Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or the characters. As of 4/2/07, this has been edited.
Sticks and Snails — X
John walked off into the woods, his mind going a hundred miles and hour. He wanted to be OK with the Athosian customs, but he just couldn't. Jinto might die, and on his wedding day, of all days. Dropping onto the soft, mossy ground, he put his chin in his hands and sighed loudly.
Why did that Thain guy have to object? If he hadn't, Jinto would be well and happy right now. He wanted Jinto to be alive, he wanted everyone to be happy, he just wanted to disappear for a few days ... Maybe he would. But then, what would everyone think? How would he find out if Jinto was going to be all right?
Sighing again, he dropped onto his back and looked up through the trees and into the sky. There were clouds in the sky. Dark, stormy rain clouds. Then the rain started falling. Softly at first, but then it got heavier. As the rain water mixed with the blood on his clothes and fell off, John just stared up into the falling rain.
It was like diamonds falling from heaven. Little, tiny drops of water falling one by one. Draping his arms out, he welcomed the rain, letting it clear his head of all thoughts. It hit his eyelids, sharp, knife-like droplets piercing the skin covering his eyes.
He just laid there, his thoughts only on Jinto, his best friend. One he might have just lost.
Teyla sat in the tent, looking around. There was no word from Carson or Dr. Weir yet. Both had gone back to Atlantis.
Sighing, Teyla looked out the door of the tent. Rain fell down, splashing mud up against the side of the tan tent. John was out there, in the rain. It was cold, wet, and Teyla was starting to worry.
"Teyla?" Halling walked up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head from watching the rain fall and and looked into Halling's face.
"Yes?"
"I need you to find John," he said, also worried.
"I don't know where he has gone," Teyla said, confused.
"Yes, but you know better than me where he would be."
Teyla nodded, standing up and throwing on a coat to cover her head before walking out of the tent. Halling watched her go, wondering how things had taken a turn for the worse. Only hours before, earlier that morning, John was practicing his fighting. Now, he was missing and Jinto might be dying. He turned, walking back inside the tent and sitting on Jinto's bed, finally letting the tears he had denied himself fall.
Teyla walked around the woods, checking all the places John liked to go when he was upset, or just wanted to be alone. He was in none of them. Almost about to give up and head back, she saw something. It was the over-shirt to John's outfit. She picked it up, using her fingers to straighten the strings falling down the side. Deciding she was close, she walked on. Finally, she stumbled upon John in a small clearing.
"John?" she asked softly.
"Leave me alone," he said, still laying on the ground. He was just laying there, letting the rain bounce off his face. Teyla sat down beside him, pulling her coat up to better protect herself.
"John, you need to come back. The rain is freezing," Teyla tried, her shoulders shaking from the cold. John still had his eyes closed.
"No."
"John, please."
Teyla reached out and touched his shoulder. He looked up, water mixing with the salty tears in his eyes. He finally looked at her. Both were freezing, water soaking them to the bone. The rain was not letting up, in fact, it was getting harder. Teyla found it harder and harder to keep from shivering. John noticed and moved closer, wrapping his arms around her. Teyla finally let go. The pain from what happened to Jinto finally finding its way out.
She cried, tears falling from her eyes, falling down her face and mixing with the rain as they slowly sank into the ground. John just held her, letting her cry. He had cried all he needed, and now it was Teyla's turn. Standing up, John helped Teyla to her feet and they began the walk back. When they arrived back at the tent, Halling was pacing, waiting for them.
"Oh, thank the Gods."
He ran forward when he saw them. Teyla had been gone for nearly an hour, and he had begun to worry. "You are back."
Both John and Teyla changed into dry clothes and wrapped themselves in blankets. Everyone sat around the radio, waiting for news from Atlantis. Midnight came, and then one O'clock. Teyla had fallen asleep and was leaning on John, her hair framing her face. Halling was sitting by the fire, looking into the embers as the flew up from the stove. John just looked at nothing, his eyes focused on the fire, but not really seeing it.
"What will happen with Kelci?" John asked out of the blue.
"She will marry Thian if Jinto does not survive," Halling answered, not turning from the flames.
"What?" John burst out, then looking down at the sleeping Teyla, lowered his voice. "Why?"
"When there is a fight in a marriage, if the man intending to marry the woman does not live, the fighter will marry the woman. She can refuse, is she wants, but it will mean banishment," Halling explained, finally turning around to look at John.
John didn't speak anymore. He just thought. Why was it that way? It was unfair. Unfair to Jinto, unfair to Kelci, and unfair to anyone that ever got married. Sighing, John leaned his head against the wall, slowly falling into a peaceful sleep.
