This was a response to a Challenge from the J/T Thread this past summer (07/06).
A Little White Lie
John stared at the letters on the page before him, but no matter how hard he tried to focus, they didn't make any sense. Sighing, he snapped the book closed and tossed it onto his nightstand. This wasn't working. Try as he might to distract himself from the issue at hand, there was no denying it……he needed to talk to Teyla. I had been two days since their mission to PGP-X24. Two days of no eye contact. Two days of awkward silences. Two days of avoidance. Might as well get it over with. John turned to the side of the bed to slip on his boots as someone knocked on the door.
"It's open."
When the door slid open to reveal Teyla, John struggled to control his surprise. He rose from the bed and tried to act as normal as possible. Forcing himself to make eye contact, John gave a welcoming smile.
"Hey."
Teyla stood in the doorway, unsure if John's smile was truly one of welcome or just him being kind.
"Colonel….John, I was wondering if I could speak to you for a moment?"
John watched her lips move. He could remember how soft they were and that they tasted of honey. He could also remember how easily she'd opened to his kisses and her soft moans of pleas-. John looked up to find Teyla staring at him expectantly. Focus nucklehead! This is your chance to try and fix this mess.
"Uhh, come in. Would you like to sit down?"
She smiled.
"No, thank you."
Teyla grew silent; unsure how to begin, she glanced down at her hands. Seeing signs of uncertainty John decided to jump the gun.
"Look, I know these last few days have been…."
Teyla glance up.
"Ackward?"
John nodded.
"Awkward. And I just want you to know that I take full responsibility for what happened. I never meant to put you in such an uncomfortable situation and I apologize." Teyla sighed.
"There is no reason to apologize. If you had not told the High Priest that I was your wife we would still be on that planet even now; me as another man's slave and you trying to figure out a way to free me."
John began to pace back and forth.
"Possibly, but knowing the situation we should have left immediately. We never should have stayed for as long as we did."
Teyla stepped forward, placing her hand on his arm.
"And walk away from an untouched ZPM. It was just one night and we did not actually do anything. Besides, how could you possibly know that the High Priest would send one of his men to watch us?"
John looked away. True, there was no reason he should have expected their night visitor, but that didn't mean he was any less guilty. It had started out innocently enough. They shared a room given to them by their host. They even sleep in the same bed, which they'd done on many occasions. But in the middle of the night, John had suddenly awoken with the feeling that they were being watched. A quick glance at Teyla showed that she too was aware that they were not alone. In all fairness, he could say that she started it. Sitting up on her elbow, she'd smiled at him in the moonlight and leaned over to give him a kiss. Immediately catching on to her game, John quickly became the aggressor. He rolled her onto her back, settling between Teyla's thighs and deepened the kiss. Initially, they'd only kissed, but the feel of her hands running through his hair and down his back and her low moans of pleasure had ignited a low burning fire in John. Playful kisses turned heated, demanding. Wondering hands explored areas that should have been off limits. And clothing, their one barrier, slowly began to disappear. He had been lost, they both had. If it hadn't been for the soft click of the door signaling that the intruder had departed, John wasn't sure how far they would have gone, or if they would have stopped. He and Teyla would have made love. All because of a little white lie. John glanced back at Teyla. She titled her head and smiled sadly.
"Was it really so bad?"
John's heart started pounding so hard, he feared his head would explode.
"God, no! It's just that you're apart of my team and….I value our friendship….."
He watched the smile fall from Teyla's face. Damn it, he was screwing things up even worse. John sighed. Seeing that this was a no win situation, he decided to go out on a limb and tell the truth. John lifted Teyla's chin, bringing her gaze back to his.
"I…I want more from you than I should. I want to be more than your teammate, to be more than your friend. I want….you."
Teyla's eyes widened. The smile that spread across her face was as wide as the ocean and as bright as the rising sun.
"You already have me."
John stared dumbfounded.
"What?!?"
She laughed.
"I am yours for the asking."
He frowned.
"But these last couple of days…?"
"You looked so sad and guilty, I was giving you time to think things through."
"And now?"
Teyla smirked.
"I was beginning to think you did not want me after all."
"Not wa-."
John ran a hand through his hair. He wondered if he'd fallen asleep while reading that stupid book and would suddenly awaken to find this all a cruel dream. John turned to face Teyla, cupping her face in his hands.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
He grinned.
"Cause I'm not the easiest person to love."
Teyla's eyebrow rose.
"I know."
John gazed into her eyes.
"But, I'll worship the ground that you walk on for the rest of my days."
Whatever her reply would have been was cut off by John's kiss. He backed Teyla into the bed and lowered her onto the mattress. The kisses they shared were passionate, sensual. Their hands were free to roam where ever they pleased. Within minutes all clothing was shed. And the only sounds that filled the air were moans of pleasure and pants for air. There were no falsehoods here, only John and Teyla. There was no longer any need for a little white lie.