The last Jumper filled with Jaffa took off for the city, and Carson gave a silent sigh of relief.

"Doctor Fraiser," he said softly, his eyes not leaving Melony's silent form. "Would you be so kind as to see General O'Neill back to the infirmary? Major Sheppard will fly the Jumper back."

"Hey," Jack said quickly, his eyes also on Mitchell. "I'm fine to-"

"You shouldn't be out of bed," Janet said. "It's a wonder you haven't fallen on your face already…"

"But-"

"Jack," Sam said, squeezing his hand gently. She knew what he wanted to do, but also knew that Beckett was the one to take care of this. If Jack had been in good health it might not have mattered, but Melony needed a chance to lean on someone who wasn't going to keel over.

Carson was already moving, though, not giving O'Neill a chance to argue with him, and as the others watched silently he walked over to stand beside her.

"We'd better get going…"

Jack hesitated a moment longer, but finally let Sam lead him away. Not because he wanted to, though. He didn't really have the energy to argue right then, and he figured he could always check on Melony later, after she returned to the infirmary as well. He'd get her alone and give her whatever support he could.

"Shouldn't we wait and put the fire out?" Kale asked, curiously. He – of course – had never participated (or witnessed) a Jaffa funeral, and didn't know what was normally done. Of course, aside from Teal'c, who had attended far too many, none of the others had, either.

Daniel shook his head. He hadn't been to any, but he knew what happened.

"The wood is treated with a liquid that will burn it down to ashes quickly, and the ashes will be allowed to be blown away with the wind. Colonel Mitchell will stay and make sure it doesn't get out of control."

Of course, they were on a sandy beach, so it was unlikely anything could be set ablaze even if the fire did get out of hand. Already, though, the blazing fire was beginning to die a little, and Daniel knew it wouldn't be more than a few hours before it was nothing ore than ashes.

"Come on," Weir said, softly, unwilling to intrude on Colonel Mitchell's grief any longer. "Let's get back to the city."

They turned and headed for the last of the Jumpers, and boarded two of them, leaving one so Mitchell and Beckett could get back when they were finished, and a few minutes later, they took off.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

They stood in silence for a long time. Carson not speaking because he wasn't sure if he was supposed to, and Melony lost in her thoughts as she watched the flames burning in front of her, ignoring the heat from the fire as it warmed her face and caused the armor she was wearing to heat up until she was sweating underneath it. None of it mattered just then. Nothing mattered, really. She hadn't realized just how much she'd relied on Tao until she'd lost him, and hadn't realized how find of him she'd become. And she'd never told him. He'd known she was pleased with him, but that wasn't the same, and Melony knew it. Now she'd never have the chance.

He was a good man

Yes.

And he loved you very much

You don't know that.

Yes, I do

Talon brought to mind the very first meeting they'd had after the fall of the System Lords, and the pride and excitement that had been obvious in the eyes of those First Primes that had been assembled – including Tao.

You freed him from a cruel master and allowed him to be the man he wanted to be. How could he not love you for that?

I failed him.

It was an accident, Melony. They happen

It didn't make her feel any better, though.

"Melony?"

Carson's soft voice broke through her thoughts, and she turned to look at him. And she realized something. And spoke before even Talon could stop her.

"You shouldn't be with me, Carson…"

His eyes, so sad to begin with, turned uncertain.

"What?"

"Everyone I care about dies…" she said bitterly. "You should leave while you have the chance…"

He'd thought she meant just then. That there was some taboo against him being with her at the end of the burning ceremony. Instead it was something far more profound, and the self-loathing he heard in her voice made him reach out and rest his hand on her armored forearm.

"That's not true."

"Yes it is. Michael. My parents. Brad. I tried to kill Daniel once, too, you know… and Jack just about died the other-"

"Those have nothing to do with you," he told her. "It's a part of living – to die. It has nothing to do with who we love."

She shook her head, and turned back to the fire.

"I'm bad luck. You should run while you still can."

"I'm not leaving you."

"You will. Everyone does, eventually."

Now her voice carried only hurt, and a pain so profound that Carson thought his own heart would break. He pulled her around, taking her face in his hands and making her look at him.

"Eventually, yes. But not any sooner than I absolutely have to – and I'll love you all the harder knowing that some day we won't be together. It's the only thing you can do, Melony… and it's a hell of a lot better than pushing everyone away so they don't hurt you when they die."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and when they trickled down her cheeks he wiped them away with his thumbs, his eyes locked on her own.

"I love you. I couldn't leave you any more than Talon could."

She hesitated, just long enough that he was beginning to think it hadn't been enough; that she was still going to try and convince him to run. But then she sobbed, and Carson caught her as her knees buckled, and held her tight as she cried out her grief and loss.

"I've got you, Melony…" he crooned in her ear, pressing his lips against her and holding her so hard that the armor she was wearing made his arms ache. "I'm not letting you go."