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.
If this had been three years ago, Chris Larabee would have hit the bottle as soon as he heard from Buck and JD about Will Richmond's attack on Vin. But this wasn't three years ago. It wasn't even six months ago. It was now. And Chris had no idea what he would do, because that damn letter from his father had thrown everything he had believed for the last three years into upheaval. Jack didn't know him well enough to realize that ... but Buck did.
People, including Chris himself, often made the mistake of underestimating Buck. The man could tear away the walls with a few selected words. Chris had been in denial for the last day, and shutting everyone out. Including Mary, though he had done a good job of hiding that.
He remembered the way they had all been joking around at breakfast before Charlotte Richmond had arrived. By that time, Chris had been able to push his father's letter out of his mind, pretending as if he had never received it. And then, the female archaeologist had made her appearance, bringing all of the colonel's doubts back. All of his fears. Because he had seen the look in Vin's eyes when the woman spoke, when his best friend had heard her voice.
Was it possible that Vin was still attracted to the woman? She obviously still cared a great deal for him ... but then she had hugged Adriana with equal ferocity. She hadn't seen either of them in five years, and had evidently been very worried when Vin had disappeared. There was her husband's reaction ... he had been jealous. Was there a reason for him to still be jealous? Chris shook his head.
Damn Buck. Jack had at least left him with some of his shields. He had convinced Jack, and himself, that he wasn't sure he could trust Vin, because his best friend, and Adriana, were obviously keeping something from him. But Buck had ripped that away, and laid the truth bare. Chris had let his father's letter get to him. Was making him doubt a man who had never, in the three years they had worked together, let him down.
That had enraged Buck, as he growled at Larabee, "Dammit, Chris, that boy has never let us down, never done anything but watch our backs. Yeah, I wasn't too sure about him at first, but he proved himself a hundred times over. And now, because your old man is making noise again, you're starting to doubt him? Because a jealous husband is that insecure about his wife, you're doubting him? What's wrong with you?"
What's wrong with you? That was the crux of the matter, wasn't it? Things which ordinarily, Chris could have brushed off, including the Richmonds, including Vin and Adriana's whispered consultation ... now seemed to mean everything. The most stable thing in his life, one of his constants ... had been shaken, and Chris had no idea how to deal with it. He was afraid to ask Vin. Imagine that. He was afraid of hearing the truth, one way or the other.
If Buck and the others were right, then he would probably insult Vin for doubting him. And if his father was right ... Chris closed his eyes tightly. Without prompting, he reviewed the letter in his mind. "I've followed your career, son. I don't know what you do in Cheyenne Mountain, but I do know of your associates. I've had friends who tell me that you drink with a young man from Texas. Vin Tanner is not who you think he is, son."
Vin Tanner isn't who you think he is. Without warning, he was thrown back two years, a few months before Adriana had arrived. He had gone into Mary's office, searching for the captain. Instead, he had found a piece of paper ... a poem. Written by Vin. "I'm not the way they see me ... not who they think I am." The words which had broken Larabee's heart, now sent chills down his spine.
What did his father mean, Vin wasn't who he thought he was? They had done a thorough background check on his friend before he and General Hammond had gone to speak with him, to invite him to join the SGC. And the military was highly thorough in this case.
Was it possible his father didn't think Chris knew about Vin's bounty hunter days? That could be it. Evan Larabee had been, for lack of a better word, a prude. It wasn't the right word, but it would do for the moment. He was unlikely to approve of his son being friends with a bounty hunter, a profession which Evan considered anything but honorable and noble. However, he had lost all credibility with Chris for being honorable when he had left for a year, when Chris was thirteen.
It hadn't just been that he left ... it was that he had left without warning, except a note. A note saying he couldn't handle his mundane life anymore. The man had a mid-life crisis, and nearly destroyed his family. He had broken Pegeen Larabee's heart, and for that, Chris had never truly forgiven his father. When Evan returned, contrite, Pegeen had taken several months before she would allow him to move back in. She had been burned once, and in the year her husband had been away, Pegeen had learned a great deal about herself.
And Chris had learned a great deal about women. Once upon a time, he had been his father's constant companion, but in that year while his father was gone, he had gotten to know his mother ... and the relationship they built up in that year remained strong through his tumultuous teenage years. She had been the one person Chris talked with after Sarah and Adam were taken from him ... he had even told her about meeting Vin.
