Well, I was looking through my last chapter, when I realized how long it had been since I had updated! Yikes! So sorry for the wait, and I hope you like this chapter. I have been working this out in my head, and I think there are going to be fourteen chapters. That is, unless some dang plot bunnies come and bite me in the butt.

P.S. Thankies to my sis, Alaena Night. She is my beta! (Hugs sissy until her eyes pop out)

The rain still had yet to let up. In fact, it had gotten worse. Lightning lit up the sky as John stared out into the falling rain. The thunder echoed off of the walls of the cave, making it seem louder than it really was. John sighed, fingering Nickolai's hair. The little boy was sleeping now, his head resting on John's lap. He was snoring quietly, the occasional twist or turn the only movement that he made. John sighed, letting his hand rest on Nickolai's stomach, the sound of the rain pounded in his ears as he watched it fall. He had been here for nearly five days. He thought that after so long, he would be used to the sounds of the rain. But he wasn't, and he didn't think he ever would be.

"Daddy?" Nickolai mumbled. John looked down in surprise, relieved to see the little boy still sleeping. He was dreaming. His face features were a mix of happiness and sadness. John rubbed his hand through the boys hair, whispering quietly, trying to calm him down as he began to thrash about.

"Shh ... " John placed his other hand on Nickolai's stomach, attempting to steady him as he brushed his left hand over Nickolai's forehead. He seemed to calm down a little, his hands going out to clutch the hand that was planted on his stomach. John smiled, still running his hand through Nickolai's hair as the boy fell back into a peaceful sleep.

Turning back to the rain, John gently pulled his hand free from Nickolai's, reaching back to finger the tracking device that sat in his back, embedded deeply in his skin. He sighed, pulling his hand away. He couldn't - no, wouldn't, risk going back to Atlantis with that thing in his back. Even if they managed to out live the rain, he wouldn't be going home anytime soon. Dropping his head gently back against the rock, John took Nickolai's lead and tried to fall asleep. His eyes closed, the gently pound of the rain lulling him into a fit full sleep, filled with nightmares that mostly involved what Ronon was planning on doing with Teyla.

"Up!"

John awoke the next morning to the loud yell of Nickolai. He looked around the small cave; small bits of light now filtered inside. It was bigger than he had originally thought. The cave dipped down near the back, nearing three feet when you sat down. Too bad he hadn't known that last night.

"Let's go!"

Nickolai seemed as though he was on a very large, very intense sugar rush. John pulled himself up, the events of the last week crashing back to him. Soon, he was ready to go and he and Nickolai jumped out of the cave into the morning light.

The thunder and lightening had stopped, but the rain still fell. After walking through the mud for what seemed hours, John turned to Nickolai.

"Do you know where we are going?" John asked, beginning to question his judgement in letting the child lead them.

"Yup," Nickolai said simply, climbing over a rock, nearly slipping on contact. He was wearing sandals, made by hand from the look of it, and they didn't agree with the soaking wet rock. John reached out to catch him, butNickolai caught his balance at the last moment, grabbing onto a slick branch jutting out from a nearby tree and hoisting himself up and over the large obstacle. John climbed over it after him, jumping down into the soft and muddy grass on the other side. Nickolai continued to walk forward, not stopping or speaking. John decided to ask the question that had been bugging him.

"Nick, how do your people read minds?

"Hmm?" Nickolai looked back, stopping for a moment.

"How can your people read minds?"

Nickolai continued walking for a minutes, finally looking back at John and answering.

