SERIES/UNIVERSE: SG-7
DISCLAIMERS: M7 characters belong to Trilogy, et al, SG-1 characters belong to Gekko, MGM, and Showtime. Adriana, Carly, and the Tanner sisters are all mine ... don't mind if you borrow them, just ask first, give them back intact and give credit where credit is due. Mindy belongs to herself and my neighbors, though she still thinks my family and I belong to her.
SPOILERS: For Mag7, primarily both parts of Wagon Train, my previous stories, especially More than Friends, but also A Light in the Distance, Under the Sun, Days of Yearning, and Sun, Fun, and Ezra on the Run, also all five seasons of Stargate SG-1.
WARNING: The usual, violence and language. Some h/c and possibly even a little smarm later on, but I'll be trying to get the smarm limited.
He had seen O'Shea watching his attack on Vin Tanner in the corridor. He had also known that Buck Wilmington and JD Dunne were nearby. That was why he had chosen that moment to attack. After parting with Charlotte, Will had escaped to a quiet, secluded little space. He needed to think about what he would do next. The confrontation in the cafeteria had seemed like a good idea, when things had first started falling apart. He had wanted to push Vin's buttons, wanted to make sure that no matter what happened to him, someone would be protecting Charlotte.
He had succeeded beyond his wildest dreams Not only would Vin be watching out for Charlotte, but General Travis had decided to send Adriana as support. No matter what he might have thought of Vin in the past, Will knew that between him and Adriana, no harm would come to his wife. And his sweet little Tansy would be safe here in the compound, at least until they reached the settlement.
He hadn't reckoned on a few things though. First and foremost, his confrontation with Vin had left him alone. Charlotte knew very little of the threat they currently faced. She was angry with him, and while that would also protect her, it left Will in the position of fending off a problem by himself. Not a pleasant feeling. He had been accused of many things in his life, including obstinance, but Will wasn't a fool.
Even with both Charlotte and Tansy protected, he still needed help. He had been on the verge of approaching Vin, and telling him everything, when he had caught sight first of Dickie O'Shea, then of Buck Wilmington and JD Dunne. And an idea occurred to him, a way he could accomplish what he needed to accomplish without saying a word to any member of SG-7. He waited until Wilmington and Dunne were closer, then he sprung from his hiding place.
He had forgotten Vin often sensed when someone was watching him, the legacy of things that Will didn't want to know about. But it didn't make a difference ... the angle of attack, and Will's size, worked to his advantage. This time, at least. Beating up the guide wasn't the idea. Getting the attention of the cartographer and the major was. And Will was still sore from the attention he had received from the major.
Curiously, he wasn't afraid that one of them would tell Charlotte. That wasn't Vin's style, and he didn't think it was Wilmington's style. Dunne, maybe, but not Wilmington. No, if Wilmington would tell anyone, it would be his sister. Adriana, however, had left the compound. In his travels of the corridors, after the confrontation with Charlotte, Will had overheard her conversation with Dr. Jackson. He knew she would be heading home to collect her things.
He had been wrong about one thing, however. There was one other person who had witnessed his second attack on Vin. Charlotte herself. Will had learned of this when he arrived back at the quarters and Charlotte had decked him. Helluva surprise. Will had held his jaw, staring at his wife in disbelief ... at least until she hissed, "That was for your little stunt in the hall. What the hell is your problem, Will? You planning to beat up me or Adriana next?"
That had hurt. Will had said, as best as he could with an aching jaw, "I was just warnin' him off. I don't want him sniffin' around you." Charlotte had looked at him with patented disbelief. For a minute, he thought she fully intended to hit him again. Maybe she would have, but instead, she muttered something rather uncomplimentary under her breath in Low German, then stormed past him.
That had been half an hour before, and Will was starting to get worried. Finally, he heard a knock on the door, and rushed to open it, hoping that his wife had left her key in the room. It wasn't Charlotte, but Adriana, with a beautiful collie sitting obediently at her side.
She simply looked at him coldly, and it didn't take much to figure out that she had heard about the second attack. She said quietly, "You know, Will, Mindy here isn't real fond of men. At the moment, I know just how she feels." Will tried to meet her gaze, tried to keep her from seeing the truth in his eyes, and she continued, "Dammit, what is wrong with you? You've been here four hours, and already you've attacked Vin twice, for no good reason!"
"I don't want him sniffing around my wife. Charlotte and I got something good going, and I don't want that scruffy half-breed messing that up," Will answered, falling back into the habits of years earlier. Mindy had maintained her position at her mistress's side ... although, as Adriana tensed up, Will had noticed Mindy whining ever so slightly, as if she sensed the young woman's aggravation.
