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Title: Earthbound
Fandom: NCIS crossover with Stargate: Atlantis
Characters: Ziva David, Abby Sciuto, Teyla Emmagen, Samantha Carter
Category: Romance, Drama
Genre: Slash
Prompt: #53 Earth
Word Count: 2,111
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Teyla goes with Colonel Carter to Earth and finds that people aren't so different there.
Author's Note: What to say about this fic? I don't know. I'm still not sure what the heck I was thinking. Just...take it with half a shaker of salt.
Spoilers: Spoilers for Season 4 (I think?) of SG:A. Spoilers up to Corporal Punishment for NCIS. Written before the episode where T'ealc goes to Atlantis aired, and I haven't seen it, so kindly disregard it?
Disclaimer: These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.
My Little Damn Table
Fandom: NCIS crossover with Stargate: Atlantis
Characters: Ziva David, Abby Sciuto, Teyla Emmagen, Samantha Carter
Category: Romance, Drama
Genre: Slash
Prompt: #53 Earth
Word Count: 2,111
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Teyla goes with Colonel Carter to Earth and finds that people aren't so different there.
Author's Note: What to say about this fic? I don't know. I'm still not sure what the heck I was thinking. Just...take it with half a shaker of salt.
Spoilers: Spoilers for Season 4 (I think?) of SG:A. Spoilers up to Corporal Punishment for NCIS. Written before the episode where T'ealc goes to Atlantis aired, and I haven't seen it, so kindly disregard it?
Disclaimer: These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.
My Little Damn Table
She's been to Earth before, with Elizabeth and once entirely inside John's mind.
Those experiences had been nothing like this one. She's been to hundreds of world's now, thanks to John and the Atlantis expedition. Each time she steps through the gate, she knows it will be very different than any time before.
The same holds true here. Colonel Samantha Carter is a good leader. She's a brilliant woman, although everyone on Atlantis seems to forget that, and from what Teyla's seen she is a competent leader and good soldier. What she isn't, is Elizabeth Weir. But that is one thing that Colonel Carter cannot help, and Teyla cannot help but resent.
It starts the moment after they walk through the gate.
General O'Neil is walking towards Colonel Carter, a broad smile on his face and his arms held wide. Claxons sound.
"Unscheduled off world activation."
The words blare their warning as loudly as they do on Atlantis. Teyla reaches for the P-90 strapped to her chest with relief. At least John in all his protectiveness allowed her this. There is danger, slight, slim and unpredictable, but there all the same, any time someone steps through a gate. It is never a good time to be unarmed.
She falls back with Colonel Carter as the marines fall in around them. Stun bolts fly through the wormhole first. A marine to her left goes down. Teyla tries not to think. She wonders if any of the Atlantis expedition knew him.
She recognizes the familiar uniform of an SG team as someone flies through the gate and lands hard on the ramp leading up to the gate. More team members tumble through. Teyla recognizes the move from many a fighting retreat.
She returns fire, giving them cover and discouraging anything else from following the team through the wormhole until it shuts. She lets out a breath of relief that she hadn't realized she was holding and pushes herself to her feet.
Medics are rushing forwards. Marines secure the area and check on their comrades.
Teyla glances aside and sees that Colonel Carter's face is tense and set. She heads for the nearest member of the expedition. The last man to come back through the gate and offers him a hand up.
"Colonel. Cam."
There's a smirk on her face as she greets him, but it's slightly pained, and beneath it Teyla can see worry. For the first time she feels a bit closer to this woman. It seems Colonel Carter understands having to give up her first responsibility to the people to she considers her own to serve in a great place for a greater cause.
Teyla swallows and backs away. This is a place for comrades, and hers are not here. She watches as a dark haired woman almost tackles Colonel Carter in a hug and wraps her legs around Sam's waist with a squeal even as Sam tries to push her away.. Teyla blinks and turns swiftly away, intending to head somewhere - elsewhere. She almost runs into a man that she hadn't realized was standing behind her.
He is tall and imposing. She sizes him up and recognizes him immediately as a formidable opponent, should he ever become her enemy. He is not her enemy at the moment, however. Instead he smiles at her and holds out his hand as the people of Earth do. He is not from Earth though, she realizes. Like her.
"My name is Teal'c."
She smiles at him and takes his hand. "Teyla."
