Disclaimer: The usual, I don't have any rights and don't mean any infringement. But we all know they could nail us if they wanted.

Acknowledgements: This is for Jazz, as a late celebration for her birthday. I had hoped to get it done earlier, but I didn't, and no one should be shocked about that.

Pairing: Chris and Vin are in a committed relationship. There is no sex in this, just a little cuddling.

Warning: This story contains indications of violence toward children. It is not graphic. Character death, but none of the regular characters.

Musical Notes: The title is taken from Michael Jackson's song, The Lost Children. (note: I chose it before his death, but it fit too well to change it when the hoopla began). Vin's ringtone comes from the song of the same name, written by Patsy and Ed Bruce and made popular by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, et al

"Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys..."

With a frown, Vin Tanner reached for his cell phone, glancing at the nearby clock out of habit. What was Chris calling for so early... "shit." It registered with him that it was eleven-thirty. No wonder Larabee was calling, he had promised to be home by ten. Flipping the phone open he said quickly, "Hey, sorry. I was workin' on the flyer for the game - "

"And didn't realize that you stood me up... again." There was no heat in the caller's tone, but Vin could hear the disappointment.

"Chris, I'm sorry."

"Mm hm. I've heard that before."

Vin felt even more guilty. He and some of the others who volunteered at the Purgatorio Youth Center had been putting in a lot of time preparing for the fund-raising game that would take place in two weeks. Local celebrities and other well-known public figures from the Denver area were going to play basketball against members of the staff as well as some of the older teens who came to the Center on a regular basis. "I promise, soon as the game's over I'll make it up to you."

"Have you eaten?" Chris asked, ignoring the meaning behind the other man's words, for both their sake.

"Uh... hit the vending machine around six." He grimaced at the sigh from the other end of the call. "I promise, I'll eat healthy - "

"After the game. Yeah, I know."

"Guess I'm a little fixated, huh? But, if it all goes well -"

"PYC stands to make a good chunk of money."

"Ever get tired of finishin' my sentences?"

Chris chuckled, then, "No more than I get tired of having a partner who cares so passionately about something. I just wish you'd either take better care of yourself, or let me take better care of you."

In a husky voice the younger man growled, "reckon you can take care of me all ya want - "

"After the game. Simmer, Tanner, or you'll never get that flyer finished."

"Or, it might just get me to finish it a helluva lot quicker than I might have."

"Yeah, well..." Chris sighed again. "Never mind. Look, if you get too tired to drive, do me a favor and stay in town. I'll bring you a change of clothes when I come in, in the morning." It would be the weekend, but he and the others had promised to help paint the Center's gym the next day.

"Okay..." he paused and then added, "thanks for understandin'. Must be why I love you so much."

"Shut up, Tanner." Although he tried to sound exasperated, there was care and compassion in his voice.

Disconnecting the call, Vin went back to work on the flyer. He had been putting in quite a few hours in on it over the last few evenings, but he wanted it as perfect as he could get it before it was copied and posted over the weekend.

He had been working for nearly half an hour after the call, when he heard a noise behind him. Turning, he automatically reached for the gun he didn't have with him. He never brought his Sig Saur into the center; locking it in his glove compartment/gun safe instead. The others often joked that the safe was the most expensive part of his old, battered Jeep. As he registered what he was doing, he dropped his hand; at the same time recognizing his unscheduled 'visitor'. "Hey, Marc, what's up?"

Marcus Lidster, probably the oldest teen that came to PYC on a regular basis, looked nervous. One hand was stuffed in his jacket pocket, while the other tapped a nervous rhythm against his thigh. "Vin, I need your help, man."

"What's wrong?" Tanner stood, starting toward the young man.

"I... there's a problem outside, can you come?"

"Dragons startin' problems again?"

"Look! Can you just come out here?"

Frowning at the impatient tone, Tanner asked, "What's up? What's got you spooked?"

"Vin, please!"

The younger man turned and hurried away, heading for the nearest exit. As Vin followed him, that part of his mind that never stopped being in law enforcement registered that this was also the exit that opened on the alley. Most of the time they kept it locked and chained shut, but they had needed the access for some of the deliveries for the game earlier that evening. Vin mentally kicked himself for forgetting to relock it. "Hey, why don't we go out the front way?"

"No time, man, no time!" Marcus all but yelled.

Vin felt uneasy; there was a tension in Marcus that he'd only seen once before. When the teen had first started coming to PYC to get away from the street gangs. He had been tense and nervous all of the time, unable to hide the fear of being attacked by his former 'family'. The defections had been happening more and more over the last four years, since Eddie and Frankie Maretti had taken over the Dragons. Always the worst gang in the Purgatorio district, the Marettis' had turned the Dragons rabid. Responsible for everything from extortion and theft to rape and murder, the gang had become a powerful force in Denver's underworld. Leaving them took someone strong enough to withstand the verbal and physical abuse that followed. Only when the Dragons grew bored or their victim returned to their 'family' did the danger subside. Marcus had shown great courage in waiting out the Dragons wrath. But something had definitely changed, and not for the better.

"Marcus, tell me what's going on, now." Tanner said firmly, stopping several feet from the door.

"I told you, damn it! I need your help!"

"I'm not moving another step until you tell me what's going on, son." Vin kept his voice low and even so the other man's agitation didn't grow.

"I am not your son, you motherfucker! Now, I need you to get out there, now! I thought you were tough, but I guess you ain't shit!" As he continued the tirade, Marcus pulled his hand out of his pocket, bringing a snub nose revolver to bear as he did.

Hands moving out and away from his body as he tried to look as non-threatening as possible, Vin said, "Marcus, think about this. You don't want to hurt me, man. You don't want to hurt anyone. That's why you left the Dragons, right?"

"Shut up!" He waved the gun threateningly. Motioning toward the door, he said, "Get out there, now!"

"Take it easy - "

"SHUT UP!"

Realizing that he had no chance of reasoning with the wild eyed young man, Vin simply nodded. Hands still away from his body, he moved cautiously toward the door. Sidestepping Lidster, he moved out into the dark alley. As soon as he did his senses went on red alert. He couldn't see them, but he could detect at least half a dozen people, at least, lurking nearby. Turning his attention back to the former gang member who was now framed in the doorway, he asked in a deceptively even tone, "What's going on? How did I get to be the honored guest at this reception?"

"You and those other do-gooders are gonna get the fuck outta here and leave Purgatorio to them who own it." This voice sounded older and angrier. Vin drew on a memory from the first week he had volunteered at the Center.

