Reality Sets In

Sequel to End of the Dream

As in End of the Dream - don't own them, darn it, sure'd be nice if the guys that did would put 'em on e-bay... no money being made etc.

Thank you to SueN and Kap for betaing - but I still probably made some typos etc - all my fault since I can't seem to post without a few last minute changes

Vin and Chris had been lovers for nearly a month and in that time had been on a roller coaster ride of emotion. The physical side of the relationship had been stunning for both men. Chris had learned that sex with another man, at least if the man was Vin, was incredibly fun and fulfilling. Vin, found that sex with Chris Larabee was something very different than what he'd known with any other man, the intensity of these last few weeks totally eclipsing his previous encounters. Neither man was timid or unwilling to explore any and all possible ways to pleasure the other.

But, while that aspect of their relationship was extremely positive, other areas were more problematic.

First of all, the their working situation was... difficult, or at the very best, awkward. They had both been aware of this particular possibility, but knowing and experiencing were vastly different sides of a potentially volatile situation. Chris had always been somewhat overprotective of the younger man and the added emotional ties only increased those tendancies. Vin, who had always fought for his individuality and independence, naturally chafed under the increasing attention. They had had several discussions about this already.

Added to that was the extra stress of hiding their relationship. The ATF had rules about fraternization, particularly between supervisor and subordinate. Casual dating of heterosexual agents was tolerated, barely, but any serious relationships or marriages would initiate action that would place the parties under separate chains of command. Of course gay relationships, while not specifically covered in the official handbook, would certainly elicit a negative response by the higher-ups.

But probably the most difficult aspect for both men was learning to accept the love and commitment of the other. It wasn't an easy thing to do as both had been badly hurt in their past relationships, Chris by his immense loss when Sarah was killed, and Vin by various ex-partners who had taken advantage of and used him for their own amusement, treading cruely on his feelings.

Now, with their current case coming to a critical and dangerous point, the pressure was taking its toll.

But the greatest mark in their favor, besides the phenomenal sex, was that both men were equally committed to finding a way to deal with all the potential problems. They both wanted, needed, this to work. Even if it occasionally felt like everyone and everything was against them.

7 7 7 7 7 7 7

The meeting with the arms dealers was scheduled for the following morning. The location had been carefully evaluated and prepared with both audio and video equipment. Ezra had briefed the entire team and everything seemed to be under control.

Until it all hit the fan.

Hours before the meet, Emory, the man that they had worked so hard to arrest, called Ezra and demanded that the location of the meet be changed. It was not negotiable - new location, or no deal. Which also meant no bust, and Emory was someone they were determined to put behind bars. Larabee knew that they needed to stop this man and his organization, but he was unwilling to risk his agents with the last minute changes. He made his decision.

"It's off," he announced to the rest of the team. "It's just not worth the risk to try to get set up this close to the meet. We'll get him another time."

None of the team was happy with Chris's decision, but they also knew that he was right about it being risky. No one was really surprised when Vin stormed out of the conference room. They all knew that he was particularly eager to stop Emory, although none of them understood why this particular criminal was so important to the sharpshooter.

Vin left the office; he just needed some air. He'd been wanting someone to put Emory away for a very long time, and when the team had gotten the information that lead them to the man, it was like someone had just granted him yet another wish. Now it was not to be, and just because the man wanted a new location. He knew from talking to various contacts that this was modus operandi for Emory. He always changed the location of the meet at the last minute, and it would be exactly the same at Larabee's "another time". He decided he needed to talk to Chris and went back to the office.

It wasn't going to be a particularly quiet discussion so Vin asked the rest of the team if they'd mind disappearing for a while. Then he headed in to Chris's office.

"Where are they going?" Chris asked of the rest of the team as Vin entered.

"Out for a bit, Chris," Vin replied tightly. "We need to talk about Emory."

"I told you it's off, Vin, it's just too risky." Chris responded, starting to get annoyed and suddenly understanding why Vin had sent the others out. This was going to get ugly. "We'll get another chance."

"No, Chris, we won't," Vin shot back. "This is how he operates. He always changes the location at the last minute. It'll be the same the next time and every other time we go after him. That's why he's still out there after all these years."

Chris started to reply and then paused, studying the younger man carefully. "What do you mean by all these years?" he asked quietly. "We've only been watching his operation for a few months."

