"Secrets and Challenges"

Ch. 9

(Gym)

When Stacey entered the retrofitted Gym, Teyla and Lt. Ford were practicing their hand-to-hand combat. The two were using two, short sticks to fight with. Ford blocked a blow from Teyla. He aimed for Teyla's arm with one of his sticks, but she blocked it easily. When Teyla went to block his next blow, one of Ford's sticks went flying across the room. Stacey caught it with little effort. The two looked over at her

"Dr. Grayson," Lt. Ford said, surprised.

"Hey guys," Stacey greeted them, walking closer to them.

"Are you through with your meditation already?" Teyla asked.

"I couldn't finish. I had trouble keeping still," Stacey answered. "Mind if I join you?"

"No," Ford said. "Not at all."

Stacey turned to Teyla.

"Let's see what you can do against an Ancient," she said.

Lt. Ford threw her his other stick. There was a nice breeze coming from the open balcony doors. The two women stood face to face. Ford stood back against the wall and watched.

"Don't expect me to be easy on you, Dr. Grayson," Teyla said with a grin.

"Oh, I would much rather you be hard on me," Stacey grinned back and then murmured, "This is gonna be fun."

Stacey's green eyes changed to a pair of orange cat-like eyes. She then lunged forward and hit Teyla in the stomach. Teyla quickly stopped the hit and tried hitting Stacey with the other stick in the side. Stacey jumped up and over in a spiral and landed neatly behind the Ethosian. Teyla quickly turned around and hit Stacey in the arm hard. But, she blocked it.

As they were fighting, Major Sheppard came walking in. John went to stand next to Ford.

"Major," Ford greeted.

"Lt.," he said. "What's going on here?"

"Teyla and I were practicing when Dr. Grayson came in. She wanted to take on Teyla," Ford explained.

"To bad we don't have anymore popcorn left," John said.

"I was just thinking that, sir," Ford grinned. "Is that normal?"

"Is what normal?" John asked.

"When her eyes go all catty for a long time,"

"What?" he took a quick pause, looking at the two women fighting. "Uh-oh." he said slowly.

Back with the fight: the women were now outside, on the balcony. Teyla backed Stacey into the railing. Teyla thought that she had forced her to give up, but she thought wrong. Stacey jumped up and over again. This time she kicked her in the back. Teyla landed against the railing.

Stacey's mind was racing. Her eyes were still cat-like. She suddenly became angry. Stacey wasn't sure where all of this anger suddenly came from. It was too much for her to handle so she let it control her. She growled.

Stacey threw one of her sticks aside, almost hitting Ford and Sheppard in the shins. The guys looked at one another than back at the women. Stacey took the other stick she was still holding and started choking Teyla with it. Sheppard and Ford immediately ran to them.

"Stacey!" John shouted as he ran.

When he got there he tried to loosen her grip on the fighting stick. He struggled fro a while against her super-human strength. Until finally she let go. Ford went over to Teyla. She was gasping for breath. Stacey's eyes went back to her green eyes and collapsed.

John bent down to her. Stacey opened her eyes slowly and was breathing hard. John helped her sit up.

"It's started to happen already, hasn't it?" she asked, realizing what just happened.

"Yeah, it has," he told her slowly.

She dug her face in his chest and sniffled. John put a hand on her neck gently and kissed her softly on her forehead.

"Lt, take Teyla to Beckett. Make sure she's alright," Sheppard ordered.

"Yes, sir," Ford said, helping Teyla up off the ground.

Sheppard watched as they left. He then looked back down at his wife.

To be continued . . .