Author Notes: Thanks for all the feedback! I was realy surprised how positive it was. And sorry, Korilian, this story never was or will be Rodney falling in love/romance with the OC (I've never written a romance, and don't plan on starting now). Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 2: Lamplight

"So who is he?"

"None of your damned business, Yarek, I'm dealing with him. What did you get?"

Yarek growled slightly, moving forwards until he was practically nose to nose with Laura, "Don't mouth off at me, woman, it's my damn right to know what's going on here."

Laura's face remained passive, but there was a sharp line to her face that signalled she was close to drawing a knife. She pressed a hand on Yarek's chest, pushing him away, "Last time I checked, all you do is get us noticed and attacked by other camps, so don't try that shit with me." She shoved past him, "Go boil a rat."

Yarek twitched his arm as if to hit her, but knew it would be a stupid move in front of the rest of their little underground camp. He stormed off, footsteps echoing off the crumbling rock walls as he disappeared. Xac raised an eyebrow, "You've got to stop antagonising that man. One day he's going to snap your neck."

Laura waved her hand dismissively as she grabbed a dented tin bowl and scraped out some of the last of their dinner from the pot for their new 'guest'. It wasn't particularly appetising, but he'd have to make do. She doubted in his mental state he would notice anyway. Xac sighed, scooping up his daughter Emily, who was asleep and exhausted from the scavenge run; they had lucky to get everyone back alive after they had come across a Jaffa patrol party. He placed her carefully next to the other children, "I'm serious, Laura, Yarek isn't the most popular of people here, but at least he gets things done. Jaffa are increasing in this area and food's becoming scarcer. You've got to be careful."

Laura picked up a zat from the shelf and smiled at Xac, "Get some sleep – I'm just going to feed the Crazy." She smiled at her closest friends in the camp, who were beginning to clear some space before getting some sleep in the bunks that lined the walls of the common room, "See you in a bit."

Xac sighed as Laura disappeared down one of the tunnels. His wife Kate placed a hand on his shoulder, "You worry too much. If the world ends tomorrow, there ain't much we can do about anything. It's the same with everything else." She quirked a smile, "The only reason she ain't just leaving the Crazy alone is because Yarek hates him – you ain't never gonna get her to change."

Xac frowned, and made to help Kate with the broken water distiller, when Laura came running back into the room, frantically rummaging through their meagre collection of stolen medical equipment and drugs. She made so much noise that a few of the children sat up from sleep. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Laura didn't reply with an answer, instead she ordered, "Get me water, and blankets, now. Kate, we're gonna need you." She grabbed a few canisters from the medical box, and fled back down the corridor.

Everyone in the room just stood still for a second, until Kate hit her husband on the shoulder, shoving a few thin ragged blankets into her husband's hands, "Go! Emily, grab the water. There must be something wrong with the Crazy."

The little girl nodded, suddenyl awake, as her parents ran to the thick metal door that led to the small room that had always been used for a holding cell. It was wide open. Laura was knelt on the floor next to the unmoving body of their recent visitor, rumaging through some of their medicines. He didn't look too good. From the sweat that bathed his whole body, it looked like some sort of fever was reaching a critical level, and the paleness of the skin made him look more ghost than human. Xac said the first thing that came to mind, "Is he dead? Or contagious?"

Kate glared, before snapping sarcastically as she bent down to help, "Yes, that's why she's doing this."

"You sure you know what you're doing?"

Kate didn't look up, "I know more than anyone else here. Do you know why this might have happened?"

Xc wouln't let the subject lie, "What about Yarek? He won't be happy with you using our supplies on this guy…"

Laura snorted, "Well Yarek can go fuck himself. Too many people die everyday – we might be able to help this guy. Cover him over with those, and roll up one to cushion his head. And no, I don't know what's wrong; he was fine when I left, apart from the crazy bit."

Xac knew better than to argue further, and draped a few blankets over the man. He was about to put one under his head when Rodney's whole body stiffened and started shaking. Xac froze, "What the hell?"

Kate dropped what she was doing and grabbed the rolled up blanket from Xac, placing it under Rodney's head to prevent further injury, "Shit," Laura muttered, "As far as I know, that's the second one."

"What the hell is it?" Xac was completely freaked out.

"They're seizures. Look, they'll stop naturally, but you need to keep talking to him. What's his name?"

"Rodney." Laura supplied.

"Can he hear me?" Xac asked.

"How the fuck should I know?" Kate spat, "The point is, it might help."

