Disclaimers: I do not own these characters; this is written for fun or something, I make no money etc.
Spoilers: The Siege 3, Intruder
A/N: I wrote this for Purpleyin. I swear this ship is a ploy to scupper both Zelenka/Weir and McKay/Teyla LOL. Rated T 'cos I wouldn't let my kids read it yet.
Summary: Zelenka will be left behind on Atlantis after The Siege. Just a small foray into Zelenka/Teyla.
His reflection in the coloured glass affords him a distorted view of his face. He reaches a hand towards his cheek. He can certainly feel the bruise before he even touches it. It is tender, and he winces. That hurts his black eye, so he swallows and turns away. He is waiting outside Dr Weir's office for the final meeting before the three most senior staff travel through the 'gate to Earth. The siege is over and the Wraith have gone.
Teyla, appearing from nowhere, it seems, speaks to him. "Does it hurt, Dr Zelenka?"
Turning, he sees the concern on her beautiful face. "Yes. As does my ego."
She smiles, glancing down. "Aiden knew you needed to be taken care of - your ego should be flattered."
"I feel a fool. And I look worse."
She raises an eyebrow. "You look like a hero."
He feels puzzled, but his face does not wish to show this, or it will be even more painful.
Teyla takes a step towards him. "Dr Weir has asked me to share command of Atlantis while they are gone." She watches him, expectantly.
"I, too, have been asked to take some responsibility."
"You are too modest, Dr Zelenka. I shall be relying on you a great deal." She keeps eye contact for longer than feels comfortable for him.
"Please call me Radek. If we must work together for the next month or so, you should… call me Radek."
He cannot put his hands any deeper in his pockets.
She puts her hands on his shoulders, and bows her head. He leans forward slowly, feeling a twinge in his cheek as their foreheads connect. He wonders why she is doing this now. He thinks it is a greeting, but he is no longer certain.
As she pulls back, she says softly, "We must share together for forty days… and forty nights."
He feels his throat become dry, and he cannot breathe easily. He wants to say something. He sees her face close, her eyes sparkling close to his. But no words come, and he struggles to swallow.
Radek rolled over in his bed, his hand reaching to his throat. Breathing through his mouth had left it dry, and his lips cracked, and this had thankfully woken him - he was alone in his quarters. His eyes watered with the discomfort, and he fumbled for the glass of water sitting on the table by his bed. Gulping harder than he'd needed to, Radek tried to calm himself.
He licked his lips and closed his eyes, sighing through his parched mouth. The pain in his cheek and eye, where Aiden Ford had hit him, was as real as his dream, if not more so, he thought. He fumbled for his glasses, thinking he could find some painkillers on the table, if indeed he left them there last night.
The dream disturbed him, but more so as much of it was simply a re-living of the actual event. Teyla had treated him as a brave warrior, looked at him as though she saw him through new eyes. Granted, the part about the forty nights was his imagination, but the way she had said forty days… no wonder his throat was dry. He blinked as he put his glasses on. Mostly it had been in her eyes…
Usually it was he who made the gentle overtures, often with successful results. It was just rare for him to be on the receiving end. He knew women, though, and he was not reading Teyla wrong, that much was certain. He swallowed the two capsules, and swigged at the water, his head pounding now.
Running the city for a month wasn't a problem. Teyla was another thing all together. He just wasn't sure he was up to it. He lay down and pulled the sheet over his head.
A/N: Maybe he'll feel differently when his headache goes away. I have no plans for continuation, but never say never.