A/N: Chapter 16 Beta'd by Angw and Trickster's Queen of War

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to both of my Beta readers, their support has been the thing that's kept this story coming. I couldn't do it without them.

John awoke to the sun streaming in from the balcony. It blinded him with its brilliant glare. He would have to talk to Teyla about moving the bed so that he could sleep in. He climbed out of the bed, being careful not to disturb Teyla's still form. He quickly took a shower.

By the time he stepped from the shower, Teyla was awake. "Good morning beautiful."

She smiled at the compliment and nodded. "Good morning handsome."

John laughed, then struck a dashing pose in his bath towel. "How's this?"

Teyla laughed. "Shall we spar before we go to the planet today?"

"Sure, we'll spar, but only I can go. The old man said for me to come alone." John paused. "Believe me, there's nothing more I want than for you to come with me, but I think we should do what he says for now."

"I agree, though I wish I was going with you."

"Hey, I agree with you." John threw his hands in the air in mock surrender. "But this is something I've got to do alone." He stepped aside to allow Teyla access to the shower.

He grabbed his sparring clothes and threw them on. While he was waiting for Teyla to finish in the shower he grabbed his laptop and added another journal entry for the most recent events. Everything from Aiden's return to Ronon's departure.

Teyla emerged from the shower also in a towel. John couldn't help but sneer at the thought. He tossed her sparring outfit to her. She retreated into the bathroom to get dressed. He closed the laptop and placed it on the desk in the corner of the room.

He grabbed his sparring pack and pulled out his bottle of water. He handed his empty bottle of water to her. She went to the bathroom and filled it with water from the sink and returned. He placed it in his pack.

"Shall we get breakfast?" He asked, looping his arm around hers.

She nodded and together they walked out of their quarters and down the hall. They took the long route, avoiding the transporter. It took them down deep into the city. Fortunately, John's ancient genes caused the empty parts of the city to light up as they walked through them.

The cafeteria was mostly empty. It was earlier than normal, but the cafeteria staff were already setting up. John grabbed a plate full of waffles and some orange juice and then sat down at his usual table overlooking the water. Teyla joined him.

They finished eating and walked back to their room, only to get their packs and head down to the gym. They, once again, took the long way. The city was slowly rising as they reached the gym. Fortunately the gym itself was empty.

John dumped his pack on the windowsill and withdrew his two sparring sticks. He twirled them briefly as he warmed up. He performed his usual warm up. He then joined Teyla in the middle of the room.

"Today I shall instruct you in the basics of the third tier of the Athosian combat arts." She twirled her sticks menacingly. "These techniques are very aggressive." She attacked.

John shifted immediately into a defensive stance and parried her wild attacks. He sidestepped as she mercilessly rained down blow after blow. "Take a break Teyla." He mocked as he shunted aside her left stick and elbowed her right hand.

"The point of the third tier is never to give your opponent a rest." She attacked again.

He smiled and spun defensively, parrying her rapid blows. "I'm guessing it's best countered with the second tier."

She continued her merciless assault. "No, it is best countered by itself. If you simply defend, you'll tire to the point in which your attacker can defeat you."

John raised an eyebrow before shifting his attacks into a very offensive attack. He wailed blow after blow, forcing Teyla back a step and into a pattern of constant defense. "Like this?" He asked.

"Indeed." Teyla grunted between gritted teeth.

He leaped backwards as her attacks responded. He avoided getting hit in the ribs by only a few centimeters. He blocked her next attack and then shunted her follow up attack back into her stomach. "Sorry." Teyla held up a hand to pause the combat. John lowered his sticks in response. "Are you alright?" He asked, coming to her side.

She smirked viciously and then wailed him in the stomach. He doubled over, grunting as he hit the ground. "Ow!" He said. "That was uncalled for."

Teyla smiled. "You let you guard down. I am your opponent, for now." She extended her hand.

He pulled her down on top of him. "And so did you." He kissed her. "That's what I love about you."

XXX

John stepped into the control room an hour later, in full mission gear. He had retrieved his sword from the armory and it was now resting on his belt. He was just about to dial the gate when Elizabeth approached him.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He replied nonchalantly. "Besides, when have I ever let you down." He dialed the gate for the planet.

"I'm just worried and so is Teyla."

"The old man said to come alone. I can do that." John became serious. "I'll be careful."

"That's all I can ask." She said as he bounded down the steps toward the gate. "Good Luck John."

John stepped through the gate. Once again, he was on the planet. He didn't need to carefully search for the path, he was already walking it unconsciously. He did feel lonely though. Every previous time, Teyla, Rodney, and Ford or Ronon would've been with him.

Something was nagging at the edge of his thoughts. The old man had pushed the confrontation with Ronon. John still wasn't sure it had been the smartest thing to do. Ronon had left on very uncertain terms. John was half expecting Ronon to ambush him on the way up to the ruins.

Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened. He reached the ruins and walked to the center altar. The old man appeared as usual. John crossed his arms across his chest. "Okay, so why did I have to come alone?"

"Because you are the last." The old man said. "Now you must come to the last trial."

"The future?" John raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. The knowledge of the future is always changing, every action you take causes it to change."

"Yeah, I know about that. It doesn't take a genius like Rodney to figure that out."

"No. Even the simplest decisions affect the future. Now prepare yourself, you will only see a brief glance into the future."

John felt like he was being squeezed into a small place as darkness consumed him. He opened his eyes to once again find himself on a wraith hive ship. He instantly raised his P90, alert and ready.

The old man placed a hand on his shoulder. "There is no need, we are invisible here."

John relaxed slightly. He realized that they were in the control room of the hive ship. "Why are there no wraith here?" He asked.

"Because they are sleeping. They will awaken momentarily."

"Why?"

