SERIES/UNIVERSE: SG-7
DISCLAIMERS: M7 characters belong to Trilogy, et al, SG-1 characters belong to Gekko, MGM, and Showtime. Original characters (mainly Adriana in this story, though others are mentioned) 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, all twenty-one episodes are fair game, along with my previous stories, More than Friends, A Light in the Distance, Under the Sun, Days of Yearning, Sun, Fun, and Ezra on the Run, Full Circle, and Open House; also all five seasons of Stargate SG-1.
WARNING: The usual, violence and language. Quite possibly the most smarmy story I've ever written, but I'll try to keep it from becoming too syrupy.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've been wanting to write a story for some time about Vin as a child, but every time I thought I had something, I'd come across someone who had used it. And then, the Gou'ald, for once, came to my rescue. Imagine that
Just as an fyi ... this series, this universe, ignores the events of the latter fifth season of Stargate SG-1. Specifically, Meridian and Revelation. Which also gets rid of Jonas Quinn in sixth season.
The small body snuggled against him brought back memories. As Orrin Travis carried the young boy to his office, where he would remain until Mary returned, he found himself blinking back tears as he remembered carrying Stephen to bed, so many years earlier. Four years had passed since his son's murder, and the memories of Stephen as a child were becoming more and more frequent as the years passed.
As Orrin entered his office, he found himself reliving the confrontation in George's office, only twenty minutes earlier. He had arrived at the SGC after a tense phone call from his old friend, telling him only that there had been an incident involving SG-1 off-world ... and that Vin Tanner was affected. Orrin was in his car headed for Cheyenne Mountain less than ten minutes later, with Evie's worried expression haunting him, along with George's words.
When he reached the SGC, he found things going to hell in a handbasket. But it wasn't until he got to George's office that he understood. In a halting voice, his old friend explained exactly what had happened, to the best of their knowledge. The trip through the wormhole. The exploration of the old city. And then, the machine which ... which regressed Vin Tanner to a child of five, the same age his grandson was when Stephen was murdered.
The child now curled in Orrin's arms. The general cupped the back of Vin's head, resting trustingly on his shoulder. He hadn't taken the revelation well. It was bad enough that the accident prone flagship SG team had encountered yet another strange Gou'ald device. But Vin had just been returned to active duty, after almost dying ... this was supposed to be a routine mission. And dammit, he was one of Orrin's! Practically a member of Orrin's family, even before Mary and Billy moved in with Chris, even before it was discovered that Vin and Chris were brothers. Even before Evan Larabee was revealed as the boy's biological father.
George had understood that, but the deed was done now. Once he was sure no more of his people would be turned into a five year old, he would send some back through the Gate and see what could be turned about returning the child to the Vin Tanner whom they all knew. Strong and capable. Orrin gently lay the sleeping child on the sofa in his office, covering him with an afghan which Evie had knitted a few years earlier in Army colors, then sighed when he saw the pile of paperwork on his desk. God, but he hated paperwork.
George had told him that Buck, Josiah, and Ezra were on their way to a toy store. They wanted to make this childhood better. The general wondered what Mary would tell Billy. His grandson had been through the Stargate, he knew what was going on with Stargate Command, he knew about the Gou'ald. But even so, it was still hard to explain to a young boy that one of his heroes had been turned into a five year old boy by their enemy.
On the other hand ... was this really any more difficult for Billy to accept than what he had seen so far? Or was Orrin falling into the familiar trap of an adult not giving a child enough credit? Little ones were often far more intelligent and far more perceptive than adults realized. Orrin hoped Mary would tell Billy the truth. Depending on how things went with Chris, the general thought it was a good bet that the youngster would end up with the blond colonel.
If that was the case, things could get ... troublesome. Billy was a good boy, but there was a chance he would become jealous of this new child, who would be the focus of a great deal of attention. The more he knew about the newcomer, the better chance Mary and Chris would have to alleviate that jealousy. In fact ... Billy had made it very clear that while Chris was his hero, he loved Vin just as much.
Mary told him about how Billy had 'taken care' of Vin after Ella Gaines stabbed the young guide. Maybe Billy would regard this as another chance to take care of Vin? Orrin hoped so. Because the little boy now sleeping so peacefully had enough trouble to deal with at the moment, without adding a jealous child to the mixture. And while children could be very perceptive and intelligent, they could also be terribly cruel. Orrin knew his daughter-in-law was a good mother. He just hoped she made the right decision this time.
Mary Travis glanced in her rearview mirror as she approached the security booth at Cheyenne Mountain, then looked at her son. He had been quiet for the last hour. And Mary wondered if she had done the right thing, telling him about what had happened to Vin. She just didn't think there was any other way to explain why Chris was at Adriana's house, instead of at work ... and why Mary was taking his old clothes to the SGC.
