SOT-Transitions Part 6

Disclaimer: All characters of StarGate and StarGate Atlantis belong to their respective writers and MGM. This is a work of fan fiction. I just want to play with them for awhile.

Copyright 2009 awakethepassion

1.

"John."

"No."

John was quiet and she didn't press him. It had nearly two days since his argument with Teyla and he was still brooding. She didn't know exactly what had gone on between the two of them but when Teyla had returned from the passage way, she had not looked very happy. When John had followed her just a few minutes later, his expression had been even worse.

Now, he was sulking around her, watching her every move. He'd nixed the idea of exploring the greenhouse and caves and she hadn't even bothered to mention the waterfall. She sighed, thinking about the expression on the girl's face when she'd told her that they wouldn't be exploring the caverns after all. Irina had looked disappointed but one look at John's face and she hadn't asked any questions.

Irina however, had proven to be one smart female. As the leader of her people she'd learned how to read between the lines. If Susan couldn't go to the caverns then she'd made sure that the caverns had come to her. With the help of some of the scientist's of her own group, Irina had some of the things she'd thought Susan would find interesting brought to the small caves that served as their mini-labs.

Susan shook her head and looked down at the things spread out on the table. If they were going to be stuck there while the storm was still raging outside, then she might as well keep busy. She grimaced and looked at her husband. She respected his silence but there was only so much of his pensiveness that she could take. She had to get him out of it before she got so frustrated that she ended up smacking him out of it.

"Alright, that's enough." Susan grabbed his hand and tried to pull him toward her. "Come here, Colonel Sheppard. You're going to make yourself useful."

"Doing what?" John scowled and leaned back against the wall, resisting her. "You want me to play around in the dirt? Shit, Suzie Q, that's all you've been doing for the last two days."

"You're the one that decided that I couldn't be by myself. So…if you want to shadow me then you can help me." She lightly stroked her fingers over his arm. She kept her mouth shut about his brooding because it would only make him clam up and sulk even worse. "And I thought that playing around in the dirt was just a bonus for you."

"That's rolling around in the dirt. Not playing in it."

"For you that's the same thing. Now, step over here. I want to show you something." She tugged harder and after a minute he finally let her pull him toward the bench.

"What is it?" He asked as he looked down at the pots on the table. "A pot of dirt." He replied dryly. "How fucking exciting."

"Just shut up." Taking his hand, she pushed his fingers into the soil and he jumped when something brushed over his skin. "Feel anything, smartass?"

"What the hell?" He tried to jerk his hand back but she only laughed and pushed his fingers deeper into the soil.

"This is what Irina thought I would find so interesting."

"What the hell is that?" His eyes widened slightly and he wiggled his fingers, making the tingle race up his arm until it felt like the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up.

"I don't know." She leaned into him and covered his hand with hers. "She thinks that there might be a mention of it in one of her grandmother's journals. But I won't know until we can get them back to Atlantis and try them on the scanners."

John pushed his anger to the back of his mind and turned his hand so that they were palm to palm, their fingers curled around one another. He wiggled his fingers a little more and nearly groaned at the erotic sensation that shivered up his spine.

Shit! He didn't know what this stuff was and he was starting not to really care. Then he shook his head and pulled their hands loose from the dirt.

"Suzie Q, are you nuts? What if this stuff isn't safe?" He waggled his eyebrows at her. "What if it makes you do all sorts of kinky things?"

"Then it won't be anything new to you, will it?" She leaned closer and nipped at the soft spot under his ear. "But I'm sure as hell taking some samples back with me."

"Samples? If this stuff turns out to be safe…" He tilted his head down so that he could nuzzle her neck. "Fuck that, Suzie Q. We're gonna pack up a crate-."

"Having fun?" Ronan suddenly appeared in the doorway behind them.

"Damn it!' John jerked his hand loose from her and pulled her behind him. In the next breath his hand was going to the holster strapped to his thigh.