Chris smiled now, remembering his conversations with his mother. Pegeen had been so happy for him ... she loved Buck, she always had, but Pegeen had immediately realized how important Vin was to Chris. She would never put it that way ... she was a smart woman. And when he admitted that Vin had done things in his life, though not the sorts of things Chris had in the military, Pegeen had answered, "That's the way of life, son. But if this young man was willing to stand up to a bunch of bullies, for a man he didn't even know ... that tells me more about him than anything else."
Wasn't that what Chris was forgetting now? His father's letter had caused him to doubt Vin, and why? Why should he trust his father over a man who had never betrayed him, never let him down ... never been anything but his friend and ally? The brother Chris had always desired? What was wrong with him? Yes, Chris still felt that Vin and Adriana were keeping something from him. It might be something important ... but it might not be.
It seemed like everything was piling together at once. The traitor. The rising tension due to the sabotage of that traitor. Will and Charlotte Richmond, and their marital problems Richmond's attack on Vin. His father's letter. Chris swallowed hard, gently touching the picture of Sarah and Adam which he kept on his desk. He whispered, "What do I do, babe? How do I force the traitor out into the open, before someone gets hurt?"
And he had his answer. Sometimes, you could use a loss of trust to your advantage. He wanted answers before he went ahead with his plan, but he knew where to get those answers. Chris quietly prayed that the members of his team could forgive him for what he was about to do, but he had given himself the perfect tool for smoking this bastard ... or bitch ... out. Or rather, his father had.
Chris picked up his phone and dialed security, asking, "Has Dr. Wilmington returned to the base? She did? Very good. No, that won't be necessary, I can find her myself. Thanks. Bye." Chris hung up. He had a pretty good idea where she would be. Despite her, and Vin's, protestations, people continued to regard her as Vin Tanner's lady. Someone would have told her about the attack ... so she would be on her way to the infirmary.
Vin wasn't in the infirmary ... Janet had released him to his quarters, JD and Adriana learned. The pair decided that they would meet there ... Adriana still needed to stop off at her own quarters, and drop off the backpack she was still carrying. However, before she did that, she wanted to talk to Janet. She had told JD some of what was troubling her, but not all of it. Not enough. And, Adriana had realized, she needed to get it out. Maybe then, she could make sense of her crazy emotions.
She lifted Mindy into her arms once more, drawing a protesting whine from the collie. Mindy didn't like being picked up. She always tensed up when Adriana picked her up, for some reason. But as Adriana settled her on a bed, Mindy relaxed. The archaeologist murmured, "Sorry, girl. Didn't mean to scare you." The collie licked her hand and face in response, and Adriana continued, "Stay, okay?" With her dog settled for now, Adriana turned back to Janet.
She asked slowly, "Is there anything you needed to do? I mean, are you busy?" Janet looked around the empty infirmary, then turned her attention back to Adriana and shook her head. Adriana continued, "I ... need ... to talk to someone. It may take a while, 'cause I have a lot to say. I know what I want to say, but I don't know how to say it. If it makes any sense at all." By answer, Janet took her hand and led her into her office. She pushed Adriana into her chair beside the computer, then sat on the desk.
"Probably the only time I'll ever be taller than you," Janet said with an impish grin, and Adriana laughed. The pair were the same height at five feet two, though Adriana looked taller in her boots. Janet continued, her brown eyes growing serious, "Now. Tell me what's bothering you, Adriana. I know you're not worried about Vin's immediate well-being, because you know me well enough to know I wouldn't have released him."
Adriana nodded and said, "I ... like I said, I don't know how to say this. Everything is a mess. I got into it with Will, and he said some pretty nasty things. I suppose it's not much worse than what he used to say, without thinking. And that's not even what's bothering me. What bothers me, what scares me, is my reaction. I wanted to kill him, Janet. If not kill him, then hurt him very, very badly. Words wound, but never like this."
Janet studied her face for several moments, then asked quietly, "This was about Vin, wasn't it?" Adriana dipped her head in acknowledgment. The doctor took a deep breath, then went on, "I'm gonna ask your some questions. I know you've been seeing a therapist, and that's great. Especially since I've noticed you becoming more comfortable with touch. But I know that when you let down your guard, it makes it more difficult to control your anger."
Again, Adriana nodded, and Janet said, "You've got nearly twenty years worth of rage locked up inside, and you've been slowly releasing it. Little by little, in ways that you don't even realize. Last week, when you told Buck about your father breaking your water globe collection, when you repeated the story for those of us who didn't hear it ... some of it got out then. The thing is, I think you're trying to talk yourself into thinking your reaction to whatever Will Richmond said to you is solely due to those twenty years of suppressed anger."
