Sharing Is Caring
Woolsey, John, Teyla, Ronon, Rodney and Keller are sitting in the conference room talking about Todd, the Wraiths and the gene therapy that they are getting ready to test.
"So, I guess we're all set then. Right?" Keller questions.
John sits shaking his head, "I don't like it. I didn't like it the last time we did this and I think you know why."
"I agree," Ronon booms. "We almost didn't get Teyla back last time and she was almost killed. I don't think we should do this again."
Teyla sighs, "There is no other way to do this, John. If this gene therapy works then I will have to become the Primary Queen to present this to the rest of the alliance."
John sits back in his chair and crosses his arms to show his silent protest.
Woolsey flips a page in his folder, "Well, according to the information that… Todd has given us; he will have a Wraith waiting for us on planet RS-971. We will bring him here and begin the testing."
Rodney makes a sour face, "And why is it again that he just doesn't bring it here?"
"Well, according to him, he doesn't want it to be too obvious that he's involved… just in case things go wrong," John answers with a sound of doubt in his voice.
Woolsey closes his folder and stands up from the table, "No matter what, we really need to see if this gene therapy will work. We will proceed as plan for tomorrow."
--
As the team begins to assemble John notices that Teyla looks extremely tired, "You feeling ok, Teyla?"
Teyla sighs, "Torren was up most of the night crying. Dr. Keller says it is not uncommon while babies are teething, but I will be fine."
John looks concern, "Are you sure? You can sit this one out. It's just us getting one Wraith and then back home."
Teyla smiles, "No, I will go. It should be simple enough."
John nods to acknowledge her wishes and they head out. When they go through the gate, the Wraith is not there as planned. They decide to split up into two teams. Ronon and Rodney go one direction while John and Teyla go another way.
While John and Teyla search the dense woods, Teyla senses a Wraith's presence. John recognizes the look on her face; he raises his weapon and begins to scan the area.
Within seconds the Wraith attacks Teyla. John is unable to get a clear shot while they wrestle on the ground. He charges towards them with a knife in hand.
As soon as he can, John stabs the Wraith in the neck. The Wraith is able to backhand John causing him to fly hard up against a tree and stunning him. The Wraith pins Teyla against another tree and begins to feed on her. Her scream echoes through the forest and Ronon and Rodney run towards them.
John grabs his side arm and begins to fire upon the Wraith until it falls dead. He scrambles to his feet and quickly gets to Teyla's side. His heart sinks at the site of her sunken face and form.
He can see that she's afraid, "Teyla, look at me. We'll figure this out. We'll get a hold of Todd and we'll fix this. Ok."
Teyla doesn't answer and tears stream down her face. Ronon and Rodney show up and they are stunned. John quickly sweeps Teyla into his arms and they all quickly head back to Atlantis.
--
Keller looks glum as she approaches the men after examining Teyla, "I'm sorry, but she's not doing well at all. I have an idea, but you may not like it."
"What?" John blurts out.
"Well, we know that Wraith can regenerate," Keller begins nervously. "And we've made Teyla a Wraith before…"
"Will that work?" Rodney asks with skepticism.
"I believe so. Otherwise, she has no chance at all," Keller answers.
"Won't she need to feed though?" Ronon questions.
"I'm hoping that it won't come to that. We have those liquid supplements we gave her last time. I'm hoping that will work. As soon as she well enough, we'll restore her back to the way she was," Keller responds.
She looks at John, "She wants to see you."
John quickly goes in and sits by her side, "Hey, you wanted to see me?"
Teyla nods yes, "If anything should go wrong and I d…"
"Nothing is going to go wrong. You'll be fine in no time," John interrupts.
"But if it does," Teyla continues. "I want you to be there for Torren. I know that Kanaan is his father, but only you can show him things, teach him things and tell him things that Kanaan cannot."
Teyla takes a deep breath, "Kanaan is not a fighter and he does not know the things of your world. You can also tell him stories of what we have done since you're arrival to Atlantis. Would you please to that?"
John's eyes begin to water up, "You know I will."
Teyla places her hand on top of John's, "I am ready then."
--
Hours later, the operation is done and Teyla is once again a Wraith. Unfortunately the liquid supplements are not helping Teyla with her recovery. She is steadily getting worse.
"What if we ask Todd to help?" Rodney asks with worry.
