AN: Hey everyone, this is my first story and I'm anxious to see what you thiink. It was a lot harder than it looks but I had a blast doing it. Enjoy!

A big thank you to bailey1ak for nagging me till I started my first chapter and to Vana1970 for patience, encouragement and all your beta work.

Chapter 1

Doctor Keller finished her paperwork and turned out the lights in her office. It was late; the infirmary was quiet as she checked her patients one last time before leaving for the night. As she looked about it seemed odd she couldn't find any of her staff – they all must be on break in the dining room.

Jennifer stepped out into the corridor and could hear the faint sound of the chevrons locking in on the gate. She headed that way to see what was going on this late at night.

As Jen approached the gate room she was surrounded by a sea of frantic activity. She couldn't make heads or tails of what was happening. Loud warning alarms began to blare and the fear in the room rose in intensity consuming everyone in its path. The blue glow of the event horizon stabilized and she looked to see her staff standing on the floor of the gate room.

"Dr. Cole, Marie, what are you doing?" Jennifer screamed as she tried to get their attention.

"What's happening?" She yelled to no one in particular. "Where are you going?'

"I'm sorry, Jennifer," Marie called to her, "they're coming, they're coming! We have to evacuate now."

Just then the infirmary staff hurried through the gate and were gone. The next group was ushered up the steps, preparing to follow them through the gate. SGA-1 was holding the gate and organizing the evacuees.

"Chuck, how much time?" Colonel Sheppard yelled to the gate tech.

"Ten minutes left. How close are you, Colonel?"

"Two more groups and we should be done. We'll be the last group through so get down here ... you can go with us." Sheppard yelled back.

Jennifer frantically tried to get to Colonel Sheppard, but the guards wouldn't let her into the gate room.

"Colonel Sheppard, John!" Jennifer started screaming trying to get his attention.

"Jennifer, I'm sorry, we have to go – they're coming." Sheppard shouted back to her.

"Colonel Sheppard, don't leave me here… who's coming?" Jennifer had no idea what was going on but she knew she had to go with them.

"Jen… I'm sorry… your group has already gone. There's nothing I can do." Sheppard hurried the final group through the gate and prepared for his team to follow along with the Marines who were standing guard.

Jennifer heard a lot of commotion behind her and turned to see Bola Kai warriors coming down the corridor toward her. All hell broke loose in the gate room. Chuck made a run for it as more warriors came streaming through from the other side. Jennifer was grabbed around the waist by a huge man with a hideously painted face.

"Teyla… please help me," Jennifer screamed as she grabbed onto the stair railing. Just then more painted warriors came to assist with the capture and Jennifer continued to scream.

The screaming woke Jennifer. She scrambled out of bed falling on the floor in her room. The sweat and tears mingled while her lungs demanded air. She sat on the floor and waited for her heart to stop pounding.

Looking at her clock, Jennifer groaned as she realized that she'd only gotten two hours of sleep before this last nightmare took control … again! This was the third dream tonight so she decided to get up and be done with it. Maybe a shower would calm her nerves, help push the memories to the back of her mind for the day.

Jennifer pulled herself together heading toward the mess hall for a light breakfast. She knew she wouldn't be able to eat much but it'd be a long day. She'd need breakfast. Her thoughts began to wander as she left her room. CMO of Atlantis --- how was that even possible! Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she'd be Chief of anything, let alone the head of Medical Operations in an Ancient city in another galaxy. In fact, the idea made her chuckle as she walked down the corridor. If the folks back home could see her now! Things like this just didn't happen in Chippewa Falls.

Coming to Atlantis had been the boldest, bravest thing Jennifer Keller had ever done in her entire life. Looking back on her first year it'd seemed like the stupidest decision she'd ever made, or so it seemed at the time. Let's face it, this adventure wasn't something you could've planned or trained for. Insanity at its finest. And yet she wouldn't trade it for anything. Several times that first year she'd written and torn up many letters of resignation even packed up all her belongings more than once. Yet there was something about the city and its inhabitants that caused her to stick with it just a few more months, until the thought of leaving was out of the question.

Jennifer picked up a muffin, yogurt and a bottle of water heading out to the balcony for a bit of quiet time before the day began. This view of the city was one of Jen's favorites. As she gazed beyond the railing, she was able to look outside herself, knowing that Atlantis was bigger than all of them. The view was breath taking and comforting at the same time.

Nightmares were a part of the Atlantis Expedition. When you consider the type of work they did was it any wonder. Last night sheer exhaustion had put her to sleep the minute her head hit the pillow, but the nightmares were close behind and the vicious cycle had begun again. The dreams had a higher level of terror than usual since she got back from New Athos. She wasn't prepared for her encounter with the Bola Kai and if given too much thought the panic attack threaten to overwhelm her even now. She had to find some way to release her fear and get beyond it.

If she'd been at home back on Earth her father would've held her in his strong arms and comforted her before making them both a cup of cocoa and staying up with her until the night faded to dawn. The thought of trying to explain to her father that she'd been chased all over a world in another galaxy by barbaric cavemen swinging axes and shooting arrows brought a huge sigh to her lips. She'd give a year's pay to be able to share some of this stuff with her dad – then the bear hug would come. That kind of comfort wasn't really available to her in Atlantis. The young doctor described herself as socially challenged. A character quality that she acquired over a lifetime of ridicule and rejection. But first impressions can often times be deceiving and if given the chance Jennifer always proved herself to be the kind of friend most people longed for. Unfortunately, after all this time in the Pegasus galaxy she could still count her close friends on one hand.

