SERIES/UNIVERSE: SG-7
DISCLAIMERS: M7 characters belong to Trilogy, et al, SG-1 characters belong to Gekko, MGM, and Showtime. Adriana is mine ... don't mind if you borrow her, just ask first, give her 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.
WARNING: Just a little minor one. By now, y'all should know me well enough to realize I don't do graphic. I don't do graphic violence, and I don't do graphic sex. There are references to intimacy in this section, but no descriptions. Just wanted that out of the way.
"You look like a man with the weight of the world on your shoulders, brother," Josiah Sanchez observed as he and the rest of SG-7 left the briefing room. Vin Tanner had been very quiet through the entire briefing about the mission they had just completed. The young man was always quiet, but this silence was more like someone trying to work something out. Josiah knew he wasn't the only one who noticed ... Generals Travis and Hammond both noticed as well, just as Chris had noticed.
Then again, Chris seemed to have an eerie sixth sense where his younger brother was concerned. And yet, it was Josiah who approached the tracker/guide/sharpshooter. The young man looked up with a half smile, answering softly, "Not the world. Just tryin' to figger out what I oughta get Drina for Valentine's Day. That's just a few more days away, ya know. And it's gonna be our first together. Wanna do somethin' special, but cain't figure out what it oughta be."
"Ahhh," Josiah replied, nodding his understanding. And he did understand. Vin and his girlfriend Adriana had been an official couple since September, their longtime friendship maturing into love and passion. It wasn't easy, for the young couple to find time to be alone ... especially not with the overprotective big brother, force of nature named 'Buck Wilmington' around. Further complicating matters was the fact that Adriana was Vin's first girlfriend ... ever.
He had to be feeling worried ... and scared. Josiah's sense was borne out a moment later, as Vin went on, "Just wanna make sure I do it right, ya know? And it's right confusin.' She don't like chocolates that much, she ain't that real fond of roses, but what else do you give a girl on Valentine's Day, especially yer first? I wanna do something special for her, but I'm afraid of disappointin' her."
"That will never happen, little brother," Colonel Chris Larabee replied, easing into position between Josiah and Vin. The young tracker looked up, worried, and Chris continued, "Trust me on this one, okay? There is no way, in the world, you can possibly disappoint that girl on Valentine's Day. It simply won't happen. There's more of a chance, of me disappointing Mary, than you disappointing my little princess." Josiah grinned at his colonel, who just smiled. Trust an older brother to figure out exactly what his younger brother needed to hear ... especially this pair of siblings.
"He's right, Vin," JD added, completing the circle around the uncertain tracker. While his own relationship with Adriana in early years could be best described as tempestuous, things had settled down between Buck Wilmington's chosen little brother and the little sister he had been given in blood. In fact, ever since Vin and Adriana actually got together, JD and Adriana had begun behaving like siblings ... often to the detriment of their shared older brother, Buck.
At Vin's surprised look, JD added quietly, "The only way you could possibly disappoint Adriana is if you stopped loving her. And I know that's not gonna happen. So just relax. So what if she doesn't like roses or chocolates ... that's boring! Valentine's Day will still be Valentine's Day if you gave her a teddy bear or a water globe ... and you know how she feels about water globes." Yes, Vin did ... they all did.
Vin took a deep breath, then released it, sighing, "Reckon I'm makin' a mountain outta a mole hill." Josiah smiled gently ... no, he wasn't. He was trying to make sure that his beloved Drina's first Valentine as Vin Tanner's lady was special. No one could fault him for that. Vin continued shyly, "I got an idea 'bout what Chris is plannin' for Mary, J'siah ... what about ya? Ya doin' anythin' special for Aunt Jo? What about ya, JD, and Casey?"
"Casey and me are going outta town ... Chris promised to keep Buck off my ass, at least until I get all the details ironed out. I even got a special gift picked out for her," JD replied, grinning. Josiah, who had seen the simple diamond ring which JD had picked out for Casey's engagement ring, just smiled. He had no doubt of the young lady's answer ... the only surprise was how long it had taken JD to finally break down and pop the question.
