The moment John waked into the conference room he knew something was wrong. Fensil, smirking, was standing next to Jerick, whose piggish face was flushed red. Arcadians showed anger as easily as the palest of humans, and Jerick was plainly angry. But with out knowing what had upset the man John wasn't going to call him on it.

"Sheppard," Jerick snarled. "I want to know what the fuck you thought you were playing at with Elizabeth last night."

"What are you talking about?" John asked there was no way Jerick could know what he had planed…was there?

"Don't fucking play games with me. Fensil, here, reports that you were plotting to steal my slave. He suspected you were up to something and took liberties to prove his suspicions. "

Suddenly it hit John like a brick; Fensil's run in with Elizabeth the night before. The man must have planted a listening device on Elizabeth. John mentally kicked himself, he should have thought of something like this happening.

John shrugged, trying to play it cool. "She's quite the woman, that one. Can you blame me for trying?" He sat down, nonchalantly. Play macho. Don't admit to having done anything wrong. "I'd pay good money for her. What are you charging?"

Jerick's eyes narrowed even smaller. "She's not for sale."

"Too bad." John shrugged again. "So back to business?"

"You have some nerve." Fensil spoke moving towards John. Before he could get to close Ronon, his hand on the hilt of his knife in an obvious threat, and Major Lorne intercepted the man. The Arcadian guards raised their weapons ready for a confrontation.

"I want you gone Sheppard!" Jerick exploded rising from his seat. "You and all of your men will leave immediately." He signaled the guards to lead the three men out of the room.

Knowing it wouldn't do Elizabeth any good if they got themselves killed John slowly rose from his seat, "It's a shame that you can't put a minor dispute over a woman behind you." His voice was tight and cold. "But it's your call, you want us to go then will go."

Not believing what he was hearing Ronon shot John a questioning look. Understanding how Ronon felt John returned the look, silently asking Ronon to trust him. Giving a slight nod Ronon backed off.

After ordering the Marines to fall back to the gate John along with Lorne and Ronon followed the guards out of the conference room back to the gate. Approaching the gate John was relieved to see that the jumper with Rodney, Teyla, and Carson was still cloaked. Making a slight discrete gesture with his hand – he hoped Teyla was watching from the front of the jumper – John motioned for them to stay put.

--

She was somewhere else.

What was happening to her body was painful, but she'd endured it so many times it hardly registered anymore. Instead she was reliving her memories of John. Remembering John's gentleness, his mouth on her body, his hands stroking her back and the way he held her as she wept. He'd promised, and he didn't break his promises, Elizabeth knew that. This would stop. Sooner or later it would stop.

And then her attention was brought back to the now, back to the pain, the guard who was currently ramming into her, by Jerick's voice addressing the guards. "Hope you guys have had a turn already, because we're gonna be questioning her as soon as he's done."

Elizabeth couldn't move her head, couldn't see Jerick with the guard on top of her in the way. So it was going to begin. Well, she wouldn't tell him anything. If he didn't already know what John had planed, he wasn't going to find out from her.

When the guard between her legs finished up and moved aside she could see Jerick standing at the foot of the table next to Fensil. "Quite the predicament you've gotten yourself into, Elizabeth." Jerick sounded almost cheerful, which was bad, very, very bad. She tried to control her breathing, which was difficult with the gag still in. He motioned to a guard. "Take the gag out of her mouth. I want to hear what she's got to say for herself."

As soon as the gag was removed, Jerick walked over to stand right by her head, looking down. "I'll make you a deal, you tell me what you offered Sheppard to break you out of here and I won't activate your implant."

Elizabeth shook her head, "I'm sorry, sir," she said, knowing perfectly well that he wouldn't believe her, that she'd get the implant for this. But her only hope was to stall for time, to give John a chance. Why hadn't he come for her yet? He had to know something was wrong by now "I didn't offer him anything... I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Sometimes you're a really stupid bitch, you know that?' Jerick said, and turned on the implant.

She managed not to scream. When Jerick turned off the implant he waited for her to come back to herself, for her half-sobbing breathing to even out, "Fensil here bugged you. We heard everything you and Sheppard talked about… He's not coming for you, you know. I kicked him off the planet."

She stared at him numbly, horrified and yet not entirely surprised. She'd been right early this morning, when she hadn't been able to believe it was going to happen, that she was finely going to be free. 'No he's coming, John won't leave me here' the tiny voice of desperate hope said.

