.
And the next few days were just as fun filled. They hadn't done as much hiking because Julia really wasn't up for long walks. But she insisted she could make it up the hill path to Asticou Gardens even though David had offered to drive her. She had been there one time before and remembered how beautiful it was.
It took them a bit longer than normal as the manicured trail was steep in a few spots but they allowed Julia to rest along the way and finally made it to the flower-filled area and small house that stood guard by it.
Teyla was duly impressed and asked many question about the enormous variety of plants that were housed in the gardens. John spent most of the time following TJ around and leading him in and out of the gigantic carved doors that were set in the high wooden walls that surrounded the place. TJ wasn't really all that interested in the flowers. John had to admit that as beautiful as it was, he wasn't really into flowers either.
Teyla and Julia insisted they get lots of pictures of all of them in front of the landscape and John and Dave took turns while the others posed. John would admit the place was definitely photo worthy. He knew he would love the reminder when they got back to Atlantis.
Teyla and Julia had also insisted they take TJ into downtown Bar Harbor while John and Dave did some serious climbing. They had been talking about the different places they'd hiked when they were kids and The Precipice had been mentioned.
"Remember the year we went and got stuck in a thunder and lightning storm," John pulled up the memory.
Dave nodded and his eyes filled with laughter. "Oh, yeah. And Dad forbid us from telling Mom about all the water that was running down the side of the cliffs while we were attempting to climb up. There were more than a few times I thought for sure one of us was going to pitch right over the edge."
At the curious looks from Julia and Teyla, John filled them in, "The Precipice is a thousand foot vertical climb up with metal rungs and small ledges. Not really for the faint of heart. But Dad insisted we do it every year from the time we were old enough."
"I old enough, Daddy?" Torren asked wistfully, his eyes wide and excited.
"No, Pal, a few more years at least," John told him. "But I promise when you're older, I'll definitely take you up."
"Do you wish to climb it this year, John?" Teyla asked knowing John had been keeping their actions limited due to her condition. "Julia and I could take Torren into town while you and David did your climb. I was intrigued by the quaintness of the village and would love to explore it further."
"That means shop, John," David piped in. "You know that don't you."
John smirked at Dave's words. "Well, I can't really complain about Teyla shopping too much as we aren't real convenient to a mall where we live. You interested, Dave?"
Before Dave could answer, Julia interrupted. "Is this place dangerous?"
Both John and Dave shook their heads and Dave replied, "It's a tough climb and not for beginners or idiots who are fooling around but no, it's not dangerous."
"Unless you climb it in pouring rain with thunderstorms," muttered John not quite under his breath.
Dave's eyes twinkled with glee. "Yeah, but you sprained your ankle that time and still managed to finish the hike."
John's mouth twisted. "I thought Mom was gonna have a cow when she saw how swollen my ankle was but Dad just brushed it off and said I needed to be tough to survive in life."
"Yeah," Dave agreed. "But you know Dad was really proud of you that time for not giving up and not even complaining once."
John narrowed his eyes. "What good would it have done me anyway? It's not like I could have just sat down and refused to go on. We were on a stinkin' cliff. And you know Dad wouldn't have put up with any whining anyway."
"You're right," Dave acknowledged. "But I overheard him telling Mom later how great you'd been. Mom had been pretty upset about your ankle but Dad said that you were a tough kid and you had guts and resilience. He said he liked how tenacious and determined you were and it would get you far in life."
Teyla saw the uncomfortable feeling settle over John that he usually got when he realized his father had truly loved him and thought well of him. It was so foreign to him after so many years of believing his father thought him worthless.
And to shake off the awkward feeling John gave a wry smile and said, "Yeah but that only lasted until that determination was used to get my own way instead of his." But he smiled nonetheless and Teyla could sense that John was pleased with the new information.
Dave and John made plans to go the next day as the weather was supposed to be clear. "It's a good thing Mom never saw the signs that said you shouldn't climb it in inclement weather and that people had died up there." John grinned at Dave as he said this and his brother shot him a venomous look.
"Seriously, John," Dave reprimanded and threw a look at Julia who seemed like she was about to forbid him to go. "You did want to go, didn't you? I may not be allowed now that you shot off your big mouth."
