SERIES/UNIVERSE: SG-7
DISCLAIMERS: M7 characters belong to Trilogy, et al, SG-1 characters belong to Gekko, MGM, and Showtime. Adriana is mine ... don't mind if you borrow her, just give her back intact and give credit where credit is due.
SPOILERS: Just my previous stories More than Friends, Under the Sun, and Days of Yearning.
WARNING: Original characters, references to violence done against certain characters, some nasty language.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just so there's no confusion ... I did write the poem at the end, from which the title is taken.
"Little princess? You awake?"
Chris Larabee found himself on the receiving end of a pillow flung with incredible accuracy ... incredible because of who was throwing it, and incredible because she was curled up on her side, and hadn't even been looking at him. If it had been Tanner, that would be something else. He was, after all, SG-7's sharpshooter. Or maybe the colonel shouldn't have been so surprised ... he had, after all, taught Adriana how to throw a pillow properly.
"Does that answer your question?" came the grumpy reply. Chris smothered a laugh, knowing how his little sister would react to being laughed at, especially when her eyes weren't even open yet. Her sense of humor wasn't exactly at its best when she first woke up. Not that Chris could really criticize, since it had been argued that Chris didn't even have a sense of humor. He did ... he just didn't always choose to exercise it.
"I need to go into town for a few hours. You know the rest of SG-7 and SG-1 are coming over tonight, and I ran out of a few things. Will you and Vin be okay?" Chris asked, coming into the room. The body under the covers shifted, then sat up, revealing tousled dark brown hair and sleepy eyes. Chris wondered what time she had actually gotten to sleep the previous night ... they had gone to bed at ten thirty, a few hours after Vin had finally dropped off.
"I think so. We'll totter into the living room, where I can keep an eye on him. Any special instructions I should know about? Aside from what you already told me?" Adriana asked, wrapping her arms around her legs. She looked about thirteen or fourteen. Here again, though, Chris kept his mouth shut. He knew how she hated references to how young she looked. Something she had in common with JD.
"Same as usual. I checked Vin's dressings when I got up. I think you were already told about not getting it wet. I trust you to remember all the rules," Chris offered. Adriana nodded, making a halfhearted to keep her hair back from her eyes. Chris thought momentarily about telling her to get it cut, but he knew better. She would probably react the same way Vin would to that suggestion. Obscenely. Instead, the colonel continued, "I should be back by lunch time."
"That's cool. Things have been so busy lately, especially last night, I didn't have the chance to ask you ... did General Hammond tell you the latest news? I heard that an interview was finally conducted with Stacy. Was anything said about ... well, you know," Adriana said, throwing the sheets back. Whether she liked it or not, she was up and Chris backed up a little to give her room. She had almost kicked him in the balls a second time when he was too close to the bed as she was getting out of it.
"Yeah, I was there for the interview. Seems she paid one of the techs to sabotage Vin's VR helmet. She was angry because the anthropologist/archaeologist position was filled on our team. Why she went after Vin in the beginning, I have no idea ... I was fuming at that point anyhow, and the general had said that if I tried to go for her throat, he'd have me removed. She started giving information to Ella while she was off-world ... Ella, I mean. She was trying to pay me back by sabotaging my team," Chris explained.
"Oh, her widdle pride got hurt, so she decided to sell out? Stupid, self-centered, childish bitch!" Adriana growled. Here again, Chris held his tongue. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of her tongue lashings. Adriana continued to mutter under her breath as she limped along the bed until she reached her bathrobe. She would probably wait until Chris was gone before she changed ... after Chris left and before Vin woke up.
"She admitted she was trying to make us look bad. Then Vin threw a monkey wrench into her plans by saving her life, and she had to rethink things. By then, she was in over her head," Chris explained. Adriana looked at him, both eyebrows raised in disbelief. Chris said nothing, just waited for the tirade to begin. Funny. Except for her relationship with Buck (which was still very tentative), Adriana had become a lot mouthier in the last few weeks.
"In over her head? Uh, no. She's in over her head now. She probably stuck with it because she was mad at Vin for saving her life and making her rethink things. I've met women like that before ... well, I've met men like that, too. So what happens now ... what are they gonna do to her? I mean, because she's been off world, they can't exactly send her to Leavenworth, unless they keep her in solitary," she replied.
"You're partly right. The general hasn't decided what to do with her. Anyhow, Ella promised her Vin when I was delivered to Ella. A promise she had no intention of keeping," Chris explained, offering his arm to the limping archaeologist. She looped her hand around the inside of his elbow, leaning on him almost gratefully as she muttered under her breath some very uncomplimentary things about both Stacy McPherson and Ella Gaines. Chris added in a teasing voice, "Why, Adriana, you've become so judgmental." Adriana stopped in her tracks and cocked an eyebrow at him, her expression saying what words couldn't.
