A/N: OK I know it has been a very, very long time since I have updated this story and for that I am so sorry. Real life got in the way of fantasy and I had to deal with that. I hope my long absence hasn't put you off reading this. I hope you enjoy it and to apologize for my delay in updating this is an extra long chapter by my standards and has a cliffhanger ending just for you readers.

So please read and let me know what you think about it so far or where you think it's going to go. I love to hear from you all.

Natalie

Sometimes they knew better than to ask a million questions. Luckily for them all this was one of those times. Even though it sounded crazy all four of them stood and began moving towards the arena. Alarmed at their sudden movement, the King jumped to his feet and cried out.

"Sheppard! Why do you leave?"

With a quick look back at the King, Sheppard shouted over his shoulder.

"That's one of my men down there!"

He didn't wait for a reply as his three team members reached the arena. He joined them seconds later, skidding to a halt between Teyla and McKay. His eyes widened as he got a good look at the man Rodney swore was his missing XO. It took John a moment to recognize his friend. Time had changed a lot of things about him. As he looked at the man below him he couldn't help but compare the Evan Lorne he remembered to this one. While the man he knew always regretted having to take a life in any situation, this man fought with a fury that was rivaled by none he had seen before. What disturbed him the most was the thought that Evan actually liked it. The man's whole personality had changed.

As Evan ducked a punch to his face, he sidestepped the other man, landing a sharp blow to his kidneys. He was facing John now and what he saw chilled him. Lorne had bulked up tremendously in the past seven months, having become almost nothing but muscle. There were two large scars that stood out sharply against his tanned skin, causing John's mind to flash back over Rodney's report as his eyes lingered on the healed wounds.

Burn on the right side of his chest? Check. Shrapnel wound to the stomach? Yep.

The scarred skin of the burn was pulled tight as Evan moved. It was obvious to those who knew where to look but if you didn't your eyes would skim over it. In the line of combat Sheppard had seen how much damage could be dealt out. He had seen almost every stage of healing and not just from his own injuries. No Doctor, Surgeon or medicine found on earth could get a result like the one he was now looking at. Whoever these people were that had taken McKay and Lorne, they were highly advanced. He leant closer, wanting a better look at the scar from the shrapnel. It ran from about half an inch below Evans rib cage on a downward angle ending just above his hip, narrowly missing his belly button. The thin white line branched off to the left about half way down, carrying on around to his back. John frowned as his hands clenched into fists. Rodney had never mentioned it being that bad.

That's because it wasn't, his mind told him. A lot happened in these past seven months. And you don't know any of it.

There were numerous other smaller scars that littered his body. Each one seemed to speak of a fight he had been in.

John moved his eyes up, settling them on Evans head. The usually combed military cut hair was shorter and scruffier. It reminded him of the time Evan had held a gun on him, his bed hair a stark contrast to the normally neat and in control man he knew. There was at least a few weeks of stubble on Lorne's face, adding to the savage look he had. But that wasn't Sheppard's biggest concern.

It was his eyes.

When John had received the orders that Evan was being declared legally dead and that he was to suspend the search for him, it hadn't been easy for any of them. Giving up wasn't something they did.

That night John had sat in his office, looking over Lorne's file. He had gone over it only twice before. He turned to the ID photo that accompanied the file. Although Evan wasn't smiling and looked ramrod straight, there was a spark in his eyes that told him more about the man than any report could.

But now all he saw was a blankness that chilled him. As each strike landed with a skill and determination Sheppard barely saw in his men, he looked instead at the man Evan was fighting. To the death, a cold voice whispered in his head.

Not knowing his name, Sheppard decided to name him Rob. The man was beginning to panic, finding it harder and harder to block each blow. Sheppard frowned. This wasn't a typical fight. Usually it was about downing your enemy as quickly as possible while avoiding as much damage to yourself as you could. It seemed as if Lorne was toying with Rob, testing his skills. He had had plenty of chances to take down his opponent before this but each time he pulled back, waiting for the other fighter to pick himself up before starting the fight again.

Sheppard watched as Rob began to sweat, the dirt sticking to his skin as Lorne knocked his legs out from underneath him, sending him crashing to the floor. Evan barely looked fazed, his stance steady with his arms slightly raised as he watched the other man struggle to pick himself up.

This had to end now.

"Lorne! You have to stop now. It's Colonel Sheppard, Lorne. Stop the fight Major!"

Neither man took notice of him as Rob launched himself at Evan, trying to tackle him around the middle. It half worked as Evan stepped to the side. The fighter slammed into his side, sending him stumbling as he spun hard with the force of the hit. A roar of excitement ran through the crowd as Rob landed on his hands and knees, turning his head quickly to keep an eye on Lorne. Evan was bent over, his breathing coming out in ragged gasps as he held an arm around his ribs, his face creased with pain. Sheppard watched stunned as Lorne pulled himself up, the pain on his face slipping away only to be replaced with anger as he watched the other fighter with a dark expression.

Sheppard turned to his team mates, each of them frowning in worry and concern for their friend.

