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.
Vin Tanner hated flying. He hated being cooped up in a small area, he hated not feeling firm ground below him. Oh, he knew that statistically speaking, he was safer in a plane than he was in a car ... that didn't make him feel any better. It seemed to Vin that you had a better chance of surviving a car accident than you did of surviving a plane crash. However, they were getting ready to land, and Vin's attention had been occupied during the flight.
Larabee knew how much he hated to fly. That was why he insisted on working on the damn contingency plans, so Vin would have a focus other than ... well, would have a focus. Larabee probably thought he was bein' real sneaky, but Vin had seen through him. And, not for the first time, Vin wondered if Chris was counting on that. Probably. Damn cowboy could be just as sneaky as Vin himself.
He was also worried about their friends back at the base. It had gone against every fiber of his being, to light out the way they had. But he could see the sense in it. Mary and Adriana were liable to confront Gaines themselves, and while Adriana could take care of herself under ordinary circumstances, she had two strikes against her ... a broken leg and a badly bruised one. Mary had snuck a pair of crutches onto the plane, so Adriana didn't have to use the wheelchair all the time, but she would have a helluva time moving from place to place.
And, he admitted to himself that he was a little worried about his longtime friend. He trusted her to take care of her faltering relationship with Buck. Vin wasn't a man who involved himself in the relationships of others. He had been sorely tempted once, with the Richmonds, but Priscilla's intervention had kept him from doing anything stupid. Years later, and years wiser, Vin was starting to see just how stupid he could have been, if Priscilla hadn't stepped in.
But that was neither here nor there ... the simple truth was, Adriana was a grown woman, and she had to work things out with Bucklin on her own. Which wasn't to say that Vin wouldn't help her along, in little ways, but the actual deed was up to her. She would do it in her own way, and on her own time, but she would do it. Vin had faith in that. More than that, he had faith in her, not so different from the faith he had in Chris.
Chris. Vin glanced at his best friend, wondering how Chris really felt about this entire situation. Having to leave the SGC, instead of staying and confronting the woman who had caused them all so much grief. Not just Chris, though he was the most obvious. There was also Buck, who had lost something precious when Hildy had died in his arms. Vin frowned. What had the others lost? They had all lost something to Ella Gaines, but Vin realized he wasn't sure what the others had lost.
He decided he would talk to Josiah about it ... maybe the big man would have some answers for him. He had become so lost in his thoughts, he didn't even realize how quickly they were descending, until the wheels of the plane hit the runway. The plane gave a little skip, and Vin's fingers tightened on the seat in front of him. Aw hell. He caught a sideways glance from Chris ... I'm okay, cowboy, just surprised me is all.
As the plane continued its journey to the terminal, Vin struggled with his claustrophobia once more. Okay, they were on the ground ... this was a good thing. They were a helluva lot less likely to crash if they were on the ground. Now, if the goddamn walls would stop closing in on him! He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, then letting it out. He opened his eyes, his nerves somewhat steadier. At the same time, he found a familiar pair of dark hazel eyes staring at him from the space between the window and the seat.
Adriana didn't say anything, just regarded him steadily. They had two hours in the van before they reached this cabin. Ranch. Whatever the hell ya wanted to call it. If he knew Drina, she would probably be embarrassed about falling asleep on the flight, and make up for it by talking nonstop all the way to the cabin. Remembering the last time she had done that, Vin made a mental note to buy her a bottle of something nonalcoholic on the way. From past experience, Vin knew that Drina's voice tended to give out quicker when she was drinking alcohol.
"Don't see how ya can sleep, Drina," he teased. She stuck out her tongue, and Vin continued, "Then again, I reckon after flyin' 'cross the ocean ... twice ... this ain't nothin' for ya." She cocked her head, then shook it slowly from side to side, an impish grin appearing. He realized that he didn't know if she had flown before leaving for Germany three years earlier, and asked, "So, how many flights does this make for ya?"
"Uhm ... I'll have to get back to you on that. Petra and I would fly from country to country in Europe sometimes on our summer vacations. I've kinda lost track of how many times I've flown. The last time I flew, when I returned to the US after I got my Masters and Doctorate, I spent so much time in airports, I swore to myself, never again. Yeah. Right. Tell me another one," she sighed, rolling her eyes in disgust.
Vin laughed and teased, "Well, reckon y'all knew better in the future. Don't be sayin' never, or it'll come back and bite ya in the ass." Adriana responded with the same one-fingered salute he had given Buck earlier, and Vin grabbed the finger, saying, "Hey now, that ain't somethin' a lady should be knowin,' much less doin.' Who taught ya that, anyhow?" A snigger to his right drew his attention to his best friend, and Vin growled, "Larabee. Shoulda known."
