Steph7085 – Thanks for the review, I'm glad you liked the sparky scene in the last chapter. I felt really bad torturing the girls but I'm glad the scene turned out okay. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Fyd818 – I felt really cruel when I was writing the torture scene but good to know it turned out okay. I'm glad the escape had you cheering and that you enjoyed the sparky scene at the end. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Izzles – Thanks for all the reviews, I'm glad you liked the sparky scenes and I wanted to kill Kolya too. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

- - -

Chapter 14

Their first few days back on the Aurora had been relatively uneventful which they all found to be a nice change. It had given everyone chance to recuperate from whatever had been done to them by the Genii. The girls had been very tight lipped about what had happened to them after they'd been separated from the guys, which only had them more worried.

Ronon was sitting on the bridge staring at the mixture of colours that was hyperspace. Their recent captivity seemed to have changed everything, John and Elizabeth had been inseparable since they got back to the Aurora, in fact Ronon couldn't think of a single time he'd seen the two of them apart. He was happy for both of them, despite the rocky start to his friendship with John and the fact that they still fought he now considered him a friend.

Rodney seemed particular pleased with himself after he had hit the guard over the head with a tray and Ronon had to admit, for the babbling, cowardly engineer it had been a brave move. Carson had been locked up in the infirmary trying to figure out how to remove the chips in their necks without killing them, they'd all been very pleased when they'd realised the triggers would only work at short range so as long as they didn't use their powers there'd be no jolts of pain.

The biggest change to Ronon was currently standing in the doorway watching him whilst he pretended not to notice she was there. She'd been stood there for several minutes already whilst he stared out of the window.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she questioned as she finally took a step into the room and took the seat by the weapons console. After several days sleep she was looking much better, the sleeveless top she was wearing revealed the elemental mark on her arm, different to all of the others because it was a combination of them all, a triangle and an upside down triangle on top of each other with a line through the middle. The top also revealed the fading bruises on her upper arms matching the one she no doubt had from when the guard had kicked her.

"I was just thinking about the last few days," he told her vaguely and she smiled slightly as she leaned back in the chair.

"It has been interesting if somewhat uneventful," she replied as she relaxed into a more comfortable position and allowed her gaze to drift to the window. The light shining on her face was fluctuating with the varying changes in the colours of hyperspace, it seemed to make her look even more beautiful and he found himself captivated by the image.

As if feeling his eyes on her she turned her head to look at him and their eyes locked in an intense gaze that had Ronon's heart beating faster than was normal. Sensing the dangerous territory his thoughts were heading in he mentally shook them from his mind and looked away. Teyla stood slowly as she continued to watch him "I will let you get back to your thinking," she said before turning and leaving the bridge.

- - -

Carson walked into the kitchen to find the rest of the group eating dinner, he'd heard them call for him several times but there was no way he could leave what he was doing at the time.

"I've got it," he stated knowing they would all know what he was referring to; all the same he elaborated anyway. "I think I've found a way to remove the implants without killing us."

"Think?" Rodney exclaimed "You think you can do it without killing us?"

"Well I've never actually had to it before Rodney but I'm almost certain this will work," Carson explained shooting an annoyed glare at Rodney.

"What have you got?" Lorne asked wanting to hear more before he agreed to whatever plans Carson had in mind.

"Well initially I was concerned that because the implants are linked to the nervous system removing them could kill us, also after studying all of the test results I believe the devices may have a fail safe and would be triggered if they were tampered with," Carson started to explain trying to keep his explanation as simple as possible. "However I think that a small jolt of electricity at the right moment during the surgery will disrupt the device long enough for me to detach it. There will be pain involved but if you're unconscious I think this will work."

"Did anybody else notice how many times he said think in that sentence?" Rodney questioned sarcastically.

"Shut up Rodney," Marcus said as he turned to look at Carson with a serious expression on his face "How sure are you about this?"

"Sure enough that I think it's worth a try," he replied just as seriously and Marcus nodded before standing up.

"Then I'll be your guinea pig," he stated and he saw John and Ronon open their mouths to protest. "This procedure is experimental at best," he said silencing them "If it doesn't work we can't risk losing an elemental."

