Pairing: Chris/Vin

Disclaimer: I own no rights to the Magnificent Seven, nor do I make any profit from this piece of fiction. Many thanks to Mog for creating the ATF universe.

Warnings: Contains adult subject matter, including explicit m/m sex and other sexual themes. Violence and foul language as well.

Webmaster Note: This fic was previously hosted at another website and was moved to blackraptor in May 2012.

Part 1

Chris Larabee yawned as he rolled down the highway in his big, black truck. It was just after midnight on a Friday night, but he wasn’t coming home from a relaxing night out. Instead, he had spent the last five hours in a strategy meeting with AD Orrin Travis and four other senior agents for Denver’s branch of the ATF. The rest of his team had gone out as planned, heading off to spend a few hours kicking back at the Saloon, playing pool and drinking beer to celebrate the end of the work week. As he drove the dark empty road, barely conscious of the twists and turns he made automatically on the familiar highway, his mind drifted back to a few hours before…

<M/7>

Sitting at his desk, he thought everyone had left, the usual rowdy sounds coming from the bullpen having faded a short time earlier. Continuing to work on the report he would need for the meeting that had been called just after three, he was brought up short at the sound of his office door softly opening. Looking up, he peered into the face of his handsome partner.

Frowning, he said softly, “what are you doing back here?”

“Well, that’s a helluva greetin’,” Vin Tanner’s blue eyes flickered with amusement. Sauntering into the office, without waiting for an invitation, he hitched a hip on the corner of the dark, utilitarian desk closest to the blond. “Told th’ boys I’d join ‘m in an hour. Said, I’d see if y’ needed any help.”

Grinning broadly, Larabee reached out and tugged on the loose chambray shirt the handsome man wore, coaxing the lean body from the desk and into his arms. “Yeah, right. I’ll just bet you want to help me finish up this report.”

Leaning forward to capture the full lips, Vin kissed him long and hard. Finally breaking off, he leaned back slightly and stared down at the handsome face. “how much y’ got t’ do yet?”

“About half an hour’s worth.”

“Hmmm. An’ how long ‘til the meetin’?”

“Almost two hours.”

“Hmmm. Well, reckon I can distract y’ for a bit.” He grinned wolfishly, then leaned forward and kissed his lover once more. By the time they broke off this time, both men were panting.

“Might as well get comfortable,” Larabee said in voice rough with passion. He nodded toward the big leather couch that sat on one side of the room.

“Might as well,” Tanner agreed.

In a well rehearsed routine, they dimmed the lights, closed the blinds, tossed a blanket and pillows on the couch, retrieved lube, and stripped down within a few minutes. Then Chris stretched out on the thick cushions and coaxed Vin to join him. The Texan lay so he was face to face with the blond, their bodies molding together in a way that both gave comfort and brought arousal.

Vin began delivering kisses to the other man, moving from forehead, along square jaw, and down to the shallow cleft of Larabee’s chin. He breathed in cologne, coffee and cigarettes as well as the musk that was uniquely Chris Larabee. Moving downward, he suckled at the warm flesh that hollowed at the base of the long neck, then continued south toward the heavy pecs. Sliding down slightly, he trailed kisses along the strong, well-defined six pack, feeling the flesh tense and tremble beneath his lips. Then he moved once more, until his face was buried in the thick thatch of curling hair at Chris’ groin.

The blond moaned as he felt his lover’s talented mouth engulf his swollen cock. He canted his hips slightly, pressing up toward the other man, the fingers of one hand carding through the long waves of chestnut hair. Then, teasingly, Vin released the heavy shaft and sat back on his heels. With a growl, Larabee reached out for the other man. “C’mon cowboy, get that mouth back to work.”

Leaning back over the frustrated man, Tanner rasped breathlessly, “wan’cha inside me. Wan’cha inside 'a me hard, Lar’bee.”

Grinning up at the other man, hazel eyes sparkling, the bigger man whispered, “meet you on the floor.”

Vin slid onto the carpet, dropping onto his hands and knees. Chris was right behind him, grabbing up the lube as he settled to his knees between Tanner’s legs. Quickly coating his aching cock with the gel, he tossed the tube aside. Slick fingers slid along the cleft of the tight ass before him. As he found the puckered hole he teased it, then slipped a finger up inside. He listened to the quick intake of breath from the other man, and felt the muscles surrounding his finger tighten reflexively.

“C’mon, cowboy… fuck me,” Tanner growled.

Grabbing the trim hips, the older man did just that, pushing his cock past the twitching ring of muscle, into the hot channel beyond. Thrusting inside until he was pressed against the well-honed ass he filled, Larabee groaned with sheer pleasure. “Ahhh, damn… feels good.”

Vin’s body tensed as the burning and cramping sensations slowly eased. His hands were clawed into the thick nap of the carpet, head bowed as he relaxed into the familiar pain. Arching his back, he brought his head up and rasped out, “fuck… oh, damn, that’s good. C’mon… fuck me!”

The room filled with the sounds of lovemaking. Heavy breathing, groans, and cries of pleasure rang out as they settled into a rhythm. Leaning forward, Chris wrapped long fingers around Vin’s rigid cock and began massaging it. As he sensed they were both nearing the edge, the blond coaxed Tanner up and back, until the Texan was sitting on his lap. Holding Vin tight against him, he pumped the hard shaft with more force, at the same time pressing his own cock up inside his lover.

“Ah, damn! Oh… God… Chris!”

“Yeah, c’mon… ride me, cowboy,” Larabee growled into the younger man’s ear.

With cries of satisfaction, they came together, Tanner’s come spraying across his belly as well as over the blond’s hand, even as the older man shot his own hot seed inside his lover.

They sat wrapped around one another for a long minute, trying to catch their breath. Vin’s head dropped back against Chris’ shoulder, the older man nuzzling against him. He reached a hand up, stroking it through the short cropped blond hair.

“Damn… that’s what I call a distraction,” Larabee said with a sigh. I’ll stay after for meetings more often if this is what happens.”

Chuckling softly, the younger man said, “hell, y’ ain’t gotta go through all that. Don’t need no motivation t’ distract y’.”

Nipping at an earlobe, the blond replied, “that’s for damn sure. Sometimes I figure I’m just gonna melt right into the floor trying to keep up with you.”

“Ain’t never gonna hear no complaints from me ‘bout yer stamina,” Vin sighed.

After a few minutes, they gave in to the need to move and returned to the couch. There they spent some time simply lying in one another’s arms, the blanket thrown across them. But, finally, reality sank in and the big blond heaved a mighty sigh.

“Gonna have to get up. Don’t think Travis would take too kindly to me being late because I was in here fucking my sharpshooter.”

Tanner chuckled. “Never know, he might be damned impressed that y’ can still walk.”

Reaching down and grabbing a healthy handful of Texas ass, Larabee said, “you’re pretty damned full of yourself, Tanner.”

“Mmm, reckon, but I’d rather be full'a you.”

Gently rubbing the taut flesh now, Chris looked deeply into the sky blue eyes. “Well, if I get done with this damn meeting early enough, maybe you can be full of me again tonight.”

Grinning, Tanner leaned forward and kissed the other man tenderly. “Kind ‘a like the sound a that. I’ll be waitin’ for y’ at home.”

~o~

Home. Chris pulled himself from his memories at the thought of having Vin waiting for him at home. That the skittish Texan with the nomadic past considered his big ranch house home was still amazing to the blond. But at the same time, it was so right. Vin had moved in nearly six months earlier and, although they had had a few arguments -- Tanner referred to them as ‘territorial issues’ -- they had worked through it all and had grown comfortable living together.

And he loved the thought of coming home to Vin.

The blond frowned as he caught movement at the edge of the pool of light shed by his headlights. Slowing, he watched the road ahead, finally seeing what had caught his attention. There was a car on the shoulder, a young woman standing beside it, waving him down.

Years of working in law enforcement caused Larabee’s senses to go on alert. He studied what he could see in the darkness, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Slowing even more, he guided the truck around the stalled vehicle and parked in front of it, activating the hazard lights before he left the cab.

The young woman had, in the meantime, gotten back into her car. A move Larabee silently applauded. Stopping just close enough to be able to talk to her through the closed window he said, “can I help you miss?”

“My car died on me,” the woman called to him, louder than necessary.

“Kind of figured that,” Larabee said, engaging her with a smile. “And you really don’t have to yell, I can hear you fine.”

“Oh, uh… I… uh, I’m sorry about the…” she stammered as she waved vaguely at the glass between them.

Shaking his head, the federal agent said, “no need to apologize, miss. You had the right idea. Look, if you’ll tell me what happened, I’ll see if I can get it running. If not, I’ll be happy to call a tow truck for you and wait for them. My name’s Chris, by the way. Chris Larabee.”

She smiled shyly. “My name’s Jessa Wilcox. I really do appreciate you stoppin’, Chris. I’m not sure what’s wrong. It was running just fine, then all of a sudden the lights flickered, it kind of sputtered, and then everything just stopped. I barely got it off the road.”

