Disclaimer: We own absolutely nothing
A/N Tinuviel Undomiel: Sorry, no major Shweir stuff in this chap but I am setting the scene for the third story which you all will LOVE!!! So please, enjoy.
A/N Nerwen Aldarion: Okay I'll come out of hiding to finish this chapter and I hope after reading the commercial for the third one all of you will forgive me, so please read on and enjoy the final chapter to Rebirth and stick around for Destiny.
Chapter 10: Hope
Elizabeth watched the crew of the Free Spirit with a different eye than ever before. Rodney and Lorne were arguing about something with the engines and Carson was piping in every now and then to try and settle down. Meanwhile Laura and Aryne watched the whole scene egging them on.
Elizabeth felt a special kinship with all of them, something she had never felt before. She had always been wrapped up with her duties but now she saw them as individuals and Void help her she liked spending time with them. What else had she missed as she slept walked for twenty-five years? What other feelings were waiting to jump out at her?
"Oh come on don't let him talk to you that way Rodney!" Aryne yelled trying to get on Lorne's nerves.
Elizabeth laughed, "You just love to annoy Lorne don't you?"
"There are few real pleasures in life," Aryne said, "watching Lorne's face turn five shades of purple just happens to be one of them."
"I know the feeling," Elizabeth agreed.
Aryne studied Elizabeth curiously, "You're not what I expected you to be."
"What do you mean?"
"Well Laura said you were stuck up, arrogant, and only cared about your destiny."
Laura smacked Aryne on the shoulder, "Thank you Aryne, for once you couldn't keep your mouth shut!"
Elizabeth just laughed, "Its okay and Laura was right, I used to be that way but this mission changed me."
"For the better," Laura agreed smiling at Elizabeth.
At that moment Teyla came rushing in, "Stop squabbling and let's get this ship moving again, it's a four day journey back to the Administration and I don't want to waste time!"
Lorne decided not to waste time and headed to the cockpit but stopped, "What about Ronon? He said something about going somewhere, shouldn't we wait for him?"
Teyla didn't hesitate or falter, "He isn't coming."
"What do you mean 'he isn't coming'?" Laura asked.
"He's decided to join the Varren now can we please leave?" she asked as she headed towards the cockpit herself.
The other occupants stared at one another, mixed feelings of shock and sympathy crossed their faces until they all jumped up to follow the operative. Teyla refused to say anything until they were on their way even then she relented very little, just stating that Ronon had found the Varren ideals to his liking.
"Are you alright lass?" Carson asked voicing everyone's concern.
"I'm fine," she replied.
"Are you sure because you don't look it," Lorne said.
And he was right Elizabeth noted; Teyla was pale with an almost painful look in her eyes. But that was the only five away about her true emotions, Teyla's face was expressionless. She had obviously shut everything away, just like Elizabeth used to.
"I'm fine," she said again, "just tired, this mission was hard and
I have to explain a lot to Sam when we get back." Teyla took a seat in the Galley, "Ronon was just a mistake, a stupid horrible mistake."
"Teyla you told me that he meant so much to you," Laura reminded her, "you can't just say you've erased him completely."
"Ronon has joined the enemy, nothing we do or say can stop what has happened…no matter how much we want to change it," she looked up at Elizabeth, "you were right we shouldn't let our emotions out, shouldn't care so much for others. They will only hurt us in the end."
Elizabeth shook her head, "No, to not care means to not be who we are.
You end up missing so much if you don't let your feelings guide you."
Teyla stared at the blank wall, "I should have known, even at the Academy his tactics, his way of thinking," a tear escaped and slid slowly down her cheek, the first sign that she was breaking, "I even told him once that if he continued to think that way he would find himself working for the wrong side," Teyla gasped somewhere between a laugh and a sob, "Isn't that a sense of irony?"
"I can't believe he would leave like this," Laura said to the others, "I mean she's…" Laura paused and turned back to Teyla, "you didn't tell him did you?"
