A/N: spoilers through The Shrine
Shield of Protection
John eased into the pilot's chair and trailed his fingers over the console. The jumper was like no other aircraft he'd ever flown – the tingle in his spine when he mentally connected to it, the power he could unleash with a thought. To be technical, all of the functions could be performed by hand, but controlling the jumper with his mind was effortless. And one hell of a rush.
He ran through preflight automatically – checking power levels, communications, weapons, supply stores – a smile playing on his lips when bickering voices echoed in the bay and boots tromped up the ramp.
"…out of spite. You know it's my favorite."
"Is it?" Ronon flashed a blue-stained grin at Sheppard. "I forgot."
"Liar." Rodney collapsed in his seat with a huff. "Ronon took the last blue jello," he grumbled.
"Perhaps not the last." Teyla handed a foil-topped plastic cup to McKay.
A shy smile crept over Rodney's face. "Thanks," he said, tucking the cup in his pack before spearing Ronon with his patented Glare of Doom. "Touch it and die."
Ronon snorted derisively then looked hopefully at Teyla. "Got anything for me?"
John turned back to the controls when Flight gave them permission to depart, not missing the swish of foil as it sailed from behind his head.
The wrapper crinkled as Ronon tore it open. "Mmm. Cherry."
The bay doors retracted, and the jumper rose and rotated on John's command, gently dropping into the gateroom.
"Pop tarts, too?" Rodney twisted in his seat. "Where are you hiding all that food?"
Amusement thickened Teyla's voice. "A woman never reveals her secrets."
The event horizon shimmered invitingly, and a little ripple of anticipation shot through John as they plunged in.
"Oh, wow."
Rodney's awed whisper spoke for them all. Jagged peaks of white and purple surrounded them, some etched sharply against a brilliant blue sky and others disappearing into a hazy mist of clouds. John banked gently to get a look behind them. The stargate hovered, hovered at the top of a stunning waterfall that fed a river which twisted through the mountain range and out of sight. Wildflowers in a riot of colors filled the valley and met the edge of a forest of teal firs that climbed the foothills.
The HUD flickered then coalesced.
"Unless this planet doesn't experience much climate change, it seems we've arrived in late spring," John said. "Time to find that outpost, McKay."
John swooped lazily through mountain peaks that made the Himalayas look like speed bumps, marveling at the sheerness of the cliffs. Not even the bravest climber would attempt these.
"Got something," Rodney announced as the HUD's display changed. "Oh, um, just ignore that. Let's see…"
Frowning, John scrolled back through the read-outs. "I thought this world was uninhabited."
"Well, the database is ten thousand years out of date. Besides, those life signs are like two hundred kilometers from here. They'll never know."
"You know our standard procedure is to make nice with the locals before we start digging through the Ancient tech on their planet."
A heavy sigh from behind caught John's attention. Ronon slumped in his chair, arms folded on his chest. "You, too, big guy?"
"Negotiating is boring."
Whining was not attractive in Satedans.
"You'd rather spend the afternoon alone with McKay exploring an Ancient lab?"
"There's an insult in there somewhere, isn't there?" Rodney huffed.
"Yes," Ronon answered. "Besides," he pulled a roll of gray tape from his coat pocket, "Zelenka says duct tape is the answer to everything."
McKay glowered at him. "You wouldn't dare."
Ronon arched a brow and smirked.
"We have not located the outpost yet," Teyla reminded them. "Perhaps the people who live here can provide information."
"That's doubtful," Rodney scoffed. "Anyway- oh, hello. What's this?"
The HUD display changed again as a flashing red dot appeared on the topography chart. John headed in the indicated direction, staring at the never-ending mountains.
"We're almost right on top of it," McKay said. "But I don't- oh, oh my."
The mountain in front of them rippled, shimmered then rearranged its peak into distinctly Ancient spires as a mini-Atlantis appeared right before their eyes. Balconies and walkways connected the buildings, but there were no open landing areas.
"Oh, that's just- just… um… yeah."
John would have teased Rodney for being speechless if he'd been able to find words himself.
"It is truly magnificent," Teyla murmured.
Ronon nodded. "What she said."
They flew over several towers including the central spire, but no obvious jumper bays opened in welcome.
"Ideas?" John asked.
"Wait, hang on, yes. Found it." McKay poked at his tablet again. "There's a docking station at the base of the far left tower."
"We should really go meet-"
"Aw, come on. You can't possibly think they have a clue this place exists."
