SERIES/UNIVERSE: SG-7
DISCLAIMERS: M7 characters belong to Trilogy, et al, SG-1 characters belong to Gekko, MGM, and Showtime. Adriana, Carly, Lizzie, Josie and Jessica Tanner, as well as Evan and Pegeen Larabee, 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, and Full Circle, also all five seasons of Stargate SG-1.
WARNING: The usual, violence and language. Some h/c, more comfort than hurt, and smarm, but again, I'll be trying to keep the smarm down to a dull roar.
He hadn't meant to come here. This was the Air Force Academy, a military installation. Part of something which he hated with every fiber of his being. But here he was, nonetheless. Evan Larabee couldn't explain it to himself. He shouldn't be here. He loathed the military, in all its aspects. He didn't belong here. And yet, here he was. Walking across the lawn toward his son. Both of them.
Once more, Kevin's resemblance to Alex stabbed into his heart, but he ignored it. It became easier, after the boy spoke. He sounded nothing like Alex. Had none of Alex's diction or speaking abilities. He was absolutely embarrassing ... just a cornpone hick with no education and no elegance. But he did have something. He had both his elder brother, Evan's own son, at his side ... along with an older man whom Evan didn't recognize.
At least, not until that older man said, "We believe in you, Kevin. Both of us. Just as your grandmother would, if she were here." Grandmother? Or course. Jessica told him earlier that her father was arriving in town. This would have to be Paris Tanner. One of the men who came home from Europe, when Evan's own brother died in the war. That made it easier for Evan, then. At least, until Paris Tanner looked at him as if Evan was nothing more than a bug, and added, "So. This is Evan Larabee. The ... person ... who abandoned a five year old child."
That's right, runt, Alex said inside his head, you abandoned a five year old kid. Then had the gall to criticize him for not being up to your lofty standards. Five years old, runt. Do you remember being five years old, Evan? I do. I remember you being five years old. Have you ever noticed that there's almost the same age difference between Vin and Chris, that was between you and me? No, of course not. You're still denying your own flesh and blood.
Evan reacted to this criticism by his older brother the same way he always did ... by lashing out at someone else. Once more, he lashed out at the young man with his brother's face, growling, "This is all your fault! If you had just stayed away from my son, none of this would have happened!" Christopher reacted predictably ... as any older brother would, when there was a threat to the younger sibling. The same way Alex always reacted to threats to Evan.
His older son fired back, "No, this is all your fault, Father! Vin did nothing wrong! He did nothing wrong the night we met, and he sure as hell did nothing wrong just now. I'll tell you something else. My little brother has done nothing in his life except help people ... too bad I can't say the same for you. How dare you intrude on a family day like this? You're not welcome in my life, or hadn't I made that clear before? I ... no ... longer ... have ... a ... father!"
"Chris ... I got it," Kevin said softly, putting his hand over his brother's, now resting protectively on his shoulder. Christopher looked at his younger brother somewhat apologetically. Evan knew the expression well. It meant, 'I'm sorry I stepped in, but I won't apologize for protecting what's mine.' Evan knew the expression, he had seen it on his wife's face enough times. Kevin added, turning his attention back to Evan, "Now. Ya made it real clear that I ain't good 'nough for the likes of ya. Now it's my turn."
Christopher and the elder Tanner adjusted their position behind Kevin, closing ranks. Tanner put his hand on Kevin's back. Evan stared at the young man who had been silent for so long, who would be silent no longer. Kevin Tanner stared at him with contempt burning brightly in his blue eyes, as he said, "Now, I've had just about enough of ya insultin' m' ma, insultin' m' sisters, insultin' my brother. Hell, wouldn't surprise me none if ya insulted m' lady last night when I didn't hear ya. And ... it ... ends ... now."
Evan was mesmerized. The flashing blue eyes, the forceful words, the tone of voice, it was all Alex. Only the Texan accent and the long hair reminded him that his brother was dead. Kevin swallowed hard and went on, "Like I done said earlier. I know ya don't like me, and that's fine by me. I got me a brother and sisters, an aunt, and a grandpa who do. I got my Drina, and I got m' other brothers. I don't need ya!"
Christopher remained silent, his fingers kneading his brother's shoulder through the jacket Kevin wore. The young man continued, "I was like ever' other kid, growin' up. Wonderin' 'bout m' pa. Wonderin' what I done wrong, to make 'im not want me. Oh, I tol' m'self it weren't important, that m' ma wanted me and loved me. But it were important. 'Cause I was missin' a part of m'self, all them years."
The boy shook his head, his eyes blazing with fury, and continued, "Then I meet m' pa. And I was right, all 'long. He don't want me. Never did. Didn't want me when I was a kid, and I sure as hell don't measure up to what he wants now. How could I? When the son he raised ain't good enough, an' I ain't never met a better man 'n Chris Larabee. That's the one good thin' ya done. Ya gave Chris to me. I cain't tell ya what it meant to me, findin' out that Chris really was m' brother. Brother I wanted all m' life, and there he was." Evan lifted his eyes to meet Christopher's, and was shocked to see the stark emotion there.
