Thanks again for the reviews and the alerts - they are much appreciated! And to those anonymous reviewers, I apologise I can't reply because the system doesn't allow it.

So Teyla had to leave John in the desert, what a horrible decision to have to make. Now on with the story...

DAMAGED

CHAPTER 5

Elient couldn't remember his farder, but the pretty lady holding him close sparked a memory of soft golden curls tickling his face, and brilliant blue eyes the colour of the sky above.

He didn't know anything about where he'd came from but knew his mamoud had loved him. Sometimes while he slept, images of strange sights and smells tumbled through his brain, and he longed to remember more, but the soft touch of her hands as she swept back his hair, and the clean fresh smell of her skin stayed with him always, memories of a happier time before he woke up one morning to find he was alone, and his misery began.

Uncale Miennal had never wanted him, and Elient didn't know why. He'd always tried to be good, and would have done whatever he was told, but his uncale seemed embarrassed by his presence, unwilling to accept his help or even bare to have him near. In the end, Elient had been left wondering what he'd done wrong to deserve his punishment, forced to wear the heavy metal collar that chaffed his skin and left chained up outside, only allowed in, when the searing heat was at its worst and at late at night when it got bitterly cold. Even then he was ignored, except to be beaten if he dared move about. So he hadn't, instead just sitting in his corner shivering, wrapping his arms around his body with his eyes squeezed tight, shutting out his misery and praying that his uncale would learn to love him.

Constantly hungry, his mouth would water while his uncale ate, the smells making his stomach ache as he waited for scraps, but there was never enough when there was any at all. Taunted by the other children and ignored by the grown-ups, he'd been left alone and lonely in his silent world, spending the long hot days sheltering from the heat, as he tried to hide his tears from the others. Until the nice man came.

He'd been kind, and given him the most wonderful hard brown tablet. It was sweet, and tasted like heaven as it melted onto his tongue…was the gift the reason his uncale had been so cruel to him? Elient liked the man, and really hoped his punishment wasn't his fault.

Flooded with tears, sobbing, he'd been forced to watch while his Uncale whipped the man time and time again - it was horrible. Each time as the horse turned to race down the narrow path, Elient had tried to look away as the whip struck and the man writhed in pain. Not wanting to believe this was happening because of him, but he couldn't think of any other reason why the stranger would be punished like this. The woman, the nice man's friend, had tried to comfort him by shielding his face, gathering him close to stop him from seeing anymore… but he would never forget the agony on the man's face, or all that blood.

When it was over, the man was just left to hang there and Falack, the chief, had come over and without even looking at him, released him from his chain. Elient didn't know why they'd let him go, and his uncale was too busy helping the lady to even say goodbye, but he didn't care. He'd Just been happy to get away, hoping anywhere would be better than here, and sensing these strangers wouldn't do him any harm.

They hadn't gone far before the man fell from his grasp, and Elient was upset because he knew he'd failed him. It was his job to keep him steady, and he'd tried, he really had, but his arms hadn't quite reached round his waist, and the man had just been too heavy for him to hold. He could tell the lady was worried, as she laid her friend on the ground and gently tended his wounds, talking to him, to both of them, even though the man was asleep and he couldn't hear. She'd looked round to speak to him, smiling. It was a pretty smile, but her eyes were sad as she lifted him onto the horse beside her as they went to leave.

He could tell she didn't want to go and neither did he, as they rode off leaving his new friend behind. Elient understood they were going for help, and just hoped they could get it quickly, because even as a child, he knew no one survived in the burning heat for long.

ooooOoooo

Ronon knew he shouldn't have left him. Teyla had once said there was a time to follow orders, and a time to go with his instincts, and back in that tent, the sick feeling tearing apart his gut had told him Sheppard's plan was all wrong. None of that situation made any sense - they didn't even want the kid, so why the dumb challenge?