"Yes, you should have, and you should have also remembered that I'm no lady. Remember the debate we had that one night when Will and Charlotte were over? We agreed that Dawn, Carly, Charlotte and I weren't ladies, we were women," Adriana pointed out to him. Vin just glowered at her. Before he could say anything, however, he was interrupted by a voice from behind him.
"Much as this conversation fascinates me, I do believe we are holdin' up the line. So, Mr. Tanner, if you would be so kind as to inform Major Wilmington to aid his sister, we can be on our way," Ezra observed in a low voice. Vin looked up and found that Nathan and Josiah were holding up the line of passengers to allow them out. Mary had scooped Billy into her arms, the still-sleeping child nestled against her shoulder, while the men took their respective carry-on bags.
When he looked back to Buck, he discovered that Chris was carefully easing Adriana across the big man's lap and into his own arms. The portion of the plane that was in front of them had already emptied out, so Chris easily carried Adriana down the aisle, turning sideways to avoid bumping her legs. Vin grabbed his own bag, as well as Larabee's, and followed the colonel into the tunnel that would take them to the main terminal.
Buck would grab his own bags, and Adriana's ... at least, that was what Buck and Chris had agreed upon while Drina was sleeping. Chris would take Drina, and Buck would get the bags. Vin allowed an amused smirk to cross his face. Under ordinary circumstances, Buck would be wantin' to carry the girl ... but these weren't ordinary circumstances. The girl was Buck's sister. That changed everything.
Two hours to the cabin. Probably another two hours while everyone settled in. Mary had worked out the rooming situation. Not surprisingly, Ezra had agreed to room with Billy. Vin and Chris would share a room that sat just off the back porch.
Mary, Vin had no doubt, had given them that room on purpose. It would allow Vin to slip outside in the middle of the night, without waking anyone ... well, except maybe Chris. Depending on how asleep he was. And how quiet Vin was. Josiah and Nathan would be rooming together ... Buck and JD. Mary and Adriana would have the final room, which would give them a chance to get to know each other.
Vin didn't know if Billy had been upset when he found out he wouldn't be rooming with Chris ... Mary didn't say. But as the little boy woke up from his nap and lifted his head from his mother, Vin really didn't think the child minded too much. Because as his eyes focused on Vin, Billy's face lit up with a grin and he waved excitedly. Maybe this vacation idea wasn't such a bad thing after all. Maybe they all could have some fun during the next few weeks.
"Tag, you're it!"
"I wish I had a videocamera with me. Chris Larabee, the man who makes half the personnel in the SGC quake with a single glare, playing 'tag' with a little boy. And getting the pants beat off him," Mary Travis observed. Her two companions both laughed, and Mary continued, glancing at the taller of the pair, "Vin, I still don't understand why you aren't out there playing. Unless you're planning on letting Chris wear out Billy."
The guide shook his head, taking a sip of soda, and replied, "Naw, though that's a thought." Mary laughed again. However, the humor left her as she looked at the quiet young man. What had his life been like when he was Billy's age? Did he have a chance to run and play and laugh, the way her Billy did? It would have been just about a year since his mother died, when he was six. He would have still been in mourning for her.
An unexpected giggle brought Mary out of her grim reverie, and she looked over at the third member of their small group. Adriana Wilmington was leaning back against a rocking chair, her legs stretched out in front of her. Over the past three days, ever since they had arrived in Montana, she had slowly been building up strength in her bruised leg. She could put some weight on it, but even with the support of the crutches, she eventually fell back on the wheelchair.
Mary regarded the only other female in the group affectionately. Adriana was a little loopy from the pain medication at this time of the day. Vin had bought her a bottle of Coke as they left the airport, observing that alcohol dried out her throat.
Nathan pointed out that alcohol and meds didn't mix anyhow. Vin had inclined his head in acknowledgment, then taken the Coke to Adriana. It was Mary's considered opinion that if this was what Adriana was like on pain medication, kept within the proper dosage ... well, it would be interesting to see what she was like when she actually did drink alcohol. For now, however, she just smiled as Adriana pointed out, "Chris has half the personnel of the SGC cowering, and the other half swooning. Well, make that one quarter swooning, and the other quarter drooling."
Mary almost spit out her own drink at that observation. That wasn't the first time Adriana had said something like that. The previous night, Ezra had been using his more formal speech after getting his dander up over something that had been on TV. Funny ... where some people's speech went downhill when they were angry, Ezra's took an upgrade. Over the past fifteen months, as he grew more comfortable with the others and with the SGC, he rarely spoke so formally. It was only when he was truly upset that he started using his ten-dollar words.