"Tell him what?" Elizabeth asked.
Teyla shook her head, "I didn't want to hold on to him that way…I'm not even sure if it would have worked if I had, the only reason he would have stayed was because…" Teyla dropped off trying to keep herself from crying.
"Because of what?" Elizabeth asked again.
"Because I'm pregnant!" Teyla practically yelled finally letting the dam holding her emotions break as she erupted into sobs. Elizabeth was shocked, she turned to everyone else for confirmation and they nodded. Laura sat down next to Teyla and gently rubbed her shoulder as Teyla still tried to get a grip on her emotions, "How could he just leave me like this? He just threw me aside like discarded trash," She tried desperately to wipe away the tears but more fell, "Look at me, I can't even remember the last time I cried, it must be the hormones."
"Well you have a right to them," Aryne pointed out, "he's the bastard that left you like this."
"No I did this to myself," Teyla said, "I'm the one that handed the Varren their next greatest general; it's my fault I'm in this situation."
"You can't…"
"Blame myself? Everyone warned me…even you, I knew the risks but I took them anyways, I deserve this for falling for a bounty hunter and now probably a Varren general," she laid her head down on her crossed arms, "I'm not different than
Kyla, now we are both traitors."
The next night Elizabeth padded into the mess hall, the chronometer blinked 1:23 and she expected it to be empty but Teyla sat there at the table her knees drawn up to her chest, her long sleep shirt baring her knees. Elizabeth wasn't even sure if Teyla knew she was there until she spoke, "I couldn't sleep," Teyla paused before continuing, "I haven't eaten in two days…Carson says I should."
"So eat," Elizabeth said.
"I'm not hungry," Teyla explained, "I feel like I'm walking in a nightmare and soon I'll wake up…but this is reality."
Elizabeth didn't say anything just walked to the cupboard found some dry cereal and brought some in a bowl to Teyla. "Eat it," Teyla just looked at her, "You don't want to lose the baby do you?"
Teyla shrugged, "Perhaps its best if I do…"
"But it's a baby, your baby…"
"And his," Teyla reminded her, "Its father is on one side destroying lives and its mother…has no idea what she's doing anymore." Teyla sighed, "I had a plan, I wasn't supposed to go through this alone, he wasn't supposed to leave me like this and now…he doesn't even know the baby exists."
Elizabeth knew where all this was stemming from, "Teyla you can't blame yourself for him turning and you're not a traitor, he was still working for us when you were with him, "Elizabeth smiled at her, "And if you think that having his baby makes you a traitor than my mother would…"
"Why do you care?!" Teyla asked her voice rose, "Ever since I met you, you have been so stoic and full of your duty. I thought that you would be the one person who would agree with me so why to hell do you care?!"
Elizabeth thought for a moment before answering, "Because like you I was walking in a dream, I thought friends and feelings would destroy me but I was wrong, they are the key to living. The capture helped wake me up from the haze I lived in, I was reborn and now I see all the love, joy, friendship and even the pain and sorrow that I missed one of the things I missed was a friendship with you and I'm not going to make the mistake of letting go." She looked Teyla in the eye, "You feel lost because of the pain you're going through so Rodney, Carson, Marcus, Laura, Aryne and even I are going to make sure that you find your way again. You think that you are all alone but we are here, your friends are here to help you through this."
Teyla turned away but Elizabeth forced her to look at her, "Maybe your baby's father won't be there but we'll be there for it as mothers, fathers, cousins, aunts…whatever it needs us to be we'll be there but you have to stop punishing yourself and your child or…you'll never wake up and you'll miss out on so much just like I did."
Teyla looked unsure but turned to Elizabeth, "Aunts and uncles?"
Elizabeth smiled, "And cousins too."
"Oh well that makes a difference," Teyla laughed softly, she felt like she hadn't laughed in years. Elizabeth shoved a bowl of cereal and Teyla took a bite and grimaced, "I hate this stuff."