"What do we do?" Ronon asked, his eyes tracking the movements below him.

John didn't answer, unsure himself. Instead he turned his gaze to Rodney. His friend hadn't said a word since his earlier outburst and he was starting to worry. They needed to get through to Lorne, for Rodney's sake as much as Evans.

. . . .

It had been a lot easier to detach himself before he knew who the man below was. But now…

McKay's mind was running at a furious pace, trying to contemplate a way to stop all of this. He was tempted to just throw himself over the edge and fall the seven feet to the ground on the other side. The guards that stood stoically around the room eyed him carefully and Rodney just knew they wouldn't hesitate to knock him out if they thought he was a danger to the fight. Bloody grunts only wanted to see someone get hurt, he thought angrily, his hands unconsciously tightening into fists.

He looked at the man who he had come to consider a friend over the past few years. McKay still didn't know how it had happened. He was sure after their first off world mission together that he would end up hating the stubborn smart mouthed Major. But Lorne had a way of worming through peoples defenses, getting them to lower the barriers they kept up. He remembered one fond day he had mentioned having a sister and a niece to the Major and next thing he knew they were trading war stories. From tea party attendance to being forced to feed them when teeth were not even close to making an appearance they shared their most embarrassing memories, both knowing that they were lucky to experience it. Well most of it McKay reasoned.

After their first off world trip McKay had gone directly to Sheppard's office, once Beckett had cleared him, wanting to rant about military personnel and how they didn't need another smart ass solider. Of course it probably would have been best for him to check if John was alone before starting his complaints. Hindsight and all that.

Storming into the small room that had been turned into Sheppard's office which almost anyone would tell you rarely got used, McKay barely registered that there were two men in the room as he launched into his rant.

"Sheppard! We need to talk. Can't you control your men? They have no respect for the work us dedicated scientists do! And that new man they sent over! Larne or something. He's as bad as they come. I mean-"

Rodney cut himself off as he finally took in the smiling face of the man in question. He was slouching in the chair opposite Sheppard's, the desk between them covered in files and paperwork. They had both looked up when the door had opened and were now staring at him with mild amusement.

"Rodney, nice of you to join us. You remember the Major?"

Hey Doc, it's actually Lorne but I'll let it go this time, what with all the residual radiation you must be suffering from."

He wore a cheeky grin that Rodney met with an exasperated tilt of his head.

"Oh har dee har! You just keep it coming Major and hope that you never find yourself needing to be rescued while I'm around."

With that he turned and left ignoring John's call asking him to wait. He didn't stop when he heard hurried footsteps coming after him. It was only when he was forcefully spun around by a hand on his shoulder did he realize that it wasn't John who had been trying to catch him.

"Major" his voice was disdainful as he held eye contact with the man in front of him. "What do you want now?"

He kept his face as blank as possible but couldn't help the beginnings of a frown as Lorne stuck his hand out.

"Look, McKay, we're probably going to be working together a lot and I don't want to be enemies with the smartest man in two galaxies."

He kept his hand out as he stared steadily at McKay. He wore a disarming smile, the one that allowed the most distrusting of natives to calm down enough to lower their weapons. Well, most of the time.

McKay didn't move for a moment, silently judging the sincerity in the solider in front of him. With a nod, he held out his own hand and gripped Lorne's, shaking it three times before pulling back.

"Right, well. I have important work to do now. Zelenka has been messing around with Jumper number three again and seems to think it's Ok to bypass all of my very specific safety protocols!"

Lorne smiled. "Don't you just hate it when scientists don't listen?"

With that he turned and jogged back to Sheppard's office, throwing a "See ya around Doc!" over his shoulder.

McKay stood there seething before he turned and walked smartly in the opposite direction, cursing smart ass Majors as he went.

McKay turned to his three team members. As if feeling his eyes on them they turned to look at him, faces lined with concern. McKay didn't think it was all for Lorne either. He knew they were worried about him and as it sunk in he felt himself bristle in annoyance. He was fine and besides they had a bigger problem to worry about.

"We need to get him out of there. Tell King bling over there to stop the fight."

Sheppard nodded and turned back to King Tartu, barely registering that McKay was ordering him around. The King had been standing awkwardly behind them, his eyes shifting from his honored guests to the fight below. He had given a small cry of anguish at seeing his champion injured but most of attention had been focused on the strange behavior of the travelers. As John turned to him, he took a hurried step forward, hands clasped in front of him in a peaceful gesture. The concern on his face increased as Sheppard placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Is something troubling you Colonel Sheppard? Does the fight not please you and your friends?"

Sheppard seemed to bristle at that comment. It was obviously the wrong thing to say.

"That man down there, the one you call your champion? He's one of my men, my friends! He's been missing for over seven months and I want him back, preferably before he ends up dying in one of these fights. Order them to stop now or I won't hesitate and take him myself, which I can promise you will involve a whole lot of gunfire."

As he finished speaking, Sheppard raised his P-90, his finger resting lightly on the trigger. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was serious. The King took a small step back, his widened eyes flicking between the weapon aimed casually at his chest and Sheppard's face.

