Revealed
John wasn't happy with me when we got back to Atlantis. He landed the Jumper and immediately rounded on me.
"Why didn't you answer your radio?" he demanded.
"I… mustn't've gotten signal," I fumbled. He reached for my radio and flipped the switch.
"Next time you come on a mission with us, remember to turn on your radio." He'd never looked so angry at me before. "You were alone with a Wraith for god's sake!" I looked away from him, unable to meet his gaze.
"I'm sorry." I felt like a child being scolded by my parent. John stalked away, Ronon, Jennifer and Rodney following him. I stood alone in the Jumper with Teyla and felt a fist swinging towards my head. I ducked, then backed away as Teyla advanced, fists raised.
"Talk," she hissed.
"Um…" I'd never gone through this conversation in my head before. Unexpected fear rocked through me. No, I shouldn't be scared. I was stronger than this. "What… would you like to know?"
"Explain what I saw. You were kissing a Wraith. You said it's your husband. They do not love or form attachments. They only care about feeding and how they can manipulate others into doing their bidding." Where John had looked angry, Teyla's lips were curled in disgust. "Forgive me for not understanding how you could bond yourself to a monster."
"He's not a monster!" I blurted. I froze, realising how loud I'd spoken. I lowered my voice. "He's kind and loving and he loves me."
"No, he does not! Wraith cannot love!"
"He's not a Venator! He's a hybrid, like Michael." Of everyone on Atlantis, Teyla should understand it the most. "He's a scientist and he was injected with human DNA. It changed him so much that the other Venator cast him out! He was on the run, like me!"
"You met your husband while running, but then he had to leave you." Teyla nodded, remembering our conversation on Midway. It felt like an age ago. Her hostility had deflated somewhat.
"Yeah. The hive he served was destroyed, and with it his sentence. Todd invited him back into the fold, and he had to leave." I stepped forward. "I saved his life and he felt he owed me, so he stayed with me. We learnt so much about each other and I helped him become more human." My heart ached for her to understand. "He's not a bad person just because he looks like a Venator."
"He's murdered innocents."
"We have too."
"That doesn't make it okay."
"It doesn't. Teyla, I can't help what I feel for him. You believed in Kanaan, even though no one else did!"
"That was different! Kanaan is human." As we continued to talk, she continued to deflate in anger and hostility as logic took hold.
"Solus isn't a normal Venator, he's capable of love and affection and he was the one to ask me to marry him. We're bound together and nothing can change that."
For the first time, her gaze softened. "The heart is a mystery, is it not?"
"It is. Will you… tell anyone?"
"It is your secret to tell." Saying that clearly pained her. "I believe it would be wise to inform Mister Woolsey, at least, of your situation. However, that is likely to change your place here."
"I'll be cast out." I nodded. "You won't be able to trust me anymore."
"I believe you are still the same Molli I have always known." Teyla nodded. "The only difference is now I know who your husband is. I will keep your secret, though I do not like it nor approve of your choice of husband." With that, she left the Jumper.
I stood there, alone, unsure of my place here. How much longer would Solus remain a secret? Did I want him to be a secret?
Did I want to stay?
o.O.o
I arrived in the gear-up room dressed in my old running clothes. Evan, Keith and Paul joined me a moment later, all wearing unmarked trousers and pants. Keith tugged at his pants unhappily.
"I look like an idiot," he said.
"Yeah, you do," Paul agreed. Keith glared at him.
They set to work tucking guns and ammunition into the back of their boots. All four of us donned scabbards and knives, as that was the only weapon acceptable in most Pegasus towns. Any sensible trader had a knife to defend themselves and Lantean weapons were too obvious.
At the Ring we received boxes filled with material and wooden implements. Trading was our cover. Atlantis had received word of a growing relationship between the people of Latira and the Genii, and our mission was to investigate if there was truth to the claims. It was my first undercover mission and I found myself enjoying the excuse to wear my old clothes again.
The Ring activated and we stepped through. The village would be close to the Ring, for trading reasons, and the path was well-worn. Evan led the way and I listened to the men discuss a girl on Atlantis who Keith was interested in. It wasn't a conversation I could take part in, as I knew little about Lantean women. We reached the village within the hour and made our way to the inn, where Evan traded for a room.
"Alright, we got one." He re-joined us outside the inn. "Let's get started." We separated, heading to different parts of town, where we would slowly trade our wares and gather any information we could.
The first stall I reached was selling temporary tattoos made from a paste that stained the skin. I'd seen them before as a child, but I'd never gotten one. I held up a square of silver material to the stall owner, who nodded. I sat down, rolled up my sleeve, and watched as she traced the paste over my hand and arms to form distinctly earthy patterns. I wondered what it would be like to get a real tattoo. Ronon had a few. Did it hurt?
"Do not touch the paste until it is dry," the stall owner told me. "Once it is dry, you may peel it off."
"Thank you." I took my box and left the stall. I delved into the market, examining the various market stalls and their wares, searching for the appropriate evidence. My gaze narrowed onto a Genii radio set and I casually strolled over and haggled for it. This could be an indicator.
By the end of the markets that day I'd traded half my items for the radio, some food, a nice necklace and a new pair of boots. I hadn't noticed anyone following me and no one bothered me except for stall owners. The sun was getting low in the sky when I returned to the inn. Keith was the only one there already, sitting alone at a table with his feet propped on his box.
"Hello, hello," he said as I joined him. "Productive day?"
"Yeah."
He leant very close to me, basically sticking his face into my box. I bristled at his proximity.