*** *** ***
Ziva David folds her arm over her chest and leans back against the wall. She watches as Abby paces from machine to machine, examining evidence and collecting theories. Abby is also ignoring her.
She will, Ziva can predict, not ignore her for long enough to hand her the report to give to Gibbs, but she will not smile, will not look her in the eyes, will not speak to her.
And it is getting old, Abby ignoring her this way. She hasn't done anything in months to deserve this treatment. Abby has forgiven her for getting hurt in the fight with Corporal Worth and apologized for her behavior as well, but she's been acting like this for days and Ziva can't determine why.
It will take time, and the answer will be bewildering, but she will figure it out, and hopefully when she does Abby will speak to her again. It will be worth it.
The door opens and Ziva turns. She straightens automatically as Gibbs walks in followed by the Director. She nods to the Director but focuses her attention on Gibbs.
He looks from her to Abby and then gives her a typical Gibbs stare, demanding to know what's going on. Ziva shrugs. This is her problem. She'll deal with it.
Gibbs pauses for a second, assessing the situation then nods. He won't get involved. Not yet anyway.
"I don't have anything for you yet, Gibbs."
"That's fine, Abbs. We're here for Ziva." He looks back at Ziva. "Abby's presenting at a joint military conference about some of the evidence that she's processed for us. You're going with her."
Ziva nods, wondering what is not so routine about this. They have done security work from time to time and she has done it in the past, but this is different. She's being put on the job without the team. Whatever it is, she can do this. She won't let Gibbs down.
Over her shoulder, she takes one last glance at Abby before she leaves the lab. She hopes for a smile, expects an angry glare perhaps, but only gets a cold shoulder. This is going to be a long weekend for both of them.
*** *** ***
"You didn't have to come, Teyla."
Colonel Carter, Sam as she keeps asking Teyla to call her, has been trying to convince her that this summit will be boring. The technology, she explains, is nothing compared to what the Ancients use and the discussions held here are ultimately pointless in the face of the Stargate programs and everything that it opens up for the people of Earth.
But what Teyla wants to see isn't what's being presented, instead it's the people. The things that she knows about Earth are filtered through the eyes of the members of the Atlantis Expedition. They explain the big things to her about Earth, but she's learned that the important things are often in the details too small to mention. She wants to see these people for herself, how they think, how they react, what they're like.
Anywhere is better than staying on Atlantis and seeing John hover around her with a worried look. She's pregnant not injured. She's putting her son first; she's not handicapped.
"I wished to see it."
"Okay," Colonel Carter acquiesces easily. Teyla hears the hint of worry and pity in her voice and stiffens. That is the last thing that she needs. She lets her eyes fall shut for an instant and inhales slowly, calming herself.
When she thinks that she can speak without having sharp anger reflected in her voice, she opens her eyes.
"I will wait for you here."
Colonel Carter nods. "I'll find you after."
Teyla turns away and begins to survey the rest of the room. A woman takes the seat beside her. Teyla's eyes flick towards her. This woman seems to fit in with everyone else in the room. She's wearing all the right clothes, and looks perfectly harmless. Teyla doesn't believe those appearances for an instant. She knows better. She would recognize this woman - or at least this type of woman - anywhere.
This woman is a warrior and she is dangerous. Teyla can see it in the way she holds herself and the way that she watches the room. There's a knife in her boot, carefully concealed under the long dark pants she's wearing, but Teyla knows it's there. Just like the one she's carrying.
She smiles, and turns to introduce herself.
"My name is Teyla Emmagen." She holds out her other hand as she's been taught.
The woman stares bluntly as her eyes take in every inch of Teyla. It startles her, but Teyla doesn't flinch from the depths of that gaze. The woman doesn't take her hand, but smiles slightly.
"Ziva David."
They sit in silence, but it's now a shared silence. Teyla wants to talk to this woman, to ask about her battles and her triumphs, but for the first time she's not sure how to ask this.
A tall woman, with skin so pale that it reminds Teyla uncomfortably of the Wraith, begins to speak. The moment that she does Teyla's slight unease relaxes. This woman is nothing like a Wraith. Her enthusiasm is conveyed in every word, and her intelligence shines through her eyes. The way she emphasizes her words with gestures sketched through the air makes Teyla smile. She reminds Teyla of Rodney at his most manic, but despite the fact that she can't understand more than every other word that the woman's saying, she effectively captures and holds Teyla's attention.
