Archive of Our Own

She saw him for the first time the night her father was taken. In the middle of the worst culling he appeared; an eerie oasis of calm at the heart of the pandemonium.

They had been caught unprepared for the culling which did not happen often, if such measurings mattered. The camp had moved to the summer lands with an early spring thaw, such thaws were blessings from the Ancestors that could not be ignored. An early start to the growing season meant potential for a second harvest. The risk had been deemed worthy; they had seen too many deaths that winter.

That assurance did not soften the screams that tore through the camp anymore than it softened the look in her father's eyes, just before he ran out into the night. Teyla would remember that look until the stars fell from the sky and the worlds crumbled to dust. A lifetime's lessons and a thousand 'I love yous' contained in that single goodbye.

It left her frozen for a time; staring blankly at the tent flap. When she finally broke free of its spell, Teyla ran to stop him. Were it not for the hand which closed over one shoulder, yanking her from harm's way, she would have run into the path of a brilliant red beam.

She watched, mute, as a Wraith dart suffered the fate she had nearly met; taking the blast broadside and crashing to the earth. It exploded, flaring against the night, and was engulfed in flames.

"Mind your neck, Teyla Emmagan," her savior commented, his rich voice touched with an unfamiliar accent and full of dark humor. "Elizabeth would be quite displeased with me, should you die this night."

Curiosity burned in her belly, but instinct overrode it and Teyla strained at his iron grip. Her father was still out there and she would not allow him to be taken. She battled, but could not free herself. The stranger held fast, looking down at her with agonized empathy.

"You cannot save him, Teyla," he said mournfully. "The very best you may do is survive the night and begin again in the morning."

Someone approached and she tensed, not relaxing even though he was not Wraith. A band covered his eyes and she could not hide her shock when he turned, the same red light erupting from it. The energy tore through the night, narrowly missing another approaching dart.

"Just survive tonight," her savior said again. "Just tonight."

2. and chaos means, sometimes, the universe shows up at your door

She arrived most unexpectedly, the metal cylinder falling out of the night. Six winters from the night Tegan was taken by the Wraith. The impact shook the camp, warriors grabbing their weapons and running out into the dark.

"It is not Wraith," Teyla decided as they approached, "but take care just the same." It was not only the Wraith who stalked the stars, looking for those they could devour.

Looking at it, she was reminded of the two strangers she had met so many winters ago. Why exactly it was she thought of them, Teyla could not say. There was nothing of the tube that appeared familiar, nothing that would evoke a memory of them.

The tube cracked open, spilling light into the clearing. Teyla gestured and they drew back, watching her cautiously. Aware of their scrutiny, she thought of her father and hoped, somehow, they would take the same confidence from her as she had him.

With Halling at her flank, Teyla approached the tube. It was too small to be a ship, perhaps an escape pod, but further examination would be required to be sure. Forcing herself to stand her ground, she did not flinch when a tattered, half-starved woman fell from the ship onto the muddy ground.

She appeared no threat, seemingly unable to stand, but Teyla did not trust it. The Wraith employed illusion; there was no assurance that other races would not as well.

"What world is this?" the woman rasped, looking up through stringy hair at them. She was a lady once; Teyla could see the remnants of wealth in her clothing, a wealth not known on Athos in many years. Whoever she was, her world was untouched by the Wraith. Such prosperity did not come easily to worlds they ravaged.

Still, Teyla pitied her. "This is Athos," she answered and chose to reach out. "I am Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tegan. You are safe here."

The woman smiled. "Safety is a lie we tell little children so they might sleep at night." She took the hand Teyla offered, but needed further help to stand.

"Who are you?" Teyla asked, feeling no frailty in her body. The woman's weakness came from a source not readily available.

The woman opened her mouth to answer, but then seemed to think better of it. She stopped and pressed mud stained fingers to her lips. There are ghosts in her eyes, a thousand thousands haunting the shadows of her gaze. "No one," she said finally. "No one at all anymore."

She passed out then, slumping into Teyla's embrace.

"What will we do with her?" Halling inquired, stepping closer as if to take her.

Teyla warned him off with a shake of her head. "Food, clean clothes, and a place to rest, she has lost much." Loss had long ago become dear companion of her people; Teyla recognized it easily in others.

"Examine the ship," she added, "then hide it. We dare not let the Wraith discover its presence."

The woman light in her arms, she started back to the village. "We will see what the morning brings us."

3. chaos destroys and recreates. the saying goes everything old is new again. with him that's literal.

"You've redecorated," she said. The voice was cultured, composed, and the face unfamiliar, but The Doctor knew her just the same.

"Romana." The name tore its way free; more benediction than statement. The sight of her brought back the image of fire and ash, the sound of a million voices crying out at once, and such a dreadful, aching emptiness. All of it his to bear alone.

She smiled, a flash of the woman he remembered on the edge of a stranger. "More or less," Romana said. She looked about the TARDIS. "I like it."

Blood roared in his ears, his hearts pounding in his chest, and he wondered if this was what it felt to be human and dying. "How?"

