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 an ... elong 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.
When George Hammond arrived in the briefing room, some twenty minutes after leaving Orrin's office, it was to find almost everyone assembled, who was supposed to be there. Those yet to arrive were SG-1 themselves and Nathan Jackson. Both Wilmington siblings were present and accounted for, along with Larabee, Standish, and Sanchez. Before he came here, Hammond made a stop at the infirmary, where he had a discussion with Mary Travis and Janet Frasier.
According to Captain Travis, Tansy Richmond was in the nursery with Rafael Martinez, who had taken to calling her 'sobrina.' Never mind that he couldn't stand her father ... a bond evidently developed between Martinez and Tansy while he was taking her to join her parents months earlier. Meanwhile, Gerard Whitman was enjoying some downtime with his daughter. The briefing with SG-3 would be later. Much later. So George didn't have to worry about killing Will Richmond today, which was growing into a greater possibility, the more he was around the man.
Dr. Tanner was informing her aunt about the change which had taken place in Vin, while Josie was in Texas to retrieve her daughter. George cringed. He really didn't envy her that particular task. Neither did Orrin, evidently. Dealing with Will and Charlotte Richmond when those two were arguing was bad enough. Dealing with Josie Tanner when she was on a tear was even more scary.
Hammond allowed his eyes to rest next on the Wilmington siblings, the reason he had gone to speak with Janet Frasier. After hearing of the incident earlier, he wanted to speak with the CMO. While she wasn't a psychologist or a psychiatrist, she did know a fair amount about abuse survivors, as she had been raising one for the last five years. While Cassandra's original parents weren't abusive, it could easily be argued that the Gou'ald using that child as a Trojan horse was a form of abuse.
In addition, as CMO of the compound, Janet Frasier had valuable insights into the minds of the people she took care of. He had confided his concerns about Adriana Wilmington's flashback, but Dr. Frasier seemed to think it was nothing to worry about. In fact, while the CMO hesitated to apply the term ' normal' to anyone, much less one of the Wilmington siblings, she would say that for a woman in her situation, Adriana was behaving normally. Or, at least, reasonably.
"You need to realize, sir, that molestation, like rape, is a form of power, of control," the doctor explained, "which means that the victims and survivors are powerless. It sounds like an obvious statement ... but it leads to my next. They take control in whatever way they can. For all these years, Adriana has controlled her memories, because that was all she could control. Now, since she's getting therapy, those walls are coming down. There's another complication. In a way, we've all been thrown into a time warp, because Vin has been turned into a child."
Hammond hadn't thought of it that way, but he saw what she meant. Seeing this, the doctor continued, "Am I concerned about a young woman who has kept that abuse silent for most of her adult life, now regaining more of her memory? No. Should I be concerned if Adriana loses touch with reality, if she had lost control of her emotions when she saw Kevin out of the tub? Absolutely. But that's not what it sounds like to me. It's not even flashbacks. Think of it as a window opening into her own past. She'll get a peek through ... and then, the curtains close."
"So what you're saying, Doctor, is that Dr. Wilmington is in no danger of losing touch with reality ... she's not a danger to herself or anyone else?" General Hammond asked. So long as Kevin was a child, and remained within the SGC, he was the general's responsibility. He wanted to make sure the archaeologist posed no threat to the child, for any reason. Janet Frasier shook her head emphatically.
"No, sir. In fact, I've noticed that these memories don't usually crop up during a mission. If they did, I would say she might endanger herself or the others on the team inadvertently. But, during a situation, she's focused on the job. It's only during quiet times or when she's waiting, like on the Magyar mission, that the memories push to the surface. And speaking of that mission, it didn't surprise me that she told Vin during a quiet moment ... what surprised me was that she acknowledged the conversation when she came back to the SGC," the doctor replied.
What exactly did she mean by that? Janet must have seen the question, before it was asked, for she explained, "Adriana had kept that secret for nearly twenty years, sir. It didn't pertain to the mission, therefore, under ordinary circumstances, she wouldn't have included it. But at the time, she was tired and hurting. All of her defenses were down." That, Hammond could understand and accept. She paused, and added, "And one other thing we should remember. Adriana chose a long time ago, as Vin did, to become a protector, not a predator."
Point taken. Looking now at the pale, but composed face of Adriana Wilmington, and the protective, determined expression of her brother, Hammond acceded to Frasier's decision. It was never truly a matter of her endangering the child ... more, he wanted to be ready for any questions which came up about the young woman's mental state. Most people in the compound didn't know about her past ... it was no one else's concern, and Hammond wanted to keep it that way.
He said, drawing every one's attention, "Since Mr. Jackson won't be arriving until around the same time SG-1 arrives back at the Gate, I'd like to turn this meeting over to you all. I want to hear any comments, questions, or observations you have, regarding this latest Gou'ald device. I realize no one but SG-1 has studied it, and that's how I'd like to keep it. One five year old in the compound is quite enough."