He never saw it coming. But he sure as hell felt it ... the open palm colliding with his cheek. Will had a tendency to forget that while she was a small woman, Adriana was stronger than she looked, due to her years working first in warehouses, then on digs. And when she slapped him, it hurt like hell. He stared at her, rage temporarily rising to the surface, and she hissed, "Don't even go there, Will! Don't go there, because so help me, if you do, getting slapped will be the least of your worries!"
Will knew what he had to do. He hated doing it, but it was necessary. He barked, "You know, this is partly your fault ... if you were any kind of woman, you'd keep him away from Charlotte. You're supposed to be his girl ... no wonder Tanner won't leave my wife alone. He's not getting any from you!" As soon as the words were out, he regretted them. He had known it was necessary, but he had regretted it nonetheless.
All the color drained from her face. It was as if someone had taken an eraser, and removed any semblance of color from her. She stared at him, as if he had struck her. And Will was almost undone by the stricken look in her eyes. Then rage took the place of the shock and hurt, and Adriana fired back a shot of her own, growling, "You know better than that, Will. Vin and I have said all along, we're not involved. You know that. Maybe if you were more of a man, you wouldn't be so worried about Charlotte straying. But I can tell you this. You hurt Vin again, and I will make your life a living hell."
She reached down to pet her dog, maintaining eye contact with him all along. Mindy rose to all fours, her side brushing Adriana's leg. The junior archaeologist said softly, "I don't know what's happened to you, Will. And I'm not sure I care. General Travis wants me to go along, as support for Charlotte. That's why I'm going. To support my friend ... and to watch Vin's back. I don't know you. You are irrelevant to me, until you attack either of my friends again. You do that ... and let the chips fall where they may."
She turned and led her dog from his quarters. Will watched her go, feeling even more alone than he had. He had to alienate Adriana, he had to alienate everyone on the 'wagon train,' as Captain Travis had called it. So they could figure out on their own who the traitor was. But until that moment, until she had spoken those words, Will hadn't realized how much Adriana had changed from the girl he had known.
'Let the chips fall where they may,' had been a favorite of Priscilla's when her patience had run out. It meant she had done what she could, it was up to someone else now. In this situation, Will had the uneasy feeling that even when he told the whole truth, he had just pushed Adriana entirely too far. If that was true ... was there any way he could atone? And what else was going on that he didn't know about?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's highly unlikely that a pet would be allowed into Cheyenne Mountain, although it did occur with the first episode involving the Tollan. Just call it my own personal dramatic license.
She would kill him. Slowly. Painfully. And she would let any interested member of SG-7, or SG-1, watch. For that matter, she could even extend the audience to include anyone whom Will Richmond had pissed off within the last five years. As an archaeologist she had come across many ways to inflict pain on someone. Adriana stalked down the hall, muttering under her breath. She couldn't see her face, of course, but anyone who knew the archaeologist knew when her mouth had become a thin white line and her eyes had narrowed to slits, knew well enough to leave her alone.
A soft whimper shook her out of her rage. She blinked and looked down at her poor dog, who had been struggling to keep up with her. This was bad. Usually, Adriana had a helluva time keeping up with Mindy. Adriana led the dog to the corner and slid down the wall, putting her arms around Mindy. The border collie, with that unerring instinct of hers, licked Adriana's face. Puppy first aid, Nettie had called it once.
Adriana had found everything she needed at her home, and found a message on her recorder from Nettie. She had been called out of town unexpectedly, and Casey would be going with her ... she desperately hoped that Adriana could forgive her, this had come up unexpectedly. That had set Adriana's nerves jangling. Not Nettie canceling out ... but the shock in her voice. Something had rattled Nettie. Nettie Welles was not a woman easily rattled.
True, Nettie's unexpected departure had left her without anyone to take care of Mindy while she was gone, but that wasn't what concerned her. Adriana had put her expedition backpack in the living room, then called General Hammond. General Travis had only just told him of her departure, and he wanted to know when she would be returning. She admitted that she had to find someone to take care of Mindy while she was away. Nettie and Casey Welles were both out of town (did JD know about that?), and there was no one nearby.
She wasn't one who often forgot that she had a good boss, and when she did, General Hammond reminded her. He had suggested, "Why don't you bring Miss Mindy back to Cheyenne Mountain? A dog may be needed on the expedition ... she can help Mr. Tanner, as well as you and Dr. Richmond. Mrs. Doctor, that is." Adriana had blinked in surprise, and quickly assented, before General Hammond could change his mind. Forty-five minutes later, Mindy was happily seated beside her in the car. The collie loved going for rides.
She would be sedated before they went through the Stargate, to avoid any unpleasantness. Adriana would carry her through the Gate. Mindy was her dog, her responsibility. It would also give her a chance to get Mindy used to the guys. She was slowly adjusting to Vin and JD. Chris was a bit problematic, unless he was sitting next to Adriana. Then he was allowed to pet her, but Mindy was still very sensitive to moods and attitudes. And Chris, as much as she loved him, had both. To spare.