Romana ceased her idle examination of a console. "How did I survive the great cataclysm you set in motion?" She smiled lightly and ignored the way he flinched. "I was taken from Gallifrey just before it was lost." Her voice grew faint and she stopped, her focus turning inward. Memories suggested themselves in her eyes and, unable to watch, The Doctor turned away. "They took me. So much loss, so much pain, and never death, as you well know, Daleks don't know mercy."

She advanced forward, standing in front of him, and he stumbled back. "How – " he stopped, cursing his own weakness. "How did you escape?"

"Well, now, that my dear Doctor I do not entirely know." Romana laughed and he thought he heard an echo of madness in the sound. "I was with them and then I was not. In the between there was pain, a new body, and so much terrible silence." She turned, sliding a hand along the railing. "I awoke without scars, without any sign of what had happened to me. I was on a planet I had never seen with a people I did not know. They called themselves Athosian and they were quite lovely."

She smiled, stopping for a moment. An expression he could not decipher crossed her face and when she continued, it was in a voice far gentler than before, "There was a woman, Teyla. She cared for me and, after a time, told me of a city abandoned by the Ancients."

Athosians, Teyla Emmagan, and a city left vacant by allies long dead. "Clever girl," The Doctor enthused, a broad smile bursting across his face. "Found all the bits and bobs to make yourself a ship to travel here."

Romana inclined her head, nodding once. "If you survived, Earth would be where you would flee. There were rumors along the way that I thought might be you. On many worlds people spoke of a man calling himself The Doctor traveling with a man who never shows his eyes." She perched herself on a console, watching him. "A new companion, you still pick up your strays then."

The Doctor smiled, softer and fond. "I would hardly call him that. If there's a stray to be found here, it would be me."

Romana smiled. "Of course, it was he that let you come along then?"

"Yes," The Doctor agreed, "exactly that."

4. knowing where all the pieces fit still doesn't mean you can assemble them. he would know.

"Sometimes, I think you brought me along just to have your very own on-board mechanic," he said, waggling his fingers until The Doctor dropped a wrench into his palm.

"Only sometimes?" Above him, he saw The Doctor grin and turn away. "And what exactly is it you believe I keep you around for the rest of the time?"

Finishing, Scott pushed out, and watched The Doctor poke at a console, squint at a display, and wait for the TARDIS to respond. It beeped, Gallifreyan numbers scrolling across the screen.

"The rest of the time you don't," Scott said, standing up and wiping something that wasn't exactly grease off his hands. "The rest of the time it's the TARDIS; she thinks you need a keeper."

The Doctor turned his head, grinning at him. "She's right." He threw a lever forward causing the TARDIS to jerk and lurch. "Pity it's not working!" he announced cheerfully.

Having caught himself on the railing, Scott held on. "Oh I don't know; it seems to be working from my perspective, you haven't regenerated in what? Days?" The way The Doctor burned through the things, he had a serious death wish. "You must be in withdrawal by now."

"Pfft," The Doctor waved a hand. "You can't go through life worrying about dying, do that, you never get around living. AHA!" He grabbed the lever, jerking backward. The TARDIS lurched again, slamming to a halt Scott guessed, and he apologized to her as he picked himself up off the floor.

"Did you have to pass a test before they let you drive one of these?" he asked, checking his glasses.

"A test?" The Doctor looked blank.

"Thought as much," Scott muttered. "Where are we?"

"Right where we're supposed to be," The Doctor said.

"You have no idea, do you?" Scott looked at the door and then grabbed his visor. Just in case, he told himself and swapped his glasses for it.

"I know where we are," The Doctor protested.

"Where?" Scott asked.

"The turning point, of course," The Doctor said with a sniff of indignance. "C'mon then," he grabbed for Scott, dragging him toward the door. "Can't see what I mean standing around here all day."

This not being Scott's first trip with The Doctor, he knew what was coming. A well-timed twist of their bodies sent them spilling to the ground just in time to avoid the burst of an energy weapon.

"The Wraith," he said, realizing it was a stunner blast.

"Athos!" The Doctor announced cheerfully. "See? I told you I knew where we were."

"It's not Athos," Scott said and rolled away from him. He came up firing, sending a Wraith dart spiraling into a building. "They aren't this industrialized."

"Oh," The Doctor produced his sonic screwdriver and looked around. "Sateda." He frowned then brightened. "Close enough, she's here." He bounced up. "Come on then!"

"Who's here?" Scott asked, turning. "Doctor!" He groaned, watching The Doctor disappear around the corner. "I should just let him get himself killed." He looked back at the TARDIS and swore he could feel her disapproval. "I know, I know, I can't, but even you have to admit, sometimes you want to!"

The TARDIS didn't answer, but he grinned anyway.

5. of course, he'll just say that sometimes, the pieces just fall into place

The Doctor slipped through the ruined remains of the door and dashed to the window, grinning out at the scene before him. "See?" he said as Scott skidded to a stop behind him. "Right on time I told you."

