Thanks to ayrstar, CharmedAli, Alexzander Stark, SuperRainbowMuffin, female'wraith, jtjaforever and AthosianWarrior for being my reviewers for the previous chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or the characters. This is set after Phantoms but before The Return Pt. 1! Song Lyrics: Waiting For Yesterday by 12 Stones.
Watch the sun steal Yesterday,
Hiding all emotion - far away.
Days spent wondering why this life is so cold,
And nothing ever changes.
Waiting For Yesterday — IV
October 15th, 19:21
When John opened his eyes, everything was blurry. Lights were on overhead, and he could hear voices nearby, but they, too, were hazy and hard to understand. One of the people walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. By the time Carson Beckett finally spoke, John's vision was clearing slightly.
"Good to see you awake, son. Don't try and talk; I need to remove the tube."
Gentle instructions followed his words, and soon, John was coughing as the intibation tube slipped from his throat. The coughing continued for several seconds, then, he spoke.
"Time... ?"
"Oh. Well, it's seven twenty-three. You've been sleeping for thirty-two hours." A small laugh. "We thought you might not wake up. You should feel better in a matter of minutes. We used the Adoien drug again, and it's working miracles on your wounds."
John was only slightly surprised at the news that he'd been out for so long; he'd kind of expected it. After he'd gone after Teyla like that–
"Teyla!" Green eyes wide, he sat up quickly in the bed and immediately regretted it as sharp pain flooded his senses. Wincing and coughing from his outburst, he gently laid back as he asked again, "How is Teyla?"
"Oh. Well," Carson began. "She's in a holding cell right now. The stunner blast wore off hours ago, and she's been pacing about. No one's been able to talk to her."
"But she's... fine?" John asked, pausing to take in a deep breath.
"Aye. It could have been worse. But not much worse for you," he added, and, casting one last look back at both John and the machines that were monitoring his vital signs, he walked off to inform everyone that said Colonel was awake. Expecting visitors any second, John didn't even close his eyes, and watched at the door for his friends. Soon enough, Rodney and Elizabeth walked around the corner.
"Hi," John greeted them.
"Hello, John. Good to see you awake."
"Yes," added Rodney. "While you were catching up on your beauty sleep, we were getting the whole city back under control."
John smirked.
"And I trust ... " he had to break off as pain coursed through his upper body, and noticing this, Carson walked over and gave him some medicine to help. He also noticed that John was having a little trouble breathing, so he carefully put a small tube in his nose to help assist the stubborn man.
When he was finally able to form words again, John said, "And I trust that everything is under control now?"
"Of course it is," Rodney said, smiling. "Well, besides the obvious. The obvious being that Teyla is currently controlled by a Wraith, but yes, besides that, everything is fine."
Elizabeth sent Rodney an amused smile as she turned back to John.
"Ronon would have been here, but we have him watching over Teyla." Then, she added, "Along with several other marines, that is."
Carson added, looking slightly annoyed, "Aye. And I think it was a bloody stupid thing to do. Puttin' Ronon in charge! He hates the Wraith. He might try and kill the wee baby."
John looked throughly confused. He said slowly, "Doc. I have the feeling that I'm not being told something."
However, it was Elizabeth who spoke. She shifted her feet back and forth on the floor, and, much to everyone's surprise, began fidgeting with her shirt before she said anything. "John, we found out that Teyla... We found out that at some point when you encountered the Wraith, Teyla became pregnant. The child is part Wraith, and for reasons to lengthy to go into now, we cannot kill it."
John was too shocked to say anything for a few seconds. His green eyes flashed a million emotions and his hand was shaking slightly.
"What?"
"John, I know–" Elizabeth started, but she was cut off by more of John's unbelieving questions.
"How? When?"
He had a hundred more questions, but the ones he wanted answered most were probably the ones that couldn't be answered, so he didn't even voice them.
"How? We don't know, son. As for when... well, we're pretty sure that it happened while you were captured by Aiden," Carson said slowly. "I spoke to Ronon, and he said that although you were all placed in the same cell at first, Teyla was last; she was missing until only about a quarter hour before you woke up."
John nodded slowly. "I woke up a lot later than anyone else because I was the only one not on the Enzyme; I wouldn't have noticed. Can anyone answer 'why'? Like, why are the Wraith doing this to humans? And why Teyla?"
No one could. Rodney shifted his feet and Carson simply shook his head.
John dropped back onto his pillows, confused at what was happening, angry at the Wraith for making it happen, and angry at himself because he couldn't help Teyla.
Elizabeth could see he needed time alone to take everything in, and whispered good-bye and walked out, Rodney at her side as John ignored everything around him. Like everyone else when they had been told, the reality hadn't hit him yet, and he wasn't looking forward to when it did.
Why? Why Teyla? Why even do this in the first place?
"John," Carson said, gently laying a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're probably overwhelmed by all this–"
"You think?"
