Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

"I thought you were leaving?"

Tim turned to find Kate standing in the doorway to his quarters; she had a slight smirk on her face as though she'd won an argument.

He shrugged, "I changed my mind."

"I knew you wouldn't leave," she chuckled, "You're an explorer and this…this is amazing."

He rolled his eyes as he stowed away his bag, "Don't you have things to do?"

At his annoyance Kate stepped into his quarters properly, "I wasn't making fun of your beliefs, Tim. In the past year you've taught me I can have faith, even if it's not in some almighty deity. I was goading you into staying because I want you here to see this. I want to share this with you."

He stared at her trying to work out whether or not she was being sincere.

"You're my friend," Kate reminded him, "And you should be part of this," she smiled, "Are you coming?"

x

When they stepped onto the bridge Keller walked over to them, Tim squeezed Kate's arm before he headed to his station.

"I hear congratulations are in order, Kate," the commander smiled at her, "You're now a fully qualified engineer."

Kate nodded.

"Well remember the space programme is always looking for good engineers," Keller told her, "If you're interested."

"Scott?" Nathan appeared from behind Kate, "Are you trying to steal my people?"

"Just pointing out to Kate she has options other than a tin can beneath the ocean," Keller shot back innocently.

"Don't forget the down side of working for you," Nathan waved him away, "Like working for you."

Keller laughed, continuing to chuckle to himself as he moved away to talk to Ford.

"I've not changed my mind," Kate told him, "And if Keller has a job opportunity then I may explore it," she cut him off before he managed to ask the question, "I will tell Tim and the others when I'm ready. Will you stop asking?"

Nathan clapped her shoulder, "Not a chance."

x

Nathan smiled as he looked around the bridge at his people waiting for him to speak. The excitement was palpable and he waited a moment before taking a deep breath and announcing, "The boarding party will consist of the following. Chief Crocker will assist Commander Keller and provide security."

"Me?" Crocker asked stunned.

"Lieutenant O'Neill," Nathan carried on, "Will continue to track down the source of the signal and stand by to be interpreter if necessary."

O'Neill stared at him in surprise but managed to nod, "Aye, sir."

Nathan caught Kate's proud smile towards the communications officer before he finished, "Filling out the rest of the team and photographing the expedition will be…Lieutenant Krieg. For the rest of you who volunteered, thank you very much. All right people, that's it. Let's get back to work."

"Uh, sir," Krieg moved to him, "Besides turning the camera on and off, what do I bring to the party?"

"Enthusiasm, Mr. Krieg," Nathan told him, "Enthusiasm."

"Yes, sir."

"Promise me you'll be careful," Kate said as she stood in the launch bay with Tim.

Tim smiled slightly, "Are you worried about me?"

"I have you trained," Kate chuckled, "I don't want to have to break in a new friend."

"Thanks," he rolled his eyes.

Kate squeezed his hand, "Don't do anything stupid," she told him, sincerity filling her eyes, "I will not be happy. Understand?"

Tim nodded, "I promise."

Kate hugged him before pressing a lingering kiss to his cheek, "I'll be listening in."

As she walked away Tim felt Krieg stand by his shoulder, "Seriously, what is going on with you two?"

Tim turned to him and shrugged, "We're friends, Ben. Nothing more."

"Of course you are," Krieg clapped his arm.

Tim frowned at him but didn't get a chance to say anything as Keller called them to move. Taking a deep breath Tim headed to the launch.

x

"They're on their way, Nathan," Kate reported as she rejoined him on the bridge.

Nathan moved to her side as she took Tim's spot at communications, "Are you okay?"

"You've just sent my closest friend onto an alien ship with no idea what's waiting for him," Kate reminded him, "I'm a little on edge."

"That's when you're best," Nathan told her.

Kate nodded, "Yes, sir." She placed the headset on, "Hi, boys. How are things going over there?"

"We're approaching the ship," Krieg answered her.

Kate smiled slightly, "Try not to ram it. We don't want to give that kind of first impression."

"Very funny," Krieg shot back, "About to create a seal."

She chuckled softly before turning to Nathan, "They're starting."

"Seaquest," Krieg's voice came again, "You reading visual?"

"We've got it," Kate answered as she brought up the main viewscreen.

"Great," Krieg replied.

"These little sparkles look like sand," Tim noted.

"They're silicon, Lieutenant," Keller explained, "One of the most prevalent substances in the universe."

"Talk about your common ground," Krieg murmured.

"Contaminant reading," Tim took over, "Zero. Looks clear, Commander."

