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.
Unbeknownst to the four, they were being watched. Chris Larabee asked, wrapping his arms around Mary Travis from behind, "So, what exactly is your part of this little plot? I saw JD talking to you while we were waiting on SG-1. And I know that you gave your tape recorder to Vin and Adriana ... so you can expect payback of some kind from Ezra. He's probably figured out that the tape recorder is yours."
"Oh, I'm sure I can expect payback from Ezra eventually," Mary answered, peeking over her shoulder to check on Billy, who was absorbed in his ice cream. The treat of the man now holding her. Of course. She continued, "You asked what my part of this was ... well, Ezra will take the picture himself. He has some friends in low places, so to speak, and they'll doctor it up appropriately. Then I'll put it into the base paper."
She felt Chris groan. She never could resist teasing him about that. But it was a hysterically funny story, taking place about six weeks after Vin and Adriana's return without SG-3. By this time, Adriana had been taken off her meds, and she celebrated by getting ... as Buck put it ... drunk off her ass. Chris had gotten just as drunk, with Vin and Mary watching in amusement as the normally reserved and even anal-retentive pair got thoroughly soused.
Well, Adriana wasn't anal-retentive, but she did have a tight control on her emotions. Even now. She had gotten better, as Mary herself had. However, it was still shocking to see her best friend ... well ... like that. At one point ... and this had been proof positive that Chris was drunk ... he had walked over to the jukebox and popped in a quarter. A few seconds later, Garth Brooks' 'Friends in Low Places' filled the bar.
Adriana, who had been getting silly beside Josiah, exclaimed happily, "I love this song!" With that, she had risen somewhat unsteadily to her feet and ambled over to Chris, who was leaning against the bar and humming along. Amazingly, though drunk, Chris was steady enough to lift Adriana into his arms, then put her atop the bar beside him. And as Adriana began singing along, somewhat off-tune, Chris had joined in.
It was something to behold. Mary could only watch in amazement as the pair sang along. But she had a pretty good handle on her laughter ... at least until the pair got to the line about 'kiss my ass.' Because, of course, at that point, they were singing the loudest, practically shouting it at the tops of their lungs. And to make sure Chris never tried to deny his own participation, Mary and the others had snapped quite a few pictures of the silly pair. As well as 'borrowing' Inez's security camera.
With Inez's full approval, of course. Actually, as Mary remembered it, Buck had told her that Inez practically shoved the tape into his hands. (Too bad she didn't shove something else, Mary had thought wickedly, Buck would have liked that a lot) They still had the VCR ... and copies had been made. Maybe they should watch that tonight? Mary stifled a giggle, but Chris whispered, "What's so funny?"
"Just thinking about your duet with Adriana, Christopher," Mary answered slyly, "wondering if we could ever get you to sing solo." She smothered a squeal as he tickled her, and continued, "I've been trying to convince Adriana to get up on the stage with me at karaoke. You know, you doing it might help. You know how shy she can be, and if she sees your ... shining example." This time, she couldn't contain the giggle that escaped when Chris tickled her again, and she squirmed away from his fingers.
"The only way I will get up on that stage again," he breathed as she squirmed, "is if I am drunk ... or if there's money in it. Understand?" She turned in his arms, the only way she had found to stop him from tickling her, and smiled up at him. The most evil smile she could produce. The one she had found usually resulted in ... ahhh, there it was. Chris said huskily, "I'm not getting up on that stage again, Mary. You'll have to convince Adriana on your own."
"I know," Mary answered impishly, "I just like tormenting you. And Adriana's not nearly as shy as she used to be. Especially not after today." Chris laughed outright at that. Mary wondered if the man now holding her, or if her friend, realized how much Adriana had changed in the years she had been here at the SGC. Well. Adriana was her friend, her best friend, but Mary was now with the man she loved.
It hadn't been an easy road, and they still had a long way to go before either were ready to remarry. She had loved Steven very much, and even after she had stopped missing him so desperately, she had found that she enjoyed being on her own. Mary Travis had decided when she married again, it would be because she loved the man. Not because she wanted security, not because she was alone. She wasn't willing for second best.
There had been times when she didn't think Chris Larabee was right for her, as attracted to him as she was. He was dark and moody, and Mary had despaired of ever being able to make someone like him happy. But ... and this she hadn't expected. Chris changed. Over the years, as the leader of SG-7, Chris had changed. She had changed as well. When she had first arrived at the SGC and realized what it was, Mary found herself lapsing back into the defensive girl she had been once upon a time. She had something to prove, and as it had been the case when she was a teenager, she could become rather bitchy.
She could admit that. And because she had something to prove, at least in her own mind, she and Chris had often clashed. Not that all of those early arguments had been her fault. Mary was enough of an adult to accept responsibility for what she had done wrong, and nothing else. She had learned the hard way, more than once, that trying to take responsibility for others (aside from Billy, of course), only led to more disaster.
