Story Notes:
Originally written for the 12 Days of Teyla Challenge over on Teylafen on LiveJournal.
Disclaimer: All known characters belong to their respective copyright holders. All situations and original characters herein belong to the author. This story is for entertainment purposes only.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
It was only when yet another of the chief's daughters ran her hand over John's shoulders that Teyla finally had to say something.
"I would caution you against touching him again."
One pale hand hovered over John's shoulder while cornflower blue eyes narrowed at Teyla's deceptively mild tone. "He wears no collar," Namia replied succinctly. "No mark that says he is yours." Slim fingers dipped to brush the little bit of skin that peeked above John's uniform. Teyla didn't need to look at John's face to know how uncomfortable he was. What surprised her was the small hum of anger that flowed through her body.
She tipped her head up and looked at John. Three years of communication in the field served them well now as he got up from his seat, walked around the table and sat back down at her side. One grateful hand slid over her knee to squeeze lightly. Teyla cocked her head at Namia. "You were saying?"
The other woman's face flushed in thwarted anger which was only forestalled by her father's quick intervention. "Namia, you dishonor our guests. Go outside."
Later, Teyla swept her fingers over the spot where John's hand had rested and thought she could feel the ghost of his touch.
***
When he first met Teyla Emmagan of Athos, John saw the pretty girl first. Amber hair, creamy brown skin and a body that would stop traffic. Back home he'd make a play and maybe spend a very enjoyable evening in the lady's company.
Much, much later (after the Wraith, the rising, and generally getting used to the fact that there was a whole new universe to explore) John still saw the pretty girl, except now there were others who stood beside her: the warrior, the leader, the teammate. The friend.
He had to work hard to steer his thoughts from thinking about something more.
***
"You like him don't you?"
Teyla turned to look at her newest teammate who sat next to her in the mess hall. "Did you say something, Ronon?"
He tipped his head towards John and Rodney as they made their way through the food line. "Sheppard. You like him." Ronon popped another piece of meat in his mouth and chewed, one eyebrow raised speculatively in her direction.
"Colonel Sheppard is a friend as well as our team leader," Teyla replied, even as her stomach clenched a tiny bit. She'd always prided herself on never letting a handsome man turn her head and she wasn't about to start turning now. "Besides, there are rules."
A grunt. " There’re ways around rules."
"Ronon!"
***
Teyla had never met anyone like John Sheppard.
He was brash and charming and when Colonel Sumner broke all the known rules of hospitality, it was only John's quick thinking that saved that first encounter from complete failure.
John's easy smile made her smile back. It was his sincerity in describing his people's position that made her show him the catacombs, to talk about the Wraith.
And when her entire world went to hell, a small kernel of trust was what made her throw her own lot with him.
Somewhere along the line, he became her team leader, a friend, and a symbol for a galaxy that had too little in the way of hope.
It was easier to think of him in those terms than any others.
***
There would be sun, sand and surf. Or so John said when he spirited his team off to the mainland for a well deserved day off. "This is what I call perfect," he said, his arms stretched wide.
"Perfect for a sunburn," Rodney grumbled even as he trundled out of the jumper with the overfull picnic hamper followed by Teyla and Ronon. They all slathered on sunscreen to please their querulous teammate and then proceeded to test out its waterproof qualities with several long swims in the ocean.
Teyla had just surfaced when she was hit by a well-directed spray of seawater that caught her in the face. "John!" she spluttered, slicking back wet hair from her forehead. John held up his hands, laughing. Ronon looked at Teyla and Rodney, and then they advanced on him.
"Now, you guys, three against one isn't fair." John figured he had a slim chance to make it to the shore.
"Who said anything about fair, Sheppard?" Ronon growled. Rodney and Teyla nodded in grim agreement.
They were on John in seconds.
After a series of spectacular dunkings, they pulled themselves up on the beach, laughing and happy for the first time in what seemed like forever. The sky was a perfect blue and as the seabirds wheeled overhead, John felt a slim hand slip inside his own and squeeze.
***
It should have been a simple visit to a trusted ally. Instead, the dawn saw AR-1 and the entire village of Lothos running for the gate when the Asurans suddenly decided to pay a visit.
Sometimes it seemed that they were always running. Running from planet to planet, from gate to gate. Caught between the escalating war between the Asurans and the Wraith, Teyla could only imagine life for those on the ground. "Come on!" she shouted to the fleeing villagers, her eyes automatically looking for Ronon and John. Rodney was up by the gate dialing for home.
A burst of weapons fire to her right and another building exploded. "Teyla!"