"Just a simple night in front of the fireplace, Vin, Josephine and myself with a book of poetry. Probably a book of Shakespeare's sonnets," Josiah replied of the evening he planned for Vin's lovely aunt. He and Josie had been an 'item' almost as long as Vin and Adriana. Vin, understandably enough, felt weird enough about going on a double-date with his elder brother and Mary, much less his aunt and Josiah. Still ... Josiah hadn't given up hope of convincing the young man that a double, or even triple, date wasn't inappropriate.
"Sounds right nice," Vin said softly, then his blue eyes grew mischievous as he regarded his elder brother. He asked, smirking, "What about ya, cowboy, ya plannin' anythin' special for yer lady?" This question was asked with a waggle of his brows. Chris just growled at his younger brother, lightly smacking the tracker in the back of his head with one hand, and thumping Vin in the chest with the other.
"Keep it up, little brother, and you'll end up baby-sitting Billy on Valentine's Night, instead of spending time with your lady!" Chris retorted. Josiah barely bit back a laugh at the threat. Knowing Adriana, she wouldn't mind baby-sitting Billy on the night designated for lovers. He had actually heard the young archaeologist refer to Valentine's Day as 'Stupid Cupid Day,' dismissing the tendency of frantic males, of all ages, to spend what she considered exorbitant sums of money, to get some nookie. And then there was her brother, who considered Valentine's Day a holy day of obligation. Buck Wilmington would never find it necessary to spend fifty dollars on a bouquet of flowers, just so he could get some nookie.
Josiah snickered, remembering that conversation. That was exactly how she put it, too. Casey had protested her lack of romance, but Adriana disagreed, pointing out that her boyfriend was a wonderful poet in his own right. She had plenty of romance. But romance, and love, couldn't be bought. Adriana's heart wasn't for sale, she had given it to Vin years earlier, and Vin was smart enough to know that.
So was Josiah, which was why he said, "I don't know, Brother Chris, Adriana and Vin might enjoy that. Your little princess, as you like calling her, isn't a woman whose affections can be bought and sold." He immediately regretted the words, as soon as they were out, because they threw Vin into a totally new dilemma. Chris just glared at him, and Josiah would have sighed, but he had an anxious young sharpshooter to calm down.
Author's Notes: Yes, I am evil ... referencing EC's M7 hiatus movie, 'The Sky is Falling.' The conversation of the girls is based on actual conversations I've had with friends and colleagues after seeing the movie.
Since most of their men wouldn't officially be back until the following morning, February 11th had been designated Girls Movie Night. Charlotte Richmond, Carly Tanner, Adriana Wilmington, Mary Travis, Casey Welles, and Josie Tanner were all congregated in Mary's living room ... more to the point, it was the Larabee living room, but she and Billy had been living with Chris for a few months. And in that time, it became Mary's living room.
Rain Tyler Jackson was at home, resting. Her pregnancy was becoming high risk, due to certain health complications, and neither she, nor Nathan, were willing to take any chances with the life of their child. Otherwise, they would have had a female Magnificent Seven. As Mary settled herself on the floor beside her best friend, she reflected that if Adriana, Carly, and Charlotte were right, they may yet have that.
It seemed Charlotte had received an email from their old friend, Nathan's cousin Dawn Jackson. She was returning from Europe, and realized that four of her closest friends were all in Colorado ... Charlotte, Carly, Drina, and Vin. So, she was seriously considering starting a practice nearby ... assuming, of course, that the SGC or the Air Force Academy didn't snap her up first. Mary made it a practice to never assume with her lover or his extended family. That was always a very, very bad idea.
Her reflections were interrupted by Carly shrieking, "What??? Oh, I can't believe he's groveling like that! Carlota, hand me a pillow, I'm gonna knock some sense into that boy! The idea of someone like that groveling to win back a whining, self-indulgent loser like that is enough to make me sick!" Mary looked at her friend and eventual sister-in-law, smiling faintly. Charlotte handed Carly the pillow, which was summarily flung in disgust at the tv. As luck would have it, the pillow struck the other object of Carly's ire.
