It was almost a full twenty-four hours before anyone was allowed to see
Colonel Mitchell again. Talon needed to rest, and the best way he could do
that was to have his host asleep and not putting any strain on her half-
healed muscles and tissue. So she slept, and he rested. And eventually,
when he was strong enough, he started healing her again. But he kept her
asleep during the hardest parts. She was in a safe place, and didn't need
to be awake to watch her back – Jack and the rest of the people in the SGC
were more than capable of doing that for her. So Talon took advantage of
that, and kept her under, so he could work faster, and without straining
her. It increased her healing time, although it made everyone that cared
about her edgy when she didn't wake immediately.
Of course, that meant that by the time she actually did wake up, Jack was about as grouchy as anyone had ever seen him, and Brad was far more edgy than anyone had seen him in a long time. They both pestered Fraiser, driving her to distraction with questions and concerns until the doctor had General Hammond ban them both from the whole level of the SGC that the infirmary was on.
Which made it even worse, since both team commanders sent their underlings to try and find out what was going on with Mitchell, which just added to Fraiser's irritation. Eventually, in less than twenty-four hours, all members of SG-1 and SG-2 were banned from the infirmary, and both Commanding officers were one step away from being sent home until further notice.
Things were about as tense as they could have been when Melony woke up, and Fraiser wasn't the only one to breathe a sigh of relief when Mitchell sat up in her bed a little over a day after she'd been carried through the Stargate.
"Colonel?"
She rubbed her head, wincing – although she was really in far better shape than she had been – and looked at Fraiser, who'd walked over the minute she saw the Colonel moving.
"How long have I been out?"
"About twenty-six hours. How do you feel?"
She was quiet for a minute, with that inverted look that she usually got when she was communicating with Talon, and then she shrugged.
"I'm tired, and I'm hungry, but it seems everything's back where it belongs."
"Feel like getting up?"
She shook her head.
"I think I need some more sleep."
Talon took over then, and Fraiser – of course – noticed the difference immediately.
"What she needs is something to eat. Her reserves are low, and she needs as much as you can stuff down her."
Mitchell scowled, taking control again. She didn't like it when he fussed over her. Janet smiled, despite herself, which only made Mitchell's scowl deepen.
"He's right. I'm hungry."
Fraiser nodded. "Here in bed, since you're tired, still. Later, you can go for a walk and make sure everything's still working right. Okay?"
"That's fine." She looked around, half expecting Jack or Brad to be lurking around the door, waiting to see her. "Where is everyone?"
"They're around..."
"Any chance I could see one of them... or both?"
"I think that's a great idea, if you're feeling up to it."
Mitchell nodded.
"Fine," Fraiser waved one of her orderlies over, and smiled. "You tell Lieutenant Allen what you want to eat, I'll go track down your visitors."
"Thanks, Doctor Fraiser."
"Make sure she orders a lot of food, Lieutenant," Fraiser ordered as she headed for the door.
That wasn't going to be a problem. Mitchell was starving. She asked for soup – because Talon liked soup – and a huge plate of mashed potatoes because she hadn't had potatoes in forever. Turkey slices and gravy, along with a side of green beans and a couple of slices of bread – or rolls, whichever they had at the commissary and a whole pot of coffee. Not decaf. The orderly grinned, shaking his head, and promised he'd make sure it was a fresh pot. Then he vanished out the same door that Janet had left through.
How long until I'm completely well?
[Another day of rest. You're already healed, but you're going to fall on your face if you try to do too much now]
She didn't feel healed. She felt tired.
[I've taken a lot out of you. You need to eat and rest and get some of it back]
There wasn't any argument from her. She knew how she felt, and she felt tired and hungry, and not ready to get out of bed just then. With a sigh, she pulled up her pillows so she was sitting up, and leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure which she wanted more, food or sleep. Talon wanted food, though, so she wasn't allowed to fall asleep.
..........
Jack wasn't all that hard to track down. Since he'd been kicked out of the infirmary – and wasn't that a switch? – He'd been sulking in his office. And not alone. Brad Anderson, also banned from the only place he really wanted to be just then, was stretched out on O'Neill's couch, his feet dangling over, his head resting against Carter's side. Sam was talking to Williams, who was Brad's second in command, and Daniel Jackson was talking to Simmons, who was SG-2's technical officer. Brad and Jack were both quiet, though. Their thoughts were elsewhere.
"Colonel?"
They all looked up when Fraiser appeared at the door, and Brad sat up so quickly, he startled Williams.
"She's awake."
"Can I see her?"
Fraiser nodded.
"You and Anderson. No one else, for now."
Williams and Simmons both started to protest, but Fraiser held her hand up. "She's beat, guys. You can see her in a little while."