That earned him a laugh, and Adriana said dryly, "Too late for that, sir, I know entirely too many five year olds in the bodies of adults at the moment. Certain members of present company included, I should add." That caused another laugh, and Adriana continued, "I'll need to talk to Daniel, before I give my input. Aside from the effect it's had on ... on Vin, I really don't know much about it." She paused, frowning, then added, "That reminds me. Where is he?"
"Corporal Dunne is escorting him to the infirmary, to meet Captain Travis and the boy," Hammond replied. He eyed the archaeologist, who simply returned the look without speaking. If she had any smart-ass remarks on her mind, they were evidently staying there, instead of passing her lips. He wondered if he could convince Colonel O'Neill to take a page ... or an entire chapter, for that matter ... from her book.
Then he decided he didn't really want Jack O'Neill to change. He could be a royal pain in the ass, but Hammond was used to the colonel the way he was. And, Hammond acknowledged, he was effective in the role he played ... smart ass remarks and all. Chris Larabee asked quietly, drawing Hammond's attention away from O'Neill and to someone else who was causing him concern, "Do you really think JD would ever allow anything to happen to Vin?"
"No. I just made it clear that Kevin's safety was in his hands, after Corporal Dunne sneered that he had better things to do than baby-sit some brat SG-1 picked up in their travels," Hammond replied. Every person present sat up straight in their respective chairs, each pair of eyes flashing with rage, and Hammond said, "I don't think he accepts the child is truly Kevin Tanner, regardless of the results of Dr. Frasier's exams."
"That is not the point!" Major Wilmington exploded, ignoring the desperate head-shaking coming from his younger sister, as well as the almost lethal glare coming from Chris Larabee. The major continued, "In the first place, he's seen the pictures of Vin when he was a little fella ... he knows that's Vin! In the second place, even if it wasn't, it don't matter! That little boy ... we're all he's got!"
"But he's jealous ... because of the attention everyone's been heaping on that little boy. That's the other reason why you placed Kevin in JD's care, isn't it? The same reason Chris asked me to accompany JD when we were rescuing General Travis," Dr. Wilmington asked, settling back in her chair once more. Both Larabee and Hammond looked at her in surprise, and she asked, "What? I'm an archaeologist, yeah, but one of my roomies in college was a psych major."
So she was, and Hammond was actually once informed that part of being an archaeologist included understanding the reasons people would do things. Not just examining the things various cultures left behind, but trying to understand why their artifacts were created.
"The lovely Dr. Dawn Jackson," Ezra Standish confirmed, and Dr. Wilmington nodded. Hammond had forgotten about the connection forged between the pair, because of Dawn Jackson. Standish continued, "I never realized, Colonel Larabee, that your purpose in assigning our recalcitrant cartographer to Adriana, was to test that young lady." The archaeologist actually giggled at that response.
"Who says Chris was testing me? I just meant that when you face something that bothers you ... you face yourself. Not necessarily demons or even fears. Chris knew about my ... problems with JD, and he knew I doubted my abilities, especially after the incident on my first mission. Chris was telling me, without words, that no matter whose life was at stake, he trusted me to watch the backs of his team members. Whether I liked them or not," she replied.
"Damn, stud," Major Wilmington said, shaking his head, "I never guessed she had you pegged so well." Hammond looked at Larabee, whose expression could be best described as 'wop-jawed.' Wilmington continued, looking back at Hammond, "Is that what you're trying to do here? With JD escortin' the little fella to the infirmary? And that reminds me ... did anyone else think it was odd that Charlotte was outta the infirmary so quick?"
"Not really," Hammond replied, remembering his conversation with Janet Frasier, "Richmond was making a nuisance out of himself, but he wouldn't leave without his wife. Dr. Frasier allowed Dr. Richmond to leave, with the instruction to return later. Does anyone else have anything to offer regarding the device encountered by SG-1 and Mr. Tanner? Any ideas about what it may be used for?"
"We can tell you that, sir," Colonel O'Neill said, entering the briefing room with the rest of the his team. He ducked his head, looking a bit guilty, and said, "Sorry about the entrance, sir, but we had to decide if we would contact the Tok'ra first, or come back first. Daniel convinced we could should come back first, which meant reporting to the briefing immediately. Oh, and just so you know ... Nathan Jackson is right behind us." Excellent. It was time to get down to work.
Kevin had decided he didn't like this man very much. He and the man were on their way to the infirmary, to see Billy and his mama, when the man saw someone he knew. They had been standing here, talking for what seemed like an eternity and totally ignoring Kevin. The little boy had tried several times to get the man's attention. He needed to go to the bathroom. Real, real bad. Every time Kevin spoke up, the man snarled, "Just a minute! Geezus! I'm a goddamn cartographer, not a baby-sitter!" Kevin thought about telling him about saying bad words, but remembered he was smaller than the man.
