Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. No profit is made from this.

A/N: This is a very short (3 chapter) Jennifer based story. There are hints of a Ronon/Jennifer relationship and John and Lorne play a part as well.

Jennifer knew being walked through an isolated, strange, environment by a mad man who insisted on sticking a gun into her back should be making her scared. A year ago she would have been scared, but now instead of fear she felt anger. Anger that she was once again in trouble. Anger that she would return (assuming she got out of this situation alive) bruised from the blows she had already taken. And anger that the universe appeared to have a plan to stomp all over her, again.

Although she had never considered herself to be an angry person, the rage she was feeling did not feel completely out of place and she wondered if that was a result of a so far hidden part of her finding its feet or if this Galaxy was changing her. Whatever the cause she hoped to use the anger to her advantage. Although how she'd so that was not clear.

As she walked through the remains of the ruinous planet, receiving sharp prods in her back from the gun, she wondered where exactly the teams belonging to Sheppard and Lorne were and how long it would be before they found her. She also questioned exactly what Ronon would do to her captor. As a few images crossed her mind she reminded herself she was a doctor and should not take comfort in those images.

When the man finally put an arm on Jennifer's shoulder bringing her to a stop she was momentarily confused. On first inspection this place seemed no more unique than any of the others they had walked through. All around her were remnants of a long dead civilisation. But everything was ruinous and the reason they had stopped unclear. Knowing that the man had had ample opportunity to kill her already she took some comfort in the fact she had not been stopped in order for him to shoot her. However, as he pointed at their next destination, that was when the fear set in.

Standing before her were the remains of an old, and from the looks of it probably Ancient, tower. The tower was several stories tall and had a spiral staircase wrapped round it. The staircase itself was made of metal, which in its day was probably good sturdy metal, but after thousands of years sturdy was not a word that Jennifer would use to describe the structure. Where there should have been railings there were, what could best be described as, skeletal remains of a railing. Where once steps had been solid there were now gaps and decay. Despite the fact that the staircase would fail any safety inspection the man jabbed her in the back once more and insisted she climbed.

"I can't." Jennifer protested. "I can't do heights."

"Move." The man ordered, jabbing the gun in harder.

"I can't." Jennifer said, already feeling dizzy and nauseous and that was just from looking at the steps.

"Move or die now." The man said pressing the gun so hard against her skin she could feel the bruise forming,

"Okay….okay." Jennifer replied nervously, her voice trembling, as she prayed that someone would come and rescue her.

"Now." The man growled grabbing Jennifer and turning her round so she faced the first step.

Taking a deep but shaky breath Jennifer started her ascent, trying to not look down, yet finding herself having to exactly that in order to avoid the missing steps. Groping the wall and pinning herself against it she struggled up the steps feeling the nausea grow as her legs began to tremble.

With every step she took the further she went from the ground and with every passing inch her fear grew. As it grew she couldn't help slowing down. But as she slowed her captor's anger grew and he pushed her hard with the gun, causing her trip. As her shin hit the step she gasped first in pain and then in fear as she found herself looking down a steep drop.

"Get up and move." The man growled.

"I….can't." Jennifer said trying to supress the terror she felt as she squeezed her eyes shut and hoped the world would stop spinning. This time the sight of Jennifer's trembling caused the man to realise that Jennifer's fear of heights was not a delaying tactic but real. Knowledge he quickly tried to use to his advantage when he said.

"You go up now or down the fast way." As he spoke he nudged Jennifer with his foot so her leg went closer to the edge.

Clinging to the step Jennifer tried to take some calming breaths as she remembered, or at least tried to, the meditation techniques Teyla had attempted to teach her. Finally she shakily rose and once again pinned herself against the wall before restarting her ascent. As she climbed she tried to take comfort in the fact that she would be safe at the top. However, she thought wrong.

When they finally reached the top rather than seeing a sturdy, secure, walled room or at least a balcony with railing the sight that greeted her only added to her fear.

Between the top step and the floor of the room that awaited her was a gap. A gap that was probably two foot wide, but seemed to stretch an eternity. A gap, which looked down onto the distant ground. Beyond the gap the picture was no more comforting. Although there was a floor, of sorts, and on the far side was, at first glance, a solid wall lined with Ancient consoles the other three sides had no walls, no railings, no safety nets. Instead they gave clear views of how far away the ground was.

"Move." The man commanded again, once again pushing his gun into Jennifer. However, over her thumping heart and the abyss like drop before her sucking in her attention she didn't hear him. Her apparent lack of cooperation causing the man to shove her over the gap. However, without Jennifer's own efforts the shove was not hard enough to take her across the gap and she fell forwards, her legs dangling into the void, whilst her arms, hands and torso scrambled to cling onto the floor she had landed on.

Unimpressed the man strode over the gap and past Jennifer before reaching down and hauling Jennifer up and away from the drop. He then dragged her towards the consoles on the farside side or, as Jennifer thought of it, the safer side.

Releasing his grip on her he ordered. "Turn them on."

"How?" Jennifer asked earning herself an angry slap on her face.

"Your people can use these." The man said as Jennifer rubbed her throbbing cheek.

"Only some of us." Jennifer tried to explain. "Some of us are born with the ability, others aren't. In the same way some are born with black hair and others aren't. I wasn't born with the ability, I can't turn it on."

"Try." The man growled as he stuck his gun painfully into Jennifer's ribs.

"It won't-" Jennifer started to say before deciding showing him it wouldn't work was the safer option. Reaching forward she ran her hands over the console, which stayed as dormant as she expected.

Growing increasingly angry the man pulled Jennifer to one side and roughly pushed her to the floor. He then took some rope and tightly bound Jennifer's hands to a metal post under one of the consoles. Content Jennifer was secure he moved a couple of steps away and took some deep breaths. As he did so Jennifer carefully watched him as she tried to free herself but only managing to rip the skin round her wrists as the ropes cut in.

Finally the man picked up a smaller object and walked back to Jennifer ordering.

"Make it work."

"I can't." Jennifer protested. When the man raised his gun and pointed it at her head she added. "But I can try."

Appeased the man put the object in Jennifer's bound hands. Once she had it in her clutches she tried to figure out exactly what it was and what it did, all the while trying to look like she was activating it. After a few minutes of random movements, which brought no life to the gadget the man snatched it off her and demanded.

"Do you want to die?"

"No."

"Then why do you treat me like an idiot?"

"I'm not. I really can't turn it on." Jennifer protested as her heart rate increased even further. Enraged the man raised his gun once more and aimed it at Jennifer's head as his finger slowly started to squeeze the trigger. Jennifer tried to protest, to beg for life, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. That was until the man suddenly lowered his gun and placed it in his belt. As he did so Jennifer sagged with relief and tried to calm her heart. But her relief was short lived, however, as the man drew a knife.

Jennifer's eyes widened in fear as he approached her, the knife gleaming in the sun light.

"Shooting is too good for you." The man said. "You can take the quick way down instead." He added as he bent down and put the knife against the ropes tying Jennifer's hands.

Despite spending the last ten minutes desperately trying to break free of the bonds Jennifer now struggled to stay tied up. She wildly kicked out at the man as he tried to cut the ropes. For a few seconds neither seemed the have the upper hand as Jennifer's kicks prevented the man getting too close. Eventually though Jennifer made contact with the man's kneecap and he stumbled backwards. As he did so he tripped and fell further back. Jennifer saw him flail, looking for something to hold on to, but there was nothing. Instead he gripped at fresh air as he stumbled over the edge, screaming as he fell to his inevitable death.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. Next chapter up tomorrow.