Chapter 9
A/N Well I just finished up the story with the exception of rewriting and editing which still needs to be done on all chapters. It is 32 chapters and around 67,000 words just to give you an idea of how much is left.
Numbers and equations indicate ship operations
Sheppard stood outside the bedroom contemplating whether he should enter or not. He hoped that she was still asleep if she was getting changed that would be well awkward; deciding that he couldn't wait outside the room for her to emerge at whatever hour he approached the door one last time and activated it. It slid open silently and not wanting to wake her he quietly entered the room. As he slowly made his way toward the bed he admired how peaceful she looked as if there were no wraith or Genii or anyone else who wanted to kill them. He breathed deeply relishing the moment. It was moments like this that made him realize how much he did love her and how much he wished for more of those moments. It was something only she had been able to do even while watching over his team members Rodney simply caused those worries to jump to the forefront of his mind as he was the one who usually complained about them. Ronon showed him how hard they fought how far not only Atlantis but everyone in Pegasus was willing to go but it was Teyla who showed him why he fought. As he watched her he noticed that while she was resting very peacefully now it appeared that her night had not been so peaceful. As he sat there contemplating waking she mumbled something he couldn't understand. Knowing that she could wake up any moment and see him just staring at her he sat on the bed and gently laid a hand on her shoulder, "Teyla sweetheart wake up."
Did I just call her sweetheart where did that come from? John felt something in the back of his mind. It was foreign, certainly not something he normally felt. Could it be him influencing me? He is so dead the second I figure out how to kill him. He remembered his conversation the previous night and winced as he realized it could be Teyla in his mind now. I hope she didn't hear me say that. What happens if she did hear me? His train of thought was quickly interrupted when she opened her eyes and smiled at him, "Good morning," she said softly while unconsciously snuggling closer to him.
He returned her smile although he was slightly confused by it, "What's got you so smiley this morning?"
"Mmm well," she started before she started to realize who she was talking to, "John?" she asked blinking furiously as the smile disappearing from her face.
"Expecting someone else here?" he joked as he tried to hide his own disappointment by looking away from her.
"I'm sorry John but why are you here?" she asked her smile weakly returning.
"Well I wanted to check on you and the old man thought it would be a good idea."
"I assure you I am fine John," she said slowly moving away from him when a thought entered her mind, "Dodged that bullet I'm glad she didn't hear me call her sweetheart."
"John?" she asked with a grave seriousness in her voice.
"Yes Teyla," he said becoming nervous by the change in her tone. Did she actually hear me call her sweetheart? Oh no wait the AI said thought could she have heard my thought way to go John you just told her what you did.
His attention returned to Teyla when he realized she was speaking to him, "John did you call me sweetheart?"
It's now or never I could lie to her tell her no unless she did actually hear me and if she didn't then she's probably hearing this thought to and would know I'm lying to her but what else does she know? "Yes I did," he said hanging his head low figuring that this was the end of their friendship she would inevitably ask why to which he'd have to reply that he loved her. And that would lead to awkwardness in the past he could have hoped she'd tell him she felt the same but she was with Kanaan now and while there was still a small spark of hope in him, that said that maybe just maybe all those moments throughout the years hadn't been imagined, maybe she does care for me more than a friend; the logical part of his brain told him that wasn't possible she would have responded to some of his advances or made some of her own. Sure his advances had been subtle so subtle that whenever she said no he brushed it off figuring she didn't understand what he was really asking but now he knew she did know she just didn't care about him in that way. But that was something he preferred to just not think about and shove down deep into a dark corner. He slowly raised his head to look at Teyla again the sadness he felt written across his face but he didn't care if she saw what she could do to him with one question he loved that about her she could change his entire day, week, month, year, even life with but a single word or even just a look. Admitting and learning that piece of information however had not been easy and he'd never
"John among your people what does that signify?"
"Well uh yeah umm… about that do you uh mean that you don't know what it errr well know what it means?"
She looked at him puzzled by his sudden discomfort, "I have heard the term used in Atlantis but I do not understand the context of the way you are using it."
"Colonel Sheppard please report to the command center," Ancient interrupted to Teyla's disappointment and John's visible relief. "Thank you Ancient," he thought to Ancient as he got up and headed to the door Teyla followed behind him.
"May I join you?"
He turned around and looked her up and down, "uh don't you want to get changed first?"
"Are we going somewhere that my attire would be unacceptable? This is our private ship," she joked following him to the door.
"No your fine I guess." They walked out of the room with Teyla still in her pajamas headed to the control room.
***
"Hello," the AI greeted as John and Teyla entered the room.
"What's up?" John asked strolling over to the control chair.
"Teyla do you see the serum on the table?"
"Yes," she answered walking over to it and picking it up.
"It's a memory suppressant please inject yourself with it," he instructed and when she complied he turned too John, "In response to your question I was simply wondering if your plans had changed."
"Mine haven't, have yours Teyla?"
"No I will remain," she said adamantly.
"Good I'm glad to see you are going to continue."
"Is there any reason that we shouldn't continue?" Teyla asked taking a seat at a nearby console. She casually turned it on and perused through it using the knowledge of ancient she had acquired through the years of dealing with it.
"No, you can continue if you want." A few equations began scrolling across him, "I will be running some diagnostics."
"Well we'll just continue with what we were doing before I left and what we did yesterday," he said as he sat in the main control chair keeping an eye on Teyla. He pulled up a schematic of the ship and viewed the different rooms mentally checking off the rooms he had already been to. He eventually came to a room that he had not been to, he memorized the way their before moving over to another console where he began typing something on it after a few minutes Teyla walked over to him curious about what he could be doing.
"John what are you doing?"
"I'm just uh checking some life sign readings."
"For what?" she asked her interest piqued.