"You Eddie or Frankie? Not that it makes a lot of difference, as inbred as your whole family is." He knew he was taking a big risk, but knew that the only way to stand up to the Dragons was to stand up to the leaders. "Wait, is it Eddie that's too stupid to put together a sentence, or is that Frankie?"

Tanner grunted as something thick and heavy hit him across the back of the knees. Unable to stop himself, he dropped to the ground, the pain shooting through his legs. Before he could even begin to recover, he felt a second blow across his shoulder blades. The force of the blow sent him forward, leaving him on hands and knees.

"That's how a smart mouth, mother-fuckin' bastard should be... on hands and knees in front of us." Eddie Maretti laughed. It was an ugly sound that he followed up by spitting at the felled man.

Vin knew that the next few minutes could very well mean his death. Without looking up, he raised his voice and asked, "I wanna know one thing, Marcus. Why?"

"Why? Why!?" Maretti taunted. "You wanna know why that puta sold your sorry ass out? This is why."

Vin heard two very young voices, crying out at the same time, "STOP!" He managed to locate the voices and recognized Marcus' six-year-old, twin siblings, Michael and Michaela. Rising in anger now, he shouted, "Let them go! Let them alone, you crazy ass bastards!"

"Vin, stop! I'm sorry! Just... stop!" This was Marcus, his voice tearful.

"Shut up!" growled in an anonymous voice.

"Umph!" Marcus grunted as he, too, was struck. Michael and Michaela, or as those at the Center called them, M and M, screamed. There was the sound of struggling as they tried to get away from those who held them.

"Let him alone! You want me, you got me. Marcus did his job. Let him and the kids go." As he spoke, Tanner managed to get back to his feet. Standing straight and tall, he held out his arms as if he had been nailed to a cross. "You do what you want to me, but I see them walk outta this alley."

Laughter echoed through the alley. It was a long moment before things were quiet enough, then Maretti spoke again. "You got nothin' to bargain with, fucker. We got you... got Marcus... we got them punk ass brats. We do what we wanna do... you got nothin' to say 'bout it. We gonna send a message to them other punk ass do-gooders. They need to get the fuck outta our backyard and stop tryin' to take over our family."

Vin was grabbed from behind and quickly found himself held tightly by both arms. Two pairs of hands wrapped themselves around his ankles, effectively pinning him in place. He watched as Frankie Maretti appeared before him. The younger man was easily six inches taller than he was, and had at least 100 pounds on him. He barely refrained from crying out as the first blow landed.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

The rising sun found Chris Larabee pulling into the parking lot of the Purgatorio Youth Center. The others weren't due to arrive for another four hours, but he wanted to see Vin... alone... without any interruptions. Climbing out of the Ram, he retrieved a gym bag and a take out bag. He had promised Vin a change of clothes, and he was going to surprise him with breakfast.

Approaching the side door, he shifted everything to one arm and reached out with the other to knock loudly on the metal. Waiting nearly a minute and getting no response, he knocked again. After the third try, he decided that Vin wasn't near enough to hear him. Thinking for a minute, he deciphered where the office that the volunteers used was and decided that the back door would be the best place to get Tanner's attention.

He had tried the other man's cell earlier, but it had gone straight to voice mail. From experience he decided that this meant either than Tanner had turned his phone off or the battery had lost its charge. Both were equally likely.

Jogging across the asphalt parking lot, he turned the corner of the building that butted up against the alley. He had traveled several long strides before the scene in front of him registered.

"VIN!"

Tanner was slumped in the middle of the alley, near another body. Dropping his bundles, Chris sped toward the two figures, although his mind only registered one. "Vin!"

The being that turned toward him was barely recognizable; features grotesquely swollen. The bloodied creature cradled a deformed left arm against his chest. His left knee was already beginning to swell, flesh tight against his jeans. And, as if from the center of Tanner's soul erupted a tortured sob.

"Ch... risssssssssss..."

Dropping to his knees beside his partner, Larabee fought the urge to wrap his arms around the other man, knowing that he would only make the wounds worse. "Jesus, what happened?"

"Th-they... shot... 'im. Help... help... him... 'ris... pleassssse."

For the first time, Larabee registered the fact that there was a third person in the alley. He looked down to see a too young, young man lying there, chest laid open from a horrible wound; eyes staring upward blankly. His training told him that it was something heavy, probably a shotgun. He knew immediately that there was no help for him, the man was dead. "Vin, he's gone."

"No! I... I was talkin' to him... while ago..." Tanner slumped forward, landing against Larabee.

Gathering the injured man in one arm, he retrieved his cell and dialed emergency services. When the call was answered he said curtly, "This is ATF Special Agent Larabee, I need an ambulance at the Purgatorio Youth Center," he gave the address and the cross street, adding, "We're in the alley. I also need homicide, there's been a murder."

As they waited for help, Chris, gently stroked Vin's right arm - one of the few places on the man that didn't seem to be injured. "Hang on, Pard, you're gonna be fine."

Pillowed against Larabee's chest, Vin knew there was something he needed to tell him, but he couldn't remember what it was. Then, as the comfort of being in those strong arms soothed him, he drifted into unconsciousness.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Chris strode through the hospital doors, looking like something out of a movie. He was all golden-blond hair and clothed in black. More than one woman, no matter her age, turned to observe him as he walked briskly by.

Oblivious to the effect his presence was having on the women around him, Larabee moved toward the admittance desk. As he approached, he marginally noted the mixture of interest and fear in the young woman behind the desk. Consciously "dialing it down a notch" as Buck had chided him with for years, he said, "Excuse me, I'm looking for a patient. Vin Tanner? He would have come in about two hours ago." When she hesitated, he added, "I'm Chris Larabee, I'm on record as emergency contact."

"Tanner..." the receptionist scanned her computer. "Yeah, he's still in process... getting tests and x-rays... but it looks as if they'll be admitting him. If you'd like to go to the waiting area, we'll let you know when he's ready for company."

"Thanks." Larabee smiled, although he wanted to laugh. He probably knew the procedure better than this woman, who looked as if she was barely out of high school. With his accident prone team, they had been here far too often.

Finding a comfortable spot, away from the groups of families scattered around the large, open room, he settled in a chair and took out his cell. Hitting number 2 on speed dial, he waited through three rings before he got an answer.

"H'lo?"

Shaking his head at his oldest friends rather groggy response, Larabee responded with, "Wake you?"

"'Ey... what time's it?"

"Late enough for your scroungy ass to be out of bed. We've got an incident.'

Immediately Wilmington's tone changed. "What's up?"

"Not quite sure. I'm at the hospital right now... Vin was beaten pretty severely at some point after midnight... I didn't find him until a couple hours ago. There was another man... not more than a kid... in the alley with him. He was dead."

