Chapter Eight: Time

Belle stepped through the gate, an exuberant smile on her rosebud mouth and a grumbling Rush at her side, his hand clamped firmly on her upper arm. Her smile faltered as the heat and humidity washed over her. "Wow! It feels as if I just stepped into the shower," she exclaimed as the rising temperature made the camouflaged flak jacket feel entirely too heavy on her petite frame.

Rush snorted as he moved down the ramp and deposited the aluminum case full of their testing equipment on the loam littered ground. "You saw the readings for yourself, Belle. You knew it was going to be hot."

She set her own pack next to the two he'd deposited on the ground, her eyes searching through the dense jungle surrounding them. She shucked off the heavy coat and laid it over her pack, daring him to open his mouth to argue with her. He'd talked her into foregoing her own jeans and cardigan in favor of the heavier military uniform and boots, more protection against the elements, he'd said. He hadn't, however, been able to talk her out of the navy blue halter top which left much of her back exposed. It was modest compared to something Ruby would have worn, she thought with a smirk, the lightweight material covering her almost completely in the front and wrapping around to tie in a knot at her lower back.

Belle swiveled to face Rush, about to ponder a question to him, only to find his gaze riveted on her exposed flesh, his eyes dark and his lips slightly parted. She reached over and snapped it closed with a knowing smirk. "Behave, Nicholas," she chided, "we've work to do."

Rush abruptly cleared his throat, blinking back to his senses and cast a warning glare at Eli and Greer who were ogling her smooth back with appreciation before whispering dolefully, "That scrap of material is going to get lost in the laundry."

"I beg your pardon?" she asked, biting her lip to hold back a wicked smile.

"You heard me," he snarled, bending to his pack to retrieve his testing equipment.

She chuckled softly, relishing his jealousy. It was unwarranted as she'd given him no reason to be jealous. Perhaps their forced abstinence was more difficult for him to bear than she'd previously expected. Two more days and … well … she wasn't going to dwell on it. There were plant samples to be taken and tested, food sources to be explored, and water to be found - the entire reason for their foray down to the planet. She'd save her more delightful musings for when they returned to the ship, and maybe find a way to alleviate some of her darling doctor's discomfort.

Lt Scott was the last through the gate, bringing up the rear. Colonel Young had remained behind on Destiny, leaving Scott to command the mission. "Secure the perimeter," he ordered, eyeing his fellow soldiers and sending them off to take up a defensive stance a dozen or so meters from the gate.

Chloe grabbed Belle's hand, a bright smile on her face. "Want to explore with me, Belle? I can't wait to see if there are any fruits we might be able to bring back with us."

"Yes," Belle replied. "The 'sludge' is getting to be a bit much."

"Don't wander too far afield," Rush cautioned gruffly, not at all pleased by the suggestion of her going off without him.

"Don't worry, Nicholas. I have my radio and we're well protected," she said, gesturing towards Greer, Spencer, and the remaining military officers. "Just call for me if I'm needed."

Chloe and Eli didn't give him a chance to respond, dragging his little assistant off through the dense overgrowth. He glowered at the pair and shook his head. He realized he couldn't have her solely to himself at all times, but he didn't bloody well have to like it. He gathered his testing supplies and set off to investigate the plant life in the immediate vicinity, keeping an eye out for anything that would make a possible tea blend as Belle had requested.

Vanessa James, second lieutenant, brought over a metal crate and set it in the center of a small clearing where Belle, Chloe and Eli found themselves, several questionable trees towering above them, their branches heavy with what looked to be some type of fruit. Vanessa left them to their task, moving off to help Dr Franklin with gathering plant samples for the new hydroponics lab he wanted to start on board Destiny with the hopes of growing their own fruits and vegetables.

The branches were thankfully low enough for Belle to easily reach as she began picking the fruit. She frowned dubiously at the dense flower-like specimen in her hand; it resembled an artichoke. She could only hope it didn't also share the same texture and taste, as she'd never found that particular food to be a pleasant experience.

Eli fiddled with the Kino remote, and Chloe cast him a disapproving look over her shoulder. It seemed they couldn't take two steps without him trying to record every little thing for some part of his documentary, but she couldn't find it in her heart to scold him. Everyone needed a hobby of some sort to keep themselves from going mad with the day-to-day monotony of life on board the Ancient ship.

"So," Eli mused cheerily, a grin on his cherubic face. "Your first alien planet! Everything you expected? More? Less?"

"Eli, we saw what it was going to be like on the Kino," Belle chuckled as she tossed another piece of fruit into the crate.

"Eh, true," he conceded with a shrug.

Chloe stood on her toes to reach one of the higher branches. "Although it is nice to get off the ship, get some fresh air … even if it is a bit sticky." She shrugged out of her cardigan and tied the sleeves about her waist, leaving her arms bare due to the tank top she wore. Relief from the stifling heat immediately made her breathe easier.

"So, you're not nervous at all?" he asked, lowering his tone to a dramatic whisper. "Not afraid some giant alien insect is going to come out and devour you?"

Belle shot him an icy glare as she turned to find the Kino focused on her bare back. "Eli, if Rush happens to see you ogling my back through that damned Kino … well, I'll let you use your imagination."

"Sorry. Would you believe I was checking for insect bites?"

Both girls dissolved into laughter at his sheepish grin. "NO!" they answered in unison. They moved off to another section of the clearing when their crate was full and began inspecting another of the trees, this one with fruits resembling oranges. Belle felt optimistic towards these. They could only benefit from fruit which would yield some vitamin C. Her mouth was practically watering with the thought of drinking a tall glass of orange juice. Chloe sent Eli off after another crate, happy to have the ever-present Kino focus elsewhere for a moment.

X*X*X*X*X

Eli sat down on a tree stump and sighed tiredly, looking across to Corporal Marsden who stood nearby, his rifle at the ready and a stony expression on his face. "What? I need a break!" the boy squeaked defensively as he took a drink from his canteen. "It's so hot!" He shot another glance at Marsden, who still regarded him accusingly. "What? Don't judge me. All you're doing is standing there!"

"Making sure nothing crawls up your ass," the corporal replied quietly.

"And I appreciate that," Eli retorted, regaining his feet and moving off to seek better company. He pulled the Kino remote from his back pocket and zoomed it in on Belle and Chloe again as they chatted amiably where he'd left them.

X*X*X*X*X

Belle knelt down beside Rush as TJ and Volker began laying out several of their finds on a tarp for the scientists to test for toxicity. Along with the fruits, there were several root vegetables, including some that looked similar to onions and potatoes. She nearly salivated at the thought of smothered potatoes for dinner. Franklin added various nuts and berries he'd found as well.

Chloe frowned. "How are we supposed to know what's safe to eat?"

"We can't know for sure. All we can do is test it to make sure no known toxins are evident and hope for the best," TJ said nervously as she took a knife from her vest and cut into what looked like a pear.

Eli picked up a small yellow fruit, eyeing it suspiciously as he screwed up his courage to bite into it. "What's that saying? 'A starving man' …" He popped it into his mouth and chewed for a moment before spitting it out and wiping his sleeve over his tongue to remove the bitter taste.

Belle laughed. "Hunger is the best seasoning, though apparently not agreeable with your palate."

Scott sat back on his haunches and laughed. "Maybe it wasn't ripe."

Eli glared at him. "You try it!" he said, tossing it towards the lieutenant who caught it instinctively in his hand before returning it to the tarp.

"Uh, no thanks," Scott chortled with a shake of his head.

Eli reached for another item on the tarp, but Rush smacked his hand away. "You've just exposed yourself now."

Eli's face screwed up with disappointment. "C'mon, seriously?"

"Yes, Eli. Here give it to me," Belle instructed, reaching into the pack at her side and coming out with a piece of equipment. It looked similar to the Kino remote, but this one had a wand attached to it with a sharp probe at the end.

"What's that?" Rush asked curiously, not familiar with the device.

Belle took the wand in her hand and inserted it into the fruit, smiling smugly at Rush. The screen lit up, data about the object in her hand scrolling swiftly. "This," she said, indicating the device, "will tell us if it's safe. Have a look."

Rush took the small device, his brow furrowing as he read the Ancient text. "Composition, levels of toxicity, texture, taste, vitamin and nutrient levels …" His head whipped around to stare at his assistant. "Where did you find this? It will make our job of finding viable food sources so much simpler."

