Chapter 8:

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The marching feet, of foot solders sounded through the hell bound streets, their heavy leather clad feet, crunching the dried leaves which lay discarded on the grassy floor. The sky was alight, with the bright glow of the hive, mixing with the icy glare the stars cast down on the land. The hive descended to the ground, landing with a thundering shake. The door opened with a humming sound and the team stood open mouthed as a familiar face, strode from the entrance, his lips, curled up in a malicious smirk.

"Told you I would be back!" Kabal shouted, throwing his head back as he did so.

He made his way out from the hive entrance, scanning the village for the team.

"His a Wraith worshiper?" Rodney whispered, his mouth wide with disbelieve from behind Ronon,

The team watched as several more men, appeared behind him, each carrying a gun in their hands. Wraith foot solders dispersed, marching towards the village, whilst others, dwelled like cowards inside the save cocoon of the hive.

"Time to go," Sheppard whispered.

"We can not just leave Colonel," Teyla said, an expression of disgust and distrust on her face. Sheppard heaved an aggravated sigh.

"Why?" he shouted, throwing his hands up.

"They are like family to me John, I can not just leave them to die." she responded, just as loudly. John sniggered.

"Why not, isn't that what you did with your own people," he said, Teyla face fell. He looked at her, blinded by anger, unable to see the mask of hurt on her face. Kanan raced forward, but just as his fist was about to meet the colonels face. A battle like cry erupted from behind them and then a hail of bullets followed. Stun blasts pursued.

"Get to the gate!" yelled Sheppard, breaking eye contact with the Athosian. Teyla stood still for the moment but Kanan grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him. They both fell behind when a storm of bullets blocked their way. Teyla ducked behind a tree the soft soil sinking beneath her feet as she pressed her back in to the damp wood. Stun blasts and bullets hitting the bark of the tree just mere inches from her head. Kanan stood just behind her, A P90 in his hand. He pushed off his feet, unloading a round at the Wraith worshipers. Teyla gasped in horror as she heard a bullet make contact. She heard Kanan gasp as well as the sickening crack of his skull as it met the floor, a bullet lounged deeply in his chest. Her heart stopped, and her throat closed. She couldn't breath. Dragging Kanan out of the line of fire, she wrestled her coat off, pressing down hard on his wound. Blood seeped through the thick material, staining her fingers, the floor beneath and her coat. She shook him, screaming his name, not even able to hear her own voice over the roaring of the gunfire. The gate was a few feet away. Shining brightly in the darkness of the night. Grabbing Kanan by the collar and heaving him in to her arms, she dragged him as she ran, ignoring the pain she felt in her legs, in her arms, and in her heart. As she got nearer to the gate, she closed her eyes and leaped through.

The reminding team stood anxiously waiting for their Athosian friends to come through the gate. As well as a couple of natives from the planet they had just visited. Alarms bells screamed loudly, their red lights flashing annoyingly. Marines hurried to take their positions, doctors were left waiting for any new arrivals. Suddenly a body came through, flying through the air as if it were weightless. It landed hard on the ground, sliding across the floor and leaving a small trail of blood in its path. Teyla came through next, thrown from the gate as if it had spit her out; she met the ground with brutal force. Grunting as she got to her feet. She took a deep breath, watching in apprehension as Keller and other doctors wheeled Kanan away, Jennifer, shouting varies demands at the others. Paying no attention to those around her, Teyla started off to the infirmary.

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Teyla was normally a very patient person, but she hated waiting when it came to family. The sight of Kanan bleeding in her arms and her hopeless to do anything stuck in her mind. She kept thinking that if they had just killed Kabal, all this could have been avoided. She paced, her hands, cleaning and unclenching, her teeth gritted, her jaw tightened, Teyla moaned loudly, grabbing a chair and throwing it with renewed strength into the wall behind her, the Athosians anger, finely getting the better of her. Dropping in to another chair close to the infirmary doors, her head fell in to her hands. A noise resembling a whimper passed her lips. It had been more then a few hours since Kanan was rushed in to the operating room and Teyla knew she couldn't wait much longer. She tried to restrain her shaking hands and her sobbing breaths, not caring if anyone saw her cry. She didn't even bother to look up when she herd footsteps approaching.

