More than Friends

By Deb

SERIES/UNIVERSE: SG-7

DISCLAIMER: M7 characters belong to MGM, Trilogy, CBS, and TNN. The characters from Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM, Gekko, and Showtime. I'm notmaking any money from writing this story, I just love to write. Adriana is mine, as are Priscilla Meadows (and her students, except Will and Charlotte Richmond, who also belong to Trilogy, et al.), Carly Tucker, and Dawn Jackson (okay, so is Detective McCoy). You're welcome to borrow them, as long as you ask first, and return them intact.

SPOILERS: Mainly my twisted version of Wagon Train, Manhunt and Vendetta, references to The Collector.

WARNING: Original characters, some violence, nasty language in certain sections, and this is gonna be a LONG story. I'm covering three years in this story, so it's gonna be long. It's not gonna be 'day by day,' just the highlights, but it's still gonna be long.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This begins in 1992, eight and a half years before the events in The Light in the Distance.

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Part Thirty-Six

Two hours later, Adriana was back in her room, catching up on her studying, while Vin had returned home. Sitting in his apartment, he smiled and thought back to the time he had spent with his friend. It had felt good, chasing her and teasing each other and tickling each other. For the first time in a long time, Vin's playfulness had emerged. He had a sense of humor...one that Adriana liked quite well, but as she had pointed out once they calmed down and settled in the study room of her floor, playfulness and a sense of humor weren't quite the same thing.

The police had still been searching Claire's portion of the room at that point...Adriana had popped in long enough to check on the progress, get an apology from the officers, and grab the books for her classes on the following day. Then she and Vin had sat in the lounge and talked while Adriana went over her notebooks, making sure she had read the required reading assignments. It didn't even occur to Vin, until much later, that Adriana's guard had dropped. And so had his.

As he watched TV that night, he realized that he hadn't even noticed when Adriana's arms went around his waist...or that his arm had gone around her shoulders in response. It just seemed...well, like he was supposed to do that. It wasn't like Adriana was his girl. Vin shuddered at the thought. Not at the idea of Adriana being his girl, but the possibility of a romance ruining things between them. The last time he had been attracted to a woman, he had damn near gotten himself killed, and Drina with him.

Nope, he was quite happy with the way things were, between him and Drina. 'Sides, they were both young yet. Drina was still hurtin' from what her pa had done to her. Likely, she would be hurtin' for a long time to come. Vin sighed and settled himself more comfortably on the bed. Yup, it would take Drina some time yet, before she could think about...well, about bein' with a man. And while Vin wouldn't have minded bein' that man, wouldn't have minded bein' that man whom Drina trusted that completely, facts were facts.

Fact was, he was a nineteen year old bounty hunter, a barely literate one at that. Fact was, he had very little to offer a nineteen year old girl who was barely makin' her own way through college. Fact was, Adriana Wilmington could do a helluva lot better than him.

There was no self-pity in the observation, just Vin's honest opinion. He wasn't taking into account that when it came to the way Adriana was treated, it would have been nearly impossible to do better than him. And maybe if he had taken that into account, he would have realized he had far more to offer Adriana than he realized. But he was young yet and hadn't yet learned that sometimes, a man with little education and a lot of common sense had a lot more to offer than a man with a string of letters after his name.

His mind drifted to Chanu and Claire. Adriana had said that she didn't believe Chanu kidnapped Claire. Why? It wasn't that Vin didn't trust Adriana's sense of the young Native American...in fact, Vin thought she was dead-on accurate. But was it Claire's message on the answering machine which had prompted that observation? Her limited knowledge of Chanu? From what Koje said, Chanu really didn't have time for Adriana, and Vin didn't think his friend really minded that.

But what if the reason Chanu had never bothered with Adriana, never bothered to get to know her, was because he had been enchanted by her lovely friend? It wasn't a stretch. In fact, as Vin had learned these last few months, most people fell into that category. Will and Charlotte Richmond, Dawn, Carly, and Dr. Meadows, they were all exceptions rather than the rule. Adriana liked to fade into the woodwork. Liked to be invisible. She preferred to have no attention at all.

So she had...what? Steered Chanu toward Claire? Naw, that didn't sound right. Adriana wasn't a matchmaker, and the situation with the Richmonds didn't count. She had been tryin' to push two people back together again. But she sure as hell hadn't minded that Chanu was payin' attention to Claire, and that did sound like Adriana. Which brought up an interesting point. Why did some people notice Adriana and others just pass her by?

Vin thought it was because some people noticed quiet people, just 'cause they were quiet. He had noticed the same thing in himself. And Adriana drew the attention of folks who didn't see just the obvious. Yeah. That was a good way of puttin' it. Dr. Meadows had said the same thing about him once, and it surely did fit Adriana just as well. Vin smiled in satisfaction, feeling another piece of the puzzle falling into place.