Adriana finally broke in, mid-rant, and said, "Ez? Would you mind speaking in vernacular English, so I can figure out what the hell you're saying? These damn pain meds are making it hard for me to think, much less be diplomatic, so could you please calm down and start from the beginning? I know you're ticked off, but I can't do anything to help if I can't figure out what has you all riled up."
Mary wasn't sure which was funnier ... Adriana's comments, or Ezra's expression. It was, as JD had dubbed it, his 'what just happened there' look. And coming from anyone else, Adriana's remarks to Ezra wouldn't have been nearly as funny ... however, coming from the normally reserved Adriana, who was usually diplomatic when she did speak (up until you made her mad, at least), it was hysterically funny.
Ezra had sketched a graceful bow and answered, "My apologies, darlin' girl." He sat down, grabbed the remote, and turned down the television ... then explained in vernacular English exactly what had upset him so badly. Mary hadn't been paying attention to the television set, but apparently, a leading Egyptologist had once more poo-pooed the notion that the Sphinx was much older than originally thought. And, knowing both Adriana, and that she had done her thesis on that possibility, Ezra had not taken kindly to the derogatory remarks about anyone who even considered that possibility.
In other words, Mary had thought at the time, someone insulted someone he cares about, a female someone at that, and Ezra got his Irish up. At the moment, Ezra was inside the ranch house, either sleeping or reading. It was a vacation, she and Adriana had joined forces and refused to allow the other men to wake him up. Mary laughed to herself, remembering the looks on the faces of the guys when they had confronted the two barely awake women.
Buck and JD were inside the house as well, playing video games. Adriana had told her brother the previous day he didn't have to wait on her hand and foot. She just needed to know he was there if she needed him. It had been decided, after Adriana and Mary joined forces to let Ezra do what he wanted on vacation, that all the guys would do what they wanted. That's what vacations were for after all, weren't they?
Which was why Nathan was reading up on his medical journals (that was fun???), and Josiah was catching up on his reading as well. Vin had opted to sit outside and watch Chris play tag with Billy, while Mary and Adriana did whatever they felt like. Adriana was limited in what she could do, but didn't seem to mind. She observed it would give her a chance to catch up on her letter-writing. She had told Vin that she was writing to Carly ... one of Adriana's roommates in college, after Claire had moved out of the dorm and in with Chanu.
Mary had gotten a treat, when Adriana and Vin started reminding each other of things that Carly had done. She was a wild one ... not bad wild, but the kind of wild which Mary had always secretly admired. The journalist nearly fell off the porch laughing when Vin recounted Carly's reaction to Chanu. She had known from various sources, including Claire herself, that Adriana had decked Chanu for attacking Vin.
And knowing Chanu as she did now, seeing the way Vin and Chanu interacted, Mary would have never believed the rocky start. Or maybe she would, given her own rocky start with Chris. But if the rocky start between Vin and Chanu was hard to believe, Adriana's reaction to finding Vin in her dorm room unconscious had not. She could easily see the archaeologist hauling off and clobbering anyone who messed with Vin, and that included someone she loved.
Eventually, the pair stopped talking and Adriana returned her attention to her letter writing. Things had been quiet for the last few minutes, until Mary had made her observation about having a video camera. And after Adriana made her own comment about Chris, Vin put in, "I ain't gonna ask 'bout which quarter does what, don't rightly think I want to know." Adriana looked up from her letter-writing again, exchanged a look with Mary, then both turned evil grins on the young guide. Vin gulped and added, "Nope, definitely don't want to know."
"Smart," Mary observed, her grin growing steadily more evil, then added with a proud look at her favorite (albeit only) student, "But that's something I already knew. Adriana, Vin tells me that what he learned about history, he learned from you." Adriana favored the blonde with a faint smile, but said nothing, and Mary continued, "Billy really doesn't like history ... I was wondering, what got you interested in history and archaeology?"
"Mmmm ... I guess it was really one of my teachers in grade school. Back then, when I was in grade school, it was called 'social studies,' but it was really history. I never understood that. And she had a way of teaching ... it made me realize that history pulled everything together. You like sports? That has a history. Everything has a history. I ... I suppose she made it accessible, and when I'm enthusiastic about something, it's pretty hard to shut me up," Adriana explained, stating something that almost everyone had already figured out.
Mary said nothing, just listened intently. Vin was watching his longtime friend closely, and Mary guessed he had never seen this side of her before. Adriana continued, "That started it, along with the Indiana Jones movies. Then, when I met Chris ... well, I remember one time. Buck had duty and Chris didn't, so Chris asked me if I'd like to go to this ... don't even remember what it was called, when Chris mentioned it to me, but it was sort of a dig. It was held at one of the high schools, and they had real archaeologists running this dig for kids."
