Chapter: 1 - Springtime

Rating: M

Disclaimers: I make no profit from this and I own no part of the Stargate world etc and so forth…

Spoilers: Set after EATG, therefore all of S5

Comments: Thank you to everyone who sent me inspiring comments and encouragement to continue writing. I tried to send a thank you to everyone who commented/reviewed or emailed. It is great to know there is still a large group of Stargate fans interested in reading SGA fic, and especially JT fic. I am continuing with 'Wishes' as so many of you requested, but my first real spark of inspiration you all gave me resulted in this fic. I was discussing with a couple of people over how to 'deal' with the issue of Kanaan. And this fic was born! Thank you to those who indulged in the Kanaan cleanup speculation – you know who you are. And yes, for the nudges too ;)

This is a completed fic that just needs the end finalised and a good old tidy up. Therefore I will try to post one chapter a day. The title refers to the classic song by the Spin Doctors (go on dig it out and have a listen for old time's sake!)

Two Princes

Chapter 1 - Springtime

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John

The C4 detonated with a burst of vibration, followed quickly by the secondary explosions. John momentarily lost his footing as the unseen shockwave hit against his back, but he righted himself, stumbling on along the path. Loose rocks cascaded ahead of him as he reached the crest of the embankment and below him he saw the hurried anxious faces staring up towards him and the destruction behind him. His boots hit the downside of the embankment and the hard wall of earth blocked him from the second rush of fast heated air and explosively propelled debris.

Rocks falling ahead of him John ran on, barely keeping upright as he all but slid downwards towards the glowing light of the Gate. Another shocking explosion vibrated through the embankment beneath his boots and this time he did fall onto his backside. Sharp points of rock bit into his bare palm as he fell. Behind him he heard Lorne grunt, but one quick look over his shoulder told John that the Major was unhurt.

"We've got incoming!" Rodney's echoed up towards John as he got his feet back under him. Half skating half falling down towards the open Gate, John looked down towards Rodney hunched worriedly over the DHD. The internal guts of the Ancient device had been dissected out and were laid around Rodney's feet. But, it was the one small glowing box transplanted into the DHD that drew all of John's attention, he watched as the pale blue light within the box flickered and he knew their time really was up.

"Get through the Gate, Rodney!" John shouted towards his friend as the last remaining members of the Daedalus' crew disappeared through the Gate.

As John hit the base of the embankment he heard the screaming sound of a lot of metal under tremendous stress, high up from behind them, but the sound was fast approaching. He didn't turn round to look - he still had too much distance to run to get to the Gate; the last open wormhole back home to Earth.

The reverberations of the weapons fire beyond the embankment doubled as the Wraith Super Base's weapons towers pounded out energy fire towards the descending nightmare headed towards them.

"Get through that Gate, Rodney!" John screamed his order as he pounded down the short path, almost to the Gate. "GO!" It was Ronon though who took the initiative and he grasped the back of Rodney's vest, dragging him away from the spluttering gutted DHD.

Everyone else was through and they only had seconds left.

"But, the crystals…" Rodney began to protest as he struggled surprisingly successfully against Ronon's pull.

"Rodney!" John shouted again, as he realised what had distracted Ronon's attention. The sound of the descending Daedalus was unmistakeable now as it screamed down through the atmosphere on an inevitable collision course with the Super Base. "We're right behind you," John shouted at his two friends.

Ronon pulled harshly on Rodney now, flinging him towards the glowing thin layer of the event horizon, sending Rodney roughly back to Earth and safety. John felt a moment of relief, despite his own distance from the Gate, at seeing Rodney gone and Ronon hovering ready as well.

"Go!" John shouted at his friend as behind him Lorne stumbled, possibly having looked over his shoulder at the descending sight of the Daedalus.

Oddly it was in this moment that John felt a stab of powerful regret. It could only have lasted the split second it took him to pass the DHD and as Ronon disappeared through the Gate. John knew that this trip really was the last chance to get back to Earth. Though they had been successful in getting the SGC and IOA to send a team back to Pegasus even without Atlantis, John knew that there would be no more opportunities like this. Maybe this strike against the Wraith really would kill most of them off, maybe Pegasus would be safer for the destruction about to truly begin behind the embankment. But, The Powers That Be would never risk a visit again and they sure as hell were never going to let Atlantis leave Earth.