"Should we maybe runs some more tests or get a second opinion or something?" Rodney asked apprehensively.

"We don't have the time," Marcus replied "We'll be arriving at the location of the weapon in just over a week and none of you will be able to fulfil the prophesy with these things in you. If Carson thinks this will work then that's good enough for me."

Rodney opened his mouth to offer further protest but decided against it. Satisfied he'd get no more protest from anyone Marcus turned back to the doctor and offered him a small smile. "My life is in your hands doctor."

"I can start right away if you want," Carson informed him and at Marcus's nod continued "Let's go then, the rest of you can watch from the observation window."

- - -

The Operating Room was adjacent to the main infirmary, it wasn't particularly large but it was good enough to do the job required of it. Marcus was currently unconscious and lying face down on the operating table with his head placed in a small hole to keep him comfortable. Carson was standing next to the table preparing to start the surgery whilst everyone else stood in the infirmary watching through the observation window.

Carson picked up the small metal scalpel and pressed it against the back of Marcus's neck. With a careful motion he made an incision big enough to give him access to the device. He removed the blood from his path and found the small metal chip that had caused them all so much pain. It couldn't have been more than a centimetre in diameter and two centimetres in length. There were small pieces of metal branching off from it like spiders legs and heading into his friend's spine. He got to work on severing the various connections and at first everything went well. The machines monitoring Marcus's vital remained steady as one by one the connections were cut.

A tiny red light on the device alerted Carson to the fact that the failsafe had been triggered and he pulled his scalpel away just in time for Marcus's body to jolt suddenly. It shook for a few more moments before the red light disappeared again and Carson continued his work. He was able to make it half way through the connections before the red light turned on again and Carson was forced to wait patiently as the device sent jolts of pain through his friend's unconscious body.

He finally made it through all the small connections and was left with only the one big one. He picked up the device that Rodney had given him to provide the jolt of electricity. He took a deep breath to keep himself calm and held it to the chip to provide the small spark of electricity. Marcus's body jolted at that moment – only this time it was because of the electricity and not the device – and Carson quickly severed the final connection without any fuss from the device. He picked up the tweezers and closed them around the chip removing it from Marcus's neck. He held it in the air for a moment examining the device that had caused so much pain before depositing it in the tray beside him.

He spared a moment to look over at the observation window where the elementals stood, all of them watching apprehensively. He gave them a small nod as confirmation that the surgery had gone well before moving to close the incision in Marcus's neck. The task was completed easily and Carson headed over to the door that led into the infirmary.

Everyone turned to look at him questioningly, his nod not having provided enough details for them. "The surgery went well; the device has been removed from his neck. We won't know for sure until he wakes up but there doesn't seem to have been any side effects form the surgery," he explained and they all visibly relaxed.

"So he's going to be fine?" John asked wanting to be sure.

"Aye, I think so," Carson told them with a hopeful smile "Ronon, can you help me move him into the infirmary?"

"Sure," Ronon replied and followed the doctor back into the operating theatre. Ronon tentatively picked Marcus up under strict guidance from Carson so that they didn't do him more harm than good by moving him this way. They placed him in one of the beds and settled in to wait for the anaesthetic to wear off.

Sometime later Marcus finally began to wake and everyone crowded around the bed. He opened his eyes and closed them again to allow them to adjust to the light before he tried again. "Oh the last thing I want to see when I wake up is your ugly mugs," he commented once he had found his voice and received several half serious glares from the men and completely unserious looks of hurt from Elizabeth and Teyla. "The women excluded of course," he added eliciting two smiles in the process.

"He doesn't seem to have suffered any side effects," Carson stated "He's definitely himself."

"Did it work?" Marcus asked pointedly ignoring his friends comment.

"Aye, the device was removed without too many problems, I'll just get something to eat and I'll be ready to start the next surgery," Carson told him and Lorne nodded wincing when it pulled at the stitches in his neck. "You might want to keep your head relatively still for a while," Carson added.

"Thanks doc," Marcus replied with a glare "So who wants to go next?"

