Copyright: I own nothing

Summary: Takes place after the events of The Kindred pt.1. During a rescue attempt for Teyla, the team, including Sam, John, Rodney, and Ronon, are captured. They escape, but Sam gets left behind. Three weeks later, she is found on the remains of a destroyed Wraith planet. The recovery is long and painful, but when she finally speaks, Sam has news to bring them… about Elizabeth. There's John/Elizabeth later, but it's a very Sam-heavy fic, so don't read if it's not your thing. By the way, this is kind of AU in that Teyla is rescued from Michael after they find Carson, and pretty much everything after Kindred pt.2 is different.

Rated T for torture, violence, quite possibly language; nothing too bad though

The hum of the incoming wormhole seemed to echo throughout the city and the moment it sounded in the nearby corridor, John was racing into the control room. He nearly collided with Woolsey, but made little effort to excuse himself and rather stepped rudely in front of him to hover over Chuck.

"Who is it?" he asked.

As Chuck typed, Rodney appeared beside him and repeated John's question.

"Receiving Major Lorne's IDC," the technician finally reported.

Lorne and his team had been assigned the mission of "cleaning up" after their latest attack on a Wraith home world they had gained Intel on. In other words, their orders were to scavenge for any left over technology and if they found any survivors, kill them.

John looked to the gate expectantly as it locked into place, and Woolsey scurried around the two men to locate a place to stand. The gate kawooshed open and fell back on itself, calmly rippling for a few painfully long moments before a glup sound signified the first incoming traveler.

It was Lieutenant Brown, closely followed by Captain Hales and Major Lorne, and then what's-his-face, but the last of Lorne's team didn't seem to register to those watching from the control room because they were instead focused on the fifth figure draped over Lorne's shoulders.

It was a woman, from the looks of it. Her clothing was standard BDU's, though it was hard to tell at first because they were so ripped and mangled, and the once green pants seemed to have grown brownish in color. Dead, unmoving hands hung lifelessly over the floor, and rusty dog tags swung eerily back and forth between them. Her body was covered in blood and grime, and it was almost impossible to determine the victim's skin or hair color, but the few, lighter colored strands implied blond.

Lorne looked up at the men, his expression showing sadness and disbelief, and he shook his head. But John and Rodney didn't meet his gaze. They were staring in utter shock and dread at the woman he carried on his back. The med team had begun to filter into the room. John supposed he had been so frozen he hadn't heard anyone call them, but he was racing down the steps now, Rodney hot on his heels.

He arrived just as Lorne was lying the unconscious (or dead, he couldn't tell) woman down on the stretcher, and he stopped dead in his tracks as his suspicions were confirmed. The woman lying on the stretcher was definitely not a Wraith casualty brought back to be studied. It was his commanding officer.

"Oh my god."

Author's Note: Yay! I'm really looking forward to writing this story, so I hope you enjoy it. Chapters will be posted as I finish them, and comments would be uber appreciated!