Disclaimer: all things Stargate: Atlantis are the property of MGM (re: not me). I'm not making any money off this, just playing with the toys.

A/N: As this is my first SGA fic, I'm nervous as all get out. I've only seen a few season 4 episodes, but after seeing the preview for Quarantine, I knew I had to start posting what I had. In other words, it is season 4, but with my own tangent to the universe. I hope it works. Also, it has not been beta read and if anyone is up for the job, I will gladly take you up on it.

00000

"Yes, Rodney, I'll marry you. Now please stop pacing."

"What? Really?" He stopped at looked at his new fiancé. He felt a goofy grin spread across his face, growing wider as he saw her beautiful smile. "Ooh." He fumbled with his fingers nervously. "I don't have a ring."

Katie stood and placed her hands over Rodney's floundering ones. "It's okay." She looked into those blue eyes. "We're both a little pre-occupied by something else." She looked to her right towards the infirmary and the screaming woman giving birth.

Rodney followed her gaze, his face paling as Teyla's screams echoed into the hall. It took a lot for the Athosian to cry out. He knew. She'd been shot and stabbed with shrapnel and never once complained. "She...uh...okay?"

Ronan turned from his position just outside the doorway. "It's going to be a while."

"And you would know this from all those years of practising obstetrics in between running for your life from the Wraith?"

The Satedan glared.

"Rodney, play nice," John's voice drawled as he entered the waiting area. He peeked inside the delivery room. "How's she doing?"

"According to-"

Another piercing scream filled the air, shaking Rodney and John. Ronan merely sighed and entered the room. Didn't seem right for the woman to have no one with her. They still hadn't made much progress in finding her people, much to Teyla's anguish. So there were no midwives, no comforting smells and sights of delivering her child in traditional surroundings by traditional methods. Teyla was his friend and Ronan was going to do whatever he could to help her.

A day later he would question the wisdom of that decision as his hand was still immobile from where the woman had broken two bones in gripping it so tightly.

00000

As the former runner predicted, it was indeed a while before Teyla's baby made its entrance into the Pegasus galaxy. A shrilling, screaming entrance.

The nurse cleaned the child and handed her to Teyla. "A daughter."

Despite her exhaustion, the Athosian beamed before touching her forehead to her daughter's. "Welcome, Teyanne."

"That's pretty," John said softly.

Teyla tore her gaze from the newborn. "It was my grandmother's name." She noticed the group of likewise beaming faces all attempting to get a look at Atlantis' newest resident. Teyla felt a little self-conscious given her recent ordeal and was thankfully saved from the well wishers by Doctor Kellar.

"Okay, everyone. Mom and baby need some alone time. Ronan, let me check on that hand for you."

John gave one last smile as he left. "A baby!" he announced as they left the room. He felt like a proud father.

Rodney stood, having opted to not see the child. "Mm, yes. Well it does happen from time to time."

"Rodney!" Katie admonished lightly. "You should go see her. She's quite beautiful."

"I'm sure she isn't. Babies don't come out cleanly, you know. There's blood and-"

"We get it, McKay," John interrupted. "Just go in and let Teyla know you were there."

Carter came round the corner. "What's the news?"

"A baby," John grinned.

"A girl," Katie added.

Sam smiled herself and looked into the infirmary. "Is it okay to see them?"

"Sure," John answered. "McKay was just going in himself." He smirked.

Rodney mentally calculated the level of tweaking he would have to do to change the water temperature controls in Sheppard's room from 'pleasant' to 'polar ice cap'. "Fine." He pointed for Sam to lead the way. He didn't know what to expect other than seeing a wriggling, squirmy thing likely ready to yell its head off. What he found stopped him in his tracks.

A nurse had given Teyla some water and was helping to clean her up. In her arms lay Teyanne, quiet and sleeping.

"She looks just like you," Sam commented softly. "Congratulations."

"Thank-you, Colonel." Teyla looked at her daughter. She would never tire of it. "And thank-you for coming. To take time from your duties."

Sam smiled and squeezed her shoulder. "I'll let you two get some well deserved rest."

"And thank-you, too, Rodney." Teyla waited, pleasantly pleased that the scientist seemed enamoured of Teyanne. His lack of enjoyment of babies and children was known to all.

"Huh? What?" He continued to stare at the baby, body slightly bent at the waist. God, she was so small. Helpless.

"For being here. I know it was not easy for you."

He straightened. "Yes, well, family and all that." He flexed his hand a number of times. "I should..." He pointed towards the door. "Let you..."

The Athosian smiled gently. "Of course."