"What do you think, Nathan?" Keller asked.

Nathan leaned on the back of Kate's chair for a second before replying, "It's your call, Scott."

"Let's open her up, Chief," Keller's voice confirmed his decision.

Kate let out a long breath as she listened in, hoping that there was nothing sitting waiting for the team.

"Nathan, these readings are all over the place," Kate reported as she watched the mysterious signal shift through the boat.

"Is there any word from the team?" Nathan asked.

Kate sighed, annoyance filling her voice, "No. I can't get anything from them."

"Keep at it," Nathan ordered.

Kate hit the button and grimaced this was not good.

"Atkinson," she called to the section the bizarre reading was coming from, "Atkinson, are you there?" at the lack of reply she grimaced, "Ford?"

"What's wrong, Kate?"

"Atkinson isn't replying from lab three," she reported, "I think we might have lost some more people."

She heard Ford swear under his breath just before Nathan came on again.

"Kate, meet me down at sea deck," he ordered.

She shared a confused look with Miguel before passing off communications to Thomson. She quickly rested her hand on his shoulder.

"I'll let you know when we hear from them," Miguel promised.

Kate gave him a quick nod jogging off the bridge.

x

"Nathan?" Kate found him on the way to Lucas's room.

He turned to her, "Just a minute. Lucas."

"Chief Shan," Lucas gasped stunned that he'd just seen the man in front of him disappear.

They all jumped as the lights shut off, "What the hell is that?" Nathan demanded, he hit the button on the comm., "Bridge?"

"Propulsion, guidance systems, and life support have been shut down in sequence," Hitchcock reported, "We're dead in the water."

Nathan grimaced, "Can you float us?"

"Negative, ballast control's gone."

Nathan frowned, "Great."

"I take it there's no need for me down here anymore," Kate noted.

He shrugged, "We need to get back to the bridge."

"I'll go to engineering and see if I can get us going again," Kate told him.

Nathan shook his head, "Stick with us."

Kate shrugged and followed on listening as Lucas explained what he'd been working on. When they reached the bridge, Kate returned to communications hoping that she would put her headset on and they'd have a message from the team on the ship.

"Captain," Ford's voice made Kate turn staring as she saw the alien with its weapon pointed at them.

"It's trying to protect Darwin," Kristin realised as she stayed still.

Nathan turned to his friend, "Tell him we're your friends. Tell him we understand his message, that's why we're all here."

Kate was frozen as they listened to Darwin communicate with the strange being. She stared in amazement as the alien smiled before it was suddenly gone and all systems came back on.

"Extraordinary," Kristin breathed.

Kate jumped as she heard the radio connect again, "Nathan, I think I have them."

"Scott," Nathan called, "Do you read me?"

A collective sigh of relief swept through the bridge when they heard Keller reply, "Nathan, you won't believe what's happened."

"I'll match you story for story," Nathan told him, "But right now you've got about fifteen minutes to get out of there. We're sending another launch."

"I hear you," Keller told him, "Hang on."

They waited for about five minutes before Nathan grew impatient, "Scott, get back here now."

"We're on our way."

Tim let out a sigh of relief as he stepped back onto the Seaquest. A few steps in he saw Kate standing watching with her arms folded.

"I'm pretty sure you promised to be careful," she said the moment he reached her.

Tim shrugged, he was a little confused when Kate suddenly stepped forward and hugged him. He hugged her back wincing when she punched his shoulder.

"Do you have any idea how freaked out I was when I lost you guys," she whispered.

"About as freaked out as I was when I fell down a hole and saw an alien?" he asked.

Kate pulled back and stared at him.

Tim grinned, it wasn't often he could make her lost for words, "Is that about right?"

"Kristin wants to see you," she found her voice after a moment; "We can swap stories after that."

Tim nodded and started away.

x

Kate opened the door when she heard the knock, Tim stood on the other side along with Miguel and Lucas.

"Okay," Kate sat in one corner of her bunk her legs crossed below her, "Find a spot."

The three guys all got comfortable and Miguel pulled out the snacks he'd snagged for them.

"So," Lucas spoke up, "Tim, what happened on the ship?"

Kate unwrapped the chocolate bar Miguel tossed to her but barely took a bite as Tim described his time on the alien vessel. The three of them all listened completely stunned at the events.

"What happened here?" Tim asked once he'd finished his story.

Miguel and Kate turned to Lucas motioning him to tell what had happened during the recent crisis. As Kate listened to the teenager talk she looked at the other three occupants of the room, her friends and sighed softly.

Leaving was going to be harder than she first thought.