Fic: Gifts Unasked For (Atlantis, J/R/T, NC-17, 1/4)

[shetiger]

Title: Gifts Unasked For
Author: tigerlady
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing Threesome: John/Rodney/Teyla (also slight Teyla/Aiden)
Rating: NC-17 (for naughty boy-boy touching and naughty girl-boy touching)
Disclaimer: Not mine, nor am I making any profit off of this work.
Spoilers: Goes AU after Siege II, but it's based off of what I knew of a storyline for season II, so if you're very spoilerphobic, you might want to avoid this until after you've seen Siege III. (Also has a minor spoiler for Intruder.)

Summary: After the Wraith capture Aiden Ford, the command of Atlantis gives him up as lost. But his teammates aren't convinced--they're willing to go the extra mile to get him back.

Notes: First, I'd like to thank all of you who stopped by months ago and said yes, you would read a threesome story, and those of you who have cheered me on as I've grumbled and sighed during the process. Huge, huge thanks to bluestarmuse for holding my hand through the entire process. And tafkarfanfic and kageygirl, what can I say? You're amazing betas, and this story would be complete crap without you. :)



The planet was like most of those seeded by the Ancients: green and fertile, Earth-like and perfect for human settlers.

The Ancients hadn't taken the Wraith into account, of course.

Aiden checked the database one last time, confirming that this planet was on the 'extinct-no viable food-source' list. It still weirded him out that he could just tap into that knowledge with a thought. The major must have felt that way with the Ancient technology, at first. Still, Aiden wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The planet was perfect for his base of operations. No people to get caught in the crossfire even if the Wraith came after him. The Stargate was in orbit, so nobody was likely to wander in without warning. Perfect for a one-man operation.

He set the ship down in a clearing near an isolated structure. He had to trudge through a short wooded area to get there, but that wasn't a hardship. Not anymore. The building itself wasn't much more than four stone walls and a chimney, thick beams crossing the open top. With a little work he'd have it livable in no time, cozy for when the cold season hit. His new strength should see him through the job easily enough.

He had a plan, he had a home, and he had a whole lot of new skills.

Aiden just wished he wasn't so damn lonely.

John rolled his shoulders against the tightness brought on by the unnatural quiet of the cabin, then checked the display once again as they settled into orbit. No ships, which was good, since ships usually meant Wraith. Though if Ford had wound up here, he had better have had a ship, or else their mission was over before it even began.

They'd been at this two days. Two long days of tracking down every rumor of Earth-style clothes or equipment. Two days of jumping from gate to gate, hoping against the odds that they weren't on a wild-goose chase. Two days of pervasive silence between them.

He glanced over at Rodney, busy studying the displays. Rodney had been just as quiet as he and Teyla, which didn't make John feel any better about this venture. Rodney hadn't said anything about probability or risk; John knew he'd go a long way for his friends. He sighed. At least McKay would have a position to return to back on Atlantis. He and Teyla would have a tougher time.

John checked flight data one more time, and then eased the jumper toward the planet.

"Here we go," he announced softly, and even that seemed too loud. He could feel Teyla's coiled tension in the seat behind him, power waiting for an opportunity to strike. The jumper felt the same; controlled power responding easily to his bidding, no desperate shaking as they entered the atmosphere, no gees to fight as they soared. Ford had asked him if he missed the sensation of fighting gravity and inertia, and he hadn't been able to explain it. Now he might not ever have the chance to try.

The view leveled out as he slowed their descent. The planet was the same old, same old: trees and green fields everywhere, rivers and small oceans breaking up the monotony.

"I'm getting an energy reading of some significance, directly ahead," Rodney said.

John nodded. "Any signs of life?"

"No discrete life signs, but evidence of civilization at some point in time. There's a structure not far from the energy readings."

John tried not to get his hopes up. "Any clue what that energy is?"

Rodney shrugged. "I don't think it's a ZPM, and wow, I think that's the first time I've ever been happy to say that."

John was inclined to agree. If it wasn't a ZPM, it might be residue from a ship's engine, which might be a friendly, which might even be Ford himself. A lot of ifs, but it was better than nothing.

The clearing they landed in was covered with tall, thick-bladed grass that brushed his arms with every step and every gust of wind. He signaled Teyla to take point, then waited as Rodney did his thing with his scanner.

"This way," Rodney said with a jut of his chin.

John flicked his hand forward. Teyla set off smoothly through the grass. At times watching her move made him feel like a klutz, but mostly he just admired her grace. Among other qualities. He knew himself well enough to keep those thoughts tightly under wraps, though, along with the part drilled into him by his father that didn't like the idea of a woman in the line of fire. He was lucky to have her on his team.

The forest was eerily quiet, only broken by the creak of branches in the wind and the occasional flutter of bird-like wings. The forest smelled right, at least, like every wooded area he'd ever been to. Damp and earthy, just a little metallic, with the overwhelming scent of green things and rotting wood beneath it.

Teyla slowed. More sunlight broke through the branches here; they had come to the edge of another clearing. Teyla edged forward as they waited. John gripped his P90 more securely as she signaled them forward again. The structure they had spotted from the jumper sat in the middle of the clearing, more swaths of the tall grass obscuring it. It didn't look like much: a lousy-looking wooden door in the middle of stone walls topped by a haphazard roof. John didn't think it was inhabited, but then Teyla pointed out an almost invisible line of bent stalks.

He spread his fingers. Rodney and Teyla nodded. Teyla ghosted out to his left, Rodney went to his right. John took a deep breath, counted to thirty, and started through the middle of the clearing.

He was halfway to the shack when he heard a high-pitched whine. Then he was staring helplessly up at the incandescence of the sun, failure overwhelming him. John prayed as consciousness dropped away, hoping against common sense that Teyla and Rodney had escaped.

Teyla woke to a low, muffled moan, full of frustration. She blinked to clear the stickiness from her eyes, then blinked some more as she tried to focus on her surroundings. The blinding orange light of the setting sun striped through a small room, making it difficult to make out the dimensions and details. She was propped against a wall, unable to move more than her eyes and the index finger of her left hand.

There were grey-clad legs to either side of her. The longer set were on her left-obviously Colonel Sheppard. She strained her eyes to the side, but she could only make out his chest. Teyla tried to call out, but the only thing that came out was a breathy hum.

