Fyd818 – Glad you liked John and Ronon on the job, I feel really bad for Ronon and Teyla too now (is mad at self) lol. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Izzles – I really wanted to show Ronon's feelings in the last chapter so I'm glad that worked out and Teyla will slowly begin to show her own feelings soon. I hope you like this chapter and thanks for the review.

Steph7085 – Glad you liked Ronon in the last chapter, thanks for the review and I hope you like this chapter.

Whirlwind-2005 – John's and Ronon's case will continue to develop throughout the story so we'll find out soon if you're right or not, I already have it planned but I'm not going to give it away just yet. Thanks for the review.

- - -

Chapter 11

"You should have seen the bruise on her face," Ronon told his partner as they sat at their desks. He had spent days trying to talk to Teyla again but she was very obviously avoiding him.

"You really think someone hit her?" John asked knowing the answer but realised that Ronon needed to talk about it.

"Yeah but who'd want to hurt her?" Ronon questioned.

"No one I can think of," John stated.

"I've tried talking to her again but she won't let me near her, she's purposely avoiding me."

"You're not the only one," John informed him. "She's hardly been to see Elizabeth at all in the last couple of days and she won't answer any of my calls."

"I don't know what to do," Ronon admitted sadly.

"Do you want me to try talking to her?" John asked.

"If you think you'll have more luck than me, which you probably would," Ronon replied. The truth was Teyla probably wouldn't tell Ronon what was wrong under threat of torture, at least not any more. There was a time when she would have told him anything and everything but those times were long gone now. He hated that he couldn't help her, he still loved her as much as he always had and doubted that he would ever stop.

"I'll go and see her this afternoon," John told him.

"Okay, I think I'll go and visit Elizabeth," Ronon stated and John nodded his head.

- - -

Ronon sat in the chair next to Elizabeth's bed and was silent for several moments before he was able to pull together enough of his thoughts. After visiting Teyla a few days ago he felt completely lost. She'd had a bruise on the side of his face he knew hadn't come from walking into a door and she'd lied to him about everything. He didn't know what to do.

"Hi Elizabeth," he greeted quietly. "I know I'm not one for the talking thing even now whilst your in a coma. I don't know what to do, something is wrong with Teyla and she has a bruise on her face and she won't tell me how it happened. I know something is going on, I know she's in trouble but she won't talk to me or John. I don't know if she's even talked to you about it. What do I do?"

Elizabeth gave him no response and he leaned back in his chair with a heavy sigh. He hadn't really expected an answer from her so why did he feel disappointed that he wasn't getting one. Maybe he'd expected some sudden epiphany to hit him and he'd know what to do. Elizabeth was Teyla's closest friend and she always seemed to know what to do when things went wrong.

"It really isn't the same without you know that? Everything is falling apart and we can't put it back together. If you could see us now you'd be so mad, you'd be kicking all our asses for letting things get like this," he told her with a small smile at the thought.

"I don't come to visit you often enough do I? Well I'll make an effort to come more often. John really misses you; he hates himself for not being home on time. I know you don't blame him for your accident but he blames himself. Even Teyla's blaming herself though deep down she knows there was nothing else she could have done."

- - -

John knocked on Teyla's front door and it was several moments before she opened the door slightly. She sighed when she saw it was him and opened the door more so he could come in. He followed her into the house closing the door behind him and waited for her to turn back to him. When she did he saw the bruise that was still clearly visible against her cheek.

"What happened?" he asked her.

"Didn't Ronon tell you, I walked into a door," she replied lifelessly.

"You're a liar," he stated and she glared at him angrily but he was unfazed by it. "Everything you say to us right now is a lie, that's when you're not avoiding us all together. Ronon is miserable because he doesn't know what's wrong or how to help you. You lied to him and he feels so completely defeated that he just let it go. Well you know what; I'm not leaving this house until you tell me truth. Don't bother lying again because I can always tell, I always know when you, Elizabeth or Ronon are lying. So tell me, what happened?"

"I walked into a door," she lied again this time with anger and annoynce obvious in her voice.

"Liar."

"Just get out John!" she yelled.

"No," he told her simply.

"Get out!" she shouted again. "I don't have to tell you anything!"

"Then we'll both be here for a very long time."

Teyla dropped down onto the couch and buried her head in her hands "Please just go," she whispered and he could hear her battle not to cry. He slowly sat down next to her and gave her a few moments to regain her composure before speaking.

"Talk to me, what happened?" John asked softly.

"It was before I met any of you, I was dating someone - his name was Michael. At first things were great but then he changed. At first he just shouted all the time but then he hit me and I left him but he was very persistent, he kept telling me how sorry he was and like an idiot I went back to him. It just got worse; he would beat me over tiny mistakes. Eventually I got away from him and he left, then I met Ronon and you and Elizabeth. He's back, he showed up at the museum about a week ago and now he won't leave me alone."

John kept his anger in check as Teyla finally told him the truth about what had happened. He couldn't understand how anyone could hit a woman let alone one like Teyla.

"He gave you the bruise on your face didn't he?"

"Yeah," Teyla whispered solemnly. "He came here and I threatened to call the cops if he didn't leave, he never responded well to threats."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"He was lurking around yesterday but he didn't do anything."

"Does anyone else know besides me?"

"My boss Adam, he was there when this happened last time and he saw Michael outside the museum."

"You need to tell Ronon," John stated reluctantly and Teyla shook her head.

"No, you know what Ronon's like he'd kill Michael and I don't want him to know about any of this."

"He has a right to know, he's worried sick about you but it's your choice but if Michael does anything else, I will take action," John told her hoping that she would take his advice and tell Ronon. If nothing else Ronon could threaten Michael with serious bodily harm and scare him off for good.

TBC