AN: Wow, I didn't notice that it had been four days…yeah, college life is amazingly busy. So I'll update tomorrow as well.

CHAPTER 14

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As everyone filed out of the isolation room, Teyla lagged behind. According to Carter, John and the Chomanians would be allowed to freely move around with two guards following them at all times. She didn't really mind the detail; all she wanted to do was to stay with John for a few hours.

"I guess you weren't formally introduced," John started shyly, "that's Adnon, that's Trin," John motioned accordingly.

Teyla bowed her head in greeting and introduced herself. "Would any of you care to join me in the cafeteria, I am sure you would like some food."

John grinned, "Great idea."

They walked there with no trouble. Adnon kept asking John and Teyla questions about everything he saw in the city and every few steps they would have to stop as people welcomed John back. She thought it took them at least half an hour to reach the mess while it was less than a five minute walk. But finally they had gotten to the line and each of the Chomanians filled a tray of food as John explained to them what everything was. They found a table at the back and were finally able to eat.

John picked at his food and Teyla waited until he looked up to ask him how he was doing. He shrugged and continued to poke at his lasagna thing, "Can't complain."

She supposed that it was answer enough so she continued to speak about anything the Chomanians wanted until she could get a moment of privacy to actually check on John. The Chomanians were normal, at least for Earth's standard. They seemed to possess technology that was further advanced than average Pegasus Galaxy and Teyla understood why when they said that they had dug up their Stargate and DHD only a year ago. They didn't know what it was and only dug up the warning buried next to it a few weeks after they had already checked it out and thought it to be completely useless.

They couldn't figure out what it had been but now they knew. Of course they had tried to randomly dial the DHD but that had gotten them nowhere. Trin had told her that once they did get a connection but by the time they decided to send a device through to see what was on the other side the connection had shut off. They dialed again but for some reason they couldn't get it to open. So they had waited and finally tried one last time about a week later, again it didn't work and they didn't have time to waste on pursuing the issue because they were in the middle of a war. The government had cancelled the operation after that realizing that the Stargate had no use to them.

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He woke up to something wet and cool being pressed against his forehead, but he kept his eyes tightly shut against the bright lights that already filtered through. He didn't feel any pain but at this moment he felt lost, floating and unable to fully connect with all his senses. He wanted to stay where he was, it was nice here.

He heard voices off to his left but he couldn't understand what they were saying, though he was positive that they were talking about him. Shifting over he cracked open his eyes to see florescent lights on a plain white ceiling. Squinting he could see a young woman with light red hair gasped when she noticed that he was awake. Before he could say anything she had run off.

He never caught her name and in the following confusion of noise and bewilderment and weird commands he never thought to remember to ask. Then he realized that he didn't know his own name, even though they kept asking him. He didn't even know who they were.

He was aching with exhaustion, although he knew that he had just woken up, and when he tried to think past these last few moments his mind came to a grinding halt against a white insanely blank wall.

"What's your name?" they asked again, and once more his voice caught in his throat and died savagely.

Teyla led them to unused quarters, John would have done it himself but he feared that he wouldn't have known where they were and good thing he let her lead because the way he would have chosen wasn't even close to where Teyla had brought them.

As Teyla left, John followed her out. He had wanted to talk to her privately for the last two hours but he hadn't been able to find any time alone with her.

"John," she smiled and then stared at the one guard who decided to follow them until he backed into the room with the Chomanians.

He grinned back at her, unbelievably happy that she completely welcomed him back. He could tell that it was a hard thing for Rodney and Ronon, hell it was even hard Carter who actually had experience with this kind of thing. But Teyla was the only one who completely welcomed him back. "What's up?"

"I knew that you would come back." Teyla said directly.

John quirked an eyebrow at her, "How?"

Teyla smiled cryptically, "There were many signs."

John nodded, "I suppose that's the best explanation I'm gonna get."

"Probably," Teyla beamed and touched her forehead to his. She really missed him. It had actually been half a year. He could see it in how her face had changed. She had no wrinkles, no new visible scars, and it was the same exact face but it was subtle, in his memory it looked somehow younger without extra hardships.

There was a beat of silence which John found utterly comfortable: he was home.