She glances over at Ziva and sees something in her eyes.
"Do you know her," Teyla asks in a soft whisper that none-the-less carries to Ziva's ear.
Ziva nods minutely. "She's a forensic scientist for NCIS."
It's an acronym that Teyla's not familiar with. The military has far too many and she can't keep up with them all, but the knowledge that this woman was a scientist amuses her. It seems that some things carry true for the people of Earth, energetic scientists being one of them.
"Is she why you are here?"
"Yes," Ziva answers simply. "It's my job to protect her."
Teyla smiles. She was right. This woman was a kindred spirit.
She's about to speak when she sees Ziva stiffen. Teyla's hand drops to her waist. Colonel Carter had insisted that she not go armed off base, but she won't go anywhere without at least one knife. The weight of it is now resting softly in her hand pressed up against the warmth of her skin.
"What is it?"
Ziva's eyes flicker to her for a moment, for the first time showing a hint of surprise. She doesn't waste any more time however.
"There's a man up on the balcony. He isn't authorized to be there."
"This is a cause for concern." Teyla doesn't quite make it a question.
"Abby has worked on many very important cases. She is responsible for putting away several very bad men. She has been receiving anonymous threats. That makes it my problem."
"I see." Teyla doesn't quite, but she understands enough. She sees the man on the balcony make a sudden move at the same time that Ziva does. Teyla throws herself awkwardly to the floor as a gunshot rings out above her.
She looks past Ziva in the opposite direction and sees another man. His weapon is pointing not at the man on the balcony, but at the woman beside her. Teyla acts before she can think. She hefts the blade in her hand, steadies and throws. The blade sticks in his throat. He falls without a sound, his weapon un-fired.
Teyla snatches the knife that's tucked into Ziva's boot. She refuses to be unarmed at this moment and Ziva owes her now. She won't mind. There's silence. It lasts for a moment longer. From her place on the floor, Teyla watches Ziva's back, guarding them both, but no one else tries to attack them and more security is rushing up to them now.
Ziva offers Teyla a hand up. She tips her head slightly towards the man that Teyla killed.
"Thank you."
Teyla flips the knife in her palm and holds it out to Ziva handle first.
Ziva smiles. "Keep it. It's the least I can offer."
Teyla nods and returns the smile.
A hand grabs her arm and she turns to find Colonel Carter staring at her.
"Teyla, are you okay?" She sounds a little bit out of breath, flustered from making her way over here so quickly and clearly worried. "Sheppard's gonna kill me if you're hurt," she mutters under her breath.
"I am fine." She lays a reassuring hand over Colonel Carter's. "I was merely helping Ziva to protect her scientist."
She turns back to Ziva and only catches a glimpse of her as she slips through the crowd. She's moving towards her scientist, Teyla sees. She catches a glimpse of the pale skinned woman throwing herself into Ziva's arms and smiles.
Yes, things are not so different here. It eases the ache in her heart just a little and makes it just a bit sharper in the same breath.
Those experiences had been nothing like this one. She's been to hundreds of world's now, thanks to John and the Atlantis expedition. Each time she steps through the gate, she knows it will be very different than any time before.
The same holds true here. Colonel Samantha Carter is a good leader. She's a brilliant woman, although everyone on Atlantis seems to forget that, and from what Teyla's seen she is a competent leader and good soldier. What she isn't, is Elizabeth Weir. But that is one thing that Colonel Carter cannot help, and Teyla cannot help but resent.
It starts the moment after they walk through the gate.
General O'Neil is walking towards Colonel Carter, a broad smile on his face and his arms held wide. Claxons sound.
"Unscheduled off world activation."
The words blare their warning as loudly as they do on Atlantis. Teyla reaches for the P-90 strapped to her chest with relief. At least John in all his protectiveness allowed her this. There is danger, slight, slim and unpredictable, but there all the same, any time someone steps through a gate. It is never a good time to be unarmed.
She falls back with Colonel Carter as the marines fall in around them. Stun bolts fly through the wormhole first. A marine to her left goes down. Teyla tries not to think. She wonders if any of the Atlantis expedition knew him.
She recognizes the familiar uniform of an SG team as someone flies through the gate and lands hard on the ramp leading up to the gate. More team members tumble through. Teyla recognizes the move from many a fighting retreat.
