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 give her back intact and give credit where credit is due.
SPOILERS: My previous stories, A Light in the Distance, More than Friends, Under the Sun, and Days of Yearning. Likely references to episodes in both seasons of Mag7 and all five seasons of Stargate SG-1.
WARNING: The usual ... mainly language and Adriana's continued presence. Also further reference to Wilmington Sr's abusiveness.
SG-1 moved silently through the darkened stone corridors, with only the light provided by the flickering torches to guide their way. Colonel Jack O'Neill had taken point when they entered the tunnel, and now his brown eyes shifted around uneasily. Just behind him, he could hear the harsh breathing of several of his team members. Under ordinary circumstances, SG-1 wouldn't be bunched up as they were ... too easy a target for the Gou'ald, or whoever else was causing trouble for them ... but these were hardly ordinary circumstances.
Bringing up the rear was SG-7, led by Jack's friend and colleague, Colonel Chris Larabee. Jack was uneasy about being out of contact with Chris for such a long time ... their situation demanded radio silence, at all times ... but given the circumstances, it couldn't be helped. This was, after all, no ordinary mission. That didn't stop him from wishing that Vin Tanner, SG-7's guide and sharpshooter, was up here with him. Especially after he heard a most unwelcome noise.
"Can't this line go any faster?!?!"
Jack sighed softly. So much for alleviating his boredom by pretending he was on a mission. Even as he heard Josiah Sanchez intone, "Patience is a virtue, brother," Jack had already located part of the problem. Dr. Daniel Jackson was wedged halfway between SG-1 and SG-7, tracing the strange, glowing swirls on the wall. A quick glance past Daniel told Jack that the previous speaker, the impatient one, wasn't the only one who wanted Daniel to move his ass. Vin Tanner was starting to sweat and his face was a rather unappealing shade of gray, even in the eerily lit tunnel. The kid's claustrophobia was kicking in, and kicking in big time.
Jack had known Vin for three years, and in that time, Jack had never seen the kid have a panic attack. He didn't want today to be the first time. Or because of Daniel's curiosity.
As he reached back to grab the space monkey by his collar, Jack reflected on the events which had led them to take a vacation, including a trip to Busch Gardens in Virginia. It had started out simply enough ... simple, at least, by SG-1 or SG-7 standards. Neither team really knew how to do things the easy way ... they never had, and Jack didn't think it was real likely that they ever would.
Originally, SG-1 and General Hammond were supposed to go to Washington, DC for a series of meetings with Congress about funding. Except ... Senator Kinsey had to put his two cents in, questioning the addition of Vin Tanner to SG-7. Hello? That had been three years earlier, what was wrong with this creep? Was he caught in some kind of time warp? The kid had proven himself time after time during the last few years.
With the senator's attack on Vin, SG-7 quickly became part of the trip. Perhaps seeing into the future, General Travis suggested that after the meetings, the two teams take a week's vacation. They had all been through hell lately, and they could use the time off. General Travis would remain behind in Colorado, hold down the fort, while his daughter-in-law, Captain Mary Travis, and young grandson, Billy, would accompany the two teams to DC. Mary, in turn, requested that her best friend, Dr. Adriana Wilmington, join them as well.
In the three months since the decimation of SG-3, Adriana had slowly begun repairing her relationship with her elder brother, Major Buck Wilmington. A tentative ... what? Friendship? Truce? That worked ... a tentative truce had begun developing between Buck's protege, Private JD Dunne, and the floating archaeologist. By Buck's figuring, this vacation would allow him to spend time with both his sister and his 'little brother.' Jack couldn't argue with that logic.
After the hell of the committee meetings, Jack was glad now that they had decided on a vacation afterward. While all of SG-7 had gone to DC, only Chris Larabee and Ezra Standish, the team negotiator, had joined in the meetings. That had been General Hammond's decision. Jack understood the rationale ... in the first place, to have all seven in the meeting would have been a logistic nightmare. In the second place ... and this part had been hard for Jack to accept ... while Vin could speak perfectly good English, the young man often lapsed into old patterns of speech when he was nervous, and crowds made him very nervous.
They wanted the committee members to look at Vin's accomplishments as a member of SG-7, and the general didn't trust those committee members to look past the young man's longish hair, past his colorful language, or past his shyness. Not that Vin would have ever put it that way, but Jack, and the general, did. So, defending the guide and sharpshooter had fallen to General Hammond, Jack himself, Chris, Ezra ... and Daniel Jackson.
Jack grinned to himself ... that actually had been one of the highlights of the meetings. As General Hammond had guessed, Senator Kinsey had attacked Vin's lack of formal education and his suitability as a member of the SGC. Before anyone else had a chance to defend Tanner, Daniel had jumped in with the sarcastic remark, "Soooo...you're saying that because I can speak several ancient languages and thus, have more education than you do in that respect, I'm more capable of doing your job than you are?"