"Some people came to my planet many years ago, before I was born. They forced many of my people to undergo tests. A lot of tests. No one quite knew what they were for, but my mom began to find out when she experienced thoughts not her own. She nearly died. Then she found out she was with child. My dad kept her away from everyone, so she wouldn't be overwhelmed with thoughts, until it was nearly time for me to be born. She started hearing my thoughts, and only mine. I guess it was a certain connection we shared that kept her from dying. When I was born, I could still hear my moms thoughts, and anyone else's who I wanted to. It was strange. Anyway, several other mothers began experiencing the same things with their children. After the babies were born, they no longer heard thoughts. But we do. There were thirty mothers that could read minds, and they each passed it onto their children. Many before me, a few after me. I am one of the youngest. Many of the others are already grown and have children of their own." Nickolai said, hopping over another log and continuing on as if it did not bother him that people had run tests on his kind that he knew nothing of. "A large group of the older kids taught us younger ones how to block thoughts, to only read minds when we wanted to."

"So only some of your people can read minds? What about your sister?" John asked, running to catch up with Nickolai.

"I don't know about my sister. She was special. I tried to read her mind a few times, but she had a block, it wouldn't let me in." Nickolai explained. Changing the subject, he said, "we are almost there, we should be quiet."

Soon, John and Nickolai were sitting outside a small hut, their bodies hidden behind a fallen tree. John turned to Nickolai.

"Nick, would you read Ronon's mind for me? I need to know that Teyla is OK."

Nickolai seemed hesitant about it at first, not wanting to do something his father told him was wrong.

"Please?" John asked softly. Nickolai caved.

"Alright."

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on catching Ronon's thoughts. John watched asNickolai sat totally still for nearly a minute, his body stiff and unmoving. Finally, he opened his eyes and turned back to John.

"She is alive. Ronon will not kill her until he has you. He is using her to catch you, then he will dispose of you both," Nickolai reported. John nodded, taking a deep breath in and slowly letting it out, the relief clear on his face. He turned to Nickolai.

"Thank you, Nick. I know you didn't want to do that."

"You're welcome. Come on, let's go save Teyla." Nickolai smiled, crawling his way out from behind the fallen tree. John followed.

"Do we need a plan?"

Forty-five minutes later,John and Nickolai, soaked to the bone and slightly on the frozen solid side, were ready to go. John grabbed the self made bomb, wrapping his fingers through the pin and taking a deep breath, waiting for the signal from Nickolai to throw it. Nickolai sat on the other side of the hut, ready to run inside the secret entrance as soon as Ronon left to find out what was happening. Soon, Nickolai gave John the signal and he threw the bomb. It flew through the air, landing in a patch of twigs and blew up, fire and black powder fling everywhere and showering their surroundings in debris. The tree caught fire. John prayed that the fire would be put out from the rain before it got out of hand, but he feared that would not be the case. Once a fire got going good enough, and gained enough momentum, it couldn't be put out by anything. Even water.

Nickolai didn't waste a second. Ronon ran out of the hut. John followed Nickolai inside, smiling in relief when he saw Teyla, seemingly unharmed, sitting up be the campfire. There was now a gag in her mouth, and she couldn't speak. Nickolai pulled it out, throwing it to the side.

"John!" Teyla exclaimed, struggling against her bonds as Nickolai cut them off. John took her hand, pulling her to her feet. She rubbed at her wrists, trying to get the circulation running again. The bleeding had stopped, but they were still sore.

"Come on, Teyla, we have to get you out of here."

The three ran out of the hut, just as Ronon ran back in. They could hear his scream echo through the trees as they ran. John picked up Nickolai, for his little feet could not carry him fast enough.He and Teylaran through the thick trees, the fire licking at their feet. During the day, the rain seemed to let up, almost to where it was only a soft drizzle, and when under the protection of the trees, you barely got wet. The fire was feeding off of the trees, as soaked as they were, and kept on going.

John knew that they had a forest fire on their hands. The rain would not pick up until nightfall, and by then, the fire would be unstoppable.

P.S. I saw the thing on fire on a show called Perfect Disaster. Once it gets going long, and hard enough, not even water can stop it. It travels up the trees, jumping from one to the next, and the wind (if any) carries it everywhere.

Hope you like this chapter! About the fire thing, it will play a big part in the next few chapters.

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