Following Rosie through the forest, it amazes Evan how, after all that time, she still knows exactly where to go. The forest was too thick to take the jumper right up to Fay's home, so Evan decided to leave the jumper cloaked close to the gate, along with a Marine just in case something happens, and make the trek on foot.
When Sheppard told him what had happened, Evan could just imagine how Rosie was feeling. Seeing the little girl again, and in those conditions, couldn't be easy for her. However, looking at Rosie, you wouldn't tell. She is calm and collected, even if he can see a hint in her eyes of the inner turmoil she is feeling.
They reach the small cabin where Rosie had spent four days recovering from an injury, being treated by Fay's mother, who he now knows is named Chantria, as well as by Fay herself, Rosie becoming a sort of guinea pig for the little girl to learn how to properly take care of a wound.
It is easy to understand why Rosie feels the need to help them, and why she had given them the IDC. From what Rosie has told him during their trek to the cabin, if Fay hadn't found her bleeding out on the dirt floor of that forest and told her father, Bassel, Rosie would've died and they would've never seen each other again.
Even if Evan doesn't know any of them, he himself feels a debt of gratitude towards the small family for saving Rosie. And he understands Rosie's need to try and save them. After all, they saved her first.
Evan watches Rosie pack a bag for Fay with a few clothes and a couple of the little girl's dolls, as well as a few things for when she finds her parents, because, make no mistake, she will find them. That much was clear when she told him what was happening on their way there.
It doesn't take long before they are making the trek back to where they left the jumper, their next stop being the village. According to what Fay told Rosie, a few of the men went there after her parents had been taken through the gate, so it makes sense that that would be their next stop.
Evan looks back at Rosie and he sees something in her eyes he has never seen before. There is a steel determination in her and even her body language tells him that if anyone tries to get in the way of her bringing Chantria and Bassel home to Fay, they won't make that mistake twice.
They enter the jumper and prepare to head to the village, the jumper still cloaked, when one of the Marines warns him about movement to their right. Stopping what he's doing, so not to give away their position, Evan and Rosalie watch as a rather large squad of Genii walks over to the DHD.
Now, that in itself wouldn't be too worrying, but who follows them is what makes them both want to run out of the jumper. Behind the Genii leader comes the rest of the men pulling along a few villagers, all tied together by their wrists. Men, women and even a few teenagers, all bound to each other in a long line. Closing the group, a few Genii carry supplies and force the group forward.
Rosie is ready to run out of the jumper and take down the Genii, and even though Evan feels the same way as she does, he knows they are vastly outnumbered and even if they attempted a rescue mission, innocents could be caught in the crossfire and Evan can't in good conscience let that happen.
Evan hears Rosie pleading with him to let her out of the jumper, but he refuses. He tells her that they are outnumbered and would never be able to rescue that many people, not to mention they would lose the element of surprise.
Rosie resigns to what he's telling her, knowing that he is right, although he can tell she is not happy about it. Evan waits until the Genii and their hostages leave, before dialing Atlantis. Rosie asks him what he's doing and he tells her that he's returning to the city so they can brief Weir on what they just found.
Rosie tries convincing him to head for the village, but Evan doesn't back down. Weir and Sheppard need to know what just happened and plan accordingly. He understands Rosie's desire to make sure everyone else is okay, but he needs to follow protocol, no matter how hard that is right now.
It takes them a few minutes to return to Atlantis and make their way to Weir's office, where Sheppard is already waiting as well. Standing next to Rosie, he explains what happened, feeling the restlessness that emanates from her.
Weir seems just as confused as they were when they realized it's the Genii, of all people, to be behind Fay's parents disappearance, not understanding why they would do such a thing. It wasn't as if those people were scientifically advanced, or maybe they had the Ancient gene that both Cowen, the leader of the Genii, and Kolya, his second in command, were so desperate for. Either way, this needs to be looked into.
Weir tells Sheppard to get his team and head back to the planet and visit the village to get more information. But before Weir can dismiss Evan and Rosie, Rosie asks to tag along with Sheppard and his team. Evan wants nothing more than to tell her no immediately, but the decision isn't his.
Evan watches as both Weir and Sheppard try to argue against it, saying that she is too close to the whole thing, but he has to give it to Rosie. The woman knows how to argue back. Telling them that she already knows the villagers from previous visits and she already has a rapport with a few of them, it makes it hard for Weir to disagree with her.
Weir concedes, much to Evan's despair, but warns her that Sheppard's in charge and that she is to follow his orders, no matter how much she disagrees with them. Evan knows Rosie, and he knows deep down that this isn't going to end well.
Evan hears Rosie agreeing, before both are excused by Weir. Stopping Rosie once they clear the Control Room, Evan asks her to be careful and to stay close to Sheppard. Rosie smiles at him and tells him that she can take care of herself, before leaving for the jumper bay. And that's exactly what Evan fears.
Don't get him wrong. He knows full well that Rosie is more than capable of handling herself in a fight, but that doesn't mean he will stop worrying about her every time she goes off-world. Rosie means the world to him and he is not willing to lose her, not after just having her back in his life.
All he can do now is wait, and hope and pray that their mission goes without a hitch and Rosie makes it back to him in one piece.