Ouch. The response had temporarily silenced Kinsey, just long enough for Ezra to smoothly observe in a thickening Southern accent, "While Ah certainly would not presume to tell the distinguished membahs of this committee how to conduct themselves in the course of their professional duties, Ah must point out that Dr. Jackson is quite correct. While Ah do not doubt that Senatah Kinsey is quite ... adept ... in his particulah circle of powah, I submit, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, that Mistah Tannah is just skilled in his."
The thickening accent had alerted Jack to the darkening mood of the Southerner. He was, not to put too fine a point on it, seriously pissed off. Chris, for his own part, was just as pissed, and struggling to contain his fury. And Jack, who had one helluva temper himself, winced. He didn't know who was scarier when he was mad ... the elegant Standish or the seething Larabee. Neither alternative was attractive.
It seemed that General Hammond agreed, for as he took one look at his furious colonel, and another at the equally furious negotiator, he said, "Which is why I would like you all to direct your attention to page twenty of the brief I prepared for you, with the aid of Captain Mary Travis. A full report of Mr. Tanner's actions on the mission spoken of earlier, which resulted in Dr. Conklin's suspension from the field."
And so it went, with Kinsey bringing up aspects of Vin's past, and General Hammond or Standish shooting him down. Jack was glad he had played devil's advocate with the general when Tanner was first brought on board. Kinsey had objections to Tanner's hair, his lack of military background, his years as a bounty hunter, his lack of formal education, his status as a criminal (as JD Dunne would have said, huh?)
On this last charge, Chris Larabee finally made his presence known, telling the committee, "Vin Tanner is not a criminal. He has never been arrested, never been charged, never been convicted. As a bounty hunter in Texas, he was briefly a suspect in the murder of Jesse Kincaid, until the man's own daughter, who witnessed the murder, cleared him. After that, a $50,000 hit was placed on his head by whichever mob family the actual murderer, Eli Joe, works for."
"This would be the same reason why Mr. Tanner disappeared for two years, correct, Colonel Larabee?" a committee member, a woman of about sixty, asked. Chris nodded his acknowledgment, and the woman continued, reading something in front of her, "According to the file provided for us, Mr. Tanner avoided detection of any kind, avoiding use of ATM or credit cards, for two years. And that he intervened when two bigots attacked Nathan Jackson, the medic for SG-7, in a bar. Colonel Larabee ... for two years, your second in command kept to himself, stayed out of the lives of others as much as he could. Why?"
"There are many reasons for his decision that night. Vin hadn't made his presence known in those two years, not officially at least, but I've since learned that he never stopped helping people, just in more subtle ways. That night, the night that I first met him, Vin had been on his own for two years. Captain Mary Travis was in the bar that night, and when the two bigots attacked Nathan, she stood up for him. Vin didn't react too well to the way they treated her. That played into his decision as well," Chris explained.
"So what you're saying, Colonel, is that this tough ex-bounty hunter stuck his neck out to save someone he didn't know ... because he was lonely? Please. We're not stupid here, Colonel," Senator Kinsey sneered. Jack muttered, 'wanna make a bet,' then grimaced as Daniel kicked his ankle. However, both Ezra and Chris had the situation well in hand. That didn't stop Jack from putting a calming hand on Larabee's shoulder ... or from wishing that Tanner was here to keep Chris cool. The kid had an uncanny ability to make Chris laugh.
"Ah believe what Colonel Larabee was tryin' to say was that many factahs played into Mistah Tannah's decision to help Mistah Jackson that night. Yes, Ah believe he was lonely, but more than that, he was angry that someone treated a fine lady with such contempt. And if you have evah had the opportunity to meet Captain Travis, Senatah Kinsey, Ah have no doubt that you would agree that she is a fine lady, indeed," Standish replied.
Chris Larabee had the patented Larabee Glare. Ezra Standish had his Southern accent and ten-dollar words, which could put even Harry Maybourne in his place if the slimy colonel was paying attention. Into the silence which followed, there was an uncomfortable shuffling of paper. Jack grinned ... Mary had testified the day before, and every time Senator Kinsey had tried to discredit Vin, the young reporter had responded with an example of Vin's courage, intelligence, and courtesy. He had finally pushed her too far when he played the education card once too often, and Mary had informed the senator in a frosty voice that she, as well as Major Carter and Dr. Frasier, had the pleasure of filling in the gaps of his formal education ... or was the Senator trying to insult their abilities as well?
Perhaps remembering the confrontation Jack was now thinking of, the congresswoman who had spoken previously, said in a voice that was almost as icy as Mary's had been, "As a single mother who held many jobs before I ran for office, I can appreciate Mr. Tanner's gallantry. The more I read, Senator Kinsey, the more I think this is yet another example of your personal vendetta against the SGC ... and this young man is just another means of attacking the program."