But that had been a long time ago. She knew her place within the SGC, knew her purpose. She had nothing to prove, because it was when she simply did what came naturally, as a woman, as a mother, as a journalist ... that was when she proved herself. Mary's mind drifted to one of the sources of her greatest pride. Vin Tanner. Even after all this time, two and a half years, it never failed to awe her. That this proud, stubborn man, who refused to let anyone see just how vulnerable he was ... had asked her help. That he had enough trust in her to do that.
And she was so proud of him. She had always known that he was a very intelligent young man. That was plain to see, to anyone who bothered to look, and to listen. (Which let out Maybourne, at least at first, as well as Kinsey and Conklin) It wasn't until she started his lessons, along with Sam and Janet, that she realized just how smart he was. He had compensated for his lack of formal education by developing one hell of a memory.
She had always cared about Vin, although at one point, Chris had actually accused her of making Vin into a pet project, an accusation that had hurt. And there was as part of her which understood Chris didn't mean it ... that as he still did on occasion, he was lashing out after being hurt himself. This had been just after the first go-round with that bitch, Ella Gaines. But it hurt nonetheless, and she found herself examining her own motives again.
Was she using Vin? Treating him as if he was a doll which she could dress up? No. No, that wasn't right. She knew Vin was a human being. She had seen the pain in his eyes when Nathan was checked his ribs, after the fight. Dammit, she knew that! But she had been fascinated with this young man, and as she always did when she was curious about something, Mary found out everything she could.
Vin understood, when Mary explained this during one of their lessons. He did the same thing. And he had never believed that she was using him ... not as a pet project, and not to get to Larabee. Yer more 'n capable of taking care of that last part on yer own, Vin had said, winking at her. Don't worry about what Larabee said ... he's still mad at himself for trustin' that she-devil. I know ya ain't usin' me. I don't believe ya would ever hurt me a'purpose, Mary.
"Where did you go?" Chris asked softly, drawing her back to the present. Mary just smiled up at him, and Chris added, "Does that mean you're not gonna answer my question? I do have my ways of getting something out of you, you know." His voice was soft, with a touch of menace. Not that he would ever hurt her deliberately, but Mary could already feel his fingers brushing her ribs. Her smile became positively evil in response.
"It means, Colonel Larabee, that a girl needs a few secrets. Even from her man," Mary answered. Chris turned bright red when she called him 'her' man, but he didn't argue.
Good. The man could be amazingly dense at times. But then, that was a part of who he was, and she loved the entire package. As the last vestiges of pink disappeared from his cheeks and ears (he really was adorable when he blushed), Chris growled, "We'll see about that!" With that, he swung Mary into his arms, adding, "C'mon, Billy, daylight's wasting!" The little boy looked up with a grin, which grew when he saw his mother in the arms of his hero. For her own part, Mary didn't struggle, and why should she? She was exactly where she wanted to be.
JD had decided he was exactly where he wanted to be. The young cartographer had more than made up for the few and far between rides before lunch in the last few hours. He had accompanied Vin on everything his friend wanted to ride. Sometimes Adriana joined them ... but on anything that turned her upside down, she would find something else to do while they were waiting in line and on the ride. JD distracted Vin from the crush of people around them by asking him questions while they were in line. As he was now.
"This is your first time at an amusement park," JD mused while they were in line for Apollo's Chariot. Vin nodded, glancing over his shoulder at Adriana, who was quietly reading on the bench. She had brought a book along, and while JD had thought it was silly at first, he understood her logic now. JD continued, once Vin's eyes had returned to him, "So how did you know that Adriana didn't like roller coasters?"
"She done told me, JD. In real vivid detail, when I asked her what scared her. Roller coasters that turn her upside down. She don't like that one bit," Vin explained. The answer was so simple, JD gaped at his companion. Vin asked with a faint smile, "What? Ya thought I was on a roller coaster and she throwed up on me or somethin' like that, JD?" Well, as a matter of fact, that was exactly what JD had thought.
"Actually ... yeah. I did. Is there anything about her you don't know? I mean, you two have been such good friends for a long time, it sometimes seem like you know everything about her, and she knows everything about you," JD asked. The line moved ahead a little, and Vin moved with it. It amazed JD, that when Vin wasn't aware of the people around him, he seemed much more relaxed. And maybe knowing that JD would watch his back helped.
"Lots I don't know 'bout her, JD. Lots she don't know 'bout me. It ain't 'cause we're hidin' things from each other. Reckon there are a few things I ain't told her, 'cause I ain't ready. And same goes for her. It ain't that she ain't strong enough to hear what I got to say. It ain't that I ain't smart enough. Some things just ain't come up in conversation yet," Vin replied. He took his baseball cap off and ran his fingers through his hair, then put the cap back on.
