Aptitude
Teyla Emmagan walked easily alongside Major John Sheppard, allowing the sun to warm her face, and she hoped it would alleviate some of the tension she carried. They'd never gone off world like this before; just her and Major Sheppard. It had always been the team, and while Teyla relished the comparable silence, unbroken by Doctor McKay's ramblings, at the same time, she wondered if she should break it. She wrestled with herself. Should she make what the Lanteans called "small talk" or remain silent? Was the Major expecting conversation?
From the corner of her eye, she glanced at Major Sheppard, his eyes hidden by his ever-present sunglasses as he quietly walked alongside her, his expression seemingly unbothered. She had not known the Major's people long, but she firmly believed they represented the best hope that had come along in countless generations, for her people and for all the people of this galaxy. And yet, they were so different. Their cultures, their perspectives on life–all of it was vastly different than hers. They could agree the Wraith were the scourge of the galaxy. They could agree that they all must do anything to survive, but it was here that many of the similarities between their peoples ended. "Small talk" proved to be a much more difficult task than she'd anticipated.
Major Sheppard, in some ways, puzzled her, even though in other ways, she fully understood him. She had known closed but good men in her life, and she was certain the Major was one such man. He was friendly, and they had engaged in conversation many times, mostly about Earth and Athosian cultures, and his trust and loyalty to her as a friend, ally, and teammate went unquestioned in her eyes. His staunch defense, when many suspected her and her people of Wraith collaboration, alone proved it. In many ways, Major Sheppard was a man more of actions than words, and his actions had confirmed a great many things to Teyla far more convincingly than words.
With the full team, the dynamics were different, with the main conversations usually idle chitchat taking place between the three Lanteans. To her, it made sense. They were all of the same culture and connected easily in conversations. A great many times, words and references confused her. Sometimes she would ask, others she would not and thankfully, her quietness was accepted. She was sure Major Sheppard noticed when she did not participate in conversations. He was far too observant, especially when it came to his team, not to notice, but he did not push. Rather, he left her to find her way with the rest of them, a decision she was grateful for.
Teyla took a deep breath. "I think you will like the Venectians, Major," she offered quietly.
Sheppard looked over at her, one side of his mouth turning up slightly. "Good. We really don't need any more enemies."
Teyla's small smile faded and she looked away. Twice she had led them into danger and neither times was it intentional. First the Manarians, who on the surface seemed to be an agreeable trading partner, if somewhat distant, but their deception during the recent storm evacuation stung her. Many of Atlantis and her own people could so easily have been taken captive or worse. She would've borne that responsibility on her shoulders, even if Major Sheppard had insisted it was not her fault, just as he'd insisted the same with the Genii.
Teyla blinked and sighed. The Genii. There was an introduction she regretted deeply.
"Still not your fault," Sheppard's voice interrupted her thoughts.
Teyla looked at him and nodded silently. For all his casual and relaxed traits, she'd learned quickly that Major Sheppard was far more intuitive and observant than he let anyone readily see. It was part of his personality and, she admitted, it had benefitted them off world with potential allies and even enemies more than once. She sometimes wondered if that was the point, or if it just was who he was.
"You are kind to say so, Major," she answered neutrally.
Sheppard abruptly stopped, forcing her to quickly curb her stride. She turned and looked back at him in time to see him remove his sunglasses and look intensely at her. His eyes held no malice only a quiet serious conviction.
"Kindness has nothing to do with it, Teyla," he answered, his tone somewhere between firmness and gentleness, carrying notes of both. "You tried to help us, and there's no way you could've known what would happen." He took a deep breath. "We'd be in serious trouble right now, maybe even dead, if we hadn't met you, your people, and all the other people you've introduced us to." His brows climbed up slightly and he gave her a little smile as he dropped his head slightly, his look turning somewhat pleading. "Remember that, okay? Try to keep some perspective."
Teyla pressed her lips together in a strained smile and nodded silently. She was genuinely touched by his concern and her growing respect for this man only deepened. It would've been so easy for him to lay the blame for their mishaps with the Manarians and the Genii squarely on her shoulders, and yet, he did not. Abruptly, the smile fell from her face and she stiffened as a smell registered to her.
Sheppard must've seen her reaction as his smile faded as well, a serious mask falling over his expression. "What is it?"
Teyla inhaled deeply through her nose. "Smoke."
Sheppard's eyes narrowed. He sniffed the air and nodded. "Campfires?"
Teyla shook her head. "We are still far enough from the village that the smoke from such a small fire would not reach us here. It is something larger."
Sheppard slowly lifted his gun, either on purpose or reflexively, Teyla did not know. "Lead the way," he said quietly. "But keep your eyes open for trouble."
Teyla nodded and started down the path again. His statement was obvious and yet he voiced it anyway. She had seen that before and had come to believe it tied into his dedication to his team. Better to reiterate the obvious than for someone to miss it entirely.
She made her way down the trail, quickly, but not rashly, the major only a step behind her, which was unsurprising. Major Sheppard almost always insisted on taking the point position, especially in a potentially dangerous situation, but here he had to bow to her knowledge on where they were going and where the village was. His position made her lead almost symbolic, but she knew the reasoning. Faced with danger, the major wanted it to find him first, before his team. It was a quiet point of honor that she respected.
