The IOA did not ground the Odyssey; in fact they said nothing but sign off on Vala’s records. Of course Woosley had expressed his usual caution, but then commented that he did seem to think she was a fine match. His words, not mine.  I just run the Infirmary on the Odyssey; her physical was clean. I think Dr. Hutchinson had said she did seem rather well adjusted all things considered.

However, from where I stood at the coffee bar, I could not say the same for Cam. He was playing with his food, which would have been a normal thing for him to do, but this time he was dangling a piece of pasta over Daniel, who was collapsed on the table, sleeping. I wouldn’t have had a big problem with that, if not for the small detail of Cam dangling it into his ear that made the scene even more childish. I suddenly feel flashbacks of my childhood merge.

“Common he is as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve,” Cam said, motioning to Daniel.

“I thought we agreed you would not use any Earth-inisms that I haven’t learned,” Vala said, pouting. Oh ya the sweetheart was a good pouter.

Vala seemed to ask Cam another question that he shrugged off – sometimes no matter what one says, or who says it, detours him. Daniel seemed to move and feel the pasta, who couldn’t when it was practically touching ones brain? Cam had a smug, satisfied look on his face as he went in for a second time, this time pulling back as Daniel’s hand slapped his own ear.

“Ow!” Daniel said, turning to look at his hand and shooting Cam a disgusted look. I turned away as I stirred my coffee not to be seen silently laughing.

Cam told him that they were arriving at Atlantis at any moment, just as we were coming out of hyperspace in fact. Daniel bolted out of his chair so fast I was surprised it was not spinning. As I walked past Cam on my way to the infirmary, I shot him a look over my coffee cup.

“Oh common! What did I do now?” Cam said as I disappeared down the hall. I swear my mom got the better kid some days – granted I’m sure she could pull up a few of my stunts from the past too.
- - -

Doctor Carson Beckett was very charming as he, grinning ear to ear, escorted me around his infirmary. His Scottish accent had me wondering why I could not find me a nice Scot. Or Brit. Or Aussie. Or… well really I am not picky. Anyone really. It’s lonely some days being so single.

“I know it’s not a lot, but it’s gotten us by,” Carson said, sitting behind his desk.

“I think it’s great. I would have died to have this kind of facility on the front lines or on an outpost,” I said. “There are worse places to do surgery.”

“Ai, true,” he said with a smile and a nod. “Come, lass, I’ll show you around the city.”

Carson and I walked about the city for a while, coming to the bridge and gazing upon the Atlantian Stargate. We heard the doors to our right open and I turned. The doors seemed to pivot open which made the passageways wider. Cool. Maybe when I get time to remodel my place I could do that. Out came Dr. Rodney McKay, a man I briefly met in one of my quick trips to the SGC while I was on the Prometheus, followed by Sam, Daniel with Vala trying to talk to him, Teal’c and Cam who was talking to Colonel John Sheppard, Carson pointed out.

“I don’t think you met my sister, Major Bailey DeBarr,” Cam said motioning to me.

“Hi. Lovely city to defend,” I said, grasping his hand.

He shook my hand and gave me a smile. “Oh well, there is a lot to defend, but we have really a good defense team. Couldn’t do it with out them. You're really Colonel Mitchell’s sister?”

“That’s what our parents tell us. I took my stepfather’s last name when I entered the military. There were a few Mitchell’s already, and actually a few ‘Bailey Mitchell’s’ in the Med program. I changed it so I could be easily ID’d.”

“How morbid,” John said. “Your not like one of those doctors that cuts up people are you?”

“No, not by trade. I do autopsies when I they are needed.”

“Ah, good. It’s not Carson’s favorite thing. Of course the Wraith are usually not very nice to cut up anyway,” he said, trying to bring the subject to a lighter tone.

“Gawd, can you please concentrate on the fact that we are loosing valuable time here,” Rodney said, coming up behind John. “Stop flirting about… death and let’s concentrate on things that matter.”

“The way we die, matters,” Cam said. Rodney rolled his eyes and went after Sam as she prepared to go back aboard the Odyssey for our mission.

“Here, take this.” John pulled a lemon from his jacket. “He is deathly allergic to citrus.”

Cam looked at it and thanked him. "I better make sure no one gets killed while loading back on the Odyssey."

I turned to Carson and smiled. "Thank you for the quick tour. I really wish I could stay, but you know how the boys are."

"Ai that I do. Make sure you reserve the big shots for Rodney," Carson replied.

"I'll keep them next to Cam's then," I laughed. "And nice meeting you too, Colonel."

"Ah you're not getting away that easy. Getting out to the docks are tricky. It only looks easy," John said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"So you are escorting me or giving me a map?"

"Personal escort. It's not everyday Earthlings come to greet us," he said, leading me down the stairs.

"Maybe we should stop by more often then."

"Yes you should," John said as he grinned. I did not mind him tugging me out of the way as a wayward cart with medical supplies slipped and wanted to trip me up. And I must admit I did like the fact he wrapped his arm around my waist for the briefest of moments as he came around to open the hatch for me.

Hey can you fault the single woman?

- - -

"He was crushing all over you."

"Crushing?" I asked, glancing at Cam, and did air quotes. "'Crushing?' What the heck is that? Some throw back to the 80s?"

"I am merely saying he likes you, Bay," Cam said, tugging his sleeve down.

"Well don't get into a huff, you were the one who said 'and this is my sister,'" I said, imitating his voice.