She put down her pen, grinning at the memory, and continued, "You mentioned a few minutes ago, about having a videocamera, to tape Billy and Chris playing ... I wish I had a camera that day. The sight of Chris Larabee on his hands and knees in the dirt. He must have hated it, but I loved it. We spent the next four hours there. And that was it for me. On the way home, we stopped off at the community pool, and snuck in to take showers, then went to a burger place for dinner. I don't think I stopped talking about it all through dinner."
She didn't seem to notice Chris and Billy as they collapsed onto the porch steps, but mused, "Maybe Chris didn't hate it as much as I thought he did. I remember, when Buck asked me what we had done all day, and I told him all about the dig, I glanced over at Chris, for clarification, I think. He was watching me with ... the strangest look on his face. You know the look Vin gets sometimes? He'll be smiling, but not saying anything, and his eyes kinda crinkle up? It was kinda like that, but Chris ... I don't know."
"I didn't hate it, little princess. Even captains in the US Air Force like opportunities to play in the dirt like little kids from time to time. Actually, I had more fun watching you than anything else," Chris replied. Adriana jumped at the sound of his voice, then blushed. A half second after that, pain flashed across her face. Mary figured she had probably jarred her leg when she tensed up. Mary had broken bones before, she had a pretty good idea what had happened.
"Reckon I woulda liked a picture of that," Vin said, his eyes twinkling with laughter, "Chris Larabee playin' in the dirt like a ten year old." Chris glared at the guide, who just laughed again. He looked at Adriana and asked, "How's that letter to Carly comin,' Drina? Ya told her 'bout us yet?" Adriana looked at him, her dark hazel eyes sparkling in a way that Mary had come to recognize. Oh, this was about to get interesting!
"And just what makes you think I'm writing about any of you yahoos?" she challenged. Mary put her arm around her son, looking over at Chris, who just winked. Adriana continued, "Besides, even if I did tell her about the crazy things you've done lately, do you really think I'd surprise her? This is, after all, Carly we're talking about here. The woman who got a picture of you when you were inebriated one night and ... and skyclad."
At that, Mary almost inhaled her tea. Vin Tanner skyclad. Ohhh, my, that did present some ... errrr ... rather interesting images to her imagination! Chris was looking from the impish grin that was decorating Adriana's face, to the bright red stain which seemed likely to permanently decorate Vin's. He looked back at Mary and mouthed, 'skyclad?' in confusion. Mary, who had done a few pieces on Wiccans and witches in the military, was familiar with the term. She mouthed back, 'naked.'
Larabee's jaw dropped and his eyes widened, then he looked back at Vin, who was glaring at Adriana. However, since she had grown up with the Larabee glare, it didn't seem like the Tanner glare was really having any effect on her at the moment. Then again, that might have also been due to the fact that the pain meds were still in her system, and she was on the loopy side. Then the light hazel eyes began twinkling with amusement, and Mary knew that Chris had a new weapon in his arsenal when it came to teasing Vin.
"I ... don't suppose there's a story to go along with this, is there, little princess?" Chris asked. Adriana nodded, still grinning almost maniacally. However, Mary could see her eyes shifting to Billy, and Chris said, "Hey, Billy ... can you do me a huge favor and get me a bottle of water out of the fridge? Chasing you was hard work!" The little boy looked from Vin to Chris, obviously torn between hearing a story about Vin and doing something for his hero.
After a moment, he asked, "Drina, Vin wasn't hurt, was he? You said that he was inebriated ... does that mean he was in an accident?" The little boy looked worried about one of his other heroes, and Adriana shook his head. Billy said with a sigh of relief, "Oh, good. I was afraid he had an accident when he tripped on his blue cloak." Blue cloak? Oh. Skyclad. Of course he wouldn't know what it meant, and Mary realized that was why Adriana had used it.
"No, honey, he wasn't in an accident, and he wasn't hurt. The only thing that really hurt was his pride," Adriana answered. Billy smiled and ran into the house after the bottle of water which Chris had requested. And for the first time, Mary realized her son had used Vin's nickname for his friend ... who, judging from Vin's expression, would become his late friend. She said once Billy was out of earshot, "It really wasn't his fault. He got caught in the crossfire of a revenge practical joke that backfired."
Vin was still blushing, but explained, "The gal in the apartment next to Drina, Dawn and Carly was jealous a' Carly, on account of because she was so pretty. Drina once described Carly as a gal version 'a Buck, and if ya ever get to meet her, y'all see why. It weren't just that she had a pretty face, though it didn't hurt none. She ... shone. She lit up the room, just by bein' in it. Some women got jealous 'a that. Drina and Dawn never did, 'cause they could light up the room, too. It was just that, Carly actually liked the attention."