Larabee nodded. “Sounds like the alternator, but I’ll be glad to check it. Let me get my flashlight and then if you’ll pop the hood for me, I’ll have a look.”

“Sure. Thank you.”

He strode back toward the truck, retrieved his flashlight, and returned to the broken down car. He heard a soft, metallic ‘pop’, and reached beneath the hood, searching for the latch. Locating it, he lifted the hood, using the prop rod to hold it in place. Thumbing the button on the torch, he shone the light around the interior of the engine well, looking for signs of trouble.

After several minutes without success, he leaned back and said, “I can’t find anything wrong, Miss Wilcox. Can you try to start it for me?”

“Sure,” she said with a smile.

Nodding, he ducked back beneath the hood. After several seconds he frowned when she hadn’t yet turned the key. Without moving from beneath the hood, he said, “go ahead and try it. I’ll – “

The agent’s words were cut off when the car hood suddenly crashed down across the back of his head and shoulders. With a grunt of pain he dropped the flashlight, staggered by the blow. He pushed back against the hood, only to have it crash down on him a second time.

‘Damn it’, his mind screamed too late, ‘a set-up’! Larabee struggled, trying to gain his balance so he could at least see what he was up against. As the hood came down on him a third time, he felt something heavy crash against the back of his knees. They buckled and he fell to the ground.

Blinking his eyes as he tried to figure out what was happening Larabee saw two shadowy figures standing over him. Doing his best to shake off the effects of the attack, he pushed himself unsteadily off the ground. Launching himself toward the bigger of the two figures, he managed to land several good blows before being knocked back to the ground.

He pulled himself up again, too stubborn to stay down even if getting up meant more pain. One again he threw himself at the bigger of his two attackers and was rewarded with a grunt of pain as one of his fists connected with flesh. Retaliation was swift, however, and blows rained down on him for a full minute. When they stopped, he once more fought to gain his feet.

“Son of a bitch! Cassion was right, he’s one hell of a tough son of a bitch.” The voice was vaguely familiar. The agent realized that it was her. Jessa Wilcox. His damsel in distress.

Larabee gasped as he felt bone and muscle protest his movements. He cried out as he got to hands and knees, damage from earlier causing pain to shoot along his legs. Biting back a scream, he continued to inch his way upward, sheer will urging him back to his feet. There he swayed, his body trembling from the effort of simply standing upright.

“What… wh-what do you… want?” He managed to stutter through split and bleeding lips.

“What we want is to get paid,” the woman said, her voice taking on a hard edge. “Me and Davy here get a nice, healthy paycheck for rearranging those pretty features of yours, handsome.”

Larabee frowned as one delicate hand traced down his cheek, caressing his jaw. Then the woman moved downward, slowly, running it over his chest, and down farther still. As her hand slid over his crotch, he heard her growl softly in her throat. Her fingers wrapped around his cock, squeezing until he gasped in pain.

“Damn, you’ve got quite a set of balls, blondie.”

The big man, the one she had called Davy, pulled her away from the bleeding agent. “Leave him be, Jessa, we’ve got work to do.”

She jerked away from him, glaring hard as she raked a hand across his face. “Don’t you ever tell me what to do!”

Flinching, the big man said, “all I’m sayin’ is that we’ve got our orders. Cassion wants this done just as specified. You wanna explain it if we don’t?”

She continued to glare, but moved back. “Fine… let’s go.”

They grabbed him, his struggles diminishing as the pain increased. The pair tied his arms behind him, then tied his feet as well. That done they shoved him into the back seat of the car the woman had used to draw him in. Wilcox climbed in along side of him, the evil glint of her eyes telling him that she wasn’t worried about him trying to get away.

“Jesus, Jessa… you ever think of anything else?” Her companion could only shake his head as he climbed behind the wheel and started up the car. As he pulled onto the highway, he said, “you’ve got about ten minutes to play with him.”

Dazed, the bound man could do little more than tolerate the woman’s attentions. She unzipped his jeans, reached in, and slid her hand along his limp cock. She stroked and fondled him, hardly seeming to notice when he didn’t respond to her. Jessa leaned down, kissing and nipping along the flaccid flesh.

Half conscious from the beating, Chris tried to move his aching body away from the groping hands, but had no where to go. “Leee… leave me a… lone,” he growled hoarsely.

“Ah, darlin’, does this mean you don’t want t’ play?”

“Get a… away from me,” he managed to glare at her through swelling eyes.

“Fine,” she pouted, squeezing him until he cried out in pain. Then he was saved from any more of her attention as the car slowed and the man driving spoke up.

“Okay, put it back in his pants. We’re here.”

They dragged him from the car and across several yards of rocky ground. His arms and legs were released, and he was stripped of his jacket, shirt, boots and socks. As the woman held him upright, his hands were re-tied as he was bound to a tree by the man.

And then the true pain began.

Fists began once more to pound against his head, neck, shoulders, chest and back. Time ceased to exist as blow after blow cut into his flesh, bruised tissue and cracked bone. He no longer responded as he slipped blessedly into oblivion, the pain disappearing with the rest of the world until only one thought remained.

Vin.

Waiting for him.

At home.

Part 2

Vin stared out the front window of the ranch house, watching for signs of headlights. It seemed like he had been watching for hours, but the grandfather clock in the corner insisted that Chris was only an hour late. Larabee had called him as he pulled out of the parking lot of the government building. His partner hadn’t planned on stopping anywhere, and as late as it was there wouldn’t be much traffic to contend with. As the minutes ticked by, his concern grew. He had tried Larabee’s cell phone twice, but got no answer. His head told him those minutes could easily be accounted for by a breakdown, and that Chris’ cell phone might just be out of the service area. But his heart told him to worry.

His fears took flight, and images sprang to mind. He saw his lover’s battered body lying broken at the bottom of a ravine… saw him bleeding at the side of the road… gasping out his last breath alone in the darkness.

Wrapping his arms around himself tightly, Vin tried to force his mind away from those dark thoughts. Chris was fine.

Then the pictures flashing past his mind’s eye turned to memories. And the reality of how often he had nearly lost the holder of his heart forced themselves to the fore. He saw Larabee lying motionless on a sterile, narrow gurney, tubes nearly hiding him from his partner’s sight. He saw him lying on the ground, writhing in agony, his life’s blood staining the concrete beneath him. Saw him gasping for air as his lungs threatened to cease their action.

“Stop it y’ damn fool!” Chris was only an hour late.

An hour and ten minutes.

An hour and twenty minutes.

Chris reaching for his hand, gripping it against the pain of a bullet wound.

Chris staring at him through glassy, fevered eyes as he fought for his life.

An hour and thirty minutes.

Biting back a cry of pain.

An hour and forty minutes.

Screaming as his body was torn through with agony.

Headlights.

Vin blinked, staring hard to make certain that he wasn’t seeing things.

Headlights. Moving quickly along the long gravel road. His heart raced as he tried to decide if they belonged to Larabee’s truck. They bounced and bobbed along, leaving tracers of light that blurred their shape and size.

The big clock chimed deeply, and the worried young man nearly leapt through the window at the sound. Two hours late.

As the vehicle pulled up outside, he recognized it as belonging to Buck Wilmington. He opened the door before the big man could even knock.

The dark haired agent jumped slightly as the door swung wide, revealing the young Texan. Tanner stood before him, clad only in a pair of baggy pajama pants. “Well, hey, stud. I was comin’ home from droppin’ Kerry off and saw Chris’ truck off on the side of the road. Thought I’d drop by and make sure he got home okay.”

As he spoke, Buck saw the light blue eyes widen, and a look of fear filled the handsome face. His own features paled as he said, “ah, hell. He ain’t here?”

Shaking his head no, the smaller man said, “where’d y’ see the truck Buck? Did y’ check ‘round it? Any sign a trouble?”

Placing a big hand on the wide shoulder, Wilmington said, “take it easy, pard. I didn’t see anything, but it’s darker than hell out there. Shoot, I might a driven right passed him out there. He’s probably cussin’ me out for not seein’ him. I’ll go back and see – “

“I’m goin’ with y’,” Vin said shortly. Practically running, he headed back through the house.

Buck followed close behind, coming into the bedroom his two friends shared just as Tanner hooked his thumbs under the waistband of his pants and pushed them off. He quickly pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt, shoving his feet into his boots.

Grabbing up his wallet and house keys, the worried man said, “let’s ride.”

~o~

Jessa and Davy stood back, admiring their work. The blond Fed hung limply from the ropes that were the only things holding him upright. His head lolled against his chest, the spiky hair and battered face coated in blood. His upper body was a mass of bruises and blood and, although his lower body was protected by black jeans, they knew it had fared little better.

“He’s out of it,” Wilcox said disgustedly. “What the hell good is it to keep beatin’ on him if he’s not even gonna grunt?”

“Fuck woman, the job was to beat the hell out of him, not see how much you can get him to holler.”

“There’s nothin’ that says I can’t enjoy my work,” she retorted. Then she moved to stand beside him, leaning against the big man. “Why don’t me an’ you take a little break… go have us some fun.”