Namely the 'whining, self-indulgent loser,' whom Carly had been ranting about. Adriana snickered, "Nice toss, Carly. And if you knew you'd get this upset, why did you bother bringing over the movie?" It was a fair question. Mary elevated herself until she could look at Carly more clearly, and discovered that she and Adriana weren't the only ones asking the question. Charlotte, Josie, and Casey were all doing the same.
"Because the male lead, whom Lacey rightly described as 'totally hot,' reminded me of my dear twin," Carly muttered, "and it was a reminder to me that I should appreciate my brother's excellent taste in women. Both of my brothers. All of my brothers, I should say. Besides, I was hoping y'all could clue me in ... what is wrong with this boy, and what is wrong with her?" Mary looked at Adriana, who was smiling faintly.
"What's wrong with him," Charlotte answered, lightly swinging her legs above Mary and Adriana's heads, "is low self-esteem. He thinks he deserves to be treated like crap, because, God forbid, he was honest with the little twit. Okay, let's take a quick poll here, girls. If your man was having doubts about your relationship, and if he really belonged with you, who would want to know about it?"
Mary wasn't surprised to see every one of the hands go up. Casey added, "I might give JD a hard time about it, but I would be madder if he didn't tell me. But I think you're bein' kinda hard on her, Carly. I mean, she's having a really bad week. The only thing he's really guilty of is really, really, really bad timing." Uh-oh. Wrong thing to say to Carly. The slim blonde biologist sat upright on the sofa, bright blue eyes blazing.
"Bad timing? And whose fault was that? Who brought up the whole thing in the first place? Little Miss Emily!" the female half of the Tanner twins practically squeaked in disgust. Oops. Mary exchanged another look with Adriana, who sighed and made herself more comfortable on the floor. This was likely to get ugly. And Adriana was about as fond of ugly as her older brother was.
"Which brings me to what's wrong with her. Put simply ... she never grew up. She's still back in ... well, whenever they graduated, playing at being a writer. I mean ... okay, I get the title of the movie. 'The Sky is Falling.' How this poor, hapless twenty-eight year old bimbo feels as if the world is crumbling around her, because nothing in her life is what she expected it would be, while she ignores what all she has going for her. A mother who loves her desperately, for one. You know, I'd love to see how she'd react to a real loss. Like losing her child," Charlotte said, her voice cracking on the last three words.
Adriana reached up and grasped Charlotte's foot, still swinging over her head, in a comforting gesture. Josie said softly, "Or losing a husband. She couldn't handle it. She can't handle what she's got right now. She's not strong enough to withstand real, major losses. And I shouldn't say things like that, because to her, these are major problems. But ... after knowing you ladies, it's really hard to feel sympathetic to her. And remind me to tan my daughter's rear end for mentioning this movie to you, Carly ... we're supposed to be watching Valentine's Day movies, or at least, movies which make you feel good."
"Oh, I don't know, Aunt Josie," Carly retorted, "this is making me feel good. It makes me feel good, knowing my handsome, sweet, intelligent, honest, loving twin brother has a woman who appreciates him and doesn't expect him to jump every time she claps her hands. It makes me feel good, knowing that even if that poor, crazy dope thinks he deserves to be treated like crap, my brother ... both of my brothers ... know better."
"Mary," Adriana murmured in a low voice, "you have my official permission to shoot me if I ever start acting like that toward Vin." Mary ruffled her friend's hair, earning her an annoyed look, but that was about it. Adriana continued after a moment, in a somewhat louder voice, "I think you girls are wrong about one thing. I think she would get through the loss of a child ... but she would totally drain Mike in the process. He would be strong for her, because he takes care of her, but there would be no one there to be strong for him. She's an emotional vampire."
"Excellent point," Mary acknowledged. She took a sip of wine, mentally wondering at herself, when she drank wine and ate popcorn during a movie, then shook her head. She continued after a moment, "What's been bugging me, all the time we've been watching this, is that whole relationship. I think we all agree that relationships are a two-way street. The only work I see being done is on Mike's part, none on Emily's. And yet we're supposed to empathize with her. It's not happening."
