Debris blew up into his face and he turned away, covering her face with his body to protect her from the flying dirt and rubble and branches. She cried out as he leaned against her fragile body but he couldn't move from her, afraid that she would be hurt further. When the whirlwind settled he turned quickly, aiming his P-90 at the makeshift entrance to their small hideout.
He fired his weapon as a Wraith warrior appeared and the Wraith let out a groan of pain before falling to the ground. John's breathing was laboured, his heart pounding in his chest, the adrenaline pumping hot blood through his veins. He waited for a few startled seconds before scrambling back to Teyla. Blood oozed from the wound on her head, her trouser leg was covered in blood and torn so that John could see the bone pointing through the broken skin. He winced at the sight and looked up to her pinched features.
"We need to move you further in."
She nodded but didn't say anything as she bit her lip and it spoke volumes about the pain that she was in. He slung her arm over his shoulder and hauled her up with him, dragging her further back in the small cave they'd found. He tried to ignore her groaning and pained noises as she tried to avoid putting weight on either of her sore legs.
"It's okay, we're almost there," he told her reassuringly as his grip around her waist tightened. He deposited her ungraciously onto some leaves and other shrubbery and kneeled in front of her, his hands running over her leg again, trying to figure out if there was anything he could do. "You okay?"
She nodded but the tears in her eyes gave her real pain away.
"Lorne, this is Sheppard, come in!" He knew it was futile; the radio signals had been the first thing to be interfered with as soon as they'd stepped through the 'Gate. He glanced back at Teyla, indecision marring his features.
"Go!" She told him but he wasn't sure. He knew that she was seriously injured and couldn't really defend herself if someone came into their make shift shelter. But he also knew that the caves would hide their life signs when his team came to find them – he had to go to them. "I will be fine. The trees provide ample shelter and I can fire my weapon if I need to," she assured him and he nodded.
"Okay." He unclipped his stunner and placed it in her hand, hers having been lost when she'd been thrown through the air in the explosion. He took the extra clips from his pocket and put them into hers, despite her protests. "I'll be fine," he assured her. "Just shoot at anything that comes through that entrance – even if it's me." She smiled and nodded and he returned the gesture. "Okay. I won't be long." She nodded and he patted her arm, taking a deep breath before moving to the entrance again.
"John." He stilled when she called his name and turned back to her. He saw something there on her features and he tried to smile reassuringly in her direction but he couldn't push the smile past the rising anxiety he felt in his chest. He saw her attempt at a brave smile and he was almost proud of her. Her smile faltered and he took an alarmed step towards her as she gripped her side, her face contorting in pain. "Please hurry," she whispered after the pain subsided.
John watched her for a few seconds before something snapped inside of him and he strode towards her with sure, certain steps. He loosed his hold on his P-90 as he dropped to his knees beside her. His hands gripped her face and he thrust his lips onto hers, trying to push all the emotions that he'd kept pent up for the past five years into the kiss. He'd never felt anything quite like the flood of emotions that swept through him as their tongues duelled with the other for dominance. He knew deep down that this was neither the time nor the place as he heard the sound of firing bullets, the explosions and the shouts outside the cave mouth but his mind didn't seem to care about that fact.
Rationale kicked in and he pulled away, his hands still tangled in her hair, her finger gripping the back of his head, her eyes glazed.
"I love you," he blurted as he withdrew his hands and sat back. If the startled look was any kind of meter, John could only imagine the look of shock that was on his own. If she hadn't expected it, neither the hell had he. And yet he found he didn't regret it. He stood, hovered for a second to see if she would reply before he leaned down and pulled her lips to his again quickly. "I won't be long."
He only paused slightly, not allowing her to see the smile on his face as she murmured the words to his retreating back.
No, he wouldn't be long at all.