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: Mainly Obsession, my own More than Friends, Under the Sun, and various Stargate episodes.
WARNING: original characters, some violence, nasty language.
Three days after returning from their aborted mission, SG-7 headed out once more ... this time to Montana. Janet Frasier had given the all-clear for both JD and Adriana, the former of whom had been very quiet the last few days. Chris didn't think there would be a problem, but just to be sure, the colonel had taken the boy aside and explained to him that Buck would be spending time with his sister on this vacation. Period.
As for Adriana, Chris didn't think he would ever forget the look on her face when she discovered that Buck would be driving her chariot ... Janet had insisted that they take a wheelchair. Not just when Adriana left the infirmary, but with them to Montana. Which was why a full-size van was waiting for them. But in the meantime, they had a flight to catch, and the somewhat irritated colonel was starting to get on the nerves of the others in his group.
Vin had already taken Mary, Billy, Ezra, and Josiah upstairs, leaving Nathan with Chris, Buck, Adriana, and JD. Their driver would start warming up the engine of the van ... as well as turning on the air conditioner. Adriana would get the entire back-seat to herself, where she could stretch out and rest. Mary had taken several pillows with her, to make the archaeologist comfortable, and for the others in the team.
Adriana was lightly drumming her slim fingers on the armrests of the wheelchair as they waited for JD. Her eyes flickered from one face to another, ever so often stealing glances at Buck ever so often. Her expression was half-disbelieving and half-hopeful, and it totally broke the colonel's heart. It was almost as if she was afraid that the next time she looked back at her brother, he would no longer be there. But Buck stayed put, resting his back against the wall. The colonel promised himself that if Buck broke his sister's heart again on this vacation, Chris would break his neck.
At last, as the elevator doors once more slid open, allowing others to emerge and what remained of SG-7 to enter, JD joined them at the elevator which would carry them up to the surface. He mumbled an apology for being late as the remaining members of SG-7 filed into the elevator car. Buck wheeled Adriana in first, Nathan cautioning him, "Go easy, Buck ... gettin' playful might make her hurt worse."
However, Buck was very gentle with his sister, as if she was made of porcelain, and checked her over several times to make sure she wasn't in any pain. The siblings hadn't really talked, as yet, but Buck was being very tender with her. Vin had been known to tease Chris about only saying three words a day, but even the laconic colonel understood that the siblings needed to talk things out. One step at a time, he told himself. At least they're together.
Nathan continued checking over JD's arm, satisfying himself that the boy wasn't overdoing it. As the elevator lifted them through the compound, Chris and Buck talked in low tones, in part to cover the tension between the two youngest members of their current group. Chris observed softly, "Mary plans to ask Ezra if he would mind bunking with Billy. I told her I really didn't think he would have a problem with that."
Unexpectedly, Adriana laughed and said, "That's not real likely. I think Ezra feels more comfortable with children than he does with adults. Children see through masks, so he doesn't usually wear one with them." The men in the elevator looked at her, and she added with a frown, "What? Ezra doesn't wear masks when someone can already see through him."
"Like you," Chris suggested and Adriana nodded. The colonel had often wondered why his 'little sister' seemed to see through Ezra's masks so well, when he was still figuring out which expressions meant what. Chris continued, "That's something that makes me curious, little princess. Why do you ... how do you know when he's wearing a mask, and when he's not? How can you tell when he's even trying to wear one of those masks you mentioned?"
"I look," the archaeologist answered simply. As JD might have said, huh? Adriana continued, "I don't pay attention to his face ... his eyes have the whole story. It's really trite, but with Ezra, it's true ... his eyes really are the windows to his soul. The same is true of Vin, and after knowing him for all those years in Texas, working with him on occasion, I learned that sometimes, what he doesn't say is as important as what he does say. I kinda put the same rules to use with Ezra. Only Ezra talks a lot more."
"There is a reason why we call him, 'Windbag Ezra,' you know," Buck put in, drawing a laugh. He grinned down at his sister, and continued, "That reminds me, Adriana, I was informed by Colonel O'Neill that my little sister has a way with words ... psycho-bitch, huh?" To the surprise of both the colonel and the major, Adriana blushed.
"Seemed to fit. No big deal," she replied, her voice dropping as it always did when she was embarrassed. And, as she always did when she was embarrassed, she changed the subject, observing, "Speaking of Billy, I hope he distracted Vin when they went up as well. Vin's got the claustrophobia under control, but it still helps if someone distracts him in an elevator car."