"Nope," Josie answered, "because none of us are dishrags, like she is. Every lady in this room is the kinda gal who pulls herself up by her bootstraps, then keeps going. And, if the movie had just left out her relationship with Mike, and just concentrated on the other stuff, it wouldn't be so bad. Instead, those of us who aren't with a guy ... or who have had very long dry spells and remember what it's like to be in that long dry spell ... are going, Mike, dump that loser and find a real woman who's gonna treat you right."
"Speaking of which," Adriana asked around a mouthful of popcorn, "can we please fast-forward through the dishrag, as Jo so eloquently put it, or is that it of Mike's scenes?" Carly nodded grimly, already reaching for the remote, and Adriana muttered, "Aw hell. Anyone for a real love story? Like, Ladyhawke, or something like that. Maybe a Janeane Garafalo movie? I need some ideas about what I should get Vin for Stupid Cupid Day."
"It's not Stupid Cupid Day any more, Drina, you have a boyfriend. It's Valentine's Day," Carly reminded her friend. Adriana stuck her tongue out, her mouth mercifully clear of any popcorn remnants. Carly reached into her goodie bag, saying, "Okay ... it's between 'The Truth about Cats and Dogs' or 'The Matchmaker.' Survey says?" The latter was immediately chosen and Carly tossed the tape to Josie, who was sitting closest to the tv.
"Stupid Cupid Day? You were really a Grinch when it came to Valentine's Day, weren't you, Drina?" Casey inquired curiously. The brunette shrugged, reaching into the popcorn bowl for another handful, and the younger woman asked, "Why? Was it just because you didn't have a boyfriend? Or was it because of the cost, like you were talking about a few days ago?" Mary looked at her best friend, wanting to hear Adriana's answer. Charlotte had stopped swinging her feet and swiveled in her chair to peer down at them.
"Little of both. It doesn't take long to become soured on Valentine's Day and all that lovey dovey stuff when you get maybe two Valentine's Day cards each year. I wasn't exactly Miss Popular in school, Casey. Until I got to college, Chris was my only real friend. Then I met Will and Charlotte ... though I didn't really become friends with Charlotte until the summer of my freshman to sophomore year. Claire, Carly, Dawn. Eventually, Vin. Besides, like I said earlier, it's silly to be spending all that money on something that's just gonna die," Adriana replied.
"Especially when you've got a boyfriend who can compose poetry that makes your knees go weak, free of charge," Charlotte offered. She smiled wickedly, adding, "I found that out the hard way. Drina's senior year of college, Will swallowed his pride and asked Vin to write a Valentine's poem for him, to give to me. Keep in mind, I'm pregnant with Tansy at the time, my hormones were all over the place."
"The phrase 'Niagara Falls' mean anything to anyone?" Adriana asked, laughing. Charlotte beaned her with a pillow, making Adriana laugh even harder. Charlotte raised the pillow for a second strike, but Adriana grabbed it and smacked her friend in the face. It looked for a minute like things would disintegrate into a pillow free-for-all, when Adriana asked seriously, "So, gals ... I need some ideas about how to make sure my man knows just how special he is." The movie was forgotten as a war council began, with Vin Tanner its intended victim ... err, beneficiary.
Author's Notes: The necklace described in this section actually exists. Except the stone isn't a turquoise, and it wasn't made by my grandfather, but by my father. However, my grandfather did make similar necklaces when I was a child, which he taught to his son-in-law, my father.
It was eventually decided that Nathan would accompany Vin to the mall. The big medic had some last minute shopping of his own to do, and as a veteran of Valentine's Day, knew exactly which shops to avoid. Janet and Cassie Frasier were with Rain, just in case, and they both had Nathan's pager number, as well as his cell phone number. Nathan didn't anticipate any trouble, but it was best to be prepared.
Nathan had counseled the anxious young sharpshooter that the same rules applied to Valentine's Day as Christmas and your lady's birthday. You listened to your gut, to your heart. If something jumped up and said hello, as Rain put it, you listened to that voice. Just like you listened to your instincts when they told you that it was time to propose marriage. To his surprise, Vin hadn't turned green when Nathan mentioned marriage.
