Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate: SG-1 or Stargate: Atlantis. And I don't want anything to do with Stargate: Universe. I mean, really, what were the producers thinking?
Author's note: I know the title sounds like this might be crack: really, it isn't. It might not be as serious as, say, 'Critical Mass,' but it isn't as cracked as 'Irresistible.' And to be honest, I just liked the name.
NB: For those few who have just started reading my stories, be warned: this is the seventh story in my series and the fifth 'episode' in the 'sixth season.' To fully understand everything you're going to have to go back and start with 'I am Atlantis.' Then they follow thus: 'Spite and Malice,' 'The last Petal,' 'The last Petal II,' 'Avenues' and 'Pavlov.'
Enjoy.
Chapter 1
Teyla Emmagan exited the transporter and set off in the direction of the pier. Chuck had been picking up a life sign coming from that spot for the past hour and was worried about it. Not that the pier was off limits. Instead, the dot hasn't moved in all that time and he thought it might indicate that someone was hurt. Seeing as Teyla did not sense any Wraith in the city (well, except for that very faint nagging at the back of her head she had gotten used to these past months and thus discounted), there was little danger in her checking it out. So, seeing as she had little else to do and had been in the control room when Chuck mentioned the problem, she had volunteered to inspect the dot.
Well, not that she hadn't come prepared, either. With her she had one of the small hand held Wraith stunners they have been collecting for years. She had once inspected the Zat-guns used on earth, and she was convinced the stunner was of superior design. For a start: the stunner did not kill you on the second shot, only stunned you again. She sometimes wondered at the mentality of a technology that can completely obliterate any trace of a being.
Her quiet pace quickly brought her to the door opening onto the pier. It occurred to her it was the same pier as the one all of Atlantis had gathered on only a week ago. She smiled at the thought. A part of her was astonished at the fact that all of her people – well, those who had returned to Lantea – had chosen to lay down their Athosian name to take up the name of Atlantean. But perhaps that wasn't so peculiar, after all, she mused. Hadn't her people always revered the Ancients? And though, since then they had learned there were no Ancients left, they now had the opportunity to follow in their footsteps – to take up where the Ancients have left off all those millennia ago. In as many years from now they would be the ones called the Ancients of Atlantis.
As she neared the edge of the pier she saw a familiar figure standing at the rail and her steps slowed until finally she stopped altogether. She took a deep breath as her thoughts raced through her mind. For more than a year now she had been aware of the fact that Ronon had feelings for her, but so far he had been careful to keep it hidden. Not once since she had noticed the change in him had he allowed his feeling towards her to influence his decisions or actions. But then she had taken up his offer to babysit Torren. She admitted that had been a mistake. Up until the moment she had walked into her room after the evening spent with Kanaan on the mainland – Athosia – she had been blissfully ignorant of the fact that she had been growing feelings of her own for the big man. Usually she and Ronon spent time together as teammates. Even when they hung out as friends it had always been more teammates rather than friends. But that night she had entered her room and seen her son lying on Ronon's chest; both fast asleep and slightly drooling. The sight had been beyond endearing.
And that was the problem: Ronon wasn't supposed to be dear. Ronon was her teammate and team friend.
Now she stood, unable to choose. In all honesty she could report back to Chuck that everything was in order, yet she knew Ronon would not stand idly on one spot for an hour if something wasn't wrong. He wasn't the type. So though he was physically fine, there must be another reason he had been standing here all this time.
Just as she finally decided to ask him what was wrong – she even had a concerned smile on her face – the big man moved slightly. For a moment the sun glinted off something and she saw he had tied his blue bead to one of his locks – probably with a piece of leather string. Then he spoke and she had the impression she had walked in on a conversation that had been going on for some time.
"I woke the other day and couldn't even remember what your face looked like," he seemed to tell someone. For another moment Teyla considered the idea of alerting him to her presence, but his next words stopped her from moving.
"Melena, I have thought about this for some time. I knew we were never married, yet I felt like I have lost my wife." This time shame overcame Teyla and quietly she turned around to go. "But even so it is time for me to let you go. See, Melena, I have found someone else that I love," he added, and for an excruciating moment Teyla felt like someone had a fist around her heart. She already had her back turned to leave, yet for another moment she stood in silence, undetected, unseen, and waited for Ronon to speak the name of the woman he loved. Her right hand was resting against a pillar in which a pengull (Radek had explained the bird looked like a cross between two birds found on earth, a seagull and penguin), was sitting on top of her eggs.
"She is brave and strong and she makes me laugh. For so long I didn't think I would laugh again," he told the ghost of his dead lover and Teyla knew a moment of intense sorrow that life had been so cruel to the big man. She now suspected the woman he was referring to was Amelia Banks, the one he had been dating for some time. Whenever they were together Ronon seemed to smile continuously. How had it happened that she hadn't realised how his feelings for her had grown?
"I do not know if you can hear me, Melena, but today I set your spirit free. Too long have I held onto the past. And if you can hear me then I ask your blessing to love this woman."
By now Teyla was ashamed enough of her behaviour that she decided to turn around and tell Ronon what she had heard. She actually turned around to alert him of her presence, but once more he spoke and she found herself unable to do the right thing.
"Her name is Teyla Emmagan," he spoke her name and Teyla drew in her breath loud enough that she assumed the sound had reached Ronon's ears. So, even as she knew everything she had been taught was against it, she quickly leapt behind the pillar. With indrawn breath she stood: her back and hands pressed against the cold stone. In her mind she could see Ronon turning around with his gun drawn, looking around for the source of the sound. Well, he probably wouldn't have drawn his weapon yet, but her mind still conjured the image.
After a tense moment she heard him speak once more. "I know she does not love me – and she is with another. But that doesn't change the fact that I will love her. Goodbye, Melena. May the ancestors keep you in peace," he ended his speech and she heard something fall in the water some distance from the pier. Moments later he passed by her, oblivious to the fact she was hiding behind the pillar.
Only when he had gone did she let out the air that was still in her lungs. Damn! she softly cursed in her mind. Why hadn't she done the honourable thing in the first place? These words had not been meant for her ears, yet she had heard them and now she could not pretend that she had not. Which meant she needed to act upon them. She sighed. Next time Chuck wanted to check out a dot, he can do it himself.
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Note: While reading this, Hubby told me he preferred the Zat-gun to the Wraith stunner. Seeing as this story is rated K, I am not at liberty to tell you exactly what I think of the Zat. If you would like to read more about it, though, you can check out my blog and my discussion on the Zat at: .com under dp_bunny.