"Because they will reach their destination."

"And where is that?"

The old man gestured for John to look out the front view port. "Look and see."

John walked to the front view port. He could see a beautiful world with blue oceans. He instantly recognized the view, it was Atlantis. The wraith were going to find them. "This is bad." He said.

John felt himself be squeezed once again. He opened his eyes to find himself on Atlantis, they were in the control room. Bodies were spread out everywhere, half of which had been fed on. He recognized Elizabeth's body in the control room. He hated the feeling of helplessness that accompanied him.

"What the hell happens?" He asked.

"Even with your great shield." The old man said. "The wraith will prevail. They will reach Earth."

John felt the squeezing feeling again and hated it. He knew the next image was going to be worse. He was in the gate room back at the SGC. He'd been in it twice. He could see soldiers dead on the floor or pinned against walls. At the base of the stargate, he spotted General O'Neill's body. "Shit." John closed his eyes, he couldn't take it anymore.

He opened them to see the last image he ever wanted to see. Teyla was laying on the ground. A massive wraith stood over her. John recognized it as the super wraith from the order of time base. He watched in horror as the wraith rammed his hand into her chest, feeding on her. He felt his heart be ripped from his body as he watched helplessly.

He opened his eyes to find himself back in the ruins. He forced himself to concentrate, maintaining his composure, but only barely. "What the hell?" He asked.

"The wraith win, or so this future shows." The old man seemed callous.

John suddenly felt apprehension build on his neck. Something was wrong with this. "How can you be so callous, the wraith are about to get Atlantis."

"Sooner than you think." The old man said, equally callous as before.

John drew his P90 and aimed it at the old man. "Who are you?"

The old man disappeared, and the super wraith stepped out from behind a pillar. On the wraith's belt was a sword similar to his own. The wraith laughed. "The old man... is little more than a mask." The super wraith smiled hideously. "Your weapon is quite useless I assure you." The wraith mocked.

John already knew this. He placed his P90 on the altar and drew his sword. "But I'm going to assume this hurts you." He extended the blade.

"Only if you can connect." The wraith laughed, drawing and extending his own sword.

"Why all the deception, why do this?"

"Partly curiosity. Partly to discover if Atlantis had survived its apparent destruction. We won't be fooled this time."

"We'll see about that." John said as he attacked.

The wraith blocked the attack and returned it with a nasty swing that left John staggering back from the force of the blow. "You're pathetic." The wraith laughed.

John breathed deep and remembered everything Teyla had taught him about the Athosian fighting arts, including the single stick arts. While he hadn't used it in awhile and Teyla didn't use it at all, he remembered one key thing. The fight is over before it even begins.

John took a deep breath and gripped the sword with both hands. He then attacked with a flurry of attacks that drove the wraith back. He used the Athosian art of offense to its maximum potential. He rained blow after blow down upon the wraith.

The wraith continued to parry and block, stepping back with each blow. John shifted back into the art of defense as the wraith shunted aside John's last attack. John managed to avoid the wraith's kick by a tiny margin. He then spun and ducked to avoid the follow up strike.

John saw a dangerously loose pillar as he ducked around it, dodging a wild strike from the wraith. He shoved it with his back and felt it move. He shoved it a bit more and then ducked around to the other side. He was aware that the pillar was slowly falling. He had to hold the wraith there so it would crush him.

John used the first tier of the Athosian arts to hold the wraith in place and keep its attention on him. John ducked out of the way at the last second, barely missing the falling debris. The wraith tried to duck out of the way, but was a second too slow. The pillar crushed the wraith's foot.

John ignored the disgusting sound of smashed foot and leaped over the fallen pillar. He sliced the wraith's sword hand off with a single slice and then he rammed his sword through the wraith's head. He stepped back from his dead opponent. He retrieved his P90, which was miraculously unharmed.

He fired a few shots into the wraith's body, causing it to spasm. It was still after that. John was sure it was dead. He retracted the blade and placed it on his belt. He then began walking back down to the stargate.

His thoughts were in turmoil. The old man had been nothing more than a manipulative wraith. What he couldn't understand was why the wraith hadn't simply captured them. Why had he helped them rescue Aiden? He had so many questions, but he also knew one thing. The wraith were coming to Atlantis.

He was about halfway to the gate, lost in thought when Ronon jumped him. John could've swore. Things were just not going his way today. Ronon pointed his gun at John's head, the hand steady.

"Sheppard, we have to talk." Ronon's voice was dark.

"Yeah, I know." John stared right at Ronon. "If you're going to shoot me, just do it."

Ronon's hand wavered, then Ronon dropped his weapon. "No, I'm not here to shoot you."

"Then what are you here for?"

"Watching, waiting."

"So you saw..."
"Yeah. I saw you kill that wraith."

"Ronon, I think we're going to need you."

"Why?"

"The wraith are coming to Atlantis. Teyla's worried that you hate her."

Ronon turned away. "I don't hate her."

"Then tell her man." John walked up next to him, looking up at the huge person. "I'm sorry I took her from you... but... well, there is no but. Teyla made her decision. We both have to respect that. Ronon, what really happened that soured your relationship with her?"
"I abused her friendship. I used her to lure my commanding officer to his death."

John knew instantly why that had hurt Teyla. Teyla didn't like seeing her friendship abused. "You do realize she kept that from everyone."

"Yeah. She knew you'd have to discipline me."

"Ronon, I'll keep your secret. Just consider... coming back to Atlantis." He handed Ronon his radio. "We'll be waiting."

John left Ronon in the forest by himself. He wasn't sure what Ronon would do, but he needed to give Ronon the chance. He also needed to give Ronon the chance to smooth things over with Teyla. On top of that, he had to warn Atlantis about the impending wraith attack. He headed for home.