Rose stood in the gate room, along with Laura, Todd, Jack, Rodney, John, Teyla and Ronan as the gate spun reading to send them to another planet, where they would look for anything work studying, then if there was they'd return after several hours and send team eight or nine in. Rose took another quick glance down at herself, glad in the short sleeved red shirt with her very own charcoal colored Atlantis jacket over it.

She felt her brown eyes go wide for a second time as a wave of water shot out from the gate as it finally engaged. The same as glanced to one of the door ways, where Chris stood offering a supportive smile.

"Ready Tyler?" Laura questioned as she finished locking her gear in place.

A brief nervous smile flitted across her young face, "Ready as I'll ever be, does that count?"

"It's easy Rose, just a little—" he shrugged trying to find the right word, "cold. You'll be fine. Sheppard, Ronan and Lorne will go in first, covering the first three sides. Then you and I will go in between, following behind us will be Jack, Laura and Teyla. You've got your nine millimeter on your right, and we won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

She looked into Rodney's aqua blue eyes, two shades deeper than Chris'. But for the first time since meeting Doctor McKay, she saw complete honesty and compassion. They'd shared the real bond on the ropes course and now she was seeing the loyalty and compassion so few people spoke of. She took another deep breath and nodded slowly.

Rose looked up just in time to see the three men take the lead guns drawn and read. She was just about to step forward went she felt the familiar grasp of her hand. She looked down to see Rodney holding it, as though also offering physical support. Support she gladly accepted.

The experience of stepping through the wormhole lasted a micro second as she and Rodney stepped through on the other side in one piece. Behind them came Jack, Laura and Teyla.

Traveling in the TARDIS to all the different times and places had been one things, it was alien. But Rose had just stepped through something humans had discovered and opened all by themselves. She found herself astounded by the strength and power of her race all of a sudden.

The planet itself wasn't all that different from Earth, with trees, dry, dead looking grass and bright blue skies. Not a cloud in the sky with the sun beating down upon them, Rose easily guessed this trip would end in a long cold shower.

"Rod?" John called, snapping Rose from her thoughts.

Rodney's hand had slipped from her's at some point, and he was now completely focused on his equipment as he scanned for a power source or human life.

"No life signs anywhere and a small power source to the south west."

John smiled, "Good, Lorne you take everyone else and check out the city, see if there's anything worth taking home. No bugs!" Rose didn't miss John's fear to that comment, but he quickly continued, "McKay and I will go check the power source out. We'll meet back her in four hours, check in if you find anything really interesting."

"Will do Colonel," Lorne complied as he flipped his sunglasses over his eyes and took off walking in the north direction.

Rose spent the next several minutes talking with both Jack and Laura, "I can't believe you're really here," Rose exclaimed again as she walked in between her two friends.

"It's as much a surprise to us as it was to you. We looked you up from the very beginning with little success. So when Elizabeth asked if we could think of any one we casually mentioned your name. A search was done and months later we were told you'd been found and contacted. We weren't exactly expecting to find you either, the Doctor said there was no way we'd ever see you again."

"Jack—do you believe in fate?"

The 51st centaury human gazed at her for a moment then nodded, "I didn't until I met you two, but I have to admit I'm starting believe anything. There's something at work here Rose, something so much bigger than either your or I even know about. I'm not even sure Chris or the Doctor knows. However, he was separated for one reason or another from his current self."

"Bad wolf-," she whispered softly her mind wandering to those familiar words.

"Let's split up boys and girls, Laura you and Ronan stay here and keep watch, Teyla you and I will take the north part of the city, Jack and Rose you two take the south, radio in if you run into any life forms—or anything for that matter. Two hours and then we'll report back to the gate."

"So any special Harkness?" chuckled Rose as she and Jack began to search the empty city.

"If that's your way of asking have I spelt my way to the top yet—then no," he mocked her, "Something I learned about Atlantis very quickly is most people's heart here, tend to be spoken for. Whether they'll admit it or not. I've met a pretty nice girl on the mainland, but well you know me."

"And guys?"

"It's not thought very highly of with the Air Force to be—quite that flexible so I try not to ruffle any feathers, though I'll admit Dr. Beckett would be a fine ride," grinned Jack.