"They will be fine, Julia," Teyla assured her sister-in-law. "I have faith in John. And I have seen him climb the outside of the central tower of Atlantis and there are no handholds or rungs on that."
John was glad Julia had relented as he and Dave had enjoyed the climb immensely. John had been surprised that Dave hadn't had any problems but he claimed his weekly racquetball game kept him in shape. John had just snorted his opinion of that.
They had gone back to the cottage for a quick bite and a shower then had met the women by the bandstand in the Village Green. As they walked in and out of the numerous stores, John almost wished they had taken a little longer on the trail.
In Cool As A Moose, John had taken TJ downstairs to see all the toys and gag gifts while Teyla picked out some sweatshirts and other souvenirs on the crowded main floor. TJ thought much of the stuff was pretty cool but when he saw one item he was very confused.
"What this, Daddy?"
John laughed when he saw what TJ was looking at. "It's moose poop."
TJ's horrified face had John laughing and explaining. "It isn't really moose poop, Teej. It's really chocolate but it's a joke pretending to be moose poop. We should get some," John said his eyes lighting up. "Who do you think we should give it to?"
Torren got thoughtful for a few seconds then his eyes also lit up. "Maybe Unta Wodney. You thint he lite moose poop?"
John roared at TJ's thinking. The boy was getting more and more like him every day. It was so hard to remember they weren't biologically related.
"That's a great idea. Although maybe not for a wedding gift. I'm not sure Auntie Jen would appreciate moose poop for a present."
They picked some up and paid for it and Torren made a great show of letting his mother know what they had bought. Teyla just rolled her eyes at her husband and gave a great sigh.
As the women continued looking through every store, John and Dave had gone to Agamont Park at the end of the street near the harbor and thrown a football they had purchased at Sherman's Book and Stationery. TJ had joined them as his tolerance for being in stores was on the same par as the men and he had been with the women most of the day.
After a while John noticed Teyla and Julia had come to the park too and settled themselves on a bench in the shade. He waved at them as Dave threw him the ball and allowed himself to be tackled by TJ. He heard the tinkle of Teyla's laugh and a warm feeling filled him as he glanced over at her enchanted face. He wasn't sure how he had survived so long without her.
It hit him right then that she was so much a part of him now he didn't think he'd be able to survive without her in his life. And that thought was mind-shattering. He'd never relied on someone so much, certainly not for his very existence. But he knew it was true. Teyla, TJ and now this new baby girl were his whole life, such a part of him; he'd wither away if something ever happened to them. It was a scary thought.
The football flew his way again and Dave's shout had John looking up only to have the ball bounce off the side of his head. Good thing it was a soft kid's football or it could have done some serious damage, John thought as he picked up the ball and flung it gently so Torren could catch it.
He felt some humor flow through him and looked up to see Teyla shaking her head with a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. But he also knew she was aware of his thoughts right before the ball had hit him. She placed one hand on her heart and puckered her lips to send him a kiss. John appreciated the gesture but knew he'd never return it in public. It just wasn't his way. Doing that romantic, mushy stuff in front of Dave and Julia was pushing it for him.
So he nodded and smiled and sent Teyla loving thoughts that he knew she would easily interpret. He also knew she was aware of how much she meant to him but that public affection wasn't really his thing. And she was okay with it as long as he gave her the affection in private. And he was more than happy to do that.
A little later everyone started feeling hungry and so they decided to go to Galyn's which was right across the street from the park. It was still early for the dinner crowd but John knew TJ hadn't had a nap all day and he'd be too grumpy to eat any later than this.
They were led upstairs, away from the bar and settled in a nice booth with TJ in a booster seat on the end. Menus were studied and meals ordered then they just sat and chatted while they waited for their food. Teyla noticed that John was still so relaxed even with his brother here. That was not always the case.
Even though the two men had certainly become closer and come to terms with their past problems, Teyla often sensed John's uneasiness around his brother, like he was waiting for something to go wrong. She hoped it never did. She knew the importance of family and wanted John to always have this link to his. And she very much enjoyed Julia's company, their relationship becoming much more like sisters with every moment together.