Teyla had known that, which was why she, Kanaan and little Torren had been left back with the Athosians. The farewell had been quick and in the midst of a burgeoning battle. John had hugged her quickly, loosely and had wished her well, as the Daedalus had been about to jump away from the Athosian's new homeworld. He had had no time to really speak to her alone, to tell her how much he was going to miss her friendship. Maybe it had been the suspicion that this mission wasn't going to end well that had made him more closed up than normal with her. Or maybe it had been the fact that he knew whatever attractions and dreams he had harboured for her were now truly lost. She had her family and her people and the previous life in Atlantis would not return. Maybe one day in the far future people from his galaxy would visit Pegasus again, but he knew it would not be in his lifetime. There was too much to lose and too little to gain for Earth now.

It was a strange series of emotions and thoughts to flash through his mind as he tore towards the Gate, watching Ronon's back disappear through the water like substance of the wormhole. John wished he could stay, that life might have been different, but it wasn't to be. He was leaving Pegasus forever, leaving Teyla and little Torren behind.

The electrical splutter was just audible enough over the weapons fire a second before the event horizon disintegrated before John. For a moment he was confused, but then the trees and rocky ground on the far side of the Gate made it far too obvious; the wormhole had shut down inches before he had been about to run through it. At least it hadn't waited until he had been half way through! But that still meant that he and Lorne were trapped here.

John skidded to a halt within the ring of the Gate, turned and saw in the far distance the shape of the Daedalus bearing down through the clouds towards the Super Base. Fires were burning over the Daedalus, turning it into a burning unusually shaped ball of flames. Was this going to be it then? This was how he was going to die? At least all his people had escaped…except Lorne. John turned to the Major, who had already turned back to the DHD.

"The Earth dialling patch has blown," Lorne shouted from the DHD. Then there was no way to get to Earth. Thoughts of death disappeared as John's mind snapped back into military mode.

"Will it dial?" He asked even though he was already reaching over and dialling a new address. The DHD lit up, sparkling light turning on the Gate behind him. It wouldn't reach Earth anymore without Rodney's version of the Atlantis control crystal, but they could get off this planet before the Daedalus…

The explosion of the impact rocked the ground and John gripped onto the DHD to steady himself. The address was in and he felt the rush of air as the wormhole engaged behind him. Over the embankment in the distance he saw the fireball mushrooming up towards the clouds, setting fire to the air itself. They had seconds to leave before the secondary explosions hit and everything this side of the planet was incinerated.

With Lorne beside him, John raced for the Gate, flinging himself through it, desperately wondering if the blast of the explosion would still catch up with them at the other end of the Gate.

He felt the wash of the event horizon flow over his skin as he passed into it, away from death. He hadn't thought about which address he had dialled, only reacted instantly without prolonged thought, dialling the first address that came to his mind. Of course that was the one primarily in his mind, other than Earth's, and it was the address of the new Athosian world. He had memorised it, hoping that somehow he may one day be able to return there. Little had he known he would use it so soon.

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Kanaan

The fresh air breezed across the space before him, the scent of the trees, freshly budding plants and flowing water carrying in the air. He inhaled deeply and then exhaled with a heavy relaxed and happy sigh. He had missed this so much; the open space, the forests and hunting grounds. The scents of his childhood were drifting in the air, with the prospect of a summer soon to come.

Kanaan sighed again, looking away from his work to the rolling fields of grasses just visible through the line of trees around this side of the camp. It may not be Old Athos, or even New Athos, but it still felt like them. A planet that looked so similar that the planting and harvests traditions of his people were now at home on this world. He had been away too long.

The air held no hint of salt, the closest ocean being several hours walk away. The tents behind him were made traditionally and were warm and dark inside, making him feel relaxed and filled with memories of his life before Michael and Atlantis. This was where he was meant to be, not stuck on a floating half empty city upon a vast ocean, on a world that was not even in his home galaxy. Earth had many riches to be enjoyed he supposed, but he had never truly felt comfortable there even when living in the city of the Ancestors. He was surprised how free he felt to be away from the city now. It had been a home for him because that had been where Teyla wished to be and Torren with her. Kanaan had made the best he could of the situation, but in his heart he had wished to be right back here with his people.

He inhaled the air again and happiness blossomed through him. This was where he was meant to be, not out there in strange cities on strange alien worlds. Around him his people worked, smiled and lived as their fathers, mothers and their ancestors had done. It was a beautiful way to live and he felt nothing but gratitude for being able to return to this way of life.