"They'll be fine ... knowing Billy, he hasn't stopped asking questions from the time he got up this morning. When I first met Billy, little princess, he was shy and withdrawn ... not that way anymore, is he?" Chris asked with a grin. Adriana shook her head, smiling a bit sadly. Chris reached over and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, some of the sadness leaving her expression as she put her hand over his.
"No, he isn't. He spent a good thirty minutes in the infirmary last night, asking me about my broken leg. Captain Travis did a good job, explaining how I got hurt, without giving away any secrets. And once she was sure that he wasn't bothering me ... that I wasn't bothered ... she went in and started talking to Janet," Adriana answered, grinning. Chris smiled as well, remembering the picture that had greeted him when he had stopped at the infirmary to talk to Janet about their departure. Adriana sitting up in bed, with Billy at her side.
As was often the case with six year old children, Billy was fascinated with scars and broken bones and various other hurts. He had done the same thing after Vin had broken his arm and a few ribs earlier in the year. He had wanted to know everything, to see what he could see. Scars fascinated him, and Vin had enough of those, just from his years as a bounty hunter. The guide was very patient with the questions of little ones.
Adriana had been just as patient as she answered Billy's questions. Chris had held back when he heard Billy ask Adriana about her mother. The child had overheard Nettie mention Adriana finding her mother's body, and he had been through something similar when he witnessed his father's murder. While Adriana had flinched when the little boy asked her about it, she had answered him honestly. Common ground.
Common ground. That brought Larabee's mind back to the strained relationship between the siblings. Chris fell silent as they headed out of the elevator car, and toward the waiting van. Common ground. He hoped they would find it during this vacation. Whether Buck was willing to admit it or not, Chris knew how much his old friend hated this rift which had developed between him and his younger sister. He only hoped they could work it out. Somehow.
So long as he lived, Buck Wilmington would never forget the expression in his sister's eyes when he had parked the wheelchair beside her bed and deposited her in her chariot, as he had called it. He had been instructed by Janet Frasier how to take care of his sister while they were on vacation, and added that the wheelchair was not a suggestion. Adriana had one leg that was broken, and another that was badly bruised. She didn't need to be walking. Buck had agreed, and with Chris at his side, wheeled the contraption into the infirmary.
By that time, Adriana was dressed and ready to go. She had given Mary Travis a list of what she wanted to take with her, and with Vin's help, the captain had packed Adriana's requested belongings into a few bags. Adriana was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed. She looked tired. Like she hadn't slept in forever. Chris had awakened her by ruffling her dark hair, narrowly avoiding getting kicked in the process.
But she had opened her eyes and smiled sleepily, murmuring, "Sorry ... think the pain medication is catching up to me." Then she had seen the wheelchair ... Buck saw her mouth firm into a thin white line, as if she was about to raise some hell. Until she had seen him. Her lips parted and her eyes widened, as if she was seeing something she didn't altogether believe. She swallowed hard, and her eyes shifted past Buck, as if she was looking for someone or something. For a moment, Buck thought she was looking for Vin. Until Chris spoke.
He said casually, "Hope you ain't disappointed, little princess, but Vin's with JD right now. Said there were a few things he wanted to show JD, before we left. You ready to rock and roll?" Adriana smiled, her features relaxing, and Buck understood. She hadn't been looking for Vin. She had been looking for JD, and Buck began to see the outlines of how badly he had hurt his sister. She had expected JD to be here, now.
Buck said as he gently lifted his sister from the bed, "Mary told me to give you a message. She said thanks for being so patient with Billy last night, and she and Vin got all of your things from the apartment. Damn, girl, when did you turn into such a packrat? Mary tells me she found things from back in the early eighties ... you were knee-high to a grasshopper, what would you be wanting with that stuff?"
"I'm an archaeologist, Buck," she had parried, "and one day, those things, or something similar, will be artifacts. I'm just getting a head start on the game." Buck had laughed as he eased her into the wheelchair, wondering if it was his imagination that his sister held on a brief second longer than she really needed. When was the last time he had held his sister? Three months ago. Guilt shot through Buck. Regardless of how much JD needed him, there was no excuse for that. Maybe Chris and Josiah were right. Maybe his sister didn't know how much he loved her. But how could she not?
Hell. Buck Wilmington had never been good at second-guessing himself. Never been good at anything like that. He knew he wasn't stupid, but Buck also did know the flaws he possessed. He didn't always think things through, and didn't always stop to think. But Buck had never deliberately hurt his sister. Hell, not even his attack on Vin three days earlier had been deliberate as such ... but once more, he hadn't been thinking. He had been angry with JD for pulling such a fool stunt, and since he couldn't take it out on the wounded cartographer, he had taken it out on Vin, instead.