Still, knowing Adriana as he did, it was hard for Vin to accept that some people didn't see her as he did. The smart, funny, sassy girl on the walk back to the dorm...that was the real Adriana Kathleen Wilmington. Not the quiet, shy, bookish teenager who retreated into herself. Oh, that was the Adriana which most people saw, and it was hard for him to understand that that was the only side of her which they saw her.

Smart, funny, sassy, silly...imaginative. Lord, did that girl have an imagination! He knew that, of course, but sometimes he forgot. And fortunately, she seemed to have radar for that, because every time he did forget, she would remind him. Vin smiled, remembering their conversation at dinner. A girl watches a movie...it stays with her for god only knew how many years, and she remembers it, to ask a bounty hunter friend about it. A person pretendin' to be someone else... Eli Joe pretendin' to be Jess Kincaid, to shake Vin from his tail. Jess Kincaid, whom Vin knew. Someone he knew.

Vin's blood ran cold. But what if he hadn't know Jess Kincaid? It would have been too easy to fool him. Or maybe not, since Lily had seemed so terrified to him. Tryin' to pull away from her 'father.' But what if...? Vin bounded up from his bed, on his feet before he realized what he was doing, and pacing. What if he hadn't known? What if he hadn't seen that Lily's terror wasn't of him, but of her 'father,' what if...?

He thought again about Adriana's question. Pretendin' to be someone you weren't. For whatever reason. Vin closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus. What had Adriana said, when she had told him about her last conversation with her brother? She had been so disappointed, because he had been very vague about her visiting him, and the shadow had been back in her eyes again. What had she said...something about Claire offering to pay for her plane tickets, to pay Major Wilmington a surprise visit?

Yes. Claire had offered to buy Adriana plane tickets, laughing about her new charge card. But they had done a trace for Claire, she didn't have a charge card. At least...not under her own name. By now, Vin's blood had turned to ice water, and the pacing was no longer to quiet his own restlessness, it was to keep him warm...to keep him from freezing in place. His mind worked through it.

Adriana was the quiet mouse, in the eyes of most. What had Dawn said once, that most people who didn't bother looking past the surface dismissed her as a piece of spineless fluff? Yes. Quiet, mousy Adriana, at least to people who didn't know her better. And Claire. Beautiful, golden girl Claire. The one who drew the attention. Whether she wanted it or not. Attention from young men, from her classmates.

If she wanted to disappear, it would be too easy to track her, using her own name. Why not use her roommate's name? Adriana was safe and sound, no one would think of looking for her...no one even knew that she had a charge card. And she didn't. But maybe her roommate had one in her name? Before he could lose his nerve, Vin went over to the phone and called Detective McCoy at home.

He apologized for disturbing him and interrupting his dinner, then breathlessly explained his theory. There was a long silence, then McCoy said thoughtfully, "It makes sense, kid. I hate to say it, but it does make sense. And don't worry about dinner, we finished an hour ago. You sit tight, I'm gonna call this in...have a trace run on any cards with the name 'Adriana Wilmington' or 'Adriana K Wilmington.' I'll call you when I hear something."

"Thanks, Detective...listen, if this pans out...do you want me to go with you?" Vin asked. There was a long silence, then a tapping of keys. Or maybe he wasn't calling in the trace at all, but emailing someone still at the precinct? Vin kept silent, however. He didn't care how the information got to the others in the investigation. All he cared about was being proven right or wrong. And God, he hoped he was wrong!

"Okay, I've emailed the guys at the precinct. And no, Vin...you've done your part. I have a bad feeling that you're right about this, and if you are..." the detective replied.

Vin nodded...he understood at once. The detective believed that Adriana would need him more than they would. There was silence for several moments, and Vin sat down on the bed once more, his adrenaline rush ending suddenly. At last, Detective McCoy swore, "Son of a bitch. That's exactly what she did. We got 'em. As of last night, they were at a motel in Santa Fe. They've been in Las Vegas. Nice work, son."

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Part Thirty-Seven

Things happened pretty quickly after that. The credit card transactions were easily traced, but the only thing Vin Tanner knew was that Claire had used her roommate and best friend. Now, Vin hadn't had many friends in his life, but he knew enough. He knew that you didn't use them...use their name to avoid bein' detected. He had little in the way of formal education, but the things which could have happened while Claire was pretending to be Adriana...

Dear God, but it made him dizzy. Ever since making the call to Detective McCoy the previous night, Vin had sat in his room. He hadn't slept at all, hadn't eaten. Claire had betrayed her friend. She had betrayed Vin's friend, and the knowledge that Vin had helped to uncover that betrayal made him feel dirty. He took two showers before leaving for the prosecutor's office, hoping he could wash that feeling away. He couldn't.

And he couldn't eat. Just the thought of food was enough to make him sick. He forced some coffee down, knowing that he needed some nourishment. And then he cursed himself. What the hell had he been thinking, letting Adriana this close to him! He didn't let down his guard, not for nobody! So when...what the hell had he been thinking, letting that girl past his defenses? Vin was angry, so angry, it scared him. It scared him, that he had grown to care so much about Adriana Wilmington, and it scared him, this rage he felt toward her roommate.

