When Trust Isn't Enough
Part I

by Wgang

Disclaimer: I don't own Magnificent Seven. I am just borrowing them.

Summary: Buck and Ezra believe lies about Vin. Vin leaves the ranch after Chris fails to back him up. Will things get resolved before tragedy strikes? Yes I know I made Buck the heavy again. I really do love the guy.

Pairing: Chris / Vin


Buck and Ezra were sitting around Team 7's usual table at Inez's bar. They had just finished up their paperwork and were waiting for the rest of the team so they could celebrate the successful conclusion of the case they had been working on for the past six months.

It had been the first major case that their new teammate Vin Tanner had participated on. Vin had made a life saving shot when he had taken out one of the gunrunners who had a bead on JD Dunne.

Buck had reserved judgment on Tanner because the young man had seemed to good to be true. Sure he had come through on the smaller cases they had worked but this one had been a big case and to Team 7's disgust they had to work along side the FBI. A fact that none of them had liked especially Ezra since his past with the FBI was never far from his mind. They had treated him so bad and abused his loyalty and trust so much that even now he had a hard time trusting anyone.

The undercover agent knew he could trust his teammates but it was hard to forget that he at one time thought that about his FBI team and had come to regret his naiveté. In fact he had been with Team 7 for a year before he thought he could truly trust them and that had been three years ago. Ezra like Buck had reserved judgment on Tanner, but was slowly coming to admire and like the quiet young man.

Just then Alfred Pennington from the FBI approached and sat down at the table. Ezra slightly tensed up he avoided FBI agents when at all possible. Buck smiled at the guy hoping that the rest of the team would arrive soon and the man would take off.

For the next ten minutes the man proceeded to tell the two ATF agents all about Vin Tanner, things he vowed were the truth but were being hidden because Tanner had been covert military and they protected their own even when they were out of the military. Pennington laughed saying that Tanner's quiet shy demeanor was just a cover. The man went on to explain that when Tanner was with the US Marshall's the team he had been on had been investigated by IA. It was found out that the whole team with the exception of Tanner and one other man was corrupt. According to Pennington the men were fired and a couple of them went to jail for bribes and kickbacks.

Pennington then handed them some papers he said proved that Tanner was a snitch.

Ezra flinched, as that was one of the charges that had been leveled at him by his former FBI co-workers and IA. Those charges had been false and he had to wonder if Vin's former co-workers had been innocent also. Even as he had the thought he felt guilty, Vin had never seemed like the kind of man to go after an innocent person but you never knew about people. He had been burned so often by people he thought he could trust that it had made him very wary.

Buck sat back in his chair and looked at the FBI agent hard, while he wanted to discount everything Pennington said he was unable to. Tanner was secretive about his past and he had certainly wormed his way into Larabee's good graces fast. Hell Chris thought the world revolved around Vin Tanner. Buck admitted that pissed him off, he had been Chris's best friend for a long time and seen him through some of the worst moments of his life and then this long-haired Texas born, former US Marshal just waltzes in and takes his place in Chris's life. Hell more than that Chris thought Tanner was the best thing in his life since Sarah. In fact Buck had been having suspicions that his old friend and Tanner had become intimate. It would not have surprised Buck because he knew that Chris swung both ways and Tanner, well Tanner was just to pretty not to be at least bi. Of course he had no problems with gay men except when they might be setting up a friend of his.

So both ATF agents sat and listened as Pennington passed on all the other negative things he had heard about Tanner filling the men's ears with his nastiness. It wasn't until he saw the rest of Team 7 enter the bar that he left with a last warning to watch their backs.

JD, Josiah and Nathan sat down at the table laughing with each other. Buck and Ezra looked at each other wondering if they should pass on what Pennington had told them.

Just then JD turned to Buck and chuckled, "Didn't you think Vin's comment to Chris today was funny?"

Buck replied raising his eyebrow, "What comment did Tanner make that was so funny?"

Josiah and Nathan glanced at the ladies man in surprise. Buck's tone had sounded downright hateful and since when did a teammate go from being Vin to being Tanner in just a couple of hours.

