Title: Search & Rescue
Summary: They would find her, as a team. They had to.
Characters: Sheppard, Ronon, Rodney, Woolsey & Teyla
Pairing: John/Teyla
Rating: K+
Notes: Tag fic with Wedjatqi, in response to "Daddy." Lines I used are in BOLD.


"We don't have much time," she said frantically as she tossed a quick glance over her shoulder. "They are coming."

He tried to grab onto her even as she pushed him through the door and he called after her when she turned her back to him.

"You can't leave like this!"

She spun back to him, her eyes panicked and sad and he saw a tinge of something else there but he couldn't name it. He paused for a moment as she watched him, silently debating. The sounds of the footsteps got louder as they approched and he tried to go to her again, tried to convince her to leave with him. She stopped his approach with a hand on his chest and he stilled as the contact burned, even through his shirt.

"You cannot save me now, John."

She lifted onto her toes and pressed a lingering kiss to John's surprised lips before pushing him away and walking towards where Michael's hybrids were coming from.

The wind swept across the pier and around John as he tried once again not to lose his tight hold on his patience. Ever since she'd handed herself over to the Wraith in order to protect her son, John had been condemned to the fading memory of her lips on his. He scrubbed his hands across his face to wipe away the last remnants of his not-so-pleasant day dream and screamed silently into his palm. He'd tried to save her, had tried to follow her through the Hive ship but she had disappeared and he hadn't been able to find her. Still hadn't, even after all of these months.

The rain was not far off on the horizon, the gray haze sweeping over the sea and John sighed. The only time he ever saw the City now was when it was stormy, or when he'd bump into Rodney and Ronon on another planet. The storms gave him cover to return to the City in his cloaked Jumper and seek out his old team mates for supplies and any information on Teyla. When he met them on planet, they'd agree on a day and Rodney would guide the Jumper onto one of the piers under the very nose those who had tried to stop John from going after her.

It was the former occassion now and John waited for Rodney and Ronon to come to their desolate pier and load up his Jumper with the necessary armaments, food and clothing; records of which Rodney would later doctor so the powers that be would never notice they were gone.

"I don't think you understand, Colonel," Woolsey said in an attempt to placate Sheppard's almost out of control anger. "I can't send a team out there-"

"I'm not asking for a team! Just authorise me-"

"And me," Ronon butted in and Sheppard through him a pleased smile.

"I'm sorry, Colonel but I -"

"This is Teyla we're talking about here." Woolsey nodded even as he lowered his eyes.

"I understand that Colonel but if you would just-"

"I will find her, whether you authorise it or not."

John hadn't seen or spoken to Woolsey since that day. He'd left the office, commandeered a Jumper and fled Atlantis under the cover of darkness and had spent the last eight months searching for her. He refused to give up hope, refused to believe the worst because if he did, he'd have to return to Atlantis and tell them that they were right. He couldn't do that.

The doors behind him swished open and he took a step back into the cloaked Jumper, watching as the outlines of his two team mates appeared through the open doorway. He waited, making sure they were alone before stepping out of the Jumper and welcoming them. Rodney stopped short and Ronon fiddled with the gun on his hip and Sheppard frowned, feeling the dread he'd tried to ward off for months creep up his spine.

"What is it?" He asked sharply as he studied the two of them. Ronon's dreadlocks were gone but Sheppard barely registered it. The Satedan glanced at him and sighed, looking to Rodney as John did in search of answers. "McKay?"

Rodney looked to him and pursed his lips, glancing at Ronon with a glare before turning back to Sheppard.

"We found Teyla." He tried to quash the blossoming hope in his chest. It was quickly contradicted by fear as he watched the two glance to one another again.

"What is it, Rodney?"

He shuffled slightly and John glared at him, prompting the Canadian to speak.

"She's a queen - Michael's queen, actually."

John sagged slightly, feeling the blood rush to his feet and he slumped against the edge of the invisible Jumper. He'd expected it, but he'd always held out hope that it wouldn't be true. He'd heard rumours amongst Wraith worshippers that there was a new Queen but he'd never.. he couldn't...

"Woolsey wouldn't let us get her," Ronon said gruffly and Sheppard glanced between the two of them trying to regain the breath he hadn't known he'd lost. He felt sick, physically sick as his stomach rolled over on itself, swishing the little contents around.

"Where is she?" He managed to ask.

"We're coming with you."

"No you're not," he replied.

"He says we're not going, McKay." John got the annoying impression Ronon was humouring him.

John glared at him.

"Where is she Rodney?"

Rodney huffed and John glared at him again.

"We're not telling you unless you let us come with you." John glared at him again, eyebrow raised. "She's our friend too, you know."

John looked between to the two of them, to the determined expressions on their faces.

"They'll probably kick you out of Atlantis when we get back."

The two glanced at one another again, smiles clinging to the edge of their lips.

"Then we better make it worth it."

John smiled slightly and nodded, suddenly very grateful. They had helped him out a lot throughout his search for Teyla, it would only stand to reason they would want to help him with this. He watched them for a moment as they tugged crates full of gear into the Jumper and he smiled.

They would find her, as a team.

They had to.