Davy knew exactly what that meant. The woman was insatiable. “Look, we’ve got a job to do right now. Cassion wants this done just as ordered, we can’t afford to mess up.”

She stroked a hand down the big man’s face. “Look, he’s not goin’ anywhere. Let’s me an’ you go find someplace to git it on for a while. We can finish this when we get back.”

“But –“

Heaving a sigh, she said, “look, if he’s still alive when we get back, we’ll finish him off. Otherwise… well, it’ll just save us some time and effort.”

The man thought over her proposition. He had to admit that it sounded a lot better than expending energy on beating the Fed to death. “Yeah… okay, reckon we’ve got time.”

The two kidnappers moved away, heading back toward their car. They didn’t give the bound and battered man a second look. If they had, they would have seen the lax body slowly straighten itself until the blond stood shakily on trembling legs.

Chris managed to stand, pulling at the blood-coated rope that held him. With excruciating slowness he tugged his wrists through the tight openings, unheeding of the flesh that was torn from his hands. He had no thought of how long it was taking, only knowing that this would be his only chance to get away. If he was still bound to the tree when his assailants returned, he would die.

Finally, loose, he staggered and barely righted himself before he fell. Keeping his feet under him, he stumbled forward, barely aware that he was moving. He had only one thing on his mind. Getting home to Vin where he was safe.

~o~

They were in the car and heading back along the narrow access road scant minutes later. Buck slanted a look sideways at his passenger, taking in the rigid posture adopted by the usually relaxed man. Vin’s eyes were trying to pierce the darkness ahead of them. His hands were twisted in tight fists in his lap, and he was leaning forward, as if that would hurry things along. “Take it easy, junior. We don’t know that there’s anything wrong. Don’t expect the worst. Chances are we’re gonna find him hikin’ along side the road, cussin’ and fumin’.”

“Yeah,” Tanner said, not convinced.

The dark-haired man sighed and fell into silence. They drove along, watching each side of the road as they went. Vin rummaged beneath the big man’s seat and located the portable searchlight he knew Buck kept there. He aimed it at the shoulder beyond his side of the car, intent on finding some sign of his lover. Using the skills he had honed as a sharpshooter, he tightened his focus until there was nothing but what was caught by the light. He was surprised a few minutes later when he felt the car slowing. He turned to look questioningly at the other man, Wilmington nodding toward the road ahead as he continued to slow the vehicle. Vin turned his gaze in that direction, praying that he would see the blond. Instead, he saw Chris’ truck.

Tanner was out of the car before Buck even got it stopped. He sprinted to the truck, stopping before he could trample any evidence. The hazard lights were blinking, but there was no sign of trouble. Vin moved carefully toward the cab, opening the drivers side door, hoping to find his lover. Finding the cab empty, he began to search for any sign of what had happened to his partner. Finding nothing that would offer him any clue, he started to move slowly around the big truck, calling to Larabee. He felt the other agent come up beside him, but didn’t spare the time to acknowledge him. Wilmington had brought a flashlight, and he shined it around the area as they walked.

Suddenly, “there!”

Buck swung the light around and they both spotted it at the same time. A battered flashlight. Striding toward it, Vin settled on his haunches and prodding at the damaged torch before picking it up. “It’s Chris’.”

“You sure?”

Nodding, Tanner tilted the end upward, letting Wilmington shine the light on roughly scratched initials. ‘C.L.’ “Just bought it for him last month ‘cause I busted his old one. Looks like it’s been run over or somethin’.“

Shining the light in an arc, they slowly picked up the signs of struggle. With a hissed intake of air, Vin leaned down and picked up a small stone. One side was coated in blood. They saw sprays of crimson dried or drying all around the area. The ground itself was scarred with signs of a struggle.

“Ah damn,” Tanner groaned. “What the hell happened?”

~o~

One, painful, limping, trembling step followed by another, this one nearly dropping him to the ground as his knee buckled. Taking a breath, he swallowed fire that burned through his lungs and ripped at his ribs. He pushed himself forward, blindly reaching for anything that would hold him up. When his hand met nothing but air, he pitched forward, barely keeping himself from collapsing to the ground. Another step, followed by another, and another.

His foggy mind latched onto one thought. Reaching home, where Vin waited for him. Vin, who would be there with open arms that would shelter him from further harm. Vin who would protect him from the evil that had drawn him into this nightmare with a false smile. And God help the woman if she attempted to finish the job she had begun. He knew the quiet Texan well. Vin Tanner would skin her alive and feed her to that damn mule of his.

Chris couldn’t help but laugh… a weak, delirious sound… at that thought. No doubt that vicious bitch would give Peso a belly ache, or worse.

With a startled cry, Larabee felt his knee give, and this time he fell to the ground. He huddled on his hands and one knee, the other stretched out behind him. gasping for breath, he struggled to gather enough strength to stand, knowing he didn’t have much time. His captors would be looking for him soon. If they weren’t already.

~o~

They spent precious time searching for signs of Chris without disturbing the area any more than they had to. They called out, hoping that, if he was nearby, their friend would hear them. But after searching the darkness, they came to the conclusion that the blond had been taken away.

But why?

By who?

And what did they do now?

Looking at one another, the two men moved back to Wilmington’s car. Buck flipped open his cell phone and called Josiah Sanchez. Giving the profiler the run-down, he turned over the job of notifying the other members of Team Seven to him, while he called emergency dispatch to put them on alert. That done, he and Tanner returned to the task of searching for Chris Larabee.

Beside him, the smaller man stared into the darkness. “Just let him be safe,” Tanner begged whatever powers were listening. “Please… don’t take him away from me.”

~o~

He had lost track of how many times he’d fallen, but knew that each time he did, it took longer to pull himself back to his feet. He knew that the time wasn’t far off when he wouldn’t be able to get back up at all.

He wasn’t certain where he was and, between the swollen eyes and the fact that it was the middle of the night, could see very little to gain his bearings. The blond had a vague sense of where he needed to go, and simply moved on that instinct. The ground seemed to shift beneath him, and he stumbled as he tried to keep from falling. His hands reached out once more, groping for something solid to steady himself. Finding nothing, he managed to shuffle awkwardly a few more steps before falling hard to the ground.

The injured man wanted to scream, but the fall had stolen his breath. All he could do was lay there, gasping as he tried to force air into lungs that were screaming. The lean body shook and trembled as fiery fingers of shear agony threatened to shred him into bloody ribbons of tortured flesh.

Eternity passed before his eyes, filled with painful shapes and colors that flashed and flared. Then, finally, just as he expected to be ushered toward the end of time, he managed to take a deep, sobbing breath.

Oh, Jesus God… that hurt most of all.

He realized that he was crying, tears coursing down his battered face, burning as they filled the myriad cuts and scratches. The blond slowly raised a hand, struggling to brush the tears away. finding he couldn’t control his movements that well, he let the wavering limb fall back to the ground.

‘Get up.’

He tried to locate the speaker. He realized that he was hearing his own voice inside his head. In a pain-racked voice, he responded, “hurts.”

‘Get the fuck up. You lay here, and you die, you stupid fool. Is that what you want?’

“No… not any… any… longer.”

‘Then get up. Drag your sorry ass up off this ground and haul it to the road. You’ve got to get home. Vin’s waiting.’

“Viiiiiin,” he gasped. Slowly he pushed himself to his hands and knees, biting off a cry as pain exploded in every fiber of his body. excruciatingly he managed to bring one leg up, the foot pressing against the ground as he fought to bring the other leg up as well. That accomplished, he pushed upward until he was standing – almost – upright. Agonizingly he moved forward once more. Stumbling step after stumbling step, he forced his protesting body to continue walking.

Asphalt. He felt asphalt beneath his bare feet. The road… he had found the road. Larabee stumbled along, every step threatening to be the last he took. It was dangerous moving along the open road as he was, but the blond was beyond making such a distinction. The drive toward safety propelled him along the darkened highway, the need to find security in the arms of the man he cared so much for, giving him the strength to move when he should have fallen long ago.

The fact that light suddenly shone around him in a blue-white pool escaped the injured man. He continued to move on trembling, wooden legs. His inner voice continued to berate him, pushing him onward. He mumbled in response, the same words passing torn, tattered lips.

“Vin…home… Vin… home… Vin… home…”

The light grew brighter, bathing him in its blinding aura. Oblivious he stumbled along, leaving bloody footprints on the dusty road. As the light grew, so did an accompanying sound. The soft growl of an engine filled the air but, just as with the light, the blond agent’s feverish mind didn’t register it.

“Vin… home… Vin… home… Vin… “

Footsteps grew near now, approaching him at a run. Some part of him registered this new sound, and he struggled to move quicker. He had to get away… couldn’t allow them to capture him again. drawing on strength deep inside, he managed to stumble a few more steps before he was grabbed by two pairs of hands. Crying out inarticulately, he flailed his arms, desperately trying to fight off his attackers.