She had tried to appease his curiosity by telling some of the truth. That SG-1 came back with a little boy, a five year old, who didn't have any clothes. Things went downhill from there. Actually, things didn't start going downhill until Chris called her on the mobile phone, and asked her to come to dinner at Adriana's house. That provoked Billy's questions about why Chris was at Adriana's house, when he was supposed to be at work.
Billy hadn't gotten angry when she told him. Didn't seem to be jealous. He was just ... quiet. And he hadn't been this quiet since his father's murderers were caught. Mary frowned, remembering what Chris and Vin told her. How Stephen's killers had threatened to kill her, if Billy told anyone what he saw that night. This was the same sort of silence, and Mary wasn't entirely sure the reason behind it.
She drew the car to a halt as a man left the security booth. The Marine on duty checked the sticker on her windshield, checked her ID, then asked, "Your son all right, Captain Travis?" Everyone at the compound had seen Billy before, many times, but this was the time since Stephen's murderers were caught that any had seen him this solemn. It appeared that this silence seemed as unnatural to everyone else as it did to Mary.
"I had to give him bad news about one of his friends, Sergeant. Billy is having a hard time with it," Mary acknowledged softly. Sergeant Williams nodded his understanding, his brown eyes reflecting his concern, then waved her through with a salute. As Mary drove through, she said softly, "Billy, I know this is hard. But there's a chance that once Janet says Vin is okay, he'll live with Chris, until we can get him back to being an adult."
Chris hadn't told her that, but it made sense. Once Janet gave the okay, it made sense that Vin would live with the colonel. Well, once he was comfortable with Chris. Mary loved the colonel, but it wasn't hard to figure out that the little boy would be wary of Chris ... would be wary of all of them. And she didn't even want to think about the first meeting between Vin and Adriana, the following day. For that matter, she didn't want to think about how she would have reacted if it was Chris who had been turned into a five year old. She had to smile, though, thinking of the infamous Larabee glare coming from a five year old.
"Mom ... does this mean I'll kinda be Vin's big brother now? I know he won't know me, but that doesn't mean I can't still be his friend, does it?" Billy asked unexpectedly. Mary looked at her son quickly, then returned her attention to driving ... and parking. Her son continued, sounding thoughtful, "Vin told me that he was real lonely after his mom died, and that Drina was his first friend his own age. So he didn't have any friends when he was my age."
Billy looked over at her as she pulled the car into a parking space, adding, "I think I should help take care of Vin. I know if I was in a strange place, with strange people, I would be real scared. And he's just a little boy. I think he would feel better with me around." Mary looked at her son in amazement. Here she had been worrying about him being jealous, and he had decided that he would help to take care of this five year old Vin Tanner. She knew she had a great kid, but he was just a little boy, after all. And it wasn't hard to see he might have been jealous of Vin. Instead ... instead, her son had surprised her.
"I think you're right, honey ... I think having you around would make him feel a lot better," she replied softly. Billy smiled then, making his face brighten. Mary leaned over and kissed his cheek, then said, "C'mon, honey. Let's go see Vin. And then, we'll go to Adriana's house. She's fixing lasagna for dinner."
Billy gave her a blinding smile as they got out of the car and locked the doors. Mary honestly wasn't sure if it was the lure of lasagna, getting to go to Adriana's house, or playing with Mindy which made her son so happy about that plan. And really, did it matter? Mary didn't think so. She was just pleased that her son was dealing with this latest ... oddity ... so well.
While Mary and Billy Travis were arriving at the SGC compound, three members of SG-7 were arriving at the local toy store. Buck Wilmington could tell Ezra Standish was just achin' to max out his credit card, but Josiah Sanchez had reminded the former police negotiator that they didn't want to overwhelm the child. One single stuffed animal, a gift from the heart, meant far more than buying out the entire store.
It was agreed that they would split up and buy one thing apiece. Nathan Jackson was going off in search of coloring books and crayons, along with drawing paper. Buck knew that Mary was bringing some of Billy's old clothes. There was a part of him which wished he could buy the little guy some clothes of his own, but he had to remind himself that they wanted Vin to return to his adult state.
And JD ... Buck shook his head. He didn't know what was going on with the kid. Nathan, he understood. While Nathan had a hard time, putting into words what made him so uncomfortable, Buck understood. Nathan was looking ahead to the future, to when Vin, their Vin, was back with them. At the possible consequences of this fuss being made over the little guy, of them finding out more about Vin's past than he really wanted them to know.