Ow ... bullseye. Adriana stated softly, "And you don't think that's the case." Janet shook her head from side to side. The archaeologist looked away, murmuring, "It's so much easier if that's true, you know. I'm finally admitting to myself that I have a right to be angry. My father molested me after my mother's death. And my mother ... I can't remember her ever showing me the slightest bit of affection. And lately, it's been occurring to me that my father killed her ... or knows who did. He never came to my room for late night visits until after she died."
She spat the words out, as if they made her sick. And they did. Janet said softly, "And all of that is reason enough for you to be angry. But this is different, Adriana. This was personal. This was direct. I don't know what Richmond said to you, and after what I've heard today from Vin, Major Wilmington, and JD, I don't think I want to know. But I do know you. To the best of my knowledge, you've only lashed out at someone once, and that was Nathan. When Vin was hurt so badly." Adriana lowered her eyes, remembering the incident.
Janet went on, "So, that leaves me with just one question." Adriana looked up at her friend, who asked softly, "Tell me the truth, Drina. Have you always been attracted to Vin? Oh, I know, you two are friends, not a couple. I know you aren't Vin's lady, regardless of what people say. That's not what I'm asking you. I'm asking, have you always been attracted to Vin?" And then, there it was. Out in the open. Where Adriana couldn't hide from it.
"Yes," she breathed. Adriana closed her eyes, her fingers weaving together in her lap, and continued, "I always buried it. But I was always aware of him. Goddess, Janet, how could I not be? But I was afraid. If I admitted that I was attracted to him, if I admitted what kinds of feelings I got, just from looking at him ... just from seeing his smile ... what would I do? I mean, to our friendship?" She opened her eyes and looked at the chief medical officer, explaining, "I was afraid, Janet, and I'm still afraid. I'm afraid of ruining my friendship with him, and I'm afraid I'm not enough of a woman for him. He deserves someone stronger than me, someone better."
She started to say more, but Janet hushed her with her fingers pressed to Adriana's lips. The doctor said in a very quiet voice, her brown eyes ablaze, "Now you listen to me, Adriana Kathleen. I'll tell you what Vin Tanner deserves. He deserves a woman who will stand at his side, who will watch his back." Adriana started to speak around the fingers, but Janet shook her head. She wasn't finished with Adriana quite yet, it seemed.
The doctor continued, "He deserves a woman who will hold him when he needs comforting, and a woman who will back away when he has to fight alone. Things you do for him, which I've seen you do, every day. Yes, you're still healing from what your parents did to you. But you are healing. So don't ever try to tell me again that you're not good enough for Vin."
She removed her fingers and Adriana said softly, "I don't want him to get hurt, because of me. What if my father does come back?" Janet frowned and Adriana continued with difficulty, "The morning before I left for school, the day he broke all of my water globes ... he told me that I was his, and I was to never forget that. He vowed to destroy anyone who tried to take me from him, and that included me. Janet, what if he realizes how I feel about Vin, and goes after him?" That was another part of her fear. Did she have the right to subject Vin to that sort of danger?
Janet said quietly, "Then your father will have to deal with both SG-7 and SG-1. People make a great deal about Vin's relationship with Colonel Larabee, just as they make a great deal about JD's relationship with your brother. Understandably so. But your brother, JD, Dr. Sanchez, Nathan, and Ezra would all lay down their lives for Vin. Just as Colonel O'Neill, Sam, Teal'c, and Daniel would do the same. And that's not counting all the people whose lives Vin has touched over the years. I won't tell you not to be afraid. You have every right to be worried. But don't let your fear force you to drive Vin away. He deserves better than that, Drina."
All of which was true. But Adriana still wasn't ready to admit more than attraction, more than what she currently had with Vin. And they did have a wonderful friendship. There was one other thing, something which came out of that fear. She looked at Janet, asking softly, "What if he doesn't feel the same about me? What ... I mean, wouldn't I be wrong, saddling him with a terrible burden? Wouldn't I be selfish, if I told him, and he didn't feel that way?"
Janet chose her words carefully, answering, "If we were talking about anyone but Vin, I'd say 'maybe.' There are some men who can't handle knowing that a friend has stronger feelings for them. But we're talking about Vin. I don't know a lot about his background, but I do know he didn't have a happy life when he was younger, after his mother died. Vin will not reject love, coming from anyone. Much less someone whom he has known for eight years."
Love. Adriana cringed away from the word. She wasn't ready to hear that word, wasn't ready to speak the word, wasn't ready to think it. She said softly, "You've given me a lot to think about, Janet ... thanks. And thanks for listening. I need to find JD ... we gotta figure out what's going on with ... everything." She waved a hand, trying to articulate the way everything had been going to hell in a handbasket in such a short amount of time. And they hadn't even left the base yet. That was the scary part.