"That's not the point, McKay. This is their planet."
"You could drop us off here then go meet those people," Ronon suggested.
Negotiations did seem to go smoother when Ronon and Rodney were occupied elsewhere. "Teyla, what do you think?"
"At the distance their settlement is from here and the fact that the outpost is not apparent unless a jumper nears, I doubt the people of this planet are aware of this place. Leaving Rodney and Ronon here would allow them extra time to explore, but we must be judicious in our questions. We would not want to be caught violating a sacred place."
"Would we be able to stay in radio contact once we get to the village?"
"We should," McKay answered. "We've made a few modifications recently, including subspace transceivers for the handhelds."
John took a moment to consider the options, trying to be objective. The past few months had really rocked his world – finding Carson, hearing the possible future from an aged Rodney, barely finding Teyla in time, almost losing Ronon, watching Elizabeth die. Again. The hopeful expression McKay was currently wearing was painfully similar to the innocent look he had developed as his mind was slowly taken from him. John knew he couldn't protect them every minute of every day, but that didn't stop him from wanting to.
He guided the jumper to the docking bay. "Fine. But no exploring until you hear from me."
Ronon kicked the back of McKay's chair, and Rodney collapsed dramatically over the co-pilot controls, grinning ear-to-ear.
After docking and lowering the ramp, John called, "You boys play nice until we get back. And," he added, "no duct taping the scientist, Ronon."
"Spoilsport."
Once they were clear, John closed the ramp and grinned at Teyla as she took the co-pilot's chair. "Let's go make some new friends."
xxx
Teyla gazed out the view port as they flew, the valley floor a smear of color beneath them. The display had shown a grouping of life signs on the far side of the foothills. She flicked a glance to her left. The muscle in John's jaw was still popping, and his white-knuckled grip on the controls had not eased. She understood the burdens of leadership, of allowing loved ones to put themselves in harm's way instead of clutching them tightly and never letting go. She also knew that the only way to ease a burden was to share it, a lesson John had yet to learn.
"Did I tell you that Torren has begun to crawl?"
"Really?" John's head bobbed from side to side, and he rolled his right shoulder. "That's terrific."
"Kanaan is thankful the doors do not open automatically."
"I bet." John chuckled and shook out his left hand, relaxing slightly. "How are things in the Athosian Quarter?"
"Not as good as I would hope," Teyla admitted. "My people are lost. We have always lived off the land, hunted and farmed. Atlantis is wondrous, but…"
"They don't know what to do with themselves?"
"Many have joined off-world teams, and Dr. Keller has graciously offered to allow our healers to assist her staff. But we have so few children that many teachers have no students, and those who performed services such as equipment repair or food preparation are no longer needed."
"Are you considering moving to a new planet?"
She sighed. "Halling and I have spent hours discussing the options. I do not see how it would be possible for us to be self-sustaining with so many of our people-" She drew in a ragged breath as a fresh wave of grief rolled over her.
"Teyla…" The corners of John's eyes pinched. "I- I don't-"
"What happened was not your fault, John," she said firmly. "Michael is the one responsible. And before you take the blame for him, remember that he chose the Athosians because of my actions. We have faced the threat of the Wraith for generations, and we have survived. We will survive this as well." She hoped she sounded more certain than she felt.
Tension seeped out of his shoulders as he gave a small nod. The HUD flickered to life, showing the life signs on the other side of the next series of foothills.
"Let's take a look at them before they see us," John said. "Engaging the cloak."
They crested the last set of small peaks, and Teyla blinked in surprise. Somehow with the grandeur of the landscape, she had expected an agrarian community like the Athosians. She found an industrial society instead. Sections of the forest had been razed, leaving huge, ugly scars in the ground. Buildings similar to ones she'd seen on Sateda and Hoff were crammed into the narrow valley, and a thick brown ceiling of haze blanketed the area, the tips of smoke stacks poking through and belching more pollution.
"And I thought LA was bad," John muttered.
Teyla was aghast. "How can do this to their land?"
"Shortsightedness, necessity, greed, apathy. Take your pick."
They circled around then dipped under the haze. Long, rectangular buildings filled city blocks, little grimy windows spaced evenly throughout. The streets were gray and made of material that reminded her of the concrete walls she'd seen at the SGC. People scurried about, heads down and shoulders hunched, never acknowledging others, ducking in doors and down alleys.
