Disclaimer: I forgot to put this up for the first chapter. But yeah, I own nothing. The big wigs own SGA and affiliated characters. The quote is by Sir Francis Bacon from "Of Friendship".

And now on to chapter 2…Some time later:

"…you just don't get it!" Lorne's voice permeated the corridor, "I can't keep lying to them! They deserve to know!"

Teyla coolly responded, "Whether they deserve to know is my decision. Am I not the affected? You do not need to lie to them. Let me do that."

Lorne heatedly interjected, "Yes, yes you are the one affected. But you must understand that I can't sit by and let you suffer in silence while everyone else walks and talks as if nothing has happened! Everything has happened! I feel like there's this big pink elephant in the room…"

"You do not have to worry for me. I am…was…a leader of my people for a great deal of time. I am strong enough for it," She continued softly, "It was my decision to make. I made it. I will live by it because I believe it is the right thing to do. I will not be thought as weak by your people."

"We don't think you're weak!" exclaimed Lorne, continuing at a lower decibel, "You are one of the strongest people I know. I respect you. I just don't respect your choice!"

She replied tersely, "Then you don't respect me. My choices are a part of me." Sneering, she went on, "If you are that greatly worried, go run along to the Colonel and report me."

"You know I won't do that. It's just that Col. Sheppard keeps looking at me as if I'm to be interrogated and I don't want to lose the trust he places in me. More to the point, I am worried about you…"

"What's going on here, Major, Teyla? Is there something I should know about?" Col. Sheppard smoothly entered.

Teyla was caught off-guard. She had not heard anyone approaching and of all people it had to be the Colonel. This was not the time or the place for him to discover anything. She had allowed herself to be cornered by Maj. Lorne precisely because she knew he would be unrelenting and this corridor was sufficiently empty for the time being. What she hadn't anticipated was that their conversation would be interrupted by the topic himself. She knew she could ward him off, but she was not so sure about the Major. He and the Colonel were close and his ties to him were much stronger than his ties to her. She kept her face as placid as possible while trying to calm the inner turmoil of discovery.

"Sir, nothing sir," Lorne placated. "Teyla and I were just discussing an injury she suffered earlier this week while sparring."

Sheppard knew something was very wrong but they clammed up as soon as he made his presence known. All he had heard was "care about you…" and that was enough to turn his stomach. Damn, he should have waited until they finished so he could get to the bottom of this goddamn mystery. All he could do now was play along with them even though he knew for a fact Teyla would not have fallen at all, especially if she was 'training' a beginner like Lorne. "Teyla? You're hurt?"

"It is nothing Colonel," she calmly added, "I just fell wrong on the mat. But it is of no consequence as the Major knows. I am not injured, just somewhat sore." If they could convince John that his concern was unfounded then she would be in the clear. He looked as if he wanted to ask more questions, but a sudden interference on the COM broke the pregnant silence.

Col. Sheppard, Teyla, please report to the briefing room…

"Okay, I need to still go to my quarters so Major, return to duty, and Teyla, after the briefing, you will go see Carson for a check up just in case you were hurt. Please tell Weir that I will be there 5 minutes." Sheppard had dismissed them both, but Lorne knew that the argument was far from over. He hoped that she would at least confide in Sheppard seeing as they were very close, but he knew even more so that that closeness would be the driving force for her reticence.

Flashback

"Luv, are ye ready for this?" Carson Beckett asked of woman next to him.

"Yes, Dr. Beckett. I am sure they will be very happy to see you once again. Nalla was very anxious when you left as she feared the baby would come before you arrived back," replied a slightly nervous Teyla.

"The wee one is only 6 months in tha' oven! Ah such is the life of a country doctor. In another life...but tha' is all fantasy now...Ye know, I never thanked ye for coming along. I'm sure ye will relish this time with them."

Teyla seemed to become even more jumpy at this. Carson couldn't figure out what was making the lass act so. It was almost as if she didn't want to see these people. But Carson knew better than that. Once a leader, always a leader, and Teyla was a caring leader.

The jumper jerked lightly, once, before coming to a complete stop. Outside the front window, the greenery could be seen in full force now that summer was upon them. Teyla and Dr. Beckett exited the rear only to be met by Halling once out of the jumper. Teyla met his gaze with one of her own, answering the unasked question before he got the chance to open his mouth. "We came so that Dr. Beckett could see to Nalla and the others."

Carson briefly wondered why she did not do the forehead greeting, but stood erect and aloof somewhat in front of him. The silent exchange was intriguing, however, once he noticed the bustle of the village, the thought escaped and he was once more the doctor on a mission, walking directly to the tent of his patient leaving Teyla alone with Halling.

"You should not have come so soon after the ceremony."

"And yet I am here," she added quietly, "I could not refuse a request from a…friend."

Halling stood there, silent in his disapproval. "There will be talk if you walk through the village. I do not think they have completely accepted your choice for what it is. Many still feel betrayed…"

"Who should feel betrayed? I am the one in exile. They will find another and forget, but I am forced to remember, every day and every night what happened…" she broke off suddenly, her shoulders slumping and her head hanging. She looked like a limp doll as if her strings had been cut. "There is nothing here for me, but I can't help feeling as if I have left everything behind."

This unexpected show of emotion moved Halling to place a tentative hand on her shoulder. He knew abstractly that she would be hurt, but to see it so was jarring. His moral high ground was suddenly feeling the effects of an earth tremor, shaky and dangerously close to crumbling altogether. But he could not lose that. His position was tenuous at best with the Elders and if he was seen to be allying with her, then he would suffer the same ostracizing. He removed his hand.

The loss of contact with her shoulder caused Teyla to remember where she was and who she was with. Her shoulders straightened and her face hardened. The almost-tears were gone and her heightened color had receded. The effects of the meeting were fleeting and in its place, neutrality took hold. She took a breath and proceeded to calmly walk towards the tent Dr. Beckett had entered earlier. Nalla was a good friend and would not publicly out her. And she was genuinely concerned for her and needed the reassurance that all was well with her and her baby. She knew there would be whispers, but counted on the fact that she would be with Carson to quell them. Halling was still at the jumper, staring off in her direction. She knew this without having to turn around as his eyes caused the hairs on the back of her neck to rise. It would not be long after this before they would be on their way back and she could retreat to her solitude. Blessed solitude.

TBC

AN: Aren't you lucky? Another chapter within a couple hours...and I will start writing the third one tonight. Who knows? You may have the completed story by tomorrow...On second thought, probably not. But review anyway!