Teyla had appeared pleased as well, having been cut off from her people by an entire galaxy. However, now back among them, Kanaan saw that her heart was heavy with the departure of her friends and her life on Atlantis. But, Atlantis would never return to this galaxy. It had been usurped by those from Earth. Kanaan had felt very bitter about that, as had most of those who had called Atlantis their home over the years. Kanaan had watched all of them battle to return to this galaxy, but their governments were never going to let such power as Atlantis go, especially as they had lost their most powerful defences for their planet. Kanaan guessed he understood that, but still it had been draining and depressing to know that decisions had been made over his future by people across an alien planet that he would never meet. In the end, he and Teyla had been offered the chance to return to Pegasus during a reconnaissance mission on the Daedalus.

A mission that had led to the discovery of Wraith cornered and ready to strike, so those on the Daedalus had formed a plan along with other allies and had headed off to attack the Wraith for good. But before they had left on a mission whose results they may never know, Kanaan, Teyla and Torren had been returned to their people. The circumstances of that departure had been hurried and Kanaan suspected that the quick goodbyes with her friends had pained Teyla further. Those from Earth would not be returning here and though Kanaan felt regret for Teyla he also felt a weight lift from him. Death, danger and destruction had been a violent part of the Athosians' lives since those from Earth had arrived in this galaxy. Maybe their departure would bring peace and contentment.

Kanaan looked over his shoulder towards the collection of living tents at the far end of the camp. It had been three days since the Daedalus had left and it was clear to Kanaan that Teyla was putting on a brave face. However, Kanaan saw the sadness in her eyes which spoke of a deep pain in her heart. He knew she would relax and be happy again once time passed. He only prayed that she would be happy to live nice and quietly alongside him for the rest of their lives.

In his mind he formed the image of that bright future. Torren would grow into a strong boy and would have brothers and sisters to carry on the Athosian blood. Kanaan and Teyla would live happily caring for their people, children and the galaxy would be free of Wraith. It was a future that was a very real possibility now. That freedom was due to those from Earth, so Kanaan decided he would only think good thoughts about them from now on. After all they were gone from his and Teyla's life now. The future was bright and he had all he wanted.

A loud call of concern drew his attention away from his bright thoughts and he looked round to see movement at the edge of the camp. Two shapes appeared along the main path from the Stargate and Kanaan could see Halling and several others moving forward to meet them. Visitors were always a welcome distraction and trading had been flourishing of late. Kanaan set down the ropes he had been weaving and followed the small crowd forward.

Halling's voice was just audible to Kanaan as he approached and the crowd parted enough for Kanaan to see the two men who had entered the camp. Kanaan's heart sank.

"…happened?" Was all Kanaan caught of Halling's question as their leader reached Colonel Sheppard's side. He and Major Lorne looked bruised and dirtied.

Sheppard held his weapon loosely at his side and stopped opposite Halling. There was a strange new quality to the way the man held himself and the same for Major Lorne beside him. Kanaan pushed into the crowd to get closer.

"Don't worry the mission was a success. We took out the last Hives and the Queens' Super Base is history. It took ramming the Daedalus into it to do it, but the threat is over for now," Sheppard reported. His voice was tired and Kanaan saw several cuts on his hands and bare forearms. Dirt and dust clung to his uniform and to the dried blood trails across his skin.

"And your people?" Halling pressed.

"They all got through the Gate back to Earth," Sheppard turned towards Lorne beside him. "Except for the two of us. The one way trip to Earth failed just before we could get through the Gate ahead of the shockwave."

A wave of concern and kind words flew from people's lips around Kanaan as he realised what had happened. Sheppard and Lorne were stuck here in this galaxy. Kanaan knew what was coming next.

"Looks kind of like we need somewhere to stay…to live," Sheppard added, his voice sounding worn.

Halling's words were out of his mouth before Sheppard finished his request. "You are both welcome to live here with us. You are like family to us all." The others all chorused out their agreement.

"Won't your people come back for you?" Kanaan asked. A heavy bitterness was rising in his heart and throat. Teyla would be happy see them, especially Sheppard.

Sheppard looked through the crowd and met Kanaan's eyes. "No. We lost the Daedalus and they won't risk sending another ship."

"We'll probably be classed as missing in action," Major Lorne added.

"Can't you stay with your allies, those Travellers?" Kanaan pushed. Several pairs of frowning eyes all turned towards him in the crowd, Halling's being the darkest.

