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Chapter Seven: Lost & Found

A/N: Hey all, glad you’re liking the whole FaithRodney adventure and last chapter! I got a new job and start FT there on Thursday so I’m going to be getting all the writing in that I can, hope you like!

Dis: I don’t own SGA

Pairing: Faith/?

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Two gasping figures collapsed onto the lush green grass, staring up at the two moons in the dimming sky while trying to get their breath. Both were soaking wet, the rushing river mere inches from the bottoms of their feet. The female was the first to move, sitting up while looking down at the male, who looked a little pale.

“You ok?” she asked.

“No I’m not ok! I almost drowned!”

“We were under water for like, two seconds!”

“More like two minutes,” he grumbled, now sitting up as well. “I’m getting tired of this. I mean, running from Wraith, almost getting skewered, and finally almost drowning. This isn’t my idea of a FUN game!”

“Yeah, well it isn’t the best party I’ve been to either,” mumbled Faith as she wrung out her hair before finally standing on her feet. She offered her hand and Rodney pouted for a moment for having to already move, but when seeing her stern look he took her hand and was hauled up.

“So now what?” asked Faith.

“Like I know…”

“You should.” Faith picked a direction and started walking. North, she was going north because whenever someone got lost that was the direction they were supposed to go… Right? And well ok that small star above their heads wasn’t really the North Star but they really didn’t have anything else. Now behind her Rodney was complaining, AGAIN. His foot hurt, his back hurt, he was going to die of cancer because of the sun (which was actually starting to set) and he was hungry… “SHUT UP!”

She whirled around on him, beyond pissed now and pointed a finger at his chest, eyes burning a hot molten brown. She hadn’t really complained, not once, in fact she had done her best to make light of the situation. Of course she was scared and pissed and wondering if they would ever get out of whatever it was they were in. Now with his complaining, something just… Snapped.

“Listen and listen good,” she said, voice far from sweet and sugary. “I am the one that almost drowned holding your fat ass above water and I am the one that had to take on the Wraith because YOU wouldn’t know an offensive measure if it hit you square in the ass! So I would like a LITTLE cooperation and LESS whine: got it?”

“Uh, erm, uh…. Yeah,” he said, not used to someone really laying it on him cause usually HE was the one doing all the yelling.

“I’m tired of this too!” she yelled up at the sky. “You aren’t the only one who wants to get home. We don’t belong here and I want out!”

“Well,” said a soft voice from behind them, making them both whirl around to face a fair skinned, blonde woman dressed in Ancient attire. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

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Ronon sat alone in the mess hall, picking at his food, which was something he rarely ever did. He looked up when a shadow fell upon him then gestured for the open spot across from him where John set his tray and sat.

“Any change?”

“No,” said John, frowning before opening his jell-o cup. “None.”

Ronon gave a small grunt of displeasure before stabbing the piece of meat he picked out with his fork. He wasn’t sure what kind it was: pork chop? He just felt the need to… stab it. John had followed the path of the fork and frowned as Ronon started to attack his lunch.

“You know it’s already dead,” said John carefully, knowing Ronon had quite the temper. “You don’t need to be so… lethal.”

“I know… I know! I’m just… Worried.”

“About?” asked John, knowing that there was a long list of possible reasons. So as Ronon talked, John slowly ate his lunch of jell-o, a BLT, and salad.

“I just hate being here, doing nothing. With this new threat that took Teyla and Faith’s people I’m anxious to do something… AND when we finally get Faith back we have to tell her that her people are missing.”

“Yeah…” Suddenly, John wasn’t all that hungry, so he put down his half eaten sandwich. “I know.”

Now John was, as well, feeling a little antsy and wanted to do something. They had bothered Zelenka to the point where Sam forbade them from going anywhere near the labs and just sitting in the Infirmary looking at the un-lively bodies of their friends wasn’t all that pleasant of an idea either.

“Wanna go blow something up?” asked Ronon.