John's voice cut above the din and he pulled up beside her. "Keep going. The Asurans have put troops on the ground!" Even as he spoke, Teyla saw the replicators striding through the woods towards them.
***
To Rodney, John and Teyla are not unlike binary stars, their paths on opposite sides of an alien sun. He understood all the rules and dismissed them as yet another way the American military developed to drive their people crazy.
***
John sat in the conference room along with the rest of the team, his face drawn tight. Teyla's words tumbled over and over again in his head.
"I am pregnant."
The stupid question was how. The question he wanted to ask - who - was soon answered. Kanan. An Athosian.
And the Athosians had disappeared.
When John looked over at Teyla, she was sitting down, her hands laced tightly before her. Sam was talking, outlining options including:
"We'll have to take you off the team for now and I'll inform the IOA of the change."
"No."
Sam turned to him, as did Ronon and Rodney. Jennifer Keller nodded slightly in approval.
His eyes met Teyla's. A memory floated to the surface: her hand warm on his on the Daedalus, her understanding of all the things he couldn't say.
When John spoke, it was as much for her as it was for anyone else in the room. "We'll figure this out," he said with as much truth as he could muster. "You won't go through this alone."
***
Time passed and worlds and galaxies turned about them. Teyla's child carried the names of two she has lost: Charin Elizabeth. Kanan is a memory, dead on a world that nearly swallowed the last of her people. There are other children in the city now, both native born and refugee. Atlantis is not as it was and is something more and she is glad that she is alive to see it.
"Hey."
Teyla smiled at John when he eased down beside her, his legs dangling off of the pier. He looked down and saw Charin sleeping with her head cushioned on Teyla's lap. "Down for the count?" he asked.
"Charin had a very active day," she replied, fingers ghosting over the fine hair on the girl's forehead.
"Well, that's what birthdays are all about," John quipped. "Cake, fun and then the inevitable crash."
She favored him with a raised eyebrow and another smile. "And you know this from experience?"
"Mmmm hmm. Remind me to tell you about my 6th birthday."
They sat quietly, the sun hot on their shoulders. He felt her hand slip over his and squeeze. This time, he squeezed back and didn't let go. When he turned to look at her, he saw the question in Teyla's eyes and knew he could only give one answer.
Slowly, John shifted and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned in with a sigh.
Ronon and Rodney found them a few hours later, curled up together on the pier with Charin in between. Rodney nodded and Ronon covered them with the blanket he found tucked among Teyla's things.
"Finally," Rodney muttered and Ronon chuckled.
***
Twenty people, five gate teams, stand in the embarkation room facing the empty gate. General Negroponte stands at the foot of the ramp and looks at them closely.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the reason why you're here." He gestures behind him towards the waiting portal. "As part of our treaty with the Atlantis colony, you're being permitted to train with members of its Defense Force as well as tour selected parts of the Pegasus Galaxy."
The gate opens and General Negroponte turns to greet their guests.
They're older now and possibly wiser. There is white in John and Ronon's hair and a few more fine lines in Teyla's face. Rodney has long since resigned himself to looking devastatingly rakish with his eye patch.
"ADF-1, welcome back to Earth." General Negroponte is gracious to a fault, careful not to make the same mistakes that some of his predecessors did in dealing with the Atlanteans.
Ever the diplomat, Teyla inclines her head graciously. "We're very glad to be here, General. These are the new recruits?"
Negroponte nods and the team walks down the embarkation ramp.
"Good god, where are they getting them from now," Rodney grouses. "Grade school?"
Ronon snorts and slaps Rodney on the shoulder. "You'll whip them into shape, McKay."
"Damn right."
John and Teyla follow their teammates, their eyes sweeping over the assembled crowd. Teyla's eyes alight on one team that stands a little off to the side. The woman in front wears a colonel's leaves and two other men and one woman stand beside her. Teyla discreetly taps John's hand and he looks over.
"They bear watching," she says quietly. "We should make their acquaintance."
"Well," John replies, lips twisting in a smile. "Lead on."
His hand curves around hers and doesn't let go.
Epilogue:
Early in the Stargate program, psychologists warned of the possibility of personnel going native, either within an alien culture or even within the gate teams themselves. "Inevitable," more than a few of them said and made recommendations on how to deal with it. Of course, the more military minded fell back on rules and regulations to keep order and discipline.
One only had to look at the histories of both SG-1 and AR-1 to understand how much the universe liked a good joke.
Chapter End Notes:
For extra added pleasure, you can find a podfic version of this story over at jinjurly's audiofic archive.