JD missed the undercurrent as he answered, "When Chris asked him if the shot was going to be a hard one and he said it would be as easy as licking butter off a knife. The look on Chris's face was funny, he wasn't sure how to respond."

"Yes, Mr. Tanner seems to be full of it doesn't he," was Ezra's comment.

It was very apparent to everyone that Ezra did not mean his comment to be a compliment to the sharpshooter.

Now even JD knew something was up.

"What's got the two of you so upset?" Josiah demanded. He liked Vin Tanner, liked him a lot. The boy was one of the good ones in his book, never putting himself forward and doing all he could for those less fortunate. Yes Vin Tanner was a good decent young man.

Buck and Ezra then proceeded to fill the men in on what Pennington had said. Josiah and JD flat refused to believe anything that the FBI agent had said about Vin. Looking around they commented that if he was so sure of his information about Vin then why didn't he hang around to confront the sharpshooter.

"Probably didn't want to get a bullet in the head tomorrow," Buck snidely replied.

Even Ezra looked at Buck in shock. While he now didn't know if he could trust Vin he sure didn't think the man was capable of murdering a man just for talking.

Buck felt a smote of remorse and guilt assail him, but ruthlessly shoved it aside.

Nathan gently chided his friend, "Now I really don't think Vin would go and shoot someone for passing around lies about him, that's going a little far Buck."

Buck tossed the papers at his three friends and told them to check it out for themselves.

After reading the papers Josiah and JD still refused to believe anything bad about Vin. Nathan was quiet and admitted that seeing in writing how Vin had testified against his teammates made him uncomfortable but he was willing to let Vin speak for himself.

Just then Vin and Chris walked in, Chris had his arm flung around Vin's shoulders as they talked to each other. They looked like two good friends coming in for a beer, but Buck knew Chris's every look and movement.

Chris was in love, it shone in the green eyes that stared into Vin's blue ones. Chris kept everyone at arms length but he clearly was allowing Vin into his space. As Buck watched another man turned to quickly and brushed against Vin which earned him a green eyed glare as Chris put Vin in front of him a hand in the small of his back guiding him to the Team 7 table.

A very protective possessive move clearly letting everyone know that Tanner was not to be touched, Chris did it without even realizing he was doing it.

The two men sat down and immediately knew something was going on.

Nathan didn't think a bar was the place to have this conversation but Buck wasn't going to wait. The big man snatched the papers out of Nathan's hands and literally tossed them at Vin who barely caught them before they hit him in the face.

Chris glared at his friend and was about to let loose when a soft gasp from Vin made him turn his attention to his new lover.

As he glanced at the beautiful face Chris was again struck by the miracle that such a gorgeous young man wanted him. After all he wasn't a young guy anymore although he had to admit he was quite capable of keeping up with Vin in the bed department.

Chris then noticed that Vin had paled his face stricken.

Vin quietly said, "Where did you get these papers? They were supposed to be sealed."

Chris put his hand on Vin's shoulder and gently took the papers away from him and began to read.

"Sealed. Why is that Tanner? IA wants to protect their pet stooge? Are we your next target that why you're being buddies with all of us, playing up to Chris?" Buck sneered.

Vin swallowed he could see it happening and didn't know how to stop it. He was going to lose his newfound family due to circumstances that had always been out of his control.

"I'm not a stooge for IA, never have been. I had just been with the Marshall's for a few months when the investigation came out. I testified because it was the right thing to do, I knew very little about the whole thing but what I did know I let the court know about. Or maybe you would have just lied under oath is that it Buck?"

Buck smiled but it wasn't pleasant.

"Don't try to turn the tables on me Tanner. NO one likes IA, hell Ezra here was hounded by his own team and IA who thought he was on the take. And Chris...hell Chris and I had our own problems when we walked the beat; IA thought we were on the take. Of course they found out different but we went through hell with those assholes. Right Chris?" Buck asked.

Vin turned to Chris and felt his heart sink. The green eyes that once looked at him with love now were filled with doubt and misgivings.

Vin stood up and looked around the table.

"So all of you feel the same way? I can't be trusted is that it?"

Josiah and JD also stood up.