Like he said, Buck understood where Nathan was coming from. When Vin became an adult again, none of them had any idea what their friend would remember from his time as a child, or how he would react to the change in his relationships with the others. JD was another story. The boy was being awful quiet, and Buck had learned to worry when that happened. But at the moment, Buck was concentrating on a lost child. JD was a grown man, or so he was always saying. Wouldn't do him no harm not to be the one being protected for a change. Buck laughed softly, hearing echoes in that thought.
He just hoped this didn't come back and bite him in the ass, the way his neglect of his sister had. But ... that was different. JD was twenty years old when Adriana arrived at the SGC, and baby Vin (as Buck had taken to calling the munchkin in his mind) was only five. A big difference. And Buck had an uneasy sense that baby Vin was used to being put last. Not being a priority. Well, that ended right here, and right now.
The big man strolled along the aisles, mentally rejecting the gadgets and games. This Vin thought it was 1978, or thereabouts. What was going on in 1978? Star Wars & Battlestar Galactica were the biggest things Buck could remember. He never could understand how people figured Battlestar Galactica was a Star Wars rip-off. He liked the movie, but the world didn't revolve around that series of films. The characters in Battlestar Galactica were totally different, the storyline was totally different.
Buck decided that the people who dismissed the show (which both he and his sister had loved) as a Star Wars rip-off simply lacked the imagination to understand that not everything science fiction or fantasy had to be related to Star Wars. With that settled in his mind, Buck continued his leisurely stroll along the aisle, thinking about the late seventies. There was disco, of course, and Buck grinned impishly, remembering himself at sixteen.
Damn, he was getting off track. He wanted to find something that was a classic, in true terms. Something that would seem familiar to the little boy. Something that didn't give away that the year was 2000, soon to be 2001. He was having a hard time, remembering what kind of video games, if any, existed in the late seventies. So that was out. Yup, it looked like ol' Buck's best bet was to stick with stuffed animals.
Hello, what was this? Aww, now this brought back memories! Hell, he didn't think they made these any more! Buck grinned, remembering himself now at eighteen, on one of these things, with his sister firmly held in his lap, while they went 'round and 'round. He could hear seven year old Adriana's laughter in his mind, and Buck's smile widened. Yup, he thought he had found what he was looking for!
He scooped up this latest incarnation of a 'Sit-n-Spin,' carrying it easily in one hand, and almost collided with Josiah at the end of the aisle. Josiah looked at him inquiringly, and Buck said, shrugging, "Brought back memories. I used to sit on one of these, with DeeDee on my lap, and go 'round and 'round. Figured it would be something fun for the little fella. What about you, are you havin' any luck?"
"Not yet. Haven't gotten to the stuffed animals, though. Care to accompany me?" Josiah asked, and Buck inclined his head. They headed for that aisle, almost colliding with Ezra, who had a pile of books in his arms. The books started to slip, as Ezra started to lose his balance. Josiah grabbed Ezra, while Buck caught the books. They were beautiful ... even Buck could appreciate the leather bindings and cover of the three books he now held in his hands. Josiah helped Ezra stand upright, then glanced at the top book. The anthropologist raised a brow, asking, "Robin Hood? Appropriate, of course, but isn't this a little old for the lad?"
They all knew it was Ezra's nickname for Vin, and Buck and Josiah were treated to a very rare event. The sight of Ezra Standish blushing. Not just color rising in his cheeks, but washing up over his neck, his face, to the very tips of his ears. Ezra mumbled 'thank you,' grabbing the books from Buck, then headed past the grinning pair. He didn't get far. Josiah reached out and grabbed Ezra's belt, pulling him back.
Josiah said mildly, "You're goin' the wrong direction, Ezra. The stuffed animals are this way." He put his hands on Ezra's shoulders and physically turned the Southerner around. Buck hid a grin at Ezra's outraged expression. Well hell, at least, Josiah didn't swat Ezra on the butt, the way he and Chris used to swat Adam, to get him movin' forward.
Josiah didn't do that, but he gave Ezra a gentle push between the shoulder blades. Ezra muttered something unpleasant under his breath, but went into the stuffed animal aisle, nonetheless. Buck and Josiah exchanged a grin, Buck bouncing his eyebrows wickedly. He was starting to wish they had brought baby Vin with them. Now this was entertainment!
Josiah was feeling quite pleased with himself. One did not need to be a psychic to figure that out. The big grin on his face was testament to his smugness. Ezra trundled along the aisle, pausing to look over his shoulder at Josiah with the nastiest glare he could create. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make that grin go away. Ezra grumbled under his breath a little more, his green eyes sweeping along the aisle.
He still thought the books were a great idea. While the little one couldn't read them right now, there was the pleasure of someone reading to him. Ezra had learned that in the times when Vin was hospitalized after a skip tried to kill him, Adriana or one of the other female members of the magic circle would read to him. Ezra had no trouble at all in offering to read to the child. And when they got their Vin back, he could keep the books.