At last, Kevin snuck away. He couldn't hold it for much longer, and he was a big boy. Big boys didn't wet their pants. Kevin had learned to take notice of his surroundings, and he remembered where the bathroom was. He made it there without incident, closed the door behind him, and crawled up onto the toilet. The little boy was pleased to discover that he could balance himself on one side of the toilet and take care of his business.
Sighing with relief, he balanced himself on the side of the sink, to wash his hands. He wasn't about to try to flush the toilet ... not from where he was standing, at least. He'd fall in. Instead, he washed his hands, then wiped them on his pants. He'd apologize to Billy's mama later. Kevin jumped down from the toilet, and immediately wished he had stayed up on his perch. How was he gonna get the door open again?
But as he drew closer to the door, he saw it was open a little. The child pulled with all of his strength, and managed to slip through the door. Though just barely. Now. He had to find his way back to the man. It didn't occur to Kevin to just find the infirmary on his own. No, he had to do what the general said. He had to find the man, 'cause the general said to stay with him, and Kevin figured he was already in trouble for finding the bathroom on his own.
On the other hand, he would have been in trouble for wetting his pants. The little boy headed in the direction he came, only to find two men he didn't recognize blocking his path. They didn't look like anyone here ... their clothes looked different. But Kevin did recognize the look in their eyes. He had seen it too many times, just before Mr. Montrose started in. But this time, the little boy recognized that he wouldn't be able to hide. He had to run.
And the child turned and ran in the opposite direction, ignoring the catcalls and jeers of the men behind him. He just kept running, a voice inside his head chanting, 'go, go, go, go!' And Kevin listened to the voice, he listened and kept running. He didn't this place, but he ran anyhow, because he knew if he stopped, the men would catch him. If they caught him ... Kevin's mind shut down on that, and he just kept running.
Another voice in his head began chanting, find Chris, find Chris, find Chris, Chris will make them go away. But he couldn't find Chris, he didn't know where Chris was. He didn't know where any of the grown-ups were. Where were the grownups???
Wait... he saw someone. A man. Tall. With hair that was a lot like Kevin's, only shorter. He was dressed like Chris and the others. He stood in a doorway, and he dropped to one knee, opening his arms to Kevin. As if he was a pa and Kevin was his son. Kevin trusted the voice inside his head once more, the voice which told him this man was safe, as safe as the other men were bad.
He felt arms close around him, and in that brief moment, when the man scooped him into his arms, Kevin saw the man's eyes. They were blue ... just like Kevin's own, then he was being drawn into the man's chest. One of the man's hands cupped the back of Kevin's head protectively. Kevin could see no more. But he heard the feet running, running toward them. Heard the man growling, "Leave ... this ... child ... alone!"
And then ... nothing. The hand was removed from the back of his head, and Kevin looked around. The men were now running in the other direction. Kevin looked at his rescuer, who watched them go with a contemptuous expression. The little boy put his hand on the side of his rescuer's face, drawing his attention to Kevin, and the bright blue eyes softened now. He said softly, "It's all right, little one. They won't bother you any more. Would it be all right if we waited here in the closet? I can't trust the boy to take care of you."
Kevin nodded and lay his head down on the man's shoulder. His rescuer stepped back, and the door closed behind him. Kevin didn't like little space, but somehow, this man made the space seem much, much bigger. There was a soft sigh as Kevin and the man slid down the wall, and the man whispered, "Oh, I'm tired." There was another silence, as the man pressed a gentle kiss to Kevin's forehead, then he added, "But it's worth it. You're worth it."
"Mister? Why was those men chasin' me?" Kevin asked. He paused, snuggling in closer. He didn't know why he felt like this man was all right for him to trust, why he felt so sure that this man wouldn't hurt him. But just as he just knew the men in the hall would hurt him, Kevin also knew the man now holding him wouldn't. And again, the man sighed, a sigh which every child recognized. It was the sigh of an adult who didn't know the answer to a question.
But, like so many other adults, the man who had rescued Kevin tried anyhow. He said softly, "Some people, Vin, just like to hurt others. They're small people ... not because their bodies are small, but because their souls are. They need to hurt people, to make themselves big. Or feel big. They need to hurt little people, like you, in order to feel strong. Just like those men. Just like Buck and Adriana's father."
"I don't like him," Kevin said, making a face in the darkness, "I don't like that mean man in the hall, neither. I don't wanna ever be like him. Or those men who was chasin' me. I don't wanna hurt people. It don't make me feel good." He felt the man's arms tighten around him, and another kiss was dropped on top of his head, the way Mama used to do. Kevin yawned, suddenly feeling very sleepy, and asked, "How come ya call me 'Vin,' and nobody else does?"