"I am on your side brother Vin. Doing the right thing is the most important action a person can take."

"That's right Josiah. We aren't above the law, we are the law," JD commented looking at his other teammates. He looked the longest at Buck a man he loved like a big brother, but right now he was disappointed in his big brother.

"I...I just have to think about this some more," Nathan said refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

Vin looked down at the bowed blond head, he whispered, "Chris what about you?"

Chris didn't look up as he softly said, "I need some time Vin, and this is a lot to take in. I trust you but I just need to absorb everything."

Vin felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces at that one little comment.

"Fine, I'll be leaving now," Vin, said striving for a calm steady voice, he had no way of knowing that his expressive eyes said it all. The fact that most of his teammates and his new lover, his soul mate didn't trust him was destroying him. All the walls that Chris had slowly taken down around Vin's fragile heart were now back as the young man sought to protect himself.

Josiah and JD walked out of the bar with Vin trying to comfort him as much as they could. Vin and Chris had come in their own vehicles so when the three men parted company in the parking lot Vin drove off towards the ranch that he had been slowly considering home. He figured that Buck and Ezra would fill Chris in on any other sordid details that the FBI agent had told them so he had time to pick up any of his belongings he had left at the ranch.

First he would run by Nettie Wells house and pick up her horse trailer. The woman he looked at like a mother was visiting her sister and her niece Casey was living in town with JD. They were engaged and planned on being married in a few months.

Getting the trailer Vin went to the Larabee ranch and tossed his few things in his bag then he loaded Peso up in the trailer. While Chris had said that he trusted him, Vin figured Buck's word would hold more weight than his and he didn't want any long emotional scenes. It was best for him to get his stuff while Chris was away, he never thought that Chris would believe him after all no one ever had in the past why should the blond be any different.

By the time Chris arrived home a couple of hours later Vin had been long gone. Chris had known the second he had entered the house that Vin was gone; the house looked like the sharpshooter had never spent the night or the weekend. It was devoid of that vibrant spirit and cold and dead like it had been after his family had died. Vin had filled the house with love and granted they had only made love a couple of times but Chris could see in his future Vin moving out to the ranch permanently and the two of them starting up their dream. A horse ranch that bred some of the best horseflesh around, but now that wasn't meant to be.

Chris didn't believe Vin was a stooge for IA. He knew that IA had its purpose and he hated dirty cops but they also ruined good cops reputations by their shark like behavior. What bothered Chris the most was the fact that Vin hadn't told him about it, that omission was what struck him through the heart. Vin had not trusted him with the truth unless like Buck suggested Vin had something to hide.

Chris went to the barn to feed the horses and wasn't surprised to find Peso gone. Vin would never leave that mangy nasty horse he loved it too much...probably much more than he had ever loved Chris.

With that depressing thought Chris went to bed. That morning they had planned on Vin spending the night, they weren't rushing their relationship hence the making love only twice. Neither man wanted their newfound love to be based solely on sex, they wanted it to last and be deeper than that.

Chris just wished that Vin had hung around so they could talk, he didn't want to lose the young man.

As Chris fell into a restless sleep all he could think of was that the whole evening had been one big fucking colossal joke...and he wasn't laughing.

For the next two months the team limped along putting on a good face for the rest of the ATF teams. When on the job they were all-professional and treated each other politely and respectfully.

Chris had gone from being upset about the whole situation to being pissed off, but he wasn't sure whom he was really pissed off at. Vin for not talking to him, for not trusting him enough with the truth and just leaving the ranch without trying to fix the whole thing, Pennington for bringing his venom to the teams attention or Buck for treating Vin like a pariah.

Buck and Ezra stayed away from Vin as much as possible and only spoke to him when they had to for the job. Nathan clearly didn't know what to do so he made sure that he was pleasant to everyone on the team not really wanting to take sides but making sure he was careful about what he said when he was around Vin.

Josiah and JD were clearly on Vin's side of the problem. The two men made sure to include Vin in their conversations and were unwavering in their support.

