Thanks to those who reviewed/followed so far...much appreciated.
Days had passed and Carson was softly humming a tune as he lay on the cot in his room; he was trying to distract himself from the pain in his leg and the worry over what was happening to John.
On the first visit from the manor's healer; Carson had been given water and soap to clean himself and servants clothing to wear, and he was grateful at least to be rid of the tattered Atlantis garb that he had to peel off of himself.
He looked down at his body and sighed deeply, remembering John barreling into him and taking the brunt of the meteor's power; saving him from death but being hurt badly himself in the process.
Suddenly, the door to the room opened and Sarek shuffled in, with his head down and carrying a tote bag and a tray of food.
Carson sat up gingerly pulling his hurt leg off the cot.
"Ma friend, how is he? I need ta see him; ya can't keep me locked up like this!" he exclaimed.
Sarek glanced up at him and Carson saw a large bruise on the young man's face.
"Wha…who did that to you, son?" he reached out to examine the bruise but the young healer jerked away and put the tray of food on the table.
Earlier that morning, Sarek had tried to get out of helping Carson; he did not want to keep tending to him.
This foreigner…he was like an anvil hanging over the young healer's head; the dread of his presence mocking Sarek continually, even at night as he tried to rest.
However, Lucius in his own special way had made it clear that Sarek was to do as he was told.
"I brought you water and some food." Sarek murmured. "The Sovereign would like me to check your wounds."
"Did he do that to you?"
Sarek looked as if to say something, and then started pulling out clean bandages from his bag.
Carson winced as Sarek checked the slowly healing wound on his head, then started to unwrap the bandages around his leg, He had heavy bruising running up his leg, and his ankle was broken.
The young healer had tried his best with the poultices he used, even making a small brace for the leg, but he was obviously out of his element making Carson wish he was back on Atlantis; the modern medicine would have given him a reprieve from the deep ache he was feeling.
"Please...how's ma friend?" Carson whispered. "Sarek…"
Sarek did not look up until he was done, fresh poultice and bandages wrapped around Carson's leg and ankle, the brace back in place.
"Your wounds weren't as bad as the Sovereign's son, they should heal soon." Sarek rose and started to pack his things away.
"We can help you…" said Carson, afraid that he'd be left alone again. "Just let me contact ma people..." he pleaded.
Sarek scowled grabbing the tote bag.
"Wait lad...please…don't go…"
Sarek hesitated, his back to Carson. "Tell...tell me how your medicines work." he whispered.
Lucius had been so happy over his son's return to health; but the fact that it was not Sarek's own medicine that accomplished this made the young healer nervous for his job...for his life.
"Wha...ma medicine?" murmured Carson, confused; then he understood.
"Sarek…son...you find a way to help me and ma friend get out of here and I will tell you everything about ma medicine. You will be amazed at what I know...and can teach ya."
Sarek turned his head slightly to Carson, chewing on his lip in thought.
Should he dare? He hardly knew enough...if this man could teach him...
Suddenly, the image of an angry Lucius finding his son had escaped filled Sarek's mind.
"Guard!" he shouted banging on the door, then spun around to face Carson.
"Never mind, I don't need your help, you tried to warp the mind of my Master's son. I won't be a part of your delusions."
Sarek glared at him, then hissed, "I'm the better healer!"
The door to the room opened and within moments, Carson was once again left alone; he looked at the tray and sighed pulling it towards him.
Lucius was happy to hear from Odalia that Nahkhan's strength was returning. He had left him in her care hoping she would remind him of home and what he had run from so many years ago.
He had kept his son locked in his room for his own good, allowing Odalia to visit daily to tend over him; however, with Nahkhan's returning physical strength, the delusions he spouted had not diminished along with his questions over his friend's whereabouts.
The guards moved aside as Lucius entered one of the cells in the lower part of the manor.
Earlier, he had gone to his son's room to confirm how well he was getting, only to be attacked by his own flesh and blood.
"Nahkhan..."
John sat on the ground against the far wall of the cell glaring at him, the black eye Lucius had given him throbbing deeply.
This had gone on long enough; he wasn't physically at 100% yet, but he had to figure a way out of this, for him and Carson. After being locked in the room he had woken up in for over a week, with food and water being brought to him by the well-guarded old woman; John had seen his chance when he overheard one of the guards mentioning that Lucius would be visiting him. John had chosen the heaviest object he could find in the room that he could hold comfortably; a small bust of some unknown person and had waited in an alcove near the door.
If he could somehow gain the upper hand, maybe hold the man as a hostage…
When the door finally opened later that evening, John waited as Lucius stepped into the room, his back to him, then swiftly raised the bust high with both hands and heaved it at Lucius' head; but the giant had weaved at the last moment, the bust slamming against his shoulder instead.
John came to on the ground a few minutes later, a siren going off inside his head; one side of his face a study in shattering pain. He didn't even recollect seeing Lucius move towards him, the man was fast.
Gazing at his son, Lucius could see the wheels of violence turning in his mind.
He couldn't help but feel somewhat proud of that; even in his son's state, the Daravilus blood still flowed through him.
"That bust was quite heavy...I could have been badly hurt." smiled Lucius.
John continued glaring at him.
"I've had all the dangerous items removed from your room; when you are ready to return you will be safe there."
John tuned the man out and quietly tried to size up the situation.
He couldn't allow himself to be locked away again.