"How's Liz doing?" John inquired as he and his brother got some quality walking time in. He watched his younger brother and the man's mannerisms. Rodney had relaxed in the past five years; it was true he could still ream anyone out and he tended to still go ballistic in the labs, but to his friends and family, it was obvious that since adopting Lauryn and finding Elizabeth, he was far happier than he'd been in a long time.

Rodney shrugged, "She's coping, this is a little different than finding some little kid around and keeping it, she's not really sure about the whole nine month aspect—well six months I suppose. I think we both see Lauryn as more my kid, so this is really her first child. It's slightly daunting."

"And you?"

"I'm coping, Lauryn's probably handling it better than me," the scientist chuckled, "She's asking Elizabeth all these questions, it's really bringing those two closer. Which is great, Elizabeth adores Lauryn."

John shook his head, "Who doesn't, she's the apple of Atlantis."

"What about you, are you ever going to marry Teyla or are you going to leave the poor woman waiting forever. Let's face it John, she would."

"Yeah, I know she would—she shouldn't have to, I don't know my hands are full with Jay becoming a rebellious teenager, I'm not sure I want to get married again, the first marriage didn't work."

"I doubt Teyla or her people will like that idea."

"Probably not—no we'll get married."

Rodney shook his head, he opened his mouth to say something when they both stopped in front of a large alcove surrounded by stones, "You getting anything?"

"The readings are off the wall, John this looks like some kind of—"

"Sacrificial sanctuary? Yeah I was getting that vibe as well." John wandered over to one of the stone walls, and reached out to touching what looked like writing on the wall.

Rodney looked up, "No—" just as John touched it. "How many times?"

"Rod—" John's warning voice stopped the man as they stood, in the middle of a very large looking white hallway, surrounded by hundreds of men with guns drawn.

"Oh—" whimpered Rodney quietly.

Jack was on the second floor of the large cottage, he was aware of Rose down stairs, they'd been going through every room to try and find some sort of hint to life on the planet, but so far they'd found nothing. The city reminded Jack a lot of deserts with sand and rock houses for buildings. The only difference was for whatever reason these houses seemed to be made of wood, and thatch.

He turned to leave the room when suddenly his ears perked up at an unfamiliar sound. "Hello?" he called as he swung around, "Anyone there?"

He heard the sound again, it sounded like sniffling. Taking a hesitant step towards what looked to be a closet, Jack carefully reached out with his free hand towards the door knob. "Jack?"

He jumped nearly a mile high at the sound over his radio, "Are you trying to give me a heart attack Rose?" Jack asked as he drew his hand back from the door to answer his radio.

"Sorry, look there's nothing here…"

"Rose why don't you come up here for a moment, I think I may have found something—or a someone," he clicked off his radio and reached for the knob again.

Slowly he opened the door and was stunned at what lay inside, a small child, no more than five years of age, curled up in the far corner of the room with a blanket. He was fairly sure it was a girl, but he couldn't tell, the child was covered with dirty, sweat and tears. She smelled of urine and vomit, which wasn't exactly inviting to him.

"Uh—Hello there."

"Jack—" Rose stopped when she saw the child, "Radio Lorne," she moved closer to the girl and knelt down only feet away.

Jack was stunned at how Rose seemed completely unphased by the child's smell. He tapped his radio, "We've found a small girl, she's alive."

"My name is Rose, do you have a name?"

Deep chocolate brown eyes met her doe eyes. After what seemed like an eternity the small girl finally nodded her head, "Are you injured sweetheart?" Again there was a head shake, but a no this time. "It must be awfully frightening in there, perhaps you'd like to come out. I could get you some food, maybe a blanket and a bath?"

"Mommy," the baby suddenly began to whimper, her eyes filling with tears.

"Harkness we've got a problem, there's a ship overhead, they're either shooting at us or trying to burn the entire city to dust, I've got three buildings on fire, you'd better get out of there!"

Jack turned back to Rose, who was reaching out to the small child, "We gotta go Rose!"

"We can't just leave her here!" yelled Rose suddenly.

"We don't have much of a choice, this entire place could go up in flames any second."

"We're not leavin' her," Rose turned a calm eye back to the child, "Come here sweetheart, you'll be safe I promise."