"Because this gun running operation ain't the only thing he's into. He's a sick son of a bitch and the guns are the least of what he's done... we've gotta stop him...now." Vin's anger and frustration were just barely in check as he raised his eyes to his lover. "He exploits young men, boys," Vin said in a voice made rough by emotion. "He uses them until there's nothing left and then he dumps them back out on the streets like so much garbage," he continued, his voice even quieter. "I know, I was out there, and I...I barely survived-" He broke off abruptly and turned to leave, needing more air; he couldn't seem to get enough in the small office.

As he pushed past Chris, the taller man reached out to take his arm. "Hell, Tanner, why didn't you say something?"

Vin shook his head and took a deep breath, "Didn't think I needed to. We were gonna get him..." He paused and looked back into the concerned green eyes. "And if we don't now we never will, 'cause it'll always be the same. Last minute changes are his way of staying ahead of the law; he knows they don't want to plan a bust at the last minute. That's why he's still out there."

"Okay, Vin," Chris relented, "we'll ask the team. If they want to take the risk we'll do it."

"Thanks"

The blond nodded and headed back to his desk. "As soon as they get back we'll meet in the conference room."

The team met and collectively decided that even with the change, they had to proceed with the exchange and arrest.

Several hours later using the address that had been supplied by Emory, Vin made a quick trip in and set up several audio connections. But even with the blueprints and other information JD had been able to access, it was too late to set up video or to complete a thorough check of the location. Vin's observations would help some, but they were still going in basically blind.

Now, ready or not, it was time to go.

The morning was cool and foggy, not common for Denver, but not unheard of. Vin was already in place, tucked up on a girder almost two stories above the warehouse floor. JD and Josiah were in the van monitoring the pickups that Vin had installed. Nathan and Chris were waiting just around the corner, hidden inside a loading door in the adjoining building.

Ezra, driving an ATF-owned truck and Buck, acting as his muscle, were just pulling in through the loading door when Emory's vehicle, a large utility van, pulled around the corner and headed towards the building. The van blocked the entrance and Emory climbed out, along with four heavily armed bodyguards.

After showing the guns to Ezra and checking that he did indeed have the cash with him, Emory immediately shot Buck in the chest and demanded that Ezra hand over the cash. He had never intended to deliver the goods, but had planned to keep them and the money.

Buck's vest stopped the bullet from inflicting a mortal wound, but the force of the impact threw him back and into the crates piled along the west wall. Badly bruised and unconscious, he looked dead.

Ezra lifted the briefcase up carefully and offered it to the closest man. "You certainly do not need to shoot me gentlemen," he stated in a remarkably steady voice as he handed the money over. "It's only money, nothing that I consider to be of more value than my continued good health." He backed slowly away from the men hoping that someone would intervene soon.

As soon as the rest of the team heard the gunshot they moved in, but had to move carefully with several guns trained on the Southerner. They could almost certainly take out all the shooters, but not before at least one of them got Ezra. And his vest wouldn't be any protection at all against an almost certain head shot.

Vin had a good vantage to hit any of the men, but held off, whispering into his headset, "We've got to get them all at once, everyone pick your target and get ready, then we'll go on a count. Who's your best shot, Chris?"

Chris claimed the one closest to Ezra, so Nathan sighted in on the one by the ATF van. JD had moved in behind the utility van and chose the one by Emory. Josiah was still in the van monitoring so that left two men. Vin targeted the other man with a gun pointed at Ezra, that left Emory. He had reholstered his weapon after shooting Buck and would no doubt draw again as soon as the shooting started, but for the moment it was not out and pointed at anyone. So Vin counted down.

As he hit three, Ezra dove as four guns fired. Aimed to disable rather than kill, all the shots connected. Emory's men were all down but Emory had moved behind the pile of crates as he pulled his gun. He fired at both Nathan and JD as he moved around the pile trying to escape. Vin watched as Emory moved, what he could see from above was that he would soon be in a position to fire upon Chris.

Vin was unable to hit Emory from his current positiion, and could see that none of the others would be able to get a shot from their locations so he stood, unclipped his tether and moved over to the connecting girder and braced himself against the suport bar that angled up from the beam to the ceiling and aimed over the crates at Emory. Unfortunately he couldn't see the bodyguard that was laying almost directly beneath him, he'd been hit, but was face up and conscious. When the man below saw the sharpshooter move, he raised his weapon.

