Unseen

Written by: L. Davis

Rodney, John, Radek and a small science team are in an unexplored part of Atlantis. They come across a lab with a consul on a platform against the far back wall. Above the consul is a metal sphere hanging from the ceiling, about the size of a basketball. Rodney approaches the consul and is about to press some of the switches.

"Rodney? What do you think you are doing?" asks John with a reprimanding tone. "Do you remember the last time you mess with something like this? You almost died. You might have had some cool super powers, but still…. you almost died."

Rodney says with a conceited smirk, "And if you remembered, I also figured out how to save myself, and might I add, I was able to help many people and help improve of our power problems before I almost died or should I say… ascended." John's faces contorts as her slowly shakes his head.

"I agree with Colonel Sheppard," remarks Radek. "We almost lost you and we should not rush into doing the same thing twice."

Rodney makes a displeasing look, "Fine, fine. Let me just take some readings before we decide what to do next."

John is about to ask Rodney what he thought the lab was for, and as he moves in closer towards Rodney the consul lights up and a strange glow develops around the sphere. John looks up and notices the glow. "Rodney?" Rodney looks up and notices it too. Fear shows in his eyes and he freezes. "Rodney!" yells John and pushes Rodney to the ground. As John pushes Rodney away, the glow turns into a ball of energy and bolts toward John, striking him in the back. John falls to his knees and yells in agony. He arches his back as the pain intensifies with arms stretched out to his side. Rodney, Radek and the science team can only look on with fear as he disappears. What was once faces of fear are now faces of shock and remorse.

Radek looks at Rodney, "What did you do?"

Rodney, with mouth wide open and still in shock he pauses, "I, I didn't do anything. Well, I don't believe I did. Oh God. John." Rodney presses the comm. in his ear to contact Weir. "Elizabeth, it's McKay," Rodney's voice cracks as he tries to speak.

Elizabeth is in her office; she notices the sound of his voice. "Rodney? What's wrong?"

A nervous Rodney responses, "It's… it's Sheppard."

Weir interrupts, "What about John?"

Rodney is more nervous than before, "Just understand that I didn't do it this time. Well, at least I don't think I did. He walked towards me, and it… "

"Rodney! What happen to John?" demands Weir.

He responds with a squeak in his voice, "He disappeared. John is… John's gone."

"What do you mean John disappeared?" asks a worry Elizabeth.

Rodney explains to Elizabeth the whole story. She sits in her chair, both shock and sad.

Elizabeth calls Teyla and Ronon to her office to tell them the sad news. They both take the news badly. Teyla asks to be excused and leaves quickly to her quarters. Elizabeth asks Ronon to look after her.

Teyla is in her quarters crying. Shortly after she gets to her room, her door chimes. It's Ronon; she lets him in as she is wiping her tears from her face.

Back to when the energy bolt hits John:

While John experiences the pain from the energy bolt he feels a strange sensation and then it stops. He looks and sees the looks on everyone's faces. He tries to get their attention, but no one notices him. "Am I dead?" he thought. I don't feel dead." He even tries to hit Rodney, but his hand just phases through. He feels nervous and uncomfortable about the whole thing. He wants to get some answers, but there is nothing he can do.

He follows Rodney to Elizabeth's office. There he hears Elizabeth tell Rodney that she had just told Teyla and Ronon. She mentions that Teyla took it terribly and she sent Ronon to be with her. John decides to leave to check on them.

As John gets to Teyla quarters he sees Ronon about to walk in and he walks in behind him. He notices Teyla wiping the tears off her face. He is surprised that Teyla is taking this so badly. He decides to sit in their conversation.

"Is there anything I can do?" asks Ronon.

Teyla is sitting on the edge of her bed, still wiping away the uncontrollable tears that are streaming down her face. She slowly shakes her head no. "I should have told him Ronon. I should have told him how I feel about him," weeps Teyla.

Ronon, who was currently leaning up against her wall, walks closer to her. He asks, "What did you wish you could say?" He had a feeling he already knew.

John is intrigued and also decides to gets closer. He feels slightly guilty for ease dropping, but he can't leave, especially seeing Teyla crying like this. He kneels by Teyla's feet, watches her face and waits to listen to her response.

"I just never said anything because it is against my people's belief. It is the man that usually goes to the woman when he is ready for a mate. We do not do random dating as they do," she explains. She pauses to gather her thoughts. "I love him Ronon and I wish I would have just told him. Not that he felt the same. Maybe that is another reason why I did not say anything. If he did not feel the same…." she hangs her head slightly and pauses.

John sits back slightly and in shock. His eyes start to water slightly as he sees her pain and sadness.

"You know John. He feels he has to hide his feelings. Especially since he is the leader of our team. But, I've noticed how he is when you're around. I just think he feels the same as you," says Ronon in a comforting tone.

John notices that Teyla is crying again. He sits up and leans in toward her. He cups his hand to the side of her face, as if to feel her and comfort her. Teyla closes her eyes and leans slightly in the direction of his hand. A slight smile comes across her face.

