I'm sorry that I haven't updated this story for a while, but I felt more inspired by other ideas. Now that I have finished with those idea's the inspiration for this story has struck again, so hopefully, I can finish it.
Chapter 6: Heartbreak.
When Teyla awoke the next morning, the sun was streaming through her window and despite its warmth, she felt cold and alone. She had awoken with John next to her for the last five weeks, but now he was gone, and she had no idea whether the John she knew and loved would ever be coming back.
Taking a deep breath, she looked over at her clock to find that it was only 0600 hours. She really didn't want to get up yet, but Torren would be rising soon, and he would be probably looking for her. She had found one of John's dirty shirts for him last night, so she was fairly sure that he would have slept soundly since he always did when he had John or his clothing nearby.
Climbing out of her bed she looked around for her robe, it didn't take her long to realise that she had left it on the floor last night, which she never would have done if John had been around. Picking it up and putting it on, she headed for Torren's room to see how he was.
She entered his room quietly and was relieved to find that he was still asleep; hopefully, he would stay that way a little longer, but then she didn't really want to go back to sleep, without John with her.
Turning to leave the room, she was a little surprised to hear that Torren was talking to her, "Momma you Otay?"
Smiling at him, she went and sat on the side of his bed, "I was just wondering if I should go back to bed for a while."
"I tum and seep with you?"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea darling."
It didn't take her long to pick up her son and carry him to her room. She carefully lay him on the bed and climbed in next to him. She lay watching him for a while until he fell asleep again. Once she was sure that he was asleep she closed her eyes, and it wasn't long before she was asleep as well.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The first thing John did when he awoke the next morning was to jump out and of bed a look in the mirror, he was hoping that the last couple of days had been a nightmare. But much to his chagrin, the face of a boy stared back at him. Sighing he looked over at the clock on the bedside table and realised that it was only 0600 hours. Having no reason to get up he decided to head back to bed for a few hours.
Normally he would be waking up next to Teyla and had been for the last five weeks now. He wondered what would happen to him if Rodney were never able to reverse the situation, but right now it didn't bear thinking about, because for now at least he was planning on staying with the Athosians and even if he had to stay with them until he grew up again, he would be well cared for.
He had arranged a meeting with Mr Woolsey for 0900 hours this morning to tell him of his plans. He actually had no idea what Woolsey would say, but he didn't care, he was leaving anyway, and Dave was coming with him and staying for a few days. He loved the fact that his brother cared for him again, it was something that he hadn't experienced for many years and it felt good to have a big brother again.
His thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on his door, "hey John, Jane's making pancakes if you want anything."
"Thanks, Dave," he shouted at the door.
Looking at the clothes on his bed he wondered whether he would need any help. After a few minutes he decided that he would try himself, he knew that Dave would have to help him with his shoes and socks, but at least that wasn't as embarrassing as having him help put on his shirt. A smile formed on his lips as a memory of Dave teaching him to tie his shoes came to mind, he had been about five and Dave had been seven. He and Dave had shared many special times as children and he had hoped by Dave coming to Atlantis that they would be able to develop some new memories. Right now, he had no idea whether that would happen or not, it certainly wouldn't if he were going to live with the Athosians for the rest of his life, especially if he had to live the rest of his life as a child.
He put his thoughts aside for a few moments, while he went about trying to get dressed for the day, he didn't stop to think that it might be his last day on Atlantis for quite a while.
It took him ten minutes, but finally, after much huffing and puffing, he managed to dress and he felt so exhausted by the effort that he wondered whether he should go back to sleep again. His shoulder and hand screamed in agony, not to mention that his head was pounding. Dave had left his pain meds and a bottle of water on the bedside table the night before, so he decided that taking some pain meds would probably be a good way to start the day.
Finally, he was ready to head to the kitchen and he hoped that Jane had cooked lots of pancakes because for some reason he was ravenous.
Arriving in the kitchen, he found that Dave and Jane were just sitting down ready to start breakfast, "good morning, Mom and Dad," he said sarcastically as Jane pulled a chair out for him.
Dave looked mortified, but Jane played along with his joke, "good morning my darling son. How are you this morning, did you sleep well?"
John loved Jane's sense of humour, she really reminded him of his own mother. But for some reason that he couldn't fathom, she'd decided to marry Dave, who reminded him of his father.
"No mom, I didn't sleep well at all, I guess I don't like being a child." He told her his tone suddenly serious again.
"I am so sorry John, it is horrible that this has happened to you and I really hope that it can be fixed soon because I have really enjoyed getting to know you. I hope that you won't be staying with the Athosians for long, as I will miss you."
John lowered his head, feeling a little embarrassed by the sentiment, "Thanks, Jane."
