Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.

Part 10/?

-Chapter 9-

Tidings of Great Joy

Charin's first Christmas on Atlantis lifted her sagging spirits. She'd patiently started meditating with Teyla in an attempt to learn how to control her mind and block out others' thoughts when she touched them. Now, even if the person she touched wasn't trying to control their thoughts, she only got a whisper of words.

Two months passed with no visible signs of more growth beyond what was normal. Nor did any other strange things, save her touch-telepathic abilities and her frightening dreams, occur.

It was wonderful.

Charin eagerly helped her Uncle John decorate Atlantis with tinsel, lights, mistletoe, and wreaths. She bounced around in anticipation of Christmas, bringing smiles to most people's faces. Hardly anyone could resist the sheer joy bubbling from a young child excited about her first Christmas.

As Christmas Eve approached, now only two days away, Charin sent her "family" members off with different requests. She had to find presents for everyone, but she was far too young to go shopping off-world herself. So she was content to send others to do the work. She hid Ronon and Teyla's under her bed and wrapped them when her surrogate parents weren't around. As each gift for the others was brought to her, she requested help with wrapping it from the bearer.

One day, while Ronon and Charin were wandering the city with nothing to do, even more promise came to Charin's life.

"I want to ask your opinion on something, Charin. And I want you to be honest, okay?" Ronon lifted the girl from his broad shoulders and set her down so he could crouch before her. Now they were eye-to-eye.

"Okay." Charin felt her heartbeat accelerate. Good or bad?

Ronon's eyes darted away from Charin's, then back. "I need to know if – well – you'd be okay with – your mum and me getting married."

Charin squealed and tossed her arms around Ronon's neck. "Yes!"

Ronon chuckled. "I think Teyla's supposed to be the one to say that." Then he became serious and hugged Charin. "Thank you, Charin."

She pulled back. "Are you going to go ask her now?" Excitement hummed through her, and she grinned.

Ronon shook his head. "No. I'm going to ask her Christmas Eve. I can trust you to keep this a secret, right?"

Charin nodded. "Yes." She reached out and hugged Ronon again. "Thank you, Papa!"

Ronon hugged her back and kissed her forehead. "Thank you, Charin," he said huskily.

Charin felt truly happy and content for the first time since coming to Atlantis. Ronon and Teyla were going to get married – and now she'd have a real family!

-Atlantis-

Ronon linked his fingers with Teyla's as they left the party in the cafeteria to head for their separate quarters. Charin had left a few hours ago to go to bed. Even at only three, she was more responsible than some adults, wearing her radio to bed so she could contact her parents lest something go wrong.

"Did you have fun tonight?" Ronon asked Teyla as he nervously played with her small fingers.

"I did. Did you?" She rested her head on his arm and smiled up at him.

He swallowed hard. Was he honestly ready to do this? Charin was happy with the arrangement, and Ronon really wanted to be with Teyla – he loved her more than he'd ever thought he could – but was he ready for a family? Was he really good enough for Teyla? Or Charin? Could he protect them the way he should?

Teyla stopped and tugged on his arm to halt him, too. "Ronon, what is wrong? You look. . .strange."

Ronon swallowed. He let go of Teyla's hand so he could cup her face in his hands. "I want to ask you a question. Do you love me?"

Surprise glinted in her eyes. "Ronon, why do you ask? You know I love you!"

"Yes. . . But I mean, do you love me?"

Her eyes widened, and she slowly nodded her head. Once up. Once down. An affirmation of sorts, so Ronon could go on.

Ronon let go of one side of her face so he could reach into his pocket and withdraw something in his fist. "I got this for you," he said. "It's your Christmas present, kind of." He let go of her face so he could take her hand and press the object against her small palm. "Here."

Teyla's eyes drifted down from his to her hand. She gasped. "Ronon – is this – is that – a – marriage bracelet?"

Ronon nodded. "Yes. Do you – like it?"

She looked up at him again, tears sparkling in her eyes. "Yes, Ronon. Yes." She clutched the bracelet in her hand and stepped forward to wrap his arms around his waist and squeeze. "Yes, Ronon."

He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. Her reaction had all but answered his question, but he still felt the need to ask. "So – you'll marry me, then?"

She lifted her beautiful face to smile the smile he hoped to wake up to every day for the rest of his life. "Yes, yes, yes. I want to be your wife, Ronon Dex."

Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her. It took all his willpower not to run to the control room so he could announce to the city that Teyla had agreed to marry him. It went against every instinct and trait he had, but he loved her that much.

He was giddy with happiness.

When he pulled back from the kiss, Teyla ducked her head and swiped at her eyes. "Are you crying?" he asked her. Suddenly that old nervous, fearful feeling was back.

"No," she said quietly.

Ronon hooked two fingers under her chin, lifting her tearstained but angelic face. "Then why's your face all wet?"

Teyla laughed and hugged him again. "Because I am crying, Ronon. Because you have made me the happiest woman in the Pegasus or any other galaxy in this universe. Because I love you, and I am so incredibly ecstatic you want me to be your wife. That the Ancestors have chosen to bless me with you." She buried her face in his chest and laughed again, just a little. "I love you, Ronon."

He hugged her again and closed his eyes. "I love you too, Teyla."

And, for maybe the first time in his whole life, he felt peaceful.

-To Be Continued-

Hannah554: It gets better, I promise! -wink- And though she hates being different, Charin is very slowly learning to live with it. This chapter is much happy, I promise – I hope you enjoy! Thanks for the review!

CanadianHalliwell: I promise things get much happier in this chapter. Poor Charin's life is rough, but it is going to get just a teeny bit better now. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks for the review!

TeylaFan: Thank you! I loved writing Ronon and Charin's, and then Teyla and Charin's, bonding moments. Truthfully – I'm not sure how I come up with it either. LOL But I'm glad that you're glad that I do! This chapter is much, much happier, I promise – I hope you enjoy! Thanks for the review! -hugs-

Mistryja: Thank you! I'm really glad you loved it. And I promise I'll try to keep it up! This chapter is very happy (and kind of fluffy, LOL) – I hope you enjoy! Thank you so much for the review!

Bugginkrd: Wow, thank you so much! I promise the sad is over, for now. This chapter is much happier. I hope you enjoy, and thanks again so much for the review and the compliment!

Bunnylass: Thank you, I'm really glad! I loved writing the bonding scenes with Charin and her parents. And there's another surprise waiting in this chapter. . . But I promise it's a good one! Thank you – the part with John was also one of my favorite parts to write. I really hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you so much for the review!

SpaceMonkey0941: In the true spirit of SGA. . . LOL There's another surprise in this chapter, but I promise it's a good one! Things are going to be happier for Charin now – for a little while, at least. LOL I really hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you so much for the review! -hugs-

TubaPrincess: Thank you for understanding! I wouldn't ordinarily allow myself to write fics during the school year, but writing actually relaxes me, so I do it not only because I enjoy it, but to keep from going crazy. LOL Thank you! I loved writing Teyla and Charin's bonding moment, it was one of my favorite parts so far in the whole fic. This chapter is distinctly happier, so I hope you enjoy! Thanks for the review!

Dia: Um – wow! Thank you! That was poetic. And yes, they're kissing in front of Charin – she likes seeing her surrogate parents so happy! LOL And I'm sorry for interrupting. LOL I really hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks for the review!