The first person she encountered, once she had gotten inside the compound itself (after submitting to the usual security precautions, and answered the guards' questions about Mindy. Questions which were asked, naturally, as the guards in question petted Mindy. Naturally), was Charlotte. Her friend was fuming, and it didn't take Adriana long to find out why. Charlotte had seen Will attacking Vin in the hall. Not just another 'stay away from my wife' confrontation, but an actual, physical attack.
Telling Adriana (and decking Will, from what Adriana understood) helped to relieve some of Charlotte's stress. She was heading to the gym, to take out what remained of her frustrations on a punching bag. Adriana had planned to just head to her quarters and finish packing. But the more she walked, the more she thought about what Charlotte had told her. The more she thought about the attack, the angrier she became.
Although, if she thought she had been angry before her confrontation with Will, it was nothing compared to how she felt after she finished with him. Adriana took deep breaths, burying her face in Mindy's silken coat. She hadn't used her best judgment. She should have kept walking, but that anger which had become harder and harder to swallow had demanded release. If only as a warning to Will, warning him of what would happen if he harmed Vin again.
The man she had known once was gone. Adriana had to accept that, and go on. Telling her brother ... the one she had been born with and the one whom she had chosen fourteen years ago ... about the confrontation was out of the question. Knowing Buck, especially, he would kick Will's ass for calling her honor into question. She was twenty-seven, not a child. She dealt with her problems And she would, once she stopped shaking. She whispered, "Oh, Mindy. Mindy-Mindy, I don't know what I'm gonna do."
Mindy whined softly, pulling away from Adriana's embrace to lick her face, her hands, her wrists. As was so often the case after losing her temper, Adriana began feeling somewhat ill. She knew what it was. The rage caused an adrenaline high, and when she crashed, she crashed hard. That wasn't so hard to understand. It was, on the other hand, hell to deal with. Adriana bowed her head, resting her forehead against her dog. She was angry, she was almost literally sick with rage ... and she was scared.
The question which remained, however, was why. Was she afraid of the coming mission? Of the tension which she didn't fully understand, or the rage which consumed her when she learned that Vin had been hurt? She had always been protective of him, always tried to look out for him. But this was different. Was it because her anger wasn't being bottled any more, or was it the change in her feelings for him? Adriana pulled back from the second possibility. It had to be happening because she was no longer bottling up her anger. It had to be. Because if it wasn't ... Adriana knew she could ruin one of the most important friendships in her life.
"Aunt Nettie, I still don't understand. Why on earth would Mrs. ... I mean, Senator ... Ezra's mother ... why would she call us? Why are we here?" Casey Welles asked with a puzzled frown. Nettie shook her head, frowning as she concentrated on the road. It wasn't that she objected to her niece's questions ... Casey wasn't asking anything that Nettie herself hadn't asked herself. But Nettie had been unable to come up with any answers for the girl.
She had received a call from Ezra Standish's mother the previous night. The woman had been very mysterious, telling her that to follow her directions, and meet a woman named 'Josephine Tanner' at the Estrellita Motel within twenty-four hours. This had something to do with Nettie's boy, she knew that right now. Mrs. Standish had outright admitted that this Josephine Tanner was Vin's aunt. And she had information that she thought Nettie might want about her surrogate son.
Nettie had immediately packed bags for herself and her niece, left a message on Adriana's machine to cancel their dinner, then set out. She picked her niece up at college, mentally thanking God that Casey didn't have classes the following day, then they headed down to Texas. That had been eighteen hours earlier. Casey had driven for ten hours, while Nettie slept and rested, then switched back. They were approaching the Estrellita now, and Nettie could feel her unease rise once more. What was she doing? She loved Vin like her own child, that was why she was here, but why was she trusting Maude Standish?
Because Nettie's instincts, which had guided her so well for all these years, told her that she would never forgive herself if she didn't meet with Josephine Tanner. She knew very little of Vin's early life, only what he had told her. She knew that she reminded Vin of his mother, dead for more than twenty years now. But that, she had figured out on her own. She didn't know what Julia Tanner looked like, but she imagined the woman had either dark blonde hair or maybe red hair ... bright blue eyes, and a smile that dimmed the stars. Like her son. True, Vin could have inherited his coloring from his father ... whoever that was ... but the lingering image in Nettie's mind was of a lovely woman with dark blonde hair and blue eyes.
"There it is, Aunt Nettie. And look ... there are three women in the parking lot. Do you think one of them is Vin's aunt?" Casey asked. Nettie had told her niece the little she knew, but of course, that wasn't enough for Casey. No, Casey was an investigator through and through. She wanted to know how Maude had come by her information, she wanted to know everything about Josephine Tanner. If she was worthy to be the aunt to one of the finest men they both knew.
