This is some more SHEP WHUMPING. No spoilers I can think of. Certainly nothing for eps yet to be seen.
RED SUN
"What happened to Major Sheppard?" Elizabeth demanded, as she stared at the members of his team. They had just stepped through the gate, ran through really, with blasts following them. She had ordered the shield up, knowing that the major was on the other side. It twisted in her gut.
McKay answered before Ford could reply. "We were ambushed. The major told us to run for the gate while he laid cover for us. We got there, we waited for him then he radioed and ordered us through."
Ford picked up the story. "But we still waited and it's like he knew. He gave me a direct order to get everyone through the gate then we lost contact with him. We were fired upon so we dialed up and that's all I can tell you." He looked dejected.
"Thank you." Elizabeth felt shaken but she didn't let it show.
"What now?" Ford asked.
She knew he wanted back through the gate to find Sheppard. "Grodin is scanning. When it looks safe a team will go back through." Elizabeth locked eyes with Ford.
He held her gaze. "My team?"
"Your team." Elizabeth let a slight smile play on her lips. "Beckett is waiting to exam you, then I want you all to eat and get some rest. You need to be ready."
"We will be," Ford stated, determination glinting in his eyes. Then he nodded and strode off.
Teyla followed him.
Rodney remained behind.
Elizabeth studied him. "Did you want something, Rodney?"
"Do you think the major is all right?" Rodney blurted out. He looked uncomfortable and was wringing his hands as he waited for her reply.
"He will be." Elizabeth spoke firmly. She had to believe that herself. Atlantis needed John Sheppard. She needed him.
Rodney nodded. "Right...right. He will be." Still muttering to himself, Rodney headed out the door.
Elizabeth watched him go and when she was alone she buried her face in her hands and closed her eyes against the sting of tears.
John lost track of time. The last thing he remembered was being ambushed and sending his team back to the gate. He had laid cover for them, returning fire on an enemy he couldn't see. They had remained hidden, which had bothered him. And they moved fast because it wasn't long before John had been surrounded and cut off from the gate. But he wouldn't go down easy. He kept blasting away, knowing that his team would be waiting for him. So he had ordered them through the gate and he hoped they had listened. Then John had run out of ammo. The enemy had approached. Large figures cloaked in black. John had stepped out of his own hiding place only to cry out as something hit him in the back and darkness had claimed him.
He had come to awareness in this room. It was small without windows. There were no furnishings other than a bed in the corner and a table with one chair. On the table was a pitcher of water that he hadn't touched. The last time he drank he got sick. Thankfully, there was a cubby like corner with a toilet and a wash basin. John had put it to good use.
So he paced to pass the time, whatever time it was. And he scratched at his arm, trying to make an itch he couldn't reach go away. And he waited. He knew who was coming. Knew who it was who held him captive. Kolya. The man had made two appearances already. But only to talk, which had surprised John. He had expected beatings and torture, but he hadn't been touched.
As if on cue the door opened and Kolya stepped inside. He carried with him a small, silver, flask. "How are you feeling, major?" he asked as the door closed behind him.
"Good...and you?" John could be flippant as hell when he wanted to be. And he wanted to flip Kolya off the deep end. The waiting for something to happen was starting to wear John down. Clever bastard. Must have learned it in Torture 101.
"You need to drink, major." Kolya stared into the pitcher as he made to sit in the chair. "I have something you might like better." As he spoke he uncapped the flask and took a sip. Then he held it out to Sheppard.
John shook his head. He was thirsty but he didn't trust Kolya. Besides which, what he needed was water. "Pass."
Kolya sighed. "Water then?" He grabbed the pitcher, filled the glass and drank."
John watched and waited and was surprised when nothing happened. He was sure the stuff was drugged. Kolya was good. He was messing with him big time and it was working. "Huh," John commented as he shuffled forward. "So you're not trying to poison me after all."
"You're of no use to me dead, major," Kolya drawled.
"Good point." John was still suspicious of the man's intent, but he accepted the glass from him. He dumped the contents before pouring a fresh glass, then he took a careful sip. Tasted like water. Tasted more like ambrosia really, but John was cautious. He took small sips. His stomach remained calm. So he carried the glass with him as he moved back to the corner. He wanted to keep his back to the wall, literally. "So...what's the plan for today? Beatings or bamboo chutes stuffed under my fingernails.
Kolya looked amused. "I have things to attend to today, major. But we will talk again soon." He rose from the chair and made to leave.