That reaction, more than anything else, convinced Nathan that his friend was with the woman who was right for him. It wasn't a matter of liking or disliking Adriana. Vin was his friend, had been for three years, and Nathan wanted what was best for him. When Vin reacted calmly to the idea of marrying Adriana, instead of having a full-blown panic attack, that reassured Nathan. It seemed likely that Vin knew she was the one.
They were wandering through a nature store, when Vin stopped suddenly. Nathan almost ran over him, and was on the point of asking if his friend was all right, when Vin started moving again. Nathan followed him to a display case, which held a necklace. But it was the stone which held Nathan's attention. A lovely, polished turquoise, held in place by small silver wires, zigzagging around the stone.
Vin breathed, "This is perfect for m'lady." He turned his eyes to the clerk and asked softly, "How much for the necklace?" Nathan, who had been pricing the items in the store, held his breath. He knew, as soon as he saw Vin's reaction, that his friend had found at least one Valentine's gift for his lady. He just hoped the gift was within the price range Vin had chosen. The sharpshooter was a very sensible, very practical young man. It seemed as silly to him to pay fifty dollars on a bouquet of roses as it did to his girlfriend.
"Twenty dollars," the girl replied promptly. Nathan released a sigh of relief at the same time Vin did, and she continued, "That includes the packaging and free wrapping. Give me about fifteen minutes, and I can have it done, or you can come back after your shopping is done." Vin was getting antsy, so it was decided that they would come back in half an hour, since the store was filling up again.
However, as his friend walked away, Nathan noticed something. The actual price on the box was fifty dollars. He looked at the girl, who explained, "My grandfather made that as an experiment when I was ten. When Dad opened this shop and started selling Grandpa's necklaces, Grandpa made me promise that the only person I would sell it to, would give it in love. When he referred to his girlfriend as his lady, I knew what Grandpa meant. And price isn't an issue when it comes to love. Corny, but true."
"I appreciate that, ma'am. This is Vin's first Valentine's Day with his lady. I didn't want him to be disappointed," Nathan answered. The young woman smiled and Nathan joined Vin outside. His friend was breathing easier already, and Nathan noticed a curiosity shoppe not too far from the nature store. He patted Vin's shoulder and said, "Let's check that out. At the very least, it'll give you ideas for Drina's birthday."
"Reckon that's a good idea. M' Drina is a curious sort, anyhow," Vin answered, winking in response. Nathan threw back his head and laughed. Vin was right, on more than level. Drina was a very curious young woman ... and she loved curiosities. It was, she admitted once, part and parcel of being an archaeologist. And as she had said on more than one occasion, she grew up watching the Indiana Jones movies.
This particular curiosity shop was more of an indoor flea market ... which was a good thing for the two men, because flea markets were something else Adriana loved. She and Charlotte Richmond often went to flea markets on Sunday mornings, before Vin even got out of bed. Which always amazed Nathan, because Vin was a morning person ... and Adriana was not. But she cheerfully admitted that she slept in the car on the way to the flea market ... since Charlotte was a morning person and it was part of the deal they worked out. Charlotte would drive on the way in, and Adriana would drive on the way home.
Charlotte's five year old daughter Tansy often accompanied the pair, and half the time, the 'loot' which Adriana brought home with her was something that Tansy insisted that she buy. The little girl was the closest thing Adriana had to a niece or a daughter, so she always caved when Tansy batted her eyes. The child was just plain dangerous, and Nathan didn't want to think about what happened when she was around Vin.
The curiosity shop didn't turn up anything immediate, but Vin admitted that he'd probably return in May, to start shopping for Adriana's birthday. They returned to the nature store, to find the gift wrapped up very nicely and placed inside a shopping bag. Nathan wanted to be home by a certain time, so he could spend some time with Rain, but he figured they had a few more hours, assuming Vin wasn't tired.
He was, but he wasn't quite ready to give up, admitting, "Just that necklace, purty as it is, don't seem like 'nough." Nathan understood how he felt. In the early days of his courtship of Rain (to use an old-fashioned term), he often struggled with the balance between not enough and too much. He told Vin as much, adding that as he and Adriana were a couple for longer, it would be easier to find that balance. Vin laughed softly, replying, "Aw hell, I hope so! Don't wanna think 'bout doin' this every frickin' year!"
