Second Chances

By Andie O'Neill

Summary: When Elizabeth Weir finally admits her feelings toward John Sheppard, he shoots her down, but after she dies in his arm, he begins to regret what he did… but of course its to late… or is it?

Chapter Six

"Tell me she's alright," John whispered as he walked along side the man, an almost desperation in his voice.

Corta turned his head only a bit before looking straight. "She is alive… I can not speak for the condition you will find her in."

John closed his eyes, trying to take hold of his anger. He knew this man was trying to help, but he couldn't stop the feelings that swelled inside of him, his need to protect Elizabeth was strong. Stronger than anything he'd ever known. She was more than a leader to him, more than a friend. She was in many ways his soul. From the beginning her trust in him had astounded John. She'd given him a second chance, given him a family, a home on Atlantis. He owed her everything for all she done for him, only instead he'd pushed her away as if she meant nothing to him. She deserved more. She deserved his devotion, his love, his willingness to give his heart to her the way she'd given hers to him. He'd hurt her, and he knew he'd never forgive himself for that. Still, even if it took his life, he would save her. He would protect her. Corta had taken her away from him and left her to people conducting experiments as if she were a lab rat. The thought of what they could be doing to her was tearing him up inside. It was his fault. "What did you people do to her?" he asked through clenched teeth, pushing his self-hatred to the back of his mind. It wasn't entirely his fault… and those who were also responsible deserved whatever fate gave them… as long as it was in the form of him killing each one of them with his bare hands.

"My people have done nothing. They know nothing of the evil your leader has endured. I fear if anyone should be blamed, it should be me. I knew what they planned to do and helped them succeed. They promised protection for my people from the Wraith. I could not resist what peace this deal would bring this world. I thought it was worth the loss you and you're men would face when they took her from you."

"Then why are you helping us?"

"Some prices are simply too high. My people despise the Wraith, yet what they do is not out of pleasure, but hunger. They kill for food just as we do. They wish to survive. The only difference is our ability to love, to forge together and show the kindness we rarely see or feel in this twisted galaxy. By going along with this deal I will be no better than those we despise."

John frowned, looking over at Corta, unsure what to think. "By doing this you are most likely dooming you're people to continual attack by the Wraith."

Corta smiled, shaking his head. "I would rather die tomorrow, than live a thousand years with the pain I have caused you. My people would say the same. We are a people of peace, of kindness in a galaxy of suffering and pain. We cannot go forward, if the means for getting where we wish was through lies and betrayal. We would simply be fooling ourselves into believing we'd gone ahead. I am a man of conscious, though at times it has taken me a while to accept it. She does not deserve to be treated as she has been. When this is over and I have given her back to you, I ask that you show mercy when deciding how I can repay you for this evil I have done to Doctor Weir and all those who care for her."

"Elder Corta, if you help bring her back, you're debt will have been repaid," John assured him before walking ahead a bit, knowing the man beside him was one of honor, despite the mistakes he'd made. Sheppard didn't hold him responsible for Elizabeth's suffering. Those who'd forced this upon him were to blame, and he would see that they paid for it. He just hoped she was okay. It disturbed him how close they had been to leaving her behind forever.

Posieon sighed, wiping the sweat from her face as she struggled against the restraints. "This would be so much easier if you would stop resisting me."

Elizabeth just fought harder, trying to move past all the drugs that had been pumped into her system. She refused to back down. It didn't matter anymore that she would most likely not succeed. She wouldn't make this easy for him. "Don't touch me!" she shouted, holding on to all the anger in her heart.

Posieon stopped what he was doing and dropped the rag in the bowl of water, putting it away and returning with a needle in hand. "Very well, but I'm afraid I cannot let you damage yourself further. Your wrists are bleeding… you won't eat… you even refuse to sleep. If you refuse to work with us, then I will simply have to force my will upon you by other means." Posieon held Elizabeth down just as she fought to get away from him, screaming at the top of her lungs as the needle went into her skin.

More drugs. Elizabeth felt the liquid flow through her system, and felt the tears fall as he walked away from her. It was a nightmare she feared would never end. Slowly her vision blurred as the drug began to impair her judgment. It was then that she looked up to see John's face. "You're safe now, Elizabeth. I'm here."

Elizabeth shook her head. "No! Stop it!" Closing her eyes, she tried to force the hallucination from her mind.

"Everything's gonna be fine," the hallucination assured her.