He 'd been pretty sure it was just an excuse to beat the crap out of him; he'd seen Sheppard have that effect on people before. Ronon didn't know why, but sometimes John just had to flash that lopsided smile of his to piss someone off, although in this case he reckoned the chief felt guilty, embarrassed his people hadn't taken better care of the kid, and was angry at John for humiliating him. Or maybe he just hadn't liked the look of his hair; some people were funny like that. Still, the way he'd tied Sheppard's hands showed he meant business...so why the hell hadn't he followed his gut and stopped him?

The answer – respect. Sheppard was a stubborn SOB, and could irritate the hell out him, but he trusted the man with his life and knew his instincts were seldom wrong. Ronon had been a soldier for a long time, most of his life in fact, and without a doubt Sheppard was the best CO he'd ever had. He was smart, brave, willing to give his life for any of them, which was also his greatest failing, because Sheppard didn't realise how important he was to the people here, his team or Atlantis. His buddy was a good man, too good sometimes, like when he'd spared Kolya, twice, then kept that dumb promise to the Wraith. Ronon still didn't get why he's done that, but while he didn't always agree with some of Sheppard's decisions, he respected the hell out the guy, but more than that, John was the brother he never had.

More than twenty-four hours had passed since he'd left him behind, time during which he hadn't slept, barely eaten and had run till he was fit to drop. Ronon wasn't good at waiting and never had been, even as a kid. 'Impatient' his mother had called him, the memory of her laughter as he burnt his fingers on the freshly baked cookies straight out the oven making a smile pull at the edges of his mouth.

Later, though, during the long gruelling years as a runner, his 'impatience' had served him well, as he hadn't had the luxury of staying anywhere for long, hardly daring to rest in case his presence brought the Wraith upon the inhabitants of whatever planet he found himself on. Always on the move, he'd barely taken the time to eat or sleep, constantly fighting just to survive until the day he'd met Sheppard, when his life changed forever. So, as Sheppard asked him to wait, he would – but not for much longer.

Yet he wasn't alone in his vigil, the others were there too, all of them hanging around the 'gate, his friends and John's, waiting. His could see his worry mirrored in their eyes. There was McKay, who couldn't stop talking but never took his eyes off the 'gate for a second, Beckett, who keep checking his kit time and time again like a man possessed, and Lorne, who never left for more than a few minutes at a time, searching Ronon's face for news each time he re-entered the room. Even Woolsey couldn't sit still, the suit more anxious than he'd ever seen him, watching the scene from the balcony above, almost as if he could will the 'gate to activate, which Ronon wished he could.

Although he reckoned Woolsey's patience was also coming to an end, something made very clear by his strained expression in the conference room that morning. The guy wasn't happy, but had been reluctantly prepared to give his military CO the leeway his rank deserved. Still, his clipped tones sounded more pissed than usual, and when he'd told Lorne to have a team ready, no one had objected, which was fine by him.

Ronon knew, hell they all did, that Sheppard could be reckless with his own life, sometimes getting so carried away with what he was doing, he didn't know when to quit. Just like the time he'd insisted on leading the rescue mission on Michael's ship to rescue Teyla. Only a few hours before the guy had nearly died, and how he'd survived so long with that freaking hole in his gut, let alone convinced Keller to patch him up and let him go, he still didn't know. He'd even got pissy with him for taking the C4 off his hands when he was doubled up and barely able to stand. The guy was a piece of work alright, brave to be sure, but sometimes the stubborn SOB needed protecting from himself.

ooooOoooo

Relief flooded the control room as the gate sprang into life and Teyla's IDC was received and acknowledged. But only the Athosian emerged from the brilliant blue of the event horizon, clinging to a small, dark haired child who lay unmoving against her chest. Sheppard was missing…nowhere to be seen.

However, within moments it was clear something was wrong, and Rodney watched on horrified when she stumbled and fell to her knees. She looked exhausted, her pretty face flushed and covered in sweat, her eyes glazed as sand spilled from her hair and scattered onto the 'gate room floor.

"Teyla! Get a gurney over here." He heard Beckett bark out the order as the doctor rushed over to her side, quickly taking the unconscious child from her before she dropped him, and looking around anxiously for someone to hand the boy to.

