N/B I know this a shorter chapter, but I like where it ends.
John and his team walked through the gate and stopped suddenly. 'What the hell?' Lorne's team all surrounded the gate unconscious.
'We need medical help.' Rodney yelled in a panic.
John knew who exactly it was by how his lover was acting. Tony.
'Ronon, Teyla check the immediate area. Stay in contact at all times. I'll let Atlantis know what's happened.'
They were all alive, but Tony was the only one that had been physically beaten. John knelt down and checked his pulse. It was thready but still there.
'All clear.' Ronon's voice came through clearly on the comm.
'Same here.' Teyla added.
'I'll let Atlantis know so they can send through the medical personnel.' John clicked the comms to communicate the message through to Atlantis.
As John did that Rodney just stared down at his friend, he hated to see him like this. Just then a moan came from the ground behind him. It was Evan Lorne. He had finally stated to come around. Just like a cascade the others started to wake up, everyone except Tony.
Lorne looked up and frowned. 'McKay, what the hell happened?'
'That's what I was just about to ask you?' John came over and joined them. He nodded towards the gate that had just opened. 'Medical personnel.'
'We arrived here, and then…' Lorne frowned as he tried to think back.
'So you don't remember being knocked out, and who physically beat up DiNozzo.'
'Tony's hurt.' Lorne struggled to his feet. John grabbed his arm as he swayed.
'Whoa, take it easy.'
The stretcher with Tony vanished through the gate as Ronon and Teyla walk up to John.
'How is Tony?' Teyla asked.
'Still unconscious.' John turned to look at Rodney. It was clear that he was worried about his friend.
Ronon followed John's gaze. He knew that Abby would also be upset about Tony. They had been best friends for a long time.
XXXXX
Gibbs stood with his arms wrapped around Abby. They had heard what had happened, and Tony had been the only one to be physically assaulted. Why when there was a bunch of soldiers, was the only non-military person attacked? DiNozzo never knew when to keep his mouth closed in dangerous situations. Sam refused to let him go through the gate. She had told him it wasn't worth it as Tony was coming straight back here. He hated that logical argument. It was annoying.
'Why is it always him Gibbs?' Abby wiped away the tears. 'Even in another galaxy he gets hurt first.'
'I don't know Abs, but its Tony. He's a fighter you know that.' Gibbs hoped that his luck still held out. He couldn't lose Tony not now, and not when the younger man didn't know how he truly felt about him. How much he loved him.
'You have to tell him how you feel Gibbs.' Abby ignored the glare she received in reply. 'You love him. You love him so much you travelled to another galaxy to be with him.'
'So did you.' He reminded her.
'I made my decision after yours. I came here to be with both of you.' Abby eyed him smugly. 'If you're not careful someone is going to steal him right from under your nose.'
'Abby.' Gibbs warned her, she was pushing it now.
'No Gibbs you have to listen to me. I mean it. Before you came here, Tony had the fantasy of you; the possibility of being together was still there. It was an excuse to not let you go, and also not to move on with anyone else in case he got hurt. You're here now, that reason has gone. If you don't do something, he'll move on and he should.' Abby ignored the look she was getting. She knew it had to be said. 'If you're not going to love him, and let him know that then he should move onto someone who can do that. He deserves all the happiness in the world, and so do you. I want you to have that together. If you can't do that, then I want Tony to find that with someone else. If that happens, you'll have no one else to blame but yourself.
XXXXX
No one in the team could remember what had happened. They remembered arriving through the gate, and then nothing. Gibbs hated the not knowing. Who or what had done this to Tony? Why was he the only one hurt? How come none of the soldiers had protected him? No one else even had a scratch on them. Something strange was definitely going on. Abby and Ronon had forced him away from Tony's bedside. They all took their turns making sure someone was with him. Rodney and John also joined in the shift rotation.
It had been four days, and he still hadn't woken up. There wasn't anything they could find that was actually keeping him like this. They just had to wait and hope he woke up. Once that happened and they could talk to him that is when they could find out if there were anything wrong with his memory or his mind.
'Damn it DiNozzo if I wasn't afraid it would do some damage I would head slap you.' Gibbs sighed and ran a hand over his face. He thought back to what Abby had said. How he could lose Tony without the younger man knowing how he actually felt. 'I can't lose you Tony, not now, not ever and especially without telling you how I truly feel about you.'
'How do you feel about me?' A quiet voice asked.
TBC