A plaintive moan answered her from her right; clearly Dr. McKay was unhappy with the situation. Colonel Sheppard moaned from her left, a long-suffering sound that she judged to be a response to McKay. It only egged the doctor on; he replied with a long series of grunts and moans. Strangely, her heart felt lighter than it had since they had decided on this venture.

She heard creaking, the sound of an old door opening. They all fell silent, waiting as a figure stepped forward into her line of sight, silhouetted by the glare of the sun.

Teyla felt the same strange sensation she had experienced immediately before the attack, like a Wraith but not. Goosebumps flared across her skin. She struggled desperately, but her fear did not aid her in any way. Her heart pounded faster and faster until she thought it might fly from her chest as the creature approached.

Her worst fears were realized. It was a Wraith, one of the foot soldiers, though it appeared different from most she had seen. Beside her, Dr. McKay breathed rapidly, heavily. Teyla tried not to breathe at all. She tried to gather the words of the death prayer, but her mind was empty. The creature was the only thing that existed. It lifted its right hand-and she closed her eyes, not wishing to see its ugliness when she died. The moment seemed to last forever, strangled noises coming from either side of her, her heart pounding, air burning in her throat-but nothing happened. Finally, Teyla gathered her courage and opened her eyes.

Aiden stared back at her, his wide grin catching the light.

Teyla gasped. Her stomach flipped as her body tried to keep up with the reversal of her emotions. She tried to speak, but her voice was still paralyzed.

"Man, it is so good to see you guys," Aiden said. "It's been lonely as hell here by myself."

Dr. McKay made an escalating run of noises that ended with something that sounded like a growl.

"Sorry about that, Dr. McKay," Aiden said with a laugh. "Couldn't take any chances."

Teyla managed to tilt her head a fraction so she could see Aiden better. He wore military fatigues, torn in places, but he carried a Wraith stunner.

Aiden had been the one who had attacked them.

Confused, she studied his face. A terrible idea occurred to her. It was very much Aiden's face, yet it was not. His eyes were dilated to pure blackness, his skin was oddly pale, and there were ridges along his nose and eyes.

And the strange sensation had not faded.

"Anyway, you guys will be right as rain soon enough. And you're not drooling, Dr. McKay, so that's an improvement, right?"

Aiden grinned and winked at her. Teyla's heart skipped; he sounded so very much like himself, but she knew he was not. Not completely.

"Oh hey! I bet you guys want to know what happened." He waited a beat, glancing between them as if expecting an answer. "There's not that much to tell-I guess some of the Wraith like to play with their food. One minute we're surrounded on the South Pier, and the next I'm waking up on a table with this ugly-ass dude over me, trying to use me as a pin cushion."

Aiden's eyes flicked towards hers again, his face turning sheepish. Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay had spent an enlightening evening several months ago explaining Earth vulgarity to her, but Aiden had never been comfortable using it around her. She had always found it both amusing and frustrating; now it was reassuring.

"So then he brings out the biggest needle yet," he continued, "and after he jabs me I just lose it. Somehow I got out of there, grabbed one of their ships and took off. How about that, Major? A jarhead doing some mighty fine flying, if I say so myself."

Sheppard grunted. Aiden laughed. "It's a sweet ship, Major. Maybe I'll take you up for a spin. Later, though. I've got some stuff to take care of."

He stood, his face rising out of her line of sight. "Sorry the place is lame. My grandma would be all over me for being such a bad host, but the local Wal-Mart sucks big time. Latrine's out back, well's out front. Make yourselves at home."

Aiden walked to the door. They all raised noisy protests. He paused and turned back with another of his easy grins. "It's so great to see you guys."

Then he was gone. Again.

Sheppard and McKay continued their outcries, their volume rising to near shouts. Finally they fell silent. Teyla tapped her index finger against the floor she barely felt-tap, tap, tap-until her mind drifted away from her hopes and fears, and she entered an emotionless trance. At some point her other fingers joined in.

Teyla blinked back to awareness, her control returned to her. She flexed her wrists and elbows. Her skin was still numb, but she could move.

"You okay, Teyla?"

She nodded at Colonel Sheppard and tried to answer him. The air caught in her dry throat. She coughed and tried again. "I am fine. You?"

He nodded, barely visible in the now-dark room. Dr. McKay was speaking, muttering about pins and needles and other items. She rolled to her side and began the laborious process of standing. The lack of sensitivity made her clumsy and slow.

"You saying anything important over there McKay, or you just running off at the mouth?"

"Everything I say is important," Dr. McKay said. "Some things are just more important than others."

Colonel Sheppard rolled his eyes and then smiled at her. "You want to help me kick Ford's ass when he gets back here?"

She returned his smile tentatively. "I hope that will be unnecessary."

"Oh, he's got it coming, all right, leaving us here like that." The colonel grinned. "It's good to have him back, isn't it?"

Teyla hesitated, but she knew that no good would come of staying silent. "I am concerned. Did he not seem odd to you?"

Sheppard shrugged, but Dr. McKay stepped forward, his intense eyes focused on her. "What do you mean?"

She took a deep breath. "I noticed physical changes-his eyes were dilated, and there were ridges on his face."

"He was wearing that Wraith skull-thing," the colonel objected. "Maybe it's rubbing blisters."

Teyla pushed down her irritation, reminding herself that he did not know what she did. "Did he not seem overly effusive to you? And why did he not return to Atlantis if he had the means?"

"Why did he shoot us?" Dr. McKay added. "I really, really could have done without that little fun time."

Teyla nodded. Colonel Sheppard would not meet her eyes. Instead he inspected his vest and weapons.

"Look," he said. "The lieutenant has been through a traumatic experience. Of course he's going to act a little off."

She shook her head. "Colonel, you must listen. I was able to sense him."

Sheppard looked up at that. "You're saying he's a Wraith?"

"No," she said slowly. She rubbed her hands together, getting used to the returning sensation. "I do not know what to make of it, but I felt something similar to the Wraith, but different, whenever he was near."

"Oh, that's not good," Dr. McKay murmured.

Colonel Sheppard stared at the far wall for a long time. "Fine. Maybe they did something to him. But he's still Ford, and I'm bringing him home. Got that?"

"Of course," Teyla agreed. "That was never in question."

He held her eyes, then nodded sharply. "Good. Now let's go see if we can find him again."

