Disclaimer: I'm only going to say this once: I don't own any of the characters and I'm not making money off of doing this. This is simply for fun.
Present Day (February 19, 2009):
John is walking by the pool carrying his guitar when he sees Torren sitting all alone on a lounger looking put out. He tries to ignore the kid as he passes by but hears the small sigh that escapes his pouty little lips. For some reason unknown to him John stops in his tracks and turns around.
Taking a seat beside the little boy he asks "What's up?" The boy shrugs his shoulders and lets out another sigh. John turns in the direction of the little two-year old's stare. "How come you're not playing with them?" John asks as they watch Radek's kids play with Jamie's.
"They thaid I'm too thmaw." Torren answers.
John smiles at his lisp and the lack of 'L'. "No you're not."
"Yeah I am." Torren answers. "I'm the thmaweth kid in my kwath."
"You're already going to school?" John asks, impressed at how the little boy can hold a proper conversation.
"Day-ke-w." He corrects.
"I was small when I was little, too. It didn't stop me from playing with the big kids." John tells the boy.
Torren looks up at him and smiles, his two front teeth missing. "Wiw you pway wif me?"
"Uh." John begins to nervously say. But the expectant look on the child's face is too much for him to bear. "Sure, kid, what do you want to do?"
Torren shrugs and then his face brightens. "Can you teach me to pway that?" He asks, pointing at John's guitar.
"Yeah, sure." John shifts in his chair to face Torren and show him where his fingers are placed.
"I'm Towen by the way." Torren says, extending his tiny chubby hands.
"Nice to meet you Torren. I'm John." He says as they shake hands.
X
From a few feet away from them, sitting on a garden set, Teyla watches the both of them interact. Her heart swells at the sight of her son talking to John.
"Is that John and Torren?" Elizabeth asks Teyla as she joins her.
"Yes. They've been sitting there for quite a while now. Talking about god knows what." She says without looking at Elizabeth, still watching her Son and John.
"Talking?" Elizabeth repeats questioningly. She knew that Torren could talk, but what could those two even be talking about? How can John even understand what the boy is saying?
"Yes." Understanding what Elizabeth must be thinking, she explains "Torren is a bit advanced in school. They've actually assessed him several times and they said that he's already functioning in second grade level."
"Are you serious?" Elizabeth asks, her eyes wide in amazement.
"Yes. But I didn't want him to skip grades. He's too young." Teyla said. "I'm afraid that the older kids might alienate him."
"Have you considered sending him to Atlantis then?" Elizabeth asks. "He would be able to skip grades but still be with kids the same as he is."
"I have, actually. And I might have to." Teyla tells her. "I could always move my yoga school back home."
"It'll be good for him. That way he can develop whatever skills he may have with much more freedom." She says.
X
"Are you sure you've never played before?" John asks Torren.
"My mommy bought me a wii guitaw." Torren replies as he's strumming the guitar with ease. "Ith cool. Awosthmif."
"Aerosmith?" John repeats, shaking his head, knowing that playing the Wii guitar is a far cry from playing an actual guitar.
"What are you guys up to?" Teyla asks as she approaches them.
"Mommy look! I can pway the guitaw!" Torren asks as he strums the strings some more.
"Good job sweetheart." She says as she sits down on the other side of Torren.
"He said he learned to play from the Wii." John says to Teyla.
"He thinks he learned from the Wii. We both know that the Wii guitar isn't anything like a real guitar." Teyla tells him with a smile.
"He's remarkable." John says. "His dad would have been proud."
Teyla chokes a little and then nervously says "Torren, sweetie, it's time for your nap." She takes the guitar from his chubby little arms and hands it to John who's frowning. "Thank you for keeping him company, John." She says to him as she pulls Torren in her arms.
John stands up and then pries Torren from his mother without difficulty because Torren is already holding his arms out to him. "I can help you take him back to your room."
"Really, John, it's okay. I can do it." Teyla says.
"Can you just, for once, accept help?" John says to her. After a moment's hesitation Teyla finally nods her head in defeat, and the three of them head for her hotel room. Why does this feel right? John thinks to himself as they walk down the path to her room. Maybe this is the way it's supposed to be.
As they reach her room John makes his way through the door and sets Torren down on the bed. He falls asleep as soon as his head touches the pillow. Teyla is touched by sweet scene before her. When John straightens and turns around to face Teyla, he grabs her hand and says to her quietly "I was thinking, um, that later tonight at the street fair maybe we can go together."
"Together? Well aren't we all going together?" Teyla asks, a confused look on her face. And then it dawns on her. "Oh. Um sure. Why not." She says with a smile.
"Cool. Okay. Well, then, I'll pick you up at six?" He asks.
"Six is good." She tells him. And then adds. "Oh, but Torren is coming along with me too. I wouldn't want us to impose…"
"I know." John says, and then continues. "That's what I meant. Ya know, with Torren."