Elizabeth laughed, "Just wait next I'm going to force you to eat Marcus's soup."
On Mackar, John was pouring through reports his men had just given him but they all added up to one thing: nothing. She was gone. Somehow an Administration spy had worked his way up through John's ranks and managed to rescue Elizabeth. He told himself this wrenching feeling came from the fact he had lost a serious edge in the war against the Ranue but that little voice he'd tried to squish into oblivion more than once since meeting Elizabeth told him what he feared was the truth—he missed her.
He tossed down the reports and buried his fingers in his hair, "How did she get out?"
"I can answer that."
John whirled around, fearing an assassin, but relaxed when he saw it was Ronon, "What are you doing here?"
"I came to take you up on that offer," he replied.
"I'm glad to hear that," he said, "but how do you know what happened to the Libra?"
"I helped her escape."
Now he was shocked but John wouldn't let it show on his face, "Why would you do that?"
Ronon sighed, "I was seeing Teyla Emmagen before I came here. She convinced me to help her recapture the Libra by masquerading as one of your officers."
"I think I get it now," John said, "You were going to do a favor for her and she was going to do some favors for you…bedroom wise."
He smiled, "Pretty much."
"Hard to resist a reward like that," he admitted with a grin before his face grew serious, "Still, if I convinced you why did you follow through?"
"I never break my word and I gave it to her."
"That's honorable," John stated.
Ronon nodded, "So does your offer still stand?"
He smiled and extended a hand, "You're someone the Varren need, I thought it then and I believe it more than ever now."
Ronon stared at the hand for a few moments before finally accepting it. He'd finally chosen a side.
It had been strange for Teyla to enter the Administration base and be hailed as a hero, all they knew was that she'd brought the Libra back again; they didn't know everything else that had gone horribly wrong.
Sam had greeted her with all the prestige and honors a successful operative deserved but Teyla knew she had to tell Sam the truth, she wasn't naïve to think that after she debriefed Sam on everything that had occurred on the mission she would not be deemed a success.
Teyla started from the beginning, explaining how she and Ronon met and started their relationship, her becoming the Last Seer, Ronon joining the Varren and her pregnancy. Once she was done Teyla waited for her reaction.
Sam leaned back in her chair taking everything in everything that Teyla had just told her before addressing what the operative had said, "You are right in your prediction, Sheppard does have a new general who just took Tuladen and we believe he might be a problem for us in the war." Sam saw the devastated looked on Teyla's face, "But from what you and everyone else on the ship has said I can find no fault in you or your mission," she looked at Teyla sympathetically, "but I do believe we should keep this on a need to know basis."
Teyla nodded, "I need to go away, I can't stay here or something might get out about the baby's father."
"I understand," Sam said, "for now you are on a leave of absence."
Teyla stood up to leave but Sam stopped her, "You didn't do anything wrong."
Teyla shook her head, "I'm directly responsible for giving the Varren their new general and I'm carrying his child…what did I do right?"
The Ranue were grateful to have the Libra back in their temple. Elizabeth was greeted by all the council members who seemed relieved, that is until she smiled at them. That gesture brought a wave of fear over all of them…except one. Jack O'Neill had smiled back at her and clamped her on the shoulder, "Good to have you home," he had said and she knew he meant it.
Before, Elizabeth had always viewed Master O'Neill as outlandish and a fool, especially for having given in to emotions and marrying Commander Carter. Now she saw him differently. Just because he admitted to having emotions didn't make him a fool. He wasn't the only Ranue who felt that being human was not a sin but he was the only one to have ever become a council member.
She knew the other council members wanted to whisk here away to retrain her to become a living, breathing machine but she was going to try everything she could to keep that from happening.
Elizabeth had been searching the temple for a while now for Master O'Neill. She had a mission in mind. Laura had spoken to here earlier about Teyla's predicament. Commander Carter had given her a leave of absence but she didn't know where she could go where her secret about the father of her child wouldn't come out. Elizabeth had an idea but she would need help.
