Author's Note: 499 words. Enjoy! ~lg

oOo

Jennifer stayed quiet while Evan flew, enjoying the feel of just being there with him. She knew this counted as a date, but she still refused to acknowledge that her resolution had been fulfilled. She wanted so much more than a single date, and the last week of his company had showed her just how badly she wanted his presence in her life. She needed him, for lack of a better term, to break her out of her frightened, hesitant mindset.

They arrived at their destination before Jennifer fully worked out her emotions. The scene through the front of the Jumper took her breath away. They'd flown over plains for about thirty minutes when the ground gave way to jagged mountains. With the brilliant blue sky, the snow-capped peaks, and the brown-green grasslands, the sight looked like something straight out of a western movie. She stared as Evan set the Jumper down on a small hill.

He turned and smiled at here. "We're here."

Rushing as quickly as possible, she gathered her pack and moved to the rear of the Jumper. As soon as he lowered the hatch, she stepped out and let the surroundings impact her. On Atlantis, she smelled the sea. Here, the scents morphed from salty water into earthy warmth. The wind whistled as it moved through the grasses, and she breathed in the fresh air. It smelled clean, and not in an antiseptic way.

While she'd absorbed her first impressions, Evan had unloaded the Jumper. Jennifer turned and stared again, this time at his back as he set up an easel, canvas, and a tackle box filled with paints and brushes. "Are you serious?"

He turned slightly. "Excuse me?"

Jennifer realized what she'd just said. "I'm sorry. I just. . . .I mean. . . .you. . . ." She blew out an exasperated breath. "I didn't know you painted."

"Ah. . .yeah." He turned back to the prepared canvas. "My mom taught art."

Jennifer watched in amazement as he added the first layers of paint to the canvas. She spread her blanket on the grass, and settled in to allow the sunshine to seep into her body. She needed this time away from the city. Sunshine had natural healing properties, and she wanted to absorb as much of it as possible. Of course, Evan had given her a perfect reason to stare at him, and she took full advantage as he painted the amazing scene before them. He was really good!

Three hours later, the Jumper's radio crackled. "Major Lorne, this is Atlantis. Please come in."

Evan blinked and rushed to the cockpit. "This is Lorne."

"We just received word that Jumper Five went down about fifty clicks southwest of your location. Colonel Carter requests your presence at the crash site."

Evan nodded, and Jennifer knew their afternoon had ended. "Understood. Jumper Three responding." He turned. "Feel up to a rescue, Doc?"

~TBC