"That was the best gift you could have given me, too," Christopher said softly, "finding out that Vin Tanner, my best friend, my second in command ... was my little brother. I got two more gifts, when I found out that I had two sisters as well. But Vin was the greatest gift, because I already knew him. It's so ironic, Father. That year, when it was just Mom and me ... you were never really ours after that year. But what you created ... is ours."
"And you're welcome to it ... both of you! You made your choice last night. And for reasons which I can't ascertain, your mother has chosen to adopt this ... this ... this get of a whore! What ... " Evan spat. He never finished that sentence. Kevin Tanner had just been pushed too far. The young man levered himself out of his wheelchair, his bright eyes reminding Evan of pictures he had of a sun which had just gone supernova.
"That," the young man growled, "is the last time I'm hearin' ya insult m' ma. Julia Rose Tanner was the finest woman to walk this earth, and the likes of ya ain't gonna say otherwise. How dare ... agh! Oh God ... Chris?" Kevin doubled over in the middle of his sentence, arms wrapped protectively around his midsection. Christopher moved faster than Evan ever saw his son move before, gently easing his brother to the ground."I'm right here, Vin, I'm right here. Easy. I got ya. Shhh, I got ya," Christopher soothed gently. He cradled his brother against his body, just holding onto him. Evan watched in fascination ... right up until he felt a pair of hands twist themselves into his collar, forcibly lifting him off his feet. Evan eeped and found himself staring into the very angry eyes of Paris Tanner. Evan barely heard his elder son whispering to his brother.
Because he heard something else, right behind him. A voice he heard only that morning, snarling, "Put him down, Daddy, and let me deal with this pile of manure. You help Colonel Larabee take care of our boy. Insult my sister's memory and upset my son? I don't think so, buster!" Tanner snarled at him once more for good measure, before turning him away from Kevin and Christopher and dumping him unceremoniously on the ground. At which point, Evan found himself facing an irate Jessica Tanner.
Oh ... God. That hurt. Vin drew in his breath in hisses, because that was the only thing he had strength enough for ... hissing in his breath. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against his brother's collarbone, only vaguely aware that his grandfather had physically picked up Evan Larabee after Vin collapsed. The only things which were really real to Vin at the moment were the agony in his gut and Chris holding onto him as if he'd never let go. Hating himself for drawing strength from his brother, and doing it nonetheless because he had none of his own, Vin held on as well.
This was one time when Vin wouldn't break his brother's hand for stroking his hair, even if he had the energy. But Chris just rocked him, skimming his hand down Vin's back, the rhythm giving Vin a focus other than the tearing pain, and how stupid he felt. He knew this would happen, so why the hell did he do it? Stupid, stupid, stupid ... how could he be so stupid? But he was tired of that prick insultin' his mother, the woman who raised him for those five years, who taught him about right and wrong, about love.
Over the last two weeks, his rage and frustration had grown, with no way of dealing with it. And things only got worse the previous night, during the first confrontations with his biological father. Vin's worst nightmare as a child came true as an adult. His father not only didn't want him, Vin was the epitome of everything Evan Larabee hated. Vin could have dealt with that. What really hurt the young man was the knowledge that there was only one thing Evan Larabee had done right, only one reason to be proud that Evan Larabee was his father. That was Evan's first-born son, Chris ... Vin's newly found older brother. Otherwise, Vin considered his biological father a waste of oxygen.
No child should ever see their parent that way. But it was how Vin truly felt about his father. And Evan had tried the last of Vin's patience today, by once more attacking the woman who took care of Vin for those years before her death. He knew he was born of Jessica Tanner's body, but for all time, he would consider himself to be Julia Tanner's son, and he would allow no insults of her ... any more than he would allow insults to his aunt, his sisters, or his Drina.
At last, his rage had an outlet. Vin hadn't been thinking when he pushed himself out of his wheelchair. It wasn't a matter of pride. It was a matter, really, of stupidity. And he paid the price for it. But for just a few seconds, there had been no pain. Only fury. Only the sensation of lava where his blood should have been. And then, it felt like the pain was tearing him in half, but as he had so many times during the last two weeks, Chris had caught him.
Vin knew his older brother was still feeling guilty about not telling the whole truth during the last mission. And he knew, no matter how many times he told Chris he understood, it made no difference. Chris had to work through his guilt as best he could. Like Vin himself, Chris took care of people, he protected people. And when he believed he had failed to protect one of his, it took him a long time to stop feeling guilty about it.
After several moments, and as Vin's thoughts quieted, he felt himself being lifted back into his wheelchair, heard his grandfather talking to him in a gentle voice, felt a big hand once more skimming down his back. And the pain began to ease, just as an unfamiliar female voice snapped, "I'm just gonna say this once, Evan. Don't you ever insult my sister's memory again! Julia never did anything to you! And what the hell are you doing here anyhow, aside from insulting my sister's memory and upsetting my son?"
What in the hell? Vin leaned his head to one side, and found his brother's shoulder there. The old song, 'put your head on my shoulder,' danced through Vin's mind, and it was all he could do to keep from giggling. Two things stopped him: a) he wasn't hurting quite so badly now, and he liked it that way, and b) he knew Chris wouldn't appreciate his singing or the song.
