CHAPTER FOUR – SUNSET
The following hours slid smoothly by, through which she and John maintained their subtle yet close scrutiny of any activity outside. However, they also had watched some sport, several programmes that presented comedic situations, and a movie that she had seen before but enjoyed watching again. They had eaten a light late meal, which John had prepared from the various supplies left for them in the beautifully elegant kitchen space just back from the living area. Whilst he had organised the food, she had shifted her seat in the smaller couch to observe a small family wandering along the road outside. The smallest of the children carried a small brightly coloured bucket and was swinging a plastic spade around enthusiastically. Torren would love it here. She could sit with him on the sandy beach for a while and then sit in the shade of the trees. Perhaps in the future she could bring him on another trip to this lovely island.
After their meal, she had settled back into the deep plush cushions of the couch and, while John had watched some sporting event on the tv, she slipped into a light easy sleep, lifting from it occasionally as John moved slightly next to her or the sound on the television caught her attention. The dream rose up through the faint distractions, in fact they slid into the imagery.
She and John were on the plane again, high above the ground, but the seats and the window had begun to change, turning into strange mixtures of Athosian furniture common in a tent and Atlantis' simple pale seats. The plane shifted under her, and out of the window she watched the clouds carefully for any hint of a Wraith dart. Far below, under the thick colourful clouds, she knew there was a planet she had visited before, but it had no definite name. She imagined children running across sandy shores, laughter and splashing water filling the air. In amongst the play, she saw Halling stand up, smiling widely and waving to her. A pang of loss welled up inside her and the plane shuddered under her once more. In a wash of fear for her people, she pressed herself further against the glass to watch for any Wraith, whilst she reached out to John's arm alongside hers to wake him from his sleep.
"Teyla," John's voice cut into the dream and now it was he who was waking her.
She struggled awake, the emotional confused images sliding away like water running through her hands, taking Halling's smile with it.
John moved into view and she saw him stood outlined against the window, the sunlight outside vastly different. Her mind sharpening, she sat upright from her slumped position and ran her fingers through her hair as she stood up to join him.
"What is it?" She asked as she looked out at the differently coloured sky outside. The sun was lowering, casting the sky and the few clouds in varying yellows and deep orange.
"Salisburys are going on their romantic walk with Gabe and Trisha," John reported with a grin. In one hand, he held the camera supplied to them, held up for a shot of the dramatic sky.
As Teyla reached his side stood at the windows, ostensibly just to watch the changing sky, the two couples were walking across the road at a relaxed pace, towards the shadows of the trees that formed the broken barrier between the road and the beach. Teyla heard John take several quick pictures before the couples disappeared from view.
He lowered the camera and she looked round at him.
"Feel like taking a walk?" He suggested with a grin.
"Let me change into something a little more presentable," she replied as she quickly turned away, heading for the stairs up to the bedroom where she had hung up her clothes before lunch. She would wear something a little warmer against the evening breeze off the ocean, and besides she had worn the same clothes all day.
She contemplated the collection of alien clothes supplied for her by Mattie, and decided on a long dress with a matching shawl to go over her shoulders and arms. She slid on the garments without thinking, only to remember that the bedroom door was open and that John could innocently walk in at any moment. She must remember that – he would feel ever so flustered if he were to walk in on her partially clothed.
As she pulled on the elegant yet warm shawl, she pulled open the doors to the balcony and looked out over the treetops to see the two target couples moving along the far side of the small beach. It looked like there were steps up from the beach on that far side. She slipped on her sandals, closed the balcony doors, and headed back downstairs, reporting what she had seen to John as she did so.
"Another couple have headed in the same direction," John reported in turn. He had his shoes on and was holding a light jacket over his arm, and the camera in his hand, as he headed to meet her at the front door. She saw him take in her new clothing in a brief glance, and she wondered if her choice had been appropriate.
"Is this outfit fitting for a romantic walk?" She asked to be sure.