Nettie didn't know, but she figured those three women were as good a place to start as any. She steered toward the trio, carefully pulling the car to a stop beside the woman who seemed to be the leader. She was relatively young, maybe forty-five years old. Vin was twenty-seven, so it wasn't unthinkable for this woman to be his aunt. She straightened up, regarding Nettie's car with calm brown eyes. She had shoulder-length dark blonde hair. Maybe brown hair which had been bleached by the sun?
Never mind that now. Nettie unbuckled herself and nodded to Casey. The aunt and niece got out of the car and approached the other women. When she looked at the two younger women, Nettie received a shock. The youngest of the trio, she had seen before. She was much younger than the other two, maybe twenty-five or twenty-six. It took her a moment to figure out where she had seen the girl, then she said, "Carly Tucker. You were Adriana's roommate."
Unexpectedly, a beautiful smile appeared on the girl's face as she replied, "That's right! Aunt Josie, do you know this lady?" She was addressing the first woman, who was evidently Josephine Tanner. Aunt Josie? Was this girl kin to Vin, then? Nettie looked at the first woman, looked at Josephine Tanner, then looked at the middle woman. She looked to be in her forties, maybe two or three years younger than Josephine Tanner.
"Maude told me that you would be coming. Nettie Welles, and this would have to be your niece Casey. I'm Josie ... this is my niece Carly, and my younger sister, Jessica," Josephine Tanner replied. Nettie shook hands with the woman, liking the strong grip and the steady eyes. It was easy to believe this woman was Vin's aunt. While there was little physical resemblance, aside from the dark blonde/light brown hair, Nettie could see a lot of Vin in this woman.
Josie Tanner continued, "Mrs. Welles, I asked Maude to contact you when she mentioned your name, because I realized that you love my nephew very much. What I have to tell you ... it has the capacity to hurt Vin deeply, and I want someone who knows and loves Vin, someone he trusts, to be there when we finally tell him." Nettie stared hard at the woman, then looked at the young girl and younger woman.
Carly's sunny smile had disappeared, to be replaced with anxiety. And Jessica looked ... Guilty? Yes, she looked guilty. Nettie's blood ran cold. Carly said slowly, "Aunt Josie, you're scaring me. I understand that finding out I'm his twin sister might shake up Vin ... but you don't really believe I'd ever hurt him, do you?" Sister????? Vin had a twin sister?????? Nettie looked at her niece.
Casey looked just as shocked, but muttered, "Can we say, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, boys and girls?" Nettie swatted her niece's behind. There would be none of that!
"I think we should take this inside ... I'm sorry, Carly, I didn't mean to upset you. Mrs. Welles, Carly's motel room is this way," Josie Tanner said. Carly nodded, still looking worried. She was Vin's twin sister. Nettie supposed in a way, that made Carly her own child. And once she got past the pale blonde hair, she could see resemblance to Vin. The bright eyes, the strong jawline. Yes, there were similarities.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Welles, I didn't mean to blurt that out. I had never told Vin or Adriana that I was Vin's sister. In fact, I found out about it accidentally myself, and could never figure out how to tell him. And you know how it is, the longer you go without telling someone, the harder it becomes," Carly Tucker said contritely, glancing over her shoulder as she led them into her motel room. Nettie reached out her hand and gently squeezed the girl's shoulder.
"Don't worry yourself, honey, but you're right. It's gonna be hard on Vin, finding out that he had kin, when he thought he was all alone in the world. Who raised ya? I didn't know that Vin's ma had any sisters, much less two of 'em. No offense, Ms. Tanner, but if you're Vin's aunt, why didn't ya raise him after his ma died when he was so young?" Nettie asked as the women entered Carly's room.
Josie closed the door behind them, answering, "It's a fair question. If I had been here in the States, instead of ... overseas, in a dangerous part of the world, I would have taken him. If I had known that the woman who was supposed to take him had no intention of carrying out her promise to our dying sister, I would have flown back to the States immediately. But I didn't know until I got home."
At this, Carly glowered at the third member of the group, Jessica. She cast her eyes down onto the floor. Jessica, evidently, was the sister whom Julia had asked to take care of Vin. Josie continued, "But my dear youngest sister chose to abandon Vin, and instead, tried to lie to our parents about it. Truth, however, has a nasty habit of way of coming out, whether we want it to or not." Now there was a warning tone in her voice, a note which had Carly shifting uneasily.
