'Please, Teal'C…miss you…Dan…' all he could make out were bits…a woman's voice…soft singing. He wanted to find her…he began to rage again…
"His fever has returned," Dr. Rush announced. "We've got to move him back to the SGC where I can monitor him properly." They'd found what they thought would be the antidote and, after several days of testing, had decided to give it to Teal'C, to no avail.
Elora stood in the back of the room and listened as her new friends planned to take Teal'C back to their home. Guilt weighed heavily on her. Her people, without meaning to, had caused the fall of this great warrior. Her peaceful, happy, welcoming people may have inadvertently caused the death of the strongest warrior they'd ever met. And Elora felt completely and irrationally responsible.
Dr. Rush moved out of the room to begin the preparations to transport him with Cameron. Sam went back to their lab to continue something she'd been working on when word had come of Teal'C's turn for the worse.
Daniel stood, alone, over his friend's bed. He didn't seem to be aware of Elora at all and she didn't move to interrupt his thoughts. Finally, he sniffed and turned to look at her.
Elora couldn't meet his eyes. He scrutinized her through the top half of his glasses, with his head tilted down, his lips slightly pursed and his eyebrows up.
"This isn't your fault, Elora," he murmured softly. "It isn't anyone's fault. No one could have known. We all know this. Please don't blame yourself."
Silently, a tear escaped and rolled down her face. She couldn't speak.
He moved to stand next to her. "You've been here for weeks. Yaloreen only knows what it's done to your reputation in your village," he borrowed a phrase her people used. "But you refused to leave him. You have our gratitude, Elora. Not our blame."
Elora's head was still down as she turned into his chest. He wrapped his arms around the small woman and held her as she cried, silently.
Today, they were leaving.
Elora moved the sponge over Teal'C's chest, humming softly, knowing this was the last day she would be permitted to care for him. Her eyes went down to her pale hand, smoothing cool water across his dark chest and she sighed. She had cried out all her emotions with Daniel yesterday and had resigned herself to whatever fate held in store. She moved her eyes up the curve of his chest to the pulse in his neck to the strength of his jaw, the fullness of his lips with their way of smiling without smiling…
She frowned. Was he smiling? Her eyes shot up to his eyes, which were slightly open and looking at her. She gasped and started to pull her hands off his chest, but his hand, strong but gentle, wrapped around one of her wrists.
"Where am I?" he croaked, hoarsely.
"Velon's home," she whispered, still in shock. "You've been very ill."
He closed his eyes.
"NO!" she cried out, leaning across his chest toward his face. "Please don't go…"
He opened his eyes again. "This position is not appropriate, Elora."
She realized, then, that she was practically lying on top of him. He was naked from the waist up and she was lying on him! She gasped and straightened, and then she noticed the smile that almost wasn't there again and felt bolder. "Well, why not?" she smiled back at him. "Don't go anywhere."
She stood and moved to the window. She knew that Daniel and Cameron were outside. "Daniel! He's awake!"
The two Tau'ri men looked over, dumbfounded for a moment, then bound back inside the house.
Elora moved back to Teal'C's side and wiped his forehead. "Don't you close your eyes until they get here."
The words were barely out of her mouth when they appeared.
There was a great feeling of celebration in the entire village. Teal'C, though conscious, was transported, via stretcher – despite his vehement protests that he could walk – through the Chappa'ai. Elora went to her parent's home to tell them that she was going home and then she did. Confident that Teal'C would soon be completely recovered and would be well-cared for by the Tau'ri, she took a long, hot bath and collapsed on her bed.
She was exhausted but she found herself unable to sleep. She looked into her heart and found a jumble of emotions. Finally, she rose from her bed and lit a fire to Yaloreen. She smiled at what her mother would say to see her giving in to what she'd often called a foolish superstition. She made a soft wish for her Tau'ri friends, and that one special Jaffa.
Elora's mind went back to the day in the forest. She remembered being in awe of Teal'C. She smiled as she remembered how it felt to be held by him, even if only to be carried out of the forest. She wished she had been able to spend more time with him – while he was awake.
Elora stood when she realized that she was falling asleep in front of the fire and willed her feet to take her to her bed, where she really collapsed. After weeks, she finally really slept.