Teyla smiles and says. "I think he, I mean we – we would love that."
"Okay."
"Okay." Teyla repeats.
And then John turns back to the door and leaves Leaving Tyela with a big smile on her face and hope in her eyes.
X
Early that evening, at exactly six o'clock p.m., John is waiting at Teyla's hotel room door. Torren opens the door and comes barreling out and then hurls himself at John. John catches him just in time and swings him up in his arms. "You ready?" He asks Teyla who's following behind her son.
"All set." She says happily.
They walk to the front of the hotel where everybody has assembled. Marie and Laura are the first ones to notice the trio.
"Well, well, look at what we have here." Laura says with a smirk.
Jennifer, who's standing next to Laura says "What?" And then she follows Marie and Laura's gazes and then smiles. "That's just adorable." She comments as they watch John hold Torren in his arms, while the little boy talks his ear off. Teyla is walking beside them, flushed from head to toe.
"Finally." Ronon says under his breath.
"Look who's talking." Rodney says. Ronon looks back at him and growls. Rodney just shrugs and ignores the menacing look that the big guy is giving him.
X
As their group walks down the street to head to the street fair Elizabeth catches up to Teyla and pulls her away from John and Torren "Have you told him yet?" She asks in a whisper.
"How can I?" Teyla answers in a low voice. "Besides, I'm waiting for the right time."
"There's never a right time." Elizabeth says.
"I know that. But I'm still trying to figure out how to break it to him." Teyla replies. "He's gonna start hating me again."
"He's not gonna hate you." She tells her.
"I hope not." She says skeptically.
"He's not."
"We'll see."
X
Walking up and down the street, John holds Torren's hand in his while Teyla holds the other. Torren tugs on John's hand and says "Can you cawy me? I'm getting tiyd."
Teyla has given up telling Torren not to ask for too many favors from John. Her requests have been ignored by both her son and the man who has stolen his heart.
John swings him up on his shoulders and asks the little guy "Getting tired, son?" Son?Did I just call him son? Why does it seem so natural and not weird?
"Yeah. A bit."
"Do you want to head back then? Wanna take a nap?" He asks, stopping in the middle of the street. Looking up at Torren. Torren nods his head. "Okay, I'll take you back now."
Teyla speaks up and says "I'll take him back, John. Thanks." She says, holding her arms out for her son.
"I can take you both back." John tells her, an almost pleading look in his eyes.
But before either one can say anything Marie appears before them and says "The nanny just got here. She's about to take the other kids back to the hotel. So you both don't have to worry." She tells them and then adds "The night is young. Enjoy it. There are other nights to spend it as one big happy family."
John and Teyla redden at the comment. Marie holds out her arms for Torren to come to her. John surprises both women by backing up a step and hanging on to Torren while Torren actually shakes his head no and buries his face in John's unruly brown hair.
Marie takes a step forward and motions for John to bend down. She whispers very low in Torren's ear. Suddenly Torren is reaching for Marie. She plucks him from John's shoulders and walks off with him to give to the nanny.
"I wonder what she promised him?" Teyla says as they watch her leave.
X
Evan who was only a couple of feet away narrowed his eyes and went in search of his bride-to-be. When he finally found her, she had already deposited Torren into the arms of the nanny.
"Babe…" He begins sweetly.
"Oh hey there, sweetie." Marie greets him as she gives him a peck on the cheek.
"What did you say to Torren to let go of John?" Evan asks.
"Oh nothing." She lies, fiddling with the button on her jacket.
"Well it must have been something." Evan says, not wanting to drop the subject.
"I told you – it was nothing." She lies again.
"Don't lie to me, Marie. I know when you're lying."
"No you don't and no I am not lying." She says defensively.
"See! There! There it is! I can see it in your eyes." Evan says. "What was it?"
"Oh fine!" Marie says dejectedly. "I asked him if he liked John and he said yes. So I told him that if he went with the other kids and the nanny then his mommy and John will be able to talk and then maybe they'll end up liking each other and then there might be a chance that John could be his –"
"Marie!" Evan says in a hushed angry tone. "You can't promise the kid that."
"I didn't promise him anything. I said 'might'."
"Like the kid would know what 'might' means." Evan says in annoyance.
"He's supposedly smart." Marie says.
"Intellectually smart. But when it comes to the matter of the heart – well that's a different ballgame." Evan tries to calm himself down. "Marie, please, just promise me from now on that you are not going to interfere with other people's lives. Please."
"But –"
Evan cuts her off "No buts!"
"Fine!" Marie says. And as soon as Evan turns around she sticks her tongue out at him.
"What was that for?" Laura asks as she walks towards Marie.
"Evan just told me to stay out of everybody's business." She answers. "I was just trying to help."
Laura hooks her arm through Marie's and then says "That's okay sweetie. Evan overlooked one thing."
"What?" Marie says without looking at her friend.
"Me."
TBC.