There were three books. Robin Hood, of course ... Ezra couldn't pass that up ... story books about King Arthur and his knights, as well as tales from Greek mythology. Like Mr. Jackson, Ezra was looking to the future. While Vin was only semi-literate when he first joined the SGC, three years earlier, he had become a voracious reader ever since admitting his difficulties to Mary Travis.
Vin Tanner was a highly intelligent young man. He simply lacked the stability growing up, that would have allowed him to do well in school. As the foster child of migrant workers, he often changed school in the middle of the year, sometimes more than once. Ezra had been surprised to find out that Vin's foster parents had been Anglos, but he hadn't commented on it.
Even after this child became the adult once more, the books would still be there. On the other hand, Ezra acknowledged, knowing Vin, he would probably keep everything they gave him during this time. The Sit-n-Spin ... oh, that brought back memories. Ezra smiled, remembering the rides he took on the plastic toy when he was a child. He never told Maude. Appearances were everything, after all.
But he still saw himself at seven and eight, whirling around and giggling in a kinder aunt's kitchen ... her daughter playing 'jump rope,' skipping over his legs. Ezra smiled to himself, his annoyance with Josiah fading away. Besides, the big man didn't let him fall, and didn't tease him about his singular lack of grace. Nor did he further wound Ezra's dignity by swatting his behind, as Ezra had seen Chris do to Billy on occasion.
Although ... ah hell! Ezra growled as Josiah gave his belt a yank, almost jerking the Southerner off balance. Again. Although, Ezra thought, turning to glare at the big man, if he does that one more time, I may have to kill him. Adriana has some friends who write what she calls fanfiction ... and she told me that they're experts at torture. I may have to ask her to put me in touch with these ladies. Ezra perked up internally, though he was still annoyed with Josiah. Maybe he and Adriana could work out a trade of some kind?
Josiah, however, wasn't paying attention to the displeasure written oh so clearly on Standish's face. He was, instead, staring at the top level containing stuffed animals with a rapt expression. Ezra's displeasure quickly gave way to confusion, especially when Josiah murmured, "Eureka." I found it, Ezra thought as he rocked onto the balls of his toes to peer at the top row, mentally cursing whatever fate decided to make him a measy five foot nine inches, what the hell did he find? What just happened there?
Josiah answered the question as he reached forward and put his hands on something which Ezra couldn't see, not standing so close to the rows. And Buck had come up behind him, making it bloody difficult to back up and see what Josiah had found. Of course, a moment after that, it was no longer necessary, because Josiah had reverently lifted whatever he found and eased it down from the shelf.
It was Snoopy. Oh, not the cartoon dog, of course ... but a stuffed Snoopy, complete with the droopy ears. There were scuff marks on him, as if he had fallen, been trampled on by little feet, before being replaced by an embarrassed parent. Ezra blinked. And Josiah wanted to give their little orphan that why, exactly? As if hearing what Ezra was thinking, Josiah said softly, "He was the last one left on the shelf ... all the other animals were taken. He was the only one who was unloved, unwanted, the only one without a home. But not any more."
Just like their lost orphan. Ezra felt a pressure in his chest and pricks behind his eyes. Josiah's description of that forlorn stuffed animal on the top shelf fit five year old Vin Tanner just as well. And just like that unloved, unwanted stuffed animal ... Vin had a home now. He had a family. Just like Ezra himself. And he knew then that Josiah knew exactly what he was doing. Buck said softly, into the almost reverent silence, "Reckon I'm the only one givin' that boy somethin' he can't use when he's a grown up again."
Ezra smiled, unable to let that slide, and replied, "Well, Buck, I would imagine that could be used by the nieces and nephews which the adult Vin and your sister will provide for you." He glanced over his shoulder to see Buck nod almost absently in agreement ... before realizing what Ezra had said. The major scowled at him, but before Buck could say anything more, Ezra continued smoothly, winking at Josiah, "Then there are, of course, the child which you may see fit to create. Or young Kevin Hunter and his little sister."
"I don't think Brother Buck really wants to think about Drina and Vin having children together, Ezra," Josiah chuckled, tucking the Snoopy under one arm. Ezra just smiled impishly ... but of course not. That was why he brought it up! Josiah continued, "But you know, when that niece or nephew is born, that child will have Buck all tied up in knots. Especially if it's a little baby niece. She'll have Uncle Buck wrapped around her little finger."
"Just Buck? I beg to differ, Dr. Sanchez. Boy or girl, that child will have every one of us wrapped around his or her little finger, especially if he or she is the first to be actually born into this odd little family of ours," Ezra replied, thoroughly enjoying the way Buck's face was turning several shades of red, all in a matter of moments. During the last three years, sibling-torture had become Ezra's favorite hobby, especially when the sibling in question was Buck Wilmington.