And now, because of the loyalties which felt divided, his sister had looked shocked that he would spend any time with her at all. Buck had a lot to think about, but he couldn't do that right now. Instead, as he kept his hands on the back of his sister's wheelchair, his back firmly pressed to the wall, he talked to Chris ... and learned a few interesting things about his sister.
He learned, for example, that his little sister had penetrated that shield Ezra Standish placed around himself. The one that you only knew existed if you saw the shield drop, if only for a split second. Buck still had no idea how she had done it. He didn't question Ezra's devotion to his sister. Ezra had been known to tear into anyone who mistreated a woman, Buck had seen him do it. But ... that was just who he was.
Like JD's bad jokes, the colonel's tendency to wear black (even now, when he was letting Mary into his heart), Josiah's fondness to wax philosophic, Nathan's compassion for someone in pain, Buck's love for women, or Vin's wry sense of humor. It was part of who he was, that wasn't what surprised Buck. It was Adriana who had surprised him, Adriana who had penetrated the protective walls around the heart of the Southerner.
It had taken the others months to accomplish what Adriana had in minutes. Why? Why did she have an easier time getting Ezra to lower his guard than any of the others? It wasn't just that she wasn't judgmental, because Vin didn't judge him either. Buck knew the young guide was occasionally exasperated by the Southerner and his tendency to use ten words where three would have sufficed, but he also knew that when Ezra was threatened, Vin was first in the fray. No judgments, just ... being there.
That was actually one of his gifts ... his ability to simply be there. Buck remembered about six months earlier, before Adriana had arrived, when a man from Inez's past had arrived in Colorado Springs, looking to take revenge on the lovely barkeep. Paulo, the son of a high-ranking Air Force general. He had the insane, outdated notion, that he could somehow force Inez to return with him to their hometown. And he was willing to do anything to accomplish that, even lie about her.
Buck had been unwilling to stand for that ... he wouldn't have stood for it, even if he hadn't been attracted to Inez. Vin had been the first to stand at his side. He had been such a good friend during those days, looking out for both Buck and Inez. Made what Buck had done only a few days earlier that much worse. Hell, not even JD had stood by Buck the way Vin had. JD had thought Buck was nuts to put everything on the line the way he did, but there were no judgments from Vin.
Inez hadn't forgotten that, either. While Buck had physically stood up to Paulo, she remembered that Vin had been there for her as well. She had been so angry with Buck, when she found out about his actions outside the infirmary. She didn't know the whole truth about Cheyenne Mountain, of course ... but she knew enough. How, Buck didn't know ... and he didn't ask, either. Didn't think he wanted to know. Then again, she was a barkeep, as well as the owner of the bar, and she knew about people. Maybe Maybourne or one of the other regulars had gotten drunk. He didn't know.
What he did know was that in the six months since Inez had taken over the bar where Nathan, Mary, and Chris had first met Vin, it had completely changed. Before, barfights happened at least once a night, sometimes more. Now, there hadn't been a fight in the Saloon in three months. So maybe it was safe for him to take Adriana there ... or, for her to go there some night. Maybe after a mission.
Inez would like that ... she had started asking when she would get to meet Buck's hermanita. Buck had been startled, first by the revelation that Mary had become good friends with Inez ... and secondly, by the discovery that Mary had told Inez one night, while they were discussing SG-7, that the only members of SG-7 whom Adriana still kept at arms' length were Nathan, JD, and Buck himself.
It wasn't that Buck was angry with Mary for that observation. It happened to be true. Well, except the part about Adriana keeping Buck at arm's length, but Buck supposed it could look that way to someone. But that would change. As Buck wheeled his sister across the concrete to the waiting van, he quietly vowed that it was time he learned to make his sister a priority in his life again. Starting now.
To his surprise, no one had hassled him about being late. That was good. After the tongue-lashing he had gotten only a few minutes earlier, JD didn't know if he could deal with any more harassment, without blowing his stack. JD Dunne was a lot of things. He knew he didn't always think ... knew that he sometimes let his pride rule his tongue. He had hurt people, people who were dear to him. Innocent people, sometimes.
But JD wanted to believe he could learn from his mistakes. He had apologized, he was trying to do better ... and yet ... based on the confrontation he had only a few minutes earlier, the reason he was late ... it wasn't good enough. Oh, it was good enough for SG-7, though Adriana was keeping him at even more of an arm's length than usual. And it was good enough for some of the archaeologists who had been on that dig.
Daniel Jackson didn't fall into that category. In the fifteen months he had been part of SG-7, JD had developed a lot of respect for the archaeologist. Maybe because they were a bit alike. They were both the youngest members of their teams (though JD wasn't that much younger than Vin, something which both teams frequently forgot. Hell, for that matter, JD often forgot it as well).