Jack watched in a nervous awe as the small child crawled towards Rose, until Rose finally got her hands under the child's arms and lifted her up, "Find me a blanket, hurry."

"Jack, your side of the city is on fire, and you're building is next get the hell out of there!" Lorne cried over the radio.

Jack turned to what he assumed was a bed and grabbed the blanket lying at the end of the bed, "Here!" he thrust it into Rose's hands and headed out of the room to see the damage. "ROSE! THE BOTTOM FLOOR'S ON FIRE!" he exclaimed.

Rose wrapped the girl in the blankets and gripped her close, "Don't be frightened love, I've got ya."

"Fine mess you've gotten us into this time," mumbled Rodney as he sat in the cell beside John.

The Colonel was searching for a way out, choosing to ignore the scientist this time, when a tall man walked into the room, "I'm High Lord Vicella and you're on my ship the Capinicuson. How did you get here?"

"Look—Lord sir, no offense but we didn't exactly mean to get anywhere. We were exploring the world when my partner here accidentally touched something…"

"We beamed you aboard before beginning the scorch, why are you here? We have nothing of any value."

"Look mister you've got a power-wait did you say scorch?"

"Every year before planting we burn our planet to bring about more fertile soil."

Rodney's eyes grew wide, as John's eyebrow's knitted together in thought, "Our friends are down there—"

"You should not have come here."

"Look your highness if you don't want people around you should put a big warning sign up! But if you burn that city you'll burn my friends with you!"

"Tis not my concern young one. We evacuate the city monlas in advance for this. We are willing to free you—"

"What about my people? Let us go warn them and we'll leave."

The Lord shook his head, "There is no time, once we begin the process cannot be stopped within hourans the entire planet will be in flames."

"You would kill six innocent people?" John cried.

"They would not be the first nor the last, they should never have ventured there."

"With all due respect Kingy, but you can't kill them, that's murder!"

"It is not murder when prey unexpectedly walks into the captor's jaws. They will die, now I shall release you to your home. Do not return, if you should we will not be so kind this time."

"Hold on a damn—"

"Rod," John pressed his hand against Rodney's wrist, "Fine release us at the gate."

Seconds late John and Rodney found themselves standing feet away from the Stargate, "Dial Rod!" he yelled.

"What about—"

"I said dial!" growled John. He watched the gate explode with activity, "This is Sheppard and McKay, let us through we've got a huge problem!"

"Shield is Down Colonel, what's going on?" Elizabeth response filled his ears.

"I don't have time, patch me through to Beckett," John replied as he and Rodney stepped through the gate.

Arriving on the other side John instantly started shouting out orders, "Beckett get a team of two together and any equipment you may need to treat six burn victims and meet us in the jumper bay!"

"What happened?" Elizabeth questioned again as she joined the two men in their rush to the bay.

The situation escalated from bad to worse in seconds as the fire began to make it's way up the wall, Rose faced the burning door way in front of her, a small child clutched to her chest, screaming filling her ear.

"Rose! Hurry!" cried Jack.

"Oi!" she yelled, without a second thought she ran through the doorway, hoping she would still be in one piece once she was through. She looked and saw Jack halfway down the stairs.

"Before they collapse!" he called.

"Jack it's too hot!" Rose yelped over the loud crackle and snap of wood.

"Toss her down Rose!" Another familiar voice echoed up to her, she looked to see Ronan standing in the middle of the downstairs room, surrounded by flames, "I'll catch the girl!"

Rose met the child's eyes for a moment again and she sighed, "I'm sorry sweetheart," without another word she reached over the balcony and dropped the child. She didn't have time to see if the child landed in his arms, for a second later on of the windows exploded.

"ROSE!" Jack yelled as he rushed back up the stairs towards his best friend.

John pulled the jumper to a stop a few feet away and was horrified to see the city completely engulfed in flames. "We've got the cloak on, Rodney stay in here and be ready to fly us out of here when I say."

He opened the rear hatch just as he spotted Ronan, Teyla and Laura running from the city, all gasping for air and covered in dirt, "In here!" he called.

Ronan reached them first, "What on earth?" John looked down at the child that Ronan was now hoisting into Carson's arms, as she cried and tried to get away.

"Jack and Rose are still in there, Lorne's trying tog get them out," Teyla explained.

