Stay with me
Chapter four
A/N: Raising the rating because of the mentioned child abuse. You've been warned.
Elizabeth slouched back into the Infirmary several hours later, her eyes drooping considerately, as she walked past the knowing doctors and nurses and literally fell into the chair beside John's bed.
It had been a rough afternoon. She had talked to Bates and Kavanagh, both who made complaints about her leadership, and insisting a new member took over as head, needless to say, Elizabeth had ordered them both locked in a cell for a few hours to think about things, at which they both let out streams of colourful language and death threats.
If it hadn't been for Ford and Teyla's support, she would have had them both thrown off a balcony.
Sighing, she looked blearily at the beeping heart monitor.
"John…Where are you?" She whispered, her hand finding his cold one.
The only answer she received was silence.
And her eyes slowly shut as she fell into a deep slumber.
She opened her eyes. Where was she? It was strange, everywhere around her she could only see white. Was it the infirmary? It couldn't be. The walls were never padded. Wait…padded? Uh-oh. Raising herself quickly, Elizabeth found herself sitting on the padded floor, of a room she knew too well. She was in a mental institution. She had been in one once, she remembered clearly. Not because she was insane, but because one of her negotiations had gone extremely wrong in a third world country. They had blamed her, and to stop the United States getting their hands on her, they had locked her in an institution, keeping her drugged, and under the name 'Lana Parker.' A housewife who had tried to take her own life.
Eventually the war that had erupted calmed down, and Elizabeth was allowed to go free, after negotiations. She had gone to rebuild her life, but continued to be a negotiator, starting small with police matters, and returning to other countries.
But her padded room had not been so well kept.
Hearing a sniffle behind her, Elizabeth turned to see a boy huddled in the corner.
"Hello?" She whispered, taking a small step forward. He sniffled again, and Elizabeth stopped as he rose his head, his eyes red and puffy, full of tears. He had to be about sixteen, his buzz cut black hair reminding her of someone.
The door behind her opened, the sound of keys in the lock making her turn around as several men walked in, all dressed as military.
"James." The General said forcibly. The boy quickly climbed to his feet and saluted. "Your mother is here to pick you up."
James stayed at attention as Elizabeth narrowed her eyes.
"Yes Sir!"
"WHAT WAS THAT SOLDIER?"
"YES SIR!"
Elizabeth stepped in front of James.
"Excuse me sir…"
She was cut off as the General took a step forward (walking right through her was shocked to see) and grabbed the boy by the scuff of his top and lifted him off the floor and into the air. Elizabeth turned and watched in horror as he drew back his hand and slapped the boy hard.
"ARE YOU GOING TO BEHAVE FOR YOUR MOTHER?"
The boy turned his head back to the man, his cheek red.
"YES SIR!"
The two men standing behind them turned and walked from the room.
The General nodded.
"Good." He threw James down, the boy landing on his hands and knees. "Get changed and get out of my sight. I want you gone by 0400."
"Yes sir."
"And tell your mother I love her."
"Yes sir."
With that the man walked from the room, leaving to door open. She turned back and looked at the boy, who was muttering under his breath.
"I'll give him yes sir alright. Ooo, General Sheppard. He's such a big macho man he can hit his kids and nobody has to care. One day I'll get him back…"
Everything suddenly went piercing white as Elizabeth stood in shocked silence.
General Sheppard?
James Sheppard?
When everything was back to normal, Elizabeth found herself standing on large pebbles. Next to her was a creek, the water clear and fresh, the small fish swimming around within it visible.
Behind her stood a house, just a small log cottage, in the open doorway stood a woman with long blonde hair, she was drying a glass with a tea towel and watching something with a smile on her face as she leaned against the doorframe.
In the water, further down the stream was a small watering hole. The size roughly of a dam, inside was playing two kids, one she recognized as James from the white room, the other she didn't. He was rather like a younger version of James, the same buzz cut, he had to be about eleven or twelve years of age.
"James!" The boy shouted, "JAMES! CATCH!" He lifted a tennis ball from floating in the water and threw it at the older boy. James caught it with great reflexes.
The boy grinned.
"Good throw John!"
John?
