Jen's head was spinning. She struggled when someone tried to pry the child away from her tight grasp until she heard Evan's voice telling her it was okay – she could let go. As her eyes finally recognized what she was seeing – and where - she released her bundle and two nurses quickly lifted the pink-pajama clad toddler out of Jen's arms.

When the weight moved off her, she rolled her head to see John drop beside Evan, who was sprawled on the floor, hissing through his teeth.

Evan?

Evan was the sudden weight?

Her body tried to roll towards him a panic before her mind made the connection. Evan jumped between her and Rousseau? Rousseau was going to shoot her… Rousseau… shot… Evan?

One of the doctors reached for her and she shoved at him, fighting her dizzy mind to try to crawl over to Evan.

"Evan…?" She croaked, wincing against the flash of pain in the side of her jaw. She swatted the doctor's hand away again, and knelt next to John.

"He's okay, Doc." John dropped Evan's P90 onto the floor beside him. "Gonna have a hell of a bruise, Major." He scowled.

"Shit that hurts." Evan mumbled, his eyes falling on Jen. "What the hell…" Anger fueled his body as he tried to sit up but John pushed him back down. "You're bleeding."

Evan tried to reach for her a second time but John shoved him down again, this time holding him to the floor while he himself turned towards her.

"Shit! Who hit you?" John's voice was low and cold, his fingers reaching for the side of Jen's cheek, then stopping mid-air. John eyed the doctor who'd been trying to get Jen to stand up. "What the hell are you waiting for? Help her?!"

The doctor stepped forward again and Jen shoved his hand away. "Stop. I'm fine!" She bent over Evan, ripping the velcro off his shoulder.

"Jen." Evan tried to grab her hands to stop her but she slapped them away.

"Don't you start…" She ordered, ripping the second shoulder strap off. "You stubborn idiot. What kind of dumb ass rescue plan was that? And you!" She glared at John. "I suppose this was your idea! Help me sit him up."

"I… what? No… I… He did this himself." John grabbed Evan's upper arm and pulled him into a sitting position.

"He can sit himself up, you know…" Evan muttered.

John shook his head in warning.

Jen slid around to Evan's back, while John lifted the vest off.

Jen yanked Evan's BDU shirt and the underlying t-shirt up out of the back of his pants. "Damn alpha males." She muttered. "Everything's always got to be about jumping in front of flaming bulls, doesn't it?"

"Flaming bulls?" John frowned at Evan, who was giving him a pained expression as Jen's fingers explored his back.

"Yes, flaming bulls!" Jen ducked her head, probing along his spine. "You're lucky you didn't break a rib… or… or… worse."

"Want the bullet?" John pried the remnant of the crushed bullet out of the vest and handed it to Evan.

"Not helping…" Evan glared at his CO, hissing when Jen's fingers ran over, and around, the deep bruise left from Rousseau's bullet.

"You're impossible. Both of you" She muttered, yanking Evan's shirt back down and sitting back on her heels. Changing her mind, she plopped down onto her bottom on the cold infirmary floor with a sigh.

A commotion broke out in the hallway as two Marine's rushed into the room.

"Lieutenant Shannon?" Jen blinked, immediately recognizing one of their Atlantis personnel.

The young man practically ran across the room to where the two nurses were amusing the little girl. John stood and quickly moved to intercept, but on a nod from the nurses, the two brothers were allowed past.

"Janeee!" The little voice squeeled as small arms reached out, fingers clasping and unclasping frantically in the air. "Janeee!"

Jamie Shannon scooped the toddler up and hugged her tightly, spinning to face the second Marine, who landed both hands against the little one's face, planting a succession of kisses on her forehead.

"Neenan! Janeee!" The little girl laughed, demanding to be moved from one brother to the other, then back again.

Evan turned towards Jen. "Ella's brothers."

"I kind of figured that." She shook her head. "But…" Her words trailed off when she remembered what Michael Franks had said. Insurance.

She paled, and turned towards Evan.

"Whoa, hey, you all right? Maybe you should lie down." Evan moved to get up off the floor but Jen grabbed his arm.

"I'm okay."

Evan sat slowly back down.

"I just remembered something Franks said." She whispered, staring wide eyed at the family reunion across the room, her fingers tightly gripping his wrist. She glanced worriedly at Evan. "Jamie's the one who took the enzyme, isn't he? Evan, he had to do it… Franks would have killed her. We can't let him go to jail…"

"He's not…" Evan cut her off, leaning closer, placing his hand reassuringly on top of hers. "He actually didn't take anything. He gave them an empty stasis container."