He had no strength left however. After less than a minute, he collapsed, the hands holding him tightly. As he slumped between his attackers, his consciousness fading, he mumbled, “Vin… home… Vin… “

Part 3

The hands held him, forcing him to stop. His mind struggled to make sense of it all, but couldn’t keep focused long enough to figure out what was happening. When thoughts failed, he settled on using the last bit of strength he could muster, and fought to free himself.

“Stop it, Chris. It’s okay. Chris, it’s okay, you’re safe. It’s Vin… Buck’s with me. It’s okay. Settle down, ol’ man, it’s okay.”

He stopped, the voice pushing through the fog. The injured man wasn’t certain who the voice belonged to, but knew it was a good voice and he could relax now. With a tremulous sigh, he simply let go, his body all but folding in on itself. He still felt the hands, could feel arms holding and supporting him, and knew he was safe.

It took everything Vin had to keep from screaming at the sight of his lover. He could barely recognize the features of the man he loved, almost every inch of the handsome features swollen and bloody. He dropped down to sit on the cooling asphalt, gathering his lover to him. “Jesus, Buck, what th’ hell happened to ‘m?”

Kneeling beside his two friends and staring at Chris with tears shimmering in his dark blue eyes the big man said softly, “I’m not sure who did it or why, Junior, but I do know this. They’re gonna pay.”

Vin looked up into the face that was half lighted by the headlights. He saw the pain and rage he felt himself mirrored there in the other man’s features. With a small nod, he turned his attention back to the man in his arms. He touched the beaten face lightly, tenderly running a fingertip along a small area untouched by the attack. Larabee responded, pale brows drawing together. Torn lips moved, the injured man muttering incoherently. Leaning over, Tanner whispered in his ear, “it’s okay, ol’ man, you’re safe.”

Once more the voice soothed him, calming his fears. The battered man quieted again, his head turning so that he was nestled against the well honed chest.

“Vin, we need to get out of here… get Chris under cover and get him to the hospital. Whoever did this could still be around, we need to move.”

The younger man nodded. With Wilmington’s help, he lifted the blond and carried him to the car. They got him into the back seat, Vin slipped in beside Chris and lifted the older man’s head into his lap. Buck climbed in behind the wheel, and slammed the car into drive, speeding away. As he did, he retrieved his cell phone and pushed the numbers 9-1-1. Identifying himself to the dispatch operator, he made the arrangements necessary to meet the ambulance, along the highway leading into Denver.

“The boys ought ‘a be on the way out here,” Wilmington said after disconnecting from the phone. He speed dialed Sanchez once more. When the older agent answered, he quickly filled him in on what was happening. As they were discussing a plan to meet so the other agents could provide additional protection as they escorted Larabee to the hospital, Buck caught headlights in the rear-view mirror. Watching the lights, he kept track of the road, realizing they had traveled back along the road they had been searching far enough that they were near the access road that led to the blond’s ranch house.

Tanner looked up as he felt the car turning. “Buck, we gotta git t’ th’ hospital.”

“Hang on, Junior. I’m just tryin’ to make sure we don’t have a tail.” The stretch of road they were on saw little traffic, especially at this late hour. The presence of headlights, coming from the same area where they had found Chris, was too coincidental for the big agent. As they bounced along the rough road, both Buck and Vin watched for signs that they were being followed. Half way to the house, they saw the other car stop at the intersection.

“Shit,” Vin rasped. “It’s them.”

“Yeah.” Wilmington agreed.

~o~

Jessa and Davy sat staring down the narrow road, watching the car they had been following. Then the woman spotted distant lights approaching them from the opposite direction. Flashing lights. She vented her rage, pounding on the dashboard as she screamed, “God DAMN it!”

“Fuck,” her companion growled under his breath as he let off the brake and sent the car back in motion. Wheeling around, he headed them in the opposite direction.

~o~

The trio reached the sprawling ranch house, Buck parking the car as close to the house as possible. Turning off the lights he spun, watching down the road. Frowning at the lack of lights there, he said, “they’re gone.”

Just then the men spotted more lights flying along the road as two cars flew past the turn off. Allowing himself a smile, the Texan whispered, “It's the boys.”

Flipping open his cell phone, Buck once more called Josiah. When the other man answered, he said, “Josiah, that you boys?”

“Buck, where are you?”

“At Chris’. See that pair of tail lights?”

“That them?”

“Yeah. Is Nathan with you?”

“No, he came with Ezra, I’ve got JD with me.”

“Send Nate back this way, the boss is in real bad shape. You and JD keep after those bastards.”

“You got it.”

Wilmington turned off his phone. “I’m gonna go make a quick check of the house. If it’s clear we’ll take him inside. Keep your eyes open, Junior.”

“Buck, we need to get him to – “

“The hospital. I know Vin, but we need to get him – and all of us – there in one piece. I’m thinkin’ now that waitin’ for the ambulance here might be the better move. We’re on familiar ground here, it’ll be easier to protect him.”

Heaving a deep sigh, the younger man nodded tightly, having to admit that it made sense. It didn’t mean he had to like it, though. “Watch your back.”

“Yep,” the bigger man said as he slipped from the front seat of the car.

Watching as Wilmington disappeared into the house, gun at the ready, Tanner felt the man he held move, a soft moan escaping the torn lips. He shifted slightly, gently pulling Chris up against his chest. His lover whimpered as the movement brought pain. “It's okay, Chris. Your safe. Me and Buck are here, and the others are comin’.”

“Vin… home… Vin…” Chris took up the litany that had kept him moving.

Not quite certain what to make of the barely audible words, the Texan gently stroked a hand through the blond hair. “Shhh, your okay now, Chris. Y’ just lay still and let us take care of everything.”

Still mumbling, Larabee shifted slightly, once again nuzzling against the lean man. On some level the smells that were a unique combination that meant Vin Tanner registered. He sighed, one hand moving weakly until it made contact with the soft material of the other man’s sweatshirt. Stiff fingers managed to bend, and he clutched at the soft fabric.

“Vin…” he sighed.

Tanner heaved a shuddering sigh, tears filling his eyes. As a single drop trailed down his face he growled softly, “they ain’t gonna hurt you again, Chris. I swear it.”

A minute later, Buck ran back out the door and came to the car. “It’s clear. Come on, let’s get him inside.”

Together they moved Chris inside, carrying his limp body quickly to the bedroom. Settling the lean blond on the bed, Wilmington flipped on the bedside light, then hurried to the bathroom. He returned quickly, towels and wet wash cloths in his arms. Vin was settled on the bed beside the unconscious man, cradling and guarding him at the same time. Kneeling beside his old friend, he carefully began to bathe the dried blood from the tattered and swollen features.

“Buck? Vin?” They both turned toward the bedroom door as Nathan Jackson hurried in, followed by Ezra Standish. Both men had their guns drawn. Taking one look at his boss and friend, Jackson hurried to the bed.

The big ladies man moved away, allowing Nathan to quickly check the older man out. He didn’t have to study the battered form long before he made a quiet statement. “We’ve got to get him to the hospital now.”

“Nathan?” Standish asked several questions in that single word.

“He’s busted up bad. Ribs fractured for certain, looks like his left wrist is fractured as well. Definitely a concussion, possibly a skull fracture. There’s lots of damage to his face, not certain how bad it is. There’s some serious swelling in both knees, too. We need to be careful, keep him as still as possible.”

“The ambulance is on its way.” Buck explained.

“Good,” Jackson said. “I’ll do what I can for him ‘til they get here.”

Nodding, Buck said, “Ezra, let’s me and you go watch for them, to make sure they get in here safe.”

The Southerner frowned. “Do you think the animals who did this to Chris might try something again?”

Shrugging, the big man said, “we don’t know who they are, how many there are, or why they went after him. It could be personal, or they might come after any of us. Something tells me they aren’t gonna give a damn who gets in the way, either.”

The four men exchanged worried expressions.

~o~

Vin barely noticed the two agents leaving, his attention drawn back to the bloodied blond head in his lap. Chris had begun mumbling again, as if the familiar voices had called him back from whatever dark place he had gone. Leaning close, he whispered once more, “your safe, Chris. We’ve got your back.”

“Vin… home…”

“Yeah, you’re home. For the moment,” Tanner said, stroking the battered face lightly.

Nathan did what he could to make the blond more comfortable. He dressed the worst of the cuts then, with Vin’s help he straightened the lanky body on the mattress, and covered Larabee with the comforter. Jackson watched as the slender young Texan curled around his partner, both cradling and protecting the injured man. Reaching out, he cupped a hand around the younger agent’s neck. As Tanner looked up, he said softly, “he’s gonna be okay.”

Managing a tight smile, Vin said, “I know. He’s too damn stubborn not to be.”

Returning the smile with a broad one of his own, the dark man said, “you got that right.”

~o~

The wait was stressful, but thankfully uneventful. The ambulance arrived without encountering any problems, the medical personnel listening to Jackson’s rundown of the blond’s condition as they worked to ready him for transport. As they lifted the gurney into the back of the emergency vehicle, Vin climbed in behind them, settling himself in where he was out of the way, but as near his lover as possible. He looked up, nodding toward the three men standing outside.

