Weir was waiting in the Jumper bay when Sheppard settled them into their berth. Along with her was a medical team – minus Carson – complete with a gurney and medical kit.

Elizabeth frowned when she saw the blood soaked bandages that Ronon and McKay had carefully wrapped around Mitchell's legs on the way back.

"Are you all right?"

Melony nodded, but winced when the medics helped her onto the gurney.

"I'm fine. Teal'c?"

"He's in surgery – which is why Carson isn't here to meet you…"

"Is he going to be all right?"

She nodded.

"Are you?"

"Talon's already working on it, but I'll be glad to get some kind of painkiller in me… How about Teyla?"

"She woke up right after the first rescue team was sent to look for you."

"The first one?"

"It's a long story," Elizabeth told her. "One that will wait until later, however."

"Colonel Mitchell, when you are feeling better I do hope you will come and visit the babies…" Kale said, smiling down at her.

"Mine are adorable," McKay said. "They're already smarter than-"

"They're only a few days old, Rodney," Sheppard said.

Weir smiled.

"You're just jealous," McKay told him.

"The babies are beautiful," Kale agreed, giving both men an odd look, but smiling at Elizabeth. "You'll have to come visit them as well. My people would love for you to visit our world."

She nodded.

"I will. Soon. Are you going back now, then?"

Kale nodded.

"As much as we'd love to stay, the others are going to want to know what happened – and we have a celebration to continue. Colonel Sheppard? Doctor McKay? Are you returning with us?"

Sheppard looked at Weir.

"Uh… I don't know…"

"Go ahead, John," she said, making a shooing motion with her hand. "We can handle things here."

There wasn't anything to handle, really, and it was only for a couple more days.

"Thanks for the help, Kale…" Melony said, watching as one of the medics hooked her up to an IV. "Things could have been a lot worse."

"My people are allies with yours, Colonel. It was our duty to assist you – even if I was not your friend. Besides, we saw much that will be brought before the council to be discussed at later times."

"The Shasari?" Weir asked.

Kale nodded.

"They are obviously related to my people. Perhaps we will take a journey to the ancient city and see what clues to their origin might lie there."

"Can you do that?" McKay asked, surprised.

"We've been there before," Melony said. "It's a matter of choice with Kale's people, Rodney. They don't have any rules against going there."

"It must be fascinating…"

Kale gave the equivalent of a shrug.

"We do not miss it. It is a reminder of the fate of our brothers."

"The Dark Ones," Sheppard said.

"Yes."

"Well, maybe you'll give us a call when you go…" McKay said, hopefully. "Unless you're going to go while we're there? Then we could go with-"

"The council will probably need a while to think things through," Mitchell interrupted before McKay could invite himself somewhere he wasn't welcomed. "What do the babies look like?"

"They're absolutely gorgeous," Rodney told her, enthusiastically, and with all the pride of any new father. "They're so long…" he held out his hands to indicate the length of the babies. "And about as heavy as a couple of laptops – or maybe one of those new severs we got from the SGC on the last-"

"Rodney."

Weir interrupted him, although she was obviously amused.

"What?"

"Let's let them take care of Colonel Mitchell. Then you can tell us all about the babies…"

"Even better, we can take a camera," Sheppard said, looking at Kale to see if he was okay with that. "Then we'll have pictures."

Kale nodded.

"I don't think their mothers will have a problem with that."

OOOOOOOOOO

"How is she doing?"

Carson looked up at the sound of Weir's voice and then over at Mitchell, who was sleeping in the bed he was sitting beside. Melony was covered in blankets with just her head uncovered, and sleeping on her belly – probably to keep any weight off her heavily bandaged legs.

"She'll be fine. Talon's already starting to repair the damage. The cuts were deep, but they missed any major blood vessels and arteries. She should be up and around in a day or two – although she'll probably hurt for a while longer."

"It could have been a lot worse…"

"Aye."

"And Teal'c?"

"He'll be fine, too. The gash damaged a part of his liver and one of his kidneys, but we put everything back together and sewed him up tight. We have him sedated, and his symbiote should be able to take care of it just fine. But if it doesn't, we will."

"Good."

Weir watched Melony sleep for a moment.

"The others left."

Carson nodded.

"Aye. Rodney came by to tell me they were going."

She smiled.

"You didn't want to go?"

He shook his head.

"I'm not really all that comfortable with them. They're far less reserved than I am. Besides, I have things to do here. Patients to watch and all that."

Weir's smile grew. Carson had a very competent staff that could just as easily watch over his patients as he could. Sheppard had mentioned several of the proposals that Carson had received from the female Light Ones, and she knew he was avoiding that – and probably would never go back if given the choice. Besides, Melony was here, and she knew he'd much rather be with her. She didn't say that, however.

"Are you going to stay with her?"

He nodded.

"She should wake up in a few hours, and we'll see how she feels and if she needs to stay here or can get transferred to her quarters."

"And Teal'c?"

"We'll keep him out as long as possible. Or at least until Melony's feeling better."

Because she could order him to stay in bed where he couldn't. Elizabeth nodded.

"Call me if you need anything – or if there's any change."

"I will."

He'd be the first to know, after all, since he would be watching Mitchell's progress intently. He was already turning his attention back to the bed as Weir left the room, secure in the knowledge that all her people were safe and sound – if not a little battered.

They could live with battered. They were all used to that.