In which things don't go well at all.
The Doctor blinked his way back into consciousness. "Twice in one day," he grumbled. Although, this time around the headache wasn't nearly as bad. He supposed that had something to do with merely being stunned, instead of torn apart, pieced back together and then stunned. His head was already clearing, but for some reason, he found that he couldn't move. He looked down at his feet. "Ah," he said. "Well, that would do it."
Instead of waking up back in his cell, he was in a large, empty room, lit with an eerie blue glow. He was set back into a nook in the wall, held firmly in place by an alarming amount of viney, tentacle-like growths protruding from the wall of the ship. They wrapped around his wrists and feet, pinned his arms to his sides and his legs together, and one even snaked around the back of his head, preventing him from turning. He imagined that this was very what being caught in a web would feel like, after the spider had rolled you around in it for a while. In fact, now that he thought about it (as an unpleasant memory involving a pair of rabid monkey-lizards, Jamie and his second self popped into the front of his head), this was exactly what it felt like. On the plus side, Sheppard was still there. On the not-so-plus side, Sheppard was stuck to the wall next to him, in exactly the same predicament.
Sheppard blinked and looked around, grimacing at the sprig of tentacle sticking into his ear. "Well," he blew out in a huff. "This day is turning out to be complete crap. And it started off so well."
"Sorry," the Doctor said. "I didn't mean for you to get stuck up here too."
Sheppard was already shaking his head as much as the tentacles would allow. "Not your fault. I would have done the same thing."
"You did," the Doctor pointed out.
"Well, I mean if, you know, I'd been by the door. Important thing is, we're not dead yet, and the rest of the team got away. In my experience so far, that means we're gonna get rescued."
The Doctor tilted his head thoughtfully. "Positive outlook, that's the way."
Sheppard cocked an eyebrow. "You don't think they're coming?"
"No, I'm sure they will. I've seen the way you lot work together. Can see it in their eyes-I haven't seen loyalty like that in ages." He paused, smiling. "Two Earth men, an Athosian and a Satedan. Have I told you how much I love it when humans work together?"
"You mentioned that, yeah."
"Oh. Well, they'll show up. I don't actually have a plan at the moment, so that would be very helpful."
"Facing the Wraith without a plan…you know, most people would call that stupid," Sheppard said lightly. He sniffed thoughtfully. "Of course, I have been known to do that, on more than one occasion."
The Doctor gave a lopsided grin. "Well, there's no fun in it if you plan everything, is there?"
Sheppard's reply was cut short as the door across the chamber hissed open. Two of the masked soldiers came in, followed by their friend from the corridor. Behind him, a tall, elegant female stalked into the room. Her skin was so pale that the green almost completely vanished into white, and her hair flowed long and dark down her back. She was at least a head taller than her companion, and instead of the black leather, her robe was of fine, white material. She was almost beautiful, if not for the evil smile that split her face when she saw them, revealing wicked fangs. The Queen.
She approached them, studying her captives thoughtfully. She eyed Sheppard carefully, taking in what little of his uniform was visible under the vines. Though he glared back defiantly, the Doctor saw a glimmer of apprehension in his eyes. She turned to the Doctor then and leaned in, inches from his face, casually tracing a long, sharp fingernail down from his temple. He was barely able to suppress an involuntary shudder as a satisfied grin settled on her face. She stepped back and glared at Sheppard. "Atlantis," she hissed scathingly, pacing in front of them. "Your kind has been a thorn in our sides since your arrival in this galaxy. I should feed on you now and be done with it!" She pivoted on her foot and turned back to the Doctor. "But this one is different. I can sense it." Cocking her head, she addressed Sheppard once more, "How did he come to be with you?"
Sheppard snorted derisively, but said nothing. The Queen shrugged. "Very well. We can try another question. What about your friends? I know there were more of you."
"They're long gone," Sheppard growled.
She stepped forward and tilted his chin up with a long, graceful finger, forcing him to look into her eyes. "I was giving you a chance, human. I wasn't going to play with my food before eating it-so unladylike, don't you think?" She chuckled softly. "But, if you insist on doing it the hard way…" her eyes twinkled merrily, and she stepped back. "I suppose I should extend the same courtesy to you," she said to the Doctor. "Who are you?"
"No one, really," the Doctor replied.
"Do not try my patience, sir," the Queen warned.
"Would you believe John Smith?" the Doctor ventured. The Queen's glare turned even colder, and he sighed, "Nah, didn't think so."