"But I cannot!" He stammered, obviously hating what he had to say. "It is against the rules. No fight has ever been interrupted, ever! They will kill me."

All four of them stared at him, not quite believing his words. There was an underlying fear in him though that seemed to be caused by this overhanging threat on his life.

"Who is it that will kill you?" Teyla asked kindly.

"The people of this world! They can become most fierce when something angers them. I am sorry. I do not know a way to stop the fight. It only ends when one or both of the fighters are dead."

Sheppard and his team shared a look, before Teyla questioned what they were all wondering.

"Both of them?"

"Why yes." The King said, nodding as he did. "On the rare occasion, both fighters have been injured too badly to survive. They often die within moments of each other."

John straightened, his eyes blazing.
"No way in hell that happens. I want my man back. McKay, is there anyway you can break through to him? Maybe jam the frequency or something?"

McKay looked at him, disbelief in his eyes.

"Are you serious? With the equipment I have with me? I know nothing about the chip. For all I know, I could end up killing him!"

Sheppard let out a low growl, his frustration getting the better of him.

"I say we just take them on. They have simple weapons. It'll be a piece of cake" Ronon stated as he eyed up the guards in the arena. His hand was resting on the handle of his gun as he spoke, his stance light and ready.

Sheppard shook his head.

"No, we can't risk it. Lorne is in the middle and anyone of the villagers may go for him instead of us. McKay I want you to keep trying to get through to Lorne while the rest of us make our way down. There's entrance to the side where the fighters entered that we can use. Stay alert ok?"

With that John, Teyla and Ronon went running in the direction of the door.

"Wait! What am I supposed to say to him? John?"

The only answer he got was the roar of the crowd as Lorne slammed his opponent into the rock wall across from Rodney. McKay turned, unsure of what to do. This wasn't a situation people found themselves in very often. How was he supposed to get through to his friend who had a chip in his head that was controlling his mind? Not your usual everyday occurrence. McKay moved over to the barrier, his eyes shifting from side to side as he tried to think of something to say. Normally he found it incredibly easy to talk, but right now his mind was a blank.

"Uh… Lorne! It's McKay. Rodney. Rodney McKay. And I know you probably don't remember me but I really need you to try. You see it's been seven months since anyone saw you, well actually I was the last one to see you and it's because of you I was able to get home and…"

He stopped himself, his ramblings drifting off as he frowned. There had to be something he could do for his friend.

"Lorne I really need you to listen to me, please."

He paused, waiting for a reaction and although he wasn't surprised it still hurt when the two men continued fighting.

"Evan would you stop fighting for one bloody second and listen to me, please! Atlantis needs you back, we all need you back. I need you back! So would you stop being such a macho macho man and snap out of it!"

Rodney's breathing was coming out harshly as the pent up anger and frustration was released. A smile soon lit his face however as he watched Evan falter in his movement towards the other fighter. He was frowning, as if trying to wake up from a bad dream. He shook his head, pressing a hand to his eyes. His head rose quickly, wide eyes searching then finding Rodney's as he looked at him in astonishment.

"Rodney? What… What's going on?"

McKay gave a soft laugh as relief filled him.

"You recognize me? This is brilliant. Wait there. Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon are on their way down. You just

ne-"

He trailed off as he saw movement down in the arena out of the corner of his eye. It was the other fighter, moving quickly towards Lorne from behind. That wasn't what was worrying him though. It was the glint of a reflection that could only come from something metal. Like a knife, he thought horrified.

"Evan look out!"

His warning came too late. As Lorne began to turn the other fighter grabbed him across the chest, plunging the knife deep into his lower back. Rodney could see Evan's face as his eyes and mouth went wide with shock and pain. The other fighter stepped back, letting Lorne stumbled forwards as the crowd cheered. He turned his back, holding his hands high above his head in celebration.

McKay was frozen, his disbelief paralyzing him as he watched the blood drip down Lorne's back, the knife still buried in it. The Major was on his knees, swaying as he frowned in puzzlement. As Rodney watched the frown disappeared, only to be replaced by the cold, distant look that had been present when he was fighting earlier. The one that meant he was back under their control. Rodney watched as Evan climbed to his feet, all presence of pain and discomfort gone as he moved quickly towards the other fighter. Rodney watched as the rest of his team emerged from the tunnel in the arena to be greeted with the sight of Lorne, still with a knife in his back, grasping the other fighters head and neck from behind and twisting quickly. There was a outraged roar as the crowd climbed to their feet. It was obvious to everyone the man they thought was their new champion was dead before he hit the ground. Lorne however was another story entirely. He stumbled backwards, his strength waning before collapsing forward on his hands and knees a second time in mere moments. He stayed like that for a few seconds before pitching forward and landing on the solid earth, his eyes closed and his body spent. Rodney stayed long enough to see his team members rushing towards their friend before he turned and ran towards the stairs that would take him down to the arena.

They had only just found him. He didn't think they could take losing him now.