"Vin?"

"No, he didn't have his piece with him and the kid's wound looked bigger than his sig would make. Plus there weren't any signs that the kid was fighting Vin, and you know what he's like in a fight."

"Yeah, like a cornered wild cat."

"DPD homicide is working at the site right now. I'm going to stay here until Vin's in his room... maybe longer. Can you - "

In complete Agent Mode now, Buck said, "I'll get hold of Clancy," he referred to the Youth Center's manager, "I'll get hold of the others, too, and let them know what's going on. You take care of things with Junior. Call if you need anything, okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Stud." Disconnecting the phone, he turned then to his laptop. Experience had taught him that he could be here for a while, even though the medical staff had already been with his partner. He might as well get some work done while he waited.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

"Chris?"

Larabee looked up from his monitor to find a familiar person coming toward him. "Hey, Susan."

"Hey, yourself. I thought you guys had been transferred to the East Coast... we haven't seen you in over three months!"

Managing a smile, Chris joked, "We were on vacation. How's Vin?"

Chuckling at the quip, Susan said, "They're just settling him in his room now. Room 4010. The doctor said he'll meet you there." Pausing, she saw the concerned look and added, "It's not as bad as it looked."

"Thanks." Snapping his laptop closed and picking up his coat, Larabee nodded and left the area.

A few minutes later, he was on the forth floor, speaking to doctor Frank Gerry, who was well acquainted with the members of "The Magnificent Seven", as they were known, since one or more of the team showed up in his ER far more often than the hospitalist would hope.

"He should be able to go home day after tomorrow, as long as he doesn't develop any complications. He's got a moderate concussion."

"What else?" Larabee asked with only a hint of irritation. He wanted nothing more than to get into the room to see his partner.

"He has a fractured wrist, three cracked ribs, and a badly twisted knee." Gerry knew that it was best to skip the medical details and cut to the chase with this man. "He'll need to take it as easy as you can convince him to be. We'll be putting a soft cast on his knee as soon as the swelling goes down and he should use a cane for the next week or so. We'll cast the wrist tomorrow and, of course, he just needs to be careful of the ribs."

Nodding as he took in the information, Chris said, "I'll keep him down, if I have to sit on him. Is he awake?"

"In and out. You can stay with him if you want. I'm sure he'd respond better... and stay put."

Grinning as he moved toward the door, Larabee said, "That's why you don't mind us staying around, isn't it? We do a better job at corralling your patient... and you don't have as many nurses ready to quit."

"You caught me," the doctor returned the smile as they parted and he headed off to make rounds.

Inside the hospital room, Chris found Vin in the slightly elevated bed, eyes closed. One leg was propped up on a pillow with ice packs surrounding the knee. His wrist was also supported by a pillow and ice packs to bring down the swelling. Stopping at the head of the bed, he looked down, surprised to find a pair of glassy, unfocused, blue eyes now staring back at him.

"Hey." Tanner's voice was raspy. "'M I inna hospital?"

"Yeah."

"Why? I... oh hell..." he grimaced as he tried to move.

"Might want to lay still."

"Thanks..." he drifted off, eyes closing again as he slipped back into unconsciousness.

With a sigh, Chris moved to the somewhat comfortable chair nearby and stretched out, prepared to wait until his partner woke again.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

"Come on, grumpy, take another bite." Chris was trying to coax the injured and barely conscious Tanner to eat. He couldn't blame the man, he was on a soft diet until the next day and it wasn't exactly appetizing.

"Want me to hold his nose?"

Not needing to turn to identify their visitor, Chris greeted Buck with, "might be a good idea. Can't keep him awake long enough to eat more than a bite or two every few minutes." Turning finally to regard his friend, he asked, "any news?"

Taking up residence on the window ledge so they could converse more easily, Wilmington reported, "Looks gang related; the Dragons. The kid that... was in the alley with Vin, was a former member."

"He was one of the kids that Vin and the others got out of the gang?"

"Yeah, a couple of years ago. Clancy ID'd him, name was Marcus Lidster. They're trying to locate his mother, but aren't getting any response at their apartment and nobody knows where she works."

"Is there anyone else?"

Shrugging, Buck responded, "Twin sibs... uh... Michael and Michaela," He drew the names from his memory.

"M an' M..." Vin mumbled, struggling to bring himself fully conscious.

"Yeah, I remember meeting them one day when I came by last summer. A lot younger than this kid last night," Chris mused.

"Gotta... bastards got 'em... Chris... gotta... get 'em..." Vin's tone was one of concern, but he slipped back into unconsciousness before he could finish his thought.

Frowning has he studied the younger man's words, Chris turned toward the tall brunet. "Buck, it sounds like the Dragons might have the Lidster kids. Let DPD know and check with Clancy to see if he knows where they'd be."

Already on the move, Wilmington said, "You got it, boss."

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Chris stood at the window, gazing out over the city, lit by the afternoon sun. He hated the disconnected feeling he got sitting in the hospital. There were noises, but they were muffled by the closed door just as distance and the closed window kept the noises of the outside world at nothing more than whispers. The TV seemed to do nothing more than to accentuate that disconnected feeling, so he didn't even turn it on.

Vin had been in and out all day. At times he seemed fine, although he had no recollection of the incident that landed him, once again, in a hospital bed. At other times he seemed to be trapped in those very memories; growling at the imagined threats of the Dragons. Between times he slept so deeply that Chris worried that something had happened to him. But then he would snort and jerk, or sigh and twitch, before slipping back into the deep sleep.

Larabee's cell rang, Buck had called almost hourly to give him updates. Connecting to the call, he said quietly, "Hey. Anything new?"

"Yeah. DPD located Marcus' mother. She works as a housekeeper just outside LoDo. She worked a double yesterday, caught about three hours sleep, and left for work at five. She assumed the kids were in their rooms, asleep. Marcus took care of them most of the time, poor woman works 80 hours a week to keep them in a damn roach motel like Vin used to -"

"Buck, I feel for her and I know you do, too. But right now, we've got two kids to find."

"Sorry. She couldn't tell us much. Layne, that's her name, she pretty much fell apart when they notified her that Marcus was dead, and the little ones are missing. Poor woman's blaming herself, when she ought to be - "

"Buck. Focus."

"Yeah. Ezra's got his snitches out in droves, Josiah's canvassing his flock, JD's hanging out at the center, and Nathan's keeping tabs on all the ERs, just in case..." he didn't finish that sentence.

"Good. Has Clancy come up with anything more?" He moved toward the bed as Vin made sounds of waking. Reaching out he touched the other man's shoulder and squeezed gently, letting him know he wasn't alone.