At the edge of the tree line, she stopped, Sheppard shoulder to shoulder with her. She stared at the village, the destruction all too familiar to her. Teyla's eyes passed over the smoking ruins of the Venectian's huts. She had seen this before and knew, with stark clarity, that the Wraith had been there.
"Damn it," Sheppard muttered.
She looked over at him, the note of guilt in his voice not passing unnoticed by her. While she carried the guilt of bringing the Genii into the Lantean's world, he carried the guilt for waking the Wraith early. Quietly, he had been struggling to come to terms with it, with knowing that while he hadn't done it purposefully, he was still responsible. She knew every culled village he saw only reminded him of it.
And yet, she owed her life and the lives of several of her people to that same effort on his part. It was something she had told him many times, but like her, he struggled with holding a fair perspective. This time, she did not voice her opinion. "There may be survivors," she offered, fully knowing the chances were slim.
Sheppard nodded. "Yeah." He looked at her. "Think the hive is still in orbit?"
Teyla sighed deeply. "I do not know, but it is unlikely. They have what they wanted from this world. I would think they have moved on to the next."
"Probably," Sheppard agreed.
Teyla scrutinized his calculated expression and knew he was weighing the risk of being detected by an orbiting hive against helping anyone that might have survived. She knew what decision he'd make even before he voiced it. Major Sheppard had a strong streak of compassion, even if it was tempered by his military culture and the very real survival decisions he frequently had to make. In this case, he would not leave without making sure there weren't people that needed help.
"Okay," Sheppard finally said, "let's look around, but stay sharp. I'll lead." He lifted his gun and started forward, not waiting for a response.
Teyla followed behind, occasionally looking back to check their 'six'. She always found the reference confusing, even when Lieutenant Ford explained it to her, but her team identified with the term, so she accepted it.
Sheppard stopped by the first body and squatted, checking for life. After a moment, he looked up at her and shook his head, before they went on to the next body. This one did not require any checking. The lifeless eyes were all the indication they needed.
"We should split up. We would be able to check the village much quicker," Teyla offered.
Sheppard was silent for a moment as he considered her words before he shook his head. "No. The village isn't that big, and I don't want us separated."
Teyla nodded and followed him, respecting his decision. Sometimes he agreed with her, sometimes not, but from the beginning he had always treated her words with respect and her opinion as something that had merit. He always listened but made the decision he thought was best for his team. As the leader of her people, she keenly understood his position and his perspective.
As they navigated the village, any small hope they had in finding survivors diminished as each of the scattered bodies proved to be lifeless. There were not many, indicating most of the Venectians had been culled. As they walked along the perimeter of the village, a disturbance in the surrounding brush caught Teyla's eye. She stopped and knelt, scrutinizing the ground.
Sheppard only made it a couple more steps before he apparently sensed her hesitation and walked back to her. "What?"
Teyla's hand gently touched a light depression in the dirt. "Tracks." She looked up at the nearby tree line. "They lead into the woods."
Sheppard's gaze followed hers. "Wraith?"
Teyla shook her head. "No. The impression is slight and the shoe is soft soled. This is not a Wraith track. It is the track of a child, perhaps a teenager."
"A kid," Sheppard muttered.
Her hand touched the ground next to the track and she lifted it, looking at her red fingertips. "Blood."
"An injured kid?" His voice sounded concerned.
Teyla looked up, watching as he briefly scanned the sky, almost as if he was looking for Darts, before he sighed. Clearly, he didn't like the idea of staying on this planet any longer than necessary, but he evidently liked the idea of potentially leaving an injured child behind even less.
"All right," he nodded. "Think you can follow the tracks?"
Teyla stood and scanned the foliage and tree line. "It depends on the undergrowth, but yes, I believe I can."
"Lead the way." Sheppard gestured before he once again raised his gun.
Teyla slowly walked into the brush, watching and looking for signs of the injured Venectian. The tracks were hard to find, but more than once, she spotted blood on leaves or bent branches indicating the direction they needed to go. Something else caught her eye and she knelt, her gaze narrowing.
"What?" Sheppard peered over her shoulder. "That looks like… dogs?"
Teyla shook her head. She had seen pictures of what the Lanteans called dogs. There were similar animals on many worlds in this galaxy, some domesticated, some not. "No, the Venectians did not keep such companion animals."
She looked up, her nose twitching at a faint, putrid smell and she noted a low set of broken fern branches. Walking over to it, she again knelt and pushed the branches away. Unflinching, she nodded at the remains of a fresh kill. Again, she felt the major's presence behind her.
"Definitely predators," he commented quietly.
Teyla agreed. "Yes. And they will not venture far from their kill. They will be back for it."
"Let's make sure we find this kid and not stick around to meet them then." Sheppard stepped back as Teyla stood.
She briefly looked around, spotting further sign of the injured Venectian's path. "This way."
She continued, following the signs she could find. Stepping through some trees and into a small clearing, she stopped abruptly, her gaze fixing on the supine form of a native girl who couldn't have been more than fifteen.
Sheppard stepped around her and quickly knelt by the girl's side, his fingers pressing into her throat. After a moment, his shoulders slumped before he looked at her and shook his head silently.
Teyla closed her eyes for a moment's prayer to the Ancestors. Not only for this young life, but for the lives lost in the village, and for the lives that would end horribly upon the hive ship. When she opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on a point behind Sheppard, who had stood and was backing away from the dead girl.