"There are two men at the bar," he whispered. "They've been watching me since I got here."
"Oh." That was why he was so close. "Okay."
"Nice haul." He sat back and smiled. "D'you think dinners included with the room?"
"It should be."
"Woah, nice tattoo. Is it real?" He examined my arm.
"No, it's only temporary. What did you get?" I asked.
"Jack all." He shrugged. "Nothing really caught my fancy."
Evan and Paul joined us at that point. Both their boxes were bursting with wares. We discussed our purchases and tallied how much we had for tomorrow, then split the remainder of items among us to ensure we all had enough. By that time, evening meal was being served and we were each served a plate of meat and vegetables. As we ate, we made up fake trading stories for the benefit of anyone listening. I managed a glance at the two men at the bar and they looked bored. One had his face tilted towards us and he rested it in his hands.
"Alright, so what did you guys find?" Evan asked quietly.
"Well, I found the radio." I shrugged. Paul raised his hand slightly.
"I actually saw one of the Genii. At least, I think it was one. He had one of their guns and he was talking to a trader who wasn't from here." His gaze flicked to the bar. "They look suspicious."
"They've been watching me since I got here," Keith said. "I think we need a distraction."
Evan burst into sudden laughter. "Garth, you sly thing! When were you gonna tell us, you'd met a girl?" He clapped Keith's shoulder.
"What are you…?" I broke off, realising what Evan was doing. Keith gritted his teeth.
"Yusuf, my friend, I wasn't going to tell you because you'd try steal her from me as usual!"
"Yusuf? Really?" Evan hissed. He raised his voice. "That was one time!"
"Well, how good is she?" Paul asked loudly. Keith made a pretence of looking around nervously, then we all leant closer.
"I think those guys at the bar are spies," Keith whispered. "Lorne, did you find anything?"
"I saw someone making a Genii uniform," Evan whispered back. "I think it's safe to say that Latira had jumped in bed with the Genii." He clapped Keith's back. "We'll keep up the act tonight, and tomorrow it's business as usual. Take your time trading, and we'll meet up outside the inn at midday."
"Okay." We all nodded. Evan grinned, leant back and clapped his hands together.
"I might actually steal her off you!" he exclaimed. "She sounds like a dream!"
"You bastard," Keith said. We returned to our food and as the night wore on, the men all ordered a mug of ale. When they finished the ale, we retired to our room, where we all curled up in our respective beds. I faced the wall and stayed silent as the other's said goodnight. I hadn't shared a room with Evan since Earth, but at least Keith and Paul were in there too.
That night I dreamt of Solus; of the moments we'd stolen on the hive ship. In my dream, Teyla didn't interrupt us. We shed our clothes and rocked together, and sheer pleasure coursed through me until-
"Molli, please stop." Paul shook my shoulder and I blinked blearily at him.
"What happened?" I asked. I glanced around the room. Morning light filtered through the curtains, illuminating Keith and Evan's very red faces. I glanced at Paul. His face was also red.
"You were…" he cleared his throat, "moaning in your sleep."
"Oh." My own face flamed. "Sorry." I couldn't look at any of them as we went downstairs for a hasty morning meal of fruit and bread. I wished I could've had my own room last night, but what was done was done. Why did I have to face them, though?
I left the inn first and did my final trading, collecting some new clothes. As I walked, I tried not to think of the emptiness inside of me.
For a while, Atlantis had filled the hole Solus had left. For a while, I thought it was a place I could call home. For a while, I thought the people there would become my family. I'd been happy there at first. Now? Now I didn't know if I could stay. Atlantis didn't make me happy anymore. When was the last time I'd smiled?
With Solus. With my husband. Without him, I was never really complete. The life I'd made without him felt like a sham. All I needed was him.
At midday I met with my team and we left the village with our purchases. Halfway to the Ring, I turned and pulled my boot securely onto my foot, noting the two shadows following us.
"Evan, we're being followed," I said. Evan nodded, and they continued their conversation as normal. At the Ring, he dialled a random address and we stepped through. On the other side, he dialled Atlantis and the next second we were through the Ring. We went straight to the Control Room, where Richard waited.
"Welcome back," he said. "Did you find anything?"
"We're almost certain Latira and the Genii are allied," Evan said.
"Okay. Major Lorne debrief in ten. The rest of you, report to the Infirmary and I want your reports by the end of the day."
"Yes, sir," the men chorused. Evan went to the Conference Room while Keith, Paul and I went to the Infirmary. We endured our post-mission tests and waited while our wares were all tested, then we could rest.
o.O.o
Over the past week, Teyla had been surgically manipulated so she could pose as a Venator Queen for a mission. When she returned, it took some time for her appearance to return to normal. When that happened, I went to visit her at the Infirmary.
"Molli, hello," she said. She smiled warmly, then seemed to remember what had happened when we'd last spoken, and her smile faltered. "How are you?"
"I'm okay. How did your mission go?"
"It was a success; however, it appears that Todd is now in control of the entire Wraith alliance and I am not sure how to feel about this."
I handed her the necklace I'd gotten on Latira. "Here. I got this for you." It had a leather tie and a golden feather charm. Teyla gaped.
"It is beautiful."
"It's a peace offering." I looked down. "I… I'm sorry for everything."
"As am I." She pulled her hair aside and I awkwardly tied it around her neck.
"It looks good on you," I said lamely.
"Thank you, Molli. It is a sweet gesture." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
I didn't know what else I could do. It appeared I'd now made an enemy of Teyla.