"So this gal, Shelby, by name, really got into it with Carly one night. Carly was still fuming from the way her boyfriend broke up with her earlier, and she wasn't in the mood for Shelby's bitching. She let Shelby have it both barrels, and Wynn decided to get even with a so-called peace offering. It was liquor, disguised as tea. Except, instead of Carly drinking it, Vin got his hands on it after he had been helping us outside," Adriana explained, taking up the narrative.
"Ohhhh ... no," Mary said, getting an idea where this was heading. She had heard of that trick in college, actually. Except, in that case, it had been putting marijuana in brownies, but it was just a variation on the same theme. And Vin, probably to avoid getting dehydrated, had gone for the tea. She didn't know what else the girls had in their refrigerator, but Mary did know tea wasn't the worst thing he could have grabbed.
"Oh yes. Of course, with the alcohol, that dehydrated him further and made him even more hot. So Vin stripped out of his clothes to cool off. Carly found him in the bathroom, trying to take a shower. And being the kind of gal she was, without telling Dawn or me about it until later, she snapped a few pictures of Vin ... blackmail purposes. You understand what I mean, I think," Adriana said. Mary nodded, as did Chris, and Adriana continued, "Well, after she snapped her pictures, she called for me and Dawn to help her with Vin." Mary cringed ... oohh, dear. The slight blush on Adriana's cheeks told her what that was like.
"I woke up with the headache from hell and feelin' like ... well, I weren't feelin' too good," Vin admitted. Mary noticed the change in wording, and observed her son coming toward them with a bottle of water in one hand and a bottle of juice in the others. She smiled at Vin, who tipped an imaginary hat in her direction. He continued, "So that's the story. Drina trots it out ever so often, just to get a rise outta me."
An unfortunate choice of words, for Chris almost fell off the steps, laughing hysterically. It took Vin only a beat, then his face turned bright red as he figured out what Chris was thinking, and he glowered at the colonel. It took Adriana a few more seconds after that to follow the trail of thought, then she exploded with laughter. If this kept up, by the end of the vacation, Mary had a feeling Chris would have a lot more ammunition to use against Vin!
You are so dead! That was the idea behind the look he was giving her, but he knew better than to think she was afraid of him. Damn girl. And damn Larabee for having such a dirty mind! Still, Vin Tanner had a sense of humor all his own, and after a moment, he began to realize how funny it was. Still, paybacks were a bitch, and he figured he would pay back the damn cowboy, and the giggling archaeologist leaning against the rocking chair.
He would have to put off Drina's retribution, since she was hurt, but Larabee was fair game. Jack might be able to help him figure out a prank for Adriana. Something that wouldn't hurt her ... or scare her. Vin didn't think he would survive her payback if he scared her. He had done that once in Texas, an accident ... she had been so angry with him once she stopped being scared, Dawn had to physically sit on her to keep her from beating the living shit out of him.
That had been an accident ... a ... a miscommunication, as Ezra would say. If it was deliberate, her reaction would be far, far nastier. Nope. He couldn't do anything that scared her, which left Chris and Buck out of the equation. And Vin would cut off his right hand before he would do anything that might cause her any pain. To quote Ezra, he might have to get juvenile. Putting hair dye in her shampoo, for example, or maybe her conditioner?
He might need Billy's advice for this. Little tricks that the boy liked to play on Chris sometimes, as a way of showing affection. As Billy handed the bottle of ice water to Chris first, then the bottle of juice to Adriana, Vin motioned the boy over to sit with him. Billy did so happily, plopping himself on the guide's lap. Mary regarded him with suspicious eyes ... until he glanced first at Chris, then at Adriana, then winked at her. Mary raised her eyebrows ... then grinned. Hmmm. Maybe Mary wouldn't mind helping out as well? Especially if it meant being one up on Chris?
Adriana was watching him suspiciously. Vin wasn't worried. He just smiled very sweetly at her ... and the returning smile was positively evil. Aww hell! He definitely needed Billy's help for this one. He knew she was expecting payback now, which meant she would be watching her back. The trouble was, the mind of a six year old boy worked very differently from that of a twenty-five year old woman.
That, however, worked in Vin's favor. Especially after Billy asked hopefully, "Drina? Do you have more stories about Vin? Or Chris? Or Buck?" Adriana turned her attention to the little boy, her smile softening. For a moment, an image flashed through Vin's mind ... Raquel Hernandez, snuggled against his body after they rescued her. Then the image was gone, and he was seeing Billy again.
"Oh, I think I might have a few. But I can't think of any of them right now, honey. Would it be okay if I waited until later to tell you?" Adriana asked. After ya have a chance to edit them stories for little ears, ya mean, Vin thought, but kept that to himself. While Adriana was honest with children, she accepted that different parents had different ideas about when their children were ready for different things.