In the part of his mind that could be rational, Vin understood that Claire probably never meant to hurt Adriana. In all likelihood, she hadn't realized that...well, all the things which could go wrong. He tried to hang onto that, tried to keep a hold of that. But the rage was threatening to consume him, and he didn't know how to combat this. He had spent the last fifteen years of his life, ever since his mother's death, keeping people at arm's length if he could. If someone didn't get close enough, they couldn't hurt you.

Maybe that was why he had let Adriana in...his certainty that this wounded girl wouldn't hurt him. He shouldn't have been so certain. A wounded animal is the most dangerous, and this girl was dangerous, though not in the expected way. No, she had become dangerous to Vin, because the knowledge that...this knowledge he had of her roommate's betrayal was tearing him apart. Adriana was the one who had been betrayed, but Vin was hurting for her.

But he pushed himself out the door, struggling to forget about Adriana Wilmington and Claire Moseley. If she had used her roommate's name, then she had gone willingly. She hadn't wanted to be found. She hadn't wanted to be found. Maybe ever. Would she have continued using her friend's identity? Vin didn't know. He swung himself onto his motorcycle, then put on his helmet almost automatically.

The helmet was a recent addition...again, thanks to Adriana. Vin almost smiled, thinking of his conversation with her about motorcycles. She didn't even know he had the damn thing. While he was recovering from his relapse, and after he had left the hospital a second time, she had told him about a boy she had known in high school. Jordan. There was a sadness in her eyes, but she denied that he had been a friend...in fact, she had said honestly, she hadn't even liked him. That was right, because they had been talking about tragedies while they were young. And Adriana had mentioned Jordan Albee.

In their freshman year, he was killed while riding a motorcycle. Adriana, and most of her classmates, had been fourteen, but Jordan had been held back more than once. He was seventeen years old when he died. He hadn't been wearing a helmet...had massive head injuries. And ever since that time, when she saw someone get onto a motorcycle, she had prayed...no, hoped...that they would wear a helmet.

Vin had asked her why she said 'hoped,' rather than 'prayed,' and it was then that he learned Adriana no longer believed in God. At least, she said she didn't believe in a higher being. Vin wasn't so sure about that...but he wouldn't argue with her about it. And that brought things full circle. Back to Claire Moseley. Vin wasn't sure what happened after McCoy hung up. He hadn't wanted to know.

Curiously, there was no rage toward Chanu. Why not? He had been a party to Claire's deception. Vin didn't know the specifics, but if they had been in Las Vegas, he could make a pretty good guess what they were doing. And he didn't think it was gambling. At least, not with money. Granted, Vin considered Reverend Moseley an ass, but if the girl planned to marry someone, she shoulda just done it, and not dragged any third parties into it.

And it weren't like Claire was some sixteen year old kid...she was nineteen years old, of legal age to marry. If she loved someone...if she loved Chanu enough to marry him, why didn't she just stand up to her father and say so? Hell, that was what Vin's ma had done. He didn't know the full story, just that his ma had loved someone her parents didn't like, and she had given them up to be with his pa. And Julia Tanner had only been twenty years old...just a year older than Claire Moseley.

But not all women were as strong as his ma had been. He knew that, but that didn't ease the rage. Or the disgust he felt for her. Did it never occur to her that her pa might say that Chanu had kidnapped and maybe even raped her? He shook his head in disgust as he headed into work. He wasn't sure why he was so angry, so disgusted...why he was almost sick from those emotions. He just was. And he had no idea what to do about either of them. While he was ashamed of it, there was a part of him which blamed Adriana for making him care about her.

Once he arrived at the prosecutor's office, he found Detective McCoy waiting for him. The detective said, "You look like hell, kid, didn't you get any sleep?" Vin shrugged and McCoy continued with a sigh, "Okay, I won't push. Officially, this is being treated as a kidnapping." Vin stared at the cop in shock..What? McCoy went on, "I don't like it any more than you do, son, but Chanu is being held until the hearing. Claire's gone back to her dorm."

Vin put his hand on a chair, trying to steady himself. McCoy continued, slowly, "We're not sure if the credit card trace will be admissible, since we never had a search warrant for Adriana's belongings." Vin stared at the other man...but the prosecutors...but...they weren't trying to prove that Chanu had done something wrong! McCoy sighed, "You're not understanding me, kid. Reverend Moseley is pressing charges."

"But...what about Claire? Ain't she said nothin' about the card, ain't she spoke up at all?" Vin asked, his voice growing hoarse. He had felt dirty before his two showers...now he felt like he would never come clean. What had he done? McCoy slowly shook his head and the remaining adrenaline which had been carrying Vin for the last several hours deserted him. Vin felt his legs start to give way...he hadn't eaten since the previous night, hadn't slept at all. And he couldn't seem to stop shaking.

