Author's note: Hey all! Next chapter's up! Hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it, and thanks for all the reviews!
Disclaimer: I have so many offside's to so many different realms of TV, book, and movie. Just know: I don't own any of them!
The Fifth Night
Elizabeth woke up with the morning light streaming through her room's window. She had never noticed before how the light filtered in; every Lantean window was made up of different kinds of clear crystal so that the window appeared like glass. However, when the light hit the window at just the right angles, different colors leaped from the slatted crystals like light through a prism. It had a lovely effect on the room, brightening up the gray-bronze-teal utilitarian interior decor. Elizabeth watched it contentedly for a while, happy not to move. She felt extremely comfortable; she was neither too hot nor too cold, and her bed felt almost like a cloud. She snuggled deeper into her covers and sighed... then winced as the deep intake of breath that felt like a million pins had just jabbed her airways. She was focusing on shallower breathing when her door chimed.
"Come in," Elizabeth called, wincing again when her lungs twinged.
"Morning!" Sheppard entered her room carrying a tray of food. "Got some breakfast for you."
Elizabeth smiled at John, then sat up. She moved too quickly though, and her head swam. She blinked back the dizziness, and the world finally came back into focus. John had set her tray down on a table nearby and had sat down on the edge of her bed, holding her upright.
"Are you alright?" John asked, his worried hazel eyes meeting her green ones. "You faded out there for a moment."
"I'm fine," she muttered, feeling like an idiot. Man, she hated feeling helpless! "Must be the meds Carson has me on."
John looked away and grinned; that sounded like his Elizabeth. "Must be," he replied mildly.
After a couple of moments, Elizabeth's brain fully registered that she was practically lying in the arms of her second in command. Her face turned red as a beet in embarrassment, though to her surprise John didn't seem to find this... awkward. Elizabeth squirmed, then broke the silence by asking, "what time is it?"
John looked at his watch and answered, "08:00. Oh, I've got to hurry; I've a mission briefing in a half hour." He then slowly eased out from behind Elizabeth and began busying himself with her tray.
"A mission briefing? I thought we were on stand-down for Christmas."
"We are," John replied. "Teyla wants to use the gate to accomplish a trade mission today. There's a special ceremony tonight honoring the elders; it happens every fifth-night, and Teyla needs some supplies. Supposedly they do this thing every year, and the people they trade with are ready for them."
Elizabeth nodded in comprehension. John brought her tray over to her, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Your breakfast, my lady."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes playfully and studied the contents of the tray. There was a big cup of medication (Carson must have had a field day in the pharmacy that morning), as well as a fruit cup and a bowl of what appeared to be oatmeal. Though it was akin to hospital food, the cook at the commissary always tried to add something extra special to make up for the lack of home cooking. "Cinnamon oatmeal," Elizabeth said after a moment. "The cook seems to be favoring that spice lately."
"It's because it's Christmas," John remarked. "And besides, it's the only spice he ever seems to use. I shudder to see what spices he'll use once his cinnamon supplies run out!"
Elizabeth grinned. "Maybe we'll have to go on a trading mission to get some more."
"Maybe. But Rodney wouldn't go for it; he can't stand for what the Pegasus galaxy passes as cinnamon. Oh, and that reminds me; Rodney should be visiting you in a couple of hours."
"Really?"
"Yep. I've made you a schedule of morning and afternoon visitors for each day, so that you don't get bored. Remember, you are on bed rest. You are not allowed to get out of bed for anything!"
Elizabeth scowled. "John, you don't have to treat me like a child! I know what bed rest is. Besides, there are some things I'll have to get out of bed for!"
John grinned his impish smile. "Granted," he said mischievously, "but you don't leave this room. Remember, I have eyes everywhere... and I'll know if you do!" He then turned and walked out the door, leaving Elizabeth with a tray full of oatmeal and a pile of pills.
"Thanks for the breakfast," Elizabeth called after him, and John grinned again. He was so happy Elizabeth was feeling better that he did not know how he'd be able to keep his face neutral throughout the day.
oOo
The next encounter with Teyla grounded John a bit. The mission briefing had gone fine, and in ten minutes Teyla and Ronon were off-world, visiting the Seren people. A scant ten minutes later they had returned, Teyla looking extremely upset and Ronon looking... well, like Ronon.
"What happened?" asked Sheppard curiously.