Ronon notices Teyla's odd behavior, "Teyla? Are you ok?

She quickly opens her eyes and looks a little lost. She looks at Ronon with confusion. "What just happened?'

"I don't know. You tell me," asks Ronon.

"I know this might seem strange, but I think I felt John here," replies Teyla. She puts her hand over the same cheek he was touching. It was like he was comforting me." She looks at Ronon whose face shows disbelief. She gets up and starts heading toward the door. "I know what I felt. It is not my imagination. I am going to find Rodney and Radek." Teyla calls them on their comm. and asks them to meet back at the room where this all started. John is excited and gets up as well and follows them.

Once they are in the room, Teyla tries to explain what had happen and even though they show looks of disbelief, she insists that John is not dead, but some how misplaced.

Rodney, Radek and the science team start scanning the area and Rodney even asks the control room to look for some kind of life signs that might be different. For a while they don't find anything, but they continue looking to humor Teyla.

Teyla starts moving her head to look around the room. "John, I hope you can hear me, but we need some way to find you. I know you are here in Atlantis. I…I felt your hand." She pauses. "John you need to give us a sign. Please."

John walks up behind Teyla and wraps his arms around her waist, he nestles his head against face and starts to sway, as if they are dancing.

Ronon, Rodney and Radek all look at each other and beginning to be more concern for Teyla. Radek happens to look down at his PDA. "Wait a minute. I see something by Teyla," Radek says surprisingly.

They look over to Teyla they see her swaying side to side, her arms around her waist and her eyes closed.

Rodney looks slightly disturbed, "What is she doing?"

"I think it has something to do with Colonel Sheppard," remarks Radek. He points to his PDA and shows a new life sign signature. "It wasn't there before. I think Teyla might be right after all." After several attempts Radek finally gets Teyla to snap out of her daze. He motions her to move closer to the consul. He tells her that if she sees the sphere glowing, to quickly leave and get down. She nods to show she understands. Radek then talks into the air, to tell John to get close to the consul again. He believes, after they have already made some adjustments, that it will return him to his normal state.

Teyla walks to the consul and as soon as she get there the sphere starts to glow. She does what she was told. The energy bolt concentrates on a point close to where Teyla was just standing. Slowly John starts to reappear and again he screams in pain. Teyla moves to help him, but Ronon hold her back until John has completely reappeared and the energy bolt was gone.

John is moaning in pain, but once he sees Teyla next to him he manages to smile at her. He then passes out. "John?" cries Teyla. She looks at Rodney and Radek. They rush to check on him and find a pulse. Rodney calls for medical assistance.

While they wait for the medical team to arrive Teyla takes one of John's hand and brings it up against her cheek. She reassures him that he will be fine and that she was very glad to have him back.

They finally get John to the infirmary. Teyla, Ronon, Radek and Rodney had followed all the way there, especially Teyla, who was right by her side. Elizabeth walks in quickly after them and Radek explains to her what happened.

Rodney looks at Teyla and notices her behavior. He turns to Ronon and asks, "Did I miss something?" Ronon just smiles and pats Rodney on the back of his shoulder. "What? What did I miss?"

Once John is all settled in Teyla sits next to him and holding his hand. John slowly wakes up and smiles as he sees Teyla's face smiling back at him. "You can't get rid of me that easily," he says teasingly. "I'm like a bad penny that keeps turning up." Teyla looks confused. " Never mind," he said. "It's just a joke." He tries to get up, but Teyla gently holds him down.

Teyla notices that John is grinning from ear to ear and has a gleam in his eyes. She finally get up the nerve to ask, "Was that you in my room? Her look went from her thinking about his touch to realizing he might have been there for her whole conversation with Ronon. "Did you hear everything I said to Ronon?"

John smirks and turns his eyes away from her pretending to avoid her. Her mouth opens a little in aw. He looks at her again and tell her that Ronon was right and he was sorry to never show her his feelings either. He also tells her that he was glad to hear how she felt and he will work on being more open. He motions her to come in closer and they kiss. Everyone turns to look away and give them some privacy.

Days later, Teyla is walking down the corridor. John sneaks up behind her to hugs her. She turn around and is slightly surprised. "What? I told you I was going to try to do better," he says while flirting.

"Did Rodney ever figure out what happened to you?' asks Teyla.

"They still don't really know, but it look like it was something to do with shifting dimensions or something like that. I really can't get into all that they say. After awhile it kinda get boring," John says smugly. "It sure hurt like hell. Why couldn't have the Ancients built things that didn't kill you or put you through a lot of pain," whined John.

He also tells her that he has plans for the both of them out on one of the piers. He looks around carefully and they both kiss again.

Later that night, John meets Teyla at her quarters and escorts her to a picnic spot on the pier. They have a romantic time and he eventually convinces her to sit on his lap. She put her arms around him and they begin to kiss passionately. When they stop he looks at her, totally engulfed in her beauty. He cups his hand over her cheek like he did in her quarters, "I love you too."