Hello All, hope you enjoy the update!!! Please remember to vote and comment! So the last update was meant to be fluff while I worked on the next episode, but I got carried away and it's led to a totally original John/Kai story line. I hope you enjoy!
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Kai startled awake. She jerked up, her eyes flying around her as she tried to figure out what had woken her. There was nothing. The twin moons were full, casting warm blue light over the beach. The waves lapped quietly at low tide. The fire was down to smoldering embers. Across it, Ronon was snoring softly. She scowled, it didn't make sense. Something had to have woken her.
She rolled to her other side. She could hear his steady breathing and heartbeat but she felt better when her eyes landed on John. He was sleeping on his side facing her. His face was relaxed and almost boyish in sleep. It was rare to see him as relaxed as he had been all day. She wouldn't have believed it possible had she not seen him on the surf board herself. She felt like for maybe the first time she had seen John without the weight of The Colonel on his shoulders.
The way he looked down at her when they stood together was the most free she had ever seen him allow himself to be. The memory of the way it had felt when he had cradled her against his chest and they floated under the setting sun made heat flush through her body. She had been so sure he was going to kiss her. And she would have let him.
She pinched her eyes closed, resting the back of her hand over her eyes. It must have been the middle of the night. It was the only time she ever allowed her thoughts and feelings for John Sheppard run rampant. It wasn't something that could ever be and torturing herself over it was useless. She never should have come. They had drawn a strictly professional line in the sand between them and coming here made that line hazy.
She pushed herself to her feet and silently made her way across the sand. She was antsy and her senses were prickling. That combined with the storm of her feelings made the need to move feel urgent. Her heart was thundering in her ears.
John sniffed and rolled toward her. "Kai?" He whispered, blinking in confusion, his voice was low and husky from sleep.
"It's okay," Kai quickly assured him. She was too raw to be able to have a conversation with him. She didn't have any answers to his questions. Not good ones anyway. The connection between them was wide open and she didn't have the control to close it knowing it would physically hurt him. She just needed space so she could think clearly and figure out what had woken her.
John shoved himself up on his elbow blinking sleepily at her. His eyes cut from her to the path she seemed to be taking towards the woods. He nodded once, and laid back down assuming she was going off to pee.
Kai exhaled in relief and continued to move in that direction. She was feeling claustrophobic and actually stumbled over her feet as she fought to put distance between them.
She was on edge and she couldn't quite figure out why. She paced into the dark woods and didn't stop until she found a small clearing where she could be alone. She hesitated as she stepped into the quiet open space. Instead of feeling reassured by the privacy her instincts ratcheted up a notch. She scowled as she paced around the small area, trying to decide what wasn't right. She froze suddenly and listened closely, it took her a second to realize it was the forest itself that didn't sound right. It was too quiet. She swung around in a circle, her hand dropping to rest on the hilt of her Blade. As soon as her hand closed over the handle she was blind sided.
Her attacker hit her in the stomach in a low tackle trying to take her off her feet. Instinctively she jerked away, throwing herself backward and rolling her head and neck back and away. She felt the air move as the blade barely missed her throat. She landed flat on her back and did a backward somersault. Landing in a crouch, her Blade naked in her hand.
Her attacker had already recovered as well. They were crouched five feet away, ready to attack again. Kai sucked in a sharp breath, her shock like a physical blow. Dressed all in black, with their face covered and nothing visible but the Blade in their hand was a Mortii assassin.
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John tried to fall back asleep, but there was something off. He couldn't quite pick out what it was that had him feeling so anxious all of a sudden. He sat up with a exasperated sigh and froze. Kai's sleeping bag was still empty. He shoved himself to his feet and pulled his sidearm. He wasn't clear why he was so sure something was wrong but his instincts were telling him he needed to find Kai and he didn't often make it a habit of ignoring them.
He moved into the forest. He didn't even know where he was going or why. He ducked under a branch and froze as he heard movement in a clearing ahead. He pointed his gun and stepped out, freezing as he saw Kai facing off against a black clad attacker. They fought almost silently, moving with almost exactly the same style. Whoever had trained Kai had trained her attacker. They spun away from one another and John scowled, the attackers face was covered in a scarf exactly like Kai used to wear. The attacker was another Mortii.
Kai launched herself back at the Mortii before the assassin had a chance to recover. They slashed and kicked at one another moving almost too fast to track. There was a soft thud as Kai missed a block and Kai's knife skittered across the ground away from them. The assassin swung towards her, the knife glittering in the moonlight. Kai dropped herself to the ground and kicked upward, catching the assassin just under their ribs in a move she had learned from John. The Mortii stumbled back with a pained grunt, but pulled their hand back to throw her knife
John fired his gun into the tree next to the attacker and they flinched, swinging around to keep both John and Kai in their line of sight.