"Oh yes," TJ agreed. "It certainly beats your latest testing philosophy of feed it to the colonel and if he doesn't keel over then it's safe," she chuckled softly.

"I happened upon it in one of the Ancient crates Eli and Chloe and I have been going through. I thought I would bring one along with us to see if it would work," she replied. "It was packed away with some of the other testing equipment. It was worth a shot."

"And why am I the last to know of this?" Rush asked dryly as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Because you never listen to me, Nicholas. I did try to show you when I found it, but you were entering data into the database and were rather rudely ignoring me."

"I was not! I -"

Brody interrupted, his face grave as he rushed over to them. "TJ, uh, Volker just puked."

TJ and Scott rose to their feet and hurriedly left the group, following Brody over to where Volker was sitting on a tree stump nearby on the other side of the ramp leading to the gate. TJ took in his pale, waxen complexion and the cold sweat beading on his clammy brow and reached for her kit. "Have you eaten anything here?" she asked worriedly.

Volker shook his head as she flashed her penlight into his eyes to check the size of his pupils. She cast a disapproving look at Eli, and he backed the Kino up with a mumbled apology. "Are you staying hydrated?" she asked as she continued to take his vitals.

He nodded, his tongue thick, making it difficult to answer.

"Okay, what about any numbness or … how's your vision?" she asked, unsure if he had been feeling ill before they'd disembarked for the planet surface.

"Oh, it's … my head's pounding and my neck's a little …" he murmured listlessly. Without any warning, he slumped forward and tumbled off the stump. TJ and Scott managed to break the worst of his fall, their hands gripping his arms as they laid him gently on the ground.

Scott looked up at Eli. "We should get him back to the ship. Eli, dial the gate," he commanded. The boy scurried away with the Kino remote, already beginning the sequence to activate the star gate.

Without warning, Chloe swayed unsteadily on her feet and collapsed at Belle's feet. Before she could reach for her, Rush grabbed her about the waist and backed away from both Chloe and Volker, leaving TJ and Dr Park to see to them.

"Nicholas!" she cried, struggling against his restraining arm. "Let me go. I need -"

His stern voice cut her off. "You need to stay away from her. You don't know what's wrong with her. What if it's contagious?"

Belle stopped struggling and turned to glare at him. "And if it is, if she contracted it here on the planet, then we've all likely been exposed. Now let me go to her," she murmured the last in a gentle tone. He nodded sullenly, realizing she was right. With some reluctance, he sighed and retracted his arms, letting her go to the aid of her friend.

Chloe was already coming to when Belle dropped to her knees at her side. "What happened?" the tall brunette asked, rubbing a hand over her sweat-soaked brow.

TJ knelt on Chloe's other side and took her pulse. "You collapsed on us. How are you feeling now?"

Belle helped TJ support the weakened girl as they pulled her into a sitting position. She still seemed to be out of sorts, though her return to consciousness was encouraging. Volker was still out cold.

"I don't know," Chloe said, her voice weak. "I just started feeling dizzy. It came on pretty fast."

TJ put the back of her hand to Chloe's forehead and frowned. "It feels like you're running a temperature."

"You're sure it's not just the heat, Tamara?" Belle asked, offering Chloe a drink from the girl's canteen.

"I don't think so," the blonde lieutenant murmured, fixing Belle with a pointed look, worry evident in her gaze. "Is your neck bothering you?"

Chloe nodded as she pulled the canteen away from her lips. "Yeah, it just started. It's stiff at the back mostly."

Scott backed away, concerned for his girlfriend, and tried to get everyone's attention. "Ok, guys, listen up. Get your stuff. We're buggin' out."

TJ left Chloe with Belle and hurried over to join the lieutenant. "Wait, wait, wait! We can't leave. If it's something they got here, it could be contagious."

Scott frowned, wanting nothing more than to get everyone safely back aboard Destiny where TJ could treat the sick in a more sterile environment. "So, what are we supposed to do?"

TJ glanced down at her watch. "We have thirty-six hours before the Destiny leaves. For the sake of everyone on board, I say we wait. At least for a little while … just to see how this plays out."

X*X*X*X*X

Belle stared at the gate as the puddle rippled, leaning back against the tree towering above her and protecting her pale skin from the UV rays overhead. Chloe rested nearby with her head in Scott's lap, her breathing labored as she slept. She could vaguely hear TJ speaking with the colonel on her radio, her back to the Kino hovering nearby. She was going to have to have a talk with Eli about that apparently.

"I don't know, Colonel. It could be anything, really … a virus, a bacteria. There's no way to know if it's airborne," the medic reported.

Young's voice came back over the open channel, the transmission crackling with static. "You've only been there three hours."

"I know," TJ said wearily as she wiped the sweat from her brow. "If it's something they picked up locally, then the progression is unfolding quickly. Sir, until we know more, I'm recommending that we don't return to Destiny with anything which might be contagious. Let us know if anyone on board is exhibiting similar symptoms. At least that way we'll know for sure if it has nothing to do with this planet."

"Will do," the colonel agreed. "Check in every hour, regardless."

"Copy that." TJ put her radio away as Young severed the connection.

Rush, crouched down with his back against the tree beside Belle, eyeing TJ suspiciously as she sat down next to Belle and drank deeply from her canteen.

"So, we're stuck here for a while, I take it?" Belle asked, toying absently with the wrapper of a Jolly Rancher for want of something to keep her hands busy.

Rush snorted. "You must have some suspicions as to what's causing this. I've seen you giving them shots."

"I started them both on high doses of antibiotics. I hate to waste it, but given the symptoms of headache, fever and neck pain, it's better to be safe than sorry," the medic said, rifling through her kit to take stock of her supplies. "Belle, how do you feel?"

"Right as rain, TJ. Don't worry about me," she told her, discarding the wrapper and raising her fingers to the tea cup charm hanging on the thin gold chain about her neck.

Rush knew Belle was more concerned than she was letting on due to the level of fidgeting she was doing, but focused his questions on the medic. "Ok, so what is it? Bacterial meningitis?"

"There's no way to tell without a way to test for it, but if it turns out that's what it is, and I haven't done anything, they could die quickly."

"You don't know," he hissed acidly. "You're using up our antibiotics on a hunch."

"Yes, Dr Rush," TJ explained, her eyes flashing hotly as she tried to maintain her professionalism. "That was my judgment call."

"That's just great!" Rush shot to his feet and glowered at the blonde, realizing the futility of continuing the conversation, and walked away into the overgrown jungle surrounding them.

Belle reached out and laid her hand atop TJ's where it rested on her knee. "Don't let him get to you, Tamara. He doesn't like to feel helpless," she said, rising from the jungle floor and brushing leaves from her pants. "I'll go talk to him."

She found him a short distance away, his arms folded stubbornly across his chest and staring into the dense growth. She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his nape, her nails scratching pleasantly against his stomach. "TJ's only doing what she thinks is best."

"I am aware, but not knowing for sure, she's wasting what little precious supplies we have," he said quietly, the muscles tensing in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. When she didn't argue, he relaxed and pulled her around so he could loop an arm around her shoulders. "I'm wishing I'd left you on Destiny."

"I'm sure you are, but you kept your promise," she referred to the vow he'd made to let her go offworld on the first viable planet they came to. "At least we're here together," she murmured, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

"Dr Rush!"

Rush turned at the sound of his name, releasing Belle as Greer came through the underbrush with Eli and Scott following closely at his heels.

"Dr Rush, I found something I think you need to see, sir," Greer huffed, motioning them to follow.

Eli fiddled with his Kino remote and swatted at an insect which buzzed near his ear. "I thought you said it wasn't far," he complained.

"It's not," Greer replied, arching a brow in the boy's direction.

Eli looked back to find Scott rubbing at the back of his neck. "Hey, you doing ok?"

Greer called for them as he rushed ahead, preventing Scott from answering. "Over here."

"Eww," Eli groaned. "What is that smell?!"

"It's sulphur," Rush told him, waving Belle to stay back as he approached Greer's discovery.

Belle bristled at his command, but chalked it up to him being overprotective and held her tongue. He pulled a handkerchief from the back pocket of his jeans and covered his nose and mouth as he approached what looked to be a giant ant hill about four feet in height, steam rising from it to pollute the air.

"Wow!" Eli grimaced, holding his nose. "I'd hate to see the ants that made those." He glanced over his shoulder to check on his Kino.