Teyla sighed as the colonel left the building. She respected him very much, and his loyalty was one of his best qualities. But at times, that stubborn loyalty was an impediment. As she started to the door herself, she noticed that Dr. McKay was still staring after the colonel. He turned at the sound of her steps, and their eyes met. His worry was plain in his clear eyes.

"Right," he said. He lifted his P90 and headed out into the night.

The colonel stood in the middle of the grassy clearing, the thin beam from his gun flashing as he swept it through the darkness. A single half-moon silvered the land. Insects chirped in the distance, a few darting and dancing in the artificial light.

"Teyla?"

She slowly turned, looking for signs of Aiden's passage. The dark obscured small details, and the grass was broken and bent in many places where their own bodies had been dragged through the area mere hours before.

"I cannot tell," she concluded. "Perhaps it would be better to wait until morning. Aiden did say he would return, and we do not know what predators hunt these woods at night." It would not be an issue on Athos; the large, dangerous animals hunted by day. But she did not know this planet, and even small things lurking in the dark might be deadly.

Sheppard stared at the tree line, his mouth drawn the side and his brow furrowed in unhappy contemplation. He sighed. "All right, I guess we're spending the night in the Holiday Inn."

Teyla raised her eyebrows, but he did not explain.

"Oh, if only," Dr. McKay said. "I wouldn't even complain about their lousy pillows."

The colonel snorted as he turned back toward the building. "Yeah right, Rodney. Pull the other one."

At least some things were returning to normal. As their back-and-forth sallies continued, Teyla told herself that everything would be fine. Aiden was alive, and that was the important thing. All other problems would wait until they returned to Atlantis.

Aiden jumped, did a sideways shuffle, and then pumped the air a couple of times before he settled back into a lope. He'd looked in on the team one last time after they'd settled in for the night. Dr. McKay hadn't noticed him passing by-Aiden would have to give him hell for that. Then again, Aiden was impressed by his own stealth lately. He was better at penetrating a line than he'd ever been before, so maybe he could cut McKay a little slack. Still, it wouldn't do for the team to get taken out because of a blind spot.

He smiled. It was so good to see them again. The doc, and the major, and Teyla. Lord, she was a sight for sore eyes. And man, were his ever sore. The moonlight wasn't too bad, but he still had a headache from being out in the sun earlier. He hated that damn skull plate-it stank like old bone and dead Wraith-but he had to admit it helped his sensitive eyes. Just one more reason to wear the thing, besides blending in with the Wraith when he was around them.

Aiden hit the wrist control for the transport beam. The trip wasn't as smooth as going through the gate, but it was over so quick it didn't matter. The dart was a fine piece of machinery. Maybe he really would take the major up later. Now, he had an appointment he didn't want to be late for. The team would be here when he got back, and that made him happier than he'd been in a very long time.

Teyla sat last watch, as was her custom. She had risen before dawn as long as she could remember, sharing tea and conversation with those close to her. Trips through the Stargate, to planets where the day cycle was different from her own, made it more choice than bodily habit, but she always enjoyed the hours before dawn. On missions past, if they had a campfire, she would prepare tea to serve with the morning rations. It was a small, but important part of her life from Athos that she enjoyed sharing with her new friends.

This morning there would be no tea. They had only minimal supplies with them, having left their overnight packs in the jumper. So she merely watched as the sky lightened on the horizon. When she judged it close to sunrise, she returned to the hut to wake Colonel Sheppard. He blinked at her blearily as she opened the squeaky door. He and Dr. McKay were lying back to back on the hard floor. She had shared warmth with each of them in turn last night; it made the discomfort much easier to bear.

"It is sunrise," she told him quietly.

The colonel nodded and rolled to his feet. Dr. McKay hunched inwards but did not wake as they left. She stood with Sheppard, taking in the brisk air and the sounds of wildlife awakening with the rising sun. At some point in the past year, this had become their habit, along with hot tea and allowing Dr. McKay as much rest as possible. Despite the beauty and calm, she grew restless, filled with the need to start after Aiden.

After a few minutes, the colonel turned to her. "Quiet watch?"

She inclined her head. "Just myself and the night insects."

He nodded. "I want to see if we can round up Ford. If not, we'll head back to the jumper, take a little spin and see what's what."

The sun was higher now, purples and pinks giving way to a blazing yellow. She had to squint to see his face. "Would it not be better to remain here, in case the lieutenant returns?"

Sheppard sighed and turned back toward the cabin. "I'd rather find him sooner than later. We've waited long enough." He walked away, determination in his stride as he approached the door. "McKay! Get that lazy ass out of bed!"

That too was customary. Teyla hugged her arms around her chest and hoped that soon all of their habits would be restored. She took a deep breath and went inside, ready to break fast on the oddly flavored Earth rations. She smiled at Dr. McKay, still groggy and uncoordinated from sleep.

By the time they had found Aiden's trail, leading to the edge of another stretch of woods, Dr. McKay was his normal self, talking full volume about alarm clocks and bug bites and other irritations in his life. Teyla concentrated on finding signs of Aiden. The trail edged a shallow ravine with a thin trickle of water tinkling over the rocky bed at its base. Like the first forested area, it soon opened up into another grass-covered clearing.

She stopped, waiting for her teammates before she gave voice to what she saw.

"I do not believe he is here any longer," she told them.

A large patch of flattened, singed grass took up the middle of the clearing, sure sign that a ship had been there recently.

"That would explain the energy readings," Dr. McKay said. "He did say he had a Wraith ship."

"So where the hell did he go?"

Teyla had no answer. Dr. McKay shrugged. "How would I know that?" he asked incredulously.

Colonel Sheppard ignored him. "Back to the jumper. This is really starting to piss me off." He turned and headed back to the trail, Dr. McKay following right behind. The colonel set a brisk pace, and they arrived back at the jumper within an hour.

Teyla settled into her usual seat with both relief and anticipation. Though she knew it was unlikely that they would find Aiden this way, she still hoped. And it felt good to continue the search, rather than waiting, inactive.

"Huh," Dr. McKay said, a half breath before Colonel Sheppard's "What the-"

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"McKay, what the hell is wrong with my ship?"

Dr. McKay was already pulling compartments open. "Shut up, I'm working on it."

"It's not responding at all," Colonel Sheppard said a bit desperately.

"Yes, I'm aware of that," McKay snapped back. "If you could just be quiet-"

Teyla sat forward as he fell silent. Sheppard also leaned toward him.

