Author's Notes: - Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
Nathan marched into the infirmary a little stunned by the scene before him. Wendy was treating Sergeant Miller while Brody was standing over Kate who was sitting on a bed looking annoyed, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Finally," Wendy sighed in relief, "Captain…"
She trailed off as he gave her a quick nod and moved over to Brody who stiffened slightly in attention.
"Does someone want to tell me what's going on?" Nathan demanded.
"Miss Foster was found in a restricted zone," Brody reported, "And when Sergeant Miller confronted her she attacked him."
Nathan stared at her, "You what?"
"She attacked him and broke his arm," Brody finished.
Kate glared at him, "It was not my fault. He used his arm to block my kick."
"Why were you kicking?" Nathan demanded.
Kate shook her head, "It was instinct when he snuck up on me."
"Miller didn't sneak up on you," Brody retorted sharply, "He found you standing in a restricted zone near engineering."
"I'm an engineer, you ass," Kate snapped, "I work in engineering."
"Kate," Nathan warned before motioning Brody to continue.
Brody nodded, "Miller asked her what she was doing and received no reply so he touched her shoulder. She attacked him and broke his arm."
Nathan took a deep breath turning to Wendy when she joined him, "How is Miller?"
"It was a clean break," Wendy told him, "He'll be fine. You can talk to him if you want."
He turned to Kate who was seething, "Stay."
She turned her eyes on him, a darker brown than normal which let him know she would only obey for so long, Nathan motioned his new security chief, "Brody, come with me. Dr Smith will stay with Kate."
x
"Is Kate okay?" Miller asked the moment they entered the other room.
Nathan nodded as Brody looked confused and annoyed.
"What happened?" Nathan asked.
Miller shrugged, "I was heading to engineering when I saw Kate standing staring at the aqua tube. I knew her shift was over about an hour before so I went over to make sure she was okay."
"And?" Nathan prodded.
Miller frowned, "It was odd, it was like she was in a complete trance then I touched her shoulder and she attacked. Commander Ford did really well on those self-defence lessons."
"How did she break your arm?" Brody demanded.
Miller rolled his eyes, "I tried to block a kick instead of dodging. It was a dumb move. Dr Smith says it was one in a million chance where she hit me. Anywhere else it would just be bruise."
"Hold on," Brody snapped, "You're defending her?"
Miller nodded, "I think there might have been something wrong. Kate is cool, but the way she reacted when I touched her…"
"Thank you," Nathan said, "I'll send Dr Smith back in and hopefully she'll let you out of here."
x
Kate looked up when Nathan walked back into the room she was in and he caught the slight glaze over her eyes.
"How long has it been since you slept?" he demanded, recognising the look combined with what Miller had just told him.
Kate shrugged, "About a week."
"Damn it, Kate," Nathan snapped, "Are you kidding me? Do you not remember the last time you didn't sleep?"
"Honestly?" Kate asked.
"For crying out loud," Nathan sighed, "Kate, go get some sleep."
Kate rolled her eyes at him, "Like I haven't tried. I just can't seem to get my mind to stop. I end up staring at the ceiling all night. I've spent the past few nights watching movies."
Nathan turned to the doctor who was standing watching them, "Wendy, can you give her something?"
"I'd prefer not to," Wendy replied, "Insomnia is a symptom. There's a reason Kate can't sleep and it will be better for her if she works through it."
Nathan let out an annoyed sigh, "Fine. Kate, go and keep out of Brody's way for a while. I will let this run its course for now but if you do anything like this again I will drag you here and sedate you myself."
Kate winced slightly, "Sure."
"Go."
He watched as she slid off the bed and left the infirmary, he assumed she would go find O'Neill, before he turned to Wendy.
"Does Kate have a history of insomnia?" she asked.
Nathan shook his head, "Not really. But the week or so before she was due to take her first exams she couldn't sleep. It was not a fun week."
"There is something Kate needs to deal with," Wendy told him, "And until she does she won't be able to sleep. Usually these things work themselves out."
Nathan nodded and left murmuring under her breath, "Hopefully she won't kill someone before it does."
The bridge was quiet.
But they were docked and it was the middle of the night so there was no need for a lot of activity. Jonathan glanced over at the engineering station where Kate was sitting though whether she knew that or not was another question. She still had insomnia and Bridger had removed her from active duty as Dr Smith still refused to sedate her. In some ways it was actually quite funny as Kate went from completely hyper to sitting in a trance. That however was the problem.
As Miller had discovered if you didn't have her attention then touched her then Kate acted on instinct and attacked. Thankfully no one else had been hurt although it was only because the last time Dagwood had been there to stop her.
Jonathan knew they were going to have to talk about how dangerous Kate actually could be at some point. He jumped up as an alarm began to sound.
"What's going on?" he demanded just before soldiers flooded the bridge.
He held up his hands noting the UEO insignia wincing as one of the men grabbed Kate. Jonathan grimaced as the young woman grabbed the gun from the soldier who tried to move her when she'd been completely oblivious to the fact anyone had been there.
"Kate," Jonathan dodged round and caught the gun she was holding, keeping back so he was outside the danger zone, "Calm down."
She released the gun and stepped back allowing Jonathan to pull her to one side relief filling him as Bridger arrived.
So much for the quiet night.
x
"Lieutenant," Nathan motioned Tim over when they were waiting for everyone to arrive, "I need you to stay with Kate and keep an eye on her. I can't trust her until whatever is keeping her awake is sorted."
"Of course, sir," Tim nodded.
Nathan clapped his shoulder, "Good. Just be careful."
"I know, sir," Tim chuckled, "But we should have everyone take some lessons from the Commander. She's pretty dangerous."