Jessica spoke for the first time, warning softly, "This is family business, Josie, and these woman have nothing to do with it." Wrong thing to say. Josie's brown eyes frosted over, and Carly moved closer to Nettie. As if her two aunts were scaring her ... or was one of them her mother? Nettie didn't know, but she did know that the young girl was worried about what was happening. She looked just as confused as Nettie felt.
"She's family, Jessica Persis, whether you like it or not. She loves Vin like her own son, and that makes her family. Now. I'm giving you one last chance to atone, Jessica, and if you don't start by telling the truth, then I will," Josie hissed. She had gotten right up in Jessica's face, and Nettie put one arm around Carly, the other arm around Casey.
"Aunt Josie, you're scaring me. What don't I know yet? What hasn't Aunt Jessica ... Mother ... what don't I know?" Carly asked. Nettie tightened her grasp on the young blonde. She had only just met this girl, but she was Vin's sister. She loved him just as much as Nettie and Casey did. That was all Nettie had to know.
Josie looked at her younger sister with a challenging 'Well?' look. Jessica just looked away again. A mixture of anger, disappointment, and fear crossed Josie's face. But she walked away from her sister, who in turn walked to the door, leaning against it. Josie walked to Carly's side and knelt in front of the young woman. She took her hands, saying, "I never wanted to be the one who told you this, honey. I always ... damn. I've known for a long time that it might be necessary. That's the other reason I wanted Mrs. Welles here. I wanted moral support from someone who loves Vin as much as I do."
Josie dropped her head, still holding Carly's hands, then looked up once more into her niece's bright eyes. She whispered, "You know I love you, don't you? You know that if it was within my power, I would have ... you and Vin would have been the center of my world? I have myself to blame for not getting to know you until you were eighteen ... I was so angry with your mother. I couldn't stand to look at her, not after she abandoned Vin."
"I know, Aunt Josie. That's the one thing that's been a constant in my life, is knowing how much you love me. And Vin will understand, too. Once he remembers you, and remembers how much you loved him, finding everything out will be a lot easier on him. I just wish I could have known Aunt Julia ... I mean, Mama. The way Gramma and Grandpa used to talk about her, I always thought she must have been really special," Carly replied, smiling tenderly.
Josie gave a half-sob and shook her head. She whispered, "Oh, baby. Carly, honey, that's what makes this so hard. Julia was your aunt, not your mother. Julia Tanner, my older sister, raised Vin, but she didn't give birth to him. Or to you. She was going to college, was in her junior year, when you and your brother were conceived. Julia was studying to become a psychologist. Study the wonders of the mind." This was said with an affectionate smile.
"I don't understand," Carly stammered. But Nettie did. She understand. When Josie had said, 'my older sister,' she had figured it out. Everything fell into place at that point. The tension between the two sisters. Josie's references to her sister making things right, starting with telling the truth. Her fear that Vin would get hurt. Oh, Nettie understood perfectly, even if Josie, and Julia's, niece did not.
That was why she said softly, "How old were you, Jessica? Sixteen, seventeen, when your babies were born? You could barely handle one baby, much less two, so it was decided that your older sister would take your son. And then when Julia died ... for whatever reason ... you left your son where he was." She could see the truth in Josie's eyes, the mixture of guilt and sorrow. And it was Josie, not Jessica, who very softly whispered, 'Yes,' into the now-silent room.
Nettie bowed her head, trying desperately to maintain her own composure. There was rage here, rage and sorrow, grief and love. The woman who had given birth to him had abandoned Vin. She could understand the first time. Jessica had been just a child herself. But the second time ... the second time, that was something else. There was one other emotion surging through Nettie. Gratitude that, if only for five years, Vin had had Julia ... his true mother, if not his biological one.
It was a preternatural silence which settled in the motel room, among the five women, after Nettie Welles spoke. Josie looked at her niece's face ... Carly was in shock. It had been bad enough for the girl, when she had learned that Jessica had abandoned five year old Vin after Julia's death. Josie still blamed herself ... she should have pushed Jessica into telling her daughter, and son, the truth years ago.
She should have ... The silence was shattered by a growled, "You bitch!" Josie's head snapped up, but the growl hadn't come from her niece. Carly was still in shock. Rather, it came from the dark-haired young woman on Nettie's other side, Nettie's niece Casey. The girl rose to her feet, glaring at Jessica all the while, and snarled once more, "You self-centered little bitch! You don't deserve to be Vin's mother!"
Josie released her niece's hands, intending to intercept Casey Welles, an intent shared with Nettie Welles. Casey was fuming, "I don't believe you. I have friends, who are married, who have been married for years, and trying to have babies for years. They would make great parents. And you ... you have two children. And you don't deserve either of them! I don't even know Carly, and I know you don't deserve her!"
