Well, here it is – the end of the road. Kind of. I'll be writing a one-shot companion piece about the mission where John and co rescued the Athosians, which will hopefully answer some of your many questions!

For the last time, I'd like to say thank you so, so much for all your reviews. This epilogue is dedicated to each and every one of you! I hope you enjoy it – it really, ree-hehehe-ally long. And it jumps around a lot, so I hope it's not too confusing…

As always, let me know what you think, and thanks for reading this far!

Ruby x

Glimpse – Epilogue

Teyla screamed.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuucccccchhhh!!!!!!!!!!" Responded John.

His knees buckled and he gritted his teeth, hard, until Teyla's grip on his hand lessened.

Dr Keller bustled into the room and walked round to the other side of the bed. "How's the pain?" She asked.

"Really, really bad," said John, trying (and failing) to flex his fingers.

"I believe she was talking to me," said Teyla, her head falling back against the pillows piled up behind her.

"Oh, right," said John weakly. He picked up a damp flannel from the table next to him and placed on Teyla's forehead. He looked up at Dr Keller. "The contractions are about two minutes apart," he told her.

Dr Keller nodded. "Okay good," she said. She placed her hand on Teyla's and smiled at her. "You've still got a ways to go."

Teyla nodded tiredly and John tried to focus on the pain she was going through rather than his hand. His poor, injured, suffering hand. He would switch, but he didn't want them both out of action.

"So what happens next?" He asked Keller.

Keller smiled again. "Well, normal procedure is that the contractions start coming closer together, the mother starts to push, and the father runs for his life because the mother wants to kill him," she said conversationally.

John's eyes widened and he looked at Teyla, who seemed amused. "That's not going to happen though, right?" He said. "I mean – this so isn't my fault."

Teyla rolled her eyes. John grinned at her. "If you want I could set up a picture of Michael for you to scream abuse at," he said.

There was a frosty silence, and John winced at the sight of two women glaring at him. "Wrong time and place?" He guessed tentatively.

Teyla grabbed his hand again and John gritted his teeth against the pain, waiting for the contraction to finish.

It was over with surprisingly quickly.

"Hey – you weren't having a contraction!" John accused Teyla when she let go of his hand a few seconds later.

Teyla raised an eyebrow. "I thought one was coming," she said, completely deadpan. John narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but at that moment Teyla's face contorted with pain and he knew that there really was a contraction this time. He gave her his hand again and steeled himself to ride out the pain.

It wasn't quite so bad this time – Teyla was gripping his fingers more than his hand, which was much less painful. John was sure she had broken a bone or something.

In the lull between contractions, John looked towards the door of the room. "Are Ronon and Rodney still pacing around outside?" He asked Keller.

She grinned. "They're asleep," she told him.

John didn't blame them – Teyla had been in labour for nearly nine hours now.

"You must be tired as well, John," said Teyla softly.

John raised an eyebrow at her. "Says the lady in labour," he said. "I'll sleep when you sleep."

Teyla smiled and John smiled back. "Anyway, I wouldn't want to fall asleep in the infirmary – someone might think I'm ill and try to stick me with something," he said.

"They're on chairs," said Keller. John noticed her smirking.

"What's funny?" He asked curiously.

The smirk widened. "It's – well, the two of them have fallen asleep with… with their heads on each other's shoulders," she said. "It's very cute."

John stared at her for a second, and then at the door, and then back at Keller, who was still smirking. He swallowed, looked down at Teyla and squeezed her hand with his good one, feet firmly rooted to the spot.

Teyla shook her head. "You want to go and take a photograph of them, don't you?" She said.

John sagged and leant on the bed, grinning. "I really, really do," he said. Teyla laughed.

"Done and done," said Keller airily. John looked up at her in surprise, and she winked at him. "I thought it would be nice for Imaria to see what her Uncle Ronon and Uncle Rodney were up to while she was being born."

John started to laugh. They were gonna be mad…

"Alright, well, I'll check in on you again in a little while," said Keller. She patted Teyla's hand again, smiling, and then left the room.

As Dr Keller had said, the contractions continued to come closer and closer together, as did the assaults on John's hand. Soon they were coming every minute or so, though John knew that meant there was still a while left.

