Waterfalls

Title: Waterfalls

Author: yeknodelttil aka lizzieenterprise

Series: Stargate Atlantis

Rating: T

Genre: Romance

Spoilers: Conversion

Characters: Sheppard, Teyla,

Disclaimer: Lavenders Blue, Diddle Diddle, Lavenders Green, Please don't sue, Diddle Diddle, You know what I mean

Summary: The last time I saw my father he…

John Sheppard sat on the bench outside Teyla's hut on the mainland. Her hut was only a small one as she rarely used it; Teyla had been pulled aside by Charin, her old mentor as soon as they had arrived. John had been told that this was an important and private talk between them.

Teyla had been in the hut for over an hour and John had been sitting there bored out of his mind the entire time. His jacket wasn't really protecting him from the cold air; then again he didn't expect to be outside this late at night. He was supposed to be staying the night and taking supplies back to Atlantis the next day.

Eventually the door creaked open and a tearful Teyla Emmagen ran out of the hut.

"Teyla! Teyla please return!" Called Charin. John cast a puzzled glance at the old woman. "Go and find her. She will need your support in these times." Needing no further prompt from Charin he ran after her as fast as he could. Teyla was quite an athlete so it took a while for him to catch up.

"Teyla!" He yelled. "Teyla!" After a little bit more running he came to a sudden halt by the site of a beautiful waterfall. The water seemed to cascade down it magically leaving a mist between the water and the base of the waterfall. Around it were ferns and a few trees. He heard her sob and slowly approached her. "Hey. What's wrong?" She suddenly jumped at the sound of his voice. She turned to see the love and compassion in his eyes. "You seemed to be in a hurry to leave."

"It is a small personal matter." Teyla looked away wiping her face. Her eyes were puffed and red.

"You can tell me anything. You know that right?"

"I know." She sighed in defeat. "Charin has told me that my people demand I fulfil exactly what my father desired that I do before he was taken."

"What was that?" John gently grasped her shoulders reassuringly.

"The last time I saw my father he declared to my whole village that I would be married by the next full moon." Teyla felt John tense.

"And were you?"

"No." She could see the relief in his eyes. "My father had arranged a husband for me. Father was killed shortly after." Teyla's eyes started to tear. "My betrothed's name was Laresk."

"You miss him. Obviously." John muttered.

"The opposite actually. You did meet him."

"I did?"

"When you first came to Athos. He was the man in the room when I offered to show you the caves."

"That was Laresk?" Teyla nodded. "I must admit I hated the guy the moment I met him."

"What did Charin say exactly?"

"That I must find a husband in a week or they would find one for me." Teyla looked down and John could see her shoulders starting to shake. He pulled her into a fierce hug seeking comfort himself.

"That doesn't sound easy. Yet many men would gladly marry you." Sheppard felt a pang in his heart as he said it.

"I only care for one." Teyla looked away. "I should be able to find a husband simply."

"But it won't be for love…I can always call Ronan over so you can marry him straight away if that's what you want?" Teyla stepped back shocked at John's cold words.

"Ronan?"

"Yea, you're an item."

"We are not!" John suddenly blushed. "I do not care for Ronan. The man who has my heart, has had it from the day we met."

"Who's that?" John looked away not wanting to hear the answer.

"The man who decided it would be educational to show me football." John's head snapped up.

"Teyla?" He asked unsure. Teyla gave a small grin. "Me?"

"For a descendant of the ancestors you can be dense sometimes…" Before Teyla could get any more out John had started kissing her.

"I love you." He told her slightly breathless.

"I love you too." She responded. He pulled back and held her hand.

"As you have to get married soon how about having an escort to your own wedding, namely…the groom?" John had his cheeky little grin.

"Did you…"

"Yup. So?"

"Yes John, I will be your bride." He picked her up and spun her round. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a ring. "How long have you had this?"

"Since my trip to Earth. I wanted to have it just in case." He shrugged as he slipped it on her finger. "Want to get married tonight? Get it out of the way?"

"Yes sir, whatever you say Sir!" Teyla started cheekily, John playfully glared at her.

"Well then Lieutenant Teyla quick march!" Teyla started to march. John grabbed her round the waste and kissed her again. "I'll contact Liz to tell her to come here, with Rodney, Radek, Carson, Kate, Bates and Ronan."

"Bates?"

"Yea, didn't you know?" Teyla shook her head. "From what I hear he's got quite a sum of chocolate bars to collect from the betting pool." John linked his hand with hers.

"John?"

"Hmmm?" He answered as they walked further away from the waterfall.

"What are you going to tell Elizabeth?"

Boy did he have some explaining to do.

The End