At last she spotted Master O'Neill walking with a man who she identified as his friend, Dr. Daniel Jackson a linguist she had met before when she'd first begun her mission to find the Last Seer. "Master O'Neill!" she called out making both men stop and turn around.
"It's Jack and what can I do for you?" he asked.
"I need to talk to you about Teyla Emmagen," she began, "She is in a…situation"
"Sam told me all about it," he said.
That earned a raised eyebrow from Daniel, "Told you about what?
"Mind your own business," he teased.
"Teyla needs to get away for a while to…handle things," Elizabeth continued.
"What do you suggest I do?"
"Well, I was thinking that perhaps we could bring her to a Ranue base," she said, "you could have her sent there to begin her training while she'll be…you know."
"I'll talk to Sam about it," he promised.
"Thank you," Elizabeth said.
"No problem," he said with a wry smile, "How are you holding up by the way?"
"Fine."
"No offense," Daniel cut in, "but you seem so…so…"
"Weird?" Jack offered.
"I was going with different actually," he replied.
"Yeah, why is that?" Jack asked, "Not that I mind, but what happened to the emotions-are-a-sin-I-must-complete-my-destiny Libra we knew before."
"I changed," she said, "He changed me."
"Does this 'he' happen to be Sheppard?"
She hesitated before admitting, "Yes."
Daniel eyed Jack with a look that clearly said 'Uh oh'. "Uh, did Sheppard every say or…do anything to you?" Jack asked.
A light flickered in her eyes, "That reminds me, do you know what bettina means?"
"Absolutely not."
"I do," Daniel spoke up, "It's an old Varren word. Originally when the Varren first formed they wanted to be completely different from the Ranue so they tried to create another language but when several Ranue switched sides it got…"
"Gah!" Jack covered his ears with his hands, "Stop now, I'm begging you!"
"You wanted to know," he defended.
"The word, not the history of the Varren."
"Fine," Daniel said, "It means beautiful."
A smile illuminated Elizabeth's features, "Beautiful," she whispered.
"Did Sheppard call you that?" Jack asked her in a serious tone.
"Um…well…" she stammered, unsure of whether to tell to truth or lie, "Yes," she said at last, "Is that bad?"
"It depends on your definition of bad," he replied, not really answering her question.
"I guess," she said, looking down at the ground before saying, "There's something else I want to ask you…something personal."
"Sure," he agreed, turning to Daniel, "you mind?'
He shook his head, "No, I'll catch up with you later."
Jack and Elizabeth walked for a little while until they found a secluded bench in the garden of the temple, ""What's on your mind, kid?"
"My mother," she said, "Jorto never told me much about her and…I just want to know. Did you know her?"
Jack nodded, "I met her not long after my training. She was a mediocre Ranue who tried her hardest to succeed but could never seem to reach her master's standards." He paused before saying, "She was about your age when she got captured. Six months later she escaped and showed up at the temple pregnant with you." He smirked a little at the memory, "You should have seen the look on the council's faces when they found out that they had the long awaited Libra."
"Do you know who my father is?" she asked.
Jack shook his head, "She never told anyone who it was. I always suspected that she feared him more than…"
"Me?" Elizabeth finished.
"No," he told her, "She was never afraid of you. She once told me that she was glad you came out of all of this. That something good came from her pain."
"It sounds like she was a wonderful person," she said a little sadly.
Jack smiled, "I can see her in you."
She gave him a small smile in return, "Thanks."
A thought entered his mind and he had to voice it, "You know she was buried here in this temple."
"She was?"
He nodded, "If you follow that path," he pointed to a stone walk that led deeper into the garden, "You'll find her tomb."
Elizabeth looked at the path and pondered over what to do. It seemed to stretch endlessly when she knew it had to stop at some point. Should she go and visit the mother she never knew? Was it too late to say goodbye?