"Okay gorgeous, start eating there's plenty of pancakes. Do you need some help, or would you like your pink sparkly straw?" Jane smirked, teasing him.
He didn't mind Jane helping him eat, because she was one of the few people who had seen him at his worst and she had also helped him through it, without judging him. "I might need some help cutting the pancake up and can you put plenty of maple syrup and whipped cream on them, but I think I'll pass on the sparkly straw for the juice."
"Okay then handsome, I'll just give you a plain one."
He wondered what Dave thought of her calling him handsome and gorgeous all of the time, but one thing he knew for sure was that she was one of the few people that was treating him the same way she always did.
He glanced at Dave and he didn't seem to be aware of what was going on, he was just sitting there drinking his coffee and reading something on his tablet. John was sure if he could have gotten a copy of the newspaper, he'd be reading it right now. That was another thing that reminded John of his father, he'd always read the paper at breakfast time as well.
It didn't take him long to finish his pancakes and he was still feeling a little hungry, so using his best puppy dog eyes, he looked at Jane and asked, "please may I have some more."
"You know what John; I would have loved to have known you as a kid," Jane told him, as she put more pancakes on his plate.
"Apparently, I was a pretty cute kid, well I guess technically I am still a cute kid, right Dave?"
Dave almost choked on his coffee," umm…. I never really thought of you as cute, you were just my painful kid brother who was always getting himself into trouble."
John put on his best sad face and looked at Dave with his puppy dog eyes, "really Dave, you mean this isn't cute?"
For some reason, he was having fun this morning and he was almost sorry that he was considering going to New Athos to stay, but then he remembered Teyla and Torren and he knew that they would be better off without him on Atlantis.
"Umm…it's just painful and annoying just the way it was when you were a kid," Dave replied, not bothering to look up from his tablet.
"I think it's absolutely adorable," Jane said, and John knew that she was trying hard to tease Dave. "Did you have any cute habits or facial expressions as a kid?" She asked turning her attention to Dave.
"I don't think so!" Dave answered in a matter-of-fact tone.
John chuckled at his brother, "You mean you've never seen the pout he puts on when he doesn't get his own way, the one that he has on his face right now?"
He continued to chuckle, and Dave continued to pout. John was having so much fun teasing his brother and it brought back good memories from his childhood, memories from when his mother was alive, and someone actually believed him in. It had taken him a long time to find that again, but there was no-one there for him in his teenage years, not even his brother.
"I do not pout!" Dave shot back, with a pout on his face.
Before John or Jane had a chance to reply the door chime rang and Dave looked instantly relieved.
"Come in?" Jane yelled at the door and John thought it open. The door opened to reveal Teyla standing at the door with Puss in her arms.
"Hello John, how are you this morning?" Teyla asked with one of her alluring smiles.
The last thing he wanted to do was speak to her right now, he felt abandoned by her at a time when he needed her the most. It's funny how times change, he thought, now my brother is the one who is there for me. "Umm…I think that I'll head to my room for a while, before my meeting with Mr Woolsey."
He rushed out of the kitchen and went into his room and if he could have, he would have slammed the door, he knew that he was acting like a child, but what did they expect from him, after all, he was only a ten-year-old boy.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
As Teyla watched John leave the room her heart started to break, she genuinely loved him, but at the moment she had no idea what she was supposed to do. Torren did not understand who John was and even if he did, he could not truly comprehend why his father looked like a child.
Before she had a chance to contemplate things further, puss started to complain about being held and it didn't take her long to realise how tightly she was holding him. Dropping him to the ground she watched as he disappeared down the passageway to John's bedroom and it was obvious to her that he was missing John.
Finally, she took the time to look at her surroundings and she was surprised to see that Dave and Jane were still sitting at the table and staring at her.
"I just brought puss over since he really seemed to be missing John."
Teyla felt herself being guided to a seat and a cup of tea was put in front of her. "How are you doing Teyla, this whole situation must be difficult on you?" Jane asked with a look of compassion in her eyes.
"I am really having trouble coming to terms with what is going on, what if John is a child forever? Torren just doesn't understand what is going on, but I am wondering if I should ask John to come home and stay in Torren's room with him. Torren was asking me last night if John could come and stay at our apartment."
"I should tell you that John is going to ask to visit the Athosians for a few days, he feels as if you have rejected him." Dave told her and held up his hand, before Teyla had a chance to interrupt him, "I know that's not the case, but you have to understand that he felt rejected by Dad and me for most of his life, so although he doesn't always express it, he feels things deeply."
"I know and believe it or not it is not my intention to hurt him, so perhaps I will just go and try to speak with him before I go and pick Torren up from Amelia. Then perhaps if he needs to go and visit Halling for a few days he should." Teyla said with tears brimming in his eyes.