And with the budding romance between his sister and Vin, there was even more ammunition which Ezra could use against Buck. The major was having a very hard time, coming to terms with that couple. More to the point, he was having a hard time acknowledging that his baby sister was a grown woman ... with a boyfriend. And that sooner or later, that relationship would take the next step.
Or, to put it more coarsely ... Buck couldn't wrap his mind around the idea of his sister sleeping with a man. Much less with Vin Tanner. Even Vin Tanner? Something like that. Ezra simply avoided thinking about it. There were far more ... cultured ... ways to gain entertainment. Such as Buck's reactions during the last few moments. Josiah chuckled, saying, "Buck, you may want to tone it down there ... you'll burst a blood vessel."
He paused, then said, "You know ... Ezra got the little guy three books. You and I can buy him two more things, too. What do you think, Ezra? It may take some time for us to get our Vin back, and a little boy needs toys." Ezra thought back to his own childhood. It wasn't the material things which were important ... it was the idea behind them. There was a large difference between buying a child's affection ... and showing a child love by buying toys and books and such.
Such was the case this time around. In effect, they were giving Vin a second childhood. Or rather, taking advantage of his current child-self, to give him the childhood he should have had all along. While Vin would protest that his childhood wasn't that bad ... wasn't like he was beaten or ... hurt ... in other ways, every child deserved to be loved, deserved to belong, and those were two things he never had. Ezra answered reflectively, "I think that would be a splendid idea, Dr. Sanchez. May I suggest a sailboat?" He turned to look at his two companions. Buck's face had returned to its normal shade, and with it, had come a wistful look. Ezra asked gently, looking at his friend, "What are you considering, Buck?"
"Aw, nothin' important. Just rememberin' when I was a little guy myself. Playing with my sailboat in the bath tub. Hell, when I was little, that was the only way my mother ever got me into the bath tub, by promising I could play with my sail boats," Buck replied with that wistful smile. He gave a little laugh, adding, "You know, I even had this little sailor hat. I guess I was about eight or nine, and for a long time, the girls would call me 'Popeye,' cause of that thing."
Josiah and Ezra didn't ask which girls he meant. By this time, they all knew that Buck's mother was a prostitute, who died when he was eighteen. Buck continued, "And Adam ... " He got no further as his voice caught. The other two men were silent, respecting the grief which had never totally healed. After a moment, Buck gave a ghost of his normal smile and said, "Thanks for the memory, Ezra ... I think I'll find the little guy a sailboat."
He clapped Ezra on the shoulder, then strode ahead. But Ezra knew his friend had other demons to slay right now ... as each of the Seven dealt with this five year old Vin Tanner, each was also facing memories. In Buck's case, it was the never-truly healed wound of his godson's death. Ezra had been told that Vin looked a great deal like Adam, only with lighter hair. Ezra and Josiah exchanged a look, then kept walking after Buck.
The wound of Adam Larabee was an obvious one, Josiah Sanchez had seen it as soon as he heard someone say that the boy Vin looked like Adam. But the change of one of their own had ripped open wounds that others thought had healed years earlier. Including Josiah himself, who saw another lonely child when he looked up at the forlorn Snoopy on the top shelf. Oh, not Josiah himself.
No ... no, he saw his younger sister Hannah, after he left home. Still at the mercy of their father. Hannah was free now ... free of their father, free of the veil around her mind. She had made those final steps back to herself at Thanksgiving, while she was spending time with Josiah and Josie. His little sister was back. A little sadder ... a little wiser ... a little older. But with her sanity, she found her old spirit. She was enchanted by Billy, intrigued by Josie (much to the relief of Hannah's brother and Josie's man), and tentatively friendly with everyone else but Vin, whom she greeted warmly.
Hannah remembered Vin, of course. It was his pleas for her to help Josiah when he was accused of murder which began the process, which began Hannah's journey back. She told everyone at Thanksgiving that it was the knowledge someone else needed her that pushed her forward. More progress was made when Josiah took Vin to visit her. The medication could only do so much. She had to fight for herself, and that fight had been joined.
Josiah kept his mind away from his childhood. That was a long time ago, and he needed to focus on the present day, on another lonely child. That didn't stop him, however, from thinking about Josie's stories about growing up. Josie. Shit! He didn't even think about her! His lady was currently helping her daughter get packed. Lacey was returning to Colorado for her winter break. She would be gone at least another week.