Senator Kinsey had tried to interrupt the woman, who went on in that icy voice, "Further, it's just as clear to me that while Kevin Tanner is not an officer, he most assuredly is a gentleman, and an intelligent one at that. I can certainly empathize with the general's unwillingness to subject the young man to this atmosphere, but I do regret not being able to meet him. My dear colleagues, we are wasting the money of the taxpayers with these hearings ... money that could be better spent in other ways. Mr. Tanner has proven himself repeatedly over the last three years. Let us allow him, and the rest of the SGC, to do their jobs."
"I would submit that our distinguished colleague from Michigan has succumbed ... " Kinsey began sarcastically. Jack knew what the senator was about to say. He had been about to accuse Senator Warner (Gwynyth Warner, if Jack's memory served) of falling victim to Vin's charms. He was a good-looking kid. But what Kinsey was accusing Warner of, was nothing short of unprofessionalism. Especially since, Jack silently observed, Warner is probably old enough to be Vin's mother. Jack wasn't stupid enough to believe that she couldn't find the kid attractive. She probably did. But she was no silly teenage girl ... hell, not even Cassie acted the way Kinsey was accusing Warner of acting!
"Senator Kinsey, that is enough. We have heard your opinion, and quite frankly, I'm as unimpressed with this witch hunt as Senator Warner is! I have read the same files as every other member of this committee, and while it's obvious that Mr. Tanner is a bit rough around the edges, it's also obvious that he's very good at his job. I echo Dr. Jackson's question ... do you believe that his education makes him more qualified to do your job? If not, then what makes you believe that Mr. Tanner's lack of formal education makes him any less qualified?"
It took Jack a few moments to find the speaker. He was an older man ... probably older than Hammond or Travis. Slender, and he was glaring at Kinsey for all he was worth. Watson, that was his name. Virgil Watson. The man continued, "It's also obvious, given his background and early life, that he could have easily become a predator. He did not. He became a protector. As far as I'm concerned, Vin Tanner will remain a member of the SGC as long as he, and the general, chooses. I motion that this committee make that recommendation official."
"I second that," Senator Warner put in, glaring at Kinsey. Oops. He just went too far. The motion was carried, and the men were dismissed with the thanks of the committee. Senator Warner had stopped them on the way out, saying, "I am sorry I couldn't meet Mr. Tanner. But for what it's worth, General, you made the right decision. I grew up in Texas, I know the worth of men like him. I can't say the same for all of my colleagues."
Her next words startled them all, as she added, "Are you planning to head directly back to Colorado, or did you allot yourselves some extra time?" Hammond said they wouldn't be heading back for another week ... they just hadn't decided where they would go, or if they would stay in DC. Senator Warner shook her head and replied, "No, no, no! I love Washington, DC, but this place is a veritable madhouse in the summer, especially on the weekends. I take my grandchildren to Busch Gardens down in Virginia, when they come for visits from Nebraska."
Which was how they ended up here ... oh, not here in this tunnel, waiting for their turn in a VR ride, but here, in Busch Gardens, in Virginia. All of SG-1 and SG-7, Mary Travis, her son, and Adriana Wilmington ... those three, of course, rooming together. Rain Jackson had returned to aid the Se'min'o, and couldn't be with them, but she had drawn a promise from Josiah Sanchez to make Nathan have fun.
Someone should have thought to make a similar promise, regarding Ezra Standish. The negotiator, who had been so suave in Washington, DC, had turned into a petulant child during the ride from DC to Williamsburg. They had taken two vans, but unfortunately, Ezra had ended up in Jack's van. Jack liked the Southerner ... when he could understand him. But after hearing from Teal'c about how excited Vin had been about the upcoming trip to the amusement park, Jack really wished Tanner had been in his van.
Standish settled down somewhat once they reached the hotel. They each settled in a room of their choosing, then returned to the room shared by Teal'c, Jack, and Daniel. A VCR had been rented, and the guys were pleased to find out that the women (Mary, Adriana, Sam, and Janet, who had flown in from Colorado with Cassie for a short vacation) had brought 'good' movies, instead of chick flicks. That had earned Jack a few pillows.
He knew the other guys agreed with him ... he was just the idiot who had opened his mouth with five females in the room. Five dangerous females, at that. The first movie to be removed from the goody bag was 'Gladiator.' Which, in the immortal words of young Private Dunne, 'seriously kicked ass.' Jack figured without really meaning to, Adriana had earned herself a few brownie points with the kid, for bringing it along.
Daniel got bapped on the head repeatedly during the course of the film, for critiquing everything from the historical accuracy to ... well ... the historical accuracy. That wasn't so unusual, since he often got whapped when they were watching a film within his expertise. Jack had learned the hard way not to take Daniel to see movies such as 'The Mummy.' Bad idea. Very bad idea. The last time Teal'c had come over to Jack's apartment for a movie night, Jack finally had to gag Daniel with a bandanna borrowed from Vin for a desert planet to shut him up.