"This? This is nothing. She just sold out. You should have heard what I had to say about the bitch who actually, physically tried to kill Vin. Mary could tell you," Adriana replied. Chris grinned as he helped her into the living room, and Adriana went on, "As for Ella promising Vin to Stacy, who the hell does Stacy think she is? We're not the Gou'ald, Vin's a human being, not a slave, not a host!"
Actually, Mary had told Chris exactly what Adriana had to say about Ella Gaines, in rather vivid terms. As strange as it was to hear that coming from Mary, it was even stranger, believing that it came from his little sister. Chris said now, "Well, I should be back by noon. I'll fix lunch, so just take care of yourself and Vin. Not that I really need to remind you to take care of Vin, I'm more worried about you overdoing it. You are still recovering from a broken leg."
"Oh really, ya think?" Adriana fired back in irritation as she eased herself onto the sofa. Chris grinned at her, and Adriana sighed as she squeezed his hand, "I'm sorry, Chris. It's bad enough to have limitations, my body reminds me of that on a regular basis. But for the people around me to think I'm stupid, that's worse." Chris lost his grin as he sat down beside her on the couch. Best to stop this line of thought before it started.
"I don't think you're stupid, little princess. You just get caught up in taking care of other people, and forget to take care of yourself. It's one of your more endearing qualities ... and more exasperating," Chris replied. Mary had said the same thing about Vin, only that was about his tendency to take responsibility for things he couldn't control. It was endearing ... and it was exasperating. Adriana gave him a rueful smile and Chris kissed the top of her head, adding, "I'll see you in a few hours, little princess. Have fun."
He was almost out the door when he heard her physically impossible suggestion. Chris just laughed softly and closed the door behind him. She was healing, but she wasn't stupid. Adriana called herself a coward, because she couldn't handle a certain level of pain. Nathan had quickly reminded her that pain was a message from her body. She wasn't being a wimp, she was being smart. He just hoped that she didn't get any crazy ideas ... like washing Vin's hair herself.
After Chris was gone, Adriana rested for a few minutes on the couch. Like she had told Chris, it was kinda hard to forget she was hurt ... her body certainly never forgot, even with the meds. One thing she hated about pain meds ... they made her loopy, and her fuse was shorter than usual. The funny thing was, she hadn't noticed how much quicker she ran out of patience until now. Or maybe it was being underfoot all the time? Or rather, having Chris Larabee underfoot, especially when he moved into his 'protective big brother' mode.
That was probably part of it. She loved Chris desperately, but if he started getting too protective of her, she would have to put her foot down. Carefully, of course, to avoid that godawful pain. Then Adriana laughed at herself. Put her foot down ... ha! This was Chris Larabee they were discussing, after all! She would need Vin's help to get past that stubborn streak Chris had. She could do it, if she was at full strength, but unfortunately, she wasn't.
After she got her breath back, Adriana limped back to her room. The night before, she had put out some clothes. Baggy sweats, left over from college. But hey, they were comfortable. It wasn't like she was trying to impress anyone ... it was just her and Vin. She hobbled out of her room and into Vin's. He was still sleeping ... curled on one side, to protect his wounded abdomen. Well, he usually slept like that anyhow, but now it took on all new meaning.
She sat down hard on the bed, sighing. Okay. She was dressed. She could take a few minutes and just breathe. Damn, she hated being hurt. She hated being this tired all the time, she hated being in pain, she hated not being able to move quickly if it was necessary. Like she had said the previous night, she was a wimp. Adriana adjusted herself on Vin's bed and lightly touched his hair. He mumbled, "Mornin' to ya, too, Drina."
She laughed, running her fingertips over his hair, and replied, "Now how did you know it was me?" One blue eye opened and inspected her. Adriana took her hand away as Vin carefully rolled onto his back, and the other eye opened. He had slept for more than twelve hours, but he still looked wiped out. Blood loss will do that to you, Adriana noted grimly, and quietly swore to do some more-or-less permanent damage to Stacy McPherson if she ever got the chance. Preferably with her commanding officer's permission, but it might be worth it even without the 'all clear' from General Hammond or General Travis.
"Had to be ya. Too light on yer feet to be Larabee, even with yer bad leg. Legs, I should say. That perfume ya was wearin' last night is still there. It ain't strong, it just ... lingers. 'Sides, Larabee would never touch my hair. He knows better. Knows I would break his hand if he did," Vin answered. Adriana laughed outright at that, and Vin raised an eyebrow, asking, "Think I'm joking, Drina?" She shook her head, still laughing.