There was a soft laugh, and the man said, "I don't really know. But I do know that you'll be nothing like those men when you grow up." Kevin shifted, wanting to believe the man, but afraid he might be wrong. The man continued, "When you grow up, you'll be tall and strong. You'll be proud and determined, a man anyone would be proud to call son. Anyone with any degree of sense, at least."
There was something in the man's voice which Kevin didn't understand. He sounded almost angry. But before he could ask, the man continued in a faraway voice, "You'll look a lot like me. Only your hair will be much longer. And let me give you a piece of advice, munchkin, resist any temptation to cut it. It looks very good on you. Besides, I happen to know that your girlfriend will tell a friend of yours that it would be cut over her dead body."
A girlfriend? Girls? EWWWWWWWW! But the events of the last few minutes had taken their toll on Kevin, and he was getting more and more sleepy.
Before he fell asleep, however, there was one thing he wanted to know. Kevin whispered, his head secure against the man's chest, "Mister? I'm real grateful to ya for helpin' me, but my mama always told me not to talk to strangers. And I don't know yer name." There was another, soft laugh of the man now holding him. The man began rubbing his hand in circles on Kevin's back. Just like his mama used to do.
"Your mama was a very smart, very special lady, Kevin Parris Tanner," he whispered, "and you're absolutely right. I thank you for your trust, especially knowing how much you hate little spaces. And you asked two questions, even though it only sounded like one. I helped you, because I wasn't there for you when you needed me the first time. No matter how much I wanted to be. And Alex. My name is Alex. Alexander Christopher Larabee."
"So, what you're saying is, this device is sort of a dream machine, that fulfills the desire of its ... of whoever comes into contact with it?" Josiah Sanchez asked. Daniel Jackson bobbed his head in acknowledgment, and the anthropologist mused, "Interesting. Totally in line with what we know of the Gou'ald, but I am curious. If this thing is a dream machine ... fulfilling the desires of whoever uses it, why has Vin been turned into a five year old?"
"Actually, I think I can answer that as well," the young Egyptologist replied. All eyes turned once more to him, and Josiah found himself thinking that it was a bit like a tennis match. Daniel cleared his throat, saying, "Yes. Well. Uhm. See, while Sam was trying to figure out what the machine did, I was trying to figure out what Earth culture was the basis for the planet, and what language it was in. Anyhow, Vin said something to me about how he wished he could talk to his mother ... wished she could meet Adriana."
Ahhhhh! Now things were starting to fall into place. Josiah said, "So, since Vin was five years old when his mother died, the machine malfunctioned and actually turned him into a five year old?" Daniel nodded, looking more than a little sheepish. Wasn't his fault. Regardless of what Daniel had done or said, the second that thing started overloading, Vin would have taken the same action. He would have pushed Sam Carter out of the way, not because she was a woman, but because she was one of his. That was who he was.
Josiah said as much, observing, "I got way too much respect for that boy, to say this would have happened if anyone had done their job better. Vin made a choice. He knew there was a chance he could get hurt. But he knew he couldn't live with himself if something happened to Major Carter. Don't take that away from him." Each member of SG-1 bowed their heads, because that was what each had been thinking. If I had done this.
It was a mindset which Josiah understood well. Teal'c said into the silence that followed, "Vin Tanner is a warrior, and a warrior makes choices. He made his choice. But that does not stop me from wishing I could not have prevented him or Major Carter from being harmed in any way. It is simply the way of the warrior. To protect. To take the consequences upon oneself, so another does not have to."
Josiah thought back to his time in Vietnam. He thought about something he heard Kevin say, about his neighbor's son, who had died in Vietnam. He thought about Julia Tanner and her Mateo. Then he thought about his conversation with Pegeen Larabee about her late brother-in-law, Alex Larabee, who had gone to fight in the Second World War so his younger brother wouldn't have to. He couldn't argue with Teal'c, because he knew the big Jaffa was right.
The room once more descended into silence. It was Alex's older nephew who broke the silence, saying, "All right. We know now how Vin was turned into a child, and why it happened. The question now becomes how do we get our Vin back? Because that's what I want. I want our Vin, my little brother, back. We need him. And yes, I know I'm being damn selfish here, but I've never claimed to be something I'm not."
General Hammond said, looking at SG-1, "Jack, you said something about trying to decide between going to the Tok'ra for help and coming back. Why would you even discuss going to the Tok'ra for help in this situation?" While they were allies to the Gou'ald cousins, there was tension on both sides of the alliance. Jack O'Neill himself was one of the most uneasy about the Tok'ra.