"It's fine, very nice," he replied in that awkward way of his, for clearly she had thrown him with the question, one she had never asked him before. "It'll be fine," he repeated as he pulled open the door and waited for her to walk through it first. She was not yet used to this deferential manner. She was used to being his backup, supporting him into dangerous situations, working and protecting the team and others together. She was not used to having someone hold open a door and wait for her to walk through first each time. She appreciated the thought and the point of it in this situation, and made sure to thank John every time he did so.
It was warmer outside than she had expected, the ocean breeze still present, but it felt more humid than earlier. It was enlivening though following her impromptu sleep, and as she walked down the villa's path, she drew in the air and once again lost herself in admiration for the location. At the end of the path, she paused, waiting for John to catch up with her after he had held back to secure the door. As he reached her side, he paused and he angled his closest elbow towards her. She looked round at him and his elbow, seeing an amused sparkle in his eyes.
"It's customary to escort your wife on walks," he explained, offering his bent elbow again.
Realising what he meant, she reached out and looped her closest arm through his, pausing to glance up at him to be sure she was doing it correctly.
"Hand on my elbow," he instructed with a smile and she adjusted her hold, her palm settling a little awkwardly into the angle of his inner elbow. His arm was far warmer than she had expected and the soft folded back fabric of his shirtsleeve felt comfortable under her touch.
He nodded and his arm relaxed closer to his side and they both moved forward, pausing to check the road was clear, despite the fact that their villa was right at the end of the quiet road. The way very clear, they walked across the flat road, the day's stored heat glowing up from its artificial surface. The shadows of the palm trees and trimmed shrubbery on the far side engulfed them as they stepped onto sand for the first time. A strange thrill went through her, and she was reminded of the young child she had seen who had clearly been taking great delight in playing in the sand.
As they moved between the trees and shrubs, their limited view of the beach grew considerably, until they left the shadows and stepped into the growing orange sunlight once more. The cove was far smaller than the others she had seen from above on their trip over the island earlier today, but it was no less beautiful. Dark rock, marked with patches of bright green vegetation, formed a wall of seclusion around the cove, the thin narrow beach at its base, stretching around part of the cove. In the distance, about half way along that beach, the previous couple John had seen were walking hand in hand, so they followed in turn, adding more footprints to the ones already broken through the sand. The wind was stronger now free of obstruction, but it was still warm and Teyla turned her face into its touch, enjoying the feeling of it tangling through her hair. Trusting John to guide her, she closed her eyes to enjoy the feel of this paradise, tightening her hand around his elbow a little more securely to follow his movements.
They walked in silence for quite some time, through which she took pleasure in the evening, the area, and this chance to experience such a paradise. She would have to be sure to thank General O'Neill.
She turned her gaze away from the sea and the far side of the cove towards which they were making steady progress. "Jennifer told me it is customary to purchase a gift for friends when away on a vacation."
"Bet you Rodney told her to mention that," John replied.
She smiled in response, looking down at the sand beneath their feet as they walked. "Is it not true nonetheless?"
"Sure," John replied with a casual lift of his far shoulder. "You got any ideas for anyone?"
"I saw a young boy with a small bucket and spade earlier," she considered for Torren.
"Rodney would love that," John replied, deliberately misunderstanding her.
She leant her weight against him in a nudge as punishment of his teasing, but the action only made her more aware of the warm presence of his strong body beside her, his arm strong and lean under her hand. The sea breeze was ruffling his hair against his neck and temple and she was shockingly tempted to reach up to touch his skin herself.
"I meant for Torren, as you well know," she replied instead. "I was thinking that we could buy something for General O'Neill as well, for this is the most luxurious of places to be sent on a mission."
"If you want," he replied with another faint shrug, this time with his closest shoulder, which meant his arm moved slightly under her touch, the skin of his forearm meeting her hand briefly as his shirtsleeve shifted. "I'm sure I can come up with something for Ronon and Rodney."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I suspect for Rodney it will be something with lemons on it again?" she guessed.
