DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters of 'Stargate: Atlantis'. They're not my property.
The remaining Atonians had gathered around Jodian, discussing the earlier incident. Vera stood on the side, watching them. When Elizabeth walked in, silence once again prevailed in the room. "Jodian, I apologize for what happened earlier," she told him.
"We were confused as to why John Sheppard would hastily resign from your earlier request in that way," Jodian said.
"I hope you can understand that his concern for finding a good home for Syla is justified. Your rules are very different from ours. Of course doubts would arise."
"We do understand, Elizabeth Weir. We can promise you that she will be in the safest environment with us," Jodian replied with a smile. Some whispers followed which Elizabeth quickly picked upon.
"Somehow, I cannot find the assurance for that," she was brave enough to admit.
"Rules have changed. The acceptance of Syla is a large example of that."
"We are afraid of how long these new rules might hold," she added.
The Atonians exchanged glances with some even sending a few disturbing once towards Elizabeth. "Are you playing a game here?" one of them suddenly said.
"I'm sorry?"
Jodian stepped in. "Elizabeth Weir, only days ago you stood here, convincing us that we will indeed be the best choice to take care of Kia's child. You asked us to change the rules; some of them we have and now we are willing to welcome her back. However, you now doubt our intentions after we have agreed to your request."
"We only want what is best for her, Jodian," Elizabeth responded.
"So do we," Jodian told her. "We would also not hesitate to leave her here either. Despite her importance to her people, we do not appreciate being toyed with."
"I assure you that that is not our intention," Elizabeth reminded him.
Jodian watched her bold reaction. "I am curious, why has your feeling toward this matter changed so quickly?"
Elizabeth did not take her eyes away from Jodian to look at Vera as one of the main reasons for this; she sensed this would not be good for Kia's sister who only confirmed Elizabeth's suspicions by looking away in guilt. "We came to know Syla better over the past few days," she replied. "We also became worried how the traces of the past and the changing of rules will affect her."
"We can not erase the past. That will always stay with us. Syla had the misfortune of witnessing the slaughter and how she copes with it we do not know. Yes, she will be different from the other children who will come after because of her experience but we cannot control how those so young will behave."
John's reasons were becoming more apparent and clear to Elizabeth as she was listening to Jodian's answer. "You could raise your children to be more understanding."
Whispers were heard again. The faces on the Atonians were such of horror as if she had said the most disturbing thing. "We know how to raise our offspring, Elizabeth Weir."
"I was not criticizing."
"Yes, you were. We will always be grateful for your help in not only rescuing us from the Wraith but finding a new home for us. It is why our doors will always be open for you. But we will not alter everything for the good of one. We will not jeopardize what has been incredibly useful for our survival."
"How does teaching your children to be more compassionate jeopardize them?"
"It could spread outside our people but it is something you will never understand."
One by one the Atonians began leaving the room, without giving a chance for Elizabeth to voice her bitter response. Only Jodian and Vera remained. "Since you lack the trust in us with Syla, we do not have much of the same towards you and John Sheppard. But we do hope you will raise Syla well. May the gods be with you," he finished and then walked away.
Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly and exhaled. This had gone less well than she had expected. When she opened her eyes again, she found Vera standing closer to her.
"My deepest apologies, Elizabeth Weir," Vera spoke sincerely. "I was not aware the rifts my request to you would cause between your people and mine."
"It's not your fault, Vera. Both John and I noticed the mistake we would have made if Syla was left with them…" Elizabeth told her. "But now… we are still faced with the dilemma of Syla's future. It's not good timing for us, not now."
"She will have a better future with someone else," Vera replied. "I am certain of that."
"Well, you do know your people."
Vera nodded. "It is why I never wanted to have children. I was always afraid the tree illness would catch me like it did the others and I could not bare it for my children to be left to die," she admitted.
"What is this tree illness? Kia also mentioned it."
