Disclaimer: I do not own Magnificent Seven or any of the characters.
Warnings: Bad language, hurt/comfort, violence, graphic M/M sex, character death, not one of the seven.
Summary: Vin makes a deal with Ella to get some of Chris’s former life back, but at what personal cost.
Characters: Mainly Chris and Vin of course, Ella Gains, Adam Larabee and the guys.
Vin stepped off the plane in Bay City, Michigan and shivered. Damn it got cold in the northern part of the country early in the year. It was only the middle of September and it should have been a little warmer to his way of thinking.Grabbing his bag off the carousel he headed for the front doors of the airport. There just like he had been told was a black limo, the driver waiting for him.
Walking over to the car Vin just stared at the man, determined not to be the first one to say anything.
The driver a man about his height but much more muscular smiled, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“Agent Tanner. I am your driver. If you would like to get in and relax, it will take a couple of hours to get to our destination.”
“And just where is our destination?” Vin asked not expecting to get a straight answer.
“Our destination is not your concern. Just have a seat. I will get you there and all your questions will be answered,” the man pleasantly said.
Vin frowned but went ahead and got into the back seat. After it wouldn’t do to get into an argument with what was obviously a lackey.
Vin tossed his bag on the floor next to him and looked around.
There was a dark tinted window between him and the driver for privacy he assumed. Looking around Vin realized that all the windows were tinted, he could barely see outside.
Knowing there was nothing he could do but relax for two hours; Vin leaned his head back on the seat and shut his eyes.
It had been a long hard two weeks. Two weeks of e-mails, phone calls and finally the envelope delivered to him with the samples and pictures. Also in the envelope were fingerprints and footprint samples. Samples that he had taken to a friend of his that ran a local clinic. Samples that he had wanted compared to samples he taken from his lover Chris Larabee. Samples that he wanted compared to the birth records of Adam Larabee.
The pictures Vin looked at frequently. It showed a blond headed, green-eyed little boy over the space of several years. The little boy looked like his blond lover and the early pictures looked just like the pictures that Chris had of Adam sitting around their ranch.
DNA tests had been run without the blonde’s knowledge, which was one of the stipulations from the person who had sent him the information.
The DNA results came back positive, that was why Vin Tanner was here in Michigan. He wanted to see with his own eyes that Adam Larabee was alive and well.
Sure pictures had been sent to him, but he needed to see the child in person. Pictures could be faked and Vin Tanner believed only his own eyes and his instincts.
After all if he had to give Chris up, give up the life and the love that he had enjoyed for the last year he wanted to make sure that Chris was going to get his son back.
The car eventually stopped and the driver opened the door. Vin stepped out and cautiously looked around.
It was an old but well kept country house. There were no other homes to be seen; the house seemed to be isolated.
As Vin approached the front door, it opened and Ella Gaines appeared in the doorway.
Vin growled and took a few hasty steps forward ready to strangle the woman. Buck had shown him a picture of the woman who had murdered Larabee’s family.
Vin stopped when he saw a man step around the corner of the house holding a gun.
“Nice to finally see you in person Vin,” Ella purred, her cold eyes looking him up and down.
Vin looked into her eyes and knew he was looking into the eyes of a crazy woman.
Vin felt his heart drop, crazy people were unpredictable, the worse kind of people to try to deal with.
“Shame I can’t say the same about you,” Vin replied.
Ella’s eyes flashed with anger, her thin lips clamped together tightly before she consciously relaxed. After all she was the one in control of the situation, not this Texas hick.
“Now, Vin. We can at least be civil with each other. After all, I have taken good care of Chris’s son for the last four years. You could be pleasant.”
“The boy wouldn’t need you to take care of him if you hadn’t killed his mother,” Vin hissed.
“So you admit that the boy is Adam,” Ella said totally ignoring the rest of Vin’s comment.
“I had my friend check and yes everything seems to point to the fact that the boy is Adam Larabee. Now how does Chris get the boy back?”
“Straight to the point. I like that. Come on inside and let's discuss it. After all, I did tell you to plan on spending a couple of days.”
Vin frowned as he followed the crazy woman inside.
Two hours later ,Vin was in the room assigned to him. He lay on the bed after his shower, just seething about his conversation with Ella.
Ella had told him his terms and if he didn’t follow through with it, then she would take Adam to another country and Chris would never see him again.
She wanted to know if Vin thought his happiness was more important that Chris being with his beloved son.