"Whoa! Easy man!" Ronan jerked back when he found himself staring down the barrel of Sheppard's gun. "Getting jumpy, Sheppard?"

"I'm not jumpy just cautious." John scowled. "Boy, have you got lousy timing, Chewie." He quickly dropped the gun and shoved it back into the holster on his thigh. "And make a god damn noise next time, will ya? I could have blown your head off."

"Sorry." Ronan said and then he grinned when he saw the way Susan's shirt was pushed up nearly over her breasts. She saw him looking and her face went red as she hurriedly yanked it down. "Didn't mean to interrupt your…work, but if you love birds can break it up a minute, Irina's got the food ready."

"Give us a second." John growled.

Ronan gave him a sly look and then winked at Susan. "I'll tell 'em not to wait."

"Just get the hell out of here." John twitched slightly but he didn't move until the big man was gone. When they were alone again, John leaned down and kissed her. "Now where were we?"

"I think that you were trying to apologize."

"I don't think that's exactly where we were headed but, yeah…I'm sorry for being an ass." His words were gruff but he hoped that she could tell from the look in his eyes that he meant it.

"I'm sorry that you were an ass too." She smiled and kissed him back, lightly stroking his stubbled cheek as she leaned into him. "And I know how hard it is for you to admit it…much less say it."

"I won't say it to anyone but you." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Everybody else can kiss my ass." Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her tight against his chest.

"I'm so lucky." She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. "But don't you think that you should be saying something like this to Teyla?"

"I'm not in love with Teyla." His injured hand brushed against the back of her jacket and he hissed. Damn it, but his knuckles were sore. "Ow…" he winced and stared down at the back of his hand. "Shit, that hurts."

"Let me see." She pulled out of his arms and wrapped her fingers around his wrist. After a couple of tugs she pulled his hand under the light on the table. The knuckles were cracked and the edges of the one of the deeper ones looked puffy and swollen. "Sit down."

"It's okay." He tried to pull away from her. "It just stings a little-"

"Don't argue with me, John." She pushed him down onto the bench and dragged her bag toward her. "That cut looks like its getting infected so stop being a baby and let me put something on it."

He sat still and tried not to show that the cut hurt worse than he was letting on as she took out a wet wipe and gently cleaned the back of his hand. Still he couldn't help letting out a little hiss of relief when she spread some of her special healing salve on the wound and covered it with a clean bandage.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah," He flexed his fingers. There was a little bit of pain but not much and a curious tingle that made him start to feel a little hot. "Thank you." She started to turn back to clean up the stuff on the table and he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. "Suzie Q?"

"What?"

"For the record? I'm not really jealous of Lorne because I know that you were only trying to help him." He sighed and the tension in his body seemed to lessen as he leaned into her. "I…I really am sorry for…for acting like a son of a bitch." He shook his head, kissed her hard and then let her go. "I let you get hurt once because I let my guard down and did something stupid." He whispered against her mouth. "And I said it before. I'll be damned if I'll let it happen again."

"But Vaden-"

"Vaden is dangerous, Suzie Q." John sighed and pulled her against his chest. "I don't like him and I don't trust him. And now that we know he was the one that told Irina to ask for you? I am ordering you not to go anywhere without me, Ronan or Teyla."

"Teyla's really pissed at you."

"That feeling is mutual but I don't want to talk about my tiff with Teyla right now." He sighed and touched her hair. "Vaden's up to something and I know it." He rested his cheek against the top of her head. His fingers trailed down her back and pressed lightly over the spot where he knew the scar was. "He reminds me too much of-"

"Of Jake." She finished for him. She looked up at him and chuckled at the look on his face. "I know what you've been thinking and I've been watching him too, honey. Believe me, every second I'm around him…John, I don't like him either." She slid her hands over his chest and reached down to tug his shirt loose from his pants. "But let's not worry about him right now, okay?"

"Do you have something better for me to concentrate on?" He spread his legs a little and pulled her into the curve of his body. Damn but she always had him in the 'on' position.

