Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate: SG-1 or any of their affiliates. If I did, SGA, at least, would not have gone off the air. . .nor would Weir have been killed. Oh, well. . . . I am responsible for the character of Anna Travis, however.

Author's Note: I forgot to add all of this at the beginning of the last chapter, and I didn't remember until I saw it posted online. Sorry about that. This is a love story, focusing more on characters and less on action. There will be some action scenes, they're just not my favorite part of the story. And, as this is a WIP, I will need to take time to plot things out. So, please be patient with me. And, if you like it, review, REVIEW, REVIEW! On with the story! ~lg

SGA SGA SGA SGA

The first time she visited a cave, she'd been about eight and had gone to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. That day with her parents was idyllic. When she got scared, her dad hoisted her up onto his shoulders and held her close. Once down in the caverns, the formations and lights ignited her imagination.

She didn't visit another cave until she met Jim Barringer. He was everything she wasn't: rich, powerful, somewhat arrogant with a soft side. He often said she brought out the best in him, and she liked to believe it. Jim liked danger. He rappelled, skied, hiked, spelunked, and once jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. Although she worked for the SGC, she didn't tell him what she did. It was that way. They didn't talk about how his family made its money, and they never mentioned her job. Because her job made her nervous.

When Jim asked her to go spelunking with him, she was thrilled. They had hiked a few trails and often jogged through the park near her home. But they'd never been away from civilization for more than a day. Her little-girl mind dreamed up the fanciful fairies she'd imagined in Carlsbad Caverns as they drove out of Colorado Springs. Maybe today would be the day that Jim would make her his. Maybe, just maybe, he'd declare his undying love.

The trip to the caverns passed swiftly. She remembered little of it. Wrapped in his presence, she willed away her concerns for their future together. After all, once they finalized plans, she would ask permission to tell him about the Stargate and the number of bad guys the galaxy really had. But these moments were for her.

At the caverns, Jim made sure to get her pack situated just right. He'd packed for them, and she wondered if she'd be able to carry that pack all day. But, that night promised to be worth all of the effort. The hike to the cave was relatively short, and Jim grinned at her as he disappeared into the darkness. She flipped on a flashlight and hesitantly stepped inside.

Jim called her deeper into the cave. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she was that the cavern was rather small. No tunnels led away from the entrance. As she turned to look around, Jim moved close to her and started to press her into the wall. A hand came up to block her escape. When she protested, he kissed her. Hard. She felt tears rise to her eyes. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He was supposed to be gentle, taking what she offered and not demanding more. Just as those thoughts crossed her mind, Jim deepened the kiss, and she heard a strange sound. Before she could react, blinding white pain clouded her vision, and she slid to the ground.

Anna woke, breathless and covered in sweat. Her eyes focused slowly. She was in her own bed, on Atlantis. She hadn't dreamed of that day in months. She pushed off the covers, wishing she could shed the stifling memories so easily, and stood. The sky had begun to lighten, and dawn was about an hour away. A run had always worked in the past. It gave her a way to burn off the angry energy before beginning the delicate work her position here on Atlantis required. She dressed quickly, slipped into her running shoes, and left her room.

SGA SGA SGA SGA

The sunrise was breathtaking. Lorne slowed his jog to a walk as he caught sight of the clouds that the sun had gilded with brilliant orange. He would have stopped, but he noticed another person on the walkway, a woman this time. Rather than interrupt, he looked to see if anyone else had joined them for what promised to be a spectacular start for the day. No one had.

Lorne turned back to the sunrise as he walked toward the woman. It was Anna, the geneticist who had intrigued him yesterday. She'd smoothed her hair into a bun, but the Lantean breeze tugged wisps of it across her face and into her eyes. She lifted a long-fingered hand and elegantly brushed them away. Lorne hesitated. Something in her brown eyes had hinted at a dark past yesterday, and he didn't want to startle her. He stopped, pretending to tie his shoe and hoping that the she would notice him.

"Major." Anna's voice was warm today, so different from the strain or the exhaustion he'd heard yesterday. He looked up as she offered him a small smile. "Care to join me?"

"Love to." He walked to the railing where she stood and leaned his elbows on it, content to share the moment with someone else. This particular running track was popular because it circled Atlantis' main tower in a circuitous manner, even leading to some catwalks such as this one. The stairs it contained made it perfect for cross-country training and the daily run.

Now that he stood next to her, Lorne could see the tension in Anna's face. Her eyebrows lowered ever so slightly, and her jaw clenched. He hoped he hadn't frightened her. She didn't seem to frighten easily, but one never knew.

Anna drew in a deep breath of sea-scented air. "I wish I could paint." She missed his startled glance. "If I could, I would try to paint ever moment of peace into the picture so that I could take it everywhere with me."

That can be arranged, he wanted to say. Instead, he nodded. "I hear you." As the sun broke through the clouds and touched their perch with one warm sunbeam, he studied her. "Were you out for a run?"

"I was, but I saw the sunrise and had to watch."