Teal'C emerged from the gate with Daniel Jackson and looked around. The peaceful planet of Aleronan was as peaceful as the first time he'd come through weeks earlier. He'd come to pay his respects to the people of this planet, who cared for him while he'd been sick. He was pleased to personally deliver the final copy of the signed trade pact.
They moved into the village and were greeted heartily by everyone they met. Everyone asked about Teal'C's health and the health of "Mistress Samantha". Teal'C was pleased to tell everyone they were both fully recovered. He and Daniel stopped at Velon's home and called inside to the elder.
Velon's face was split with a smile. "My good friends!" he smiled. "Welcome!"
"We've brought the final treaty," Daniel said after exchanging greetings. Teal'C gave one of his half-bows and handed the paper to Velon.
"May the Aleronans and the Tau'ri enjoy many years of peace and friendship," Teal'C pronounced.
Velon nodded. "May the Jaffa join us in that friendship. Without the wine." The old man's smile widened.
Teal'C's eyebrow rose and Daniel grinned. "Indeed," Teal'C said.
They sat at Velon's table, drank tea, and talked of trivial things for a little while. After a time, Velon started telling Daniel a historical story and Teal'C noticed Elora's father, Galoren, outside the window. He excused himself and walked outside.
Galoren looked at Teal'C begrudgingly.
Teal'C nodded to Galoren.
"She's not here," he said shortly.
Teal'C raised an eyebrow.
"She's spending too much time at Lungren Stream these days. She always went there as a child to daydream, but it seems she does it more these days. Perhaps you can tell her to get her head out of the skies and back to her duties."
Teal'C took the offering of peace and nodded. Galoren nodded briskly back and walked away. Teal'C returned inside long enough to tell Daniel that he would be back in a while and headed toward the tranquil woods.
Elora sat looking at the stream, soaking her feet in the cool water. She heard a sound and looked up to see Teal'C. With a smile, she looked back down.
"It is good to see you, again, Master Teal'C."
Teal'C sat down next to her. "It is agreeable to see you again, Mistress Elora."
Her eyebrows shot up. "I hoped that you would not think of me so formally."
"I do not think of you formally, Elora. I merely returned the salutation."
She closed her eyes and smiled. "I was trying to be proper." She looked at him. "After everything, I don't know why."
Teal'C nodded. "DanielJackson has told me of everything that occurred during my illness."
Elora looked at the water again. "I hope he didn't exaggerate."
"He told me that you never left my side."
She blushed. "So he did exaggerate."
Teal'C sat looking at her until she glanced over to him. Then he locked eyes with her and held her gaze for a long moment. "Thank you," he said.
Elora smiled, shyly. "You are most welcome," she returned.
They sat quietly for a while. She started to hum, then stopped, suddenly embarrassed for him to hear her now that he was awake.
"I remember hearing you sing."
She looked at him, shocked. "Really?"
"In fact, I kept hearing a woman's voice. It must have been yours."
She scrutinized him. "You are truly well?"
Teal'C smiled, a real smile, and nodded. "I am."
Elora nodded and looked back to her feet.
They sat in silence until almost dark, then stood and walked back to the village wordlessly together.
Elora happily walked Daniel and Teal'C back to the gate. They had both promised her and Velon to return often. When they got to the gate, Daniel dialed out. He then turned to Elora and pulled her into a hug.
"Thank you, for everything," he said.
She smiled. "Thank you, for everything." she returned. She reached up and kissed his cheek.
They parted and Daniel went up the steps to the gate. Teal'C looked down at this diminutive female, with the pale skin, palest green eyes he'd ever seen and long brownish-red hair that flowed freely down her back.
She looked up at him and said. "I am glad you are well."
He nodded, slightly. "Thank you, Elora."
She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She squeezed and he looked down, smelling the sunny fragrance of her hair. He put his hand in her hair and felt its thickness.
She stepped back and blushed prettily.
He touched her cheek wordlessly and leaned down as she reached up. He didn't allow her a kiss on the cheek though. Instead, his lips met hers in the softest of kisses.
She sighed and touched her hand to his chest as they separated. He touched her cheek, then bowed to her and moved up the steps to the gate and, together with Daniel, walked through the event horizon.
As Daniel descended the ramp at Stargate Command, he looked to Teal'C. "I don't think you could find a friend more loyal," he smiled at his friend.
"You are mistaken, DanielJackson," Teal'C said, keeping his gaze straight ahead. "I have four."
Daniel smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder as they walked out of the gate room.