"Not really. He's been talking to some of the kids, trying to see if any of them might have a lead on where the twins are."

"He needs to be careful..."

With a chuckle, Buck reminded him, "Clancy's been working with these kids for almost thirty years in one way or another. I'd imagine he knows how to handle 'em."

"Yeah, guess you're right. Not certain what I was thinking." They all knew how much of his adult life Clancy Gray had dedicated to kids like those who came to PYC. He had been a beat cop, then a social worker and, in the interim, he had become involved with the center and, eventually, ended up running it. Buck's voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"Don't think you're doin' much more than worryin' over Vin. You know he's gonna need you more than ever when he comes around and... things... come back to him."

Larabee heaved a soul-deep sigh. "I know. Wish there was some way to spare him."

"Spare 'im... what?"

Chris looked down to see that Vin was looking up at him, truly looking at him, with a puzzled expression on his face. Giving his partner a smile, he said into the phone, "Vin's awake."

"Okay, I'll call you in a while, when we have more news."

"Thanks, Buck." Closing the phone and shoving it back into his pocket, he perched on the edge of the hospital bed. Turning all of his attention toward the man he'd invited completely into his life just over a year ago, he asked, "how are you feeling?"

"Like I've been trampled by a herd of Pesos'."

Smiling, Larabee retorted, "That bad, huh?"

Not willing to wait any longer, the younger man said, "What're you wantin' to spare me?"

"How do you know it's you?" Larabee tried to deflect the conversation.

"'Cause I know you. Spill, it, what's goin' on?"

"What do you remember last? Before you woke up in the hospital."

"Chris..."

"I'm just trying to decide how much to fill in."

Frowning, Tanner tried to gather his scattered thoughts. It was nearly a minute before he spoke again. When he did, it was in a hollow tone. "Dragons. Wantin' to get us out of their territory. Dragged Marcus back into it... forced him to lure me out into the alley. M & M were out there.... Cryin'... tried to talk some sense into those morons, the Marettis'. Then... I... the rest is a blur."

Inwardly cringing at the fearful expression on the other man's face, and realizing that Vin no longer remembered that he had been the one to let them know that the children had been kidnapped, Larabee said in a gentle but firm tone, "We're not certain what happened after that, either. But what we do know is... Marcus was murdered, and his sibs were taken away by the Dragons."

"Oh... God..."

Leaning forward and cupping the man's chin with one hand, Chris said in his best Supervising Agent voice, "Listen to me. This. Is. Not. Your. Fault. None of it. You were trying to help those kids. This is on those punk bastards who killed Marcus, kidnapped those kids, and attacked you. Do you understand me, Tanner?"

Struggling with his emotions, Vin managed to nod, even as the first tears began to fall. Beside him, Chris felt his pain, and hurt for him as well. But the only thing he could do was comfort his partner while he dealt with the fall out of the last day. Larabee hadn't felt so helpless in a very long time.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

The night seemed to drag on forever. He watched as Vin thrashed through nightmares that he assumed dealt with effects of the trauma. From time to time he found himself sitting on the edge of the other man's bed, stroking his fingers through sweat soaked hair. He whispered words meant to soothe, encouraging his partner to relax and sleep. Sometimes Vin did just that but, other times, he only became more agitated, struggling to pull away from that comforting touch as if it was meant to harm.

Just as the sun rose, he found himself being scrutinized by a pair of red rimmed, blue eyes. "You awake this time?"

"Yeah."

Leaning forward, he reached out and touched Tanner's hand, which was knotted in the bedding. "Relax, Vin."

"Relax? Relax?! How the hell am I supposed to relax, when those bastards have Michael and Michaela? I'm awake, Chris, and I wanna get out of here."

"Vin - "

"Don't tell me I cain't. I can and I'm goin' to. Damn it, Larabee, I'm not gonna just lay here while those kids are missin'." Tanner's strong accent said clearly that he was angry.

"I'm not, okay? Just shut up and listen. The doctor said that, as soon as you're able to stay awake and appear lucid, you can leave. So, stop getting yourself riled up, and let's do this smart instead of bull headed."

"But I need to get out there..."

"Everyone is already out there, looking for the kids. Do you honestly think that you're going to be able to do what the rest of the team and Denver's finest can't? You're good, Vin, but not that good." He knew the words were harsh, but also knew that there was no other way to get through to Tanner right now.

The injured man collapsed back against the bed. "You're right."

"Yeah, I am. Thanks for noticing. Now, let's see if we can get some breakfast down you, and hope that it's enough for the doctor to let you out of here... under my watchful eye."

"Ain't an invalid." Tanner groused.

"Never said you were, pard, but right now my priority is making certain you get healthy. Now, let's look through the menu- "

"Ain't your... project, either."

"Fine!" Chris threw up his hands in frustration. "If you're trying to pick a fight, have at it. Damn it, you thick-headed Texan, don't you think I understand what's going on here? You're upset, I get that. You're concerned... hell, you're scared for those kids... I get that, too. But what you don't seem to get here is that everything that can be done is being done. Are you so arrogant that you think that you're the only one who can save them?"

As soon as the final syllable was out of his mouth, Larabee regretted the harsh words. He grimaced as he saw Vin's face pale even more that it already was, while his blue eyes darkened with pain and anger. Shoulders slumping, Chris dropped to the chair beside Tanner's bed. Scrubbing a hand roughly over his tired face, he said softly, "I'm sorry. Damn it, I didn't mean it."

"Then why'd ya say it?" Vin growled.

"Because I know how you are and I don't want you to go through the hell you put yourself through when you take on the responsibility for something that isn't yours to take. Especially when it involves kids."

"So what? Ya don't want me to be worried that M and M, two defenseless little kids, could be hurt or... or..."

Moving closer and then perching on the edge of the bed beside the injured man, Chris risked losing a hand as he reached out and squeezed Vin's shoulder. "No, I don't expect you to not worry about them. I'm not that callous. All I want is for you to trust that the others are out there right now, doing everything they can to bring Michael and Michaela home safe."

Whether it was the soft voice or the words he spoke, something caused a crack in the dam, and tears tumbled down Taner's face. After several false starts, he managed to choke out, "I know... I trust 'em... but... damn it!"

Pulling his partner into his arms, Chris held him close, making gentle strokes over the man's sweat soaked back. He softly crooned words meant to comfort, while Tanner slowly melted against him as his pain spilled forth.

"Chris?"

Sensing that the other man had drifted off into a light sleep, Larabee eased him back onto the mattress. Tanner's eyes opened, but blinked and closed when he saw that Chris was still there. Making certain the injured man was settled; he edged off the bed and padded across the small room to where Buck stood in the doorway. "What's the news?"