Quickly, carefully, trying to avoid any attention, McCoy steered Vin to a chair and said softly, "Listen to me, son. She has said nothing. She just hugged her brother when we brought them in, then went back to her dorm. That was at six this morning. And that mama bear grad student, Dawn...she made it very clear that she had been very patient yesterday, but from now on, we would have to go through her if we wanted any of her babies."

Despite his exhaustion, Vin smiled...yes, that sounded like Dawn Jackson. The funny thing was, she was only twenty-four years old, but she did act like a mother with her young. In some ways, Dawn reminded him of his own mother, though certainly not in any physical ways. McCoy continued, "Get some sleep, son...there's nothing new today, and I have a feeling your friend Adriana will need you to be strong."

"She ain't in any trouble? I mean, it ain't her fault that..." Vin began, but the other man was already shaking his head. Thank God. Because if the law had given Adriana a hard time 'cause of this, there would have been serious problems. As it was, Vin was ready to let Claire Moseley exactly what he thought of her. The young man continued hoarsely, "Good. 'Cause I'm already pissed at the prosecutor for lettin' her go."

"I assure you, Mr. Tanner, my decision to cancel Ms. Wilmington's contract with us was not a personal matter. She was an excellent worker while she was here, but it is not seemly for a girl of nineteen to work in a professional atmosphere," the head honcho said. He eyed Vin with more than a little trepidation, then added, "It's bad enough that we have bounty hunters in this office, much less teenyboppers."

McCoy rolled his eyes and grabbed Vin's arm before the young man had a chance to defend his friend. Vin glared at him, but McCoy ignored him.

Instead, he told the head honcho as he steered Vin from the office, "Well, it would seem to me that you're confusing Ms. Wilmington with her roommate. It wasn't Ms. Wilmington who assumed the identity of another. Now, if you'll excuse me, this young man hasn't slept or eaten, and I mean to see that he gets at least one of the two!" And with that, Vin was forcibly removed from the prosecutor's office before his rage could explode.

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Part Thirty-Eight

Things weren't supposed to be like this. She and Chanu had planned to come back long enough to get the rest of her clothes, while Adriana was at class and the rest of the dorm was deserted. She would pack up her things, leave a good-bye note for her roommate, then she and Chanu would leave. For good. They would go to the East Coast and make a new life. But that wasn't the way things had worked out at all.

Chanu was at the jail, awaiting a hearing. And here Claire sat. It was eight thirty in the morning. She sat at her desk, and just watching Adriana sleep. Dawn had said that the other girl didn't get to sleep until late. Fortunately, she had late classes today, so she could afford to sleep in. It wasn't supposed to be like this at all. She wasn't supposed to see tear stains on her friend's cheeks, she wasn't supposed to be back in her dorm for god knew how long.

Claire took a deep breath, then released it. She had scared Adriana something fierce, she knew that. And she hated herself for it. She hated herself for scaring Adriana, for hurting her friend. She hated her father for being unwilling to let go. She hated Vin Tanner for somehow realizing that she was using her friend's name on a credit card, which was how the police tracked them down. And she hated herself again for being weak...for betraying a friend.

She had told Adriana when she returned after the shoot-out, that the time was coming for her to break away from her father. She had sworn Adriana to silence...seeing the worry in her friend's dark hazel eyes as the secrets clause was invoked. Adriana hated the secrets clause, she hated secrets, period. But she honored Claire's request, because she knew that Claire had no secrets from her father for long. He always found things out, no matter how hard she tried to keep things from him.

Adriana was one of the few things her father had been unable to take away from her. Oh, he had tried. Tried to undermine her friend in Claire's eyes, by pointing out that she didn't believe in God. That she was an archaeologist, who dug into the past...into things better left buried. He pointed out that she was neither beautiful nor brilliant. Just mediocre. Nothing special. Claire almost laughed aloud. If he had thought he was insulting Adriana, nothing could have been further from the truth. Adriana would have taken it as a compliment.

In a strange way, it was what her father saw as Adriana's flaws that Claire found most appealing about her friend. It was true, she was neither brilliant nor beautiful. She was, to use an over-used phrase, cute. She would probably never be beautiful. But she was pretty and smart, and she worked hard. Claire sometimes teased her that she worked too hard, but she was proud of her friend. She was proud of her intelligence and proud of her sheer determination.

Yes, she was determined. She didn't know how to quit. That was something else that Claire liked about her. The truth was, she and Adriana balanced each other out. Maybe that was the real reason Claire had used Adriana's name on that credit card application. Claire might have been beautiful and brilliant, but she would have sacrificed either or both to have Adriana's strength. Oh, sure, she said she was a coward, said she was weak.

But that self-derision had slowly begun to fade. Ever since she had met Vin Tanner, who brought her up, not with reassuring words. But just by being. Without saying much of anything, Vin had been able to help her friend in ways Claire could only dream of. And maybe that was the real reason she found herself hating him now. For helping the police to find him...for thinking of that possibility...for being able to break through to Adriana when she couldn't.