The next morning, John was awoken by the sound of thunder. It was loud. Teyla was already awake, sitting by the fire, her blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Halling was sleeping, having finally dropped off into sleep sometime in the early morning. John sat up, walking over to Teyla and sitting down next to her. There were no lights on, so the only light came from the fire. It cast an orange glow on her face, making it seem lit-up. Neither spoke, just taking comfort in the others presence. Finally, more than half an hour later, the radio crackled. John jumped up, grabbing it and answering it.
"Hello?" he said, gripping it with white fingers. Halling awoke and walked over, gently taking the radio from John.
"Dr. Weir?"
"Hello, Halling," she said softly, her voice choking up.
"Is Jinto alive?"
"I'm sorry, Halling."
And that was the last thing that Halling heard. He dropped the radio, falling onto the floor and putting his head in his hands. Jinto was gone.
John was sitting in the pew of the church, looking up to the large, wooden casket. His foster parents were crying, as was Kenny. He didn't understand why he wasn't. His little sister had passed away from a beating she had received from her uncle. She was only a baby. It wasn't fair. Kenny was seven, and John was eight. He didn't understand why he couldn't cry. Danielle was dead, and he couldn't cry. Dropping his head to his chest as the preacher continued to speak, John twiddled with his fingers.
His foster uncle brought back bad memories. His dad was just like him. He had killed the most important person in John's life, his mom. Danielle's uncle had killed her, the only child that her parents could have. He had gone to jail, where he belonged. Danielle had been in the hospital for weeks, hanging onto only a thread of her life. Her mom and dad were with her constantly, so John had to stay with one of the neighbors, as he had no friends. Kenny stayed with his friend, Caden. "May she rest in peace," the priest finished, closing the bible and bowing his head in prayer. John followed suit. After the service, they all went outside to where Danielle was being buried. The tiny casket was slowly lowered into the ground, right next to the baby that had been buried when Ms. Jensen had miscarried at five months. The baby was a little boy, named Daniel. That is where Danielle had gotten her name. In loving memory of her brother. That night, when they got home, John cried.
Two Years Later
Kelci walked around the camp, her little baby boy in tow. He was grinning, his brown eyes shinning. John and Teyla saw them coming toward the fighting ring. They smiled, putting down their sticks and walking up to Kelci. Only weeks after Jinto's death, she announced that she was pregnant. The baby was Jinto's. That was the reason they had sped up the wedding. They wanted their baby born in wedlock. Deres Jinto looked exactly like his dad. John smiled, picking up the toddler and swinging him around in the air. He had become like a father figure to the little boy. He taught him everything, wanting to give his friend's child the best start in life he could.
"How is Deres?" Teyla asked, smiling.
"He is good," Kelci answered, wincing and chewing on her fingernails as John did something dangerous with Deres. He just shrieked in delight. Kelci had refused to marry Thain, but her pregnancy had kept her from banishment. Her and Teyla had become good friends following the death of Jinto. Just then, as John placed Deres on his shoulders, Dr. McKay/Weir walked up. She, Rodney and Faith, their baby girl, were staying on the mainland for a while.
"Hi!" John said, walking over and smiling down at Faith, sticking his tongue out. The eight month old laughed, whacking at an imagery object over her head. John grinned, looking from mother to daughter. "You know, she looks a lot like you." John observed.
"Thank you," Elizabethsaid, beaming.
Teyla walked over as well, her and Kelci getting into a conversation with Elizabeth. John placed Deres onto the ground, kneeling down beside him.
"Hey, squirt, what say we go do something and leave the women alone?"
Deres nodded, clapping his tiny hands together. John smiled, taking the baby's hand and letting him walk. He had just learned a few months ago, at a year old, and he liked to walk everywhere. Eventually, Kelci turned around, and seeing John finally pick Deres up and place him in his shoulders, smiled.
"He will make a great father some day."
Hours later, Kelci and Deres had gone back to their small tent. Elizabeth had given Faith to Rodney to take care of, and Teyla and John were practicing their fighting. Right now, Halling, Elizabeth and Ronon were watching John as he was training Teyla in hand-to-hand combat. He stood behind her, showing her the proper stance to use when blocking her stomach and chest. He then tried to get through, but she effectively blocked him. Smiling, he then let her attack him. She spun around in a circle, taking him be surprise and catching him in the stomach. He said something none of them heard. Teyla smirked, turning around and letting him show her how to attack by means of grabbing the neck.