"She'd be proud of you," Jack said and then gave her a little nudge, "Go on."
Swallowing her fear, Elizabeth stepped onto the path and let it guide her through the garden. Tall yellow flowers that curved into a bowl like shape lined the walk and it occurred to her that she should pick some. It had always seemed like a silly tradition to her, laying flowers on a grave for them to whither a die but now…she knew it was a symbol of honor and love.
At last she saw a great monument that towered a few feet above her. Placed into the face of the monument was a Ranue sword. Carved below it were the words: Shanea Weir, Mother of the Libra.
Elizabeth fell to her knees and placed the flowers on the stone, "You're my mother," was all she could say at first, "It seems strange talking to a headstone like this," she admitted, "but it feels right." Elizabeth paused before saying softly, "I wish I could have known you. I think…I think you would have loved me and that's something that I've always wanted, someone to love me. Maybe you did, maybe that's why I managed to survive all these years alone because you were there beside me." A tear fell from her eye and trickled down her cheek, "Mast…Jack says you would have been proud of me, I don't know if that's true thought. I have been so blind, burying my emotions so far down that it took a Varren to bring them back up." More tears fell as she continued, "I'm sorry, mother; I forgot about you and you…you didn't deserve that." Elizabeth took several deep breaths to keep back the sobs and stood up, "But I won't do it again. I'll always think about you and how you never once ignored your destiny." She reached out and touched the stone, her fingers tracing the name carved on it, "I love you, mother."
Still holding back tears, Elizabeth walked away. As she did, she felt some strange presence feeling her, as if a spirit was smiling at her and telling her that she did make her proud.
Teyla spent the entire day packing, it helped to keep her mind off of everything and it had to be done soon even if she wasn't quite certain where she was going to go.
A knock at the door pulled Teyla away from all the boxes, she was more than a little surprised to see Elizabeth at the door, "What are you doing here?"
Elizabeth smiled, "I came to talk to you," she walked in to see all the boxes, "I see you're packing already."
"In between bouts of morning sickness," Teyla said, "truthfully all this packing is reminding me that I have no idea where I'm going to do and that I have absolutely nothing ready for the baby." She turned to Elizabeth, "I'm sorry I can't seem to keep my mouth shut these days."
"Don't be sorry," Elizabeth told her, "actually I might have a solution to one of your problems, I talked to Jack…"
"You told him?!"
"Actually his wife did," Elizabeth explained, "we're all worried about you and we might have come up with a solution…you come to the Ranue base with me."
Teyla looked at her skeptically, "I don't know Elizabeth, living on a Ranue base?"
"It's only until the baby is born," she continued, "the council wants to speak with you and train you because of you are the Last Seer and you know they can keep a secret after all no one knew about me for twenty-five years."
Teyla sighed, "I guess it would be easier and it isn't like I have anywhere else to go."
Elizabeth smiled, "Great, now that that's settled do you want some help."
"Sure just help me pack some of these books," Teyla directed her to the pile by the table.
Before they could seriously get started there was another knock on the door, when Teyla opened it Laura, Aryne, Lorne, Carson and Rodney all stood there, "Did somebody send out invitations with out telling me?" Teyla asked.
"We're just trying to be friends," Laura replied.
"All of you at once?" Teyla said doubtfully.
"Okay checking up on you," Laura admitted, "we couldn't find Elizabeth."
"That's because she's a step ahead of you," Elizabeth told them coming to the door, "and there are plenty of boxes for everyone."
"Great," Rodney said sarcastically, "that way we can all be sore tomorrow because we've been lifting boxes all day."
Aryne just glared at him, "Get to work Rodney."
Rodney shut up after that and they all situated themselves around the apartment to pack away Teyla's things.
"Do you know where you're going?" Laura asked Teyla.
"Actually that's why Elizabeth was here," Teyla explained, "the Ranue would like me to stay with them until the baby is born, and it's as good as a place as any."
