By Deb
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: Mainly Obsession, my own More than Friends, Under the Sun, and various Stargate episodes.
WARNING: original characters, some violence, nasty language.
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Part Eleven
"Ya ever hear from Dawn or Carly?" Vin asked, breaking into Adriana's thoughts once more. Damn. She had to stop doing that. It wasn't that Vin minded the silence, she knew better than that. But she had been known to get lost when she zoned out like that, and then there was the matter of a possible accident. Adriana nodded, refocusing her attention on the road and on her conversation with Vin.
"Yeah, in fact, I just finished a letter to Carly. Dawn is still in Georgia. I don't hear from her as much as I used to, but I guess she's been pretty busy. Kyla is getting married again ... after her ex-husband was put away, Kyla took her kids and moved to GA. They've been living with Obadiah. He's dying, you know," Adriana told her friend, her voice cracking ever so slightly. It had broken her heart, finding out that her friend's beloved uncle was dying.
"I know. Reckon havin' Kyla and her girls is a big help to him," Vin replied. Adriana blinked back tears. She had allowed very few men over the age of forty-five to penetrate her protective shield in the years since she had left home. Koje had been one. Obadiah Jackson had been another, and it hurt to think that he wouldn't be on this planet for much longer. Vin continued, his voice growing cold, "We all went to Georgia, when they finally caught the rat bastard who done raped Nate's mama."
This was something Adriana hadn't known, but she was glad to hear it. Dawn had made a veiled reference to seeing justice done, and to seeing her cousin Nathan for the first time in many years. Vin continued, "He asked 'bout ya once, when it was just him and me. Told him that ya was Bucklin's sister, and that Chris were the only one who knew. That was how I wanted it, and he promised to keep the secret for me. Ya still got that picture?"
Adriana didn't ask which one he meant ... it was a picture which everyone wanted copies of. Her and Vin on the swing, as if they were both still children. Dawn had framed her copy, as had Adriana. She nodded, and Vin continued, "When Chris come back in the house, Obadiah had me get that picture to show him. Reckon that was the first time it really hit him. That I knew ya. He's missed ya somethin' fierce, Drina." Adriana nodded solemnly as she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building. Yes, and she had missed him as well. More than she had even realized, until she was in his arms.
She said now, "Come on up, so you can reassure Chris that I'm not living in a pigsty." That made Vin laugh, as it was meant to, and the sharpshooter unbuckled himself, then slid out of the Tracker. Adriana slung her purse over her shoulder and locked the doors. She had only lived here for three months, and she was still not comfortable with leaving it unlocked for any length of time, even though it was a nice section of town. She just wasn't willing to take that chance.
They took the stairs, Adriana considerate of Vin's claustrophobia. She lived on the third floor, and it was quiet. Unusual for the summer time, unless all the kids were at the pool. As she reached her apartment, she checked the door. Another legacy of her years in Texas, of the tangle with the Moseley family ... she always checked to make sure her door was still locked. It was, and she unlocked it.
She was still in the process of unpacking her boxes, but the kitchen, the living room, and her bedroom were all done. She was still getting her office organized. Janet Frasier had taken her to flea markets on their free weekends, helping her to furnish the apartment in Adriana's own peculiar style. Petra would be shipping some things from Germany, a little at a time. Less expensive that way, especially since Petra was still in the process of finding a job.
"I have sodas in the fridge ... you're welcome to help yourself. No beers, you know I don't drink that stuff, and I don't think you'd like my Chablis. 'Sides, I'm taking that with us. You know how Ezra likes his fine wines," Adriana observed. Vin nodded with one of his more devastating grins (damn him, anyhow ... when would he learn how lethal his smiles were?), and peeked into the refrigerator while Adriana went into her bedroom.
Her duffel bag and backpack were right where she had left them, on her bed. Adriana took a deep breath, looking around the room. After sharing a flat for three years, it was a bit strange, living on her own, but she was adjusting. It was eerie at nights, but on the positive, she had been able to decorate the place on her terms, within reason, of course. Which was why she had made the bedroom what she had always wanted. Fantasy prints by Michael Whelan on the wall, along with photographs of the places she had been and the people she loved.
The ceiling was white, but covering it was a black blanket with white sequins sewn into it. The night sky. It had been a present from Cassie Frasier, when the girl had learned about Adriana's love of sitting outside at night and staring up at the sky. A housewarming gift, for lack of a better word, even though Adriana hadn't finished the apartment enough to invite anyone but Janet, Cassie, and Vin over. Of course, with the black blanket, the room tended to get warmer, so Adriana had an air conditioner in place. While the apartment was rented, she was making it *hers.*
"Right purty place, Drina. Like it," Vin observed from the doorway. She had become used to his ability to sneak up on her, so it didn't startle her, to hear his voice behind her. She nodded, and Vin went on, "That closed door ... that the office ya was tellin' Daniel 'bout? The one ya wanted a big stereo system for? I 'member in Texas, ya always worked better with music playin.' Liked to drive Dawn and Carly nuts."