Sheppard however seemed not to have taken offence, unlikely Kanaan's people. "Don't think I like the idea of living with people who I don't trust. They'd probably sell us to someone," Sheppard joked, turning to Lorne. Lorne nodded with a tight smile. The two of them had obviously talked about it before heading here. Of course the Athosians would be their first port of call.

"No, I agree you would not be safe there," Halling added his opinion, his arm slipping around Sheppard's shoulders and drawing him through the crowd with a care that normally wouldn't have seemed necessary for a man like Colonel Sheppard. "You are welcome here. First; are either of you badly injured?"

Kanaan tuned out the rest of the words as he watched Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne be led into the camp. They were going to live here among the Athosians. Kanaan had never had all that much interaction with the Colonel in the past, but there had been a clear mutual distance between them. Kanaan had seen the closeness of Teyla and Sheppard, but it had also been clear to him that nothing had happened between them. That the Colonel had avoided Kanaan told him that perhaps Sheppard's affection for Teyla was more than just friendship. But, Kanaan had never really worried over it. Sheppard's life had been focused on his military work and Kanaan shared Torren with Teyla, so he had never really felt all that threatened by the man. Until now.

Now, the man was stripped of his job, his home and his future; so he would try to make one here among the Athosians. Suddenly Kanaan's confidence in his own bright future with Teyla seemed less certain.

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Teyla

The air was fresh above the running water, which was cold against her hands as she washed out the last of Torren's clothes. The stream's water was crystal clear and she could taste it in the air. As she squeezed out the last of the water from the fabric she looked round at her son lying happily in the dappled sunlight. Torren was gazing up at the trees above him, his eyes jumping from the gently stirring leaves and branches. She smiled at his fascination and looked up herself. The sunlight danced through the swaying thin canopy, but she suspected it was the birdsong that was drawing her son's attention. The small little golden coloured birds seemed to be particularly alive this afternoon. They danced between the branches and Teyla watched them for a few moments.

It had only been three days since she had returned to live with her people, and she had to assume that the ache in her chest would fade with time. And hopefully so would the anger at herself for not accompanying her friends into their last battle in this galaxy. Then perhaps she would be able to sleep more comfortably. She missed her friends terribly and the stark knowledge that she would never see any of them again was a very real pain in her heart. Tears in her eyes, she fixed her attention on watching the birds happily swooping between the tree branches. She wished she at least knew what had happened in the last mission, but she had no way to find out other than to wait for rumours to pass through to her from trading partners. Even then she would never know if the rumours were accurate.

She had to assume as well that her friends, and all of those on the Daedalus, had survived and made it back to Earth. Her team, former team, had been part of the ground force, so they would have escaped through the Gate back to Earth hopefully. So, she had to assume they were there, that they were safe and happy. She wondered what they would be doing now. Would they be in the SGC, Atlantis or in a home of their own? John, Rodney and Ronon had remained living in Atlantis back on Earth, but she suspected that would not last. She prayed to the Ancestors that they would live happy long lives.

Blinking away tears, she looked down from the tree tops to Torren again, who looked at her and giggled before he returned his attention to his bird watching. She smiled then, reaching out and stroking her fingers down one of his small legs to tickle his feet. He smiled absently and she returned her attention to completing her washing of his things. Not for the first time in the last three days did she wish she had access to the washing machines of Atlantis again. She suspected she would be nostalgic about many things from Atlantis for many years to come.

She shook out the little shirt and added it to the pile to hang out to dry later, and looked down the stream towards the few others of her people using the stream to wash their clothes. Hakon smiled at her as he turned away with his full basket of clothes. It was a happy life here, though the pressing fear of the Wraith returning was always there, but there was hope now that life would be more peaceful. And they had those from Earth to thank for that. She remembered the hollowed regret in John's eyes in the past when he blamed himself for waking the Wraith all those years ago, but in the end he had helped to destroy most of that threat. She caught herself picturing him in the Gate room of Atlantis, moving on with his life and the pain returned to her chest with a vengeance.

Annoyed with her continuing down thoughts, she dried off her hands and wrapped up the wet clothes and added them all to the basket beside Torren. She stood up, stretching out her back, when she heard someone hurrying along the stream's banks.

"Teyla?" Someone called and Teyla turned to see Fera appear through the shrubbery. There was an urgency to the woman's expression.

"What is it?" Teyla asked hurriedly, automatically focusing on her Wraith sensing abilities, seeking out danger. There was nothing to feel, but threats came in many forms.

Fera smiled then as she disentangled herself from a trailing shrub. "No, all is well. The Wraith base was destroyed."