John pulled an exaggerated expression of innocence. "No," he clearly lied and she laughed. Last month he had bought Rodney a birthday gift of a mug and plate decorated with bright yellow lemons. Rodney had not found it all that amusing.
They had almost made it around the far end of the beach and they slowed as they reached the point where a path began up the steep green-coated cliff-side where the others had disappeared. Steps were cut into the rock, forming a staircase that zigzagged up the near vertical rise up from the beach.
"After you," John offered, but this time his tone implied that it was not truly chivalry that motivated him, but preference not to be the first to make the steep climb. She gave him a pointed look to which he just smiled. It was a very handsome smile, especially in the sinking colourful light of the evening.
The steps were overly large, giving one a good feeling of purchase as she worked her way up. A railing, which was either a pole of wood or thick rope at some points, ran along the side of the steps to help assist their ascent. Soil and some residual sand coated the top of the stone steps and in it she could make out recent footprints, confirming that this had truly been the route the others had taken off the beach.
"Least it'll be easier going back down," John muttered from behind her, sounding slightly out of breath, which she too was beginning to feel. Vegetation had found every available crack and ledge around the steps on which to grow, and it provided some protection from the increasing strength of the breeze further up from the beach.
"I did not realise Earth romantic walks would be so much work," she told him over her shoulder.
John chuckled from two steps down behind her. "Always is for us guys."
She smiled at that she paused to look up the next section of the steps to see that they reached what looked like a flat path above. Using the moment for a brief pause, whilst John was still a couple of steps behind her, she turned and took in the view of the cove behind them. The view of the small bay was stunning, the tip of the waves entering the cove forming lines of white surf across the darkening ocean. The beach across which they had walked, looked even smaller from up here, but it also emphasised the secluded feel of the resort. She could understand why Mr Salisbury might choose the location for meeting contacts he wished to keep private. The short stretch of the resort's villas was visible nestled two thirds of the way around the cove, nicely sheltered from the stronger weather carried in from the ocean.
John's presence, arriving at the step below hers, drew her attention back to him. He stopped on his step and turned to look out at the view along with her. The headland of mountainside up which they were ascending blocked much of the dying sunlight, making it much darker on the steps, and the shadows fell most handsomely over him. The top buttons of his shirt were open, and from her slightly elevated position, she could see much of his upper chest. She pulled her eyes up, admonishing herself, and regretfully once more finding her thoughts turning to her memories of the vision.
She could recall so vividly how he had felt beside her, warm, strong and loving. She had watched her own hand caress gently against his chest, the heat of his body and their shared bed, having warmed through his soft t-shirt under her gentle touch. She also remembered wishing there had been no fabric between his skin and hers.
Only it was likely not her future. In fact, surely it could not be, for if her future self had experienced that moment herself in the past, she would remember the moment and perhaps have relayed a message to her. Which meant that surely what she had seen had been an alternative reality, or alternative future.
It was not her future.
Yet, she knew she wished it could be.
It was the romantic walk, the shadowed handsome lines of his profile, and the elegantly masculine outline of his throat and chest, that were to blame for her wistful thoughts.
He had shown no interest, and there had been plenty of opportunities for him to have over the years. Yes, certainly there was an attraction of sorts between them, a gentle flirtation at times, but that was often the same of many of his friendship with women in Atlantis. He was a charmingly contained man, who expressed himself with great determination when a moment counted, but if it was not significant for him, he clearly pulled back.
He had seemed nothing but uncomfortable about their 'future' vision.
She was torturing herself to allow her mind to wander into the long sensitive subject of her relationship with John Sheppard of Earth. And now, she was on Earth, walking through warm air and humid breezes through a darkening evening in an environment that was one of the most stunning she had experienced. It was natural for it to provoke such thoughts.
She just had to set them away, and move on. Again.