"Major Sheppard, they do not have our supplies," Teyla said with a scowl. "In fact, they sold our order to the Geni, of all people!"
John nodded sympathetically, and racked his brain trying to think of what Teyla had gone off-world for. He knew it had been said in the mission briefing, but he couldn't remember what she had wanted. He didn't know how Elizabeth had done it all these years. How on earth did she keep everything straight?
"You had gone for..." John began lamely.
"Terrinian Fruit! Don't you remember! Terrinian Fruit is needed for tonight; we always gift our elders with it. It is a way to let them know we love them; since there are so few of them, the gesture is always respected. And now our crate of fruit was sold!"
John blinked, feeling a little out of the loop. "Can't you buy it someplace else?"
Teyla's eyes narrowed in range. Ronon shook his head and answered back, "Usually, it's reserved for royalty."
Teyla scowled. "We give Serenans a portion of our furs in return for a crate of this fruit; it is grown only on Seren. How dare they sell it to the Geni! They have broken a pact going back for generations!"
John frowned. "Did they tell you why they sold it?" he asked.
Teyla looked as if she were contemplating murder. "They said it was because the Geni demanded it of them, and they knew if they were to tell them they were selling it to Lanteans they wouldn't get paid for it. So they sold all they had. Or so they say; Serenans always lie for better prices anyway." Teyla suddenly blinked, as if an epiphany had come to her. "Say, isn't Elizabeth a negotiator?" she asked.
"NO!" John exclaimed forcefully. "Don't even go there!"
Teyla drew back for a minute, startled by his outburst. "My apologies; I was not thinking at the moment," she stated softly. "It's just that this fruit is symbolic to my people; it's a sign that we respect our elders and we give them the best we can offer."
John nodded in understanding, his hackles smoothing. Teyla had not meant anything mean by her statement; she was just concerned for her people. Like usual. John sighed and studied the face before him. Teyla. She was such a flexible person; always willing to make do with whatever could be found. Would she make a concession for this as well? John sighed and thought hard. What could his world offer hers? And then suddenly, and idea came to mind.
oOo
"It was once only allowed to be eaten by royalty," John stated holding up a raw pineapple. He was pleased with himself; he may not be able to remember a trading mission briefing, but he could remember the facts of a Dole pineapple commercial. "It's the official fruit of welcome, and plays a unique part in our culture back home."
Teyla picked up the fruit and sniffed it experimentally. "It smells nice," she said after a moment. "May I ask how you acquired this fruit?"
"The last time the Dadelus came by, they brought supplies for Christmas dinner. Usually, ham and pineapple are cooked together."
Teyla frowned slightly. "Won't I then be taking this away from your people?" she asked.
John frowned slightly. "How many elders do your people have?"
"Three."
"Three! No worries then, here!" John hefted two more pineapples through the air; Ronon caught them deftly. "The cook'll never notice they are gone!"
oOo
True to John's word, Rodney appeared at ten o'clock sharp. "Hi, Elizabeth," he stated, walking through her door as if doorbells hadn't been invented. "Ready to begin?"
"Begin what?" Elizabeth asked a little breathless. She had taken a shower between breakfast and Rodney's arrival, and had barely had time to get dressed. Lesser oxygen intake was not an asset when one was trying to hurry.
"Begin a rudimentary study of Advanced Calculus," Rodney replied.
Weir blinked.
Rodney put several books down on the corner of her bed and pulled through her door a whiteboard on wheels; not unlike the ones that adorned all the labs. "You are always saying that you are interested in our work and want to know more about it. Well, here is your chance! I've decided to give you a basic beginners course, and I hope it is not too elementary; I hardly ever know where to begin when teaching but I am figuring you took all the basic maths and have the foundation to go deeper... so if we hit something you've already seen, just let me know."
Weir blinked again. Though she was the expedition head, she was a linguist, a negotiator, and a political scientist; not a mathematician. The highest math she had ever gotten to was pre-calc in college... and that was a long time ago. But Rodney looked so excited... that Elizabeth didn't have the heart to stop him.
Rodney took Elizabeth's silence to mean she was listening. He turned to write on the whiteboard an equation that had more letters in it than numbers. "It's great, isn't it?" Rodney stated after a moment. "This is a beauty of a problem!"