Chris saw Emory's man on the floor raise his weapon and fired, but not before the man had squeezed his own trigger.

As Vin pulled fired on Emory he felt a stab of pain as a bullet entered his side, just under the bottom edge of his vest. Since it had come from the floor below, it plowed up under the vest and into his chest. He dropped his gun and grabbed the angled support bar, but he was leaning too far out to stop himself from falling.

Emory, his man on the floor and Vin all fell at once.

Only Vin fell from the beam far above the warehouse's cement floor.

The momentary silence was deafening. And although it was, in reality, only moments to Larabee, it felt like eons as Vin plummeted from the beam, landing with a crash on the pile of old shipping crates that were stacked below the beam. As he hit the pile it partially collapsed, with crates and parts of crates flying in every direction.

The room stood in stunned silence for a fraction of a second, then the team moved. JD went to help Buck sit up, watching as he removed his vest to prove that he was still in one piece. Ezra pulled himself from behind the crate where he'd dived when all hell had broken loose and joined Chris as he headed towards the confusing jumble of smashed crates that were concealing the sharpshooter.

The original stack had been quite tall but was now lower and spread over a much wider area. They had to move a large number of the wooden obstacles before they could even see the fallen sharpshooter. His fall, which likely would have been fatal on the bare cement, was slowed by the crates. But it was still a long drop and the crates themselves weren't exactly soft. Chris was also worried about the bullet that had caused the fall. He knew that even if it had just hit the vest, the impact would have been enough to knock Vin off the beam. But what if it had missed the vest and entered his lover's body? He prayed that the former was the case... and feared that it was not.

Once they had spotted him, Chris could see blood on Vin's side and running down his face. The crates between the men flew at an accelerated rate as adrenaline once again hit Larabee's bloodstream.

Josiah had secured the remaining hostiles and immediately called for an ambulance. By the time Chris had cleared a path in to where Vin lay, the sound of a siren signaled the ambulance's approach.

Chris knelt by the crate Vin was on; it was the last layer before he would have hit the cement. The wood itself had done its own damage and as soon as he reached Vin he could see a large gash just at his hairline and that the bullet had hit below the protective vest. The blood was flowing freely from the entry wound and Chris tried not to think about how much damage there was.

Nathan had joined him and prevented him from removing the vest until the EMTs arrived, since the pressure from the vest might be keeping the blood loss at least partially under control.

Chris picked up Vin's limp hand and leaned close, hoping to see the blue eyes look back at him, but Vin remained unresponsive.

When the ambulance arrived Nathan and Josiah had to physically move Chris back a bit so the EMTs could he assess Vin's injuries and prepare him for transport to the hospital. They did have room for one person to ride in the ambulance and no one challenged Chris's right to be that person.

The back up team moved in to take care of clean up which allowed the rest of Team 7 to head to the ER. Buck didn't need the ambulance but would require some x-rays to make sure that none of his aching and bruised ribs were actually broken.

They arrived to find Chris stalking back and forth in the waiting area closest to where Vin was being treated in one of the emergency room cubicles.

The rest of the team, except Buck, were prevented from entering the treatment area. They took one look at the rest of the people in the waiting area and Larabee's menacing attitude and decided that they needed to at least attempt to calm the obviously agitated man before he caused an innocent bystander to have a coronary.

Knowing that the one best suited to this task was usually Buck, who had just disappeared into the treatment area himself, Nathan motioned to the others that he would make the attempt.

Normally none of the team would fight for the privilege of approaching their leader under this type of circumstance, but today Ezra decided that he might have better luck than the medic.

"Excuse me, Mr. Jackson," the only slightly disheveled Southerner began, "I believe, in this instance, that I will have better luck with our leader than yourself."

Nathan looked at Ezra in mild disbelief, but the request was so atypical of the man that the medic decided that he must have a good reason for volunteering. Not really looking forward to the task anyhow, he backed down without any argument.

Knowing that Chris was so focused that he was unaware of his approach, Ezra quietly fell into step beside the pacing man. He decided that it would be best if he could get Chris out of the immediate area and into a more private situation before he further terrorized the citizens cowering at the other end of the room. The question was how to actually accomplish that without bloodshed. While Chris was always protective of his team, he had always been slightly more so when it came to Tanner and today was no exception. In fact, the relationship between the men had obviously intensified his concern.

"Mr. Larabee..." he called gently, hoping to avoid startling him. "Has anyone updated you as to Mr. Tanner's condition?"