Lorne smiled again, this time gently and with no intentions other than to make her feel comfortable. "Care to join me?"

She eyed him, and a grin touched her face. "Love to."

With that, he took off around the track. As he jogged, Anna followed. The hard part of the track was coming, but she enjoyed being with someone else. At home, she'd jogged with Jim, and that had ended abruptly in the cave. Even though she still jogged after that, it wasn't the same. Her daily run on Atlantis had been rather lonely. She had nearly invested in a treadmill to keep herself from going crazy.

Major Lorne wasn't like most people. Anna appreciated his quiet calm. Most men would have pressed her for more information. It had happened before. Instead of pressing her about why she wanted the peace of the moment bottled into a painting, he offered to join her for a run. She liked the way he skipped over the emotional and went straight to the practical. She needed that. She needed someone who wouldn't ask about her past every time they were together.

Later that evening, Anna walked into the mess hall and looked around. Most of the tables were empty, and she sighed. It was going to be a lonely night, one that she didn't necessarily want. She wasn't ready for a constant relationship, but a friend would be nice. By now, the mistrust of the scientists from Earth had spread to the others here on Atlantis, and most of them spoke to her only when they needed something. Maybe she should just carry her tray back to her lab and start working again. That would be easier.

"Dr. Travis." The friendly woman's voice pulled her head up. A dark-skinned woman with reddish-brown hair motioned to her. "Please. Come join us."

Anna changed direction even as she eyed the massive man next to her. This must be the Ronon she'd heard so much about. Not that any of the other women would confide in her. But they gossiped a lot, and most of them had a weakness for this man's green eyes and barbaric look. Anna chose not to concentrate on him as she slid into the chair. He wasn't as intimidating as others led her to believe. But, then, very little could intimidate her anymore. "Thank you." She smiled at the two. "I wasn't looking forward to a lonely dinner."

"You are welcome to join us any time." The woman smiled. "I am Teyla Emmagen, and this is Ronon Dex."

"Anna Travis, but you already knew that." She shook their hands.

Ronon shifted in his seat. "Yeah, McKay's not too happy with you being here."

"Ronon," Teyla said sternly.

Anna grinned. "I know. Isn't it great?"

Ronon returned the grin. "I like you." Unfortunately, his words dampened her spirits, but she didn't let on. She couldn't afford to let anyone, not even the barbaric alien from another galaxy, too close. People close to her got hurt. Or worse.

Teyla turned back to Anna. "Rodney tells us you're here to work with the gene of the Ancestors."

"I am." Anna fell easily into the topic, grateful that she wouldn't be required to make small talk. "It was part of my work back on Earth, and I came here to be closer to the Ancient database. So far, I haven't discovered anything, but scientists on earth believe that the ATA gene is something that everyone could have, not just a few. My role is to study the ATA gene and figure out why only some people are able to receive it. Then, if I am able to do that, I am supposed to create a work-around in the gene therapy."

"Sounds complicated." Ronon stood. "Um, it was nice to meet you." He walked away without a backwards glance. Anna went back to her meal, understanding why so many women on the base would find him attractive. Those green eyes and mysterious attitude acted like a woman magnet.

Teyla pulled Ronon's chair close and propped up her feet. "How are you finding your time here in Atlantis?"

Anna considered that one. "Different." She considered her next comment. "As far as Atlantis and the Pegasus galaxy are concerned, it's not much different from home-except that we're on a floating city on a planet that is primarily water. But, as far as the people, I still don't know." She didn't mention how Lorne was the only other person on the base to even make her feel welcome.

Teyla commented, and Anna allowed her to lead the conversation. Nothing of great import was discussed, but she felt as if she'd found a friend. Teyla didn't press her, and Anna appreciated that. It reminded her of Lorne's way of dealing with her silences. Perhaps in time, she would explain the nightmare that still followed her. As she walked back to her quarters, she shook her head. Perhaps, in time, she'd be able to make sense of the nightmare that had gripped her life.

SGA SGA SGA SGA

As Anna talked with Teyla, Lorne sat unnoticed in a corner. He had watched her appear and saw the despair that covered her face. How could one woman have so much sadness? He knew that life, especially life on an alien planet, could cause depression. Heck, he'd fought with it himself. But the depth of Anna's despair wasn't caused by her separation from Earth. If anything, the despair was what brought her from Earth.

Lorne's eyes went back to the sketch pad in front of him. He'd been sketching his memories of that morning, trying to do something to get Anna off his mind. He shook his head. What was it about that woman? Her comment about bottling the peace she'd felt while watching the sunset stuck with him, and he spent the day considering whether or not to paint the scene. Now, as he stared at the sketch, he knew he would likely never paint that picture. Anna had chosen to reveal something about herself, and he couldn't betray that trust.

Flipping to a new page in his sketch book, he picked up his soft lead pencil and began to sketch. His hand moved quickly, and he smiled at the outcome. Perhaps, one day, he'd get to finish this sketch. Until then, he decided to be a friend to a woman who clearly had more troubles than she wanted the world to know.

~TBC~