Rush kept his face covered as he leaned over the mound to take a look, grimacing and coughing as he hurriedly pulled back. Greer hovered at his back, keeping his distance even though he was prepared to take action should anything leap out of the mound. "You think this is what's making people sick?"

Rush leaned over the mound again, this time shining his flashlight into the hole. "I don't know."

Greer backed away another foot as the smell wafted in his direction. "They make chemical weapons from this stuff."

Rush finally turned and made his way back to Belle where he could breathe a little easier. "Yeah, I know, but we don't know the exact compound, the concentration, and a myriad of other factors."

"There's more over there." Greer pointed with the barrel of his rifle.

He shook his head. "No, no. It's alright, I believe you."

Greer's brow furrowed as he looked between Rush and Belle. "Look, I'm just saying I know she doesn't want to make anybody else on the ship sick, but what if it's staying here that's gonna kill us?"

"We need to give it a few more hours at least, Ronald," Belle said, brushing a tendril of hair off her brow where it had escaped the bun at her crown.

Rush offered her his hand, which she took, letting him lead her back to the gate. He might not agree with her, but there was little any of them could do at the moment.

X*X*X*X*X

Belle burrowed further under the tarp, settling herself close to Rush as he looped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his embrace. Night had fallen and the rain pelting down on them made her shiver with cold. She'd put her jacket back on at his insistence, but it didn't seem to be helping much. There was something which niggled at the back of her mind, some inner warning system trying to alert her to danger. Eli sat on her other side, as close as he could without actually touching her in an effort to keep warm. Rush wasn't very happy about it, if his glowering countenance was any indication, but she was grateful for the boy's added body heat.

Scott had his team patrolling at a closer proximity to the gate, trying to keep everyone together as the rain made visibility limited. Eli pulled the tarp forward, ducking back so the rain wouldn't splash into his face. "Well, this couldn't get much worse," he complained.

Rush closed his eyes, praying for patience. "I'm afraid that's a failure of imagination," he said dryly.

Belle laid her head on his shoulder, her lips brushing against the shell of his ear. "Don't be mean to Eli, Nicholas," she purred softly, reveling in the shiver which tripped through his body, knowing it had little to do with the weather. "Need I remind you of our earlier discussion of working together?" she asked, pressing her lips to his chilled flesh just beneath his ear as her arm snaked around his waist.

Rush turned his dark sable gaze on her, a smirk curling his lips. "If I recall correctly, didn't that discussion have something to do with not being able to call you Miss French since I'd already had my tongue in your mouth?" he asked, his voice barely carrying over the sound of the rain. His breath fanned hotly against her lips as he rested his brow to hers and it was her turn to shiver. "Ah, I see you remember as well."

"Top five desert island movies," Eli interrupted, his voice loud as he stared off into the distance, trying to pretend he was oblivious to the tender moment between the couple beside him.

Rush glared at him over the top of Belle's head.

"What?! It'll help pass the time!" the boy squeaked defensively.

Rush shook his head, despairing that his protégé would never take anything seriously.

"OK, I'll go first. 'Hackers'. Obvious, I know. 'The Matrix'," Eli said, chuckling softly. 'Old School' - you've gotta have something to make you laugh, right?" His nose crinkled as he screwed up his face in concentration. "If trilogies count as one, then all three original 'Star Wars', but if only one, then 'Empire'. Uh, four … Man, this is hard! I could pick so many! Maybe it should be top ten."

Belle shifted in Rush's embrace so she could turn to look at her friend. "What is this 'Star Wars' you keep going on about? It's not the first time I've heard you mention it. Is it a game or something?" she asked, tilting her head to the side to study him curiously.

Eli's eyes rounded to the size of dinner plates and Rush couldn't stop the smirk which curled up at the corner of his mouth. "Wh -? How? Seriously?" he sputtered. "How can you not know what 'Star Wars' is? It's only like the greatest series of movies of the twentieth century! You had to have been living under a rock all your life not to have heard of 'Star Wars'."

Belle frowned. She had seen movies with her friends in Storybrooke, mostly ones that Ruby and Emma had termed 'chick flicks', but she didn't care for the moving images on the screen which had been so strange to her when she'd been released from Regina's basement dungeon. Gold had tried to get her to watch several movies with him on the flat screen in his living room, but spending time with him, curled up against his side had usually led to more pleasurable activities. And, let's face it, she would much rather read a book than watch it acted out for her on the screen. There was inner thought, introspection and emotion of the characters which was sadly lacking when it was portrayed by the actors.

"Face it, Eli, if Belle was forced to choose between TV and books, books would win every time," Rush told him quietly as he squeezed her hip appreciatively. He'd always found her intellect fascinating. She wouldn't report to work on Monday morning spouting nonsense about some drivel she'd seen on the telly over the weekend. Not his Belle. She'd come to work, bring him a venti black coffee, and regale him with thoughts on the books she'd read.

"But it's 'Star Wars', Rush! How could she not have seen it?!"

"TJ!" Scott called, making his way over to the medic.

Rush slipped away from Belle as she listened to Eli expound on the trilogy, pulling the tarp over her head to keep her dry before he, too, stepped to TJ's side.

"James is not doing well," he said, nodding behind him.

TJ moved to grab her kit. "Where is she?

"How many does that make now?" Rush asked, following after the two as TJ went to check on Vanessa.

"Um … that's Chloe, Volker, Marsden, and Franklin," she replied, digging through the kit for her penlight.

"Now James, too," Scott said, rubbing at the back of his neck.

TJ noticed and pulled him to a stop. "Wait a minute. Let me look at your eyes," she insisted.

"No, I'm fine."

Before he could argue with her further, a chittering sound filtered through the brush on the other side of the gate. Brody screamed and Rush turned to stare in horror as some kind of creature with a long whipping tail burrowed itself into the engineer's chest. Still screaming, he stumbled backwards and fell to the muddy ground. The officers quickly picked up their weapons and sprang into action, firing into the jungle in all directions. With their visibility impaired, it wasn't likely they could even see what they were aiming at.

Rush raced back to where Eli had pulled Belle behind the log they'd been sitting on, grabbing for her and pulling her behind him. "Dial! Dial the gate!" he shouted at Eli to be heard over the din of gunfire and screaming.

Belle trembled as she hurried after him. She had little choice but to follow with the vise-like grip he had on her wrist. He pulled his radio from his belt and pressed the comm button, screaming over the shrieks of terror which seemed to surround them. "Destiny, come in! If you can hear me, please respond!"

"Nicholas! What's happening?" she asked as he pulled her into a crouch beside the ramp and pressed her face into his shoulder, trying to shield her from the sight of their dying friends.

"Why aren't they answering?" Eli asked, crouching down on her other side to offer her further protection as his eyes scanned the melee for Chloe.

"I don't know!" Rush shouted back.

Eli stared up at the puddle shimmering in the gate and squinched his eyes to free his vision of rain. "Why is it doing that?" he asked, pointing to the static-like fritzing which disrupted the surface.

Greer joined them near the ramp, calling behind him to the huddled group. "We've gotta get out of here!" he yelled, firing off more rounds.

"We can't," Rush hissed frantically.

Spencer barely had one foot on the ramp before another creature sprang at him and burrowed itself in his chest. Greer turned, firing repeatedly with no clear aim as more of them encroached upon the clearing, seeking their next victim. One of his stray bullets clipped the Kino and it tumbled to the ground, useless for flight now, though it continued to film. Scott went down at the base of the ramp, one of the creatures latched onto his left shoulder. Greer abandoned Rush, Belle and Eli and hurried to Scott's side, grabbing the creature by its thrashing tail and pulling it off the lieutenant before it could burrow into his chest, hurling it away from the fallen man and firing off several shots into it.

Eli's head whipped around as Chloe's piercing shriek filled the night. She dropped to her knees as one of the creatures burrowed into her chest with a loud squelching noise. With no recourse, she fell face forward onto the jungle floor, her eyes staring sightlessly ahead. The creature erupted from her back and slithered away back into the jungle, chittering madly.

X*X*X*X*X

The Kino footage froze on the screen of Eli's laptop as he paused it, his eyes round as dinner plates as he stared in horror. Chloe sprang to her feet and darted out into the large circular common room just outside of Eli's personal quarters, emptying her stomach into the trash bin next to one of the metal benches set up there. TJ rushed after her to make sure she'd be alright.

Eli whirled around in his chair, his gaze swinging back and forth between the others crowded into his room. "Alright! What the hell is that?" he gasped incredulously.

