A/N: Wow...this is the longest chapter yet I think. I hope you guys like this. It took a lot of pushing the creative streak to get this all out to you in a timely manner. I hope you won't mind but I made the last half mostly about Sheppard and McKay. The next chapter will focus more on the rescue, a little of their escape and the other characters. As much as I hate to say it we are probably closing in to the end. Although I may change that if you guys review me! Remember reviews not only help us writers to make our work better for your pleasure but encourage us to write faster!

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… .LV. …

Bound to Happen – Chapter 21

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Fully Functioning?

Time froze. Sheppard was torn should he shoot? Or should he wait until she decided to kill them both? He couldn't blame his teammate. Rodney was more instinctual than he had ever been and probably that included those other needs too but still he couldn't risk it. Rodney wasn't thinking clearly enough. He needed to make the man see. This was a ploy, a trick by the Wriath.

Sheppard shook his head silently. …Jaruden wasn't kidding about his attempts for saving his race.

Within that time frame, the female's tentacles had begun to uncoil as her eyes recognized Sheppard. "You are the ones…the ones I've heard rumors of…"

Rodney, too dazed by the feelings and sensations, didn't initially realize her intentions, as her body moved away from him slowly. He didn't care. All he wanted was this…need was this… It was then saw the tips of his own tentacles wiggling and jumped back into her surprise lighting his features.

That was the only distraction she had needed. Rushing around him, the female leapt her fangs out and hands reaching. Sheppard had had no choice but to fire on her, sending the frantic, crazed woman to the floor, a blood pool spreading from her. As she repeatedly tried to get up, he emptied his clip into her, until finally she stayed down.

He walked over to her, his peripheral vision taking notice of Rodney's movement. Raising his gun he pointed it to her head and aimed. Her mouth sputtered with blood, as her eyes roamed the ceiling. He was about to shoot when her voice, frail and broken stopped him.

"Betrayer…"

Apparently she could see the confusion in his eyes as she added before her eyes closed from the exertion. "…killed…fa…ther…" He couldn't take chances. Sheppard fired and that was it. Blood leaked from the wound, curling around the delicate, soft face.

It was rather gruesome to observe but it hypnotized him to the spot. Until Rodney had finally rolled to his feet, his voice breaking the weapons fire outside the hallway. "What have you done?" Rodney's eyes turned to the bloody form, as her twitching stilled.

Bringing his eyes up to stare into Rodney's, there was something in his friend's facial expression that he couldn't quite fathom. Confusion? Sadness? No…it was anger. Pure anger. There had been no choice. He knew that but apparently Rodney didn't. Hearing the sound of something similar to a gigantic hangar bay opening, realization hit him.

The Wriath were leaving this complex and he had no doubt they weren't going to leave anything behind. In an attempt to get things rolling and get them out of there. He tried to break through the silence. "She was going to kill you and me both Rodney…I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" said Rodney, his fangs sliding out and back in.

Sheppard glanced down. He had only three clips? Two? Why was it so hard to process? Rodney had heard the sound too, from what he could tell, and even though they didn't speak of it, both knew it was time to leave. Rodney's eyes however told a different story. The eyes of someone who had been betrayed…

He had to believe Rodney wasn't a killer… wouldn't feed off him like he'd tried before. He had to believe the man knew that what he had said was true. He just had to.

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Opposition

Colonel Caldwell thought carefully. After the many encounters with these Wraith, he could safely say there was more going on than there appeared to be. He had a sneaking suspicion this Wriath was up to something. Not that any of the Wraith or aliens they'd encountered so far hadn't had something up their sleeves as the saying went.

"What do you want?"

"Them."

"I don't think so."

"I will order my men on your ship to leave. No harm will befall you nor your crew and I will not attack your city."

Caldwell highly doubted that. If he had learned anything this past year it was Wraith could not be trusted. Even cousins who could not feed off humans…or so this Jaruden claimed.

Behind him Ronon glared at the Wriath, his eyes flashing dangerously, as he listened silently. This was not boding well for any of them. If he had had any say in this though…he was not truthfully certain what else he could have done. He could feel Teyla felt the same, as her own anger emitted off her like smoke off flames.