"Like what?" JD challenged. The thing was, he knew exactly what Vin meant. His argument with Casey before he had left for Washington DC had been caused by one of those things which had never come up in conversation before. Vin responded with an amused glance, and JD continued, "Look, Vin ... I know you say Adriana ain't your girl. But you're the only person I can ask these things. You make more sense than any of the others."
"Drina ain't my girl. She don't belong to nobody," Vin answered with more than a trace of exasperation. JD gave him his best kicked puppy look, and the guide warned, "Oh, no. Don't go there, JD. I ain't Buck, or Mary, or anyone else ya can use them puppy-dog eyes on." JD glared at him, and to his credit, Vin didn't laugh. He did, however, sigh, "But if ya wanna know ... and remember, she ain't my girl. She's nobody's girl. But I did find out somethin' that surprised me once. Found out that she don't like gettin' flowers."
JD blinked and stared at his friend. She doesn't like getting flowers???? JD thought all women liked getting flowers and chocolate! Vin shrugged helplessly, adding, "When she told me why, it made sense. Her favorite flowers, 'fore her ma were murdered, were carnations. That funeral home was overflowin' with carnations at her ma's funeral. And every day on the anniversary of her ma's death, her pa would have her put a rose on her ma's bed."
JD shuddered. He was still having a hard time coming to grips with what Buck and Adriana's father had done to that child after his wife's death. JD said after a moment, "But that kinda makes sense. I've been taking some psychology classes, and it sounds like she associates flowers with death and pain." Vin shot him a broad grin, and JD smiled back, then continued, "But I'm talking about something that makes no sense, at all. No explanation."
"Hell, JD, I think women always got a reason for what they do and what they feel. They just ain't always ready to share it with us. The thing we gotta do is respect that ... not laugh at 'em or tease 'em about it. Ya do that, they think ya don't take 'em seriously, and that makes 'em mad. Makes 'em think ya don't think they're important. No, that ain't somethin' I learned from Drina, but some a' her friends," Vin replied.
JD fell silent again as the line moved forward once more. Had he made fun of Casey, without meaning to? He had only been teasing her when he found out what her real name was. He had always thought it was 'Cassandra' too. Or that her initials were KC. Speaking of real names ... He asked suddenly, "Vin, if your real name is 'Kevin,' then where did you get ... " He floundered for a minute, drawing a half smile from Vin.
"Story goes, I couldn't say 'Kevin' when I was a little fella, and 'Vin' was the best I could do. It stuck," the guide answered. A shadow passed over his eyes, and he continued, "My ma was the only person who called me that, up until I met Drina. Hell, until Priscilla Meadows told her, I had plumb forgotten that 'Vin' weren't really my birth name. Reckon Drina used it at first to get a rise outta me, then just 'cause she liked it."
"She likes doing that ... trying to get a rise out of you. Vin, does it bother you when she calls you 'Kevin' to irritate you?" JD asked. Vin shook his head with a little exhale.
"Hell, no. If she really thought it irritated me, she wouldn't do it. It's part of a game we play, I reckon. Fact is, JD, I worry if she don't call me 'Kevin' at least once a day. Means somethin' ain't right with her. It's kinda somethin' sacred between us. She calls me 'Kevin,' and I call her 'Drina.' Now, I know a lotta the others, they call her 'Drina,' too, but I was the first. And she was the first person since my ma who called me 'Kevin.' Names are powerful weapons, JD. They always have been," Vin answered.
JD mulled over what Vin had told him, then said quietly, "I found out that Casey's real name is 'Casilda.' A name her mom got out of a romance novel. I teased her about it, saying it sounded like 'castle.' She got mad." JD found himself cringing at the look Vin gave him. One of Vin's disappointed looks were worth a hundred of Buck's rants. Vin just sighed and shook his head, as if nothing he could possibly say could cover what he was thinking.
But he did speak, saying, "JD, that name was a gift to her, from her ma. How would ya feel if she made fun of a gift ya got from yer ma? That's what ya done! 'Course she's mad at ya!" Put that way, JD could see exactly why Casey was so mad at him. And Vin was right. If Casey had made fun of something his mother had given him, he would have been furious with her as well. Put that way ...
"So how do I make it up to her? She's like Adriana, she doesn't like flowers ... just for a different reason," JD replied. Vin responded with raised eyebrows, as if to say, you're asking me? The cartographer continued with a sigh, "I mean, this is bigger than an apology. This is bigger than anything I've ever done." This time, Vin's expression was downright amused. JD laughed at himself.
"Reckon we could bring back a stuffed animal of some kind? Figger between the two a' us, we can get somethin' together that she'd like. Just ... remind me to keep my mouth shut when she starts askin' about ya and other gals?" Vin asked, wincing at the reminder of his last conversation with Casey on that subject. JD grinned, gently nudging Vin forward, and Vin continued, "Hell, I ain't never said I was no good with words!"
