Title: Harvest Moon

Series: Stargate Atlantis

Theme: Drama /Romance

Characters: Teyla & (Kanaan/John); Cast of SGA, SG-1

Rating/Warning: R/Sexual Situations/Language

Summary: John could understand Teyla's wish for privacy, but there were some instances when it was better not to be alone and this was one of them.

Links: http:/devinem27 dot livejournal dot com

Chapter 7: Hindsight

John held Teyla close to his chest and slowly began to move. She wrapped her arms around his neck and followed his lead. They moved well together, a byproduct of years of practice. He gradually increased his pace and then suddenly stopped. Teyla looked up panting softly.

"What's wrong?"

He hesitated.

"Just give me a second."

Nearly a full minute passed.

"John?"

He shrugged.

"I can't remember."

Teyla heaved a sigh of frustration and pulled away.

"John, the celebration is in three days."

He frowned.

"I know it's in three days. Why do you think I've spent my afternoons here for the past week? To play bingo? No! I'm representing Atlantis at the celebration and dancing with you as a sign of our allegiance. Though, I really don't see why I should bother because Kanaan is going to kill me the moment I lay a hand on you."

Teyla glanced up from the corner of her eye and teased.

"You're afraid of Kanaan?"

John glared at her.

"No, I'm not afraid of Kanaan. What I am afraid of is that I won't be able to remember which way to turn after the second rotation and look like a complete idiot. Now, is it the right or the left?"

She tried not to laugh.

"The left."

"Thank you."

John pulled her back into his arms and began again, this time completing the dance without any errors. When they bowed to each other signaling the end of the dance Torren bounced up and down in his play pen and cheered. They laughed at him and made their way to the bench. John slouched beside Teyla and took a swig from his water bottle.

"How'd everything go with the move?"

She leaned back against the wall.

"Very smoothly, with such a small harvest this year my people were able to easily pack up the village and move without any complications. The additional help from off world made it possible to complete the move in only two trips. Everyone has settled into their new homes and are trying to find ways in which they can contribute to the community. All seems to be well."

John sighed.

"Good. Your people deserve some peace after what's happened. I'm happy for them."

Teyla smiled.

"Thank you, John. I will be sure to convey your words to the others."

They sat in companionable silence resting after their hour of dance practice. Teyla lifted Torren onto her lap. He smiled and gently patted her on the cheek, but within seconds wiggled down and toddled over to John. She watch as John sat him on his lap and began a mostly one sided conversation. Teyla smiled. She'd missed Torren. He'd visited with his father last week. A total of three weeks had passed since Kanaan's refusal to return to Atlantis. The first week had been a difficult one. She'd missed him horribly and so had Torren. Without his assistance she'd had to find someone to watch Torren while she was away and rearrange her schedule to accommodate her son's presence. Though difficult, she'd managed with the help of friends. During the second week she'd made a short trip to visit her people and allowed Torren to see his father. With her present the Council voted to relocate to Andor and began preparations for the move. It wasn't until later that Kanaan approached her and made his request for Torren to stay the week. Teyla had readily agreed and had hoped to speak with him more, but as soon as she'd said yes he'd turned and walked away. Earlier this week, when Teyla had gone to pick up Torren, she'd been glad to see the first sign that things had improved between her and Kanaan. Instead of kissing Torren goodbye and leaving he'd actually stayed for a brief time and talked to her. He'd only discussed the move, but still it was something, when less than a week ago he'd barely talk to her at all. Teyla had stayed on for two days, helping as much as she could with the relocation.

Teyla stretched and began packing up their things.

"You need any help."

She glanced at John over her shoulder.

"No, I'm fine."

A few minutes later she had everything packed in a carry case and reached for Torren.

John handed him over, but took the carry case from her shoulder and picked up his bottle and towel. They walked through the city and made plans to meet with everyone for lunch within the hour. They heard the initial announcement for unscheduled gate activation, but continued on knowing Control would contact them if they were needed. A few moments later John sighed as his wireless communicator activated.

"Colonel Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan, please respond."

He instantly recognized Amelia's voice and responded.

'This is Sheppard. I'm with Teyla. Go ahead Banks."

"Sir, Mr. Woolsey is requested your immediate presence in the infirmary."

He and Teyla shared a quick glance.

"We're on our way."

"Copy, Control out."

SSSSS

Richard Woolsey was just arriving when they reached the infirmary. Both looked at him expectantly, but he turned to Teyla his expression grim.

"I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It was Jinto that came through the gate. He was carrying Halling. The moment he made it through the event horizon he collapsed. There appears to have been some type of an attack, but that's all the information that we have at this time. I'm hoping he'll be able to tell us more."

Teyla ignored the feeling of dread that pulled at her gut and pushed through the doors of the infirmary, John and Woolsey followed close behind. She saw the young man sitting on the edge of the bed, but if Woolsey hadn't told her it was Jinto she wouldn't have immediately recognized him. Over the years he'd grown nearly as tall as his father and had begun to fill out, but that wasn't the reason it was difficult to recognize him. Jinto was covered in dirt and blood from head to toe and his body shivered uncontrollably. There was a long cut across the left side of his face and an open wound on his forehead. He slowly glanced up as they entered the room, his expression haunted. Teyla stepped forward and reached for his hand. He looked at her with eyes so full of pain that they brought tears to her own. Teyla gritted her teeth, trying to control her emotions. She knew it was bad, but hoped, prayed, that it was not as horrible as she imagined. But her hopes were soon destroyed as he uttered his first words.