After one particularly long contraction, tears started to trickle down Teyla's cheeks. She brushed them away quickly but not before John saw. He sat down on the edge of the bed and put his arm around Teyla's shoulders. She leant into him and he kissed her forehead.

Teyla lifted her face and looked up at him, a small smile on her lips. "It is not like you to be so affectionate," she said.

John smiled back. "It's not like you to be giving birth," he replied.

Teyla laughed and leant back into his chest. "Well, thank you, John," she said. "For staying with me."

"You're more than welcome," he said.

"And I am sorry if I want to kill you in half an hour," said Teyla.

John smirked. "Half an hour? That's optimistic," he told her.

Teyla raised her head again and glared at him. "You know, I think I may want to kill you now," she said.

John gave her his most charming smile. "I'm gonna let that go, what with you being in labour and all," he said.

Teyla rolled her eyes. John grinned and reached behind him for the flannel on the bedside table, which he used to mop Teyla's forehead as another contraction started. She grabbed at his hand again and John hissed with pain, balling up his face to prevent himself from screaming along with Teyla.

"Yep," John said, as the contraction finished. "Very optimistic."

XXX Five Years Later… XXX

John stepped through the stargate and came face to face with twenty P-90s. He froze.

"Okay…"

"Colonel?" Mia tightened her arm around his neck and shrank back into his chest.

"It's okay, sweetie," John said, tightening his arms around her.

Damn. Were they not back? They were in Atlantis, that was for damn sure, and he recognised all of the men pointing guns at him. Well… almost all of them. There were one or two that were definitely new faces.

"John?"

John allowed himself to relax slightly. "Hello Elizabeth," he said, trying to sound calm despite the fact that twenty machine guns were still pointed directly at his daughter.

Elizabeth's face broke into a wide smile and she hurried over to him and pulled him and Mia into a hug. John bent slightly to let her do so, and then allowed her to take Mia out of his arms and embrace her tightly.

"'Lo Auntie Lizbeth," said Mia, her voice slightly muffled by Elizabeth's shoulder.

The guns were lowered – for which John was grateful – but his mind still raced. This wasn't right. Why was Elizabeth so pleased to see them?

Elizabeth lowered Mia to the ground and crouched down in front of her. "How's your hand?" She asked her.

"Auntie Jen gave me drugs," said Mia cheerfully.

Elizabeth laughed and stood back up, her expression turning serious again as she faced John, her hand still on Mia's shoulder. "John, thank god you're back," she said earnestly.

John swallowed. "How long were we gone?" He asked.

Elizabeth hesitated before answering, and her hand tightened on Mia's shoulder. "Seven months," she said.

John winced and looked away. Seven months. He and Mia had stepped through the stargate and disappeared for seven months.

"John – John!"

John looked back at Elizabeth, who was still staring at him. He gave her an apologetic look and held out his hand for Mia. "Okay. So, where is –?"

"The infirmary."

John's heartbeat quickened. "What happened?" He asked as Mia sidled up next to him.

Elizabeth opened her mouth but shut it again quickly and shook her head. "Just get there," she said. "Now."

John didn't need telling twice. He grabbed Mia's hand and hurried towards the infirmary.

Jennifer stood gaping at him when they walked into the infirmary a couple of minutes later. "John!" She gasped. "Elizabeth radioed me but I didn't think that – thank god you're back!"

John squeezed her hand, noting that her hair was a lot longer than it had been when he'd left. "What's going on, Jen?" He asked.

Jennifer bit her lip. "Um… it's Teyla," she said hesitatingly.

John's breath hitched in his throat and fear rose like a fire in his throat. "What's wrong with her?" He asked fearfully.

Jennifer shook her head. "No – she's not… there's nothing… um… she's in labour."

John blinked. "What?"

"When you disappeared she… she was two months pregnant – we realised a few days after you left…"

John let go of Mia's hand and sprinted through the infirmary to the delivery room. The door was ajar and he could hear the sound of heavy breathing, and voices arguing over the top of it.

"We should get her more pillows."

"She has seven already. Maybe you should hold her hand or something."