John's appearance hadn't been a surprise to Kai. She had heard John's heartbeat as he approached. He prowled out into the clearing, every bit The Colonel. His shoulders were squared and his eyes dangerous as he leveled his gun at the attacker. "Someone care to tell me what in the hell is going on?" He growled.
The Mortii looked back and forth between John and Kai as though they didn't quite know what to make of the situation.
"The question was put to you Mortii," Kai said, climbing to her feet.
The Mortii scowled from under their scarf. "Instrument of the Blade Kai of caste Zian," it was a feminine voice dripping with distain as they addressed Kai. "You have betrayed your people. You are charged with treason. The sentence handed down from the Tribunal is death."
"I betrayed them?" Kai challenged, anger glinting in her eyes as she closed her hands into fists. "They left me on that planet to be eaten by the Wraith," She snarled.
The Instrument narrowed their eyes but no other emotion was evident. "Treason is treason. The 'why' is no matter to me," they said simply and they turned to look at Sheppard.
Kai coiled as The Instrument turned their attention to John. Her blade was still on the ground and she was angry at herself for not packing more weapons on this holiday. If she and John lived through this, it was a mistake she wouldn't make again.
The Instrument cocked their head at John seeming more curious than threatened, despite the gun pointed at their chest. "I have no quarrel with you human. I will have The Kai and will leave with this Zian. There is no reason for you to die as well. You may go," they said dismissively as though they were granting clemency.
Kai frowned. This Mortii was strangely civil for an Instrument. They seemed an odd choice for the Tribunal to send after her given her kill record.
"Not going to happen," John said cocking his gun pointedly. "Next bullet won't hit a tree," he promised dangerously. "Kai isn't going anywhere."
The Instrument frowned in confusion, their eyes moving to The Blade on the ground. John was reminded that when Kai came she didn't have a name. The Mortii called her fancy black knife Kai, not her.
The assassin coiled their muscles and made a move towards Kai. John flinched. Kai felt the nudge in her mind and The Instrument froze, pulling up their attack as their eyes widened. The Instrument looked back and forth between them, horror shown in their eyes as they whirled back to face Kai. "You have bonded to this filth?" They spat at her.
"Hey," John snapped indignantly. "I don't know what that means, but I'm pretty sure this filth takes offense!"
Kai scowled. No Zian would have been able to feel a connection in another Mortii. Zian weren't strong enough. They had been bred for their physical prowess not their psychic strength unlike some of the other castes.
"What is your caste?" Kai demanded taking an aggressive step towards the other Instrument. The Mortii only responded to those they respected and if Kai wanted answers she would need to prove to this Mortii that she worthy of them. The assassin unfortunately was the height of most normal Mortii's and it was hard to intimidate someone you were a full seven inches shorter than.
The Instrument glared down at her with distain, their eyes narrowing. "I am not required to answer your questions. You are an abomination. They should have killed you when they killed the rest of your crop. But for the shame it would have brought your dam for failing to produce, you would have been culled." The Instrument spit on the ground.
"Hey, hey," John said. "I don't think we need to bring anyone's moms into it. That's hitting a little below the belt don't you think?"
The Instrument turned to shoot John a disgruntled look, and Kai used the opportunity to slide another step closer, her muscles coiling. She would not let John pay for her past. She tried to catch his eye, tried to will him to run away, but John was fully focused on the threat in front of them. He could be so stubborn at times it drove her insane. That stubbornness just might get him killed tonight.
"You're a Xerxe aren't you?" Kai asked, drawing The Instruments focus back to her.
The Instrument lifted their chin proudly, but didn't respond. Somewhere out in the woods, Kai picked up the sound of Ronon's heartbeat.
"Strange they didn't send another Zian..." Kai spoke a little too loudly, hoping her voice would disguise the sound of the Satedan closing in on them.
"Sending a blunt instrument on such a hunt?" The Xerxe said shaking their head. "Zian are simple, single minded creatures. You have hidden well. No Mortii would think to lower themselves to live among such primitive beings."
"Hey," John snapped. "...again," he added as an after thought.
The Instrument's eyes went to John in confusion and John moved like he was going to charge them. The assassin swung their Blade to face John, and Kai used the moment to attack. She charged her and grabbed the Instuments arm, twisting it up and back before they could stab John. The bones shattered, but the assassin didn't make a sound as Kai twisted their arm around. The assassin jerked their knee up and slammed it into Kai's stomach. Kai doubled forward but twisted away at the last second, disarming the assassin. She kicked the assassin in the chest and when they fell to the ground Kai buried The Instrument's own Blade in their heart.