Nathan smiled softly as Tim left, one of these days the poor man was going to get a huge surprise when Kate told him who and what she really was. But that was her choice.
"Okay, time to do this," Nathan groaned, he really didn't like Reinhart.
x
"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Tim asked as he sat beside Kate in the ward room who was watching the meeting with their visitors.
Kate shrugged, "I'm fine."
Tim laughed, "We need to get you a better dictionary because that is not my definition of fine."
"I'm a little tired."
"Kate," Tim laughed, "You broke Miller's arm, you nearly knocked Tony down a flight of stairs," he paused before smiling, "Though that was kind of funny. I'm just a little worried about you."
She leaned against his arm, "From previous experience I should sleep soon. These bouts don't last long."
"Dr Smith says you have unresolved issues you need to work out," Tim reminded her.
Kate chuckled, "A good part of my life is unresolved issues I need to work out. Stop worrying, Tim. We just met aliens, focus on that."
"I want them found," Bridger ordered, "I don't care how you do it."
Tim chewed his lip as he thought through his options to locate Lucas, Brody and Ford. Kate was sitting in the chair by his side and, from the look on her face, she'd slipped into one of her dazed phases.
He winced when Bridger moved to Kate's side and dropped his hand onto the back of her chair causing Kate to jump. She swung round with a pen in her hand and Tim grimaced as Nathan grabbed her wrist.
"Lt, take her to her room and make her sleep," Bridger ordered, "I don't care if you have to knock her out, just do not leave her until she is fast asleep."
Wincing Tim slid out of his seat and passed the communication station to Henderson who gave him a smile. He smiled back before catching Kate's arm and herding her off the bridge a little confused why she was glaring at Henderson. When they reached her room Tim sat on the bunk with his back to the wall watching her as she began to pace the room.
"Kate," Tim said softly, "You need to sleep."
"I'm fine," she waved him away.
"No, you're not," Tim replied, "Something is bothering you. You do not get insomnia this bad when you're fine."
She shrugged, "I'm fine. I am fine. It's not like everything has suddenly changed and there are all these new people that I don't know. Brody is breathing down my neck because of what happened with Miller. And Henderson, wow she's annoying."
Tim stared at her as she rambled, a little surprised when she suddenly climbed onto the bed kneeling beside him.
"Kate?"
"And she's smiling at you," Kate continued talking, "And you're smiling back and I'm suddenly wondering."
"Kate?" he asked again a little confused as she moved to straddle him.
She stared down at him, "I know I'm not capable of anything deep. I know that but I've never known and I really want to know."
"Kate…"
She cut him off as she kissed him. Tim was stunned as the kiss deepened suddenly, Kate shifted slightly in his lap pressing closer to him her fingers sliding through his hair making soft sighs. They parted and Tim stared at her as she looked down at him, he jumped slightly as his PAL beeped.
"I have to get this," he breathed, a little confused when she rested her head against his shoulder before taking a deep breath, "O'Neill."
"Captain needs you at the moon pool," Ericson told him.
Tim winced but he couldn't refuse an order, "I'll be there in a few minutes."
He became very aware of the fact his dear friend was currently in his lap curled against his shoulder.
"Kate," he said softly chuckling slightly as he realised she was fast asleep. Hoping he didn't wake her Tim gently slid out from beneath Kate managing to get her to lie down properly. Tim gently stroked her cheek before pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"We need to talk about this when you wake up," he sighed, "Assuming you don't kill me."
Leaving quietly Tim headed to the moon pool where the Captain was waiting for him.
"Well?" Bridger demanded the moment Tim arrived.
"She's sleeping," Tim assured him relieved that the Captain didn't ask him how he'd managed it instead he handed Tim some paper with strange squiggles on it.
Nathan looked up as Lucas walked onto the bridge, he was sure something had happened. From the evidence he had Nathan was almost convinced they'd somehow had time rewound and Lucas had lived a day none of the others had – as insane as that sounded.
Lucas walked over to the pool and reached in to stroke Darwin. Nathan winced as he realised Kate was sitting there and had that glazed look in her eyes, Lucas accidentally bumped her and Nathan managed to grab his 'niece' just before she threw Lucas into the water.
"That's it," he snapped, grabbing Kate by the arm and marching her off the bridge, "We are having Smith sedate you because this is out of hand."
"Nathan," Kate started as he marched her away, "Nathan…Nathan…"
x
Kate sighed as she opened her eyes looking around confused to see the infirmary and not her own room.
"Welcome back," Nathan's voice made her look up to find him standing just in one corner with Smith, "I thought you were going to sleep all day."
"How long have I been out?" she asked tiredly.
Nathan chuckled, "Two days."
"Two days?" she demanded, turning to Smith, "You sedated me for two days?"
"Actually," the doctor chuckled, "The dose I gave you should have knocked you out for a few hours. The rest was your body catching up with the sleep you needed."
She gave them a smile before she left them alone.
"So," Nathan took a seat beside her, "Are you going to tell me what is going on with you?"
Kate sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest, "Do you know what date it is?"
"It's the seventeenth," Nathan told her.
She stared at him for a moment before smiling very softly, "Then it's exactly five years."
"Five…"
"Since you found me half-dead in a dinghy," she explained.
Nathan frowned, "And that's giving you insomnia?"
Kate shook her head, "It's dumb and I know it but I've been with you five years. I have never stayed this long in one place in my life since I was ten. I'm afraid I'm going to do something to screw it up."
Nathan gently stroked her cheek, "Basket case."
Kate dropped her eyes, sighing as he hugged her. Pulling back she gave him a shrug, "I have a few apologies to make."
Nathan nodded, "Yes, you do."
"What's really odd is I'm sure I owe Tim an apology," Kate told him, "But I have absolutely no idea why."