"Ohhhh, no. No, Kevin, I know better than that. In fact, I would say that even with a healing wound in your gut, you could still probably break his hand. As well as any other appropriate body parts, under the circumstances," Adriana replied. Vin responded with a bob of his head, and Adriana continued, "No, I wasn't even laughing at you. I guess because you've been so quiet lately ... even quieter than usual, I was worried about you. And I'm ... okay, I'm being sappy, but it's good to see you getting your spirit back, as well as your strength." His eyes softened and he covered her hand with his own.
"Hell, Drina, ain't nothin' to say! I'm sorry I worried ya, though," he said softly, and Adriana squeezed his hand. They were both silent for several moments, and Vin said, "Ya know, we ain't gotta do anythin' today. Ya wanna just watch some videos in the livin' room? I cain't walk real good by myself, but reckon we can totter in there together." In answer, Adriana eased herself from the side of his bed ... then slid back. Vin looked at her, asking, "Ya all right?"
"I'm fine, but I realized it'll be easier if we do this together, rather than me support your weight all the way," Adriana explained. Vin bobbed his head, seemingly unable to argue with this logic (or unwilling to try). She helped him maneuver himself out of the bed, flinching with each gasp or groan of pain. That settled it. She really would do some permanent damage to Stacy McPherson if she ever got her hands on the little bitch. Never mind that she was a good bit taller than Adriana, that was not the point.
At last, they were both on their feet, though Vin was hunched over. Partly from the pain, partly because of the stitches, and partly because it actually made it easier for Adriana to support him. That was weird, but she had never claimed to be normal, much less sane. Hell, what was the fun in that? They limped and shuffled from the room, and Adriana was sure if she felt a good bit older than her own twenty-five years, Vin had to feel at least one hundred.
Once they got to the living room and on the couch, it took several moments before either had the energy to speak, much less have a conversation. Finally, Adriana looked at Vin and said, "What do you think? Should I eviscerate Stacy, or just borrow Nathan's knives and pretend like I'm gonna eviscerate her? Ezra tells me that trying to freak someone out is much more satisfying and far less bloody."
"Aw hell, Drina, don't make me laugh!" came the response. Vin's face was tight with pain, and Adriana winced in sympathy. Laughing hurt like hell. So did holding in your laughter. However, with her own experiences, she was willing to bet that letting yourself laugh was a helluva lot worse than holding in your laughter. She gently squeezed his shoulder, and he wheezed, "I got a better idea. Let Ezra talk 'er to death."
"No, that's too nice for the likes of her. I still like my idea better. Although, Mary had a way cool suggestion. Make her work with Conklin for the next few years. They'd probably kill each other. Then again, some of the emails I've been getting from the other ladies in the SGC suggest that as nasty as my suggestions are, there's always someone who can do a helluva lot worse. I think Sam must have told the ladies to send all their suggestions to me, that's the only thing I can think of ... I got fifty emails in one day. Never knew you were so popular with the ladies, Vin," Adriana observed, a teasing note entering her voice.
Vin looked at her curiously, color flooding into his cheeks. The archaeologist continued, her eyes dancing with mischief, "Oh yeah, you're real popular. Let me see now. All right. The bloodiest suggestion was that we draw and quarter her. That came from Mrs Potter, by the way. Yeah. I can see you remember what I told you about that. Uhm ... another suggestion was bringing back the guillotine. One of the techs suggested we send the brat to the Tollan, the Tok'ra, or the Nox, but as crazy as those guys drive me, not even they deserve that kind of cruelty. Personally, I'm leaning toward psychological torture."
Vin looked ... well, not to put too fine a point on it, totally dumbfounded. Adriana hid a smile. Now, she knew he wasn't surprised at how bloodthirsty women could be. He had encountered a few nasty ones while he was a bounty hunter. But, she supposed he had never had that bloodthirsty tendency working in his favor.
"You're a cruel, cruel woman, Adriana Wilmington. Don't reckon I could convince ya to wash my hair?" Vin asked hopefully. She responded with her best 'you must be joking' look. After what had happened the previous day? No way! Vin added with a sigh, "Didn't think so. Had to ask. Okay. I'm gonna sleep a while now. Ain't real hungry. Damn, I hate this." She patted his shoulder and pushed herself to her feet a bit unsteadily.
Once she was relatively sure she wouldn't lose her balance, Adriana eased his legs onto the cushion where she had been sitting only a few moments earlier. The archaeologist found herself cringing when Vin's face tightened with pain. She really would kill Stacy McPherson for this. Once she had him somewhat comfortable on the sofa, Adriana sat down beside him. That served a dual purpose ... it let her sit down for a few minutes and ...
"Drina. Ya don't gotta tuck me in."
"I'm not tucking you in, I'm making sure you're warm."
A sigh was her only reaction. She gently tucked the blanket around his shoulders, lightly smoothing his hair at the same time. This time, he muttered, "Drina. Stop that."
