Title: Another Life

Author: stella_pegasi

Rating: T

Words: Chapter Seven 4490

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Action/Adventure; partial AU (embedded in main story)

Spoilers: None

Warnings: Graphic violence, torture, some sexually suggestive but not graphic scenes, suggestion of non-con.

Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, occasional characters, original characters.

Summary: Sheppard leads his team on a search for a Marine missing for five years but SGA-1 only finds trouble. With Sheppard gravely injured, a familiar voice speaks to him and tells him not to worry; all will be well. But will he survive?

Disclaimer: I do not own them; I would have treated them better.

Another Life

By stella_pegasi

Chapter Seven: Home

It was approaching noon and Strayer walked from his house to the square, surrounding by guards. As he reached the area where the villagers were being held, his excitement began to rise; he wasn't certain when he started being excited about hurting people but he was looking forward to the possibility of executing someone today. Then maybe he would kill McKay just for the thrill of it…no, Sheppard was near death, he'd kill Sheppard in front of McKay and he wanted to kill both of them in front of Teyla when he got her back. So that meant, he needed to get Teyla back; then he could kill them all.

He saw Doulis standing next to the wooden platform and he motioned his chief of staff to come to him.

"Sire, what is your wish?" Doulis asked.

"My wish is to have three of the prisoners tied to the poles, now. Let me see, which one of these traitors do I wish to die first." He turned to the crowd and pointed to a young man, an old women and a small boy. Them, take them." He motioned to the guards and they dragged the three to the platform and tied them to the poles.

Doulis looked at Strayer, "Sire, do you think it is wise that we harm these people; we do not even know if the woman is still in the area, she may have taken off for a remote village."

Doulis had never seen the king look at him with the venom that he did at that moment, "Are you going soft on me Doulis? You really don't think that Teyla would leave Sheppard here do you. I suspect Teyla will show up on her own to trade herself for these people. Now, it's getting close to noon; let's go teach these people a lesson."

Strayer walked away toward the platform and Doulis knew that dealing with these people from his past had sent this man that he had once admired over the edge. He had to be stopped but he could not do anything until Harnis returned. He hoped Harnis had been able to reach Atlantis or this was going to be a very short coup.

Unknown to Doulis, three cloaked jumpers hovered in the sky above him, waiting to act until they spotted Ronon. Major Lorne, standing in the cockpit of the lead jumper, was looking through binoculars, searching for Ronon in the crowd of people in the square, "Lt. Salem, pivot the jumper around; maybe he's further out near the edge of the city.

"Got him," he tapped his COM. "Heads up everyone, Ronon is on the move, he and about twenty-five men are moving around the perimeter. Wait, some are fanning out and moving toward the square. Stay sharp, we move on my mark." He turned to Salem, "Don't lose Ronon," the lieutenant nodded.

Ronon was pretty certain that Lorne had to be around somewhere so he was going go under the assumption that somebody had his back. He and Harnis were standing near the opposite side of the platform from Strayer and could see Doulis.

Harnis glanced at Ronon, "I need to let Doulis know that we are in place and that Atlantis is here; that fool is going to kill those people if we don't stop him." Ronon nodded and Harnis headed for Doulis.

Strayer was now on the platform and had been handed the whip. He walked back and forth in front of the three terrified villagers, smiling at them. Many of the other prisoners were yelling at him to let the three go and begging the guards to stop the king. Strayer laughed as he turned and looked at the prisoners. He cracked the whip and silence fell over the crowd; only the whimpering of the child could be heard.

"My subjects, I am sorry that it has come to this but you must understand that I am the law here; you will obey me. I asked you to turn over the woman, Teyla Emmagan, to me but you have refused. I have given you adequate time yet you still have not return her to me and brought me the man who stole her from me. For that, you have caused these three innocent people to die. It brings me no great pleasure to kill them but I must, you must learn the lesson. I am to be obeyed. Now suffer the consequences." His voice had become darker and deeper as he spoke and his expression had turned into that of a madman's.

Turning to the three frightened souls, Strayer raised his arm ready to strike one of them. As he brought the whip down, Doulis grabbed his wrist. "No, you will not kill anyone today."

