CHAPTER 9

'Skye, keep Ward talking. I'm going to gather the energy to forge your connection; it might be safer than the alternative.' Isabel's voice suddenly interjected into the conversation. 'I might be able to take down the entire hive ship if I do this right.'

'What's she talking about?' Ward asked Skye. She'd projected and image of herself into his mind so that it would be less weird for him to be talking to the air. There was a catch or two though. She couldn't make the connection this way and Ward was seeing her floating in mid-air in front of him.

'If I'd forged the connection it would have been harder for me to not drag Isabel's life force in with it. I could have killed her trying to save you.' Skye formed the words slightly oddly in Ward's mind.

'You don't have the hang of this, do you?' Ward smiled. It was amusing to see her first attempt be so close to perfect. If only she took training this seriously.

'No I don't because until about a week ago I didn't know I have crazy psychic powers.' Skye quipped. She loved him, but sometimes she wanted to punch him in the gut. Luckily for him she didn't have a solid hand.

'I'm ready, you need to both focus on each other or this won't work.' Isabel's voice re-entered their thoughts. They both started to feel like they were being pulled toward each other. It was over as soon as it started and the feeling that they were attached with a rope faded into the background.

'So it was that easy and you thought you'd freak me out by saying that I could kill you!' Sky yelled in Ward's mind.

'I only just had the idea of using the wraith's energy, though it will only kill a few of them. Their hive mind works differently than I thought.' Isabel's smile bled through her words. 'You do realize that it will take a lot of effort to break the connection than it takes to make it. You can't just go back on it; like getting a tattoo.'

'You two know that I'm still here hiding from the wraith right?' Ward reminded them.

'Sorry. We're coming to get you now.' Isabel spoke before her presence faded. Skye's didn't though he could hear her thoughts like whispers. It had worked.

…

"I have to go back to Earth with the rest of SG1 but I wish you all the best." Isabel smiled melancholy. "You two are good together, I hope it lasts." The young woman smiled before walking through the event horizon of the Stargate.

"Are you ready to leave?" May asked, flanked by Colonel Sheppard.

"Yeah." Skye smiled enthusiastically. "I don't want to wait any more." 'We're coming Grant.' She thought, knowing that he could now hear her.

'Took you long enough.' She knew he was smiling; he saved those smiles for her. Only she now knew why.

"Skye? Are you okay?" Coulson asked, his brow furrowed in worry.

"Yeah, I'm just talking to Ward." She smiled, following them up to the jumper bay. "I can show you where to go Colonel."

"I also have sensors which do that for me." Sheppard smiled. "Don't look so defeated, we just don't want to tire you out."

"Trust me, I'll be fine." Skye knew what she said was an understatement. Skye was buzzing with excitement; it took a lot of effort to keep under control.

'Miss me Rookie?' Ward smiled. She knew he was glad that they were coming but he was filled with relief and then worry. 'You need to hurry up, they're coming this way.'

"Colonel, make sure that you go as fast and as soon as you can, they're gaining on him." Skye informed the Colonel.

"Don't you know how to make people invisible?" John inquired.

"No, she never taught me that. I have great control over mind reading but I don't think that will help right about now." Skye took a deep breath and focused on saving Ward.

They saw him, shooting down from a tree top at the approaching wraith. The jumper was cloaked so the wraith wouldn't see them this time but that meant Ward couldn't see it either.

"Can you see in to the jumper if we lower the ramp at the back?" Skye asked, a brilliant idea popping into her head. 'Grant, you're going to need to trust me.'

'I trust you, now what are you doing?'

"No. Why?" John asked before suddenly realizing what she was planning to do. "If you stand on the end the cloak should still cover you." The Colonel manoeuvred the jumper so that the end of the ramp was a few feet away from Ward.

'I need you to turn around and jump. The jumper's here, I'm at the end of the ramp.' Skye told him, holding out her hand even though she knew that he wouldn't be able to see it.

'You want me to do what?' Ward thought alarmed. 'I've jumped lots of times but never into something I can't see.'

'Just come towards me, we're two, maybe three feet apart and your facing directly at me. Now jump.' Skye tried to sound calm but she could see that the wraith were improving their aim dramatically, shots were barely missing him.

"Jump!" She screamed, anger and worry filling her. Ward did just that. He jumped directly at her, knocking Skye to her feet.

"Next time, don't listen to Coulson." Ward smiled his face a fraction of an inch from hers.

Just as Skye was about to close the gap, "Do you guys want to move off of the ramp so we can get out of here? Unless you feel like being sucked into the vacuum of space." John laughed. They immediately got up and took the two remaining seats in the front of the puddle jumper.

"Great." May almost smiled; her voice static as usual. "Let's get out of here."

Ward smiled across to Skye. "You pulled through Rookie. Nice work. Though I could have done with a shower a few days ago."