"I'm not Chris, Vin, you only said you would break his hand. Nothing was said about mine. Or Mary's. Or Janet's. And Mary stroked your hair while you were asleep," Adriana replied, grinning almost maniacally. She was having too much fun to stop teasing him now. Not even one blue eye popping open to glare at her would keep her from enjoying this. Besides, she had grown inured to the Larabee Glare all over again in the last few months, and Vin didn't have the energy to glare at her properly.
"Aw hell."
Of course, the moment he backed down, she stopped tormenting him. She gave his hair one last pat, then she pushed herself to her feet and limped over to the recliner. Adriana eased herself down, grimacing in pain. It was ten ... Chris should be back in two hours. Vin would sleep at least that long. Assuming he ever got to sleep. He asked after a few minutes, "Wanna watch a movie? Cain't sleep." That made sense ... he would still be hurting from their trip in here. Hmmm, what would make him fall asleep?
"Sure, let me see what Chris has," she agreed, then silently moaned. Shit. That meant she had to move. Okay, she could do that. Just give her a few minutes while her heart slowed down enough for her to breathe properly. Shit, shit, shit ... after she was finished with Stacy McPherson, she would gut Conklin for giving their position away to the Gou'ald. And while she gutted him, she'd get Ezra to talk at him.
Not talk to him. That implied a level of respect which Ezra didn't have for Conklin. No, she would ask him to use the biggest words he knew and just string them together, whether they made sense or not. Ezra had, in fact, threatened to do that at one point, while they were at the cabin. She had almost fallen on her face, because of her ineptitude with the crutches.
Ezra had caught her, fuming under his breath and threatening consequences of the direst sort. Not for her, but for those responsible for her misfortune, as he put it. She could tell he was particularly upset because he was using bigger words than usual. Funny thing was, one of the ways she could always tell when he was particularly upset ... Dawn had done the same thing. The main difference between Dawn and Ezra was, Dawn was a lot more open about her feelings than Ezra. Probably the difference in their upbringings.
Vin said softly from the sofa, as she shuffled over to the entertainment center, "Reckon ya'll try to find somethin' borin,' so I won't laugh, or somethin' that ain't too stupid, so I won't yell at the tv?" She glanced over her shoulder at him as she lowered herself to the stool Chris had ever so thoughtfully provided. Actually, it was probably for him, as Vin had observed the previous day, but it worked just as well for her.
"That's the idea, yeah. Preferably a romantic comedy to put you to sleep," Adriana answered, and laughed when he stuck out his tongue at her. It was very juvenile, very unlike Vin, but pain meds tended to make him just as loopy as they did her. There was the whole matter of the running commentary he had done the previous day while fighting off sleep. She snickered to herself. By the time he finally dropped off, he was totally incomprehensible, even to her. She didn't even want to think about how Ezra would have reacted to it.
"That ain't nice, Drina. That ain't nice at all. And don't ya be showin' me that! Ain't fittin' for a lady. And ya are so a lady!" Vin retorted, then groaned. Adriana turned back, all laughter driven from her mind. Vin was swearing softly, his face white with pain. As he brought it under control, he muttered, "T' hell w' this! I get my hands on either of those bitches, I'll hold 'em down for ya, don't got the strength to do nothin' else."
"How about a compromise, then, because I don't think you've got the strength to do that. How about I psych her out, Mary, Janet, and Sam hold her down, and you get a front row seat? Actually, if you have a front row seat, then I should probably do this while she's standing up, but I still need Mary, Janet, and Sam to restrain her. Or maybe just Mary and Janet, since Sam got to slam her into the wall. Uhm, then again, Mary blasted Ella to hell and back. And Janet shouldn't have to restrain her by herself," Adriana replied. Ye gods, she was getting loopy!
Vin replied, some of the color returning to his face, "Reckon Janet could tie her t' the table. With as many of them restraints as she wants to use?"
Adriana thought that through, then nodded with an agreeable smile, replying, "Yeah, that would work. Maybe use one of the beds in the infirmary, the ones which tilt upright, to make examining easier for Janet? Think we could talk Janet ... no, forget Janet, I know she'd want to help. You think we could talk General Hammond into letting us borrow one?"
"Reckon he might, but he might not, neither. Ya settled on what we're gonna watch, or we gonna make more plans to torture Stacy McPherson?" Vin inquired. His voice was still somewhat weak, but he sounded better than he had. Talking about what they could do to the woman who had created part of this situation had relaxed him.
And maybe all of it wasn't that Stacy had played a part in this situation. Maybe knowing that she had paid one of the techs to mess with his VR helmet, almost causing him to cause some fairly serious damage to General Hammond, played into this. Vin was a proud man, and when she had paid that tech to mess with his VR helmet, Stacy had, in effect, messed with his mind. That was, in and of itself, a violation. One that Adriana couldn't soon forgive. If ever.
