Author's Note: For the reviewer who anonymously reviewed 'so I could delete it', know that I never delete any review, good or bad. However, since you don't like the story, just for you "THE END". There. Now you don't have to read any further, because I'd hate to waste your time. For everyone else – and those who sent me support in reviews and emails – thank you very much! I appreciate the kind words and hope you'll read on. (And if I'm spelling Kavanaugh's name wrong, sorry about that!)

OOOOOOOO

"Doctor Kavanaugh…"

The scientist in question jumped at the sound of his name, and whirled around so quickly that the ponytail he normally wore his hair in actually came around and slapped him in the face.

"Yes?"

Elizabeth Weir raised an eyebrow in what was (although she didn't know it) an almost exact copy of the same way Teal'c regarded members of SG-1 when he was faced with something puzzling, or out of his area of experiences. The doctor was pale – even for him – and a little wild-eyed, and for the briefest moment, Weir actually thought she saw a trace of fear in the eyes that were usually so contemptuous when they looked at her.

"Are you all right?"

It wasn't the question she'd meant to ask, but it was the first one that came to mind.

He wet his lips – nervously? – and nodded.

"Fine, ma'am. What can I do for you?"

Now her second eyebrow joined the first in her hairline – as did several others around the room. You could almost hear the thuds as jaws dropped to the floor. None of the scientists had ever heard him call her ma'am. Ever. Weir actually hesitated, as if waiting to hear the punch line, but when he didn't say anything, but continued watching her (as if he really did want to know if there was anything she needed), she managed to speak again.

"Have we picked up any trace of Wraith activity?"

He shook his head, and although he'd been monitoring the computers for the last hour or so – since the start of his shift mid-morning – he looked down at the screen.

"No, Doctor Weir. Nothing. The telemetry on the captured darts has been completely dead – and we've been keeping a non-stop eye on it, as you know."

Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. She hadn't really wanted to believe it, because she hated to get her hopes up only to dash them, but it was beginning to look like the Wraith may well and truly be gone. Finished.

"Very well. Keep me informed, please." She headed for the door to the command center to go report to General O'Neill and Colonel Mitchell.

"Yes, Ma'am."

She cast another quick look over at Kavanaugh, wondering if she should have him accompany her to the infirmary and have Carson give him a CAT scan, but decided that whatever was going on, it'd end soon enough she was sure. Instead, she walked out the door.

"What the heck's going on with you?"

Kavanaugh frowned at the tech who was standing beside him.

"What are you talking about?"

"'Yes, ma'am?'" He echoed, incredulous.

"You call her ma'am."

"That's because I like and respect her." He didn't need to add the rest of that unfinished line. Everyone knew Kavanaugh didn't like or respect Weir.

Kavanaugh scowled, and returned to his computer monitor.

"Maybe it's time I tried a little harder."

Everyone else was still staring at him, but he didn't look up again.

OOOOOOOO

"You're cheating."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not. You're just being a poor loser."

"I am not."

"Are."

"You're counting cards…"

Melony rolled her eyes, looking over her hand at Jack, who was scowling.

"You can't count cards in Gin, Jack."

"You probably figured out a way. I know you're not this good at this game."

Spoken like someone who is slowly but surely losing his shirt

Melony smiled.

"Just say Uncle and we can stop whenever you want…"

He scowled again, looking down at his cards.

"I taught you this game, Missy. Don't even think I'm going to let you win – even if you are cheating."

Melony started to reply, when they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing her throat. Both of them turned and saw Elizabeth standing at the foot of Jack's bed, smiling to see the two of them arguing like a couple of children.

"Doctor Weir," Melony said, smiling a greeting to her from the chair she was sitting in. "Have you ever heard of counting cards in Gin?"

Elizabeth shook her head, amused at being drawn into the inane argument.

"Never, I'm afraid."

"See?" Mitchell said, looking at Jack. "I can't be counting cards. Face it; you just suck."

"You could have figured out a way. That snake's pretty smart."

Talon snorted, making Melony's smile turn into a wide grin, and Jack scowled again, and then looked at Weir.

"How are you, Doctor?" He asked, pointedly ignoring Melony's smile.

"Fine, General. Yourself?"

"Never better."

Well, she didn't believe that, exactly, but he did look a lot better than he had. He was still bandaged in several places, and wearing a brace on his right arm, which was supporting a more or less healed break. There was an air cast on his right ankle, doing the same thing. He wasn't a hundred percent, but according to both Fraiser and Beckett (who had given Weir a report that very morning when she'd come to the infirmary to see if there was anything new she needed to know about) he was well on his way to healing and both doctors were pleased with his recovery.

"Any Wraith activity?" Melony asked, changing the subject.

Elizabeth smiled, and shook her head.

"Doctor Kavanaugh says we haven't hear a peep out of them on the telemetry on the stolen darts."

"Have we got any probes in the area of Talonopolis, yet?" Jack asked, more than willing to change the subject.

"The first of the ones we sent through the Stargate on A-052 should be getting close. Maybe by this evening we'll have some pictures."

The morning before, desperate for real pictures, they'd gated to the closest planet that they knew of that held a Stargate, and had launched several probes (powered by the Light One's mini ZPMs) toward the direction of Talonopolis. Or, more precisely, where Talonopolis had been.

"Good work, Doctor."

"Thank you, General."

Elizabeth left the room, feeling better than she had in weeks, and Jack looked at Melony.

"Speaking of Kavanaugh…"

"Were we?"

"Sheppard mentioned in his report this morning that the little weasel's door was blown completely off its hinges sometime in the middle of the night."

"I thought I saw some termites… maybe we should call an exterminator – if things get out of hand."

He gave her a look that was filled with questions – and no small amount of amusement – but Melony knew he'd never ask her what had happened. Despite the fact that he was on his back just then, Jack was very much aware of everything that went on around him. It was his job to be. Even if people didn't think he'd care – or think that it was none of his business.

"Termites, huh?"

That was a lame story, even for her.

She gave him her best innocent look and turned back to her cards.

"Huge termites…"

"Uh huh."

He laid down a discard, and she promptly picked it up, and then dropped her cards on the little table between them.

"Gin."

Damn it.