Unregrettable

There were voices outside the cave.

"I know where I'm going," growled a low voice.

"I still don't know why you think they went this way," said a second.

"I told you, the vines are trampled."

"Eh, I still don't see it."

"John!" A third voice now, female. "You better come look at this."

Voices right outside the entrance now.

"My God, what do you think happened to them?"

"Man up, Zelenka," said the second voice. "These are clothes, not dead bodies."

"And what do you suppose is down there?" asked the first voice.

There were people making their way into the cave. Rodney's eyes snapped open.

Silence.

Rodney's ears rang with rushing blood as he and Carson sat up, turned around hesitantly to face the morning light.

Before them stood Ronon, John, Teyla, and Radek Zelenka.

Rodney suddenly wished the floor below him would fall away and he could disappear forever.

Ronon was looking at his feet, unsuccessfully trying to conceal a smirk, John stared laboriously at a spot on the wall, Teyla smiled warmly, and Radek grinned.

"Well, it's about time," Radek said.

Rodney blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's just it took you guys over a year."

"Wait," Carson said. "You knew, Radek?"

"We all knew, Carson," Teyla said.

"Yeah, it's not like you did all that much to conceal it," John said, his eyes now trailing across the ceiling.

"Conceal what?" Rodney cried out.

"The mutual attraction," Radek said, still grinning.

"Though it was more evident on Dr. Beckett's part," Teyla said, giving Carson a mock apologetic smile.

"I resent that," Carson said, though he was grinning.

"Oh, please," John said. "The fact you could even tolerate Rodney was a dead giveaway."

"And as always," Rodney said with a grimace, "I'm the only one who suspected nothing."

"Does it matter now?" Carson asked, his hand travelling over to squeeze Rodney's.

"No. No, what matters now is why the hell it took you guys so long to find us!"

"Well, it wasn't something on our end," John said. "We assumed your 'gate broke down, but we still kept trying to dial it every two hours from Atlantis following our return. We even tried dialing it from other planets. Then this afternoon, all of a sudden, the 'gate worked, so I assembled our team… and Zelenka… and we went through to look for you guys. And guess what? We found you, so what are you complaining about?"

"The only reason you even got through was because I fixed the 'gate last night, so hah."

"Oh, really? So if you fixed it last night, why didn't you go through last night?"

"Because I fixed it with clay… but then it started raining and the clay got wet. It must've dried again in the heat this morning!"

"Fine. At least admit it was a joined effort."

"Hardly. What would you have done if I hadn't fixed the 'gate, hmm? Left us stranded here forever?"

"The Daedalus would've come for you in two days."

"Yeah, well -"

"Give it up, Rodney. And maybe put some clothes on?"

"Right."

As the others shielded their eyes, Carson and Rodney found their underwear and were soon decent. Suddenly, Ronon drew his gun.

"Get back. We're not alone."

John and Teyla drew their weapons in a flash and stepped forward to shield the doctors. Everyone squinted into the shadows of the cave in an attempt to make out what it was Ronon was aiming at.

"Lower your weapons!" Carson screeched. He burst forward and waved his arms in front of Ronon, John, and Teyla. "It's okay! It's just Sam!"

"Who's Sam?" Ronon grunted.

"My caterpillar!" Carson exclaimed. He bent to pick Sam up to show it to the rest of the group, but stopped mid-crouch and gasped. "Rodney! Sam's a girl!"

"What?" Rodney cried out, shoving past John and Ronon. He crouched beside Carson, his eyes wide. Sam lay curled in a circle and encircled by the fluff of her abdomen lay five spherical pearly-white eggs, each about the size of a golf ball. "It's had babies?" Rodney asked incredulously.

"She's had babies," Carson corrected.

Radek's face appeared suddenly between theirs. "What is that thing? The biologists back on Atlantis would love to study it, I can tell you that. You should bring it back."

Rodney and Carson exchanged uncertain glances.

"Radek does have a point - for once," Rodney said. "The biologists would love us if we brought her back to Atlantis."

"I know," Carson replied, "but she's just become a mom. I think she needs to stay here so she can take care of her eggs."

"You're right," Rodney said, nodding. "I guess we have to say goodbye." He reached out and petted Sam's head and scratched behind her antennas. "Be a good girl now and take care of your babies." Sam took a hold of his elbow and licked the underside of his arm. "Hey, what're you doing, you silly girl?" Rodney took a look at his arm, then recoiled in shock. "Oh, my God! When did I scrape myself?" He shoved his arm into Carson's face. "Is it bad? Don't tell me! I'll go outside and take a look in the light." Rodney got up and scrambled out of the cave. After a moment of consideration, Radek, John, Teyla, and Ronon followed, and Carson was left alone to say goodbye to Sam.

A couple of minutes later Carson joined them, carrying his and Rodney's packs. Rodney thought he saw him wipe his eyes.

"Okay, docs, get dressed and let's go," John said.

Reluctantly, Rodney and Carson pulled on their pants, shoes, and T-shirts, and packed away the rest of their clothes.

"Ready to leave this hellhole?" John asked.

"You have no idea," Rodney replied.

As they walked toward the Stargate, Teyla and Radek walked a little behind with Rodney and Carson.

"I want to let both of you know that we are all very happy for you," Teyla said with a smile.

"More like relieved, really," Radek added with a grin, and he and Teyla walked ahead to join John and Ronon.

Carson nudged Rodney with his elbow, then slipped his hand into one of the outside pockets of his pack. When he withdrew his hand, a pearly egg was in his palm.

"I couldn't resist," Carson said.

In a month's time, the little egg hatched into a tiny alien caterpillar. It looked exactly like its mother, so Rodney and Carson decided it had to be a female. They called her Heather, after a Lantean heather-like plant which became its favourite food. Heather went with them everywhere, on picnics, vacations - even fishing. The most important thing, however, was that she had inherited something special from her mother, something that was useful to the entire city, for not two hours after Sam had licked Rodney's arm, Rodney's scrape had healed.