"You're welcome. And Drina, things will work. You just gotta hang on," Janet advised. Adriana nodded and eased herself out of the chair. As she walked away, Janet caught her hand and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. Adriana mouthed, 'thank you' again. Then she went into the main part of the infirmary, to retrieve her dog. Mindy happily jumped down from her perch, and the pair went out into the corridor, heading for Adriana's quarters.
They hadn't gotten but a few steps when Adriana heard, "Little princess, we need to talk." Adriana turned to face Chris, who looked haggard and tense. Adriana realized at least part of the tension come from his father's letter. Plus, she knew he was under a lot of pressure with this new mission. And Senator Kinsey was being an ass again. Or, more likely, as usual. Adriana dipped her head, and Chris said, "I know you and Vin are keeping something from me, about the Richmonds. What is it?"
Even for Chris, it was unusually terse. Adriana looked at her 'big brother' for several moments. Finally, she said, "I don't know what you're talking about, Chris. I know what you know. That's it." She turned to go, but a memory flashed through her mind. Chris watching her and Vin intently while they discussed Charlotte's omission of any children. She turned back to face Chris, adding, "The only thing you might not know is that Charlotte was pregnant the last time Vin and I saw her. She was ... geez, maybe six weeks from her due date."
"She didn't mention any child," Chris stated and Adriana nodded, raising her eyebrows. She didn't have long to wait, as Chris added with a sigh, "That's what you were discussing. You were wondering why she didn't mention a child, and wondering if you should bring it up with her. Goddammit, Larabee!" He ran his hand through his short blond hair, sighing deeply. Adriana merely smiled tightly, then turned away again. She had a mystery to help solve.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I couldn't help myself ... the reference to the Transformers was too perfect. (Autobots, transform and rrrrrrrroll out!)
Over the next day and a half, the two teams finished their preparations for the expedition. When he learned of Will Richmond's attack on Vin Tanner, General Hammond had conducted interviews with both men ... separately. After he had the information he wanted from both men, Hammond warned Richmond that if he attacked any other member of the escort units, he would be removed as leader of the archaeology team.
In private, he asked Vin to be careful. The guide had nodded, saying nothing. 'Be careful' was the only way he knew to say it, without sounding like he didn't trust Vin. There was enough mistrust going on within SG-7 at the moment, Hammond wasn't of a mind to make things worse. He didn't understand what was going on with Colonel Larabee ... nor did General Travis, and Orrin had promised to speak with the man.
He had learned during his conversation with Vin that the young man had no designs on Charlotte Richmond. Yes, he had been attracted to her years earlier, in part because she was lonely and sad. But she wasn't the same person she had been years earlier, just as he wasn't the same person, and she wasn't putting up with her husband's mistreatment of her. She didn't need Vin any more, and Hammond had a feeling that was part of what had attracted the nineteen year old Vin Tanner to Charlotte in the first place.
Listening to the young man's narrative, Hammond found it hard to reconcile the sad, lonely young woman whom Vin was describing with the strong-willed, fiery wife and mother. Hammond had met Charlotte and Will's daughter, Tansy, who would be remaining at the compound, at least until things were settled.
Settled. Now there was the ultimate irony. Hammond didn't think things would ever be settled for the expedition. What had him curious was Charlotte's observation to him ... she had told him that Will didn't want her to speak of Tansy to anyone. Had said it might mean the difference between life and death for their little girl. They had already lost one child, a loss which had nearly destroyed their marriage ... Charlotte couldn't face losing another.
So, she had agreed to keep Tansy a secret from SG-1 and SG-7. For now, but Hammond was sure the mother would also tell both teams in a heartbeat if she thought they could help her protect her child. And truthfully, he didn't blame her for walking the fine line she was ... no matter which way she turned, her child could be in danger. There was the threat of the traitor in the base and the danger of the expedition, even though Katie Whitman was accompanying her father, and Billy Travis had been given permission to accompany his mother.
Now that was a conversation Hammond would have liked to hear. Billy knew very little about the Stargate ... like most eight year olds, he had a hard keeping secrets. But, the little boy had kept a devastating secret for the year after his father's death. And if he knew his old friend, Orrin had taken his small grandson aside for a slight 'man to man' talk, the kind Chris Larabee would have had with the boy under ordinary circumstances.