"Oh no," Dr. McKay said in a small voice.

"Rodney?"

Dr. McKay slumped in his chair, looking defeated. When he faced the colonel, she could see his jaw clench and release before he started speaking. "That idiot took the main power crystals. The jumper isn't responding because there's no conceivable way for it to draw power from, oh, I don't know, thin air!"

"Who? Ford?" Sheppard asked incredulously. Teyla found it difficult to believe as well.

"Yes, Ford," McKay snapped. "Unless some as-yet-unseen forest elf pranced in here using his convenient remote and mysteriously knew which fucking crystals to take to maroon us on Gilligan's planet!"

Teyla frowned. The situation did not make sense. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"What, do I look like Carnac the Magnificent?"

"No turban," Colonel Sheppard murmured, then rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair. "He said he wanted us to stay here. Ford is really making it difficult to rescue his ass."

"Rescuing is not the word I'm thinking of," Dr. McKay said darkly. "Those crystals are ten thousand years old at the very least. You can't just go tossing them around like a football-"

"Rodney," Sheppard broke in, "can you fix it?"

Dr. McKay gaped at him. "What do you want me to do, lick the wires? We have no batteries."

"Batteries?" she asked.

"There's no work-around?" Colonel Sheppard asked at the same time. "A secondary system maybe, something with a separate power supply you could cannibalize?"

Dr. McKay sighed and rubbed at the spot between his eyebrows. "I'll try," he said. "But you have to understand what this means. The odds are very small that I'll be able to find an alternative power source, and even if I do it probably won't be enough to get the jumper off the ground."

"I have faith in you, Rodney," Sheppard said seriously.

McKay stood up, waving his hands at the colonel. "While that's very touching, it doesn't really help me any. I'll just be over here, planning out my retirement in our lovely little villa while I work on pulling a miracle out of my ass." He stalked to the back of the jumper, but paused to glance back at them. "Again."

Teyla watched him pull panels open, short, jerky motions that accompanied the rhythm of his mutterings. Like the colonel, she too had faith that, like so many times before, he would find a solution to their problem.

"I'm going out," Sheppard said. "Ford's got to be around somewhere."

Teyla stared at him incredulously, not understanding the logic that brought him to that conclusion, but decided not to say anything. She understood his restless need to do something while Dr. McKay worked. She stood, ready to join him.

He shook his head. "Stay here," he told her quietly. "Look after McKay while he's got his head buried."

"Are you certain you will be all right alone?"

"I'll be fine," he assured her as he opened the hatch, then left without another word.

Teyla stared after him, watching until he disappeared through the trees. She hoped he would keep himself safe. She took a deep breath of the green-heavy air, and turned her attention back to the jumper.

"Is there anything I can do to assist you?" she asked McKay.

"Hand me a PowerBar, would you?"

She smiled and dug one out of the packs. He tore the package open and ate with little attention. She sat for a while, just watching him. He had his thumb pressed against his teeth, intent on the display in front of him. Occasionally he would leap into frenetic activity, prodding various parts of the ship and moving clips and wires. He reminded her of a young child with a new puzzle, endlessly fascinated with the challenge.

After a while, she got up and paced the perimeter. It was as calm as before-the sighing of the trees and the gentle swish of the grasses in the breeze, an occasional call from an animal, and the constant insects flitting about. She told herself that Colonel Sheppard had his radio, and that he had not been gone very long at all. Perhaps even now he was talking with Aiden, joking about the misunderstanding as they returned to the jumper.

And perhaps she could teach herself to fly without a ship.

She snorted softly and reentered the jumper. Dr. McKay was in one of his thinking phases, so she passed by him as quietly as she was able. Irritation started to eat at her as she stared out the front viewscreen. She disliked waiting; waiting while others worked, she hated intensely.

To pass the time, she opened the storage compartments and pulled out the extra supplies. She counted MRE's and protein bars. She sorted them into piles, then sorted them into different piles. There was enough to last them about a week, perhaps longer if they rationed carefully.

"It doesn't make sense," Dr. McKay said out of the blue.

Teyla looked up from the first aid supplies she had spread out on the floor. "I am sorry?"

He kept his gaze on the computer screen as he answered. "Like you said, it doesn't make sense. Why would Ford want to strand us on the planet? Has he gone completely nuts, or is he just keeping us for a snack like a Wraith?"

Teyla shrugged as she searched for an answer. "Perhaps there is some danger we are unaware of, and he is trying to protect us."

He laughed, a short, unhappy burst of sound. "Yes, because that's such a great plan. Leave your team behind while you go off and get yourself killed. Must be contagious."

She shook her head as she picked at the corner of one of the foil-wrapped packages. Dr. McKay was obviously still unhappy about Sheppard's attempted self-sacrifice against the hive ship. She had thought that was behind them, but perhaps certain issues had been buried by their need to find Aiden. "I doubt that Aiden has placed himself at risk, and I do not think that he means us ill. He said he would come back."

Dr. McKay looked up to meet her gaze for the first time since he began working. She wondered what he was thinking; he seemed to be searching her face for something.

"I hope so," he said, and then returned to his work. "It'd be just my luck to have him show up two seconds after I figure this thing out."

She smiled. Dr. McKay fell silent again, and she continued counting bottles and bandages. When she was finished, she returned the supplies to the storage area. Then she went outside to check the perimeter again.

The sun was starting to set. She tapped her radio, her anxiety tightly controlled. "Colonel Sheppard," she called.

"What's up, Teyla?"

She let herself smile widely, sharing her relief at his immediate reply with the vast blue sky. "Are you well?"

"Fine," he answered in a clipped tone. "Has McKay figured it out yet?"

Teyla frowned. Obviously, he had not found Aiden. "I am uncertain," she told him. "But I do not believe so."

The channel fell silent. Teyla debated asking him his whereabouts, but decided to let him be. Her patience was rewarded not ten minutes later, when he emerged from the tree line. His stride was quick and forceful, but his face was calm as he stepped into the jumper. He squatted beside Dr. McKay.

"Rodney?"

Dr. McKay looked up, surprised but not startled. He sighed and tried to rise, but had some difficulty navigating through the numerous wires and parts strewn about. Colonel Sheppard took his hand and pulled, and together they cleared him from the mess. Dr. McKay's eyes slid towards her as he stretched his arms overhead before returning to the colonel.

