PART FIVE

John opened his eyes then rubbed them to try and clear his vision. He was in a meadow filled with wild flowers, right at the edge of his field of vision he could make out what appeared to be a forest. Looking around for some clue as to where he was, he noticed a figure walking towards him, recognising Laranne as she drew closer.

'Where the hell are we?' He demanded angrily as she reached him. 'What have you done?'

'I have done nothing,' Laranne spoke calmly, understanding John's fears and anger. 'You were severely injured, Dr Beckett is trying to heal your injuries as we speak.'

'What do you mean? Is this some kind of game?'

'No. I have brought you into my mind to explain what is happening. You are here only in spirit, your body is in the place of healing,' Laranne tried to explain. 'Dr Beckett can only heal the wound in your chest, you have another injury to your head that is too severe for him to heal.'

'You mean I'm dying?' John asked in disbelief. 'Now, let's try it again. Where have you brought me and why?'

'You need to listen to me carefully,' Laranne ignored John's questions. 'In a moment you will return to your own mind, but as I said, it is severely injured and needs to be repaired. You cannot do it on your own, that is why I am with you. I will not be able to do anything other than give you strength when you need it, the fight will be yours.'

'You're serious about this aren't you?'

'I am. When we get to your mind, you need to be prepared for what is to come, but you must know that should you fail, we will both die.'

'Well, let's get to it then, no point standing around here all day waiting for something to happen,' John said as sarcastically as he could, then fell silent as blackness surrounded them both and he felt a dizzying, sickening lurch and he fell to his knees. He could hear voices in the distance and he concentrated hard, trying to hear what they were saying. They were voices he recognised.

"There was a bullet lodged between his ribs and one of his lungs which has been repaired," Dr Beckett was saying. "But there's also a severe trauma to the head that I'm not able to treat. It's impossible to say whether or not he'll make it at this stage."

"Surely there must be something that can be done?" Elizabeth asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"I'm afraid not, all I can do is make him comfortable." Beckett spoke softly, reluctantly.

'No!' John tried to make himself heard as he scrambled to his feet. 'I'm here, I'm alright. Don't give up on me. Elizabeth? Beckett? You've got to do something.'

'They cannot hear you,' Laranne's voice spoke through the darkness just behind him. 'Look, it is growing light. You need to be prepared for the attack.'

'I don't know what you think you're playing at…' John began but was interrupted by something in the distance, a mass of moving figures getting closer. Looking hastily around him, John tried to form a plan of action, instinctively grabbing Laranne and retreating to a building looming up behind them that he hadn't noticed before. Scanning the rooms as they climbed the stairs, he was relieved to find a cache of weapons lying in the room at the very top of the building, knowing that now he wouldn't have to fight unarmed.

'You're lucky we found this place,' John snapped at Laranne. 'I wouldn't like to take my chances with that lot out in the open.'

'It is your mind,' Laranne informed him. 'Although the damage is severe you still have some control over what happens. Remember, if you lose this battle it will become harder to keep going and your advantage will diminish.'

There was no time for anything else as the first wave of attackers were now too close and John was hard pressed to keep the angry hordes at bay.

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It felt like he had been aiming and shooting for ever. He had changed weapons numerous times but though each new one had given him an advantage initially, the effect soon wore off and he was nearly overcome again.

Several times he felt he had nothing left to give, nothing to fight for, but each time that happened he felt a warm glow spread through his body and somehow regained his strength and determination to succeed. At last, just as his arms were aching painfully and his legs trembling with exhaustion, the enemy retreated and John was able to sink to the floor.

'You have done well,' Laranne told him as she crouched down beside him, wiping his face with a cool, damp cloth that refreshed him. 'But they will be back – this is only a temporary reprieve. Rest while you can, I will keep watch.' Unable to help himself, John closed his eyes and sank into peaceful oblivion.

The Stargate, Atlantis, the characters, stories and anything else that is seen in the show belong to the people who made them up. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author