It was very simple. Vin would spend some time with Adam then go back to Denver. Over the next week Vin was to distance himself from Chris and finally break if off with the blond. Vin was to leave the area and stay away from Chris completely. After she was satisfied that Vin was out of the picture she would come to Denver and give Adam to Chris.
Vin was amazed. The crazy bitch really thought that when she gave Adam to Chris the blond would be so thrilled he would forget the woman had killed his wife and kidnapped his son.
Ella thought that Chris would take her into his heart and they would live happily ever after.
Vin knew better. But his choice was clear; he would have to leave his soul mate, his lover to insure that Adam came home.
Over the next few days he did not change his mind. Adam had been five when he had been presumed killed in the fire that killed his mother. The little boy was now nine years old and remembered his father and what had happened to his mother.
Adam had been told that his father had been hurt and had not been able to take care of him that was why Ella had been taking care of him. Adam had also been told that the bad people who had killed his mom and hurt his dad were still out there, that was why they had to stay hidden. Vin was introduced as a good friend of his dad who wanted to see the boy and tell Chris how his son was doing.
Adam and Vin went on several walks on the property. Vin was aware that Ella’s henchmen were always lurking around so he had no chance to grab the boy and run.
Adam confided to Vin that he remembered his daddy making him wooden toys, his pony that he liked to ride and his room.
Vin knew that Chris had carved toys for his son, Adams pony was now grown and his room had remained the same. Adam had even asked after Uncle Buck.
When Adam innocently asked if Vin would be there when he went back to live with his daddy Vin had explained that he didn’t know but he would be very happy that Adam was back with his dad.
Adam thought Vin was the greatest person he had ever met. Well, next to daddy and Uncle Buck of course.
Soon it was time for Vin to leave. Adam tearfully hugged Vin goodbye. Adam was obviously his father's son. He could tell that Vin was a very special person and wanted him to be there when he came home to daddy.
Vin blinked back his own tears knowing he would not see the boy again and was about to leave the man who made his life worth living.
Ella rode with Vin to the airport. She again told him he had one week to break it off with Chris, and then she would appear and have Adam with her. In fact she reminded him that she did not want Vin even working for Chris, she wanted him completely out of the blond's life.
Vin informed her that Chris would get exactly what he wanted; he just wanted his lover to be happy.
Ella smiled as Vin got on the plane, soon she would have Chris in her bed just where he had always belonged.
Vin arrived back in Denver and was met at the airport by a horny eager blond. Unfortunately Vin was depressed and barely responded when Chris finally got them home and tumbled Vin into bed.
Chris knew something was wrong with his lover and after pulling out of Vin’s tight ass he leaned back against the bed and pulled Vin into his arms.
Vin sighed and snuggled into the failsafe arms that had always made him feel so safe and loved. He couldn’t fathom how he was going to live without Chris, but he knew he had not option but to leave his lover.
Over the next few days Vin began to pull away from his lover even taking to arguing with him in public. The rest of the team watched in dismay as the most stable relationship they had ever seen began to disintegrate before their eyes.
Then came the day that Chris came to work in a black mood.
Buck had ventured into his old friend's office and then had stormed out of it. Buck then informed the rest of the team that Vin had turned in his resignation and was leaving the area. Seemed the bastard Texan had found someone else to love and didn’t want to have anything to do with Chris at all.
After Buck had told the other men the news he had walked out of the office and headed for Chris’s ranch.
Vin was tossing the last suitcase in his Tahoe when Buck drove up.
Vin bowed his head thinking that only if he had been a little faster he would have missed this confrontation.
Buck had grabbed Vin and slammed him up against the SUV demanding to know what the hell was wrong and why was he breaking Chris’s heart.
Vin put a hard look on his face as he replied he had found someone else, someone his age, someone who didn’t come with as much baggage as Larabee.
Buck saw red as he pulled his fist back and hit Vin across the left side of his face almost breaking his jaw.
Vin fell to the ground almost passing out. He heard Buck scream at him, calling him names, then Buck jumped back into his truck and took off.
Vin slowly got up and climbed into his Tahoe slowly driving away from the ranch he loved and the man who was the most important person in the world to him.
True to her word Ella showed up less than two weeks later after her spy told her that Vin was now working in Taos, New Mexico. Chris was inconsolable with grief and anger over his lover leaving him. Team 7 spent a lot of their time out at the ranch worried about Chris and what he might do because of this most recent loss.