"It didn't matter what you said, Vin, she would have gotten angry. She admitted as much to me when we finally made up. Although, General Hammond was not pleased about reports of me making out with Maddy in the rec room," JD replied, feeling an all-too-familiar blush rise to his cheeks. His brief ... fling ... with Maddy Stokes had nearly cost him his career, his life, and his relationship with Casey. Yup, almost cost him everything.
"Reckon not, but I 'magine if ya asked General Travis, he'd have a few interestin' stories," Vin replied with a mischievous smirk. By now, they were at the head of the line, and Vin frowned, muttering, "Now how in the hell did that happen? We ain't been in line that long!" JD just grinned ... it seemed that getting Vin to talking was a good distraction. Vin shook his head and added, "Hell, reckon ya got that from Corkscrew Hill, didnja?"
"It worked, didn't? And like Josiah always says, use what works," JD replied with a grin. They were being allowed through the gate, and JD turned back.
Adriana was still sitting on the bench, but she was now looking up from her book. She saw JD looking at her and waved. JD returned the salute, grinning broadly. She inclined her head toward Vin, as if checking on him, and JD gave her a thumbs up sign. Adriana just grinned back, and JD gently nudged Vin into one of the cars. Maybe he and Adriana would end up becoming friends after all ... they'd see how things went. Maybe she could help him with Casey, too?
Bucklin best watch his back, Vin thought as he and JD got off the Chariot only minutes later, those two decide to join forces, he'll be in a lotta trouble. Vin laughed to himself as he and JD exited the ride. Adriana rose to her feet, sliding her book back into her backpack. Damn, she managed to carry a lotta shit in that little thing! Wallet, cameras, tape recorder, and her book, too. He would have expected it with some of the purses she carried in college, but in those, she could have carried the kitchen sink, too.
He used to tease her about that. She never got angry ... it was one of the safe topics. But after hearing why she was so compulsive about carrying things in her purse, Vin had stopped teasing her. It stopped being funny ... he couldn't laugh at her desire to be prepared. Part of being a child was being helpless ... something he could understand entirely too well. Being prepared meant you were a little less helpless.
She smiled as the two men joined her and asked, "Did you boys have fun?" Vin swiped his hand at her, and she danced out of the way, laughing. She looked at JD, who nodded with a grin, and she continued, "Good. I'm glad to hear that. You won't believe what I saw while you boys were upstairs." By this time, her grin was so big, Vin was somewhat surprised that her face wasn't hurting as yet.
"Try us ... after some of the things which have happened just this week, I'd believe just about anything," JD challenged. Not just this week, Vin thought, but this whole damn month! And last month! He couldn't believe that Larabee had given him such wonderful blackmail material by singing along with Drina, when both were drunk off their asses. Drina could laugh it off, but Chris was another matter.
"I saw Josiah and Nathan engaged in a mock-sword fight," came the answer. Vin blinked, looking at his friend in amazement. Come again? He glanced at JD, and saw the cartographer staring at Adriana with the exact same expression. Adriana nodded with an impish grin, continuing, "Yup. I guess they went into one of the shops and bought a pair of plastic swords. Probably to surprise Billy, and they started dueling with 'em."
Josiah and Nathan. Had been dueling with swords. No matter how hard Vin tried, he couldn't wrap his mind around that concept. JD said, obviously choosing his words with care, "You know, Vin, we've been on almost every ride here. Maybe we should catch up with those two, and see what's going on." Vin looked at Adriana questioningly. There were a few rides they hadn't gone on yet, some of which she had wanted to ride.
"The way I see it, we can do both," Adriana replied. Vin remained silent, and Adriana continued, "We can ride what I still haven't ridden yet, and hang around with Josiah and Nathan. We've only got about two hours before we meet up with the others. I figure we can spend those last two hours either shopping or whatever. We start clumping together, it'll make it easier for us when we finally have to meet up with everyone."
Clumping? Vin raised his eyebrows, smirking at the phraseology. Adriana just glared at him, and JD said a bit hesitantly, "Uhm, Adriana? How did you know what Vin was asking you? I mean, all I said was we could catch up with Nathan and Josiah. Then Vin looked at you, and you ... how did you know what he was asking you? Is this kinda like the way Vin and Chris talk to each other without words?"
"Uh ... no. Not really. It was kinda obvious, when he looked at me, what he was asking. He knew there were a few more rides I hadn't been on yet, because he asked me about it earlier. And when you brought up hanging around with Nathan and Josiah, he wanted to know if I was okay with the idea. Nothing supernatural or psychic about it ... just real obvious," Adriana replied, shrugging. JD didn't look convinced.