Teyla's gaze narrowed. A branch was broken, but her instincts insisted it was not a natural break. A small blue strip of cloth had been tied securely to the branch below it and suddenly Teyla's thoughts clicked into place. She had seen such markers before.
"Major, st-" She was unable to finish her words before Sheppard took one more step backward and an auditable snap immediately followed his move.
Sheppard's agonized shout of pain echoed through the trees and Teyla's gaze fixed in horror at the metal trap that had embedded its teeth into his leg, just above the ankle.
Sheppard dropped his gun, another shout torn from his throat as his knees buckled. He landed on his side, bending into a near fetal position, his hands reflexively clenched around the trap as he writhed in pain. It was at this moment that Teyla sprang to his aid.
She fell to her knees beside him, dropping her own gun and grabbing his hands. "Major, no!" She held tight to his hands, prying his fingers from the teeth of the trap. She'd seen traps such as this one before. The teeth were barbed, designed to catch fleet and robust game. If he tried to pull it from his leg, the consequences could be life threatening. "Major!" she shouted, trying to penetrate the instinctive haze that drove his actions.
Abruptly, his hands flew from the trap, slamming into the ground, clenching on handfuls of dirt and debris. His breathing was ragged, punctuated by strangled grunts of pain. Sweat poured off his brow and his eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to control his pain-flooded body.
Teyla's eyes passed over the trap. It was forged metal, the hinges controlled by thick metal springs. Even with leverage, she doubted she could remove it on her own, not without some way to break the springs, which she did not have in her possession. It was possible such a device could be found in the village, but even then, she doubted the prudence of pulling the barbed teeth, embedded deep in his leg, free. At least not without assistance and a good sense for the further damage it could cause to the major. Traps such as this were not designed to be removed, at least not from a live prey or with concern for causing further damage. It was why the trap's location had been marked so clearly. At least clearly to the Venectians.
Teyla let go of the trap and crawled up next to his shoulder. She placed a gentle hand on his cheek. "Major?"
"Tey-la," he managed, "leg…."
"Yes," she said quietly. "The teeth are barbed. I have seen traps such as this. Removing it will likely take more strength than I alone have and I dare not try without help. The barbs can cause considerable damage."
"Gate…" Sheppard gasped, "get… help."
Teyla looked up at the darkening sky peeking through the trees and the long shadows cast by the tall boles around her. She shook her head. "I cannot leave you. Night will be here soon. We are not far from a very fresh kill and are most definitely still within this pack's hunting grounds. They will be back. They will smell your blood and come for you."
Sheppard drew in a ragged breath and then another. His face twitched as he struggled to control his pain. "I got… a gun… Teyla. Go. That's… order."
Conflicted, Teyla sat back. She knew being on his team meant following his orders and it was a rule she appreciated for when she led her people. They had to trust her and follow her orders sometimes as well. It was not as common as in the major's military culture, but when the Wraith attacked, when lives were in danger, her orders had to be unquestioned. She understood and every fiber of her being wanted to respect his orders, but at the same time, gun or not, the major was immobile and an easy target, especially for pack predators. She could not just leave him to fend for himself, even in the name of trying to get help.
"Teyla," Sheppard repeated.
She drew in a deep breath and shook her head, even though she doubted he saw the gesture. "No. I cannot leave you alone here, Major. It is too dangerous. Atlantis will come for us, this you know."
"Out of… radio range," Sheppard countered.
"They will still come for us, especially if they cannot make contact," Teyla insisted, her instincts and her values driving her decision. She hardened her voice with confidence. "I cannot remove this trap on my own, and I will not leave you here unprotected, in spite of your reassurances that you are able to protect yourself. You may dismiss me from your team later, but right now, this is my decision and I have made it."
For a moment, the only sound was Sheppard's hard panting, before he opened his eyes and stared at her, his gaze clouded by pain. He nodded slightly, his head rubbing deeper into the dirt, but his eyes never left hers.
She returned his gaze for a moment and tried a small reassuring smile before she broke eye contact. Reaching down, she pulled a bandage from her vest pocket and scooted back to his leg. From mid ankle down, the leg was immobilized by the trap, but a slight unnatural bend, mid shaft and just above the trap, made her wince. She forced neutrality to her face and looked back at him. "Your leg is broken."
"Yeah… figured," Sheppard responded.
Her gaze passed over several spots where the teeth were embedded in flesh, one particular wound capturing her attention more than the others. Blood seeped down the outside of his leg and while some of the others showed signs of clotting this one did not. It was not a fast bleed, so from what Teyla had learned from Doctor Beckett, she did not believe it was an artery but very possibly a vein. If she wasn't sure before that they could not remove the trap without the doctor standing by, she was sure now. Unfolding the bandage, she carefully laid it over the wound and tied it. "You are bleeding. Many wounds are clotting, though." She looked back to see him lift his head slightly.
"Not… all?"
Teyla shook her head. "No. but I have bandaged that wound. It will be all right." She pushed back and stood, avoiding looking at the dead Venectian as she scanned the trees around her. Crossing the small clearing, she reached up, breaking a small branch from a tree with an auditable crack. Holding tightly to the ends, she snapped the branch neatly in half under her knee and walked back to Sheppard. She again knelt next to him. "There is not much I can do to set your bone, Major, but I will immobilize it." She knew he knew what she was doing but somehow telling him, talking to him as she worked through his treatment, helped her. Besides, Sheppard, as a man who liked to be in the know and in control at all times, would appreciate her words.