Heaving a deep sigh, Wilmington said softly, "Not good."

"Tell me."

"We found the kids..." his voice trembled with emotion as he continued. "They're both... gone, Chris."

"Son of a bitch!" Larabee hissed.

Shaking his head, Buck continued. "God didn't have a damn thing to do with this. Michael, he was already gone. They beat the hell out of him. Michaela, she was still alive. Poor thing lived long enough to give us a statement... she named the Marettis' and a few more of those fucking bastards as the ones that... that killed both those babies. DPD's out lookin' for them now. So are the boys. We'll get those fucking little punks, and we'll bury them under the jail!"

Chris didn't blame his old friend for his outburst and was just opening his mouth to agree with him, although that part of him that never ceased being a law enforcement officer knew that the most they could hope for was putting the sociopathic siblings behind bars for the rest of their wasted lives. Before he could put any of that into words, however, he was interrupted.

"Bucklin? What's goin' on?"

Chris cursed under his breath. He had hoped to have a little more time to break the news to Vin. Softly he ordered, "Let me handle this." He could tell from Wilmington's expression that he had not problem allowing someone else to give Tanner this particular bit of news.

Turning away from his one friend and toward another, he announced gently, "They've found the kids."

"Yeah?!" Despite his fear, Vin couldn't help the tone of hope in his voice.

"Yeah." Chris said nothing more until he moved over and settled on the edge of the bed once again. Tenderly he reached out and touched Tanner's shoulder. "Vin..."

"Oh, God..." Vin could read it all in that touch; in the pained expression seeping through love-filled eyes. "They're... they ain't... oh, God! Chris!"

Chris gathered Vin into his arms once again and tried once more to comfort him. To his surprise, however, Tanner pushed away.

"Get me the hell outta here. Now."

"Vin - "

"No! I don't give a damn, I want outta here, so I can go after those fuckin' sons a bitches. They're gonna pay, ya hear me? They're gonna pay for what they did to tho... to those... babies..." He stumbled over the words, gagging on the bile that accompanied them. A second of silence seemed to go on for an eternity and then, as it drew to a close, a single, gut-wrenching cry filled the room with pain, grief and rage.

As silence took back the room, Chris guided a trembling, tearful Tanner back to his pillows. He heard movement behind him and knew, without looking, that it was medical staff. As he continued to comfort the traumatized man, a nurse came up to the head of the bed. Without a word, and barely invading their space, she injected something into Vin's IV. Acknowledging the action with a grim nod, Chris watched as the sedative took effect. Within a few minutes, Tanner drifted into a deep, drug induced, slumber.

Slipping away from his partner once more, Larabee moved over to where a very contrite Wilmington stood.

"Damn it, I'm sorry, Chris."

Shaking his head, Larabee said quietly, "nothing for you to apologize for, Buck. He had to find out at some point; better for it to be where they can take care of him with the good shit." He delivered the last two words in an ironic tone.

Smiling briefly at his friend's attempt to lighten the mood, the brunet said, "that's why you get the big paycheck... always thinkin', Larabee."

"Yeah, well it comes with the territory. Someone has to stay ahead of you yahoos." Then, sobering, Chris said, "Look, I'm gonna take him home as soon as they discharge him. Keep me in the loop, all right?"

"You got it." Tipping an imaginary hat, Buck was on his way out the door.

At the door, the blond watched longingly as Wilmington strode down the hallway, selfishly wishing that he could be the one leaving. Then he reined in that line of thought and turned back toward the bed where his life partner and lover lay. Drawing in a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and walked back to the bed.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

"Vin? Hey, Vin, wake up!" The voice was very young, the sound of laughter ringing behind every word.

"M?" He murmured.

"No, it ain't M, it's M!" An outright giggle now, followed by its twin.

Its twin... Vin dragged open heavy eyelids, searching for the owners of those giggles. There, before him, stood two young children, skinny arms wrapped over each others shoulders. It was them... M and M. Michael and Michaela Lidster, Marcus' little sister and brother. He frowned as he tried to focus. There was something about the Lidster kids... something that caused him to feel a stab of pain deep in his chest. But... what was it?

"C'mon, Vin! Come play with us!" Michaela coaxed, reaching out toward him and smiling. "Come on, we want to plaaaaa-aaaaaay!"

He reached out, taking the little girl's hand. "Dang, M, you wanna drag that out any longer?"

"I'm not M, I'm M!" She giggled. It was a joke that had long ago lost its humor, but everyone still laughed. They didn't laugh at the joke any more, but with the twins who, it seemed, still considered it hilarious.

"Okay, M, what do y'all wanna play?"

"Let's play hide and seek!" Both children announced.

Suddenly the cold wind returned, although, until that second, he hadn't realized it had been missing. With the wind came the feeling of a knife twisting through his gut. "Uh, hey, how 'bout we play something else, okay? Maybe -"

"No! C'mon, Vin, we wanna play hide and seek!" Their ability to speak in unison never ceased to amaze those around them.

"I... well..." why was he so hesitant? Shaking off the feeling of impending disaster, he managed a smile and said, "Okay, you two hide and I'll count to a hundred... in Spanish," he grinned.

"Viiiin," the twins protested.

"No, now, you know the rules. Games can be fun, but they can be educational, too. So, ready?" He turned to find a tree just behind him. Had they been in the park all along? Deciding to ponder it later when he heard the kids giggling as they scampered away, he crossed his arms against the trunk and pressed his forehead against his forearms. "Uno... dos... tres..."

"...noventa y ocho... noventa y nueve... cien! Ready or not, here I come!" With that, Vin turned away from the tree...

... and found himself in a hospital room. Frowning, he turned his head, searching for the park... looking for the Lidster kids. "Where are you!?"

"Vin?"

Turning, he found himself confronted by a nurse. Suddenly the world seemed to tilt to one side and he slammed into the bed he found himself standing beside. Pain screamed through his leg from an injury he was only now remembering. Then the physical pain was met by mental pain, and he felt himself spinning out of control. The woman who had come to check on him found herself the recipient of it all.

"Where the hell are they? What'd ya do with 'em? Damn it, tell me! Where are they? So help me..."

"Vin Tanner!" A booming voice cut through the rising panic and shook Vin back into reality with a jolt.

"'Siah? What?"

"I'm sorry... Sally..." Sanchez quickly read the young woman's name tag. "I can assure you that he didn't mean any of what he said. I'll see if I can't get him settled back into bed."

"I'll call the doctor and see if I can't get an order for a sedative," the nurse replied as she left the room.

Moving quickly to the bed, Josiah guided his friend back onto the mattress. "Come on, now, let's get you comfortable."

