A/N: Wow! You guys are awesome! Thank you for reviewing! (I was starting to get a little worried there...) Well, since you all gave me the warm fuzzies, here's a new chapter. This one is a bit llight on SG-1, but I promise they'll be all over the next chapter!
I hope you enjoy!
Melody shifted uncomfortably on the cold, metal table. "So, can we get this MRI over with? It's a little chilly in here." She adjusted the paper gown she'd been told to wear in a futile effort to get a little more warmth.
Janet had returned from General Hammond's office feeling a little better for having shared the test results and have her suspicions confirmed. "OK, in just a second you'll start to feel yourself moving into the tube. I need you to stay as still as possible until you start to move out. Are you claustrophobic at all?"
"No," Melody called as the table began to move. She took a deep breath and locked her muscles, managing not to twitch for the entire time she was in there. She didn't let the breath out until she felt the table jerk and then slide forward again. "That wasn't too bad."
"See, now if you'd just put that on a billboard for me maybe I'd be able to convince some of my other patients," Janet said with a smile. "Well, it seems I've run out of reasons to keep you down here. You can go get changed again." She sat down and made a few marks on Melody's chart before she set it aside. She had thought ahead to provide her with a basin of warm water and a washcloth so she could give herself a quick sponge bath before she put the BDUs back on. Janet was surprised that she'd somehow managed to straighten out that awful mess of hair. "Impressive."
Melody walked over to her, twisting her hair into another braid. "I hope you didn't need that rubber band," she said with a smile. "My hair might try to take over the base without it."
"We have enough aliens trying to take over the base as it is," Jack commented dryly as he came up behind her, his fingers still styling his hair. He was freshly showered and much more calm after spending an hour sparring with Teal'c.
"Colonel O'Neill." She smiled a genuine smile back at him; several hours had passed since their last meeting and they were both in much better moods. "I was about to head down to the cafeteria to get some dinner. Would you like to join me?"
Jack looked at his watch. "Holy … smokes. Is it really 1730? I think I will join you for that dinner."
"You might want to wait on that, Sir. Melody, I got permission from General Hammond. We're going off-base tonight." Captain Carter had a huge smile on her face.
"You mean I can go outside now?" Melody had been longing to go outside, to be reassured that she was really home.
"Well, we figure if you haven't tried to kill us yet, a quick trip to the surface won't cause any damage. You're more than welcome to join us, Sir. I was going to invite you, Daniel, and Teal'c anyway. Janet, you can join us if you'd like."
"Thanks, Sam, but I've got to get home. Cassandra's probably already wondering where I've been all day."
"That's fine. Colonel?" Sam asked hopefully.
"Sounds good, as long as the boys come along." He turned on his heel and went to the door. "Uh, where exactly are we going?"
"I thought Melody would like to pick."
"Ah. Let me know." With that Jack took off to get changed and ready for a night out.
Melody looked at Sam, thoroughly confused. "Uh, I have no idea what restaurants are around here."
"Well, there's -" Samantha began but was stopped abruptly.
"Are there any diners around here? I mean real Jersey diners that are open all night and make most of their money off of fries." It's as close to home as I'm gonna get, she figured.
Sam smiled. "You can take the girl out of New Jersey… Sure, we've got one of those. My treat, obviously, since you've got all of four dollars to go on."
Melody's cheeks reddened. "No, that's OK. I can use that."
Samantha raised her eyebrows. "Are you aware that you can pretty much only afford a soft drink with that four dollars? Anyway, I think the Air Force might be picking this one up, as long as we're taking you out. Plus," Carter whipped out a small billfold, "they gave us this to get you some more suitable clothing."
