xoxoxoxox xoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxxo
.
"Are you sure you want to come, Teyla?" John asked as he finished knotting his tie. "It'll be pretty boring. You could just hang out by the pool. It's gonna be a beautiful day!"
The Evidentiary Hearing for the kidnapping case was this morning and John truthfully was not looking forward to it. As much as he wanted to see the guys who'd done that to him behind bars, he didn't relish having to relive the event.
And he really didn't want Teyla knowing all the little details of it either. He'd been able to fluff it off as a minor inconvenience to her but if she heard some of the evidence, she'd realize the extent of what had happened.
And today was for the guy who'd masterminded the whole thing, the Boss. The other peons had plea bargained for shorter sentences. But this guy somehow thought he could get away with what he'd done. John wondered what his angle was.
"I am very curious to see your judiciary system at work," she replied. "And you informed me this hearing would most likely only last for the morning hours. I will be able to enjoy the pool later."
She moved closer and fixed John's collar and smoothed his shirt. Her voice got low and sultry.
"I feel I would enjoy the pool quite a bit more if you were there as well."
Her hands lingered on either side of his tie and John's hands moved to her sides to pull her in closer.
"You present a very convincing argument." His head lowered and his lips covered hers. Teyla's arms moved up around his neck and she slid one hand into his hair. They stayed that way for a few minutes until they heard Julia and Dave moving toward them in conversation.
"And she's really stepped up to the plate," Julia was saying. "I have no qualms leaving the company in her hands while we're on our honeymoon."
As they approached John and Teyla, the two stepped out of their embrace looking sheepish as always. John may put up a rogue front but Julia knew he still felt uncomfortable with public displays of affection, even if they were right here in his home.
She looked at Teyla who was dressed a bit more conservatively than usual in a slim fitting lavender skirt and a deeper purple shell and sweater set. The outfit had come straight out of Julia's closet but Teyla had wanted to be dressed appropriately.
Dave chuckled and said to Julia, "Don't you have an outfit just like that?"
Julia swatted him away saying, "Let's get going."
.
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xoxoxoxoxox xoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxox
.
Nancy tucked herself in a corner of the courtroom once she'd checked in with the bailiff. She wasn't sure they would even need her testimony today but she had been legally required to be here. She would have felt more at ease if Grant had been able to come but his current trial had run an extra day and he wouldn't be back in Washington until tonight.
She watched as the courtroom filled up and sat up straighter when she saw David Sheppard and his fiancée walk in. David stopped and looked behind him and sure enough, there was John. Nancy's eyes widened and her heart felt lighter when she saw he was actually walking. He was leaning heavily on a cane but the wheelchair was gone.
As they entered further into the room, David moved aside and Nancy could see John was flanked by a petite, copper-skinned woman. John had his arm around her shoulder and seemed to be leaning on her slightly.
They walked to the seats behind the prosecutor and sat down. These were a few rows in front of her but near the center aisle. She had a perfect view. When they were seated Nancy all of a sudden realized where she had seen the woman before. She was the one in the pictures from Easter and David's office. She looked different in the tailored clothes and upswept hair, but this was Teyla!
This was the woman who had taken her place in John's heart. Though to be fair, she was the one who had left him. John hadn't wanted the divorce but he hadn't done anything to keep her from leaving either. He hadn't offered to change or leave his job or even beg her to stay because he couldn't live without her.
For months after she'd walked out on John, Nancy had hope that she would come home from work one day and John would be waiting there for her. He'd tell her he'd requested to stay stateside and was planning to leave the Military as soon as his time was served.
But that never happened. She'd learned he'd been sent overseas and stationed in Afghanistan. Any hope she'd still clung to that John loved her more than his career had died.
Yet, this woman elicited a very different reaction in her ex-husband. According to Colonel Carter, John, with no thought for himself, had dragged his seriously injured body out of the infirmary to personally go find this woman. Nancy figured there must have been dozens of soldiers who were perfectly capable of running the mission but John had blithely cast aside his career and possibly his life to ensure her safety and return.
Nancy tried not to dwell on the negative thought. She and Grant were happy. He travelled some but would always call and spend time chatting each night. She never had to worry that he'd be shot down by enemy aircraft and/or captured and tortured or killed.
Grant always shared with her the details of his cases. Not as much during the case but after he would tell her everything.
More people arrived in the courtroom and Nancy took note of all of them. She was trying not to focus on her ex-husband and his new love as they whispered quietly to each other. John's back was to her but when he looked at Teyla she could see part of his face. His arm rested on the back of her seat and his hand played with the wisps of hair at the nape of her neck.
Nancy noticed Teyla gazing at John, her face animated and sometimes puzzled as she, Nancy assumed, asked a question. John stiffened at one point his face turning toward two men who walked in and sat at the defense table. This must be the man behind John's kidnapping.
Teyla's head whipped around and glanced briefly at the man, then her concerned gaze slid back to John. Her hand lifted to stroke his face and Nancy watched as John lowered his head to touch his forehead to hers just for a brief moment.
She'd thought he was going to kiss the woman for a second then was confused when he didn't. Of course she would have been surprised if John had kissed her as he'd always hating showing any kind of affection in public.
The bailiff announced for everyone to rise for the Honorable Judge Rhonda Amirault. The judge greeted everyone and announced this was a preliminary hearing. Counsel would show evidence and produce witnesses so she could decide if there was probable cause to continue with a trial.
The first witness called was David Sheppard. He gave a brief but tidy account of John being dragged into the van, the phone call and the live video feed and the rescue. The defense attorney got up, pointed out the blow David had gotten to the head, asked how upset David had been during the ordeal and essentially dismissed him as an unreliable witness.
He specifically asked if David had witnessed his client at any time even in the same room as Colonel John Sheppard. David described how the man had admitted to giving John sleeping pills to knock him out.
The Defense Attorney, whose name was Norton, countered with, "Is that after you assaulted him? My client was fearful of what you would do to him so he played along under duress."
He went on to describe the 10,000 square foot warehouse and suggested that his client had no knowledge of what was going on in other parts of the building.
Nancy cringed when she was called up next but her time on the stand was very short. She also described what she saw of the kidnapping but when asked if she had ever seen the defendant during that time, she had to answer no. She looked at John when she answered and received a slight tilt of his chin and a tiny smile. He was telling her it was okay.
Next the Prosecutor showed the video of the live feed during John's capture. When John ground out, 'Go to hell!' and 'Bite Me!' a loud gasp went through the audience. Nancy saw Teyla's hand grasp for John's arm at the resulting blows on the screen. She looked at him, said something and rolled her eyes. Teyla was obviously used to this type of disdainful bravado from John and was not impressed.
A voice expert was called up and testified that during preliminary tests the voice on the tape was very likely that of the defendant. Norton then got up, pointed out 'very likely' was not 'positive' and that no one had proved yet that the hand in the tape striking Colonel Sheppard twice, belonged to his client.