"I've tested each of the relays," he said at last. "There's a separate power source that runs the minor systems. Lights, hatch, displays, so on and so forth."

Sheppard nodded, gesturing for McKay to go on when he hesitated. The doctor rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, and Teyla had an urge to rub out the stiffness that must surely be there.

"I know what you want to hear, Colonel, and it just isn't going to happen. If I even try to hook the main drive up to the secondary source, there's a ninety-percent chance it will blow the crystal into itty-bitty shards."

The colonel's jaw clenched as he stared out the back of the shuttle. She could see him very deliberately make himself relax, taking a deep breath and uncrossing his arms before he turned his attention back to Dr. McKay. "What happens the other ten percent of the time?"

Dr. McKay twirled a finger in the air. "We get enough power to lift about ten feet off the ground."

"So, not an option. Okay, then," Colonel Sheppard said decisively. "Concentrate on the alternatives. Can we build something? Maybe refine some crystals from the planet?"

"You want to stick rocks in a piece of the most advanced technology in the universe?" Dr. McKay crossed his arms, throwing his head back as he got into his rant. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you not realize that your favorite toy was a little bit beyond the rest of the Linkin Logs and Legos in your box? We don't even know where the Ancients got the crystals, whether they're natural or laboratory-created. But no, you're right. Let's just start tossing sand around and see if we get glass."

Sheppard glared. "Are you finished? I'm just throwing stuff out here, McKay," he snapped. "It's called brainstorming. I thought you science types were supposed to be familiar with the concept."

Dr. McKay turned away, and when he turned back, anxiety leapt inside her. His face was completely open, his eyes wide and worried. "Sometimes an equation is unsolvable," he said.

Colonel Sheppard walked to the front of the ship. He leaned against the back of his seat, bracing his hands on the headrest. Dr. McKay took a half-step forward, but then stopped and returned to his work. Teyla felt lost and useless.

"All right," Sheppard said. "We'll bed down here for the night, and tackle it fresh in the morning. It's not as bad as it seems. Ford will be back soon, I'll ream him a new one, and then we'll get the hell off of this planet." He turned back to them composed and confident.

Teyla nodded. Dr. McKay looked up, meeting the colonel's eyes for a long moment before he began fiddling with wires again.

John looked up from the slide of his pistol, working the cloth by touch alone as he watched Teyla cross through the field of grass. She followed the thin line that their feet had worn over the last two days. He would have expected it to be trampled by now, but the stuff was amazingly resilient, popping back up even after three pairs of feet had smashed it down. Little butterfly-things were fluttering about, darting in toward Teyla every now and then. All in all it reminded him of something out of a fabric softener commercial-perfectly sunny day, light breeze weaving through the grassy plain, beautiful woman communing with nature. Too bad he wasn't here on vacation.

As she drew closer, John could see that Teyla's hair was still wet, and her clothes clung to her in damp patches. She had a wide smile on her face, though, obviously happy to be clean after several days without bathing. He'd never know a woman who liked staying dirty, even if she didn't mind getting that way in the first place.

"How's the water?" he called as she neared the jumper.

"Invigorating, Colonel," she answered, her smile turning a little coy. "I am certain you will enjoy it."

Which probably meant it was two degrees above freezing. Teyla had a mischievous streak a mile wide, but she liked to keep it hidden under placid looks and soothing aphorisms. He glanced back down at his pistol, trying to hide his own smile.

"Uh-huh," he said as he snapped the slide back into place. "You know, you could call me John."

She set her pack down just inside the entrance, tensing slightly as she noticed Rodney for the first time. Teyla was always so controlled, even when she was surprised. Rodney didn't pay her any mind, hunched over the screen he'd been frowning at all morning. John smiled at Teyla as she gracefully sat on the opposite side of the open hatch.

"I would be honored to do so," she said, and it took John a moment to catch back up to the conversation. "But would it be appropriate?"

"I don't see why not," he said wryly. "It's not like I'll be military much longer, even if we do make it back."

Teyla recoiled, even if her muscles didn't move an inch. John sighed.

"Oh, please," Rodney snapped. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course you'll still be military."

He looked back at Rodney, wondering exactly what he'd ever done to earn such unflinching support from a man who professed to see incompetence and doom in everyone and everything. Perversely, that support made him feel even more prickly. John nodded amiably, indulging in his pessimism.

"You're right," he agreed. "I'll just be in the brig, stripped of rank, while the rest of you wait for the Wraith to take you out."

"You cannot be serious," Teyla said sharply, and John felt guilty for bringing it up when he had only been trying to relax some of the boundaries between them.

"He's not," Rodney said scathingly. "Elizabeth would never allow such a thing."

John shrugged. Personally, he thought Elizabeth might be the one pushing for the brig. He'd undermined her authority a little too often in the past. "Maybe, maybe not. Unfortunately, she doesn't really have any say in the matter. But," he said, hoping to steer the conversation back to his original point, "let's not worry about it. Just call me John. Both of you."

Rodney ignored his efforts, huffing as he stood up. "I'm getting sick of this martyr complex," he said, picking up his pack and pushing forward. John had to quickly swing his feet out of the way as he stomped through.

"So if you'll excuse me, Colonel, I'm going to wash. Maybe by the time I get back you'll have recovered your brains."

John watched Rodney stalk away, swiping irritably at the grass every other step. He turned back to his pistol, giving it a frustrated rub. When he looked back up, Teyla was watching him, clearly concerned.

"Were you telling the truth, Colonel? Will you be put in prison when we return?"

John holstered his gun, then sat forward to look her in the eyes. "Don't worry about it, Teyla. It's a possibility, but it's nothing I haven't faced before. I knew what the consequences could be when we decided to do this. If my career is what it takes to get Ford home, safe and sound, then that's what it takes. I'd do the same for you or Rodney." He held her gaze until she slowly nodded. He pulled out his friendliest grin, the one he saved for first dates and first encounters with aliens. "And it's John remember? There's no reason you should call me colonel, anyway. It's not like you have to kowtow to the US Armed Forces."

She raised an eyebrow, but nodded again. "John, then. Thank you."

"Great, Teyla. That sounds much better."

She smiled back at him, but then a pensive look crossed her face. "Dr. McKay thinks you should be addressed by your rank, and he is not military either."

John snorted. "That's just Rodney being Rodney. He's trying to reassure me in his own way. Don't worry about it."