"He did?"

Evan nodded.

Jen frowned. "Wait. So… the enzyme…"

"Never left Atlantis."

"But what about the formula?"

"From one of your research samples."

"Right." Jen nodded, remembering her conversation with Franks. Her research notes – and enough of a sample to start the formula. But they wouldn't have had enough to finish.

"Evan…" She stared at him wide eyed. "Franks knows exactly who I am."

Evan blinked, and Jen was surprised at the speed with which his expression changed from concern to anger to nothingness. His fingertips lightly touched her chin and he stared long and hard at the furious red mark along the side of her jaw.

"Franks isn't going to bother you ever again." He stated firmly.

Jen's skin broke out in goosebumps as Evan dropped his hand.

"Major…" John was saying to the taller brother. "Why don't you go give Liam the good news. We'll let the nurses make sure Ella's good to go, then we'll get you back home. Jamie can stay with her."

"Liam?" Jen glanced at Evan.

"You met him this morning – well – yesterday morning. One of Wilsher's aides. Liam Shannon. Youngest brother."

"Three brothers?" Jen blinked.

Evan nodded.

"All military?"

"Liam's just a kid - he's only interning - but he's definitely got what it takes."

"Why do I get the feeling there's more to the story?"

"Because there's more to the story." He angled his head.

"Three brothers, huh." Jen turned her face towards the little girl, still firmly wrapped in Jamie Shannon's arms. "I feel sorry for her boyfriends."

Evan snorted, making Jen smile. She immediately held her fingers against the side of her jaw. "Ow."

Evan reached up and pulled her hand away. "You need to get that looked at."

"I'm fine." She rolled her neck. "Nothing some Tylenol, a Jacuzzi, and three day's of uninterrupted sleep can't fix."

Evan raised his eyebrows. "Jacuzzi?"

"You know... we may be a warship," Colonel Caldwell's voice interrupted Jen's retort. "But even we have a thing called furniture."

Jen blinked up – way up - at the Colonel, now standing beside them, his hands on his hips while he stared down at their sprawled position on the floor of the infirmary.

"Are those wedding rings?!" Caldwell frowned.

Jen and Evan quickly looked down at their hands – Jen's left hand on Evan's left wrist, his right hand covering hers - the sparkle of the rings clearly visible. And of course, their position on the floor had somehow become more than just... friendly... with Jen sitting sideways in the V of Evan's outstretched legs. She felt heat moving up her face and glanced up at Evan, who was trying to keep a straight face.

"Why, yes. They are." She finally answered, unable to stop staring at Evan, who'd lost his facial battle and was now grinning.

When the Colonel didn't immediately respond, Jen glanced up, fighting her own smile at his dubious expression.

"Sorry we couldn't invite you to the ceremony, Colonel." John chimed in, stepping up beside Caldwell. "We were trying to keep it on the downside. You know how it is. People find out you're as good as a judge and next thing you know you'll be booking ceremonies on the bridge."

Caldwell stared from John, to Jen, to Evan, to the rings.

Then he shook his head slowly. "God damn love boat..." He mumbled, then turned on his heel and strode into the corridor.

Jen tried to laugh, and yawn, and had to hold her hand to her face to complete each without wincing.

"Come on." Evan slid back and stood, pulling her to her feet. "You need to get that checked out."

"I said I'm fine."

"And I say… you're not CMO of this ship." John glared at her. "If Doctor Meyers says you're good to go, then you're good to go. Until then," he angled his head at the Doctor who was standing patiently off to the side.

Jen frowned, glaring at John. She sighed, then shook her head, walking with Meyers through the infirmary corridor to a quiet, empty section. She stopped and turned back towards Evan and John, who'd followed automatically. "Go." She ordered, angling her head towards the hallway.

"What? Oh. We're just-" John started.

"Go." She pointed to the doorway.

"Leaving." Evan finished.

"I think we've been dismissed." John grinned, backing towards the corridor. "Guess we know who wears the pants in your family."

"And don't you forget it." Came Jen's muttered curse as she closed the door behind them.

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A/N - Don't worry - we're not done yet! We still have a few details to wrap up ... like Wilsher for example... :P