"I was here ... I don't know! Maybe I wanted to see how the enemy did things, or I wanted to settle things with Christopher ... wanted to make him see what a mistake he was making. What are you doing here, Jessica?" Evan Larabee demanded. Vin at last found himself able to draw in a deep breath, without feeling as if a bomb had gone off inside his gut. He maneuvered his head on his brother's shoulder and saw his birth mother for the first time.
She was pretty. Not as pretty as his ma, her older sister. She had dark blonde hair which had been frosted. And if Vin hadn't known she had given birth to three children ... well, she didn't look it. She wasn't facing him at the moment, but the man who had Vin, his brother, and his sisters. Her hands seemed attached to her hips as she fired back, "I'm here to make things right with my children, with my father, and with my sister!"
"And you've done a fine job of starting that, sweetie ... but I think you should step away from the father of your children. I think those nice, strapping young men would like to have a conversation with him about disturbing the peace. And isn't that Orrin Travis walking with them?" his grandfather asked. Vin raised his head to see Jack O'Neill, Teal'c, and General Travis making their way toward the impromptu Tanner family reunion.
"That it is, Mr. Tanner. General, may I present Paris Tanner ... Vin's grandfather, and a survivor of D-Day. I believe you've also met Jessica Tanner, as have Teal'c and Colonel Jack O'Neill, both of whom were with us when Vin was nearly killed," Chris replied. He paused, then almost as an afterthought, added, "Oh, and this is my father, Evan Larabee ... my father and Vin's." But Vin was more interested in the woman. Jessica Tanner. The woman who gave birth to him. She was staring at him as well.
"Oh, so, this is the guy who abandoned his five year old kid, huh? Chris, I'm still figuring out how a wimp like that managed to raise you, and create Vin and Carly. Good to see you up and about, kid," Jack said, distracting Vin from his staring-contest with his biological mother. Vin looked at his friend, smiling to see the concern in the brown eyes. And the young guide felt another pain, not physical, release its hold on him. So his biological father was a bastard who didn't think Vin was worth his time? That was his loss. Not Vin's. Never again.
Vin still had his grandfather. He had his older brother, his two sisters. He had his aunt. His five other brothers and their respective ladies. He had Nettie. He had Drina. The other SG teams. And ... maybe ... if things were right for it ... maybe he and his biological mother could become friends. Teal'c intoned, "Indeed, Vin Tanner. Your recovery has been a concern to Colonel O'Neill and myself. It is indeed good to see you out today."
"Good to see ya, Teal'c, Jack. My old man was just leavin.' Weren't ya," Vin rasped, glaring at his biological father. Evan Larabee looked around nervously, and Vin realized it may already be too late to keep things from going too far. While General Travis wouldn't intervene, and neither Jack nor Teal'c would commit murder out in plain view (unless it was Maybourne or Kinsey), he was more worried about the ladies. A quick look told him that both his grandfather and his elder brother had noticed the very same thing ... although, neither Chris nor his grandpa looked particularly worried.
"Uh-oh," Jack muttered, evidently seeing the same thing Vin saw, "looks like Carly's lecture has been let out. Do you think if we gave him a ten minute head-start, it would be enough for Mr. Larabee to outrun the ladies? Judging from the expression of the lovely Dr. Tanner, I think she's seen her biological father. Which means, if she gets here, we'll have to worry about biological decontamination, by the time she's finished with him."
"I don't think there's time for that, Jack," General Travis replied with a deep sigh, "Mary was a track star in high school. Take a look, she's leading the charge." A glance toward his sister and the other ladies confirmed that Mary was striding right alongside his twin sister and his lady. This ... looked to get interesting. Especially since none of the ladies looked pleased to see his biological father. Vin found the rest of his pain quickly fading in anticipation of what was about to start.
There was very little discussion among the women heading toward Paris and Vin Tanner, as well as Evan and Chris Larabee. Adriana Wilmington had pulled out her cell phone as soon as the biology lecture let out, and dialed JD Dunne's cell phone number. She knew better than to call her brother. Buck was forever turning off his cell phone, because he didn't want to run the risk of a call interrupting him when he was with a lady.
Josie Tanner had explained what she was thinking to Pegeen Larabee, once the women parted company with the men. She further explained that it seemed likely that Evan Larabee would show up, after being humiliated so badly. None of the women could argue with her logic, so they decided they would wait until after Carly's lecture (which went absolutely brilliantly, despite Carly's last minute panic-attack).
Mary had a special signal she and Chris created with her pager, after the last mission. One beeps meant Vin was down, and two meant he was down and they were under hostile fire. During the lecture, Adriana found herself struggling to stay awake when she received a note from her best friend, who was sitting beside her. "Two beeps," was all it said. Adriana folded the note back and nodded, then passed it to the other ladies.
By the time Carly was finished with the admiring young cadets ... and the ones who wanted to challenge her ... Mary and Adriana had pinpointed where Chris and Vin were most likely with Paris Tanner. Josie filled in Carly, as well as the news that the twins and Lizzie's mother had finally wised up. Then they headed out, because their men needed them, and nothing more needed to be said. Well ... except for Pegeen, who agreed with Josie and Jessica that Evan wouldn't be able to let things lie.