Elizabeth nodded in agreement at Rodney's quick over-the-shoulder glance, then yawned. She was very tired; Carson must have put some sleeping pills in with her medication or something, just to ensure she stayed where she was meant to be. Either that, or her body was damaged more than she thought it was. "I'll close my eyes for just a moment," she thought to herself as Rodney hammered out the equation. "I don't think he'll notice... or if he does, he'll just wake me up with an indignant, 'hey!'." With that, Elizabeth slipped into sleep.
She woke up to Rodney's droning voice, and sat up slowly. Apparently Rodney hadn't even noticed her inattention. However, the white board was covered in equations, much more than she had seen before she nodded off. Elizabeth frowned in confusion and checked the time, running her thumb over her most prized possession; her father's pocket watch.
Forty-five minutes! She had been asleep for forty-five minutes, and Rodney had not even noticed she had not been paying attention? "Rodney?" she called out.
Rodney turned, his face screwed up in concentration. "Hm? Did I loose you some steps in the progression? Which part do you need me to go back to?"
"He has to be joking," thought Elizabeth. Had he not noticed? "Rodney, it's almost eleven."
Rodney blinked and looked at his watch. "Wow, so it is! You know, time just flies when you are teaching! I used to hate teaching when they made me back at the university, but you are an excellent student. You got everything I put up there; not once did you even ask a question! Have you ever considered getting a degree in mathematics?"
Elizabeth smiled weakly. "I think I'll just stay with the job I've got now."
Rodney nodded and began to erase the board. "Whoever knew that I'd be surrounded by such secret math geeks?" he queried. "You, Sheppard... why, if the two of you had kids, they'd be math geniuses. Ah well, got to run! Feel better, Elizabeth!"
Elizabeth watched Rodney's retreating back with relief. She didn't know which to be worried about more; the fact that Rodney had gotten into such a zone that he shut out all that happened in the actual world or the fact that he though John and Elizabeth would have great kids.
oOo
Normally, Ronon sparred with John. But with John being kept busy with administrative duties, he had no one to fight with, and so he was stuck in an empty gym beating a punching bag with a stick. The war games were still going on, but Ronon hadn't joined them at the beginning. He normally would have, but he wanted to spend his time (as much as he could of it, anyway) around Teyla.
Teyla. Such a beautiful woman! Ronon had mixed feelings about her. On one hand, every time he wanted to see her he wanted to tell her how much he cared about her. On the other hand, he wanted her to be settled with John. He knew how strange that sounded, but in his mind he was still a runner. Runners were the definition of loneliness. They traveled with no one. If Teyla settled with John, she would be safe. She would have two peoples; both hers and John's. She would become an honored member of Atlantis, more honored than she already was. And Ronon knew John would always protect her, no matter what. If she ended up with Ronon... there was nothing.
Ronon gave out a savage yell and vented out his frustrations on the bag. "Who am I, anyway," he thought angrily. "The Wraith have taken away my identity! I have no people, no home, nothing to offer her. She should end up with John, she should be safe... I am nothing but a dead line." The last beat was extra hard, snapping the fighting stick in half. Ronon threw the pieces on the floor, frustrated, and moved towards the showers. He didn't want to spar anymore.
oOo
Elizabeth's afternoon went by much better with Teyla. She had brought in some Athosian tea to share, and soon the girls were leisurely sipping the slightly spicy brew and gossiping. Teyla knew all the good scuttlebutt; who was dating who, which person needed a special pep talk, which person needed an extra kick in the pants. Everyone talked to Teyla, making her not only a reliable source but a valuable one. Elizabeth smiled as she heard all the gossip, though the news sent a pang through her. She was always so busy with logistics, she had little time to notice the little things. Big things were always taken care of first, and if there was any extra time, little things came next. Often though, it was the little things that mattered more than the big things. Elizabeth just wished that she had more time to be more involved with her staff on a personal level, too. She hated being just "the boss."
"And that's the latest on who's making eyes at Lorne," Teyla finished up, smiling. "But you know who he has eyes for."
Elizabeth nodded; even to her it was no secret that Lorne "had the hots" for Dr. Heightmeyer. "And what about you?" she asked, keeping her voice light. "Anyone you are scoping out?"
"Me?" Teyla said in surprise. "Well, there are many attractive men here..."
Elizabeth grinned evilly. "Anyone especially attractive?"