She kept her eyes on the exchange but her thoughts were elsewhere. She had heard immediately upon entrance that Wraith and these Wriath had somehow entered the ship. She could only guess as to how many had already been lost to this invasion as it were. Nevermind the Colonel or McKay, were they on that hive ship? Were they alive even? She knew thinking about it would not help the situation and returned her thoughts to the present.

Caldwell looked to his senior technician for the number of invades still on board. "There are at least 30 more on board, sir. I can't distinguish between Wraith or these Wriath."

"What guarantee do I have that you will return my people?" Caldwell knew the policy. Earth did not negotiate with terrorists but he also knew his options were limited. If only he could stall this Wriath and give Sheppard and McKay time to escape. They had impeccable timing when it came to near-death escapes. He owed them that much.

The two behind him said nothing but he could feel the anger just as if it were his own. They were angry with him for telling them he was not going to search for their two missing team members. He could never understand the 'aliens' as they never quite understood him either, thankfully both of them held their tongues. He couldn't have outsiders on board his ship commenting and interffering with his decisions and he suspected they knew he wouldn't give up Hermoid or Beckett just because a Wraith…well Wriath told him to.

His stalling plan failed when he saw Unsla grin, his toothy fangs sliding out to shine in the eerie light of the hive ship. "I will give you some time to consider my offer but do so quickly. I will not wait forever," said the baritoned voice, as the screen flipped off.

"Transmission lost."

"Damn it! Get that transmission back."

"Yes sir."

Ronon and Teyla had already known from the start where this little 'business arrangement' had been going. Neither needed to stick around for the final outcome but they had waited none the less. That was until someone on the com system reported that Major Lorne was missing.

Ronon didn't need more information. He looked to Teyla for approval before she nodded him off in silent agreement. "Go, I will join you in a minute."

"Colonel?" asked Teyla, nearing his command chair.

"Yes?"

"Perhaps the Colonel and Rodney are not on that ship…is there any way to modify the…system to scan for them in a complex we almost tracked one of the Wriath's to?"

Caldwell stared before nodding to the technician. "Can you Lieutenant?"

"I think so sir."

He sat up in his seat watching the darts returning to the red hive ship. There had to more to it than that. He couldn't give up both Hermoid and Beckett for Sheppard and McKay. It would be placing more information into enemy hands and that was something he simply could not do.

Not to mention there were already Wraith and these presumed Wriath on board. First things first he was going to give the two a chance. If taking a few seconds of time to scan a complex would help. He would do it. He turned to look at Teyla but he saw no indication of anything in the Athosian's woman's features but support. He had a hard decision to make and he had little time to decide.

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Invisible Savior

Lorne awoke with a start, feeling hands touching his neck. "Wwho?"

"Shh," said a silky voice of a woman, as she patted his head and left his side to drag something over.

He was in one of the small rooms off the hallway near the infirmary. It was a storage room full of needles and other such things that had been kept in an emergency. Shaking his head, he tried to let his vision focus but it was difficult. His head was throbbing and he couldn't seem to keep his eyes open.

Feeling a shudder run up his arms, he rubbed them and startled as a boot connected with the bottom of his. "Stay awake. I don't want that brain of yours damaged. We have much to discuss and I doubt you can do that if you are unconscious."

It was then, as his eyes focused, he could see the Wraith that had assaulted him, lying on the floor dead. Its mutliated face, twisted at an odd angle. "Like the company?"

"Not really."

Slowly his spinning vision focused on a woman or at least he thought she…

She had light brown skin but that is not what caught his attention. It was the eyes. They were a shining, pearly sea green and well the small horns protruding from her forehead were also kind of an eye catcher. The rest he glanced over but he wasn't interested.

"What do you want?"

The woman grinned. "You are going to take me to the one called Hermoid and then we are going to be leaving to join two others of your species. I think you will like what has been done to one of them."

Lorne wasn't certain if he should search for his gun or not, because at the moment that was all he wanted to do. But the concussin he most certainly had was making it hard to think straight.

"Two…?"

"I believe you call him Sheppard and the other…Row nay."

Lorne rubbed his eyes. "You mean Rodney?"