"Maybe Rodney was correct," she ventured. "Perhaps we should ignore protocol this once."
"There are more places on Earth than I can count that resemble this. It doesn't make them bad people, just… idiots. Well, that's not fair either." John rubbed a hand over his eyes. "We don't know their story."
"You are right, of course." Teyla shook her head. "I have been to other worlds with cities like this but never ones set in the midst of such beauty." She didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until the jumper broke the layer of smog. "Do you think the air is safe?"
"Safe? Not on a long term basis, but we should be fine – mostly – for the short time we'll be there. Might need Keller to scrub out our lungs when we get back though." He tossed a grin her way. "We'll definitely need a shower."
John landed the jumper in a bare spot in the forest. He cloaked the ship with the remote as they exited, and they began the short walk to the edge of the city.
"How many life signs did you register?" Teyla asked.
"About ten thousand."
"In so small a space?"
"Yeah, makes you wonder, doesn't it? This entire planet and they all hole up here."
"What do you think it means?"
John lifted a shoulder. "Don't know. Maybe it means they like living really, really close to each other."
"But you don't think so."
"Not really. They had a lot of industrial plants pumping out that crap and several logging sites. Takes a large number of people to accomplish all that."
"And if people moved away-"
"-they'd face the same problem your people are facing – too much work, not enough hands." John clicked his radio. "Rodney, Ronon, come in."
"Are you there yet?" McKay demanded.
"Entering the city now. What have you found so far?"
"You told us not to touch anything until you gave the go-ahead."
"Like you ever listen to anything I say."
"Oh, true. We've found the central control room. If you can believe this, I think this is a vacation getaway cabin, Ancient-style. You know, they never did anything small. I personally like-"
"McKay! Focus. Are there any scanners there?"
"What kind? I've got meteorology, some kind of seismic monitor, wildlife tracker-"
"A scanner that can detect us, Rodney."
"You and Teyla?"
John rolled his eyes. "Yes, me and Teyla."
"Give me a sec… Yeah, here we go. This one reads bio-signs. Plug this here and reconfigure this… Viola! One bio-scanner modified to pick up your sub-cu transmitters."
"Something wrong?" Ronon interrupted.
"Just a precaution."
"Maybe you should come get us."
"What?" McKay squawked.
"John, I believe we have been noticed," Teyla said as a box of metal on wheels turned a corner and headed toward them.
"Rodney, keep an eye on that scanner and see if there are any jumpers there. Just in case. Sheppard out."
John stood up straight, resting his hands on the stock of his P-90 as the vehicle stopped near them. Teyla adopted his stance as she positioned herself on his left. They appeared to be in a warehouse district – the buildings were short and square, and few people were about. Two men wearing the same drab tunic and pants of indefinable color as the people they had seen from the air emerged from the transport. John stepped forward with a smile.
"Hi there. I'm John Sheppard, and this is Teyla Emmagan."
The taller man, his lined face and faded hair making his age indeterminable, gripped them with a hard stare. "You are not from here."
"We are not," Teyla said. "We came to your world through the stargate." At their blank looks, she explained, "The ring that hovers over the waterfall where the river begins. In the mountains."
The men exchanged glances. The shorter man, as worn as the taller one, moved toward their vehicle and spoke into a small device while the first man said, "We have never heard of anyone but Wraith coming through the Killing Circle. How did you disable the alarm system?"
"What alarm system?" John asked.
"A machine in one of the oldest buildings broadcasts a warning when the Wraith come."
John's brows shot up. "Really. That's incredibly useful. Any idea how it works?"
"No," the smaller man said as he returned. "But this is the first time it has failed."
"Well, like you said, we aren't Wraith. Maybe your alarm only goes off for Wraith."
Teyla raised a hand as she stepped forward. "We are explorers. We mean you no harm. We are interested only in getting to know you and perhaps establishing a mutually beneficial trade agreement."
"You are heavily armed for explorers," the short man observed.
"Only for defensive purposes," Teyla replied calmly. "We have introduced ourselves. What are your names? What do you call your world?"
"Belveer," the tall man answered. "I am Colsar, and he is Setal."
"Are you the leaders of this people?"
"No," Colsar said. "If you will come with us, we will take you to them." He waved a hand at his vehicle.
"Can we walk?" John asked. "I'd like to see more of your city."