"'Siah, what's goin' on? I was just... I was in the park with... M and M... I don't understand..."

"Just take it easy, son. You were asleep; it was a dream, Vin."

"Sh... sure was a vivid dream. I was playin' hide 'n seek with 'em in the park. I... are you sure, Josiah? It seemed so real... I could swear... " he broke off, trembling as his body was overcome with all of the feelings that had built up since waking from the dream.

Pulling the covers up over the trembling form, Sanchez took both of Vin's hands in his, rubbing them briskly as he answered, "You've suffered several shocks very close to one another. Your mind is only now beginning to process them, and it's struggling to make sense of it all. Now, I want you to focus on your breathing and calm down as much as you can, all right?"

Nodding, Vin did his best to respond to the man's request. He continued to struggle, however, as his mind continued to deliver conflicting messages. Michael and Michaela Lidster were gone. Chris had told him so, hadn't he? But he had just been playing with them, in the park. He could still feel the sun on his face, feel the rough bark against the flesh of his arms, and smell the pine trees all around him. But, Buck had come to the room and announced that the children had been killed by the Marettis' and their friends. Buck had told Chris and Chris had told him. What was real and what was a dream?

Dear God, he hoped to wake up in the park, to find that this was the dream. He wanted to feel the grass beneath him, rather than the rumpled sheets he was wrapped in. He wanted to feel the warm breeze that drifted across the park, rather than the sterile, artificially chilled air that surrounded him. He wanted to smell the pine trees rather than Pine-sol and bleach. He wanted to hear childish giggles rather than the sullen beeps and hisses that filled his room.

"Oh, GOD! 'Siah, please make it stop!" He tore his hands from the other man's grasp and wrapped his arms over his head. "Make it stop, please, make it stop!"

"Vin... Vin, can you hear me? Son, listen to me..." Sanchez tried to calm the younger man down; to bring him out of the panic he was experiencing. "Vin, try to listen to me, all right? Vin?" He looked up as movement caught his attention briefly. The nurse had returned and was, once again, adding something to Tanner's IV. Offering a brief smile of gratitude as he nodded, he quickly returned his attention to the tortured man beside him. "Vin, it's going to feel better here soon, all right? You're going to feel better soon, my friend, just hang on, all right?"

Sanchez continued to offer up a calming litany while they waited out the rest of the violent storm that was threatening to shake Tanner apart. Slowly, very slowly it seemed, the drug took affect and Vin's tense body began to relax. As he drifted off to sleep, Josiah, too, relaxed. Drawing a deep breath the team profiler made certain that the other man was sleeping before he slipped off the bed and settled on the chair beside it.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Chris stood at the foot of the bed, watching as the doctor examined Vin. Looking at the younger man himself, he couldn't believe that they were even considering discharge right now. In typical Larabee fashion, he voiced his concerns.

"Are you certain he's even ready to be evaluated for discharge?"

Frank Gerry, the hospitalist that they saw far too often, turned to face him. "It's been three days, Chris, so yes, he is." The man paused, looking down at the patient he was examining. "In fact, physically, he is very much ready for discharge."

"But not emotionally? Mentally?"

"Piss off, Larabee. Doc said I can get outta here, so I'm getting' outta here."

"Only because I know you'll have more than one hovering friend making certain you follow directions." The doctor clarified.

"Yeah... ain't I lucky."

"What about his knee?" Chris asked, bringing them back to the topic at hand.

"He'll need to wear a soft cast until the injury stabilizes, but it seems to be healing nicely. The cast on his wrist should come off in about six weeks and, of course, the ribs will be sore or a while and he needs to refrain from anything too strenuous. He'll be physically cleared for light duty after next week, if all goes well."

"And... the other... ?"

"Just say it, Chris." Tanner growled from where he lay. "The nightmares. What about the nightmares, Doc?"

"I'm afraid that, other than offering you a sedative, there's nothing more I can do to help with those, Vin. They're in the psychological realm."

Turning to his partner, Tanner growled, "satisfied? Can I get the hell outta here, now?"

"Vin, I'm just worried - "

"Well, you can keep worrin' if I'm at home, all right? That vein of yours can throb just as well there as it can here. So, let's get me signed out, dressed, and in the truck."

Heaving a sigh, Larabee held up his hands and conceded defeat. "Fine, I'll go get the truck."

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

They had only been home for a few hours, but Chris was already ready to tie the other man to the bed and lock the door.

For the first couple hours, Vin had prowled around the house like a caged animal. Twice, he had stopped the injured man from sneaking out the door and heading for the corral.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

"Damn it, Vin! What the hell are you expecting to do out there with casts on your wrist and knee?!"

"Piss off! I was just goin' for a walk. You're not my keeper, for Christ's sake!"

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Finally, the physical activity and his injuries had gotten the best of Tanner and he had collapsed on the couch. Snatching the remote from the coffee table, he had spent the next forty-five minutes jabbing at the channel changer, barely waiting for the pictures to change before he jabbed the "up" button again.

By nightfall, neither man had the energy to do more than eat a bowl of chili and drink a beer. Chris knew that Gerry would have a fit if he knew Vin was drinking even one bottle, but he was the one watching his partner slowly crumbling under the weight of the last few days. A few ounces of alcohol seemed a small price to pay to slow the progress by a few hours.

They watched the evening news together, on the couch. As the final sports score was given, he turned to find Tanner dozing and gently slapped his uninjured leg as he asked, "You ready to go to bed?"

"Thought you'd never ask."

With a chuckle, the blond helped his partner off the couch and gently guided him down the hallway. Once in their bedroom, he helped Vin undress, and coaxed him under the covers. Going to the bathroom to retrieve Tanner's medication, he returned quickly and got the pills down the other man before he, too, crawled into bed.

Vin curled up on his side, careful of his injuries, with his back to Chris. Beside him, the blond read the invitation, where others might see a rejection. Carefully, so as not to put any pressure on Tanner's knee or wrist, he spooned up behind him, wrapping his arm loosely over Vin's belly, staying away from his injured ribs. Nuzzling back the other man's long hair, he delivered a soft kiss to his neck. "I'm glad you're home, pard," he whispered.

"Me, too, but..."

When Tanner didn't finish his thought, Chris prompted, "But, what?"

"Don't wanna spoil the moment."

"Vin, just talk to me."

"Damn it," there were tears in Vin's voice as he continued, "I wish they was home, too."

Larabee started to ask for clarification, but it quickly came to him. "I wish they were, too, Vin. But we can't change that, sad to say. All we can do is make sure those animals don't do something like that again."

"I know..." Tanner trailed off again.

