A.N.- Don't own them, never owned them, kinda wish I did.

Trouble: chapter seven

Carter sighed as the connection cut in mid-scream. She stood there fighting back her tears, staring at the 'gate. She had encountered situations like this before at the SGC, many times but it had never been thrown in her face with such demands. Never been transmitted for all to see. The pain was one thing but the humiliation of helplessness was over powering in private and she had no idea how it must feel to have it publicized to your men and in this case, your friends. Sam knew she should have the forces mobilizing and preparing to embark, but she could not take her eyes off the screen where he had been hanging in agony, left to his misery.

"Ma'am?" Lorne said gently behind her. "Should we prepare the forces?"

Carter nodded numbly. "Take teams 4, 9 and 6. You'll leave ASAP."

"Yes, ma'am." He ran out to assemble the teams, radioing Ronon and Rodney as he jogged.

Twenty minutes later, Lorne found himself in the gateroom with the two other teams.

"Ready?" Lorne asked as Rodney and Ronon walked up, McKay snapping a clip into his P-90.

"Yup." Ronon smirked as another bang echoed through the gateroom.

"I guess Teyla isn't taking the whole staying here well, huh?" Lorne observed, peering up into Carter's office as Teyla bent low to pick up the chair she had just thrown to the floor.

"Did you expect her to?" Rodney answered, sarcasm lacing his voice.

"Not really." Lorne shrugged, turning back to the 'gate as it activated.

John groaned again as another wave hit him. He could no longer push the pain down anymore. It had grown too strong, coming in unbreaking waves of agony. His world was white. He did not question why it was white when his eyes were closed, his mind too clouded to piece together a coherent thought. A voice floated like a phantom through the fog, indistinct and ghostly. It was gentle, lulling him into a peace in the midst of his pain. He wasn't aware of his surroundings, shapes hovered around him, some real and others hallucinations in his drug induced state. But he couldn't tell the difference, whether it was Kolya's face leaning over him or Sara's. Maybe Elizabeth's. He didn't know. All he knew was pain, the never ending agony. Colonel Sumner screamed in the dark corner, his life slowly being drained by the wraith queen who stood over him. A voice in his ear wavered between his dad's and ford's, speaking of their disappointment. Elizabeth was fussing over him but sometimes he saw her as Sara. The pain was all he knew.

"Where is he?" Ronon asked, the scientist he had pinned against the wall whimpering in fear.

"I..I..I don't k-know." He stammered. "I'm just a assistant."

Ronon growled and dropped the small man, who quickly ran off to hide in a corner.

"All right, let's go." Ronon's voice was gruff.

"Right, let's find him." Rodney agreed, adjusting the strap on his P-90. They quickly ran off into an adjacent hallway. Lorne following them, silently, his men effectively holding Sora's troops at bay.

The small hand-held device in Rodney's hand continued to blink. Three people. Three stinking people. No Sheppard. Where was he? They continued to search each room they came across,whether they had life signs or not, hoping not to find him in those rooms. Tempers and worries ran higher with each step. Rodney nearly screamed when two blips appeared on the edge of the screen.

"Ronon...Ronon..I've got him." McKay caught the man's arm and pointed to the screen.

"Be careful, Ronon. We don't know for sure who it is." Lorne warned him as all three ran off towards the life signs.

Ronon sprinted around the corner, he could hear Rodney behind him, huffing in deep breaths, and the Major easily keeping up. They skidded to a stop in front of the door, exchanging glances. Nodding to McKay, his gun held ready in sweaty palms, and Lorne, Ronon kicked the door in. It swung open with a loud thud, making Sara jump at the sudden sound. The three men froze at the sight in front of them. Sara knelt next to the Colonel. He wasn't moving, hanging limply on the chains, unresponsive. Rodney's heart leapt into his throat at the sight of his injured friend. He was dead. John Sheppard. The man who had faced Wraith Queens, flown in the midst of Wraith dog fights, fought the Genii and Replicators, and survived the feeding of a starving wraith. How could a woman have reduced him to this. From a strong, unbreakable soldier to a weak and broken man. Rodney was so lost in his thoughts he barely heard Sara's urgent scream.

"Please! He's still alive!" She yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please, the antidote is in the next room! We must help him." She mumbled, pushing herself to her feet and stumbled to the three men. Lorne turned on a dime and followed her to the next room. Ronon snapped out of his shock, quicker than Rodney did. He knelt before his commanding officer, gently lifting the man's head. The pulse was weak but present. Now that he was touching John, he could feel the minute trembling of his muscles.

"Don't worry Sheppard, we'll get you out of here." He began to mumble doubting the man could even hear him, but he spoke anyway, his time in Atlantis teaching him that sometimes to talk is it's own comfort. To his disbelief, John's eyes fluttered open to mere slits. He moaned in pain, a grimace on his lips.

"Sheppard?"

John's eyes slammed shut again and his breathing turned into convulsing gasps. His spasming muscles grew even more pronounced, shaking the chains.

"Just hold on, Sheppard." Ronon did his best to comfort the writhing man. "McKay! Where are they?"

"I..I don't know..." The scientist stammered before running out of the cell.

A.N.- Thanks so much for sticking with me!!! The reviews have been amazing!!!