Scott leaned past him, looking down. "Do we know them?"

"One," The Doctor tipped the sonic screwdriver and indicated a familiar figure in the clutch of humans. "Teyla Emmagan."

"She survived!" Scott said, pleased relief infusing the words.

"Of course she survived," The Doctor huffed. "We saved her didn't we?"

"You could call it that," Scott said. Teyla seemed the type to save herself, but he wasn't going to bicker. They tended to get shot at when The Doctor stopped to bicker. Of course, The Doctor tended to get them shot at when he did anything.

The Doctor watched Teyla move toward the others, speaking with them and watching the Wraith warily. "I could and, in fact I do. We saved her life." He pointed again. "See? There she is, Teyla Emmagan, large as life and alive because of our interference." He leaned on the windowsill. "Quite the impetuous girl our Teyla used to be and still is if she doesn't think about it. That night, if we'd let her, she'd've gone off and gotten herself sucked to death by a Wraith."

"Therefore, she wouldn't be here on this planet to do something massively important," said Scott, a hint of dry wit on the words. "You just have a lot of these moments don't you?"

"Oh yes, the universe spins round and round all because I say so," The Doctor snorted. "Nothing particularly important is happening here. Not on a galactic scale at any rate." That was already said and done and living in a cottage on the English coast.

"Then why are we here?"

"Just wanted to check in, is all," The Doctor smiled. "As impetuous as she is, our Teyla's got quite the resume ahead of her. Someone has to make sure she keeps to it."

Scott snorted. "Busybody."

"Well yes," The Doctor nodded. "That too." Scott smiled as The Doctor pocketed the sonic screwdriver.

"Think we should go say hello?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Can't risk it; too many questions she'd demand answers for." He turned away. "We tell her now, we spoil the ending."

"But we are going to tell her, right?" The Doctor grinned, hesitating, and heard the wariness in Scott's voice as he added, "Right, Doctor?"

"In the fullness of time," The Doctor said. Something he'd heard on telly once. Lovely things those science fiction shows.

"Oh, this is going to end badly," Scott sighed.

"I'll have you know it ends quite well," The Doctor sniffed. "And it's quite entertaining when it does."

6. and the picture you're left with, isn't the one he imagined. he likes it that way.

Teyla slumped onto the bed, ignoring the mud that covered her body. She was too tired to concern herself with the mess and decided to lie there for the foreseeable future.

Groaning softly, Scott fell onto it with her. "I'm never getting up again," he said.

She nodded sleepily. "I had thought the same."

"Here now, mind the linens!" They both lifted their heads to look at the outraged Doctor. He stood, arms and legs akimbo, staring at them with a shocked expression. "Those are priceless!"

"They're bedsheets," Scott said. His tone was familiar. Charin had oft used it on a rambunctious little girl with a fondness for soup. A fondness that was, unfortunately, married to an inability to wait. "The TARDIS can handle a little mud."

"Particularly mud encountered while saving your life," Teyla said. She yawned and patted the bed. "Join us."

"I would have been fine," The Doctor said. He shrugged out of his coat and made a show of placing it on a chair. His tie followed. "I had the situation well in hand."

Scott snorted. "He means he would've just regenerated again."

"You are far too cavalier with those," Teyla said. She turned her head to watch The Doctor toe out of his sneakers. "You haven't all that many left."

"Nonsense!" he announced as he belly-flopped onto the bed. "I have plenty!"

"You have a few," Scott said. "And since Teyla and I still haven't gotten the hang of navigation, we need you."

Teyla furrowed her brow. "Not that you are particularly skilled in that area yourself."

"Oi! You're just full of those tonight, aren't you?" The Doctor asked. He shook his head. "I do just fine."

"You have an extraordinary attachment to a small city in Wales," Teyla rested her chin on her palm. "Of our last five trips, we have ended up there three times."

"Really?" The Doctor looked at the ceiling, counting them off on his fingers. "Three," he laughed. "Best look into that. Maybe the old girl's got a crossed circuit."

"And maybe you like to antagonize your ex," Scott said.

"He's not my ex!" The Doctor protested.

"He is correct," Teyla agreed. "They tend to end up naked far too much to be considered former partners."

"Right, we end up --" The Doctor lifted his head. "That is not what I meant!"

"Perhaps not," she said, pillowing her head on her arms. Sleep dragged her eyelids down and she yawned. "It is what you said." She let herself drift toward sleep. "And do not argue. I am too tired to listen. The next time you wish to visit a jungle planet, please choose one not in the rainy season."

"And without a man-eating plant around every corner," Scott put in.

"Yes," Teyla agreed. "No man-eating plants next time."

"Oh, take all the fun out of it, why don't you?" The Doctor complained. "The man-eating plants are the best part! What's an adventure without a little danger to life and limb?"

"It is long and pleasant," Teyla said. "Just as we hope our stay with you will be." She opened her eyes long enough to smile at him. "All right?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," he beamed back.

She smiled and closed her eyes. "Good," she said and fell asleep.

-

come to think of it, I like it that way too