She dropped her eyes away from him, sliding off the wide length of his shoulder so close to her, and she turned away. Lifting the hem of her dress slightly once more, she continued on their climb, up the last steps to the path promised above.
As she did so, she heard a faint click, and she looked back over her shoulder. John was still turned towards the view, and was lowering the small camera they had been given. He turned round to follow her and looked up at her with what was almost a sheepish half smile.
"To keep up the pretence," he explained away his taking of the photo to the false relationship they were presenting.
"Of course," she replied before continuing on up the next large rock cut step. "We should take a few of the villa," she suggested, by way of making conversation. "I would like to keep a few pictures anyway, to show the others the beauty of this island."
"And one of the view from the balcony," John added, surprising her.
She reached the top step and found that the flat section was in fact the continuation of the path they were following. It had been formed out of a natural level of the mountainside that made up the headland that stretched out into the ocean. It was slightly damper up here, with lush vegetation having taken full advantage of the stable even ground. The main path was narrow, but kept clear, and she followed it with fascination as the path gradually followed around the headland, their cove disappearing from view to be replaced by the vast stretch of the ocean. The horizon above which the sun was lowering, previously concealed behind the headland, came into view. The sun was almost touching the horizon now, sending its spectacular colours across the sky and clouds. Further around the path another, far larger bay on the other side of the headland appeared, with a long wide stretch of golden sand running out towards another point of headland in the distance.
"Nice," John muttered reverently from beside her and she saw him lift up the camera again to take a picture.
"Will the camera be able to capture the colours?" She asked with interest, leaning closer to him to see the small screen on the back of the camera that displayed the photo John had just taken.
"Should do, it's a good one," John replied as he pressed the shutter button again, capturing another picture.
"I suppose that the photos we capture might need to be analysed carefully," she considered as she turned her gaze away from the camera and the view, and returned to the targets of this walk. "I cannot see them ahead," she noted quietly.
There was still some more of the path around to the left, so she followed it. The view of the new larger bay now filling the entire right side of the path, and up ahead she could see a wooden bench set between two rocky outcroppings. From there one would have an excellent view of the entire bay and the beach below. Yet, just past it, she could see another handrail.
"There is another set of steps," she reported over her shoulder to John, who was closer behind her than she had realised. Their footsteps were quiet on the smooth rocky ground of the path.
"Down to the other beach, probably," he replied as he craned his neck to try and see where the steps descended.
Teyla reached the smooth wooden bench, set on the outcropping of rock. She moved around it, ostensibly to look at the view, but from where she was afforded the best view down the steps. She spied their targets immediately. She waved John towards her from where he had been checking out the top of the new steps.
The Salisburys and the other couple were down on the beach below, but appeared to have pre-selected a place to sit. There were four large reclined wooden chairs set out in a semi-circle facing the sunset, and a man, dressed in a smart suit and holding a tray, stood close by.
"Looks like Salisbury gets the full service wherever he goes," John remarked from beside her.
Teyla exchanged a look with him. "Quite extravagant of them," Teyla considered. "There are only four seats, so it does not look like they are planning to meet up with anyone else."
"Probably," John replied, peering out to the left, where there was a small settlement stretched out beyond the beach.
There were small dots of people spread along the rest of the beach, but it appeared that Mr Salisbury had had the best area from which to view the sunset reserved for him and his wife and guests. She thought that said much about his character.
"If we go down there," John continued, "we'll have to walk on past them to make it look like we're having the long romantic walk."
"Perhaps it would be best if we sit here," she suggested, indicating the bench behind them. "From up here we can observe them, but with the appearance of simply enjoying the sunset ourselves."
"Good plan," John agreed, but there had been the smallest pause before he had replied.
She glanced at him beside her, stood close to her so that he could see down the cliff-side to where Salisbury was seated on the beach below. He pulled back and turned his attention to sitting down on the bench. He was biting the inside of his lower lip, which he often did when he was worried or thoughtful.
