"Well, that didn't take long…" Emmett Bregman noted, watching as the press conference continued without Ian Brooks.

Janet shook her head.

"I'm surprised he even agreed to come at all, really."

Bregman frowned.

"He didn't have a choice, did he?"

She shrugged.

"He could have said he wasn't up for it. He's not as healthy as he thinks, and I would have let him stay in the infirmary if he'd said something."

Emmett smiled.

"He probably thought this was the lesser of two evils…"

She arched an eyebrow at him, and his smile faltered a little.

"Not that you're evil or anything… just… you know he doesn't like the-"

She smiled, and squeezed his hand.

"I know what you meant, Emmett."

But it was fun to tease him. She rarely had the chance, really. Maybe now that things were beginning to calm down a little they'd have more time together.

Cassie, who had been standing against the wall with them, nudged her mother's side with an elbow.

"There go his parents…"

Sure enough, Janet caught a glimpse of Nathan and Maggie leaving the doorway they'd been standing in.

"Think he'll get a lecture?" Emmett asked. Cassie knew Ian's parents far better than he did, after all.

She shook her head.

"I doubt it."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hey…"

It didn't take them long to find their son. Especially since there weren't a lot of places he could go in the SGC just then for any amount of privacy. The first place they checked was Jack's office, but when they didn't find him there, Nathan suggested the locker room – and was right on the money. He was sitting on the bench in front of his locker, leaning back against it with his hand pressed lightly to his injured side and his eyes closed.

And he definitely didn't hear them enter, because he jumped when he heard his mother's voice.

"Hi."

"Are you okay?" she asked, concerned at the way he'd been sitting.

He nodded, and then smiled to reassure her since he knew nothing he said really would.

"I'm fine. I just got tired of being gawked at."

Nathan nodded.

"Like anyone really gives a shit what your favorite flavor of ice cream is, anyways…"

"I know…"

"What are they supposed to ask?" Maggie asked. "What kind of gun do you carry…?"

Ian shrugged. It didn't matter what they asked him, he wouldn't have answered many more questions anyways.

"What are you going to do now?" Nathan asked, changing the subject.

"Go home. I'm tired."

Maggie frowned.

"Are you sure you're okay? Doctor Fraiser did release you, didn't she?"

He nodded.

"I'm fine, mom. Just a little tired from all the excitement, I guess. Do you guys want to have dinner tonight?"

Which was his way of reassuring her that he wasn't dying.

She shook her head.

"We're having dinner with the French ambassador… and probably will be seen by someone from the press who will undoubtedly realize that we're related to you and want to ask us questions about our famous son…"

She smiled, because usually she was the one who drew the attention for being famous.

Ian rolled his eyes.

"I'll pass, thanks."

"How are you getting home?" Nate asked.

"My car's in the parking lot."

"And will immediately be swamped by press when they see you behind the wheel…" his father said.

Ian scowled.

"We'll smuggle you out," Maggie told him, smiling.

"How are you going to do that?"

She took his hand, and pulled him to his feet.

"Come on, we'll show you…"

She'd had plenty of practice getting past the press.

OOOOOOOOOOO

The convertible that pulled up to the gate was well known to the guards there. The driver behind the wheel was also well known to them – and easy to recognize since the top was down.

"General Brooks, sir…" the sergeant on duty didn't even dream of asking Nathan Brooks if he had permission to drive Lieutenant Brooks' car off the base. Especially not with the Lieutenant's own mother sitting right beside him in the front. "How are you today, sir?"

"Fine, Sergeant," Nathan said, easily. "Yourself?"

Shaking his head, the sergeant gestured toward the crowd of people milling around the edges of the high security fenceline.

"It's a madhouse around here. They're all driving us crazy – especially when they start complaining about us not letting them into the base to use the bathroom…"

Nate snorted.

"It's tough being the press sometimes, huh?"

"Yes, sir. Tell the lieutenant to watch out when he decides to leave the base. They're definitely watching for him."

"I'll do that, Sergeant. Thanks."

"No problem, sir," the sergeant said, as the gate opened. "Have a good day."

"Thanks."

The car drove through the gate, and was immediately trailed by several other cars who recognized the passenger immediately as Maggie Brooks – who would undoubtedly be good for a quick interview.

To their surprise, the car accelerated far more quickly than any of them could match – and it was soon completely out of sight around a couple of turns and blind corners. Disappointed – but only a little since Ian Brooks was really the one they were waiting for – the media and other people returned to their vigil at the gates of Cheyenne Mountain. He'd have to leave eventually, and they'd be waiting for him.

OOOOOOOOO

As soon as he was positive they'd given the last of them the slip, Nathan Brooks pulled over at a convenience store that had an attached auto shop garage. Without asking permission, he pulled directly into the bay, and stopped the car.

"Hey! You can't-"

"It'll just be a second," Nathan assured the mechanic who came over with an annoyed scowl on his face.

He got out of the car and went to the rear, popping the trunk with the key chain device. A minute later, much to the surprise of the mechanic, Ian crawled out of the trunk, wincing at the jarring he'd taken, but feeling pretty smug otherwise.

"You okay?" Nate asked.

"Yeah. Thanks, dad."

"What do you have under your hood?" Nathan asked, ignoring the thanks. "I haven't had acceleration like that since… well, never."

Ian grinned, and reached for his keys.

"It's classified."

"Smart ass."

"You guys sure you're okay here?"

Nathan nodded as Maggie got out of the car as well.

"We'll call the base for a ride back. No one will even wonder why, I'm sure. They'll just think we delivered your car to your apartment for your eventual return. You might even get away with it for a couple of days…"

"But it probably won't be that long…" Maggie warned him.

He shrugged.

"I'll figure something out." He hugged his mom, carefully. "Thanks again."

"You're welcome, baby. Give us a call tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

He nodded goodbye to his father and got in his car and drove off, and Nathan turned to the mechanic, who'd been watching with mingled suspicion and curiosity.

"Do you have a phone I can use?"

"What? Oh, sure…"

He wanted to ask what that had been all about, but was just a little intimidated by the size of the guy – and how pretty the lady was he was with. Instead, he just went to get his phone.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Surprisingly, there wasn't anyone at his apartment building. He'd expected there to be, really, but since everyone was certain he was still on base, he supposed they didn't have any reason to watch his house. That wouldn't last long, though, he was sure. His mom was right about that, he was sure.

He managed to get into the building and across the lobby without anyone seeing him and was lucky enough to have the elevator answer his call immediately. When he stepped out of the elevator there was a couple waiting on it, but neither of them recognized him, because they simply smiled politely as he walked by. He nodded a hello, but was already pulling his keys out of his pocket.

When he turned the knob, however, he was surprised to find that the door was already unlocked.

"What the fuck…?"

Great. Someone had probably broken in or something – and wasn't that just going to fuck things up, since Daniel had left a few artifacts that were just on the edge of classified. Ian had cleared out all the really sensitive things Daniel had left, but the few that were left made pretty good decorations so he'd kept them. Now he was sorry he had.

He opened the door, expecting the place to be littered with his shit, and was surprised to see it wasn't. He was even more surprised when a very familiar voice came from the living room.

"Welcome home, dipshit. And might I add you give a piss-poor interview?"

"Fuck you, Hayden."

But he was smiling when he said it, and he didn't even consider tossing the Californian out the window for breaking in.