She returns fire, giving them cover and discouraging anything else from following the team through the wormhole until it shuts. She lets out a breath of relief that she hadn't realized she was holding and pushes herself to her feet.
Medics are rushing forwards. Marines secure the area and check on their comrades.
Teyla glances aside and sees that Colonel Carter's face is tense and set. She heads for the nearest member of the expedition. The last man to come back through the gate and offers him a hand up.
"Colonel. Cam."
There's a smirk on her face as she greets him, but it's slightly pained, and beneath it Teyla can see worry. For the first time she feels a bit closer to this woman. It seems Colonel Carter understands having to give up her first responsibility to the people to she considers her own to serve in a great place for a greater cause.
Teyla swallows and backs away. This is a place for comrades, and hers are not here. She watches as a dark haired woman almost tackles Colonel Carter in a hug and wraps her legs around Sam's waist with a squeal even as Sam tries to push her away.. Teyla blinks and turns swiftly away, intending to head somewhere - elsewhere. She almost runs into a man that she hadn't realized was standing behind her.
He is tall and imposing. She sizes him up and recognizes him immediately as a formidable opponent, should he ever become her enemy. He is not her enemy at the moment, however. Instead he smiles at her and holds out his hand as the people of Earth do. He is not from Earth though, she realizes. Like her.
"My name is Teal'c."
She smiles at him and takes his hand. "Teyla."
*** *** ***
Ziva David folds her arm over her chest and leans back against the wall. She watches as Abby paces from machine to machine, examining evidence and collecting theories. Abby is also ignoring her.
She will, Ziva can predict, not ignore her for long enough to hand her the report to give to Gibbs, but she will not smile, will not look her in the eyes, will not speak to her.
And it is getting old, Abby ignoring her this way. She hasn't done anything in months to deserve this treatment. Abby has forgiven her for getting hurt in the fight with Corporal Worth and apologized for her behavior as well, but she's been acting like this for days and Ziva can't determine why.
It will take time, and the answer will be bewildering, but she will figure it out, and hopefully when she does Abby will speak to her again. It will be worth it.
The door opens and Ziva turns. She straightens automatically as Gibbs walks in followed by the Director. She nods to the Director but focuses her attention on Gibbs.
He looks from her to Abby and then gives her a typical Gibbs stare, demanding to know what's going on. Ziva shrugs. This is her problem. She'll deal with it.
Gibbs pauses for a second, assessing the situation then nods. He won't get involved. Not yet anyway.
"I don't have anything for you yet, Gibbs."
"That's fine, Abbs. We're here for Ziva." He looks back at Ziva. "Abby's presenting at a joint military conference about some of the evidence that she's processed for us. You're going with her."
Ziva nods, wondering what is not so routine about this. They have done security work from time to time and she has done it in the past, but this is different. She's being put on the job without the team. Whatever it is, she can do this. She won't let Gibbs down.
Over her shoulder, she takes one last glance at Abby before she leaves the lab. She hopes for a smile, expects an angry glare perhaps, but only gets a cold shoulder. This is going to be a long weekend for both of them.
*** *** ***
"You didn't have to come, Teyla."
Colonel Carter, Sam as she keeps asking Teyla to call her, has been trying to convince her that this summit will be boring. The technology, she explains, is nothing compared to what the Ancients use and the discussions held here are ultimately pointless in the face of the Stargate programs and everything that it opens up for the people of Earth.
But what Teyla wants to see isn't what's being presented, instead it's the people. The things that she knows about Earth are filtered through the eyes of the members of the Atlantis Expedition. They explain the big things to her about Earth, but she's learned that the important things are often in the details too small to mention. She wants to see these people for herself, how they think, how they react, what they're like.
Anywhere is better than staying on Atlantis and seeing John hover around her with a worried look. She's pregnant not injured. She's putting her son first; she's not handicapped.
"I wished to see it."
"Okay," Colonel Carter acquiesces easily. Teyla hears the hint of worry and pity in her voice and stiffens. That is the last thing that she needs. She lets her eyes fall shut for an instant and inhales slowly, calming herself.
When she thinks that she can speak without having sharp anger reflected in her voice, she opens her eyes.
"I will wait for you here."
Colonel Carter nods. "I'll find you after."