Vin had started to show Adriana that she was a lot stronger than what she gave herself credit for. She had survived finding the mutilated body of her mother at eight...nine long years of molestation at the hands of her father (literally)...running away when she was seventeen. Started a new life for herself in Texas, literally starting all over again. With no money, taking jobs to keep herself alive and to give herself a future.

Claire looked at the sleeping girl now. Adriana lay on her side, breathing steadily. Arms tucked around a teddy bear, a gift from Dawn on Adriana's last birthday, back in June. She had missed her best friend's birthday, and Claire hated herself all over again. She left the chair and walked over to her friend's bed, settling herself beside Adriana. The other girl stirred a little, but didn't awaken.

"I wish I had your strength," she whispered, "I wish I had the strength to stand up to my father, if only to run away. I have to find a way to get Chanu out of jail, Adriana. You'd do the same for Vin. You love him, and you would do anything within your power to help someone you love. But I don't know if I have the strength to do it for Chanu...I don't even know if I have the strength to do it for you."

She had to tell Adriana everything, she knew that. She had to tell her about the credit card, she had to tell her about what had happened in Las Vegas. She owed her friend that much, because it was only now that she began to realize her father could have come for Adriana while she was gone. She could have made it so much easier for that monster to undo everything which Vin, Claire, Dr. Meadows, and Dawn had done over the last several months.

"Claire? Are you home? Or am I dreaming?" a fuzzy voice mumbled. Claire smiled and looked down at her friend. Adriana's eyes were slits, as if she didn't want to wake up all the way. Claire smoothed the soft brown hair down, and Adriana mumbled, "I was so worried about you!"

Claire lifted her friend into her arms, holding her close. She couldn't do this alone. She knew that now. She couldn't carry this burden alone, as she had for the last several weeks, ever since she had made her decision. She whispered into Adriana's nightgown, "I'm so sorry for scaring you, roomie. I love you, you know that." Adriana bobbed her head, her arms tightening around Claire, trying to comfort her.

"I got married, Adriana. Chanu and I are married," Claire went on. Adriana went very still in her arms, then drew back to look at the other girl. Before she could speak, Claire continued, "I'm invoking the secrets clause. Chanu and I went to Las Vegas, and we got married." Adriana just stared at her in silence. Claire had been prepared for her brother's blustering, her father's heavy-handed sermonizing.

But she hadn't been prepared for the betrayal in Adriana's eyes. She said, unsure if she was trying to convince herself or Adriana, "I couldn't tell you the truth, so you wouldn't be dragged into this. I know my father, Adriana, and I knew that he would get it out of you, no matter how hard you tried to keep it from him. If you didn't know, then he'd leave you alone. Vin would see to that."

Still, Adriana said nothing, though her eyes had flared a little when Vin was mentioned. She probably knew that Vin Tanner had been involved in the search. Of course she knew that. Tanner would have hardly kept that to himself. He was too honest. Claire went on, trying to fill the silence, "Chanu and I got married on our first day out. First day in Las Vegas, I mean, our first full day. It's consummated, so Father can't try to separate us that way. But I need to get him out of jail. They think I...they think he kidnapped me."

"You've invoked the secrets clause," Adriana finally said very quietly, "but let two things be understood. You asked me to lie for you once. I did it. And I told you that I would never do it again. That stands. I won't lie for you, Claire. Not to Vin, not to the police, not to your father. It makes me feel dirty. And lies ruin lives. I won't do it again." Claire nodded, flushing as she recalled the lie she had wanted told, back in the summer.

"The other thing?" Claire prompted, even though she had a pretty good idea what Adriana would say. She had been opposed to this loophole all along, because she had always known there would come a day when Adriana would bring it up. Raised by a controlling father, Claire had few secrets to call her own, and she was fiercely protective of what few she had. That was why she didn't want the secrets clause with loopholes of any kind.

But Adriana had insisted. Had told Claire that secrets had a way of turning ugly, and she wasn't willing to risk her life, Claire's life, or anyone else's, to keep those secrets. Not the kind which Claire kept. She could keep a secret to protect people, though she would have made a lousy spy. But the second a secret endangered the life of another...whether it was her life, Claire's, Dawn's, whoever...the secret and the secrets clause were both null and void.

"The second this gets out of control, I'm calling it. Vin's up to his eyeballs in this, and I will not allow him to get hurt. If he gets hurt, if anyone gets hurt, it's over," Adriana replied.

Claire nodded...she had expected that. What she didn't expect was the sudden fierceness in Adriana's hazel eyes as her roommate continued in a low voice, "I mean it, Claire. If anyone, anyone at all gets hurt because of this...I will tell the entire story to whomever will listen. Vin, the police, Dawn, anyone. I love you...but unless your life is threatened, I will not kill for you. Do you understand?"

The Fury staring into Claire's eyes was not the shy, quiet girl with whom Claire had shared a room for the last fifteen months. She was still quiet, yes, but a quiet fury. It was ironic, really...Adriana never reacted like this to threats to herself. She'd only withdraw into herself, if someone tried to hurt her. But if she believed someone she cared about was in trouble, she would move heaven and earth...and even hell...for them.