Detective Jenkins went on the stand next describing the evidence they had collected during the case. When Norton got up, he again tried to poke holes in all the evidence as circumstantial and implored the judge to dismiss the charges as no one had shown evidence that his client had been the kidnapper let alone assaulted the victim.
The Prosecutor claimed to have further testimony that would name the defendant as one of the attackers. Thus, John was called to the stand.
Teyla stood up to allow John to pass and when he did, Nancy saw Teyla's hand rub up and down John's arm in a gesture of comfort. It took John a couple of extra minutes to get up the few steps to the witness stand then the Prosecutor asked for John's account of the incident.
"I don't have anything to add to Dave's description of when they pulled up to grab me."
"You were fighting back pretty hard according to surveillance cameras," the Prosecutor pointed out, "yet you eventually allowed them to take you without further struggle. Why is that, Colonel?"
John looked distinctly uncomfortable and his gaze moved to Dave. "One of them had a gun to my brother's head and threatened to shoot him."
"I see. So you went along quietly after that."
John nodded then added, "Bastards still hurt him anyway."
"Tell us, Colonel, what happened in the van?"
John explained only briefly and Nancy could tell he was trying to downplay his heroics and the trauma. His eyes were focused in Teyla's direction and if John had been true to form, he probably hadn't told her all the dirty little details.
She could remember many times, too many to count, that John would come back from a mission and insist he was fine. Later, Nancy would find bruises all over him and notice he was holding himself very stiffly. Even with the black, blue and Technicolor evidence, he'd always tell her not to worry; there was nothing wrong with him. Apparently things hadn't changed. It seemed like now he was just trying to protect Teyla the way he had tried to protect her.
John continued to describe how he'd been dragged inside, tossed on the mattress and his subsequent attempts to escape.
Then Norton got up to cross examine John. "Colonel Sheppard, by your own admission you confess to receiving several blows to the head, is that correct?"
"Yes," John answered but looked apprehensive wondering where the attorney was going with this.
"So, in all likelihood, your memories of this event could be a bit confused?"
John sneered, "My memory is just fine, thank you."
The attorney paused then addressed John again, "You were held for approximately twenty hours. How much of that time do you recall actually seeing the defendant?"
John shrugged and replied, "Actually seeing him? I was blindfolded most of the time, so maybe ten minutes."
"And you can be absolutely certain that after a head trauma and other physical abuse that the defendant is the one you saw during those ten minutes?"
"The man stuck a gun in my face telling me he had to kill me because I took the blindfold off. Then he shoved a handful of pills down my throat. Yeah, I'm absolutely certain!"
"I know you think you are, Colonel, but let's face it, you had a concussion, you were beat up, tied up, drugged and held against your will. This type of stuff can be very stressful to a person, cause confusion. Especially as it's not something people have happen often."
"Not you, maybe," John chimed in.
Norton looked startled for a second then questioned skeptically, "You've been kidnapped before? Really?"
"Captured, kidnapped, tied up, beat up, tortured, threatened, held for ransom or trade," John listed. "Yeah, I have."
Norton got a shrewd look in his eyes. "How often has this happened to you, Colonel?"
John shrugged. "I lost count. And before you go pulling the old 'he must be having a flashback, Post Traumatic Stress crap, your boy here and his hired thugs were just a small annoyance comparatively."
"Where and when did these other incidents take place?"
John's mouth formed a crooked grin. "You don't have Security Clearance for that kind of information."
Then he looked at the judge, "and it's completely irrelevant to this case. Look, Your Honor, I am one hundred percent certain this is the guy responsible. We can continue to sit through more of this boring crap, and believe me the Prosecutor has a shitload, or you can call it now. You're gonna have to listen to it all over again at the trial anyway. Unless you believe that this guy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
John smiled at the judge and Nancy almost laughed. She knew that smile. It was the one he always used to charm his way out of doing something that he didn't want to do. And it usually worked.
"I don't appreciate your swearing in my court," she stated then smiled back. "But you're right, Colonel Sheppard, I think there is more than enough evidence to support probable cause."
She made a few announcements and set a date for the trial to begin then dismissed everyone.
Nancy watched as David, Julia and Teyla moved to help John, who'd been chatting with the judge, down the steps. Nancy wondered if she should go and talk to him or if he would make the effort to at least say hi to her.
She stood up and noticed John look in her direction but before either one of them could do anything, the prosecutor came over diverting his attention. The man indicated they should move out of the room. John shifted his cane and pulled Teyla closer for support and headed for the door.
Nancy tried to ignore the disappointment that coursed through her but then notice John look back in her direction. He made eye contact, gave her a crooked grin and tilted his head in acknowledgement.
She smiled shyly back at him wondering how in the world she could still be so affected by the man. They hadn't been together in over ten years but he still made her feel like a schoolgirl with her first crush.
She waited for the room to clear then decided she'd get a cup of coffee before she started on the few errands she'd planned to do while she was here. The coffee shop was down the hall on this floor and she noticed it was fairly empty at the moment.
She paid for her coffee and the pastry she'd decided to splurge on and looked around for a seat. Most were available but she noticed one by the window occupied by Teyla. She debated whether to say anything to her or just leave well enough alone but curiosity got the better of her.
.
.
Teyla removed her tea bag from the steaming brew and deposited it on the accompanying saucer. The hearing today had been interesting but very different than anything she'd ever seen. She was used to quick and simple justice at the end of a gun or sword. She could see, however, that both had their merits.
A soft 'hello' had her raising her head to find a lovely, dark-haired woman standing in front of her. She looked familiar and Teyla realized she had testified at the hearing today. She couldn't remember the woman's name.
"Hello," Teyla greeted. "You were at the hearing today. You witnessed John being abducted by his captors."
The woman just nodded and smiled uncertainly.
Teyla smiled back and said, "I am Teyla Emmagen. I am …"
"Yes, I know who you are." she broke in. "I'm Nancy, John's ex-wife."
So this was the woman Ronon had told her about. Teyla looked her over more thoroughly and knew Ronon had not been exaggerating when he'd said she was extremely attractive. But then John was an extremely attractive man and would surely draw the same to him. Teyla laughed inwardly at the thought that she had just called herself attractive as she and John were most certainly drawn to each other.
She was not sure why this woman had sought her out or what she knew of her relationship to John. She supposed there was one way to find out.
She held out her hand indicating the seat opposite and invited, "Would you care to join me?"
Nancy settled across from her with a thank you but looked somewhat apprehensive. Teyla took a sip from her cup and smiled patiently. Nancy did the same then looked up.
"I'm not really sure why I came over here. I wanted to wish John luck with the rest of the trial."
"He and David had need to confer with the … prosecutor."
"I saw that," Nancy admitted, "and when I saw you sitting here I have to confess to a certain amount of curiosity."
"Then perhaps I could help to satisfy that," Teyla offered. "Exactly what would you like to know?" She hoped the woman didn't ask where she was from because that explanation would be a bit difficult. Although that information would be available after the broadcast this coming Friday and Saturday nights.
"I guess I just wanted to meet the woman who's actually held John's attention for so long."