It was early on a Saturday morning when Ella pulled up in front of the ranch house with two of her men. Adam was in another car with two more of her men about a mile down the road. If all went well then she would have the boy brought to the ranch.
Ella knew that not all of team 7 was present which pleased her. The men called Josiah and JD were out of state at a conference.
Ella and her men went to the door and knocked, Nathan answered the door. His mouth fell open when he saw who was there.
Ella swept into the house followed closely by her two men who had their guns out just in case they were needed.
Chris surged to his feet when he saw Ella and took a step forward then paused when he saw the guns.
“What the fuck are you doing here, you murderous bitch!” he screamed.
Buck paled and stepped up beside Chris. He didn’t want Chris to do anything hasty. After all, the two men had guns.
“Now, Chris is that anyway to speak to the woman is bringing your son back to you?” Ella sweetly said.
Chris paled and sat down, Buck sitting right next to him equally as pale.
It was Nathan who hissed, “Chris’s son is dead. You killed his family.”
“No, I killed Sarah, not Adam. How could I kill your son, Chris? He is a part of you. I planned the whole thing. Adam was spirited away and the body of a worthless homeless child was tossed in. No one suspected that it wasn’t Adam who died in the car fire so no one checked. Adam has been safe with me this whole time.”
“I don’t believe you,” Chris said, his fingers just itching to wrap around this vicious woman’s throat.
Ella nodded to one of her men who tossed a folder full of papers to the blond.
Chris looked through the folder seeing pictures of a child who looked exactly like Adam, then more pictures as the little boy grew up. Then came the DNA results that verified that this child was Adam.
Chris handed the papers to Ezra who would be able to tell if anyone could if the papers were real or not.
“These look real, Chris,” Ez finally said, his own face pale as he stared at the woman who had made his boss’s life hell on earth.
“Where is the boy?” Chris demanded standing back up.
“I will have him brought here. But know this Chris; I can have him taken away at anytime. All I ask is that you remember that I saved his life and you owe me. I want to marry you, I love you, I always have,” Ella said her eyes taking on a dreamy look.
The men were flabbergasted. This woman wanted to marry the man whose wife she had killed.
Chris raised his hand before anyone could say anything. The most important thing right now was to get Adam back.
“I’ll consider it, Ella. You have to remember that this is a big shock to me,” Chris said looking her right in the eye.
Ella considered his comment and realized he was right.
“Okay, Chris. I’ll give you a few days then I’ll expect to move in here with you. My men will remain though in case Adam has to be taken away. There should be plenty of space since that piece of shit Texan is no longer part of the picture,” Ella said as she turned her back leaving the house.
The men gasped. How did she know about Vin?
Buck got a sinking feeling in his stomach. He had a terrible feeling that he had made a bad mistake when it came to Vin. Was this why Vin left? Had Vin been with Adam and Ella those few days he had been gone? Come to think of it, Vin had acted different when he had gotten back from his trip. Had Buck hit an innocent man only doing what he thought was best for the people he loved?
Everyone trooped outside and watched as Ella made a call. Soon a car pulled up in front of the ranch house.
The back door opened and a blond haired, green-eyed boy stepped out into the bright sun.
Chris choked back a sob as he dropped to one knee and held his arms out.
Buck felt tears fill his eyes and then roll down his cheeks.
Adam screamed “Daddy!”
Chris caught the warm living breathing little boy in his arms and held on tight, the sobs tearing through his body.
Nathan and Ez both had red eyes but even as they watched the warm scene they kept part of their attention on the armed men.
Buck knelt down and pulled both Chris and Adam into his arms.
Adam shrieked, “Uncle Buck!” and hugged the big man, keeping one hand buried in Chris’s shirt.
Ella’s voice broke in, snapping the sweet scene.
“See, I told you it was Adam and he is perfectly healthy.”
Chris stood up and shoved Adam behind him, flashing a look at Nathan at the same time.
Nathan came up behind his boss and put his hand on the little boy's shoulder.
Ella faced her former lover with her four men next to her. She was so sure of herself, so sure that Chris would take her back.
She was so fucking stupid.
“I think I deserve a reward, my love. How about a little kiss for returning your son,” Ella purred taking a step forward.
“I don’t fucking think so, bitch. His kisses belong to me and you keep you filthy mouth away from him.”
Ella screamed with rage as she whirled around and saw her worst nightmare step around the corner of the house.
Vin Tanner stepped forward until he was standing in the middle of the yard, his gun held down at his side.