The question brought the man's attention back into the room as he realized that he was no longer pacing solo. Ezra was matching his strides as he crossed the tiles. He looked over to where the rest of the team waited and realized that he had been so focused on his thoughts that he'd barely been aware of their entrance. He met Ezra's eyes and sighed.

"No, Ezra, they took him in and haven't..." He paused, looking back at the only team member who knew just how much Vin really meant to him.

"It's okay Mr. La... Chris, the doctors here know what they're doing, they'll take care of him." He placed his hand on Chris's shoulder and continued. "However, unless you are planning on "outing" yourself and Mr. Tanner to the rest of the team, I suggest that you try to keep your emotions under their usual strict control. While they are used to you being concerned for Mr. Tanner's health, I don't think that they are likely to miss the fact that your reaction today has been a bit more intense than on other occasions."

Chris glared at the man for a moment, tempted to shoot him for his comments, then realized that he was correct. And although he wasn't sure that he really cared whether the team or anyone else knew how he felt, he realized after a another slight hesitation that it wasn't really entirely his decision. Vin might not be ready for the world to know about their relationship. He nodded his agreement to Ezra, who in turn nodded to Nathan, indicating that he should try to find out just what was going on inside the curtained cubicle. "Nathan will go check with the desk and find out how he's doing. Why don't we go sit with the guys before you scare those poor folks to death."

Chris looked up then at the small group of people waiting to hear about their own friends and family and smiled ruefully as he realized why they were all huddled at the other end of the room.

"Yeah," he breathed out, moving towards the team. As they reached them, a doctor emerged from the first treatment room and headed towards them.

"Are you here with Mr. Tanner?" he asked as the formidable group approached. At their collective nod he continued, "We'll be taking him up to the OR soon. Can one of you take care of the paperwork and contact his family.?"

"We are his family and we need to know how he is and what you are doing for him." Larabee stated abruptly. Then continued as the man backed up a step, "I need to see him... NOW!"

The doctor considered refusing but the look in the tall man's eyes spoke of true concern for the patient and it would be a few minutes before the surgical team was ready for them.

"Okay, but only one of you and just for a minute. He has a bullet in his chest and has lost a lot of blood. He's in and out, but he was awake just as I left." Before he could say more Chris had pushed past and was headed into the cubicle.

There were still two nurses and a resident with Vin as Chris entered. They hung another bag of blood on the stand above the bed and adjusted several tubes and other paraphernalia attached to the pale form on the bed. The sheets were stained with Vin's blood and there was more on the floor. Chris moved to the side of the bed as all but one of the nurses moved out of the room.

Ignoring the remaining nurse, Chris reached down to take Vin's hand and was rewarded by the sight of two blue slits that opened to meet his eyes. When Vin would have spoken, he leaned down over his lover and whispered, "Shhh, don't try to talk... Vin... listen, they're gonna get that bullet out and patch you up. You're gonna be okay, you hear me? Just hang on, we'll talk later." The eyes drooped and reopened as the soft voice reached him, he squeezed the warm hand holding his before drifting back into the darkness. Then the orderly entered, taking Vin off to the operating room.

The surgical waiting room two floors up was an all too familiar place for the six men who waited for word on their friend's condition. The time seemed to crawl, making the actual four and a half hour long surgery seem like ten or twelve hours. But then it was over, the doctor informing them that things had gone well and that Vin was being moved into the surgical ICU. Following the current thinking that having a familiar presence in the room was helpful for the recovery of patients after serious injury or surgery, he said that one visitor would be allowed to sit with Vin even though he wasn't likely to awaken for several hours.

Although the doctor said that they would be able to take turns sitting with Vin. Buck, who had been checked out and released with instructions to take it easy, laughed. "Yeah, Chris might let one of us take a turn for five minutes while he makes a pit stop..."

Larabee glared, then sighed as he realized that Buck, and the rest of the team knew him too well.

"I'll let you know when they move him into a regular room," Larabee announced, knowing that Vin could have several visitors at once after that. Until then, he would stay by Tanner's side

Buck walked down the hospital corrider heading towards the room where his oldest friend kept vigil over Vin Tanner. The fact that he didn't notice any of the nurses along the way was an indication of how concerned he was.