Setal almost smiled. "You could, but the governmental buildings are on the far side of the city. It will take some time to reach them on foot, and we advise against breathing the air for that long."
xxx
John cut his eyes toward Teyla, wondering if she was getting the same get the hell out now vibe he was. She gave him a tiny nod, and her hands slid slowly into position on her weapon.
"Thanks for the offer," John said, "but we have our own transportation. Just give us directions, and we'll meet you there."
Setal's comm device crackled, and a distorted voice spoke words too faint for John to hear. Whatever was said caused the man to look to Colsar in alarm.
The distrust in Colsar's face was replaced with distress. "You are in danger here. You must come with us now."
Rodney's voice suddenly boomed in John's ear. "Sheppard, you have dozens of life signs converging on your position. What's going on?"
Engines revved as four mini-armored car wannabes skidded around the corner, heading for them, and a low roar in the distance grew steadily louder.
"What the hell is going on?" John demanded.
"John, look," Teyla said.
People were pouring from side streets and buildings, their faces transformed from beaten to rabid. The cacophony of shouts drowned out the pounding of marching feet.
"The timing of your arrival is…unfortunate." Colsar drew a weapon and turned to face the mob, yelling over his shoulder to John, "If you really have a way to escape, do so now. We will hold them off as long as we can."
The crowd seemed set on the transports. The front line of the mob was crushed against the first vehicle as waves of people stormed it – screaming, kicking, slamming fists into it. Men climbed from the transport as it rocked back and forth under the onslaught. They fired their weapons into the crowd which only grew more enraged as bodies fell. With a shriek and a groan, the vehicle flipped on its side. The men fell, and the mob pounced. The attack spread to the next transport, and the melee disintegrated even further as the people turned on each other.
"Go now!" Colsar shouted as he raced toward the fighting.
Teyla's hand snagged the front of John's vest. "We must go."
He was certain she shouted it, but the noise had reduced him to reading her lips.
"What about these people? Did we cause this?"
"We cannot do anything for them. I doubt we are the cause of such violence, and we do not have the ammunition to fight."
They backed away, heading for the side street they'd entered on when they were spotted. Several men broke off from the main group and dashed toward them.
"Run!" John shouted, firing his P-90 over their heads.
The men didn't even slow down, the roar of the mob continuing to dominate. John aimed at the ground, cringing as bullets ricocheted madly from the concrete-like surface. But again, he had little success. Two men fell when they were struck in the leg, but the rest kept coming.
"Dammit! Don't make me do this!"
Bullets spit from his left as Teyla fired. Four more men collapsed. She slashed her hand fiercely at John, and he dropped to the ground as she shot where his head had been. Scrambling to his feet, he followed her down the side street nearest to them and cut over to the next. Glass rained down as windows shattered around them. A door to their left burst open, more people spilling into the street, slicing between them.
"Teyla!" John yelled, legs pumping and lungs heaving as he raced after the flow of the crowd.
He found her on the next corner, beating the living shit out of a guy with the butt of her P-90. She twirled it expertly and pointed the muzzle into his face, not flinching when a bullet chipped paint from the wall near her.
"Teyla!" John screamed.
She didn't respond, unable to hear over the riot in progress. John blessed Ronon for making him run every morning as he pounded towards her, searching for the shooter but unable to spot him in the confusion.
John wouldn't, couldn't lose one of them. He gritted his teeth and ran harder.
"Teyla!"
xxx
She turned when she heard her name, blinking at John in surprise as he barreled toward her.
"John?"
His eyes went wide as his body jerked once, twice, three times before colliding into hers. Teyla hit the ground hard, wincing as her head bounced off the pavement and crying out as John's full weight landed on her chest. Gasping for breath, she struggled to pull an arm free and pushed at his shoulder, horrified when her hand skidded through slick, warm blood.
"John!"
No response. His breath was warm but shallow against her neck. She wiggled her other arm and her left leg free, wrapping them around his body and rolling carefully. He was dead weight, boneless, as he sprawled on the ground. She pressed shaking fingers into his carotid, relieved to find a weak pulse there.
The mob had disappeared momentarily, but Teyla knew she didn't have much time.
"Teyla! Sheppard!" Ronon screamed in her ear.
"I am here."
"What the hell is going on? We've been calling you forever!"
"I do not have time to explain now, Rodney. John is badly injured. Did you find any jumpers?"
"No. There's nothing here – no gate, no rings, no beaming tech."
"Is there any way for you to contact Atlantis?"
"Not without the gate active."