Nodding John ran towards the city, unsure of what he was supposed to do, but he easily found the building that was right next to the city and stepped inside, "She's unconscious!" Jack yelled from the second floor.

"Is she hurt?" Lorne asked as he made his way up the stairs, aware of the danger they were all in.

"Yeah, looks pretty bad, I can carry her!" He coughed as he slid his hands under her shoulders and knees.

"Get the hell out of here now!" growled John as the two men hacked through the smoke.

Jack was sure his lungs were on fire as well, as he managed to stay on his feet and carry Rose out of the burning house. "We're going to get smothered," he muttered as he continued to force himself through the smoke.

"Let me take her Jack," John offered.

Jack realized he was wavering on his feet, so he quickly handed her off before he collapsed himself. John took her, and watched Lorne loop one arm around the man's waist, propelling themselves out of the city.

"GO RODNEY!" John yelled just as he stepped into the jumper behind Lorne and Jack.

Rodney quickly grabbed the controls, the hatch was up and seconds later they took off towards the gate. John sighed as he gently set Rose down on the bench opposite of the little girl.

Chris looked at Rose and felt his stomach in his throat, he quickly jumped to work, putting a oxygen mask over her blue tinged lips and checked her injuries.

A steady beep and the feeling of a hundred Slitheen dancing the Macarena on her body was the first thing Rose became aware of as she finally was pulled back into the land of consciousness. Slowly opening her eyes she grimaced at the harsh light. The lights dimmed and she let out a thankful sigh.

"You gave us quite a scare." Rose turned her head towards the familiar baritone voice. Chris sat in a chair beside her, a book settled in his lap looking somewhere between contemplative and worried.

"Sorry," she tried but found her voice scratch and raw.

Chris easily took the hint and held a cup to her lips, "Don't worry about it."

She cleared her throat then started again, "Sorry—how long have I been out?"

He looked down at his watch, "About two days and four hours, you had severe smoke inhalation, and several cuts and bruises."

"Why's my head feel like the aftermath of the alien alcohol incident on Andiriana?"

Chris smiled softly, "You have a concussion, although now that you're awake I'm sure I could find something to help take the edge off."

"The girl?" Rose suddenly asked, forgetting her headache.

Chris nodded across the room, "She's going to be just fine, seems to have taken a liking to Jack."

Rose glanced over at the bed beside her's and grinned. Jack sat in a chair, his feet propped up on the bed, his head back against the chair fast asleep, curled in his arms lay the cargo they'd risked their lives to save, both draped in a white blanket.

"What's not to like," she replied quietly. "So Doctor, when do I get out?"

Chris shrugged, "Tomorrow if you continue to feel better, but we'll have to see. Elizabeth's called an emergency meeting for tonight, she wants to decide what to do with our little girl over there before she gets too attached."

"She's not staying on Atlantis?"

The Doctor shook his head, "Currently, no. Though I think she's safer and would be happier here."

"I'd like to go to that meeting…"

"Yeah, I kind of figured that, don't worry it'll be arranged."

"How's Emma?"

Chris smiled as he ran a hand through her soft hair, "Probably sleeping, she's been staying with the McKays' she gets along quite well with Lauryn actually. Emma is a wonderful girl—a lot like her mum I s'pose."

"An' her dad. Lord knows she's got his damned oral fixation," grumbled Rose chuckling.

"Hmm, must have come with the new body."

Rose sat in the briefing room with Carson, Chris, Jack, John, Rodney, Ronan, Teyla and Elizabeth. Everyone was fairly quiet, the happenings of this week had weighed heavily on everyone's mind, especially Chris's and Jack's. "It's not that I don't want her to stay Jack, it's just she's older than Lauryn was, she's lost her family—what if they were to come looking for her, she's far safer on the mainland than here."

"She's safer where someone can protect her. I can protect her Elizabeth, she just started talking again. She needs someone to love her, someone who knows what happened to her. If we send her to the mainland no one will understand that."

"With all due respect Elizabeth, the girl isn't prepared to go anywhere, she's just starting to become energetic, if we send her to the mainland too soon that'll just set her back in her recovery. She's attached here, well established, I think it's best for her to remain firmly where she knows people. Another move could scar her," Offered Carson from where he sat.