Nathan and Ezra led the way, watching for signs of attack, while Buck brought up the rear of the little convoy. They ran with lights and sirens all the way to the hospital. The three agents kept up their vigil until their injured boss disappeared into the emergency room entrance, followed by their team’s sharpshooter. As the doors closed, they pulled away, going only as far as the nearest parking spaces.

By the time Nathan, Buck and Ezra entered the hospital, Vin had been sent out of the ER. The slender man was pacing in tight steps, arms wrapped around himself and heedless of the fact that he was covered in his lover’s blood.

Wilmington strode up to him, taking the younger man by the shoulders. Getting Tanner’s attention, he said, “come on, Junior, let’s go sit down. You look like something out of a slasher movie, and you’re scaring the other people.”

Looking down at himself, Vin noted the state of his clothing. In a small, surprised voice, he said, “there’s so much of it.”

Wilmington motioned to the other two men, and together, they surrounded the traumatized man. Slowly they made their way to a quiet corner of the waiting room, getting the Texan to sit down. As he did, Nathan took one clammy hand, checking his friend’s pulse. Then he placed his hand on one square jaw, getting the other agent’s attention. “Vin? You’re real close to going into shock here, so I need you to calm down, okay?”

With a puzzled expression, the smaller man said, “yeah… okay.”

Leaving the others, Ezra disappeared, returning quickly with a blanket. Wrapping the thermal weight covering around the wide shoulders, he said, “there, that should help you warm up, and keep those sharing these quarters from thinking you’re a mass murderer.”

Vin smiled briefly. “Thanks Ezra.”

Next, Buck left long enough to go to the admitting desk, sweet talking the young woman there into a cup of real coffee, with enough sugar in it to put most people into a coma. Returning to the waiting room, the big man smiled, holding out the cup to Tanner. “Here, Junior, this ought ’a warm y’ up from the inside.”

Taking it in both hands, Vin took a long drink, blue eyes glittering as he tasted the syrupy brew. Lowering the cup, he rasped, “ain’t bad, Bucklin.”

They sat in a tight little group in one corner of the room, waiting for word on the injured agent. People came and went as their loved ones moved through the emergency suite, on their way home, to a room, or the morgue. Each time a nurse or doctor came to the doorway, talking all but ceased as each group waited to see if they brought news for them. Then the talking resumed as someone was motioned outside or given information on whomever they were waiting on, sometimes leaving the room, sometimes simply resuming their vigil.

After a while, the agents were joined by the other members of team seven. Josiah Sanchez lowered his large body into one of the hard plastic chairs with a groan, while JD Dunne moved to the bank of vending machines and began feeding coins into the slots. The other men looked to their team profiler, waiting for him to give them news of the blond’s attackers.

Shaking his grey head, Josiah said, “we’ve still got people out there looking, but they disappeared.”

“Shit,” Buck growled.

“We didn’t even get close enough to identify the vehicle. I’m afraid we’re going to have to wait until Chris wakes up and can give us a description before we can do much. Did he come to and tell you anything at all?”

Shaking his head, Vin said, “he ain’t been coherent since we found him. Muttered a few things, but nothing I could understand.”

“Any news on how he’s doing?”

“Nothing yet,” Nathan interjected. “We’ve checked with admitting a few times, but they’re still working on him. I don’t think he’s got anything life-threatening, though, just a whole lot of painful injuries.”

Just then, the room quieted, and the men heard, “is anyone here with Chris Larabee?”

Six heads snapped up, and Buck called out, “we are.”

The young nurse hesitated, somewhat intimidated by the group of men. Quickly recovering, she padded across to where they sat. “They’re getting Mr. Larabee ready to be moved out of the ER.”

“Can we see him?”

She looked at the slender man who looked back at her with a pair of pain-filled blue eyes. She was new, but had already heard about this group of men who were far too often found waiting for word on one or another of their members. And she knew that this one and the blond they were waiting on were the two most often in their care. Shaking herself from her thoughts, she said, “the doctor said that two of you can come back and see him. He’s still pretty well out of it, but he’s agitated, and the doctor said you might be able to get him to settle down.”

With a brief, devilish smile, the young man said, “ain’t guaranteein’ nothin’, but I’ll try.”

They sent Buck back with him, knowing that Chris’ oldest friend would need to see the blond as much as his partner would. The two men followed the nurse back through the daunting double doors, and through the organized chaos that dominated the emergency suite. Entering one of the cubicles, they saw Larabee lying on the narrow bed, weakly struggling against the restraining grip of a large orderly. Vin went to his lover’s side, and gently but firmly placed a hand on each side of the battered face. Fear ripped through him as he realized that there were bandages hiding the cool hazel eyes. He fought to mask the panic in his voice before he spoke.

“Knock it off, Lar’bee, yer fine.” He nodded to the other man, who backed away slightly as Chris responded to the voice by settling down. Leaning forward, he said softly, “you're safe, now, you're in the hospital. Now, just lay still and let us take care of you.”

“Vin… can’t… can’t see.”

“You have bandages over your eyes. Whoever beat on you banged up your face pretty good.”

“It’s more precautionary than anything else.” The ATF agents looked to see the doctor entering the cubicle. Nodding to the two men who were hovering over the third protectively, he continued, “due to the amount of damage around his eyes, we had the ophthalmologist take a look. Both retinas are detached, and they’ll be doing surgery on them as soon as his vitals stabilize.”

“I’m… blind?” The blond lay still, but his voice told them all how frightened he was.

“No, Chris, you’re not. It’s rare for both retinas to be detached at the same time, but it happens. As for your vision, the chances are very good that you’ll be fine. They’ll have to be bandaged for a brief time, and it may take a few months for you to recover normal vision. But there’s no reason to believe that you won’t recover completely.”

“What about the rest of his injuries, doc?” Buck had moved to stand on the other side of the gurney, his hand protectively on Larabee’s arm.

“Nothing life-threatening, as long as he does what he’s told. He did suffer a simple linear skull fracture which showed up on the CT scan, but as long as he doesn’t suffer complications he should be fine with rest. He has several fractured ribs as well as a fractured wrist. He’s also suffered some soft tissue damage to both knees, primarily the right one, which may require surgery. The concern right now is not so much the severity of his injuries, but the number of them. For now we want to get him stabilized, then perform whatever surgeries need to be done.”

“Well hell, doc, if you’re waitin’ for this one to get stable, you might have a long wait,” Wilmington teased, relief evident in his voice.

“Ha… ha,” Chris muttered. He turned his face toward where he sensed his lover stood. He could feel the tension radiating through the hand that hadn’t left his face. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Tanner said unconvincingly.

Turning toward the physician, Buck said, “hey, doc, you think me and you could step outside for a minute?”

Frank Garry had seen these men often enough to know that the man on the gurney and the slender man beside him had a relationship of far greater depth than co-workers or even friends. He didn’t question it, it wasn’t any of his business, he simply noted it. Nodding, he said, “just for a minute.”

As the two men disappeared on the other side of the curtain, Vin turned his whole attention to his lover. Leaning over the prone form, he tentatively kissed the swollen lips.

“I look as bad as… all that?” Larabee teased.

“Y’ wouldn’t win no beauty contests right now,” Tanner responded lightly.

Reaching out in the darkness, Chris found his partner’s face. Stroking his thumb along one high cheekbone, he whispered, “I’m okay.”

“I know.” Taking the hand in his, he kissed the palm, mindful of the ravaged flesh.

Wrapping his fingers around the other man’s hand, Larabee said, “then stop worrying about me. You heard the doctor… there’s nothing life threatening. I’m figuring a few days and… they’ll let me out, then you… you can take me home… spoil me.”

Tanner chuckled. “takin’ an awful lot for granted, ol’ man. What makes you so sure I won’t just hand you over to Buck and the boys?”

His voice softening, Larabee said, “because… you love me.”

Sighing, Tanner leaned down, kissing his partner once more. “Yeah, reckon I can’t deny that.”

<M/7>

The rest of the night and the following day passed in slow monotony. JD and Ezra left long enough to bring Vin some clean clothes, and to bring in food for them all when common sense told them they should be hungry. Josiah took on the responsibility of checking on any progress made in the search for Chris’ attackers. Buck and Nathan kept an eye on Vin, keeping him from driving the medical staff crazy. This they accomplished by Wilmington keeping their friend distracted and by Jackson getting hourly updates from the nurses’ station.

Over the next thirty-six hours Larabee underwent surgeries to reattach the retinas of both eyes and to repair the damage done to his right knee. Both knees were immobilized, the right one fitted with a brace. His left wrist was in a cast and the right one bandaged. Stitches and butterfly bandages were used to close some of the deeper cuts he’d suffered.

When they were allowed to see him after the final surgery, each of them cringed at the shear volume of bandages covering the lean frame. He had been cleaned up, his hair and body had been bathed, the blood washed away. He lay on his back, the head of the bed slightly elevated to take some of the pressure off his battered abdomen, but level enough not to bring on complications after the retinal surgery. Both legs were elevated as well, the right one kept completely immobile. The hardest thing to see was the thick pads covering his injured eyes.