Teyla's eyebrows rose as she started to clarify, "John and I have been friends and teammates for many years however, …"
"I know you haven't been together all that time but when John talked about you and looked at your picture, I could see how much he cared. And Colonel Carter told me John would do anything for you."
Teyla's eyes turned bittersweet. "As I would for him."
Nancy smiled sadly and nodded. "He would give up his career or even his life for you."
Teyla sensed this woman's pain that John had not sacrificed as much for her. Unfortunately she had no words of comfort.
She merely responded, "It is what one does for his truest friend."
"Did you come specifically for the trial," Nancy asked.
"No, we came to celebrate John's birthday with him."
Nancy took a deep breath then stated, "I saw a few pictures and even a short video of your son. He's adorable. Is he with you this trip?"
Teyla's eyes grew sad. "No, the trip is a difficult one and Torren is too young to understand that John is still unable to come home. The previous departure was torturous for all. I did not wish to subject Torren or John to that pain again."
Teyla saw Nancy's eyes fill with pity as she said, "I think John really misses him."
Teyla nodded. "I know that he does. There is a unique bond between Torren and John and I will admit that, at times, I have felt jealousy. Since John has been injured, I have felt only sadness."
"You said 'we'," Nancy reminded her.
"The rest of our team and another friend. They are currently visiting other relatives and will visit with John again this coming weekend."
"How did you two meet?" Nancy asked and Teyla knew she would have to be diplomatic in her answer.
"John and his people came to our village looking for information and trade. I did not care for their leader. I found him arrogant and condescending. He had no need for my people and our lack of advanced technology. I did not wish to have any dealings with them and was prepared to send them away."
Teyla's face brightened as she pulled out the memory. "Then John stepped forward. Right away I could tell he was different. His smile was charming and almost flirtatious and he told me of things that he liked, of which I had never heard in order to … break the ice …I believe he called it."
"So obviously your people did start a relationship with his?"
"During their visit, we were attacked by a formidable enemy," Teyla began. "Several of my people and several of theirs were taken prisoner, his leader and myself among them. John escorted the rest of my people back to his base for safety, for which we are eternally grateful."
Nancy's eyes grew dark with concern so Teyla continued, "With very little information to go on, John mounted a rescue to free those that had been taken."
"And he was obviously successful," Nancy said holding her hand up to Teyla as proof.
Teyla's smile remained haunted. "His leader and one of my people did not survive. However, many of our enemy were killed that day and my people placed their trust in John and those he served. As did I."
Nancy was shaking her head. "I don't know how you live like that, constantly in danger."
Teyla shrugged. "My people have known no other life. But now there is hope where there was none before."
There was a sheen in Nancy's eyes. "Then I'm glad you have John there to help."
"We will have him back as soon as he is well enough."
Nancy nodded and nibbled on her pastry. She looked down at her sticky fingers and said, "I should have asked for a few more napkins."
Teyla pointed to a counter a few tables over. "I believe there are some in that area."
Nancy excused herself to get the napkins and Teyla noticed John hobble in and over to her table. She stood up to greet him. His face lit up as he reached her and his lips briefly touched hers.
"Sorry we took so long."
"It is fine," Teyla assured him and tilted her head behind him. "I had company."
John's eyebrow rose and he turned around. "Nancy," he acknowledged as his ex-wife ambled over wiping her hands on a napkin.
"Hi, John," Nancy responded quietly.
John looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Uh, so you two have met, I take it?" John pointed between the two women.
"I recognized her from the pictures in David's office and the fact that she was sitting with you in court."
John's eyes were puzzled but Teyla could tell he didn't dare ask the question in his mind. Teyla tried to ease the tension.
"Nancy desired to wish you luck on your continuing recovery and with the trial."
"Thanks," John mumbled and Nancy sent a look of gratitude in Teyla's direction.
"How's uh … Grant?" John stumbled over the name hoping he'd gotten it right this time.
"He's finishing up a case and should be back in Washington tonight. I need to get back there myself. Apparently there's some big news program airing tomorrow and Saturday night that the big brass are more than a little nervous about. They want everyone around just in case there's any fall out."
Nancy looked directly at John whose eyes looked everywhere but at her. A nagging suspicion wiggled its way inside her. "You wouldn't know anything about it now, would you, John?"
"I… uh …" John stuttered and shrugged and shook his head up and down and side to side.
"That's what I thought," Nancy said.
David and Julia approached and greeted Nancy and Dave offered, "We're going to grab some lunch. Would you care to join us?"
Nancy smiled graciously. "Thank you, but no. I only have a short time before I need to fly back."
"It was good to see you again," Dave said and kissed her cheek.
The others said goodbye and Teyla took a step closer. "Thank you for introducing yourself. It was lovely meeting you."
Nancy looked somewhat relieved. "Thank you. It was nice talking to you as well."
Nancy sat down to finish her coffee and pastry as the group started moving away. She noticed John put some of his weight on Teyla to help him walk. She was glad he had someone to lean on when times were tough and even gladder that Teyla was strong enough to support him.
.
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xoxoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxoxoxox xoxoxoxoxooo
.
Friday arrived with Julia insisting Teyla needed to spend one more day shopping. Teyla readily agreed and John groaned.
They picked him up from rehab and had only been back at the ranch for a few minutes when Ronon, Rodney, and Carson were delivered neatly back, compliments of Colonel Ellis and the Apollo. John met them outside the door and shook Rodney's hand.
"Welcome back! How were Jeannie, Caleb and Madison?"
"Great!" Rodney replied. "Except that I had to keep sneaking out to find real food. If I even so much as hear the word 'tofu' again …"
"You're in luck," John promised. "Josie's got a huge roast in with potatoes and gravy and everything."
Rodney's huge sigh made everyone chuckle. "That's heaven to my ears. How much longer until dinner?"
John laughed. "It's only three o'clock, McKay. You've got a few more hours."
"You think she'd be able to whip me up a little snack before then?" he asked anxiously. "I'm not sure I can make it that long."
"Maybe if you ask real nice."
Rodney headed through the door and as they followed him in, John asked Carson and Ronon about their trip.
"I had a lovely time. Thank you, John," Carson answered. "And I kept Ronon fairly busy, too."
Ronon just grunted in agreement but didn't make a comment.
"I even made a fair spot of cash. Our lad sure did give my countrymen a run for their money.
Carson excused himself as they walked past the kitchen to see if he could get in on Rodney's snack while John and Ronon continued on to the den.
As they walked in Ronon commented, "You're still using the cane, Sheppard. What'd you do all week, you lazy bastard?"
John grinned at Ronon's teasing. "You told me I had things to take care of." John shrugged. "So I took care of them."
Ronon smirked widely and congratulated, "Way to go, Sheppard!"
He looked around. "Where's Teyla?"
John rolled his eyes and said, "Putting away the new wardrobe Julia probably talked her into." He turned and yelled, "Teyla?"
"I am in here, John," Teyla called back from her room. "Come see this!" she continued excitedly.
A pained look crossed his face and he informed Ronon, "I'll be right back."
Ronon simply chuckled.