Her hands were clenched at her sides, as if she was struggling to keep from swinging her fists. Josie wasn't the only one who thought that, evidently. Because a quiet voice said from behind Casey, "Don't. If anyone gets to take a swing at her, I get first dibs. She's lied to me and my brother all these years." Casey turned as Carly rose to her feet. But rather than backing down, really, Casey just glowered at Jessica. However, her posture was that of someone backing up another friend ... not someone who intended to start a fight.
Josie stepped quietly out of Carly's way. She knew that she would get blasted, sooner or later, but right now, Carly's attention was on the woman who had raised her. Sort of. Carly wiped away her tears, sniffing ever so slightly, and whispered, "Do you have any idea how much I want to hate you, Mother? For the years of not knowing I had a brother? For the years of having to keep the truth from him, once I found him? I want to hate you so much. But I can't, because I have nothing left. I can't feel anything, Mother."
Carly shook her head, tears once more streaming down her face, and continued, "Except when I think about Vin. When I think about that little boy ... alone and afraid, after the only family he had died. I can feel then. I feel anger ... and sorrow ... and guilt. When I think about that child, abandoned by his mother twice! I can feel then. I could have forgiven you for lying to me. But Vin? What did Vin ever do wrong? Aside from being born?"
Jessica turned to face Carly, but the girl wasn't finished yet. She continued, her voice barely audible over the tears she was fighting, "He told me a little about his life after Aunt Julia died, Mother. He told me about the foster homes, about going from migrant family to migrant family. About never being in one place to learn much of anything, except how to protect his body and his heart. And there were other things. Things he couldn't tell me, but I knew anyhow. Because I saw it in his eyes, and knew he had survived things no child, no adult, should ever have to survive. Do you have any idea what you did to him? Any idea at all?"
By now, Josie couldn't have spoken if she tried. She listened, and felt tears running down her own cheeks. This was just as much her own fault as it was Jessica's. She could have taken Vin. Maybe she had been selfish as well. Maybe she could have spared her nephew those years of hell. And maybe, she should have told her niece everything from the beginning. But her father had begged her to give Jessica a chance to do the right thing.
That was what gave her the strength to speak now. She whispered, wiping away her own tears, "It's my fault, too, Carly. I should have let you tell Vin the truth a long time ago, and I should have told you the whole truth long before." Her niece turned to face her, and Josie continued, answering the question before it could be asked, "Your grandfather believed that if I didn't speak up ... if I forced your mother to take responsibility, she would do the right thing. I should have done it myself."
"No, Aunt Josie. This isn't your fault. I don't blame you. And I don't blame Grandpa, because he was right. It was Mother's responsibility to tell me, it was always her responsibility. Vin and I were her responsibility. Not yours, not Gramma's, not Grandpa's, not Aunt Julia's. It was hers. But it still hurts so much! I know it's not your fault, but it still hurts!" Carly wailed. Josie hesitated for a brief moment. But only for a moment. Then she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her niece, finding herself caught in an equally fierce embrace.
Carly whispered, her tears wet against Josie's blouse, "You didn't abandon Vin, Aunt Josie, I know you would have taken him if it was safe. It isn't just the lies. It's knowing that Vin grew up alone, when I was surrounded with family. It's knowing that I had a brother, that I have a brother, who survived by his wits. Because his own mother didn't give a damn about him, didn't care enough to come for him, to fulfill a promise. He became a bounty hunter when he was only a teenager, did you know that?"
Josie smiled weakly against her niece's hair, replying, "I know. And I'm so proud of him. But I should have told you, baby, and I'm so sorry for that. I hadn't even gone into the military when the two of you were born, it wouldn't have any trouble at all. It may have been hard, but I could have done it. Julia could have kept her dreams, and when you and Vin were old enough, maybe fifteen, I would have told you the truth."
Carly pulled back and released Josie at the same time, cupping Josie's face in her hands. She whispered, "I know, Aunt Josie. I know you would have. And I should be very angry with you. But you know, all I really care about now, is getting to my brother." Josie nodded, pulling her niece back in her arms She wanted that, too. She wanted to see her nephew, and though she knew she wouldn't be able to see him ... she knew a few things about the Stargate program, she did have a letter which Julia had written for Vin.
"That reminds me," Nettie Welles said quietly, "what about Vin? I don't know how much you ladies know about what he does. I don't know a lot, and neither does Casey, but I do know he's getting ready to leave on one of his expeditions. Are you all coming along?" Carly nodded, resting her head on Josie's shoulder. The former sergeant felt her niece sigh quietly. The confrontation and the secrets revealed had taken its toll on Carly.
And it wasn't even over yet. Because there were more revelations to come. Revelations which Jessica would have to make herself, because no one but the youngest Tanner sister knew who had fathered her twins. The only other person who might have known (aside from the man himself) had carried the secret with her to her grave. Julia, more than likely, knew that. But she had never told Josie. And it was time they left ... they had a long journey ahead.