Daniel had stuck to his guns about the creation of the pyramids. And JD hadn't stopped pestering any of his commanders until he was assigned to SG-7. Their prime difference, as JD saw it, was that Daniel studied something boring and dead, while JD created something new. That, and Daniel was more of a diplomat than JD figured he would ever be. Then again, JD didn't have much interest in being a diplomat ... that was more Ezra's thing than it was JD's. However, JD still respected the Egyptologist. After all, Daniel had been instrumental in saving the world more than once, and then there was the first Abydos mission.
Which was why Daniel's tongue-lashing had shaken him. JD had been on his way to meet up with the others when he had passed Daniel and Colonel O'Neill in the hall. The young cartographer had actually been relieved when he found out that they were going on a vacation ... even though he hadn't been happy at the idea of not facing Ella Gaines. Didn't anyone understand what she had done to SG-7? Not just when she hurt Chris, but she had hurt all of them, in one way or another.
He had called out a cheerful greeting to the two men, lightly swinging his duffel bag. Jack had returned the greeting, but Daniel had simply grunted and kept moving in the opposite direction. This was the third time in as many days that Daniel had blown him off, and JD had decided enough was enough. The cartographer had turned and said, "Just what is your problem? Are you still mad because I shot my mouth off?"
Daniel shook his head and muttered something, and kept walking. However, JD wasn't willing to let this go. He had been stupid more than once during the dig, and he realized he had angered Daniel with his ill-chosen words. Not just Daniel, but the others as well. Especially ... and JD winced at the memory ... when he had accused Ezra of wanting in Adriana's pants. That had not been smart at all.
JD continued, his voice rising despite the others in the corridor, "Look, I don't know how many times I have to apologize for that! I was mad at Buck, and took it out on the wrong people! I'm sorry!" Daniel finally stopped and turned around very, very slowly. JD swallowed hard, and realized maybe he didn't want a confrontation with the Egyptologist after all. He knew Daniel wasn't a coward.
"You think this is about some dumb-ass remark you made? Let me educate you, Private Dunne, and please listen carefully. I am not Buck Wilmington, I do not have his unlimited patience. I didn't appreciate the remarks you made to myself and Dr. Wilmington, but that's not why I can't stand to look at you. You left us, Private. That fool Conklin gave our position away to the Gou'ald. We couldn't stay there, we were sitting ducks. So I started the evacuation, while Adriana took out as many Gou'ald as she could. It was her first goddamn mission, Private! Her first, and she almost died in that place!" the Egyptologist snarled, stalking back to face the cartographer.
JD started to speak, but Daniel continued furiously, "She almost died! If Colonel Larabee hadn't sent Vin Tanner back, she would have died. The structure was getting ready to fall down around them when he pulled her out of there. If the debris hadn't killed her, the Gou'ald would have. And she would have never been in that position, would have never had to remain behind to cover our asses if you had been where you were supposed to be! You know, Janet thinks she may walk with a limp for the rest of her life?"
By now, JD couldn't have spoken if he tried. He stared at the naked contempt in the blue eyes of the Egyptologist. This wasn't Chris admonishing him about shooting someone in the back, or Buck warning him about the proper way to handle a gun. This wasn't about education, this wasn't even friendly advice. This was pure anger. Pure dislike.
JD Dunne wasn't used to that. Sure, he had made his share of mistakes, but he got along with almost everyone. At least, he had up until a few months earlier. Daniel continued in that low, contemptuous voice, "I was seriously tempted to beat the living shit out of you for that stunt, but Jack talked me out of it. Told me that you had already paid a high price for your stupidity. Maybe you did, but that's not why I decided he was right. I made that decision because as satisfying it would be to give you a taste of your own medicine, you're not worth the consequences. I'll save it for the Gou'ald, who took my wife from me."
With that, the Egyptologist stormed away. Jack O'Neill watched the young man go, then turned his attention back to JD. The cartographer was feeling more than a little dizzy. In the time he had known Daniel Jackson, he had never known the other man to lose his temper. O'Neill said quietly, drawing JD's attention back to the colonel, "Bet you're wondering why he reacted like that." JD nodded, still stunned.
In a voice that reminded JD of Buck, when Buck had told him about Sarah and Adam Larabee, O'Neill said, "When Danny was a little boy ... a little younger than Billy Travis is now, actually ... he saw his parents killed. It was a stupid, freak accident ... he blames himself. There was nothing he could have done, but he thinks that by distracting his parents, he killed them. He didn't. He was just a kid. He saw his parents crushed by a falling slab."
