A/N: glad to see I still have loyal readers, despite my laziness. I wouldn't have blamed any of you for mutinous behaviour. In any case, I'm happy I make a good enough story for people to want to follow, I'm not exactly a brilliant writer, though, if I may, I am a brilliant thinker XP. Which sucks, because I have so much to say but never get it out quite right.

It's a short one I should have published a while ago, ill try to make up for it by quickly posting a longer one

Keep reviewing!

Chapter 21

Teyla hoped desperately that John and the others would reach her in time as she ran through the trees. Victoria, a much faster runner, had reached them first and subsequently disappeared from sight. Teyla hoped she hadn't run down the same path; it would pin her between two groups of wraith. As a means of focusing herself, she prayed to the ancestors that the younger woman would escape her pursuers.

Teyla stood no chance if she turned and faced the wraith alone, but she knew she couldn't keep running and hope that the team would catch up so she settled into a pattern of run, hide, ambush and run again. As she crouched by her latest hiding place, just about to ambush the group chasing her, she heard a sound that broke her heart and sent chills down her spine. A ragged scream ripped through the air, the kind of scream that rasps at the very top of your lungs as if they were tearing out. The scream petered out and then stopped.

A scream like that could only mean one thing. But it was impossible. No-one had ever died on their team. No-one. Even John had escaped death by that fate. But there was no-one, no temporary ally to give Vicky her life back and no miraculous cure. Even if she was still alive, Teyla was too far away to hope to save her now. As she crouched, motionless in shock, the wraith that had been chasing her turned in the direction of the other wraith and left.

Teyla struggled with the decision to brashly run to avenge the death of her newest friend and comrade by herself, or to circle back to her team. Return to your team foolish one, she thought to herself, they shouldn't have to avenge your death too.

"John," She radioed again, voice cracking.

"Teyla? Thank god, we thought-"

"John, they killed her,"

Sheppard swore over the radio.

"We're close to your position, stay there,"

"Very well…" The words barely made it past Teyla's constricting throat.

Your life is supposed to flash before your eyes when you die.

Everyone says so, anyway.

Not that anyone lives through death to tell.....then where had the freaking stories come from?

Regardless, what Vicky really wanted to know was why the hell the infinite cosmos was depriving Vicky of her well deserved show?

Her throat was raw. She'd woken up screaming from the intense pain that only wraith can inflict. Once she realised what was happening, with painful clarity, she determinedly shut her mouth, muffling her screams until they were snuffed. She clenched her teeth, eyes scrunched shut.

Ancestors, she thought to herself, as adolescent as this sounds, I'd at least like to see his face before I die. Actually, she smiled faintly, I'd love to have one night in particular flash before my eyes right now.

Time seemed to slow. She found, to her surprise that she could - sense- what the wraith who was currently snacking on her, was thinking. Not specific thoughts, just impressions.

The rat bastard! He thinks defiance is tasty! All that work not to give him the satisfaction of witnessing my fear and pain was wasted. The stupid infinite cosmos cheats me of that too. Actually, it doesn't hurt that much anymore…

It doesn't hurt…

I must be dying.

Stupid cosmos. I'm still not seeing my life flash before my eyes. I'll have to do it myself, lazy bastard.

She smiled, picturing him. Awkward and nerdy, as a human, glasses askew. Proud and fierce, as a wraith, grinning a sharp toothed smile. She thought of their childhood. Their time apart, and how easy it was to pick up where they had left off. Almost losing him, then, to save his life he has to forget everything, forget her. But he doesn't. She smiled again. He remembered me. His strange blue eyes, more human than wraith, even before he changed….

… … …

Or is it lazy bastards plural? Is cosmos singular?

Why am I contemplating such trivial random things as I die?

Why am I taking so long to die?

Hey, wraith, can you hear me? Am I dead yet?

Answer me! Is this it or not?

She thought of that night.

I wanted to die in His arms…

…

Oh God I'm a weenie.

Vicky felt her body give one last violent….something and she felt herself falling away.

Seth did not like the looks on the faces of Shepherd's SGA team as they walked to the briefing. As they walked to the briefing without Victoria. He grabbed John's shoulder and spun him around. He ignored Ronon's threatening change in posture and opened his mouth to demand an explanation. He was stopped cold by the look in John's eyes. He stared at the man. He felt Teyla put her hand on his own shoulder and pull him aside.

He wasn't sure he actually heard what Teyla said to him, because shortly after the words exited her mouth, his ears were filled with a buzzing noise. Everything seemed unfocused. He felt numb. Like he was only watching the proceedings around him through a television set.

He was aware of an aching pain building in his throat constricting his airflow.

He backed away from her, denying it. He ran to Her room, tore it apart searching for Her. Ran to all of the places She liked to go. When They came for him, he fell limply in Their arms, and They had to drag him away.