Suddenly a shout came from the house, and a scream that made Elizabeth freeze in terror. The boys stopped laughing and playing immediately, clambering out of the pond and racing to the house, Elizabeth close on their heels.
As they entered the house, Elizabeth stopped breathing as she noticed the mother lying across the floor. Her head was bleeding and as Elizabeth kneeled down to help, she was frustrated to find she could do nothing but watch the proceedings.
"Mom?" He littlest boy whispered, kneeling by his mothers feet as the older one sat and cradled his mothers head, their eyes full of terror.
Loud drunken footsteps could be heard as someone walked through the corridor into the light. The father, the one Elizabeth had seen as the General in the white room, his eyes red from drunkenness staggered into the room.
The kids looked up at his, their faces contorted in horror as they cried. The father looked down at them.
"ATTENTION!" He yelled, as both boys jumped to their feet and saluted. John looked down at his mother again, before quickly looking back up at his father. But his father noticed.
"WHAT DID YOU THINK I SAID! DO YOU THINK I'M NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY?"
The boy cowered.
"No Sir!"
"WHAT?"
"NO SIR!"
The father's arm slammed into John's head and he fell to his knees.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE TV? IT DIED DURING THE SUPERBOWL!"
The little boy stood back up.
"Nothing SIR!"
The father laughed, his face red.
"YOUR LYING! I KNOW YOU ARE! LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO TO YOUR MOTHER!"
He slammed his arm into John's head again and to boy fell over once more. Elizabeth felt rage pumping through her veins. She wanted to do something. Stop the dreadfulness that was occurring in front of her. Suddenly a hand grabbed her arm.
She turned to see a fully grown John Sheppard standing beside her.
"JOHN!" She whispered, grabbing his hand with hers. He looked at her for a second before indicating back to the even unfolding in front of them.
"Just watch." He whispered. She looked and was revolted to see the father hitting John again and again.
James looked panicked, like he was trying to come to a decision, when he ran to the back of the room. The father didn't notice, to intent on hurting the small boy, as the older one opened a closet door and climbed the shelves until he could reach the top one, where he pulled out a shoe box and came tumbling back to Earth. He opened it hurriedly after a small look at his father and his cowering brother, before ripping it open and pulling out a shiny silver handgun.
He opened it quickly, shivering each time his brother let out a whimper or scream, putting bullets in the chamber and aiming it at his father.
The General noticed this, and turned to see his other son with the gun.
"Son…What are you doing with my gun?" He asked menacingly, taking a step toward James, leaving John battered and bleeding on the ground.
"Son…Give me my gun!" He screamed, walking closer. Elizabeth felt John's hand tighten around her own as they looked on in horror.
The General suddenly snatched for the gun, but several loud gunshots could be heard and suddenly, the father of the two children was lying on the ground, his eyes closed, blood pooling around him.
James, covered in his father's blood, blinked several times, before throwing the gun to the side and racing to his brothers side.
"John! John are you okay?" He whimpered, pulling the boy onto his lap. John's eyes opened slightly.
"I'm kay…" He whimpered, as his brother wiped at the blood on John's face.
Elizabeth noticed in horror as the General's hand gently swept out, reaching for the gun in his reach. She wanted to warn them, call out, but she knew it was no use. The general clambered to his feet, Elizabeth knew he couldn't last, his eyes has an unfocused quality. James quickly noticed the approaching man and pushed John behind him. He stood up, a look of anger in his young eyes. The father sneered.
"Y-You've killed your f-father James." He croaked out, wobbling slightly, "Your m-more like me t-then you liked to a-admit. I made y-you both I-into men."
And with that there was a single gunshot, as the world around Elizabeth once again went white. She was standing in whiteness, John still clutching her hand.
"I lost my entire family that night." He whispered quietly, eyes full of sadness.
Elizabeth felt an invisibly force slowly pulling them apart.
"JOHN!" she screamed, "JOHN!"
But it was too late. When she opened her eyes, she was leaning against John's unconscious hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes.
She had never known.
Ttfn!
A/N: Hope you understand I needed this chapter to get the story rolling. Took me a while to write. I needed to figure out the direction I was taking this story. Look for an update soon and don't forget to review!