Title: Lost

Author: atlantis child (Command Dynamics), innocent choir girl The Wraith return to Atlantis again. Spoilers for all seasons one and two.

Genres: Angst, Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Missing Scene

Warnings: Abuse, Character Death, Torture, Violence

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 7 "Can We Argue About This Back at the Jumper?"

Author's Notes: It's hard to visualize this as I'm writing it…so if it seems off, I blame it on the lack of visualizations. LOL. I like to be able to see things happening or know how things will react, but I couldn't really sink a ship, punch some holes in the hull and watch the water seeping in and then know the true impact of the jumper, so bear with me! LOL. Okay, so this chapter is uber short, but I shall add to this one ASAP!

John and his small team of Marines stayed close as Carson stayed in the middle. They trudged through the water that had entered into the ship with their guns held ready in case any stray Wraith decided to jump them. "Too bad the Wraith aren't like the Wicked Witch of the West," John muttered.

Carson just rolled his eyes, that was just like Sheppard. When he heard the Marines agreeing he wondered exactly if these men knew that things like that were only fictional. He was surprised with the things some people came up with. Usually it was how Rodney got hurt, but occasionally it was the odd pop cultural references from other expedition members.

Holding the Lantian life signs detector up, John led the group down the hall and as they got closer they could see the cell. There were a good dozen or so in the cell shivering with their arms wrapped around themselves. John's smile fell though when he realized that neither Elizabeth nor Rodney were in the cell. He had hoped that they'd pick the winning cell first. He just wanted to know she was okay…that she was alive. Staying back, he watched as one of the Marines forced open the cell and freed the Atlantis personnel. "Have any of you seen Doctor Weir?" he asked wondering if they knew at the very least if she was alive. When there was head shaking all around, his frown deepened. "McKay?"

"We heard yelling earlier," one of them explained, "It could have been directed at McKay. I heard something that sounded like 'Kay'."

"Thanks," John responded. That gave him a bit of hope that at least his friend was alive, but that still didn't help with Elizabeth. He watched as Carson quickly checked them all medically. "Why don't you take the jumper up to meet up with the other one," John suggested.

"If the jumper moves from its position, this whole section will flood," Carson argued. "Zelenka's already explained all this to you. Are you suicidal?"

John just looked at the doctor for a minute, "If I get through into the next sealed off section then I'll be fine."

"It won't be sealed off no more if you go through it."

"I'll be careful."

"You're gonna get yourself killed, that's what you're gonna do," Carson argued.

One of the Marines finally interrupted, "Can we argue this with Zelenka back in the jumper?"

"No."

Carson grabbed John's sleeve and started to pull him in the direction of the jumper, "You are not going to commit suicide on my watch."

John groaned and just gave in…for the time being. When they got back to the jumper he'd devise a better plan with Zelenka's help. He knew by the time they got the survivors they had found so far to the other jumper and then made it back that he'd already have found other survivors. It just made sense, he thought. But maybe he was the only one making sense.

"You should not go alone," Zelenka said putting his two cents in. "You might need at least two people."

Carson nodded, "You should at least take two of the Marines with you."

Zelenka nodded in agreement.

"Fine," John conceded. "Two Marines…of /my/ choosing," he emphasized. After John chose which of the Marines he waned to take, he set out with the proper gear. They had exactly fifteen minutes. Five to make it to the section of hull they needed to breech, to breech it, and then to close up the breech. At that time the jumper would pull away from the hull and a mass of water would flood the section.

TBC…