"Sounds great," Aryne said, "that way we can drop by and see you anytime we want."
"If I'm free from the council," Elizabeth mentioned, "they keep asking me if I'm alright."
They just stared at her dumbfounded, "Are you sure you are alright?" Laura inquired.
"I'm fine, why does everyone keep asking that?" she asked in an exasperated tone.
"Because it's weird," Lorne answered, "You're actually human, I mean what did that guy do to you?"
"He helped me see who I really was," she replied.
"Is that all he did?"
Elizabeth frowned, "What do you mean?"
"I think what Lorne is trying to ask is did you sleep with him?" Laura inquired.
She mused about it for a second before admitting, "Yes."
Lorne dropped a box loudly on the floor and everyone gasped in shock, "What?!" they all said at once.
Elizabeth seemed a little surprised by them, "I had a nightmare," she explained, "about Falron; he carried me to his bed and stayed with me so I wouldn't be afraid."
Laura visibly sighed of relief, "Oh, you slept with him not slept with him," using emphasis to make her point. "I still don't know if that's a good thing though," she admitted.
"He helped me," she defended, "he didn't do anything wrong."
"I suppose," Laura said with skepticism before returning to helping Teyla with the packing.
Desperate to change the subject, Elizabeth turned to Lorne with a smile, "What are you going to do now that you've completed job?"
"Yeah, are you going to continue to rage, pillage and plunder?" Laura teased.
"Actually," Lorne said, "I've decided to join the Administration."
That earned shocked looks from all the women in the room, "Are you serious?" Laura asked.
"What caused this decision?" Teyla inquired.
"Well, Carson mentioned sticking around because he wants to hang out with his new girlfriend," his statement made Laura smile at Carson with glee, "And Rodney said that the war would need a genius like him and I figured why not? It might be fun doing what something for someone other than myself."
Teyla couldn't but smile, "All I can say is…there goes the war."
"Void help us," Laura agreed
Not everything was going with Teyla to the Ranue base; some of her things were being placed in a storage compartment until her return. Aryne had volunteered to supervise this but she was beginning to regret her decision as she was on her own and some of the boxes were very heavy. She had just finished stacking a pile of boxes, taller than she was when Aryne busied herself folding up some rugs. She let out a shriek when she was shoved to the floor and then heard the sound of boxes tumbling to the ground.
"You okay?" Lorne asked when raised his head to look at her.
"I'm fine," she replied, "What are you doing here?"
"Laura suggested you might need a hand," he told her as he helped her to her feet, "and I came just in time to see you about to be squashed into atoms by that box tower you had invented."
"Thanks," Aryne said as she went back to folding rugs, "I've organized the boxes by which room they belong in: kitchen, living room and bedroom.
"What's with those boxes over there?" he pointed to a large pile over by the door.
"That is the too-heavy-to-lift pile."
He chuckled, "I'll tackle that one then." They worked in silence for a while, occasionally stealing secret glances at one another. He had just finished stacking one box when he turned her around to face him, "I didn't say this back on Acura, but thanks for helping me out there."
"You were shot," she stated, "I couldn't just let you bleed to death. How is the shoulder by the way?"
"Fine, Doc's says it's healing nicely."
"That's good," she said, turning back around to organize another set of boxes.
Marcus pursed his as he tried to figure out a way to word what he wanted to say. Void, he couldn't remember the last time he had apologized to anyone. "I…uh…look, I wanted to say…"
Aryne turned around, her amber eyes watching him with curiosity, "What?"
"I'm sorry," he finally voiced, "about what I said after Cirrus I mean. I didn't know that…"
"That I've never done what you accuse me off?" she finished. He nodded. "Laura told you I assume," she continued.
"Yeah," Marcus said, "and she took great pleasure in it, let me tell you."
That made her laugh a little, "I'm sure she did."
A tense moment stretched between them and he didn't know what to say. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked around, "It looks like we're done."