Teyla felt a burst of relief, but the inevitability of her friends' departure was even more pronounced. "And those from Earth?"

"They made it through to their home, but lost their ship in order to destroy the Wraith base. All except Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne."

Panic and pain shot through her. "Did they not survive?" Her heart hammered in her chest. Was John lost?

"They survived, they are here," Fera replied.

"What?" Teyla asked. "But, you said…"

"He and Major Lorne did not make it through to Earth in time and can not return now. They are in the camp," Fera explained pointing back towards the camp through the trees.

"They are here?" Teyla asked already moving towards the camp, only to remember Torren and turned back to collect up her son. Fera gathered up the washing basket for her and followed along behind. "Are they hurt?" Teyla asked as she dashed along the stream, shrubbery breaking in her path.

"A few cuts and bruises, but Halling was seeing to them. They have asked to live with us," Fera added conversationally from behind Teyla.

Teyla looked over her shoulder, but did not slow her step. They were really trapped here in Pegasus? Regret for them warred with the pleasure that she would see John again.

She marched her way towards the camp, Fera falling back unable to keep up with her quick pace. Teyla reached the outskirts of the camp, Torren grumbling on her hip at the fast pace. The first person Teyla saw she opened her mouth to ask where John and Major Lorne were only for the person to anticipate her question and tell her they were in the healing tent. Teyla moved quickly through the avenues of the camp until she reached the back of the healing tent, and already she could hear John's distinctive voice talking with Halling inside. She rounded the tent to reach the entrance and entered to see John and Lorne sitting opposite Halling. Automatically she looked over the two men, seeing the newly cleaned scratches on their arms and faces, the dirt and dust on their dark uniforms, but otherwise they seemed unhurt.

"John? Major?" Teyla asked loudly as she entered. The three men all turned to her and wide smiles crossed all three faces. Relief finally hit her square in the chest and in her arm Torren grumbled loudly.

"Teyla," John replied as he stood up, his smile deepening and she headed quickly over to him. His arms were around her and her free one around him without any thought. They had rarely embraced before, but right now she needed to feel his very real physical presence against hers. She resisted the surge of tears to her eyes as she inhaled the familiar scent of him and his clothing. Torren struggled in her arms having recognised John, one of his favourite people, and Teyla pulled back. She turned towards Lorne who stood beside her and John. A little embarrassed suddenly at her very overt emotional display at seeing John, she focused on the Major now.

"Are you alright, both of you?" She asked looking over both of them more closely. The smell of burning lingered around them slightly.

"We're okay, a little tired," Lorne replied.

"The Super Base is gone," John told her.

She nodded, though she was more interested in how the two men were. "That is good to know. Fera told me you can not return to Earth? What happened to Rodney's device?"

"It gave out just when we were about to run through," John replied as he caught one of Torren's little waving hands. "We dialled up a local address just in time." There was something to the edge of John's voice that told her just how close they really had been to death. She reached out and gripped one of his arms as she nodded.

"I am so glad to see you both, though sorry that you can not return to your world." There was a slight tweak of a smile to John's lips and she remembered that she had echoed herself from years ago when they had first met.

"I have told Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne that they are welcome to live with us," Halling said from Teyla's left and she looked round to meet her old friend's eyes. She saw the conviction and honesty there.

"Yes, we would be honoured for you to live here," Teyla agreed. It was such a bizarre place to suddenly be. Not so long ago she had been the one trapped on an alien planet in an alien galaxy, now John and the Major were in that position. She knew precisely how they felt, but then perhaps not, for there had always been a possibility of return for her. She doubted that Earth would ever send another expedition to Pegasus, after all they had had to fight so hard for this one trip.

"They won't come back for us now," John told her echoing her thoughts. "We had to ram the Daedalus into the Super Base."

She understood what that meant; no other ship would be risked. At least not for a very long time. She would never see Rodney or Ronon again. The sadness from before returned, but the warmth of John's arm under her hand reminded her that she wasn't as alone as she had thought. She looked up at John and then to Lorne and saw in their eyes an even deeper sadness. She was pleased that John especially was here, but she knew that he did not wish to be and she would never wish that on him. She looked down behind them to their vests lying beside their P90s. They didn't even have any personal items with them, only the clothes on their backs and the weapons in their hands.

She squeezed John's arm before releasing him. "Then we need to find you each a tent and you will need furniture, clothing." The list formed in her mind, aiding her through the strange mixture of excitement and sadness.

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TBC