“John!”

Rae woke up with a shout. She sprang up in the bed, her heart was pounding in her chest, her sweat soaked body tangled and hot in the sheets. The force of her cry still hung in the air and she looked around crazily.

His presence was so strong that she felt like if she reached out she would the touch of his hand but there was no one else there. Nothing but her own frazzled reflection staring back at her from the mirror

on the dresser.

“Damn it...” She muttered and collapsed back against the damp pillows. She ran her hands over her face and through her wet hair, growling in frustration at the images that still lingered in her mind. “Damn it...damn it...damn it!”

Two weeks...two weeks since they'd left the mainland and returned to Atlantis. Two weeks since he'd kissed her.

Two weeks since he'd started invading her dreams. He was driving her insane and he hadn't even laid a hand on her.

She rarely saw him by day. They were both busy and the few times they had met it had just been a murmured word, a promised look. The man was torturing her, pure and simple. He couldn't touch her by day but every night he came to her, driving her over the edge, fulfilling her every erotic fantasy.

She pushed back the sheets, untangled her legs and shakily got to her feet. The floor felt cold and she shivered slightly as she padded into the bathroom. She turned on the tap, leaning against the sink just to keep her balance. She dipped her head under the faucet, letting the cold water run over her head. She was so hot that she felt like she was going to explode.

Her heart was beating overtime and she pressed her cold hands against her face. It was an effort just to breathe. Hell, it was an effort to just think about breathing.

She cut off the water, raised her head and looked in the mirror. A woman with wet matted hair and a pale haunted complexion stared back at her. She'd barely had a few hours of real sleep since the dreams had started and not even a pail of makeup was going to hide the dark bags under her eyes.

Groaning, she put the back of her hand against her forehead and was surprised to find that her skin did feel hot and feverish.

“Oh, shit...this is just great.”A wave of dizziness hit her, she staggered slightly and lost her grip on the smooth edge of the sink.

Then the cool tile floor rose up to meet her and she didn't remember a thing.

4.

“John!”

Teyla caught up with him just as he stepped out of the transporter. She had a pad in her hands and an anxious look on her face.

“Hey, what's up?” He asked casually then frowned slightly as her anxious look turned into a worried frown. “Something wrong?”

“I am not sure. Rae has not shown up for her shift and no one has seen her since last night. I even went by her quarters to check on her but there was no answer so I went to get this.” She held up the pad and smiled slightly. “Rodney is not the only one that knows how to break into someone's quarters.”

Now John looked worried. He hadn't really been able to get much time, hell, any, time with her, but the last time he had gotten a glimpse of her she'd looked pale and tired.

“Come on.” John stepped back into the transporter and Teyla followed him in. Thankfully there was another transporter just a floor below Rae's and it was no time before he and Teyla were standing outside the door to her quarters.

And after another couple of minutes of Teyla's tinkering with the controls, the doors slid open.

“Hello?” John poked his head into room, listening carefully. He took a step inside the room. The window shades were pulled tight and the only light in the room was coming from behind the half open door leading into the bathroom. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he looked around the room. He took another step, Teyla close behind him. He noted the rumpled sheets and his nose crinkled slightly at the sour smell of sweat.

“Rae?”

No answer. Carefully he moved toward the bathroom door and pushed it open and his heart skipped a beat. Rae was lying on the floor, a puddle of blood pooling under her head.

“Damn it!” He dropped to his knees on the floor beside her. “Rae?” He pushed the matted curls back from her face. She looked so pale and still. Gently, he rolled her over, pressing his fingers to her neck, feeling for a pulse and not daring to breathe until he felt the slow steady thump of her heart beat.

He didn't even bother with calling for Carson, he just gathered her up in his arms and held her close, not caring about the blood that smeared his jacket.

With Teyla close behind, they headed for the infirmary.