Belle wrapped her arms about herself, fighting against the tremors which seemed to radiate from her spine as she sat still as a statue on the edge of Eli's bunk. Rush leaned against the wall next to her in stunned silence.

When the ship had dropped out of FTL, Eli had sent the Kino through. Standard procedure before he, Rush, Scott and Greer had gone through the wormhole to survey the immediate vicinity surrounding the gate before allowing the rest of the team to follow. Eli had been flummoxed as to why another Kino would be there waiting for them and had immediately come back to the ship to review the footage it might hold. He'd never thought to find this, however. "How could we have been there? I think I would have remembered!"

TJ helped Chloe back into the room, the girl resuming her place next to Belle who wrapped her arm around her friend. "How?" she asked, still clearly shaken.

"I don't know," Rush shrugged helplessly.

"Well, considering the sickness that overwhelmed several of the team while on the planet, I think it would be a good idea to quarantine those who went down to the planet and anyone who came in contact with them. Just to be on the safe side," TJ announced, staring pointedly at Eli and Rush.

"No, wait a second," Scott scoffed. "You're worried because people got sick on this recording which never happened."

"Well, we don't know that," Rush replied in a quiet tone.

"What are you saying?" the colonel questioned from where he leaned against the opposite wall.

"Well, that is clearly us, Colonel. The recording happened somehow," Nicholas said, lifting his hands to gesture at Eli's computer.

Eli's face scrunched up in concentration. "What do you think was wrong with the gate?" he asked, thinking aloud.

"Looks like the wormhole connection was unstable. It would have been extremely …" Belle trailed off.

"… dangerous to even attempt travel," Rush finished for her.

Eli arched a brow and blinked at the pair of scientists. "Would you two please stop doing that? It weirds me out!"

TJ ducked her head so Eli couldn't see the grin playing at her lips before rising to go and coordinate the quarantine. Greer stood stiffly next to the colonel, his eyes locked on the frozen image of Chloe's dead body.

"So, do we keep watching?" Eli asked hesitantly, not thrilled at the prospect.

Belle shot to her feet and moved to the door. "I'm going to see if I can help TJ," she said over her shoulder, not wishing to see what happened to the rest of the team. She knew instinctively it wouldn't end well.

Rush caught up with her in the corridor. "Belle! Belle, wait!" he called, finally reaching out to stop her with a hand to her shoulder, turning her to face him. She stared at her feet as she waited for him to speak. He lifted her chin, his face falling in dismay as he saw the tears falling unchecked over her waxen cheeks. "Oh, mo ghrá, no. Don't cry," he murmured against her dark hair as he pulled her into his arms. "It didn't happen, Belle."

She sobbed brokenly in his embrace, taking small comfort in his tenderness. "I just watched my friends die, Nicholas. It most assuredly did happen. In some alternate reality or parallel universe or something! But it did happen," she cried.

He stroked his hand over her nape, gently kneading the knot of tension there. "We'll figure this out," he assured her, lifting her chin again to brush his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. "Come back with me. TJ has everything under control, and you don't need to be alone right now."

"I can't watch you die on that video, Rush!" she spat angrily, pushing out of his embrace. "I won't watch you die!"

He caught her hand before she could make good on her escape and pulled her back against his chest. "You won't have to, Belle. Please, just come with me. You don't have to watch." He pulled her iPhone from the back pocket of the fatigues she wore and held it up for her to see. "You can listen to your music, ok?"

She sagged against his chest in defeat. Her courage, the bravery she prided herself on, seemed to have deserted her. She merely wanted to retreat to their quarters and burrow her head under the pillow. How could she abandon him to that video, have him possibly watch her death and not remain with him? It wasn't so much that he couldn't get through watching the remainder of the video by himself. No, it was that he cared so much for her, he didn't want her to be alone, didn't want her to dwell on what she'd seen. He wanted to soothe and comfort her in her distress … just as she'd always done for him from the moment he'd let her into his life so many years ago.

Belle took the phone from him and slipped it back into her pocket before offering him a weak smile. It pained her to know she was responsible for the anxiety in his gaze, and she reached up to press her lips to his in a gentle kiss of reassurance, uncaring of who might stumble upon them in the corridor.

He crushed her to him, burying his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in. "We're prepared now, my Belle. We won't be going offworld. It won't happen." He pulled back and cradled her cheek in his warm palm. "I won't let any harm come to you."

"I know, Nicholas," she murmured, taking a deep breath to steady her pounding heart. "I —"

"Rush, are you coming?" Eli called, making his way around the corner in search of him. "We're waiting and … oh …" He trailed off, looking away from what he was sure had been a private moment. "Sorry."

Belle slipped her hand into Rush's and twined her fingers with his, nodding hesitantly. "It's ok, Eli, we're coming."

"You're sure?" Rush asked as Eli turned and headed back to his quarters.

"I'm sure."

Rush inhaled sharply, the knot of anxiety in his chest easing considerably at her acquiescence. Young shot them an impatient frown as they returned to Eli's quarters and sat on the bunk. Rush cast him a blank look, uncaring if the man was upset or not. He tucked Belle into his side and wrapped an arm about her shoulders in a comforting embrace, nodding at Eli to restart the video from where they'd left off.

"Can't you fast forward this part?" Chloe asked, shuddering at the sight of her dead body frozen on the screen. It was all too surreal for her.

"Oh … yeah … sure," Eli mumbled, fast forwarding the video and then pressing play as he sat back to watch.

X*X*X*X*X

The Kino footage wavered as the device was positioned and Eli's face appeared on the screen, his face tight and drawn as he struggled not to cry. "Chloe's dead," he said, choking back a sob. "So is James, Park, Spencer, Marsden, Brody … all dead," He blinked rapidly, trying desperately not to break down. "Something's wrong with the Gate. Rush doesn't think we can risk using it, even with what's happened."

He picked up a roll of duct tape and tore off a strip, seemingly to bind the broken Kino to one of the military helmets so he could continue to film. "We can't reach Destiny on radio either, so, apparently, we're trapped here. There's twenty-two hours until Destiny jumps back into FTL. The creatures seem to be nocturnal. They stopped coming once the sun came up. Hopefully, the Gate will start working before it gets dark again." He added more tape to the Kino, attaching it to the helmet. "Apparently we don't have much ammunition left."

"Eli. What are you doing?" Rush asked, watching Eli lift the helmet and place it on his head.

The homemade helmet cam panned slowly around the base of the ramp and those who had survived the night. Scott was lying unconscious on the ground next to TJ where she kept watch over him. Franklin sat nearby, arching a brow at Eli's new invention. Belle sat with her back against the ramp, her eyes closed as she lifted her face up to the sun, Rush pacing next to her, shaking his head wearily.

"Leave him be, Nicholas. He's trying to be productive," she scolded gently, reaching out to him and pulling him down next to her. Her hands found the tense muscles of his neck and kneaded at them with a firm touch. "You should rest while you can. If tonight is anything like …"

Eli made his way over to a blanket-shrouded body and pulled it back to reveal Volker beneath the cover. "Volker wasn't killed by the creatures. TJ says he died of the illness during the night." The Kino panned around once again to show the remnants of their group. "Everyone seems to be coming down with symptoms at this point …"

"Eli!" Rush snapped, glaring angrily at the boy.

Eli whirled on him, equally furious and stressed to his breaking point. He'd lost Chloe, his best friend - the woman he loved if he were honest with himself - not to mention in fear for his own life and those who remained. "Do I need to point out yet again that documenting this could be important?!"

Back on Destiny, Eli paused the video and cast an accusing glare at Rush. "See! What did I tell you!?"

Rush rolled his eyes and gestured for him to resume the video, refusing to admit he was wrong, even though in this instance they'd have all been subject to the horrors on the Kino without Eli's obsession for filming everything. The recording started up once again to show Eli bending over Scott where he lay on the stretcher Franklin and Rush had made for him.

"Scott was bitten by one of the creatures. He's now in a coma."

TJ reached up, resting the back of her hand to his brow, checking for fever. "Eli, you ok?" she asked worriedly.

Eli snorted as the Kino panned to the left, over the shrouded members of their deceased team. "Huh! Compared to most everyone else …" he scoffed, letting his words trail away.

The video skipped ahead, Greer jogging into the clearing. "I've found a cave that might offer us a bit more protection than leaving us out here in the open," he reported. "It might give us a chance at least."