But it was the idea of telling his lady that her nephew had been turned into a child. That was boggling his mind. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that, but he didn't want to bet money on it. Even if he didn't leave that to Ezra, he still wouldn't want to bet money on it. Things within the SGC could be unpredictable, even on a good day. They also had to figure out what they would do if Maybourne or Kinsey came calling.
Now that was a nightmare just waiting to happen right there ... Kinsey showing up. Technically speaking, Josiah didn't have to worry about that, as he wasn't the head of the SGC. That particular headache belonged to Hammond or Travis. But Josiah Sanchez didn't recognize technicalities, and there was no way he would allow that boy to be taken from them, for any reason. Nor would he allow the machine which did this to his young friend, be turned into a weapon that Kinsey had no idea how to use.
Buck had found the sail boat for Vin, carrying the small toy in the palm of his hand. Ezra had his three books. What else could he get for little Vin? Puzzle? Mmm, could do that. He would just have to keep looking. Puzzle didn't feel right for the little guy. Not because Vin wasn't smart enough ... hell, that wasn't true. It just didn't feel right. Josiah just sighed quietly and went back to looking for another toy for his friend.
Every few minutes, he would glance back at Buck, who continued to wander along the aisle. Was he thinking about the small boy back at the SGC, or had his mind taken a darker path? Maybe seeing his little sister twenty years earlier? Buck had said that he and Adriana used to play on the Sit-n-Spin, and Josiah smiled at the image of an eighteen year old boy and his seven year old sister twirling around. It was an image which formed easily.
He was unaware that Ezra had dropped back to his side again, until the Southerner asked softly, "What do you think troubles young Corporal Dunne, Dr. Sanchez?" Josiah looked at Ezra. This thing had thrown him off-kilter ... he had taken to using their titles once more. The Southerner continued, "I am sure it has not escaped your notice that while Mr. Jackson is uncomfortable with this situation, due to possible repercussions, Corporal Dunne is being unusually quiet."
"It ain't," Josiah agreed, "and I got a pretty good idea what's botherin' the boy." Ezra raised his eyebrows questioningly, and Josiah continued, "John Dunne's jealous. Not the youngest any longer." Ezra frowned in confusion, and Josiah remembered that the Southerner's exposure to a family was only through them. The anthropologist explained, "For the last three years, Ezra, JD's been the baby brother, the one everyone loves and protects. Sure, we protect each other, 'cause that's what a family does, but the baby brother tends to be the favorite. Now, all of a sudden ... Vin's the youngest, and JD ain't gettin' the attention he's accustomed to."
Now Josiah saw understanding dawning in the other man's green eyes, and Ezra replied, "And instead of being glad that someone else is being mother henned, he's jealous ... and has no idea how to deal with it." Josiah inclined his head with a half smile. Exactly. Ezra pointed out, "But Josiah, JD is no longer a child. He's almost twenty-three years old, a corporal in the United States Army ... and at the moment, Vin is a boy of five. Vin needs the attention more."
"Which is exactly why John Dunne is having such a hard time with his jealousy. Remember back when Adriana first arrived at the SGC? JD had competition as Buck's younger sibling, whether Buck spent time with Adriana or not, and he had a very hard time with that. He knew he was wrong, and he became even angrier with Adriana as a result. The same applies here. JD is seeing a part of himself that he doesn't like very much, and he's struggling with it. It's a part of growing up, Ezra," Josiah added.
Ezra had frowned when Josiah mentioned Adriana's arrival more than two years earlier. The archaeologist and the Southerner had immediately hit it off, and for the first time in his life, Ezra found himself with a little sister. Josiah remembered with a smile, how strongly Ezra had reacted when JD put his foot in his mouth repeatedly regarding the archaeologist. It had surprised their negotiator. Josiah had realized from things said that Ezra had been very attracted first to Dawn Jackson, then later to Detective Li Pong. But having a little sister was a very different thing from an attraction, as Josiah himself knew.
And, it seemed, he was no longer interested in discussing JD, for Ezra asked now, changing the subject to something that was on everyone's mind, "Have you given any thought to what will happen if we are unable to return our dear Mr. Tanner to his true self?" Josiah gave a soft sigh as he walked along the aisle, glancing at the toys for anything else that the little boy might like. It had, in fact, occurred to him.
Along with the answer. Josiah replied, "I have faith, Ezra, that before Christmas, our brother will be returned to us. I'm not a scientist in the way that Major Carter is, but I have faith that she and the others will find the answer. Once the generals are satisfied that there is no danger from the machine, a new team will go through and start studying the machine. We'll get him back, Ezra."
The Southerner nodded, then said softly, "There is one other thing that concerns me, Josiah. Adriana." Josiah frowned ... true, this was one helluva shock, but over the last few years, he had seen her adapt to the SGC with a sentiment best described as ... well ... delight. She had seen and experienced things, and while having her boyfriend changed into a little boy would have its challenges, Josiah also had faith in her ability to deal with that.