Placing the long sticks next to his leg, Teyla pulled another bandage from her TAC vest pocket and unraveled it. Using her knife, she cut the long tying strips away and folded the bandage in half, keeping it clean for future use, before she shoved it back into her vest pocket. As carefully as she could, she worked one end of each tie under Sheppard's leg. She winced as he grunted at the jostling of his leg. She looked up at his pale face. "I am sorry."
"I… know." He grunted again and exhaled loudly before drawing in a quick breath.
As carefully as she could, Teyla tied the splint into place.
"Thanks," Sheppard gasped.
All color had drained from his face and for a moment, Teyla wondered how he was still conscious. She nodded absently, returning her gaze to the rapidly growing crimson stain on the stark white bandage she had only just applied. With pressure, she had hoped the bleeding would slow, but it did not appear to be doing so at all.
Teyla looked around, noting the trees and the environment that surrounded her. The planet, like many she'd visited, reminded her of Athos. For a moment, a dull pain at the loss of her home world struck her before she dismissed it. The similarities were there and so was a chance she could find what she needed. Her contemplative gaze must not have gone unnoticed by Sheppard.
"What?" he rasped.
Teyla abruptly stood and started walking around the perimeter of the small clearing, pushing aside underbrush and tree branches, looking for dried, dead wood. "I must build a fire," she said, "and then forage. I will not go far, but there are things I need to help you."
"What are you… talking about?" Sheppard managed to push himself up on one wavering elbow.
Teyla dropped an armful of small branches in a pile close to him before scrounging for more wood. "There are things I can do to help you, Major. You must trust me."
"I... do."
Sheppard's answer was immediate and in spite of the situation, Teyla briefly smiled. She dropped another armload of wood and started clearing scrub from a small circle for her fire pit.
"Just want to know… what you're… doing." Sheppard added. His arm gave out and he fell onto his side. The movement jarred his leg and he grunted before cussing.
Teyla looked back at him and arched a brow at the choice words that left his mouth but said nothing. After a moment he caught her gaze.
"Sorry," he managed.
Teyla shrugged and returned her attention to her work. "It is all right. I have heard worse, though I believe the… comparisons would be lost on someone not from this galaxy."
What could've passed as a weak chortle came from Sheppard's direction. "I bet. Still… that surprises me… somehow."
Teyla looked back at him, her brow furrowing at his comment. "Why?" The men of her people, especially the younger ones, could be a rowdy bunch, especially with Ruse wine around. She had heard plenty by the time she was an adult and was puzzled at his reaction.
"You're too… dunno… dignified?" he offered before grimacing.
This time, both of Teyla's brows arched upward and she suspected his expression had very little to do with the physical pain he was enduring.
"Never mind," he gasped. "Digging myself into a… hole. Probably should… stop now."
Had the situation not been so grim, she would've laughed at his discomfort, but instead she let the matter drop. Arranging her firewood, Teyla dug up the fire starter from her TAC vest and soon had a modest campfire burning. Standing, she walked back over to Sheppard and knelt. "I must forage, but I will not be far." She pulled his nine millimeter handgun from its holster and placed it into his hand, while she laid her other hand gently on his shoulder. "I will not let harm come to you, Major, and will be back soon."
Sheppard nodded slightly and she felt his grip tighten slightly on the weapon. "Don't worry… 'bout me. Just watch… your six."
Teyla's smile at the reference was small and she stood. Working her way into the trees, she searched one tree and then the next, looking specifically on the shady sides and the moss that thrived there. Many mosses grew in forests such as these, but only one held her interest right now. Her thoughts drifted back to countless hours in the Athosian woods with Charin showing her the specific plants, roots, bark, and herbs that had medicinal properties, where and how to find them, how to use them and how to tell between what could help… and what could kill. She spared a moment to thank the woman who was as a grandmother to her before continuing her quest.
Approaching the next tree in her sight, her eyes narrowed at a bluish tinged moss that grew down the shady side of the tree and she smiled. Pulling her knife, she gently scraped a generous amount of the moss off the trunk and into the palm of her hand. She sheathed the knife and pulled a small baggie from her TAC vest. She carefully placed the moss into it and folded the top over, before returning the bag to her vest pocket.
Teyla walked around the tree, her gaze shifting to the ground as she scanned the underbrush. Finding the moss lightened her heart, if only slightly, for the similarities between this world's forest and Athos' forests ran deeper than superficial. Her chances of finding the next item on her mental list greatly increased.
She bent back bush after bush, scanning the short scrub groundcover that barely survived in such a shadowed world until she found what she was looking for. Again, she pulled the small bag from her TAC vest and broke off several triangular shaped leaves from a short bush snuggled up to the base of a tall tree. She placed the leaves into her bag, secured it, and returned it to the safety of her vest pocket before she turned and headed back to the major.
She found him still, his eyes closed and his breathing much more even. Normally, she would take that as a good sign, but this time it worried her. She quickly knelt next to him. "Major?" She squeezed his shoulder and received a groan from him for her efforts. "Major," she insisted, shaking him gently. "You must stay awake." She shook again, a little more intensely. "Major."
Sheppard's eyes cracked open. "Teyla," he said quietly.
