A/N: There will be five of these eventually - kind of a Five Ways Teyla and Cameron Meet story, so each chapter is a separate ficlet and not a continuation of the previous one.
He breathes deeply as the door slides open, the sea air hitting his senses sharply. It isn't until he is halfway along the pier that he notices her neat pile of clothing at the end. Scanning the horizon quickly, he sees that she has stopped, her head and shoulders just visible above the water as she tries to ascertain the identity of her visitor. Deciding that she is too far away to identify him, Cameron turns quickly and heads back into the city.
"You could have stayed. I would not have minded." He looks up from his tray to see Teyla gazing down at him with an amused expression. He stands abruptly, wiping his hand on his shirt before holding it out.
"Cameron Mitchell. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Teyla."
She accepts his hand with a smile, surprising him with the warmth of her skin. "May I join you, Colonel Mitchell?"
"Of course." They sit down, Cameron lifting his fork once more before realising that she doesn't have a tray. "You're not eating?"
She shakes her head as she replies, "We are due to leave for our mission soon. I merely wished to introduce myself before we left. I have already spoken to the other members of your team, but seem to keep missing you."
"Yeah. About earlier. I didn't realise you were out there, I was just looking for a moment's peace and quiet. Dr. McKay mentioned that that part of the city was uninhabited, so I didn't expect to run into anyone there. I didn't mean to disturb you."
"You did not. I was about to come back to the platform when I saw you."
He almost wishes that he had stayed now. He averts his eyes when he realises that she has guessed what he is thinking and is watching him with a small smile.
"Um, yeah. Things have been kind of overwhelming since we first got here. I just needed some time on my own."
"I understand." From the weary look on her face he realises that she does, and only too well. Whatever he was feeling earlier must pale in comparison to what it feels like to live in this wonderful, bustling but claustrophobic city.
He is about to ask her a question, anything to keep her seated opposite him, before he hears an indistinct voice through her radio. "I am on my way, Colonel." She glances at him apologetically before getting to her feet.
"I am afraid that I must leave, our mission has been brought forward. Perhaps we can continue our conversation when I return?"
"Sure. Have a safe trip."
She starts to turn away before pausing and glancing back at him. "I have never seen anyone in that area of the city before. If you were to return, I doubt that you would be disturbed. At least, not by anyone other than me."
He smiles as he watches her retreat, hoping that it is less of a casual suggestion and more of a promise on her part.