STARGATE ATLANTIS
PRIMIS : THE HURTING
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It was the last straw for John.
The Wraith that had dominated his dreams for days – strike that, nightmares; other than the Queen herself, was now a couple of arm's length away from him again and he knew he could not fight against his weakening body any more. Seeing him again was worse than a physical blow to his body from the wraith's closed fist itself. He remembered the long hair draping over his body as he moved around the table he was strapped on and he couldn't move away from him being held down by the strong restraints. He shuddered at the memory.
John felt his legs go from underneath him even as Ronon grabbed him around the waist to stop his fall to the ground and held him upright, lending support when he needed it the most. Teyla, he knew, had come to stand at his other side in silent support. It would not look good to have both of them hold him up. He blessed the way they knew he needed to give the impression he looked stronger than he outwardly was. It was an act, a performance that he needed to achieve. If only everyone could be convinced – somehow he doubted it would last.
"So…" John started, "we do meet again! Can't say it's made my day." He quipped through a voice he hoped sounded stronger than his ears witnessed.
Van'te'enna grinned those wraith teeth which was matched by an equally furious Satedan one. Ronon growled low in his throat and shifted his sights constantly between wanting to pounce on Santana or Van'te'enna. He moved forward slightly, but the unmistakable slight, by authoritative hold of John's hand on his arm held him back – for now.
"Well, it has certainly made mine!" Van'te'enna laughed and threw his long hair over his shoulder in glee. John bristled at the motion, but took a step forward. "I'm not going back with you."
Santana stood with his mouth slightly open. He obviously had had no idea Van'te'enna and Sheppard had a past history. And yet, now that he thought about it, it was obvious that Sheppard would have been on the new, larger Hive with Van'te'enna and his Queen.
"I trust I have pleased you well?" Santana smiled. "Enough to return my favour from all those years ago?"
"I hold what you did for me back then in high esteem still, Santana, and it seems you add to the value of it too. I presume you expect more than I think of equal amount what with bringing me John Sheppard, our most sought escapee?"
"I ask only my original want; that of…"
"Silence!" Van'te'enna held up his hand swiftly. "…do not tell this vermin what you yearn for."
Santana obediently closed his mouth with a sharp bite, breathed in and exhaled loudly at the way he had just been spoken too, but he did not reply. Yes, the Wraith could not take the life of a Carakan the feeding way, but the blaster he fingered occasionally reminded him that the Wraith's honour was still not to be trusted and he could quite easily kill him right there and then by any weapon he chose to point his way.
John and the rest of his team could only watch in wonder at what Santana could possibly want from entering a Hive ship…and equally what had transpired between the long haired wraith and him in the past.
He corrected his musing with the Wraith's now known name: Van'te'enna. In his mind he swished the name round and round inside his mouth and then spat it out in the cold snowy ground to die in the cold he knew Wraith's could not tolerate for long.
As if Van'te'enna had read his mind, he visibly shivered and pulled the collar tighter around his neck. "Let's get out of here. Take them all!" He ordered his drones; several now waiting on their orders behind him.
"Now wait a minute." John started, reaching down for Teyla's hand. "We are going no-where I told you."
Van'te'enna walked right up to John and held his gaze whilst the drones surrounded his friends and moved them away from him, leaving him trying to stand on steady enough legs by himself.
"It amuses me you think you have a choice."
"Leave him alone!" Rodney and Ronon both shouted at the same time, whilst Teyla remained stock still, not wanting to provoke the guards.
"Oh, and you have a little band of men vying for you…how sweet!"
Van'te'enna put a hand into his pocket and pulled out the little gadget John knew would knock him unconscious with one slide of his finger.
"Oh, c'mon!"
He knew no more.
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In dreams you feel no pain.
This, John Sheppard kept telling himself. So, the pain that was persistent in his head again meant he must be awake. No?
No.
"John? John Sheppard, you are mine now. Just a little while longer and you will know it. "
John stirred on ground he could not feel under him and tried to open eyelids that seemed glued shut.
"Mm…"
"Shush. You cannot answer yet anyway, John. Rest now, for your headache must be great."
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"So what do we do now, eh?" Rodney paced, clutching his head then throwing his arms downwards with curled fists.
"Rodney, this is not helping. Stop pacing." Keller said.
Mckay glowered but threw himself down beside where she sat with the rest of them watching Carson check John's vitals for the umpteenth time.
"You'll have to excuse me, Jennifer, but you have not been captured that many times in your life, and pacing helps…okay!"
Jennifer Keller looked at her friend and placed a hand on his cheek and smiled sadly. "I am sorry. You do whatever makes it easier for you to cope."
Mckay looked at everyone looking as worried as himself and just sat, drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Jennifer knew she seemed to have a calming effect on him, so just patted his hand.
"I'm just worried about John." He stated the obvious.
"We all are, Rodney." Teyla said and smiled sadly.