Strayer was much younger and stronger than Doulis but the older man's determination didn't waiver. "I don't know what has happened to you but you are insane. What are you thinking? Killing these people will not solve anything; it will only make things worse. I won't let you do it."

Doulis still had Strayer's wrist gripped tightly but Strayer pulled his leg up quickly and slammed the smaller man in the abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. While Doulis was doubled over, his 'sire' struck him with the whip and Doulis fell to the platform, rolling off the edge onto the ground where he lay motionless.

Strayer was livid, "How dare any of you interfere in your King's business. You will all pay." He raised the whip again to strike the helpless villagers when he was interrupted by a deep voice.

"No, you are going to pay." Turning, Strayer saw a very tall man with long strands of hair walking up the steps of the platform.

"You think you are going to stop me. My guards will stop you and you will pay."

Harnis followed Ronon onto the platform, "Your guards are not going to save you, they see you for what you have become, an insane man with delusions of importance. We were willing to follow you if it meant freeing others who had been taken by slavers but now, you are the slaver. It stops here."

Ronon moved toward him intending on taking the whip away. "Sergeant Strayer, it's over, put the whip down and we will take you back to Atlantis." As he said that, the three jumpers that were hovering over the village decloaked. "There is no where to run, we can get you help."

Strayer was confused and cornered but he knew there was one thing he had to do; jumping off the back edge of the platform he raced inside the prison. He had to kill Sheppard.


Dreams

Prince Rodney pulled himself up from the floor, "Davos, don't do this, let the women go, your fight is with me."

Davos grabbed Isabella's arm and pulled her close to him, his arm surrounding her, "I am so impressed, Prince Rodney, I didn't think you had a backbone. It doesn't matter though, for you see, the fate of these two lovely ladies rest solely in the hands of Isabella. She either agrees to what I want or her friend dies; then you die, then she dies but only after I have taken what I want from her. So you all live and she's with me or you all die but I will have her either way."

He spun Isabella around and asked her, "So what will it be my pretty, do I let Teyla kill the Lady Jennifer now or will you be an obedient subject to your new king?"

Isabella glanced at Jennifer, seeing tears streaming down her face; she couldn't let her friend die. "I believe you said it already, Davos, you are going to have your way regardless. It is in my best interest not to fight you, for I cannot win."

He smiled at her, "Yes, I always knew I would have you." He said to Teyla, "Keep an eye on them; I'll be back to let you know if she performed well enough to save their lives." He picked Isabella up and flung her across his shoulder and walked toward the door. The last thing Isabella heard was Jennifer crying for her not to do this but Isabella knew better, she had to do this.

As the door closed behind them, Teyla looked at Jennifer, "It must be nice to have such a friend who is willing to sacrifice herself to save you and your Prince."

Jennifer was past caring, she knew that she and Rodney were going to die anyway, so she had nothing to lose. "The difference, Teyla, is that I have friends. You gave that up when you left my brother for a monster like Davos. Regardless of what happens to us, you will pay for this."

Teyla leaned in close and whispered, "Not all is as it appears."

Teyla had the guards sit Prince Rodney and Jennifer in chairs next to the window and she began to pace, looking at the clock on the wall. She then walked over to one of the guards and began talking to him.

Rodney took advantage of her distraction, "Jenny, are you alright?"

She smiled as she looked at him, his eyes were full of love for her and she loved him just as much. "I am fine, my prince, but you know Davos is not going to allow us to live."

Prince Rodney gave her a little boyish smile, "That's why I contacted John; he won't let us die." She smiled back at him but she didn't hold the same faith in John Sheppard as he did.

The door opened and one of Davos' men stormed it, "Where is he? We need him; they were better organized than we knew. The fighting is close, the Prince's men are heading this way and they are winning. I need to inform Davos; he may need to flee the palace."

Teyla calmly told the guard, "Davos is not to be disturbed by you; I will go tell him. Now go and defend your king." The man nodded and left.

"Things not going so well, Teyla?" Rodney asked.

"I believe events are going exactly the way they are supposed to, Prince Rodney."

Rodney and Jennifer exchanged glances both deciding that something was not right; Rodney was about to question Teyla when the door burst open again and Sir Ronon Dex, Chief of the Guards Lorne, and Lord John Sheppard entered the room. They were disheveled, both John and Ronon holding knives covered in blood.

