5

Stay Safe

One year, six months and two days after the second homecoming.

It was Saturday and Rodney had been pleasantly surprised when Jennifer went up early to whip up some brunch. They'd been busy as usual and hadn't spoken much lately but she seemed to be in a splendid mood as she put the plates on the table.

As he smiled at her she seemed to remember something as she looked at him with large eyes and then gently tapped her forehead as if chiding herself. "I forgot to tell you – Evan is in the neighborhood. He's coming over to visit us."

Rodney frowned. "Madison isn't exactly a few clicks from Atlantis," he replied skeptically.

"Well-," she began softly, a cheeky smile on her lips which she most likely wasn't aware of. "He's logging flight hours. I might have suggested he could fly in this direction."

"Oh," he said surprised.

McKay didn't dislike Lorne in any way. He was just surprised by the - to him - unannounced visit. In fact, Rodney considered him to be fairly smart for a military officer – maybe not like Sheppard though. Lorne had been the guy to argue with when it came to supplies, shipments from Earth, duty rosters and training on Atlantis while Sheppard was running around doing whatever he was doing when they weren't on a mission. Lorne was also most likely the man to lead a rescue team whenever AR-1 got themselves into a sticky situation off-world. However, Rodney seemed to recall that AR-2 could be a real trouble-magnet as well. Usually AR-1 would have to come and rescue their butts to even out the score.

"Something wrong?" Jennifer asked suddenly concerned for him. "I didn't think you'd have anything against Evan?"

He shook his head. "No, no," he assured her. "It's just that I need to finish up something so I'll just grab a few things and head to my computer. I am sure you two have a lot to talk about."

She thought his actions seemed odd even for him but shook her head and went to the door as the bell rang.

Rodney watched from the kitchen as the two friends embraced in a hug, both smiling. His mood plummeted and he surprised himself by being jealous. He filled his plate with various bread, sausages, eggs and fruit as Lorne came up to him. Rodney found himself enjoying some small talk about the situation at Atlantis with the Lieutenant Colonel before he excused himself and walked away.

Evan and Jennifer continued to talk and laugh for a long time and Jennifer went to put on some more coffee, offering her friend a cinnamon bun.

"Eatable?" Evan teased, knowing Jennifer didn't really like to bake things.

"I'll have you know that I bought them from the local bakery yesterday," she replied smartly.

He looked at her, mischief in his blue eyes and she responded by sticking out her tongue at him as she went to take his cup and refill it.

"Very mature," he drawled.

Rodney stole a glance at them from the room he was occupying; the door standing ajar. She never acted that way around him. He found himself wondering if that was because he was much more serious than the military man. He lost focus, his attention wandering to Evan and Jennifer in the kitchen.

Rodney looked at her sadly. He had never understood love or taken the time to explore what romance meant – not to him – not to anyone. While he had enjoyed Jennifer's company, loved it in his own way, he was slowly beginning to understand that she wasn't happy.

He snorted as he gently placed the sample which he'd brought home with him on the desk, next to his laptop, and shook his head. Sheppard didn't think he was introspective enough to understand women. Perhaps he wasn't but he had learned to read the bright and beautiful former CMO of Atlantis like a book.

He'd seen the way her had face lit up when Evan showed up at their doorstep, seen the way she looked at him; the way she teased him and laughed with delight at the things he said. Rodney knew he should think nothing of it because Jennifer and Evan had been friends for a long time, even before he had even considered Jennifer to be something more than a medical doctor on Atlantis. He had been glad he hadn't been competing with Sheppard's 2IC when it came to Jennifer's attention because he didn't have the physique nor the dimples to make it and he certainly didn't have that 'all- will-be-fine-mentality'.

Rodney watched the two of them walk out of the kitchen and got out of his chair only to stop in the doorway to the kitchen. He leaned against the doorframe, watching from a distance, as Jennifer said goodbye to their friend and former colleague.

She closed the door and turned around only to frown as she saw him standing there with a sad look on his face. "Rodney? Is something wrong?" she asked softly, slightly worried, as she quickly crossed the living room.

He shrugged and offered her a wan smile. "Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

Jennifer startled; not sure she'd heard him correctly. "Have you been up all night, drinking coffee again?" she replied with a smirk. "You do tend to say some very weird things afterwards."

"Jenn," he shook his head. "I know I can be insensitive, obnoxious, a-pain-in-the-ass but I am neither blind nor stupid-,"

She hushed him by placing a finger to his lips. "Now I know you've been up all night," she interrupted him. "You just mentioned the word stupid and blind while talking about yourself."