Adriana grinned, turning to face him, and said, "Yeah, why do you think I would shut myself in the bathroom with just my little CD player? The bathroom right off my bedroom? It was the only way I could get work done sometimes." Vin nodded with a faint smile. Adriana left her bags for the moment and walked to her friend, slipping her arms around his waist. Damn, and people said she needed to gain weight? But she didn't say that to Vin, especially not when his arms folded around her. She whispered, "I'm so glad you're back in my life. I missed you so much." His arms tightened around her.
Vin wasn't a man given to shows of emotion. He didn't laugh often ... let his smile and his eyes do it for him most of the time. He wasn't a demonstrative man, not usually. Not with most people. Adriana had always been someone who was the exception, rather than the rule, and she didn't know why. She just knew she was glad ... and that she always felt so safe when Vin held her. As if nothing could hurt her.
That was an illusion, of course. She knew that he would sacrifice himself to save her, or anyone else who was in danger. But he couldn't protect her from everything. But sometimes, illusions were all you had. Vin whispered, "Missed ya, too, girl. I'm so sorry, Drina." This wasn't the first time he had apologized to her for that. Despite her repeated reassurances that she understood, Vin hadn't forgiven himself for leaving without a proper good-bye.
In the months since her arrival, Adriana had done some research on Eli Joe. She hadn't been able to find out who employed him, but she had found out that he was an amoral bastard, who would have hurt an innocent little girl. Vin had done the only thing he could to protect her and Carly, because after reading about his attacks against the Kincaid family, Adriana had no doubt whatsoever that Eli Joe would have gone after her and Carly to hurt Vin.
And that could not be allowed. It had been the first of many promises Adriana had made to herself, when she left Colorado eight years earlier. She was through, being used. Nor would she allow one of her best friends to be used, either. She couldn't do much, if Eli Joe decided to take the direct path and shoot her from a sniper's position (as had happened in Vin's psych test, according to Teal'c ... why he had told her that, Adriana had no idea, as it was her understanding that those results were private). But aside from such situations, situations where she had no control, she would not allow Eli Joe to use her. Or Carly.
As much as it went against the grain, to back off, it was something Adriana had to do. She had to trust Vin to take care of himself, and Chris to watch Vin's back when she couldn't. That, however, was an unspoken agreement between the colonel and the archaeologist. That Adriana would watch Vin's back when Chris couldn't, and vice versa. While Chris would have never put it in those terms, Adriana knew her surrogate brother loved Vin as a brother.
But Chris had five other men in his unit, and he couldn't be watching out for Vin all the time. Vin didn't expect that, of course. He didn't expect to take priority over the others. Not even when he was hurt, because Chris still had responsibilities ... it was during those times that Adriana would watch out for Vin, usually, because by that time, they were already back at the SGC. Adriana stayed with Vin while Chris was attending briefings.
It was never that he didn't want to be with his best friend. Vin understood that. Adriana understood that, and she willingly took up the slack. She wasn't a leader ... she was an archaeologist, and it was easier for Vin to have Adriana keeping her vigil at his bedside when he had been hurt. He didn't like for Chris or any of the others to see him that vulnerable. It wasn't that he didn't trust them. But from his point of view, it was his job to protect them ... and that included protecting them from seeing him as less than capable to take care of himself.
Vin sighed very quietly, a signal that he was ready to leave, and Adriana released him, giving him a slight slap on his backside as she did so. He responded with a mock glare ... part of the game, part of the teasing ritual they went through every time. She said, "We should get going, before Ms Welles wonders where you got to ... if I might have kidnapped you." Even as the words were out, Adriana found herself quailing at the idea of meeting Nettie Welles. She had heard about the woman from others in the SGC. But Vin loved her, and Adriana would die before willingly disappointing her friend.
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Part Twelve
"Relax, Miss Nettie ... she wouldn't have kidnapped him," the voice said. Nettie Welles turned and glowered at the blond haired man quietly rocking. But there was precious little anger in the glare, especially not after Chris Larabee smiled at her. The colonel continued, "My bet is, they got to talking, and Vin may have found it necessary to persuade Adriana that it really was okay for her to come."
"Okay for her to come? What's wrong with the girl, I invited her!" Nettie fumed, careful to keep her voice low. Billy Travis had fallen asleep in the colonel's arms, his blond head resting on Larabee's shoulder in a trusting manner that took her breath away. Vin was her favorite out of these men, but she loved them all. They had saved her home ... had helped her to fix it up again, had even helped to build a pool in her backyard for her boarders. To say she was grateful was a slight understatement.
"I know, ma'am, but I'm afraid our little princess is a little on the shy side at first. And with her relationship with JD the way it is ... she just wants to make sure you're not just being polite. Adriana has this terror of being where she's not wanted," Chris explained. Nettie sat down beside the colonel. The truth was, while Casey had told her that Vin's friend didn't get along with JD, Nettie was looking forward to meeting the new archaeologist, if only to make sure she was a good girl. Not someone who would cause harm to her boy Vin.