Teyla drew her knife, plunging it into the chest of one of Davos' guards; the other was stabbed by Ronon. Teyla's smile was wide as she ran to Ronon and threw her arms around him and then kissed him.

Sheppard ran over to Rodney and Jennifer, "Are you alright?"

Rodney shook his head yes and asked, "What's going on with Ronon and Teyla?"

Sheppard smiled, "Oh that; well, their spat was a fake. They needed someone on the inside and Teyla volunteered." It was that moment when Sheppard went cold inside; Isabella was not in the room.

"Where is she? Rodney, where is she?"

"Davos took her about ten minutes ago; probably to the king's chambers, middle stairway, third floor, double-doors to the left at the end of the hall."

John Sheppard ran out the door.


Strayer entered the prison, running as fast as he could across the first level to the stairs in the far corner. He was vaguely aware of someone yelling his name but he had only one purpose in mind. He was going to kill John Sheppard.

Ronon had jumped from the platform and was in pursuit of the crazed Marine. He was certain that Sheppard was in no condition to defend himself; he had to stop Strayer.

Strayer nearly stumbled as he took the stairs to the lower level two steps at a time. The cell holding the Atlantian's was near the end of the corridor and Strayer could see three people inside. He reached the open cell door and stabbed the healer's assistant who was standing closest to him. Waving the knife at the two healers, he yelled at them, "Move away. Too late to heal him, he's going to die."

Strayer bent over the unconscious colonel and raised his knife, ready to plunge it into Sheppard's chest. "Goodbye and good riddance, pretty boy." He brought his hand down but before the knife hit Sheppard's chest, Strayer felt pressure against his back. Looking down he saw the tip of a sword protruding from his chest. However, Ronon's fatal blow did not stop the momentum of Strayer's arm and his knife plunged into Sheppard's chest.

Strayer turned his head to look at Ronon, his eyes fading, blood spilling out of his mouth and nose and he uttered, "I only wanted another life; I hated the one I had." He slumped sideways over Sheppard's body.

Ronon pulled Strayer away from Sheppard and felt the colonel's neck for a pulse, he took a breath when he found a faint, irregular beat but at least there was one. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see Lorne running up to the cell.

Lorne took one look at the situation and tapped his COM, "Get Keller in here STAT."


Richard Woolsey wondered if there was ever a time when Atlantis was this somber. He suspected that when they lost Carson Beckett and Elizabeth Weir, the base had been this quiet but somehow he doubted it. This time John Sheppard was the subject of their concern.

Dr. Ross Warren, the new base psychologist, decided to stay in the infirmary waiting room. There were too many distraught people waiting for word on Colonel Sheppard's condition and this way he could try to calm several of them at once, not just one at a time. Scientist or technician, military officer or grunt, it didn't matter; one by one they were drifting to the infirmary for news of their CO.

Through the Ancient doors inside the infirmary's trauma bay, Ronon sat between Sheppard and McKay's bed in the intensive care unit. Teyla was lying in the bed across the aisle, she was not critical but Keller knew better than to put her anywhere else.

Dr. Carson Beckett sat next to Sheppard's bed, his arms folded on the edge of the mattress, his head resting on his arms, sleeping for the first time in thirty-six hours. Keller had called him back from one of his free clinics not only for his exceptional medical skills but also because his presence seemed to make everyone feel better, especially her.

Woolsey walked in and squeezed Ronon's shoulder as he walked past him to talk to Keller who was sitting next to Rodney's bed. "Any change?" He asked, looking over at Sheppard.

"No, I suppose it's good we haven't lost any ground today but we lost enough yesterday to make that a pretty hollow victory." The colonel had coded twice on them during the first twenty-four hours since their return and at the moment, his cardiac condition was anything but stable.

"Even if he makes it, Colonel Sheppard will need months of physical therapy and plastic surgery. The cuts from the whip flayed his skin and he is going to need numerous skin grafts and plastic surgery to repair the scarring. His skin and muscle tissue is very fragile right now and he simply bruised to the bone. John has lost a lot of blood; he certainly didn't need a knife wound on top of everything else. Thank goodness the knife didn't penetrate as deeply as it could have or we wouldn't be having this conversation; still a lacerated liver is not a good mix with everything else." She rubbed her eyes, "Not to mention the rampant infections, the dehydration, the severe sunburn, it is all more than one person can bear."