True to her culture, Teyla devoted a minute to think about the question. Elizabeth waited patiently. Teyla thought on all the men she knew in Atlantis; all of them had their good qualities. But as for apparent cuteness... well, John would have to have it for cuteness. But suddenly, a memory crossed Teyla's mind. Once, she and Ronon had been hiking through the underbrush on a mission. It was early morning. He had been walking a couple of meters in front of her and had just crested the top of a hill. The morning sun had caught him on the rise, illuminating his coffee-colored skin so that he shone like a statue made out of bronze. The sight of Ronon had taken away Teyla's breath then, and it took her breath away now.
Elizabeth watched as Teyla's face seemed to darken, though it was hard to tell. However, the expression that crossed her face was easy to see; Teyla was blushing. Elizabeth smiled. "Oh, there is someone!" she exclaimed playfully. "I knew it! Who is it?"
Teyla looked over at her and shook her head into her teacup. "It's a secret," she said playfully.
Elizabeth looked at Teyla intently. "Well, what are you going to do about it?"
"Do?" Teyla exclaimed. "Why, nothing of course. I don't even think he would feel any way at all for me... we're just friends."
Elizabeth nodded, though her face had fallen. "Is he someone you hang out with a lot?" she asked quietly.
Teyla smiled. "Who here isn't?" she said seriously. "But yes, we hang out a lot. He's... interesting. Different from everyone else, and yet... we get along. We get along quite well, actually. Sometimes, it's as if he can read my mind. And... Elizabeth, what's wrong?"
Elizabeth had put her tea down, and had been staring down at the pattern on her blanket. Teyla had caught a glimpse of the saddest expression she had ever seen on Elizabeth's face, but that expression lasted only a quick moment. Elizabeth's head popped up then, and she smiled. "Nothing's wrong. Just tired, I guess. I'm glad you've found someone," she said genuinely. "It's always good to have someone who can read your mind."
Teyla nodded in agreement, though she was perplexed. Was Elizabeth sad because she didn't have anyone who cared for her like that? If she felt like that, she was sorely mistaken. The entire base cared about her... and John Sheppard in particular. The mini-revelation made Teyla smile, and she said to Elizabeth, "if I'm not mistaken, you have someone as well."
Elizabeth glanced at Teyla, perplexed. "I do?"
Teyla grinned. "Most certainly," she replied, taking a careful sip of now cold tea, "but I'm not going to spoil it for you."
oOo
The night's festivities started out with a mini-parade march to the cave. All the elders of the village, three in this case, were put into cloth carrying chairs and were hoisted onto the shoulders of the stronger adults. The children ran before them with colored streamers, their jumping and twirling resembling waves of water. John followed near the end of the procession, resplendent once again in his storyteller robes. Though he was thoroughly enjoying the nine-nights celebration, the thought of not having to get dressed up every night in the hot heavy clothes appealed to him. He smiled as Lanteans and Athosians alike fell into line behind him talking and joking; the walk to the cave was probably the most fun part of fifth-night.
Once everyone was settled in their usual places, Teyla came forward and did the elder honor ceremony, which for the first time in Athosian history concluded with the "Presentation of the Pineapple." Teyla explained the significance of the fruit to her people, and after a short explanation on why the regular Terrinian fruit was not available, the elders accepted the gift as graciously as they would have if it had been the traditional gift (though it was also funny to note that the Lantean cook's face was twisted into a pained scowl). John waited until the elders and Teyla were once again seated, and then he stepped forward onto the platform. The stage torches were lit and the lamps extinguished, making him look once again otherworldly and alien. The cave silenced, everyone waiting for the best part of the evening with baited breath.
John began.
"Up to the arrival of Queen Tala, the four had thought the mission an easy retrieval. But as the four clown look-alikes and their gray-cloaked queen scouted out through the land, they realized that their plan would have to be adjusted. Pennywise's country was vast, even though it was wasteland. Circus after circus they passed, always keeping out of view from mimes and Junior clowns alike. In this way they traveled most of the day and the night. They were unwilling to rest; the howling and screaming of the wind through the twisted metal trees made sleeping impossible. They did rest near dawn however, in a little gray cove closed in by sand-colored rocks."
"By midmorning the following day they came to a vast tent city. 'What is this place?' asked Queen Tala."
"Meredith consulted his map. 'It's a clown city, my lady. It's name is 'Cirque de Soleil.' Pennywise's keep is said to be at the center of the city.'"