"So… nothing to say, Nahkhan? No remorse for trying to kill me?"
John forced his face to soften. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking clearly."
Lucius stared at him "No, apparently you were not."
"I was tired of being locked up. Let me go back to my room, but...not locked in... I was confused, I'm better now."
"You've been gone a long time, Nahkhan; do not mistake my love for you as weakness." Lucius turned, nodding to one of the guards who motioned to someone out of John's line of sight. Moments later another guard walked into the room, his hand gripped tightly on Carson's arm.
John rose to his feet, at the sight of his friend who looked thinner, disheveled and was still limping heavily. John opened his mouth, then snapped it shut and turned to Lucius.
"Why is he here?" he asked while trying not to look at his friend.
Carson's eyes flicked wildly from John to Lucius and back again. It had been so long since he saw John, the dread of him being dead washing over the Scot again and again. For all the days he was kept in the room, the only person Carson saw after Sarek's visit, was the silent guard who had entered his room only a handful of times within those days with a tray of just bread and water.
Lucius nodded to the guard who pushed Carson to his knees; the guard pulled out his weapon and held it to Carson's head.
Carson stared at John his mouth moving silently.
Was he praying? John's heart clenched as he watched his friend prepare for death.
John pursed his lips, his eyes flicking to the weapon, weighing the chances that the guard would actually shoot.
"He will shoot, on my say so." said Lucius as if reading his mind.
"This man means nothing to me." murmured John, eyes flat as he looked at his captor; he didn't want Carson used as a bargaining chip.
Lucius smiled at him then raised his hand and John watched the guard's finger slowly start to pull on the trigger.
Carson's eyes widened at John, his body trembling.
John's heart slammed in his chest, as he glared at Lucius, his eyes flicking to the guard's hand holding the weapon on Carson, then back to Lucius who looked at him in amusement then turned to the guard, shaking his head and lowering his hand.
"Your face betrays you, my son. I can see how much you care for your friend."
"If anything happens to him..." hissed John.
"If anything happens to him, what? What will you do, Nahkhan?"
"I won't miss the next time." stated John, his tone, dark.
Lucius and John stared at each other, the taller man finally nodding.
"Bring them both." he ordered the guards.
John cursed under his breath as he was half walked half dragged down a hallway by a surly looking guard; it was hard to stay upright with shackles tight around his ankles and wrists and the guard seemed to be grabbing his arm ridiculously tight for the situation he was in. He could feel his arm growing numb.
"Is this a date?" John murmured, "Cause you're really not my type..."
The guard only grabbed his arm harder and yanked him along.
"Where are you taking us?" John asked looking over in sympathy at Carson who was struggling along next to him in the same predicament.
Lucius who was storming down the hallway in front of them stopped suddenly, turned and lunged at John grabbing him by the hair and slamming his head against the wall.
With no way to defend himself, John hit the wall with a loud thud and collapsed to the ground.
"Colonel!" shouted Carson, struggling against the guard holding him.
Lucius growled, glaring at Carson with fire in his steel grey eyes; causing Carson to freeze in fear.
Then the man turned back to John who was just struggling to sit up, while holding onto the side of his head.
With one hand Lucius grabbed the shackles around John's wrists and yanked him to his feet, then turned and strode down the hallway pulling him forward as he struggled to gain his footing.
A few minutes later they arrived at their destination and John and Carson were unceremoniously dumped to the ground.
Lucius crouched in front of them, and glared at John.
"Why must you test me so?"
John stared at him through eyes etched in pain.
"You are going to be so screwed when I get out of these shackles." he replied, forcing a smile to his lips.
Lucius scoffed, stood and turned his back on them talking to one of the guards.
Carson turned to John, mouth agape at the Colonel's bravado.
John winked, giving the doctor a small pained smirk in return.
"You okay, doc?" he asked softly, his eyes suddenly serious scanning his friend's face.
"Was worried about ya..." Carson's reply came out breathy, nervous, his eyes never leaving John's face.
"Nothing to worry about…we're getting outta here." he replied, with another quick smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes; some of his wounds still ached but dwelling on them wouldn't help the situation they were in. John gave him a friendly nudge with his elbow and Carson couldn't help but offer a grateful grin in return.
"Finished with your little reunion, are we?"
Both men turned to look up at Lucius.
"Son, I thought that you needed a little time to contemplate things, but that doesn't seem to have done any good."
He glanced at a metal door next to them, then motioned to a guard and nodded towards Carson.
"Wait, what…" started John.
The guard grabbed Carson dragging him to his feet and removed his shackles as Lucius smiled at John then pressed in a code on a small panel on the wall and the door slid open to darkness; a cool breeze emanating from the inky blackness within.
"You seem to care about this crippled one."
"Aye, I ain't crip…" Lucius backhanded Carson across the face shocking him into silence.
"Crippled with a speech impediment. Say goodbye to your friend, son."
John's eyes flew to Carson feeling the fear emanating of off him.
"No...no...take me...I'll go!" shouted John.
Lucius grinned.. "No, this way is much better."
John could only watch as Carson, eyes wide in terror was shoved into the dark room the door sliding shut behind him.
"No!" John struggled forward as the guards held him back.
Lucius made him stay until screams could be heard coming from behind the door, until he could see the despair in John's eyes; then he ordered the guards to return him to his room and lock him in.
-tbc-