Title: Salvation

Author: atlantis child (Command Dynamics), innocent choir girl John and Elizabeth are separated from the team during a diplomatic mission off-world when they are ambushed by Genii. Hope is far and survival is the only thing on John's mind. They must struggle against Kolya in order to keep information from him and to break out of the Genii prison. Spoilers for seasons one through three.

Genres: Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: Abuse, Character Death, Drugs, Torture, Violence

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 2 "Five Minutes"

Author's Notes: none

Kolya's Genii had tied up John and Elizabeth so there wouldn't be any escape attempts even before they had gotten to the Stargate. He didn't want to risk losing them, especially not befre he got them to the gate. Kolya gated them off-world only to gate them two more times in order to get to his intended location. "We wouldn't want Doctor McKay to find us, that is, if he's still alive," Kolya told them as they walked through the tall trees.

It was dark and he could tell by how Elizabeth was walking that it was hard for her to see. Either that or she was just suffering from her head injury. Either way, he didn't think she'd be able to walk…or rather keep from falling. "We need to rest," John chanced speaking up. He knew that it was more likely that Kolya would hit him or just merely laugh at him, but wasn't it worth a try?

"It's not much farther," Kolya said, but stopped and turned just to entertain Sheppard. "Can't keep up?"

"It's not that," John said and then thought maybe flat out honesty was best. He was used to the pace and distance, but for the last two years Elizabeth had almost solely been n Atlantis. That was hardly anywhere for a proper hike. "Elizabeth isn't used to this. Just five minutes…her head needs to be bandaged and she needs water."

Kolya found Sheppard amusing thinking that he'd carry around medical supplies to patch up people they'd injured. "And where do you suggest we get bandages?"

"My pack has a medical kit. Your men can look it over and supervise. Why would I keep a weapon inside of my pack rather than within in reach?"

Nodding Kolya decided that this would most likely prove to keeping Weir longer. "Five minutes," Kolya told them.

Looking at Kolya he held out his bound hands, "I need my hands. Look, I'll promise or swear not to do anything stupid if you like."

"Untie him."

"And Elizabeth," John tried to push.

"No."

Figuring that he better not chance his luck he watched as one of the Genii cut the ropes. Letting the pack fall down his arms, he went through the pack with the Genii looking various items over to inspect. Finally, John handed one of them the med kit. "It's all doctors' tools…" he told them before walking over and guiding Elizabeth to a rock and helped her to sit down. "How ya feeling?" John asked noticing that her eyes were closed.

"My head is pounding," she whispered in pain.

He frowned, "Hopefully we have some Tylenol or something that I can give you." Looking back over his shoulder, he waited for the Genii to finish looking over the med kit. "Done yet?" He got a glare from one of the Genii as the kit was thrust into his hands. Opening it, he pulled out a container of ibuprofen and shook out two tablets before retrieving the canteen and handing them to Elizabeth, "Take these. Hopefully it'll help."

Taking the pills in her hand, she popped them into her mouth and then washed it down with a drink of water. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" John asked as he lifted her hair a bit so he could see where all the blood was coming from. He wasn't a doctor, but he could do band-aids and clean-up.

"Making them stop," Elizabeth clarified with her head pounding the world seemed to spin and all that walking was making her too tired. She knew if she was on Atlantis she'd be ready for a nap by now.

He cleaned the wound the best he could and cringed a bit when she would hiss from the antiseptic cleaning out the dirt and bacteria. He wrapped it carefully with gauze, and watched her for a second before encouraging her to drink more. "I think you have a concussion."

"Great," she mumbled rubbing her face a bit.

"Your five minutes are up," Kolya announced.

Helping Elizabeth up first, John turned to shove all the items back into his pack before pulling it on. With any luck the Genii would let them keep it. He held out his wrists to be re-bound wanting to be a good prisoner so that Kolya wouldn't try anything. After all, for all he knew 'it's not much farther' was Genii code for twenty miles.

When they did finally get to Kolya's stronghold, John and Elizabeth were quite literally tossed into a semi-lit damp cell. It was constructed of hard rock with pointy edges jutting out in some areas. The only window was a barred one on the door that let you see down the hall. One of Kolya's men had argued that John still had his pack, but after resolving that there were no weapons they left.

Once the door swung shut with a heavy thump and then the slide of a lock being put into place, John looked over at Elizabeth that was curled up in a ball a couple feet from him. "You okay?" he asked and when she didn't respond verbally, but merely nodded her head a bit he knew that she really wasn't okay. "Elizabeth, you can't sleep," he told her not wanting her to slip into a coma. "You need to stay awake." When she was still quiet, he decided to add to keep her hopes up, "Teyla and Ronan will be coming through that door with a whole squad of Marines."

"John," she whispered weakly.

"I'm here, Elizabeth," he told her and managed to roll and scoot himself to her. He made it over so that he as only inches from her. "See."

A small smile came to her face, "Hi…"

"Hi," John replied and could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn't all there, which scared him. Pulling at the ropes around his hands, within ten minutes he managed to get out of them. He knew he could have gotten out of them sooner, but he didn't have a plan that would help Elizabeth also. Untying her hands as well, John pulled her up and helped her over to one of the walls and held her close. He didn't want her to sleep, so John started to question her about things. Anything to keep her awake for at least a while longer.

TBC…