AthosionWarrior –Glad you like the story and I hope you enjoy this chapter, thanks for the review.

Steph7085 – I figured poor Teyla needed a friend and Adam seemed the character to do it. Don't worry I'm sure Michael will get what's coming to him eventually. Thanks for the review.

Fyd818 – Glad you liked Adams part in the last chapter and that John and Ronon are figuring it out. I wanted to hug Teyla too and I'm sure Michael will get what's coming to him. Thanks for the review.

Izzles – Hey Izzles, lol. Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like this story and the relationships. Good to know you like the conversations between John and Elizabeth and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Whirlwind-2005 – Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Chapter 10

John and Ronon sat in the apartment of Sandra Jones, their victim's sister. She was definitely a pretty woman, her long blonde hair and startling blue eyes made for an attractive combination.

"I still can't believe she's gone," Sandra stated tears building in her eyes.

I know this is difficult but can you tell me of anyone who would want to hurt your sister?" John asked her.

"No, Marie got along with everybody, she had this beautiful friendly smile. No one would want to hurt her."

"What was her marriage like?" Ronon asked and both he and John noticed her stiffen for a second before she answered.

"It was good, they had their problems like all married couple, you know like which colour to paint the kitchen," she informed them with a small smile and she paused for a moment before continuing. "She loved James, things were a little strained recently but she was committed to making it work."

"Strained how?" John questioned.

Sandra was quiet for several moments as if trying to decide exactly what she should say. "He was working late a lot and she… she was convinced he was having an affair, though she never confronted him about it."

"Where were you at the time of the murder?" John asked and she looked at him with a brief anger in her eyes.

"Why do you need to know that?"

"We just need to exclude you from the investigation."

"Oh, I was here asleep." Sandra told them and John nodded his head.

"Okay thank you, we'll contact you if we have any more questions."

Sandra showed them out of the house and they waited until they were in the car before speaking.

"Think she's telling the truth?" Ronon asked.

"She was lying about something," John replied. "Husband having an affair?"

"Wouldn't surprise me, we already know he was lying about his whereabouts during the murder, maybe he was having an affair. Maybe she finally confronted him and he killed her for it." Ronon theorised.

"It's possible, did you see the way she reacted when we asked about her sister's marriage?"

"Yeah, there's definitely something going on there," Ronon answered "Next stop Annie Davis, apparently Marie's best friend."

"Okay, did you speak to Teyla yesterday?" John questioned.

"No, I tried to call her but she didn't pick up the phone, I was thinking I'd go to the house after work."

"Probably a good idea."

- - -

Teyla entered her house and dropped onto the sofa. Having learnt her lesson yesterday she had left the hospital early. Thankfully Michael seemed to be nowhere in sight though she wasn't naïve enough to think he'd given up and left. He was far more persistent than that and she knew he'd be back sooner or later. She just hoped it was later when she had finally sorted her head out. She was strong enough to stand up to him now, she was sure of it, she just had to put up a brave front and tell him she wouldn't put up with it this time. Easier said than done.

The knock at the door made her jump "Damn it Teyla, get a hold of yourself."

She moved to answer the door, if it was Michael she would just have to tell him outright that she wouldn't stand for it anymore. She opened the door and was surprised to see Ronon standing there. She was so surprised that she forgot about the bruise still colouring her cheek.

"Teyla, what happened?" he asked.

"What?"

"The bruise on your face, did someone hurt you?" he questioned angrily.

"No, I walked into a door," she cursed herself silently at the pathetic excuse which had come out of her mouth more as an automatic reaction than anything else. "I've been so unfocused with everything that going on that I didn't even see it."

"I need to talk to you," Ronon said looking at her disbelievingly and Teyla repressed a sigh as she nodded her head slowly. She stepped aside allowing him into the house that they had once been a home to both of them. He walked past her and she closed the door behind her and followed him.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked her bluntly.

"What do you mean?" she questioned deciding to play dumb.

"You've been walking around in a daze, you barely speak to us and in my case that's not so odd but you always talk to John and you've been avoiding him too. You used to spend as much time as you could at the hospital with Elizabeth and now you're hardly ever there. You look sad all the time, worse than you did when Elizabeth was first in the accident. So tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," she said adamantly.

"John and I are worried about you Teyla, we know something's wrong," he told her softly.

"My best friend is in a coma Ronon," she stated feeling her frustration coming to the surface. "She might never wake up, how do you expect me to be, of course I look sad all the time and being around John just reminds me of her. I haven't been spending as much time at the hospital because it's too hard, I can't do it!" Teyla was shouting now and she took a deep breath to calm herself.

"You're lying," he stated simply, his green eyes locked with her brown ones, searching them for the truth that she refused to give him. She kept his gaze and refused to back down, all the fear she had felt from Michaels return was gone for that moment. It was replaced by anger, anger at everything, at Michael for coming back and destroying what was left of her life, at John for not getting home on time the day of the crash, at Ronon for seeing right through her, at herself for letting everything affect her so much, at Elizabeth for going out of the house in the rain and not watching for the car.

She hated herself for the last one, it was in no way Elizabeth's fault and for all she knew Elizabeth had seen the car and tried to get away. It only made her angrier at herself and she wanted to scream and shout and then curl up in a ball and cry.

"Just go," she told him biting back her anger.

"Who did that to you?" he asked ignoring her words.

"I told you I walked into a door."

"You're lying so often now that it's become second nature to you hasn't it, the lies just come out of your mouth," he stated and the sadness in his voice almost made her confess to it all. For a moment she wanted nothing more than to tell him everything, to let him hold her like she knew he would. To cry into his chest and feel his strong arms around her once more. She couldn't tell him though and she couldn't let him hold her like he used to do.

"Please just go," she whispered fighting back tears and he silently turned and left the house though she could tell he was reluctant to do so. She didn't move until several moments after he had gone and she walked over to the door and locked it before moving to sit on the sofa. A sob finally escaped her lips and she buried her head in her knees as she cried letting loose all of her emotions.

TBC