Feeling strangely relieved that they would remain up here and not walk down and along the larger, busier beach, with the appearance of being the newly married couple, she sat down on the bench beside him.
John lifted up the camera and lined up a photo of the loungers below. "Nice spot," he commented, but again there seemed something slightly odd to his tone.
"It is beautiful," Teyla replied truthfully. The sun was touching the horizon now, and the colours across the sky were changing by the moment. On this side of the mountainside, dividing this cove from theirs, they were perfectly sheltered from the cooling evening breeze. They had the most perfect view and the smooth feel of the bench under her told her that many sat here to enjoy this view.
The camera clicked again in John's hands and she glanced at the small display screen again. Silence, not comfortable like before, seemed to fill the fresh empty delightful air around them, and she was not certain if its cause was just due to her.
It took her a moment to identify the lingering disappointment running through her. This was likely the most romantic of places she had ever been, sat alone with a man who she admired beyond all others, who in another life might have enjoyed lying by her side talking quietly in the dark of night. Only, this version of John, her John, seemed only uncomfortable and awkward with her, or perhaps he was not enjoying the trip as she was.
She glanced at him beside her as he took another picture of the sunset and the beach below. "You want to take some?" He asked with a smile as he offered her the camera. She had used an Earth camera several times, and she willingly took it, grateful for some distraction.
She would focus on the mission and on enjoying her friendship with John. That had been her mandate coming on this working vacation, and she would stick to it.
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She took the camera from him with a wide smile, though it looked a little strained. Maybe she was tired from her long day of travelling. She was probably missing Torren too.
Or maybe she was wishing Kanaan was with her in this ridiculously romantic setting.
On the spectrum between personal torture and glorious vacation of a lifetime, the evening was definitely swinging towards complete uncomfortable torture for John.
Sure, it had seemed a good idea – follow the target on a walk along the beach. It seemed had innocent and easy, but then Teyla had appeared down the stairs in a figure hugging long tan dress that had done nothing to conceal all her assets.
Walking with her along the beach had seemed simple enough too, until she had been at his side, her hand wrapped around his arm and her body brushing against his ever so slightly. The wind had been dancing her hair around her face and her mostly bared shoulders. When she had body nudged him, to tell him off for joking about Rodney, he had felt the swell of her hip against his and the momentary press of her breast against the outside of his arm.
That had been when the measuring needle had begun swinging towards just plain torture.
Only then, they had climbed those steps. He had offered her to go first, which had felt even more important when she was looking so feminine and non-military. That had been a mistake, because he had then been forced to observe her backview as she worked her way up the steep steps. The dress had continued to hug her curves with admirable determination, and the way she had elegantly lifted the hem of the dress as she climbed, had only made her seem more feminine and tempting. He had tried to look away, to enjoy the great view of the cove, but his traitorous eyes had kept sliding back to her.
It seemed that some part of him had become less restrained with admiring her. He knew why of course. It was, yet again, because of that stupid 'future' vision. The cat was out of the bag as far as a part of his male psyche was concerned. He had experienced what it felt like to hold her, to slide his hand over her hip and belly, and, just as with the little jealous moments earlier today, it seemed that he felt more justified in feeling as he did.
But, she was with Kanaan, they were just colleagues, and it wasn't going to happen.
He needed to deal with that.
Except now, they were sitting side by side on a bench, alone, in what had to be one of the most romantic settings he had ever been in. He couldn't have dreamt up a better place to take a woman. Not only was it beautiful here, it was warm out of the wind, there was a literally perfect sunset, an amazing beach and ocean view, and apparent complete solitude.
It was just plain torture.
He watched her line up the camera down towards the beach, her fingers outlining the camera with expert care. She was talking about the resort and the cove they had just left, filling the silence between them, which he knew was all because of him.
He couldn't help it though. He felt too uncomfortable, too aware of her, too annoyed with his wayward thoughts and the way his pants weren't fitting quite as well after following her up those steps.
