By the time Mitchell and Dex reached the operations level of the city once more, she'd managed to get to the part in her story where she and Talon took on the Goa'uld. She might have made it further, since she wasn't going into a lot of detail – and had completely left Brad out of the story to avoid getting too far off the main topic (not to mention to save herself a lot of heartache) – but Dex had never heard of a Goa'uld (aside from what little McKay had told him), and had asked several questions about them. Questions that she answered as honestly and completely as she could. It was important he realize just how bad the Goa'uld were, so he'd understand why the Jaffa had been so relieved to have someone leading them that didn't force them to do things that they'd much rather not do. To his credit, Dex had listened carefully and hadn't given her any sign that he didn't believe what he was being told.

"McKay said you defeated the Goa'uld single-handedly…"

She shook her head.

"We had help. A lot of help, really, and we weren't alone in the final confrontation. The device we needed would have destroyed us as well, but we had another person – his name is Daniel – with us, and he activated an escape device that kept us from getting blown to shit. Without him we never would have made it, and it almost killed him."

"And you?"

She shrugged.

"Talon helped."

"So the Jaffa follow you out of loyalty…"

"The Jaffa are a race who are just learning what it is to be free after being enslaved for untold generations. I'm trying to convince them I'm not what they – most of them – think I am, and Teal'c is helping with that, but old habits die hard."

Dex nodded, and was quiet as the two of them walked towards the door to Stargate operations, where she'd hand him over to Sheppard to make sure he had all the equipment he'd need for their mission.

"I'd like to hear about the Wraith…" he said, finally.

She nodded.

"It's not a secret. Ask Colonel Sheppard – or Teyla, or Teal'c, or pretty much anyone but Rodney McKay. They can tell you the story."

The door opened and they walked into the main room, and saw Weir talking with Sheppard, Char and Ford.

"We were wondering where you went…" John said. "I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost and was going to send Ford looking for you."

Melony smiled, amused. She had a better sense of direction than that – and he knew it. Not much better, maybe, but better...

"We were talking. Do me a favor and make sure Ronon here gets equipped with some gear, will you? He doesn't have a lot of personal items." Se looked at Dex. "When we get back to the planet, we'll stop by your camp and see about letting you get whatever you might have left there…"

"Thanks."

"Where are you going to be?" Sheppard asked.

"In my quarters cuddling up to a pot of coffee. I'll meet you here in a couple of hours."

Which would give her time to get her gear together and have a cup of coffee – or two – with Carson.

OOOOOOOOO

"You need to take a medic."

"I know. Assign me someone."

"It should be me. I'm the chief surgeon."

"You're needed here."

It wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation, so there wasn't anything being said that hadn't been said before.

"Not so much."

She smiled.

"More than you think."

"You just don't want me to go," he accused, stung by the fact that she didn't want his company. Of course, he was the first one she always sought out when she had free time, but that didn't matter just then.

"No, I don't." She reached for his hand to soften the harsh words. "You distract me, Carson and you know it. Worse, I'd distract you, and while I don't think this is going to be all that dangerous with the Light Ones and the Jaffa both backing us up, I don't want you out there distracted and maybe getting hurt."

He frowned, ready to make another argument, but she stopped him.

"Carson… please? Don't argue with me, okay? I don't want to fight, and I don't want you mad at me when I go."

He sighed, but her reasons were sound – whether he liked them or not (and he didn't). And he didn't want to argue, either.

"How about Lieutenant Cain?"

"The new guy?"

He was the young doctor that had stitched her up when she'd returned from the fight with the Tree Cats, but she didn't know much about him.

He nodded.

"He's new, but he knows his stuff."

"If that's who you want."

Anyone was fine with her – except him – and she didn't think that Cain's inexperience offworld would hurt them with so much backup. They'd just keep him close to the command post.

"I want me," Beckett told her seriously. He stopped her when she started to speak, though. "I know… it's not going to happen. Cain will do fine."

"Of course he will."

Carson gave her a look that plainly said he still wasn't happy, but that he was willing to go along with her wishes this time.

This time

"How long do you think you'll be gone?"

She shrugged.

"Shouldn't be too long. Not with the Light Ones sniffing them out for us."

He ran his hand gently along the bandaged area of her side, where mostly healed gashes had been driving her crazy with itching for the last day.

"You'll be careful…?"

"Yes." She smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "We know what we're up against this time and they won't surprise us like they did the last time."

And if we get lucky, we'll find more Wraith

We don't need to mention that to him, though.

No