Author's Note: Thanks for all the encouragement! I will definitely continue the story. I apologize that this chapter is just a short, fluffy piece. I promise the next chapter will get back to the main storyline.
Kalis's dark orange sun was just beginning to set when Sheppard followed Teyla out of Kera's home. The smell of roasting meat mixed with a sweet unidentifiable odor.
"Oh that smells fantastic," Rodney said.
"When you hear the call meet us over there," Kera said, pointing at the largest structure in the village.
"The call?" Rodney asked.
"Yes, you'll know
it when you hear it."
"Okay," Rodney said, arching his
eyebrows. He and Ronon turned away towards the Kalin structure.
Sheppard allowed Teyla and Kera to get several feet ahead of him
before he followed. If he were ever really married, he knew that he
didn't want to be one of those overprotective husbands. And
realistically, no man married to a warrior like Teyla would feel
inclined to shadow her every move. Somehow he had to keep an eye on
her without looking like a scary stalker husband.
Sheppard followed the two women just outside the village to a small stream. While they walked he picked up snatches of their conversation.
"How did you meet John?" Kera asked.
"He came to my people after his planet was ravaged by the Wraith," Teyla explained. Sheppard took careful note of her lies in case he was questioned about them later. "We decided to form a team to visit other planets to trade and form an alliance against the Wraith." At least that part was true.
"And that's how you fell in love? Working together?"
"Yes, it was a surprise to both of us."
"You can't get away with that!" Kera exclaimed. "I want more details!"
I do too, Sheppard thought. He was curious about how Teyla would explain their relationship. He supposed that they should have come up with a story.
"Well, we were on a mission on a planet," Teyla began awkwardly. "Just John and me. Rodney and Ronon stayed behind because they were . . . sick."
Not the best lie, Sheppard thought. He tried to imagine Ronon staying behind from a mission because he had the flu. It wasn't likely. Rodney, however, would stay in bed if he even suspected that he was sick. Luckily, Kera didn't know Ronon or Rodney well enough to know if Teyla was telling the truth. She continued her story.
"We were captured and kept in a small cell together for a week. John was injured and I cared for him the best I could, but I believed that he would die. On our last night on the planet he began to drift away from me. I found myself begging him to stay in this world and I realized that I had fallen in love with him. I told him so, although I didn't think that he would ever really hear me. I held his hand and kissed him and was as prepared as I could to let him go. But we were lucky. Some of our people came and rescued us."
They had reached the stream and both women bent down to rinse the mugs in the shallow water. Sheppard moved a little closer so he could hear the rest of the tale. He was caught up in Teyla's imaginary version of how they had gotten together. It was so believable that he felt like it had actually happened. He wished that it had actually happened. Well, not the almost dying part, but definitely the rest.
"What happened after you got back home?" Kera asked.
"I did not believe that John knew that I loved him and I did not want to seem too eager. So I avoided him while he was recovering. Then one day he called me to him. He told me that he heard what I said and that he loved me too. Then he kissed me and, not much time passed before we were married."
Kera stood up, dripping mugs in her hands, and hugged Teyla.
"I'm so glad that you've had some romance in your life. It's nice to know that even though it didn't work out for me, it does for other people."
Teyla hugged Kera back. Sheppard wished that he were the recipient of that hug.
I've definitely dug myself into a hole, he thought. Stupid idea, John. Pretend to be married. Why didn't you just stab yourself in the heart?
Teyla and Kera began to walk back towards him. Tears glistened in Kera's eyes – the first evidence of how genuinely upset she was over Lyam's death. But Sheppard barely noticed her. He was staring at Teyla. She was so beautiful with her auburn hair falling loose around her face. She didn't look at Sheppard and he thought he noticed a slight blush in her cheeks. Was it just the brilliant light of the setting sun or was Teyla embarrassed about her story?
Without giving it any more thought Sheppard almost ran towards her, wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her off the ground and kissed her. As he kissed her again he spun her around. Then he set her down gently and kissed her one last time. He pulled back and saw that now she was definitely blushing.
"John, I . . ." she stuttered.
"You are so romantic!" Kera practically shrieked. "I wish that Lyam had been more like you."
"It's that story of how we got together," Sheppard explained. "It turns me on."
"Me too," Teyla murmured.
Suddenly a voice thundered across the village.
"Time to eeeeaaaattt!!"
"That must be 'the call'" Sheppard said, wincing.
"I told you that you'd know it when you heard it," Kera replied with a grin. "You go on and eat. We'll join you soon."
Sheppard nodded, winked at Teyla, and then headed to the building that Kera had pointed out earlier. Half way there he realized that he still had a stupid grin on his face.
"What happened to you?" Rodney asked, when he met up with the other members of his team who were waiting by the Kalin monument.
"Nothing," Sheppard replied defensively. "Just heard a good story."
"Yeah," Rodney said. "Whatever. Let's go eat."