Teyla turns away and begins to survey the rest of the room. A woman takes the seat beside her. Teyla's eyes flick towards her. This woman seems to fit in with everyone else in the room. She's wearing all the right clothes, and looks perfectly harmless. Teyla doesn't believe those appearances for an instant. She knows better. She would recognize this woman - or at least this type of woman - anywhere.
This woman is a warrior and she is dangerous. Teyla can see it in the way she holds herself and the way that she watches the room. There's a knife in her boot, carefully concealed under the long dark pants she's wearing, but Teyla knows it's there. Just like the one she's carrying.
She smiles, and turns to introduce herself.
"My name is Teyla Emmagen." She holds out her other hand as she's been taught.
The woman stares bluntly as her eyes take in every inch of Teyla. It startles her, but Teyla doesn't flinch from the depths of that gaze. The woman doesn't take her hand, but smiles slightly.
"Ziva David."
They sit in silence, but it's now a shared silence. Teyla wants to talk to this woman, to ask about her battles and her triumphs, but for the first time she's not sure how to ask this.
A tall woman, with skin so pale that it reminds Teyla uncomfortably of the Wraith, begins to speak. The moment that she does Teyla's slight unease relaxes. This woman is nothing like a Wraith. Her enthusiasm is conveyed in every word, and her intelligence shines through her eyes. The way she emphasizes her words with gestures sketched through the air makes Teyla smile. She reminds Teyla of Rodney at his most manic, but despite the fact that she can't understand more than every other word that the woman's saying, she effectively captures and holds Teyla's attention.
She glances over at Ziva and sees something in her eyes.
"Do you know her," Teyla asks in a soft whisper that none-the-less carries to Ziva's ear.
Ziva nods minutely. "She's a forensic scientist for NCIS."
It's an acronym that Teyla's not familiar with. The military has far too many and she can't keep up with them all, but the knowledge that this woman was a scientist amuses her. It seems that some things carry true for the people of Earth, energetic scientists being one of them.
"Is she why you are here?"
"Yes," Ziva answers simply. "It's my job to protect her."
Teyla smiles. She was right. This woman was a kindred spirit.
She's about to speak when she sees Ziva stiffen. Teyla's hand drops to her waist. Colonel Carter had insisted that she not go armed off base, but she won't go anywhere without at least one knife. The weight of it is now resting softly in her hand pressed up against the warmth of her skin.
"What is it?"
Ziva's eyes flicker to her for a moment, for the first time showing a hint of surprise. She doesn't waste any more time however.
"There's a man up on the balcony. He isn't authorized to be there."
"This is a cause for concern." Teyla doesn't quite make it a question.
"Abby has worked on many very important cases. She is responsible for putting away several very bad men. She has been receiving anonymous threats. That makes it my problem."
"I see." Teyla doesn't quite, but she understands enough. She sees the man on the balcony make a sudden move at the same time that Ziva does. Teyla throws herself awkwardly to the floor as a gunshot rings out above her.
She looks past Ziva in the opposite direction and sees another man. His weapon is pointing not at the man on the balcony, but at the woman beside her. Teyla acts before she can think. She hefts the blade in her hand, steadies and throws. The blade sticks in his throat. He falls without a sound, his weapon un-fired.
Teyla snatches the knife that's tucked into Ziva's boot. She refuses to be unarmed at this moment and Ziva owes her now. She won't mind. There's silence. It lasts for a moment longer. From her place on the floor, Teyla watches Ziva's back, guarding them both, but no one else tries to attack them and more security is rushing up to them now.
Ziva offers Teyla a hand up. She tips her head slightly towards the man that Teyla killed.
"Thank you."
Teyla flips the knife in her palm and holds it out to Ziva handle first.
Ziva smiles. "Keep it. It's the least I can offer."
Teyla nods and returns the smile.
A hand grabs her arm and she turns to find Colonel Carter staring at her.
"Teyla, are you okay?" She sounds a little bit out of breath, flustered from making her way over here so quickly and clearly worried. "Sheppard's gonna kill me if you're hurt," she mutters under her breath.
"I am fine." She lays a reassuring hand over Colonel Carter's. "I was merely helping Ziva to protect her scientist."
She turns back to Ziva and only catches a glimpse of her as she slips through the crowd. She's moving towards her scientist, Teyla sees. She catches a glimpse of the pale skinned woman throwing herself into Ziva's arms and smiles.
Yes, things are not so different here. It eases the ache in her heart just a little and makes it just a bit sharper in the same breath.