Belle and TJ didn't bat an eye as they rose and began gathering up their supplies. They shouldered a good bit of the packs as Rush, Franklin, Eli and Greer carried the stretcher bearing Lt Scott through the jungle. The cave Greer had found would provide them adequate shelter and a more defensible position than the area near the gate. The men brought Scott's prone body into the cave and deposited him on the ground where TJ could check his wound while Eli collapsed next to him, breathing heavily.

"Oh, I'm so going to whip your ass into shape when we get back to the ship," Belle chuckled, handing him a canteen as he fought to catch his breath. "It's all well and good to be a brilliant math genius, Eli, but how long do you think you'll last if you don't take care of your body?"

His brows disappeared under his fringe of dark bangs. "I don't really like to exercise," he shrugged, the tremor in his voice belying what was really on his mind … on everyone's mind. IF they made it back to the ship. "And I shouldn't have to when I'm not the only one out of shape." He cast a pointed look at Rush who in turn snorted as he drank from his own canteen. "You'd never catch him jogging all over the ship."

Belle smiled slyly as she leaned over to whisper in the boy's ear. "You'd be amazed by what I can make Dr Rush do, Eli," she murmured silkily where Rush couldn't hear.

Eli's mouth fell open in stunned horror. "Oh … Oh, just … eww! Could you please not tell me things like that?"

A peal of laughter echoed through the cave, amused at how easily she could tease her friend.

Although Rush might not have heard her, the Kino picked up everything, and everyone watching the footage in Eli's quarters turned to stare at her with barely concealed snickers. She blushed furiously and averted her gaze from the bemused smirk on Rush's thin lips. His look clearly said they'd be discussing that later when they were alone.

The Kino's camera followed her as she rose to her feet and moved to stand beside Rush and Greer. "We need to bury our dead, Ronald. We can't just leave them there," she said somberly, lowering her eyes as she thought of the friends they'd lost.

Greer nodded, his brows drawn together in a dark frown. "You're right, Miss Belle."

Rush curled his hand around her fingers and squeezed. "Rest." He held up a hand when she opened her mouth to protest. "That wasn't a request." He drew her forward and pressed his lips to her brow. His eyes were dark and brooding and she simply nodded, not wishing to argue with him. He followed Greer from the cave, his shoulders set with determination, trusting her to obey him.

She watched him move through the brush until she couldn't see him anymore before she returned to Eli's side and laid back against her pack, curling up on her side so she could still keep an eye on him as he talked quietly to TJ.

His expression clearly showed his melancholy and Belle's heart went out to him, knowing this had to be harder on him that the rest of the team. "I have a lot of respect for people who do what you do," he said, watching TJ closely as she changed the bandage on Scott's shoulder. "It's not easy, I can tell. It really affects you when you can't help people."

"It does," the medic agreed, offering him a wan smile.

"My mom was a nurse. She got stuck by a needle trying to restrain a junkie in the ER. She got HIV."

Belle sat up and reached out for his hand, squeezing it reassuringly, silently telling him she was there for him, that she cared for him and the pain it must have caused him.

Back on Destiny, Belle rose from the bunk and moved to sit beside him, wrapping an arm around his wide shoulders. Chloe did the same, sitting on his other side as she too offered him her sympathy. He hung his head as the recording continued, silently fighting back tears as he heard his other self speak in a listless voice about how his father couldn't take the fact that his mother was sick and had decided to leave them.

"I'm so sorry," Belle commiserated, her eyes burning with unshed tears.

"You have any family, Belle?" he asked, genuinely curious.

She looked down at their joined hands. "I did … long ago. I haven't seen my father in ten years," she murmured wistfully, wondering if he still lived … or even if he was in this land.

His brows drew together in a puzzled frown, wondering over the underlying tone of what she wasn't saying. He sighed, his lower lip trembling. "I'm really afraid my mom is just gonna give up if I die out here."

On Destiny, Eli closed his eyes, his grief overwhelming. It was compounded by the fact that he'd left himself so vulnerable in front of his crewmates. He ducked his head and surreptitiously swiped at the tears glistening on his lashes. Belle squeezed his shoulder and Chloe took his hand, lending their support.

Eli glanced over at Chloe as she rubbed at her left temple. "Hey, you alright?" he asked, worried over her ashen complexion.

"My head hurts," she murmured, offering him a weak smile as she rose to her feet. "Maybe if I just take a walk I'll —"

She didn't get a chance to finish as she swayed unsteadily on her feet and tipped forward. Scott, standing a few paces behind them, rushed forward and caught her before she could crash to the floor.

Young recovered from his slouch against the wall, holding up a hand to forestall Eli and Belle from crowding Chloe in their desire to help. "What just happened?"

"I don't know," Scott said, lifting her head onto his lap. "Uh, she started complaining that her head hurt, and she just dropped."

Rush frowned down at her prone form. "It's been three hours since we dropped out of FTL. That's about the time people began to get sick on the planet in the recording."

Scott lifted her into his arms and headed towards the infirmary, hoping TJ would be able to shed some light on their newest predicament.

The medic hurried to Scott's side, leaving her current patient and pointing him to a bed where he could lay Chloe down for her to examine her. "What happened?"

"She was complaining of a headache and just collapsed," Scott explained, stepping out of her way as she peeled back one of the girl's lids to check for pupil response.

She glanced over at Everett, who'd followed them to the infirmary. "I've got four more cases … so far everyone who went to the planet or came in contact with someone who did."

"Can it be contained?"

TJ shrugged. "I don't know, but whatever it is, it's extremely virulent."

"On the recording, Eli said Volker died because of it," he replied.

"How quickly?"

Young leveled her with a pointed stare, hating to be the bearer of bad news, but seeing no way around it. "Within twelve hours."

X*X*X*X*X

Rush leaned against the wall at his back and suppressed a yawn as his eyes skimmed over Belle's bare back, his fingers itching to roam over her delicate ivory flesh. She paced restlessly in the confined space of Eli's quarters, alternating between watching the recording and hovering near the door to see if Scott would come back bearing news of her friend.

"I'm sure he'll contact us on the radio if there's any news," Eli said, pausing the footage. "Right?"

Belle nodded and waved a hand towards the screen, urging him to continue before her courage failed her and she wouldn't be able to watch anymore. Already, it was getting darker in the video, signaling nightfall was fast approaching. She shuddered as she thought of the creatures that had destroyed half their team and she was forced to wrap her arms around herself to still her trembling.

She raised a dubious brow at Greer as she watched him on the recording teach Eli the basics on firing his semi-automatic rifle. Of course, Eli cast her a brilliant smile over his shoulder, proud of his other self for being a quick learner. But what had her eyes widening in surprise was when the master sergeant stepped behind her and wrapped her hands around a Glock.

"Now, see!" she cried, her voice rising in pitch. "This confirms that this will never happen. I hate guns." Another time and place flitted across her mind's eye. A time when Rumpel had forced her to take his handgun in order to protect herself, a certain pirate, and the loss of her memories. She caressed the tea cup pendant resting just beneath her collarbone and sighed, thankful for the charm he'd given her so long ago. It will protect you, sweetheart. My magic will not fail you.

Greer grinned at her, in no way sensing her inner struggle with the long dead memory of her lost love. "Aw, come on, Miss Belle. That will be the next step in your offensive training," he chuckled.

Rush snorted. Just what they all needed … his temperamental assistant with a gun!

Belle shook her head, firm in her decision to forego that part of her training with the marine and focused once more on the screen, watching herself and Eli help Greer plant C4 explosives in the huge mounds the creatures seemed to dwell in. It would in no way take out all of them, but the ones they were able to blow up were that many less they'd have to waste their precious ammunition on.

The footage showed their return to the cave where TJ was caring for Scott and Franklin, who had now slipped further into his illness, his large body still and listless. Rush entered moments later, the Kino remote clutched in his hand, his hair slicked back away from his face, wet with the rain which had begun to fall.

"Did using the other remote help?" Eli asked as soon as Rush made his way over to them.

"I was able to get a connection, but the wormhole's still unstable. Nothing from Destiny on the radio either," he told him, frowning when he noticed Franklin would be no help that night in their battle against the creatures … not that he was ever of any real help, he thought with disgust.

"Well, is it broken or is there a chance it could resolve by itself?" Eli asked, exasperated.

Rush shook his head in frustration. "There are any number of things that could be causing temporary interference. We have eleven hours until Destiny is supposed to jump back into FTL, but there's no way of telling how long this problem is going to last."