"'Great, right in the dragon's mouth,' muttered the Dark Knight. 'Well, I suppose it fits. We haven't had a stroke of luck since we began this quest. How shall we proceed, my lady?'"
"Queen Tala studied the layout of the city; from their vantage point atop a hill, they could see the entire city laid out before them. 'We will need a secret way to get into Pennywise's keep,' she stated after a moment."
"The Dark Knight laughed. 'Yeah, that would be ideal. But how are we going to find a secret passageway?'"
"Queen Tala exchanged glances with her Silver Knight. 'Well, we could always ask.'"
"Bones scowled. 'What do you mean, we can always ask? Ask who?'"
"Tala looked at the ground with something appearing shame, while the Silver Knight answered. 'We have a contact; a man from long before Pennywise's time. He was our inside informant in the Clown Wars; in exchange for information, we left him alone.'"
"'And you just think he's going to honor this agreement again?' fretted Meredith."
"The Silver Knight shrugged. 'So what if he doesn't? It's five against one.'"
"The Dark Knight nodded. 'Any information is better than none. What's this Joker's name?'"
"The Silver Knight grimaced. 'The Riddler.'"
('Oh help me!' groaned Rodney from the shelf of honor. Sheppard tried not to laugh while the Athosians shot him dagger looks.)
"The Riddler's tent was an all-green colored nightmare near the edge of Cirque de Soleil. It was covered in strange black markings that looked like shepherd's crooks with little dots beneath them. A purple tent flap waved ominously in the wind, almost as if to dare entry."
"'Holy heart-attack,' stammered Meredith. 'I'm not going in there!'"
"The Dark Knight scowled. 'I'll go,' he stated, annoyed with Meredith's sudden lack of courage."
"I will accompany you.' Queen Tala replied. 'Silver Knight, will you stand guard?' She then turned to face Meredith and Bones. 'If anything goes wrong, get out of here. Find a place to hide and make for the border with all possible haste; do you understand me?'"
"The men nodded. Queen Tala turned towards the Dark Knight, and the two slipped silently through the tent."
(John smiled as he saw the Athosian children's eyes grow big. Things were definitely getting interesting now!)
"Inside, it was almost as black as pitch. Some of the walls were painted with a phosphorescent paint in the same questionable pattern as outside, making them glow with a sick green light. A form sat in the corner, and two eyes glanced towards them, glowing almost as if they were cat eyes."
"'Riddle me this, riddle me that,' the creature called the Riddler said, his voice sounding like a high-pitched snake's. 'What must one answer to get the wishes of their heart?'"
"'Your riddles,' answered Queen Tala, as if that were the answer to a ceremonial opening."
"'Are you prepared to pay the price?' the Riddler queried from his corner."
"'The price is the same as it always has been.'"
"'We are not at war now. I demand more!'"
(Teyla smiled as this train of dialogue hit home. John was, in his own way, telling her people of the trouble she had faced that day. And he was doing it in such a way that made the Seren sound despicable... it was awesome!)
"'What do you demand?' asked the Queen"
"'What may be my hearts desire? You know that, don't you? A riddle, my Queen, a riddle. One that no one can answer. Then, only then, will I let you have your hearts desire... which is what, by the way?'"
"'Shoes, ships, sailing wax... the entrance into Pennywise's keep?'"
"'Why would you desire to go there? It's no fun; Pennywise won't riddle anyone. He doesn't play nice with others.'"
"Tala rolled her eyes. 'Get me a map into his fortress, and I promise you a riddle you won't be able to solve.'"
"The Riddler snorted. 'That's highly unlikely,' he scowled. 'I am a master riddler. But, for the chance to riddle once again, I will tell you... the only way in is to fly in.'"
"Tala frowned, and the Dark Knight growled, 'Do we look like birds to you? How are we supposed to fly in?'"
"'That's your concern, not mine. But if I were you I would try the cliffs near the Quidam river; you can find a lot of flies there!'"
"The Dark Knight scowled. "'Bah! Let's be gone from this fool; he's crazy.'"
"'Mad as a Hatter!' the Riddler called out crazily. "Or perhaps a Penguin! But my payment! I demand my due! I want my riddle!'"
"Queen Tala frowned. 'Do you know a good riddle?' she whispered to the Dark Knight."
"'You're asking me now?' he exclaimed."