Larabee. Now there was a man causing a lot of concern to a lot of people. Mary Travis had noticed his odd behavior, and spoken to both her father-in-law and Hammond about it. Both men had noticed it and counseled the widow to just ignore it for now. He was under a lot of pressure, with the expedition, and the traitor, and various other things. Like, Hammond thought grimly, the letter from his father. Damn Evan Larabee!
That had to be the key factor. Hammond had seen Larabee under pressure in the past, and only when his family was directly involved did Larabee lose his cool. And unfortunately, Hammond knew Evan Larabee all too well. They had clashed a number of times over the years, the civilian had been known to make Hammond wonder why exactly he was putting his life, and the life of others, on the line to protect men like that. The general didn't like Larabee, figured that he had to have married a good woman to have produced a son like Chris.
George Hammond didn't know what had been in the letter from the senior Larabee to his son, but he could see its effects. He had a feeling, however, that it had something to do with Vin Tanner, because in the last day and a half, a number of people had noticed a change in the relationship between the two men. The first person who had spoken to Hammond about it was Major Wilmington, who had taken a break from fussing over his sister and JD Dunne to worry about Larabee and Tanner.
There wasn't much any of them could do, however, at least for the moment. The pair had remained professional in their dealing with each other, and the rest of their teams. Which brought them now to the Gate Room. The vehicles had been sent ahead ... the new 'wagons,' Hammond thought, remembering how Mary Travis had started the trend of calling this a wagon train. He couldn't argue with her logic, really. The main difference was, they had no intention of colonizing this world ... just studying it. At least for the moment.
The people were gathered in the Gate Room now, and Hammond winced at the sight of Dr. Wilmington trying to shift her backpack without releasing her sedated dog. He was glad he had told the archaeologist to take Mindy with her. The border collie had gone far in the last few days, in terms of reducing some of the tension. Although, he did think there might have been some unpleasantness at one point.
A second confrontation had occurred between Dr. Wilmington and Will Richmond the previous day, shortly after breakfast. Mindy had taken exception with Richmond's tone when he had spoken to the junior archaeologist. That was all he had been told. However, Hammond knew dogs. He knew what they did to someone who displeased them ... or who had upset their human. He had a pretty good idea what Mindy had done.
He looked down in the Gate Room as Major Wilmington eased his arms around Mindy, taking her from his sister, while Tanner helped the archaeologist shift the backpack straps. Once Dr. Wilmington nodded, the major carefully placed Mindy back into his sister's arms. Hammond looked over at the two colonels. Jack O'Neill signaled they were ready, and Hammond leaned forward, saying, "SG-1, SG-7 ... you have a go. Good luck!"
"Autobots, transform and roll out!" he heard Dr. Wilmington say. Tanner just laughed, and Colonel Larabee turned to glare at her. However, it seemed he remembered that his glare didn't work on her, so he just shook his head and waved the expedition forward. That didn't stop Larabee from muttering into the mic attached to his jacket about archaeologists who watched way too many cartoons from the eighties. And then, they were going through.
Once they were all planet-side, the two teams split up. SG-1 would be covering the back, so they had received a truck. Sam would drive, with Daniel riding shotgun, Jack and Teal'c in the very back. That was fine by Jack. He liked Mary and Billy Travis, but the other civilians got on his nerves, especially Will Richmond. His wife wasn't a problem for Jack ... hell, if Jack didn't have so many problems himself, he probably would have done exactly what the male Richmond kept accusing Vin of doing.
The Richmonds, Dr. Whitman and his daughter, Mary and Billy, and the rest of the expedition teams would be in the center. It was a sign to everyone how badly things had gotten between Chris and Vin that Chris had taken Ezra and taken one side, while Vin was out in front with Adriana. There had been a slight dustup between Vin and Chris before the teams had left, which had culminated in Vin bitterly telling Chris that whatever had happened between him and Charlotte was in the past, and wasn't nobody's business.
That had been bad enough, but Jack had overheard him asking Adriana to ride with him, saying he wanted someone who trusted him watching his back. Chris had heard as well. But his reaction had startled Jack. Instead of looking angry, the other colonel had looked sad. As if he didn't like this wall between himself and his best friend ... which was really funny, since Larabee had been doing his damnedest to build up that wall.
So, Vin and Adriana were out in front, with Mindy still sleeping in Adriana's arms. The sedative would wear off naturally in about an hour, Janet had said. Nathan and Josiah had dropped a little back from Vin and Adriana, and JD and Buck had taken the opposite side of Chris and Ezra. The civilians had been effectively surrounded. In the front of the truck, Jack could hear Sam and Daniel talking.