"Yes," she answered, seeing the sweat on his pale face and his grogginess. She touched his forehead, noting the clammy feel of his skin, and her concern mounted even as she fought to keep it from her face. The shock he was slipping into did not surprise her but still worried her. She had to stop the bleeding on his leg, or he would not survive long enough for rescue. She looked down at the short chain attached to the trap and bolted into a tree, and grabbed it, pulling experimentally, but it held strong. She sighed. There was no way to elevate both of his legs enough to matter as long as the chain was secured to the tree. She considered shooting it free, but there were no guarantees that the Wraith had left this planet. She could not see why they would still be here, but if they were, her gunshots would be heard for miles.
Reaching into one of her TAC vest pockets, she pulled out the compressed emergency blanket she carried and shook it open before covering Sheppard, trying to keep some warmth as the sun set, taking its heat with it.
Teyla stood, turned, and stoked her fire with a long stick before adding more fuel. The fire would help keep him warm, which would help with the shock. Pulling out her baggie of supplies, Teyla reached behind her back and grabbed her full water canteen. She set it down and walked back around the major, reaching for his.
He grunted as her hands pushed into his side and she unhooked his canteen from his belt. It was undamaged and hadn't leaked a drop.
"If I didn't know… you better," he quipped weakly, "I'd think you were… getting fresh with… me."
Teyla smiled slightly at his attempt at humor and tried to help him keep his spirits up. "If I were 'getting fresh' with you, Major, you would know it without a doubt."
A weak chuckle escaped Sheppard, in spite of his condition. "Fair… enough."
Sheppard's canteen in her hand, Teyla returned to the fire and set it next to her own. She removed the leaves from the baggie and set them on the remains of the bandage she sabotaged in order to splint Sheppard's leg. Grabbing one canteen, she poured a little water into the baggie and washed off the moss as best she could before she fished the strands out of the baggie, dumped the water and repeated the process a couple times until she was satisfied that the moss was clean enough to use.
Teyla walked back over to Sheppard, knelt next to his leg and grabbed her knife. She started cutting away the blood soaked bandage, her actions eliciting a hiss of pain from Sheppard.
He lifted his head and looked at her. "What are you… doing?"
"Attempting to stop the bleeding," Teyla answered as she slowly peeled away the sticky bandage. Blood still oozed freely from the one wound in question, though the others appeared to have clotted.
"You should leave the bandage… in place. Just add… another," Sheppard advised.
Teyla nodded. She had taken Doctor Beckett's mandatory first aid class and knew he was right, except in this situation. "I must have direct access to the wound for this to work," she answered. "Then I will bandage it again."
Sheppard grunted. "What to… work?"
"This," Teyla held up the baggie and fished out some of the moss. "We call it Maloa. It is, what I believe Dr. Beckett calls a… coagulant? It will stop the bleeding."
Sheppard's grunt was weak. "I'll be… damned," he answered before groaning loudly, his body tensing as his head fell back to the ground.
Teyla held fast to his leg, just below the knee, trying to keep it still. "Major? What is it? What is wrong?"
"Spasm… muscle…." He managed through clenched teeth. "Hurts…." Abruptly, his tension snapped, leaving him weak and breathing heavily. "Damn it."
"I do not believe there is anything I can do for that," Teyla said, unable to keep a note of regret from her voice.
"I know," Sheppard responded weakly. "S'ok. You're doing a… hell of a…lot already." He looked at her. "Thanks."
Teyla nodded before she slowly let go of his leg and placed the rest of her Maloa into his wound, watching as the bleeding slowed. She reached into one of Sheppard's TAC vest pockets and pulled out another bandage. Placing it over the wound, she threaded the tying strips through the splint sticks and gently pulled it tight, adding a good dose of direct pressure to the wound to aid in stopping the bleeding. Between that and the Maloa, she was confident the major's bleeding was under control.
She again stood and returned to the fire. Kneeling, she grabbed her canteen, now only half full of water, and pulled it out of the canvass harness that normally secured the aluminum canteen to her belt. Removing the plastic coated lid, she placed the canteen into her fire coals. It would not be pretty afterward, the case would be scored and burnt, but the canteen would withstand the heat and allow her to boil some water. Grabbing the other canteen, she took a small swallow of water and returned to Sheppard's side. "Major, water." She knelt next to him as he lifted his head weakly. Teyla reached out and supported his head with one hand and his shaking hand around the canteen with the other. He took a couple sips and nodded. "Save it."
Gently, she lowered his head back to the ground, turned and looked down at his leg. Some blood showed through the bandage but not nearly as much as before and she was certain the Maloa was doing what it was intended.
Teyla sighed. Until now she'd managed to keep herself busy caring for Sheppard and foraging, but left to wait until her water boiled, she found herself temporarily idle and, as darkness descended on them, only the light of the campfire illuminated their small area of the black woods. In the distance, she could hear animals scurrying as the nighttime creatures emerged.
Her gaze fixed on the trap, its teeth embedded into the leg of a man who had respected and treated her as an equal from the moment they'd met. Her thoughts drifted over the Manarians, the Genii, and now this. The darkness of the approaching night crept into her heart.
"You're… quiet," Sheppard observed weakly, his words slightly slurred.
She looked up at him. "I am sorry," she answered.
Sheppard's gaze cleared slightly as he scrutinized her. "Somehow, I don't think that's about… being quiet."