He looked away from her, peering out slightly to look down at where Salisbury had the best view and comfort that money could buy him on the beach. He bet Salisbury was enjoying himself.
"Do you think we should leave before they do?" Teyla asked next, and he forced himself to reply as normally as possible. They had been getting on well enough all day, and he wanted that ease back again with a passion. Though perhaps 'passion' wasn't the best word right now.
"We'll have enough time to get back to our side as soon as they start back up here," he replied.
Teyla twisted in her seat next to him, her arm brushing against his slightly as she did so. She looked up at the mountainside towering up high above them. "I am glad we did not have to trek all the way up the mountainside."
John forced himself not to look at the fabric outlined dip of her cleavage turned towards him as she studied the view above their bench. Instead, he looked up at the green-coated rock along with her. "We've climbed higher," he lied with a forced smile.
She looked back to him and smiled. He kept smiling back, and then looked away quickly before he embarrassed them both by peering down at her cleavage again.
He focused down on the Salisburys below.
"They may walk to the settlement once the sun has set," Teyla considered.
"Maybe," John replied as he glanced at his watch and back to the glorious sunset.
Silence stretched out, but it was changing now into the quiet reverence a great sunset always seem to create.
The sun was a ball of golden yellow now, the sky a spectacular mix of colours stretching out through orange, red, to deep purples and then deep darkening blue across the ocean as the sun lowered further.
"On Athos, there were few places where we could watch the sun set all the way down to the horizon," Teyla said in a hushed voice. John glanced at her beside him. She was sat leant slightly forward, captivated by the vista. "There was too much forest for such a view as this."
John recalled his limited memories of Old Athos. It had been mostly low land between high hills and plenty of forest, at least from what he had seen.
"You said you moved the camp a lot," he asked in an equally soft voice.
She nodded, glancing at him only briefly before returning her gaze to the sun. "Yes, but never in such open land as this. The forest was our protection from the darts, but, as you know, once it was dark, even the trees were dangerous to wander through."
John nodded as he watched her expression closely. He couldn't see remorse or anything else too painful to see there, and instead he thought that her tone was more of regret for the life her people had had to live. Were still living back in Pegasus – without her.
He looked away to the sunset himself. There were times when he wondered why she didn't hate his own people, and him in particular. Since they had arrived on Old Athos, it seemed that the Athosian's lives had gone from bad to worse.
He had asked her once or twice, in moments of relaxed privacy when the moment had felt right, if she did hate them a little, or resent them at least. She had assured him that she didn't. She had a very healthy view of life, but then she had grown up thinking it would be unlikely she would live to middle age, let alone older. In fact, thinking about it, if Atlantis hadn't turned up in her life, she might not have lived this long on Old Athos. She was never one to be the first to hide, she would always see her people to safety first in a culling, he was certain. That would have put her at the greatest risk though. That time she had been swept up by a dart on Old Athos had been because she had been shoving him aside to safety.
The thought of what might have happened to her in another life was a painful, horrible thought, but he found himself dwelling on it now. Maybe it was an excuse to feel better about having turned up in her and her people's lives, or maybe it was because of the vision of a possible other reality.
At least here, on Earth, she was alive and as safe as she could be. She had Torren, and yes even Kanaan. John could be happy for her for that. He thanked the heavens for it really, because, despite his own selfish desires, there was nothing he wanted more than those he cared for to be safe and happy. At least here she was free to live her life without the promise of an early death at the hands of a Wraith.
For that, he would willingly go through all kinds of torture for her.
It didn't matter what they had seen in those visions. It really didn't in this moment. For now, they were both safe, both still friends and he was determined to keep that going. Whatever it took.
"They'll be okay, your people," he told her.
She looked round at him, the sunlight almost gone. "I hope so."
He held her gaze, hating the pained worry he saw in her eyes. "They will be. They're survivors. Like you."