She finished her thoughts and her breakfast just as the dining room began to fill with all the early birds. The first to fill the tables were usually the scientists who liked to get an early start if they'd even made it to bed the night before. Dr. Rodney McKay liked to run a tight ship and was extremely demanding of his department. At the same time he was the most brilliant man Jennifer had ever known. It brought a smile to her face to see Rodney cross the room balancing his tray and continuing to work on his data pad. She decided this was what she needed … to completely immerse herself in her work and just maybe that would drive the demons away.

Trying to walk with her sprained ankle was annoying despite it being heavily wrapped. This was the one visible souvenir she brought back from New Athos … that and a split lip. Her injuries could've been so much worse. She finally managed to make it to the infirmary before most of the city was awake.

"Good Morning, Teyla," Jennifer announced as she entered the secluded area of the infirmary, "How are you feeling today?"

"I am feeling much stronger today. I feel that I am well enough to continue my duties," Teyla replied, as her patience was wearing thin. She'd received worse injuries than this mission had inflicted upon her and she wasn't very good about resting in bed.

Jennifer quietly drew the privacy curtain around Teyla's bed and pulled up a chair.

"Teyla, I want to thank you for saving my life," Jennifer said, as tears threatened to take control.

"Jennifer, you are stronger than you think," encouraged Teyla.

"No, I couldn't have made it without you pushing me. I wouldn't have made it home without your stern words and direction. I feel responsible for your injuries. If I'd followed your instructions we would've been able to wait for rescue instead of being captured." Jennifer once again relived those moments of running from the Bola Kai through the woods, those feelings of helplessness as Teyla fought off the enemy while protecting her.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Teyla asked knowing sleep would be a problem for the young doctor until she could find a way to push the nightmares aside.

"No, I just kept seeing those painted faces wielding their barbaric weapons. I finally gave up and started my day early. I'll try again tonight." Jennifer wearily replied.

"If you continue to have difficulty with sleep, I would be happy to show you some meditation techniques which may be of help. I have found them to be very soothing when the nightmares are hard to control," Teyla offered her.

"Thank you. I may take you up on that offer and maybe we should throw in a few sparring lessons too. I need to find a way to feel more prepared if I'm ever going to go off world again." Jennifer looked over Teyla's chart and made a few notes.

"I'm going to have Marie come in and take your vitals again and then if everything looks good I think we'll clear you to continue your recovery in your own quarters providing you promise to rest."

Jennifer stood up and reached for Teyla's hand with a final thank you and a gentle squeeze just as Marie came around the curtain.

"Doctor, Ronon is in need of your assistance." Marie gave Jennifer a knowing look.

"Thank you, Marie. Please let him know I'll be right there and Marie, when you've finished would you please come and prepare Teyla to be discharged." Jennifer instructed, she turned once again to Teyla and with a grateful smile she headed out to find Mr. Dex to see what kind of trouble he'd gotten himself into this time.

Heading across the infirmary floor, Jennifer smiled to herself as she thought about Ronon, their displaced warrior. He towered over most of the Atlantis personnel and intimidated nearly everyone. Piercing eyes, long dreadlocks with a brooding disposition and yet the biggest hunk on the base.

Atlantis fell into two categories – those who gave him a wide berth and those who wanted to spend a few minutes on a deserted balcony with the man.

Jennifer had taken the time to see the other qualities he possessed like his intelligence, fierce loyalty and the way he protected his new family. Not to mention his killer smile and the way his eyes crinkled when he was amused. There was more to this quiet man than most of the Lantians took time to notice – but Jennifer saw it and she felt safer for it.

Outside the walls of the infirmary Jennifer tended to still be overwhelmed by the whole Atlantis Expedition experience. But inside the medical facility she was in her world and was intimidated by nothing and no one. This was her realm, she commanded respect from all those who worked with her and those who crossed the threshold. It was as if she took on another persona and she was good at her job.

Ronon was used to being treated by Dr. Beckett but shortly after Jennifer arrived on the base his research became too demanding so Beckett handed Ronon's care over to Jen. Mr. Dex had terrorized the rest of the staff and no one wanted to treat him, which seemed to suit him just fine because he didn't want to be attended to by anyone other than Doctor Keller.

At first, Ronon wasn't happy about being treated by this small, shy woman who looked barely old enough to be out on her own but she'd proved to be the only one in the infirmary that wasn't afraid of him. She turned out to be rather bossy over time. He'd even found himself having to take a dressing-down from the Doc if her staff had to wake her in the middle of the night to come stitch him up. Actually, there were times when he seemed to enjoy this a little too much. Besides, the Doc was more pleasant to look at than Dr. Beckett ever was!

"Hey Ronon, what's up," Jennifer asked as she inspected the cut above his eye.

"Sheppard got in a lucky shot," he grumbled.

"Looks like you'll need a few stitches. I'll get my tray." Jennifer replied absently. Although they weren't what you would call good friends, Jennifer still enjoyed Ronon's company.

"How ya doing, Doc?" Ronon was curious how she was handling the aftermath of her capture.

"I've been better… I guess. I'm starting to question my contributions to the off world missions. Once again, you all saved my butt. I'm starting to believe all the jokes about my being a jinx," she complained cynically.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I heard you came through when needed … even shot someone." Ronon was beginning to think his first assessment of the young healer was a little premature. She continued to impress him with her strength and courage.

"Yeah, that's me … the gun wielding healer." Jennifer replied sarcastically.

"Are you sleeping?" Ronon gently asked. He'd lived with his own set of demons and knew the nightmares were hard to shake.

"No. I'm hoping that tonight will be the night. I don't think my body can go too many more nights without some sort of relief," Jen admitted.

"You'll figure it out," he assured her.

"Okay, Mister, you're all patched up, ready to fight another day." Jennifer smiled as she placed a bandage over the stitches. She stepped back allowing Ronon room to pass.

"Thanks Doc. Hope you get some sleep tonight." Ronon called back at her as he made his way out of the infirmary.