In any event, it took them less than fifteen minutes to find the guys ... and they also discovered that Jack, Teal'c, and General Travis had joined the ranks. Oh, this looked to be interesting. Lizzie (who had announced her desire to be called 'Lacey,' which sounded far more grown-up) had a few choice remarks for her biological mother, and Josie quickly hushed her. Adriana agreed, especially once they got within earshot, and she heard for herself, the way Jessica Tanner was ripping into Evan Larabee.
Adriana was an archaeologist, a scholar and a well-read woman. She also knew how to cuss someone out in three different languages (English, German, and Latin) ... five if you counted the lessons in Spanish she got from Cass Montoya during her years in Texas and the Russian lessons she got from Claire. So, she had a very good understanding of blasting someone ... and an excellent appreciation of the dressing down which Jessica was now giving Evan. It wasn't quite as viciously elegant as the one Adriana herself gave Jessica, or the ones which Ezra was capable of giving, but it was vicious and elegant in its own right.
Her smile died as her eyes shifted from Jessica still reaming Evan, to the pale, hunched figure of her boyfriend. She glanced at Mary, whose green eyes registered her own concern, and the blonde captain nodded her agreement. With only that, the pair began walking a little faster than the others. A second glance had them both running, and they were at the sides of their respective men only seconds later.
Adriana knelt beside her boyfriend, who smiled at her weakly and rasped, "M' pa pissed me off, and I was stupid. Sorry, Drina." The archaeologist just touched his cheek gently, allowing her eyes to do her talking for her. Vin sighed, leaning his face into her hand, and muttered, "Shoulda knowed ya would do that. Ya always do." Adriana wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that, and she didn't think he needed to be talking.
Jessica was winding down, which was why Adriana was looking away from Vin when her eyes met Josie's. Unexpectedly, the woman turned bright red and she said, "You ... did tell me not to swoop in and rescue him from his evil father, and what do I do? He made me mad, Jo. Not Kevin, but Evan. He called our sister a whore, and got Kevin all upset. That made me mad, and I just ... stopped thinking and started reacting."
"I called you a whore ... never said anything about your sister," Evan Larabee fired back. Jessica turned back to face him, and Pegeen rolled her eyes heavenward, as if to say, 'why? Why me?' Evan went on, sounding suspiciously like a whining child, "How was I supposed to know that he considered your older sister Julia to be his mother?" Adriana dropped her head again, allowing her forehead to rest against Vin's good shoulder.
"Oh, I don't know, Evan ... maybe the fact that Julia raised him might have clued you! Yes, I gave birth to Kevin ... and to Carly, and to Elizabeth. But as far as Lizzie is concerned, Josie is her mother, and Kevin feels the same about Julia. I gave birth to them, but those are their mothers!" Jessica retorted, throwing up her hands in obviously aggravation. Billy, who had managed to keep up with the contingent of pissed off women on the way from the lecture hall, moved from his mother's side to Vin's. Adriana couldn't argue with his logic.
"Lacey. I go by Lacey now. Lizzie is a little girl's name," the blonde girl corrected. Adriana glared at her future sister-in-law ... now was not the time! Billy managed to scoot a little closer to both Chris and Vin, obviously worried by the teenager. Adriana didn't blame him. For that matter, this entire situation was quickly heading out of control. Elizabeth Tanner added, "And she's right. Josie's my mom."
"Evan," Pegeen said, sounding more than a little annoyed, "just give it up. You'll never win, or haven't you learned that yet? And Lacey, that's a lovely name, just give us time to get used to it ... especially your mother." She started to say something else, then looked at Jessica hard. As if it was just now hitting her, who this woman was, and Adriana wondered a bit uneasily if they would have to worry about a cat fight right here, in the middle of the campus.
But Jessica said quietly, "There's nothing I can say, to make up for what I did to you." Adriana moved a little closer to Vin, because she had no way of knowing what came next. The blonde woman continued, "There's nothing I can say to you, and nothing I can say to my children. No way I can make it up to my children. Especially Kevin. And to Carly, for putting her in an impossible situation for so long."
"At least we agree on something. No, Aunt Josie. I'm glad you've forgiven her. But that doesn't mean I will. Not for abandoning Vin, not for lying to me, and not for asking me to lie to my brother," Carly replied. Adriana kept silent ... this had nothing to do with her, and she had to worry about Vin. Besides. In Carly's position, she wasn't so sure she could or would feel any differently than her friend.
"Then that's what I'll live with. I won't ask you to give something, Carly, not if you can't give it. I won't ask more from you than you can give," Jessica replied quietly. This sentiment was so unusual for a woman who had been totally self-centered only weeks earlier, Adriana blinked in amazement. Who the hell was this woman, and what did she do with Jessica Tanner? More to the point, when did a simple trip to an open house turn into a soap???