Eli threw his hands up before raking them through his damp locks. "And I guess it would be crazy to just try and go anyway."

"Look, we can't assume that the gate is actually even connecting to Destiny. There would be very little chance of surviving an unstable wormhole," Rush assured him. He didn't add that he would never chance such a thing with Belle's life.

Belle took the opportunity to contact TJ on the radio to check on Chloe while Eli fast forwarded through what seemed to be a lull in their activity. Unfortunately, there had been no change and more and more of the crew were falling ill. She'd just hooked her radio back on the belt of her fatigues when she noticed, on the screen, the rain had picked up and night had fully fallen.

She was crouched down between Rush and Eli, the flashlights they'd rigged around the perimeter of the cave barely illuminating the clearing.

A violent shudder wracked her small frame as the sound of the creatures chittering noises echoed throughout Eli's quarters from the speakers.

Rush slipped his arms around her, turning her quickly and pressing her face to his shoulder. "Don't look, mo chroí," he crooned softly, feeling the tremors he could do little to soothe. He rubbed her back, closing his eyes as he relished the feel of her bare skin beneath his hands, reassuring himself she was indeed alive and well. He paid scant attention to the screen, his focus on the woman in his arms. He kept a tight grip on her, watching the remaining footage.

Eli's planetary counterpart switched on the night vision on the Kino remote, revealing the creatures swiftly advancing on them. Belle jerked violently in startled surprise as the sound of gunfire permeated the room. He shouldn't have made her stay. He should have let her help TJ or even seek the solace of their quarters. This was taking more of a toll on her than he'd thought it would.

Completely out of ammunition, Rush threw the rifle on the ground and dug frantically in the pack beside him for the Kino remote. Without a word to Greer or Eli, he grabbed Belle's hand and dragged her behind him across the clearing and through the jungle, screams ringing out behind them to be lost beneath the sound of the pouring rain.

"Rush! We can't leave them!" Belle shrieked as he stopped at the ramp leading up to the gate, already dialing.

"And we can't stay and die!" he yelled back. "This is our only chance!"

Eli burst through the foliage and gaped at Rush as if he'd lost his mind. "What the hell?" he cried.

Rush stopped with one foot on the ramp, Belle's hand clasped securely in his. He turned to Eli. "Someone has to try. Look, I'll radio if we make it. You'll know it's safe."

"But … but you said …" Eli spluttered as the gate fritzed with static, but the doctor paid him no heed.

Rush pulled Belle into his arms and kissed her soundly. "You trust me?"

"This again!? Of course, I do!" she hissed in exasperation, rolling her eyes as he grabbed hold of her wrist and started up the ramp.

"Belle?"

"Yeah?" she murmured as they neared the wormhole, fighting back the terror rising in her throat to choke her.

"I love you."

She turned her head to look at him, her mouth falling open in breathless amazement, unable to respond before he pulled her through the fritzing puddle.

Rush cursed inwardly as Belle stiffened in his arms, her wide eyes rising to his face. Shit! This is not how I wanted her to find out, damnit! "Eli, fast forward!"

"Rewind!" she hissed, whirling back to see the screen. No, no, no, no! I couldn't have heard him say that! He couldn't love me!

"Belle …" he muttered, reaching out a beseeching hand, but she wouldn't turn to face him, calmly shushing him as she focused on the screen. Rush groaned. She had Eli play it over three times before she was satisfied. Did all this have to come out in view of witnesses!?

Belle studied his counterpart's face, taking in the tenderness and love radiating from those sable orbs she knew so well. No! Her analytical mind refused to process it. She crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing briskly at her arms. She felt as though she were trying to hold herself together under the onslaught of this new information. She hated that feeling. She hadn't felt this anxious in years and she refused to let it eat at her now.

She raised her chin obstinately and pasted a bright smile on her lips which belied the turmoil roiling and churning in her stomach. "Well … we all say things we don't mean when we think we're going to die."

Eli shifted uncomfortably, waiting for her word to resume the video while Greer whistled softly.

"Belle, I —" Rush began only to have her cut him off.

"Go on, Eli. Let's bloody well finish this, shall we?" she asked, her voice sharp enough to cut through steel. If she and Rush were going to have this conversation, it would have to wait until they no longer had an audience and the crisis had been averted.

Young had returned and stood silently in the doorway. He lowered his gaze and groaned at this new development. He pulled Greer to the side. "Keep her away from any active consoles," he whispered in an aside. Greer shot him a puzzled look and he shook his head. "Just trust me."

"Colonel Young, Dr Rush," came TJ's voice over the radio. "Can you please come to the infirmary?"

Eli paused the recording and turned in time to see the two men leave his quarters. Belle sank down onto his bunk and leveled him with a determined stare. "Rewind it."

X*X*X*X*X

Everett smirked at Rush as they entered the infirmary, barely able to hide his amusement at the doctor's present predicament with his assistant. Rush did his best to ignore him as he stepped up to the microscope TJ pointed to on the table.

He looked into the eyepiece and frowned at the tiny squiggly forms through the viewer. "What is it?" he asked, stepping back so Young could have a look as well.

"Some sort of micro-organism," TJ replied.

Young blinked several times as he stepped back. "Something brought back from the planet?"

TJ shook her head. "Not the planet they just went to. The planet you and Scott went to … the ice planet," she explained.

The colonel leaned his shoulder against the wall as he regarded her steadily. "That was weeks ago. How do you know?"

"This is a sample of the water we've been drinking, isn't it?" Rush asked, taking a seat on the stool next to the table.

"When people outside the quarantine started coming down with symptoms, I knew we needed to look for another common source."

"But we tested it at the time," Young argued.

TJ shrugged. "At the time, we couldn't see it. The microscope wasn't powerful enough. The organism was just too small. It's possible that a batch of water wasn't purified properly, and it contaminated the rest."

"So, we've all got it?" the colonel asked, needing confirmation.

"Well, everyone's immune system is different. The time it takes for symptoms to emerge will vary, but once it's strong enough to pass from the blood to the nervous system, it works fast - and the antibiotics won't cut it."

Rush pushed himself off the stool and headed for the door. "Perfect!" he growled. Just one more problem to add to many. Impending doom and an angry Belle … he didn't know which would be more painful.

X*X*X*X*X

Eli tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Young and Rush to return. Belle sat as still as a statue on his bunk alternating between worry and agitation or some combination of the two as she thought of what she'd seen on the recording regarding Rush's feelings for her. Greer leaned against the wall near the door, still shaken from watching his counterpart's gruesome death, though he tried to hide it.

"Alright, Eli, let's be done with this," Rush snarled as he came into the room and stood behind the boy.

Eli spun around on his bench, anxious for news of Chloe. "Wait, how's Chloe? Is she any better? Has TJ been able to help her?"

"No, she hasn't," Young murmured softly as he came in behind Rush. "It seems our water supply is contaminated. That's what is making everyone sick, and as it stands … things don't look good."

Rush snorted. "Quite the understatement, Colonel," he sneered, waving a hand at Eli impatiently.

Eli pressed play once again and the camera seemed to by lying on its side, giving them a good view of Lt Scott lying on the stretcher … surprisingly, making signs of coming out of his coma. Belle lowered her eyes, her fingers toying with her pendant, unable to watch the sheer horror on the young lieutenant's face or hear the despair in his voice as he discovered the fate of his team.

The Kino camera swung wildly as he made his way through the jungle back towards the gate, using the remote he'd taken from Eli's lifeless hand to dial back to Destiny. It wasn't promising that the puddle was still fritzing erratically.

"It's forty-five minutes until Destiny jumps back into FTL," he bit out brokenly as he choked back a sob. "Everyone here is dead except me. I don't remember much after we were attacked the first night. One of the creatures bit me and I lost consciousness. I'd started to feel sick, headache, pain in the back of the neck. The bite still hurts like a bitch, but everything else is … is better." He swung the Kino towards the gate to reveal the still fritzing puddle.

The Kino zoomed back in on his face. "Uh, the gate still doesn't seem to be working, and I can't reach Destiny on the radio. I'm hoping it's just a communications problem and that everything else is … is ok up there. I'm sending this through and I'm expecting that you will send some sort of a signal that it is safe to proceed. I will wait as long as I can, then I'll head through regardless. On my own, I likely won't survive the night here."