Vera looked at her. "On our planet there was this small forest of trees known as Ekha'la. Our people are very sensitive to the small flowers that bloom there in spring. When the first wind blows, it carries those flowers with them. Only the women suffer from the pollen of the flowers. Why… we do not know. Once it touches the skin, it infects the unfortunate. Two moons later that person becomes terribly weak and dies."
"I see. Explains why Kia became so sick so fast."
Vera nodded sadly. "I hope there is no Ekha'la forest on the new planet…"
Elizabeth thought for a moment. "Vera, what do you think of Atlantis?"
She suddenly smiled timidly. "It is a beautiful city. I never knew the gate builders were such masters."
"Could you see yourself living here?'
"I do not know. It is new still."
"Colonel Sheppard suggested you should stay here with Syla."
Vera's face turned confused. "I am not certain Elizabeth Weir."
"Would you like to?" Elizabeth asked her.
"I do not know what my purpose would be here other than Syla. I cannot be useless," Vera replied. "But with my people, I can be useful. They need me now."
"I understand," Elizabeth replied. "I'm just curious, what are your skills?"
"Languages," Vera replied.
"Interesting."
"Before the Wraith, I helped my people when they would trade with other races."
"What languages do you know?"
"Tanminian, Ancient, Kedonian…"
Elizabeth listened to the names and was surprised to only recognize two of the thirty mentioned. "I've never heard of most of those."
"There are many races and nations, Elizabeth Weir. I do not think that even the gate builders themselves knew how many there are."
"And you've learned these languages…"
"Through trade," Vera replied. "But I was also taught by some of the elders. It is a necessity."
This intrigued Elizabeth. "Is there no one else among the survivors who are familiar with those languages?"
"No."
"This is a shame… We could have you used your skill with our expeditions."
Vera smiled. "Thank you. But I cannot abandon my people."
"I know…"
Vera rubbed her hands slowly together as she spoke. "Kia would be happy knowing Syla will have a better environment to grow up in."
"What do you mean?"
"She always disapproved of those rules. She found it disgusting that a family who was childless could not be allowed to give a future to a child who is not their own flesh and blood like a few of the past."
"There have been cases where they wanted to adopt an orphan?"
Vera nodded shyly. "Yes. They were rare and only a few but it raised questions of the possibility of taking in a child of another Atonian. They were willing to sacrifice their chance of having their own child to give the… orphaned ones a chance to live. But they were only a few. They were immediately faced with the danger of being banned from our society and with that being left to die, knowing no one would accept them. With time, they had children of their own and then no one showed interest again." Vera looked up at Elizabeth. "Do Humans have the same customs?"
"No," Elizabeth replied. "The number of those families that want to adopt is great among us. In many cases they welcome more than one child."
Vera was sadly relieved by this thought. "You are a generous species."
"There are many children on our world who will never find a future, but those with a kind heart do what they can for them."
"Perhaps Kia had been aware of that," Vera quietly said.
"How?"
"She understood how different the Humans from the Atonians are. When we were making our shelter after the Ekha'la flowers arrived, she confided in me how she wished Syla could be raised in a society such as yours." Vera glanced at her feet covered by the black dress.
"Do you know why… Syla chose us? I know you explained your bewilderment but do you have some knowledge of why this happened?"
"I will say this: the parents and their child have a special bond in the early years. Feelings are sensed easily," Vera told her before quietly leaving the room.
"No, absolutely not. I will not have yet another screaming fit thrown in my face!" McKay objected when John asked him to hold Syla for a while. Naturally he had only done that to see Rodney's reaction. "And as much as this is amusing to you, for me the first time was a very, very unpleasant experience."
"Relax, McKay, I would not dare give Syla to you. The poor girl would be traumatized for life otherwise," John said with a smirk.
"Huh, she'll be traumatized?" Rodney commented. He dusted off his hands and then stepped off the Jumper.
"Is it done?"
"Of course it's done!" McKay replied.
"My bad," John shook his head. He placed Syla on the seat, securing her properly.
"So, uh, Elizabeth's okay with you taking a baby on the Jumper like that?" Rodney asked, pointing to Syla.
"It's not the fist time I've done it," John said and looked at Rodney with a sneer.