She smiled at that, one of her soft smiles. Her wide dark eyes seeming to sparkle in the fading light as she nodded slightly.
"As we both are," she amended.
He accepted her assessment with a nod, more for her sake than his. He didn't think his life compared to the one she had lived growing up on Athos, but he acknowledged her amendment. They had fought beside each other too long for him to brush off her point.
She smiled again, holding his gaze for a beat longer than he expected, before she looked away back to the sunset. He looked at it too.
In more comfortable silence now, they watched the ball of fire that was Earth's single sun, finally disappear out of view. They stayed on the bench until the last of the light disappeared, leaving them in darkness, lit now only by the artificial light from Kaua'i and the sparkle of stars overhead.
In the darkness, John peered down to the beach below, to see that Salisbury, cast in glowing lamp light, was standing up.
"They're on the move again," he reported quietly to Teyla.
They watched long enough to be sure that their targets were going to head up the path towards them.
"Let's get going," John decided, though Teyla was already standing up with him.
The path back around the headland was dark, but there was enough light from the larger bay to see where they were walking. This time John walked first, looking back cautiously to check Teyla was close behind him. She was only in sandals and he didn't want her to lose her footing. They made it back round to the steep steps down to their resort's cove in no time, and it was so much nicer going down the steps than up. He didn't have as good a view as before, but he felt better about it all now.
Almost to the bottom of the steps, he paused and watched Teyla negotiate the two steps above him. In her sandals and long dress, one hand holding onto the railing, she was stepping carefully.
"Not the best outfit for sparring," he couldn't help but comment.
She sent him a brief smile as she took the next step down. "If such a need arose, it would be necessary to tear away some fabric I think."
An interesting idea.
"Would be a shame to ruin such a nice dress," he found himself saying. He heard the flirtatiousness in his voice, and realised that it was probably the first time in a week he had said something like that to her.
She reached the last step alongside him and smiled up at him. He got the feeling that she was both surprised and pleased at his impromptu compliment. "Mattie has good taste in clothing," she replied. "I will be sure to ask her if I can keep the clothes after this vacation is over."
Yes, because it was the dress that was the important part of why she looked so good! He didn't point out the truth to her though.
"I doubt they'll want the clothes back," he assured her as he took the last step down to the beach, and reached up to support her elbow down the last and largest step. She probably didn't need his help, but he did it anyway, without thinking, and she made no comment as he cupped her warm elbow in his palm and she let him support some of her weight as she stepped down beside him onto the sand.
"Perhaps next time we are needed for such a mission, we should bring Torren, then he too will have a new wardrobe," she commented as her hand slipped back around his elbow without prompting.
He grinned at her joke. "Not sure we could pass him off as a Collingwood baby," he said as they made their way back along the now dark beach, following their previous footprints back along the sand.
She chuckled gently. "Perhaps we had him in secret before we were married," she suggested.
John looked down at her, almost certain there had been an edge of flirtation in her voice.
"You were pretty big when you were pregnant, not sure we could have hidden that," he teased her.
She gave him a narrowed eyed glare that he could just make out in the darkness. "I was not that big," she protested, but he could tell that she wasn't upset with his comment; she was playing along with the game. He felt a heady rush of relief and happiness that they were getting on again, that things felt easier between them again.
"I don't know, poor Ronon had to squeeze past you that time on the Jumper," he exaggerated.
"He had plenty of room, you were both merely teasing me," she replied. Her hand felt more secure around his arm this time back across the beach, like she felt more comfortable touching him now. He was certain he could feel more of her body heat close to his side too, though maybe it was just because it the air was cooler now.
"Sure," he replied, making it sound like he was saying it to pacify her. "Whatever."
She nudged her body against his again, as she had done before. Liking the more confident physical way she pushed him this time, he grinned down at her.
"I was not that big," she insisted again.
He just looked straight ahead and smiled. "Yes, Dear."
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On to Chapter 5...