She cocked her head at him, looking at him in that way that made him feel like she had about thirty years on him. "Dr. McKay is a very caring man," she said, "though he often tries to appear otherwise."

"That he is," John agreed. He pointed a finger at her. "And you should drop that doctor business. It's bad for his ego. Call him Rodney."

Teyla shook her head. "I could not do that without his permission. It would be-impolite."

John frowned. Sometimes he forgot that different customs weren't just about harvest festivals or religious beliefs. Small things set cultures apart, and he should know that after spending his life all over the globe. Hell, the military was its own separate world, and he knew that non-military often had trouble understanding their unique way of doing things. But he always felt so easy with Teyla that he tended to forget those differences.

"Is that why you've never called me John?" He leaned back when she nodded, running a hand through his hair. He grimaced at the oily feel of it. "I'm sorry. Some day you're going to beat it into me how different we are."

She smiled widely. "I have hopes of that eventuality, but I am a realist."

He laughed. "Ouch. No fair picking on the slow guy." He picked up his kit, really feeling the need to degrease. "That water had better be toasty warm."

Teyla just cocked an eyebrow. John laughed again, then headed off toward the pool Teyla had discovered.

Rodney frowned at his shirt. The polymer was highly stain-resistant, which was generally a good thing, but it also tended to resist soap and water-at least when being scrubbed by hand. The military-issue soap wasn't a very effective surfactant, which didn't help the task. He frowned at his shirt some more, decided that didn't accomplish anything, and lifted it for the sniff test.

It'd do.

He squeezed as much water out as could and then hung it over a branch next to his trousers and boxers. Grabbing the all-purpose soap securely, he waded into the slow-running pool. The water was chilly, but not frigid. Enough to make parts curl up and whimper at the first touch, but not so bad that he had to rush through the process. He dunked himself to get used to the temperature as quickly as possible.

Something rustled in the underbrush. Rodney looked up, his heart speeding. It was probably a wild animal. Quite possibly a wolf, or a bear, or a wolf-bear. Whatever it was, it was probably large with big teeth and sharp claws, and very, very hungry, and he was naked in the middle of a stream with his gun out of reach. John and Teyla would find his remains later, bloody and bloated and naked, and wouldn't that be embarrassing on top of everything else.

Then spiky black hair appeared through the branches, and Rodney barely swallowed back a hysterical giggle. "Thank you so much for sneaking up while I'm completely vulnerable," he yelled.

John pushed the last branches aside, already smirking. "You're not some mythical Greek goddess, McKay. Relax." Then he dropped his pack on one of the large rocks and started stripping.

Rodney turned away and squeezed out some soap for his hair. He still wasn't used to Sheppard's casual attitude toward nudity. He supposed it was a military thing-Ford wasn't shy about skinny-dipping when necessary, either. But Ford was quick and efficient, while John paraded around like he didn't have a care in the world. It made it difficult to stick to locker-room etiquette. Right now, John was busy cussing and whimpering about the water temperature, muttering something about Teyla. Rodney was definitely glad that military casualness didn't extend to both sexes; he didn't know how he'd handle Teyla naked. It was easier with men-there weren't different parts that naturally drew the eye. Of course, that meant it was more dangerous if the eye did wander over those similar parts.

"You still pissed at me, Rodney?"

John's question was soft, but it came from almost directly behind him. Rodney had a good lather worked up in his hair. He turned with one hand still on his head, guarding his eyes from the suds. "What? I'm not pissed at you. Why would you think that?"

John rolled his eyes as he scrubbed soap across his chest, dog tags dangling across his hands. "Gee, Rodney, I don't know. Something about a martyr complex and missing brains?"

Rodney waved his free hand, amused when the motion flicked soap suds at John. "Yes, well, I was just stating the facts."

John smiled. "And you do like your facts, don't you."

He ducked under the water, and Rodney moved on to soap his underarms. John reemerged spluttering as water streamed from his hair into his face. Rodney dunked as well, working his fingers through his hair. He came back up and swiped the water from his eyes, to find John watching him thoughtfully.

"What?" he asked, suddenly paranoid that he'd picked up a leech or something equally horrifying.

"I know you have issues with using my name," John said, and Rodney blinked, trying to figure out how to respond to that when he wasn't even sure whether it was true. John didn't wait for him. "But you should talk to Teyla. We've been overlooking the fact that she won't call us by our given names unless we give her permission."

"Huh," he said in a fit of brilliance. "That's..." He stopped, trying to reorder his thoughts. "I've never given it any thought. I hear my title so often it just seemed natural."

John nodded as he shampooed his hair. He looked completely ridiculous. Ridiculous worked for John, though. "Yeah, I know," he said. "Just think about it."

"Yes, of course," Rodney replied absently. He'd have to talk to Teyla later, though it seemed like an awkward conversation to have. Later, after he got a definitive picture of the secondary power system. He'd let Radek take over puddlejumper systems early on, and while he of course kept up with Zelenka's reports, he wasn't as familiar with them as he needed to be now.

"You going to stay in all day?"

"Hmm?" Rodney asked, then realized that yes, he was still pruning up as he stood there thinking. "Right," he said, and headed to shore. He hated this part. No matter how careful he was, he always wound up with sand or mud in his socks. Too bad the SGC hadn't thought to include flip-flops in their supplies.

He toweled off, his thoughts bouncing between problems with athlete's foot and power supplies. John splashed out of the pool beside him.

"Have you done your weapon maintenance lately?"

Rodney brushed a hand in John's direction as he concentrated on getting cleanish feet into clean trousers.

"McKay."

"Yes, yes, I'll get to it."

"Be sure you do."

He looked up at John and smiled. "I will."

John smiled back as he dressed. Rodney had always preferred to manage all the small details of his life, especially since most of the people who tried to do it for him were idiots, but he had to admit that sometimes, it was nice to know there were people looking out for him.

Aiden paused outside the jumper hatch, taking a breath to settle his nerves. He'd been jumpy as hell lately, worked up for no good reason. Well, infiltrating a hive ship was a good reason, but the jitters were still hanging on even after he'd gotten away clean. He must be nervous about seeing the team again, especially after the way he'd left last time. Aiden smiled; the major'd be pissed, but McKay was the one who would strip his hide.

He pulled out his battered remote, hoping the thing still worked. He hit the fancy garage door opener and the hatch lowered.