"Yeah," she replied.
"I'll see you later then," he said and turned to leave.
"I'm going into training," she stopped him; "I don't know when I'll be back."
"Oh," Lorne said, not sure of what else to say, "Then I'll see you whenever."
"Yeah, whenever."
"Okay," he said, "I guess there's nothing else to say but…goodbye," he held out his hand.
Aryne stared at the outstretched hand before finally accepting it, "Goodbye."
For some reason the word seemed so trivial, as if it wasn't enough. Seven letters and two syllables were not enough for her, she needed more closure. They shook hands and he watched as he walked away. Once the door closed she pressed her forehead to the box her arms were resting on. What was wrong with her? She hated that man and now…she already missed him.
"It's not like he cares," she muttered to herself, "He's probably headed out to celebrate right now."
Aryne forced herself to push him to the back of her mind and decided to go over the boxes one more time. She didn't know that Marcus was leaning against the other side of the closed door with his eyes closed chastising his heart for aching the way it did.
The team helped Teyla settle down in her new apartment on the small Ranue base hidden on Jilkar. The Last Seer was busy undergoing the training Jack was helping her endure. He and Sam had managed to convince the rest of the council members to let him do the instructing on how to advance her gift. Teyla was grateful for that since now she wouldn't have to explain to anyone why she was gaining weight in a couple of months.
That night, Jack found he couldn't sleep without Sam there beside him. He rebuked himself since he had slept alone in the past but that was all before he fell in love and got married; now he missed the fact that he couldn't reach over and see his wife's lovely face.
He hoped maybe a walk would wear him out enough to finally get some sleep. He wandered into the conservatory, a lovely place filled with green plants and colorful flowers including the Night Maiden which only bloomed at night. The ceiling was entirely made of glass so one could look up and see the light of the stars and Jilkar's two moons.
The shadowy form of someone lying on a stone bench made him jump back startled, "Creepy person on the bench, what's up?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, Jack," Elizabeth apologized, sitting up; "I didn't think anyone would come here."
"Understandable," he said, taking seat beside her, "What are you doing here?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
"I asked first."
"I was looking at the stars," she said, "Why are you here?"
"I miss Sam," he told her, "thought maybe fresh air would help."
Elizabeth looked down at her lap, "It won't," she replied, a little too knowingly something Jack noticed.
"So why are you really out here?" he asked. She looked at him a little fearfully when she realized he knew she had lied before. "You can tell me whatever it is," he told her.
She thought about it before finally admitting, "I miss him."
Jack swallowed before asking, "Sheppard?" He let out a sigh when she nodded, "That's not good, Liz, really not good."
"You don't understand," she defended, "He was so kind to me."
"That's part of his act…"
"No," Elizabeth inserted, "he didn't have to be kind; he just was. He protected from Falron when he tried to force himself on me."
"I didn't know that," he admitted, now pondering over what she was saying, "What else did he do?"
"He kissed me."
"What?!" Jack exclaimed, "He kissed you?!"
She shrunk back a little, "That's bad too isn't it?"
"Depends on how you look at it," he said, "I'm sure to you it was good but in Ranue terms…not so much."
Elizabeth sat in silence for several moments, "I don't know why."
"Why what?"
"Why he kissed me," she explained, "The first time…"
"First? How many times were there?"
"Just two," she assured him, "The first time he was just showing me how it was done but the second…he just kissed me and I don't know why."
"You didn't say anything or ask anything?" he inquired.
Elizabeth shook her head, "Can you tell me?"
"No," Jack said, "I don't know why." It was the truth. His original thought that maybe Sheppard had tried to seduce her was beginning to look less and less like a possibility.
"He's a good man," Elizabeth stated, "He's just misguided."
"Maybe you're right," he agreed.
"Do you think he could change?"
Jack pursed his lips, "Daniel knows more history stuff than me but I do know that no Varren has ever switched sides."
"But do you think it's possible?" she pressed.