"Give him to me, Doctor." Rodney was surprised to find the request came from Woolsey, who had suddenly appeared at his side and was holding out his arms to receive the boy. "I'll take him to the infirmary while you attend to Miss Emmagan, but I want a full report on what's happened to Colonel Sheppard as soon as possible." Woolsey was clearly angry at the dirty, emaciated state of the child, his eyes dark and his face grim, but as usual the diplomat said nothing, only nodding in their direction before he walked briskly away.

"Please, Carson, leave me be, I will be fine." Teyla protested in a exhausted tone, her voice dry and croaky. Though Carson didn't move, supporting the woman while she grabbed the proffered bottle of water and after taking a large gulp, she continued. "You must leave now and get to John quickly," she panted. "He was subjected to a brutal whipping and took a heavy blow to the head...he hasn't regained consciousness since." Her voice stuttered then, and Rodney saw her eyes fill with tears. "I didn't want to leave him, but he was unresponsive, and too heavy for me to move as well as the boy, so may the Ancestor's forgive me… but I had no choice."

While Beckett rubbed small circles on her back, he caught Rodney's eye and the scientist saw his concern. "Of course you didn't, love. We all know you would have got him back here if you could," he said, using the calm reassuring tone Rodney reckoned they must teach in medical school. "Just tell me the full extent of his injuries, and where he is, and we'll have him back home and tucked up in bed before you know it."

"No, I'm coming with you," Rodney heard her call out, then shared a worried look with Ronon as Teyla tried to get up and tear herself away from Beckett's ministrations, but barely got to her knees before quickly falling onto the floor.

"Do what the doc tells you, Teyla, and we'll take care of Sheppard, " Ronon said, in a tone that brooked no argument, though his words didn't seem to register, as she still appeared hesitant.

"Ronon's right, Teyla, " Rodney reasoned, trying to back up one team mate, while hoping to make another accept the help she needed. "Don't worry. We'll get him home, just tell us where to find him."

For a moment time seemed to stand still, until he saw her weary head nod slowly and her shoulders slump, as all the remaining fight left her body. Teyla looked heartbroken, but deep within her eyes Rodney could tell she realised he was right.

ooooOoooo

"This is the spot, isn't it?" Beckett could hear the note of panic in Rodney's voice as the red-faced scientist knelt beside the small outcrop of rocks where Teyla had told them she'd left the colonel, but apart from a large pool of dried blood, there was no other trace the man had ever been there.

Beckett tried to shield his eyes from the glare, knowing the rescue party couldn't stay exposed to the sweltering afternoon sun for long, worried that everyone was already struggling with the heat. Even Lorne, who was usually a closed book, appeared concerned, as he wiped the sweat streaming from his face. "I don't think we're going to find any more answers here, Major." Carson reasoned with Sheppard's XO, as they visually scanned the barren landscape. "Why don't we retire to the jumper and do another sweep of the area? If the colonel did regain consciousness, it's unlikely he could have gone far."

"Already been done, Doc," Lorne replied, his usual upbeat tone sounding dejected, "but there was no signal from his subcutaneous transmitter. I suppose it could be the heat that's interfering with it, but not likely. Or maybe it got damaged somehow. Anyway, I'm going to keep searching…all night if I have to. In the meantime, we need to get everyone back to the jumper, because none of us will last long in this heat."

Carson nodded, relieved the major shared his opinion, but loath to leave all the same. As he witnessed the argument going on between Ronon and Lorne, he couldn't blame the big Satedan for not wanting to go, neither did he, but the professional in him knew nothing would be gained by yet another member of the team languishing in the infirmary from heat stroke.

The confusion on Rodney's flushed face said it all though. None of this made any sense, not one single thing. From what Teyla had told him, the blood loss John sustained would have been enough to leave him severely weakened. However, combined with the worrying head injury, by rights the colonel should still have been here, most likely still out for the count. So where the bloody hell was he, and more to the point - who had taken him?

ooooOoooo

TBC

Well, was that a surprise? So where is he, and who has him? We'll get part of the answer in the next instalment. Hope you enjoyed this chapter though, and please review, as I really do love to know what you think.