"Oh, that's very big of you ... considering what you've asked of me already. Drina, will my brother be all right?" Carly asked, turning her attention to the archaeologist. The brunette nodded, and Carly knelt beside the wheelchair, peering intently into Vin's tired blue eyes. She reached out and brushed a lock of hair from Vin's eyes. Both Adriana and Carly laughed, seeing the annoyed Look she got from her twin.
"You know, I really think it's best that you leave. Teal'c, why don't you escort Mr. Larabee to the shuttle bus ... and make sure he gets to his car? We wouldn't want him getting lost on a campus this size," Jack said with a pleasant smile which fooled absolutely no one. Adriana thought of the old saying, 'come into the parlor, said the spider to the fly.' That was what Jack's expression reminded her of.
"Indeed. Good day, Colonel Larabee ... Vin Tanner. Ladies," Teal'c replied, inclining his head to those he mentioned. He nodded to General Travis, took a hold of Evan Larabee's collar, and frog-marched him away from the small group.
With that threat eliminated, General Travis approached the two brothers, asking the younger, "How you feeling, son? Up to getting some lunch?" Vin nodded with a weary smile, and both Carly and Adriana rose to their feet. General Travis continued, "Well, then ... Dr. Wilmington, if you would be so kind, call Corporal Dunne and your brother, let them know the crisis is passed, and they should meet us at the officer's club."
Adriana blinked and looked at Mary. General Travis noticed the look that passed between the two, and added, "I know you, Adriana, and I know my daughter-in-law. Just like I know the others have all been informed of Mr. Larabee's intrusion. As soon as you got off the phone with JD ... because we both know how your brother is about turning off his cell phone ... that young man called Dr. Sanchez, and the others."
"Right the first time, General ... sorry we're late. Turns out Ezra ain't so good with a map," Nathan Jackson said, approaching the group with his wife, Josiah, and Ezra. The negotiator just glared at the medic, who grinned broadly, adding, "Hate to be the one to tell you this, Ez, but you got a long ways to go before you're as scary as Chris. Everything okay? Vin, you're lookin' a mite peaked."
"Long story. We'll explain on the way to lunch," Chris answered shortly. Adriana just laughed to herself, at Chris, and at Ezra's indignant expression. His mouth was opening and closing like the proverbial fish out of water. She looked over at Nathan and winked at him as Chris and Paris began pushing Vin's wheelchair. He just grinned even broader, putting his arm around Rain's waist, and began walking alongside Chris.
The rest of the group followed, Becca Tanner looping her arm through her husband's free arm. Adriana was looking forward to joining up with the others. Looking forward to her brother and JD's reaction to missing all the fun. She knew Buck ... her big brother would be highly perturbed that he had been denied the chance to beat the living shit out of Evan Larabee. Next time, though. Next time.
Buck Wilmington was, indeed, furious that he had missed all the fun. But that wasn't what was causing Orrin Travis such amusement. Rather, it was watching the antics of his best team (SG-1 was George's best team, SG-7 was Orrin's). Buck and JD were grousing about missing the fun. Nathan and Ezra were indulging in a food fight ... acting more like Buck and JD than Buck and JD themselves. Josiah was making calf eyes at Josie Tanner, who was dividing her attention between him, her daughter, her father, and her sister. Strange family, the Tanners, but Orrin had decided it was a good kind of strange. Mostly.
The brothers were across the table from Orrin. Vin had finished his sandwich and fallen asleep in his wheelchair. Chris was quietly talking with Paris Tanner, and Orrin wondered in passing what they were discussing. On the other side of Vin were Carly, Adriana, and Mary. The three had their heads together, and Orrin had the uneasy sense that the Four Corners were about to gain a new member, at least until Carly Tanner left to rejoin her team.
While they were getting the lunches put together, Chris had taken Orrin aside and told him of his plan. There was some place Chris wanted to take Vin, some place very special. Would Orrin mind ... well ... looking out for Paris and Rebecca Tanner on Sunday, while Chris and Vin took care of their errand? That wasn't a problem at all ... Orrin would call Evie, and the senior Tanners would spend Sunday with them.
Orrin's dark eyes returned to Vin. It was curious, how the open house at the Air Force Academy had been the catalyst for so much. Orrin had been told of Vin's collapse. He couldn't be too hard on the boy. Vin's frustration and anger had been growing by leaps and bounds during the last two weeks. What surprised him wasn't that Evan Larabee had finally pushed the young man too far ... it was how long it had taken to snap Vin's patience.
Then again, his teammates often tested Vin's patience. The bickering between Nathan and Ezra came immediately to mind ... although, that had improved dramatically, once both put aside their defenses and bothered to get to know each other. Vin sighed and grimaced, shifting in his sleep. Nathan stopped his food fight with Ezra and left his seat to check on his friend. Orrin watched in silence. Vin's eyes slowly opened and he yawned.
He smiled sleepily at Nathan, mumbling something which Orrin couldn't hear, but which made Nathan roar with laughter. Vin just grinned and closed his eyes again. Extraordinary young man. Just extraordinary. Nathan returned to his seat, still grinning broadly. The general looked at the young man's birth mother, wondering, just as everyone else had been, what caused her change of heart. What made her realize that it was time to take responsibility for her part in this mess? She had already been several steps ahead of the game. Even before she took responsibility for her part in things, Orrin had realized that she actually did love her children. All three of them.