JD stared in horror at the colonel, who nodded and continued, "Found that out ... oh, I guess about two years after I first met Danny. So, you can imagine how he felt when he found out how Dr. Wilmington had been injured. She's just a few years younger than his mother was, when she died. Same profession. I don't think I have to explain further. So when a member of the team that had guard duty pulled a stunt worthy of a green recruit, and ran off in the middle of a situation ... Danny didn't take it too well."
JD looked down at his feet and swallowed hard. No, he didn't imagine it did. But O'Neill wasn't finished with him yet. He continued, "And it really didn't set too well with him, having to leave behind a girl who had never been on a mission before. Never mind that she was the only one who had the necessary skills to cover their asses, since Daniel was the only other member of the team with any self-defense skills. The fact remains, Daniel had to leave behind someone, something that wouldn't have happened if you had been doing your job. And that someone almost died, the same way his parents did. Do you have any idea, what kind of nightmares that's given him over the last few days? Hmm?"
JD had no idea ... no idea in the world. But a lot more things made sense to him now. The reason why Daniel had been so icy toward him these last few days. Come to think of it, Major Carter was the only one who really hadn't changed toward him. Teal'c had given him one of his patented First Prime Looks, the kind he reserved for anything he considered beneath him. At first, JD had thought it was because Adriana was the Jaffa's prize student with the staff. After all, that was why Chris, Buck, Ezra, and Vin were all mad at him ... because they loved her.
Only now, he was starting to wonder uneasily if he had been wrong. Would they be just as angry if Conklin had suddenly developed a spine, and stayed behind?
He was coming to the conclusion that they would, that it didn't matter who had remained behind and had been hurt. That it was his actions they objected to. No, he hadn't caused the slabs to fall on Adriana, pinning her and breaking her leg. But one thing was true ... if he had done his job, she wouldn't have found it necessary to remain behind. She wouldn't have been hurt. It had been his job to protect the archaeologists, and while Conklin had been just as responsible, by drawing the attention of the Gou'ald to their position, JD had to take responsibility as well.
And he had, among his own team. It was just that, until now, he hadn't realized that his actions had affected more than SG-7. He would have to pay the consequences with the other SG teams, and JD recognized that it would be a long time before any of them trusted him to watch their backs again. That was the meaning of the looks which he had been receiving over the last few days. General Hammond had said he would have to earn their trust all over again, but until now, he hadn't understood what he meant by that.
O'Neill shook his head in disgust, then said, "You best get a move on, boy. You don't want to be late." JD nodded numbly and walked away, still thinking. He had already been informed that Buck would be catching up on time he spent with Adriana during this vacation. Chris had told him that, when he had told him about what they would be doing. The colonel's expression had told JD that he better not even think about objecting.
The thing was, JD had realized during the mission that he was creating an ever-growing rift between Buck and his sister. He didn't like Adriana, but he loved Buck. And he realized that if his mentor/big brother lost his sister, it would devastate Buck. For whatever reason, Buck loved her. And however he felt about Adriana, he didn't want Buck to be unhappy. He couldn't live with Buck being unhappy because of him. So he would do what Chris wanted. If Buck lost his sister, it wouldn't be because of JD ... but because she was a selfish bitch. That was something JD could live with.
"Momma? Why doesn't JD like Adriana?"
Mary Travis looked up from the in-flight safety instructions when her son asked his loaded question. And it was a loaded question. She thought briefly ... very briefly ... about telling her son that he was imagining things, but Billy was a smart child. He picked up on things. No, she had to be honest with him. If only she knew what to say, since she wasn't entirely sure how to explain the events of the last few months to her son. Billy was a smart child, but he was still a child, and in some ways, terribly innocent.
Not that she wanted him any other way, but his innocence made it difficult for her to explain the ... complexities of the Wilmington siblings and JD Dunne. To Billy, it was very simple. He liked JD and he liked Adriana, so they should be friends, too. Unfortunately, it didn't always work that way, and Billy didn't fully understand that yet. Worse, Mary didn't want Billy to think it was a case of 'good guy/bad guy,' because it wasn't that simple.
At last, she replied, "It's sort of hard for me to explain, honey, because I don't really understand it, either. But I will tell you this ... no matter what happens between them, you can still be JD's friend, and you can still Adriana's friend. It's just that ... do you know why Janet and Sam are such good friends? Why Chris and Vin, or even Jack and Daniel? Why they get along so well? It's because, in part, they have something in common. It may be something simple, like where they work, or something they've done together, but they have something in common."