The weak light of dawn was at just the right angle to light up the interior. Teyla was kneeling, P90 ready, and Major Sheppard was coming to his feet with his pistol aimed. Dr. McKay struggled with his sleeping bag. Aiden held up his hands, but he couldn't stop his grin.

"Ford! Get in here and explain yourself!"

Aiden ducked his head and stepped forward. Yep, the major was pissed. At least he'd lowered the gun. "Hey, guys."

"Lieutenant, stop with the pretty faces and tell me what's going on," the major ranted.

"Yes, and where are the power crystals?" Dr. McKay asked.

Aiden glanced at Teyla, who was watching him carefully. He sighed and knelt beside her, hoping that the tension that was itching at him would go away once he got everybody else soothed down. "Things are a little hairy right now," he started. "I just thought it would be safer for y'all to chill out for a bit. Think of it as vacation a la Ford."

He could tell the major wasn't buying anything he was selling.

"I'm not interested in a vacation," the major said, slow and cutting in that way that said he was about three seconds from losing it. Aiden remembered him using that tone with Bob right before emptying two clips.

Aiden raised his hands, reaching to adjust his cover before he remembered he wasn't wearing one. He scratched his head instead. "There's a Wraith fleet one system over, and they're going to pass through the edges of this one soon. It's not safe for you guys to use the gate."

"What?" Dr. McKay shouted.

"That's all the more reason to get out of here now, before they get here," the major said. He sounded calmer, but Aiden watched his piece just the same. "And we need to get that intelligence back to Atlantis."

"I'm sorry, sir," Aiden said, rising to his feet. He had a plan, and he needed to stick to it even if it pissed off his team. Besides, there were other issues to consider. "I can't go back. They did a little something to me, and I need a shot of their go-juice too often to get out of range."

Right now, he was pumped full of the stuff, but it wouldn't last long. He'd stolen a bunch of the vials the first time he'd figured out he needed it, but it didn't keep after about thirty-six hours. As far as he could tell, he was stuck hunting Wraith for the rest of his life.

"Juice?" Dr. McKay asked in that snooty way he had. "What, you need your morning shot of Wraith-ade to go with your Wheaties?"

Aiden sniggered. "Good one, Doc. Nah, I don't know, it's some kind of shot they hook the foot soldiers on." He glanced at Teyla, who still hadn't said anything. He wondered what she thought of him now that he'd been tinkered with by the Wraith. He supposed it gave them something in common. "My grandma'd be pissed if she found out I came all this way to wind up a junkie."

The major shifted forward, and Aiden snapped into a defensive position. He relaxed a little as Sheppard held up his hands, but that tension was back, stronger than ever.

"Relax, Ford," the major said. "We can take care of it. Just come on back to Atlantis with us. Beckett'll have a solution whipped up in no time."

Aiden knew a line when he heard one. Hell, they'd been trained in OCS on how and when to supply the best bullshit. He looked at Dr. McKay, who was frowning like he knew it was bull, too. Teyla was just kneeling there, all placid and calm like nothing could touch her.

"No can do, sir," he said, shaking his head. "I've got a tactical advantage with the Wraith that we can't afford to waste."

"You are fighting the Wraith by yourself?" Teyla asked, her voice rising incredulously.

Aiden shook his head. He hadn't thought she'd be the one to doubt him. "Just raids, enough to keep them smarting," he explained. "They never know I'm there until it's too late."

"That is incredible," Teyla said, her voice all breathy now, and Aiden grinned at her.

"Yeah, that's peachy," the major broke in. "Caldwell will dance the hokey-pokey when he finds out. So let's go home and come up with a plan."

Sheppard was looking dangerous again, and it got his hackles up something fierce. Aiden didn't know who Caldwell was, but he didn't see how anybody who hadn't been fighting the Wraith like he had could understand. He backed up, deciding that talking was getting him nowhere. He'd come back later when the team had a chance to think about what he was trying to do.

That's when the major made his move.

Reflexes took over, and Sheppard was flying through the air, bouncing off the control panel at the front of the ship before sliding to the ground. He was out of commission, and Aiden turned his attention to the next threat. Teyla stepped in front of him, between himself and the other men.

"What are you doing, Aiden?"

She was all fluid and tight at the same time, those awesome muscles shifting like a big cat's. He couldn't let her get the drop on him.

"You can't make me go back," he told her, watching and waiting, letting his muscles and instincts do their job.

Teyla shook her head. "And I cannot allow you to leave us."

He moved even as she kicked out, spinning away and out of range of those strong legs. She dodged his first blow, like he'd known she would, but he landed the second square to the back of her head. She dropped with a quiet thud. He nodded, satisfied that he'd taken her out with as little damage as possible.

Aiden assessed the situation. Dr. McKay was gaping, no threat, but he might pull something anyway.

"Don't try it, Doc," he warned.

Dr. McKay raised his hands. Aiden nodded, then backed out of the jumper. He set off at a quick trot. He didn't feel nearly as tense or jittery as he had before, though he was frustrated by the way things had turned out. He respected the major, he really did, but Sheppard just couldn't get his head around the harsh realities of war sometimes. Not like a Marine was trained to do. But Aiden would cut the guys some slack. They'd come around once they realized what he was trying to do was the best course of action. In the mean time, they'd have some good down time in a safe place.

Aiden jogged on, feeling better every step.

Rodney debated going after Ford for all of a half-second before he turned back to the more urgent situation. He wasted another half-second dithering about who to go to first, the word 'triage' echoing in his head without meaning until he forced his feet towards Teyla. She had a pulse, she was breathing, and that was all he could determine. He left her and moved on to John.

John was tangled between the front seats of the jumper, his head resting awkwardly against the console. Rodney thought he might vomit, but the feeling passed, leaving him in a fog of calm. He squatted down, bracing himself against the arm rest of John's chair as he reached out to touch John's neck.

Long eyelashes fluttered just as he found a strongly beating pulse. His own heart rate kicked up in response. He left his hand against John's warm skin as he breathed deeply, trying to calm down. John moaned, opening his eyes fully, and Rodney drew back.

"John."

John's eyes were all pupil. He couldn't tell in the dim light if they were equal or not. He needed a light, something to check their reactivity. He started to stand, but John grabbed his wrist.

"Ford," he said, blinking rapidly.