Nathan laughed with him. It was rare that he and Vin could spend time alone ... usually, the medic paired off with Josiah when SG-7 was relaxing together for down time. But Josiah was furthering his campaign to win the lovely Josie Tanner. Except for this Valentine's Day. Josie had gotten together with Vin's other half, and was taking Mindy for the night. Seemed Adriana had big plans for this Valentine's night, and she didn't want Mindy interrupting them at an inopportune moment. Something which Nathan didn't share with Vin.
So, Josiah would spend the following night in front of a fire with Josie Tanner, Mindy-Mindy, and a book of Shakespeare's sonnets. Not a bad way to spend Valentine's night, though Nathan could think of a few better ways. However, he would spend it just holding his Rain. He couldn't help imagining, however, the look on Vin's face when he showed up for work on the 15th. Right. And leave it at that.
Nathan instead turned his mind to his other 'brothers.' Maude Standish was in town, to see her 'darlin' baby boy,' and Ezra was escorting his mother to the ballet. He didn't specify which one, though privately, Adriana muttered to Nathan that she hoped it wasn't anything tragic. Nathan agreed. He and Ezra didn't always see eye to eye, but taking your mother to a tragedy on Valentine's Day was not what Nathan would consider prudent. And Ezra, while a smart-ass, wasn't a fool, any more than Nathan was.
JD was taking Casey out of town, to propose to her. Nathan just hoped he didn't stick his foot in his mouth. Not that Nathan was exactly immune to that problem, but he at least usually didn't stick his foot in his mouth with Rain. JD made a habit of it with Casey. Though he had gotten better in the last few months. Hmmm. Right around the time he started listening to Adriana when she made observations about what she thought Casey might like. Which was, now that Nathan thought about it, right around the time they went to Busch Gardens.
Nathan wouldn't mention that to Buck, though. It was bad enough for the big major, with his sister being in love with one of Buck's best friends, and Vin being just as in love with her. Nathan didn't think Buck could take the knowledge that JD was faring better with Casey when he took Adriana's suggestions, rather than Buck's. And God help them all when Buck realized that passion had ignited between his sister and Vin!
He laughed aloud, thinking about that. Vin looked at him with raised eyebrows, and Nathan wondered if he should tell his friend, and risk embarrassing Vin. After a moment, however, he decided it was worth the risk. The medic explained, still grinning broadly, "I was just thinkin.' 'Bout how Buck's gonna react when he figures out that you and Drina are definitely more than friends, and way past lovers."
Vin blushed, but replied in a low voice, "Reckon he's a mite behind the times." Nathan blinked, and Vin muttered, "Ya mean to tell me, ya didn't figger it out? Me and Drina ... well ... that was a coupla months ago, Nate. Right after I got turned back into an adult. Aw hell, I figgered the whole damn base figgered it out, way I was grinnin' like a fool all the time."
Nathan just shook his head in wonderment. Hell, they fooled him! Vin grinned, shrugging, and added, "Reckon Bucklin's got hisself a helluva eye-opener comin,' then!" He winked at Nathan, grinning impishly all along. Nathan just laughed. Yeah ... yeah, that was one of putting it!
Author's Note: 'Brochen' is, literally, in German, 'little bread.' They're hard rolls on the outside and soft on the inside when baked, and absolutely delicious. Even better with butter, and a staple in my family for certain kinds of food.
Vin couldn't remember ever being this excited ... or this nervous. Not even his first time with Drina, a few months earlier ... not even then was he this nervous. It was the first time for both of them, and Vin reckoned because they were both fully-growed adults in their late twenties, it was a mite easier. Still a bit a' fumblin,' still a lot a' gigglin.' Though, by his recollection, Mindy hadn't been too impressed with the way they kept interruptin'' her sleep.
Vin laughed to himself, each of his presents for Adriana tucked into either pocket. He had been looking forward to tonight ever since Christmas, when he made his decision about what he would do. The only one who knew his plan was Chris ... to the best of Nathan's knowledge, Vin was only getting Adriana that necklace, along with a card which was about as appropriate as anything as Vin could find.
