Title: Salvation

Author: atlantis child (Command Dynamics), innocent choir girl John and Elizabeth are separated from the team during a diplomatic mission off-world when they are ambushed by Genii. Hope is far and survival is the only thing on John's mind. They must struggle against Kolya in order to keep information from him and to break out of the Genii prison. Spoilers for seasons one through three.

Genres: Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: Abuse, Character Death, Drugs, Torture, Violence

Rating: PG-13

Chapter: 4 "Dark Times"

Author's Notes: none.

Her cries and screams reached his ears and I took John a minute to realize that the cries…the screams were Elizabeth's. John pulled himself from the cold stone ground and launched himself to the barred window on the cell door. "KOLYA!" John yelled. He hadn't believed that Kolya would kill Elizabeth, but now her screaming had started to die down. He stopped moving and focused on the hallway.

John waited, his hands gripped tightly on the bars. Waiting for some movement from the room he knew so well. He watched as Kolya emerged first, followed by Genii pulling Elizabeth's lifeless body out. "KOLYA!" John yelled again wanting to gain Kolya's attention, but also to see if his raised voice would get Elizabeth to stir. When he only received a look from Kolya, John tried to break through the bars, even though he knew it was useless.

Kolya turned his attention back to his men. "Take her out and bury her in the pit." A smile formed on his lips as he heard John's cries his men disappeared around the corner with Doctor Weir. He paused for a moment before turning towards the cell and approaching John.

"I'm going to KILL you, KOLYA!" John told him emphasizing the last couple of words as he pressed his face against the bars practically spitting in Kolya's face.

"You underestimate me, Sheppard," Kolya told him smirking. "You could have kept her alive…but you refused to tell me what I wanted to know."

John's knuckles turned white as he tightened his hold on the bars. "You didn't tell me what you wanted to know!"

"Remember last time, Sheppard?" Kolya questioned moving a step forward. "My men are hunting down a new Wraith for you…"

"You think I'm going to tell you what you want to know now? You might as well kill me now, Kolya!" John spat before turning away from the door and retreating to the dark corner of the cell. John's head fell into his hands. He wasn't sure what to believe… Was she alive? Was she dead? Was it his fault? John could still hear her screams…haunting him.

The heavy door opened and a tray was slipped in before the door was slammed shut. John hadn't moved from his spot. He had been surprised that it had been two days since Kolya had taken him. He was also surprised that he had been brought a tray with what looked like something to drink, mush, and a piece of bread. Cautiously John moved from his corner and used his finger to dip into the mud colored mush before putting it into his mouth. His face contorted for a minute, it was awful…but at least it was something to eat.

The 'meal' wasn't anything substantial, but it was something… John wasn't even sure if the Genii would try to feed him. The power bars and water the Genii had allowed them to keep were all gone. But for all he knew this was his last meal. John almost wanted the meal to be poisoned…without Elizabeth what did he have to live for?

The door opened again and this time Kolya entered with a set of Genii guards. "Sheppard, on your feet," Kolya said sharply.

"Only if you're going to kill me," John responded not even bothering to look up at Kolya. "But I'm sure you don't need me to stand up in order to do that."

Kolya's men grabbed Sheppard and hauled him up and out of the cell. Dragging was done more than anything since Sheppard didn't seem in the walking mood. "Today, Sheppard, you're going to tell me what I want to know."

"I doubt that," he mumbled as he was strapped to the chair in Kolya's interrogation room.

"Perhaps I can sway your decision," Kolya said coolly. He folded his arms over his chest and stared at Sheppard. "Tell me about your relationship with Weir. Now did you just have a working relationship or did you love her? Because I know she cried out for you until the very end. Maybe you didn't love her, but she obviously cared for you."

John sat there listening to Kolya, trying to stay calm. He stared straight ahead and tried to ignore what Kolya was saying, but that didn't last long. He launched himself forward trying to fight against his bounds. "Shut up about Elizabeth!" He glared at Kolya as his guards pushed John back into place.

Kolya shook his head, "Doctor Weir," he started, but then corrected himself, "Elizabeth. Was your friend, was she not?"

"You know the answer to that!" John spat wishing that Kolya would just kill him and get it over with.

"Lovers?" Kolya continued.

"No," John responded lowly, continuing to glare at the man.

"But you cared about her…loved her?" he asked wanting to find out exactly how much leverage he'd have and how much more time he'd have with mind games.

John didn't respond at first wondering why Kolya wanted to know how much he cared for Elizabeth. But without really thinking he responded quietly, "Yes." Did it really matter now? Elizabeth was dead. No one was coming for them, or else he wouldn't still be there. He would be killed soon, so it seemed that really nothing mattered.

"Tell me what I want to know," Kolya repeated.

"What do you want to know, Kolya? You might as well tell me that before you kill me."

"Let's start with the code that you send to Atlantis in order for them to drop their shield," Kolya said.

John sighed; it suddenly felt like he was going to be alive a lot longer than he had originally thought. "Would you like my social security number, too? Maybe file my taxes?"

Kolya motioned for his men to leave the room and moved closer to John, "My men have informed me that they have found a Wraith and are on their way back, Sheppard."

"Promises, promises," he mumbled. "There's no reason I should give you any information."

"You need some incentive then?" Kolya asked, his voice calm and cool as he examined Sheppard.

"Not unless you can revive the dead," John told him moving his gaze down to the floor. Why was Kolya doing this? Did he just want to watch a Wraith feed off of him again and slowly drain away his life? He was sure it was possible, but didn't Kolya have better things to do? John could hear the other Genii enter, but he didn't even look up. He just wanted them to get it over and done with. He could hear Kolya move away from him, and John figured that perhaps he'd just be tossed back into his cell until they had the Wraith.

Kolya moved towards a very severely beaten Weir, who was still unconscious. He moved his foot until it made contact with her side and she produced a soft cry. "What's this?" he asked before crouching down and lifting Weir's bruised chin.

John lifted his chin to look over at Kolya and his eyes widened when he saw a broken Elizabeth slumped on the floor with Kolya holding her face up. "She's not dead…" he whispered. He probably wouldn't have believed that Elizabeth was alive, except for the cry that had come from her. Her dark locks were glued to the side of her face from the dried blood along which highlighted the bruising up and down the sides of her face. Her arm was lying strangely and John could only imagine that it was broken…and that was only what he could see.

"No, Sheppard…not yet she's not…" he told him. "But I can arrange for it to happen…"

"No!" John yelled launching up from his seat again. "Don't touch her! Kolya! Leave her alone!"

Kolya turned his attention back to Sheppard, "Tell me the code."

John slumped in the chair not knowing what else to do. With Elizabeth alive…there was hope. There was a reason for him to live. She needed to be protected…and John needed to find a way out. They needed to get home, and she needed medical attention. "I'll give you the code…" he said giving in. He had no other choice, John just hoped that the code he'd be giving Kolya was out of the system.

TBC…