"Very well," she said, her smile creeping back. "Let us play, then." She nodded to the male Wraith, and he hit a panel on the wall. The vines holding the Doctor in place retracted quickly, dumping him unceremoniously to the floor. He got to his feet and stood in front of her. "You show no fear," she said. "That either makes you very brave, or a fool." She began to circle him slowly. "You have come a long way, I think. Certainly, you are like no human I've seen before." She had stopped hissing now, and her voice was smooth, almost melodic. "How did you come to meet this man from Atlantis?" When he didn't answer, she continued, speaking softly. "Is your home a rich, new feeding ground?" She stroked the side of his face again, gently this time, her hand lingering to tease the hair by his temple. "Where have you come from?"
Her voice was warm and friendly, and the corner of his mouth twitched as he caught the word 'Gallifrey' just before it slipped off his tongue. How had it even gotten there? A spark danced in her eyes, and he cursed himself mentally. Psychic. The Wraith were psychic. He had forgotten that small, oh-so-crucial bit of information. He hadn't had his guard up, and now she was getting in his head. He felt her smile then, more than he saw it, and realized that she wasn't getting into his head. She was already there.
Instantly, he began pulling up his mental defenses, and he felt her smile widen. "So, you have found me, Doctor," she teased, drawing out his name with pleasure. He wasn't quite sure if she was speaking aloud, or if it was all in his head now. He supposed it didn't really matter. "Doctor. What an odd name, even for a human," she continued. He kept trying to pull up the walls to keep her out, but it was hard, much harder than it should have been. Instead of springing into place as they should have done, it was as if he was building them up one brick at a time. She was farther in than he had thought. "But what is this?" she sounded amused now. "Is that two hearts? Not so human after all, then, are you?" He could feel her excitement beginning to build, and though it felt so far away, he was aware of a trickle of sweat running down his face. He could feel his fists clenching, and a straining at the side of his neck. "No, not human at all. You're better. So much better! There is so much life in you, so much more to come!" She was well and truly excited now, and the Doctor could feel her pushing harder, right up against his increasingly weakening walls. He was vaguely aware of a dull pain, vaguely aware of falling as somewhere his body crashed to its knees. "Where are you from? Tell me, so that we may find more of your kind!" she demanded. Her voice echoed inside his head, coming from everywhere. She was nearly through now. He'd been stupid, he hadn't been ready, and now she was going to find out everything. The location of a dead, time-locked planet may not mean much to her, but if she found that, she found the TARDIS, and if she found the TARDIS…He thought of something that evil being handed the keys to time and space, he thought of the Wraith with an infinite feeding ground, hunting down every human that ever was or ever would be, and it made him want to cry. He felt himself beginning to shake, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could last.
"Hang in there, Doctor!" Was that another voice? It was soft, nearly silent in the gloom. Far away at first, it echoed back and forth in his head, gaining strength until the Doctor could hear it shouting. "Hold on!" John Sheppard. That brave, sarcastic, brilliant, stubborn, beautifully human John Sheppard. That voice gave him an anchor, a steady link surging through the chaos his mind was threatening to become, all the way back out into reality. It was all he needed.
His defensive walls shot up into place, slamming home and shoving the Queen back out of his mind. He gave her a little mental push of his own, and she leapt back with a cry, shaking her hand as if it had been burned. The Doctor got to his feet, wiping the sweat from his face with a slightly shaky hand. He steadied his breathing, glaring at her defiantly. She nodded at the two burly soldiers at her side, and they grabbed the Doctor, each taking an arm and pinning him to the wall. "You will pay for that, Doctor," she hissed venomously. "Oh, you will pay. But first, I think your human must suffer too." She hit the panel in the wall again, and Sheppard fell to the ground in front of her.
"Leave him alone!" the Doctor called. "He h-" One of the soldiers clamped a large hand over the Doctor's mouth, cutting him off.
Sheppard hadn't even finished getting to his feet when she began. He crashed back down on his knees. She was whispering in his ear, and his eyes were wide and strained. A vein throbbed erratically in his neck, and his mouth was clenched to keep from speaking. A single tear trickled down his cheek as he let out a moan of pain and whispered softly, "No, I can't! I can't…" He closed his eyes and clamped his mouth shut, shaking as sweat dripped from his hair.