"Then JD and Adriana should be friends, too, Momma. They both like Buck, and they both like Vin, and they both like Chris," Billy pointed out. Ouch. Good point. However, that brought up another idea for Mary, though she was loathe to explain to her six year old. While Chris was Billy's number one hero, he adored all of the Seven, and had been known to sneak into the infirmary to make anyone in the infirmary feel better.
However, it was the best she had come up with so far. She said, "That's true, sweetheart, but don't you feel jealous sometimes, when Chris is talking to Vin, and he's not paying as much attention to you as you like?" She did her best to keep her voice neutral, so Billy didn't think she was angry with him. The little boy nodded a bit ashamedly, and Mary continued, "Well, that's part of it. JD is jealous of Adriana, because she's Buck's sister, and Adriana is jealous of JD, because Buck spends more time with JD than he does with her."
That was Mary's take on the situation, at least. There were other sticking points, such as JD leaving the archaeologists when he thought Buck had been hurt, and Adriana's reaction when she realized JD had never heard of Dune. Mary hadn't been there, she didn't see Adriana's expression. And she had a very hard time believing the archaeologist had patronized the young cartographer, but that was beside the point. JD was still very proud, and he didn't like to admit that someone knew something he didn't.
However, the main problem, it seemed to her, was jealousy. On both sides. Adriana was trying to cope with it, by spending time with other people. Her hostility only became apparent after missions such as SG-7's last, while JD's hostility was much more open. On the face of it, Adriana's version of dealing with her darker emotions was better, but Mary honestly believed JD's way was more healthy. To her way of thinking, Adriana was hiding from her jealousy and not dealing with it at all.
However, Mary didn't know everything about the young woman ... maybe it was the only way Adriana knew how to deal with her less pleasant feelings. Mary wouldn't judge her ... she did, however, worry about her. Whether Adriana was aware of it or not, the jealousy and the hurt wouldn't go away. She might think she had put it out of her mind, or out of her system, but it would still be there. And when the walls finally came down ... well, Mary was worried for her.
Billy was silent for several moments, then he asked, "Momma, why doesn't Buck spend more time with Adriana? Doesn't he love her?" Mary glanced ahead, seeing if any of the others were listening to their conversation. Whether she was willing to say it or not, she loved all of the Seven, in one way or another. And she wasn't willing to hurt any of them, for any reason. Mary knew that if Buck heard her son's question, it would hurt him.
She replied softly, "Of course he does, honey. Buck loves his sister very much." Wonderful, Mary, she thought sarcastically, how do you explain to your son that Buck doesn't know how to actually reach out to his sister? Sure, she's sleeping in his arms right now, and that's a step in the right direction. But more has to happen before Adriana will let down her guard with him. Why is she protecting herself from her own brother? What don't I know?
A lot, more than likely, but she wasn't willing to speak of that now. And fortunately, Billy accepted that Buck did love Adriana, for he fell silent. At least at first. Then he said, "Momma, Adriana was real nice to me. Does she have any little boys or little girls?" Mary shook her head, and Billy frowned, asking, "But why not? I know she likes little boys and girls, so why doesn't she have any of her own?"
"Well, I think she'd like to have a little boy or a little girl someday, but she's just not ready," Mary offered. Billy considered that, then nodded his understanding. There was a lot she didn't know about Adriana Wilmington, but Mary was willing to lay odds that her troubled relationship with her own mother played into her reluctance to have children. She wasn't sure if she would be a good mother.
Further, judging from what Mary had seen during the last few weeks, the PR officer had a sneaking suspicion that Adriana had a major problem with trusting men. And while no one could have denied her friendship with Vin, Mary also sensed that as much as she trusted the guide, Adriana didn't trust him enough. At least, she wasn't comfortable with that level of trust, even if she actually did trust Vin.
It seemed Billy had run out of questions, for he snuggled against the window and quietly fell asleep. Mary watched him fondly, lightly tucking her jacket around his small shoulders, so he didn't get cold. A soft voice murmured, "Ya done a real good job of 'splainin' to him, Mary. He's a good kid." Mary looked up and discovered a pair of bright blue eyes peering at her through the seats.
"Thank you, I think so, too. Of course, I am a little biased," Mary admitted with a grin. Vin just laughed and Mary continued, "I didn't know how else to explain things to him. Things are complicated, and Billy's a smart little boy, but I don't want him thinking that it's a good-guy/bad-guy situation. And I don't want him to feel guilty about wanting to be friends with both Adriana and JD."
"Like I tol' Ez," Vin answered softly, "Drina ain't gonna make nobody choose 'tween her and JD. She's plumb scared that she'll lose. And JD knows better. But ... it's like bein' stuck 'tween anyhow." Mary nodded her agreement.