"John has asked for Teyla's hand in marriage," Halling said out of nowhere. Elizabeth turned her head sharply, ripping her gaze from Teyla and John and stared at Halling.
"Come again?"
"John has asked for Teyla's hand in marriage," Halling repeated, smiling.
"Well, I'm not surprised ... well, I am, but I have seen this coming for quite some time. Took him long enough."
Halling snorted. Ronon followed suit.
"And it did not take you and Rodney forever?" Ronon said, smirking.
It was true. Eight years to get where they were now. It took them two years to finally admit their feelings, four years for rock head Rodney to finally propose, and one more to finally have Faith in their lives.
"I guess so," Elizabeth admitted, smiling as she watched as Teyla effectively kicked John's butt. He stood up from the ground, grinning as he grabbed their training sticks. He said something, but this time, Elizabeth could hear.
"I bet I can still win in stick fighting."
Teyla took the challenge and soon, they were off. Elizabeth winced as stick made contact with skin. She knew she could never do anything like that. It had to hurt. Teyla appeared to be getting the upper hand in the fight until John surprised her with an attack, grabbing both ends of his sticks, bending his knees, one foot forward so he was only up to Teyla's waist. He took the sticks together and used them to make Teyla fall backwards. He caught her, gently placing the sticks on her throat. Elizabeth was amazed by how quickly he could move. But then again, she shouldn't be. When Teyla and John were older, he had learned quickly. John had only been training for a year, and Teyla her whole life, but he was nearly beating her then. But now ... he was able to move faster than ever before.
"I win," John announced, offering a hand to help Teyla up. Elizabeth turned to Halling again.
"I bet I could take him down," Ronon observed, obviously twitching to go and fight someone.
"What did you say?" Elizabeth asked, a question to Halling's earlier statement.
"About John's request?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Elizabeth nodded. "I said I would be honoured."
"Has he asked her?"
"No, I do not think so."
The three watched for a while longer, Rodney soon coming out to watch them as well, little Faith in tow. She was walking now, but just barely. At eight months, she was an early walker. Rodney walked up to Elizabeth, kissing her on the cheek and handing Faith over. She looked up at her mom, a loud squeak coming from her. John turned, smiling at the baby girl.
"He likes kids, doesn't he?" Rodney asked, observing as John made funny faces at Faith. She was giggling the whole time, her cheeks bright red.
"Well, he's a kid at heart himself," Elizabeth replied, grinning at the baby. It took her long enough, but she was finally where she wanted to be.
John was nervous. Today. Today, he was going to ask the question that would change his life forever. In a good or bad way, he just didn't know. He was going to follow the Athosian customs. Which meant he had to present Teyla with a gift upon asking for her hand in marriage. If she said yes, they would wear the rings which meant that were to be married. Upon marriage, they would each cut their palms and press them together, the scars left behind would prove their joining.
Pacing around the small wooded area, he waited for Teyla. He was going to ask her at the small stump he had gone so many years ago when Teyla had found out about her father's death. It held a lot of meaning to them both, and John thought it would be the best place to ask Teyla the life-altering question.
He paced around, fingering the gift he was giving Teyla. It was a necklace. He had bought it while on earth with the money he had won from a bet. A bet on when Faith was going to be born. He had guessed may August 21, the day before she actually was born, so he was closest. Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps startled him from his thoughts.
Spinning around, he saw Teyla coming toward him. He was nervous. No, nervous didn't even begin to describe what he was feeling.
"Hello, John," she said, smiling. John forced a smile, his hand clutching the tiny box in his pocket.
"Hi, Teyla."
"Is something wrong?" Teyla asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes ... no, I mean, uh ... " John stuttered Teyla laughed lightly. "Not really."
"Why have you called me here today?" she asked, perching on the stump beside John. He just grinned lopsidedly.
"Um ... I have something to ask you."
"Really?"
Boy, sheisn't helping! John thought. Does she have to make this harder than it already is?
"Yea ... "He seemed to be having a real problem coming out with it. Thoughts like, Oh, boy, what if she says no? and Why am I doing this? Were flying through John's head as he watched Teyla play with a stick. She was paying attention to what John was saying, or trying to say
"What is it, John?"
"Will you do the honour of becoming my wife?" John blurted out. Teyla's mouth fell open, her eyes wide.
"I..."
Ahhhhhh! Ducks from large objects fans are throwing at her. Heelp meee! OK, just please don't hurt me for ending it there. I just thought it would be a good place to end it. Evil? Why, yees, I am!
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