Something in her voice made him stop. He looked down to see tears falling down her cheeks. "Are you, you know, okay?"

Teyla smiled gently and nodded.

"So those are tears of joy," Rodney ventured.

"Yes." She wiped a cheek. "But also..." Watery eyes gazed up at Rodney. "I miss my people."

Rodney needed to escape that room before his legs buckled and his stomach cracked.

00000

Teyla lifted a brow at the tray before her. "Is something wrong, Rodney?" She gestured to the yellow tray and the noticeable lack of overflowing food.

"Hmm? What?"

The Athosian smiled. "You are not hungry."

Rodney stared down at his plate, seeing only a lone tuna sandwich and cup of water. Hardly enough sugar there to keep himself in check. "Oh."

"Perhaps you would like some of mine." She moved to transfer her jello to his side.

"No. No. You need it for...well for..." He pointed to the three-week old asleep in the sling across Teyla's chest.

"I am quite certain that Teyanne will understand if she does not get her jello today." Her smile widened. "Please." She shifted the small container over.

"Ah, well. Thank-you." He looked at the green gelatin, still wriggling. Was that a piece of orange? He eyed it suspiciously.

"Dr. McKay?" his earpiece buzzed. "It is Radek."

McKay tapped the radio. "Go ahead."

Teyla looked to her child, giving Rodney a sense of privacy. She looked up when the doctor stood, muttering something about work. Her smile faded when she saw that his meal was still on the table, untouched.

00000

"Hey," John called as he entered the lab, examining the little bits of stuff strewn around. He paused to pick up an egg shaped silver thing.

"Don't touch that," McKay warned causally, not lifting his eyes from his monitor. "We think it's a bomb."

Sheppard quickly and cautiously replaced the item. He leaned over McKay's work station table. Rodney rolled his chair to the station behind him, checked some readings then returned to his computer.

"What?"

The Colonel only shrugged before pulling out a chocolate bar from his breast pocket. He watched as McKay did nothing. He sighed. Teyla was right. Something was definitely off with the Canadian.

John took a good look at the man and was surprised he didn't see it before. Sunken eyes, sallower skin and had he lost weight?

"You going to tell me what's wrong?"

Rodney frowned at the screen. "No. No." He typed something in.

Sheppard's brows lifted and he shifted his weight to his left elbow and forearm. "Guess I'll have to eat this Mars bar myself." He ripped the wrapper.

McKay huffed. "This is all wrong." He hunched further over the computer, rubbing his eyes.

Frowning, Sheppard took a bite, its sweetness something he had forgotten. It had been a long time since he'd had one of these. "Mm, this is really good." He worked his jaw to peel the caramel off his teeth. "Full of sugar." He thrust it out. "Want some?"

"Oh for the love of...Can't these morons figure anything out without me standing over their shoulders telling them they're wrong?" He continued to puff as he typed busily at the keyboard.

"That's it." John snapped off the monitors and yanked away the keyboard.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" McKay's voice rose nearly an octave. "I was working on that."

"Now that I've got your attention."

McKay stopped, saw the determination on his team leader's face and crossed his arms. He hand gestured for Sheppard to continue.

"Good." He returned the keyboard. Okay, now what? "Teyla says you're not eating."

Rodney's face contorted. "What? That's crazy. I'm hypoglycaemic. I'd go into shock if I didn't eat every three-"

"To four hours." Sheppard interrupted. "I know."

"And what is Teyla saying things to you anyway? I mean, this goes precariously close to invasion of privacy-"

"You're a member of my team and she was worried about you." He paused. "We all are."

"There's nothing to worry about." He turned his back to Sheppard and switched on the monitor. "I'm fine." He rubbed the side of his face, feeling the stubble.

"Oh really." John waved the chocolate bar in front of Rodney.

"That proves nothing. Other than ew. Come on, a half-eaten chocolate bar? Do you have any idea how unhygienic that is?"

"Rodney, don't make me order you to eat."

The scientist glared. "Shall we do another verse of the chain of command song? Because, personally, it's getting a little tiresome." He reached for his coffee, both men noting the shaking hand.

"You need to eat."

"I need to work. Now just go away."

McKay brought the cup to his lips, but a tremor spilt it down his front. He jumped from his chair and looked to his wet shirt then to Sheppard. He wobbled a little then promptly fell back, unconscious.

"Rodney!" John tapped his earpiece. "Medical emergency, science lab one." He looked around anxiously, grabbing Rodney's jacket and balling it up. He carefully placed it under Rodney's head. "What is going on with you?" he whispered, lines deepening across his forehead.