The knife came down swiftly and pierced Elizabeth's left arm. John watched as she screamed out in pain and guilt clenched inside of him. It was his job to make sure nothing happened to her and he had failed.

Pulling the knife out of Elizabeth's arm Kolya wiped it clean.

"You could have prevented this!" he stated as blood from Elizabeth's arm dripped onto the floor.

"I will do far worse than this if you don't start co-operating," he continued menacingly.

John just glared at him while Elizabeth whimpered in pain.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lorne had organized several important rescue missions during his career but even he had to admit that this one surpassed the others. This mission was to rescue the two leaders of the most important expedition in the history of human kind and he needed to succeed.

Silently signaling to the members of the rescue team, he told them to move in. Reading the life signs detector the team quickly and easily disabled several guards. So far, it had been easier than they had expected. Checking the hand held again, Lorne tried to ascertain where Colonel Sheppard and Dr Weir were being held. The detector was showing him a room about a hundred metres away, guards standing outside it but what fascinated him the most was the dots inside the room. They'd found them!

"What? What is it?" a loud voice broke the silence.

Lorne turned sharply to look at McKay.

"We think we've found them." He whispered before signaling them to keep quiet.

Giving the team military hand signals, he instructed them on what they were going to do.

Ronon strode ahead ignoring the signals; he knew that they needed to find them now!

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

John felt his stomach clench as guilt rushed through him. He glanced at Elizabeth, catching her eyes he could see her fear and her pain. It was because of him that she was going through this. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand he was letting the woman he loved suffer something no one should, but on the other he couldn't give up his friends and his home. As hard, as it was John knew he had to remain silent, to protect the others even if he could not protect her.

"Times up Colonel…What is your decision?" Kolya rasped menacingly.

"I…WON'T…HELP…YOU!" John yelled back at him.

"You would sacrifice her?" Kolya shot back, grabbing Elizabeth and pulling her around to face John.

"I…I…" John stammered before shutting his mouth.

"I see you have made you decision…" Kolya sneered evilly before turning his back to John.

"Torturing her doesn't seem to be effecting you, maybe I should change my tactics?" he voice echoed.

John stared at his back in shock, not effecting him? This was destroying him! John knew that if he was free that he would kill Kolya with his bare hands just for touching Elizabeth.

John heard a tearing sound and hoped that it was not what he thought it was.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………