Chris and Vin were polite to each other; they didn't seek each other out or spend any time together outside of the office. The few times Chris had tried to approach Vin the young man had made excuses as to why he didn't have time to talk so Chris decided to wait for a bit.

If Chris had been thinking with his head instead of his heart he would have seen that Vin was just protecting himself from more heartbreak, figuring a quick split was easier on them both.

Vin had withdrawn into himself much like he had been when he had first started. The young man no longer went out with the team after work and only spoke when he had to.

The whole situation was clearly taking its toll on everyone, and then it just got worse.

Vin who was always on time, never late and stayed late a lot of nights suddenly changed. For two weeks he would be a little late into the office and he quit staying late at night.

Buck and Ezra of course were quite suspicious, but when they brought it up to the others they were told to mind their own damn business.

Josiah and JD were seen whispering to each other clearly not wanting the others to hear what they were saying.

Chris knew he should intervene but he didn't, he just hoped that it would all shake out in the end. Since his feelings were still all over the map he continued to wait to talk to Vin about the whole thing, he didn't want to say something wrong and push the young man further away from him. When things calmed down he would invite Vin out to the ranch and they would talk, clear the air, he just prayed it would be enough to win Vin back to his side.

It was the worst thing he could have done because to Vin it meant that Chris believed all the bad things that had been said about him.

Then came the day that Chris told everyone that they were going to need to stay late to finish up some paperwork. Vin had slightly paled, glanced nervously at Josiah and JD and then sighed deeply.

"What is it Tanner? Got a hot date?" Buck asked then he laughed knowing full well that Vin didn't have a date, he had seen the looks the young man had sent Chris when he thought no one was looking. Tanner was still stuck on Larabee.

Vin blushed and then straightened his shoulders as he replied, "No I don't but I do have an appointment that I need to get to. How about if I come in early tomorrow and work on them?"

Chris felt a spurt of anger and suspicion. What appointment did Vin have to go to? Was Buck right did Vin have a hot date?

JD then piped up and announced that he was all done with his reports so could he leave on time.

Chris absentmindedly told him yes as he still glared at Vin.

Vin glanced at JD who smiled at him. Clearly it was a silent communication because Vin relaxed and told his boss that never mind he could stay.

Chris felt his heart clench that type of communication was one that he had shared with Vin until all this mess had occurred.

Buck didn't like it, what had Tanner pulled his young friend into, well he would just have to investigate this. No way would he allow JD to be hurt by anything Tanner was into.

Vin finished his reports in record time and took them into Chris. The blond glanced over them and just said thanks.

Vin hesitated at the doorway and looked back at Chris. He had come to a decision and he needed to let the blond know about it.

"Just wanted to let you know Chris, that I've had a couple of job offers from other teams and one from the Marshals based in Texas. I'm thinking them all over and will probably accept one. I just wanted...just wanted to let you know before you heard it from anyone else," Vin softly said then he was gone before Chris could say anything.

Buck had overheard what Vin said and was thrilled; he went into Chris's office and found his friend sitting slumped in his chair staring at the desk.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish. It'll be more pleasant around here without the stooge around," he loudly said.

Suddenly Buck found himself slammed into the door by a very pissed off Josiah. Nathan and Ezra were standing up not sure what to do.

Josiah grabbed an astonished Buck by the front of his shirt and hissed, "You don't fucking know shit about that boy or what he's going through. You can't see past your jealousy of him. Yes, Buck jealous. You hate the fact that Vin got so close to Chris...oh don't look so surprised we all figured out they had become real close and we all rejoiced in their happiness. Then because some FBI agent with an ax to grind against Vin filled your head with lies you took them and ran. Did you ever think to check his information out...well JD and I did for Vin's sake. We believed him from the beginning, he is our teammate and deserving of our trust and loyalty. You and Ezra have treated him like shit for to fucking damn long. Vin told us not to confront the two of you, hoping it would blow over but now that boy is going to leave because of the two of you. Vin is innocent of any wrongdoing."

Chris stood up and ordered everyone into the meeting room.

Buck and Ezra sat on one side of the table, Josiah and Nathan on the other side with Chris at the head of the table. Chris noticed the look on Nathan's face and figured that Josiah must have filled the man in on what they had found out because Nathan had been treating Vin like he had before Pennington spewed his lies.