"I said I was neither, mind you," he snarked.

"You know, Evan and I are just friends," she assured him as she gently placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

"I've heard you say that ever since we first decided to pursue this relationship. On Atlantis I was too preoccupied to see it and when we ended up on Earth, I didn't want to see it – but I do," he said.

"Rodney," Jennifer said warmly. "It's you I want, it's you I've chosen to spend the rest of my days with."

He looked skeptical but nodded reluctantly.

She broke into a sly, somewhat shy, smile and ruffled his hair. "I do love Evan but only as a big brother. He's too nice for me, to less egoistic."

"Hey," Rodney protested, mildly offended, even though he secretly loved that slightly teasing tone of hers.

OOOOOO

'One year, six months and twelve days,' Teyla mused sadly as she stood next to the view screen on the bridge of the Daedalus. Torren John was standing next to her, on wobbly feet, his little hand secured in her own. Kanaan had missed so much already. TJ was walking now and loved exploring for some reason. She broke into a smile as she watched her son stare mesmerized at the planet that was starting to fill the screen before them.

"This is where your father lives," she explained as she knelt next to him and gently ruffled his hair.

The little boy smiled at his mother's touch and giggled to let her know of his excitement. However, Teyla's mind was miles away and her feelings ranged from hope to despair. She loved Torren and she loved her people but no matter how hard she'd tried; Kanaan could be nothing more than a friend to her. The child was conceived while she was grieving one of her friends, Kate Heightmeyer. He was the product of sadness in an effort to be able to feel anything else than grief. A one-night-stand with one of her best friends from home.

Teyla loved her son dearly and she would give her life for him but she was concerned about the way life had turned out. She'd always pictured Atlantis to be in the same galaxy as her people. The relation to and with Kanaan was estranged as it was. No one other than Halling actually knew the truth and that was how it was going to stay. The Athosians needed children in order to survive as a people and her former leadership and her strong conviction in the Lantean descendants had inspired and instilled a hopefulness throughout the Athosian settlement that had been lacking for almost a generation. More children had started to come before Atlantis had been forced to take-off and she hoped to see them all now that she returned.

"Entering orbit around P46-X70," Major Marks reported.

Colonel Caldwell merely nodded his acknowledgement as he pushed a button on his armrest. "Lieutenant Ferreira, please stand by with the supply team," he ordered.

"We're ready to go when you give the order, sir," she replied through the open channel.

Teyla sighed. She was grateful that a few members from the Atlantis Expedition were onboard the Daedalus and had decided to join her to the settlement but there was a special person that she found herself missing terribly at the moment. Her mind brought her back to a conversation she'd had with John just before she'd left, almost three weeks ago.

She brightened as John walked up to her. He was weary and his uniform covered in dust, having come back from a mission recently. She didn't mind his appearance but she was troubled by his state of mind. For some reason he looked sad as he walked up to stand opposite her in the deserted hallway.

"Teyla," he said softly as his hazel eyes searched hers. "I heard from General Landry-," he suddenly averted his eyes and glanced down at his boots before nervously looking up again. "-that the Daedalus is preparing to leave already."

She felt a pang of regret at hearing the slight hurt in his tone of voice. "Yes, John," she replied kindly. She saw him tense and quickly added; "I assure you; I am only leaving for a short visit."

He let out a relieved breath.

"John, I will be coming back. I just-," she paused and sighed. "It's been over a year and to be honest I thought Atlantis would have been back by now. When it came to my attention that the Daedalus was about to do a supply and reconnaissance run to Pegasus, I felt compelled to leave with them. That's why I asked you to get me onboard."

He studied her for a moment, obviously contemplating what to say. "Look, Teyla. I know things hasn't turned out the way we planned but someday, somehow, we're going to take her back there; I promise."

She smiled at him and gently took his hand into hers. "I know that but I also know that it's not up to you to decide that," she replied. "I followed you willingly to Earth and I would do so again."

"Then you'll come back?" he asked, as if he needed that confirmed for some reason.

"Your friendship is valuable to me – you are valuable to me – besides, I would miss all my friends and extended family I've got from the Atlantis Expedition," she assured him with a genuine warm smile.

They bowed their heads together in the Athosian traditional custom.

"Stay safe, Teyla," he said.

Teyla shook her head. She was about to rejoin her people and yet here she was, thinking about John Sheppard.

OOOOOO

To be continued