Carson sat back down beside their unconscious friend, and copied Rodney with hugging his own knees before stretching out his back muscles. "He seems in a deep sleep. Not quite a coma but deep enough to be near one. Dehydration is going to be a problem if we can't get water in him soon." He looked fondly at the bucket of water and ladle. "I might start dribbling in some myself soon."
"I'll help." Keller said.
"I know you will, love. We'll give him a wee bitty longer to wake up." Carson seemed contemplative after that.
"Carson?" Teyla spoke.
"Sorry, I was thinking. John said there was once a device that knocked him out and worried poor wee Torren."
Teyla's head snapped up at the sound of her son's name.
"That wee thing could have been it…was probably it, given John's reaction at seeing it."
"As if he needed something else to toy with him." Mckay spat out disgusted. "Anyway. What on earth does Santana want to be here for? He even seems to have done a huge favour for this Van'te'enna wraith in the past. What that about?"
"Dammed if I know." Ronon groused.
Teyla reached for one of John's hands and gently stroked his
knuckles over and over.
"He'll wake soon, Teyla. I have no doubt."
Teyla smiled at the two doctors, but they did not understand her hurt. She could not reach him in his sleep anymore and that disturbed her more than anything. That way seemed blocked, and her mind just floated in the empty space that was once so easy to carry John's thoughts to her. She closed her eyes and tried again.
There was nothing.
Her bottom lip quivered against her will and this time it was Keller who wrapped her into a warm embrace of friendship and support.
"With the love you two have for each other, I am pretty sure that somehow it will come back, Teyla. Just keep trying, as I am sure John will be in his unconscious state if he can. Leave it open for him and he will find the way in. To be honest, it looks like he is simply sleeping just now, and that is a good thing for him."
"We all should do the same " Carson agreed.
"Then get some rest." Ronon stood. "I will take first watch with Grieves. The rest of you try and sleep."
Teyla, Carson, Keller, Mckay and Zelenka reluctantly agreed and stretched out where they were; although sleep refused to come for many minutes after that.
"Do you think Lorne will be back on Atlantis by now?" Ronon whispered to the Marine after a few minutes had gone by.
Grieves nodded when he checked his watch. "But he will be back searching after gathering more men."
Ronon nodded and looked at who lay sleeping at his feet. "Pity then that the two most intelligent men in Atlantis are both here with us." He said looking at the sleeping Mckay and Zelenka.
"I wouldn't rule Major Lorne out just yet."
"No. He's a good man. He'll find us."
"Yes sir!" Grieves replied.
Ronon slid down the bars of their cell and just watched the gentle rise and fall of John's chest where he lay against Teyla, who had her arm wrapped over him. He squeezed his eyes shut when he thought of what might lay ahead, not only for John, but for all of them. Lorne had better find them soon.
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"John?"
"Um…huh?"
"You are more receptive, good."
There was a place John liked to go when he was in San Francisco. Funny how he had not thought about it in years. Now, he could imagine sitting in the small café that overlooked the bay up in the highest point away from the water itself. It was a small place with few tables; home baking and coffee were of the best kind. He would go there when he needed to think. Its friendly approach to each individual always touched him when they greeted him with a smile and a no questions asked acknowledgment that he needed to space which they easily gave time and time again.
Now he sat there and it was empty of everyone but himself and a hooded figure just in his peripheral vision and no more. He didn't feel like he wanted to turn around to check it out either.
He startled suddenly when he heard someone call his name. He tried to speak but his mouth would not function properly. His body was glued to the chair, but he did not want to move from this favourite spot anyway so he stayed where he was. He did not answer back and look to see who had called him.
Time must have sped on without him paying much attention because his coffee had grown cold when next he took sip, and he grimaced. He looked for the owner to order another only to find he was still sitting by himself.
"John."
This time, when he heard his name being called, he did turn quickly to catch the voice. ""Um…huh?"
"You are more receptive, good."
John grimaced for no reason. Why would that sentence annoy him?
He turned away from the voice without looking at its owner. He was not ready to acknowledge the person speaking to him yet. Only thing was, he did not know why?
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"I hear footsteps." Ronon prodded McKay's shoulder - the last to wake up.
"Wraith worshippers!" Zelenka queried. "The footsteps are not wraith."
Sure enough, two women appeared unguarded carrying a tray of food.
Zelenka was almost correct. "No, we are not wraith young man, nor are we worshippers. But work here we have to, or die." An older woman was quick to correct him.
"He is sorry." Ronon nodded their way, understanding totally how they must have felt at being branded that way. He glowered at the scientist, who blushed slightly and apologised. "We were told to feed you and report back on the one who is lying silent. Tell me how he is, please?"
The other woman, who remained mute, put down the tray and slid it easily under the door before stepping back quickly. The older woman surprised Ronon by doing the opposite and stepping closer to the bars of the cell with her eyes wide and mouth open, panting wildly. "John!" She gasped. She then whirled to look at everyone's stunned expressions. "Ronon?...and, oh my, you must be Teyla?… I am Arla."