"Would you do that for me?" Claire asked softly, wanting to hear the answer. A part of her was shocked by the change in Adriana...and another part welcomed it, knowing that it couldn't have happened if Adriana hadn't felt comfortable with her. Adriana frowned, not understanding, and Claire continued, "Would you do that for me? Be so fierce in my defense?" The confusion disappeared then.

Claire wished it had stayed when she saw what took its place. Disappointment. The one expression she had never seen in Adriana's eyes, not directed at her. The other girl said very softly, "Do I really have to answer that? Do you really have to ask? Don't you already know?" Claire looked away, and Adriana muttered, "I have a class in thirty minutes, I need to get dressed." Claire nodded, understanding. But she wondered...how was she gonna get Chanu out of this? And had she sacrificed her friendship with Adriana for love?

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Part Thirty-Nine

AUTHOR'S NOTE: 'Pieza de mierda' is Spanish for 'piece of doo-doo.' Just sounded like something Vin would say, since he lapses in and out of various Indian dialects in the show. No reason that he wouldn't do the same in Spanish.

Vin arrived at the jail at nine am. Detective McCoy had driven him home, with Vin's cycle in the back. The young bounty hunter waited thirty minutes, then went to the jail. He needed to talk to Chanu...find out what the hell had happened. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Claire had been with him willingly. What Vin didn't understand was why Claire hadn't put a stop to this nonsense...why Chanu was behind bars for somethin' he didn't do.

The deputy at the county jail nodded as Vin entered. They had known each other for three years, and she knew that Vin could be trusted. For his part, Vin trusted Deputy Veronica Lopez to do right by the prisoner. He asked, "I talk to him for a few minutes, Niki?" The deputy's eyes shifted from Vin to Chanu, then back again. She inclined her head toward the door, meaning she would be just outside. Vin nodded his acceptance of her terms...he wanted to talk to Chanu, he didn't want her to lose her job.

Once Niki Lopez was outside, peering through the window in the door, Vin asked, "You want to tell me what's goin' on?" Chanu just glared at him and Vin continued, "You shoulda known that someone would have eventually realized that Claire was usin' her roommate's name on that credit card, and they would trace you that-a-way. I know you didn't take her 'gainst her will. And I got a pretty good idea why."

Still, Chanu said nothing and Vin continued, "Listen to me! You are in a world a' trouble, Chanu! And so is Claire, 'specially if her roommate decides to press charges for the false identity thing. That's assumin' she's got the guts to admit what she done, and if she'd let you remain here, instead a' tellin' her pa what really happened, I doubt if she's got the guts to admit to her best friend that she used her." It was a dirty trick, but Vin needed some way to get through to the prisoner. He knew Niki was listening.

Good. He would need a witness. Chanu's brown eyes blazed with rage as he hissed, "You leave her out of this! Adriana would never do such a thing, she is afraid of her own shadow!" Vin almost laughed aloud at that. Afraid of her own shadow, huh? However, he focused on Chanu. The other young man repeated, "I will tell you nothing. There is nothing to be told. And Claire Moseley can tell you nothing, she is nothing but a foolish girl."

Vin raised an eyebrow at the other man, asking, "Well, then, I reckon it's my time to waste. 'Cause I will get my answers, one way or another. If I gotta have me a little talk with Claire, I will. See, her little identity crisis mighta caused a friend a' mine a lotta trouble. Adriana has spent the last two years, makin' sure her pieza de mierda pa couldn't never hurt her again. And when Claire put her name on that credit card application, she made it a helluva lot easier for him to find her. He finds her, Chanu, and I can tell you...it'll be hell on earth."

He maintained eye contact with the other man for a second longer, making sure Chanu understood. That he would do whatever he had to, in order to protect his friend. Then Vin nodded once and strode from the room. Outside, Niki said quietly, "I heard every word...and I wasn't the only one. You were trying to provoke him, weren't you?" Vin just shrugged and Niki continued, "Listen, I don't know what that girl's father did to her...not Claire, but the other one. But I do know she couldn't have better back-up than you if he does come for her."

"Thanks, Niki. I'm headin' to the dorm now. This ain't gonna be over, not 'til one of 'em admits they was runnin' away together. And I ain't gonna let Claire put Adriana in the middle again," Vin had a horrible, sick feeling that it was too late, that Adriana was in way over her head, and the anger came back. What the hell had he been thinking, letting his guard down around that girl? Letting himself care about her?

But he forced the anger back, knowing he was angry with the wrong person. Niki nodded and replied, "I think you're right. Listen, Vin, I was there last night when these two were picked up. The prosecutor knows that there is no case against Chanu, but for the moment, Chanu has to stay put. At least until I tell him what I overheard. That's not what I meant to tell you, though. Claire said something about a secrets clause. I didn't hear the whole conversation, so this secrets clause may be between Chanu and Claire. Like a suicide pact, only they keep a secret."