She knew it wasn't real when she opened her eyes once more to see the face of one of her captures. "Please… no," she said weakly.

The man undid her restraints, assured that she wouldn't be going anywhere with the effects of the drug. "I must tend to your wrists, just relax, Elizabeth. I do not plan on hurting you."

Elizabeth just shook her head slowly, too weak to say anything as he took her right arm and cleaned it, wrapping it tightly around her wrist. Finally she looked away, trying to calm her breathing. She was losing her mind… she wasn't sure how much more she could take.

"Did you hear that?" Ronan asked, looking over at Teyla.

"I did," John answered; frozen at the sound of a scream… it had to be Elizabeth.

Corta swore an angered look on his face. "He's been pumping her with drugs to force her to cooperate! We must hurry!"

John nodded and followed behind Corta as they hurried through the sacred woods, drawing closer and closer to the cave, and Elizabeth.

"Sir! Sir! The men report Doctor Weir's people are coming here! They're being led by Elder Corta!"

Posien cursed. "Ready the men! Tell them to resist, but if they cannot be stopped, they must fall back inside the cave. I have a plan."

"Should I take Doctor Weir deeper into the cave?"

"No! Leave her there! We'll use her as bait."

"Down!" Sheppard called as he saw movement nearby the cave. Just then they heard the gunfire directed at them, piercing through leaves and bark too close for comfort. "Damn," John pulled up his P-90 and began to fire as the others followed, shooting almost blindly since those protecting the cave seemed good at camouflage.

It seemed like hours before they rushed into the cave all of the sudden, leaving John and his team confused. "Posieon has something in mind," Corta told him. "He would never let his men stop fighting unless that was so."

"Trap?" John asked.

"Trap," Ronan confirmed.

Sheppard shrugged. "Well, at least we'll know it's there," he said before getting up slowly, crouched down in case anyone attacked.

"That's suicide! If you know it's a trap why do you ignore this!" Corta asked in surprise.

"Because they have a death wish," Rodney explained.

"Spring the trap," Ronan told Corta. "We know there is one, so we will be far more careful than if we knew nothing… and possibly we may spring that trap, expose it."

"It's the only way to know what the trap is. We'll never know unless we go inside… we have no other choice. She's obviously in there… we have to get Elizabeth."

Rodney rolled his eyes. "In other words… death wish," he mumbled, as he followed John and Ronan inside the cave. Corta paused at the mouth of the cave before walking inside. Teyla took up the rear, smiling at Rodney as she walked inside.

When they entered the room they could feel the creepy chill in the air. Gone. Everyone… they'd just left. It was then that John saw her, and ceased to care about anything else. "Elizabeth!" Sheppard ran to her side. She was chained to the strange bed, much like a medical bed. "Elizabeth?" She was awake.

When she looked at him, her eyes when wide and she struggled against the chains. "No more! No more drugs! Please!" Elizabeth screamed, trying to move away from him.

"Elizabeth! No! It's me! No more drugs! It's me! It's really me!" he tried to tell her. He tried to reach out to her, touch her face, but she moved away from him in fear.

"No! Don't! No more! Please! God please, don't!" she said, tears falling down her face.

John pushed down his anger and fear for what had been done for her and finally grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at him. "It's me Elizabeth! Listen to me! I've come to save you!" he almost shouted, holding on to her arm tightly.

Elizabeth stared at him wide-eyed, until finally her other hand moved up slowly and touched his face and she cried hard. John pulled her to him as the tears streamed down her face, relief that he was real, that she was safe, that he'd come.

"It's okay…" he told her, holding her tight. "Everything's going to be alright. I'm here."

So focused on Elizabeth, John failed to hear the rest of his team as well as Corta fall to the ground, a dart in their necks leaving only him. Just as Sheppard kissed Elizabeth's forehead, trying to calm her he felt the pinch in his neck, his whole body frozen for a second before he fell to the ground unconscious.

Elizabeth looked down before hearing Posieon's voice. "Shame… he could have really saved you," he told her, walking towards Sheppard. "The drugs don't seem to be doing the trick, Elizabeth… maybe he will," he told her with a smug smile as he looked up at her.

Elizabeth shook her head and once again struggled against the restraints. "No! Don't touch him! John! Wake up, John! Wake up!" His body lay still on the ground as Posieon pulled the dart from his neck. "Wake up!"

To Be Continued….