What seemed like a million bags were lying on the bed with fabric draped here and there.
"You get some good stuff?" John asked indulgently.
Teyla's eyes lit up. "It is amazing the variety available on this planet. Today we went to a very large building with many stores inside called a … mall."
Hell on Earth, John thought but didn't dare verbalize it.
Teyla held up a bag and said, "I purchased several more storybooks for Torren. Perhaps you could record yourself reading them before I go back."
John took the bag and peeked inside, all classic stories; Julia must have had a hand in choosing them. The thought of T.J. made him smile and forget about Teyla's shopping spree.
He put the bag on the bed and answered her, "I'd be happy to."
Gratitude poured from her eyes. She moved closer and slid her hands up his chest. His arms pulled her in close as well.
"Thank you," she whispered. "Torren will be pleased."
John moved his head towards hers. "And what will please you?"
Teyla's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Let me think," and her hands caressed his chest and moved to pull his head down to hers. Their lips met and moved passionately across each other as John's hands caressed Teyla's back and hers ran through his hair.
After a few minutes John's lips left hers and trailed a string of kisses down her neck. "Oh, … um … Ronon and … uh …the others … are back." John managed in between contact with her neck.
"That is lovely," Teyla panted and John wasn't sure if she meant what he was doing or that their friends had returned. He didn't really care at the moment. Her hands had moved around his waist and were sliding up under his shirt to run her fingers over his back.
His lips nudged aside the thin strap of her top until it hung over her arm then they retraced their steps until they ended back on her neck then headed south. John's hands found their way under Teyla's shirt and his mouth was starting to nudge the top a bit .
Before they could do much exploring a deep voice boomed, "If you're gonna continue this, you might want to shut the door."
Teyla and John broke apart quickly and looked toward their friend standing in the doorway. They were both breathing heavy and Teyla scolded, "Ronon!"
"What?" he grunted back then his eyes lit up and he grinned.
John responded to this with his own, "What?"
"Nothing," Ronon answered. "It's just about damn time you two figured this out."
Teyla's pink cheeks began to lessen. "I suppose it has been a long time in coming."
John reached for Teyla and pulled her to his side. "Listen, Chewie," he began. "We're not exactly advertising this yet, okay. We want to get used to it first then see how it's gonna play out once I'm back on Atlantis."
Ronon looked suspiciously at the two of them. "You're not gonna go back to being just friends once you're there are you? Cause that's just stupid."
"No, Ronon," Teyla assured him. "We are both committed to this relationship. But we are unsure of the ramifications of our working relationship interfering with our personal relationship. We feel the need to proceed with caution in regards to this. Do you understand?"
"You didn't need to use all the big words," Ronon told her. "You could've just said you didn't want to get in trouble cause you're on the same team."
"That works, too," John said through a crooked smile.
Ronon pointed his thumb behind him out the door. "What about those two? You gonna tell them?"
John gave Ronon his 'are you kidding me' look. "You really think McKay can keep a secret?"
Ronon just shook his head and bluntly said, "No."
"And I believe if we tell Carson and not Rodney, Rodney will be deeply hurt."
"And technically we didn't tell you, right Pal?" John coerced.
Ronon grinned and John and Teyla laughed.
"Come on into the den," John instructed Teyla, "once you've finished sorting this stuff out."
"I don't know, Sheppard, you might want her to try a few things on for you." Ronon picked up a scrap of lace from the bed. "Like this one, maybe."
"Hands off, Pal!" John grunted and snatched at the fabric. As he handed it to Teyla he groaned slightly when he thought of it against her golden skin. He pushed Ronon out the door and back into the den where they leaned back into the sofa.
"You sure you don't need a cold shower or anything, Sheppard. You two looked hot and heavy in there. You trying to make up for lost time?"
John thought of his comment about making their kiss quota retroactive and replied, "Something like that."
"So, what'd you two do all week?" Ronon smirked.
John made a face and answered, "Not what you think." He went on to tell his friend about what he was doing in rehab and going to court for the pre-trial hearing.
"So Teyla and your ex had coffee together, huh? That must have been an interesting conversation."
"Yeah," John snorted. "I don't even want to know what they talked about."
"Why not?" Teyla asked as she walked into the room and sat next to John. She put her hand on John's arm and purred, "Did you think we were discussing your sexual prowess?"
John's eyes opened in terror, "God, I hope not!"
Ronon chuckled and stared directly at Teyla. "And you didn't want to scratch her eyes out?"
"Of course not," Teyla denied as she tucked her legs up under her on the couch. "She was very sweet and lovely. And you were correct in your description, Ronon. She is a very attractive woman."
"Who's an attractive woman?" Rodney questioned as he and Carson joined them in the den. "Is Sheppard Kirking again?"
"We're talking about his ex-wife," Ronon supplied. "Teyla met her yesterday."
"You did? Where?"
Teyla briefly explained and Rodney whined, "I'm always a day late in these things. I would give anything to see what she looks like."
Teyla pointed to the bookshelf near the wall. "There are some pictures from the wedding in some of those photo books."
"Ooh!" Rodney squealed and went over to look. "We can all check out Sheppard's wedding."
"Yes, let's do that!" Sheppard squealed facetiously. "Let's dwell on one of my biggest failures, especially now," he pointed to his legs, "when I have so many other things failing me as well."
That stopped Rodney in his tracks. "Oh, right. I can probably look at them later."
He sat down claiming the lounge chair. "So what did you and Teyla do all week, besides rehab that is?"
Ronon gave an obvious cough and John made a face at him. "Well, I think Teyla managed to hit every store in a hundred mile radius."
"Really only fifty miles, John," Julia joined in as she walked in the room and snagged the middle of the sectional. It had obviously taken her a bit longer to put her purchases away. She greeted the men who had just returned and asked about their trips.
Carson gave a thrilling account of how Ronon had won several of the games during the tournament.
"So don't they make you wear those little skirts when you do those Scottish games?" John asked partly in retribution for Ronon's teasing.
"They're called kilts, laddie, they're not skirts," Carson corrected.
Rodney sat up straighter in the chair. "Are you telling us Conan here put a skirt on to throw a few logs around?"
Ronon looked like he was going to take off across the room at Rodney when Carson replied, "No, Ronon being an outsider wasn't required to wear his Tartan colors."
"Too bad," John quipped, "I think I'd pay big money to see those legs in a kilt."
"Yeah, Sheppard," Ronon started then looked at John's legs stretched out on front of him and closed his mouth. Even though he deserved it, Ronon figured making any kind of comment about Sheppard's legs would be tacky.
Carson filled in a few more details about their time in Scotland then asked where David was.
"Where else?" Julia said. "Work. He'll be home in a little while. He's a bit skittish about leaving the company for three whole weeks while we're on our honeymoon."
John smirked. "She's already warned him that if he does any work while he's there, he'll be sleeping on the floor."
That garnered a few chuckles then Rodney started up with the details of his visit with his sister and soon Dave was home and Josie was calling them all into the kitchen to eat.
