AN: Only a few more chapters till this is complete. It's been a long time coming. Review, Review!

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Elizabeth's eyes closed in horror and she let out a small moan. This confrontation was going to be painful, very painful.

"Can you explain this to me?" Her father asked her, his voice laced with anger as he slammed the pile of newspapers onto the desk.

"What is there to explain? It says it all there." Elizabeth told him as she shut the door.

"I leave the city for a few days and you are out behaving like you have no morals." Nicolas spat at her.

Elizabeth opened her mouth to retort but was cut off by her father.

"I thought I had taken care of him but he came back."

"What?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"You have NO idea of the lengths I have gone to just to keep you away from him." Nicolas told her, his voice rising with his anger.

"You don't get a choice." Elizabeth replied scathingly.

"You're my daughter and you will listen." Nicolas told her forcefully.

"It doesn't matter anyway, John Sheppard will no longer be a problem. I have sent someone to finish this once and for all." He continued.

Elizabeth was gob smacked that her father could be so heartless, so obsessive about the Sheppard's. Fear clutched at her stomach and anger flooded her veins.

"What have you done?" she demanded.

"What needed to be done! You will thank me one day." Her father told her knowingly.

"How far would you go?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"All the way." He told her maliciously.

His words made her blood run cold. She couldn't believe that this was the same man that had raised her, protected her. She couldn't deal with this right now, she needed to see if John was okay. Her father had practically admitted that he would have someone kill John just to keep him away from her. Elizabeth just couldn't understand why he wouldn't see past his hatred, why he couldn't understand her feelings and try to accept them. She needed to find out if John was okay, she couldn't take a chance. Her father wasn't one to joke around and would make good of his threat.

Without saying another word to him, she turned on her heel and stalked out of the room like a woman possessed. The last thing she heard was her father yelling "Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth strode down the hallway, pulling her mobile from her pocket she dialed John's number. The phone rang and rang, "Pick up." She urged.

Ronon was leaning against a wall in the lobby, he watched her coming towards him wondering what had made her look so driven. He watched as she disconnected and re-dialed her phone, listening for several seconds before finally placing it in her bag.

"What's up?" he questioned.

"My father is here." Elizabeth told him.

"And?" he asked her, interested to know what had transpired.

"I think he is going to kill John." She told him quietly.

Ronon knew the things his employer was capable of and killing somebody was one of them. The only reason he was still in Nicolas Weir's employ was to keep an eye on Elizabeth. She needed protection. Sheppard would go to great lengths to keep her safe but John wasn't able to keep the close eye on her that he was.

"Where is Sheppard?" Ronon asked her.

"He had a meeting on the base so I assume that's where he is. I can't get hold of him." Elizabeth told Ronon, not letting her worry show. She kept her strong façade when all she wanted to do was breakdown. What if they didn't get to John fast enough?

"Let's go then." Ronon told her before striding to a side door.

"Where are you going?" Elizabeth asked, confusion written on her face.

"The reporters are swarming the front of this building. I had the car put out the back in case you wanted to use it." Ronon informed her.

"How would my father get to him on base?" Elizabeth asked as they hopped into the waiting car.

"He has ways. He could get to someone anywhere." Ronon told her as they began the drive to the base.

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John walked towards the hangar. He had just left his meeting with General Landry and needed some time to wind down. The meeting was routine, they just wanted to know how he was and what he had planned for his career. John had asked them for a little more time and they had agreed. He had also asked them if he could take a chopper up for a spin. Landry had cleared him and informed him that there was a skeleton crew on the base due to psych evaluations and a rostered day off. John knew that because of the limited personal he would have to do a lot of the pre-flight checks himself.

The hanger was deserted but it didn't really bother him, he wasn't ready to go flying yet anyway. He just wanted to wander around for a while, get a feel for everything he had missed over the last few years.

He ignored the sound of footsteps behind him until he heard the click of a gun.

"Mr Sheppard?" a man asked him.

Turning around John took in the scene in front of him. Three men in uniforms were standing in a couple of metres in front of him, one holding a gun.

"Gentleman, what is this?" John asked them, not sure they actually were members of the Air Force.

"Mr Weir has given you enough chances." The gun wielding man stated.

John suddenly felt his blood run cold. These men were here on Nicolas Weir's orders, he hadn't taken the news very well. John had to admit that it was a bold move on Nicolas's behalf, approaching him on base. It seemed like he had gone to a lot of trouble to rid him from Elizabeth's life.

"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" John asked cheekily, trying to show that he wasn't scared.

The man just inclined his head slightly.

"Somebody will come along." John tried to scare them off.

"Maybe but by that time it will be too late."

John knew he needed to get behind some sort of cover otherwise, he wouldn't have a chance.

Before he had made up his mind on what was the best course of action, he noticed two more people making there way into the hangar. The clicking of heels was a dead give away and he groaned aloud. Elizabeth was walking straight into a situation he didn't want her in.

He watched as she continued walking, Ronon hot on her heels. By this time, the three intruders had noticed Elizabeth and Ronon. Elizabeth continued forward until she reached John's side, Ronon on the other hand moved to the side and just lingered. From the way he was standing John knew he was armed and that comforted him.

"Ms Weir, I suggest you leave." The leader told Elizabeth.

"I'm not going anywhere." She told them confidently.

John whispered, "Did you alert the base?"

She shook her head, "I couldn't risk it. If the soldiers came in then these guys would get edgy and shoot."

He could understand where she was coming from but he would rather take the risk with his men surrounding them. John watched as she gave a slight nod to Ronon, who pulled out his gun and pointed it at the assailants.

"I don't want it to go that far gentleman." Elizabeth told them.

John watched the gunman, who seemed a little jittery. In a fraction of a second, he had grabbed Elizabeth around the waist and was pulling her behind some freight crates. The man opened fire and the remaining people fanned out. Ronon had squeezed off a couple of shots, not hitting any of the goons but enough to distract them. John hoped the noise would draw the remaining base members to the hangar. The firefight was continuing, with Ronon providing enough cover fire for Elizabeth and himself. He wished he had a gun so that he could hold his own.

John contented himself with keeping Elizabeth close and safe. It wasn't long before he heard the running of boots and the cocking of guns.

"Cease fire and come out with your hands up." The Air Force soldiers ordered.

John smiled and leant back against the wooden crate. Glancing around the edge, he watched as the three men and Ronon came out with their hands raised. It was over.

"Elizabeth." He turned to face her. She was slumped to the side, her eyes closed.

Sitting up on his knees, John shook her a little. "Elizabeth." he called softly.

Glimpsing down at her, he noticed a wet patch on her lower back. Touching it he pulled his hand away, it was covered in sticky red blood. She had been shot. Fear shot through him like adrenaline.

"Somebody call the medic." He screamed out.

TBC