"I'm freezing."

"Why didn't you bring a jacket?"

Carson shrugged.

"We were in the Jumper. Why would I need one?"

"Because eventually we were going to have to get out of it…"

"Yeah, well, I didn't think that far ahead…"

Obviously.

He wasn't completely without a jacket; he had on the one he normally wore. But it wasn't all that warm and it certainly wasn't waterproof, and in the drizzling rain, he was getting soaked as he and Sheppard hiked towards the clearing they'd flown over.

"You couldn't have landed closer?"

"I didn't know you didn't have a jacket or I could have tossed you out the back on the way over."

"Very funny."

Sheppard grinned. He thought he was funny. He looked down at the portable transmitter/receiver that he was carrying, following the beacon from the marker that Mitchell had set.

"We're not too far, now."

"Good."

OOOOOOO

Sure enough, they broke through the clearing no more than ten minutes later, crashing through soaking wet brush and trees since they couldn't find a way around them. Scratched up and shivering, Carson was beginning to think he should have just stayed in the cavern and waited for Melony to return. Until, of course, he saw her. And then he was glad he hadn't.

She was still standing next to the odd-looking creature – that was positively huge – and he saw that her hand was resting on its neck, where she was apparently giving it a good scratching, because the creature was leaning against her, it's eyes closed blissfully. Right up until it smelled and heard Sheppard and Beckett, and then it only opened its eyes and looked at them curiously, probably to make sure they weren't a threat.

"Are you nuts?"

Mitchell smiled when she saw Carson break from the trees, and then frowned when she realized how wet he was. The frown deepened when he came over and stood by her, his eyes on the Mok she was touching.

"Nuts?"

"That thing could eat you."

She shook her head.

"He's sweet. And soft. And warm. And why aren't you wearing a jacket?"

"I am."

"You look cold."

She and Duck had both put on jackets, which they'd brought with them in anticipation of finding an exit to the outside. Neither of them wanted to get rained on if they could avoid it.

"It's not much of a jacket," he admitted.

She slid her hand around his waist and felt him shivering.

"You're going to catch a cold."

"I wasn't expecting the major to land us so far away…"

Carson threw an accusatory look over at Sheppard, who was walking over and unslinging his pack as he watched the Mok.

"We brought you lunch," John said. "But you should probably eat it on the Jumper where you can be warm – and we can dry out the doctor."

Mitchell nodded, and looked over at Sanders, who had been trying to check the area, and was having a great deal of difficulty due to the large Mok that was following him everywhere he went, butting him occasionally with his nose and making loud rumbling noises.

"Sanders! Come on, we're going to go get something to eat before we start looking around."

Duck nodded, and walked over to them, still being followed.

"Why is that thing acting like that?" Sheppard asked Mitchell, who snickered and grinned at Sanders. The Corporal gave her a look that plainly begged her not to tell, and since she hadn't been planning on it anyways, she simply shook her head.

"You know how these alien creatures are, Major. Probably just curious about him. Or maybe he's wearing some kind of cologne that's attracting it."

Talon snorted, but obviously no one heard that but Melony, who simply smiled broader.

"Is it going to follow us back to the Jumper?" Carson asked.

Mitchell shrugged.

"Beats me."

"What are those things hanging from its neck?"

She snickered again, but shrugged.

"Who knows?"

Well aware he was missing something – some kind of inside joke – Sheppard gave both Mitchell and Sanders a searching look, but neither of them said a word.

"The Jumper's about a twenty minute walk back that way…" he pointed the way they'd come.

"So far?"

John shrugged.

"We couldn't find a parking spot any closer, and all the handicapped ones were taken."

Mitchell smiled, and then looked at Carson.

"Speaking of handicapped… how's your ankle?"

"It's a little sore, but not so much that I can't handle it." He hadn't even been limping – a sure sign that it was almost as good as new.

"Good." She waved Sheppard ahead of her. "Lead on Major. I'm starving."

Carson waited beside Melony, who was watching the Mok as Sanders and Sheppard moved out of the clearing first, waiting to see if the lovesick one was going to follow Duck. When it saw him going, it gave a plaintive bleat, but it didn't make a move to follow – which was a relief to both of them. Melony grinned at the look on Sanders' face, and then she headed out of the clearing as well, one arm still around Carson's waist. Just to warm him up, of course. Not because she wanted to cuddle.

"So what did you guys find?" Sheppard asked, looking over his shoulder, but only for a moment. The ground was far too overgrown with brush and vines to not watch where he was going.

"Nothing yet," Mitchell said, stepping over a rotted tree trunk that had fallen over and was blocking the way. "We were waiting on you. How much trouble did you have finding the place?"

"Without the beacon I doubt I would have." Sheppard told her. "It's almost impossible to spot if you're not looking for it."

"Good."

Which would preserve the safety and secrecy of her little base.

"And even when we did spot you, there wasn't much room in that clearing for a landing. A good pilot could make it, certainly, but most would be just as prone to crashing."

Even better.

"When we're done eating, we'll take a look around on foot," Mitchell said. "Then we'll see what we can find from the air. I'd like a better idea of the layout of the land."