"What, no dining room today?" John whined and Josie gave him a look that had him scrambling for the side of the table farthest from where she was. Josie said her goodbyes since she wouldn't be back until after they had left on Monday.
The topic of discussion turned to the news program that was airing tonight.
"When you were in the SGC before coming here, was there any talk about it?" John asked.
Rodney shoved some more potatoes in his mouth and attempted to talk around them. "Apparently Landry and O'Neill have seen it and the President, too. And I think they've seen the Atlantis one as well. Landry didn't seem impressed but O'Neill told him it was just because he thought he looked too heavy in it."
He took a quick sip of water and continued quickly, "Do you think I'm gonna look too heavy, also? I haven't been working out as much as I should."
"You haven't been working out at all, McKay," accused Ronon. "You never do."
Carson agreed. "About the only muscle that gets a thorough workout with you, Rodney, is your tongue."
Rodney squeaked but could hardly debate the issue so he simply pouted, "I'm a very busy man. I can't spend all day lifting weights exercising like Johnny Atlas here."
John rolled his eyes at Rodney's comment but Ronon, looking at the toned definition of John's upper body, conferred, "I gotta agree with McKay on this. You are looking pretty buff, Sheppard."
John's eyes focused on his food and Carson said, "It's just a natural result of the rehabilitation John's been working so hard for. There's nothing wrong with it."
"Of course there is not," Teyla agreed. "But because of his hard work he will soon be able to return home with us."
Teyla noticed John's hesitant look as well as David's uneasy one, each stemming from very different reasons. John still had doubts about his being able to pass Air Force standards and David, she guessed, had probably gotten used to having John around and didn't want to lose him again, especially to someplace so far away.
When dinner was over Rodney, Ronon and Carson brought their bags back up to where they'd stayed last time and changed into swim shorts. It had been brutally hot during the day and was still very warm. Everyone was hoping to cool down before the show started.
John changed as well then knocked on Teyla's door to see if she was ready. A muffled, "Come in," floated through the door and John cautiously turned the knob and pushed.
"John," Teyla addressed, "Julia insisted I buy this but I am not certain it is actually meant for swimming."
John took one look at Teyla and almost choked on his own saliva which he then had to swallow hard just to get down. The bathing suit she had on wasn't much more than a few strategically placed triangles and some string. John couldn't take the chance of anyone else seeing it so he took a few wobblier than usual steps in and closed the door behind him.
"Teyla!" he gasped, "Holy crap! You can't possibly wear that outside!"
She moved in front of him and innocently asked, "You do not like it? Julia assured me that you would."
John's breathing seemed to pick up a bit as he answered, "I definitely like it but there's no way you are wearing, or maybe I should say not wearing that in front of the others."
"I have thought that these swimming suits were rather minimal but this one appears to have much less fabric than most. So you think I should remove this and wear the other one I have?"
"Yes," John breathed, though his eyes never moved from her body.
A knock on the door startled him and he jumped and turned toward the sound as Ronon yelled, "You ready, Teyla?"
"I will be another few minutes, Ronon. I will meet you by the pool," Teyla called back.
They heard Ronon grunt his consent and John turned back to finish his conversation with Teyla only to find her removing the top and digging in the drawer for the other bathing suit.
"What are you doing?" John squeaked breathlessly, which was the wrong thing to do because she turned to look at him holding a bathing suit top in each hand, neither one of them actually on her.
"I was looking for this other suit," she replied, holding up the halter style she had worn previously. "Perhaps you could help fasten it in the back. Reaching that far is always difficult."
She cupped the fabric around her top and turned her back to John. It took his addled brain a few seconds before he realized she wanted him to hook the back together. He picked up the thicker pieces and moved them closer allowing his fingers to float across her skin as he did.
John wondered what she would do if his hands moved around to skim the front as well. Then he remembered the other day when he had briefly done that. The memory of her moaning and throwing her head back had John's thought focusing on the teeny tiny strings on her hips and how easy it would be to untie them. He could lift her onto the dresser, move closer and drive …
More voices outside the door brought John's thoughts to a skidding halt and he realized Teyla was still waiting for him to remove his hands from the hook. He fastened it, dropped his hands, took a step back and closed his eyes.
"Maybe you should go first," he suggested, "and I'll follow you in a few minutes."
John figured it would take him that long to be able to walk again. And this time it had nothing to do with his legs.
"As you wish," Teyla responded and John opened his eyes as he heard her move. It was the wrong this to do again as Teyla was in the process of changing her bottoms to the boy cut shorts. He turned away and leaned on the dresser, realizing now, that his view hadn't changed, it was just a reverse image in the mirror.
Once changed, Teyla moved toward John and touched his back. "Are you all right, John?" her voice dripped with concern.
"Yeah, I will be once your tantalizing body isn't standing there screaming for me to throw it down on that bed and …"
"I am not screaming," insisted Teyla.
John actually smiled, put his hands lightly on her shoulders and kissed her head. "No, you aren't. I just need a few minutes, okay. Make up whatever excuse you want for me."
Teyla nodded, picked up her cover-up and left. John moved a few steps, sank down on to the bed and lowered his head into his hands with a groan.
.
.
Teyla met Julia on her way to the pool as well. When Julia commented on her bathing suit, Teyla said, "John would not allow me to wear the newer one."
Julia's eyes filled with mischief as she asked, "So did the new one have the desired effect?"
Teyla's smile matched her friend's. "It had an effect and I am quite certain it could be defined as desire."
As they entered the pool area, Julia whispered, "Mission accomplished."
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xoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxo
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Julia and David grabbed the recliner to Rodney's whines of, "But I'm a guest."
"True," Dave agreed. "But if everyone's going to fit comfortably for the three hour special, we need two people to share the chair. Who would you like to share with?"
Rodney looked around like he was considering for a minute then said, "Okay, fine, since Jennifer's not here." And he spread out in the middle of the sectional and strategically placed throw pillows around him like fortress.
"It's probably a good thing Keller isn't here," John pointed out. "Since you'll more than likely spend the next three hours drooling over Carter."
"I will not!" denied Rodney. His eyes grew round and his hand moved to his chin. "I don't actually drool, do I?"
"Only occasionally," Carson responded. "And it usually has to do with food."
Dave pressed the remote and found the channel.
"Who wants to bet there are a few riots after this thing airs?" John offered.
Nods moved through the room.
"You know," Rodney began, "Landry said this was shown last week to the leaders of most of the industrialized nations. Apparently there was shock but he said the fallout was less than expected. A few were even a little relieved that the US wasn't planning to destroy them."
John shook his head, "But body-snatching snakes and life-sucking vampires are okay."
Rodney just shrugged and they all quieted down as the opening started and Emmett Bregman's narration began.
"Oh, that's the man who came here to interview you last month, John," Julia said.
Rodney perked up and almost knocked over one of his fortress pillows. "He came here to interview you? Why?"
John shrugged. "I guess he did a whole story on the SGC quite a few years back and they thought it was pretty good. They hid it away and made him keep quiet but when this came around he wanted in on it. For whatever reason, he wasn't available at the time. Since Woolsey won't allow any more reporters back after what happened to me, he figured grabbing me while I was here was the next best thing."
