A/N: Thanks a lot to all my reviewers; I'm trying to get the story in one go, so I don't spend too much time between updates. I know this has gone kind of slow, but I'm in the middle of figuring out how the story should go. I promise that in the next couple of chapters the pace will a bit faster. (At least I like to think so…)

Falcon Horus: Thanks a lot for helping me with it; also I love your input here and there.

Chapter III: Conversations

The guards led Sheppard's team back to their cell. For a while everyone stayed silent. Sheppard wondered why Elek didn't know that the Ancients were gone. Teyla broke the silence, "They didn't even mention the Wraith, and this place looks untouched by it." Ford looked at Teyla and nodded, "Yeah, I noticed that too." Sheppard heard their conversation from his side of the room. He pondered everything he heard, plus his own questions. He definitely had to know more about the woman, because it wasn't until she 'touched' Elek that he agreed to hear what they had to say.

An amusing thought came to his mind as he heard McKay say, "I'm hungry." 'Man!' Sheppard thought, 'this man should control his inner monologue'. Sheppard stood up and faced his team; Teyla looked at him, "How is your chest?" Sheppard, became aware that the pain had faded a bit, so he replied, "It has seen better days, but I'm ok." He moved closer to his team, "Did anyone see where that woman came from?" Teyla and McKay shrugged and Ford answered, "I think she came from a back room, because she wasn't in the chamber when we entered."

Sheppard frowned, "There's something weird about her, I don't know what it is yet but I'll find out." Sheppard stayed deep in thought while Lt. Ford paced around the room, mumbling softly, "This can't be a perfect place, it must have some weakness." Teyla looked at Ford, "Yes, but if they keep ignoring us I don't think we will ever find out what that is."

Sheppard thought that it might be for the best to brighten up their situation a bit, "Maybe tomorrow Elek will send us back to Atlantis, 'never to return'" He accentuated it with mock suspense in his voice, but McKay had enough and snapped at the major, "What if they don't send us back?" Sheppard glanced annoyed at McKay and replied, "Then we must find a way out of here, the scenery is nice, but the treatment is not."

"What if they used to kill any ancient that came to this planet?" Sheppard turned to face McKay, "Don't be such a pessimist."

"I am the pessimist, and Major, you're just dreaming."

"Rodney!" Sheppard shouted, anger rising inside him. There was some truth in what McKay was saying, but he wasn't ready to give up. Miracles happened; maybe this would be their first. Then just as Sheppard began to say something, he was cut off by the door opening, revealing a cloaked petite figure. The blue cloak was hiding its figures, but it was clear to all that it was a woman. Once inside she took of the hood revealing her fair skin and hair, she stared at Sheppard. "You! Come with me!" Curious, Sheppard turned to face her and replied, "Why?"

The woman showed him a small device, just like the one the guard had had and said, "I know you react very well to this, so don't try anything." Shepard backed off, looked at his teammates and followed the woman out of the room.

They started walking down a long hallway in the opposite direction of the main chamber. Sheppard noticed that night had fallen, but before he could have a much better look outside, the woman had stopped in front of a doorway and signaled him to enter. Once Sheppard was inside the woman closed the door from the outside, leaving the Major alone.

Sheppard found himself inside of what looked like a bedroom, someone's suite. The room looked very tidy and very mystical. Further inside he came across a small round table, covered with a variety of native fruit and two chairs surrounding it. Suddenly he heard some movement, startled Sheppard turned around, only to find the mysterious woman from the main chamber looking at him, shining like an angel.

She just stood there, staring at Sheppard, who in turn started to feel very unnerved; he tried to smile, "Hello." She didn't move, she didn't say anything, she just signaled Sheppard to the chair, and he sat down.

The woman started to close in on the Major's position. Sheppard's mind began to race; he had heard stories of SGC personnel who had been influenced by alien women. He didn't want to be the first one on his team to have that experience.

The woman circled around him while coming closer and closer, studying his features as she did so. She had come to a stop behind him and extended her left hand, to touch his face, but stopped an inch away from his skin. It looked as if she suddenly regretted her actions and as fast as could she moved her hand away from Sheppard and sat down on the chair opposite of him. He noticed her expression had lightened as she scanned the food on the table. She picked up a small fruit and offered it to Sheppard. He didn't know why, but somehow the story of Adam and Eve came to his mind. He chuckled softly and shook it off blaming his overactive imagination in thinking that this was the same. So he extended his right hand to take the offered food the woman dropped it and instead grabbed Sheppard's arm with both her hands.

The woman's eyes closed instantaneously and Sheppard felt the air leaving his lungs and his heart beating wildly. He looked at the woman and noticed she now had her eyes slightly open, but was still looking down. John now started to feel as if his heart wanted to jump out of his chest so he desperately tried to break free from her grip.

Just as sudden as it had begun, it ended. She released him and Sheppard got up as quickly as his body wanted to co-operate, trying to catch his breath. He felt as if he had just ran 6 miles non-stop. The woman stayed calmly on her chair staring up at Sheppard. It unnerved him; why would she bring him here and not say a word?

"I am sorry." Sheppard suddenly forgot that this was the first time this woman spoke and snapped at her, "What the hell you think you're doing?"

"Learning" she said softly. Sheppard frowned a little at that revelation, "Learning what?"

"How to speak. I wanted to communicate with you." Sheppard stared at her in disbelief, "You just learned how to talk?" She nodded in response and Sheppard added, "Quick learner I take?"

The woman stood up and faced Sheppard, "I am sorry it had to be like this, but I am not supposed to know how to communicate with others. It is only with Elek." Sheppard frowned, "Why? Why Elek only?"

"He is our leader, he must know any information I get regarding our protection. But you are an Ancient, you should know." Sheppard paced around and replied, "No, I'm not. The Ancients could have been my ancestors, all I have is something called a gene." The woman moved closer to Sheppard, "Ancestors… that would explain it…" She stayed in deep thought for a moment before saying, "I can help you get out of here."

Sheppard frowned, "Why?

"I want to help you, on one condition only."

"Yes?"

"You must take me with you."

Sheppard stood in front of the woman, "You know… this sounds like a trap to me." The woman suddenly looked offended and replied, "I can assure you it is no trap but if you do not want to believe that is fine by me but tomorrow Elek will know perfectly well what to do with you and your team. Whether you are Ancient or not, to him you are and he will cut off your head, drag your body across town and then send it back to wherever you came from."

Maybe it was from the shock of hearing something like that or the fact that this woman was saying it as if it was done everyday, Sheppard managed to reply, "Ew, that's … ew."

"They may seem like a peaceful people, but they mastered the skill of slaughtering a long time ago." Sheppard moved across the room and sat back down on the chair he had previously been occupying, "Let's say I'll take you with me to Atlantis, what's in it for us? Besides being rescued from a gruesome, bloody death." She walked toward Sheppard and sat opposite of him, "I can help you get rid of the Wraith."

"How?"

They remained in the room talking for a little while longer before she got up, made her way over to the window and started staring outside, "You should return to your cell. There is a woman outside this room, she will lead you back." Sheppard moved toward the door. "My name is Amara." Sheppard turned around and looked at Amara, giving her a small smile before replying, "John Sheppard." And then the door closed behind him and he found himself back in the hallway, following the woman, who had brought him there in the first place, to the cell.

TBC…