Vin nodded his understanding and replied, "Thanks, Niki. I'll keep that in mind. I gotta get. I'd just as soon talk to Claire when Adriana's in class...Dawn knows me, so shouldn't have a problem there." Unspoken was his desire to avoid any more trouble, if they could possibly help it. He just wanted this over and done with. Niki patted his shoulder and Vin left the county jail, his mind already spinning with what came next.

And what to do about Adriana. He wanted to talk to Claire while Adriana wasn't there, so his friend wouldn't get caught in the middle, no more than she already had, at least. And, he was afraid of finding out exactly how much Adriana knew. She wasn't a very good liar, so he knew she hadn't directly lied to him. Lie of commission, no...lie of omission, very possibly. The truth was, he was still learning about her, and he didn't know what she would do if she believed she was protecting Claire.

As he eased himself onto the motorcycle, Vin thought aboutChanu's words...saying that Adriana was afraid of her own shadow. He supposed to someone who didn't pay attention, it would seem that way, but what Chanu saw as fear, Vin saw as wariness. He understood both very well...that wariness had saved his life more times than he could count. Adriana used that wariness, just as he did...to protect herself.

As he headed for the dorm, he thought more about his conversation with Koje the previous day, and the chief's promise to explain Adriana more fully. Vin was starting to realize that he needed to understand her better. He was starting to realize that he didn't understand her nearly as well as he thought he did.

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Part Forty

The call came while Adriana was in class...for that, Claire was grateful. Chanu was out of jail. It seemed Tanner had tricked him into admitting that he and Claire had been running away together, and a female deputy had heard everything. With that, the prosecutor's office deemed there was not enough evidence to hold him. Chanu was coming for her...he would be there in two hours. Make sure all of her things were packed, they were leaving.

Adriana returned to the room about ten minutes after that. Claire still hadn't found a way to tell her friend about the credit card...had, in fact, cut it in half and thrown it away. In her garbage bag. Things were still strained between them, and Claire knew that what she was about to do would probably shatter her friendship with Adriana forever. She honestly didn't know much about having friends. Her father had driven away the few friends she had with his desire to control her life.

And here she was, getting ready to drive away the one friend whom her father had been unable to drive away, no matter what he did. She couldn't leave things like this with Adriana. Not when she would probably never see him again. Maybe that was why she said softly, "I'm sorry, Adriana. I'm sorry for scaring you...I'm sorry for hurting you...I'm sorry for doubting you." I'm sorry for betraying you, she thought, but didn't say the words.

Adriana stopped as she pulled the shades. Pulled the shades. Oh. She was getting ready to take her shower. That's right. She didn't have a chance to shower before her class this morning. She said quietly as she returned to her wardrobe and began undressing, "Apology accepted. I just thought that you knew me better than that. I didn't think you needed me to tell you that I would do whatever I had to, in order to protect you. I lied for you, Claire. Didn't that count for anything?" She stripped down to her panties and sports bra before slipping into her winter robe, leaving her summer robe on the door of the wardrobe.

It was a curious thing, that habit of her friend's. Adriana would wear her winter robe when she went down the hall to take her shower, but she wore her summer robe at night. Adriana had once explained that she was always very cold when she got out of the shower, but she wasn't as cold at night. So, she wore her winter robe after she got out of the shower, and her summer robe at night, once she changed into her nightgown.

Adriana put a new pair of underwear and a new bra in her waterproof pouch, along with her shampoo and shower gel. She asked quietly, "You gonna be here when I get back?" Claire shrugged. Adriana sighed, "All right. I just need time, Claire. All right? I just need time." And that's the one thing I can't give you, dear friend, Claire thought sadly. In an hour and a half, the man I love...my husband...will be here. I wish I could say what needs to be said, without giving away what I plan to do. But I can't.

There was, however, one thing she could do. She smiled bravely at her friend, at the best friend she had ever had, and said, "As long as you can forgive me, Adriana. As long as you still love me." Her friend's face softened and she reached out her hand. Claire caught it and held it. She willed her friend to know how much she loved her. And how she would always be grateful to Adriana for the last fifteen months.

"Never doubt it," Adriana replied quietly. She squeezed Claire's hand and said, "I'll see you when I see you." She gave Claire one last smile, released her hand, then picked up her things. Claire watched her best friend quietly leave the room...and, though Adriana didn't know it yet, she was also leaving Claire's life. No. No, that wasn't right. Claire was leaving her life. Because that was the way it had to be.

After that, Claire stared into space for a while, losing track of time. At last, she shook herself and began packing. She removed all of her pictures and posters, everything in the room which had defined her. Those went into a soft footlocker, a gift from Rafe when she started college. Rafe. Claire swallowed hard...Rafe still needed her, she knew that. But she had been his mother/older sister ever since their mother died. She had to go now, while she still had her sanity. Her clothes were next.