He shrugged, "Anything is possible I guess. A lot of people thought you were just a myth and here you are."
Elizabeth smiled, "I hope he can change."
Jack looked at her wisely, "I think he already has."
7 months later
Teyla's scream echoed the room as she grasped the headboard, the spasm of pain passed after a moment and she relaxed, "This hurts worse than a blast from a Caron Cannon!" she yelled.
After spending months on the hidden Ranue base her baby's time had come and now she was really wishing it hadn't, "Please I'll take the epidural now I beg you!"
The doctor looked at her hesitantly, "It's too late."
"Too late! This baby is going to rip me apart!" Then she swore and cursed Ronon to the fiery world of Harlan. Another contraction came followed by and more and more and soon enough she was cursing everyone around her.
Elizabeth watched from the shadows until she couldn't take anymore, she rushed forwards and clasped her friend's hand, "Why are you doing this?" Teyla asked panting.
"Because you're my friend."
A few hours later Teyla's baby girl was born and carried away screaming Teyla leaned back against the pillows exhausted, "Never sleep with a man," Teyla told Elizabeth, "because nine months later it is NOT worth it! I mean the guys go on as happy as can be while we have to go through the pain and labor and…" She gasped as the Ranue Marta brought in her baby girl and laid her in her arms.
Teyla stared at the tiny life in her arms and played with the little fingers, "I take it all back, it is worth it."
Elizabeth laughed and softly felt the baby's fuzzy head, "What are you going to name her?"
Teyla didn't hesitate, "Adilene," she explained, "it means hope."
Elizabeth smiled, "Hope…its perfect."
It was all anyone needed to save a life, win a war or just keep on living. Hope, which is what Teyla had in more ways than one.
Hope.
Fin
(Voice over)
Sam: (quietly) we're losing the war Jack
Jack: I know
Announcer: The war is ending…
Deymos: The time of the Varren has come
Announcer: Change is near
Teyla: My life no longer is the Administration
Ronon: Then what is it?
Adilene: Mommy! (She jumps into the bed and wakes her mother)
Announcer: Pasts return
Aryne: Why are you acting this way?!
Lorne: There are things about me I don't want you to know.
Ranue 1: The Libra is not herself
Ranue 2: No, she is too much like herself
Announcer: And the Libra surrenders
Elizabeth: It's this feeling I get when I'm around you
John: Tonight I'm going to treat you the way a woman should
(Shots of them cuddling in bed)
Teyla: Do you have any idea what you are doing? This foolish affair or yours could cost us the war!
Elizabeth: I'll never betray the Ranue
Announcer: Secrets are kept
Lorne: I can't be with you; I don't want to be with you.
Aryne: Then why did you kiss me?
(Shot of them cuddling in bed)
Laura: You should tell him about your daughter
Teyla: No, he'll never know because I'll never see him again
Ronon: You cannot escape
Teyla: I will be no one's prisoner…especially yours
Teyla: I hate you now more than ever
Ronon: And yet you still want me
(Teyla and Ronon cuddle in bed)
Announcer: The time has come…
Deymos: I will crush the Administration in one full stroke
Laura: He is a Varren…you have to kill him
Elizabeth: I don't think I can
Announcer: …the beginning of the end
Ronon: I left for a cause I believe in
Teyla: But you left behind so much trouble for me to deal with
Administration Officer: Agent Emmagen…you are under arrest for treason
Elizabeth: So many lives are at stake, it all comes down to one person…me
Ranue: In order to complete her destiny the Libra may die
(Shots of a space battle)
(Shot of Orion blowing up)
(John and Elizabeth facing each other in battle)
(Teyla and Ronon facing each other in battle)
(Elizabeth walking in and seeing Deymos)
Announcer: Libra Trilogy Part III: Destiny
Deymos: The hour of destiny is at hand…can you complete it?
A/N: So do you guys forgive me? Are you jazzed about the third one? Read and Review!!!