Ezra, however, was thinking of something else. Something which should have occurred to Josiah ... but didn't. Ezra continued, "Josiah, consider this. Over the weeks, I have noticed Adriana's protective armor slowly disappearing as she and Vin have taken small steps toward greater intimacy. She was molested as a child. And now, her boyfriend is a child. Literally. How do you think that's going to affect her? How do you think she's going to react when she actually sees Vin, this five year old Vin?"
Josiah should have thought of that. It never even occurred to him, perhaps because he hadn't noticed the signs of that greater intimacy, the signs which Ezra had seen. And unfortunately, Josiah didn't know the girl well enough to predict how she would react in this situation. For that matter, Josiah didn't know if Chris knew her well enough. Left with that somber thought, he and Ezra continued searching for toys for the child.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just so there's no misunderstanding ... the 'Buck Rogers' series mentioned by Billy in this section is the TV series from the 1980's, starring Gil Gerard as Buck and Erin Gray as Wilma. The episode is from the second season, The Golden Man.
This was far from the first time Billy Travis had been in the SGC. Over the three years his mother had worked for General Hammond, Billy made several trips to the Cheyenne Mountain. And on his last visit, he had finally found out what it was ... a way to go to other worlds. Billy had gone with his mother to one of those worlds, when Vin got hurt so bad, they all thought he would die.
And now, Vin was a little boy, younger than Billy. He figured that made him a big brother, which made his chest puff up with pride. Billy had never been a big brother, and this would give him good practice for when his mom and Chris got married, and they gave Billy little brothers and sisters. Billy didn't know when that would happen ... when Mom and Chris got married, but he was sure they would.
They were traveling down the hall to Billy's grandfather's office, his mom carrying Billy's old clothes in her arms, when an old man who looked like he ate a lemon for dessert brushed past them. Billy glanced up at his mother, who sighed, "That's Dr. Conklin, honey. He always looks like that. More than likely, he wants to lead the expedition back to the planet where Vin was turned into a child, and was told 'no.' Do you remember when Adriana first came here, and her legs were hurt so badly?"
Billy did remember, and he remembered how no one really told him how it happened. Mom continued, "That accident happened because of that man. He gave their position away to the Gou'ald, and Adriana was hurt while covering the evacuation of the other archaeologists. Ever since, he's not been allowed to go through the Stargate." Billy frowned. He sounded like a big baby, and Billy wasn't shy about saying so.
Mom laughed and replied, "You're absolutely right, that's exactly what he is. An overgrown baby. And he's someone who will try to hurt Vin, because he's defenseless now." Now Billy really didn't like that man. Over the last few years, he had learned there were some people who hurt little kids 'cause they couldn't fight back. People like Buck and Adriana's father. The men who had killed his father were like that, too, telling him that they would kill his mother if he ever told anyone what he saw that night.
His mom shifted the box in her arms as they approached Grandpa's office and lightly rapped on the door. Grandpa opened the door himself, instead of calling 'come' as he usually did. As they entered the office, Billy understood why. A little boy was lying on the sofa in Grandpa's office, a little boy who looked strangely familiar, and it took Billy a moment to figure out why. Then he looked up at Grandpa, whispering, "Is that ... ?"
Grandpa looked at Mom, asking, "He knows?" Mom nodded, settling the clothes on Grandpa's desk, and Grandpa sighed, "Good. I didn't think you should keep it from him. Billy, he's very tired, and I need you to be very quiet." Billy nodded, unable to take his eyes off the child sleeping on Grandpa's sofa. He was ... little. Until that moment, what his mom had told him didn't seem real.
"I had to tell him, Orrin. Chris called from Adriana's, asking us to come to dinner there, and Billy was curious why Chris wasn't at work. We can't stay long ... Billy promised to help Adriana with dinner," Mom replied. Billy started guiltily, remembering exactly why he had been so excited to go to her house for dinner. She promised the next time she made lasagna, she would let him help her in the kitchen.
Besides, Vin was asleep, and Billy didn't want to wake him. Mom left the clothes where they were, and leaned over to gently kiss Vin's forehead, then she tucked the blanket around him a little more securely. She continued, straightening up, "I brought clothes from the last few years, because I wasn't sure what would fit him. Billy and I saw Dr. Conklin in the hall. He wanted to lead the expedition back to the planet."
"And has already been turned down flat. Dr. Frasier says there's no indication of radiation in the boy's body. She's not worried about how much he's sleeping, since the transformation took so much energy from him. General Hammond is willing to take a chance to get more information, so a team will be sent through once the mission reports are finished. SG-1 will probably go through, with protective gear," Grandpa said.