However, he didn't push, and instead, "Well, it works for me. But why don't you want us to hang around with Mary, Chris, and Billy? I know Mary is your best friend, and Chris is Vin's best friend, so ... " JD let his voice trail off. Once again, Vin looked at his longtime friend questioningly. He had his own ideas about that, but he wanted to hear what Adriana was thinking. He had considered pointing out to JD that the youthful private had switched places with Ezra, but realized it was a different situation.
"JD. When you're with Casey, do you want anyone else around? Even Buck?" Adriana asked. JD swallowed hard, and Adriana continued, "Mind you, I've never had a boyfriend, so I couldn't say for sure. But Mary and Chris don't have a lot of chances to just be together. Yes, they've got Billy with them, but that's a little different. I'll catch up with Mary tonight, once we all hit the sack."
"Speaking of Casey ... I kinda need your advice, Adriana," JD replied, exchanging a look with Vin. The sharpshooter remained silent. Over the last three months, he had watched Buck's two siblings taking small steps toward something more than a truce. He wouldn't interfere. When Adriana didn't speak, JD continued, "I kinda screwed up with Casey before we left for Washington, and I want to apologize. But she doesn't like flowers. Do you have any ideas?"
The three began walking and Adriana put her head down, frowning thoughtfully. Over her head, JD looked at Vin with a half smile and a wink. Damn kid knew exactly what he was doing.
"Well ... it seems to me that ... hmm. I don't know, JD. I mean, I can see that you want to make things right with Casey, but ... the thing is, if you get her a gift, Casey's just unpredictable enough to accuse you of trying to buy your way back into her good graces," Adriana mused out loud. Vin glanced over at JD, who was nodding. Casey was nothing if not unpredictable. It was part of her charm. Most of the time.
"Yeah, that's what worries me as well. What about a stuffed animal from here? One that I won? The thing that worries me ... the other thing, I mean ... is that Casey may think that since I won it, I don't think I should spend money on her, you know? I just can't figure out which way to go, because it's like you said. . on the one hand, she might think I was trying to buy her back. On the other, like I said ... and I wanted a woman's perspective," JD explained.
"I can see your point. I don't know, JD. Like I said, I've never had a boyfriend, so I really couldn't comment about the appropriate measures when you've had an argument, and are trying to make things right," Adriana replied. She raised her head to look first at Vin, then at JD, then continued, "I mean, yeah, I had arguments with my guy friends ... more than a few with Vin. And Vin can tell you about the arguments I had with Will Richmond, one of the grad students I knew in Texas." Vin nodded, remembering those arguments quite clearly.
"Well, when you had an argument, and it was Vin's fault, did he ever ... you know ... do anything special?" JD asked. Adriana blinked, mouthed 'Vin's fault?,' and looked at the sharpshooter. He just shrugged, and Adriana returned her gaze to JD. The youngster seemed to realize what he had said and continued, his face turning bright red, "I meant ... well ... you know sometimes an argument can be primarily one person's fault."
"I ... guess. I just always felt that any argument we might have had was automatically my fault. I may have been in the right, and I was in the right from time to time, but that I reacted badly to it. You gotta understand, JD, that when I met Vin, I was nineteen years old. And most of my guy friends were a good bit older than I was. Vin was my only male friend who was my equal ... Will, Doug ... they tended to treat me like a little sister. Will especially was overprotective of me, to the point of being irritating about it," Adriana replied.
"This was 'fore I knew her," Vin pointed out, and Adriana glared at him. The guide cringed, remembering some of the arguments between the pair even after Will started mending his relationship with Charlotte. Some of which he had figured in rather prominently. Vin admitted, "Okay, that ain't entirely true. The point she's makin,' JD, is that I was the first guy friend she had who didn't try to smother her."
"He was the first guy my own age who treated me as an equal," agreed Adriana, "and while that was terrific, it did carry problems. We still argued, and we still fought. Usually over misunderstandings. I may have been in the right, as I said, but I figured we argued because I wasn't making myself clear enough. I figured that since I was to blame for every bad thing that happened to me, I was to blame for this as well." Her voice had become low and distant, as if she had returned to those years in Texas. JD was watching her, his hazel eyes filled with sadness. All three had stopped and gravitated to the side, where they wouldn't be in the way.
And Vin saw her through JD's eyes at that moment. Saw a young girl who automatically assumed whatever was wrong in her life was her fault. Not yet understanding that things were rarely that clear and concise, as Ezra would say. And seeing for the first time the damage which had been done by Buck and Adriana's father all those years ago. JD's eyes flickered away from Adriana, to come to rest on Vin, and the shame he saw there took Vin's breath away.