John coughed, pink froth forming on his lips as crimson puddled beneath him and streamed down the sidewalk.
"I have to get John to Atlantis."
"Get him to the jumper," Ronon said. "Dial Atlantis from there."
"How long will it take a medical team to reach us?"
"Half an hour, tops," Rodney replied.
"I fear John does not have that much time. I believe a bullet his nicked a lung. He is coughing up blood."
"Oh, God. Teyla, you have to get him home now."
"I know that, Rodney. How?"
"Fly the jumper," Ronon suggested.
"I do not have the gene."
"You have Sheppard."
"He's right," Rodney said. "Remember Sheppard telling us that Wraith threatened to use his dead hands to operate the controls?"
"He is not dead!"
"I know that. All I'm saying is get him in the jumper and put his hands on the controls. It's way harder to fly without the mental component, but all you have to do is fire up the engines, lift off, dial Atlantis, and fly. You don't even have to go in a straight line." Rodney paused then continued, his voice filled with a confidence that he couldn't fake. "You can do this, Teyla. You've flown hive ships, and you've seen Sheppard do this a thousand times. The hardest part will be lining up to go through, but if you aren't lined up properly, an alarm will sound."
"I will send someone back for you."
"Good luck."
"To us all," she whispered.
Teyla searched John's vest until she found the jumper remote. After tucking it into her own vest, she pulled him across her shoulders in what John called a fireman's carry and slowly rose. She braced a hand against the building until she was steady then turned toward the street that led out of the city.
She had not reached the corner yet when the first sounds of rioting returned. John groaned in her ear when she adjusted her grip.
"T'la?"
Teyla eased him to the ground, patting his face until he blinked at her sluggishly. "Good, you are awake. We must go now."
He coughed, a deep wet sound that blew red flecks into her face. "Can't."
"Yes, you can. We are almost to the jumper, but the mob is returning. You must stand."
John's breathing was labored, hitching occasionally. His eyes slid shut.
"Get up!" she shouted, grabbing his tac vest and shaking him. "Move it, Sheppard!"
His eyes flew open. "Wha'?"
She heaved with all her strength, pulling him to his feet and holding him upright. "I said on your feet, soldier!"
Slinging his arm over her shoulder and her arm around his waist, they staggered from the edge of the city into the forest. John's weight grew heavier in her arms until finally he collapsed. Light bouncing off metal caught her eye.
"John, please. We are almost there. I can see the jumper."
No amount of cajoling worked this time. John lay limply, lips blue under the ruby stains and veins in his neck bulging. Teyla ran her hands over his chest, grimacing at the rigidness. She pulled a knife from her boot then pushed up his vest and shirt, tracing a shaking finger down his ribs as Carson had taught her. Locating the area she wanted, she placed the tip of her blade there and thrust. Air whooshed from the hole she'd made. John's gasp was ragged and painful, but the veins relaxed, and the blue faded.
Teyla didn't let herself relax. Blood still pooled beneath him and was now dribbling from the wound she'd made. She wrapped her arms around his chest and dragged him into the clearing, pausing only to lower the ramp. She left John on the floor of the jumper, closed the rear hatch, and dashed to the front. Reaching for the DHD, she groaned when she realized she needed John to power the ship. Suddenly, the console lit up. She frowned, glancing behind her to confirm that John was still in the back.
"How-"
Then she saw them – big fat red droplets on the controls. Teyla stared at her hands as John's blood trickled down her fingers, pooling on the tips and raining onto the console. Taking a deep breath, she grasped the controls and pictured John flying, mimicking his movements.
The jumper lifted clumsily in the air, wavering from side to side as she fought for control. The drive pods extended as they climbed past the canopy and turned toward the mountains. Dialing quickly, she informed Atlantis of John's condition and of the location of the outpost where Ronon and Rodney were. She cut the connection and pushed the engines the best she could.
"More foothills!" Teyla exclaimed, slamming a fist into her thigh. "Where is the valley?"
She was angry – angry at John for being unconscious, at the Ancestors for building a ship that required a gene she didn't have, at mob mentalities, at the Wraith for existing, at a galaxy who seemed determined to take away everything and everyone she'd ever loved.
"You cannot have him!" she shouted.