Teyla ran to the bars and reached out for her hands which Arla grabbed eagerly, crying. "He is alive!"
"Oh, Arla. We are so happy to have found you and that you are also alive. John has been so worried about you and wanted to look for you straight away, but …"
Arla squeezed her fingers. "No need to explain, lovely Teyla. I knew John would come for us."
"Vari is here also?"
At Carson's innocent question, Arla's eyes dropped. "I have not seen him since Chol." She looked up. "I am sure he is alive still...I would know."
"As are we." Teyla assured her.
Arla looked at her friend who remained quiet, but then returned her attention back to Teyla. "We cannot stay long, but my heart has swelled with joy that John is here…although he remains asleep. I presume he is not well again?"
Carson nodded. The Queen is succeeding with the mind control it seems. Teyla had lost the ability to reach him."
"That long haired wraith pressed something and he fell unconscious." Rodney added.
Arla nodded. "Yes, I have seen him use it on John. He was only knocked unconscious for a minute that time though. Please, I have to go. Look after him for me. Tell him I am here when he awakes." She wrung her hands.
"Of course we will." Teyla said, squeezing her hands once more. "Arla?" She said as the older woman started to walk away. "Yes, Teyla?"
"Thank you for helping John to look after my son. Torren speaks of you often. Well…when I was home…"
Arla could see tears starting to roll down her cheeks. Sad she was separated from her son, as John was again, Aria smiled. "It was my pleasure. I did not do much to be honest. John is a natural father and Torren just loves him." She took one long look John's way. "Look after him. He is in great danger here. Everyone is for that matter. The Great War between Wraith is upon us. This Hive is new – big and strong, but we do not know what the others have to offer. John…he is vital to our Queen impressing the Empress with her ability to control him. She will stop at nothing to make that happen, and the Ancient items they want him to use are dangerous to say the least.
"So it is." Teyla said sadly.
"She will also try to coerce him so that he follows her willingly; that is more dangerous than anything. She is very patient with that. Beware, she could turn him against you. You…" Arla pointed particularly to Ronon, although she meant everyone present, must fight for him, for he will get weaker and find it hard to resist her ways; although he will not want to willingly, but he will do it to save us all in the end. You know that is what he is like – and she will work on that. She already knows that. You all, unfortunately will be kept alive as bait . The devious plans of a young Queen eager to be the top one in her quadrant will be hard for John to resist. Tell him to be strong."
Teyla nodded and before she could say anything else, Arla and her young companion had vanished down the corridor and out of sight.
"John" Teyla said looking down at her silent lover. She then looked at a worried Ronon and Rodney and knelt at John's side. She wiped sudden sweat away from his forehead with her sleeve. "Carson?" She questioned.
Carson put the back of his hand to John's forehead. "Dammit to hell. Looks like he has a fever. He is very hot."
"Then he is fighting her already…in his dreams." Rodney said to the agreement of everyone there.
"What can we do?" Teyla searched their eyes.
"I don't know Teyla. But when we do, we will be there for him, okay?"
Teyla nodded and picked John's head up to rest on her thigh whilst gently stroking his forehead with her fingers. She bent down to his ear and whispered that they had found his friend; hoping against hope he had heard her and understood. It might give him a boost of added strength.
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"Can I sit beside you?"
It was a simple question, so why did John not want to answer the female's request. His head fought a nod in agreement, and he managed to turn ever so slightly in his chair so he was facing away from her. He heard a slight groan from her and then he thought he heard someone say something comforting to him and it gave him strength to get up and move to another table in the cafe away from the female.
"Sit there if you want. I'll move." He did say in the end.
"No! I do not want that!"
"Tough!" He thought, but no words came out. He knew if he turned to look at the face of the hooded female he wouldn't be so brave, so he turned to look out of the window at the changing weather patterns on the Bay below.
Soon, he realised, a reflection of the cloaked woman was visible in the large window in front of him. He didn't want to, but the pull of her hidden face was just too curious for him and he found himself gazing intently into the reflection to see what she looked like.
The hood was overly large, and to begin with John could not make out any visible features at all. Slowly, as he gazed, a vivid black tattoo of an animal he was not familiar with stood out on her neck that thick crimson hair framed. Curious to see more, John continued to stare until the woman raised her arms and pushed back the material of her hood so her face could be seen by him.
A sudden spike of pain in his head made him close his eyes briefly, but the pull to see the woman's face forced them open again and he languidly watched as the hood fell away.
"Beautiful view." The voice said, although her lips did not move. "Where is it?"
"San Francisco Bay. Earth." He said, and wondered why he had said that.
"Got you." The reflection smiled.
John knew then he had said something he shouldn't have.
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"Sheppard!"
"John. Colonel! Everybody! Bloody hold him down until this seizure has stopped!"
Sometimes, bad things happen – and then some.
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TO BE CONTINUED…