They grumbled. They complained and they bitched and moaned, but Fraiser wasn't going to let SG-2 overrun her infirmary. They could wait until Mitchell was able to come to them.
"I'll tell her you said hi, guys," Brad promised, heading for the door before Janet Fraiser could change her mind and decide he couldn't see Melony. He was followed immediately by Jack, who was just as eager.
Of course, that meant that by the time she actually did wake up, Jack was about as grouchy as anyone had ever seen him, and Brad was far more edgy than anyone had seen him in a long time. They both pestered Fraiser, driving her to distraction with questions and concerns until the doctor had General Hammond ban them both from the whole level of the SGC that the infirmary was on.
Which made it even worse, since both team commanders sent their underlings to try and find out what was going on with Mitchell, which just added to Fraiser's irritation. Eventually, in less than twenty-four hours, all members of SG-1 and SG-2 were banned from the infirmary, and both Commanding officers were one step away from being sent home until further notice.
Things were about as tense as they could have been when Melony woke up, and Fraiser wasn't the only one to breathe a sigh of relief when Mitchell sat up in her bed a little over a day after she'd been carried through the Stargate.
"Colonel?"
She rubbed her head, wincing – although she was really in far better shape than she had been – and looked at Fraiser, who'd walked over the minute she saw the Colonel moving.
"How long have I been out?"
"About twenty-six hours. How do you feel?"
She was quiet for a minute, with that inverted look that she usually got when she was communicating with Talon, and then she shrugged.
"I'm tired, and I'm hungry, but it seems everything's back where it belongs."
"Feel like getting up?"
She shook her head.
"I think I need some more sleep."
Talon took over then, and Fraiser – of course – noticed the difference immediately.
"What she needs is something to eat. Her reserves are low, and she needs as much as you can stuff down her."
Mitchell scowled, taking control again. She didn't like it when he fussed over her. Janet smiled, despite herself, which only made Mitchell's scowl deepen.
"He's right. I'm hungry."
Fraiser nodded. "Here in bed, since you're tired, still. Later, you can go for a walk and make sure everything's still working right. Okay?"
"That's fine." She looked around, half expecting Jack or Brad to be lurking around the door, waiting to see her. "Where is everyone?"
"They're around..."
"Any chance I could see one of them... or both?"
"I think that's a great idea, if you're feeling up to it."
Mitchell nodded.
"Fine," Fraiser waved one of her orderlies over, and smiled. "You tell Lieutenant Allen what you want to eat, I'll go track down your visitors."
"Thanks, Doctor Fraiser."
"Make sure she orders a lot of food, Lieutenant," Fraiser ordered as she headed for the door.
That wasn't going to be a problem. Mitchell was starving. She asked for soup – because Talon liked soup – and a huge plate of mashed potatoes because she hadn't had potatoes in forever. Turkey slices and gravy, along with a side of green beans and a couple of slices of bread – or rolls, whichever they had at the commissary and a whole pot of coffee. Not decaf. The orderly grinned, shaking his head, and promised he'd make sure it was a fresh pot. Then he vanished out the same door that Janet had left through.
How long until I'm completely well?
[Another day of rest. You're already healed, but you're going to fall on your face if you try to do too much now]
She didn't feel healed. She felt tired.
[I've taken a lot out of you. You need to eat and rest and get some of it back]
There wasn't any argument from her. She knew how she felt, and she felt tired and hungry, and not ready to get out of bed just then. With a sigh, she pulled up her pillows so she was sitting up, and leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure which she wanted more, food or sleep. Talon wanted food, though, so she wasn't allowed to fall asleep.
..........
Jack wasn't all that hard to track down. Since he'd been kicked out of the infirmary – and wasn't that a switch? – He'd been sulking in his office. And not alone. Brad Anderson, also banned from the only place he really wanted to be just then, was stretched out on O'Neill's couch, his feet dangling over, his head resting against Carter's side. Sam was talking to Williams, who was Brad's second in command, and Daniel Jackson was talking to Simmons, who was SG-2's technical officer. Brad and Jack were both quiet, though. Their thoughts were elsewhere.
"Colonel?"
They all looked up when Fraiser appeared at the door, and Brad sat up so quickly, he startled Williams.
"She's awake."
"Can I see her?"
Fraiser nodded.
"You and Anderson. No one else, for now."
Williams and Simmons both started to protest, but Fraiser held her hand up. "She's beat, guys. You can see her in a little while."
They grumbled. They complained and they bitched and moaned, but Fraiser wasn't going to let SG-2 overrun her infirmary. They could wait until Mitchell was able to come to them.
"I'll tell her you said hi, guys," Brad promised, heading for the door before Janet Fraiser could change her mind and decide he couldn't see Melony. He was followed immediately by Jack, who was just as eager.