Daniel said in answer to something Sam had said, which Jack hadn't heard, "It just sounded strange, that's all. You would have thought that Vin would have said something like, I want someone whom I trust to watch my back ... not someone who trusts me." At Jack's side, Teal'c half-turned, so that he could address Daniel and watch out the back of the truck.
"Not so strange, Daniel Jackson," the Jaffa answered. Daniel looked over his shoulder, and Teal'c continued, "Vin Tanner wishes to have at his side someone who trusts him to do his job. Someone who can protect him, without questioning him ... and his ability to do his duty. At the present time, it does not appear likely that Colonel Larabee trusts in his ability to do his duty properly ... making it difficult for him to concentrate on that duty at hand."
"In other words," Jack said, "Vin can't do his job, and worry about Chris trusting him at the same time. He can, but if he tried, he would just get distracted every time Chris questioned his judgment. Which has been happening often these days. He can relax with Adriana ... he knows that she'll watch his back, and that she won't question his commitment to us or the mission." Teal'c inclined his head in agreement, and Jack added, "Besides ... between the old sourpuss and Adriana, who would you choose as a traveling companion?"
He raised a brow questioningly and Teal'c intoned, "Indeed. However, Colonel O'Neill, you seem to have forgotten something very important." Jack looked at his companion, who added, "Colonel Larabee is actually younger than you are." Jack rolled his eyes. That was not the point! Teal'c continued, "You referred to Colonel Larabee as 'old.' However. The colonel has just turned forty-one, which is hardly old."
"Has anyone told him that?" Jack asked. Honestly, there were times when he thought Chris was as old as Bra'tac himself. He looked around at his team, catching the barely hidden grin on Carter's face in the rearview mirror. Jack continued, "I mean, let's think about this, campers. Chris is barely forty-one years old, younger than me. But until last week, when were all on vacation, he was acting like he was at least ten years older."
"Oh, I see what you're saying, and I agree with Teal'c. I don't dislike Colonel Larabee. When he doesn't have his head up his ass, he's a pretty nice guy. And I understand what Teal'c was saying about Vin preferring to have someone who trusts him at his back," Daniel said.
But? And Jack could hear that 'but' in there. Daniel continued, "But it still seemed like a strange way of putting it." Yup, there it was, he knew it was coming. The space monkey still hadn't figured out, even after three years, that Tanner had his own way of expressing himself. And that if you were paying attention, he made perfect sense. The archaeologist continued after a moment, "Just out of curiosity, did anyone notice that Colonel Larabee started acting weird after he got that letter from his dad, a few days ago?"
"Ol' Chris is always weird," Jack said ... he had to say it. He had to. However, he also had to add, a bit begrudgingly, "but yeah, he has been acting weirder than usual, ever since he got that letter. Wilmington ... the major, I mean ... he put his finger on it. Hell, I thought Chris was just getting his knickers in a twist because Vin and Adriana hadn't told him something, when the Richmonds first got here. The guy couldn't seem to get it through his head that maybe, just maybe, it didn't have anything to do with the mission."
"Well, sir, he does have a point. I mean, even if Vin and Adriana didn't realize it was important, it could have been. I don't know what they didn't tell him, but I can certainly see how he could feel they were keeping something important from him," Carter said from the front of the vehicle. She paused, then added, "On the other hand, I do know that Colonel Larabee has been keeping his distance from Adriana during the last few days as well."
"Horse hockey. If it had been important in any way, if it dealt with the mission at all, that boy woulda told Larabee. It's like, duh, what planet is he living on?" Jack asked in true annoyance. Teal'c just looked at him with an amused expression, and the colonel added, "Okay, okay, so I've been spending too much time with Cassie lately, and your point is? Chris is being an idiot! We already have two idiots on this mission, and they're both civilians ... O'Shea and Richmond. We do not need another one, much less the leader of an SG team!"
"That may be the point, O'Neill," Teal'c said suddenly. Jack looked at his friend in confusion, and Teal'c elaborated, "Colonel Larabee is as aware as we of the traitor within the SGC. The last time there was such a traitor, the woman in question nearly cost Vin Tanner his life. Colonel Larabee may have a reason for behaving as he is." A growl could be heard from the front seat. Mentioning Stacy Ferguson around Carter was never a good idea.
The woman was dead now, as dead as the bitch who had physically tried to kill Vin Tanner. But Carter had never forgiven, or forgotten, and Jack knew that would never change. Jack said, trying to distract Carter from the specter of Stacy Ferguson, "Okay, so what you're saying, Teal'c, is that Chris is trying to smoke out the traitor by pretending to turn against his best friend? That's crazy, even for Chris."