"Yes. Now get up. We have a great distance to cover and very little time to…" Mid-sentence, the woman's eyes widened, as she looked down. Lorne couldn't believe it. There was a sharp blade stabbing through her chest. As she began to cough up blood and drop the wraith stunner in her hands, he startled as the something that had stabbed her practically appeared from thin air.

"Sorry. She was beginning to get on my nerves."

Weird. Lorne wasn't sure if he should be grateful or not… Similar to the woman was a man…only he was far more alien than her. Not a Wraith for sure.

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Satedan's do it with style

Ronon raced down the corridors seeking out the infirmary. That was where the report had come from. As he made his way there. He ran into a few Wriath still roaming free. His blaster already set to kill, he raced towards them.

He always did love a good kill. He shot one before the other two noticed him. They began to shot stunners at him, but he was too fast for them. Dropping to the floor during his run, he slid towards them. Firing off his gun. His blasts caught both in the chest, making them crumple to the floor.

The next two were racing down the hallway towards him, he rolled to his feet only to duck as a stunner blast went off his head. Side glancing, he saw several marines coming to his add from the adjacent hallway. Not that he didn't mind the back up but he preferred to fight his own battles. He sped up to meet the Wriath head on.

This time though, they were ready for him. As he spun and kick one the other, caught him off guard and glanced a sharp gash into his arm. Ronon cracked the first ones neck before proceeding to the next. Never seeing, the Wriath waiting in the shadows.

It brought a crashing blow to his arm, sending the blaster flying. He crashed into the wall only to make a dive for his weapon. It rolled of the way as the Wriath's stunner hit it. Unsheathing his sword, Ronon pushed forward, the blade tip piercing the startled Wriath's chest. Before it could reach for something on its chest, he punctured and pushed his blade all the way through it.

A few gurgles of foaming blood later. The Wraith sunk to the floor finished. Turning Ronon grinned as he saw the marines. Five for him. None for them. It was only at the sound of grunting did he turn to the two approaching.

It was Monin and Lorne slung across his shoulders.

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Murderer

Sheppard was beginning to know that dark look. It was just like Ronon's only a bit more fiercer.

Silence grew between them as Rodney tried to get a hold on the thoughts passing through him. He wanted to sink his fangs into Sheppard and take his life. He wanted to savor the scent of fear from him. He wanted to watch as Sheppard screamed in pain. Rodney shook his head and kept his eyes closed. If he didn't think on it than he couldn't act on it. He ran through every mathematical equation and astrophysics lingo he could think of to stop his dark thoughts.

"Come on,"said Sheppard, putting his hand out.

Rodney finally glared at Sheppard, his eyes daggers of hatred. "ZPM then we go and if you ever do that again…I will kill you Sheppard. She was my mate! She was mine and you…"

Sheppard backed up. "Mate? Rodney MATE? What the hell is wrong with you…"

"I'm a Wraith that's whats wrong with me Sheppard. I'm one of them and give me a second chance and I will feed off you. You don't' know…" His voice faltered as he put a hand around his stomach. "You don't' know the agony I'm in…it hurts. I need to feed."

"And you didn't think it was important to tell me sooner?"

"Because I honestly thought the power bar would do it…I just don't understand. Why do I have to feed so soon? Why?"

"Maybe it has something to do with all that healing?" supplied Sheppard.

"Maybe…"

Both stopped talking as the woman moved. She wasn't dead. Her moans brought Rodney's eyes to her. Sniffing he hungrily took in the blood. Most of the bullet wounds had begun to heal. All except two on her chest. Sheppard came closer his gun raised at her.

He couldn't believe it. How could a bullet to the head not kill her? It worked with the Wraith why not her? But his aim had been off. Sheppard could see the bullet had not pierced directly through but rather at an angle. Why hadn't he been paying more attention to where he shot? Why… Ejecting the old clip, Sheppard put in a new one.

"She's not dead, Sheppard!"

"I'm sorry but no. You're not coherent enough to make this decision."