O'Neill replied, "It's not the Tok'ra I'm interested in, General, but Skaara. He's still with the Tok'ra. I was hoping he would ... well, give us some ideas about how to fix the machine. I wouldn't ask him to access his memories of Klorel. That goddamn snakehead violated him once, I don't want to do to the poor kid as well. But ... " The colonel's voice trailed off. Josiah understood. The young man from Abydos was still healing from his years of being suppressed by Klorel. He still had the memories of the atrocities committed by the son of Apophis.
And, he was still searching for a way to atone. Josiah was certain that the young man would take the chance given to him. He had nothing to do with Klorel's evil. The decisions weren't his, but the actions were. As O'Neill had said, Klorel had violated Skaara. In more ways than one. While part of him could accept that he wasn't responsible, a larger part said he was. It was this larger part which needed atonement. And Josiah both welcomed that desire to atone for sins that weren't Skaara's ... and hated himself for wanting to take advantage of it.
Hammond nodded slowly, saying, "Permission granted. SG-1, I want you to be ready to leave within the hour. In the meantime, Colonel Larabee, I want you and your people ... " He paused as there was a knocking at the door. Josiah saw Hammond's eyes sweep across the room, trying to figure out if anyone was missing. No. Every member of SG-7 was here, except JD and Vin. All members of SG-1 were here. Adriana was here. Everyone was present and accounted for, and it was a very rare person who would be brave enough to interrupt General Hammond during a meeting.
Hammond moved to the door, opening it to reveal a very worried-looking Mary Travis, Billy at her side. She immediate launched into an apology, saying, "I'm so sorry for disturbing you, General, but we were getting worried. Charlotte told us that JD and Vin passed her in the hall, but they never made it to the infirmary." Everyone sat up straight in their chairs. Mary continued, "Charlotte came back from Orrin's office, just like Janet asked her to, and she helped Janet, Billy, and I look."
"Meeting dismissed. SG-1, I want you back through the Gate as soon as you're ready to go. Colonel Larabee, you and I, and the rest of your team, are going to start searching for that boy," Hammond snapped out the orders. SG-1 left the briefing room and made their way back to the Gate Room. Josiah slipped out of the room behind Adriana ... and stopped in his tracks. He wasn't the only one who saw the Fury coming. Hammond groaned, "What else? Josie, join the search. Your nephew is missing."
Josie Tanner was mad as hell. She got to the SGC, only to be informed that she and her daughter would be escorted. What the hell was going on with that? She was always escorted, she was a civilian who technically didn't have clearance, because 'technically,' she was no longer in the military. Josie could have told anyone who asked that while she was no longer active service, she would never be a civilian.
But she held her tongue, and shook her head when Elizabeth started to protest. Instead, she kept a bracing arm around her daughter's shoulders as they were escorted to Carly's office in the SGC. That was when Josie knew something was wrong. She could see it in Carly's eyes. Josie knew her niece as well as anyone did, and better than most. Carly proved Josie's instinct correct a moment later, when she said in a halting voice, "Sit down, Aunt Jo."
Josie sat. She listened in growing disbelief as Carly explained that while off-world, Vin encountered a Gou'ald device that turned him into a little boy. That wasn't possible. Those things just didn't exist! Carly reminded her that in the world of the SGC, anything was possible, probable, and highly likely. What sounded like science fiction to the rest of the world, was real or even mundane in Carly's world.
Josie didn't know what shocked her more. The news that her nephew had been literally regressed to the same age he was when Julia did, or the matter of fact way her niece told her about it. As if this sort of thing happened every day. It rattled the woman. But if Josie thought things couldn't get any worse, she was wrong.
After hearing her niece's story, Josie demanded to see her nephew. She still remembered Vin as a little boy, could still see in her mind's eye that child. She wanted to see him for herself. Carly agreed, saying that JD Dunne was escorting Vin to the infirmary, while the rest of SG-7 learned whatever SG-1 found out on the planet. Josie questioned why Vin wasn't placed in Adriana's care, only to learn that a) Adriana had a breakthrough about her father, and was a little shaky at the time, and b) JD was jealous of the little boy.
But as they headed for the infirmary, they came across JD. Without Vin. JD saw them and blanched. Josie heard a low growl from Carly as her niece shot from her side. She grabbed JD and slammed him hard into the wall. The violent reaction shocked JD, as much as it shocked Josie and Elizabeth. And then Carly growled, "Where's my brother, you little twit! You dumped him somewhere, didn't you?"
"He wandered off, while I was talking to someone. He wouldn't wait, kept saying he had to go to the bathroom!" JD whined. The shock of her niece's reaction had given way to anger, and Josie stepped to Carly's side, glaring at the young corporal. In short order, JD found himself surrounded by three very pissed off Tanner women. JD dug himself in even deeper, adding, "I'm a cartographer, not a baby-sitter!"