No, the surprise was that Adriana, also an archaeologist, had whapped Daniel. The Egyptologist had protested after the third or fourth time she had whapped him, and Adriana said firmly, "Daniel ... hush. We aren't watching this movie with a bunch of students for education, we are watching this movie for fun. F ... u ... n. That means, we're not working. I don't expect any movie to be one hundred percent accurate. So hush up and watch the damn movie!"
"What she said," Cassie agreed, lounging on the floor beside Daniel, "even though Mom would wash my mouth out with soap if I ever talked like that." She squirmed on the floor until she was more comfortable, adding, "Besides, I'm not watching it for that, Daniel. Russell Crowe is hot, even if he is old." The male members of the audience who were all older than the Australian actor glowered at the girl.
"Oh no, honey," Adriana laughed from her position on the bed, "Russell Crowe isn't old. He's not even close! Sean Connery could be your grandfather, but he's not old either." This was greeted with howls from the other women, and Jack looked at them, a little afraid. This was scary. It wasn't scary that the women were letting down their hair ... it was scary just how long their hair was when it was really down.
"This is right interestin,' ladies, but could we watch the movie now?" Vin asked. Jack angled himself until he could see the young man's face ... if Vin turned any redder, the local airport could use him as a beacon at midnight. He looked at Adriana, who was lightly brushing his sides with her feet, and she smirked in what could be best described as ... well, it was just plain evil. Who would have thought the quiet archaeologist had such a wicked streak?
"I think we're making Vin uncomfortable, ladies," Mary teased, her green eyes lighting up with mischief. Oh God. Adriana on a rampage wasn't bad enough. Mary Travis getting a little wild ... that was enough to terrify any sane man, and Jack had the unnerving sense that he would find out during this trip just why those four women were called 'The Four Corners.' Mary continued, "But we'll behave. For now. My son's asleep in the next room, and remind me to thank Nathan for watching him."
"He's just getting practice for when he's a daddy, Miss Mary," Josiah said with a smile.
Mary had smiled and silence fell once more as all eyes and ears were returned to the television set. It really was a good movie. Especially now that Daniel wasn't interrupting every few minutes with 'that's wrong.' Jack would have to remember to thank Adriana for her baps. Later, though. During the course of the night, they watched 'Gladiator,' as well as all three of the Indiana Jones movies. Jack chuckled now ... that had nearly driven Daniel crazy.
Those had been Janet's idea, and Jack would have to remember to thank her for that. After the 'psuedo-archaeology' movies were past (to borrow a phrase from Grinch Daniel), they watched 'Ladyhawke,' and if anyone had accused Jack of crying at the end, when the star-crossed lovers were finally reunited, he would have told him that it was just the dust in the room. Damn hotels were full of dust bunnies.
However, no one was particularly interested in Jack or his moist eyes. JD blurted out as Navarre whirled his lady love around, "Hey, Vin! That's what you did when Adriana got to the SGC! Had you seen this movie? Is that where you got the idea?" Jack groaned, burying his head in his arms. Did the kid know how to speak quietly? He totally missed Buck Wilmington cuffing the kid in the back of his head, but did hear JD's indignant, "Hey!"
"No, kid, I ain't never seen this movie 'fore. Though I reckon Drina has, since she was talkin' along with the actors," Vin answered. This time, Adriana bapped him on the head, and he twisted around to glare at her. She just laughed at him. Damn. Forget the pain meds ... he had seen her on those after Conklin's last mission ... just get her sleepy, and she got loopy. Jack kinda liked her like this, though. She was ... well ... for lack of a better word ... cute.
"We watched it together a few times, JD. And it was one of Sarah's favorite movies. No, don't apologize, Mary. This has a lot of good memories. A lot," Chris said softly. Jack looked over at the other colonel, and saw him blinking away tears. Jack understood. There were a few movies that held memories for him, memories of his own Sara, memories of Charlie. Movies, songs ... hell, even smells brought the memories back. Taking a glance around, Jack saw that he wasn't the only one who understood, either.
After that, the party broke up. Everyone was tired, and as the movies were rewound and returned to their respective owners, the others went to bed, exchanging sleepy hugs, and a few kisses. Curiously, no one had heard a peep out of Ezra through any of the movies, although Jack had seen that he was both awake and watching the movies. If Jack had hoped the Southerner wouldn't start complaining again that morning on the way to Busch Gardens, he had been badly disappointed. According to him, going to an amusement park was beneath his dignity as a gentleman. To which Daniel had pointed out, "But Ezra, you're not a gentleman."
Jack laughed to himself, remembering the 'what just happened there' look which had appeared on the Southerner's face. That had been an hour earlier. It had been agreed that everyone would go on one ride together, then they would split up. Chris, Mary, and Billy would be in one group (now there was a surprise ... what Jack wanted to know was when Chris would get his head out of his ass where that lady was concerned. Probably right around the Tollan finally started sharing their technology. Oh, say, around ... never?)