"She broke John's hand the last time – you do it!"

"I think she's alright – it looks like the contraction is finishing anyway…"

"Yeah but what do we do next time?"

John pushed the door open and stuck his head round the door. Ronon and Rodney were standing a few feet away with their backs to him. They were warily watching the bed on the other side of the room, on which sat Teyla, breathing heavily, sweat running down her face.

Teyla who was heavily pregnant. And in labour. John stood next to the door unable to move, talk or even think. He just stared.

Teyla's breathing returned to normal and she looked up at Ronon and Rodney, pushing her hair out of her eyes. She rolled her eyes. "If the two of you are just going to stand there and argue, could you please… John?"

Their eyes met and it brought John back to himself with a thump. He went into the room and strode past Ronon and Rodney – who were both looking at him in complete shock – and hurried over to Teyla.

"John you – you're back!" She exclaimed as he neared her.

John grabbed her hand and held tight. "I'm back," he affirmed.

"Where the hell did you come from?!" Rodney demanded from behind him.

"Nice timing," added Ronon.

John ignored them both and kept staring at Teyla. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears and she was clutching his hand as though scared he would disappear. Again.

John shook his head. "Teyla are you alright? How close are the contractions coming? I'm so sorry that I've – I can't believe I've been gone for seven months it was only two days to mmpph!"

Teyla let go of his hand, seized the collar of his shirt in her fists, and crashed his talking mouth down on to hers. He stopped talking.

Teyla's kiss was desperate, and though John had a thousand questions to ask he surrendered to it, knowing it was what she needed. He ran a hand through her hair and cupped the back of her head, pulling her closer to him. He needed it too.

Suddenly, Teyla broke the kiss and cried out. Her head fell forward until it was resting on his chest and her fists tightened round his shirt as the contraction hit. John lowered his hand to her shoulders and held on until it had passed.

"We're having a baby," whispered Teyla, her head still against his chest.

John grinned. "So I see," he said.

"You must be so shocked…"

That was one way of putting it. John shrugged. "I could have used a little more notice, but I'll deal," he said. "Anyway, it's one hell of a homecoming gift!"

Teyla looked back up at him, her eyes desperate again. "Where is Imaria?" She asked urgently.

"She's with Jen," John said. He thought, suddenly, of how he would react if Teyla and Mia disappeared without a trace for seven months. The mere thought was unbearable.

Oh Teyla.

"I'll go get her," he said, starting to stand up. Teyla kept hold of his shirt, and he fell back onto the bed with a thump. Her head fell forward to his chest again and John stroked her hair soothingly.

He looked over his shoulder at Ronon and Rodney, who were standing by the door gaping at him.

"Would one of you get Mia?"

They nodded and tried to exit at the same time, causing a bit of a scuffle in the doorway. John rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Teyla.

"I've missed you so," said Teyla into his chest.

John kissed her hair. "I'm sorry," he said.

Another contraction started, and again John held her tightly until it passed.

"Momma?"

Teyla's head jerked up at the sound of Mia's voice, and John got off the bed – this time Teyla let him go. She only had eyes for her daughter.

"Imaria…" She whispered.

Mia was standing next to Jennifer in the doorway, staring at Teyla in shock. "What's wrong Momma?" She asked, sounding scared.

John could see that Teyla was on the verge of running over to Mia, so he gestured for her to come to him. She did so, eyeing Teyla with worry and a little fear.

"Colonel what's wrong with Momma?" She asked him as she got near.

"Nothing Mia," he said. He picked her up and put her on the bed next to Teyla. "Momma's fine."

Tears spilled out of Teyla's eyes as she very carefully ran a finger down Mia's cast. Then she gathered her into a tight embrace and began to sob.

Mia tried to pull away, obviously very shocked. "Momma! Momma what's wrong? Why are you crying?" She cried out, tears in her own eyes.

Teyla loosened her hold on Mia and tucked her long black hair behind her ear. "I'm crying because I'm happy, Imaria…"

"Oh," said Mia. She frowned. "Are you giving birth to me?"

Teyla laughed. "No – I am having another baby," she said. "You're going to have a little brother."