"Okay, Josiah tell us everything you know," Chris, ordered.

Buck glared at the profiler there was no fucking way Vin Tanner was innocent but Ezra had a bad feeling in his gut and his gut was seldom wrong.

"Vin had only been with the Marshals for a few months just like he said. He was not with IA and was only asked to testify on the few things he had seen which wasn't much. After all he was the new guy and wasn't fully incorporated into the team yet, so the dirty cops were very careful around him. The IA man is Lonny Wilson, he was shot two weeks ago here in Denver, and he had come to warn Vin personally. It seems he had been getting hate mail concerning the case and Vin was mentioned in the letters."

Chris spoke up, "I remember hearing that a former US Marshall was shot, and he had his kids with him didn't he?"

"Yes he did, his wife passed away a year ago so he is raising five-year old Angie and three year old Cameron by himself. He has been in the hospital since the shooting in ICU in a coma but thankfully the doctors think he will come out of it..."

Buck interrupted Josiah snarling, " This is all real special but what the fuck does all this have to do with the fact that Tanner lied to us and is sneaking around, a man who has nothing to hide doesn't sneak."

Josiah smiled and replied, "Vin never lied. Why on earth should that boy bring up something that happened before he was ever on this team? Have you told us everything in your past Buck? The only thing that should matter is the here and now. Vin has been nothing but a loyal and honest friend, a good staunch teammate; he would sacrifice himself for any of us. In Chris I think he found someone he could spend his life with and because you believed Pennington all that is gone. As far as sneaking around who do you think has been taking care of Lonny Wilson's kids?"

Nathan piped up, "Vin has, we've been helping all we could but the kids really only trust Vin and JD probably because they are younger and not as imposing as Josiah and I. That is why Vin has been late and then not staying at night, he wanted to be there for the kids. One of Nettie's friends is staying with them during the day but she needs to be home by six o'clock for her husband. Lonny rented a small house for his family; he decided to remain in the area for a while. Seems he and Vin was teaming up to figure out who was threatening them. I told Vin that he needed to let us help, he didn't want to but there were two kids to consider. He flat refused to mention it to the three of you. Said that if you couldn't trust him over a man who wasn't a friend or a teammate then he didn't want your help."

Josiah then spoke up again, "What we found out and have passed on to the FBI is the fact that Pennington's half brother was one of the men that was sent to prison due to the IA's investigation. The brother was killed in a prison fight about three months ago. It was then that the letters started being sent to Lonny and it also was right after that when Pennington approached the two of you and turned you against Vin."

Josiah and Nathan stood up; Josiah tossed some papers on the table.

"Here is all the evidence we have proving everything we just said. Vin has no idea that we were going to tell you anything; he was just going to leave, go somewhere he could be appreciated. Brothers I think you have a lot to think about."

Josiah and Nathan left the room to finish their reports.

For the next half hour the three men looked over the papers, there was no doubt that Vin was innocent of everything that Pennington had said. Hell even if he had been IA according to the papers the men who had been sent to prison were scum.

The three men were devastated.

Ezra was appalled that he had allowed himself to listen to and then participate in the gossip and hurtful comments to and about Vin. Vin had treated him with nothing but respect since he had joined the team. Ezra realized he had treated Vin just the way he had been treated by the FBI when he had been accused of wrongdoing.

Buck cursed under his breath, shoved his chair back and stalked over to the window. Placing his hands on the glass he wondered how in the hell he had become something he hated. He had grown up with the other kids calling him names; he had been ostracized because of what his mother did for a living. He had sworn that he would never treat anyone like that yet he had, he had treated Vin like he wasn't worthy of being around decent people treated the young man so badly that he was willing to throw it all away and leave the team.

And why had he done it, Josiah had hit the nail on the head. He was jealous of Vin Tanner. Chris seldom let anyone get close to him, but Vin had done it without any effort at all. So the guy was quiet, was that a reason to distrust him...hell no...only if you're a narrow-minded son of a bitch.