Carly released him with a snort of disgust, Josie just glared at him contemptuously, but it was Elizabeth who retorted, "You're a whiner, not a man! You constantly whine about how you're not treated like a grown up, well, guess what ... that's because you're not! He's five years old! They can't hold it as long as we can, you jerk! Mom, Carly, let's go. Maybe we can find General Hammond, and tell him what's going on."
They were in the Briefing Room, overlooking the Gate, and as they approached the room, they saw people filing out. Mary Travis was there, looking very worried, and Josie realized they just found out Vin was missing. This was borne out a moment later when George Hammond said, "Josie, your nephew is missing." From the expressions of the people around him, Josie was guessing they were mounting a search party.
Except SG-1, who was heading into the Gate Room. Josie said briefly, "I know. JD told us." Mary looked at her in surprise, and Josie explained in disgust, "That little twit was talking to someone, and ignored Vin when he said he needed to go to the bathroom. Vin apparently got tired of waiting, and went to find the bathroom on his own. Does he even know where the bathrooms are in this place?"
"I took him this morning. I'm just not sure if he would remember where it was, but that's a good place to start. There's a bathroom about halfway between where we all slept last night and the infirmary," Josiah replied. Josie motioned to Adriana, who looked deeply upset. The girl was probably blaming herself. Josie would have to remind her that George had made his decision before he knew about Adriana flashing back to her own childhood. And JD made the decision to ignore a five year old who needed to go to the bathroom.
"We'll search that entire area. We also need to face the possibility that Kevin may think he's in trouble," George said. Josie looked at the man, who continued, "He went off on his own, in a strange place. That goes against everything he's probably been taught. So he may be hiding. Check the closets and storage rooms when you check those corridors. Split up. Josie, you're taking Dr. Wilmington with you?"
Josie nodded, and George continued, "Dr. Tanner, take your younger sister. Captain Travis and Billy, you'll search together. Major Wilmington and Colonel Larabee, you take another section, and Dr. Sanchez and Mr. Jackson, you'll take the final corridor." Josie looked at the general questioningly. What would he be doing? And what about Ezra? George offered her a feral smile, replying, "I intend to deal with Corporal Dunne. Mr. Standish will come with me. He can make some calls from Orrin's office."
"Leave some for the rest of us, General. Okay, people, you heard the man ... move out!" Chris said. His team split up accordingly, while Standish accompanied George in the direction Josie, Carly, and Elizabeth came. Josie and Adriana headed immediately to the bathroom Josiah mentioned. Adriana knew what he was talking about, because Josiah and Vin were on their way back to Orrin's office when Chris, Mary, Adriana and Billy met them that morning.
They were quickly joined by Mindy, who hadn't been at all happy about being left by her humans. But dogs tend to be sensitive animals, and the border collie quickly sensed that something was terribly wrong. Adriana stopped and knelt in front of Mindy, murmuring, "Go with Chris, Mindy-Mindy. We gotta find Kevin, puppy, they need your help." Mindy just whined, but trotted off to join Chris and Buck.
Adriana rose to her feet, and the pair began walking once more. As the two women reached the bathroom, Josie said, "This isn't your fault, you know. When you left, Vin was in good hands ... he had Josiah, Ezra, Chris, and Carly to look out for him."
She knocked lightly on the door and when there was no answer, she opened it. Adriana followed her inside, muttering, "This feels strange ... never been inside a men's bathroom. Josie. Look." Josie, who had been trying to figure out if a little boy could push open that heavy door on his own, turned and joined the young woman. Adriana pointed to the toilet rim, indicating two marks on the seat. Two marks made by two tiny shoes. The archaeologist said, a bit obviously, "He's been here. He couldn't flush the toilet ... was probably afraid he'd fall in."
Josie flushed the toilet, agreeing with her. She remembered Elizabeth being afraid of falling in the toilet when she was little. Afraid she would fall into the toilet and down into the little hole, where a monster would eat her. She was too young to understand that she was too big to go through the hole. Everything seemed so big to her. Of course she could fit through that little hole, because she was little.
The two women left the bathroom, Josie murmuring, "He probably headed this way, since that was where he left JD." Adriana didn't answer ... she was kneeling on the cement floor, a distant expression on her face. It occurred to Josie that the young woman still hadn't acknowledged that this wasn't her fault, but instead of calling her on it, Josie asked, "Drina? What have you got?"
Instead of answering directly, Adriana replied slowly, "Back in college, Vin and I had this mutual education thing going on. I taught him about history, about the things I knew, and he taught me about the things he knew, including tracking."
Which explained how she noticed the sneaker marks on the toilet seat. Josie nodded her understanding, and Adriana went on, "Vin once told me, during one of the few times he would talk about his past, that his mother taught him to pay attention to his surroundings. That way, he would never get lost. In the last few months of her life, the lessons were almost daily. My guess is, Julia knew Jessica wouldn't come for Vin."