"The Riddler stood, his hands flying towards what appeared to be a large hook. 'Tell me a riddle now, or I will hang you over a vat of boiling acid!"
"Suddenly, the tent flap opened, and Bones stepped in, looking remarkably calm."
"'Who are you?' the Riddler queried."
"'I'm the one who couldn't help overhearing. I have the Queen's riddle. Now, here is the riddle; I will give you the question and the answer!"
"The Riddler frowned. "'If it has an answer, then it is not as good a riddle that was promised me!"
"No, laddie, you misunderstand. The riddle is trying to figure out where the answer came from.'"
"The Riddler contemplated this for a moment, then nodded. 'This will be acceptable,' he stated at last. 'What is the riddle?'"
"Bones grinned. 'The riddle is: what have I got in my pockets? The answer is: my precious! Now tell me, if you can, what these two strings of words have to do with each other at all?'"
(All the Hobbit fans in the audience were beaming with appreciation.)
"The Riddler sat down to contemplate, and the Queen, Bones, and the Dark Knight made good their escape. 'Where did you learn to riddle like that?' asked Queen Tala."
"Bones merely grinned. 'T'was from a little friend I once had; he was only about yeah big. T'was his riddle.'"
"Meredith and the Silver Knight ran up to the three, and the Furious Five were complete. They began to walk back towards the gray hills in the distance. 'Where did he tell us to go?'" asked Meredith."
"'We are to go to the Quidam River,' answered Queen Tala. At the Dark Knight's dubious look, she answered back, 'I know the Riddler may seem crazy, but he has never been wrong before. If there is any secret way into Pennywise's keep, no matter how insane it seems, we have to try it."
"The Dark Knight nodded his assent, and the five began their walk to the Quidam river, the noon sun almost warm upon their backs."
"Meanwhile, Queen Beth was standing by a window staring out at the city below her. She had been locked in a tower room with nothing but a bed, a small table, and a full-length mirror; all the better to see her transformation in. She turned from the window and gazed at her reflection, terrified by what she saw. Already the clown serum had made her skin go deadly pale, making her look like a ghost, and her eyes held a sickly glower to them." (John stopped for a moment, his parallel storytelling conjuring up the memory of seeing Elizabeth passed out on her office floor. The break in his story lasted only a few seconds, yet Teyla caught the reason why. She wondered who else did as well.)
"Her hair was worst of all, though. It grew redder in color daily; not a nice red like hair ought to be, but the florescent red of melted cherry popsicles. It curled tighter too, and frizzed into an afro the likes of which are seen only seen in sixties TV shows. Thankfully, her teeth had not grown into fangs yet, nor had her hands taken on that clawed look. However, the most disturbing changes had taken place inside. Queen Beth still knew who she was, but that life seemed more and more to her like a dream. As if it weren't real. Even scarier was the fact that puns were now hilarious! Before, Beth had just rolled her eyes at puns. Now, it was as if they were the funniest things in the world. And worst of all... Beth had started to wonder if humans really tasted as good as everyone else believed they did. Every servant in the keep raved about the flavor of freshly caught human, and for the first time in her life Beth felt she was willing to try it."
"'NO!' she screamed in her mind as the desire to loose control, to let go, to give herself up to the clown came over her. 'NO! I will be rescued! I have to believe this! The Dark Knight will save me!' She turned her head fiercely away from the mirror and glanced back out onto the gray land. 'Dark Knight, hurry,' she thought uneasily. 'With all possible speed. For I think my time is running short; I feel as if the transformation will be complete... at dusk tomorrow.'"
The Athosians clapped, and all around there were polite well-wishes flung John's way. Rodney's outburst gained even more condemnation during this time. John himself was quite shocked; for the first time, Rodney seemed contrite! It was as if he actually cared that he had annoyed someone, as if he cared that he had spoiled the fun. Maybe there was hope for him yet. John didn't hold a grudge at him either, and by the time the jumper was packed back up Rodney was back to being his usual old self. John smiled as he piloted the jumper over the starry-night sea. His team was sitting closer together, Teyla and Ronon looked as if they were content just to be near each other. Rodney looked almost comfortable, and the rest of the scientist and soldier personnel were mingling, discussing life, the universe, and everything.
"Stories bring people together," Teyla stated as she caught John's pensive glance.
John grinned back at her. "They do indeed," he said quietly. "And it's a good thing to see."