The Doctor struggled against his captors' arms, willing Sheppard to hang on. She pulled away from him then, and Sheppard sank slowly to the floor. The Queen looked down at him disdainfully, saying, "You would try to fight me too? Poor brave human. Your mind is far weaker than this Doctor's. To break through it would be no trouble at all. But I think it will be more fun to make him watch this." She paused. "Perhaps, human, should you have another life, you should choose your friends more wisely."
She shot one last angry look at the Doctor, as if daring him to challenge her. Sheppard was raising himself off the floor, and the Queen grabbed him roughly by the front of his vest, hauling him back to his knees in front of her. Realising what she was about to do, the Doctor struggled against the Wraith holding him against the wall. He might was well have tried to fight the wall. "Bring it," Sheppard whispered angrily as he met her eyes. The Doctor watched in horror as her hand slammed into Sheppard's chest. Her fingernails dug into his skin like claws, and his brave front broke down at last as he screamed in pain. He clawed desperately at her arm, trying to pull himself free of her grasp. He screamed again, and began slowly convulsing in agony. The Queen, on the other hand, grinned in delight, eyes closed in ecstasy. The Doctor felt sick as he watched, but felt he owed it to Sheppard not to turn away.
Suddenly, a new sound broke through the screaming. It was the rapid cadence of gun fire. Bullets and red light were shooting everywhere, and over the din Ronon shouted, "Get down!" As his two Wraith captors had let go of him to return fire, the Doctor wisely followed Ronon's instruction. A moment later, the two Wraith dropped down beside him, still smoking. The Queen had dropped Sheppard when the shooting began, turning and taking a hail of P-90 fire from Teyla in the chest. She fell, and was soon joined by her male companion, finished off by Ronon and Rodney. They stood on guard a moment longer, making sure the room was clear as the Doctor got to his feet.
"Are we too late?" Rodney asked breathlessly.
Their eyes all turned to Sheppard, still lying on the floor. "John," Teyla whispered, dropping her gun and kneeling at his side.
"Oh no," Rodney said, staring down in shock. Ronon said nothing, as deep lines of helpless anger settled across his face.
"I'm sorry," the Doctor said, crouching at Sheppard's other side. "I'm so sorry." His eyes glistened as he placed a hand on Sheppard's shoulder.
The John Sheppard on the floor was a shell of the man he once was. Through the torn fabric of his vest, a red hand-mark stared angrily back at them, bleeding from the centre. His hair was white and feathery; his face thin and etched deeply with lines. Veins rose out jarringly from his pale skin, and his uniform hung loosely on his emaciated body. The Queen had taken forty years off of him if she'd taken a day. He was an old man. And he was dying. He looked up at Teyla with watery eyes, and she was struggling to hold back her tears. He gave her a weak smile. "Do I look that bad?" he asked her, his voice cracking.
She gave him a frail smile in return, patting his shoulder. "You do not look well, John," she managed, her voice stumbling over the last words.
"We're too late," mumbled Rodney. "Oh, Sheppard, I am so sorry."
Whatever Ronon was about to say was cut off by a scraping sound. They turned and saw the Queen awkwardly rising to her feet, her wounds trying to heal themselves. With a whirring sound, Ronon's gun was at her forehead in an instant.
"Wait!" called the Doctor, getting to his feet. He extended a hand towards Ronon. "Ronon, wait." He glared at the Doctor, and the gun didn't move a millimeter, but he didn't pull the trigger. Quickly the Doctor turned to the Queen. "Fix it."
"What?" murmured Rodney. Teyla gasped. The Queen said nothing.
"Fix it," the Doctor demanded. "I know you can do it. I've heard of your Wraith worshippers, and the life you give to them. You can do the same for him. You stole his life, and I want you to put it back."
"Do it," Ronon demanded, jabbing her in the head with his gun.
She turned her head calmly, so that she could look Ronon in the eyes. "Why should I?" she hissed.
He pushed her with the gun again. "Cause I'll shoot you if you don't."
She laughed. "I will die with or without your gun, human. Why should I give you any satisfaction?"
"Because it'll hurt more if I kill you," he growled back.
She said nothing, and the Doctor stepped closer. "Why don't you do it because I'm asking you to?" He knelt down in front of her, looking in her eyes. She would have faltered slightly at the strength she saw there, had Ronon's gun not been keeping her from moving. "Go on," the Doctor urged her. "Just this once. Be the one Wraith in this galaxy who showed mercy."
"Never," she hissed, spitting in his face.
Calmly, he wiped the spit from the side of his face. His voice was cold as he said, "I asked because I don't like doing this. But that man is dying, and it's my fault, and you are going to save him. Because I told you to. And you are going to listen to me."