Chris had been by Vin's bedside for nearly three days now and the younger man had yet to open his eyes. Buck was determined that it was time for Larabee to take a break, get out, get a shower, a good meal and a full nights sleep. The problem was that Buck seriously doubted that he'd have the least bit of success in his quest.

He was right.

After a frustrating forty minutes he gave up, paced the hall for another ten minutes and finally came up with the beginnings of an idea. He pulled out his phone and started dialing.

7 7 7 7 7 7 7

Chris knew that Buck was right. He was tired, hell he was exhausted, hungry, and he really DID need a shower but he just couldn't leave. He'd tried, but by the time he reached the door the image of Vin waking up without him would stop him dead in his tracks. It simply wasn't a choice he could make. This was where he had to be for as long as it took, and, damn it, it had taken too long already. He needed Vin to wake up. He needed to look into the eyes that said more to him than any conversation he'd ever had with anyone. He needed to know that his soul wasn't about to be torn to tiny pieces - again, because he knew, that this time there really wouldn't be any way to put them back together.

The doctors and nurses came and went, sometimes taking the time to try to reassure him that Vin would be all right. Other times they just did their work and left, so accustomed to his presence that they barely noticed him. He felt like he was becoming a shadow. He needed the light in those blue eyes to make him real again.

7 7 7 7 7 7 7

The rest of the team had assembled at Inez's saloon after they had recieved Buck's messages. None of them had any real hopes of being able to convince their leader to take a break. But Buck had other ideas.

"Buck," Nathan began, a warning tone in his voice, "you know as well as I do that I can't do that." The team's medic knew as well as anyone that you simply didn't drug Chris Larabee without his knowledge and consent.

Buck knew, but right now common sense was in short supply. "I know that, Nathen," he responded, the frustration clear in his voice, "but we've gotta do something he's about ready to collapse, and not just physically." He paused then and looked around at the rest of the men. "I've never seen him so...I don't know, lost. Not since Sarah and Adam...." His words died out.

Josiah reached over and grasped Buck's shoulder, nodding his head in support, but knowing that any attempt to interfere with their friend would only make matters worse. "All we can do right now," he said, addressing the entire group, but Buck in particular, "is pray that Vin wakes up."

"Yeah," JD piped up, "Vin's been hurt before and Chris always gets a little crazy when he's worried about him."

Ezra just sat back he knew that this was unlike the previous occasions when the team's sharpshooter had been injured. That this time, it wasn't just a friend and teammate that Chris was worried about. This was the man he loved. But Ezra couldn't say that to the men he sat with; they didn't know. Not yet, anyhow. He was pretty sure that Chris and Vin intended to tell the rest of the team, but it hadn't been all that long since they'd found out how they felt about each other and they no doubt needed some time to adjust to their changed relationship before they shared it with their teammates. But it did make the current situation a bit awkward, especially for Ezra.

Deciding that he needed to put a stop to things before they got out of hand, he rose and addressed the rest of the group. "Gentlemen, please," he began, getting their full attention, "I understand your desire to assist Mr. Larabee during this time of crisis. But I truly think that any interference would indeed cause repercussions with which you do not wish to contend. My advice, therefore, is to wait a while longer before attempting any foolish subterfuges. If circumstances do not improve in the immediate furure we will still have plenty of time to embarrass ourselves by placing our olfactory organs where they certainly are not wanted."

Buck was ready to argue for immediate action, but, seeing the relief on the other faces at the prospect of not pissing off the boss, he sulkily gave in. "You guys are a bunch of wimps..."

"When it comes to getting in Chris's face... hell yeah!" JD responded. "Besides, Vin's gonna be okay, you'll see."

7 7 7 7 7 7 7

It was well after midnight when JD's prediction began to come true. Chris was still sitting by Vin's bed, and although he wasn't technically awake, he wasn't quite asleep either. The blue eyes had gradually opened, and although the room was only dimly lit, there was no question in his mind as to who was sitting by his bedside. Or rather leaning. Even in his newly awakened state, Vin could see that Chris was barely conscious. Judging by the level of dishevelment, Vin figured he had to have been out for a couple days at least, and, knowing his lover, he'd been perched right there next to him the entire time.

"Damn stubborn cowboy," the barely awake Texan drawled, knowing that if the dozing man heard him, the words would be taken as a caress rather then a curse.

The soft mutter was enough to bring Chris fully awake.

"Vin," he sat up straighter and reached again for the pale hand that had slipped from his grasp as he slept. "I... oh God, you're awake."