"But you know better now," JD said quietly, "You know that it's not always your fault." Adriana snapped back to the present, a warm smile brightening her face. JD hesitantly reached out his hand, then let it fall to his side. The pair looked at each other for a long moment, and Vin could see another step being taken forward ... JD wanting to reach out, but mindful and sensitive of what touch often meant to Drina.
"I know better now, JD. But I was nineteen years old at the time, and had only been away from my father for two years. So, when Vin and I argued, then later made up, I never expected anything from him. Not even an apology. I always got one anyhow, whether it was for the misunderstanding, or for something he thought he had said wrong, or whatever. But I didn't expect anything from him, much less a gift," Adriana explained.
"If he had been your boyfriend, would it have been any different?" JD asked and Vin glared at the mapmaker. So help me, he thought, if JD brings up Drina bein' my girl again, I will ... hell! Reckon I can figger out somethin' unpleasant for him! However, JD left it at that, and Adriana shrugged. JD said quietly, "I just don't want to go to her empty-handed. If your boyfriend made fun of a gift your mother gave you ... what kind of gift would you want?"
"JD, I'm not Casey. What I might want wouldn't be what she would necessarily want. But ... if you really want to know ... I've always loved water globes. Ever since I was a little girl. And ... " Adriana began. She got no further. Vin watched her in silence, wondering what was bothering her. After several moments, she looked at JD and said, "The gift doesn't matter. It's what comes from your heart. I thought I saw Nathan and Josiah."
The subject had been dropped ... or maybe he should have said dismissed. But JD and Vin understood anyhow, and a quick glance in the direction of Adriana's gaze told Vin that the two men were, indeed, only a little bit in front of them. He said lightly, "Reckon it ain't gonna take more 'n a few minutes to catch up with 'em. Ya might wanna ask J'siah, JD." The cartographer nodded and the trio set out after their friends. But Vin continued to wonder, as he would glance at Adriana's still-tense face, what was bothering her. What had she remembered?
Buck Wilmington was remembering things he had never known.
Like what little demons, little girls could be. Ever since he had arranged himself in this contraption, Olivia had been driving him absolutely batty. The culmination had come a few minutes earlier, when the little devil had snuck up on him and pinched his shoulder. The pain from the pinch wasn't that bad. However, that, and the surprise of having Olivia sneak up on him, was enough to make him yelp. To say nothing of whacking his head on the damn contraption.
The damn child was worse than Chris Larabee when it came to that kinda thing. Hell, knowing Chris as he did, Buck was sure the other man would have been rolling on the ground, laughing his damn head off. And Vin would have been in a similar state. Buck scowled, putting off the end of his torture by another few minutes, as Ezra was still getting the perfect angle. What the hell was that supposed to mean, what was wrong with the angle he had now?
I have the perfect angle, Buck, Ezra had explained patiently only a moment earlier, but you keep ruining the picture, and for once, you cannot blame it on your animal magnetism! At least Ezra got it right, instead of JD forever calling it 'animal maggotism.' Damn kid! He wondered if JD had driven Vin and DeeDee crazy yet. Vin, not likely. DeeDee ... hell, he had only just started realizing just how little he knew his sister.
Dammit, Ezra, would you take the picture already! Buck's spine ached from being twisted into an unnatural position for such a long time. 'Course, he was used to being in unusual positions, physically speaking, but not for what felt like a damn hour! He wondered again about the evil trio, as Ezra had taken to calling Vin, DeeDee, and JD ever since lunch time. Or Satan, Satan's younger brother, and Satan's consort.
Buck grinned at that, remembering how Chris had almost fallen off the bench, laughing at this description of Vin and DeeDee. Satan and his consort. Buck had a sneaking suspicion that Ezra's willingness to trade places with JD had something to do with his payback against DeeDee for the lunch time entertainment. However, while he had realized that he had a lot to learn about his sister, he also knew something about her that maybe Ezra didn't. His sister had almost as much patience as Vin Tanner, and only JD bringing up her relationship with Vin would test that patience. DeeDee got very irritated when people referred to her as 'Vin's girl.'
Something bright flashed in his eyes, and he realized that Ezra had finally taken his picture. Buck painfully eased himself out of the structure, then onto his feet. Ezra said with a smirk, "Major Wilmington, I have no doubt your sister will wish to frame that picture." Buck just rolled his eyes, and Ezra continued, "I do wonder how she and Mr. Tanner are faring with young Private Dunne ... I wonder how many times JD has referred to her as 'Vin's girl,' and if Mr. Tanner has deposited him in a waste disposal unit for doing so."
"You're a fraud, Ezra ... you know it, and I know it. For all your talk, you miss being with those two crazy kids," Buck retorted. Ezra nodded almost sadly, surprising the big major. Wanting to make his friend smile again, Buck added with a laugh, "Of course you know what this means. As long as DeeDee gets annoyed with someone calling her 'Vin's girl,' it means she ain't. And that means I don't gotta hurt Vin." As he had hoped, the smart-ass remark made his friend laugh, and the green eyes twinkled.