The Xerxe jerked, looking down at the Blade in shock. Blood trickled out of the corner of their mouth as they looked up at Kai with respect. "You are as good as they say," they admitted and then they bowed their head in respect before coughing once and collapsing.
The body fell away with a heavy thud and Ronon chose that moment to charge into the clearing. He pulled up at the sight of the dead assassin. "Wow," he said lifting his eyebrows impressed. "Looks like I missed all the fun."
Kai looked down at the bloodied Blade in her hand. Once it would have meant the world to her. Taking a Blade from another Mortii in combat was the highest honor one could hope to achieve. Looking down at the dead Xerxe however it just felt like a waste. It made her furious that the Tribunal would waste their people's lives over something as stupid as tracking her down.
John tucked his gun away and moved across the clearing to pick up Kai's knife she had lost. "Why don't you check the perimeter. Just in case there's another one out there," he called to Ronon.
"Mortii work alone," Kai mumbled as John approached her. "Mortii fighter's only seat one," she said without taking her eyes off the body.
"Hey," John called to her. When she didn't move at first John held her Blade out to her. She took it from him and slid both knives away into her belt without looking at at him. "We need to get back and figure out how she got here without tripping our sensors. Atlantis should have been all over this," John said unnecessarily. It bothered him that Kai wouldn't look at him. She had been around plenty of death in her time, so he knew it wasn't the body that had her acting so strange.
Kai pressed her lips together as she stared down at the body. "The Mortii adapted the Ancient's cloaking technology," she said in a hollow voice. "They've had thousands of years to improve on it. I'm not surprised Atlantis's sensors didn't pick it up." Kai scrubbed a hand over her face. They had found her. And now they were going to tear her life apart. All she wanted was to live in peace, but they had stolen that from her too. She glanced at John and knew what she had to do.
John caught Kai's eyes but her gaze was entirely emotionless. "Why don't you head back. Wake the others, get them ready to go."
Kai nodded. "Understood Colonel," and she closed herself off from him as she turned and walked back to camp.
John watched as Kai walked away. He grimaced and rubbed at the pain in the center of his chest.
"You okay?" Ronon asked with a frown.
John glanced back at him. "Yeah, course," he said dropping his hand. John waited until he was sure Kai was out of earshot before turning back to Ronon. "What in the hell took you so long?" John asked Ronon disgruntled.
Ronon shrugged. "You two were sneaking off into the woods together. I didn't think you wanted me to crash."
John stared at him in confusion and Ronon rolled his eyes in exasperation. "At night. You and Kai went off into the woods together at night. I wasn't going to interrupt that."
John made a strangled sound in the back of his throat. "It's not like that at all," he quickly assured Ronon. "It's never been like that."
"Guess I was wrong," Ronon said with a casual shrug as though he didn't care one way or the other. He looked after Kai. "You think she's going to be okay?"
John shrugged. "I think she's always okay."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ronon agreed. He stepped up to the body and prodded it with his toe. "So, Kai killed a real Mortii, huh?"
"Kai is a real Mortii," John said.
"Yeah but, you know what I mean. They sent someone after her."
John scrubbed a hand over his face. "Yes they did."
"Well," Ronon said reaching down and grabbing the dead Mortii's leg to drag the body out of the clearing. "They're going to be real sorry they did."
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By the time John and Kai flew the jumpers back and John finished his briefing with Weir it was almost three in the morning and he was exhausted. Weir was understandably concerned with what had happened and agreed they needed to speak with Kai about making changes to the Atlantis sensors so they could pick up the Mortii in the future. John knew that between her and McKay they would be able to figure it out now that they had a Mortii fighter of their very own in the hanger.
John's eyes were burning and he needed sleep, but instead of heading to bed however, he went in search of Kai. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with her. He struck out looking for her in her quarters and the gym. He finally headed to the jumper bay as a bad feeling went over him. The doors hissed open and he saw Kai bent over the cockpit of the strange new fighter.
"Couldn't sleep?" John called, although she would have already heard him.
Kai blew out a sigh and looked over her shoulder at him. "Not while the transponder is still active," she said gesturing towards the fighter.
John ran his hand along the smooth surface of the ships hull as he approached her. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the fighter. "Can you deactivate it?" he asked conversationally.