In addition to being proud, Vin Tanner was also one of the most honorable men Adriana had ever known. Regardless of the circumstances, he had nearly attacked a man who hadn't harmed Vin or anyone under Vin's protection, and Adriana knew her friend well enough to know how devastating that was to him. That was another violation by itself. And any time Adriana began feeling some sort of compassion toward that woman, she remembered that.
Stacy McPherson didn't deserve any of her pity, any of her compassion. She had made her choices, questioning them only after Vin saved her life. For over a year, she had done her level best to sabotage SG-7. It almost made Adriana wonder if she was any relation to Maybourne or Kinsey. Hmm, that was an angle worth checking into, since Senator Kinsey was such an all-fired pain in the ass. Maybe she should say something to Chris about watching that one.
For now, she returned her attention to Vin. He was watching her, his blue eyes taking on that intense look she had recognized year earlier. His mouth was a straight line, indicating he was bound and determined about something. She just hoped it wasn't something that entailed him getting up. Trying to head trouble off at the pass, she asked lightly, "I sure hope you aren't fixing on getting up, Tanner. Don't want to rip those stitches."
"Ain't got no intention a' gettin' up. Goin' nowhere," came the firm denial. Adriana raised her eyebrows at that ... well, that was good to hear. So what was going on? Vin said seriously, "Drina, I know ya. I know yer just tryin' to distract me. But seriously? I don't want ya never to hurt another person. Ya don't never stop hurtin' yerself. Especially if it's intentional. I don't want ya to hurt like that."
Adriana quietly slipped 'Dune' into the VCR, then limped back to her chair. Once she was comfortable, she looked over at Vin and said, "You're not telling me anything I don't already know, Vin. I seem to recall hurting you a few times, usually unintentionally, but sometimes, yes, I wanted to hurt you for scaring me. You would make me so damn angry! And I didn't have the experience of dealing with anger that I've got now. I've never forgotten how that felt. Why do you think I keep my mouth shut with Buck usually?"
Vin looked away, and Adriana continued, "Oh, we're okay right now. But words hurt, Vin, I know that. Words hurt, just as badly as knives or falling slabs. But I'm twenty-five years old now, not nineteen. I don't intentionally hurt anyone. I try to keep to myself, do my job, and enjoy my friends. But ... when someone messes with a person who means a lot to me, I tend to take that rather personally. Stacy hurt you. Twice. I will show her no mercy, if it came to that."
She hit 'play' almost defiantly. But even as she did, she wondered. If she was in a position to hurt Stacy McPherson, to protect someone else, she had no doubt she could do it.
But ... Adriana shook her head. Well. There was no sense thinking about it. Such a meeting would never take place, General Hammond would never allow it. He knew Adriana far too well to allow such a meeting. Still. The idea of making Stacy McPherson understand exactly how much pain she had caused was a tempting one. She said softly, "I will do whatever I must to defend and protect those I love, Vin. After that ... I don't know."
"Reckon I knew that. Just needed to hear ya say that. Aw hell. Drina, 'Dune' ain't boring, it's just confusin' as hell! Ya sure ya want me to go to sleep?" Vin sighed. Adriana laughed and saw her friend fighting back a grin of his own. That was fine, just as long as he didn't try to laugh. The pair fell silent as the monologue began (so much for your claims that I forced you to watch this, Christopher, Adriana thought, when you've got your own copy!).
As the movie progressed, Adriana heard less and less from Vin. His sarcastic comments were slower in coming, and finally stopped around the middle of the movie. She looked over at the couch again ... he looked like he was asleep. Adriana sighed deeply and leaned her head back against the recliner. She knew how he hated it when she watched him sleeping, and he was very good at pretending to be asleep. After a moment, Adriana smiled at another form of entertainment ... remembering the previous day, and her attempts to wash Vin's hair.
It had been decided, while Vin was still in the hospital in Montana, that both she and Vin would be staying with Chris while they recuperated. Chris had decided, actually, and no one had argued with him. Probably because it made a helluva lot of sense. Damn Larabee for making sense ... okay, that made no sense, but like Adriana had observed earlier, she generally didn't make sense when she was dealing with pain meds.
Mary had initially offered, but realized she had a lot more work to be done when she got off vacation. SG-7 was still standing down, while Buck and JD served their penance. Nathan had officially proposed to Rain (after she finished threatening to disembowel Stacy McPherson for putting her man in danger ... maybe that had something to do with Nathan's immediate proposal?), so those two were spending a lot of time together. As promised, Nathan and Adriana had worked out a peace treaty, with help from Rain.