Their food had just been served and John was digging into his Seafood Grill when a man and a small boy, perhaps a few years older than Torren, cautiously approached the table.
"Excuse me, I'm so sorry to interrupt your dinner," the man apologized as the child gazed at John with wide eyes. "But you're Colonel John Sheppard, the Military Commander of the city of Atlantis, aren't you?"
John's smile turned crooked as it always did when he was embarrassed. He gave a small nod. "Yeah."
The man put his hand on the boy's shoulder and explained, "My son is such a huge fan and has a really bad case of hero worship. I couldn't believe when he pointed you out and said you were sitting over here. If it's not too much trouble I was wondering if he could get an autograph and maybe I can get a picture of him with you."
John looked at the child and swallowed his awkwardness. "What's your name?"
The child's eyes opened even wider now that John had spoken right to him. "Ryan."
John put his hand out and waited for the boy to lift his to shake. "Hi Ryan. It's nice to meet you … and your Dad. This is my family."
John pointed across the table first. "This is my brother, Dave and his wife Julia. And this is my wife Teyla and my son TJ. We're here on vacation. Are you on vacation, too?"
The boy bobbed his head up and down in complete disbelief and John wondered how celebrities did this all the time. He would absolutely hate it.
The boy's father must have realized they were taking him away from his meal and so placed a small piece of paper in the boy's hand along with a pen. Then he pulled out a camera.
John took the pen and paper and scribbled his name after writing the boy's name first. Then he handed them back. He pulled the boy up next to where he was sitting on the edge of the bench and smiled at the man with the camera. A flash went off and the man thanked him profusely.
"You don't know how much this means to him. Or it will once he gets over his shock at seeing you. Thank you again and I'm so sorry to have interrupted your meal."
"Don't worry about it. It's fine," John assured him and turned back to pick up his fork. He started pushing food into his mouth and he could feel Teyla's sympathy flowing in his direction. She knew he hated being the center of attention. This connection he had with her was definitely getting stronger all the time. He could now sense her when she had strong emotions even without deep concentration.
He glanced briefly at his brother but noticed Dave was purposefully looking away and chatting with Julia. Dave was also aware of John's dislike of being singled out.
TJ, on the other hand, was a bit confused and not so tactful. "Daddy, why a man tate your picha?"
John gave a silly grin and answered, "I don't know, Pal. Maybe it's because I'm just so handsome, you know."
Torren shook his head and giggled. "You so silly, Daddy." But it got his attention away from what had happened.
But for the rest of the meal John felt like all eyes were on him. He tried to ignore it but he actually caught a few people staring occasionally. Of course it wasn't every day someone asks another person for an autograph and a picture. He hoped these people didn't really know who he was and were simply trying to figure out what he was famous for.
But apparently the wait staff had figured it out or asked the man who had taken the picture because all of a sudden they couldn't do enough for them and began addressing him as Colonel Sheppard. It made John distinctly uncomfortable even though they were extremely pleasant.
When dinner was over and John was just finishing up his Irish Coffee, he set a freshly wiped down TJ on the floor. The boy wandered around the room but wasn't bothering anyone so John let him walk. He'd been sitting for over an hour in the booster seat.
TJ wandered near a table with a family and a little girl who appeared a similar age and with his usual exuberance said, "Hi! You on vatation here? We on vatation."
John was about to call him back and make sure he wasn't bothering the people when he saw the man snarl at his son and say, "Get away from her and go back to your own planet, you freak."
John pushed himself out of the booth and was at TJ's side just as his eyes welled up and his lip jutted out. He scooped him up and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "Hey, Pal, let's head back over here, okay?"
But the tears had already started flowing and TJ was not one for being subtle. "Why he yell at me, Daddy?"
John glared at the man and almost felt sorry for his wife as she stared at him aghast. Hopefully for what her husband had said and done. But he just held TJ close and explained, "Some people are just plain ignorant TJ and they have no clue what they're talking about."
Teyla had approached by this time and taken TJ in her arms and back to the table where Julia and Dave were getting up to leave. John glared at the man and softly growled, "You get a kick out of making kids cry? You must be so proud."