“Sure.”

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“Who the hell are you?”

“I am Frey,” said the woman softly, a frown on her face at the harsh way Faith was speaking to her. “Surely you knew that.”

“No, I really didn’t.”

“I do not believe you wouldn’t know me. For anyone on Atlantis to use the battle and tactical exercise they would need to be given knowledge on the simulations, such as myself…”

“We aren’t exactly FROM Atlantis…”

“You both harbor the Antlantian gene code that would enable you to partake in this training simulation,” said the girl, her image slightly scrambling since she was indeed a hologram.

“Well-wait what? SHE has the Ancient gene?” asked Rodney, pointing his thumb to the side at Faith. “Seriously?”

“Yes,” said Frey, frowning deeper. “If you are indeed not who I think you are, then who are you?”

Rodney gave the round about version on how they ended up at Atlantis, how some of their people: like Faith and himself, had the gene to activate the ancient technology. He kept out the part on the chemical injections he had taken to actually acquire the gene.

Frey seemed genuinely interested in what Rodney said and at the end of his educational speech she had a frown on her face. She did not like that those that created her were long lost to the Wraith, but also happy that descendants of her people were returning to the city. She then turned to Faith.

“Your power, it is so strong…”

“I get that a lot,” said Faith, a little uncomfortable as Frey circled her.

“Yes, she’s super girl, can we go now-”.

With a wave of her hand, Frey sent Rodney on his way. To her, he was an annoying, pesky man that she did NOT want to deal with. Now, she faced Faith, who looked a little nervous.

“I do not wish to harm you,” whispered Frey. “He was sent back safely to his body.”

“What do you want with me?”

“Nothing, but I do have something for you… Slayer.” Frey whispered that last word into Faith’s ear and Faith jumped back, on the defensive, and Frey just laughed: motioning at her own body. For a moment Faith felt stupid, but for all she knew the whole hologram thing was an act because those Wraith had felt pretty damn real.

“How did you know…”

“Silly girl, we know all of what Earth had to offer. Demons and Slayers intrigued us. All that power held in one little girl’s body. We had come into contact with some of those girls, but we have something more…” Out of nowhere, a scythe that looked identical to that of Buffy’s was before her and Faith took a step forward before taking a step back. “It calls to you… Take it.”

“What’s the catch?” asked Faith, eyes weary.

“All I want, all Atlantis wants, is the end of the Wraith… Use it in your battles against them and we will be looking out for you, my sister.”

“But how can I take it out of here? I mean…”

“It’ll materialize, it is an award for completing the simulation.”

“Really?”

“No,” said Frey, a somewhat teasing smile on her face. “You did not complete it, but you are a Slayer, battling the Wraith to protect a galaxy that isn’t even yours. For that, you gain reward.”

“Oh…” Faith hesitantly reached out, and when she finally grasped the weapon, she felt new power. OLD power. She smiled wickedly while glancing over the perfection of the blade. “Sweet…”

“Do you wish to try it out before you exit this simulation?” asked Frey before Wraith and vampires appeared out of nowhere.

“Oh hell yes!”

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“She’s… smiling,” said John, perplexed while he stood to the left of Faith who was still in bed. Zelenka, who came in frantically waving the device that had ‘expelled a large amount of light’: which had been Rodney, frowned while handing the device to Rodney who kept asking for it.

“Yeah, well, she’s probably having a chat with Frey,” said Rodney from his own bed, doing his best to slap away the hands of eager nurses wanting to take vitals so that he could look at the still blinking device.

“Who?” asked Ronon and John just as a bright blue light made them shield their eyes. Ronon had a hand on his hip just incase and John was ready to call in a team.

“What’s happening?” asked John, voice tense as the light started to fade.

And there, sitting up and holding a shiny new blue scythe, was a smiling Faith.

“Hey Boys,” she said. “Miss me?”

