AN: So I had some time on my hands and I decided to write! Hope your Christmas was amazing, I know mine was! I know most of you didn't even have a chance to read the last chapter before I posted this one, but I really wanted to get it out :)

Special thanks to Ladygris for reviewing!

/\_/\_/\_/\_/\

Sheppard and Ronon silently led the men through the halls of Lucas' fortress. The stone echoed against them, and even walking heavily gave off their position.
They came upon the millionth door, moving through it with practiced precision. Carefully searching the room, they moved off down another hall, searching for any sign Lorne was still alive.

They were approaching yet another door when McKay grabbed Sheppard's arm, making him stop. Thankfully not talking, Rodney just handed him the LSD he'd been keeping his eyes on. On the other side of the door were two people.

Sheppard nodded, handing the device back. He looked at Ronon and got an understanding nod, he had seen the life signs. Go through, stun first.

Standing ready, Ronon burst through the door, ready for anything. Or so he thought.

/\_/\

Lorne had thought he'd been through torture before, but he was wrong. What he'd been through before was a piece of cake compared to the feelings he now felt.
His brain felt like it was going to be sucked out through his eyes, his body hoping it'd be over soon.

He was sitting with his back against the wall, Lucas standing over him triumphantly. The Gou'ald device glittered in the firelight, the yellow light that connected the space between it and his skull shining wickedly.
His body ached from his previous encounters with his captor, but they were minor compared to the feeling his head was producing.

He knew he was going to die, but he wasn't going without a fight. Glaring, Lorne tried to put up barriers between his mind and the device, but it wasn't working. For every brick he put up, two were torn down.

After a few moments, Lorne knew it was his time. He could feel his body slowly beginning to shut down, his brain unable to send signals to keep his muscles, nerves and organs alive any longer.
His eyes began to close of their own accord, his mind running a mile a minute.

Lorne had never thought he had any regrets, but now he regretted not telling his team what they meant to him. Not telling Sheppard that he was the best CO he'd ever had. Not telling Jennifer that she was like a sister to him, one he'd give his life protecting. He regretted not telling Radek that he was his best friend. He even regretted not telling McKay he'd kill him if he hurt Jennifer, but approved of their relationship.

Lorne felt his heart slowing, his breath coming in slower and shallower. He silently prayed that the Atlantis Expedition would survive, that Colonel Sheppard would live to go on yet another suicide mission.

His thoughts began coming in random patterns, his brain becoming oxygen-deprived even as his lungs tried to bring in enough air, failing miserably.
Realizing his final fate, Lorne could only hope that someone, somewhere, could manage to kill the spuria that stood over him before he hurt more people.

Just before he knew he was going to die, a single gunshot rang out, and the sharp pain in his head was gone.

/\_/\

Sheppard couldn't believe his eyes. Yes, he knew Lucas was a Gou'ald. No, he didn't realized that meant he had Gou'ald toys. Including a hand device.

Ronon had burst through the door, ready to shoot whatever was there. What they didn't expect to find was Lorne on the floor, eyes closed, face bruised, while a tall, dark, muscular man stood over him with a Gou'ald device connecting his hand to Lorne's head.

The man, who could only be Lucas, barely looked up when they burst through, intent on finishing what he had started. Ronon was going to shoot him, but Sheppard stopped him. He didn't know what an electrical shock would do to the device, or Lorne. Raising his P90, Sheppard took one shot. It went through the side of Lucas' head, and he fell sideways, Lorne following as the device gave one last pull before shutting off.

Sheppard rushed to Lorne's side, shouting at Ronon to make sure Lucas was dead.
Checking for a pulse, Sheppard was alarmed when he didn't find one at first, but he rechecked and was relieved to find one. It was faint, but it was there. He next checked Lorne's breathing, concerned when he found it extremely shallow, almost none-existent. However, even as he knelt beside his 2IC, it became stronger, almost as if Lorne was coming back to himself. Sheppard wouldn't have doubted it, he'd read some reports on what those devices did to its victim.

"Lorne?" He asked quietly, placing one hand on his XO's shoulder, the other tapping his cheek. "Lorne? Can you hear me?"

A low moan was his only reply, but it was good enough for him. "It's alright Lorne, you're safe now."

"Somebody find something to use as a stretcher and let's get him back home!" Sheppard shouted to the room at large, looking over at Ronon for confirmation that Lucas was dead. His friend nodded and Sheppard vaguely wondered how many times he'd shot the snake. He figured it didn't really matter, as long as it was dead.

As he turned back to Lorne, Sheppard saw movement under closed eyelids, almost as if Lorne were trying to open them.

"Lorne?" He asked again, tapping his cheek gently. "Can you hear me?"

"Colonel." Lorne breathed, his eyes fluttering open. Sheppard moved slightly so that he blocked the sight of Lucas' body from Lorne's searching eyes. "Is he dead?"

"Yes." Sheppard told him, watching as a look of relief washed over his 2IC's face.

"Am I really alive?" Lorne asked. He tried to believe that it was true, but after having so many things done to him, he wanted to be sure.

"Yes." Sheppard said with a smile, "You're alive."

"Good." Lorne muttered, his eyes closing as his body relaxed for the first time in several days.

/\_/\_/\_/\_/\

AN: See? I can't kill off Lorne! Bring him to the brink of death and back again, yes. But kill him? Nope, never.
I hope you enjoyed, now please review! There will probably only be one more chapter, just to get him on the path to recovery. My goal is to have it up by New Years, because that would mean I finished a 13 chapter story in 3 months (record!). Granted, I've never exactly finished a chapter story (no, Saccade doesn't count) so… Anyway, please review!

Oh, spuria is Latin for a curse word. While I do not mind using minor ones in stories, I don't like using the larger ones. So to fix that, I just use other languages :D