John grinned and ran his hands through his hair to avoid punching the air and yelling 'yippee'. They were having a boy. He was going to have a son.

"Can I take him skateboarding?" Asked Mia.

Teyla shot John an exasperated look, and his grin grew wider. "Sure – when he can walk…" He winked at Teyla.

Mia frowned again. "But why can't he – arrgh!"

The scream was caused by Teyla crying out at that moment and jerking forward as another contraction hit. Mia jumped back in fear and would have fallen backwards off the bed, but for John standing right behind her. She threw herself into his arms and burst into tears.

"Shh… it's okay," he said, trying to reassure both her and Teyla.

"But Momma –"

"She's okay, Mia, she's just…" John's voice trailed off uncertainly. How did he explain this to a four year old?

"Can you take her?" He said, turning to Ronon and Rodney. He passed her over to Ronon – she went reluctantly, her good arm clamped tightly around his neck. Eventually, Ronon held her securely and he stroked her hair.

"Sweetie, I have to stay here with Momma – I need you to stay with Uncle Ronon, okay?" Said John.

Mia pouted at him, but nodded, her eyes still bright with tears. John kissed her on the cheek and nodded to Ronon, who carried her out of the room, Rodney on his heels.

John turned back to Teyla. Her contraction had just finished and she was sitting back against her seven pillows, smiling at him. Jennifer was checking the machines monitoring Teyla, and John could hear the sound of Ronon and Rodney's footsteps growing fainter and fainter.

"Well, that gives them something to do," Teyla said.

John grinned and made his way back over to her. "At least they're not asleep this time," he said. He, Teyla and Jennifer all laughed at the memory of the photo of them that had somehow found its way into the mailbox of every laptop on Atlantis with the caption 'Uncles-in-Waiting'. Jennifer grinned at them and left them alone.

John sat down on the edge of the bed and took Teyla's hand in his. "I'm sorry you had to go through this alone," he said.

Teyla disentangled her hand and laid it on John's wrist. "I knew you would come back," she said sincerely.

John smiled and took her hand again. Once again she let go and this time moved her hand away from his.

"What are you doing?" John asked her.

Teyla looked away. "I do not want to hurt you," she said.

It took John a moment to realise what she was driving at, and then he rolled his eyes. "Oh for the love of – Teyla, take my hand!" He said.

Teyla looked back at him. "John, I broke your hand in two places when I had Imaria," she said.

John shrugged. "It healed," he said dismissively.

Teyla shook her head and John took the initiative and grabbed her hand before she could hide it.

"John, don't – what if I break it again?"

John flashed her a grin. "Then Mia and I will match," he said.

Teyla rolled her eyes but before she could respond a contraction hit her and regardless of her apparent misgivings she clamped her hand around his and squeezed. John gritted his teeth and listed NFL teams in his head until it was over. Now that he remembered what the pain felt like, he felt really stupid for insisting she hold his hand.

Still though – he wasn't about to let go.

XXX Three Hours Later…XXX

"Okay, Mia, say hello to your new baby brother."

John lifted Mia up so she was sitting on the edge of the bed, next to Teyla, who was sitting propped up against the pillows on the bed. Their newborn son lay in her arms, wrapped in white blankets. He was fast asleep, and all that was really visible was his tuft of black hair which was sticking up a bit at the front. John thought about the tube of hairgel in his pocket and mused that they would soon have matching hairstyles. He grinned.

Mia craned her neck to see the baby, and Teyla carefully lowered the blanket a little so she could see more of his chubby little face. Mia grinned.

"He's cute," she said. "What's he called?"

John looked at Teyla – he hadn't even thought of names… had she?

Teyla smiled. "We don't know yet," she said. "Do you have an idea for a name?"

Mia bit her lip and frowned, the way she did when she was thinking hard. "Bubba 2?" She suggested after a moment.

John burst out laughing. "You're as bad as Ford," he said, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

Mia looked confused but went back to looking at the baby, a smile back on her face. He could tell that she loved him already. He knew the feeling.

"John?"

Teyla was smiling up at him, and he smiled back. She shifted forward carefully. "Could you take the baby?" She asked him.