"I might." She purred against his throat and then pulled back when her searching fingers found a particularly sore spot on his belly. She ran her fingers over the welts on his skin and made a little cooing noise. "Got you good, didn't I?"

He tried not to move as she stroked her fingers over him because the damn scratches did hurt. He held his breath when she dipped her fingers into the jar and coated her fingers with the stuff. Gently, she rubbed some of the gel on his body. He felt the tingle again and he shifted slightly on the bench, suddenly feeling like the front of his pants had become way too tight. But at least the welts had stopped hurting and a pleasant cooling sensation was spreading across his skin.

"Shit." He flexed his hand on top of the table and felt that same strange tingle race like electric sparks across his skin. His eyes widened slightly because he was sure that he could see the hairs standing up on his arm. "What the hell is in that gunk?"

"It's my own secret blend and if I told you what was in it…I'd have to spank you." She cleaned her fingers on the hem of his shirt and then patted him gently on the chest. "Now, come on. They're waiting on us."

She stood up and took his hand, pulling him up with her and giving him a good slap on the ass as she pushed him toward the tunnel entrance. "If you're a good boy I'll show you later what other goodies I've got in that case."

2.

Supper was a cold affair and John didn't mean the food. Susan sat between him and Teyla like a buffer. They didn't look at one another and when they did speak it was very tight and controlled and never more than a word or two answer.

He glanced at Ronan but he kept his eyes down and concentrated on the bowl of stew in front of him. Carson kept up a running dialog with Irina and Susan acted like she was listening but she kept giving him little looks that he tried to ignore. Finally it was time for sleep and even Ronan looked grateful to finally be stretching out on the furs by the hearth.

But John couldn't sleep. Susan was nestled against him, her head on his chest and her arm curled around his waist. But even the comfort of her breast pressed against his side and the warmth of her hand lying against his hip, didn't let him rest.

Something was bothering him and it was more than just the irritating itch of having to watch Vaden every fucking minute. He shifted, trying to find a comfortable spot. Maybe if he rolled over and just sprawled out on top of her, the sound of her breathing and the beating of her heart against his chest would help calm him down.

He turned over. Teyla was turned on her side, watching him. When she saw him looking, she rolled over and pulled the sleeping fur up around her shoulders.

He huffed a sigh and settled back. It was going to take a long time before her anger cooled and he really couldn't blame her.

Pulling the blanket back over them, he closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. He was nearly there when a sudden ache low in his belly brought him up again.

He lay there for a few minutes hoping the feeling would pass but it didn't.

Shit.

Being careful not to wake Susan, he pushed back the blanket and got up. Snatching up his parka he carefully made his way through the sleepers until he reached the narrow entryway. One of the night guards nodded to him as he passed into the bathing area and he nodded back.

As soon as he taken care of business, he was heading back toward the sleeping area. He yawned and then stopped. He felt a little tickle on the back of his neck.

Something wasn't right.

John heard a noise and he tensed. Someone, a couple of someone's by the sound of it, were behind him. He turned his head and his eyes narrowed when he saw the men behind him.

Fuck it to hell! "What are you-"

There was the sudden flash of a blade.

He jumped back with a yell, swung his fist and tried to jerk back when strong fingers wrapped around his wrist. He fought, trying to break loose from the grip and then he felt something, like the stinging bite of a rattle snake on the back of his hand.

"Son of a bitch…" He slumped against the wall; feeling like every bone in his body had turned to mush. He tried to catch himself as he fell but there was nothing to grab onto and he hit the floor hard.

The dark brown eyes of the guard stared down at him and then everything went black.

3.

"Hit him again."

A man's voice, gruff and full of anger.

John came to like someone had just dumped a bucket of cold water on his head. He blinked, trying to see who the voice belonged to when he was slapped hard across the face.

He barely had time to register what was going on when he saw the fist coming for him again. He reached out and his fingers wrapped around a thick wrist. He jerked and the man lurched into him. He yanked his knife from the sheath on his belt and drove it hard into the man's soft belly.