She would have a harder time, making things right with her two daughters. Vin Tanner was a man who simply accepted people as they were. With the flaws and faults of most people, the young man had nearly unlimited patience. His patience with his birth father had run out, because Evan Larabee crossed a certain line. He had insulted the guide's mother one time too many. But Orrin hoped the young man understood, even though Larabee didn't deserve to have him as a son, Vin had more fathers than he realized. Josiah, Chanu's father Koje, the two generals. He had a family. He would always have a family.
Yes, in time, Orrin could see Vin reconciling with Jessica. She had given birth to him, but she would never be his mother. That would always be Julia Tanner ... and Nettie Welles. Jessica accepted that, and offered friendship instead. An offer that was tentatively accepted by her son. Her two daughters were another story, though Elizabeth (Orrin knew it would take a while before he could call her 'Lacey') was a little more relaxed than her older sister.
Orrin had also learned that Chris asked Mary and Billy to move in with him. The general wasn't sure how he felt about that. On the one hand, he was glad Mary and Chris were moving toward a more permanent relationship. And he was glad that Chris would be able to take care of Mary and Billy, though he knew his daughter-in-law would protest that she didn't need a man to take care of her.
On the other hand, Orrin was somewhat old-fashioned, and Mary had become his daughter when she married Stephen. He loved her, had loved her from the beginning. Seeing past the defensive, angry young girl to the woman she could be. The woman she had become, once she stopped trying so hard to prove herself. Orrin Travis still felt that a couple shouldn't live together if they weren't married.
But Mary was a fully grown woman, a captain in the United States Air Force, and a mother. He had to trust her. And he did. He trusted her and believed in her. Just as he trusted and believed in Chris. Just like he trusted and believed in the entire SG-7 team. His sons. Except for Josiah Sanchez, who wasn't that much younger than Orrin himself. Had George Hammond found a new family, when the SGC was created, as Orrin did?
Orrin thought so. George still had his daughters, and his granddaughters. But just as Orrin found six new sons (and a younger brother, or maybe a cousin) in SG-7, George found a new daughter and three new sons in SG-1. In many ways, the military itself, as a whole, was a family. There was a great deal of rivalry between the branches of the service, but when it came to dealing with civilians, with outsiders ... the military was a family.
Perhaps that was the magic of SG-7. And Orrin was too old to pretend to himself that magic didn't exist. It did. Oh, not in the fairytales which he read to his grandson when Billy was smaller. But magic did exist. It existed within people. It existed in the bittersweetness of a first love, in the security of a love which gifted two people married for decades. It existed in seven disparate, unusual men who came from all walks of life, to create a new family.
Contained within SG-7 was a microcosm of the military. And the civilians who helped the military, in whatever form. Because one thing had not changed in his three years as the second in command of SG-7 ... Vin Tanner was not military. And he never would be. But he would have been far less effective, if he was in the military. Native peoples were more inclined to trust the civilian than Colonel Larabee or Major Wilmington or even young Corporal Dunne.
Oh, he was getting maudlin in his old age, but Orrin wasn't worried about it. He had been told about Paris Tanner's assertion that at their age, old soldiers were entitled to it. Orrin couldn't argue with that. In fact, he was actually looking forward to the following day, and talking to Paris Tanner. One thing they had in common, aside from their military service ... they were both grandfathers. And while Tanner's youngest grandchild was eleven years older than Orrin's only grandchild, they were both still grandfathers. They had notes to compare.
And Paris would want Orrin's perspective on his grandson, as well as on his grandson's elder brother. He had already said as much, and Orrin understood.
He had three years of experience in dealing with the two brothers, three years of experience that Paris didn't have. Orrin could tell Paris things that Chris wouldn't tell him ... things that would never occur to Chris to tell him. Orrin was drawn back to the present by a deep sigh. He looked across the table as Vin straightened in his wheelchair, blinking sleepily. The young man mumbled, "So, we gonna explore more after lunch, or are we lettin' my ... our ... waste a' oxygen pa ruin the day for us?"
"You sure you're up to it, Kevin?" Paris asked, looking at his grandson with some concern. Vin smiled and nodded, the surety in his blue eyes as reassuring to the men as his smile. Paris stared at the young man for several moments, then said, "You're just like Julia. She never was one to let something stop her. I have stories to tell you, young man. So many stories." That made Vin's smile widen, and Orrin smiled, too. Yes. Paris had stories to tell, and so did he.
Since the Larabee house was filled to capacity, it was decided that Paris and Rebecca Tanner would stay at the same hotel where Jessica had been staying since her arrival in Colorado. Pegeen Larabee decided to return to her own hotel room, and see if the blow to her husband's pride was fatal. Chris didn't know why his mother always returned to his father ... but he wouldn't question her. He had too much respect, too much trust, in her.
