Okay, I am SO SO SO sorry about the extreme delay. I have being having some major RL problems that started last November, and haven't got much better. The edited version goes like this:

My friend got hit by a car
I got a Saturday job
I had two pieces of coursework, and regular college work
My best friend was having some major problems, and needed a friend
It was Xmas
I was sick with flu
I got even more college work

I swear I will update more often with this now, so please stick with me. Feel free to insult me or complain...my life is too screwed up for me to really care I think.

Chapter 8: Gemini Dreams

Elizabeth lay on the floor of her cell crying. Her whole body was in agonising pain. Not only were there the burns on her stomach, her arms and legs were badly cramped and her bruises seemed even more painful. She rubbed her wrists repeatedly. The clamps had cut into her skin around her wrists, just adding even more to her pain.

She began to breathe in and out deeply trying desperately to calm herself down. She knew Kolya could see, and hear her. She did not want him to see her like this. This was what he wanted, to see her slowly breaking apart, but she couldn't let him win.

At last, she managed to stop crying and calm herself down. She tried to sit up, but it was too much pain. She reached across to the chair, trying to pull herself up to her feet. She got as far as kneeling up, before the pain became too much. She felt herself falling backwards, but then she passed out completely. The chair clattered down next to her, pinning her arm to the floor. However, she didn't feel anything and she still didn't wake up.

Instead, she began to dream.

"Colonel Sheppard, you are not going."

"I am going."

"It is highly likely it is a trap. You step through the Gate; you are more likely to be killed before you even discover Doctor Weir is alive."

"She's alive. Kolya's not going to kill her yet."

"How do you know that?"

John hesitated for a moment.

"I'm waiting Colonel."

"I know Kolya. He will do everything he can to hurt her, and to hurt me, before he even considers killing her."

"You can guarantee that?"

"No, but I know she's alive. Kolya's also not stupid. He isn't going to keep me prisoner, or kill me. He needs me alive so he can torture me by using Elizabeth."

"I am ordering you not to go Colonel."

"And when have I ever obeyed orders?"

John spun on his heel and stormed out of the room. He had been talking to Caldwell in the office Elizabeth had given him when he'd become head of the military on Atlantis. Caldwell had come in after he'd heard about the message from the Genii. When Sheppard had explained what was going on, Caldwell had instantly tried to stop it from going ahead. John didn't care though; he was going.

He walked around half of Atlantis, until he suddenly came across the rest of his team talking near the infirmary. Carson was stood with them and their voices were barely above a whisper.

"Hey."

The team all turned to look at him. Rodney and Teyla took a light step back. John noticed the bruise on her cheek. Suddenly he felt very ashamed.

"Sheppard."

Ronon took a step forward; ready to take on John if he tried anything again.

"Look, I want to apologise. I haven't been in the best of moods, and I've been taking it out on all of you. I'm sorry; I guess I'm just not coping very well."

"It's alright, it's hard on everyone."

"Carson's right. We all care about Elizabeth, and we are all worried about her."

"Thanks Rodney. I think I may have lost sight of that slightly."

"We are also worried about you. You are tired, and you are worried about Elizabeth. Perhaps you should rest before you go to the Genii home world."

"You're right Teyla. And, I really want to apologise for hitting you."

"It is fine, it is only a bruise."

"Good. Wait, I don't mean it like that."

Teyla smiled and laid a hand on his arm softly.

"You need rest."

"I do. Well, I'll be in my quarters if anything happens."

"Okay."

With a slight smile, he walked off leaving the rest of the team to finish talking.

When he arrived at his quarters, he debated locking the door. He decided not to, just in case. He pulled off his headset and laid it on the table next to the photo. He ran a finger across the top of the frame before he finally lay down. The minute his head hit the pillow he fell into a deep sleep.

And then, he began to dream.

Elizabeth opened her eyes slowly. She was still lying on the floor of her cell, but there was something different. She felt no pain. She wasn't cold. She felt fine. Sitting up, she looked down at herself. Her shirt was done up and there were no marks on her body. Her boots were still gone and she had no jacket. Looking around, she found that the cell door was open.

She stood up, using the chair to pull herself to her feet. She walked forward and looked out through the open door. She could see a figure at the end of the corridor. She smiled when she recognised him; it was John.

John looked around for a few minutes feeling very lost. It just seemed like a long grey corridor. After a few minutes, he began to realise that it looked very much like the Genii base. Turning, he found himself looking down the corridor. At the end was an open door. He watched it for a few seconds before someone appeared in the doorway. He stepped back, but then he recognised the person. It was Elizabeth.

"John."

Her voice was like a gasp and she could feel her chest tightening.

"Elizabeth."

The relief was audible in his voice and he began to smile.

They both began to move forward, before they suddenly broke into a run. The corridor was long, and it seemed to take an age before they were getting closer.

Before they could reach each other, a sickeningly familiar figure stepped out from a small corridor at one side.

Both of them ground to a halt as Kolya stood smiling at them. Elizabeth shook her head and began to back away. John took a few steps back as well.

Loud footsteps echoed around the corridor behind both John and Elizabeth. They looked around as guards began to fill up from unseen corridors. They looked at each other again before running back towards each other.

They were close, close enough to touch. They stretched out their arms, trying to reach other. Guards lunged forward, grabbing them and trying to pull them back. John and Elizabeth pulled forwards desperately. Their fingers brushed gently. It sent a tingle through their bodies to have contact after what felt like so apart. However, the guards were stronger and they were violently pulled back. They struggled a little, but they both knew it was useless.

"How sweet. You were so close, but you both know that you're far too far away."

Kolya stepped forward and walked around to where Elizabeth was. She didn't take her eyes off John though. Reaching out, he pushed back the hair that had fallen across her face.

"She is such a beauty, isn't she? Pale skin, dark hair, bright eyes. I would be curious to see the difference, you know, when she's bleeding and screaming for mercy. To see your face Sheppard, when I finally break her, it would be a joy. And to see you Elizabeth, lying there, begging for your pathetic life. I will enjoy this."

Suddenly he grabbed Elizabeth, wrenching her from the iron grip of the guards, and threw her against the wall. She screamed out. John began to yell as well. But they both knew it was useless. Their eyes met for a moment and…

Both John and Elizabeth awoke sharply.

John sat up and yelled out into the empty room. He was breathing heavily and he was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. He looked around the room slowly. Everything was the same. It had grown a little darker and his bed covers were wrapped around his legs. But she'd been there, in his dream. For a while, she was so close to him, but she wasn't there now. He lay back down, trying to clear his thoughts. He would see her soon, though he prayed it wasn't going to be the same.

Elizabeth lay on the floor still, even though she was awake. Her body was contorted at an odd angle and her arm was trapped under the chair. She could hear the echoes of the scream in her ears. Her throat was burning. Her whole body was on fire as pain ripped through her. She reached up and managed to push the chair over. She rolled over and lay on her back. She breathed in and out deeply trying to fight back tears of pain. Not just physical pain, but a pain inside. She felt a sharp pang as she remembered the dream. There was John, he had been right there. She touched the ends of fingers. Hadn't he touched her, right there? It was just a dream though. It broke her heart, but she knew it was just a dream.

Though they were both millions of miles apart, they both lay thinking. Their breathing, if they had been lying next to each other, would have been in perfect time. Their thoughts drifted from one thing to another. Both were growing tired once more. Their eyelids drooped a little as they tried to get comfortable. Taking a deep breath, they both turned their heads slightly before closing their eyes again and sinking into a deep sleep.