She pressed her lips together and fixed her gaze on the fire. "I saw the trap, Major," she admitted quietly, "but not in time to warn you. I…"
"This isn't your fault." Sheppard's voice was quiet but he still managed to interrupt her successfully.
Teyla closed her mouth, swallowing her words. Her lips twisted into a rueful dark smile. "You seem to say that to me quite frequently, Major." She looked down at her hands. "There has been much that has happened that has been, as you put it, not my fault."
Sheppard seemed to consider her words for a moment. "I'll tell you what… is your fault," he replied. Slowly, he pushed himself up onto one shaking elbow and stared hard at her, mustering strength from somewhere. "The campfire, the Maloa… my life. If you'd gone… like I told you, I don't… think I would've been alive… when you got back. The people we've met and… trade with. Insight into the Wraith… we never had before… meeting you." His arm shook harder and he reluctantly lowered himself to the ground, his strength sapped. A painful grunt escaped him before he spoke. "That's all… your fault," he finished softly.
Teyla inhaled deeply and quickly let out her breath. The major's words connected with her. How many times had she insisted blame was not to be placed on those who survived cullings? The ones who watched their family members taken, believing if they'd only been close by, they could've saved them, even though it really meant they also would've been culled. Was this different?
Abruptly, she stood and returned to the fire. Using her coat sleeve, she grabbed the steaming canteen and pulled it from the fire. Bending the leaves she'd carefully picked, she bruised them, before pushing them through the narrow opening and into the boiling water. She set the canteen aside to cool and looked back at Sheppard's closed eyes. "Major?" she stood and walked back to him, his silence and stillness concerning her. Kneeling, she squeezed his shoulder. "Major?"
Sheppard's response was weak. "Teyla," he whispered, his facial muscles twitching slightly.
"How is your pain?" she asked softly.
"Definitely… there," he answered. His body tensed as another muscle spasm ripped through his leg and he groaned loudly, his voice strangled.
She could only reassure him, her hand leaving his shoulder as she let him crush her fingers between his. The spasm ended, leaving him drained and panting heavily. He blinked hard, and then blinked again, his eyes glazing over as he started to lose his hold on consciousness.
"Major!" She said sharply, demanding his attention. "You must stay awake."
His eyelids fluttered open and he nodded. "Trying…."
Teyla gently set his hand down and returned to the fire for her canteen. She stopped, mid crouch, as her senses sharpened and her instincts screamed a warning at her. She took a deep breath and reached out with her senses, honed by a lifetime as a hunter, instantly latching onto what had alerted her.
The scurrying noises of small animals in the woods were gone, replaced by an ominous silence, only broken by the sporadic crackles from her campfire. Slowly reaching down, Teyla grabbed her P-90 and held it close, her gaze passing over the woods around them. The animals of the forest were quiet for a good reason, and Teyla heeded their warning.
She stood and carefully backed over to Sheppard before crouching next to him, her P-90 ready.
"Tey…la," Sheppard's voice was weak, but she heard the concern in it. "What…"
"The woods are… unusually quiet." She knew her answer was vague at best, but she did not offer more.
"Our… pack?" he responded.
From the corner of her eye, she saw his hand move as he lifted his sidearm and rested it on his chest. "I believe so," she answered. "It is likely our fire will deter them from approaching us, but it is not certain. They have a fresh kill close by which may embolden them. I do not know." She felt him brush up against her as he turned slightly, grunting at the effort. "Major?" She questioned.
"Got… your six," he answered between panted breaths.
Her gaze narrowed at a rustling in the bushes, not too close by but not far either. "They are close," she whispered. Another rustle, more to her left and farther away, grabbed her attention. "They are going around us."
"Maybe we're… more trouble than we're… worth," Sheppard answered weakly.
Teyla nodded. "It is possible that we are far enough from their kill that they will leave us alone and return to it." She lowered her gun as scattered night animals around her came alive again.
"Pegasus version of… an 'all clear'?" Sheppard slowly lowered onto his back his hand holding his gun dropping to his side. He panted hard, his limited strength clearly taxed.
Teyla looked back at him and nodded. "I believe so." She lowered her gun and set it on the ground next to him before returning to the fire long enough to grab the canteen. She returned to his side and knelt facing him. "You must drink some of this tea, Major, it will help your pain and give you strength."
Through half opened eyes, Sheppard looked at her. "Tea?" he whispered.
Teyla nodded. "It is made from the leaves of the Darnuli plant. My people have used it for generations." She lifted the steaming canteen and dribbled a bit on her hand to test the temperature. Satisfied it would not burn his mouth, she slid her hand under his head and lifted. "Drink, Major," she insisted, tipping the canteen against his lips.
Sheppard sipped a little and grimaced. "Tastes like… shit," he managed.
Amusement touched Teyla's eyes in spite of her concern. "It is not a tea for enjoyment. Charin believes the smell alone will keep men awake," her smile faded, replaced with a serious look, "when they should not sleep."
Sheppard met her serious gaze as best he could for a moment, before taking another sip. "I'll stay awake…" he mumbled, "if only to keep you… from feeding me more… of this." He took two more sips before pulling away.
Teyla capped the canteen, returned to the fire, and stoked it. She added more wood before returning to Sheppard's side. "Doctor Beckett will not be pleased with you, Major," she said lightly, trying to keep his attention. A shudder passed through John. It could've been in pain, or a weak attempt at a chuckle. She preferred to think it was the latter.