"–but you're the only one, it seems, who can get through to Teyla. Even if you can't help her break free of the Wraith holding her, you can at least let her know we're here for her, and we're trying to find a way to help."
"Now?" John asked, trying not to show the hope in his voice. Carson smiled.
"Yes. But you're going a wheelchair, and that is not an option. You're healed enough to be awake and talking, but that's about it. Don't even think of trying to stand, either, or I swear I'll stick to many needles in you that you won't sit for a year."
20: 13
"They will not let you escape," Teyla informed the creature controlling her as she watched the marines and Ronon pace around the room. She was sitting back against the wall of the cell, and though she was able to reach through it, there was nothing and no one within reach.
"I will escape."
"Will you tell me more of what you were saying earlier? I... I am not really carrying a Wraith child, am I?"
"Yes. You are."
Teyla took a deep breath in, trying not to let her fear show to Jasper. The Wraith could feel it, though, and said slowly,
"Do not be afraid."
"How can I not be?"
"The child inside you will be mostly human. He will be accepted among your people until he is old enough for my people to take him away."
"You will not touch him," Teyla said, frowning. She already felt close to her child, and she was not going to lose him to a Wraith, not if there was anything she could do about it.
"Oh, but we will. You'll be giving birth in not quite three months. When the child can walk and talk, we will take him."
"No."
Jasper didn't speak again, and Teyla felt anger rise up beneath the fear she was feeling. She began to try and take control again.
Ronon had paused outside the cell and was looking in curiously as Teyla gripped her head tightly, trying not to focus on the pain that seemed to expand throughout her whole body as the Wraith began to lose the fight for control. Ronon was distracted, however, when the door to the holding cell room opened and John was wheeled in by Carson.
"Hey, Ronon," John said, but his eyes weren't on the taller man in the room; they went straight to Teyla.
Her head moved sharply to the side and bright green eyes stared out through the cell bars. John smirked.
"Hey, I know you're not Teyla, so would you let me talk to her?"
No answer from either Teyla or Jasper. However, bright green eyes made it a point to glare at the two guards. Neither seemed to notice or to care until John spoke up, then they turned their attention briefly on Teyla before turning to the Colonel.
"Right. Hey, Major Jones, Major Jesson, could you leave the room?" John asked, looking up briefly at the guards. They looked slightly concerned for a second, but when Ronon motioned for them to leave, they walked out.
"There. It's just you, me, Ronon and Carson. Happy? Now, will you let me talk to Teyla?"
"Why should I?"
Teyla's voice rang throughout the room, but everyone knew it wasn't her speaking.
"Because I asked nicely?" John suggested. Jasper glared at him. "No? Then how about because you owe me one for shooting me?"
No reaction until Jasper said simply, "If I let you speak to her, what exactly will you speak about?"
John sighed, running a hand through his shaggy black hair as he began to lift himself out of the wheelchair. Carson began to protest, but Ronon shook his head and the doctor backed off. John, finally standing on his feet, walked over to the cell and stood beside it, using the bars to hold himself up.
"I'd tell her exactly what I came here to tell her. And I know she can hear me. Most of us have been through this... this thing, where we get controlled by something or other, and all of us know what's it's like not to be able to do anything when you're hurting your friends."
John paused and winced at the pain that still flashed slowly through his body.
"I'd tell Teyla that none of this was her fault, and she'd better believe me when I do say it. Shooting me wasn't her fault, and neither was anything else that happened. I'd tell her that we're going to get her out of this, no matter what, and that we're all here for her."
Silence followed, and before John could open his mouth to speak again, a soft voice filtered through the air.
"J-John?"
"Teyla? Is that you, or your evil twin?" John asked, almost too afraid to hope.
"It is me. What is happening?"
He didn't know why, but he believed her. He said, "I think your evil twin is gonna let you talk to us for a bit."
"Teyla, love, how do you feel?" Carson asked, moving closer to the cell. He pushed the wheelchair forward, and motioned for John to sit down. He collapsed happily into the chair that was offered, closing his eyes as he tried to catch his breath again.
"I feel fine, Doctor Beckett," she said slowly. Then, looking toward the ground, she said, "Is it true? Is the child I'm carrying a Wraith?"
She didn't know, nor care, if either of the men in the room knew that she was pregnant, but from the lack of surprise on their faces, she knew that John and Ronon already knew both that she was with child, and that the child was part Wraith.
Beckett nodded slowly. "Aye, lass, it is. I'm sorry."
Teyla touched her hand to the cell door; her fingers reached straight through the force field and touched John's fingers, which were still holding onto the cell bars. He smiled at her and their eyes locked for a few seconds before Teyla turned back to Carson.
"Jasper told me that my child would be mostly human. Is there any way to know for sure?"
"I could do an ultrasound, but I don't think you're far enough along to really know."
To anyone watching, it would seem that she was taking the news rather well, but she was struggling with everything she believed in on the inside. She hated the Wraith; and even though she'd only known of her child for a little over three days, she knew that she she would never harm him.
