Jessica shook the bars, screaming obscenities at him as he nodded to the guards. One turned around, poking Jessica with his bayonet, none too gently, forcing her to move away from the bars as the other dragged Reed back into the cell, almost throwing him against the wall. Grimacing Reed forced himself up, leaning against the stone.
Immediately she collapsed beside him, checking for the entry and exit wounds. The stomach shot was a straight through and through but the shot in his shoulder didn't have an exit wound. The bullet was still inside and Jessica was worried it may have bounced off the bone and caused serious damage. Quickly she pulled her jacket off, barely hesitating before tugging her top and singlet over her head to hold it against him and slow the bleeding. Reed's eyes widened as he caught site of the pale scars crossing over her arms and shoulders before she shrugged her jacket back on.
"Doc..." He groaned, raising a hand to her shoulder.
Smiling softly she replied, "How about we concentrate on you right now, Lieutenant."
He gave a tight nod, wincing as she put more pressure on the wounds. The blood eventually started to slow. Now Jessica's biggest concern was infection, especially with the high chance of the stomach shot hitting intestines. When the girl came back to collect the food tray Jessica requested more water and cloths to clean the wounds. The girl just shook her head, mumbling that she wasn't allowed before running out again.
Jessica looked back down at Reed, his face a little pale, "Reed, I'm so sorry."
He smiled and put a hand on hers replying with a tight voice, "It's fine Doc. I've had worse."
She shook her head, "Typical military. Tell me about it then."
"About what? Me getting hurt? Sadistic Doc." His laugh was cut short from the pain, "How about you tell me about you instead."
Shrugging she avoided his eyes, "Not much to tell."
"I got back state side early once," Reed started slowly, noticing Jessica look at him curiously, wondering where he was going, "I wanted to surprise my sister. When I got to her house..." He paused, his face dark, "He was standing over her, a broken bottle in his hand. I almost killed him. Someone had heard the screaming and called the police. If they hadn't turned up and pulled me off him..."
Reed gave Jessica's hand a tight squeeze, "It took a long time for her to get over it. Talking helped."
Her eyes started to water as she looked at him. Not many people understood but he did. He wasn't pressuring her into telling him about it, even though he obviously already knew, and that meant the world to her.
"Thank you. I just..." she paused, unsure of what to say, "Thank you."
"Is he locked away?" Reed asked as she leaned over to check the bleeding, pleased to see it had started to clot.
She nodded, "For a very long time." She replied decisively.
"So not the Major then." Reed chuckled.
Jessica's head shot up in surprise, "Evan? No! Did you think it was him?"
Reed shook his head, "No. Least, I'd certainly hope I knew him better than that. You're just so on edge around him and that time you ran into him outside the mess, you flinched when he went to help you up."
Her brows crinkled, "Is it that obvious? Or are you just that observant?"
"I like to think I'm observant. Though I still can't figure out what's with you and the Major."
"Who said there was anything to figure out?"
"Hello? Didn't you just hear me say you're constantly on edge around him?" Reed plastered a grin on his face, laughing hurt too much, "I'm surprised you didn't say anything when he asked for you on our team."
"Hey, I can be professional." Jessica laughed.
"So there is something?"
Jessica leaned back against the cool stone wall and sighed, "Was. Was something."
Reed raised an eyebrow, "A dating something?"
She shook her head, "No. Just a something."
"I take it you're not going to elaborate?"
"I dunno. Can this be used as blackmail if we get out of here?"
That made Reed laugh and his hand flew to his side as the pain shot through him. Jessica apologized quickly and he waved her off.
"When. When we get out of here." He said stubbornly, "Atlantis will still be looking for us. They won't give up. But no, I swear, I will not use it as blackmail."
Jessica glanced out of the corner of her eye at his grin before resting her head on his good shoulder, "Fine. We slept together for, about a year I guess it was."
"I did not see that coming." Reed blinked in surprise.
