A/N: So sorry for the delay! I have been sick for a while now, but I was able to finish this chapter today! :D I hope you all like it :)

Thanks to YappiChick for the beta! :D -- And to all of you who reviewed for the previous chapter!

Chapter 4:

John slowly started to wake up, the cold bringing him to his senses. His body felt like it was laying in the snow, and his ribs and head hurt.

The cold numbed the pain slightly, and John lifted his arm, his right hand carefully examining his ribs. He cursed when he touched the wrong spot, pain searing through his side.

Obviously broken… Better not do that again.

Next was his head. John reached up, and came across something unfamiliar.

He frowned, still a bit disoriented.

Opening his eyes, he found that it was already pretty dark. He'd obviously been out for quite some time. John raised his eyes, and finally figured out what he was using as a pillow.

His head was lying on Teyla's lap, who was slumped against the wall – her eyes closed.

John gasped, and sat up quickly, without thinking. He cursed loudly when his ribs complained, and had to use the support of the wall to keep himself from falling back.

Taking a few breaths, not deep since that would only cause more pain, the pain slowly numbed again.

John turned around and reached out to Teyla, looking her over.

Her cheeks were flushed again, and John could swear that her temperature had risen even higher than before. He could see a dark bruise forming on her right cheek, and he had to resist the urge to curse again.

What the hell had Michael done to her?

She appeared in even worse condition than she was when they first got here…

"Teyla?" he whispered, trying to wake her. He repeated her name, squeezing her hand carefully.

Teyla frowned slightly, and to his relief – opened her beautiful eyes for him.

"John. You are awake!" she said, grasping his hand with both of hers.

"Yeah… so are you," he answered, giving her a small smile. "I was worried sick. What did Michael do to you?"

She looked sad suddenly, and didn't look at him. "He injected me again," she answered.

He could see that she was mad at Michael herself.

John sighed. "I'm so sorry Teyla. I should've protected you…"

Teyla shook her head. "You did everything you could John. Do not blame yourself."

"Are you in pain?" she asked.

John shrugged. "Nothing I can't handle," he answered, but continued when Teyla gave him a stern look. "Couple of broken ribs probably…"

"And your head?" she asked.

"Just dizzy, doesn't hurt much anymore," he answered.

"Good," Teyla sighed, leaning back against the wall.

John moved to sit beside her, suppressing a groan because his ribs complained again. No need for her to worry even more.

"You know, I'm sure Carter has already sent another team. They'll be here soon," he told her.

She only nodded in response, shivering slightly.

"Are you cold?" John asked, concerned.

"Feverish," she responded honestly.

John frowned and moved to get out of his jacket, but she stopped him, shaking her head. "You need that yourself, and the movement will only cause your ribs more pain."

He sighed, knowing that she was right.

He lifted his arm carefully, and put it around her, pulling her close. "This will have to do then," he whispered, unable to keep a slight smile off his face.

Teyla chuckled beside him, and he knew that she was probably rolling her eyes.

xxxxx

Rodney and Ronon were both awake now. They had heard Teyla yelling John's name about an hour ago. It had stayed quiet ever since, which was very disconcerting.

They had both started yelling Teyla's name, but Ronon doubted that she'd heard them.

Rodney sighed – again. "Why aren't they coming for us?" he asked.

Ronon shrugged. Rodney seemed to think he had all of the answers, even though they'd been in the same cell from the beginning.

He obviously didn't expect an answer from him in return, because he didn't ask again.

xxxxx

Ronon was on his feet the moment he heard footsteps approaching.

He walked towards the door, and turned his head. Rodney heard them too now, and was struggling to get to his feet as quickly as possible.

Rodney stayed back, as closely pressed to the wall as possible.

Ronon's breath quickened and his grip on the bars tightened as he saw Michael.

He didn't step back from the door.

Michael stepped in front of him, keeping enough distance between them so that Ronon was unable to touch him. He had four of his hybrids with him again, and Ronon knew he was up to something.

Ronon simply glared at him, not saying a word. Fortunately, Rodney kept his mouth shut as well.

Michael inhaled sharply, narrowing his eyes.

He made a gesture with his hand, and the hybrids stepped forwards, one of them opening the lock. They stepped inside, and Ronon attacked the moment they did, aiming for their heads.

He managed to hit the first one, since it was to slow to defend itself.

It went down fast, falling to the floor with a thump.

The second one was not so stupid, and ducked, kneeing him in his stomach hard enough so that he doubled over in pain, coughing and gasping for air.

He heard Rodney's muffled cry from behind him, and moved to help him when he got shoved aside, his head scraping the wall when as went down. The impact left his right eyebrow bloody, and Rodney groaning in pain.

Ronon was pulled backwards, away from Rodney, and he felt something sharp come into contact with the back of his head. His vision blackened for a moment, causing his legs to stumble.

The hybrid continued to drag Ronon away, and his arms got pulled behind him, wrists secured together with what felt like a piece of rope.

Still dazed, he opened his eyes, lights on the stone walls coming into his vision every two steps.

He looked to the side, passing other cells. All empty ones, some with chains attached to the walls.

Turning the corner, he could hear hushed voices. Ronon gasped. Could it be Sheppard and Teyla?

As they got closer, the voices silenced.

Ronon waited in anticipation. If it were them, he could see if they were unharmed, and they would know he was ok too. Well... he was slightly bruised at the moment, but nothing he wouldn't recover from. Yet, anyway.

He craned his neck in an attempt to see inside the cell. The hybrid restraining him took another step, and he could finally see it.

He sighed in relief. It was Teyla and Sheppard. They were sitting next to each other, and Sheppard had his arm around her.

If he didn't feel like crap, and would the circumstances be different, he would've laughed at that sight.

Teyla was looking at Michael, an expression on her face that Ronon couldn't quite place, but Sheppard saw him right away.

His eyes widened, and he sprung up, wincing and his hand moving towards his ribs when he did so.

"Ronon!" He yelled.

Teyla took longer to stand up, using the wall as support.

"I'm okay," he managed yell back. "Rodney's fine as well," he added, choosing not to tell them the whole story.

He struggled, slowing the hybrid down.

They were almost out of view, and Ronon fought to see them for only a moment longer. This was what he was fighting for, he had to try and prevent Michael from hurting them any more than he'd already done.

Teyla and Sheppard kept yelling things, but he didn't understand them, couldn't hear them because he was pulled further and further away from them.

Their voices faded, and disappeared completely after a while.

Ronon frowned when they stopped moving, trying to see past Michael and the hybrids obscuring his view. He wondered what Michael had planned for him.

If he wanted to get information, Michael had chosen the wrong person.

TBC...

Thanks for reading! :D