Kai chewed on her lower lip. "Yeah, of course. Just might take me a couple hours. You should head to bed," She suggested quickly, she was anxious to get Sheppard out of the room before he figured out what she was up to. "Instruments always work alone. I doubt they even know where the Xerxe was looking. You won't have to worry about the Mortii again," she assured him moving towards her tool box.
John side stepped in front of her, forcing her to either look up at him or crash into his chest. "I always worry about a Mortii," he confessed wryly.
Instead of responding to his joke her eyes were tormented as she looked up at him. "John-" she started to say.
Kai licked her lips and John's eyes followed the motion. Kai was saying goodbye, he could feel it with every piece of himself. He wasn't about to let her go.
"What did she mean about being Bonded?" He allowed himself to finally ask the question that had been hanging between them for so long. "Is it something to do with the feeling I get from you from time to time?" He asked, resting a hand on his chest.
Kai froze, her eyes widening as her brain tripped over itself to come up with something to say. She hated lying to John and lying about this felt like betraying herself. She pressed her lips together as adrenaline shot through her. This was it, she was leaving and he was asking her about this now. Kai closed her eyes.
John made a strangled sound in the back of his throat as he took a step closer to her. "Look, I know we ignore it and pretend like nothing is happening..."
"No," Kai interrupted quickly. "What you feel is..." it physically hurt her to say the next words, but it would be easier for John once she was gone. "It's just you picking up on the psychic abilities of my people, it simply means we share a genetic link. If Beckett were more observant he might feel it too." She lied through her teeth.
John nodded slowly but he didn't look like he believed her. "So what the Mortii said..." he dragged off.
"Mortii's lie," Kai said and it was the truest thing she had said all night.
John nodded and the two of them stood in awkward silence together. "So, were you going to say goodbye?" John asked after a minute.
Kai froze. "What? I-" she started to say, started to scramble to come up with some way to deny it.
John moved towards her, tilting his head down so he could look in her face. She was dressed in full gear with the scarf he had bought her wrapped around her head. "Seem a little overdressed for doing a little work on a transponder," he pointed out. Then he leaned towards her, so close he could feel he heat coming off her body. Kai tensed and sucked in a surprised breath, John's eyes flickered to her mouth and for just a second she thought he might kiss her.
Instead, John reached past her into the cockpit of the fighter and lifted out her backpack. He held it up for her to see and raised his eyebrows meaningfully. "Cuz, it sort of looks like maybe you were thinking of flying that ship away and never coming back."
Kai blew out an aggravated sigh.
John shoved his hands into his pockets. "Were you really going to leave without saying goodbye?" he asked, working to keep his voice level. He couldn't help but feel betrayed somehow that she would leave without telling him. She was just going to go and if he hadn't come looking for her, he would have woken up tomorrow to just find her gone.
Tears burned the backs of Kai's eyes as she turned away from him. "If I'm gone they won't have any reason to come back. You have all done so much for me, you gave me a life...gave me peace," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. "No one on Atlantis will be hurt because of me. It's for the best," she said resolutely and moved towards the fighter.
John caught Kai's arm, spinning her around to face him. Kai sucked in a surprised breath as she looked up at him with tormented eyes. John was so close it was difficult to keep the connection between them closed.
"No it's not," John said simply staring into her stormy grey eyes.
"John, I-" Kai started to say and John made a split second decision. He wasn't going to let her go, not without a fight. He could tell himself it was for Atlantis, or the team or whatever, but none of that was the truth. He pulled her against his chest and pressed his lips against hers.
Kai tensed for half a second before she melted into the feel and taste of John. Her hands came up to wrap around his neck and he made a noise low in the back of his throat and deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue along hers. Kai pulled him closer and ran a hand up the back of his neck into his hair. John backed her against the fighter and she was entirely caged by his body. A shiver ran down her spine, and all she could hear, feel and taste was John. The connection between them blew wide open and a warmth opened up in both of their chests.
John pulled away first. He rested his forehead against hers as they both panted. He ran his hands up and down her arms, reveling in the ability to touch her. He had wanted this for so long. "I can't make you stay. You're free to go whenever you want, and I'll leave the decision up to you," he said in a husky voice and it was actually painful for him to admit. "But we can handle this. Don't go."
"John-" Kai started to say and her voice broke with all the emotions she was too scared to show.
John stepped back, dropping his hands to his side and looked down at Kai's beautiful face, knowing this might be the last time he saw it. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and he swiped them away with his fingers. He leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers once more before pulling back and staring into her eyes intensely. "Trust me," he said simply. And he turned and walked out the door, leaving Kai to her decision.
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Well...I really hope you liked it!!!