"Idiot! You didn't take his knife!"

John heard the yell and he shoved the knife in harder until he heard it scrape over bone. Hot blood rushed across his hand and he pulled back, jerking the blade free and shoving the body off of him. He heard another voice faint and low but something in his mind clicked and a shiver ran down his spine. He knew that voice. His lips curled into a snarl. His anger and hate soared through the roof and he spit the man's name out like a curse.

"Vaden. Son of a bitch…I knew it was you all along." He twisted the gory blade in his hand and lunged.

"Get him down!"

John was nearly on him, his hand reaching out to curl around the bastard's throat when something heavy hit him in the side and he went down and dropped the knife. Rough hands grabbed his arms, forcing one arm across his belly while the other was yanked behind his back and then he felt the cold bite of steel handcuffs locking his hands together.

Another rope went around his neck and he felt the same around his feet. He tried to raise his head but the rope bit into his neck and he quickly dropped back before his air was cut off. They left him alone then and he almost breathed a sigh of relief but it wasn't long until his body started to sweat and he felt like his heart was going to explode.

"What the-Vaden! Let him go!"

Nathan? What the hell was Nathan-John tried to turn his head and nearly choked himself in the process. He was breathing hard, trying to keep his wits and listen but the roaring in his ears was getting worse.

Nathan was practically shouting. "Vaden…damn it! If you kill him you won't get out of here fast enough before they kill you too. Let him go."

"Bring me your sister…then I'll let him go." Vaden's voice was hard and John felt a shiver run down his spine.

Susan's face flashed across his mind and he forced himself to calm down. He had to get out of this. He had to. He had to get to her before Vaden could. He tried to talk but he could barely even breathe.

"Vaden…if you let him go, I promise that I will bring her to you-" He heard the slight hesitation in Nathan's voice. "But you have to let him go. Now."

John tensed, sure that the man was going to let him choke to death and then he felt hands on his throat, untying the rope. Someone else unlocked the cuffs from around his wrists and he fell forward, barely catching himself before he smacked face first into the stone floor.

John looked up; shaking the sweat out of his eyes he choked out a growl. "Vaden, you bastard…you won't lay a hand on her-I'll fucking kill you first!"

"Sheppard, shut up!" Nathan moved into his line of sight and slapped him hard across the face. Leaning down, he grabbed Sheppard by the collar of his torn jacket and jerked him up until they were face to face. "Just shut your stupid mouth." He hissed.

"Big words from you, preacher man." John spit at him. "But I guess all of that was just an act too, huh? Shit, it's no wonder that Susan hates your guts-"

"I said, shut up!" Nathan slapped him again and John grabbed his wrist.

Drawing on his last ounce of energy he brought his fist up but before he could punch the bastard in the face, he was jerked back and his arms were yanked behind his back. He felt the cuffs going around his wrists and he tried to struggle but shadowy figures moved in on him and he found himself being held tight.

"Nathan, don't do it! He'll kill her! You know he will!" He tried to fight harder as he was pulled to his feet but his captors held him tight. "She's your sister, god damn it!"

The two sized each other up and then Nathan looked away from him. He looked at Vaden. "Take him to the cell. I don't want his face to be the first thing Susan sees when I bring her here."

"What Sheppard said, is it true?" Vaden eyed him coldly. "If your own sister hates you then what are you going to tell her? It won't be so easy to keep your part of the bargain if she won't have anything to do with you."

"I don't know." Nathan shook his head and then gave Sheppard a sharp glance. "But I'll think of something. As long as I tell her it's about him, she'll listen."

"You'd better." Vaden growled and gripped the sleeve of his jacket. "We had a deal, Walker."

"You've got Sheppard, don't you?" Vaden jerked out of the man's grasp and brushed his fingers over his arm, like he was wiping off something dirty. "Just make sure you keep him alive until I bring her. Kill him…and I'll make sure that you never find her again."

Turning on his heel, he turned and stomped away…leaving Sheppard alone with his captors.