Vin's guess was, Adriana and Mary had already talked about that, and Adriana had acceded to Mary's wishes. Maybe because she wished her mother had been like Mary? It was something that never occurred to Vin before, quite simply because his mother had never made any secret of how much she loved him. However, it made sense. Mary was protective of her son, yes, but not overprotective.
"Well, while you're thinking up those stories, how about if we move this party inside? I need a shower, and I think it's getting close to lunch time," Chris observed. The colonel grinned wickedly and added, "Besides, I think it is time to wake up Ezra, vacation or not. Need some help up there, little princess?" As he set down his water bottle, Billy left his mother's side and scooped it up, then took Adriana's juice and scampered into the house.
"I don't particularly want any help, but I think I need it," came the exasperated response. Chris laughed and knelt at her side, gently scooping her into his arms. Adriana made a face and said, "You know, Chris, you're right. You look good all sweaty, but you do need a shower." She gave a squeak as Chris seemed to drop her, and added, "The nice thing about a shower is, you'll still be all wet, but you'll smell much nicer."
"Keep it up, little princess," Larabee warned, but the glare he gave her was negated by the way he was struggling to keep from laughing. She just gave him a sweet smile, and Vin leaned against the post, enjoying the banter between his two friends. Chris added, "And don't think you can smile at me all pretty, and get out of hot water. Doesn't work like that, little princess." Now Adriana laughed outright.
"It always has, cowboy, it always has!" she chortled, and it was Vin's turn to almost fall off the porch, laughing. Mary laughed as well and left her seat to help him up. Chris responded with a mock growl, and swept her into the house, amid Adriana's giggles.
Vin offered Mary his arm and the reporter accepted it, saying softly, "I wish this time could go on forever. Not have to worry about Ella Gaines. Not have to acknowledge the possibility that she might get past the SGC. I know, that's not reality. But that doesn't stop me from wishing. And there's another part of me which hopes she does come here. There's a part of me, Vin, which wants to confront her, and make her pay for everyone she's hurt."
Vin looked at her as they went into the house, and Mary went on, "Oh, I know that's selfish. I know how ugly things can get. She's not sane, Vin. She killed Sarah and Adam, she'll have no compunction whatsoever about killing Billy. And I remind myself of that, whenever I want a confrontation with her. I remind myself that she'll have no problem killing Billy, and no problem killing me. My son has lost enough."
"Reckon we all have, Mary," Vin answered as they entered the living room, to find everyone already gathered there. Well, almost everyone. Josiah was in the kitchen, making sandwiches for lunch. Chris had settled Adriana on the sofa and she looked close to falling asleep. Chris bapped Buck on the head after he shouted in triumph for scoring another point on the video game he and JD were playing, then nodded toward Adriana. Obvious message being, 'shut up, your sister is trying to sleep!'
As Mary slipped off to the kitchen to help Josiah, Vin caught her wrist and added, "But Mary, even if she does come here ... ain't no way none of us are gonna let her hurt you or Billy. Like you said. She done hurt enough folks." Mary smiled at him, a smile that worried Vin a little bit. He didn't know quite how to read it, and that by itself scared him. In all the time he had known Mary Travis, there had never been a time when he couldn't read her.
He repeated his silent vow to protect her and Billy, no matter what it took, as he took his own place in the living room beside Chris. Buck had ended the game and turned the television set over to the others. Ezra was still waking up, but at least he was up and moving. Adriana said sleepily, "Go get your shower, Ezra, your hair is sticking up." Ezra put his hand to the top of his head, already forming a protest that his hair did not stick up.
However, as his fingers touched an upright lock, the words died on his lips. Vin forced back a chuckle, thinking this was probably the first time he had ever seen Ezra less than immaculately dressed. Even when they were on a mission, Ezra had always been neat and well-kept, not a hair out of place. He had certainly never seen the resident gambler/negotiator in a pair of boxers and t-shirt, with his hair sticking up.
"Uh ... thank ya, m'darlin' girl ... but what can I do to ensure news of this aberration is not spread around Stargate Command?" Ezra inquired a bit awkwardly as he rose to his feet. Vin exchanged a grin with Chris, especially after he saw JD's confused look. He glanced over his shoulder at Adriana, who had one eye open, and a half smile hovering about her lips. Before JD could ask what the hell Ezra meant, someone beat him to the translation.
"Ezra's wondering how much Adriana wants to keep her mouth shut, and not tell anyone else at the SGC that he was looking less than neat and tidy," Josiah said.