"Ugh! I hate shopping!" Melody complained, only half serious. "Well, if we must we must." She followed Sam as she went to get her own clothes out of a locker, navigating the twists and turns like she had a map. She didn't want to admit it since she really did hate shopping, but the idea of getting herself into a real clothes store on her home planet after ten years was an appealing prospect. She thought about what she wanted to buy while Sam changed, emerging just moments before the others joined them. Whereas she had been walking around a military base all day, now she was noticeably out of place wearing her BDUs when everyone else was wearing jeans.
If anyone else noticed her conspicuousness, they didn't comment. "So, where are we headed?" Jack asked as they rode up in the elevator.
"Well, we thought maybe we could go to the diner tonight," Sam said with a smirk. She knew what Daniel thought of that place as well as what Jack did.
"Really? The kid has taste!" Jack said ecstatically. Finally someone was on his side!
Daniel just grimaced a little, glad Melody couldn't see his face. "Great. Diner it is." Teal'c, naturally, had no preference, but was aware of Daniel's distaste.
Melody felt a little guilty when she heard his comment. "We could go somewhere else, if you want. Any suggestions?"
"No, no, we said you can pick. You chose the diner, so we go to the diner. Right?" Jack asked smugly. He got nods from all around the elevator car just as the doors opened. "So, whose car?"
With Teal'c present they would not all fit in the same vehicle, so they had to take two cars. Jack and Teal'c got into Jack's truck while Sam, Daniel, and Melody rode in Sam's sedan. (A/N: I have no idea what either of them actually drives, but I've seen Sam driving a sedan in a few episodes and with Jack… well, I just took a guess. You may berate me by pushing the lovely little button on the bottom of the page.) The rides in each vehicle were silent for different reasons: In one car, Melody couldn't get enough of the view out the window, the feel of the car running, and the warm air of late August in Colorado and in the other Teal'c was, well, Teal'c.
The diner was less than a ten minute ride away and Melody was almost sad for the trip to come to an end. She climbed out of the car into the parking lot of a diner that looked just like it belonged in her home neighborhood. "Oh, this'll do fine," she whispered to Carter as they headed in. They were seated quickly in a corner of the diner and handed menus and glasses of water. When the waitress asked her what drink she wanted, Melody almost fell over. "I'll have a Sprite," she said triumphantly to the stares of those around her. "Hey, it's been a long time since I've done that!" she explained. She knew she shouldn't go into further detail in a public place, and that she didn't need to.
Dinner went off without incident, each of the members of the team trying to get to know this girl better. She'd ordered a pretty healthy meal, which was surprising given what was on the menu, and resorted to fruit salad for dessert. "They're all vegetarians," she'd stated simply when her vegetable wrap came to the table. The fries, however, were definitely not the "healthy" part of her meal but without contest the things she enjoyed most.
"Now that," Jack said once he'd finished his ice cream, "is what I call a good meal." The others, even Daniel, couldn't disagree. They all went to get up from the table to pay the tab when Melody froze in place. "You all right?" Jack asked, gripping her upper arm before she fell over.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, straightening her legs out slowly. "I just sat too long. A little ACL."
Jack was about to ask how someone so young had come about a problem he himself had only developed in recent years, but he bit his tongue. He figured regular beatings could do all sorts of messed up things to a body. He just held on to her arm to give her balance while she bent and straightened her right knee a few times. A few moments later she was good as new and ready to follow the rest of them out of the diner. "So you're sure you're all right?"
She nodded with a rueful smile. "Yeah, it's done that for about a year. I'm used to it." She tossed one last reassuring glance over her shoulder before she headed out the door to admire the view of a single moon. She found out to her dismay that it was back to the mountain for her tonight; it was getting late and most of the clothes stores were closed anyway. Teal'c was due to spend the night at the SGC, so he escorted her back to her room. "Thank you, Teal'c," she said at the end of their silent yet comfortable journey.
"You are welcome. Rest well." He shut the door behind him as he left, giving Melody some privacy so she could change into the Air Force sweats and T-shirt she'd been provided to sleep in before he posted a new guard at her door. "Watch well," he admonished before he left to continue his duty.