"Cute. I didn't think he would be pawing at you."

"No pawing. Just crushing. Well actually he saved me from being crushed by a container of med supplies." I shrugged. "You know Dr. Beckett isn't to bad either."

Cam hopped off the table and rolled his eyes. "I am not having this conversation with my sister."

"You brought it up."

"Yes and I am finishing it."

"Are you going to tell me I have a curfew?"

"No but I will tell mom," Cam said, rounding the corner. He stood aside as two techs rushed past us. "On second thought, I won't."

"Why?"

"Because then she will be all happy, and then ask me where my girlfriend is."

"I can tell you where one could be," I said. His expression told me not to speak of it. I laughed as I ducked into the control room, leaving him to continue to the bridge.

"What are you doing here?"

I turned and saw a confused Rodney McKay looking back at me. "I am looking for someone to try my lemon meringue pie. I am here to look at the data, if you don't mind."

"The lemon thing is no joking matter, it is deadly serious," Rodney said, looking like a fish for a moment. "Besides, what does a doctor need with this kind of data?"

"The kind of doctor who will put you in a coma so we all can get some work done. Now look, I am not confined to my white lab coat and giving stitches. Can I please have the data for the output surge?"

He reluctantly handed it over. I could see Sam in the corner glare at Rodney. I would be glaring too if I had the time. I walked to a free station, glancing up to see our resident Asgard almost smirking. I say almost since I am still not sure if they smirk. But if they do, he was smirking. I did a few calculations and transmitted them to the deck, letting Colonel Emerson make the necessary adjustments to keep the crew and ship safe as we edged closer to a black hole. I could imagine how excited Cam was. It was his first black hole after all.

Sam huddled in the corner, Rodney now straying over to see what if anything he could help with. I sat quietly transmitting a few last commands to the bridge and then left. After all, a white lab coated doctor does not belong in the command deck.
- - -

A nuclear missile is a scary thing to have in any armies’ arsenal, but to have Rodney's finger on the button made it seem like it was the end of the world.

As my team and I made the last moment calculations and fits, all to help prevent the ship blowing, glowing or being sucked in, I had little time to think about that. I just wanted to make sure my crew was healthy and whole when we got back to Atlantis.

There were a few attempts to perfect the use of the black hole to power up the supergate, and finally after Cam came by asking if there was anything he could lace with citrus to feed Rodney, they made the connection. We had to get closer to the black hole and did experience some effects, but over all, we prevented the Ori from bringing in backup anytime in the near future.

I have to say though; landing on Atlantis can't get old. I wished Daniel was there to watch our approach once more, but Sam seemed to enjoy it for the both of them. Getting back to "land" – well what do you call an island that can fly? – was a nice treat. And yes, Colonel Sheppard was waiting at the end of the deck.

"Hey twinkle toes, wait up," Cam said, jogging to catch me. "So you have a hot date tonight?"

I hit him in the arm. "No. No hot date, no date, no even glimmer of a date, date."

"I don't know, he still is kind of crushing on you," Cam said, giving a smile and a wink.

"Goodness, so now you want me to go out with him?"

"No."

"But it's ok for him to 'crush' on me? Geez, Cam, get out of the 80s, local dialect please," I said, shaking my head.

"I just don't want you to be hurt."

"I could take him any day."

"Good point. I don't want him to be hurt. Bad public relations."

"Dr. Beckett can patch him up. You know, I wouldn't mind getting hurt and attended to by the good doc," I said, twirling a strand of hair.

"You are impossible. If he asks, you can go," Cam said at last.

"Oh gee, thanks Daddy. Cam," I said, pausing to place a hand on his chest. "I can take care of myself. We aren't here long, and I just want to relax for a bit. If a guy thinks I'm cute, all the better of a vacation."

"Just don't break out the bikini. No one will be able to do any work."

I rolled my eyes as he walked away. He smiled as he passed John and disappeared into the complex. Running over to the door, I leaned in and yelled, "Only if you don't keep sticking pasta into everyone's ear!"

Five pair of eyes turned to look at me. Rodney was doing the fish again, Sam was confused, Daniel paused in mid-sentence, Vala had a wicked smile on and John burst into laughter. Down the hall I heard Cam groan. Score one for the sister!

"I – I'm afraid we have some bad news," Daniel said after gaining his composure. We began walking down the hall. "We have some planets and addresses, but I don’t think we are any closer to finding Merlin's device."

"Daniel is still broken up about the hologram that wasn't a hologram. Personally it felt a little Star Trek-ish," Vala said beside him.

"Well we have at least a bit more information," Sam said after a moment. "Good job. We'll be ok. The gate is working; we have some addresses. We are not done yet."

Daniel smiled at Sam as we entered the main gate area. Vala shook her head and followed them up toward the infirmary where Cam was most likely being checked out.

"So a successful mission," John said.

"Yes, and you even got McKay back all in one piece," I added.

"I think that deserves some celebration, don't you?"

I looked up at the command center and around the gate area. "I think just being in Atlantis deserves some celebration."

"You're right. I know this great commissary if you want something to eat," John said, mounting the stairs.

"Sounds perfect. Then maybe some site seeing?"

"Sounds perfect, common," John said, leading me into one of the transports.

Atlantis was not a story anymore as I gazed upon the crystal blue waters and talked for hours with John's team and SG-1, each amazed at another mission completed and being in another galaxy.



Insiders