By five pm, everyone was tired, and Vin had spent the last half hour asleep in his wheelchair. Chris had taken him inside one of the buildings, the campus infirmary, so he wouldn't get too cold and in case he had hurt himself more than they realized when he got out of his wheelchair earlier. At five, as Chris had requested, everyone met inside the medical building and it was decided that Paris and Rebecca would return with them to the Larabee house to retrieve their bags, then head over to the hotel in Jessica's car.
Chris wasn't comfortable with the woman. Truth be told, he didn't like her. But this piece of family business was beyond his control. Jessica had been warned by both Elizabeth (which Chris began calling his youngest sister, at least until he could get used to calling her 'Lacey') and Carly of what would happen if she hurt them again. Any of them. Chris kept out of it, but silently agreed with his two sisters.
After Paris and Rebecca left with Jessica, Chris heard from his mother. His father made it back to the hotel in one piece, though from the way he was fuming, it sounded like he almost didn't make it back to the shuttle bus intact. Teal'c hadn't said anything when he returned from his escort duty, just smiled and inclined his head to Chris ... however, that proved absolutely nothing. Not that Chris would give Teal'c a hard time, whatever he had done to scare the shit out of Evan Larabee.
In the first place, whatever Teal'c had done, his father probably deserved it. In the second place, Chris was still volatile at times, but he wasn't stupid. Further pissing off Teal'c would have been just plain idiotic. However ... he did plan on asking Teal'c exactly what he had done to scare Evan so badly. You just never knew when these little pieces of information might come in handy. Chris smirked.
It was a much quieter night at the Larabee house that night. Vin went to bed as soon as dinner was over, and went right to sleep. Despite the ugliness with their father, he was happy. Maybe, the confrontation (as well as the fresh air) had done some good. Whatever was the cause, Chris was just glad to see his little brother genuinely smiling again. Vin was starting to come back to himself ... and Chris knew the others were glad to see it, too.
There's a point, when you're sick or hurt, when your personality seems to change. Your energy and spirit is the first to go, when feeling that miserable, followed by your sense of humor. And as you get stronger, the sense of humor is the first to return ... followed at some point by your spirit, then finally your energy. That had been Chris Larabee's experience, and he was seeing the same thing in his younger brother.
Vin's sense of humor had never totally left ... unless he moved wrong on the bed, and he was in too much agony. His spirit was starting to return ... had returned sometime during the Open House. Whether because he was finally in open spaces, or because of the confrontation with his father, Chris didn't know. He just knew that a light which had been gone too long was returning to his younger brother.
Early the following morning, he woke Vin up. Everyone was still asleep ... Chris had checked, to find Billy sleeping between his mother and Adriana this morning. Chris could barely see Adriana under the covers, as the nights steadily got more chilly. All he could see was a tuft of dark curls. Chris smiled and quietly closed the door behind him, before checking on his two sisters, both of whom were still sleeping, as were Buck and JD.
Finally, he went into Vin's room, gently shaking his shoulder. The eyelids parted, revealing a pair of sleepy blue eyes, and Chris murmured, "Time to get up, Vin. We're going out, just you and me." Vin blinked, trying to focus on Chris, and the colonel continued in a low voice, "Everyone else is asleep ... we have a long drive, so you can sleep in the car, but you have to get up right now."
"Ya gonna help me git dressed?" Vin asked sleepily and Chris assented. He was true to his word. Moving slowly, to avoid causing his brother any more pain than he was already in, Chris helped Vin into a pair of sweat pants and a sweat shirt, before putting a pair of socks and shoes on him. Before waking his brother, he wrote out a note for the others, letting them know where they had gone ... and when he intended to be back.
Once Vin was dressed, Chris half carried, half pulled his brother from the house and put him into his car. Chris had put a blanket in the vehicle the night before, along with his wheelchair, after Vin was asleep. Once he was in the truck, he smiled, seeing that Vin was already asleep again.
Chris gently arranged the blanket around the sleeping form, then carefully buckled his brother up, easing the seat belt around the blanket. Vin sighed softly, stirring in his sleep, but didn't wake up. Once his brother was safely buckled up, Chris buckled himself up, then started the engine. It would take about two hours to get where he planned to go. By the time he reached their destination, the others would be up.
He knew none of the others would come after them at that point ... that was why he chose to leave before anyone else was up. So none of the others would try to come with him. He was less worried about the ladies, than he was about Buck. But this wasn't for his old friend to do. This was for Chris and Vin, and no one else. He was glad Orrin had agreed to spend the day with Paris. Besides, he was already starting to see why Rebecca got on Josie's nerves.
For two hours, he drove in silence, with only the soft breathing of his brother breaking the silence. Chris tried to listen to the radio for a while, but couldn't find anything to suit his mood. So he drove, listened to the sound of his brother sleeping, and remembered. Finally, at a quarter after eight, he reached their destination. He didn't move for several moments, aside from turning off the engine. Just sat still, his eyes sweeping over the landscape.
It had been too long, since he was here last. But he knew they wouldn't begrudge him that. Chris grasped his younger brother's shoulder, gently shaking him awake. Vin moaned, hand going to his stomach as he jolted awake. Chris winced. He'd have to watch that in the future, with the safety belt. He gave Vin a few minutes to bring the pain under control, and cursed himself for forgetting the pain meds.
