Jack had to admit that Janet was efficient when she wanted to be – and when he needed her to be. Once she knew that he was awake – and what his immediate needs were – she was quick to get him a couple of corpsmen to help into the bathroom. He was awake, after all, and not as disabled as he had been. He could pee without tubes and wires helping him and although he was weak and sore, he managed to do just that.

And then, with a little help, he made it to the bed that Fraiser had others prepare for him while he was gone. It was in the main room of the infirmary – he wasn't in need of his own room any longer, and he was surprised to see that Janet and Carson Beckett had conferred while he was gone and had decided that Melony wasn't, either. She had been put into a bed out in the main room of the infirmary as well, next to the one that Jack was being helped into, and a glance over towards her proved she was still sound asleep.

As soon as he was in bed and made comfortable, Beckett and Fraiser both approached his bed, Janet carrying his chart.

"Better?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you."

She smiled.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Let me rephrase the question," Janet said, rolling her eyes and looking down at his chart. "Without using the word 'fine', how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, doc. Just a little sore and tired."

"Hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Good. We're going to feed you, and then I want you to get some rest." She looked over her shoulder at the small group of people (Daniel, Teal'c and Sam) who were standing close at hand. "Are you up for some company before you eat?"

Jack had followed her gaze, and his eyes met Sam's for a moment before he looked at the others.

"Definitely."

"Good."

Fraiser and Beckett turned away, and Janet waved over SG-1, telling them with that gesture that they could visit their General, and then went to Mitchell's bedside, pulling the privacy curtain closed between her bed and O'Neill's so that they could confer without being bothered by the soft greetings that were taking place at Jack's bedside.

Janet looked down at Mitchell's sleeping form, and frowned.

"She looks terrible."

Carson shook his head, reaching down and brushing his hand against Mitchell's cheek.

"She looks a lot better than she did yesterday, Doctor, I assure you."

Janet hadn't missed the gentle caress in the touch – although it was thinly disguised as a check for a temperature or something. It was also impossible to miss the emotion in Beckett's voice – although that accent of his made his voice a little huskier than what she was used to. She didn't say anything, well aware that it was possible she'd missed something while she'd been away and the others were here on Atlantis, but she made a silent promise to ask Daniel about it later. Doctor Beckett was not Janet Fraiser's first choice when she thought of potential relationship choices for Melony Mitchell. She would have thought Sheppard, really – or maybe one of the older Marines. (She knew Mitchell's tastes didn't run to younger men, or she might have considered that Marine Corporal Sanchez, who seemed to always be close at hand – although he never actually entered the infirmary.)

Carson handed Melony's chart to Fraiser, who looked at it for a few minutes, comparing the most recent test results to those that had been taken before she'd arrived.

"Wow…" She really had been hurt. Although Janet wasn't surprised; without her symbiote, Mitchell was incredibly vulnerable, it was still amazing to see what the Colonel had suffered through while waiting for Talon to heal General O'Neill.

Carson nodded, smiling in relief.

"She's doing much better."

Janet handed the clipboard back to him.

"I'm only here to make sure General O'Neill gets healthy, Doctor Beckett, so I'll leave Colonel Mitchell in your capable hands."

Which was exactly how Carson wanted it, anyways. He didn't mind taking care of O'Neill, of course – or anyone else. He was a doctor, after all, but he'd been concerned that Fraiser might have tried to take over Melony's care, and she was his responsibility.

"Thank you, Doctor Fraiser."

"But feel free to ask if you need anything," Janet said, smiling slightly at the relief in his voice and expression. "And call me Janet."

Carson smiled.

"Thank you."

She nodded, and ducked behind the curtain, leaving him alone with his patient.

OOOOOOO

"How do you feel?"

Jack smiled at Sam, reaching his hand out to her as he struggled into a sitting position without jarring his aching body any more than necessary. She and Daniel both gave him a hand up while Teal'c propped him into position with a couple of pillows.

"I'm fine, guys."

She didn't look convinced. He was pale and his face was pinched with pain – especially when he'd tried to sit up.

"Really," he said, understanding the expression immediately. He squeezed her hand, but he was looking at all three of them. "I'm not ready to get out of bed and go on a 30 mile hike, but considering the alternatives, I feel pretty good. Just a little sore."

"No residual effects from having Talon?" Daniel asked.

"Nope. I don't think so."

"What was that like?" Sam asked, curiously. "Weird?"

Jack smiled, looking over at Teal'c. He had a symbiote – although he never actually communicated with it like Jack had spoken to Talon (and vice versa).

"It was crazy." Jack told them. "He'd speak right into my brain, and I could actually feel him. I knew what he was thinking and what he was feeling, and I could talk to him without actually saying anything out loud."

"Oh if only that worked with the rest of us. Could you imagine how much peace and quiet I'd be getting?"

They all turned and saw Janet coming through the curtain that separated them from Mitchell's bed.