"Not crazy, sir, unless you mean crazy like a fox. It's a good plan ... flawed, but it has its merits. If the traitor thinks Colonel Larabee no longer trusts his second in command, this man, or woman, is likely to get sloppy. That's the merit of the plan. The weak point is, even though Colonel Larabee still trusts Vin, he's acting as if he doesn't. Vin's a smart young man, but it's gonna hurt. No matter how he looks at it, Vin will still see that Colonel Larabee doesn't trust him," Carter replied. O'Neill rolled his eyes ... that was exactly what he was saying.
"This is true, Major Carter. However, we must not forget, Colonel Larabee is willing to sacrifice much, if he believes he is protecting his people. That includes creating a problem, where none exists, and facing the consequences. Make no mistake ... there shall be consequences," Teal'c intoned gravely. The Jaffa continued after a moment, after his words sank in, "That is why we must play along with him. If we attempt to circumvent the colonel's plan, we may cause that which we seek to avoid."
Jack hated it when he said things like that. He hated it even more, since he knew Teal'c was right. Aloud, he said, "All right. But if Vin takes it into his head to deck Chris when this is all over, we ain't stoppin' him, that clear?" A chorus of 'yeses' greeted him, and O'Neill muttered, "And if something happens that Vin can't deck Chris for seeming to lose faith in him, then I will!" He would have taken those words back, if he had known how prophetic they were.
For the last two days, Will had been getting the silent treatment from his wife. The full silent treatment ... Charlotte didn't even speak to him when she wanted something from him. Instead, she always found something else to do, then asked someone nearby to 'tell my husband' this, that, or the other thing. It was getting steadily more difficult to hold out against her, especially since she had learned the silent treatment from him.
However, she was far better at it. Where he had been silent to keep the agony of losing their daughter from killing him, she was silent to punish him. He could have lived with her kicking him out of bed. But not speaking to him? Not even making eye contact with him? He would have preferred her decking him again to this. Will was miserable, and for the first time, he understood how she must have felt in those two years before Vin Tanner had entered their lives.
Will glanced at his wife as he drove along behind the guide. She was slumped in her seat, her eyes directed to the passing landscape. It was a beautiful area, wilderness, like the forests and glades of Earth. Charlotte had propped her feet up against the dash, and the wind ruffled her strawberry blonde hair. God, she was beautiful. And little Tansy looked just like her mother. His little angel. Yes, he had to think of Tansy and Charlotte, and remind himself why he was doing this. Because if he lost either of them ...
Even with her current silent treatment, at least Charlotte was still alive. If he, and SG-7, could just keep her alive until the traitor showed himself, until the traitor was captured, Will would find some way to make things up to her. To Adriana. But he realized just how unlikely he could make things up to Adriana, after what he had said to her. She probably could have forgiven just about anything else ... but not that.
And now, he knew why. She had been molested by her father when she was a child. From the time she was eight, just after her mother's death, until she was seventeen. God, no wonder she reacted as she did when he tried to convince her to go home! And then, for him to say what he had ... .Will wanted to kick himself. He had been trying to alienate her, yes, but a temporary alienation. Instead, he had gone too far, because it never occurred to him that she might have a reason for flinching when someone touched her.
Charlotte had known ... Adriana might not have told her, but Will was reasonably sure that his wife had figured out something was wrong. She was always very careful when she touched Adriana, making sure the girl saw the movement first. She had known ... why hadn't she told Will? Because she thought he already knew? More than likely. And, his gut told him that Tanner had known from the beginning ... again, not because Adriana had told him, but because he had figured it out on his own.
Tanner. Damn, Will hadn't done a thing right where the guide was concerned. In his zeal to protect his wife and daughter, Will had failed to notice that Tanner's new friends cared as much for him as Carly and Dawn had. He had deliberately alienated Tanner, deliberately pushed his buttons, to make sure Charlotte was protected in the days ahead. He now had no doubt that Charlotte would be fine, but if his plan backfired, causing harm to any members of the escort units, Will had no doubt that he was a dead man.
Ahead of him, Tanner raised his hand, putting on his brakes at the same time. You would have thought the damn kid was riding a horse, instead of driving a ... whatever the hell that was. Will was still trying to get all the damn military terms straightened out in his mind. The guide slid out of the jeep, Adriana at his side. It looked like her dog was awake. Mindy bared her teeth at him as they approached, and Adriana just stroked her coat gently. Will didn't make a move. Somehow, the damn dog had managed to pee on his shoes, and totally missed Charlotte's. You couldn't tell him that it was accidental. You just couldn't.