“Damn, looks like somethin’ outta some mummy movie, doesn’t he?” Vin said softly as he got his first good look at his partner.

Smiling, Buck said, “wouldn’t let him hear you say that.”

“Too late,” came a weary voice from the bed.

The two men slipped up on either side of their friend, mindful of the equipment surrounding him. Vin reached out and ran a hand lightly along the swollen jaw. He smiled as Chris responded by nuzzling against the touch and sighing softly. “Been a hard day, figured you'd be sleepin’.”

“Hate sleepin’ alone,” he quipped with a small grin. “Was waiting for you.”

“Well, I’m here now, so go on and go t’ sleep. Me and Buck got’cher back.”

“Before you do,” Wilmington interrupted, “can you tell us anything about who did this, Chris?”

After a moment’s reflection, the blond said, “can’t remember anything. Last thing I remember… is leaving the meeting and heading home.”

The mustached man nodded, “the concussion.”

“Sorry.” Larabee’s voice was growing fainter, the sedatives luring him toward sleep.

“Don’t worry about it, just go on to sleep,” Vin coaxed. He stroked his fingers through the short cropped blond hair, feeling the older man slowly relaxing. Within a few minutes Chris was sleeping. He turned toward the other man. “Where do we look for them bastards now?”

Part 4

Vin Tanner yawned and stretched, pulling his arms straight over his head and pushing his legs straight before him, heels pressed hard against the linoleum floor. He felt the pleasant pain of stretching muscles and heard the pop of several joints as they moved for the first time in hours. Scrubbing a hand across his face, he scratched at the four day growth of beard, then the fingers of both hands combed through his disheveled hair.

Drawing himself up in the stiff-cushioned chair, he yawned again, and then took in the sight before him. Chris lay in the narrow hospital bed, nearly hidden by bandages and blankets. They had moved him into a private room the day before, satisfied with his progress and stabilization. If things continued as they were, he’d be discharged in a few days.

In the meantime, the other six members of Team Seven sat vigil in turns, although the lanky, long-haired Texan was a constant. Tanner had not left his partner’s side since the beginning. They had secured special permission to stay even while Chris was in ICU, due to the fact that they had yet to discern who had tried to kill him.

That was the one thorn that continued to dig at their side. Larabee couldn’t bring up any memory of who had beaten him or why, and they hadn’t been able to come up with any possibilities. JD and Josiah spent a lot of hours at the computer, going over case notes, while Ezra, Buck and Nathan dug through the physical files down in the archives. So far, nothing. Zero, zip, nada.

Vin huffed in frustration as he considered the fact that they were no closer than they had been. Then he noticed a slight movement on the bed, and realized that Larabee was awake. Even though he couldn’t see the hazel green eyes, he read the body posture and said quietly, “you up?”

The corner of his wide mouth flicking upward, the blond rasped back, “seem to be.”

A grin splitting his handsome face, the sharpshooter moved to check the hallway outside. Satisfied that there was no sign of their being disturbed any time soon, he popped the latch and let the broad door close. Padding back across the room, he perched carefully on the edge of his partner’s bed. Leaning forward, he kissed the full lips, his tongue tracing the lower one teasingly.

In response, the injured man moaned softly, his tongue flicking along his lip as well. “Kind ‘a like to… continue this but for… now… drink?”

Smiling as he kissed the parched mouth once more, Vin quickly poured a glass of water, popped in a bendable straw, and pressed it to the other man’s lips. He watched as Larabee sucked at the plastic tube, sounds of contentment ushering from his throat as he savored the cool liquid.

Reluctantly pulling the glass away, Tanner responded to the sounds of frustration with, “settle down. You don’t wanna be gettin’ sick. I’ll give you more in a minute.”

“Okay.”

Vin carefully stroked a hand down the handsome face, avoiding the worst of the injuries. A bandaged hand came up, and he took hold of it, bringing it to his mouth and tenderly kissing each finger. Returning the hand to the bed, he leaned forward to press his mouth against the other man’s, savoring the kiss as once again he teased at the cleft in the lower lip.

“Jeesh, do you two ever stop?” A familiar voice broke the silence. “Break it up already, there’s children in the room!”

Tanner turned to find Buck and JD entering the room. The bigger man had his hand over the younger one’s eyes, pretending to try to shelter Dunne from the scene before them. Laughing, he said, “ah, hell, Bucklin… boy’s gotta find out how things work somehow!”

Pushing his friend away, The dark-haired young man gave them each their own ‘bird’ and dropped into a slouch on the chair Vin had just vacated. “You two don’t have a funny bone in your body.”

“Aww, I’m wounded,” Wilmington feigned a painful expression, holding his hand over his heart. Then, giving the two younger men a wink, he stepped up to the other side of his old friend’s bed. “Hey stud, how you doin’?”

“I was doing a lot better… before we got interrupted.”

Laughing heartily, the mustached man said, “now, you know you aren’t in any shape to be goin’ there yet. Besides… seems to me your… equipment… is outta commission at the moment.”

Grimacing at the thought of the fact that he had been fitted with a catheter among all the other indignities of being bedridden, Larabee said in a low tone, “fuck you.”

“Now, see what I mean? That’s the problem, stud. You can’t – “

“BUCK!” The other three men said in unison. Then the entire room rang with laughter.

When the room quieted once more, Vin said, “didn’t reckon to see you boys for a couple hours yet.”

“We’ve come with an ulterior motive,” Wilmington said conspiratorially.

“Which is?”

“Which is, you’re goin’ with JD down the street to El Camino’s and eat lunch.”

Shaking his head, the sharpshooter began to protest, but was cut off by a quiet voice from the bed.

“Don’t argue pard. I know you haven’t left here since they brought me in. And before you try to argue the point, even if I can’t see you, I can smell you.”

Ducking his head in embarrassment, the Texan said, “ain’t that bad yet.”

“Yeah? Well what is it they say about a person who’s lost one sense? Go eat, and then I want you to go home tonight. One of the other’s can stay here.” Larabee had already conceded the fact that he needed the protection. He didn’t like it, but knew the others were right. He was basically helpless for the time being.

Letting loose a growl, Vin said, “I’ll go down to dinner, but we’ll talk more about me leavin’ tonight.”

Realizing that he would need to go slow with his young lover, the blond said, “all right.”

Brushing his hand along one bruised jaw, Tanner said softly, “be back in a bit.”

Nodding, Larabee felt the mattress beneath him shift and heard the soft footfall as his partner moved slowly away from the bed.

Buck shooed the younger men from the room, standing in the doorway until he watched them enter the stairwell. With a compassionate smile lingering beneath his mustache, the big man stepped back across the room and settled into the bedside chair.

“He look as bad as he sounds?”

“Pretty much. Doubt he’s slept more than an hour or two at a time. Ezra’s already gone out to the ranch and picked up some clothes and other things for him. They’ll work on him at the restaurant and we’ll get him to go home with one of us. Figure we’ll get him to at least spend the night and get some real sleep, take a shower and eat some real food.”

“Thanks,” Chris said, gratefully.

“What are friends for?”

“Speaking of which…” Larabee paused, trying to decide how to broach the subject. “I need to ask another favor of you.”

“You name it.”

“Well, I… that is…” he took a deep breath and forged ahead quickly. “If something happens, if it goes sour… I want you to promise you’ll take care of him.”

“Chris, stop talkin’ like that. Nothing’s gonna happen.”

“Look stud, I’m not saying it will… just ‘if’. I want you to promise you’ll take care of him. You know, like you took care of me… after Sarah and Adam…”

Swallowing the sudden pain he felt at that comment, Wilmington said softly, “yeah… okay. If it’ll give you some peace of mind – “

“Yeah, it will.”

“Okay. I promise, pard. If something happens, I’ll make sure Tanner don’t self-destruct.”

Smiling, Larabee said in a tone of relief, “appreciate it.”

~o~

Tanner and Dunne jogged down the stairs, Vin feeling far less logy than he had since entering the hospital. Exiting the big building, he blinked in the mid-day sun. Stepping out onto the sidewalk he suddenly stopped, turning to look up at the big building with a frown.

“What is it?” JD asked stepping back to stand beside his friend.

“Ain’t for certain. Just… I just feel like I ought to go back.”

“Vin, everything’s fine. Buck’s up there with him, you know he won’t let anything happen to Chris. Now, come on, I told the others we’d meet them there like ten minutes ago.”

Hesitating another minute, Tanner struggled to shake off the feeling of dread. Finally, nodding to his friend, he started back down the street. Every few steps, however, he would turn to look behind him, as if expecting to see some sign of trouble.

~o~

Buck looked up at the sound of someone coming into the little room, his face lighting up as he saw the pretty young nurse entered. The Wilmington charm came on full blast. “Well, howdy darlin’. Don’t believe I’ve seen you around here before.”

The woman smiled indulgently. “I usually don’t work this wing.”

Standing up, the big man towered over the nurse. Giving her a quick bow, he said, “well, I’m certainly happy to see you here today. My name’s Buck. Buck Wilmington.”