Teyla stood up from the table and slowly walked to John's bedroom door, she noticed that Puss wasn't there, so John had obviously taken him into his room.
She had no idea what she was going to say, so for now, she just stood by the door hoping that whatever she said she would be able to let John know how much she loved him.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
John was laying on his bed staring at the ceiling when he heard a strange noise coming from the other side of his bedroom door, it almost sounded like a scratching sound. It took his brain a few moments to register what it was, it's Puss, I wonder how he got here?"
He jumped off his bed and practically run to the door and let him in and Puss immediately jumped up on his bed, "hey Puss how did you get here? I thought you'd be staying with Torren." John said softly laying down next to him.
Puss wasted no time in making himself comfortable and cuddling up to John, which he found comforting, despite the pain he was beginning to feel in his hand and shoulder. He knew that it was probably time to take his pain meds again, but it would have to wait until after Teyla left. Part of him really wanted to talk to her and tell her how much he needed her right now, but an even bigger part of him thought that she should already know that, so what was the point.
He was so warm and comfortable with Puss snuggled up beside him that he soon felt his eyelids drooping and he was almost asleep when he heard a knock at the door. He wasn't sure that wanted to talk to anyone right now, but then looking at his watch he realised that his meeting with Woolsey was in about twenty minutes, so at some point in the near future he would have to leave the room.
The knocking continued, so he really had no other option but to open the door, "come in!" he yelled and thought the door open to reveal Teyla standing outside.
His heart skipped a beat, she looked as beautiful as she always did, but then his face turned serious as he spoke to her, "what can I do for you Teyla?"
"John believe me when I say that I am terribly sorry if you feel that I have rejected you in any way. I just want you to know that I love you and I am here for you and if you want to come home, Torren would really like it if his new friend John stayed in his room with him."
Wow, he really had no idea what he was going to say to that, she was the love of his life and he really wanted to be near her right now, but not as a child. He was her partner in life and she was the woman that he was going to marry one day. That's if McKay could fix what had been done to him, "Ummm…I love you too Teyla, but I think that for now, it would probably be best if I went to stay with Halling until Rodney can fix this mess and if he can't I'm really not sure what will happen."
"I understand John and I will see you later," she said, before pulling him in for a hug and it was the most uncomfortable feeling he'd ever experienced because although he loved her, he was very much aware of the fact that at the moment he looked like a child.
"Goodbye Teyla," he said pulling away from her.
He lay back on his bed, as she got up and left the room. Looking at his watch he realised that he had fifteen minutes until he was due in Woolsey's office, so he was going to wait for another five minutes until he was sure that Teyla had left, and then he was going leave. He had packed a bag the night before and he wasn't going to take no for an answer, he was definitely going to visit the Athosians and he was going to take Puss with him.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Rodney had sat staring at his computer for twelve hours and he had no idea how to fix the device that had malfunctioned in his lab. His lab had been tidied up and the charred remains of the device that had transformed Sheppard into a child sat on his desk. He figured that it was a lost cause, so trying to fix it was impossible. But there had to be some other way to fix Sheppard, the alternatives didn't bear thinking about.
It was probably time he went home and had something to eat and he hadn't seen Jennifer since yesterday in the infirmary, so he should probably catch up with her as well. He hadn't seen Sheppard since the incident either, but John was the last person that he wanted to catch up with right now because he still felt incredibly guilty about what had happened.
He was startled back to the present when a voice pervaded his thoughts, "Rodney have you been back to your quarters in the last twelve hours?"
Looking up from his computer, he saw that Jennifer was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips and her don't mess with me look on her face, "No I don't think so," he mumbled in reply.
"Well, I suggest you head to bed now, if you don't, I will sedate you and tie you to a bed in the infirmary for the next twenty-four hours."
He thought about arguing with her but thought better of it when he saw the stern look on her face, he knew that as a doctor she could make his life hell, but what he really needed her to be right now was his girlfriend.
"I think I'll swing by the mess hall and grab something to eat and then I'll head to my quarters and catch up on some sleep," he muttered acquiescing to her demands.
"I'm not on due in the infirmary for another hour, so how about I come with you to get something to eat and then I'll walk you to your quarters?" Jennifer said in a much gentler tone.
Rodney knew that was her way of making sure that he got to his room, but he nodded his head at her suggestion, "thanks Jenn and how long would you like me to sleep?"
Rodney flinched as she answered, her gentle tone was gone and her no-nonsense scary look was back, "I would like you to get at least four hours and then you can come back to your lab!"