Rodney gaped for a second. "No," he said. "Colonel-"

"McKay," John said as he struggled to sit, "help me up and tell me what happened to Ford."

"Wait, you probably shouldn't move," he said, panicking a little as flashes of worst-case scenarios from emergency methods classes popped into his head. He caught John's shoulder, but the colonel latched onto his arm and started pulling. Rodney was forced to stand or wind up in a heap on top of John.

"Too late for that," John muttered as they awkwardly maneuvered upward. He swayed against Rodney, strong fingers digging into Rodney's triceps for support. Gradually John's grip loosened, and Rodney stepped back, still watching him carefully.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "You lost consciousness for several minutes, you might have a concussion, or even hemorrhaging, not to mention other internal injuries that I really, really have no clue about despite the fact that you probably expect me to know-"

"I'm fine, Rodney," John growled. He took a step forward, forcing Rodney into a shuffling retreat. John stopped suddenly. "Teyla?"

Rodney turned, relief supplanted by worry once again. "She's alive," he said. "But I can't tell anything else."

John knelt stiffly and began running his hands over her body. Any other time, Rodney would have accused him of feeling her up. John sat back on his heels, the skin around his eyes pulled tight. "Where's Ford?"

Rodney shrugged. "Is she okay?"

John stood up, patting at his vest pockets and checking the gun in his thigh holster. "How long ago did he leave?"

"Maybe five minutes," he answered. It felt like longer, but he knew it wasn't. "What about Teyla?"

"I don't know," John said, already marching toward the rear of the jumper.

"Wait, what are you doing? Ford just tossed you around like loose change and you're going after him? You're obviously concussed. Sit down and think for a minute."

"Stow it, Rodney," John said, too mildly. "Stay with Teyla. I'll be back soon." Then he took off across the clearing, a nightmare come to life.

"Colonel!" Rodney shouted. "Don't you dare do this to me again!"

John held up his hand briefly before disappearing into the trees.

"Fuck!"

He slid down the side of the jumper, dropping his head into his hands. A gnat of some kind buzzed around his ear and he swatted at it absently. The way things were going, it would turn out to be a super-bee with a penchant for astrophysicists. He took a deep breath and resolved to put John out of his thoughts. There was no question of going after him; Teyla was completely vulnerable.

"Right," he muttered. He heaved himself up, feeling drained even though the day had hardly started. He returned to Teyla's side, hesitating just a bit before he tapped her lightly on the cheek. She moaned and grimaced.

"Oh, thank god," he breathed as she opened her eyes. A tendril of hair lay across her face, and without stopping to think he brushed it aside. "How do you feel? Do you remember anything? What's my name? Wait, what's your name?"

She blinked repeatedly, and he forced himself to be quiet. She moaned again as she struggled to sit up. He put his arm behind her back as she settled onto her elbows. She kept blinking rapidly, looking at him as if she were having difficulty seeing.

"I am Teyla Emmagan," she answered, her voice as strong as always. "You are Dr. Rodney McKay, and I feel like an ocholon kicked me in the head."

Rodney snorted with relief more than anything. "Yes, well I have no idea what that is, but it's probably not far from the truth. Do you remember what happened?"

Teyla began nodding, but then reached for her head. He tried to coax her back down to the deck, but she wouldn't let him. She was at least as stubborn as John.

"Yes," she said dully. She looked around the jumper, turning her head slowly and carefully. "Colonel Sheppard?"

Rodney held himself still as fury returned. "The idiot went after Ford," he ground out.

Teyla frowned. "Help me up," she said, reaching for his arm. They stood in a maneuver slightly more graceful than the one he and John had performed minutes ago. The whole morning had been one horrible moment of deja vu after another. "We must go to him," she said. "Aiden is not himself."

"That's the understatement of the year," he said under his breath. He looked her over, trying to decide if she was really okay. It would be reckless to go after John if it endangered Teyla in the process, no matter how much he wanted to do so. "Are you sure you can do this?"

Teyla smiled weakly. Her hair was mussed and she still squinted slightly. He also thought she was leaning to one side. "Yes." She paused, then added, "Aiden is much stronger than he used to be."

Rodney nodded. He'd noticed that fact when John went flying through the air. "Like a Wraith."

Teyla started to bend down, but stopped halfway. He spotted her P90 and reluctantly handed it to her. She took it without a word, her face set in determination. Rodney resettled his own P90 and headed out the hatch.

The sun was bright, well on its climb to the zenith, and the morning air was warmed to a slight stickiness. The tall grass was at its itchy worst, and the small gnats buzzed constantly. All the irritations faded to petty annoyances in the back of his mind, as they always did when he was focused on a problem. There was no need to track anyone; John had to be heading to the ship clearing.

The shelter clearing looked empty, but then again, it had seemed that way when Ford stunned them. He looked at Teyla again, but she was shielding her eyes from the sun and made no move to direct him. Rodney took a deep breath and headed into the open.

Branches rustled as they approached the second tree line, thus far unhindered. Rodney raised his gun, his hands sweaty and his gut rumbling uncomfortably. John emerged a second later. Rodney dropped his gun to the side with a very grateful sigh. A large red spot was starting to darken across John's jawline, and he was moving with a stutter step. Otherwise, he looked in one piece.

"Ford?" Rodney asked.

John shook his head. "Got there in time to see him take off in a dart."

The thought of one of their own blithely using Wraith technology left a bitter taste in Rodney's mouth. "Isn't that nice," he said.

"Are you two okay?" John asked.

"Fine, fine," Rodney said, waving aside his concern, then looked back to make sure Teyla was still there. He saw her start to nod, and then she just sort of...listed to the side.

"Teyla!" John shouted. They both jumped forward, but Rodney was closer. He managed to get under her before she met the ground.

"Damn it," John swore, kneeling beside them. He tapped Teyla's face lightly. She flinched but didn't wake. "Did she vomit earlier? Complain of double vision?"

Rodney shook his head. He shifted Teyla, cradling her against his chest. "No, she said her head hurt and that was it. I think she was bothered by the light, though."

"All right," John said as he rose into a squat. "Let's get her into the shack."

Together, they managed to get her into John's arms. She hardly weighed as much as a naquadah generator. Rodney jogged ahead and pushed through the flimsy door of the hut, holding it open as John carefully squeezed through.

"Can you go get the supplies? Some bedding and the med kit?" John asked.

Rodney left without a word. This time, he ran.

Part 2