Josie nodded her agreement. It didn't surprise her, if that was the case. Adriana went on, "The trouble is ... Vin would have gone this way, because it was the direction where he left JD. He knew JD was there. But he never went that way, because Mary, Janet, and Charlotte searched the area around the infirmary. Which means he went back this way." She turned and pointed in the opposite direction. Adriana turned back to Josie again and asked, "Why?"
Josie thought about it, then looked at the young woman, saying, "He was being chased? Or was afraid? So we need to head that way. Do you know which doors are left unlocked?" Adriana just shrugged, reached out and tried one doorknob. It didn't give, and Josie took the other side of the hall. One by one, the women tried both sides of the hall. There was one door left at the end of the hall.
"That has to be it ... this is a dead end. Trouble is, this door is supposed to be locked. Damn. Uhm ... humor me a minute?" Adriana asked. Josie stepped away and Adriana called, "Kevin? Can you hear me? It's Drina." There was silence, then a thump. Well, that was positive. Maybe. Without really thinking about what she was doing, Josie reached past her companion, putting her hand on the knob ... and it turned.
Adriana looked at Josie quickly, then stepped back. Josie opened the door, to find a little boy asleep on the floor. And ... Josie's heart turned over. Oh God. It was true. It was really true. Vin was five again. The same age he was the last time she saw him, before only a few months earlier. It was like going back in time twenty-two years and standing still. Adriana slipped past Josie and put a gentle hand on Vin's shoulder. A pair of blue eyes opened and inspected Adriana sleepily. Then he held his arms out to her.
Adriana lifted him out of the closet, holding him tight against her body. Vin mumbled, still half asleep, "Miss Drina, I don' wanna go back to that man. He's not nice at all. I had to go to bafroom, was gonna wet my pants." Adriana gently stroked his back, the gentleness of her voice and touch at odds with the quiet fury in her dark eyes. But Josie knew the anger wasn't for the child in her arms.
"I know, baby, and you don't have to go back to him. We know it's not your fault, you're not in trouble," the archaeologist whispered. Vin just snuggled closer, burying his face against her neck, and Josie quietly closed the door behind them. Vin was safe now. They had to find the others. As the two women started back, they were met by Chris, Buck, Mary and Billy. Evidently, once they didn't find him, the two teams joined up.
"Drina? Where's Alex? He saved me," Vin asked sleepily. Alex? Josie looked at Adriana, who just shrugged. And she didn't seem particularly willing to give up the child in her arms to anyone, not even his older brother.
Vin continued, "The bad men was chasin' me after I went to the bafroom, and Alex scared them away. He was real big, and said I'd look just like him when I growed up." Adriana stopped, looked at the little boy, then looked at Chris. The colonel stepped closer, and Vin raised his eyes, whispering, "I sorry, Chris, I know I was a bad boy. But I had to go real bad, so bad it hurt. And the man wouldn't take me!"
Chris held out his arms to the little boy, and when Vin reached out to the colonel, Adriana released her grip on the little boy. Vin snuggled against Chris, who whispered, "I know, Kevin, I know, it's not your fault. Hey ... have you met Josie yet?" The little boy raised his head from Larabee's shoulder to look at Josie with an appraising expression. Then he frowned, the little head tilting to one side to regard her more thoughtfully.
"I got me an 'Aunt Josie,' didja know that, Chris?" Vin finally offered. He looked at Josie more carefully, and added, "An' she kinda looks like my Aunt Josie. M' name is Kevin Parris Tanner, ma'am, but ever'body calls me ' Vin.' Well, 'cept here, but that's cause there's another Vin who's all growed up." And Josephine Tanner, who had missed so much of her nephew's childhood, found herself falling in love all over again.
If JD Dunne lived to be a hundred, he knew he would never forget the look Buck gave him when they passed in the hall. Buck was heading off to find the missing child, and JD heading for the general's office where, it was generally understood, he would get the Mother of All Ass-chewings. JD had never seen that look of disappointment ... of contempt, even ... in Buck's eyes. He hoped he never did again. And Chris didn't even look at him.
That was worse than the ass-chewing he was getting right now. Though just barely. JD hadn't seen General Hammond this angry since the corporal left the civilians, when he thought Buck was hurt during Adriana's first official mission. The general wound down, saying, "My God. Do you have any idea of the risk you caused to that child? All because of your hurt pride. You're a cartographer, not a baby-sitter ... so that means you can't be bothered to watch a friend's back when he can't do it himself."
The contempt and fury in the general's voice proved to be the breaking point for the corporal, who had been silent through the reaming. In fact, ever since this nightmare began, he had been silent. No more. JD retorted, "Sir, I don't care what Dr. Frasier says. That little brat is not Vin Tanner! He's nothing like Vin Tanner, and he could never grow up to be Vin Tanner! Vin Tanner doesn't attract half the attention that brat does, and he sure as hell doesn't have this entire compound wrapped around his little finger!"