Vin and Adriana would be in another group, along with Ezra. Since this would be Vin's first trip to an amusement park, General Hammond had asked Adriana if she would mind Ezra 'tagging along.' Maybe in the hopes that Vin's enthusiasm would rub off on the Grinch-like Standish? That was a possibility, but the suggestion was definitely grounds for arguing that the general did, indeed, have a sense of humor.
Since Ezra was like her brother (in more ways than one), Adriana had agreed. However, at the moment, Ezra was bringing up the rear of SG-7, along with Josiah. Adriana and Chris were flanking Vin, who was evidently struggling with his claustrophobia. Jack could hear the low murmur of Adriana's voice as she talked about the same swirls of light on the wall which had so captured the space monkey's attention.
She was trying to distract Vin, and Chris was helping. As was Billy Travis, and Jack just hoped that no crazy, knife-wielding ex-girlfriends screwed up this vacation. He really didn't think any of them wanted to return in pieces to Colorado. Not that Vin had returned in pieces, per se, but he had lost a lot of blood after psycho-bitch (damn, but Adriana had a way with words) stuck steel into his gut.
"Is it me, or is it getting hot in here?" Chris murmured. Jack just sighed, leaning his head against the concrete wall. The name of the ride was 'Corkscrew Hill.' It was an interactive ride, like the kind you found at Disneyworld ... and, he had been told, Las Vegas as well. Jack had no idea what it was about, but they had found it in the Ireland section of Busch Gardens. Each section of the amusement park had a particular theme, inspired by a given country ... Ireland, Greece, Italy, Germany, France, Scotland, England ... even eighteenth century Canada.
"Ooh yeah, it's getting hot in here. That's what happens when you're stuck in a tunnel with fifty other people and no air," Jack replied, not bothering to ask how Chris had gotten up here. The other man snorted, and the older colonel went on, "So how's the kid doing? I could see him fighting off a claustrophobic attack, brought on by the dark, the crowd, the tunnel, and the space monkey forgetting that he was in an amusement park, not on a mission."
Even by the dim light of the tunnel, Jack saw Chris raise an eyebrow in amusement, asking, "Oh, as if you were doing anything different? Please." Jack rolled his eyes, and Chris continued, "Vin's okay, I think. Drina is keeping him occupied, and Buck kicked JD the last time JD started to bring up our last vacation all together." This time, it was Jack's turn to snort as the line moved ahead a little.
"Yeah, well, if any more of your psycho ex-girlfriends decide to hunt you down, I'm disowning you as a friend," Jack replied. Chris responded by punching his shoulder, and Jack continued more seriously, "Ella Gaines is dead. She's been dead for two years. Vin pulled through, Conklin has been relegated to cataloguing all the artifacts we've collected, ever since the SGC was first created. Stacy McPherson is paying for her crimes, and Vanessa returns to work next month. She's finally fit for duty."
"Now that is great news. I know you were worried about her," Chris said.
Jack nodded as the line inched forward yet again. Yeah, it was. While the SGC had been rattled by the attack and Ella's escape, as well as the revelation that Stacy McPherson had been sabotaging SG-7 all along, things had ended well. As Jack had said, Ella Gaines was dead, and her spy inside the SGC had been convicted of espionage. Vanessa Kowalsky had been suffering from a variety of ailments, including exposure to early mind-control experiments by the Gou'ald.
While Vanessa was returning to work in the SGC, she would not be going back into the field. She was considered a liability. As a colonel, Jack understood that. But as an uncle, he was still having a hard time with it. She hadn't asked to be a goddamn experiment, she hadn't asked to lose her uncle, she hadn't asked for any of the things which had happened to her. And yet, Vanessa didn't seem upset about not returning to the field as a member of an SG team.
She actually enjoyed working behind the scenes, she had said. Liked not having the pressure of living up to Charles Kowalsky. That was something else Jack could understand, and because she wasn't upset about not returning to the field, Jack let it go. She was happy, that was all he cared about. She was happy, and the true villains had paid for what they had done. And some were still paying for it.
"All's well that ends well," Jack murmured, nudged forward as the line once more inched forward. He really hoped the ride was worth taking an unpleasant trip down memory lane, having to pull the space monkey forward by his collar twice, and worrying over a claustrophobic sharpshooter. Claustrophobic sharpshooter. Jack glanced over his shoulder at Vin a second time. Shit. The kid looked even worse now. Yeah, this ride damn well better be worth it!
If this line didn't move any faster, Vin Tanner was sure he would do something he would regret. What exactly, he didn't know yet. But ... He took a deep breath, trying to focus on the pretty images on the wall. He had overheard Daniel muttering something under his breath about proto-Celtic designs or some such thing. Vin didn't know about that, but the little swirls were right pretty. Adriana said softly at his side, "Wish I had some story to distract you in here."