“Hello, Buck Wilmington, my name’s Colleen.” She said as she slipped past him and headed toward the bed where Chris lay. Leaning over the bandaged man, she took his wrist in her hand, taking his pulse.

Behind her, the big agent frowned. “Well darlin’ I reckon my charm’s a bit too much for you… made you forget your name.”

“Buck?” The blond asked, tensing and pulling away from the strange hands.

“I don’t know what you mean,” the nurse said, moving toward the IV stand.

His voice becoming low and dangerous, the big man said, “what I mean, darlin’, is that you’re name tag says Corrine, not Colleen. Now, get away – “

Laying nearly helpless in the bed, Chris heard a heavy thud. “Buck? Buck? BUCK!”

Smiling dangerously at her cohort in crime, Jessa Wilcox watched as he shoved the unconscious man away from the bed, still holding the heavy metal club he had used to knock the big man out. Then turning back to the man they had come for, she ran a hand down his battered face as she said, “my, my, my. We certainly did a number on that pretty face, didn’t we?”

“No,” the blond gasped as he tried desperately to get away from her. “Get away from me. BUCK!”

Leaning forward, Jessa pressed a hand over his mouth. “No fair hollering out, lover. We’ve got a job to finish. You didn’t play fair… you weren’t supposed to leave the party last time. Not alive, any way.”

He did his best to fight her off, but found himself being held down by a second pair of hands. Struggling, he could feel his strength being quickly sapped by fighting his two attackers.

“Hey! What are you… Oh my GOD!”

Davy looked up to see a nurse standing in the doorway, staring in wide-eyed shock. With a growl, he moved toward the woman, pulling his gun as he did. He cursed as she turned and ran screaming from the room. Without thinking, he reached the door, firing at her. Several yards away, she lurched forward and fell to the floor, crimson staining the back of her uniform. All hell broke loose, people scrambling for cover, screams and cries echoing through the long hall.

“God damn it, you moron!” Jessa screamed at the man, still grappling with the nearly unconscious man. “Get in here!”

He turned back toward her, still keeping his attention on the melee outside. He saw the woman pulling at the tubes and wires as she attempted to pull the injured man from the bad. “What the hell are you doin’?! Come on… let’s get the fuck outta here!”

“NO! We’ve gotta finish the job!”

“Then kill him and let’s go!”

“We’re gonna take him back out there… finish the job right. Cassion wants an example – “

Just then a low moan came from the floor, Wilmington starting to regain consciousness.

“Damn it, come on!” Davy strode across the room, grabbing his companion around the waist and lifting her easily. He carried her from the room, ignoring her curses and screams. Things had all gone to hell, he had to get the hotheaded woman out of the hospital before they both ended up arrested or dead.

Outside, those brave enough to peer out from their hiding places saw the big man exiting the room at the end of the hallway, a screaming woman in a nurse’s uniform in one arm, a gun in his hand. None of them doubted for a minute that they were watching one of the hospital’s staff members being kidnapped.

Inside the little room, Buck Wilmington fought to bring himself back to consciousness. Blinking dazed blue eyes, he slowly focused them, looking around. When his gaze fell on the nearby bed, a strangled cry escaped his gaping mouth.

An arm. A leg. A bandaged head. All of them hanging over the side of the hospital bed. And blood. Dripping, slowly trailing down lax fingers, falling through the air, and pooling on the floor in a crimson puddle.

The big man cried out again, his mind reeling at the sight before him. his body trembled, shaking so violently that he fell back against the wall. A hand came up, a fist pressed against a mouth opened wide in shock. Tears welled up, spilling down the paled face.

“Oh my God. Chris… “

Part 5

Vin slouched down on the cushioned bench seat on one side of the booth he and JD had found the others in when they entered the little Mexican restaurant. He was tired to the marrow of his bones, a single ache that refused to ease. He blinked hard as his weary brain tried to make sense of the swimming letters on the menu, his dyslexia making it impossible to decipher the list. Sighing, he dropped it to the table, rubbed his hand over his eyes and asked, “what’re y’all gonna have?”

“Well, you’re gonna have whatever I can find on here that’s at least somewhat healthy,” Nathan replied. “You look about as worn out as I’ve seen you, Tanner. You’re not gonna be any good to Chris if you don’t start taking care of yourself.”

“Okay, ‘Doc’,” Vin said, using the former medic’s nickname. “You decide what I’m eatin’. The only thing I’m gonna hold firm on is dessert and a beer or two.”

Smiling at his friend, the big man said, “reckon I can live with that.”

Four of the five agents made small talk while they waited to place their order. Tanner simply sat slumped on the seat, head back and eyes closed. He let the conversation wash over him, giving him an anchor to the here and now. The young agent didn’t even open his eyes when the waitress came over to their booth, letting Nathan handle his order. One corner of his mouth slanted upward when the dark man ordered a beer for him.

He knew the others were watching him but, for once, took comfort in being observed. His friends were worried about him, just as they were worried about Chris. Neither man had to be concerned about being alone as long as even one of their teammates was nearby. And no matter how annoying that could be at times, neither man would ever change it.

The sharpshooter was pulled from his musing by a piercing sound. Blue eyes flashed open as the sound of several sirens cut through the air. It was natural to hear the sound of ambulances this close to the hospital, and barely caused a single head to turn. These were squad cars, though. All five men turned to look out the window, just as three cars flew by, cutting the sound just as they passed the restaurant.

“Oh God,” Vin whispered as he watched the cars pass, “Chris.”

Before anyone could stop him, the lanky Texan bolted from the table, flying out of the restaurant. He seemed oblivious of the startled cries of other patrons and staff; didn’t acknowledge the tray of food he sent flying as he pushed past the waiter carrying it.

The others hurriedly slipped from the table, Ezra leaving several bills behind to take care of their order as well as what now lay on the floor. Josiah held his badge over his head as they moved swiftly through the room and out the door. As quickly as they moved, the others saw that Vin was already nearing the hospital complex. Ezra and JD, fleeter of foot, dashed off to catch their friend, Nathan and Josiah jogging after them.

~o~

He slowed only enough to pull his badge from his pocket, cupping it in his hand as he neared the entrance. Two security guards stood at the doorway, blocking any entry or exit. He held up the badge, identifying himself to the men. They nodded, standing aside to let him enter.

Inside Vin moved toward the stairway, knowing they would more than likely have shut down the elevators by now in an effort to slow down Chris’ attackers. Jerking open the door to the stairwell, he didn’t break stride as he flew through and started up the stairs.

It never crossed his mind that the DPD was there for some other reason. He knew it was because something had happened to Chris. It never crossed his mind that his partner’s attackers might have succeeded. He knew they hadn’t.

Seeing the number “6” on the door, he slowed as he pulled the door open, knowing that running headlong into the corridor would be more likely to get him shot than anything else. Holding up his badge, he moved onto the floor, blue eyes taking in everything.

It was bedlam.

To his left he saw several people hovered around a sheet-covered form, and his heart leapt into his throat. As he walked on wooden legs toward the body, he whispered, “no… no… no… no…”

“Mister Tanner? Vin?”

He turned toward the voice, finding one of the nurses motioning him over. She was pale and shaken, tears streaming down her pretty face. Stopping next to her, he placed a hand on each arm. “Jill, what happened?”

“I’m… I’m not certain. All of a s-sudden, Amy came running out of… of Chris’ room, screaming. Th-then there was this loud sound and… and… she fell. Then… then there was th-this man. He… he came out of the r-room. He had… had… had a gun… and was dragging a n-nurse with him. They… went d-down the stairs.”

“What about Chris and Buck?”

“They took them d-down to check… check them out.”

“Check ‘m out… what’s wrong?”

“I’m… I’m not certain. I’m sorry, Vin.”

Wrapping his arms around the distraught woman, he said softly, “we’ll find out soon enough. You just calm down, it’s gonna be okay.”

“Okay?” She asked, pulling away from the man. “How can we be okay? What if they come back?”

He looked down into the frightened woman’s face. He had seen her do things to and for them that would make most people lose their lunch or fall right on their face, and she never blinked an eye. But this was something far outside her normal day. He certainly couldn’t blame her for being so terrified. “They ain’t comin’ back, miss, we’ll see to that.”

　

~o~

　

The hospital was locked down, uniformed officers scouring each floor, each room, each nook and cranny for any sign of the would-be killers. The other members of Team Seven arrived and joined in the search, leaving JD and Vin to wait for word of Wilmington and Larabee. Dunne smiled ear to ear when Buck shuffled unsteadily into the waiting room, a bandage on the back of his head. Vin’s sandy brows pulled together in a frown and he stormed stiff-legged across to confront the injured man.

“What the hell happened, Buck? Where were you… flirtin’ with some nurse? Were you so busy tryin’ to land a piece of ass, you couldn’t be bothered to protect Chris? Where – “

“Vin, stop it!” JD grabbed the taller man’s arm, trying to pull him back away from his best friend. “Stop!”

Putting a hand to his head as the young agent’s loud voice tore through him, Wilmington said in a weary voice, “chill, Kid.”

“Well? What the hell happened?” Tanner had backed up, but his rigid body posture and flaring blue eyes spoke clearly of his desire to tear the mustached man apart.