She shifted tactics. If she was going to be tortured anyway, if there was no way out of it, there was no point to groveling or begging for mercy, no point to lying except to throw Jerick off. "Then you know everything," she said, summoning up as much defiance as she could, "and there's nothing I can tell you."

This time the implant lasted much longer, and she did scream, twisting and struggling in her bonds as if escape could do her any good even if it were possible. After however many eternities he had the implant on, he released her just long enough to think it was over, and then did it again. She was crying when he finally released her in actuality... but nowhere near breaking.

She'd been tortured so many times with the implant that, horrible as it was, it just couldn't frighten her as much as the thought of breaking John's trust did. Not when he was her only hope of freedom, and she'd actually come to believe freedom was possible.

No, she would not break. She was too used to this, too experienced with pain. It hurt so badly she would wish at that moment she could die to make it stop, but her hate for Jerick, and her feelings toward John, gave her the strength to resist.

Several minutes into the interrogation, Jerick, obviously aroused by her pain, raped her. In a way that was almost a reprieve. Rape was easier to deal with than the implant, or else they'd never have been able to break her to her duties as a whore. Jerick frightened her, for the same reason the table she was on had terrified her – he'd been the first to violate her, and then had had her on at least a weekly basis ever since, always devising new and more terrible ways to hurt or humiliate her.

With other men she could pretend to enjoy it, was in fact very good at putting on a show for them, but she'd never been able to put on a show for Jerick – he was too frightening and hateful, her true feelings too raw, and besides he'd never expected it of her. He wanted her to scream, and cry, and beg, and he frightened her enough that he usually got what he wanted. But he didn't get it this time. He was brutal, and she hurt terribly, but after ten minutes of torture with the implant this was nothing.

Then he offered Fensil a turn, "Did Sheppard do it to you like this?" he asked, sneering as he raped her. "Did he fuck you hard, like this? You like it like this, don't you?" He dug his fingers into her buttocks, bruising her and slamming into her harder. She felt like she was being repeatedly punched inside. Fensil laughed at Elizabeth's whimpering.

When Fensil was done with her, he took his time drying off and pulling his pants back up, then turned to Jerick. "My friend, I think we might be going about this the wrong way. What ever she offered Sheppard must be important, making her valuable to him. And she knows that if she tells us the information, she becomes less valuable to Sheppard."

"So, what're you suggesting?" Jerick asked. "This one's a spirited bitch. Tried my best to knock it out of her, and I think I did a fucking good job considering what I had to work with, but she's still got it in her. Still thinks she's better than everyone."

"Well, then we aren't going about this quite the right way. Such a spirited slave must be very, very used to neurostimulation, and the service she performs regularly must have numbed her to the fear of rape entirely. Not that she wasn't pleasurable - " he leered grotesquely at Elizabeth, then turned his attention back to Jerick " – but I don't think our satisfaction had the intended effect on her."

"Get to the point, Fensil."

"Well as you know the advantage of neurostimulation can also be a disadvantage. It is exquisitely painful, but too much of it starts to numb the brain's ability to feel pain. And it doesn't cause any other damage. With an expensive whore like this one, you've taken great pains not to let her suffer any serious amount of physical damage. A few whippings for pleasure, some beatings for her defiant nature, but nothing severe. Nothing bloody or maiming, since that would damage her value. And I imagine that right now, our need for her information outweighs her value."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. She hadn't thought they could come up with an idea that would frighten her. She was, indeed, inured to rape, terribly used to pain, and resigned to death. But the idea of being mutilated, though... 'I won't break. I won't.'

"For instance," Fensil said, walking around behind Elizabeth's head so she had to crane back to look up at him, "her hands." He caught one restrained hand in his two, running leathery fingers over her palm and fingertips as she struggled to pull her hand free of him. "Obviously, a whore should have lovely, strong hands. It would be such a shame to have to break these beautiful fingers. But -" he pulled her pinky back until it could go no farther – "If we've already made the decision that she's outlived her usefulness, then it doesn't really matter, does it?"

Jerick stared down at Elizabeth, breathing hard. She stared back, begging him with her eyes not to let this happen. He found her personally valuable. Who would he have to torment on a regular basis if he killed her? If they broke her fingers how would she be able to get him off when he demanded hands and tongue both?

He shook his head once, sharply. "Yeah, you're probably right," he said.