Chris would have thought his partner had surrendered to the long day and the sedative, but he could feel the soft tremors that told him that, very quietly, Vin Tanner was crying. The only thing he could do was to wrap himself tighter around his mourning lover, and let him know that he was safe. Finally, an hour or so later, they both dropped off to sleep.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Vin woke to the morning sun edging the curtained windows and the sounds of Chris whispering beside him. Turning, he found Larabee talking on the phone.

"... no, I... I don't know... let me... I know, closure. Let me think about it, all right? Okay, bye." He disconnected the call and turned to find a pair of sleepy blue eyes peering at him. "Did I wake you up?"

"No. Who were ya talkin' to?"

"Josiah."

"What did he want?"

"Just checking in."

Frowning, realizing that Chris was skirting something, he asked directly, "closure for what? You were talkin' about me, right?"

Heaving a sigh, Larabee replied, "yes."

"Fuck, Larabee, am I gonna have to pull every word outta you? What the hell's goin' on?"

"Josiah wanted us to know that... there's going to be a special visitation at the Center for Marcus and the kids."

"When?"

"Today... at eleven."

Peering at the clock Vin saw that it was almost nine. "Reckon we'd better get goin' then."

"Look, Vin, I don't think - "

"You don't get a vote, and I'm goin'. Period."

"And if I refuse to take you?" Larabee baited.

"Then I'll drive myself. Now, stop bein' an ass and let's go!"

"I'm your partner, not your damn servant." Chris groused, still baiting Vin to get a argument out of him. If he spent some of his emotional energy now, perhaps he'd be better able to manage the visitation.

"You're my fuckin' pain in the ass! Now, we gonna start the day yellin' at each other, or we gonna get ready to go!?"

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Ninety minutes, and three arguments later, they were on the road, both of them staring out the windshield in silence. Chris cast furtive glances, worried at the pinched and pale face across the cab. Vin had refused pain medication and had nearly talked him out of wearing the soft cast and using his cane. The Texan wouldn't give him an explanation, but he could guess the reason. Limping in on a cane would draw attention, and that was the last thing Tanner wanted.

They pulled into the Center's parking lot an hour later, to find that it was already more than half full. Defying anyone, including Vin, to argue with him, Chris parked in a handicap spot. Turning off the engine, he moved quickly around the truck, finding his partner doing his best to walk away from him, without the cane. Retrieving it from the cab, he hurriedly caught up with the other man within a few steps, and all but shoved the cane into his hands. In a soft, dangerous tone, he said, "Now, if you're going to do this, you're going to play by the rules."

"Or - "

"I'll kick your leg out from under you and let everyone here watch you fall on your face."

"Fine." Tanner grasped the cane and planted it on the ground beside him. Without missing a beat, he continued on toward the open doors at the front of the building.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Inside, the two men were assaulted by the hushed murmurs of those already in the Center. Chris cupped his hand under Vin's elbow as the already emotional man stumbled under the shear weight of the gathering.

"Jesus..." Tanner muttered.

"Come on, let's go over there," Larabee guided him toward a row of chairs where, he was relieved to see, Josiah, Nathan and Raine were already seated. The others would be able to help him establish a barrier of sorts, to keep the crowd from overcoming the already frazzled Texan. On a good day he tended to need a great deal of personal space, and this was not a good day.

"No," Vin replied stubbornly. "I'll pay my respects."

"All right."

They made their way toward the place where three caskets were already set out. Chris had hoped they would already be sealed, but they stood open, the three children lain out as if on display. He cringed as, beside him, Tanner nearly collapsed. "Come on, let's go sit - "

Lips pressed tightly together, Vin shook his head grimly as he continued toward the trio of caskets, two of them nearly half the size of the third. He stopped first before little Michaela, staring down at the deceptively peaceful face. There were obvious marks of abuse that no amount of make-up could hide.

"She was so pretty..." Tanner whispered; his voice hollow. "Wanted to be a vet, did ya know that?" As he spoke, he laid a single, white, rose against one of the tiny shoulders.

"No, I didn't." Larabee replied softly. He moved closer, wrapping his arm around Vin's waist. He had clipped the rose, three roses, from the rose bush he had managed not to kill after Sarah's death. He had planted it for her the day after she and Adam had come home from the hospital.

Moving away from the comforting hold, the slender man led the way toward the next coffin, where Michael resided. The damage on his small face was, if anything, worse than that done to his sister. "Oh, God, kid, I am so sorry." As he spoke, Vin delivered the second rose to its tiny recipient.

Again they moved, this time coming to a stop beside the largest casket, where Marcus lay. The oldest son required little make-up to hide his injuries. They were hidden by the dark blue shirt he wore.

"Marc," Vin murmured, "I wish you could 'a trusted me. I swear I would have..." his voice trembled as it trailed off.

"Vin?" A soft, tired sounding voice pulled Tanner from his thoughts.

Turning, Vin found himself face to face with Layne Lidster. The mother of the three children seemed to have aged a decade since he had last spoken to her. Was it actually just a week ago? They had discussed her concerns about her oldest son who seemed to be fighting some inner demons once again. Why hadn't he done more then? Why had he allowed it to go so far?

"Vin, it wasn't your fault. None of it." She seemed to be reading his mind but was only reading his face and the agony written in every, faint, line.

"Laynie, I am... so... so sorry. If I - "

Reaching up, the bereaved mother pressed her fingers against his lips. "You listen to me, Vin Tanner. Wasn't a damn thing more you could 'a done to stop this; they damn near killed you, too. It all lays on the..." she paused, a sob breaking through her stoic demeanor. "It lays on the heads of those bastards who killed my babies!" She broke down completely then, a pitiful wail ringing through the gym where they stood.

Wrapping his uninjured arm around the drawn, too-thin woman, Vin held her close as they both sobbed for several minutes. Nearby, Chris stood, feeling impotent but, at the same time, relieved as he recognized the first faint promise of healing.

After both Layne and Vin were able to recover what composure they could, Chris stepped closer. Opposite him, Clancy Gray and two women stood, waiting. With unspoken agreement, they embraced the two mourners. Larabee led Vin toward where their friends sat now, while the others guided Layne back to her seat.

Without a word, the others; all five of their friends were there now, along with Raine Jackson and Casey Wells; moved to place themselves close to Vin, making it impossible for anyone else to invade the shaken man's space.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Two hours later, Chris was guiding Vin, nearly drained of life it seemed, back into the truck. Reaching in and fastening the seatbelt, he let his hand trail across Tanner's chest and down his arm before he closed the door. Turning, he faced their friends.

