Elizabeth was unconscious for almost two days before she woke in the infirmary. Her wounds quite severe, though luckily most of the blood they had found on her was not her own. To be truthful, they all had to admit how much this surprised them. They knew she was a fighter by personality; but in a mental and emotional way, none of them expected to see it from her in this form. She wouldn't talk about that night, merely the first question she asked when she woke as to whether on not he was alive. She looked so relieved when Sheppard told her that he was dead that he had to wonder how long it had been going on and how much she would be scared emotionally.

Those that saw the room drew there own conclusions of what may have happened. Both Rodney and Carson wondered to each other where she found the strength to finish it. It made them realise how much she must have been going through whilst no one was aware that anything was even wrong. Both vowed to keep better tabs on her in the future, now knowing how good she is at hiding her pain.

Sheppard was actually the one who spent time at her bedside, persistent attempts to get her to talk. He was sure she had never killed anyone before, and knew the first time was the most difficult, especially for someone like her who usually opted for the peaceful method wherever possible. And it was one of the more violent, disturbing things even he had seen. There must be some residual emotions lying in there after the whole awful situation, but try as he might he didn't seem to be able to get any words from her that had any connection to it.

The limbo continued all the time she was in the infirmary, it wasn't until he visited her in her quarters the day Carson let her leave the infirmary; finding her sitting on the side of her bed, eyes and thoughts in a distant galaxy that he found what he had been waiting, persevering for.

In the end he found himself mildly satisfied with the lone words she gave him, determination and pain somehow set in her features simultaneously as she gave him a hope that she would heal, would possibly even let herself talk about it someday. A hope and now a knowledge that she would be alright.

"Never again."

He didn't think she actually needed to elaborate on the lone statement she finally gave about it all. Never again would she let someone abuse her like that. Never again would she let something continue for so long. Never again would she keep it to herself. Never again would she kill so brutally, in a fight to the death.

"Never again." She repeated herself, words still rigged with resolve, but a voice beginning to crack, as the first tear fell down one cheek.