Xac swallowed, but nevertheless began to talk quietly while Kate and Laura worked, muttering between each other. Emily came in, but didn't react, merely handing the murky glass of water to Laura and leaving again. Finally, Rodney's body stilled, causing Xac to check the pulse, terrified that the lack of movement meant death, "What's wrong with him?"

"Laura said he hasn't eaten." Kate answered, measuring ot some of he medicines.

"Well neither have I – don't mean I collapse and start freaking out like this."

"It's only in some people. He needs a chemical to stabilise his blood."

Xac rolled his eyes, "Don't get technical or specific on me Kate, I don't think I could cope."

The woman glared, "Look, I only know what I've heard about it. My father once had to treat this rich woman for it. He needs something to stabilise his blood, or he'll fall into a coma and die."

"How can you be sure it's the same thing?" Laura asked.

"Because he has all the symptoms, I have a damn good memory, and as you left, you said he he seemed to be a tiny bit distressed about wanting food. Just because I ain't any legitimate healer or nothing, doesn't mean I can't help him. Right, this should be it."

"Should?"

"It's one of two drugs, I'm sure this is the right one…"

"I thought you said you had a good memory."

"My father died when I was eight, unless you've forgotten. It's either glycogen or insulin."

"And if you're wrong?" Kate didn't answer, instead pushing the glycogen filled needle into Rodney's skin, "Have you given him enough?"

"I'm more worried I've given him too much. We'll know soon enough – it's relatively fast acting. But someone will need to stay with him."

" I will." Laura sighed, "Get some sleep, you two, thank you for your help."

"You sure?"

Laura nodded, handing Kate back the other medical supplies before shifting to a more comfortable cross-legged position.

Rodney's head was pounding, and he felt like shit. He knew what had happened without opening his eyes. It was a unique, sickly feeling that only came with collapsing from lack of eating, and by the feel of it, this time it had been really, really bad. He frowned slightly. Usually he ended up waking up in hospital when he felt this bad, but by the feel of it, he was on the ground. A very hard ground. He opened his eyes, causing a sharp spike in his headache. A wry face was staring down at him, "Morning sleepyhead."

"Crap." Rodney muttered. The woman who didn't know what a doctor was happened to be leaning over him just as he was waking up from hypoglycaemic shock. Perfect.

"Gee, no 'thank you for saving my life'?" She rolled her eyes before reached across him and placing a bowl of food on his chest, "You should eat I guess. By the way, you're also now an official member of this camp. That glyco-stuff is expensive, and you damn well ain't leaving till you've earned it off. Or Yarek breaks your neck – whichever comes first."

Laura made to leave, but Rodney struggled onto his elbows, "Wait, you can't just leave! You need to help me get home!"

"I'm going to let that one slide - you don't seem completely deranged, but Yarek will kill you if he thinks you're a Crazy. Just keep whatever helps you sleep at night in this hell to yourself."

"No, I'm serious, you have to-"

"I don't have to do anything! I just saved your life, so all you need to do is grovel and be grateful. Leave me alone, I'm tired."

"Look, why don't you just forgo a few more precious minutes of your pointless time to humour me. Describe this world."

"You really recover fast, don't you?"

"Well I'm sorry for not being polite after almost dying thanks to your incompetence." Rodney snapped.

"Oh, for the love of Thoth." Laura muttered, before counting off on her fingers, "Our planet has been under the rule of the 'gods' and their Jaffa for as long as the sun has been in the sky. Had rebellions, got killed for our troubles. Resources have been getting scarce as of the last few centuries, meaning our main use is slaves. Jaffa patrols have a bit of fun here and there, but mainly it's refugee camps killing other camps for food. Power is all that matters around here. Water's poisoned, thanks to our benevolent gods, and the surface isn't a great place to be if you like your life. We live in these catacombs; build by these freakishly clever people, and the average life expectancy is about forty five. Ringing any bells yet, genius?"

Rodney merely stared at her in shock. This was really not his day. "How..?"

Laura shrugged, "Look, just help out, don't threaten to kill anyone and don't betray us to another camp, or I will break your neck before Yarek can get close. If I like you enough, I might let you back into that place where we found you." She left before he could say anything else.

Rodney groaned, resting his forehead on his knees. This was a ridiculously extreme version of Earth, so much so it actually made him wish for the damn Air Force and the SGC.

He wasn't going to survive a week in this place.

To Be Continued…

Author Notes: I only realised after starting write this how much of a hole I'd dug myself into. Oh well, hope it didn't turn out too implausible. Please review!