As Vin started to respond with a typical sassy reply, he found that his mouth was too dry to force out more than a raspy gasp. Luckily Chris could easily see the problem and reached over to the table for the container of ice chips. A short while later, after Vin was checked over by the intern on night shift, the two men sat, silent and content to be together.

As Chris once again began listing to one side, losing his battle to stay awake, Vin shifted over in the bed - and pulled him towards the bed, their hands still joined, neither wanting to let go. Chris could see the intent and hesitated, but Vin persisted. "Come on, Chris, it's the middle of the night, ain't nobody around to see or care... please..."

He was too tired to resist. Besides, he really wanted nothing more at that moment than to crawl into the bed with Vin and hold him.

Which is exactly how Buck found them when he entered the room a few hours later.

The sight of Chris curled up in the hospital bed with Vin shouldn't really have surprised Buck like it did. If he'd stopped to think it through there had been plenty of clues. But he hadn't thought about it and, as he entered the room and saw the two men entwined, it stopped him dead in his tracks.True, Chris wasn't under the covers, but that didn't hide the intimacy of the way they were positioned. He backpedaled into the hall and leaned on the wall opposite.

He wasn't aware that he was standing there gaping and gasping until one of the nurses approached.

"Are you all right, sir?" the pretty brunette asked, looking at him and then towards the closed door he'd been staring at. Then she suddenly smiled as she realized the reason for the man's condition. "You didn't know," she stated softly, not a question.

Buck suddenly felt even more out of touch as he realized that the nurse knew exactly why he was standing there in a state of confusion. She obviously knew about the relationship. He couldn't quite get his mouth to work, but tried anyhow. "You... you know? How....?"

This time her smile was even brighter as she shook her head at the big man. "You men are so dense... all of the nurses have had those two figured out forever."

"But... " He tried to make sense of the fact that this woman, who barely knew either of the men, had seen what neither he nor, as far as he knew, the rest of the team had noticed.

"Relax, honey, it's no big secret that we women have the inside track on romance. My name is Sue by the way, and if I remember correctly, you are Buck, the team Romeo."

"Yeah, that's me." The familiar role brought a smile to his lips and helped to sidetrack him from the shock of seeing his oldest friend curled up in bed with one of his newest friends. "So that," he gestured with his head towards the door, "doesn't bother you any?"

She appraised him then for a long moment, then answered with a question of her own. "Should it bother me... or more importantly, does it bother you?"

"Well... hell... I don't know, it's just so, ah, I don't know...weird?"

"Is love weird?" she responded, then continued, "'cause from where I'm sitting, I see two people who are truly in love and I don't think that love and being in love can ever be a bad thing," she finished with a defiant look towards the tall man.

Buck paused for a minute, thinking about what she'd said, and gradually a smile crept across his face. "You're absolutely right, and if any two people on this earth were ever meant to be together, it would be those two." He paused again. "You are one very smart and very pretty lady. Is there any chance that you can take a break so that we could go and get a cup of coffee?"

Sue laughed then, shaking her head. "The rumors are true then, you are one smooth operator."

"That's me!" he returned, beaming as he took her hand and they headed to the coffee shop

On the other side of the closed door Chris Larabee was gradually becoming aware that there was light entering the room through the windows.

"Oh,shit!"

He sighed; he'd only meant to rest for a few minutes, and certainly not for the rest of the night. How many people had come into the room while he lay curled up with Vin? Just as he sat up and turned to get out of the bed, the door opened and one of the regular nurses entered. He jerked up quickly, his face becoming red.

"Hey, sleepyhead," the nurse addressed him, seemingly unconcerned that he'd been in bed with another man.

As he tried to collect himself enough to give her a civilized reply, she smiled at him, seeing his embarassment at being caught.

"It's nothing that you should be ashamed of," she stated directly. "It's very obvious to most of us that you love each other. Here in the hospital we see people at times when their emotions are close to the surface, and we often see things that no one else has because of that." She reached down then and gently pushed the tousled hair off of Vin's forehead. "He'd be an easy one to love, I'd think."

"Easy?" Chris laughed then. "This stubborn, cranky, willful... did I say stubborn? Pain in the... " He shook his head and smiled "Yeah about as easy as falling off a bucking bronc."

She finished checking over the still sleeping man, pulled up the covers, and smiled again. "Yeah, thought so."

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