"Expect a lot of… accent," Sheppard managed, citing Carson's tendency to fall into a heavy, Scottish accent when he was upset, "and choice… words."
"Are those the ones you do not believe I should hear?" She teased.
"Damn," Sheppard's lips quirked weakly, "you're never going to… let me live that down… are you?"
"Not for a very long time, Major." She graced him with a very pointed look and he smiled ever so slightly, before nodding back.
"Who's Charin?" he asked.
Teyla sighed. "I have been remiss in not introducing you, Major." She looked down at her hands, folded lightly on her thighs. "She helped raise me after my parents were both taken. She is as a grandmother to me." Sheppard's grunt of pain recaptured her attention and she looked up at his face. His expression seemed slightly clearer. An effect of the Darnuli tea she hoped.
"Must... be hard," he answered, "Losing your… parents… like that."
Teyla nodded, automatically dismissing his comment out of habit. "Many of my people have lost loved ones to the Wraith. Some when they were even younger than I was."
"Wasn't talking… about them," Sheppard countered, "was talking about… you."
She met his sincere gaze with a thankful one of her own. "Yes," she whispered.
"Yeah," Sheppard answered.
To Teyla, he looked as if he wanted to say more, but she knew that he would not. Such conversations were not in the major's nature.
Abruptly, his eyes squeezed shut and he groaned, his body tensing.
Teyla reached out, grabbing his hand and offering what support she could to help him through his pain. She had more Darnuli tea, but doubted its effects could counteract the high level of pain the major was experiencing.
"Da..mn…" Sheppard choked, his voice strangled in his throat and his body tense as he fought not to writhe and make the pain worse. His grip was vice-like on Teyla's hand but she endured it, her other hand covering the top of his knuckles as she squeezed back.
"Breathe deeply, Major," she spoke softly but insistently. "It will help. You must breathe through it."
Sheppard forced a deep breath into his lungs before he let it out and inhaled again. Abruptly his body sagged as the spasms in his leg quieted.
"Shit that… hurt," he managed. His grip loosened on Teyla's hand but he still held fast, and she was content to let him. He opened his eyes. "Good… advice."
Teyla rubbed her fingers over the tops of his knuckles. "It always seems to help women in labor."
Sheppard's chuckle was more of a grunt. "Athosian… Lamaze. Never thought I'd… need it."
Teyla cocked her head in confusion. "Lamaze?"
"Never… mind."
Teyla set his hand gently on his chest and returned to the fire, long enough to stoke it and grab the canteen of Darnuli tea. She again knelt next to him and opened the canteen. "More tea, Major."
Sheppard cracked his eyes open. "Thought the… deal was… I stay awake and you… don't feed me more of… that."
Teyla held his gaze and arched a brow. "I did not make such a deal." Her expression sobered. "It will help you be strong."
Sheppard stared at her through pain-clouded eyes before he nodded and lifted his head.
Teyla immediately placed a supporting hand on the back of his neck and tipped the canteen against his mouth. She allowed him a few swallows before she carefully lowered his head to the ground and capped the canteen just in time to grab his hand as another round of muscle spasms tore through him.
"Ah! Damn… it!" His grip crushed her fingers but she still held strong. Her concern deepened. She did not know how much more of this he was strong enough to take. Teyla sent a silent prayer to the Ancestors that help would arrive soon.
The night wore on, eventually breaking to daylight and dawn. Thankfully, the pack predators did not return and Teyla counted that as one, small blessing. Once the Darnuli tea was gone, all she'd been able to offer Sheppard was her strength, but she gladly gave it, enduring the harsh treatment of her hand as she surrendered it to his grip. There had been no more conversations; the time between muscle spasms left Sheppard weakened and wrung out. She knew he was conscious, knew he knew she was there, and that seemed to be enough.
His body sagged back to the ground as the latest set of spasms passed and Teyla reached out, brushing an errant lock of hair off his temple, much as she would to a sick child. "Be strong, Major," she whispered.
His eyes abruptly opened and fixed on the palm of her hand where her fingers still rested on his temple. "Tryin'…"
"You are doing very well," she reassured. She was so intent on his condition that at first she did not hear the static on her radio, but the voice that followed immediately after it captured her attention.
"Major Sheppard, Teyla, this is Markham. Do you copy?"
Her hand flew from his temple and she smacked her headset. "This is Teyla. Sergeant, the Major is gravely injured. We need immediate medical assistance."
"Keep talking, Teyla," Markham answered, "McKay is using the signal to locate you. What happened?"
"The village was culled, though it seems the Wraith have left. Major Sheppard stepped in an animal trap. It has broken his leg and caused serious damage. I cannot free him on my own."
"Wraith?" McKay's voice was auditable over the open radio line. "Confirming. No hive in orbit. We're in the clear."
"How is the trap secured?" Lieutenant Ford broke into the conversation.
"It is bolted, very firmly, to a tree." Teyla sighed.
"Ford," Sheppard whispered a faint smile touching his mouth.
Teyla looked down. "Yes. Help has arrived Major. You will be all right."
"Never… doubted it," Sheppard managed. "Okay… maybe a… little…."
"We can always shoot it loose and take the whole contraption back to Atlantis, if it comes to that." Ford answered.