Nettie was visiting an old friend back in the East, otherwise, she probably would have been taking care of Vin at the boardinghouse. Casey was still taking her summer classes. Ezra . had received an unexpected visit from his mother, so that was out. And Josiah? Josiah had gone to see his sister. A strange thing to do, since his visits to Hannah always left him emotionally exhausted, and Josiah's rage had been ignited by Ella's final attack.
But, he had gone to see Hannah, after sharing her story with Adriana. Which left Adriana and Vin with Chris. Vin could barely move, and Adriana was still only slightly mobile. Still, that hadn't stopped the pair from attempting to wash Vin's hair the morning before. Chris had been in town then as well, getting the oil changed in his car and overall making sure it was running properly. The entire attempt had been a comedy of errors.
The first problem had been getting Vin to agree to just washing his hair, until she pointed out that if he wanted to bathe, he would be getting a sponge bath. From her. It wasn't that Adriana had never seen him half naked before ... she had, after all, gone swimming with him. But swimming together was one thing. Getting a sponge bath from a woman, even from Adriana, was something altogether different. He knew, and she knew it.
Not that he gave up so easily. He did, after all, have to put up a token fight. If only to reassure himself that he had the energy to put up a fight. It wasn't that he distrusted Adriana to watch his back ... he did. Why, Adriana didn't know, since she had failed to watch his back on the way to the Gate. However, he did trust her to watch his back. No, the problem came in because of her injury. Vin needed to know he had the strength to put up a fight to protect her.
So she had preserved his dignity, and allowed him to save face. But, of course, things were never that easy, as she discovered when the came to the second problem. The second problem came when she was actually trying to get him into the bathroom. Something that would have normally taken five minutes ended up taking close to a half hour, between her injuries and his. By the time she actually got him into the bathroom and seated on the toilet (with the lid DOWN, thank you very much), both were exhausted. Fortunately, or unfortunately, as the case may be, Chris was still gone at that point.
There was then the matter of getting Vin into a semi-comfortable position while she actually washed his hair. He could sit on the toilet and lean backwards, but his back had no support. Adriana had limped back into the kitchen and grabbed a board which Billy sometimes used as a drawing table when he came over. It was nothing but a flat board, but it would support Vin's back. It took a little doing, but eventually, the board was acting as a bridge between the toilet and the sink.
That was actually the easy part ... putting the board on the closed toilet lit and the edge of the bath tub. The difficult part came in getting Vin on the board in a position where Adriana could wash his hair without causing him any further discomfort. By this time, both young people were exhausted, but they had come this far. And once that was all set up, Adriana eased herself onto the edge of the tub to commence washing Vin's hair.
Something that should have taken ten, fifteen minutes ended up taking more than an hour. Things with Chris's car took a little longer than they should have, which bought them a little extra time. Washing Vin's hair was easy. Getting him into an upright position to dry his hair was not easy, but they managed it. Drying his hair was easy, as was combing it. With Vin still sitting on the toilet lid, Adriana cleaned up their mess, then they tottered back into the living room. The return trip not taking nearly as long. Of course.
Adriana arranged Vin on the sofa ... he obliged her by falling asleep almost instantaneously. No entertainment necessarily, just out within minutes, thank you very much. Then she had tottered over to the recliner and followed suit.
That was how Chris found them when he arrived home almost three hours later ... both asleep. If he had suspicions about what they might have done to wear themselves out like that, he didn't mention them. Instead, once Adriana woke up, he had asked for her help in making dinner. It ended up, she kept him company in the kitchen while he made dinner. But that was all right, because the only other entertainment would have been to watch Vin sleep.
That was fine for a while, but even watching a cute guy sleep got boring eventually. Chris wasn't the greatest conversationalist on the face of the planet, but Adriana had decided that if all else failed, she could carry the conversation with more stories about her digs and travels while studying in Germany. She didn't love the sound of her own voice, but she could carry a conversation if she had to.
It wasn't necessary, this time. Chris had plenty to say, mostly obscene, and mostly about the traffic on the way home. Adriana listened, always careful to keep from smiling. Chris was in a foul mood (make that a fowl mood, since they were having chicken for dinner. Ooh. That was bad. Almost as bad as Private Dunne's jokes), so Adriana kept her mouth shut and just listened while her 'big brother' vented his frustration.
Eventually, he wound down enough for Adriana to say calmly, "You know, Chris, I think you used up your 'three-word-a-day' allotment. In fact, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if you said more in the last ten minutes than you had in the previous year." Chris had looked at her, his eyes narrowing, then he had thrown a dish towel at her. Of course, he missed. Dish towels are not known for being accurate.