John pointed to the TV. "From what I understand the SGC program will be a compilation of Bregman's old newscast and the stuff the international reporters got. The military was pretty pissed at what happened to me because of the reporters. They didn't want to press charges but they did allow Bregman more control over the show and let him have the final say in editing."
The first portion of the special mainly focused on the history of the Stargate with Daniel Jackson playing a major role in telling it. SG-1 was introduced and interviews with them from years ago were interspersed with newer ones.
"General O'Neill's put on a few pounds since then, huh?" Rodney commented as he shoved a handful of chips in his mouth.
"It's what happens when you take a desk job in Washington instead of taking out bad guys on a daily basis," John said.
When Carter came on and spouted a string of techno babble, Rodney almost wet his pants from excitement. Chuckles filled the room and Rodney responded, "Okay, come on, you have got to admit that brain, along with the rest of the package, is just so sexy."
John gave a little cough. "Yeah, definitely a good thing Keller isn't here."
His arm which had been draped along the back of the couch behind Teyla dropped to pat her shoulder as he warned, "Of course, you know McKay, that one of her best friends is here."
Rodney looked panicked for a second then pleaded, "You won't actually say anything to Jennifer about this, will you? I mean this thing between Sam and I … I mean we don't really have a thing … it's just that we did quite a bit of work together before Atlantis, I mean waaaaay before I ever met Jennifer. And it's not like we ever … you know …"
"We get it, Rodney," John assured him.
Teyla added, "Besides, I believe Sam is already in a committed relationship. Jennifer herself told me that Sam hinted as much."
"Really? I wonder who it is." Rodney worried but had noticed John's nod during Teyla's comment and pointed at him. "You know who it is, don't you?"
John couldn't quite hide the grin that came to his face. He remained silent while Rodney badgered him a few more times.
"At least tell us how you know." Rodney finally surrendered.
John compromised and simply said, "It seems that when you can't move or talk, people think you can't see or hear either."
You could see Rodney's mind whirring trying to figure it out. On almost every commercial break Rodney threw out a new name.
John just laughed and said, "Forget it, McKay, I'm not gonna tell you. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, you know."
"Wait!" McKay called perplexed, "When did you go to Vegas?"
John just ignored him and looked back at the TV. He allowed his hand to stay on Teyla's shoulder and when he gave a slight tug she immediately leaned in closer to him. His gaze went to the other occupants of the couch. McKay, as usual, was self-absorbed and Carson had his eyes fixed on the screen.
Ronon, however, was staring straight at them with a big smirk on his face. A grin grew on John's face as he stared back and maybe the mischief in Ronon's eyes spread in his direction. John suddenly found himself lowering his head and nipping his lips across the neck Teyla had exposed with her hair pulled back.
Her body softened and her head tilted as John's lips briefly floated over her skin. Her eyes closed for a second then popped open when it dawned on her that they weren't alone. The lights from the big screen TV was all that was illuminating the room but it was enough for people to see what John was doing if they were looking close enough.
Her confused gaze moved to John's face and she realized he was in a staring contest with Ronon. The next commercial break stopped that.
The last half hour of the show concentrated on the history of the Ancients. It kept building suspense with photos and some footage of Antarctica and the Ancient outpost. They even showed a picture of the chair and explained how it could only be used by someone with a specific gene, a descendent of the Ancients themselves.
They closed out the show with the information that could potentially lead to Atlantis, naming tomorrow night's segment, 'The Search for Atlantis'. They purposely left everyone with the question of whether they actually found the mythical city or not.
Julia flipped on a light and Dave shut the set off as John and Teyla moved further apart.
"That is absolutely amazing!" Julia spouted. "And I already knew a lot of that stuff. I can't imagine what other people are thinking right now."
"Freaked that there are aliens out there who'd like nothing better than to kill us all," John suggested.
"I don't know," Dave countered. "The way it was presented makes you think the government has it all under control. And if I lived in another country, I'd probably be glad it was mostly US Military who were taking the brunt of the fight."
"Yes, at Stargate Command that's mostly true," Rodney said. "But on Atlantis we were told to emphasize the many different countries that are represented. We'll have to see how that actually plays out."
Dave stifled a yawn and announced, "I've gotta get to bed. I've got an early tee-time in the morning."
Julia looked at Dave and offered, "We should take them to the Country Club with us. They'd love it."
John made a weird face. "Uh, these guys are not really the Country Club type, take my word for it."
Dave shrugged, "The restaurant there has a great breakfast buffet. You're all welcome to come."
"Is it ALL YOU CAN EAT?" Rodney questioned and his team groaned in unison.
"Absolutely," Julia answered then turned to John. "David said you used to love playing golf. Maybe you could join him?"
Dave started to object but John cut him off. "If I remember the Country Club correctly, you have to book your tee-times a few weeks in advance. So unless someone drops out there's no chance for me to get in the game. Plus, I haven't played 18 holes in quite a while. But … I wouldn't mind hitting a bucket of balls and maybe getting a little practice on the putting green."
"That we can do," Dave nodded relieved John didn't want to horn in on his game. "Any other takers?"
"I'll go for the buffet," Rodney chimed in and Carson said, "I'd better go, too, to make sure he doesn't eat himself into oblivion."
Rodney made a face at Carson and quipped, "Yeah, funny!"
"Ronon, Teyla?" John asked the other remaining members of his team.
Teyla yawned delicately and said, "I think I would prefer to try and sleep a bit later tomorrow. We have been up early every day this week and with Torren …he is always up very early. A day to wake up on my own would be lovely."
Everyone now looked at Ronon. "I think I'll stay here with Teyla. I didn't much care for that golf thing when Sheppard tried to teach me."
"That's because we don't have a real course, yet," John defended. "How far along are they in getting that done?"
The Lanteans all looked uncomfortable and at John's questioning look, Rodney broke down first. "Nothing else has been done. Colonel Curmudgeon put the kibosh on the whole golf course idea."
What?" John roared. "But Woolsey approved that and everything. What is this guy's problem?"
"Waste of manpower," Ronon grumbled.
Teyla sighed loudly. "Colonel Armstrong is opposed to using any of the Military personnel for anything other than defensive purposes, even on their time off. This includes manual labor to assist in farming and harvesting of crops. It has made trade negotiations with the Menarians very difficult as their harvest is less than two lunar cycles away. We should already have an agreement in place, yet we do not."
"Wait," John fumed, "we've always traded manpower for food with the Menarians. They're our biggest supplier of fresh produce. What the hell is Armstrong thinking? And what does Woolsey have to say about this?"
"Colonel Armstrong is reluctant to surrender any of his forces while the Wraith are still a threat," Teyla said. "Mr. Woolsey has had to compromise since ordering Colonel Armstrong in anything that is a military matter has been a mute point."
"Let's just say the man lives up to his name," Rodney explained. "He has a tendency to strong arm everyone. I think Woolsey's actually a little afraid of him."
"Great!" John muttered. "Let's just hope I can get back there before this guy screws something up I can't fix."
"You'll be back soon enough, lad," Carson promised. "For right now though, I need to get some rest if I'm to get up early for that big breakfast."
Everyone agreed and headed to their respective bedrooms. It was too hot for John to even think about pajama pants and he hated sleeping with the air conditioner on, so he stripped to his boxers and opened his slider where a nice breeze was moving the air.
When he heard Teyla come back from the bathroom, he headed in that direction. After a quick clean up, he moved slowly back to his room, finally able to do it for short periods without the cane, and the occasional hand on the wall.
Teyla's door opened and she appeared in the doorway, the light spilling from the bedrooms the only source. "I forgot my hairbrush in the bathroom," she revealed.
John nodded and said, "Good night, Teyla."
"Good night, John," she returned and they both stood staring at each other.
Even after the kisses they'd shared this week there was still an uncertainty in their new relationship. John hoped that would soon pass so he took a step toward Teyla, reached for her hand and gently pulled her forward. Her arms slipped around his back and his hands framed her face.
His lips skimmed her momentarily and he whispered, "Sweet dreams, Teyla."
Teyla smiled and whispered back, "Then they will be of you."
John grinned and nodded and backed toward his room. Teyla moved to the bathroom to retrieve her brush and was back inside her room in seconds.
As John closed his bedroom door and got into bed he thought how strange it was that he hadn't just dragged Teyla in here with him. If this situation had been in the past he probably would have. He thought about all that he'd gone through in the past five months, heck the past six years, and knew he wasn't the same man anymore.
This relationship with Teyla was extremely important to him and he wanted the time to be right. But he knew that when everything was perfect, being with Teyla would be so worth the wait.
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xoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxo
.
It was almost nine when Teyla finally climbed out of bed. She felt guilty at first then realized it had been a much needed indulgence. She showered and changed into a dress she had purchased yesterday.
On the hangar it had seemed completely shapeless, looking like a very long tank top. But when she tried it on she realized that she provided the shape. Julia had wanted her to get the red one but Teyla had preferred the pale yellow. The color was softer and she thought was a better match for her skin tone.
She found Ronon sitting on the patio with an empty plate in front of him. She sat next to him with her cup of tea and the pastry Julia had left for them.
"Did you enjoy the extra sleep this morning?" Ronon asked as she took her first sip.
"It was lovely, thank you," Teyla replied. "But I should not get accustomed to it as I will be back with my very early rising son in just a few days time."
"You miss him," Ronon guessed from Teyla's tone of voice.
"I do, very much," Teyla acknowledged. "But I must also confess it is nice to have a short break from him. When we are on Atlantis he is with me every moment I am not working. When John was there I would be relieved for short periods almost daily. But the last five months have been tiring."
"You know I'd take him if you needed a break, right?" Ronon offered.
Teyla put her hand on his arm. "Yes, I am aware. And you have watched him for me on several occasions. But your relationship with Amelia is growing and I do not like to take you away from that."
They sat silently for a few minutes then Ronon suggested, "Sheppard should move in with you when he gets back to Atlantis. You've got plenty of room now and he can give you a hand with Torren easier if he's there with you."
Surprise was written on Teyla's face as she returned, "John and I have not spoken of such things as of yet. We both need to become accustomed to the fact that Kanaan is no longer in my life and that we are now free to pursue a relationship."
Ronon grunted in understanding and asked, "Is that why you and Sheppard are still sleeping in separate bedrooms? Because the ghost of Kanaan is still lingering around?"
"Ronon!" Teyla chastised. "I am not sure it is your concern where we choose to sleep."
"Yeah, you're right," he agreed. "It's just that you two are the best friends I've got and it's been obvious to me for a long time that you belong together. I just want to make sure you get there."
Teyla's eyes softened. "And we appreciate the sentiment. I do not think you need to worry. I believe John and I are finally on the correct path. But John feels, and I respect his decision, that we should proceed slowly. He does not wish to rush anything. He would prefer to take the time for everything to be perfect in our relationship. He is still dealing with the results of his injury. There is much confusion and self-doubt regarding his physical and emotional well being. If he requires time, I am more than happy to provide him with it."
"Happy?" Ronon chuckled. "And maybe a little frustrated?"
Teyla sighed. "Perhaps," she said thinking of the incident with the swim suit. "The man does possess a considerable amount of self-control."
Ronon's eyes glowed with devilment. "That's something you can work on. Think of it as a challenge."
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"Grant, do you know where I put that notepad I was writing on yesterday?" Nancy called across the room to her husband.
"You put it on top of the TV set," he called back from the next room. She sighed as she moved closer and spotted it. She'd actually taken notes while watching last night's news special on the government's big secret; the Stargate.
She still couldn't believe this thing actually existed and that it had been kept a secret for so long. And that her ex-husband, John had obviously known about it. All right she didn't know positively that he did but when she had asked the other day at the hearing if he knew what the news report was about, he had done his typical song and dance that meant yes while trying to say no.
She had checked out all the faces she could as the news crew had filmed the facility. She hadn't in fact seen John, and it had been filmed prior to his accident, so maybe he knew but hadn't actually been inside. It was more likely that John was involved in flying the fighters they called F-302's. That was right up his alley. She wondered if that's how he was injured, crashing in one of those.
And he'd been stationed in Antarctica for almost a year. That was where the Ancient Base was located. Yeah, too much of a coincidence for John not to be involved.
But the thing that had clinched it for Nancy was the focus on the team they called SG-1. This was the same group that had come to help John back when he'd been kidnapped. Nancy tried to remember what the members of this SG-1 had said about John.
The woman, Carter had said she was John's CO for a year but the newscast never said she was the head of 'Stargate Command' so it must have been on some other base; maybe where the F-302's were housed. And didn't she say John had been her Military Commander? Nancy's mind had a million different possibilities but as John hadn't been on the show, she'd probably never find out.
And tonight's report sounded like it would focus on finding the mythical city of Atlantis and these Ancients who'd built it. Sounded more like a documentary than a news report. But people still freaked out over the thought of aliens so she knew either way there'd be a mess to clean up.
As it was she'd spent three hours in her office this morning debriefing and putting out small fires that had popped up from last night's report.
She checked the time and saw that the show was about to start so she picked up the notepad and sat next to Grant who'd come into the room.
They'd started with a visual summary of yesterday's show then moved on to Dr. Jackson explaining their journey to finding the address to Atlantis. The Ancients had once been on Earth but had moved the city to another galaxy; The Pegasus Galaxy.
The narrator then started explaining about the group of one hundred or so people who were chosen to embark on this new adventure. During his narrative they showed footage, dated six years ago, of a large group of people moving in preparation in the gate room of what they called the SGC. The narrator mentioned the expedition leader, Elizabeth Weir, and then the camera moved to show a woman enter and gain the attention of everyone in the room.