"I thought as much. This is about your jealousy. Sit down, Corporal! In the first place, I gave you an order! It was very simple. Escort Kevin from the office to the infirmary, so Dr. Frasier could run more tests on him. Instead, you decided to stand and talk to someone for almost thirty minutes, forcing a five year old child who has been here for not even two days to find the men's room on his own!" Hammond snapped.
He shook his head in disgust, continuing, "And why? Because you were jealous of that child, of the attention he's been receiving from the other men. You're no longer the youngest, the adored baby, and your nose is out of joint. Well, grow up, soldier! You're in the United States Army, and in Stargate Command. You're perfectly healthy, both mentally and physically. We don't have time to deal with your whining, and that is exactly what you're doing!"
Whining?!?!?! JD started to interrupt, but the general wasn't finished with him. The Texan snapped out, "You whine about how no one wasn't around to pay that kind of attention to you. No one except your mother. That's more than that child had after his mother died. Kevin's mother died when he was five years old, Mr. Dunne. You were nineteen. Two things could have happened, Mr. Dunne, when the other men reached out to him. Kevin could have pulled back in fear, or he could have reached out."
Now JD saw where this was going, but Hammond wasn't finished. He said, "He chose to reach out. You say that can't possibly be Vin Tanner, because he's afraid? Regardless of what Colonel Larabee and Dr. Frasier both say? I say, that willingness to go past his own fear is indeed the Vin Tanner we all know. The same courage which he showed when he stood up to Will Richmond earlier. Even as a child, Vin Tanner was a protector."
"He didn't have to run off," JD muttered. But even as he spoke, he knew that for the lie it was. Even before the general's eyes darkened. Still, he didn't take back his words. He had been silent too long, his resentment of this child simmering. How dare this little brat try to take Buck and the others away from him? Who did he think he was? JD was the youngest member of SG-7, the baby of the group, and that little brat couldn't take that specialness away from him!
"Like hell he didn't, Corporal Dunne!" Hammond snarled, slamming both hands down on his desk, "You know damn good and well that a child doesn't have the self control an adult does. What would you have had him do? Humiliate himself by wetting his pants? Maybe you've forgotten what it's like to be five years old, Corporal, but as the grandfather of two little girls, I can tell you ... a child of that age has pride. And I'm very sorry to say, that little boy's acting a helluva lot more mature than you are!"
There was a knock at the door, and Hammond barked a summons. The door opened, revealing Josiah. He said, never even looking at JD, "Josie and Adriana found Kevin in a hallway, not far from the men's room. He was in a closet, asleep. Chris has taken him back to the infirmary, making sure he wasn't hurt. From what they could get out of him after he woke up, and quit apologizing for running off, he was on his way back from the head when two men started chasing him. We don't know who they are, and we're still getting a description, but I wanted to update you. He seems to be all right, at least physically."
The general visibly relaxed, muttering, "Thank God. Though when I found out who was chasing a child and scared him badly enough to hide from us, I'll have their hides ... then turn them over to Teal'c. And thank you, Dr. Sanchez, for telling me. Would you be good enough to escort Corporal Dunne to his quarters? He's being temporarily relieved of duty, until he can learn how to follow orders."
For the first time, Josiah looked at JD, and the corporal cringed at the disappointment he saw there. But the big man simply nodded and gestured for JD to follow him. The general returned his attention to his paperwork, saying dismissively, "You may leave now, Corporal." JD numbly rose to his feet and saluted, then walked to the door, the general's words floating in his head. Couldn't follow orders. Relieved of duty. Oh, he was in deep this time.
There was silence as the two men walked from the general's office to JD's quarters. The corporal couldn't stop thinking about what just happened. Was the general right? He said JD didn't watch his friend's back. But that wasn't JD's friend. He was just some kid. Josiah said quietly, alerting JD that he had spoken aloud, "That shouldn't matter, John Dunne. This boy needs our help ... and you wouldn't give him that help when he asked."
JD lowered his eyes, and Josiah continued, "And think about one other thing, while you consider the general's words. When we get Vin back, and we will ... what will he think of your betrayal of his child self? Do you honestly imagine he'll ever trust you again? Oh, it seems so small. You were just talking to someone. It's not like you actually abandoned him. He ran away, after all. But consider this. Consider how many times that child was ignored and abandoned. And then consider that he trusted you."
And curiously, as Josiah turned and left JD alone in his quarters, those words hurt far more than General Hammond's ass-chewing. True enough, he hadn't done his duty. But that wasn't the worst of it. Josiah forced himself to look in the mirror, and confront himself. He stripped away the anger and the resentment, leaving only the truth. And it was an ugly truth. He whispered, sliding slowly down the wall, "Oh, God. What have I done?"
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