Nettie's instincts were telling her that Adriana Wilmington was a good girl ... that Chris Larabee didn't show that kind of tenderness to a girl who was a troublemaker. He was a hell-raiser in his day, of that, Nettie had no doubt. But she also knew that Chris Larabee loved that girl.
That said a lot to Nettie Welles, who understood about loving someone like they were kin, even if they weren't. She had understood it, even before a soft-spoken young man with shoulder-length light brown hair and bright blue eyes had arrived, seeking a room. But the last year had been like getting her son back. Her boy had died in the Persian Gulf War, and no one could replace him. But Vin's arrival in her life had eased some of the pain.
And if she had developed a soft spot for him, to match his for her, then that soft spot had grown into love during the last year. She hadn't raised Vin Tanner ... that honor had gone to Julia Tanner for five short years ... but she was as proud of him as if he was her own son. And she would have fought anyone for him. He had told her about Adriana Wilmington, his friend from Texas. Drina, as he called her. And now, Nettie was finally getting to meet her.
"There," Chris said softly, nodding toward a blue Jeep heading for the house, "that's them now." Nettie turned back and Billy stirred quietly in his arms. Chris looked down at the child, and Nettie scooped the little boy into her arms. Chris flashed her a grateful smile, moving to the rail to watch Adriana Wilmington drive up the lane. Nettie nodded her understanding and went back into the house, placing Billy on her bed, where his mother also slept.
While Mary Travis was hardly more than a girl, in Nettie's eyes, she was also a determined, fiery woman who stood at the sides of her friends. One of those friends was Vin Tanner, and Nettie knew the young woman would walk through fire for him. It was one of many reasons why Nettie loved the blonde reporter. If Vin Tanner was her surrogate son, then Mary was her surrogate daughter, just as Casey was.
Voices drew her out of the room and she smiled as Vin entered her house. She enveloped him in a fierce hug, catching sight of a slight figure peering around Chris Larabee. At first glance, the girl was no more than fifteen or sixteen, but Nettie knew how deceiving appearances could be. After whispering how glad she was to see him, how glad he had come, Nettie released Vin, and the girl stepped out from behind Chris shyly.
Looking closer, Nettie could tell Adriana Wilmington was much older than the fifteen years she had seemed to be at first. There was already some gray hair mixed in with the dark brown curls which fell lightly to her collarbone. She looked tired ... there were dark circles under her hazel eyes. Hazel eyes, unlike the dark blue eyes of her elder brother, and she smiled shyly at Nettie. Josiah came up from behind the girl, gently settling a hand on one slim shoulder, and to the watching Nettie, it was like an electrical current had touched Adriana.
She jumped, her breath catching in her throat, and her body stiffened. The fear was quickly replaced with a feral rage, and Adriana spun around to face Josiah in a single quick motion. Her body, which had been stiff only a moment earlier, was now poised for fight or flight. In the time it took for Adriana to spin around, Nettie had looked over at Vin, and found her own suspicion mirrored in the young man's blue eyes. Someone had hurt this girl, and hurt her badly.
"Drina, this is Nettie Welles. Nettie, I done told ya 'bout Drina ... my friend from Texas. She's an archaeologist ... she done told me 'bout them stories I told ya," Vin said.
An amazing thing happened ... as Vin spoke, some of the tension eased from the thin, almost quivering body. Chris added softly, "It's okay, little princess, I can watch you back as well as Vin's. You're on vacation at the moment, remember?" The rest of the tension dissipated and Adriana turned back to face Nettie, looking more than a little sheepish. She approached the older lady, that sheepish grin still in place.
"Sorry, ma'am ... I'm not used to anyone but Vin coming up behind me. I didn't mean any disrespect. It's nice to finally meet you ... and please, call me 'Drina' or 'Adriana.' It's still a bit freaky to hear someone call me 'Dr. Wilmington' when I'm off duty," the girl said, shyly extending her hand to Nettie. Under any other circumstances, when faced with someone like Adriana, someone shy and unsure of their welcome, Nettie would have ignored the proffered hand and pulled her into a hug.
But after seeing how Adriana had reacted to Josiah's touch, Nettie ignored her instincts and instead, gripped the slim hand in a firm grip. She was pleased to find that the answering grip was just as strong as her own. This girl didn't need protection. She could take care of herself. And she had Vin and Chris to watch over her. No, she didn't need someone protecting her. She did, however, need love.
Nettie Welles had been teased by more than one friend about her habit of taking in strays, of 'adopting' adults. She had never paid them any attention, because the people she adopted needed something from her, and something she was willing to give. This girl was no different from Mary Travis or Vin Tanner. Nettie did listen to her instincts about what came next. She said, still holding the girl's hand, "You look like a strong girl, honey ... would you mind helping an old woman with something?"
A brilliant smile lit up the tired face and Adriana Wilmington said, "Just point me in the right direction, ma'am. I like being useful." Nettie grinned back, linked arms with the young woman, and winked at Vin and Chris over her shoulder. Then she led Adriana into the kitchen. For some reason, with some folks, it was easier to get them talking while they were working. Nettie was willing to bet Adriana was one such person.
To be continued...
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