Buck was totally disgusted with himself, this whole mess was of his making, he could have shut Pennington down but he had refused to do it.

Buck turned to look at Chris and he realized that not only had he ruined Vin's life but also he had ruined Chris's.

Chris sat very still just staring at the papers on the table. He wanted to be mad at Buck, wanted to blame his old friend for the whole sordid mess but that wouldn't be fair. Chris was an adult and he had a voice he had just chosen to keep quiet. Now that he really looked at his behavior he realized that Vin probably thought he didn't care, this was one instance that he should have stepped forward and taken control of the situation.

Chris stood up, and pinned Buck and Ezra with a look.

"I am going to find Vin and if I have to I am going to get on my knees and beg his forgiveness. Then if I am very lucky he will forgive me and I will get his friendship back anymore than that...well, I'll have to see if Vin thinks he can rely on me to take care of his heart again."

Buck and Ezra were right behind him.

"We will accompany you to Mr. Tanners. I to will throw myself on his mercy and hope that he can forgive me," Ezra said his green eyes filled with remorse.

"Yeah, Chris this is all my fault and I hope Vin will see fit to accept my apology. I want to apologize to you for disrupting the team the way I have and for taking Vin out of your life. He was making a difference in your life and I fucked that up," Buck said the arrogant snide man that had been around for so many weeks long gone.

As the three men left the meeting room they found Nathan and Josiah getting ready to leave.

Buck and Ezra apologized for the trouble they had been causing. Chris just nodded his head at the two men, thankful that at least part of his team saw things the way they really were.

"We would like to go see Vin, we have some apologies to make," Chris said.

Nathan and Josiah smiled in relief, they told their teammates to follow them they were on they to the house that Vin was staying at with the kids, the house that Lonny had rented.

The team drove about thirty minutes to a middle class neighborhood where they pulled up in front of a small ranch style house. Just then a shot rang out and as the team bailed out of their automobiles the small house erupted in flames.

Ezra immediately got on the phone to call 911. The other four men ran for the house that was engulfed in flames.

FIRE!!!!

The word scared them all but especially Chris who lost his wife and son to a fire and to Buck who saw what their loss did to his best friend.

Chris was terrified; he couldn't lose Vin...he just couldn't.

Just then JD came dashing out of the house a little black girl in his arms. JD stumbled into Nathan who grabbed his arm and helped them to sit down on the curb.

JD managed to gasp that Cameron and Vin were still in the house...so was Pennington. Pennington had shot Vin in the shoulder and they were struggling when an explosive the FBI agent had brought with him went off causing the explosion and resulting fire.

Josiah, Chris, and Buck barreled through the front door. A terrified little boy grabbed Chris's leg with both hands. Chris leaned down and picked him up, he paused...he couldn't leave without Vin.

Buck yelled at him to get out he would get Vin. Chris was torn but he knew he had to get the child to safety. Knowing that it would take to long to pry the little boy off his neck and every second was important Chris ran out of the house, he had every intention of going back in.

Josiah let out a scream of rage as he saw Pennington straddling Vin's waist, flames surrounding them as the older and bigger man choked the sharpshooter.

Josiah dove at the agent knocking him off Vin who had stopped struggling and wasn't moving at all.

Buck felt his heart in his throat, was Vin dead, if the young sharpshooter was dead it was his fault...and God Chris wouldn't recover from this loss.

Buck reached down hauled Vin up in his arms and rushed out of the house holding the limp body in his arms like he would a child, he screamed at Josiah to get out of the house as he dove through the door.

Buck laid Vin down on the lawn, Chris was suddenly there reaching out for the silent man, and Nathan threw himself down on the other side of Vin.

Ezra ran by them towards the house just as Josiah appeared in the doorway an unconscious Pennington over his shoulder.

While Ezra and Josiah took care of the corrupt agent, JD took care of the kids who were crying and clinging to him.

Nathan felt for a pulse and hissed as he began heart compressions.

Chris immediately put his lips over Vin's to breathe for the young man. Buck sat back scared to death and then he began praying to God to take his life and spare Vin's.

Continues in
When Trust Isn't Enough Part II

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