John shakes his head in defeat, "He's not scheduled to contact us until tomorrow. Plus, he might not want to help her any way, since he's the one controlling the alliance right now."
"I didn't think of that," Rodney says with a frown.
"By then it might be too late," Ronon interjects.
"I know. If she doesn't feed, she'll die," John sighs.
"Well, you know that Woolsey already said he wouldn't allow it if it came to it. I'm not even sure if I'm comfortable with the idea," Rodney says with disagreeable tone.
John's looks saddens, "I guess we'll have to see what the Doc comes up with."
--
During the night, John silently goes to see Teyla. He grabs her right hand and places it on his chest. Teyla wakes up and fear fills her eyes.
"You have to do it Teyla. It's the only way for you to get better," John whispers lovingly.
Teyla shakes her head no, "I… I cannot. I will not."
"You have to. If you do not live to be the Primary Queen, who knows what will happen and everything we've done so far will have been for nothing."
"There's an expression that we sometimes say on Earth. Caring is sharing. I'm willing to share a part of me to you. Just don't take it all," he says with a smile and a wink.
He tightens his grip around her wrist with his left hand and prepares himself, "Do it."
As she begins to feed, John fights not to groan in pain and not to collapse under the stress of it all. Keller runs when she hears Teyla wail.
"Stop! What are you doing?" Keller yells.
John draws his sidearm and aim in the doctor's direction, "This is the only way… She…needs… to finish."
Teyla soon stops and John slumps over her bed, barely alive. Keller and a medical team quickly take John off the bed and tend to him. John weakly tells Keller ear that he is fully to blame and Teyla had no prior knowledge of his plan. He also give the same reason for why as he did with Teyla.
Teyla quickly heals. She is ashamed of allowing herself to do what she has done. She begs Keller to make her back to normal.
Keller agrees, but suggests that Teyla make a prerecording of herself saying she approves the gene therapy. Just in case it does work. Teyla agrees and Keller gets Rodney to help them.
After Teyla is back to herself, she goes and sits by John's side. Her tears flow as she sees his weakened state.
He gives her a weak smile, cups his hand on her cheek and uses his thumb to wipe away her tears, "What happened to your beautiful green face?"
Teyla tries to smile, but it doesn't last long, "You should not have done this. I should not have done this to you."
John slides his hand her hold hers, "Remember what I said a couple of years ago, on the Daedalus when we were going to Sateda to get Ronon? I meant it. I would risk my life to save anyone of you… especially you."
John's voice gets weaker and Teyla has to bring her ear closer to hear him. Ronon and Rodney walk into the room and stand in silence.
"I want you to know… that I love you…," he whispers in her ear before closing his eyes.
Teyla's heart begins to race, "Dr. Keller! Please, come quick!"
Ronon and Rodney rush to Teyla's side and Keller begins to examine John.
Keller's eyes sadden, "I'm sorry. He slipped into a coma." It's only a matter of time.
Teyla begins to hyperventilate, "What have I done?"
"It's not your fault," Ronon begins. "He wanted to do this."
"You knew?" Teyla asks.
Rodney clears his throat, "We both did, but there was no way to talk him out of it. Sorry, Teyla. He had some very good reasons why he wanted to do it."
--
When Todd gets a hold of Atlantis, he is informed of what has happened. Todd reassures them that he is bringing two more Wraiths with him and that he will help restore John's health. He thought it was the least he could do since Atlantis helped him established a position high in the alliance.
Teyla, Ronon, Rodney and Keller watch as Todd restores John's life force.
"What?" John snaps as he sees Todd smirking at him.
"It stills amazes me how weak human emotions can be," Todd chuckles as he looks at Teyla.
He leaves to see Keller and how the gene therapy is doing. It isn't as successful as Todd and Keller hoped for, but Keller promises to continue working on any problems it has.
When John and Teyla are alone, Teyla gets closer to John, "Did you really mean what you said?"
John tries to pretend to be confused, but Teyla raises her eyebrow in a demanding way.
He lowers his eyes, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that since you and Kanaan are…"
"Kanaan and I are parents of Torren, but nothing more than that," Teyla interrupts.
John's eyes smile at her statement.
She leans over to whisper in his ear, "I love you as well."
They look around to make sure no one is looking and they kiss each other gently and lovingly.
The End.