Title: Picking up the Pieces

Author: Settiai

Disclaimer: "Stargate Atlantis" and other related characters belong to their copyright holders. No infringement is intended. This story, such as it is, was written as a sign of respect and love for the characters, the series, and their creator. I claim no ownership of the aforementioned series and characters.

Rating: PG

Summary: All they could do in the aftermath was pick up the pieces.

Feedback: Comments and helpful criticisms are always appreciated.

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Teyla let out a quiet sigh as she leaned against the balcony's railing, her gaze focused out on the distant horizon. The past few days had been fairly uncomfortable, and it had seemed like everyone in the city was running on heightened emotions. Although she still did not know all of the details relating to the Arcturus project, she had put enough information together to understand why so many of the soldiers were acting so distantly when it came to the scientists ... especially Rodney.

Of course, she had been acting in a similar manner when it came to Ronon.

As a warm breeze swept across the balcony, she closed her eyes for a moment and just enjoyed the feel of it on her face. She couldn't help but wish that, for just a moment, things could go back to the way they were before everything had happened. It had taken time for them to truly accept Ronon as one of them, but they had finally become a team. And now it was possible that everything was going to change yet again.

With another sigh, Teyla opened her eyes. No matter how much a person wished for it to change, the past was set in stone. That was a lesson she had learned many years earlier.

Teyla knew that it was unlikely that the relationship that had existed between the four of them would ever be quite what it was before. She had learned long ago that when things were repaired they were sometimes made stronger ... and less likely to break in the future. Of course, she had also learned that sometimes repairs only concealed weakness until the next large strain came along and destroyed it.

She shook her head as she slowly turned around and headed back inside the city. Only time would tell whether or not the ties that bound the team together would last. Until then, life went on.

And she had a mission briefing to attend.