"The Wratih."

Teyla closed her eyes against the pain. It was bad. It was the worst it could possibly be. She sighed and opened her eyes, meeting Jinto's gaze.

"Please tell us what happened."

His voice was low forcing the others to move in closer.

"Kanaan, father and I were coming back from a hunt when a small fight broke out near the edge of the forest. A man and his friend were being accused of being Wraith worshippers by a group of refugees. They'd found an active locator beacon in his belongings and were confronting him about it. Dad wanted to destroy the beacon, but they wouldn't turn it over. Kanaan said that we needed to hurry and warn the village, but they said that we couldn't. That's when we realized they were all Wraith worshippers, but that they belonged to two different sects. They turned on us."

Jinto rubbed the heel of his palms across his eyes and sighed.

"We fought, but within minutes the Darts arrived. We eventually got away, but not before Dad was stabbed in the back. Kanaan was also wounded in the leg and side."

He heard Teyla's gasp, but continued.

"And I got this."

He gestured to his face.

"We went into the forest, but couldn't get very far. Dad couldn't run and Kannan was losing too much blood. I pushed them as far as I could and when they couldn't go any further I dug three shallow graves under a bed of leaves. Dad helped me cover Kanaan. I covered Dad, then went back a ways and tried to cover our tracks, then hid as best I could. The Wraith searched all night leaving just before dawn. I waited a few more hours just to be sure. By morning Dad was unconscious, but his heart was beating, but Kanaan…."

He looked at Teyla his eyes filled with tears.

"He was cold and he wasn't breathing. He was gone. I couldn't save him. I'm sorry I-"

Teyla squeezed his hand. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"It's okay."

She whispered.

"I understand. Go on."

Jinto heaved a sigh and wiped his eyes.

"I carried Dad on my shoulder. We were so far and I wasn't steady on my feet, so I took the chance of going through the village. A couple of times I called out for help, but there was no one there. We were all that was left. When we reached the gate I dialed back to the old settlement and then I came here."

Teyla grabbed his chin and looked directly into his eyes.

"You did everything that you could. You saved your father. That is what matters. That is what's important. There was nothing else that you could do. Always remember that. There was nothing else that you could do."

Jinto nodded as the nurse returned with an infirmary gown and a thermal blanket. John asked after Halling.

"He's in surgery, sir. Dr. Keller was concerned because he'd lost so much blood and decided to operate immediately. They went in not ten minutes ago."

He thanked her for the information and they all moved aside, allowing her to pull the curtain and give Jinto a few moments of privacy. Woolsey and John talked with Teyla in the corner.

"Major Lorne already has a search and rescue team prepping to gate out within the hour."

He looked at John.

"They'll be waiting for you to lead them out."

John nodded. Woolsey turned to Teyla.

"I am sorry for what has happened to your people. If you need anything please let me know."

"Thank you, but I should go out and-"

"No."

John cut her off.

"Stay here with Jinto. We'll take a cloaked Jumper and bring back any survivors. And we will bring Kanaan home."

Teyla hugged Torren close to her chest. She couldn't speak, so she nodded her thanks. When John and Woolsey were gone she sat in a chair in the corner of the room and waited. She felt strange, numb. She knew that when the pain came it would crush her, break her in two. But for now there was only nothingness.

SSSSS

John was leaving the conference room when his wireless communicator activated.

"Sheppard?"

Ronon's voice crackled over the comm.

"Hey, where the hell did you run off to?"

John demanded.

"I'm at Teyla's. Can you swing by?"

John let out a long sigh.

"Yeah, I'm on my way."

He'd already planned to stop by and check on Teyla later that evening, but now was just as good a time as any. John headed down the corridor, making a left at the corner. The search and rescue mission had been strictly a retrieval of Kanaan's remains. They'd swept for life signs, heat signatures, anything that might indicate life. They searched the village, the forest and the mountains beyond, but nothing had turned up. The planet was a ghost town. John tried not to think of the faces, the children he'd played with, people that he'd laughed with, Kanaan. So many lives lost. He shook his head and tried to focus on what Woolsey had said. Jinto was patched up and doing fine. Halling was out of danger, but would have a long recovery. At least they had survived. Teyla wouldn't be completely alone. She and Torren would not be the last of her people.

John reached Teyla's quarters ten minutes after he'd received the call. Ronon and Rodney were in the hallway outside of her door.

"I thought you were with Teyla, not loitering in the hall."

Ronon pushed away from the wall.

"She's not responding to any of our calls."

John could understand Teyla's wish for privacy, but there were some instances when it was better not to be alone and this was one of them.

"You're sure she's in there?"

Ronon and Rodney both nodded. John knocked on the door.

"Teyla are you there, it's John."

He waited to see if she would respond. When she didn't answer he used his security code to override the lock. As the doors slid open John called out again, but she still didn't respond. The lights were dim in her quarters, but he was able to see Torren sleeping in his crib. John walked around the side of the crib and stopped short. He found her sitting on the floor with her forehead resting on her knees. When she looked up her eyes were red and her face was covered in tears. He sat beside her and gingerly placed an arm around her shoulders, but within seconds her head requested on his chest. John said nothing. He simply held her in his arms while she sobbed through the pain.

Ronon stepped out into the hall allowing the doors to close behind him. Rodney stared at him confused.

"I thought we were going to help Teyla?"

Ronon turned heading down the corridor with Rodney slowly trailing behind.

"We just did."