckett

"Yes she is"

"How do you know that?" asks a shocked Landry

"Too many memories here Sir, she needs a fresh start and way she said we'd been like a family"

"In another galaxy?" questions Lam, Landry nods

"If she requests a transfer will you take her Dr Beckett?" Landry asks Atlantis's CMO

"Aye I will"

"What if she resigns?" puts forward Carter "she may pack up the AF all together"

"Then I will take her as a civilian" informs Becket, Landry turns and leaves

"At least she will be happy" sighs Carter "Thank you Dr Beckett

"Aye no problem Col"