Vin looked up as the big man brought the sandwiches into the living room, and Josiah winked at him. He continued blithely, "Ezra, I would suggest you take the young lady's suggestion, before your sandwich isn't edible. Miss Drina, I can put your sandwich back into the refrigerator if you want to take a short nap?" Adriana smiled sleepily and nodded, and Vin realized that someone else had picked up on his nickname for her. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but decided it wasn't really that important.
"Hey, how come you won't put Ezra's back in the fridge?" JD asked as he accepted his own sandwich from Mary. Actually, he asked the question at the same time he was eating, so the words were somewhat muffled, but everyone understood him anyhow. That didn't stop Mary from giving him a warning look. JD swallowed, blushing, and added, "Sorry, ma'am. But how come you can't put his in the refrigerator while he's showering?"
"Because, son, it will take me perhaps five minutes to shower, and I don't have a broken leg. Being in that much pain leaves a person quite exhausted," Ezra replied. He maneuvered himself past the others, and paused at the sofa long enough to ruffle Adriana's dark hair. That earned him a growl, and Ezra sped from the room, laughing. Vin sat back and relaxed as Josiah returned Adriana's sandwich to the refrigerator. However, he was still thinking about his conversation with Mary, and decided to run through the plans he and Chris had made.
"I'm sorry, General."
George Hammond looked at the man who had spoken, the commander of SG-5, and wished there was some way to reassure him. He had done nothing wrong ... had tried to protect his team, tried to protect the SGC. One of his people had even sacrificed herself. But it had all been for nothing. Ella Gaines had used SG-5's signal to gain access to the Gate Room, and taken the SGC somewhat by surprise, only four days after Larabee's departure with the others.
Twelve hours earlier, he had been informed of an incoming traveler and that the signal belonged to SG-5. He had hesitated. He knew there was the possibility that SG-5 had been compromised ... but at the same time, he didn't know that for sure. And so, he had ordered the iris to be opened ... allowing Ella Gaines and her little gang of mercenaries into the SGC, guns blazing like gunfighters of old. General Hammond still regretted that decision.
He was also second guessing his decision to have the remaining Marines stand down, rather than cause a bloodbath. He had been trying to buy time. Some of those Marines had died anyhow. Was it all for nothing?
However, he had learned that sometimes, it was necessary to make a sacrifice, in order to win the game. He had heard this likened to a chess game. The trouble was, this particular chess game had very high stakes. He told the commander of SG-5, "It's not your fault, son, I made the decision to open the iris." Keeping one wary eye on the nearest mercenary, he added softly, "Besides, not all hope is lost." The mercenary was coming back toward him, and Hammond fell silent. Ella Gaines had provided a few object lessons earlier, and Hammond had no doubt the woman would take any excuse to kill more people.
As it was, Gaines had provided him with fifteen hours to tell her where Chris Larabee and the others were. Fifteen hours, for the fifteen years since she had met him. And now, George Hammond had a decision to make. Did he sacrifice the whole, for the good of the few ... or did he sacrifice ten people who had come to mean a great deal to him? Including the daughter-in-law of a good friend, his daughter in law and grandson. It wasn't a decision he wanted to make ... but it was there, nonetheless.
He had thought he had made this decision days ago, before SG-7 even left. Then, it had been easy to decide. But now, with this madwoman in his base, Hammond's ire was raised. Did he really think that appeasing Gaines with the truth about SG-7 would prevent her from killing everyone here? Of course it wouldn't. She would probably wipe out the entire base, and then bring the mountain down on top of them. He had to figure out a way to save all of his people, both on and off the base. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be easy, trapped inside the Gate Room. However, that was why he had contingency plans.
Hammond's eyes swept over the personnel gathered in the Gate Room. It wasn't everyone in the base ... he and Jack had known about this eventuality, which was why some of the base had been given time off. To protect them, and to provide a rescue team, if it was needed. Jack, Sam, Teal'c and Daniel ... they were all safe. At least for the moment. His eyes found Janet Frasier, huddled beside her daughter. The doctor smiled faintly and nodded.
She and Cassie were both all right. That was a relief. In the hours before the sneak attack, he had sent Gloria Potter home to her two children, Randy and Victoria. Most of the archaeologists had been captured, and Gaines had cowed Conklin into silence. At first, Hammond had thought Conklin was the traitor, but that had dissipated over the last twelve hours. And Jack had proven there was a traitor. The trouble was, they didn't know the identity of that traitor.
Hammond's gaze returned to Lt. Vanessa Kowalsky. Her face was haggard, bearing little resemblance to the eager young recruit of only a few years ago. Or even the solemn lieutenant of only a few months ago. Hammond had noticed Gaines trying to protect the girl, and an overheard conversation had explained that. It seemed Gaines had taken it into her head that Vanessa Kowalsky was actually her daughter with Chris Larabee, and that she was much younger than her twenty-four years.