Adam smiled when he saw his newfound hero and friend.
“Hi, Vin,” the little boy cried out to the man he had come to adore in the little time they had together.
Vin smiled at the little boy even as he kept part of his attention on the Ella and her men.
“Hi, Adam. Glad to see you back home.”
The boy’s smile disappeared when he saw the guns had come up to cover Vin.
Nathan saw that everyone's attention was on their wayward sharpshooter and took the opportunity to coax Adam into the house. After he had hidden the boy in a closet, he grabbed several of Chris’s guns and waited by the front door.
Ella fumed as she snarled, “You fucking prick. Chris hates you now because you left him. He belongs to me. I told you to tell him that you no longer loved him. I will see you dead Tanner.”
Chris said, “I don’t think so bitch. Vin never really left me. It was all a trap and you fell for it. Vin is my lover, my soul mate and now we have Adam back and when you die my happiness will be complete.”
Vin smiled as he said, “Besides Ella, why did you think I’d be able to keep a secret from Chris? He knows me better than I know myself. When he’s making love to me like there is no tomorrow and kissing me until I can’t breathe he can get any information out of me he wants to. Oh and by the way, he is a fantastic lover, you can dream about that in hell.”
Ella screamed in fury while the ATF agents just stared at Vin, shocked at his bluntness. Then they realized he was trying to get Ella to lose her temper.
Ella’s men just looked disgusted by the whole admission, as they looked at each other.
Over the next several minutes, things happened rapidly.
Ella turned and saw that Adam and Nathan were gone. She saw her carefully made plans crumbling around her.
Chris was pulling a gun out of his belt where it had been hidden in the small of his back. Nathan opened the door and tossed Buck and Ez guns.
Everyone seemed to be firing at once and when it was over Ella lay on the ground dying. Her men were already dead. Ez had a graze on his arm, which Nathan was looking at.
Vin walked over to Chris who grabbed him up in a hug squeezing him so tightly Vin had a hard time catching his breath. Buck looked from Vin to Chris to Ella.
“Damn it Chris, you knew all this and you didn’t tell me. Hell, I took all my anger out on Vin. Why didn’t you tell me? I love Adam to,” Buck demanded, feeling guilty as he saw the bruise still on Vin’s jaw. The big man imagined he felt his hand tingle because he had hit the younger man so hard.
“I couldn’t Buck. We had to make it look like Vin really left me. I just wasn’t sure you could act like it was all a trick especially when you found out she had Adam. I know you big guy, you wear your heart on your sleeve,” Chris explained smiling at his old friend.
Buck was still pissed but he had to admit that Chris had a point.
Buck looked at Vin and walked over to him. Buck yanked Vin out of Chris’s arms and wrapped him up in a bear hug.
“I’m sorry, Junior for hitting you. I should have known you wouldn’t do anything to hurt Chris.”
“It’s okay, Bucklin. You reacted like any good friend would. I was never mad at you,” Vin replied patting his friend's back.
Just then Adam came barreling out of the house. After hugging his dad he had hurtled himself into Vin’s arms, the one man he knew and had not hugged yet.
Vin knelt holding onto the boy while Chris approached the wounded woman. Buck hovered over the boy he loved like his own and the young man whom he adored like a kid brother.
Chris yelled a warning as he saw Ella rise up and point a gun at Vin and Adam.
Buck dove on top of them as Chris fired killing Ella instantly.
Chris whirled around and hurried over to his family.
He heard Adam say, “Uncle Buck, get off us. You weigh a ton.”
Buck laughed as he rolled over to the side.
Chris pulled Vin to his feet and kissed him, and then even though Adam was no longer a little kid he swung the boy up in his arms and carried him into the house.
Ez was on the sofa his arm being bandaged by Nathan. It was not a serious wound and Nathan said the undercover agent would be fine.
Buck called in the authorities who arrived and cleaned up the mess and took everyone’s statements.
While the mess was being cleaned up Buck and Chris took Adam to the barn to let him see the horses. Chris even took his son up on the horse with him and they left for a ride far away from the death and blood that was around the ranch.
Vin smiled in delight when he saw the two men and little boy riding off. There wasn’t a spark of jealousy in him. This was what he wanted, Adam back with his dad and beloved uncle. There would be time enough for him to bond with the little boy.
That evening everyone sat around the back deck while Adam, Chris and Vin told their stories.