Billy could tell his mom wasn't too sure about this, but she said, "Well, we have to find some way of getting our Vin back. I'll call you when we get to Adriana's house, on your cell phone, so he doesn't wake up." Billy didn't understand what his mom meant at first, then remembered his grandfather carried a cell phone in his pocket which vibrated. Like Mom said, it wouldn't wake Vin.
"There's one other thing you need to know, Mary. We've taken to calling the boy 'Kevin,' to avoid confusion," Grandpa said. Billy knew that 'Kevin' was Vin's real name. His full name was 'Kevin Parris Tanner,' and he was named after his grandpa, whose first name was 'Paris.' He had always been called 'Vin,' because he thought 'Kevin' or 'Kev' was a sissy name. And the only people allowed to call him 'Kevin' were his mama, who died when he was five, and Drina. Well, his grandpa, Josie, Carly & Lacey were allowed as well.
"That's probably a good idea. Is there anything else we can do before we head out?" Mom asked. Billy couldn't look away from Vin ... Kevin. He was so ... little.
Sure, Billy knew that Vin had been a little boy once upon a time, just like he knew that Chris had been a little boy, a long time ago. (Grandma Pegeen, as she insisted he call her, showed her pictures of Chris when he was a little boy ... before she left for Indiana one more, before everyone got up). But knowing something, and actually seeing it with your own eyes ... it wasn't the same thing. Not the same thing at all.
Especially when the little person used to be a big person. Back when his mom and Drina first became friends, he heard them talking about a tv show that was on when they were kids, 'Buck Rogers.' Drina had asked Mom if she remembered the episode where as a person got older, they got littler ... and looked more like a human child. That was how Billy felt now. The difference was, the little kid was really an adult, who just looked like a little kid.
And this little kid was really an adult, but right now, he really was a little kid. Vin moved, whispering something in his sleep, and Billy edged closer, hoping to hear what he was saying. But his mom's voice stopped him, as she asked his grandpa, "I should have thought about this sooner ... but what about the others? I know Chris and Adriana will be in tomorrow, and I'll have a chance to talk to them tonight. But what about the others?"
The others? What did Mom mean by that? Billy stood very still, especially after Vin curled up under the blankets into a little ball. Grandpa replied, "Well, according to George, three of SG-7 have headed to a local toy store. They wanted to ... well, you know Buck and Ezra, and Josiah. How all three of them are about children." Billy grinned, since he knew what his grandfather meant. But he stopped smiling at his grandfather's next words.
"Nathan is picking up some coloring books and crayons. I'm worried about JD, though. The boy is being unusually quiet. George thinks ... and I agree ... that he's jealous," Grandpa said. Billy turned away, frowning, and looked up at his grandfather. The child noted his mother's worried expression, especially when Grandpa added, "And since Buck is making this little boy his top priority ... "
"JD's been replaced as the youngest brother, and that's why he's jealous," Mom murmured. Billy frowned. Why would JD be jealous of little Vin? Billy was happy that he wasn't the littlest any more (well, he wasn't really the littlest, but Soraya was a little girl, and that was something totally different). He had never been a big brother before, and he was anxious to be the bestest big brother in the world. And helping to take care of Vin would teach him how to be a good big brother.
Besides, Vin had always taken care of JD. Chris told him that, and Billy had never known Chris to lie to him. It was JD's turn to take care of Vin. Besides, it wasn't Vin's fault he got turned into a little boy. With that decided, Billy dismissed JD from his mind. Well. If JD wasn't gonna be a good big brother, then Billy had a lot of work to do. He would ask Chris tonight about being a big brother. He could ask Buck, too, but Billy decided that wouldn't be a good idea. Buck always looked sad when someone asked him about being a big brother, or about protecting his little brother or little sister. Billy didn't want Buck to be sad, so he would have to ask Chris. And maybe Josiah, if he saw him?
Billy knew it was now his job to take care of Vin and protect him from bullies. But how, exactly, did he do that? Billy knew that Dr. Charlotte would be coming back soon with Carly and the others. Dr. Charlotte wasn't a bully, and neither was Tansy. In fact, he was sure they would help him take care of Vin. But ... Billy didn't like Dr. Charlotte's husband. He wasn't very nice to her, and he hurt Vin. What if he tried to hurt Vin again, now that Vin was a little boy?
Billy would protect Vin as best he could, but Dr. Richmond was a big man. Well, Billy decided as Mom leaned down to kiss Vin's hair before they left, I guess I'll have to ask for help. Billy patted Vin's shoulder as Mom turned away, and whispered, remembering what his grandfather had said, "Don't you worry, Kevin. I won't let nobody hurt you. Even if JD can't be a good big brother to you ... I will."
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