"This is John Sheppard we are talking about, doctor."

"Yes, I know but this time being John Sheppard might not be enough. We are not equipped to take of him here or take care of Rodney for that matter. They are both going to have to go to Earth for treatment and recuperation." Tears were spilling down her face, "I believe their time on Atlantis is over, at least for a very long time."

Jennifer was watching Sheppard's monitor closely, "There it goes again."

Woolsey raised an eyebrow, "There goes what?

"His brain waves are acting really peculiar; there are times when the colonel's brain wave pattern resembles that of a coma patient and other times when he's in REM stage, his brain nearly as active as someone who is alert and oriented. It's just peculiar."


"John, hold on just a bit longer, I am here with you, helping you breath, helping your heart beat. You must trust me."

Another voice floated into the colonel's brain, "You, you are one of them. Why are you here?"

"I am here to help him. I did not think that I could talk to you but he is the conduit that we can perceive each other through."

"Yes, I speak to him often but I cannot do the things for him that you can. I am only an artificial intelligence but you, you are real. You can make him whole."

"I am trying but they are resistant."

"You must help him, both of them. I need them, the others need them. I need him. Besides you know why he must be saved."

"Yes, Atlantis, I do know. I helped him dream during his ordeal and he has been dreaming of her but she is not here yet."

"No, she is not."

"Understand this Atlantis; I can only help him, help them, if I am allowed. We do not interfere with the course of humans."

"You must help them…he is our only hope and the other one needs to be by his side. They both need to be here when she arrives."

"I know, Atlantis; I will do what I can."


Dreams

Henrig Davos carried Lady Isabella to the king's chambers on the third floor and tossed her on her back onto the large bed located in the sleeping chamber.

"Finally, after all of your rebukes, I will have you. I have waited for this day for a very long time." He was standing next to a dresser where he laid his weapons and had begun to remove his belt and outer shirt. Walking back to the bed, he knelt over top of her, pinning her legs.

"Now, let me see you." He grabbed the clasp of her dress which was at her waist and pulled the dress apart, exposing her body, covered only by a sheer chemise. "Ah…as beautiful as I had envisioned; I am going to enjoy this."

He bent down, intending to kiss her but he hadn't noticed her right hand in the pocket of her dress. As he leaned toward her, she brought the small knife up and sliced his face from forehead to chin.

Davos jumped off the bed, grabbing his face, blood pouring down his neck and torso. "You harlot, who do you think you are. You will pay for this, you will die and so will your friends. I will line them up and kill them one by one before I kill you but first, you pay with your body." He reached for his own knife that was lying on the dresser.

She was sitting in the center of the bed on her knees, the small knife in her hand, "Come on, Davos. You aren't half the man you think you are and you are not man enough for me."

"Not man enough for you? And who is man enough for you?" He started to advance toward her.

"I am."

Davos turned at the sound of the deep, husky voice and saw John Sheppard standing in the doorway. Sheppard's eyes were coals of fire, he had no intention of allowing Davos to live.

"Who are you?" Davos was livid at the intrusion but there was fear in his eyes, he realized that this man before him was dangerous. However, he was not going to let anyone take his prize away from him. Knife low in his left hand, he lunged at Sheppard.

Sheppard grabbed Davos' right hand and plunged his knife into man's gut. Looking into Davos' eyes as he ripped the knife up into his chest, Sheppard whispered to him, "No one touches her but me." At that moment, he felt the blade in Davos' left hand enter his side.

Davos slid to the floor and Sheppard looked at Isabella, he wanted to say something to her but he couldn't get the words out. Blood was flowing from the wound in his side and the last thing he remembered as he lost consciousness was Isabella calling his name.


Rodney was awake and on enough pain medication to be alert but not in pain. He found he couldn't keep his eyes off of his friend when he was awake; the brave, handsome colonel lying in the bed next to him resembled shredded meat more than a human being. Glancing at the foot of the bed, he saw Ronon, leaning his elbows on his knees, staring at Sheppard as well.

"How is he?" Rodney asked.

