Title: Bitten
Summary: She'd been bitten by something. What, they didn't know. But it had sent Teyla high as a kite and she'd gallivanted off into surrounding woods somewhere as she'd brought up the rear and it was only the scattered line of clothes that indicated which way she had gone.
Characters: John, Teyla, Rodney, Ronon & Keller
Pairing: John/Teyla, Teyla/Kanan
Rating: K
It was when they were alone again that John felt the irrepressible urge to run away.
If he was honest, really, he'd even felt like running away when there had been a room full of people there to greet them. But being in a confined space with her? Well, that was something he wasn't exactly sure he could do. He pottered about with a couple of medical instruments, tossed them from hand to hand and wondered when the hell Keller would get there and let him out of his misery.
Back on the planet they'd been sent to investigate as a possible new home for the recently found Athosians, both John and Teyla had not so much enjoyed as experienced a tumble in the bushes. Even though she had just lost her son, Doran, she had insisted she be allowed to accompany her team on the search for a suitable planet; it was, after all, for her people. And besides, she needed to get out of the base for a while. John had been sceptical, wondering just how focussed she would be after experiencing such a tragic burden only a week or so before. And his worries had been proven as well-founded.
She'd been bitten by something. What, they didn't know. But it had sent Teyla high as a kite and she'd gallivanted off into surrounding woods somewhere as she'd brought up the rear and it was only the scattered line of clothes that indicated which way she had gone. McKay had insisted on going no further when they came across her black tank top, followed by her new black leather trousers. Ronon had continued until they'd found her bra dangling from a tree branch somewhere above John's head. And John; well, he'd wanted to give up as soon as her BDU jacket had been found at the start of the trail.
Instead, he'd continued on. He found her, eventually, sitting, cross legged in a stream with water half way up her torso. And she was naked. He'd closed his initially before realising that it would not be conducive to his manoeuvring around the water and pulling her to shore. And that's what he'd have to do, he was sure if her happy giggles of glee and the multitude of splashing were anything to go by.
He sighed, resigned and started removing his own boots and socks, tucking his trousers up as far as they would go before wading into the rushing water in the general direction of a still giggling, still splashing Teyla.
And then he felt it. He wasn't sure exactly what it was but when he spluttered to the surface and found a still very naked Teyla Emmagan standing over him, a devilish grin spread across her face, he felt a very different it entirely.
Aghast, he pulled himself out of the water so he was standing in front of Teyla, his hands on his hips mirroring her posture and glowered at her. She pouted – actually pouted – before jumping into the air, landing on her back and splashing water all over John once again. He covered his face with his hands in guise of wiping the water away but was, in fact, hiding the ridiculous half grin, half wince that twisted his lips.
Somehow he'd managed to convince her that maybe coming home with him was the best option for all involved. As he'd covered her with his sodden jacket, he may have promised to let her swim in the endless pool that was the ocean surrounding Atlantis.
Collecting her clothes was the easy part. Trying to get them to stay on her was wherein the difficulty lay. He'd had to clasp her bra three times before agreeing with her that maybe it was best left off. He'd then had to pull her tight tank top down over her very naked body, while trying not to let his mind think of when else he'd seen her so bare to him. When he'd looked up from tying her boots, he found her top once again removed and he'd rolled his eyes before tugging it back on and zipping up her jacket. He'd had to hold her hand all the way back to 'Gate to stop her from removing any more clothing.
Which had led them to being cooped up together in the infirmary as whatever it was that was in Teyla's system wore off.
As if being around Teyla wasn't awkward enough.
He sighed and dropped onto the bed beside hers and scrubbed his face with his hand and let out a yell of frustration.
"John, I am sorry."
"I thought I told you to stop apologising," he accused, a little more harshly than he'd intended. She looked startled for a moment before her eyes had dipped from his, a rosy tint appearing on her cheeks. He'd admit to himself that he quite liked that effect. "Sorry," he murmured, his own eyes falling from her body. He heard her sigh and looked up at her, seeing a sheen of tears in her eyes. "Hey..." he hopped off his bed and hovered in front of her, not entirely sure if he should touch her. "Are you all right?"
Her nod was anything but convincing. His finger reached out and brushed the back of her forearm, tracing a hazy line from her elbow to her wrist. The touch was electrifying. Her eyes caught his and he knew that she was thinking about the same thing he was and he was glad. A tear fell from her eye and his fingers automatically wiped it away.
"I just wanted to be helpful."
John nodded. He could understand that. It didn't make the fact that she was still grieving any different.
"Up until you started stripping, you were very helpful. And afterwards, even more so; if you hadn't been bitten by that thing, we'd have sent your people to that planet and who knows what could have happened." His reward was a small laugh and he smiled to himself. "Come here." He pulled her into his arms and she went easily. His hands stroked her back as he felt her silent tears soak through his only just dried shirt. He ducked his head into hers and inhaled, murmuring incoherent words of encouragement.
And that's how Keller found them, minutes later; temple to cheek, eyes closed.
John found that he wasn't so eager to see her anymore.