It was about 0300 when the guard heard a quiet knocking on the door. He almost missed it at first, it was so muted, but it was too persistent for him to ignore. He knocked back to warn her he was coming in and Melody backed away from the door. He opened the door and saw her bent over, one hand wrapped around her stomach and one hand supporting herself on the desk. "Whoa! Are you OK?" he asked.
I'm going to get really sick of that question, she thought. Out loud she only said, "I think I'm going to be sick."
He took a quick look around the room, realizing there not only wasn't a toilet in there but someone had forgotten to place a garbage can anywhere in her quarters. He put her free hand over his shoulders and just barely got her to the bathroom before she lost her dinner. "Man! I haven't felt this bad since… Oh, man!" She suddenly realized her mistake: she hadn't drunk the water, but her soda had had ice in it. She rose from the bathroom floor, making sure she hadn't left a mess, and came back out to meet the airman. "Thank you," she said, stubbornly refusing any help in getting back. She went straight back to her room and curled up on her bed, wishing she'd brought some of the herbs More' had used to help her when she first took Melody in. It was going to be a long night.
The airman peeked in through the window every hour or so, just to make sure Melody was still all right. She'd left the light on and didn't feel like getting up to turn it off, so he had a good view of her laying on her side, both hands wrapped tightly around her abdomen. He felt sorry for her; it was his understanding that she'd been lost on another planet for years and had only returned to earth yesterday just to get sick on her second night back. That had to be disappointing! He was more than a little nervous that Teal'c kept coming back to check on his charge, but the airman was grateful he hadn't been able to fall asleep. He did not want the opportunity to find out what the big guy looked like when he was angry.
Teal'c sympathized with Melody's illness. He hadn't told anyone, but on his first night with the Tau'ri he had made the mistake of drinking a cup of water. He had been grateful to have his symbiote to heal him that night, but it wasn't a pleasant feeling he had until he'd had the opportunity to kel'no'rim. He occasionally entered the room throughout the night, bringing damp cloths to wipe her forehead and hopefully soothe her fever. Each time he'd entered, Melody had thanked him profusely for his thoughtfulness and kindness, evidence of the attitude of someone who was unused to being treated well. This only incensed him further against the elders of her city; who would be so willing to treat such a kind young spirit with such dishonor?
Teal'c was once again in her room at 0900 when General Hammond came in to question their guest himself, bringing Colonel O'Neill with him. Melody had anticipated the visit and washed up; she was now sitting at the desk in her BDUs talking to Teal'c. She stood automatically when she saw the General at the door to offer him her seat, but sat back down when her silent offer was equally silently rejected. She straightened up and motioned to him to come in.
General Hammond was impressed. She'd be great in the military, he thought as he took in her neatly made bed, orderly stack of books, and folded sweats. "Ms. Favale, I hope you enjoyed your night out last night."
Melody winced. "Yeah, it was quite… extraordinary," she phrased delicately.
"Ms. Favale, if you don't mind I have a few questions I would like to ask you." Teal'c rose, assuming that his superior would like some privacy, but was waved back into his seat on the bed. "No, Teal'c, it's all right. I'd prefer if you stayed, anyway."
"OK, General. What can I do for you?"
"Some of my superiors in Washington have expressed concern over allowing you to remain on this base. They believe that you may pose a threat to the safety of our personnel, given your training."
"I can assure you, Sir, that any training I have received as a medic, warrior, or scholar I would only use to benefit Earth. This is my home."
"Their concern lies with the training you received as a warrior. They've asked that I 'evaluate the threat', in their words."
"General, you been talking to Mayborn again?" Jack asked in an accusatory tone.
The General's silence gave him a definite answer. "If you and Teal'c agree to a little sparring match, I myself would like to see what you can do."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow toward Melody, unseen by General Hammond who was standing in front of him. He knew she hadn't slept at all the night before, as she was accustomed to doing, and had been quite ill a few times during the night.