Mountains, once so majestic, were now harsh barriers between her and her goal. The valley floor blurred beneath them as she finally reached the river. Banking, Teyla spotted the Ring and headed toward it, gaining altitude until she was even with it. She slowed, doing her best to be in the center as she dialed Atlantis again. She was almost to the event horizon when the HUD flashed a warning. She was too far to the right. Turning sharply, she circled around and tried again, cursing in every language she knew when the HUD informed her she was too low. She swiped at the sweat that was blinding her, set her jaw, and took a deep breath. Aligning the jumper again, she pushed everything from her mind, concentrating on her breathing and her heartbeat. This time, they plunged through.
Teyla sagged in relief, never so glad to see the gateroom. The jumper rose gracefully as Atlantis took control. Teyla leapt from her seat and hurried to John's side. His breathing was shallow and his pulse faint, but he was still alive. When the jumper settled in its berth, she released the hatch and backed out of the way as Keller's team boarded. They wasted no time loading John on a gurney and running from the bay.
She sank onto a bench, dropping her head in her hands. Noises from the bay told her that another jumper was leaving, most likely to get Ronon and Rodney. She stared at her reflection for several minutes, deciding to wait for them, until she realized that she was looking into a pool of John's blood. Teyla hurried away, following crimson footprints to the infirmary.
The triage area looked like a tornado had hit. Bloody gauze lay everywhere. Empty vials and wadding littered the floor. Monitors and scanners lined the room haphazardly, some still rolling towards the wall. Teyla searched frantically through the infirmary until she located a tech who informed her that Colonel Sheppard was in the operating room.
Slumping into a chair in the waiting area, she laid her head back, unconsciously wiping her hands down her pants over and over.
"Oh, my God. Teyla?"
She couldn't find the strength to open her eyes at the sound of Rodney's voice.
"Teyla!" Ronon cried. Strong hands ran through her hair and down her sides. "Where are you hurt?"
"I'm not hurt." She blinked slowly, taking in their horrified faces. Glancing down, she understood. Blood was crusted on her hands, under her nails, on her tac vest and BDUs. Even her shoes were stained red. "I'm sorry. I should have changed." She tried to get to her feet, but Ronon's hand on her shoulder was unmovable.
"What happened?" Rodney asked, kneeling beside her.
Teyla laughed, hearing the hysteria but unable to control it. "I don't know." She relayed the events of the day, lost in the memories. "He's in surgery," she concluded. "That's all I know."
The gore on her hands stood in stark contrast to the cleanness of her teammates' hands as they gripped her fingers tightly. Ronon's eyes were dark with concern, but he smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder.
"You did it, Teyla," Rodney said quietly. "You got him here alive."
She nodded, her breath hitching as her body shook. John was alive. For now.
xxx
John opened his eyes, blinking slowly as a blurry feminine face appeared over him. His body felt disconnected, refusing to obey any of his commands. Beeps, hisses, and whooshes surrounded him. A small hand adjusted something below his nose.
"Welcome back, Colonel."
xxx
The lights in the infirmary were dimmed for the night cycle when he woke next. A dull throbbing in his chest and back spoke of injuries and good drugs. Fingers tightened around his when he stirred.
"John?" Teyla lifted her head from where she had rested it on her forearm.
He tried to speak but could only manage a croak due to the phlegm wrapped around his vocal chords. Coughing produced jagged bolts of pain.
"Here." Teyla offered an ice chip. "Better?"
John nodded as the icy liquid coated his throat. Clearing it gently, he whispered, "Hey, Teyla."
Her smile was the brilliant one that always warmed his heart. "It is good to see you awake. We have been worried."
He glanced around the room. "McKay and Ronon?"
"Major Lorne retrieved them from the outpost. They have been here with me for the past two days, but they left a few minutes ago when Rodney was called to his lab and Ronon went to get some food."
"What happened?"
"On the planet?"
"Yeah."
"We don't know. Mr. Woolsey sent a cloaked jumper back yesterday. Major Lorne said it looked like a warzone – many of the buildings burnt to the ground, bodies in the street. Civil unrest, perhaps?"
"Mmmm…" He fought against the sleep that was tugging at him. "You okay?" Her eyes were bruised, and most of her hair had escaped its clasp.
"I am now." She squeezed his hand and smiled again. "Dr. Keller says you are going to be fine."
He could not keep his eyes open. "'S good."
"Get some sleep, John. We will be here when you wake."
John nodded, curling his fingers around hers. His team was safe, and he would live to protect them another day. That was enough for now.
Written for kristen999 who never received a John and Teyla Thingathon fic. Prompt: both protecting each other or both being soldiers.