"Yes ma'am," he replied facetiously, and he was glad when she walked out the door first. Grabbing his computer, he quickly followed her hoping that she wouldn't notice the computer in his hands, but who was he kidding she had eyes like a hawk and there was no way that she was going to miss it.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Teyla left Dave and Jane's apartment and headed straight back to her own apartment, she was just too upset by what had just transpired with John. Torren was with Ronon and Amelia and Ronon had offered to look after him for the morning, as she had some meetings with Woolsey later this morning. She really felt like calling off the meetings and spending the morning in bed, but she also knew that would prove nothing. She had to continue with her job despite what was going on in her personal life.
Entering her apartment a few minutes later, she was surprised to find that Ronon was there. Scanning the room, it didn't take her too long to realise that Torren wasn't there, "where is Torren and why are you in my apartment?" She asked with suspicion.
"Torren is with Amelia and I came to see if you're alright. It can't be easy seeing Sheppard like he is."
She looked at him still feeling a little uneasy, "it is not easy for me, but I imagine that John would be finding it more difficult than I am, so perhaps you should be seeing how he is."
"Sheppard seems to have plenty of support right now, but you don't so I'm here for you if you need me."
"Thank you Ronon, but I will be alright, it is Torren and John who I am worried about right now. John seems to feel as if I am rejecting him and Torren is struggling with the fact that his daddy is not here right now. He cannot comprehend that his new friend John is his father."
She felt Ronon's hand in hers and she felt oddly comforted by it, "well I've decided that I am going to spend a few hours with you. That way if you want to talk to me you can, or maybe you'd like to go down to the gym and beat the crap out of me."
A smile lit up her face at her friend's suggestion, if there was one thing she knew for sure it was that when she was upset or angry sparring with Ronon always seemed to help, "you know what Ronon, I think a trip to the gym sounds like a fantastic idea, just let me get changed and I will be happy to go with you straight away."
Taking one last look at Ronon, she headed down the passageway to her bedroom feeling much better than she had all morning.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
John walked into Woolsey's office 0900 hours with Puss in his arms and Dave following close behind. After the conversation he'd had with Teyla earlier that morning, he was more convinced than ever that he needed to disappear for a couple of days to give Rodney a chance to try and reverse the effects of the malfunctioning ancient device. From what he'd heard from Dave was that the device was damaged beyond repair, so Rodney was researching the database trying to find another solution.
"Colonel Sheppard, what can I do for you this morning?"
He looked up from his contemplations, to find that Woolsey was looking at him strangely and talking to him, "please don't call me Colonel, I'm just John for now. The reason I want to talk to you is, I would like to request a leave of absence to visit Halling and the Athosians for a few days."
"And you want to take your cat with you?" Woolsey asked with a frown on his face.
"Yes, I'm sure Halling won't mind and I'm sure the kids will get a blast out of seeing a cat."
Woolsey turned away from him, to look at Dave, "and will you be accompanying John?"
"I think it's about time I had an opportunity to meet the Athosians, so yes I will be going with John."
Woolsey furrowed his brow before giving them permission, "It's quiet around here at the moment and Lorne's team should be back later today, so I don't see any reason why I can't grant your request."
"Thank you, Richard," John stated with a child's voice and Puss purred louder offering his thanks too.
John stood up ready to leave, just as the chevrons on the gate started to light up, he looked at Woolsey with concern, "I thought that Lorne's team, was not due back until later?"
Woolsey started to head off to the control room and John quickly followed after giving Puss to Dave," they're not due back for another few hours."
"Unscheduled off-world activation!" Chuck yelled from the control room once the wormhole had sprung to life.
"Who is it?" John asked with apprehension.
"It's Major Lorne's IDC, with a radio transmission," Chuck said, and the relief was evident in his voice.
"Put it through," Woolsey commanded.
"Major Lorne, I thought you weren't due back for another couple of hours."
"No, we're not, but we ran into the Henperians and they have requested a meeting with you to discuss trade."
Woolsey looked at John with a confused look on his face, "have you ever heard of them?"
"The Athosians have been trading with them for years and although relations have been strained of late, they are still on good terms with the Henperians. I'd say let them through, but make sure there is a team of marines to meet them," and John was relieved when he looked down and found a team milling around the gate.
"Bring then through Major Lorne,"
"Thank you, Mr Woolsey, but I should inform you that I have told them about chefs cooking and they would really like to try the apple pie."
John looked at Woolsey and Woolsey nodded at him, they both knew that apple pie was the signal to let them know that trouble was on the way, so with a thought John activated the fail-safe and locked down the gate room and he was immensely relieved that his ancient gene still worked.
They had no idea what trouble Lorne or his team were in, but they couldn't really leave them on the other side of the gate, so John looked at Woolsey and nodded his agreement that they should let their men come home.
"Come on through Major Lorne and I assure you that there is plenty of apple pie to go around."
TBC…