"I'd say she's already been plenty scared as it is don't you," Rodney returned.

"These people left her to die on her planet, not unlike Lauryn, we've seen what a good place has done for her. I'm sure Mia will be similar."

"We don't know anything about her," began Elizabeth.

"We didn't know anything about Lauryn, hell we didn't know she was going to be telekinetic, a little super genius or able to meld things with her mind, but we still love the girl. Elizabeth we need to give Mia a chance here."

"And if it turns out she could be dangerous?"

"She's four years old, how dangerous could she possibly be?" John questioned.

"Need I remind you about the teenager trouble three years ago?" Elizabeth replied pointedly. "I'm sorry, I just don't think this is the best idea. When the girl is doing well enough to be moved, then we'll take her to the mainland, until then she's to remain under the watchful eyes of Dr. Eccles and Dr. Beckett."

" Elizabeth—"

"I've had my say John, end of discussion. I'm sorry."

"Then I request to go to the mainland with her," Jack's words stunned everyone. He continued relentless, "You don't need me, there are plenty of better people who could be serving under your command, Mia needs someone who will love and care for her, someone she knows. She's already been abandoned once by a family that obviously didn't think much of her, I can't sit by and watch it happen a second time. So I respectfully resign."

"Denied!" bit John in anger.

"I wasn't—"

"Gentlemen," Elizabeth replied with a clear warning in her tone. She paused and studied Jack for a moment, before thinking over her next options, "I don't want to lose you Jack, but I can't keep you here if that's your choice. You know you're always welcome back if you want to."

"She needs someone Elizabeth, just like Lauryn did."

"I know Jack."

Rodney sighed, it had been a bad day, and the conversation about little Mia hadn't done much to boost his spirits. He understood where Elizabeth was coming from; he'd looked at both sides, unwilling to agree with one or another. However, now he was being forced to look at it through Mia's eyes. The girl was a helpless four year old, he remembered finding Lauryn five years ago, and how heartbreaking the sight of a tiny infant lost to the rest of the world was. He'd known when he first held her that she was his forever.

He palmed the door to their quarters open, aware it was dark; it always seemed to be dark when he finally made it into the room. Groaning he stripped off his jacket and began to undo his belt, when his eyes froze. There, standing on the balcony in the moonlight was Elizabeth, in her arms was Lauryn.

He took a step closer, not wanting to disturb the two, and smiled. Lauryn's head was resting against her mother's shoulder as she slept soundly. He could hear Elizabeth talking lightly to the sleeping child.

Rodney smiled ruefully at the thought of her being a child—she certainly wasn't a toddler or baby anymore. She didn't tolerate being called either. No, she was turning into little girl, who would soon be a big girl and someday a teenager then a woman.

"I think I made a mistake," Elizabeth whispered.

Rodney was just about to respond before he realized she was talking to Lauryn, "John was right, I did everything could to ensure you would stay on this base. Now here I am doing everything I can to remove Mia. It's not that she's bad Lauryn; it's just she's already so big, I'm afraid she may believe in something we don't. Perhaps the reason I fought so hard for you was because I saw what you did for your daddy." he heard her chuckle softly, "You sure changed him. He's a completely different man; stronger and more loving, not nearly as lonely. Maybe Jack does deserve a chance to have what Rodney had; a chance to see that settling down can be just as fun as wildness and dancing."

Rodney snuck onto the balcony and slipped his arms around Elizabeth's waist, pressing a kiss to Lauryn's forehead, "My two girls, she's growing so quickly, two more weeks and this little sprout will be six years old," he whispered. "I love you Eliza, and I will respect any decision you make—however Mia deserves a chance to be somewhere where she knows she safe, loved and can be happy."

Two Weeks Later

"Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Lauryn, happy Birthday to you!" The Atlantis base sung to the now six year old girl as she opened her eyes and grinned at the cake nearly the size of the table they sat at.

"Go ahead Lauryn, blow out the candles!" called Chris from nearby.

Grinning from ear to ear, Lauryn took a huge breath and blew out the six candles. "Whaddya wish for?" asked Mia as she smiled at her new friend.

"She can't tell you that; then it wouldn't come true!" Jack replied as he hugged his newly adopted daughter closer.

"I wished fer a box o' crayons!" Lauryn replied.