Ronon shook his head, "No different but he's been muttering a word, can't quite make it out. Dr. Keller isn't sure what's going on with his brain. She doesn't know if that means he's trying to come out of the coma or not." Ronon looked dejected. "I hear you and Sheppard are going back to Earth tomorrow if he's stable enough. They won't let us go but at least you'll be together."

Rodney didn't know what to say to this big man who rarely showed his emotions but right now, Ronon's emotions were raw and on display. "Ronon, he'll get better and we'll come back. I promise." Both men were silent for a moment, looking at each other; they didn't need words.

It was then they heard John, he was mumbling and they couldn't make out the words. Rodney said, "Ronon, get Jennifer."

Ronon took off and Rodney struggled to sit up. Sheppard was talking but to who?


"John, can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can; where are you?"


"Currently only in your thoughts along with a very concerned Atlantis but shortly, I will stand before you. The Ascended have given us permission to help you and your friend. Do not be afraid, it is not your time."

Sheppard felt one entity leave his mind but he realized that Atlantis was still there.

"Hey, lady."

"It is good to communicate with you, colonel. The one who just left your thoughts will take care of you so that you will be with us. You must be with us when she comes."
He asked, "Atlantis, I don't understand, when who comes?", but Atlantis had withdrawn.




Ronon returned with Keller, Beckett, and Warren just as the light began to glow. Within seconds a pure white light filled the trauma bay, awaking Teyla who left her bed to stand next to Ronon. As the light became brighter, the outline of bodies could be seen and then the light coalesced into two familiar forms, the ascended Teer and Hedda.

Teer smiled, "Hello, I am Teer, please do not be alarmed, we are here to help. I recognize some of you from our encounter in the Cloister."

Teyla spoke, "You, how can you help? The ascended Ancients have refused to help anyone before."

"That is correct but that was before the defeat of the Ori. Now, the Ascended take a slightly different view; let us just say that some can be persuaded to contemplate adifferent path. Understand, it was difficult to convince them to allow us to come here but they know that Atlantis needs these two men for what lies ahead. We were given permission to help them."

Richard Woolsey, who had been called to the infirmary by Keller asked, "How do you intend on helping them?"

Rodney smiled at Hedda, who had returned to them they way they knew her, as a small child; she was holding Sheppard's hand, "Just watch Woolsey, Hedda will show you."

Hedda walked to Rodney first, "First, Dr. McKay, I will heal you." She pressed him back against the pillows and placed her small hands above his chest, smiling at him. Soon a golden glow emanated from her hands and washed across McKay's body and slowly his wounds disappeared leaving only untouched healthy tissue. A warm open smile filled her youthful face but her eyes were full of wisdom.

She ran over to Teyla and then Ronon making quick work of healing their wounds. Then Hedda returned to Teer's side. Teer spoke, "John is very near death, I have been keeping him alive until we were given permission to come here. His wounds are grave and both Hedda and I must work together to heal him. But I promise you, we will give John Sheppard back to you."

Standing side by side, Teer and Hedda placed their hands over Sheppard's chest, their faces masks of concentration and soon the glow from their hands surrounded the colonel's body as well as their own. Minutes passed and the Atlantians watched, holding their breath as they waited.

The golden glow slowly became the pure bright white light again and as the white light faded, only John Sheppard was left. His wounds had disappeared and he was the John Sheppard that they knew so well, crazy dark hair and all.


Sheppard was beginning to awaken; he could feel warmth permeating his body and strength returning. He felt her brush his mind once more but this time, he realized it was Teer.


"Yes, John, it is Teer and Hedda is with me. The Ascended gave us permission to come and heal you and your teammates. I must leave you now but know this, once I thought your path lay along mine but I now know that this is the moment where our paths led. There is much more for you; you are very special and the fate of all of us lies with you. But you will not be alone, she will be with you."

"She? Teer, who is she?"

"You have met her in your dream. Your dream was of your own creation but I gave her to you; that much I could do for you. She is your destiny, John and she is coming to you soon. We will be watching over you."Sheppard felt her presence fade away and he could feel Atlantis, as always, prodding him awake. As Keller and Beckett moved to the bedside, amazed at the normal readings on the monitors, Sheppard opened his eyes.