Thanks for the reviews. Almost done :)
Title: Simple Things
Author: Cindy Ryan
Pairings: Sheppard/Keller. Lorne/Keller friendship
Summary: See part one
Notes: For Nika
"Lieutenant?"John called after he cleared his throat.
Startled Matthews turned to face him. "Yes, Sir?"
John didn't want to know but once they got out of here he had to know what they were up against. What these people were like.
He had to know what these bastards might do or had already done.
"You said she was hurt….."
Matthews nodded grimly. "Yes, Sir."
Teyla looked at John worriedly from her spot across from Matthews. "John….."
Sheppard ignored her as he turned to face the younger man. "You met these people. What are they capable of? Will they be satisfied with just killing them or will they beat them before that?"
Teyla blanched slightly as she reached forward. "John……"
Matthews shook his head. "Don't do this to yourself, Sir."
"Answer the question, Lieutenant."John ordered a bit more sharply than he intended.
"Yes,Sir."Matthews replied. "I….."
"I got it!"McKay exclaimed excitedly as he turned toward Dex. "Ronon, give me your gun."
Ronon didn't move from the wall his gaze flickering back toward Sheppard.
John stood and walked toward the scientist. "Rodney……"
McKay sighed frustrated that they weren't on the same page as he was "I can modify Ronon's gun into a heat torch. I've found a weak spot in the hull….."
"Ronon."John interjected but Dex had already handed over the weapon to McKay.
"Just make it work, Rodney."John stated quietly as he moved back to a spot on the wall between Teyla and Ronon.
McKay nodded and quickly sat on the floor and began taking the gun apart.
Footsteps on the floorboards above were the first sounds Evan's pain doused mind recognized.
As Evan tried to get past the pain he struggled to orientate himself.
Memories came in snatches.
Snow.
Shoved in the cellar
Jen struggling against their captors.
Evan's eyes flew open and he stared into the darkness.
"Jen?"Evan called hoping his last memory had been wrong. Hoping that if it was right they'd brought her back.
Only sounds from the tavern above answered him.
"Damn."Evan swore as he slumped back against the cold floor.
The cold helped Evan shove the pain aside.
It helped him focus.
Taking a deep breathe Evan swung his legs around and slowly eased himself into a sitting position.
It took far longer than it should.
Each movement he made was incredibly slow.
Evan leaned back against the wall and sighed. He closed his eyes and tried to fight the intense throb in his right side that was threatening to resurface.
/Get it together, Lorne./Evan told himself sternly. /She needs you. You failed her once don't do it again./
Gritting his teeth Evan used the wall for support and tentatively got to his feet.
The darkness swam, but only for a moment.
Once Evan was sure he wasn't going to fall on his face he began to search the perimeter of the small room.
There had to be something here to help get that door open.
There just had to be.
"Okay, that should do it."McKay announced excitedly nearly forty minutes later.
Rodney handed the weapon back to Ronon and instructed. "Aim just to the left of the hatch above the floor. Squeeze the trigger once and hold it."
Ronon nodded and fired at the wall. A thin energy stream erupted from the gun and began to illuminate a small circle that got wider the hotter the wall got.
An agonizing half hour passed.
Smoke began to rise in a thin wisp.
Unable to stand still Teyla moved toward the co-pilot's chair day light captured her attention.
"John."Teyla called gaining everyone's attention.
John came moved to stand next to her his hands balling into fists at his sides as he stared out the window.
The storm had stopped.
Bright sunlight bounced off the snow causing the trees around them to have a crystal like affect.
A thud resounded through the jumper causing John and Teyla to turn.
"We're through."Rodney announced excitedly as a sharp cold wind penetrated the interior of the jumper.
A piece of hull the size of an average coffee table was laying on the outside half buried against a slanting snow drift.
Ronon gripped the opening and managed to break another chunk off.
As he moved closer John could see clearly why they hadn't been able to get the hatch open.
The hatch was stuck against the snow drift and braced against the tree.
John snatched his jacket and put it on. He saw the others do the same. As he zipped it up John pulled the hood up and tightened it around him.
He grabbed his P90 and hefted his backpack.
"Let's go."John ordered quietly as they filed out of the small ship.
John could only pray they weren't too late.