"I…mmrphhh…" growled Rodney, clenching his stomach some more. "I need…"

Rodney didn't waste time. He didn't want to. If he had had a choice it would have been Sheppard. In all honesty but luckily the old Rodney chose that moment to interrupt that train of thought. So mate or not…he had to…

Ignoring Sheppard's shocked expression, he leapt on her, pinning her bloody body back down. Raising his hand high above her, he ripped her shirt. He lowered his face to hers to sniff. She didn't struggle nor did she fight back. It was the end and they both understood it was how it was to be. He brought his hand down on her.

Hissing he drained her life into him. At first it had started off a bit slow and the taste... After all she still was human to a certain degree but when he felt the warmth filling him and the hunger beginning to ease he threw himself into it. Drinking in all of her. She wasn't like the others. Odd tasting like bitter grapefruit but feeding didn't really have a taste to it like human food did. It was different and yet he could still tell when something tasted old as opposed to something new.

His heart was beating slowly, his blood sugar leveling, as he closed his eyes. It was almost sexual in a way but far from it too. If he had had to explain it, he would say it was a little like being under thick water. Warm and smooth like cream but cool and soothing like Aloe Vera on the skin.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Sheppard stood there his gun still aimed at the slowly shriveling form of the woman. This was by far the most frightening thing, Sheppard had ever witnessed. Watching the hive queen drain one of her humanized wraith couldn't compare to this. Rodney was feeding, a smile on his face, his eyes closed and hissing.

He could see the change as soon as Rodney had closed his eyes. His pale skin began to level out to a more pinker shade. The sweat that had been beading off his brow ever since the control room began to dry up and his muscles strained as he jerked them.

Within moments it was over. The lifeless carcass of his would be mate, dead and prune like. Yanking his hand off her chest, he opened his eyes to see Sheppard's hazel ones watching him. It was rather like being under a microscope, so scrutinizing was Sheppard's gaze.

"What?" said Rodney finally.

"You…"

"I fed.'

"I can see that," said Sheppard indifferently, turning his head to the side as he watched the blood drip from Rodney's slit.

"I had to, the hunger it was getting painful."

Sheppard didn't know what to say. He was lost…those predatory eyes were staring into his and he hadn't any idea what should he say. What did one say to this? Sheppard kept his gun, ready in his hands but lowered it when Rodney's hand dropped to his side.

He was calculating in his mind what to do. He was so certain Rodney was far greater in control than at first glance but after the control room, he knew he had been wrong. The more time passed it seemed the more he was losing Rodney…Atlantis was losing Rodney. Finally those eyes broke the connection and Rodney spoke.

"Time to go?"

Sheppard shook off the icy cold tingling down his spine and supplied. "You might want to…"

"Oh right…" said Rodney, impassively wiping the blood on a clean piece of the woman's clothing. It was then he noticed the Genii patch stitched to the leather outfit she wore. It was dirty and barely visible but he could read the name Celyn on it. Touching the patch with his fingers he felt a lump where the patch sat. Yanking it off he handed it to Sheppard. "Genii."

"Yeah," said Sheppard, reluctantly taking the patch. When he turned it around to read the back, he froze. There was a small name on it and it was frightening familiar… Tyrus. "This says Tyrus on it…remind you of anybody…"

"Yes…Sora's father."

"So when she said father…"

"Yeah…"

Both men stayed where they were for awhile longer. There wasn't time to waste but neither felt encouraged to move until the sound of Dart's blasting something outside the window on the ground got them moving into action. Sheppard decided no matter what he was going to do, getting them out of there alive and well, was his number one priority however he did admit getting their hands on a ZPM could be worth it. He just wasn't sure the ZPM was a ploy or really existed like Rodney had been trying to convince him.

He offered his hand to Rodney, who had scooted away from Celyn's body. Rodney's eyes were widening as the impact of what had happened hit him. He had killed a human and not just any but Sora's sister... Who'd have known she had had a sister?

"I just killed…" Rodney's voice faltered. He hadn't just killed a Wraith nor a Wriath. No, he had killed a human now… He was a murderer. A cannibal… A…

"There's nothing you can do about it. Come on Rodney. Time to go."