Adam’s story wasn’t very long. The boy remembered the fire, knew his mother was dead and was told his father had been seriously injured. Chris and Buck sat with Adam between them as he recounted his life with Ella. Thankfully the crazy woman had taken good care of the boy. When Adam mentioned Vin arriving at the place where he had lived in Michigan his face lit up. It was obvious that Vin already held a special place in Adam's heart.
Adam told about Vin’s visit with him and how Ella brought him home telling him that his dad was fine now and wanted him home.
Chris saw his son’s eyes dragging and said that he thought it was time for Adam to be in bed. Earlier they had gone to the little boy’s room where nothing had been changed over the years. The bed linens had been changed and now Chris tucked his son in. The blond waited until Adam was sound asleep then quietly left the room. Buck tiptoed inside and kissed the little boy on the forehead, his eyes filling with tears again.
Getting control over his emotions Buck turned and left the room watching as Chris’s black lab padded inside and lay at the foot of Adam's bed as though on guard duty.
Vin met Buck in the hallway and gave the big man a hug.
Buck squeezed Vin so tight that the younger man was sure his ribs were going to break.
Buck let the smaller man step back; he raised his hand and brushed it across Vin's jaw.
“I am so sorry, Vin. I let my feelings get the better of me.”
Vin smiled.
“I told you it was okay, Bucklin. We needed everyone to behave like I was really leaving. I don’t blame you. Let it go. Right now is a time of celebration.”
“You got that right, Junior. Let's go drink,” Buck slung his arm around Vin’s shoulders and they went back outside.
It was late when Nathan and Ezra left the ranch. Chris didn’t have the heart to make Buck leave the ranch. Buck had spent almost as much time watching Adam sleep as he had.
Besides, Chris figured Buck would come in handy. It had been over a week since he had made love to Vin and there was nothing more he wanted than to slide into his lover’s tight ass and feel that heat surround him and consume him, but he didn’t want to leave Adam alone.
Buck smiled with delight as he put a sleeping bag on the floor next to Adam's bed and promised Chris that he wouldn’t leave the little boy’s bedside.
“If Adam needs his dad during the night, you come get Chris. Just cover your eyes when you open the door,” Vin teased.
Buck groaned, “Damn, Junior didn’t need that visual. Adam and I will be fine.”
Chris kissed his son for the thousandth time and then followed Vin into their bedroom.
Vin’s belongings had been moved back inside that afternoon, Adam pitching in to help.
On their horseback ride, Chris had explained that Vin lived with him now. Adam had accepted that fact with no problem. As far as the little boy was concerned, Vin was on par with his Uncle Buck and daddy and could do no wrong. The fact that he and daddy loved each other just made it better.
Vin found himself shoved up against the bedroom door as Chris pinned him there. A hard mouth descended on his as a muscled thigh slipped in between his legs.
Vin found his senses overwhelmed by the blond as Chris’s mouth and hands were everywhere.
Vin moaned as sharp teeth bit down on the side of his neck as his shirt was ripped off, buttons flying everywhere.
Gasping for breath Vin felt himself being turned around and shoved against the door.
The young sharpshooter braced his hands on the door as the rest of his clothes were yanked off him. Then mere seconds later he felt a naked hot body pressing up against his.
Chris bit down on one of Vin’s shoulder blades as his slick fingers slipped into his lover’s tight ass.
Vin arched as the fingers moved deeper. It had been too fucking long since he had felt his lover inside him.
Chris smiled as he slowly licked the sweaty skin, loving the taste of the man wiggling against him.
Chris worked up to three fingers and then Vin hissed, “Damn it, Larabee, I’m not a piece of glass. Fuck me!”
Chris gave Vin’s hard weeping cock a quick squeeze as he pulled his fingers out.
“Whatever you say, cowboy.”
Chris coated up his cock and in one movement plunged into Vin’s tight passage.
Vin bit his lip stopping the scream as he arched forward. Chris paused after he was buried inside his lover. When he knew Vin had adjusted to the cock in his ass he began to move.
Vin pushed back meeting him thrust for thrust until Chris was drilling into the hot, so-tight channel.
As Chris sped up his thrusts he nuzzled into Vin’s neck, biting and licking the smooth skin.
Chris became totally lost in feeling Vin beneath him.
It wasn’t long before Vin whimpered and his cock spit cum over the door and Chris’s hand.
Chris followed his lover over the edge when muscles clamped down on his cock milking him dry.
Chris pulled out of his lover then slumped to the floor pulling Vin down with him.