Hell yeah! In all the commotion John had only held him once, for a few seconds.

He nodded. "Sure," he said. He grinned and held out his hands. Teyla carefully handed their son over to him, and John settled him in his arms. The baby snuggled into his chest and stayed asleep. John sank down onto the edge of the bed, never taking his eyes off his son's face.

He was so perfect.

Eventually he looked up and found that Mia was snuggled up against Teyla's side, telling her all about their trip to the past. He grinned and listened to her talking about how Teyla had been eating oranges with mustard and how disgusting it was.

Mia stopped talking all of a sudden and John realised it was because Teyla had suddenly leant forward and put her arms round her neck. John thought that she was hugging her again at first, but Mia didn't move. A few seconds later Teyla sat back again, and in her hand she held the necklace Mia had been wearing.

Teyla raised an eyebrow and Mia shrugged. "Colonel gave it to me to wear," she said.

Teyla turned the eyebrow on John, and he shrugged as well, mimicking Mia. "Yeah… I had to send you to get me clothes so I could switch it," he said with a grin.

Teyla smiled. "Yes, I did wonder at the time why you had suddenly wanted me out of the room," she said. "Come here."

John grinned again and scooted closer to her. When he was close enough, Teyla tied the necklace back round John's neck. He glanced at the ring on her left hand as she sat back again. He wore her father's necklace, she wore his mother's ring; it was a pretty fair compromise as intergalactic wedding traditions went.

"That reminds me, actually," said John, smiling. "It's been seven months – I'm assuming the sandbox has already been tidied away?"

Teyla smiled back, a little sadly. "It is how I knew for certain where you had gone," she said quietly. She hugged Mia to her side again and rested her cheek on the top of her head.

John watched her, regret warring with his current elation. He couldn't believe that they had missed seven months – and that all that time Teyla had been pregnant. Pregnant, and he hadn't been here. He couldn't imagine what she must have gone through, waiting for him and Mia to return, never knowing if or when they would.

He had a lot of time to make up for.

John sighed and walked round to the other side of the bed, where a crib had been set up. He gently placed his son inside it and adjusted his blankets. John watched him sleep for a few moments before looking back up at Teyla and Mia. They were still in the same position, though Mia had stopped talking and was snuggled contentedly against her mother.

John could tell from her breathing that said mother was on the verge of falling asleep.

He reached out and stroked her hair away from her face. Her eyes fluttered open.

"You must be shattered," he said, sitting down in a chair next to the crib.

Teyla smiled. "So must you," she returned.

John rolled his eyes. "I'm fine," he said. He winked at her. "No broken bones or anything – thanks for that."

Teyla smiled, but John could see just how much energy it was costing her. "Seriously Teyla, you need to sleep," he said.

Teyla nodded. "Yes, but… stay, John." She reached out her hand towards him, and John took it in both of his.

He smiled at her. "I'm not going anywhere," he said. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly.

Teyla's smile widened one more time before she fell asleep.

XXX Five Years Earlier… XXX

John stared down into the crib, watching Mia's tiny chest rise and fall as she slept. He absently played with the bandage on his hand and mused that the pain had been completely and utterly worth it. John watched her sleep for a few more moments before looking back up at Teyla. She still had her eyes closed, and John had a feeling she was on the verge of falling asleep.

He reached out and stroked her hair away from her face. Her eyes fluttered open.

"You must be shattered," he said, sitting down in a chair next to the crib.

Teyla smiled. "So must you," she returned.

John rolled his eyes. "I'm fine," he said. "Except for the broken hand…"

Teyla bit her lip. "I am so sorry –"

"Teyla forget it – it's fine… it's probably not even broken anyway," he said flippantly. He was lying through his teeth, and Teyla knew it.

She smiled, and John could see just how much energy it was costing her. "Seriously Teyla, you need to sleep," he said, starting to stand up.

Teyla nodded. "Yes, but… stay, John." She reached out her hand towards him, and John sank back down into the chair. He took her hand in his good one.

He smiled at her. "I'm not going anywhere," he said. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly.

Teyla's smile widened one more time before she fell asleep.

The End.