Never mind the age difference between any possible children and Lt. Kowalsky. Never mind that she didn't look like either of them. Gaines had decided that the young lieutenant was her daughter with Chris Larabee, and that was that.
George Hammond had accepted the truth about Ella Gaines months earlier, when Vin Tanner and the rest of SG-7 had returned from that mission. But if he had held out any hopes that the woman could be reasoned with, that there was some semblance of sanity left in her, those hopes died very quickly. And as he watched her with Vanessa, Hammond's conviction that someone needed to rescue that girl grew. And it had to be soon ... for Vanessa's sake. For the sake of everyone in the SGC. For the sake of everyone in SG-7.
"Hey, nice party! I'm hurt, though ... nobody invited me! What about you, Teal'c? Daniel? Carter? General, why didn't you tell us there was gonna be a party here, we would have stuck around!" a familiar voice said. The cavalry had just arrived ... Jack O'Neill was pointing a gun directly at the mercenary nearest Janet and Cassandra Frasier. Janet pushed the girl behind her, ignoring her daughter's attempts to protect her in turn.
Hammond was stunned ... how in the hell had SG-1 gotten in without being noticed? Then he felt the breeze, which somehow seemed stronger, and lifted his eyes to glance around the Gate Room. A slight smile crossed his face as he understood. They had used the air ducts. It had to have been one helluva squeeze for Teal'c, but there they were. They had quietly slipped in and circled around the mercenaries, until they were ready to strike. Circling the wagons, so to speak, although he knew Vin wouldn't have appreciated the observation.
The important thing, however, was that SG-1 was here now. Jack nodded to him, a faint smile hovering about his lips. Teal'c appeared at Jack's side, observing, "I was not invited, either, O'Neill. Perhaps the general did not believe we would enjoy such a gathering. I fear I must agree with him. You will drop your weapons now." This was all said, of course, in the same tone of voice. The mercenary swung his gun toward Janet and Cassie, and Teal'c growled something in his own language, then repeated, "Drop ... your ... weapon!"
While his heart still belonged to the mother of his child, Teal'c had never made his fondness for Dr. Frasier a secret. And Hammond knew that Teal'c would kill the merc now threatening the mother and daughter without a second thought, if he harmed either of them. The merc dropped his guard, his final mistake. Janet surged to her feet and kicked the gun out of his hand, drawing his other gun from his holster at the same time.
Cassie darted from behind her tiny but ferocious mother, and scooped up the gun. She aimed it at the merc long enough to show him what would happen if he even touched her mother. Once he got the message, the teenager flicked on the safety and tossed the gun to Hammond. The general rose to his feet as he caught it, and directed the weapon at Gaines. The odds had just evened. Kowalsky pointed her gun at Hammond, and it was then that the room was filled with sound. A child laughing ... a man saying, "Hang on with both hands, baby ... let me do the work."
The voice belonged to Charlie Kowalsky. Hammond didn't dare look away from Gaines, to see the effect on Kowalsky's niece. However, it wasn't necessary. Gaines cried out, "What have you done to my daughter, you bastard?" She aimed the gun toward the control room where the sound was coming from and started firing. All hell broke loose at that moment. Gaines fired wildly, screaming incoherently, and Jack pushed Vanessa Kowalsky to the ground.
Hammond took cover, pushing the SG-5 commander along with him, and removed a gun from the holster of one of the dead Marines. Now that hadn't been real smart of the mercs, not confiscating the weapons! But Hammond would use whatever help he got. And that, he decided silently, glancing at a figure just beyond Major Carter, includes the unexpected civilian guest. However, I will have a conversation with Colonel O'Neill. Later.
In the firefight that followed, Gaines had found her way to the huddled group of archaeologists and pulled Stacy to her feet. The military personnel with SGC, including the remaining Marines, ceased fire when they saw the insane colonel pressing a gun to Stacy's head. Tears streamed down the young woman's face. Gaines hissed, "You hid Chris from me. You hurt my little girl. I'm out of patience, and you, General, just ran out of time. Where ... is ... Chris? Where is that blonde bitch who works for you, and that guide? Where?"
"Montana. They're in Montana. Kalispell," a voice answered. Hammond's heart dropped at the announcement. Because in that moment, he realized who the traitor was, and it was the very last person he had expected. He had known it was no one from SG-1, or SG-7. He had known it wasn't anyone from the remaining teams, though he wasn't sure how he had known. Dr. Stacy McPherson swallowed hard, tears streaming down her face, "They're in Montana. I've never lied to you before, Colonel. I wouldn't start now."