John wasn't ready to let him go. He was tired of playing games. "What the hell do you want with me, Kolya?" he demanded. "I know you want revenge. So what's the deal? What are you waiting for?"
"I think you are too valuable to waste, Major," Kolya allowed. "Dr. Weir told me about how some of your people have the Ancient gene. Dr. McKay told me that you possess the greatest potential...so to speak."
"Which serves you no purpose," John shot back. He moved to confront Kolya only his knees buckled and he stumbled, catching himself on the table. John felt a stabbing pain in his temples and he rubbed them with his fingertips. "Without Atlantis, I'm of no value to you."
Kolya smiled, a cold curving of his thin lips. "Don't underestimate your own worth, major," he drawled. "Now I must go. We'll talk later."
John cursed as he watched him leave the room. Then he lurched over to the bed to lie down. He didn't feel sick but his head ached and he felt dizzy. And he realized he was shaking so he drew the blanket over him. Then he closed his eyes and prayed for sleep.
Rodney glared at Weir. "It's been six day! Six days!"
She looked at him, her expression neutral. "I know that, Rodney. I know how long it's been. But it's not safe for your team to go back. As soon as it is --"
"He'll be dead by then!" Rodney exploded. "We have to do something now! God...it's probably already too late!"
"Major Sheppard is a survivor!" Weir's tone was equally sharp but much quieter. "We'll get him back, Rodney. Now...don't you have something to do?"
He nodded, properly chastised, but he was still angry as he stalked out of the room.
It hurt. Everything hurt. It hurt to breathe and he was afraid to move. John knew if he moved he would cry out and his throat was already raw from screaming. He wanted this to end. He curled himself into the corner as much as he could, knees drawn up to his chin, arms wrapped around them. He felt the tremors that shook him and that hurt too. He wanted to cry but he wouldn't. He wouldn't give Kolya the satisfaction.
The door open and the sound echoed in John's head, making him wince. His eyes were closed and he kept them that way. The light in the room was too bright and made his head hurt more when his eyes were open. John had tried to break the light but they had taken the table and chair out to stop him and he couldn't move the bed over since it was attached to the wall. Even with his eyes closed the light made his head ache.
"You don't look so good, Major," Kolya purred.
John said nothing. He knew now what the torture was. Kolya had drugged him. So John had stopped drinking anything they brought him. But that didn't stop them. They strapped him down to the bed and stuck IV's in his arms. Where they had learned that from he didn't want to know. Two lines dripping into him, sending liquid agony coursing through his veins. He didn't want any more pain. He didn't want to beg.
Kolya made noise, shifting about. "I have something to stop the pain, Major," he said softly. "You have only to ask for it.
"Fuck...you." It was barely a sound and it hurt his throat, but John felt proud of himself. Until fingers gripped his hair and yanked his head back. A cry of pain lodged in his throat and he saw flashes of red lights dancing behind his eyes. Then fingers were clutching his jaw and John felt a mouth at his ear. He couldn't pull away.
"No more pain, Major," Kolya whispered. "I can make it all go away."
John heard himself whimper and he bit his lip, tasting blood. He wouldn't ask. He couldn't give in. He was stronger than this. Stronger than the pain.
Kolya's fingers gentled and he stroked Sheppard's cheek. "I'll give you a taste of it, Major. So you'll understand what I'm offering."
John felt something cold on his forearm and he flinched and tried to pull away, but Kolya's fingers gripped like steel, making his skin feel like it was on fire. Then he felt it, a pin prick and a blessed coolness seeped into John's veins. It chased away the hot pain, easing the tension that had knotted in his muscles and John felt himself relaxing. Drifting into warm darkness and he wanted to weep. But he didn't.
"No pain," Kolya whispered. "Now do you understand, Major?"
"Fuck you," John replied, and he was pleased at how much stronger his voice sounded. He thought about opening his eyes but the darkness was soothing now and he didn't want to risk losing it.
Kolya chuckled. "You had your chance, Major. Now you will have time to reconsider." Kolya shifted again then barked an order. "Put him on the bed.
John tensed, knowing what that meant. Knowing the pain would be back and he fought the hands that gripped him. But he had no strength left, even in the absence of pain. Still he struggled against the hands that held him, then strapped him down to the bed. This time he felt his ankles being restrained as well and that freaked John out all the more. He bucked his hips only to feel fingers digging into them, pressing them down and then he felt the needle slipping into his flesh and even as he took a breath, white-hot pain flared through him.
John exhaled on a scream.