JD and Nathan had their arms around Casey and Raine; both women's faces streaked with tears. Josiah, Ezra and Buck stood beside them, once more seeming like guards against anyone who would breech their number. Taking in each face that watched him, Chris tried to find the words that would convey how he felt about them all. It seemed important to voice that here... now. But, in the end, he could only come up with, "Thanks."

"It is the least we could do, Chris... for both of you," Ezra replied softly. Like the others, he knew that single word carried a great deal of unspoken emotion.

Nodding, Larabee said, "Look, I'm gonna take him home and try to get him to rest. Maybe... I think... "

"Hey, Stud, ain't it about time we had a barbeque?" Buck stepped into the awkward situation, knowing just what his old friend was thinking.

Smiling briefly, the blond said, "Yeah. Maybe Sunday?"

"Sounds like a plan," Josiah entered the conversation.

"I'll bring a blackberry cobbler... it's Aunt Nettie's recipe," Casey added.

"Better bring two," JD chimed in, "Vin will eat one all by himself."

Their quiet chuckles seemed out of place, but at the same time, it perfectly brought an end to the stress filled afternoon. Drawing in a deep breath, Larabee sent them off with, "Sounds like a plan. And maybe someone can figure out how to get that damn ice cream maker to work?"

"I believe Ezra and I can put our heads together on that," Josiah volunteered, draping an arm over the smaller, and grimacing, man's shoulders.

Flashing a grin, Chris casually saluted his agents... his friends... before stepping into the truck, to take both himself and his partner, home.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

Vin was asleep before they had gone a mile. It wasn't a healing sleep, Chris knew from the still pained expression on his lover's face. It was only a sleep brought on by emotional exhaustion. Leaving the radio playing softly, knowing the soft music would help Tanner rest, Larabee drove toward the ranch.

Pulling up and stopping at the end of the drive, the blond reached over and tugged gently on Vin's sleeve. "Hey, Pard, we're home."

Righting himself from where he was slumped against the door and slowly stretching, Tanner blinked and looked around. Without a word, he unbuckled the seatbelt and slid out of the truck. He even took the cane without an argument. He met the blond at the front of the Ram and moved with him toward the house. He seemed to be limping more; every muscle that moved was sluggish, as if it took a great effort to travel the few yards from the truck to the deck stairs. There, he grasped the handrail and moved slowly, taking each step with studied movements.

As they entered the den, Chris asked, "You hungry?"

"No." Without stopping, Vin walked to the couch and, without even taking off his jacket, he slumped to the cushions and dropped the cane to the floor, a barely audible groan escaping his lips.

"Why don't we go get you more comfortable and I'll go make us some chili?"

"Ain't hungry. Chris, don't need ya hoverin' right now, okay?"

Wishing he could do something to improve his partner's mood, the blond realized that he just needed to let Vin call the shots right now. "Okay. I'm gonna change and go take care of the horses. Give a shout if you need me, all right?"

Tanner nodded and turned his attention to the television as Larabee moved toward the doorway. He simply turned on the set, which was still on the sports channel, and dropped the remote back to the coffee table.

Ten minutes later, Chris came back through the den, dressed in ragged jeans and a worn tee shirt. He noted that Vin had drifted off to sleep and considered staying in the house in case he was needed. But knowing Tanner wouldn't thank him for hovering, he moved on through the den and out the door, heading toward the barn.

~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~ ~o~

The blond had been working in the barn for just over three hours. He had finished the necessary chores and was now, as Vin would say, puttering around in an effort to give his partner the space he needed. He was just finishing up nailing down a loose slat in Peso's stall, when he heard something behind him. Without turning, he knew who it was. "Did you get some rest?"

"Reckon." Vin limped up beside him, scrutinizing the blond's work. "Reckon ya got it tacked down enough to keep the mule from tearing it up again?"

"Doubt it." Larabee responded, with a grin.

"Yeah..." Vin trailed off, seeming to be thinking about something. Then, "Josiah called while ago."

"He did?"

Nodding, the Texan ran his hand lightly over the wooden slats of the stall, studying it as if it held all the answers to the world's greatest questions. Just as it seemed he'd forgotten his comment, he concluded, "Marettis', all the Dragons, showed up at the police station over in Purgatorio.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. They weren't alone, either..." another long pause, then a deep, shuddering, breath. "Seems the other gangs acted on their own... they took exception to the Dragons doin' something so callous as... as..." Tanner broke off, nearly overwhelmed.

"They brought them in?" Chris asked in amazement.

Managing a smile, despite his tears, Vin said, "Yeah. 'Siah said they were worse the wear... couple of 'em are gonna be spendin' some time in the hospital even."

"How did the other gangs explain that?"

His smile growing wider now, Tanner said, "One of the Marettis told the cops that they fell down some stairs."

"All of them?"

"That's their story, and they seem to be stickin' to it."

"The other gangs?"

"Oh, well, see... the DPD was so busy bookin' Dragons that they didn't notice where the others went."

Laughing now, Larabee shook his head. While, as a member of law enforcement, he shouldn't see eye to eye with street gangs, he couldn't help himself. All he said was, "well, I'll be damned."

"Guess miracles do happen. Don't reckon this means the end of gang activity in Purgatorio, but... well, reckon the kids around there... they'll be safer now."

Turning and wrapping his lover in an embrace, Chris said, "I hope so, Pard. I truly hope so."

Epilog

"Come on Larabee, get in the game!"

Chris didn't spare the speaker a glance, but knew without a doubt that it was Vin. Tanner wasn't able to play in the fundraising basketball game, but it wasn't keeping him from yelling out directions from the sidelines. He could point out that, despite being old enough to be some of the others father; he had kept up through the first quarter of the game. Now, half way through the second, they were nearly tied with the kids.

"Geez, Larabee, pay attention out there!"

Intercepting the ball, pivoting as he came down, and handing it off to Buck, he took a second to clear the perspiration from his eyes and shoot a glare at his own, personal heckler.

He couldn't, though. When he caught Tanner in his sites, he could only grin. Vin was sitting on the sidelines, his injured leg out in front of him. He was wearing his old, slouch, cowboy hat, his Rangers tee shirt and jeans. On either side of him, children from the Center sat. They were sitting at his feet and standing behind him as well. There were even two children hanging over his shoulders, and the Texan was even holding a little girl, who looked about two, on his lap. Whenever he called out, she would giggle and clap, encouraging him to shout out even more. Vin was in his element.

Shaking his head as he sprinted down the court after the others, Chris silently rejoiced. They hadn't been able to save the Lidster children, but one thing was sure. Vin was home.

"Come on, Larabee, you run like an old man... old man!"

Yes... things were getting back to normal.

The End

Feedback
August 9, 2009