He turned away but froze when he heard the guy snarl again, "It's bad enough you bring aliens back to this planet but interbreeding, that's an atrocity." And John could see that the man was staring at TJ and Teyla's enlarged stomach.
John clenched his fists and his jaw tightened but he saw that Teyla was taking a still sobbing Torren down the stairs with Julia, and Dave was standing behind him, waiting to see what he would do. He glanced at the man's family and roughly said, "You're lucky your family is here right now."
John felt Dave's hand on his shoulder and they both moved away. John stopped to throw some bills on the table for a tip and took the small slip Dave had picked up to look at as they walked down the stairs too.
At the front desk John pulled out more money for the bill but the hostess must have gotten wind of what had just happened upstairs and apologized extensively.
"I am so sorry about that, Colonel Sheppard. We can ask him to leave."
John shook his head and interrupted, "You're not responsible for the idiocy of your customers."
The woman tried to refuse his money but John just dropped the money on the counter and walked out, looking for Teyla.
"You okay, John?" Dave questioned from right behind him on the sidewalk. "I wasn't sure if you were going to pop the guy one. I'm not sure I wouldn't have done it myself if he had talked to my child that way."
John took a deep breath and noticed that Teyla and Julia had gone back over to the park across the street. Teyla was sitting on a bench rocking TJ in her arms. Julia was stroking his head and trying to tickle him. John heard a familiar giggle and sighed with relief. It was a good thing TJ got distracted so easily.
John looked at his brother who was still staring at him with concern. "I'm okay. And yeah, the urge to snap that guy's neck was very strong but his wife and kid were sitting there so I didn't. They have enough problems having to live with someone like him as it is. Sometimes it's just better to walk away."
Dave clapped John on the back and they crossed the street where John hauled TJ onto his shoulders and announced, "You know, it's a little bit of a walk to where we parked the cars. I'm thinking maybe we could stop and get something to help us make it all the way there."
TJ held on to John's head and leaned down. "Donuts?" he whispered hopefully to his Dad.
"Nope," John said. "Ice cream. There's a place right across from the Village Green that my Mom always insisted we had to go to. Anyone else up for it?"
The women groaned at how full they were but then admitted maybe they could manage a small scoop since they hadn't gotten dessert at the restaurant. TJ bounced on John's shoulders and John had to hold especially tight to his legs as the boy sang, "Ice team, ice team, we gettin' ice team."
They made their way slowly through the crowded sidewalks and it took almost ten minutes before they got to CJ's. There was a line as usual but John and Dave also knew that the workers inside were extremely organized and quick and the line moved fast.
They found an empty bench across the street and decided to eat there before heading to the car. By the time TJ had finished his small scoop and had as much of the chocolate ice cream as possible removed from his face, he seemed to have forgotten all about the disagreeable situation that had happened at the restaurant.
John was still steamed and had truly wanted to punch the guy out but knew he wouldn't have been any better than that guy if he had done anything to him in front of his wife and child. It didn't make it any easier to swallow though that there were people on this planet who were xenophobic and felt the only way to protect themselves from their fear was to attack people like Teyla and TJ, either physically or verbally.
He thought about Armstrong and realized the man had been similar in his thoughts about Teyla and him having a relationship. And Armstrong had lived in the Pegasus Galaxy! It was astonishing to him that the man had agreed to go to another galaxy feeling the way he did about aliens.
But Armstrong was old news and couldn't bother him anymore. Right now he needed to concentrate on making sure that Teyla and TJ had a great time while on Earth. He hated the idea of hiding them away from the public but he hoped they wouldn't run into any more people like the man tonight.
Teyla finished her last bit of ice cream and leaned against John's shoulder. "Everything is fine now, John," Teyla assured him. "You must not worry about what happened. Torren and I are fine. We have you here with us and that is all we need to be happy."
John thought about what she'd just said and he knew it was true. He was always amazed at how wise Teyla was. Yes, he, Teyla and TJ had each other and that was the one true ingredient for happiness.
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xoxoxoxoxoxox
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