It was while was finishing her clothes that she heard the knock at the door. Distracted, and thinking it was Adriana coming back because she had forgotten her keys, Claire called, "Come in!" She folded a dress neatly and settled it in the suitcase, trying not to think about the last time she had worn that dress. Homecoming, her first year here. The two of them standing in a corner, holding onto each other. So scared. So excited. Oh God. She said, trying to disguise her emotions, "Forgot your keys?"

"Ya plannin' on goin' some place?" a new voice asked...a male voice. Husky. Claire froze where she stood, then looked up very slowly, to see Vin Tanner staring at her. She glanced at the clock and realized more than an hour had passed since Adriana had gone to the shower room. Where was she??? Was she all right? Vin added, "If you're lookin' for Adriana, Dawn says she's in Carly's room. Reckon Carly's tryin' to experiment with make-up on her." Claire almost grinned, because that sounded exactly like something Carly would do, until she remembered that she was with the man who had tracked her and Chanu down.

"What are you doing here? If Dawn catches you here..." she began, then her voice trailed off. What would Dawn do? Vin was often here, always with Adriana. As long as he kept his hands to himself, and didn't attack her, Dawn wouldn't do anything. And Claire knew Vin Tanner well enough to know that he wouldn't touch her. But according to her clock, Chanu would be here shortly, and she had to get rid of Tanner.

"I want ya to tell me what's goin' on. I ain't got no intention of hurtin' ya. 'Nough people have been hurt already. I just want to know the truth. About you and Chanu. And how much Adriana knows...how far is she into this?" Tanner asked. Claire almost laughed. Funny. Adriana had said almost the exact same thing this morning, warning her about Tanner's involvement. She wondered if those two realized how similar they really were.

"It's not your concern, my relationship with my roommate. None of this is your concern, so just get out of my room," Claire replied. She figured that if she made him mad, she could get rid of him. There was just one problem. He didn't get mad. There was a flash of annoyance in his bright blue eyes, but no anger. Damn. She should have remembered what she had just realized. That Tanner was a lot like Adriana, and that included reactions when he was angry.

"I ain't goin' nowhere. Did ya stop to think 'bout Adriana, 'fore you put her name on that damn application? Did ya stop to think 'bout what her pa would do to her, if he got his hands on her?" Tanner asked in an icy voice. Claire shuddered. Yes...but not at the time. At the time, she had only thought about making sure her father couldn't find them. And no one would know to look under Adriana's name.

No one except this man. Claire's fury began to rise, and her common sense went right out the window. She no longer cared about anything except getting rid of this man, no matter what it took. She hissed, "She knows everything, Tanner! She knows all about the credit card, and she's not angry! She knew all along!" Except, as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew it was a mistake. Oh dear God, what had she done?

Before she could take back her words, she saw movement behind Tanner...Chanu! His eyes were blazing with fury, and he grasped the bounty hunter by his hair, then slammed Tanner head first into the wardrobe door. Claire cringed, but made no move to stop Chanu. Before the bounty hunter could fight back, her husband had grabbed the cord of Adriana's summer robe and looped it around Tanner's neck, effectively cutting off his air.

The struggle didn't last long, but it seemed to take forever, to the girl now watching in horror. Tanner struggled against the cord, his fingers digging desperately at his throat, trying to pry it away. Chanu held on, positioning himself so that he was separated from Tanner by the now somewhat open door of the wardrobe. Tanner's back was pressed against the door by Chanu's knee, his head alongside the edge of the door. There was nowhere for him to go.

The blue eyes had gone very wide, and they were locked on Claire. A part of her knew she had to stop Chanu before he killed the guide, but her muscles were locked in place. Now the blue eyes were moving, darting back and forth helplessly as he struggled.

Tanner's struggle was hopeless, and he knew it. She could see it, in his eyes. In each desperate breath he took. Each breath was now a wheeze, and Chanu held fast. But Tanner kept fighting. Claire didn't know what her husband thought of the spirit in this man, because she wasn't looking at him any more. She couldn't see his expression...only the bright eyes of the man whom Chanu was choking with the cord from her best friend's bathrobe.

That seemed the worst violation of all, and as Vin Tanner's eyes swept back to her, they seemed to condemn her for allowing that violation. It was a relief, then, when those blue eyes rolled up and Tanner went limp against the door. He was just hanging there for a half second or so, until Chanu released him. Tanner slid bonelessly down the door to the ground, coming to rest on his side. He reminded her of a puppet whose strings had been cut. He just...went down. Was he dead? Chanu said softly, dropping the cord and picking up one of her bags, "He is not dead, merely unconscious. I had no desire to kill him, just get him out of our way."

Claire relaxed and grabbed a bag, then looped her purse over her shoulder. Nothing more was said...it was time to go. Chanu looked out the door...surprise, surprise, no one was around. It was the middle of the day, everyone was either in class, at the library, or getting a jump on finals. They were clear. Claire stepped carefully over Tanner's, and cast one last glance at the unconscious guide. She prayed Adriana would forgive her. And then she walked out.

Continued...

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