With a grin Fensil pulled her fragile finger back all the way, snapping it. She screamed. "Now," Fensil said pleasantly, "you can start telling us what you offered Sheppard. Or, I can do another finger. You do have nine more of them."

The pain wasn't worse than the implant. Just different, just a style of pain she wasn't used to. It was pain that didn't stop when they stopped the torture, but it wasn't worse, she could live with it, and if John didn't come in time she would be dead and it wouldn't matter that her hands didn't work. She could deal with this. She could.

"Fuck you." Elizabeth gasped out between clenched teeth. No. She wouldn't tell them anything. She wouldn't. Either John would come, or she would die. And either would free her. She just had to hold out until one or the other happened.

--

As soon as he was back in Atlantis John turned to face Lorne, Ronon, and the Marines. "All of you in the jumper bay now. Lorne I want three jumpers prepped and ready to go ASAP." His tone left no room for argument.

"Colonel?" Caldwell quickly moved from the control room to the gate room.

Ignoring Caldwell, John activated his radio, "Cadman, Stackhouse, Bates, Stone, Fox report to the Jumper Bay now, full gear." Receiving various 'yes sirs' he headed for the Jumper bay himself.

"Colonel Sheppard!" Caldwell moved in front of John.

"In a nut shell sir, plan A just got shot to hell." Training was the only thing that kept John from plowing past Caldwell. "It's time to fuck being discrete and stealthfull. We're going in with force now. I don't care if I have to level the whole damn city, I. Will. Get. Elizabeth. Back. "

"Understood." Caldwell nodded his agreement. John went to move past Caldwell but stopped when the man grabbed his arm. "Bring her home Colonel."

A moment of understanding passed between them. "Yes sir."

In the Jumper Bay John immediately started calling out orders. "Stone pilot jumper four, Fox jumper three, Stackhouse jumper two, Lorne you'll take jumper one when we get back to the planet. Ronon, Cadman, Bates, and the rest of you Marines will be on the ground with me." Nodding their understanding the soldiers boarded the jumpers.

Trying to hail Jerick hadn't worked. The Minor Functionary who answered the hail reported that Jerick was very busy, in a private conference, and that the message would be passed on, but the Minor Functionary couldn't say when that would be. John hadn't expected much else.

So after the cloaked jumpers were through the gate John had Stackhouse land jumper two next to jumper one. "Teyla, keep the jumper cloaked but lower the hatch, Major Lorne's coming aboard." John ordered over his radio.

"Colonel what's going on?" Rodney's voice came over the radio.

"Change in plans. You, Carson, and Teyla stay in the jumper. Lorne will explain."

Once Lorne was aboard jumper one John led Ronon, Cadman, Bates, and the Marines towards the city, the four cloaked jumpers following them, ready to de-cloak when ordered.

--

John was coming. He wouldn't leave her there.

Elizabeth tried to believe, to hold on to that thought in the face of the torture. He would come for her, or she'd die, and either way she would be free. The pain would stop. She had to believed she could hold out. She'd suffered so much sincecoming here. But as horrible as the implant was, when it shut off, it was gone. The pain didn't linger. And there had been beatings and whippings and far too many rapes, and those pains lingered. But they were nowhere near the same league as what she was experiencing now.

John had to come for her. Jerick and Fensil were slowly breaking her down and Fensil wouldn't stop smiling, a broad, savage grin splitting his scaly face as he hurt her, again and again. The pain was unbearable, and everything they did added, nothing ever taken away. So it built and built and she knew, anytime they did something, the pain would last until she was dead, added to all the other pains. She should be dead by now; she began to long for it, but Jerick wanted to see her suffer and Fensil was skilled enough not to let her die.

--

"Halt!" An Arcadian guard called out as he spotted John and the other soldiers headed for the capital building. John ignored the man.

Hearing the commotion the Minor Functionary that had answered Atlantis' hail came bustling out of the building. "Colonel Sheppard," the man said smarmily, "I'm sorry but as I said earlier the Grand Patriarch is unavailable."

"Too damn bad for him, because you see Jerick is holding one of my people prisoner and I'm here to get her back." John said tightly. "And unless he wants to see his city leveled he'll hand her over now."

The Minor Functionary goggled. "You-- you can't be serious!"

"Very serious." John activated his radio. "Major Lorne."

"Sir." Lorne responded as all four jumpers uncloaked.

"Fire a warning shot over the capital building."

"Yes sir." Lorne fired a drone, skimming the top of the capital building.