Rodney and Teyla stared at him in amazement. The hard edge in his voice made even Ronon's hand shake slightly. "What is he doing?" Teyla whispered, then gasped as he placed one hand on each side of the Queen's head, his eyes still locked with hers.
The Queen chuckled. "You really want to try this again?"
"Oh yes," the Doctor replied, deadly serious. "Now I know what I'm up against. Now I'm ready."
"You are weak, Doctor," she hissed. "Your 'mercy' makes you pathetic!"
"Oh really? Then why is it you can't get in, hmm?" He felt her clamouring uselessly at his defenses, trying to break through. "Told you I was ready for you. You really should have taken that first chance."
She struggled with him a moment longer, and then stopped, staring at him with open eyes. Slowly, she got to her feet. The Doctor rose with her, nodding carefully to Ronon, who lowered his gun warily. She walked rigidly back to where Sheppard lay on the floor, kneeling beside him.
Reflexively, Sheppard flinched away from her as she stretched out a hand towards him. "It's alright," the Doctor assured him.
"What are you doing?" Sheppard asked nervously. His voice broke down into a cough at the end, but his eyes stayed anxiously on the Queen.
"It's okay," the Doctor said kindly. Sheppard started to protest and coughed again, and the Doctor laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You saved me, now let me do the same for you. Trust me, John."
Sheppard met the Doctor's eyes, then nodded slowly. The Queen lowered her hand to his chest again. Nothing seemed to happen, and they all stared for a tense moment. Suddenly Sheppard gasped, and his back arched up off the ground as she began.
"What the-?" Rodney started, then found himself too distracted to continue. Ronon watched in wide-eyed fascination, his gun hanging for once forgotten at his side. Teyla's hand flew to her mouth, staring in wonder as the Queen set to her work.
Sheppard's body twitched and jerked involuntarily, and his breath came in short gasps, but he did not seem to be in pain. On the contrary, he began to breathe longer and deeper. Muscles fleshed back out on his arms and legs again, and his skin drew back to a healthy color. His face smoothed out as the deep lines vanished, eyes opening and becoming clear. Even the white in his hair was rushing away, returning to its thick, untamed black. The Queen jerked her hand away abruptly as she finished, succumbing at last to her own injuries and crumpling to the floor. But he was John Sheppard again, alive once more and in even better health than when he had started the day. The only sign that he had been injured at all was a red hand mark, still burning faintly on his chest, but no longer bleeding.
Sheppard stared down at his hand, thoughtfully opening and closing his fingers. He looked up at the Doctor then, who grabbed the hand and pulled him to his feet. "Thank you," Sheppard said earnestly, placing a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. "That was…I mean I…Thank you." The Doctor nodded back, smiling warmly.
They all jumped in alarm as more gun shots fired, then relaxed as they saw it was Ronon, putting a few more shots into the Queen for good measure. The Doctor thought it somewhat unnecessary, but considering what they had all just been through, he said nothing. Holstering his gun, Ronon turned back to the Doctor and nodded in approval. His eyes met Sheppard's, and he asked, "You okay?" not quite masking his concern behind his gruff voice. Sheppard nodded.
"I am glad you are well, John," Teyla said, smiling brightly.
Rodney couldn't quite seem to find the words he was looking for, and settled on, "Yes. Welcome back." He cast a querying eye back at the Doctor. "How did you do that? You travel in time, and you're psychic?"
"Well," the Doctor tilted his head thoughtfully. "I guess you could call it that…"
"He's right though, how did you do that?" Sheppard asked. "Not that I'm complaining or anything." He held up his hands quickly. "But it seemed like she had you back there."
"Well, I hate to admit it, but yes, she did, as you said, 'have me back there'. I wasn't ready for her. But you," he pointed at Sheppard. "Your voice pulled me out again, for which I should have thanked you earlier, and now, well, now I knew what I was doing."
"But that Queen was very powerful," Teyla said. "Even as she lay dying, I could still sense it."
"That she was," the Doctor conceded. "She was good. She was very good. But I was better." He grinned, and refused to say any more.
"Well, now that we're done with that fun excursion, what say we go back to trying to get off the ship now?" Rodney asked.
"Excellent idea, Dr. McKay," the Doctor said.
"That's why we keep him around," Sheppard grinned. He strapped on the gun and radio his team had managed to salvage, and they headed for the door.