"Aw hell, Drina," Vin answered, shaking his head to reassure his friend. That was not a good idea ... between the mounting claustrophobia and the dark and the heat, the motion had made him dizzy. He closed his eyes, allowing the dizziness to fade. Once he wasn't feeling quite so wobbly, Vin forced himself to concentrate on anything other than those three things, and continued, "I ain't a little kid. Ya don't have to do nothin.' This is s'posed to be your holiday, too. And this time, we ain't gotta worry about no crazy ex-girlfriends." Adriana snickered at that, even though the incident with Ella Gaines had shaken her as well.
"No, but we might have t' worry about crazy ex-boyfriends. You didn't see the way some of those twits outside were eyein' Mary. Was sure I would need t' kick some arse," she replied. Vin chortled at that, as well as the pseudo Irish accent she had employed. Chris slipped back into position ... he had gone up to talk to Jack, hopefully about keeping Daniel's butt moving forward, and Adriana continued, "Hey Chris, Vin doesn't think I can kick butt."
"Oh, I'm sure he knows better than that, little princess," came the reply. Chris leaned against the wall, smiling, and continued, "Besides, he should remember that Janet strictly forebade any fighting for another two weeks." This time, Vin glared at his best friend. Goddamn smart-ass cowboy! Chris, however, simply laughed quietly and added, "Of course, she didn't say anything about step-dancing. Just when are we gonna find out the story behind that, Vin?"
"Oh, right around never. All ya need to know is, I learned the hard way not to bet against Drina," Vin retorted. He heard Adriana giggle behind him, as she slipped her arms around his waist. Uh, no. No, no, no, no. She was not gonna soften him that easily. No way, it weren't gonna happen. If she wanted Chris to know that story, she was gonna have to tell him herself, because Vin had no intention of doing it.
"So, it was because of a bet? And because you lost the bet, because you bet against Adriana, the two of you learned to step-dance?" Chris asked. Vin felt Adriana nod her head against his arm, and Chris smirked, continuing, "That must have been fun to see. Just out of curiosity, little princess, what was the other side? What would you have had to do if Vin had won the bet, instead of you?"
"We never got that far. Or rather, he never told me ... we just agreed that the winner got to choose something we had to learn, together. Since I won the bet, I chose step-dancing. There was a lady at the college who was setting up a class, and I signed us both up. Since I'm a klutz, Vin was far better at it than I was," Adriana replied. Vin rolled his eyes. Here they went again. Damn girl.
"So, what would you two have learned if you had won the bet?" JD wanted to know from just behind Adriana. Vin looked over his shoulder at the cartographer. He had actually been distracting himself through half of their journey through the tunnel, by listening to JD ask Adriana questions. It seemed he had borrowed some of Casey's textbooks to educate himself, while Vin and Adriana were recovering from their injuries during their last mission.
This time, however, they recuperated at Nettie's boardinghouse, which allowed both Nettie and Casey to fuss over them. Curiously, while Nettie spent a great deal of time making sure Adriana was all right, she didn't really fuss over the young archaeologist. She talked to her a lot, but spent very little time actually fussing over her. Casey, on the other hand, couldn't do enough to make sure Adriana was comfortable.
Adriana had been confused by the attention, but she didn't seem overwhelmed or smothered by Casey. Vin had been a little confused by the girl's attitude, until Nettie admitted that her suspicion about Drina being molested by her father had been confirmed for her.
JD had blurted out this information while visiting the aunt and niece. Vin wasn't too happy about that, since it wasn't JD's story to tell, but Nettie had explained that she had believed that was the case. She had already cautioned Casey not to say anything to Adriana, to let her become more comfortable with them first. Comfortable enough that Adriana would tell them, on her own. Nettie was a right smart lady.
His landlady went on to tell him that Casey had cried that night, so angry that someone had done that to an innocent child. And Casey had admitted that she found herself wishing Adriana was her own child, so she could have taken proper care of that little girl. A physical impossibility, since Casey was younger, but Vin appreciated the sentiment ... the same sentiment which once led Carly to tell him that she wished she was his mother, after his own had died.
To protect the fragile truce between his 'little brother' and his friend, Vin kept this to himself. At least for the moment. While Drina and JD were still awkward around each other, they were at least talking. Early, Drina had told him about some of the things she had seen in Europe, while she was getting her Master's Degree and Ph.D. Vin had looked over his shoulder, to find JD listening intently as Drina described the Roman ruins in Trier.
As ever, he made no attempt to take part in the conversation, until JD asked him what they would have learned, if he had won the bet. Drina looked over at him questioningly, as if he provided the answer to a long-awaited secret. Vin answered reluctantly, "Ain't real sure. Probably skydiving. Was kinda reluctant with that, though, since Drina hates roller coasters." He growled when Drina whacked his butt.