"Oh, yes, that was ingeniously funny," Rodney responded with annoyance when he understood what the colonel had been referring to.
John started the Jumper. " Elizabeth, this is Sheppard. I'm taking Syla for a visit to the mainland."
There was silence on the other end. "Alright, Colonel. Fly safely," Elizabeth responded, surprising even John with the absence of an inquiry from her about why and how.
The gate had been in her view for the past hour, as Elizabeth wondered how to handle this situation with Syla, which turned into something more complicated, much to her concern.
The short man that was Samuels broke those thoughts when he came in her office. "You have a minute, Dr. Weir?" he asked.
"Of course," she replied, leaning forward.
"I know there have been some rumors flying about with you and the Colonel and that Atonian baby," he started.
"There have been rumors?" She shouldn't have been surprised but now she was.
"There's one about you and Colonel Sheppard being half-Atonian, then there's another one of the baby being his secret love child and…" After noticing Elizabeth's tired look, Samuels quickly replied. "Yeah, there are."
"And why are you here?"
"Well, I don't know if it means much but when you and the Colonel left, the first time that he took the baby…. The, err, Atonian… Kia mentioned something how, err, the baby only laughed like that when her dad was holding her. And then when the baby was returned to her and you both left the Infirmary, she kept whispering something to her with this very sad look on her face. It was just eerie. Not long before the illness struck her."
"I see… Why didn't you mention this earlier?"
"I didn't think it had any importance until I heard what happened with the Atonians this morning."
"Is that all?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Alright, thank you Samuels, that was… helpful."
Dr. Samuels nodded in response before exiting the office. Elizabeth leaned back on the chair, the words of earlier meshing in with some of her own thoughts.
"Dena, hey," John greeted the older woman sitting by her tent. It was a pleasantly sunny day on the mainland.
With her bright blue eyes and wrinkled face, she smiled wholeheartedly at the colonel. "Good to see you again, Colonel Sheppard." She stood up to greet him when she noticed the baby in his arms. "I was not aware that you had a child," Dena said.
John smiled. "She's not mine."
Dena lowered her head to look at the child's shy face. She was surprised when Syla glanced at her. "She is… Atonian."
"Yeah, she is," John replied nonchalantly as if it hadn't been anything unusual. Syla tried to hug him, as she must've felt too uncomfortable being watched like that.
"How is this possible?"
"Uh, long story. Anyway, you know that rainbow thing you once showed me?" When Dena nodded to this, he continued, "Do you still have it?"
"Yes. I will find it for you," Dena replied and glanced at Syla once more before disappearing into the tent.
Syla let out a shy voice as she looked up at him and smiled, her little hands tapping his cheeks. John was met with more than a few curious glances from the Athosians here because of the little girl when they arrived. They all found it as strange as Dena had that an Atonian child could be not only in the care of someone who was not their birth parent but also from another race.
When Dena emerged again, she had a small purple branch in her hands. "Here it is," she said and gave it to the colonel.
"Thank you, Dena," he replied. "I'll bring it back."
Dena took a step forward while watching the two head off to the forest. She was still amazed.
Standing in the middle of the clearing later, surrounded by a few trees in the distance, John lifted the small branch in the air. "Let's see if I can do this right…"
Syla watched the man rub the branch's surface with his thumb as small purple particles were being released in the air. Pretty soon the space above them began filling up with butterflies flying over to them. In immense numbers, with rich colors of the rainbow, the little insects swarmed to the spot, coloring the sky above John and Syla, and surrounding the two. Letting out a happy cry, Syla reached for the butterflies.
"What do you know, it worked," he said, watching the beautiful colors. A few even landed on the light-colored hair of the little girl, while an elegant black specimen rested on John's right shoulder. He looked at Syla's face and how happy this made her as he hoped it would. Seeing this expression of joy made him realize what an amazing feeling it was to have your child be happy this way. "We'll find you a good home, Syla," he told her. "I promise."
"Wuuu!" Syla giggled with her eyes on the butterflies. John smiled tamely to this.