She hadn't been there when Vin had told Ezra that Adriana wouldn't make any of them choose between herself and JD ... but Mary had a sneaking suspicion that the possibility wouldn't even cross her mind. Like Vin had said, she was too afraid that she would end up losing. That made her smart, because only idiots issued ultimatums of that nature. But it also made Mary's mother heart break, that someone could be so insecure. That she would actually expect her own family to abandon her.
Still thinking in that vein, Mary asked next, "Do you think, Vin, that if we work on her ... be there for her ... she'll eventually accept that we aren't going anywhere? I know she has faith in you, but she's still very guarded with the rest of us." Vin's eyes disappeared, then he swung himself into the seat across from her. A few aisles up, Mary could see Adriana curled up in her brother's arms, and hoped that meant they would work things out.
"Reckon she will. Takes Drina some time, 'fore she can relax with folks. Me, I was one of the lucky ones. Don't know when or why she decided to trust me ... just grateful that she did. Just keep doin' what ya been doin' all along, Mary, and let her go to ya," Vin advised quietly. He looked down the plane at his sleeping friend, and added in that quiet voice, "Reckon ya'll break through sooner 'n ya think."
And with that curious statement, he gave her that devastating Tanner smile, then shifted himself back into his own seat. Mary Travis just smiled at the back of the tawny head. Vin was grateful that Adriana had given him her trust, all those years ago. And Mary was grateful for whatever had led Vin Tanner to that bar the previous year.
The flight didn't take long at all. At least, not to Adriana, who fell asleep almost immediately. That had been embarrassing. She and Buck had talked some in the van, though not much. Not nearly enough, but Adriana was willing to take things slow. She was miserably aware that JD considered her a bitch, and she wavered between not caring what he thought, and feeling guilty for wanting to be important to her brother.
Buck had been nothing but solicitous from the moment she had awakened to find him and Chris ready to check her out of the infirmary. Their conversation in the van had been almost that of polite strangers, with Buck questioning her about some of the digs she had been on. His excuse was that he wanted to know what kinds of people she met on those things, since he had met Tanner. Adriana had laughed at Vin's one-fingered salute over the top of the seat.
But while the conversation was stilted, it was the first time they had talked for any length of time in ... well ... in years. Eventually, however, she talked herself out, and as they boarded the plane, Buck had arranged her so that she was comfortable and in a secured position. Once the flight attendant had seen Adriana's legs, they were left alone. Although, knowing Buck, he would have brought the lady around with his charm.
Adriana wondered if there were any women who could say 'no' to Buck Wilmington, aside from Inez Rescillos (whom she really wanted to meet). Nettie could, of course, but Nettie was a law unto herself. She could laugh at herself now, after meeting the woman, but Adriana had been genuinely afraid Nettie wouldn't like her. It seemed, however, that not only did Nettie like her, she respected her, too. Not because of Vin, not because of Chris, not because of Buck.
No, it seemed that Nettie respected her because Adriana was willing to lend a hand. Something which the young archaeologist found strange, but when she thought about it, she realized that it was something else Nettie had in common with Priscilla Meadows. Priscilla never had much use for prima donnas, or anyone who didn't pull their weight on a dig, or in a classroom. For the first time, Adriana realized how fortunate she was, to have had Priscilla as her mentor. And with that, came a flash of insight.
She wondered if Priscilla had ever found it necessary to protect her, the way her brother tried to protect JD Dunne. Or if she ever had that inclination. Adriana had known that Priscilla looked on her as a daughter, but it wasn't quite the same thing. Had Priscilla's husband ever resented her students for the demands they made on her time? Searching her memory, she didn't think so ... but ... God, maybe she really was being unreasonable for wanting a few hours to spend with her brother, alone. Just the two of them, no distractions.
The constant carousel whirling in her brain was hurting her head and making her sleepy. Although, Adriana had a sneaking suspicion that the pain medication had something to do with that as well. Within minutes after their plane took off, Adriana had fallen asleep, her head resting on the window. That wasn't how she woke up. A sudden movement woke her up, and she felt something thudding under her ear.
A gentle hand skimmed down her back, and a familiar voice over her head murmured, "Easy, hon, I gotcha. We're starting to descend." Buck? Confused but not disoriented enough to simply react, Adriana remained in her position against her brother. Again, she heard Buck's voice, "I think the plane dropping like that woke her up. She's okay ... just give her a minute to get her bearings."
"I'm sorry," she murmured. They were descending? As in, getting ready to land? She had slept through the entire flight? Shit! She had only meant to take a short nap! Long enough to get her energy back, then she had planned to talk to her brother some more. Not about the serious stuff ... the stuff she knew she had to face eventually, much as she wanted to hide ... but the not-quite-silly-but-not-as-serious stuff. The kind of stuff she and Chris used to talk about, before he had been transferred out of her life. Chris. Did he know how much she had missed him? Maybe she should tell him.