"What do you mean? He's probably slept with half the female population of Atlantis by now."
Reed turned his head to stare down at her, "Uh, no. Unless everyone is super good at staying quiet he hasn't slept with anyone, dated anyone, or even been remotely interested in anyone. And you know how well the grapevine works."
Now it was Jessica's turn to stare in shock, "But he was such a womanizer..."
"Not the Major I know. On Atlantis the only thing in the rumour mill about him is other people crushing on him. No reciprocation or anything. People either think he's had bad relationships, gay, or just a workaholic."
Jessica snorted at the idea of people thinking he had bad relationships, he just straight up didn't do relationships. She pursed her lips together, thinking of why he would be so different here. Maybe it was because he lived with everyone, but then again, they'd lived together as well and that never stopped him.
"You okay?" Reed asked as he gave her a little nudge.
"Yeah." She replied slowly, "It just sorta shows how much I actually don't know him. I thought I did, but, apparently not."
She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the infiltrating thoughts, "Anyway, you should get some sleep. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day."
Jessica felt him nodd in response and she glanced up at the window high above them, vaguely aware of the fact the light shining through it never changed as her eyes closed and she let sleep take her.
It was a restless sleep, Jessica just couldn't get comfortable, she couldn't get her mind to stop and it left her irritated and tense. Pacing around the cell she tried to figure out a plan. Either they waited for Atlantis or they try to escape. She felt the likelihood of either being successful were low. Help hadn't arrived from Atlantis yet so they obviously had no idea where they were. Jessica assumed they'd been transported off world, which meant there was fifty gate address to riffle through and investigate, then if they went through more than one gate it would have been near on impossible to follow them. On the other hand escaping from here would be taking them into the maze beyond the cell block, only pure luck would help them with no idea where the stargate was or how to get there.
She was pulled from her frustrating thoughts as the young girl entered, a tray in her hands. Her eyes looked around cautiously as she darted forward, placing the tray beside the bars and apologizing before rushing away
Jessica's eyes followed her out, confused at the change of behaviour, as if she hadn't been allowed in here. The tray gave her the explanation. On it sat two bowls of water and some cloths. The ones Jessica requested yesterday but was told they weren't allowed. The girl was helping them.
Reaching through the bars she wet the cloth before making her way over to the still sleeping Reed. Gently waking him she explained she was going to clean the wounds. With a slight nodd she got to work as best she could. Using only one bowl for cleaning she saved the other to drink once she was done. Annoyed at how it wouldn't fit through the bars this time she settled for dipping a clean cloth in and wringing it into their mouths. It wasn't a lot, but for now it would do.
Lorne sat solemnly in the Mess, slowly pushing food around his plate. He wasn't really hungry, anything he was eating he was just forcing down. It had been almost two weeks since Reed and Jessica had disappeared. Two weeks! A lot could happen in a week, let alone two, and they were no closer to finding them than they had been at the start.
He almost jumped when a tray slid onto the table across from him. Looking up briefly before staring back at his food he avoided the Colonel's eyes. He gave a gruff greeting.
"Major, something wrong with the food?" Sheppard asked, acting far too blasé for Lorne's liking.
"No sir, just not very hungry."
"And not sleeping much by the look of those bags under your eyes either."
Lorne looked up in surprise, "That bad huh?"
"Well you certainly look like you've seen better days." Sheppard paused, before staring his second straight in the eye, "We'll get them back. But if you want to help with that then you need to eat and rest otherwise you'll be staying here."
A small growl almost escaped his lips. Lorne would be the first person on that rescue mission. The Colonel would have to tie him up to get him to stay behind.
"They're my team, sir, and they disappeared on my watch. I'll be going as soon as we've got somewhere to go." There was steel in his voice. Normally he was a stickler for the rules but he was responsible for his team and would do whatever it took to get them back.
"Then you need to eat and go to bed. I'll make it an order if I have to."