Scott lowered the Kino and carried it up the ramp towards the fritzing event horizon, pausing only a moment before tossing it through the wormhole. A split second later it emerged on the other side of the puddle, spinning through the air as it fell. The images were distorted as it rolled down the ramp, but it was clear the device hadn't made it to the ship. As the spinning slowed and came to a stop, the camera showed a clear picture of two more of the crew who had perished … Rush and Belle.

Belle bit down on her lip, a whimper escaping her throat as her eyes filled with tears. She turned away, rising to her feet to leave the room, unable to look upon Rush's lifeless body. She walked out into the common room adjoining Eli's quarters, surprised when Rush let her go without a fuss.

Eli paused the footage, waving his hands excitedly at the screen. "What … just … happened?!"

Young looked to Rush for answers. The doctor was staring at the screen through narrowed eyes, realization dawning in his dark eyes. "It went back in time." He turned and walked out of Eli's quarters, catching Belle's eye as he did so. She fell into step behind him without question. She knew that look of anxiety which settled so firmly on his visage. It meant he had a new problem to solve and little time to do it.

Eli, Young and Greer also followed after him as he beat a hasty retreat to the gate room. "What are you doing, Rush?" the colonel called after him.

"I'm making sure it hasn't happened yet," he answered, taking up his position behind the primary console to dial the gate.

"What hasn't happened yet?" Eli asked, pacing anxiously in front of the console.

Rush shook his head to dislodge the hair which had fallen into his eyes as he met Eli's querulous gaze. "A solar flare. It's the only explanation. If a wormhole's trajectory takes it too close to a star and it passes through an active solar flare …"

"… it can cause it to move forwards or backwards in time," Belle finished for him, her eyes widening in surprise. "I thought that was just a theory."

"Apparently, not," he continued, looking down into her thoughtful gaze. He could practically hear the gears grinding in her brilliant mind. "And in some cases, the wormhole can actually loop back around and connect to the same gate in a different time … in this case, the past."

Eli raked both of his hands through his hair, pulling at the dark strands. "Whoa! Whoa! Ok, this is making my brain hurt."

Belle smiled indulgently at the boy as Rush continued. "The us on that recording dropped out of FTL and went to the planet. Sometime later a solar flare occurred, preventing normal gate travel."

"So, Scott thought that he was sending the Kino back to Destiny, but he was actually sending it back to the planet … but in the past," Eli said, his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to work it out in his head. "God! That is so weird to think that was really us on the Kino."

He nodded. "Us in a previous, unaltered timeline, modified now by the introduction of the Kino from the future," Rush clarified, leaning his palms on the console.

The gate finished dialing and the event horizon whooshed forward before settling into its puddle. "Why are we dialing the gate back there, doc?" Greer asked, a puzzled frown on his dark brow.

Rush rubbed at the back of his neck, sighing wearily as he studied the data on his console. "As I said, to make sure the solar flare which disrupted gate travel hasn't happened yet." He was pleased to see the puddle shimmer and ripple with the absence of the fritzing static. "Thankfully, it hasn't."

"Yeah, but why do we care about that?" the master sergeant persisted.

Belle laid her hand on Rush's arm, drawing his troubled gaze to her. "You think we might have to go back there, don't you?"

"Yes, yes, I do."

X*X*X*X*X

TJ stood in Eli's quarters, having been dragged away from her patients to watch Scott's report on the footage. "…I'd started to feel sick, headache, pain in the back of the neck. The bite still hurts like a bitch, but everything else is … is better."

Eli paused the playback and glanced at her expectantly. Scott still looked unsure. TJ shrugged. "It's possible, I guess. The venoms of various animals … snakes, spiders, scorpions … they've all been tested for their antibiotic properties."

Scott cast her a dubious look. "What? You're saying that thing that bit me can actually cure what's making everyone sick?"

"Well, you fell into a coma. It obviously releases some sort of venom when it bites. You apparently survived and said you were feeling better," she replied, pointing to his image on the screen as proof.

Eli made a choked sound of distress in the back of his throat as he turned to stare at her incredulously. "But … you're just guessing. And those things were …" he paused, his hands curling into claws as his gaze flitted back to the screen. "… well …"

"Based on this video," she explained, "people are going to die from this infection, and quickly." She turned her worried gaze on the colonel. "I know it seems like a wild stab in the dark, but I don't know what else to do. This may very well be our best chance."

"Well, we've all been exposed, so it's just a matter of time before we all get it, right?" he asked, sighing when TJ nodded. "I'll put a team together."

X*X*X*X*X

Young pulled his tactical vest on over his uniform and fastened the buckles over his chest. Spencer, Scott and Greer were suiting up to go with him. He could only hope they would be successful.

Belle fiddled with the Kino remote as she stood next to Rush at the console. "We're getting readings, Colonel. Thankfully, it's still daylight."

Young hefted his pack onto his back and checked his weapon, nodding.

"According to the time stamp on the recording, you have an hour 'til the first team lost contact because of the solar flare," Eli said, helping Scott with his pack.

Rush leveled the colonel with a pointed stare. "Forty-five minutes, to be safe."

"How many do you think we'll need?" Scott asked, turning to question the medic.

"Hopefully, a small dosage of the venom will do it," TJ replied, taking an educated guess.

"Dead or alive?" the lieutenant asked.

TJ winced, knowing her answer would make their chances of success lower. "Alive, preferably. I can't exactly anticipate the physiology."

"Not much time," Young said, stepping forward and leading his team up the ramp to disappear through the event horizon.

"Good luck," Rush murmured, raising a hand to rub at the back of his neck.

Belle noticed and reached up to cradle his face in her hands, recoiling when the heat of his skin met with hers. "Gods, Nicholas! You're burning up," she gasped as TJ made her way over to them to check him.

"I'm fine!" he snarled, backing away from them as he held up his hands to ward them off.

"Come on, Rush, let's get you to the infirmary. I have an idea," TJ cajoled, smiling tiredly.

"What do you have in mind?" Belle asked, linking her arm through Rush's as TJ grabbed his other, giving the man no choice but to go along with them as they made their way out of the gate room.

Instead of leading Rush to one of the many gurneys in the room, knowing he'd fight them on it, TJ brought him over to her desk and sat him down in a chair. "I think we need to take blood samples and see who is in the direst need for the serum I plan to make. I don't want anyone dying before they get their chance for the injection."

Belle nodded. "I think that's very wise. Is there anything I can do to help?" She smiled down at Rush. "We can start with Nicholas."

"We might as well since we have him here," TJ agreed.

"I'm bloody well sitting right here!" he snarked, crossing his arms over his chest as he glowered at them both. "My hearing hasn't gone, and I can hear you."

TJ rolled her eyes and brought out a syringe and tourniquet. "Have you ever drawn blood before, Belle? It would go a lot faster if you could assist."

Belle bit her lip as Rush's eyes widened, just knowing he was going to get volunteered to be her guinea pig. "Oh, no … I think not!"

"No," Belle answered, scowling at Rush, "but I'm a quick learner. It's not like we have a choice."

TJ pushed his sleeve up on his left arm and tied the tourniquet about his bicep as Belle watched closely. "Make a fist, Dr Rush." She tossed Belle a pair of latex gloves.

Rush shot to his feet, his gaze swinging between the medic and his little assistant. "I am not letting you turn me into a pincushion!"

Belle pressed down hard on his shoulder, and he flopped back into the chair. "This is necessary, Nicholas. Suck it up! Don't tell me you're afraid of needles. You did fine when we had our physicals before joining Icarus."

"But you weren't the one wielding the needle!"

TJ turned her face away to hide the smile blooming on her lips. "Alright, you two," she said, tapping her fore and middle fingers against the crook of his elbow. "Pump your fist, Dr Rush." Reluctantly, he obeyed. She traced his arm with her gloved finger as she handed Belle the syringe, happy the woman's hands remained steady. "This is the median cubital vein, the most common for blood draws. You should need no more than thirty cc's for testing."

Rush jerked his arm back as Belle neared him with the needle and TJ grabbed for it, securing it to her desk. Belle narrowed her eyes on him as he stared back defiantly. "Go in at an angle, Belle, and simply slip it beneath the skin and into the vein. Really easy," TJ said, speaking in a calm tone to set Belle at ease. There was no easing Rush.

The needle slipped smoothly into his arm with a slight pinch, but none of the pain he'd expected. She drew his blood into the syringe and took the cotton ball from TJ, placing it over the tiny hole in his arm as she withdrew the needle. "See, you big baby," Belle teased. "I'm not completely inept." She handed the syringe to TJ before adding, "And you don't get a Jolly Rancher as a prize because you had to be such a naughty boy."