The world had gone mad. At least, JD's part of the world, his world, had gone mad. First, there had been the attack on Vin in the corridors. Then there was the encounter with Dr. O'Shea, soon after. And then there was Chris. JD shook his head, unable to make sense of his and Buck's confrontation with the colonel. It was almost as if Chris thought Vin deserved the attack. But that made no sense ... Vin had been minding his own business when Richmond attacked him earlier.
True, he didn't know much about the past, when Vin had known Charlotte and Will Richmond in Texas, but it was the now that mattered, wasn't it? Buck had been as stunned as JD when Chris had responded, "Maybe Vin should stay away from the lady Dr. Richmond." Huh? What had JD missed? He knew that Chris was under a lot of stress, between the suspected traitor, and dealing with Dr. Richmond ... the male one ... but it still made no sense. JD shook his head again, heading back to check on his equipment.
As he passed a shaded area, he heard a soft whimper and JD spun around, his hand automatically going to his pistol. But all he found was Mindy and Adriana. It had been Mindy whom he had heard softly whining. Adriana was kneeling beside her dog, her forehead resting against Mindy's side. JD started to walk away, but his eyes caught Mindy's. Swallowing hard, the cartographer said very softly, "Adriana?"
Her head jerked up and she blinked, as if he had awakened her. That wasn't what caused his breath to catch in his throat. She had been crying. JD couldn't have walked away now even if he had wanted to. Like Buck, he couldn't stand to see a woman crying. He just couldn't deal with that. He sank to his knees beside the archaeologist and whispered, "Adriana, what's wrong? Are you all right?"
She brushed away her tears with a fake smile, one which every woman JD had ever known seemed to have when she was miserable and trying to convince everyone that she was fine. JD had seen that kind of smile countless times on his mother's face in the last few years of her life, particularly when she felt guilty about the amount of time JD was taking care of her, instead of having fun. She had been so happy for the time he spent with her, taking care of her, and felt so guilty for it.
Thinking of his mother now, JD said softly, "Don't try to tell me that you're fine. I know you're not. I know we haven't always gotten along, but not even when you were talking about ... before ... did I ever see you cry. Tell me what's wrong, Adriana, and I'll do my best to help." She stared at him, as if trying to decide if she could trust him. No, trust wasn't the right word. She was ... assessing ... him.
At last, she said hoarsely, "I went home, to get my stuff together. I had left my expedition backpack there when we got back from Virginia ... I can be pretty absent-minded at times." JD nodded ... Chris had mentioned that to him. That she had gone home to retrieve her own equipment, though JD had noticed she could be absent-minded at times. It was actually less a matter of being absent-minded, and more about being distracted. They had walked into yet another crisis when they returned to their base.
Adriana continued in a steadier voice, "I got back, after talking to General Hammond, and brought Mindy with me. I didn't have anyone to dog-sit her. Anyhow, I got back, and once I got through the security checkpoints, I ran into Charlotte. And she told me about the ... about Will attacking Vin earlier. She saw him hitting Vin. I had never seen her so angry, JD. I'd known her for a long time before I met Vin, and she had never been that angry with Will before. You know she actually decked him for attacking Vin?"
Charlotte had seen the attack? Oh, this could get very ugly. And he decided that while Dr. Will Richmond was a loudmouth, Dr. Charlotte Richmond was far more dangerous. Best not to get on her bad side. Adriana continued with a sigh, "I was stupid, then. I was gonna walk on by. I swore to myself I wouldn't get into it with Will. So, what do I do? I confronted him about it. I don't know what's happened to him, JD. I don't know that man."
She shook her head, her dark hazel eyes filled with hurt and confusion. JD asked, moving from Mindy's side to sit beside Adriana against the wall, "What did he say to you, Adriana? I can tell it hurt you, but what did he say?" Adriana turned her head and looked at him once more. Mindy went to Adriana's other side and sank gracefully to the ground, resting her head in the lap of her mistress.
"He told me that it was partly my fault Vin wouldn't stay away from Charlotte. He said that everyone knew I was Vin's girl, and if ... if Vin was getting any from me, he wouldn't have been around Charlotte so much. I don't know why it hurt so much when he said it. Vin and I, we've never said that we're a couple. Will has always known that, but he's always called me Vin's girl, so he could convince himself that Vin wasn't a threat," Adriana said softly.
Years ago, shortly after Adriana had first joined the SGC, she and JD had clashed. JD had taken her surprise when he had never heard of the movie Dune to be condescension, and when Buck wouldn't shut up about his lack of education, had lashed out at Adriana. Ezra had taken him aside and ripped him a new asshole. JD had responded by accusing Ezra of wanting to get into Adriana's pants. Listening to the archaeologist now, JD had a glimmer of how angry Ezra must have been with him that day. It was the stupidest thing JD had ever heard in his life, just as stupid as his accusation to Ezra.