"My dear Major, I do regret to inform you, but your sister would be most displeased with you, if you harmed Mr. Tanner in any way, shape, or form. And we won't discuss Colonel Larabee's reaction to such foolishness on your part," Ezra warned. Buck grinned. Hell, he would never hurt Vin ... not deliberately. Not just because his sister and Chris would both kill him, but because Vin was his friend. And the young guide had saved Buck's life more times than he could count. Been there at Buck's side before anyone else, in some cases.
Silence fell as the four began heading toward the main gate. Everyone was getting tired, and a conversation he had overheard between Terry and Olivia had forced a long-forgotten memory to surface. He said quietly, "I want to look in one of the shops for a snow globe ... water globe. Whatever you want to call them, you know what I'm talking about. I want to buy one for DeeDee." Ezra looked at him curiously.
He didn't speak, however, not that Buck needed any prompting. He said, "When DeeDee was a little girl, she loved water globes. She told me a few days ago that one of the reasons she finally left home was because that bastard had gone into her room while she was in school, and broken all of 'em. She had this collection of water globes, probably twenty of 'em or so. And he broke every damn one of 'em. Some of 'em, I brought back for her."
"Another violation," Ezra said quietly, his voice low to avoid attracting Olivia's attention. Buck nodded. Yet another violation ... Josiah had been there at the time, and told Buck that it was their father's attempt to keep Adriana under his control. It had backfired horribly, and sent the seventeen year old girl to Texas. She had packed while he was asleep that night, every single belonging she had. He would not destroy anything else she loved.
"Another violation. His way of telling her that she would never be safe, that she was his, forever. DeeDee didn't have that much stuff. The less she had, the less he could take from her. A few days after it happened, DeeDee took off. She packed the few treasures she had left, all of her clothes, and ran. I can't take back what he did to her, Ezra. I can't take back not being there for her, then or later. But I can do this for her," Buck explained.
Ezra was silent for several moments, then said quietly, without any of his usual flowery speech, "It seems to me, Buck ... this trip hasn't been just about relaxing and enjoying ourselves. That is not finished, and will not be even after we leave tonight. We have another several days of vacation. But it's also become about renewal, and finding parts of ourselves that we thought we had lost. As I have. I will help you find the perfect water globe, to begin a new collection for Adriana. And when the time comes ... as it must ... I will stand at your side to defend your sister against that monster who somehow managed to father two fine children."
Ezra's words took Buck aback. He looked at his friend, and saw only stubborn determination there. Stubborn determination to give back Buck's little sister some of the innocence she had lost so many years earlier. An impossible task, but Buck had to do something. Anything to make up for failing her so terribly. He swallowed hard and extended his hand to Ezra, an offering that was accepted. The two men stared at each other for another moment, and then ...
"Hey, look ... that's the pretty blonde lady!" Olivia called out. Buck and Ezra looked in the direction the child indicated. Mary was indeed a little further away, arms folded over her chest, with a big grin on her face. What was she watching? Buck couldn't tell from this distance, but he was sure it was Chris and Billy. Just then, the eight year old darted past his mother, and even from this distance, Buck could hear the little boy laughing.
A split second later, Chris followed, scooping the little boy into his arms and turning him upside. Chris had done that with Adam so many times before. His old friend righted the child, then spun around, still holding Billy tightly. Buck smiled. Ezra was right ... it was time to find parts of yourself that you thought had been missing. Maybe Chris would help him look for that globe? And maybe heal yet another wound?
The strains of 'Holding Out for a Hero' alerted Nathan that he and Josiah were no longer alone. More to the point, it was the sound of a young female voice singing which alerted him, right before he heard feet running up behind him. The medic was ready for the body which came flying at him. He caught his would-be assailant by the waist and spun around, allowing Josiah to deal with his own attacker ... ignoring the giggles of delight coming from his new prisoner.
Vin Tanner approached with a broad grin, observing, "Ya got yer hands full there, Nate. Think ya handle her? Watch out for her feet." Nathan laughed, easily trapping the wriggling extremities between his calves. They all remembered Larabee's story about this girl and her feet. Nathan glanced over at Josiah, who had kept his own would-be attacker at arm's length. Literally. The big man had his hand on the crown of JD's head, keeping him in place no matter how hard the boy tried to make progress forward.
"Oh, I think we have both of these young'uns under control, Vin. Did they get away from you?" Josiah asked with a laugh. He finally released JD, and the young man almost stumbled. Josiah righted him, rumbling, "Best be careful, son, Janet wouldn't thank you for ending up in her infirmary while we're all on vacation." Nathan almost laughed aloud at the boy's glare. The kid had a ways to go before he matched Chris Larabee's glare.