A wicked smirk curled one side of his mouth as she tapped his nose with her forefinger playfully. "Perhaps not, mo ghrá," he murmured silkily as he rose to his feet and leaned over to whisper in her ear, "but I will get a taste, won't I? They taste better on your tongue anyway."

Heat flooded her face as she arched a brow at him, nodding slowly.

TJ snorted, drawing their attention back to her. "Dr Rush, would you like to assist as well? The quicker we can get this done the better."

His dark eyes brightened considerably. "Yes, Lieutenant, I believe I will … and I can start with Belle."

Belle met his challenging gaze with one of her own and sat down in the chair, thrusting her arm out. His face fell because she was in no way intimidated by a little blood draw, or the fact that he would be the one wielding the needle. Cheeky wench!

TJ took a bit of his blood and added several drops to a slide she'd labeled with his name. She inserted it into the microscope and hastily noted the progression of the organisms in his blood while he was seeing to Belle. She did the same with Belle's blood sample.

"Alright, TJ, your turn," Belle caught her attention, readying a fresh syringe, breathing a sigh of relief that they'd found a more than adequate supply in the supplies brought aboard from Icarus. It didn't take Belle quite as long to draw hers, feeling more comfortable after her success with Rush.

"I think you should both begin with the sickest of our patients and then progress to those who haven't shown symptoms yet."

Belle and Rush gathered a tray and the supplies necessary to set to work as well as a pen and a roll of masking tape - all that was available at the moment - to label the draws. TJ set to work, reaching for the slide with Belle's blood and inserting it into the microscope.

"What the hell?" she asked, rubbing the back of her hand over her brow in confusion as she turned to seek out her friend across the room. She took up the syringe containing Belle's blood and prepared another slide. It revealed the same results. Whereas the organisms had attached themselves to the red blood cells in the previous slides with the blood taken from TJ and Rush, Belle's blood was free of the organism altogether. "This isn't possible."

Rush followed Belle back to TJ's workstation and set his tray down before filling another to take draws from the next group. "Dr. Rush?"

"Yes, Lieutenant?" he asked, curious as to her worried expression.

"Could you please take a look at the slides?"

Rush swiveled his head, trying to relieve the pain at the back of his neck before nodding and pressing his eye to the eyepiece. "Whose sample is this?"

"That's yours," she replied, reaching forward to switch out the slide with her own. "And this is mine."

"It seems I have progressed a bit further than you," he grumbled. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"

"No," she murmured, replacing her slide with Belle's.

Rush jerked back from the microscope in surprise as his eyes met Belle's healthy blood sample. "How is this possible?" he asked, looking again as he increased the magnification. It was perfectly healthy no matter how he adjusted the settings on the device.

"What's wrong with me?" Belle asked worriedly as Rush and the medic stared at her in alarm.

"You've been drinking the water just like the rest of us, Belle. How is it you haven't contracted this infection?" he asked, a dark frown knitting his brow. His gaze swung back to TJ. "Is it possible she somehow carries antibodies to fight it off?"

Belle bit her lip as she looked between them. "There's no chance of that. There's nothing like it on Earth, not to mention it's an alien organism. I couldn't have —"

"She's right, but I have no way of explaining this," the blonde shook her head as she began preparing more samples to study and catalog from mildest to most severe. "It could be that her immune system is just better equipped to handle the infection and it hasn't yet manifested. That would be my best guess."

"Then I'll be the last to get an injection of the serum … just to be on the safe side," Belle nodded with a wry smile before she turned to begin her draws with the next group.

Rush frowned after her and rubbed a hand over the stubble on his chin.

"Dr Rush?" TJ queried. "Are you going to —"

"Yes, yes, lieutenant," he said distractedly as he lifted his refilled tray and set off to work, but his mind was having more than a little difficulty in concentrating on anything other than his Belle and why she wasn't suffering from the infection running rampant among the crew.

X*X*X*X*X

Belle twisted her fingers together nervously as she entered Eli's quarters. She didn't feel right about being there when he wasn't. It seemed like an invasion of his privacy, but the Kino footage was supposed to be for all of them. She was sure he would take time tomorrow to edit most of it for his documentary.

The recording was still paused at the last point they'd all seen together, Eli having left it to sit at Chloe's side while they waited for the away team to return. As far as she knew, he was still there awaiting his injection. The offworld team hadn't encountered any problems on the planet and had come back with enough of the creatures to successfully make a serum to fight off the infection. Rush, not wanting her anywhere near the chittering beasties had sent her off to amuse herself. Lovely, she thought bitterly.

He, no doubt, expected her to curl up with her Kindle and read one of the many books in her library or do some yoga while listening to her music … or even get some work done. But she couldn't get the thought of her blood sample out of her mind. She sat back in Eli's chair and stretched her arms over her head, yawning widely as she pressed play on his laptop. Her stomach churned violently as she stared at the gaping hole between her doppelganger's shoulder blades, her back to the camera and one arm slung over Rush's back. Even in death she'd sought his touch.

The steady hum of the FTL drive lulled her into a peaceful lassitude and she dozed off, jerking awake when Rush called for her over the radio strapped to her waistband. "Belle, it's time for your injection."

"Ok," she yawned. "I'll be there in a few." She switched off the radio and put it away, reaching out to also turn off the recording … and did a double take.

She inched closer to the screen and rubbed at her eyes, doubtful of what she was seeing. The wound on her counterpart's back had decreased in size twofold, the skin having somehow knit back together at the edges of the gaping hole. "What the hell?"

A violent shiver tripped up her spine as she grasped the tea cup pendant in her trembling hands and fast forwarded the video. Her mouth gaped in horror as she watched the speeding footage, the wound closing until there was nothing left to mar her ivory flesh. Belle on the screen took a deep breath, gasping as she sucked in a lungful of air, her head swinging back and forth in confusion. A piercing, keening cry escaped her lips and peeled through the jungle foliage as she sat up and shook Rush's shoulder.

She cried and wailed and pleaded with him to wake and Belle covered her mouth to still her quivering lower lip as tears flooded over her ashen cheeks, her counterpart's despair just as real as her own. Finally, the Belle on the planet rose to her feet and backed away, the Kino no longer able to follow her progress since it was no longer flight worthy.

The repercussions crashed into Belle like a wave at high tide and the breath hitched painfully in her chest, making it hard for her to breathe. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she backed up the footage and deleted the recording from where they'd watched it to the end. She then made sure to cover her tracks, making sure no one could tell she'd tampered with the footage. Picking up the Kino remote, she then deleted it from there as well. If anyone were to see it, she'd be strapped down to a cold metal table for experimentation faster than Rush could toss Volker from the control room. If he didn't turn on her as well.

She rose shakily to her feet, backing away from the console and Eli's computer, her back slamming against the wall as she fought to take deep even breaths, her fingers clenching around her pendant.

Her lips parted on a gasp. For ten years, since the moment Gold had fastened it around her neck, she'd never tried to remove it. She couldn't have his ring, but her necklace was the next best thing … her own memento, his memory preserved. His gold … his love … his magic. She wrapped both hands around the thin gold chain and jerked at it with all her strength … but it remained firmly secured about her pale throat. There was no removing it. FUCK!

Her eyes closed as she slid down the smooth metal wall as the memory took root and projected itself prominently in her mind's eye. He'd still been adorned in the blue dragon hide he'd worn in Neverland as his hands rested on her shoulders and his warm lips had brushed a kiss against her nape. "I will always protect you, my darling Belle. Never doubt that."

The radio crackled again and with a trembling hand she reached for it. "Belle, where are you?" Rush asked, his brogue thick with worry.

"I'm h-here, Nicholas," she answered, her voice weak as tears continued to leak from her closed lids. "I'll be there soon, ok?"

The radio dropped to her lap as she drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them.

"What have you done to me, Rumpel?"

A/N: Yeah, yeah I know you're all full of WTF questions and are ready to skin me alive for the cliffie. *locks lips and tosses the key under the desk* Sorry, my loves. I won't be revealing anything until the next chapter. Hope you decide to join us for the next installment.

And for those of you who are probably screaming at the computer screen hurling curses that even Rumpel can't bring anyone back from the dead … I know this … and … he didn't. Remember … Patience is a virtue (o: