Trials of Faith – Chapter 12
Mr Over-hanging-forehead
The Scot narrowed his blue eyes, watching them closely. He folded his arms and cocked his head. Suffice to say, Beckett was not a happy bunny. 'Tell me that it wasn't the two of you that did this to each other?'
Mckay and Sheppard sat on the bed next to each other, both with broken faces.
'No, it wasn't.' Mckay snapped, ignoring the look he was receiving from both Carson and Teyla.
Carson raised an eyebrow at his attitude and reached for an ice pack, smacking it onto the bruise on Rodney's head.
'Ow?' Rodney complained. 'Oh Doctor of gentle hands, I think not.'
'What happened?' Carson sighed, retrieving surgical spirit to clean their split lips.
The men glanced at each other and were silent, both with sour expressions and hunched shoulders.
'Boys, I'm talkin' to ya'. Teyla and I would very much like to know how you came by such injuries!' He was like a parent coddling his children, it drove Mckay insane.
'Well, we walked into the magical land of psychotic monkeys where we danced and ate mass amounts of bananas before those monkeys started to beat us with big sticks.' Rodney explained, his sarcasm cutting through the room like a scalpel.
'Except I didn't do any of the dancing.' John added, nodding subtly.
Teyla was surprised that John was going along with Rodney's attitude. She raised an eyebrow of her own and he turned away.
'What do you think happened, Carson?' Rodney snapped.
'Well, I don't know Rodney. That's why I asked.'
'Astra punched him.' John replied.
'And Ronan.' Mckay added.
'Astra did this to you?' Carson asked, concern filling his face.
'To him and Ronan. It was supposedly an accident.' John rolled his eyes.
'That she hit Rodney?'
'That she hit Ronan.' Sheppard corrected.
'She hit me on purpose.' Rodney said, bitterly.
'And she hit you as well?' Carson frowned, John shook his head.
'Ronan hit me.'
'Ronan hit you?' Teyla asked firmly.
'After he hit Astra.' Rodney added.
'Why would he do such a thing?' Teyla asked, John smirked angrily.
'I don't know, why did you hit me?' He asked, Teyla narrowed her eyes.
'Teyla hit you?' Carson asked, scratching his head.
'Yeah, and it hurt.' John said loudly.
'Did Teyla hit Astra then…?' Carson began.
'No, no – just me and Ronan.' Rodney pointed at himself.
'And did you hit Astra?' He looked at both of the men sitting on the bed. John hung his head and Rodney shook his.
'No, no, no! Listen to me!' Rodney yelled. Carson nodded. 'Astra hit Ronan, Ronan hit Astra – both were accidents. Astra hit me on purpose and Ronan hit Sheppard, also on purpose.'
'And when did Teyla hit Sheppard?' Carson frowned.
'That was days ago, it doesn't matter.' Rodney snapped, signalling for him to hand over the spirit and cloth.
'Well to my face it mattered.' John growled to him. 'And then Ronan turns around and decks me one! I'm starting to think that my team are a pain in the ass. I'm waiting for Rodney to punch me one too!' He quickly looked at the scientist. 'By the way, if you do, I will take my gun and shoot you with it.'
'I wasn't going to hit you.' Rodney said incredulously. 'Although I will if you shoot me.'
'Well, I'll shoot you if you hit me-!' John retorted.
'Alright! Everyone's got a smack then!' Carson flung his hands up.
'Except you and Ronan.' Rodney reminded quietly.
'Yeah, and Teyla got punched by the Wraith, so that counts.' He agreed.
'And Borus.' She added.
They all paused, Carson becoming frustrated.
'He hit you?' John asked.
'Several times. He did not know who I was.' Teyla shook her head.
'Well that wasn't very nice.' Rodney stated.
'No it wasn't.' Sheppard agreed.
They both fell silent, treating their lips with the spirit, both wincing.
Carson looked between them. 'Oh bloody hell!' He sat on the bed next to them, puzzled.
'So am I going to get a visit from Astra and Ronan then?' He asked, John glanced at him.
'Doubt it. They've both gone off to treat their own wounds.' He said bitterly. 'Something about "taking a walk," I didn't ask what with the bleeding and all.'
Silence fell again and Teyla studied her friends, both of whom were deeply troubled. Astra's arrival had upset the balance. Ironic, since she was the one that was supposed to restore it.
'Let us start again.' She said calmly. 'Why did Astra and Ronan hit each other, even if it was an accident?'
'They were training.' Rodney whined, his lip causing him trouble. 'Ronan wanted to test her out on the mats.'
'And she hit you because?'
'What, there has to be a reason?' John said suddenly. He realised how mean it sounded and continued, ignoring the hurt expression on Rodney's face. 'Ronan said that you were being an ass.'
'I was not being an ass; I was just saying what everyone else was thinking. That this is a waste of time and a waste of lives.' He snapped, adjusting the ice pack.
'Let us hope you are wrong.' Teyla said icily, the thoughts of over a hundred Athosians weighing on her mind. Rodney pursed his lips, but said nothing, knowing that it would be a mistake. 'Why did you hurt Ronan?' She turned to John.
'I didn't hurt him.' John said defensively. 'He punched me!'
'You must have said something to upset him otherwise he would never have taken a hand to you.' She said firmly, fixing him with an accusatory stare.
'Tell me what I said to make you take a hand to me.' He glared at her.
They stared at each other while Carson and Rodney sat in uncomfortable silence.
'That is not the point.' She growled.
'What is the point? I get hit so it's my fault? Two punches equals twice the wrong doing?' He stood. 'Somehow, I don't think so.'
'You have told me that Ronan and Astra have grown close, that leads me to the belief that you insulted her and he responded. Why would you insult her?' Teyla asked harshly.
'I didn't insult her, not exactly.' He turned from her bed wandering to the end. 'I insulted him more than I did her.'
'Why insult him at all?' She growled.
'Uh, hello? Bleeding and bruised here?' Mckay pointed out.
Teyla looked at John, that Astra hit Mckay had been the reason he would give to cover up the real excuse.
'Doctor Beckett, Rodney, would you mind if I spoke to John alone?' She did not take her eyes from him.
'Of course.' Carson nodded, smiling awkwardly. He glanced at Rodney.
'Oh right, I get booted out when I'm severely wounded.' He snarled.
'You've got a wee bang on the head, Rodney.' Carson rolled his eyes and left for his desk, Rodney followed him, arguing about brain haemorrhaging.
Teyla could not get out of bed, but if she had, she would be pacing. The topic was uncomfortable.
'I have been speaking with Carson about what has happened while I have been here. He told me about Astra and her past. He also told me of Ronan's interest in her, Rodney's fruitless research, and even visitors I received.' She paused. 'He also told me that you did not leave my bed side since I emerged from surgery.' She watched him as he shuffled uncomfortably, avoiding her eyes.
'I was concerned.' He glanced at her before, leaning on the railing at the bottom of her bed. 'You're a vital member of my team.'
She smiled slightly. She knew what that meant. She knew that he would never say what she wanted him to say.
'I appreciate it, John.' She said slowly. He smiled slightly, the awkwardness affecting him more than her. 'Carson also said that everyone has been to see me, except Ronan. I was surprised by that, but I understand that he may have other priorities.'
'Other priorities than a seriously injured friend?' He said waspishly.
'You insulted him by using that against him, I understand that it made you angry, especially since you have not warmed to Astra.' She informed, seeing him walk to the chair by her bedside.
'Would it have killed him to poke his head around the corner and say, "Hi, how you doing?" even if you weren't awake? Instead of spending all of his time with Miss Floats-a-Pen.' John twiddled his thumbs.
'I do not blame Astra for my condition.' She said softly.
'Yeah, well, I do.' John said firmly. 'You're not going to change my mind about that.' He looked at her, leaning back in his chair.
'This I can see.' Teyla stared right back. He was determined to blame Astra. 'What you must understand is that she has made a connection with Ronan, one which Ronan obviously holds dear otherwise he would not have hit you.' She spoke wisely. 'You may not like Astra, but Ronan does. The question becomes, can you stand to lose a friend over this simple dislike?'
'It's not a simple-'
'John, you'll lose Ronan if you're not careful.' She stated, studying him with soft eyes.
John bowed his head and sighed. He paused.
'Why did you punch me?' He asked. Teyla was caught off guard.
'I was…not in my right mind, with grief, I had done something terrible.' She shook her head, her words jumbled. 'I am sorry.'
John scratched his head, looking at her.
'I have been the leader to my people since I was very young. I knew all of them, John.' She paused, looking down at her own hands as she sat in bed. 'To lose so many, and to have done so little for them.' Her eyes welled as she thought of the faces she would never see again.
'You did everything you could for them. You saved over fifty people, Teyla.' John leant forward.
Teyla smiled bravely. 'Still, it was not enough.' She looked at him as a tear slid down her cheek. 'I was looking for a way to combat the grief when I spoke to Carus, I wanted to do something. You stopped me, tried to talk to me. To make me face that pain…I was not ready.' She paused. 'I do not think that I will ever be ready to except that so many have died.' She was choking on her words. She couldn't, not now. Not in front of him.
John stood. 'Teyla, you are an extremely strong person, I mean we're talking Superman strong.' He smiled slightly. 'You're a leader. Use to putting on a brave face and giving orders.' He took her hand. 'You're still a leader, the only difference being, you don't have to be strong all the time.'
Teyla nodded, tears falling freely. 'Yes I do. If I do not hide the grief, it will control me.' She paused, her eyes burning. 'I would go to a Wraith ship and murder all of them with my bare hands.' John watched her frowning slightly. 'But I do not because I am needed here.'
John sat again, bringing the chair closer. He leant forward. 'Yes you are. So no suicide missions, okay?' He said, half teasing. She nodded.
'Understood.' She tried to bite back the tears.
John placed a hand on her cheek and she closed her eyes. He came forward, sitting on the bed and held her, protectively. She cried silently, hating him for being there for her, for allowing her defences to fall. He put his cheek to hers; it was wet from the tears. He did not move, allowing her to be at peace.
'Astra is my only hope that they did not die in vein. I have to believe that she is more than what she seems.' Teyla whispered, lowering her head to his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
John stroked her hair, not knowing that Carson and Rodney watched with sad expressions.
'She's been through far more than any person should have to go through.' Carson commented.
'No kidding.' Rodney frowned at him.
'At least Sheppard is there to comfort her.' Carson smiled.
Rodney nodded. 'Yes he is.' He said mostly to himself, watching his friends in their embrace. He cared for both, and it made him ache to see them hurting. Much like his lip. 'You have any strong painkillers?'
Carson did a double take. Rodney knew how to kill the mood.
John kissed her forehead and sat up slightly, his face inches from hers.
'So, I have to apologise?' He asked, really not wanting to.
Teyla smiled weakly.
'Alright, but if he throws me out of a window, you'll have to come and save me.'
'I will send Rodney.' She joked. 'My side is far too weak.'
'I feel comforted, Teyla, thank you.' He said sarcastically. 'Alright.'
He kissed her forehead again and walked from the room turning left, leaving her to her own thoughts.
Moments later, Ronan strode into the room from the right. He saw Teyla was awake and walked straight to her. She wiped her eyes.
'Ronan.' She smiled.
'Sheppard said that you were awake.' He stood by her bedside. 'How do you feel?'
'Better. Did you see John just now?' She asked, confused. 'He has just gone to look for you.'
'No.' He said.
Teyla smiled weakly. She could see that he was in a foul mood.
'How is Astra?' She said chirpily.
'Good.'
'Great! She throws a great right hook.' Rodney leant on the bed opposite.
Teyla glared at him, slowly shaking her head. Rodney ignored her.
'What are you doing here?' He asked nastily.
'Visiting Teyla.' He did not look at the scientist.
'Mh, that's a first.' He said harshly.
'Rodney.' Teyla warned.
'No, Teyla, Mr over-hanging-forehead here needs to understand that in civilised cultures, we don't hit people.' He snapped.
'I didn't hit you.' Ronan stated, turning to face him.
'No, you hit Sheppard. Your girlfriend punched me.'
'Ronan, he is just annoyed, he does not mean-' Teyla began.
'He's annoyed because he was taken down by a girl.' Ronan smiled at Mckay.
Rodney stood indignantly.
'I am annoyed because when a pretty girl walks by; you chuck your friends in the trash and follow her around like a love sick puppy.' Rodney yelled, the colour rising in his cheeks. Ronan advanced.
'A little cowardly to be so mouthy, don't you think?' Ronan scowled.
'Ronan!' Teyla shouted. He did not stop.
'A little unintelligent to be making threats, aren't you?' Rodney spat, unnerved by his predatory movement.
'Carson!' Teyla yelled from her bed, trying to remove the covers.
The Doctor looked up and saw the menacing scene from his desk. He hurried over.
'Alright lads, let's not do anything stupid now.' He stood between them.
'No Carson, let him start a punch up, even if I am the punching bag. Maybe he'll finally see what that girl is doing to him!' His words had a good intention to them, but he did not want to be hurt.
'Ronan.' Carson said softly.
'Out of the way Beckett.' Ronan growled, keeping his eye on Rodney.
'That's not going to happen, son.' Carson watched him carefully; he could see Teyla out of the corner of his eyes struggling to swing her legs over the side of the bed.
'Astra is not affecting my judgement.' He said low in his throat. 'You are.'
'How?' He asked incredulously.
'The way you talk Mckay, the way you talk to everyone. You crossed a line.' Ronan stopped directly in front of Carson, having no problem in looking over him.
'You forgot to cross a line for me when you didn't put her ass back down on the mat!' He yelled.
'She did nothing wrong.' Ronan growled.
'She hit me!' He shouted. 'And now that little freak has you wrapped around her little finger!'
Ronan snapped. He pushed Carson to the floor and went for Rodney, punching him hard in the face. He fell, hitting his back on the bed. Ronan grabbed him by the shirt and hit him again just as Teyla grabbed his arm.
He growled and pushed her off, elbowing her in the stomach. She fell to the floor, clutching her side. 'Ronan!'
Rodney held onto his arm, afraid, but snarling at him. His anger matching Ronan's. By some luck he found his legs were under Ronan, and he kicked. Ronan fell to the floor just as Carson got to his feet. Rodney used the bed to climb up. Ronan flipped to his feet.
Both men advanced, ready to fight again. Rodney knew his chances were slim, but the anger in his veins urged him on.
Ronan snarled at the scientist about to hit him hard when a hand flew into his face and knocked him off his feet.
John rounded on the Satedan, fire burning in his eyes and blood rushing through him like red hot lava. 'What the hell do you think you're doing?' He growled.
Ronan got nimbly to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes on Rodney and John. 'It was a mistake to come here.' He said to Teyla, anger still clear in his face. He stormed from the infirmary leaving shock and hatred in his wake.
'Oh boy, do we have a problem.' John heard Carson behind him, but kept his eyes on the door.
'Really? What gave you that idea?' He said low and slow.
'No. Really.' Carson's voice was urgent.
He turned to see him kneeling over Teyla who was pale and covered in blood. 'She's pulled more than a few stitches. I need you to call my Nurses.'
John was paralysed for a second. The thought that Ronan had done this to her. Rodney used his radio to contact the on call Nurses, spluttering through the blood falling from his nose. John ran to her side and helped Carson to lift her onto the bed.
'John…' She said weakly, looking up at him.
'It's okay.' He comforted, stroking her head.
'No. It's not.' She insisted. 'Ronan wasn't saying that his mistake was coming to see me, he said that his mistake was coming to Atlantis.' She winced in pain. He held her hand.
'Maybe it was.' He didn't like saying it. Ronan was a good friend, but until this Astra thing blew over. He needed to keep his distance. If he ever came near Teyla again, he would take a gun to him.