"Could I have everyone's attention please? All right, here we go. We are about to try to make a connection. We have been unable to predict exactly how much power this is gonna take and we may only get the one chance at this. So if we are able to achieve a stable wormhole, we're not gonna risk shutting the gate down. We'll send in the MALP robot probe, check for viability and go, everything in one shot."
She paused here and the screen changed to pan the many faces watching the woman. Nancy looked at these people, wondering how they could even consider stepping through a wormhole to what could possibly be another galaxy. Then they showed the group standing right in front of Weir.
Her gasp was slight but enough for Grant to say, "Nancy, what is it?"
The screen panned in for a few close-ups and her heart almost stopped. There, front and center, was John, dressed in full military gear, gun strapped to his thigh, full backpack and his hands resting on the dangerous looking machine gun that was dangling from his TAC vest and he was standing as casual as if he were just waiting for a bus.
"That's John."
"John?" Grant repeated. "You're ex-husband, John? Did you know he was involved with this?"
Nancy shook her head her eyes still glued to the screen and the face of the man she had spent almost two years with.
Weir started speaking again but the screen shared its time between her and the other occupants of the room.
"Now every one of you volunteered for this mission and you represent over a dozen countries. You are the world's best and brightest and in light of the adventure we are about to embark on, you're also the bravest. I hope we all return one day having discovered a whole new realm for humanity to explore but as all of you know we may never be able to return home. I'd like to offer you all one last chance to withdraw your participation."
John was on screen again and not so much as a flicker of emotion crossed his face. This was nothing new to Nancy, though. She'd lived through a few years of trying to get John to loosen the control he clutched so tightly around him. But she'd grown tired of trying to get the emotion that poured out of his eyes to transfer to his words and actions. She had never been successful.
And here he was ready to cavalierly walk through an alien device to go on a possible one way trip and he didn't look any more bothered than if he were going to the grocery store.
The screen showed Dr. Weir telling the gate crew to begin the dialing sequence. As the gate spun and steam rose off it, Nancy noticed John having an exchange with an older Marine. She couldn't hear what they were saying as the narrator was now giving more information. But she saw the man look at John with what could only be called distain.
John moved slightly and she thought she saw him give a slight eye roll. Oh, John! she thought.
The gate connected and a cheer rose from the crowd. The large probe was sent through, viable life support confirmed and then the Marine who'd seemed upset with John moved forward barking out orders.
Great! Nancy thought. This was the big boss and John had somehow pissed him off. Just what you wanted to do when you're embarking on a dangerous mission and might need the guy to watch your back.
Nancy looked at the man, introduced by the narrator as Colonel Marshall Sumner. "Let's go people! We don't know how much power we've got. Security teams one and two, you're up first."
John didn't move. Nancy was surprised at this but then noticed the men going through the gate were all Marines, plus Dr. Weir. She wondered why John had been chosen, what special skill he brought with him. They weren't taking any aircraft.
Nancy heard Sumner's voice over the radio announcing "All clear."
John moved toward the gate. The camera angle was from the side but John looked around a bit and for the first time she had to admit he actually looked nervous. For John to actually look that way, he must have been pretty scared. She would never have been brave enough, but courage was one thing John never lacked.
When the general announced that the expedition team could move out, the young man beside John made a serious comment then almost jumped laughingly into the rippling blue of what they referred to as the 'event horizon'. She saw John take a deep breath, close his eyes and step through. She found that she had been holding her breath as well.
The rest of the large group all moved orderly up the ramp entering the gate as well. When the last one was gone, a radio call came through. It was Dr. Weir's voice.
"General O'Neill, Atlantis Base offers greetings from the Pegasus Galaxy. You may cut power to the gate."
But before he ordered that, the General walked up the ramp and rolled a bottle of champagne through. He sent a look in the direction of the control room and the sparkling pool behind him disappeared.
Nancy's shoulders sagged as the commercial came on, her mind going a mile a minute. She wondered what David knew of this and his fiancée, Julia. And what of Teyla? A new thought ran through her mind.
"Oh, … my …"
"What?" Grant cut in quickly, concerned.
"I told you John was involved with someone new and they had a son, right?"
At Grant's nod she continued, "Well supposedly she's from the area that he's been stationed in and they met six years ago, which is when the Atlantis expedition left."
"Which means," Grant paused with a little snicker, "your ex is involved with an alien."
His head popped up as he remembered, "You said you met her. What was she like?"
"Well, she wasn't green with antenna, if that's what you mean," Nancy snapped. "She was actually quite lovely and gracious considering the circumstances."
Grant's eyebrows rose. "So a sexy alien. That's very Star Trek, you know."
Nancy threw him a dirty look but the show came back on so she bit back what she was about to say. The image of a large room with stained glass windows came on the screen with the narrator explaining that this is what the adventurers came to find.
As he spoke of the Ancients the screen changed to a different large room where the image of a woman was standing in the middle. Explained as a hologram, the woman gave some history of the Ancients and their journey from Earth to Pegasus only to return again.
"… to return to that world that was once home. There the last survivors of Atlantis lived out the remainders of their lives. This city was left to slumber in the hope that our kind would one day return."
"And they did return in a way, didn't they?" The question came from off-screen. A man, labeled on the bottom of the screen as Dr. Rodney McKay, Chief Scientist in charge of Research and Development, gave a quick nod.
"Yes, in a way. The Ancients who came back to Earth obviously interacted with the rest of the population. This is probably where the mythical stories come from. Some of the Ancient Greeks heard it from the remaining Ancients who lived among them. Now, thousands of years later the Ancients have all disappeared but a small trace of the gene still remains in a minute percentage of the population."
The reporter questioned again, "So these people are actual descendents of the Ancients, is that correct?"
Dr. McKay answered, "Yes, and as it is with genetics some people have a stronger gene than others and are able to use Ancient Technology with more ease."
"And out of this handful of people with an Ancient gene, have you found anyone whose gene stands out stronger than the others? Whose ability stands out above the others?"
"Well that's easy," Dr. McKay stated. "The strongest gene by a mile is Colonel Sheppard. He doesn't even have to concentrate. He can turn everything on just by walking into a room."
Nancy had been on the edge of her seat but now she sank back into it. The two people started a discussion on how so much of the Ancient Technology works on thought patterns and the gene therapy some doctor had developed that allowed a few others to utilize the Ancient Technology as well.
The words barely sank in though as she thought of John and why he'd been chosen to go on this mission.
Grant chuckled again and Nancy threw him another dirty look. "What is so funny?"
"Just the thought that you used to be married to an alien."
"John is not an alien!" Nancy shouted vehemently then she thought about all the information from the show and back pedaled. "He's just descended from them."
This was almost too much to take but she couldn't stop watching for quite a few reasons. Over the next few hours she heard many people talk about John and tell stories and describe what a great guy he was. She saw the village Teyla was from and saw John on numerous occasions with the little boy Torren John.
The one thought that kept resurfacing as she saw all that John was responsible for and all he had gone through; was that leaving him had been the absolute right decision. There was no way she could ever had dealt with all the danger and adventure he so craved. John was meant for that kind of life and the thought of it was literally much too alien for her.
.