Vin didn't figure there were too many card companies which sold Valentine cards, not the sort he had in mind. She made him feel like he really could fly, the way the others teased him sometimes ... and other times, she took his breath away. And still other times, she made him feel like he was burnin' up from the inside out. He had never loved anyone as much as he loved her, never thought it was possible for him to love anyone that way.
And when he was really honest with himself, Vin could admit how much that terrified him. Love was the most powerful magic he had ever known. He had only to remember Eli Joe's threats against his Drina, and his dead certainty that he would have the man's still-beating heart in his hand, if that monster had done anything to her. Oh yes. Love was powerful, and it made you unbearably vulnerable. But at the heart of love was trust. And there was only one person whom Vin trusted as much as he trusted Adriana Kathleen Anne Wilmington ... his own brother.
Drina and Chris, the two most important people in the world to him. Strangely enough, or maybe not so strangely, they were very much alike. While she had relaxed in the last six months especially, Jack O'Neill still commented that she seemed more like Larabee's kid sister than Bucklin's. Drina, as ever, took that as a compliment. Her relationship with Bucklin had improved dramatically since the resolution of the Magyar mission ... but she was still closer to Chris. She probably always would be.
Unbeknownst to Bucklin (though not to Chris), Vin had quietly begun moving his belongings into Adriana's little house right after the New Year. That had actually been Nettie's idea, as she told him she would feel better if he was there, looking after the girl. Sneaky old lady. Very sneaky. Vin hadn't told anyone yet, because he wanted to do everything at once. The last of his belongings had been moved into Adriana's house the day before, once he and Nathan finished at the mall.
"Drina! I'm home!" he called, silently reveling in the simple words. Much to his surprise, Mindy was nowhere to be found. Usually, if Drina was off on a day when Vin worked, he found her in the kitchen, and Mindy prancing about his legs when he got home. Today ... no Mindy, and no Drina. Frowning, the guide/sharpshooter made his way into the kitchen. No lights. What the hell? Vin backtracked, then headed into the bedroom he shared with Adriana.
It was his intention to grab a shower and find his lady ... or the other way around. As he entered the bedroom, he stopped short ... at the sight of his lady sitting on the bed, her dark hair loose about her slim shoulders and wearing nothing by a black slip. Vin felt his jaw become unhinged as Adriana rocked onto her knees, murmuring in a low, husky voice, "Happy Stupid Cupid Day, love."
Vin felt as though someone else was controlling him, as he moved toward the bed with halting steps. He stopped when his legs hit the bed ... then fell forward as Adriana reached up and pulled him down. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the bed, while she kissed him passionately. All too soon, she was pulling away, and smiling down at him wickedly. When Vin could finally breathe again, he was only capable of saying, "Wow. Reckon I'll have to go 'way more often, if yer gonna welcome me home like that!"
His words didn't have the effect he hoped, as her dark eyes darkened further with pain. She gently traced the line of his jaw, asking softly, "Have I been cold to you lately? I'm sorry. The last thing I've ever wanted was to make you doubt how much I love you." Vin stopped her finger, lightly kissing the pad of the digit, then he kissed the tips of each of her fingers, before leaning forward and claiming her mouth in a kiss as passionate as the one she greeted him with.
When they finally broke apart, Vin whispered, "No. Never. Ya ain't never been cold to me. Never think that. Never think I don't know that ya love me. Ya show me every day how much ya do. Reckon ya just surprised me a mite. Wasn't expectin' none a' this." He waved his hand about the room vaguely. He paused, then said, "Reckon neither of us is real sure what to expect for our first Valentine's Day together."
"Guess not. You like? The girls and I had a war council while you were away on the mission. Night before last, Will kept Tansy, while Charlotte came over. Don't ask me what Rafael was doing, I'm not sure I want to know. I'm almost positive his surprise for Carly had help from Inez, though," Adriana admitted. Vin smiled. The colonel for SG-3 had finally broken down and admitted how he really felt about Vin's twin sister. Valentine's Day was their two week anniversary.