Especially since everyone knew that while they cared for each other deeply, Vin and Adriana weren't an item. Sure, JD figured they would get together eventually, and he often teased Vin about his girl ... but he knew they weren't an item. Not yet, at least. You would have thought that knowing the pair for as long as he had, Will Richmond would have clicked into that fact years earlier.
Maybe he has, a voice inside JD's head murmured. Maybe he has, and he's deliberately trying to drive Adriana away. He looked triumphant, after Buck warned him that they would be watching over Charlotte. Maybe that's exactly what he wants to do ... he wants Adriana to turn against him. But why? What kind of game is he playing, that he doesn't want any allies, and why can't I shake the feeling that this is tied up in the traitor thing going on?
JD looked up at Adriana and said softly, "Listen to me, Drina. I think Dr. Richmond is up to something. Listen." She looked at him, frowning, and JD explained everything he had seen during the confrontation in the corridor, including his encounter with Dickie O'Shea while he was heading to his room. JD concluded, "I may be wrong, but it seems that Dr. Richmond is deliberately pushing us to look after Charlotte, and he may be trying to do the same thing."
Adriana was silent for several moments, then said, "And to make sure he accomplished whatever he meant to, Will hit where he knew it would hurt most. Damn, how could I have been so stupid? I let him play me like a goddamn violin ... I swore I would never allow another man to do that again!" JD guessed she was referring to her father and the horrible way he had used her for all those years after her mother's death.
He said softly, "You trusted him, Adriana. The thing is, he's doing this for a reason. He's setting things in motion, but I can't figure out why. My gut tells me that this has to do with the traitor, but I can't figure out how. It's just a little too strange, you know? First, both SG-1 and SG-7 are assigned to take care of this wagon train, as Mary keeps calling it. Then, your friend Dr. Richmond gets all ugly when he sees his wife reuniting with two friends she hasn't seen in five years. You see what I'm saying?"
"Yeah, I do. It's all happening at once, and Chanu's father Koje always used to tell me that all things are connected. I didn't think he meant it this literally, though," Adriana muttered. JD suppressed a smile. He had heard Josiah, Vin, and Chanu discussing Chanu's father. He hoped to meet the man someday. Adriana returned her attention to JD, sighing, "Okay. I say we sit down and start writing things out. Does Vin know?"
"I'm not sure. I left him in the infirmary, with Janet looking him over. There's something else you need to know. Chris is acting weird," JD replied. He explained his and Buck's confrontation with the colonel. To his surprise, Adriana merely nodded thoughtfully ... a marked change from her brother's outrage. JD asked slowly, "This doesn't surprise you, does it?" She shook her head, and he added, "Why not?"
"Because Chris got a letter from his father yesterday, JD," Adriana answered. JD got to his feet, then reached down to help her up. Adriana continued, "When I was a kid, before Buck and Chris were transferred that last time, Chris and I used to talk about fathers. I guess, I was trying to figure out if I was doing something wrong, if I deserved what my father was doing to me. If my father was the norm, or the exception. Anyhow, in the mornings, while we would wait for Buck to get up, Chris would teach me how to cook, and he would tell me about his father. They were really close up until the time Chris was thirteen. I don't know what happened ... but I do know Chris never forgave his father."
"Geez ... and you think this letter has something to do with the way Chris has been acting?" JD asked. Now that he thought about it, it made perfect sense. Chris had been acting strange since the previous day. Hmmm. What had been in that letter? He looked down at Mindy, suddenly remembering something Adriana had said earlier. He asked, "Adriana, you said you couldn't get a dog-sitter for Mindy ... what about Nettie and Casey?"
"Aw hell ... I'm sorry, JD, I meant to tell you. I guess that means you don't know. I found a message on my recorder. Nettie and Casey left suddenly yesterday afternoon. The time on my machine said around five pm yesterday. Something weird is going on with them ... Nettie sounded rattled," Adriana answered as the pair began walking down the hall. JD shook his head ... come again? Not even when they were facing off with Guy Royal had JD seen the tough old lady rattled. Adriana distracted JD from his worries by asking, "I've got one other favor to ask ... mind not telling Chris that I told you he taught me how to cook. You know how Chris is, and I'd really rather not end up with a razor at my throat."
"Hell, Drina, if he does that, you could just kick him in the balls again!" JD teased, and was rewarded with a grin and quick bob of her head. JD added, "But you got my word. Not a word to Chris about our conversation. Wanna go check on Vin, and then we'll put our heads together, and figure out what the hell is going on?" This met with agreement from his companion, and the two humans, plus the dog, set out for the infirmary.