Then he had grumbled about the pain medication making her loopy. She had responded with a 'ya think,' deliberately sounding as much like Jack O'Neill as she possibly could. That got her another glare, but by now, Adriana was having entirely too much fun pestering her big brother. She knew the lines, though ... knew that she would need Chris to watch her back, once Vin was up and about, and decided to pay her back.
Surprise, surprise, the rest of SG-7 had arrived on the doorstep just in time for dinner (an ability that Buck had, and would never share with Adriana). The cavorting of Buck and Private Dunne woke up Vin (much to Chris's annoyance, even though it was time for Vin to wake up and take his own meds). Besides, it was time for dinner. Vin was awake long enough to take his pills, eat dinner, let Nathan check his bandages, then it was back to dreamland for him.
This time, Josiah carried him very gently to his own room. Vin was so out of it, he didn't even stir when the big man scooped him into his arms. Nathan followed, just because, while Adriana took the still-warm place on the couch. Her legs were killing her by this time, and she swore she wouldn't do anything like that again. Oh, no. If Chris had to go into town again the following day, she and Vin were staying put, all day long!
With Vin in bed, the room shifted. Ezra sat in front of the couch, as if protecting her, while Chris took back his recliner. Adriana fell asleep again, to the sound of the tv going, Chris and Buck talking in low, reassuring tones.
She woke up when Ezra accidentally jarred her legs by gesturing with his hands, and it was time for her to go to her own bed. Chris picked her up and carried her into her room, and Adriana didn't have the energy or the desire to argue with him about it. She was tired. She wanted her pain meds before she went to sleep. And hell, it wasn't just any woman who could say she could snuggle with Chris Larabee!
Now, as she once more waited for Chris to return home, that thought made her smile. She didn't dare say so to him ... his 'little princess' or not, he would likely threaten to shoot her if she had said such a thing in his hearing. However, that didn't stop her from laughing softly to herself as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
Lord, he hated it when she stared at him like that! But he reckoned after the scare he had given her, and the others, he couldn't complain too much. And it weren't like she was actually staring at him. It was ... hell. Vin couldn't explain it, not even with the words he had learned from listening to both Mary and Ezra. It weren't like she was staring at him ... just watching him. Watching him to make sure he wasn't overexerting himself, watching him to make sure he would be okay. Watching him because, if only in her own mind, she had failed him.
Adriana Kathleen Wilmington had never failed him. Not in the three years they had been friends in Texas, and not in the three months since she had arrived at Cheyenne Mountain. She didn't see it that way, of course, and that was partly his fault. He had asked her to watch his back on the way to the Gate, after she had been hurt so badly. Giving her a focus had always helped her deal with the pain.
However, this time, she was just in too much pain, and she had passed out. Hell, like he coulda done any better, with a broken leg and a badly bruised leg! He had passed out once they got him to the ambulance, 'cause he just couldn't hold on no longer. But a' course, Drina didn't see it that way. And he couldn't figure out a way to get through to her. As Vin drifted off to sleep, with Adriana watching over him, he wondered what he could do to convince her.
He dreamed scattered dreams. That's what Drina had always called 'em. Scattered dreams, broken bits and pieces which made no sense. He awoke to the sound of jazz music, and fuzzily recalled that was the channel for the VCR.
It was just that Adriana always put the tv on 'mute' until the movie came on. Less distracting that way, she said. Vin turned his head to one side, and saw Adriana sleeping in the recliner. He smiled, thinking about all the times he and Chris had fallen asleep in the middle of a movie on a sleepy Sunday afternoon. Vin on the sofa, Chris in the recliner. Seemed perfectly natural for Vin's other best friend to claim the recliner as her own.
She looked right uncomfortable, though. Her legs were hanging over the edge of the recliner. If moving didn't hurt so damn much, Vin would have gone over and adjusted her position, so she wasn't draped over the recliner. However, moving did hurt like hell, so he stayed put. As he lay awake, listening to the music, something occurred to him. A way he could convince Drina that she had never done anything to let him down.
If he remembered correctly, Chris kept a pad of paper in one of the drawers beside the sofa. Vin carefully moved on the sofa, until he could get into the drawer which he thought held the notebook. Aw hell, that hurt! Vin took a few minutes, breathing in and out to bring the pain under control. This was something he needed to do, while he was thinking about it, while the words were fresh in his mind.
But at last, the notebook was in his hand and Vin maneuvered himself back down, hissing in pain. Shit, shit, shit! Okay, it was twelve thirty ... where the hell was Larabee? More traffic in town, more unexpected traffic? Like Vin believed that. He had heard of no accidents or construction, and he knew that when Larabee was in town in the middle of the day, there was far less traffic than rush hour. Nope, Larabee was up to something.