Smiling, Teyla added, "Jasper also called the baby a 'him'."
Carson sighed.
"Teyla, among your people, how long is a woman pregnant for?"
Teyla thought for a second, then said slowly, "It is usually six months. Sometimes, the babies will be born early, though, and only a small portion of them live. Unlike what is happening to me now, when one of my people is pregnant, it is quite obvious at the same point in time that I am."
"Well, from what I have been able to gather, a Wraith queen is pregnant for about an average of four months. She doesn't... expand, for lack of a better word, until the last month."
"Woah," John said, smirking. "That's an awful short time. I guess women on Earth have it bad. Athosians are only pregnant for six months, and Wraith four... man, back on Earth, it takes nine."
"Wraith can't be bothered to be pregnant for longer, I guess," Ronon added. "Too busy feeding on people."
Carson sighed. "That all aside, Teyla, given that the child will be both Athosian and Wraith, we can safely assume that you will not be pregnant for a full six months."
Teyla nodded, then she suddenly closed her eyes as she backed into the middle of the cell. She whispered, "I am losing control," and Carson immediately moved John's wheelchair away from the cell. They watched as Teyla slowly moved to sit on the ground; her eye snapped open and they were green again.
John asked curiously, "Why did you allow us to talk to her? You hate us, and you know we sure as hell hate you."
The Wraith gave John an exasperated look and then said, "I cannot stay in control all of the time. She is strong."
"Oh. I see. Well, Teyla," John said, "I know you're in there somewhere, and we'll be back. Hang on, all right?"
He smiled at her as Carson began to move his wheelchair out of the holding cell again. Ronon called the guards back inside, and Jasper took her place in the corner of the cell again, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head low.
3:21
Ronon was pacing tiredly by the time it was mid-morning. He looked over into the cell, but wasn't surprised to see Teyla was not sleeping. He sat down on the ground, fully out of her reach, and said slowly,
"Jasper, huh?"
She turned to look at him, but as soon as he saw her eyes, he knew it was Jasper and not Teyla.
"Yes. That is my name."
Silence. Ronon glared at her and she glared back.
"Why my friend? Why Teyla?"
"Because she is the only one who can help us," Jasper said simply, preparing to turn away from Ronon again. He reached out and shot the cell wall; it bounced harmlessly off of the field, but it got Jasper's attention.
"We hate you and your kind. If we knew that that Wraith kid wouldn't kill Teyla if we killed it, it would be dead in a heartbeat. Not everyone agrees with me. Some are stupid enough to think it should live, that, if we raise it right, it won't one day feed on us. So, just because you are having reproductoin problems, you think you can impregnate my friend with a Wraith?"
"Yes. Because she has out DNA within her cells, she is the only one who can help."
Ronon smirked. "Right. And if the Ancients were having reproduction problems, because Sheppard has their DNA, they would impregnate him?"
Jasper sent Ronon an amused glance. "Teyla is surprised that you seem to care so little for the child she is carrying. She is surprised at how much hate you carry for it."
"I don't care. I hate you, and I hate that kid."
With that, Ronon walked off and continued his pacing. Jasper turned away from him and sat in the middle of the room, her arms around her legs and her eyes concentrating ahead of her.
"Why do you not say things like that to me?" Jasper asked Teyla, nodding her head toward Ronon. "Do you not hate me?"
"I have hated the Wraith since I was old enough to be taught what you do. You kill people; you steal loved ones away and you tear apart homes and lives. I hate you with everything that I am."
"Yet you do not seem to hate the child within you."
"I do not know how I can love him, but I do know that he has done nothing to me, or my people. He is not my enemy, but because he is like my enemy, I am not sure that I can give him the love every child deserves."
"You hate all Wraith, do you not? Even the Wraith who have never touched your home or your loved ones. How is this child any different? If you hate the Wraith you have never met, how can you not hate the Wraith within you?"
Teyla was silent for a minute, then she said slowly, "I will not hate him because he will never be like you. I swear, with everything I am, that if I have no choice but to give birth to this baby, then he will never even know who he is. He will be mine, and he will be taught to hate you all."
They were both silent after that; Teyla slowly slipped into sleep and Jasper did, too, having no choice but to give into the need for sleep that was overcoming the body of the human she was controlling.
And in her dreams, Teyla cried.
NOTE: What do you think: If they had the choice to kill the Wraith baby, would you want them to kill it, or not? And the baby Wraith/Athosian is going to be a boy, but name suggestions? Anyone? (Crickets chirp) Or not...
NOTE 2: Please do not fill any reviews you might send with questions. I will not answer any of them in review replies, but I will answer them all soon in the story. Questions like: Why is the baby mostly human? And, Why are the Athosians only pregnant for 6 months? are being asked a lot, and they will be answered in the story if you stick around long enough! But I will not answer any questions until they are answered in the story.
Please Review!