"I do not hate all roller coasters, just the ones which turn you upside down. I'm fine with the old fashioned ones. Loop-de-loops, no thank you. I would have been fine with skydiving," Drina retorted. She looked over her shoulder at JD, adding, "But I'm kinda happy with the way things turned out. I got him hooked on Irish music, and got a graceful dance partner out of the deal. You know, JD, you gotta work on your stoic mask. When Vin and I started step-dancing to the music outside, I thought your jaw would come unhinged."
"I bet," JD admitted ruefully, "that was sort of the last thing I expected, to see Vin dancing like Michael Flatley." Drina gently nudged Vin forward, and JD went on, snickering, "Although, letting Ezra see you dance like that probably wasn't a real good idea, Vin. He'll try to enter you in the SGC talent contest." Vin looked at JD ... say what???????? The young cartographer gulped and said, "You hadn't heard about that? It was something that Colonel O'Neill came up with, said that things had been pretty ugly lately, and we all know how Buck feels about ugly."
"Not just no, but hell no! It's one thin' to be dancin' in front of y'all, but I ain't dancin' in front of no strangers," Vin retorted. More to the point, he wasn't dancin' in front of no crowd! Drina nudged him forward yet again, and Vin continued, totally forgetting about how the walls had seemed to be closing in on him, "Ez thinks he's gonna do that, reckon I'll have to figure out a few things I have on him. What, ya got some ideas there, JD?" The young man nodded, his hazel eyes gleaming even in the faint light.
"You could always bring up his mom finding out about the general's email address ... General Travis, I mean," JD offered. Much to Vin's surprise, Chris and Adriana exchanged a look, then broke up laughing. Since he didn't even know about this, he would have to rely on his two friends to tell this story. Maybe it was while he was still in the infirmary ... Janet didn't encourage gossip among her team.
"There's just one problem with that little scenario, hon. General Travis already knows, and it wasn't Ezra. It was Mary," Adriana informed him with a grin that surpassed impish. JD stared at her in disbelief, and Adriana continued, "Maude wanted the general's email address, because she found out from Senator Kinsey about the Stargate program, and realized what Ezra was doing."
"Senator Kinsey was likely drunk at the time," Chris said and Vin nodded his agreement. The Stargate program was still hush-hush. Chris went on, "And Adriana's right. Mary gave Ms. Standish the general's email address after the general okayed it. Once she found out that Ezra was our negotiator, she started supporting the program. And, since Maude inherited her late husband's seat in the Senate ... "
"Oh really? Maude's last husband was a senator? I missed that," Drina observed. Then again, Vin knew for a fact that Ezra and Drina rarely discussed their respective families, after Ezra had announced his intention to inflict some severe bodily harm on her father. Not that Drina had been mad, but it had shocked her. Why, Vin had no idea, but there were times when that girl confused the hell out of him.
"We're moving again, guys," JD pointed out. So they were. Adriana released Vin and reached into the bin they were passing for a pair of 3-D glasses, muttering something under her breath about hoping these worked better than the ones she was used to. Vin blinked. It looked like their long wait was at an end. He reached into the bin and picked up a pair of glasses for himself, passing another pair back to JD.
It was arranged so that Vin sat between Adriana and Chris inside the theater. Probably wasn't what it was supposed to be called, but it worked well for Larabee's purposes. The pair knew how Vin felt about enclosed areas, and neither knew enough about the ride to do anything else. Adriana had her ways of looking after Vin, of protecting him, and Chris had his. Rather than oppose each other, they had decided to work together.
The trio buckled themselves into their seats, Vin slumping ever so slightly in his seat. Chris knew his back still hurt him a lot. He was fine as long as he was walking, but when he stood in place for several moments, that was when he began feeling the pain. He seemed to be all right, so Chris turned his attention back to the giant screen. A wizard 'sprinkled' them with fairy dust. To his left, he heard Billy Travis whisper, "Ooooooh." Chris smiled, relaxing into his chair. This trip to Busch Garden hadn't been his idea ... he hadn't been to an amusement park since Sarah and Adam. He was starting to remember, though, how much Adam had loved them.
It no longer felt like a betrayal of Sarah and Adam, to enjoy life, to enjoy those around him. In fact, he was sure Sarah would have scolded him thoroughly for cutting himself off for so long. Unbeknownst to Jack O'Neill, Chris and Mary had had their first official date three weeks earlier. Billy had stayed with Nettie at her boardinghouse, entertaining Vin and Adriana. That was how Nettie had put it to him ... he could help her take care of those two.
And Billy, like Adam years earlier, had taken this responsibility very seriously. When Chris and Mary had returned to the boardinghouse to pick up the little boy, Nettie told them that Billy had taken very good care of Vin, and after he went to sleep, went to Adriana for a story. She was as full of stories as Ezra, with the traveling she had done. The child had fallen asleep against her side, and that was how Mary and Chris had found him when they arrived.