"Ain't no need for you to apologize, baby girl. Between the flying and the pain meds and everything else, it's a wonder you didn't fall asleep before we even got to the airport. But, I imagine you're a mite uncomfortable," Buck observed. Unfortunately, as soon he said that, Adriana developed an ache in the small of her back from the way she was twisted in the seat. The pain in her legs was still present, but Adriana was learning to live with that.
"Let me help, big fella," a familiar voice said, and Adriana lifted her head to see Chris smiling down at her. Lord and Lady, that smile of his! She wondered if she should tell him that, about how he should smile more often. It made his eyes light up. She had heard a little about what Chris Larabee had become after the deaths of Sarah and Adam, but the man now leaning over the seats to help her was the one she had always known and loved.
Damn medication was making her loopy. She gave a soft, stifled gasp of pain as Buck eased her forward and Chris slid a pillow behind her ... but the moment her back hit that wall of softness, some of the stress eased from her. She sat back with a sigh, smiling up at Chris, who ruffled her hair. Feeling more than a little loopy, and not really caring any more, she said, "Thanks, cowboy."
His eyes narrowed in a mock-glare as he growled, "Did you just call me a 'cowboy,' little girl?" Adriana just giggled at him, and the glare abruptly disappeared. He ruffled her hair again, adding, "Hell, I can't shoot you ... after the time I've threatened to shoot Tanner, and didn't do it, I suppose I can't shoot a half-crippled little princess." Half-crippled was it? She raised her eyebrows at him, allowing a half smile to curve her mouth.
However, it was Vin who observed from beside Chris, "She may have a broken leg, cowboy, but reckon she could still make ya talk in a squeaky voice." As he spoke, Vin looked around the seat and winked at her. Chris slapped him in the back of his head, and Vin growled, then added, "Course, if she wants to do that, reckon I can help her and hold ya down. Whaddaya think, Buck ... think the two a' us can take Larabee?"
"I don't know about Buck, and wouldn't try to speak for him, but my money's on you and Adriana," Mary Travis observed, joining in the conversation. Adriana smiled, though she was still making up her mind about the blonde captain. Not so much whether or not she could trust Captain Travis, but how far she was willing to allow the woman in at the moment. Her instincts were yelling at her to take that leap of faith, but Adriana wasn't ready to trust her instincts yet.
"So's mine," Chris answered with a sigh and long-suffering expression. He grinned at Adriana, totally blowing the effect, then leaned over the seat to kiss the top of Adriana's head. The 'fasten seat-belt' light came on, and Chris eased himself back into his seat. Vin followed suit, though not before winking at Adriana again. They would be landing in about twenty minutes, and there was a van waiting at the airport to take them to the cabin.
According to Captain Travis, it would take about two hours for them to reach the cabin. While Adriana had her doubts about the effectiveness of this plan ... getting them out of the SGC and away from Ella Gaines ... she couldn't deny that a rest was a good idea.
They all needed vacations, and General Hammond had summed it up by saying that if he waited until someone had been there a year before giving them a vacation, they were liable to collapse from physical and mental exhaustion. Adriana couldn't argue with that logic, so she hadn't even made the attempt. Besides, she had always wanted to go to the Pacific Northwest, and while Montana wasn't exactly 'Pacific,' it was most definitely 'Northwest.'
As the plane made its descent, Adriana wondered about the base, and if everyone was okay. It seemed to be a sure bet that Gaines would return by the end of the week. It was Saturday now, and they had already started beefing up the security. Adriana knew that the general wouldn't sacrifice all of Stargate Command for them ... it was pure foolishness. The SGC was all that stood between Earth and the Gou'ald, the general couldn't sacrifice that for the sake of one team.
Adriana understood that. So did the others. That was why the Kalispell police had been alerted ... if psycho-bitch managed to get past security, the airport would be shut down, the police would stake out the bus and train station. Hammond wouldn't sacrifice the SGC ... but nor would he sacrifice SG-7 and their civilian companions. At the same time, Chris had wrangled permission for each of his men to carry their weapons, though not on board the plane itself. He had been willing to make that concession, so long as they had their weapons on the ground.
So they would be all right. Vin and Chris were making contingency plans. She could hear them behind her, talking in low tones. Comforted by the knowledge that her 'big brother' and her closest friend were both on the case, Adriana relaxed once more. She had heard 'united we stand, divided we fall' often in college. But today, on this plane, with SG-7, with Captain Travis and her son, Adriana actually believed it.