Rodney took Sheppard's hand and after giving Ceyln's body one last glance he raced beside Sheppard to the hallway leading directly to the dart bay. There was only two things now in their way. A few transits and some of those creatures… Then was also the other direction where the ZPM had been taken.

"This way…" pointed Rodney, diverging from the path Sheppard was heading towards.

"Rodney the dart bay is this way…"

"Yes but our ZPM is here and besides I think I have a short cut."

Sheppard never trusted Rodney's shortcuts. Something always happened because of it. Rushing after Rodney's form, he checked his gun, two clips left. He usually brought four but this time he'd wasted one, used another on Ceyln and now his last two… He just hoped they wouldn't have to use the rest up. Rodney was strong but everytime he had to heal a wound, it seemed to make the hunger return prompting him to need to feed more.

Racing down several corridors, Rodney barreled into a Transit, ignoring Sheppard's shouts. He smashed three more quickly before they had a chance to lock on to his position. Around the second bend, a total of five transit floated in place waiting for them. Before either of them could react three shot off rounds at Rodney while the other two focused on Sheppard.

Rodney quickly made quick work of the two by leaping at them, his fists out. The other three however, had begun to injure him to the point where his healing was not taking effect anymore. He was beginning to feel the blood loss.

Lucikly Sheppard recovered his gun just in time to shoot three percise rounds off. Destroying all of them. "Rodney?"

"I'm fine. There will be more…for me…to…"

Sheppard nodded. He helped his team mate to his feet and they both continued forward. Rodney suddnely hissed as his nostrils took up the scent of three Wriath nearby. Racing down two more corridors and hallways he stopped short of a door, in which two of the Wriath scientists were examining the ZPM.

His wounds were burning and the blood loss was beginning to effect him but he wasn't letting a few bullet wounds come between him and his prize.

Where they had got the ZPM from anyway? He couldn't say but it was pointless. It would soon be Atlantis's and that was all that mattered. He had to stop thinking about what he had done. There was nothing he could do to make this right again. He was a murderer and there was no going back now. Waiting for Sheppard to catch up, he felt his headache return, in addition to the wounds pain…and he had some time to lean against the wall. He tried to remember what had happened during the experiment but only fragments returned. Eventually he remembered one piece…

Bubbles tickled his skin as he jerked. They were puncturing his skin with more needles. He screamed but he went unheard. The sound of voices in the background never ceased. "I want more information."

"But he is already under stress…more may kill him."

"I don't care I need information."

Rodney shook but found he couldn't move in the heavy syrupy water. His muscles clenched and unclenched as the reality of what was happening to him sunk in. He was their little lab experiment and he was their prisoner. They weren't just going to use his body but his mind as well.

He felt the entrance of another voice in his head, asking him questions. He tried hard not to think but the images popped into his mind. Images of Atlantis, his team…technology. The ZPM…

The voice wasn't interested in anything but the ZPM for now, it drilled his mind for answers. Answers that he didn't know. It was relentless in its assault. Never once could he shut off the memories flying through his mind as the Wriath delved deeper.

It was Jaruden doing this. He was taking Rodney's mind apart and Rodney could do nothing. As more questions assaulted him he couldn't help but think about how Atlantis would react to him returning as a Wraith or whatever it was that the Wriath were doing to him.

When Beckett's face loomed into his mind. The Wriath momentarily stopped its assaults as it watched on, waiting for more. It was then Rodney realized his mistake but he couldn't undo it. He wasn't in control…the Wriath was and he was at its mercy.

Jaruden pushed Rodney's memories for more. Seeking every bit of information on each person Rodney had thought of. Beckett though took priority as memories of Ellia and Sheppard turning into a Uriatus bug were viewed.

"Tell me more of this Dr. Carson Beckett and his retrovirus…"

"No…"

In moments his mind was surrendering all his knowledge of it. The experiments on Michael Kenmore…the others. The Hive ship…the…

Rodney screamed into the breathing apparatus, as he felt something pump into his veins. It was like fire surging up and down all at once. So much pain. He was in such terrible pain…

"Rodney!" hissed Sheppard's voice into his ear. "How many are in there?"

Rodney shook his head turning to look at Sheppard, hiding the grimace that had taken residence on his face. "Three."