"Reckon I oughta worry 'bout yer war councils, 'round Valentine's Day," Vin replied as he lay back against the pillows, with Adriana snuggled happily against his chest. She laughed softly, and Vin whispered, "Don't imagine this is all ya got planned, girl. 'Member, I know my sister. This is just the tip of the iceberg, knowin' her." Adriana just laughed, her hands moving in a way that made Vin gasp out loud. Damn girl was gonna kill him yet!
"Dinner will get warmed up later. Mindy is at your aunt's house, with Jo and Josiah. Still can't get used to saying that. Carly made some of her famous baked ziti, and that's in the microwave. Charlotte contributed some brochen she got from a little German market. Mary contributed the wine. And over dinner, we will exchange some of our gifts," Adriana replied. Vin smiled as his lady ticked off the food contributions made.
And then it hit him, what she had said. 'Some of our gifts.' He looked down at her, frowning with some confusion, and Adriana favored him with one of her more devastating smiles. She slipped her hand around the back of his neck and whispered, "I'm gonna give you one of your gifts right now." She proceeded to explain what she meant in ... very ... explicit terms. Vin listened, his eyes widening as his blood rushed to various parts of his body. And once she finished explaining exactly what she intended to do to him and for him, she proved to be more than equal to the task she set for herself.
A few hours, and several tasks, later, Vin lifted his head from the pillow as warmth stole away from him. Adriana was doing her best to keep from waking him up. However, it was kinda hard to stay asleep when a) you suddenly got cold in places where you really didn't want to be cold, and b) you had your lady moving away from you, for any reason. He murmured softly as she knelt a few yards away, "Thought we was gonna wait 'til dinner to exchange gifts."
"I lied," was the unhesitating response. Vin allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark, then winced as Adriana turned on the light beside her bed. Their bed. She had put on a robe when she got out of bed. Damn. Vin was hopin' he could admire her beauty for a little longer. Still, even with the robe demurely hiding most of her, she was still beautiful to him. Her dark hair hung loosely in ringlets to her shoulders, and her dark eyes shone. She placed something on his stomach, murmuring, "Happy Valentine's Day, love."
Noting the change in reference, Vin picked up the stack of papers. It took him only a few moments to figure out what it was. He looked up at her, saying with some confusion, "These are all the poems I've written. For you, for Mary, for Charlotte. How ... ? The war council?" Adriana nodded with a brilliant smile, her entire face lighting up with the warmth. She scooted over beside him, snuggling close.
"Yup. Together, we archived everything that you've ever written. All the poems. This is just a rough draft. Mary is working on another copy, a bound copy with blank pages. It won't be published, I know how private your poems are to you. But it'll be just for us. And whenever you write a new poem, we'll copy it into the book. So we always have all of your poems together, and we can pass it down ... pass it on," Adriana said softly, her eyes shining.
It took Vin's breath away, and it occurred to him, that in just a few hours, she had done everything he thought about her doing. Made his blood turn to fire, took his breath away, and made him feel like he could fly. He put the pages down and reached up to touch her face, before kissing her passionately. Again. When he drew away, to take a breath, he whispered, "Thank you. I got somethin' for you, too." With that, he leaned over the opposite side of the bed, where his jeans had fallen, and reached into the pocket which had the velvet box.
He pulled the box out and said softly, "Made m' decision right after New Year's. This is one a' my Valentine's Day gifts to you." He couldn't say the words. They never made it past his throat. But it wasn't necessary. As she opened the velvet box, her eyes widened and her mouth formed a small 'o' of surprise. Then she looked back at him and mouthed, 'yes.' She flung her arms around him, whispering, 'yes, yes, yes!' against his skin.
Once more, he kissed her, holding onto her tightly. She giggled, saying, "Damn, Tanner, you'll have a helluva time topping this Valentine's Day. Our first together, and you propose!" Vin just blushed. He had loved her for years ... maybe things were moving too fast, but he didn't think so. Adriana rested her forehead against his, sighing, "Reckon I owe that little cherub in a diaper a minor apology. I guess Stupid Cupid's Day isn't so stupid after all."
Vin just smiled into the eyes of his new fiancee and answered softly as he rolled over on top of her, "Reckon not." She just giggled, and very soon, both his laughter and hers turned to gasps and sighs ... before dissolving into dreamy silence.
Finis
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