It took several minutes for them to get their breath, and then holding onto each other they staggered to the bathroom and took a shower.
Later as they snuggled close, both men reflected on how their lives had now changed.
Vin was resting his head on Chris’s shoulder relaxing as the blond ran his fingers through the long golden brown silken strands. Chris loved to touch Vin’s hair whether it was in the middle of wild sex or just stroking through the silk.
“I can’t believe I have Adam back, Vin. If it hadn’t been for you, I would still think he was dead.”
“No, Chris, that bitch contacted me, I just verified it.”
“I know, but if I hadn’t figured out that you were keeping something from me, you...well would you have left me?”
“To get Adam back, yes, but I would have returned and we would have dealt with her together.”
Silence reigned for a few minutes.
“God, Vin I missed you so much the last couple of weeks. Just the knowledge that it wasn’t forever and that we’d get Adam back was all that kept me going,” Chris whispered as he placed a soft kiss on top of Vin’s head.
Vin kissed the side of Chris’s neck and cuddled even closer.
“I missed you to. Those hotel rooms are real lonely and the beds real big and cold.”
Vin then added, a smiled of mischief on his face, “Of course, I did have several people offer to warm the bed for me at night.”
Chris growled and in a second had Vin flat on his back and was covering the slender body with his. He pinned Vin’s wrists over his head to the bed with one hand.
“Now, I know cowboy you turned them down, because you know I don’t share. Furthermore, I’d have to drag you back here, tie you to the bed and then kill the person who touched you.”
Vin grinned. He knew Chris would never hurt him.
Then in a long Texas drawl guaranteed to get his lover's cock up his ass again Vin replied, “Well, now cowboy, that part about tying me to the bed sounds right interesting.”
Chris bent his head to Vin’s and right before he claimed the smart aleck mouth he whispered, “Wasn’t asking permission, I’m just going to do it one night until I have you screaming for release, but right now I just want to love you some more.”
For the next couple of hours the only sounds were of two men making love, kissing and touching each others bodies, reaffirming their love for each other, letting their souls heal as their bodies became one.
Epilogue
Chris and Vin made perfect parents for Adam. The little boy thrived on all the attention he received from his two fathers. He loved to brag at school how he had two dads, the two bravest men in the world, along with his Uncle Buck and his other uncles of course. Vin let Adam get by with more than Chris and to the blond’s dismay, he was double teamed more than once by his lover and his son much to their delight. Chris said that if Vin didn’t think some ornery fool notion up then Adam would, but everyone knew the blond loved every minute of it.Buck came out often to the ranch to see the little boy and had Adam spend the night at his place at least one weekend a month to give Chris and Vin some time alone, a fact that they really appreciated as Chris enjoyed making sure he made Vin scream as often as he could that weekend.
Thanksgiving that year was a very special occasion, followed by a Christmas that saw Adam get everything he asked for and then some. Chris knew that the following year they would have to put the skids on buying his son so much, but he had so much time to make up for.
Looking around the living room that Christmas at his friends, his oldest friend Buck, his lover and soul mate Vin and his precious son, Adam, Chris just looked up and thanked God for everything he had given to him.
Watching Vin walk towards him, the new blue shirt unbuttoned at the neck and the jeans snug in all the right places, a piece of tinsel in the long hair, Chris knew he had finally found all the happiness and peace he had been looking for.
Hearing Adam squeal he looked over and saw Buck toss the little boy into the air, catching him so he could tickle him.
Chris was so happy he grabbed Vin into his arms and kissed him deeply, something he didn’t often do in front of others, even their closest friends. Adam had seen it many times and loved to see the deep love the two men had for each other.
When Chris released Vin, the younger man was bright red and pressed his face into Chris’s shoulder unable to look at their friends. He was embarrassed.
Chris just kissed the top of his head, gathered him in close and looked at the others. He knew they would not care about the display of affection.
Josiah just nodded in approval, Nathan and Raine had tears in their eyes at the sweet sight, JD and Casey just smiled their approval, Nettie clasped her hands together and looked pleased, Ez gave his two fingered salute while his mother raised her wine glass in delight. Buck had his arm around Inez; they both gave thumbs up.
Adam ran across the room and wrapped his arms around both of his father’s legs.
Chris leaned down and picked his son up and settled him on his hip while Vin raised his head and looked at his lover and son.
About that time Ez called out to them.
The two men and one little boy looked over just as the camera flashed.
So it was that the following Christmas on the mantle in the place of importance was the picture of the new family.
The End