As he calculated the best way to get the ZPM and drain the Wriath in there, he felt his hand trembling…not from hunger but fear. He was so afraid. He couldn't take anymore experiments…anymore mind probes… Anymore of this. He was a murderer too. Of all things he had killed a human being.

Sheppard was right…He wasn't coherent enough to do this… Prompting him to consider for once to think about the possibility that he might not make it out. At the very least he could die knowing that Atlantis and what was left of his team had a ZPM and a fighting chance both against their new enemies and the Wraith.

Maybe it would be better this way. He couldn't live like this. Knowing he had murdered a fellow human being…knowing he had endured hours of mental probing among other more physical probes. He felt dirty and disgusting.

He wasn't able to escape any of these thoughts, though he tried. Maybe that was why the Wriath had rushed out…His thoughts after all weren't just available to himself anymore but those Wriath too.

Sheppard shoot off his gun. The one Wriath with a stunner in hand was unfazed. Whether or not, Sheppard had hit anything was beyond him as he fell to the ground unconscious from a stunner blast to his chest. Rodney however, knocked the first Wriath down while the second aimed the stunner at Rodney who, though got hit with it, wasn't phased too much by it.

Rodney bashed the Wriath on its head with his fist and tackled the last one trying to reach for a button on the console in front of the ZPM. Hungrily he drained the first Wriath and then as the second began stumbling to its feet, he slammed his palm into the second. He drained both.

Rodney looked over the console. They were trying to rig a ZPM overload? His knowledge… all the knowledge Jaruden had probed from his mind. Fiddling with the controls he managed to avert the set up sequence the Wriath had put in stand by mode. From there he demised he was going to have to go through all the sub routines of the program before he could find the disconnect command, as they obviously only built the machine to do one thing. Over load the ZPM.

Which in it of itself was stupid because almost anything could make a ZPM overload but that was a Wriath for him. Secondly, if he ripped it out of the set up cage surrounding it, it might make the ZPM go explode anyways!

Rodney was well into the commands and codes of the program before he realized in his haste that he had left Sheppard out there in the corridor still unconscious. Racing out of there, he made it just in time to see Sheppard slowly sitting up, a frown on his face.

"You look better…"

"Yes, come on," said Rodney, putting his hands around Sheppard's shoulder to bring him to his feet. Slowly he helped both of them into the room, where he sat his team leader down on a box, before he went back to disabling the ZPM cage. After his tenth try the locks released and the system shut down.

That had been too close for comfort. "And…we are good to go. Atlantis has a new ZPM with it's name on it," said Rodney, too cheerfully.

Sheppard saw through the excitement. Rodney was scared out of his mind. Just the thought of getting out here was terrifying but the thought of Atlantis…Elizabeth and the others. What would they do to Rodney when they saw him like this?

He had been there through almost all of Rodney's struggles in this new form and now he wasn't so sure he was willing to give up the job to Beckett or anyone else. Rodney had saved his life at least three times today and he wasn't about to give up on Rodney. He just hoped Elizabeth and the others were willing to do the same. At least he thought they would.

Once the ZPM had been secured into a small bag, both men were about to dart out of the room, when Rodney slapped his hand against the button. "Rodney?"

"Those things are coming towards our position. I can sense them."

Sheppard shook his head. "We can't exactly stay here."

"I know…wait…" Rodney closed his eyes using the mental connection he saw through one of the creatures eyes to a see a ventilation shaft…wait…shaft? From what he could make of it, as he hopped from one mind to the next…it lead straight to the hangar bay and to their exit.

Sheppard stood there patiently but finally he spoke up as two of the creatures leapt at the door. "Anytime now?"

"The ventilation shaft…there…" he said, pointing at the small screen like area above their heads.

"They have a shaft?"

"I suppose it's because this complex needs air flow…"

"Air flow?"

"Yes, now let's go."

Both men clambered onto the chair, one of them had slid over and proceeded to climb up into the shaft. Just in time as the two creatures busted down the door. Crawling Rodney lead the way to the hangar bay, Sheppard behind him.

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A/N: Well looks like after finishing this that there will be more than likely two more chapters. Please give reviews…I can only do so much without feedback…