"Well I'm wondering what happened to you before you called me," he told her continuing to work on the console.
"Do not bother yourself with it any further," she asked but her eyes implored him to continue. "John but did you find anything?"
"No you were the only one there," he said stepping away from the console although he continued going through all the possible scenarios that could have resulted in whatever had happened to Teyla.
"Should we proceed to a new area of the ship now?" Teyla asked proceeding to the doorway.
"Ok let's go," he said reluctantly leaving the room as Ancient stared at him blankly.
***
Several Hours Later
John was going through several pages of text when Teyla moved next to him her arm brushing against his, "John what does sweetheart mean?"
Great she remembered just what I need Teyla realizing I have feelings for her, "It's…It's a nickname for someone you uhh… someone you care for."
"Oh," she said realizing why John had seemed uncomfortable around her all day.
"Why where did you hear it?"
Her eyes went wide, did I misinterpret what John had meant or did I mistake what he said for something else? She thought.
"I can get the audio records for the bedroom if you would like Teyla," she heard the AI say in her head for the first time causing her to jump off the platform.
"Teyla are you okay?" John said moving down and putting his arm around her shoulders.
"Yes John, Ancient simply spoke to me in my mind for the first time it was unnerving to say the least," she said blushing at her reaction to something that she should have expected.
"Yeah I know he did it to me to," he said as she shrugged off his arm much to his chagrin.
"What did he say?" John said heading over to his own console he turned it back on.
"Nothing of importance."
"Teyla come check this out please," he said looking at a certain piece of text.
"Yes John," she said stepping over by his console and looking at the text.
He pointed to the line he was referring to, "What does that look like it says to you?"
"It refers to," She said pausing as she read further down the screen. "This would then seem to indicate that this ships commander had something to do with the Asgard," she said continuing to study the screen.
"Yeah that's just it how can this ship be that old? This looks like the Asgard are a relatively new race and is informing them that they will play an important role in the future. The message also seems to discuss cloning as if the Asgard had not yet even begun to look into that kind of technology."
"This ship is very old then John," she observed finishing up with the text.
"Thanks Teyla," he said smiling at her as she stepped off the platform and moved towards her own console.
"Any time John," she said returning his smile and reactivating the console.
***
Eight Hours Later.
"Teyla do you want to grab something to eat?" he said looking over her shoulder at her screen.
"What kind of food does the ship have?" she asked Ancient.
"Whatever kind you want," it replied smiling at the pair.
"I'd like a something simple just a salad," Sheppard said turning to Teyla to see what she would request.
"John what is the food you frequently talk about?"
"I don't know popcorn, Ice cream, Pizza?"
"Yes Pizza do you think that would be possible Ancient?"
"Of course you will learn this ship has much to offer in time your food will be ready momentarily you might wish to head to the dining room in the meantime," Ancient said leaving the two with a map to the dining room.
***
"John do you think I will ever get to see your world?" Teyla asked as they neared the dining room.
"Of course Teyla," he said sliding his hand across the door sensor. A moment later the door slid open revealing a very different sight then what either of the two had been expecting. The room was dark barely lit by a light or two hanging from the ceiling. The table at the center of the room appeared to sit four however it was only set for two. Every aspect of the room was in complete contrast to the rest of the ship. Where it was dark the rest of the ship was more than amply lit the room lacked any kind of advanced technology that dotted the rest of the ship. They took seats and their food was teleported in a moment later to their surprise. John picked at his salad while watching Teyla thoroughly enjoy her pizza.
"Is something the matter?" Teyla asked John unnerved at how he was looking at her.
"No it's just interesting to watch you."
"Oh," Teyla said blushing and looking away from him.
he felt it himself smiling at her reaction she looks so cute when she's embarrassed like that; he thought when he saw her cheeks go red.
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone enjoy a pizza as much as you are," he said still smiling absentmindedly at her. When they finished eating Teyla returned to her bedroom and John headed to the bridge to look through the sensor logs again.
***
"Colonel Sheppard how was your dinner?" Ancient asked as it appeared on a nearby.
"Fine," he grumbled continuing to look through the sensor logs to see if he could find out what happened to Teyla.
"What is troubling you?"
"You should know your reading my thoughts."
"Your mind is clouded and confusing I am unable to make out many details," he claimed, confusion marring his brow.
"Nothing is the matter that concerns you just a little unhappy that's all," Sheppard said moving over to the control chair in the center of the room and sitting down.
"About your situation with Teyla?"
"She won't tell me what is really bothering her," he said closing his eyes and wishing the AI away he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
"I could always activate the security cameras if watching her would put your mind at ease."
"There are cameras inside the bedroom?"
"A few in every room, yes."
"I'll be taking those out in the morning," he told Ancient as he opened one eye to see what he was doing."
"And tonight?"
Sheppard laughed at the AI's suggestion, "sometimes you know me to well."
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes," the AI said as it activated the cameras in the bedroom.
"Where do I watch them?"
"Here however now would not be an appropriate time for you to watch."
"Oh," Sheppard sat back down in the chair and got comfortable knowing it would be a long night. "You're not watching the video are you?"
A screen appeared with the video of her room she was laying in bed resting she looked like she was reading something but he couldn't tell what. After a few minutes she discarded it and drifted off to sleep. After a few minutes he saw her began tossing in her sleep as the minutes went by she moved more violently and erratically he could tell that she was having a particularly bad nightmare. She began screaming something that he couldn't make out and after a few minutes of that he had had enough and quickly proceeded down to the bedroom.
End Chapter 9
A/N Well after reading that I think I made John a bit too emotional. I'm going to attempt to tone that down in future chapters but I don't think he was too outwardly emotional to anyone except Ancient which is done on purpose as John knows lying to him is useless.