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Faith, dressed in a pair of sweats and a tank top that had been brought in from Earth along with her sneakers, thanks to string pulled from Sam: slowly approached the door of Teyla’s room. Hesitant for a moment she gave a small knock and when no one answered she knocked a little louder. She heard movement and stepped back until the doors opened.

“Faith.”

“Teyla.”

“Come in.” Faith walked in and took a seat on a comfortable looking chair and faced Teyla who was on her bed. “What do I owe this visit?”

“My concern, for you: and our people.”

“They told you…”

“There was nothing there? No one to question or maim?” asked Faith, now really worried about her people. Guilt was snaking its way into her heart. She left them alone on a new planet so that she could gallivant around other planets to better serve Atlantis… She should’ve just stayed behind, she couldn’t fought…

“I see guilt all over your face, it matches my own. I wanted to think that my being there would’ve changed things… but then maybe the fate that happened to them would’ve happened to me: leaving no one to look for those that are lost.”

“Teyla… I just left them there!” Faith stood and paced. “They trusted me and I fucked it all up…”

“It wasn’t you,” whispered Teyla. “There was a man, a wraith worshipper who went by the name Golan. He is the one that betrayed our people. I would’ve killed him myself had I the chance.”

Faith was then informed about the Bola Kai and the near death experience her and Dr. Rachel Ritton had lived through. Teyla had been impressed by the doctor’s ability to take care of herself, but had still ended up with a severely sprained wrist due to Golan.

“When I get my hands on that bastard… All bets are off,” whispered Faith, hands clenched tightly until Teyla cupped them with her own.

“We will find them, I have faith in that. They’re still alive, somewhere…”

“What will we do?” asked Faith.

“Trust the people here in aiding us in the search. We will pray to the ancestors…”

“I’m not the praying type…”

“You are always welcomed to start,” said Teyla, getting back into the position she had been in before. “Meditate with me.”

Faith reluctantly put her body in the right position and soon closed her eyes, doing her best to block out the negative thoughts but images of little Sky and all the other children and adults of the Loino kept coming into her head. Battered, beaten, killed…. By the Wraith.

“I can’t…”

Faith got up, went to the door and didn’t look back as Teyla called her name. Teyla may meditate to get over her ails, but Faith… Faith had a more physical activity that helped ease her mind, body, and soul.

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Ronon found Faith taking all her aggravations out on a barely hanging on punching bag. Finding a spot against the wall he leaned back, watching her as her movements became more brutal and angry. Finally, after about thirty more swift kicks and punches, the chain snapped on the bag: sending the bright red object to the floor and leaving Faith panting and still angry.

“Spar with me,” she demanded, not even looking at him.

He straightened from the wall and without warning she attacked and before he’d been careful in pulling his attacks but now that he knew what she was capable of, and what she needed, he didn’t hold back and both were a bloody mess ten minutes into it. He was worse off, per usual, her jabs getting through most of his blocks. A fist connected with his jaw, making his head snap back but he grabbed her leg as she kicked up and made a move to backhand her, which she evaded before freeing her leg and elbowing him in the kidney.

Wincing, he caged her in his arms. Instead of an attack, which he’d been expecting, he felt her shoulders start to shake and his hold softened before he pulled her in against him. He knew what it was like to lose his people in an instant, to lose it all. Though she hadn’t been with them long, he didn’t doubt the connection she had with the Loino.

“It’s ok,” he whispered, not really all that great at consoling people, but he was trying by running his hand up and down her back while she continued to cling onto him. “We’ll find them.”

She looked up, eyes hard but still pouring tears and he caught one on his thumb as it rubbed over the apple of her cheek. He then bent his head, his forehead gently making contact with hers and her eyes closed while he moved his arms and ran his hands from her shoulders down to her elbows.

“I promise.”

An unseen John Sheppard watched the exchange from the shadowed doorway, and then slowly backed out into the hall with a defeated look on his face.

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TBC…

As always, reviews are appreciated!