"I will," Elizabeth stated "I want this thing out of me."

- - -

Ten hours after Marcus had woken up Elizabeth was also awake and happily chip free. The stitches in the back of her neck were annoying her but it was worth no longer having to worry about the device in her neck. She had gone into surgery only an hour after Marcus had woke up.

With a quick kiss from John she had held his hand as Carson sedated her and had woken a few of hours later with John once again holding her hand but no chip. Carson had slept for a few hours and again had something to eat before he'd gone back into surgery. Rodney was now unconscious (to be honest they all preferred him that way) and lying face down in the operating theatre as Carson worked on the device. It had taken far more time and anaesthetic than it really ought to have to put him under; the man had stubbornly clung to consciousness, fearfully telling them he didn't want the surgery.

John, Ronon and Teyla were going to have to wait until tomorrow but none of them had complained. She was more than relieved to have the damn thing out of her neck, she'd been silently fearing that the thing would somehow turn itself on and she would have to go through the pain she had experienced on the Genii ship, only this time there would be no triggering remote to switch it off. She felt far better knowing it was gone though she wouldn't be completely relaxed until everyone was free from the devices.

Unfortunately that wouldn't be anytime soon, John had asked Carson how intended to get his own chip out and the doctor had informed them that he would have to wait until they could get him to another doctor who could perform the surgery. He'd told them he'd rather wait until they could get him back to Athos because the only person he trusted to mess around with his spine and nervous system was Dr Frasier.

Ronon, Teyla and Marcus were currently stood by the observation window whilst John and Elizabeth sat on one of the beds nearby where they could still see the surgery. John had hold of Elizabeth's hand which he had refused to let go of since she'd woken up. She laid her head on his shoulder careful not to pull the stitches in the back of her neck and he finally released her hand instead putting his arm around her back and holding her tightly against his side.

Despite having been unconscious for the better part of the afternoon Elizabeth was tired. She refused to sleep until Rodney came out of surgery and woke up though, everyone had been around when she and Marcus had woke up it was only fair they were all there for Rodney too. She knew Marcus was tired too, they all were but for the same reason they all stayed there.

Carson finally came out of the Operating Room and Ronon carried the unconscious Rodney to one of the infirmary beds. They all made themselves more comfortable to wait for Rodney to wake up. Elizabeth felt her eyes drifting shut but she forced them to remain open even as her body begged her for sleep. John seemed to sense her struggle because he turned his face into her hair and planted a quick kiss on her head.

"Go to sleep, I'll wake you when he wakes up," he told her and with her head still on John's shoulder she finally allowed her eyes to close and sleep to overtake her.

It seemed like she had only just fallen asleep when John's voice urged her back to consciousness. She opened her eyes and lifted her head from John's shoulder; he allowed her a few moments to get her mind and body to work again before he jumped down from the bed and offered her his hand. She took it and the two of them joined the others around Rodney's bed just in time for their friend to open his eyes.

"Am I alive?" Rodney questioned making everyone both smile and roll their eyes.

"Yes Rodney, you're alive," Carson told him and Rodney seemed to visibly relax as though he had actually thought he might be dead.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"A little after 1AM," Marcus stated and Rodney's eyes widened.

"Why the hell are you all still awake?" he questioned and everyone resisted the urge to hit him.

"We wanted to be here when you woke up," Teyla informed him.

"Well I'm awake now so can I go to my room and go back to sleep?" Rodney asked directing his question at Carson.

"Aye, I don't see why not as long as you be careful with the stitches," Carson replied and Rodney slowly got out of the bed and headed out of the infirmary shouting 'goodnight' over his shoulder.

"I am so going to bed now," Marcus stated and quickly left the room followed by Carson, Ronon and Teyla. Elizabeth and John were a bit slower to follow as they headed towards John's room which was the closest. Elizabeth changed into one of John's shirts and climbed into the bed pulling the cover over herself. A moment later the bed behind her dipped s John made himself comfortable. Elizabeth turned around and scooted closer to him allowing his arms to go around her as she settled her head against his chest and allowed the steady beat of his heart to lull her to sleep.

TBC