Written for the Hugs, Kisses and Cuddles challenge that "oxoniensis" held at her LiveJournal in April, using the prompt "trapped".
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The Stray
Despite their best attempts at discretion, she can see the pity in their eyes and hear the words falling from their lips.
It was sheer luck that she happened to be in the city at the time. Or maybe that should be bad luck.
Her people are still out there, facing God only knows what; so are some of ours.
Bet she'd still rather be out there. She doesn't want to be here; none of them do.
She knows that she shouldn't be here. Major Lorne should; Doctor Parrish should. It is their home after all; it is not hers and it never will be. She wonders where the others are now, whether they are at the Alpha site or at New Athosia, or whether they have found another world to take them in. Perhaps they have joined forces with the Genii. It would not surprise her; as so many of her colleagues are fond of saying, desperate times call for desperate measures.
"Teyla?"
She begins to raise a hand to run it across an imaginary entry crystal before sighing and reaching for the door handle. It seems that her body still needs reminding that this is not Atlantis, even if her mind refuses to forget.
She makes way for John before closing the door behind him. It has been three days since the evacuation and four since they were last alone. He waits for her to turn and face him before speaking.
"Look, I'm not gonna pretend to understand how you feel, but this place isn't home for me either. I'd do anything to be in Atlantis right now."
"We should have stayed", she spits out between gritted teeth.
"We had no choice!"
"We could have evacuated to another planet in Pegasus. We could have gone to the Alpha site. We could gone anywhere but here." The last few words come out as a resigned whisper. She knows what his answer will be, but needs to hear it aloud.
"We couldn't risk shutting down the Gate and trying to dial elsewhere. Elizabeth made the right decision to evacuate through an already open wormhole to a safe destination; I know that and you know that. We'd probably be dead by now if she hadn't made the call."
Teyla closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she looks at him again, he has closed the gap between them. His hands hover at his sides as if he doubts the response that his touch will receive.
He eventually sighs. "Come here."
John pulls her roughly into his arms, tucking her head beneath his chin before squeezing her bare shoulders between his fingers. She stiffens for a moment, unsure of whether to accept what he is offering, before relaxing against his chest and wrapping her own arms around his waist.
"We'll find our way back."
Teyla wishes that she could believe him.