Melody summarily ignored Teal'c and the concern he expressed. "Yes, Sir, if Teal'c does not mind."
Melody and General Hammond both turned expectant eyes on Teal'c, who nodded his agreement. He showed Melody to the protective gear and safeguarded himself. General Hammond wanted to laugh at that; he couldn't picture the small young woman doing the large Jaffa any serious damage. Colonel O'Neill joined him in watching the mock fight after admonishing Teal'c, "No injuring our guest, huh?"
It started off slowly, the two circling each other after bowing to begin. As soon as the first contact was successful, though, they both threw it into overdrive. They were firing off vicious hits that rarely landed where they were aimed; both were skilled in avoiding blows from their enemy. The two observers were impressed at the strength and speed they both exhibited, even though they had seen Teal'c in action before and knew this was him holding back. It soon became clear that although Melody was losing badly, she wasn't going to give up. The General finally called an end to the conflict once he figured he knew what Melody could do, and he felt sure that she could most definitely handle herself. He didn't let her losing to Teal'c put him off. The fact that she'd managed to mostly hold the large Jaffa at bay was an incredible feat, even if he knew Teal'c was taking it easy on her and aiming for the protective gear. He also knew that he could report back to Mayborn that one of his men had easily beaten her in hand-to-hand combat, he just didn't have to specify who.
Jack had brought in the weapons Melody brought with her, and as Teal'c relaxed she saw him laying them out on the floor near the edge of the mat she'd been sparring on. She took that as a hint to give a little demonstration with each. She spent the next quarter of an hour slicing through the air with staffs, knives, and something that looked like nun chucks, hitting targets with her portable bow and arrow set and blow gun, and demonstrating her prowess with a zat gun and a more traditional P90 and hand gun - the last few supplied by the base, of course. She had no training therefore no idea how to reload the things, so she took running out of ammunition as her cue that her little demonstration was over.
"Not bad," Jack remarked, reclaiming the now harmless handgun. Melody bent down to retrieve the discarded weapons as General Hammond watched her silently. She came to him and, the same way she'd done to Jack before she'd come through the gate with him, knelt in front of the entire mountain's CO and offered him her weapons.
"That's quite all right, Ms. Favale." General Hammond lifted her to her feet. "You can hold on to those."
"Thank you." She knew that it was a huge achievement for her to be trusted with her weapons. She strapped the belt securely around her waist. "Is there anything else you would like for me to do, General?"
"That's it for now. I believe Captain Carter is waiting for you in the infirmary. She mentioned something about you still needing clothes." Melody nodded slowly and left the room, then General Hammond turned to Teal'c. "I've got my own evaluation, but you were actually fighting her. Any thoughts?"
"She has been well trained. I did mistakenly make contact with her back, and for that I am sorry, but she still fought. She also showed some skill with her use of weapons."
"But is she a danger, Teal'c? Did she seem inclined to use excessive force?"
"Oh, come on," Jack blurted. "We were standing right here! She fought like any normal soldier would."
"Colonel, I'm sure I don't need to remind you that I need to put some pretty heavy minds to rest in Washington. It's a choice between us evaluating her or putting her through the gamut of psychological tests. So I'll repeat my question: do you think she's dangerous?"
"No, I do not," Teal'c replied truthfully. "If you will excuse me, I have promised Daniel Jackson I will assist him with some research."
Jack waited for Teal'c to leave the room before he called General Hammond on the smirk that had crept onto his face. "General? You wouldn't happen to have anything in mind for our young friend, would you?"
"Well, Colonel, I'm thinking she has no formal education and no marketable skills. She's been tormented for years, and I won't have her brought back to earth just to become MacDonald's new cashier. I was hoping she could fill some position here."
Jack smiled at his superior, a genuine smile. "You old softie," he let slip before he slipped out of the room.
And had it been anyone else, General Hammond would have denied it.