But that was okay. Vin had an idea what Larabee was up to. Which was how the sharpshooter was fairly certain that his best friend wouldn't be returning for about another half hour or hour. Once he could do so, he began writing the words as they popped into his head. He stopped when it became too much for him ... rested for a few minutes ... then got back to work. It took him about ten minutes, which was good. The time he needed to rest, he thought of the words which he wanted to use.
The title was easy enough, once he read over it. Chris could help him by typing it out for him. Vin knew he wasn't strong enough to sit up long enough to type it. Run it through spell check, or whatever the hell he did to make it look so pretty. Exhausted, Vin put the notebook back down and eased himself back onto the sofa. Even as exhausted as he was, however, it took Vin a long time to go back to sleep.
Instead, he lay still and listened to the jazz channel, thinking back over the events of the last week. He didn't really remember much about being stabbed. Everything was something of a haze after Buck caught him and lowered him to the ground ... everything except the pain. He remembered that very clearly. He heard the rifle booming away. Heard Buck's apologies, saying that it was his fault, that he shouldn't have taunted Ella.
Hell! As if this was Buck's fault? He hadn't chosen to go after Mary Travis with that knife, and he hadn't pushed Vin into the path of that knife.
It occurred to him that maybe he should tell Buck that. Yeah. He would do that tonight, when Buck got here. Tell him that he wasn't responsible for what had happened to Vin at the cabin. For Ella's attack, for any of it. Yeah. That was a good idea. Vin should have thought to do it earlier, but until now, he had never really stopped to think about it. He wasn't sure why that was ... maybe because he had been more focused on healing?
In any event, he had been told that Mary had killed Ella. That hurt almost as much as the knife wound, almost as much as the knowledge that Buck blamed himself for Vin being hurt. He had wanted to spare Mary that grief. Josiah said she was dealing with it pretty well ... talking to Janet, to the other SG members who had been forced to kill in the line of duty. And Drina had been there to pick up the pieces, holding Mary as she cried.
Vin could not find any sympathy in him for Ella Gaines. According to the others, Mary had shot her full of holes. That Ella had died slowly and painfully, but when Vin thought about the death dealt out to Sarah and Adam Larabee, to countless other people because of Ella, he couldn't feel any sympathy for her. He noted that maybe he should talk to Josiah about this. Should he feel guilty for not feeling pity for that woman?
Vin would be the first to admit he had more than his share of flaws, but he was very honest. He had never been able to pretend, least of all where his feelings were concerned. And he had no sympathy for that woman. Just as he knew Drina had none for Stacy McPherson. Vin, despite his words earlier, had mixed feelings toward Stacy McPherson. He had received a card from her earlier in the week, saying how sorry she was for her part in the whole mess.
He was no stranger to being in over his head. Hell, it seemed that was half his life. He didn't believe Stacy was a bad person. Weak, maybe, but not bad. He also knew it would do no good to try to convince Adriana of that. In some ways, she was overprotective of him. She didn't smother him, but she was ... well, she was downright ferocious if she even thought someone had hurt him.
He could still remember her tearing a strip outta Will Richmond's hide on occasion, when she thought he was insulting Vin. Maybe he was, but it hadn't been worth Vin's time to get upset over it. He knew better than to say anything to her about it. It was just the way she was. And really, Vin didn't want her to change. Not for him, not for nobody. Still, it was a little disconcertin' when a pint-sized gal like Drina went for the throat of someone bigger than her, because she thought they had messed with one of hers.
Stacy had done that. More than once, and Vin knew there would be no forgiveness, at least not from the ladies in his circle. Janet Frasier, Drina, Mary, and Sam Carter. He knew that. Knew there would be no forgiveness from the rest of SG-7, for putting their lives in danger, for attacking them as she had. There would be no forgiveness from Rain Tyler, not for betraying their friendship as Stacy had.
The question remained was, could Vin forgive her? For what she had done to him, yes. He wanted to believe he wouldn't strike out at someone as she had, but he had his limits.
He wasn't so sure he wouldn't sell out, to protect someone else. For one of the SGC, for one of his team, for one of the ladies who had taught him. So where was the difference between himself and Stacy? Vin was getting tired, and he wasn't making sense to himself any more. The clock said one pm. Where the hell was Larabee anyhow? Maybe the damn cowboy would be back by the time Vin opened his eyes again ...
The notebook remained where it was, the page remaining open to what Vin had written. Eventually, it would be typed up, and put in a frame. But none of that was really necessary, for the power was in the words.
'For Drina, You Were Always There'
'You were there when I needed help,
you were there to make sure a promise was kept.
You were there to hold my hand,
when it hurt too much to even breathe,
you were there when I just needed someone to understand.
You were always at my side,
never in front of, or behind, never to guide.
Never think that you were any less than a friend,
because every time I've ever needed you,
you were always there."
The End
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