"Naw. Weren't tryin' to keep 'em under control. Reckon JD has a question to ask ya, though," Vin replied. Nathan released the still giggling, still squirming Adriana, and she stumbled forward. The guide caught her easily, setting her back on her feet. From the gleam in his eyes, Nathan realized Vin was trying to decide whether or not to do something. After a moment, however, the guide wrapped his arms around the archaeologist from behind, and Adriana's hands put her hands over Vin's.
"I have a Casey question," JD admitted. Nathan and Josiah exchanged a look. There wasn't a one of them which wasn't aware of JD's tumultuous relationship with the pretty college student. JD continued, "We had an argument before I left ... well, I put both feet in my mouth at the same time, and she yelled at me. You know. An argument." Nathan did, indeed, know, and the young man continued, "I talked to Adriana and Vin, and now I want your opinion about what to get Casey as an apology gift."
"You can't get her flowers," Nathan observed, "because she doesn't like them." JD nodded. They all knew that. Nathan also knew the story behind that. It wasn't that she disliked flowers ... but she tended to think they were a lot prettier, still in her aunt's garden, then cut and put in water. Nathan couldn't disagree, but he also understood where JD was coming from. No flowers made it a lot harder to make up to your lady.
"And like Adriana said, Casey's kinda unpredictable. If I buy her something, she may think I'm trying to buy my way out of trouble, and if I give her something that I won here, she may think that I don't think she's worth the money," JD sighed. Nathan looked at Josiah, and the big man just raised his eyebrows. This sort of thing had been going on for the last three years, ever since JD and Casey had met.
"Unpredictable is one way of looking at Casey," Josiah agreed. He murmured, "Poetry is out ... the last time we tried that, it didn't work too well." JD groaned aloud, remembering the incident in question. It had been around the same time as Buck's defense of Inez. Nathan smothered a grin, remembering what Josiah had told him. However, he didn't laugh. Josiah continued, "Well, son, you could get her something she's really been wanting badly."
"JD ... you know that right before we left for DC, Casey came with Mary and me on a shopping trip, right?" Adriana asked suddenly. JD nodded. It was something which every member of SG-7 knew about, these shopping trips of Mary and Adriana's. Casey often accompanied the two older women when they went shopping. Usually, it was a weekend when neither Mary nor Adriana was needed at the SGC.
Adriana continued, "She was admiring one of the jackets we saw in a leather shop. Now, if you wouldn't mind going with me to one of the shopping malls, we'll see if we can't find one similar to it. It'll be pricey, but I can help you with the cost. And Casey and I are about the same size. If anyone asks ... not that it's any of their business, but people do ask ... I'll just tell them that I'm helping my little brother look for a Christmas gift for his girlfriend."
"You don't gotta help me pay for it, Adriana, but if you could help me find that jacket, I'd really appreciate it," JD said. Adriana smiled and reached out her hand. It was immediately grasped, and the two young people beamed at each other. Nathan looked at Josiah. It seemed that Buck's two younger siblings had made more than just a little progress today. After a moment, the hands dropped and JD looked at Nathan and Josiah with a speculative look.
Adriana did the same, leaning back into Vin's arms, and asked, "Now, we wanna know the story behind you two sword-fighting with those plastic swords."
"Busted!" Josiah said, laughing, "I don't imagine I can convince you three to keep this to yourselves?" The trio looked at each other, then looked back at Josiah and shook their respective heads. Josiah laughed again and said, "Didn't think so. Well, you see, Brother Nathan was just telling me about a fencing class he took in college. I took a few such classes myself, and we ... well, we decided to have a little fun before giving the plastic swords to Billy and Cassie."
"I wish I could have seen that ... you two playing with plastic swords. Can you imagine how much Ezra would pay, to have that kind of blackmail material on you two?" JD chortled. Nathan winced, remembering what Chris had threatened Ezra with, if Ezra ever showed anyone the video playback of the colonel and his 'little sister' singing 'Friends in Low Places.' Unfortunately ... or maybe fortunately ... he hadn't thought to pass that particularly threat along to Mary ... who currently had the tape.
"About the same as he would to have the tape of me and Chris singing. A lot. I happen to know, however, that Mary wouldn't sell that for any amount of money," Adriana put in, giggling. She brought her grin under control with some difficulty, then added, "Although, she may charge admission for everyone to see it tonight." This was greet with disbelieving laughter. Mary had brought the tape with her??????
"This ... could get interesting, brothers and sister," Josiah said, smirking, "but I believe we have another two hours before we have to meet the rest of our friends. So, shall we ride, or shall we shop? Or do both?" Nathan grinned as three heads bobbed at this last, and Josiah continued, "Well, our chariots await ... what is your pleasures, my children?" Vin released Adriana and the five headed for a bench where they could make their plans.