"Teyla?" said a quite and hesitant voice.

Her head shot up angrily. She just wanted to be left alone, but after seeing Rodney standing their, his hands stuffed in his pockets, she smile slightly.

"What is it Rodney?" she barley whispered. He cleared his throat and sat down next to her, he hesitatingly put an arm round her shoulders.

"Everything's is gonna be alright," he reassured. "I mean, he's an Athosian, to him that bullet wound is just a scratch" he said, hearing a little laugh pass her lips.

"Hey, you're smiling," Rodney stated, grinning himself. She looked up at him.

"You do not have to stay," she said, Rodney nodded his head,

"And your not staying either?" he said, Teyla shook her head.

"Rodney I have to stay I…" Rodney put a stern hand up to silence her.

"Not like that your note," he ordered, looking her up and down, with a pointed finger. She looked down at her self, and huffed, her smile disappearing, and suddenly she felt unclean. Her hands, her clothes even her face were covered in blood, blood that did not belong to her. She took deep breaths. She shook her head.

"I will go wash up," she said, then turned to leave. He back was slouched, her head low and staring at the ground, she dragged her feet, she was tired, Rodney thought but he knew the real reason to why she was not walking with her usual grace. He watched her go, with a sad expression on his face.

OXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Teyla held Kanan's cold hand in her own, resting her head on the side of his mattress. When she saw him for the first time after surgery, she had barely recognized him. Tubs, wires and bandaged covered his body making Teyla have to look away. He was deathly pale, his eyes had dark circles around them and his skin was ice cold to touch. The only real sign of life was the slow rise and fall of his chest and the quite beeping of the heart machine. She listened to his breathing, although it was somewhat husk, due to the tube in his mouth. She lifted her hand from his then entwined their fingers, caressing the top of his hand with her thumb. She fought tears that threatened to fall, burning her eyes in an effort to win the battle between strength and emotion. She rested her head on his hand, letting silent sobs escape. Her chest shook, with the effort of trying to keep them hushed.

"Please don't die," she whispered, as if wanting him to hear her.

"You're all I have left, I can not find them without you," she continued, squeezing his hand tighter.

"You promised me, you wouldn't leave," she grew angry, but for what reason she did not know. Busy in her silent whispers she did not notice John standing by the door way, a guilty and indignant expression on his face. All the things he had said to the broken Athosian, he regretted, she knew she wouldn't understand and he knew she was very protective of her people, but John feared that all he tried to do, the way he had spoken to Teyla, instead of protecting their friendship, he might have destroyed it instead.

OXOXOXOXO

Teyla played with her ring on her finger, glancing down at it with a distant expression. Her mouth was a thin line, her hair was unkempt and her limbs were numb from not moving. She still held Kanan hand in her own and felt slightly more relieved when the doctors had taken most of the tubes and other medical equipment away, leaving just a few bandages and dangling wires. Teyla looked down at him, apart from the gash on his forehead; Kanan would most definitely have passed for a sleeping man. She hadn't bothered to wipe her tears and they now left circular stains on the bed sheets of the mattress. Teyla hadn't moved, and was not planning to until he woke up. Her hand drifted to her stomach, the unconscious gesture gone unnoticed by the Athosian as her other hand glided up to push a few stay bits of hair from the mans face. He stirred, scrunching his nose up as he turned his face away from Teyla's touch. A smile immediately found its way on to Teyla's face.

"Kanan?" She called out to him; he yawned and opened his eyes. Kanan looked around his, disoriented and confused. He cleared his throat and tried to get up, Teyla pushed him down again.

"Rest Kanan, you have been injured. I will go get Doctor Keller." She said, turning to leave.

"Where am I, how did I get here?" he asked, Teyla shook her head.

"You're in the Atlantis infirmary. I pulled you through the gate. Do you not remember" Kanan shook his head and then looked at Teyla.

"Who are you?"

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