Chris smiled now, remembering the sight of Billy snuggled against the young woman. They had seen Billy do the same thing in the van, except he had been snuggling against Vin. The sharpshooter had put his arm around the boy, much to Billy's delight. The little boy didn't know his own strength at times, and Chris was sure Billy's fierce hugs had caused Vin some pain. But the sharpshooter didn't attempt to remove Billy's arms from his waist ... just held the child against his side, listening intently to the little boy's questions and responding to them.
It occurred to Chris that he had seen flashes of what Vin must have been like as a child in the van. While he had seen Vin's sense of humor before, had seen his impish streak, he had never seen Vin that excited before. He had been looking forward to the trip, almost chattering in his excitement. Senator Warner had given them brochures for Busch Gardens, and they spent the trip to the amusement park deciding what they wanted to do.
Corkscrew Hill was, as he had been told, an interactive ride. The story went, the riders had been shrunk to the size of fairies. Or something tiny enough to fit into a basket. Which meant that they got bounced about in the box on a horse, in the arms of a little boy. And they wouldn't even discuss the sensation of falling. It was realistic ... too damn realistic, but as the lights came up, he looked first at Vin, then at Billy ... and the smiles he saw made it all worth it.
On the other side of Vin, Adriana pushed herself to her feet. Her limp was almost gone, at least until she got up after sitting for a while. She slung her denim backpack over one shoulder, smiling at Chris. The colonel swung the still-excited Billy into his arms, holding out his free hand to Mary as they left their seats. Billy chattered all the while. Wasn't that sooo cool? It was just like falling, only it wasn't really, and hadn't Chris had fun?
As they walked out, Mary said softly, "I almost wish we were going to stay together."
Chris looked at her with a frown, and she explained, "I mean, the group. Ezra will have his hands full, and I don't think Adriana will be much help to him. Seems to me she's encouraging Vin." Chris grinned at that. Encouraging? Hell, she wasn't encouraging him, she was out and out egging him on! Mary continued, "You know, I think we should meet at a particular ride, or something we can all do together."
"I think that's a great idea. General, Mary just had a brilliant idea," Chris said to General Hammond as the two SG teams returned to their CO and the sunlight. The general looked at them expectantly, and Mary proceeded to explain her idea, as well as her rationale. General Hammond listened thoughtfully, then a decidedly impish grin lit his face. Uh-oh. This didn't look promising. Not for Ezra, at least.
"I think I know exactly the place, Captain. Listen up, people ... as of five minutes from now, you're all on your own. But I want everyone to meet at noon for lunch, and for a game," General Hammond explained. The two teams gathered around him as he opened the map, explaining, "This is a game called 'Splashus Maximus.' It came very highly recommended from Senator Warner, and it involves water balloons. You are all to take part in this. Don't make me make this an order."
He glowered at Ezra as he spoke. Everyone else nodded, and Chris bit back a smile as he overheard Adriana whisper to Mary, "Water balloons, huh? Can you say, 'wet T-shirt contest,' hmm???" Mary laughed softly in response, and Chris glanced over at his little sister. She was wearing a positively mischievous grin, along with her swimsuit and cutoffs. Mary was also wearing a bathing suit under her shorts, although Chris found himself wishing it was a two piece.
"That's the general idea, Doctor. SG-1, SG-7 ... you have a go. Enjoy yourselves. And yes, Mr. Standish, that is an order," the general replied. Chris bit back a grin as Vin grabbed the back of Ezra's neck and Adriana grabbed his hand and the pair hauled the negotiator off with them. Poor Ezra. He didn't stand a chance. Maybe that was why the general had asked Vin and Adriana to take him with them? A half second later, the general observed quietly, "He looks like he's headed to the gallows. He's exactly with the people he needs to be with."
"You're a sneaky man, General Hammond," Mary said with more than a hint of admiration. The general just smiled, and Billy began wiggling. The captain looked at her son and added, "I think I know a young man who is eager to get started. We'll see you at noon, at Splashus Maximus, General." The general nodded and Chris put Billy down. They were on vacation, but this trip was for the kids. Whether they were eight ... or fifteen ... or twenty-seven. Or, Chris added to himself, glancing at Buck, thirty-eight.
JD was chattering away to Buck about the things he had learned, while reading Casey's books and talking to Adriana. Funny, he had always thought of archaeology as being so boring, and his opinion hadn't changed until he actually bothered to find out what archaeologists did. They would stay in Ireland for a while, since JD's family was from that country originally. Mary had asked that they go to Scotland, so Billy could see the horses. Like every eight year old boy he had ever known, Billy loved horses. Just as Adam had.
He didn't know where Vin, Adriana, and Ezra were heading, but he hoped they would enjoy themselves. For himself, that was exactly what Chris planned on doing. He had met Sarah in an amusement park, so many years ago. It seemed ... right ... that he start the rest of his life, this time with Mary, in another amusement park. He wanted to take things slow, to make sure Mary was willing ... but he was willing to make the attempt. To try again.