Will looked away from the dog, who was still showing her teeth, and looked back at Adriana. Her eyes were dead as she regarded him. It was only when she looked at Charlotte that any life returned to her expression. She smiled impishly, asking, "You having fun yet?" Will glanced at his wife out of the corner of his eye, saw the nod and answering smile. Charlotte would be having fun. She loved going to new places, loved being outside ... it was part of what had drawn her to archaeology. That, and her love of the past.
"What's goin' on, Vin, DeeDee?" Major Wilmington asked as he and the boy corporal joined them. He didn't seem to expect an answer, since not all of them were in one place yet. DeeDee. How could he possibly butcher a beautiful name like 'Adriana' like that? A quick glance back at the young woman told him that she didn't mind. In fact, that impish smile was flashed at her older brother.
"Well, now, Bucklin, that would be tellin,' and we gotta wait until ever'body gets here," she drawled out, her eyes dancing impishly. Wilmington scowled at her and took a step forward, but found his path blocked by Mindy.
Will found no small comfort in the fact that the dog was behaving the same way toward the brother of her mistress as she did toward him. The big man immediately stopped, as his sister added, "C'mon, Buck, you know better than that. You know she's still not real comfortable with men, especially big men, and she thought you were threatening me." Will saw an impish smile appear on the face of the boy beside Wilmington.
"Hey Buck," Dunne snickered, "it looks like your animal maggotism don't work on animals, neither." Wilmington turned brick red and pivoted very slowly until he was glowering down at the corporal. The boy just laughed, totally at ease and assured that the major wouldn't hurt him. Will noticed both Tanner and Adriana laughing quietly ... laughter which died as Will sensed someone approaching him from behind.
"Sun's gonna be settin' in 'bout half an hour. Reckon Drina and me should start findin' a place for us to camp," Vin said shortly. Will looked around and discovered one of the two colonels, Larabee, behind him. The blond man nodded his agreement, and the pair turned around, heading back to their own vehicles. Vin was leaning toward Adriana, murmuring something only she could hear. She nodded, glancing back at them once.
"You really done it this time, Chris," Wilmington drawled, "neither one of 'em are of any mind to talk to you. Course, it's like Vin said once, you don't say more 'n two or three words a day anyhow, so I don't imagine you really miss it." Larabee simply glared at him, but Wilmington didn't seem to care. He continued, "Bet your old man is real proud of himself now. He's finally succeeded in what he's tried to do for the last twenty-five years."
With a final, disgusted look at the colonel, the major returned to his own vehicle, Dunne at his heels. Larabee hadn't moved ... he was staring after Tanner and Adriana, Mindy trotting along at Adriana's side. Charlotte said quietly, "You're wrong about him, you know. There was a time, long ago, when we might have had something more than friendship. But that was a long time ago, and whether he's willing to admit it or not, his heart belongs to someone else. I just hope you can admit you're wrong, before it's too late."
With that, she headed back to the jeep, swinging herself into the driver's seat. She didn't even give Larabee a chance to glare at her. Damn. She was starting to scare Will now. He didn't want to imagine how the other civilians were reacting to her. The colonel and the head archaeologist just stood together there for several moments. At last, Larabee asked softly, almost to himself, "Ya ever wonder if you're doing the right thing? Especially when, if you're wrong, you stand to lose more than you ever dreamed possible?"
Will looked at Larabee, startled. It seemed they weren't so different after all. After a moment, he replied in a voice almost as soft, "Yeah. I almost lost everything that ever mattered to me once. But sometimes, you gotta risk everything, in order to gain something even more precious." Larabee looked back at him. And now, the glare was turned to Will, full blast. He could understand now why he had never scared Adriana, not if she had grown up around this man. He understood a lot now.
"If I find out that you're the traitor, Richmond, I will take the payment out of your hide. Never mind the consequences to me. Are we clear on that?" Larabee hissed. Richmond held the green eyes, nodding very slightly. Yes, he understood. He understood the unspoken threat as well. Even if he wasn't the traitor, if Will's plan backfired and caused one of Larabee's men to get hurt, there would be an equally high price to pay.
"Good. We're wasting daylight. Get in your jeep, and let's go," Larabee said. He stalked back to his own Jeep, where Standish was waiting. Will glanced one last time at the waiting jeep that held Tanner, Adriana, and Mindy, then walked to the passenger side. Charlotte gunned the engine as Will fastened his seat belt, then they were on their way once more.