But Vin had spent a lifetime of dealing with pain on his own terms, and after just a few minutes, he brought his breathing under control. He opened his eyes to look at Chris inquiringly, his blue eyes sleepy, despite the continuing pain, then looked around. His eyes widened as he realized where they were. Vin had never accompanied him here before, but that wasn't important. He looked back at Chris, who said softly, "I thought it was time for you to meet the rest of your family. Hang on a minute, while I get your wheelchair out."
Vin nodded mutely, and Chris patted his blanketed thigh, before easing himself out of the truck. He didn't allow himself to look around, didn't allow himself to focus on anything but getting the wheelchair ready. He was a man on a mission today. Nothing would stand in his way. Within just a few minutes, he had the wheelchair set up and the chariot ready for his brother's use. He eased Vin from the cab, not teasing his brother about the way Vin clung to him, and not calling his brother on the whiteness around his mouth. He settled Vin carefully into the wheelchair, then lay the blanket over his legs once more.
Without a word spoken, the two brothers set out. Chris knew exactly where he was going, even though it had been a long time since he had been there. Until, at last, he stopped the wheelchair. Someone had been here recently, he could tell. Probably Buck. Chris eased the chair to a stop, patting his brother's shoulder. Then he came around the back, to kneel beside the wheelchair and said in a husky voice, "Hey. Brought someone to meet you. Adam ... this is your uncle Vin. Vin ... this is your nephew. My son Adam."
His voice cracked as he spoke his son's name, and he reached out, gently caressing the lettering on the stone marker. 'Adam Connelly Larabee.' With his date of birth, and date of death. Beside him lay his mother, Sarah Connelly Larabee. Chris whispered, "Hey. I'm sorry I haven't been here in so long. I brought my brother with me this time, Sarah. I told you about him in the past, and I bet Buck has, too. But what none of us knew was that Vin really was my little brother. God, I have so much to tell you!"
"Chris ... help me outta this thing. Gotta say hello to m' nephew and sister-in-law, proper-like," Vin whispered. Chris blinked away his tears and almost said no. Until he realized what his brother meant. Then he smiled, patted Vin's knee, and rose to his feet. He helped Vin to his feet, easing one of his arms over the back of his shoulders and took a few steps forward. Then he carefully lowered Vin to the ground, and sat beside him.
As Chris had, Vin gently traced the names of his sister-in-law and nephew. He whispered, "Good t' finally meetcha, Sarah. Both a' ya. Adam. Sorry it's like this. Never had me a nephew before. Reckon we coulda had a lotta fun, drivin' yer pa nuts, Adam. But I want ya to know, Sarah. We're takin' care a' Chris. Reckon that's a full time job, for just one person. That's why there's six a' us, plus the ladies. See, Chris and me, we got two sisters, too. And then there's Mary and Drina. Drina's m' lady. Reckon I oughta let Chris tell ya 'bout Mary."
Chris slipped his arm around his brother's shoulders, saying softly, "I did it, Sarah. I asked Mary to move in with me. And she said yes. I ... guess I was worried that you'd see it as a betrayal. 'Til Josie got to telling me about her pa ... how he remarried after her mother's death. They were married for so long, Sarah, and they made three children. And if Paris marrying Rebecca after Clarice's death isn't a betrayal ... "
He didn't continue right away. After several moments, he said softly, "I will always love both of you. I guess I finally figured out that I had enough room in my heart, after all. For all of you." There was more to it. His father's rejection of his own flesh and blood, when Chris would have given anything to have Adam back. Paris Tanner's assertion that the Open House was an appropriate place for the family reunion, for things to finally be made right. Chris slowly relaxing in his relationship with Mary. His own relationship with his brother.
His brother. He was the key, wasn't he? Almost losing Vin had forced Chris to realize just how much he stood to lose, if he didn't get his ass in gear. He didn't want to lose Vin. Or anyone else. Chris wrapped his free arm around Vin, allowing his brother to lean against him. The colonel whispered, "We'll come back. Next time with Mary and Billy. Because life is for the living. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to understand that. But we'll stay awhile today."
And they did ... the two brothers sitting there in front of the graves of the mother and son. Finally, however, both Chris and Vin started getting hungry. Chris helped his brother back into his wheelchair, after Vin said good-bye to his sister-in-law and nephew, then pushed the wheelchair back to the truck. He didn't allow himself to look back. If he had, he would have seen a red-haired young woman and a dark haired little boy, standing in front of the headstone, watching the brothers depart.
He didn't. But Vin did hear a soft, little boy's voice whisper, "G'bye, Uncle Vin. I love you. Take good care of my papa for me!" I will, Adam, Vin promised his nephew, inside his heart, ya got my word. I'll take good care a' m' big brother. We all will. He was answered a moment later by Sarah, murmuring, "I know you will, Vin. Now sleep. The Air Force Academy Open House was yesterday ... but the Open House for your family isn't over yet. Sleep." Closing his eyes, Vin Tanner could see his sister-in-law and nephew in his mind's eye. Trusting in his brother to watch his back while he slept, he did just that.
The End