Sighing, Lorne nodded, knowing he was right. Food and sleep. Maybe he'd wake and they would know more than they do now.
The young girl appeared at the bars again to take the bowls and cloths away. She looked at the pair before speaking softly, "You are planning to escape. I can see it on your face."
Jessica almost winced, she hadn't realized it was that obvious, before weighing her options. She could tell her, then either she'd alert the guards or she would help them. If Jessica didn't say anything then they were definitely on their own. The girl had helped them already, maybe she'd do it again.
"Yes," Jessica sighed, "We can't stay here. We need to get home, to our own people. He needs more help than what can be given here, or else, he may die."
She waved her hand at Reed. He was slumped against the wall behind her, passed out once again. He'd developed a fever while he slept and the skin around his stomach wound was red and heated. He shivered despite the warm temperature.
The girl chewed her lip, eyes darting between them. After an eternity she gave a slight nod, "I will bring you your food at the midday. The guard will be gone. You will overpower me and escape. When you come out you will follow the map. It will be on the tray of food. If you follow the map you shouldn't meet any other guards."
"Thank you." Jessica knew if they were searching for the way out they had little chance of success. Having a map to follow increased their chances significantly. "Why are you helping us?"
Smiling softly the girl replied, "One of those you saved, he is my brother. I never thought to see him alive and well again. That is thanks to you that I can. Now I must go. Wait for midday and I will see you again."
Jessica nodded and turned back to check on Reed, gently pulling his top up. He groaned as she inspected the wound. It had started to ooze and the redness had spread. Gingerly touching the back of her hand to his forehead, she grimaced, his fever had risen even more. She had to get him back to Atlantis. The alternative wasn't an option.
Major Lorne paced towards the control room, trying not to be too impatient. Colonel Sheppard's team had gone out to try find more information on Lorne's missing team members. The Major hoped this time they might actually get something, rather than more dead ends.
He arrived at the control room just as Chuck called out about an off world activation. He stepped towards the balcony, staring intently at the gate. This had to come to something. It had been two weeks. The longer Jessica and Reed were missing, he knew, there was less chance of finding them.
Sheppard stepped through the gate, quickly followed by his team. He looked up towards the gate room, smiling when he saw Lorne standing there.
"Gear up. We've got something. Jumper bay in fifteen."
Lorne was there in ten. Coughlin just minutes behind. He'd been in the gym when the Major had radioed him and had dropped everything and sprinted to get his gear. As soon as he was in the rear hatch shut and they were dropping into the gate room before sliding through the waiting wormhole.
Bursting out the other side Sheppard immediately engaged the cloak and activated the heads up display, searching for life signs in the forest below. Teyla had relinquished the copilot's chair to Lorne for the mission. He leaned forward on the chair, hands on his knees, knuckles white. His eyes scanned the display, hoping something would appear. But nothing did.
"We'll land and McKay will pull gate addresses. See if anything pops out." Sheppard said, trying to reassure his second a little that they might still find something.
Once they'd landed in the clearing the stargate was in, McKay connected his tablet to the DHD and got to work. Lorne paced back and forth, around in a circle, side to side. McKay seemed to be taking forever and he was getting impatient.
"Major sit down before you walk a hole in the ground." Sheppard ordered.
Holding back a huff Lorne dropped down to lean against the puddle jumper. Absently he picked at the grass while trying not to think about what may have happened to his team mates over the past two weeks. As he sat and thought he realised he'd never had the conversation with Jessica that he wanted to have. It had never been the right time, or at least, that's what he told himself. Really he just didn't want to make things awkward again since they'd started improving and she seemed to relax around him.
His thoughts were interrupted when McKay shouted, "Got it!"
Lorne sprung to his feet, "Got what?"
"Only three gates have been dialled from here recently. And considering this is an uninhabited planet, what's the bet one of those is the one we want."
Sheppard stood now as well, "Let's go."