"That would be advisable," Teyla answered. "I believe the trap has damaged a main blood vessel in the Major's leg. It would be prudent to have Doctor Beckett close by when it is removed." She looked up, spotting the jumper as it slowed to hover over their position.
"There's not enough room to land. We'll come down on a line to you. Stand by," Ford advised.
Teyla looked down at Sheppard's closed eyes. "Hurry, Lieutenant." She looked back up, watching as the rear hatch of the jumper opened, followed almost immediately by Stackhouse and Ford swiftly lowering themselves by rope to the ground before unhooking from their lines and rushing over to her.
Ford took one look at Sheppard and immediately turned his attention to the trap. His eyes followed the chain back to the tree. He pulled on it once, experimentally and shook his head. "Hell with this." He looked back at Stackhouse and Teyla. "Pull the blanket over the Major's head to protect him and turn away."
Teyla did his bidding and turned her head, closing her eyes as Ford opened fire. It was not long before his weapon was silent and she looked back at the large hole in the trunk of the tree where the bolt had once been secured. Teyla pulled back the blanket, meeting Sheppard's glazed look.
"Gotta love… Marines," he whispered.
Teyla smiled back her heart lightening some at his weak quip.
Stackhouse tapped his headset and looked up at the underside of the jumper. "McKay, get that rescue basket down here."
"On its way," McKay immediately responded.
Teyla looked up, watching as the basket slowly descended towards them. Her gaze returned to Sheppard. "We are going home, Major," she reassured.
Sheppard's smile was faint but unmistakable. "Home," he whispered.
Teyla stopped just inside the door into the infirmary and smiled as she caught Doctor Beckett's gaze. He immediately walked over to her.
"Teyla, love, how are you?"
Teyla held her smile. "I am fine. A good night's sleep served me well."
"Aye," Beckett nodded, "I suspected it would."
Her smile faded a bit. "Major Sheppard?" she asked.
Beckett's expression turned reassuring. "Doing fine. It was tricky getting that monstrosity off his leg, but we managed. Good thing you didn't try on your own. One of the barbs nicked his anterior tibial vein. We had to go in surgically and cut away the barbs, to keep them from shredding the vein on extraction. Tough work, but all's good. He's got a broken bone that needs to heal, but I don't foresee any complications besides a couple of interesting scars."
Teyla's smile sprang back to full life. "That is very good to hear. May I see him?"
"Sure," Beckett gestured to a curtained off area at the back of the infirmary. "He just woke up. He's a lot stronger this morning."
Teyla reached out and squeezed Beckett's upper arm. "Thank you, Carson."
Beckett's dimples grew more pronounced as his smile deepened. "Aye, but I just picked up the pieces and put Humpty together again. You kept him alive. No small feat that. Interesting stuff that Maloa, and what is this Darnuli tea? We'll have to talk more about your homeopathic medicine, lass."
"I would be glad to, but you should speak instead to Charin. She knows far more than I," Teyla answered.
Beckett nodded. "Will do." He stepped away from her and Teyla slowly crossed the infirmary to the far corner. Slowly, she pulled back the curtain and peeked in.
Sheppard was propped up on a stack of pillows, his leg rigged in a sling suspended from a frame over his bed. An IV hung over his left shoulder, set on a slow drip and his gaze was fixed on a large, red bound tome in his lap. The movement of the curtain must've caught his attention and he looked up, right at her and smiled.
"Teyla, come in." He folded down a page corner of his book and set it aside. "How are you?"
Teyla walked over to his bed and looked down at him. "It is I who should be asking you that, Major," she reprimanded lightly, but he just shrugged it off.
"Looks like you got some sleep," he added.
Teyla shook her head. "Yes. I am fine. How are you?"
"Bored," he answered immediately. "Beckett tells me it'll be a while before I'm out of the infirmary but apparently, I'm going to live."
Teyla chuckled. "Yes, Major, it would seem that you are, indeed, going to live." Her smile faded as she thought back to that long night, the pain he had that she was powerless to stop and the times, more than once that she wondered if he'd survive.
Sheppard's gaze sobered as he stared at hers. "You did good, Teyla," he insisted quietly. "Even if you disobeyed my order."
Teyla took a deep breath. She knew he would not forget something like that, and from the moment she had made her decision, she had prepared herself to face the consequences of it. Her eyes found his, and she held tightly to an unapologetic air. "Yes." Her brow arched slightly.
Sheppard stared back at her for a moment, before his lips quirked and he looked away. "Well," he admitted, "I might not have lived if you'd followed my order so…" he looked back at her and this time, it was his turn to arch a brow. "don't make a habit of it."
Teyla smiled widely. "I will not." She backed away from his bed. "I should leave you to rest." She turned away, only to be halted by his voice.
"Teyla."
She looked over her shoulder at his sincere gaze.
"Thank you." He nodded once, his eyes never leaving hers.
She nodded in return. "You are welcome." Without another word, she left.
As she walked down the long hallway leading away from the infirmary, Teyla pondered the recent events and Sheppard's words.
"Try to keep some perspective."
She would always carry regret over both the Manarians and the Genii and the lives lost on Atlantis and to her people as a result of their actions, but balanced against that were the good things she'd done to help Sheppard, her team, Atlantis, and her people.
Teyla smiled. He had told her to try to keep perspective. It was a difficult request, but one she thought maybe… just maybe, she was figuring out how to fill.