"Now I'd prefer to minimize innocent casualties, but I will start targeting actual buildings next, if Jerick doesn't release his prisoner."

"I…I'll get him." The Minor Functionary disappeared back inside.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Sheppard? I ordered you off my planet!" Jerick yelled as he burst out of the capital building. "And I'm sure as hell not holding one of your people prisoner!"

"That's were you're wrong Jerick." John stared into Jerick's eyes, feeling his face settle into a hard, icy expression. "Elizabeth is one of my people. She is Dr. Elizabeth Weir a citizen of my home world Earth and the rightful leader of Atlantis. But more importantly she's family, you mess with one of us you mess with all of us. If she isn't returned to us immediately I will order my men to open fire."

"You're bluffing." Jerick tried to sound confident, but John could see the man starting to sweat.

"Lorne…" Lorne fired another drone at an empty building on the edge of the city. "All I want is one person Jerick, is she really worth the destruction of you city?"

"Fine you can have the bitch. She's worthless to me now anyway." Jerick signaled to two of his guards who disappeared back into the building.

Five minutes later the guards returned dragging a limp Elizabeth between them. Roughly dumping her on the ground the guards backed off. With the other three jumpers covering them Lorne landed jumper one lowering the hatch. The second the hatch was low enough Carson was out of the jumper headed for Elizabeth. John was a step ahead of him and already had her scooped up in his arms by the time Carson got to them.

Johnmanaged not to show a reaction, though horror overwhelmed him as he saw Elizabeth. She was naked, covered with blood, there were numerous bruises and cuts all over her body. One eye was swollen shut and he could see that several bones in her left hand along with the arm it's self was broken. He felt sick, but would not show it.

"Shh…" John soothed as Elizabeth weakly struggled in his grasp. "You're safe I've got you." She didn't say anything but did stop struggling.

Wrapping the blanket he'd grabbed from the back of the jumper around Elizabeth, Carson began giving her a quick look over until he was satisfied that she was stable enough to move. Between the two of them John and Carson moved Elizabeth towards the jumper.

Busy worrying about Elizabeth, John didn't notice Jerick pull out and aim a small weapon at him until he heard the distinct sound of Ronon's blaster going off. Whirling around John spotted Jerick sprawled out on the ground, a hole in his chest. This was one time he wasn't going to call Ronon on having his weapon set on kill. Although he was a little pissed that he didn't get to be the one to kill the bastard. Not wanting to risk any more destruction or death the Arcadian guards lowered their weapons and allowed the Atlantis team leave with out any resistance.

--

As soon as they were back in Atlantis Carson and a med team had Elizabeth on a gurney and were whisking her off to the infirmary. Leaving his team to fill Caldwell in John followed after the med team. He needed to see Elizabeth, needed to know that she would be ok.

Reaching the infirmary John could see a handful of medical personal crowded around a bed working on Elizabeth, she was more conscious now than she had been in the jumper. He noticed Carson standing just off to the side of the crowd, close enough to help if need be, be not in the thick of things.

"Carson?" John moved over to the doctor's side. "Why aren't you…"

"Believe me John it's killing me to not be in the thick of things helping, but I figured that under the circumstances it would be best if I let Dr. Biro take the lead on this one for now."

"John…" Before John could say anything he was cut off by Elizabeth weakly but firmly calling out for him.

"Shh…It's ok I'm here." John moved over to the bed gently grasping her uninjured hand.

"Knew…knew you'd come." She weakly squeezed his hand.

"Colonel," Dr. Biro spoke softly coming to stand next to John. "We need to get her into surgery."

"No…no…don't leave…" Elizabeth attempted to tighten her hold on John's hand.

"It's ok I'm not going anywhere." He softly kissed her forehead, running a soothing hand through her hair.

"Feel…safe…you…" She mumbled as the sedative she'd been given earlier finally took hold.

"She's gonna be ok, right?" John turned to look at Carson as Biro wheeled Elizabeth off to surgery.

"Aye physically she should be fine, given time. It's emotionally we'll have to wait and see about. But I have no doubt that with help from Kate and more importantly help from you she'll be fine."

"From me…Yeah that's the part that's got me terrified. I've never…I mean give me a weapon and point me in the direction of the enemy and I'll know exactly what to do, but something like this…?"

"Just be yourself." With that Carson followed in the direction Biro had disappeared.

"Myself, right." John was terrified that he would only make things worst.

--

Sequel is in the works.