Slipping past the two men, Buck made his way to the nearby chair and dropped into it. He propped an elbow on one upholstered arm and lowered his jaw into the palm. “Any word on Chris?”

“Nothing yet,” JD answered.

Nodding shortly, the big man said as if he were caught in the middle of a dream, “he was bleedin’ awful bad.”

“Bleedin’! Why? What the hell happened?!” Tanner took a step toward Chris’ long time friend, but managed to keep himself in check.

“It was them… the ones that tried to kill him. A woman… cold as I’ve ever seen. She walked right in like she owned the place, dressed in a nurse’s uniform. She was right beside him, hand on the IV when I realized she wasn’t who she said she was. Next thing I knew, I’m wakin’ up and Chris is hangin’ over the edge of the bed, bleedin’. I ain’t certain who was with her, but they clocked me a good one. Damn it! They damn near did it. They damn near finished the job, and that bitch got as close as she did because I was flirtin’ with her.”

“Oh God,” Vin moaned. His anger fled suddenly, leaving him shaken. He dropped into another chair, slumped in defeat. “I shouldn’t have left. I knew I should have stayed here.”

“You couldn’t have done any more than Buck did,” JD said in a chilly tone as he defended his friend.

Shaking his head, Buck said, “he’s right, Kid. I wasn’t takin’ care of business. She wouldn’t have gotten as close as she did if I had been.”

“Yeah, well I guess you’re both right,” Dunne’s hazel eyes flared. “He wouldn’t have been flirting with a woman.”

“Whoa, JD,” Josiah’s voice came from the doorway. “Let’s all cool off right now before we get to a place where we can’t mend fences.”

“Don’t tell me to cool off, he’s climbing Buck’s ass over this and it wasn’t his fault!”

“He was supposed to be watchin’ over Chris, not tryin’ to get some nurse outta her uniform!”

“STOP IT!” The deep, baritone of the profiler cut through the argument, ending it as the two youngest members of the team dropped their eyes to the floor.

“What’s done is done. Right or wrong, we can’t go back and change it. And right now pointing the finger at one another isn’t going to do Chris a bit of good. He’s got to be our number one priority right now, the rest of it can wait.”

The other three men looked at the older man, then at one another. They all knew he was right, but anger still simmered right below the surface. Seeing that he had their attention, Sanchez continued.

“I ran into the doctor outside. Chris is a little the worse for wear, but it’s not nearly as bad as it could have been. They had to do a second surgery on his right eye, but it should be fine. He’s back at square one with them both, though, and they’re gonna be bandaged for a while longer. Several of the cuts were opened up again, so they had to put the stitches back in. Other than that, he’s okay.”

“You sure?”

Hearing the mixed tone of fear and hope in the younger man’s voice, he smiled. “I’m sure, Vin. He’ll be fine.”

Heaving a sigh of relief, Tanner pushed himself up from the chair, he said, “I’m gonna head back to his room then… wait for him.”

“Vin, wait,” Josiah said. “We’ll take care of things here. You still need to – “

Cutting him off with an icy glare, the smaller man said, “forget it, Preacher. I ain’t leavin’ him again.”

~o~

He slowly slipped from the comforting nothingness, the dawn of realization bringing fear with it. Still trapped in darkness, he knew that danger lurked there in the shadows. He lashed out, hoping to stop the attack he knew was coming.

“Stop it, Chris. Larabee, calm down, you're okay.”

“Vin? They were here -- ”

“Sh, it’s okay. They’re gone, and I’m here. Ain’t nobody gonna get’cha, so calm down.”

His hand came up again, this time searching for the comfort of his partner’s touch. Vin took his hand, pulling it to his mouth and kissing the bruised flesh. He managed a smile, then, knowing that he was safe as long as the wily sharpshooter was beside him. Then more memories came to him. “Buck… is he okay?”

Tanner wasn’t able to hide his anger, his grip tightening on the blond’s hand. He managed to keep his tone civil though, as he said, “he’s got a headache, but otherwise he’s fine.”

Hearing the underlying emotion in his partner’s tone, the blond said, “you’re… angry at him.”

“He wasn’t doin’ his job. He was too busy chasin’ a piece of ass to keep his head on the job.”

His foggy mind struggled to untangle the memories, the sounds and voices of just before the attack. Slowly he shook his head. “No, you’re wrong pard. Yeah, he was flirting… that’s just Buck. But, he had her number as quick as any of us could have… called her on it. Then… I don’t know. Someone hit him I think. Surprised him. Wasn’t his fault.”

Not yet ready to give up his anger toward the big man, the Texan said unconvincingly, “okay. You rest, and we’ll talk about it later.”

Knowing his lover wasn’t yet convinced, he tried to maintain consciousness, needing to make certain Vin was all right. The siren’s call of comfort was too loud as it came to him from the other side of consciousness. As he moved toward it, he managed to whisper, “wasn’t… his… fault…”

Feeling the other man relax, Tanner held onto his hand for another minute. Finally, pressing his lips gently against the cool flesh, he tucked it back beneath the covers. Carefully moving from the mattress, he slouched back in the chair beside the bed. He stared out the window on the other side of Larabee’s bed, frowning when he realized there was only darkness beyond. The others had tried unsuccessfully to get him to leave for a little while, but he couldn’t. Not now. Not until whoever it was that had now attacked the blond twice was found. Not until they and whoever had hired them were no longer threats to his lover’s existence. Not until he knew that Chris was safe.

The afternoon and evening had passed in a blur. There was no sign as to who Larabee’s attackers were, or where they had gone. JD had taken Buck home to rest, and the others had kept him company in shifts. Ezra had brought him in clean clothes, and he’d slipped into the shower to clean up. Later Josiah brought him in something to eat although, for the life of him, he couldn’t recall what it had been. Nathan had led the assault in getting him to leave long enough to get some sleep, but he’d stood firm. It didn’t matter how tired he was, he knew he’d never be able to rest away from Chris now. Finally they had all given up and left.

Now there was only him and Chris. And the armed guard that was now on duty outside the little room. He knew it wasn’t enough, though. Something told him that these people… whoever they were… could come in any time they wanted.

They had to do more, had to find a way to ensure the blond’s survival until his attackers were caught. They had to make sure he was safe.

Part 6

Leda Cassion frowned at the two people standing on the other side of the desk. At least the man had the decency to look properly chastised. The woman stared back at her with an annoying lack of emotion on her face. Jessa simply returned her gaze with cold, black eyes. Cassion knew right then and there that she would have to kill this one in the near future, she was a loose canon and far too dangerous to the organization she had spent so many years helping to build.

“I thought you two were supposed to be the best,” Leda taunted. A hand went to her severely coiffed salt and pepper hair, brushing back an imaginary wisp of unruly hair.

“We are,” Jessa replied coolly. She stood straighter, clearly challenging her employer’s right to question her abilities. The tight leather jacket she wore shifted open slightly, revealing the fact that she wore nothing beneath the form fitting coat but a bright red sports bra.

“The best does not lose the opportunity to finish an assignment twice in a matter of days.” Leda’s almost translucent, pale gray eyes settled on the tantalizing patch of red.

“It won’t happen a third time, I assure you.” Jessa wasn’t oblivious to the woman’s gaze, and simply shifted so that the jacket opened a little wider. She sat her hands on her trim, curvaceous hips, enjoying the fact that the tip of her employer’s tongue appeared, sliding along her thin lower lip.

“It had better not,” the older woman said in a tone of dismissal. “I expect you to report success within the next seventy-two hours. I expect you to deliver proof to me that Chris Larabee is dead, and his team of murderers is destroyed. If not…”

Jessa and Davy had no need for her to complete the threat. They both knew that their lives depended upon their success. And success meant that Chris Larabee died. The two hired killers turned and walked from the room without a backward look.

As they closed the door behind them, Leda dismissed the two people from her mind. She pushed back from the desk, turning the wheelchair she sat in and wheeling it toward the overstuffed lounge chair that sat in one corner of the big office. Pulling herself from the chair, she settled into the thick cushions and spread a heavy afghan over her lower body. Leaning back, she closed her pale eyes and let her anger slowly drift away. In its place, she conjured up visions of the blond man she had come to hate so immensely dying a slow and violent death.

Leda Cassion found herself reliving the memories of two years before. She and her two brothers had inherited their father’s business. While in the public eye that was a thriving import-export business, the true money was earned by selling guns to the highest bidder in any number of civil wars around the world. It was earned by selling almost anything, really, from guns to Leda’s personal favorite source of income. Teenage boys and girls, collected from the streets and sold into slavery.

Then they had come under the scrutiny of ATF Team Seven. They became the prey in the recently appointed senior agent’s self-appointed mission to rid the world of anyone who didn’t live by his own narrow code of ethics. Rumors were rampant that the hard-edged blond was trying to kill himself, either by the bottle, or by taking undue risks. He and his agents had come after Leda and her brothers with a single thought. The complete annihilation of their empire.

Their mission had not been totally successful, but had devastated the Cassions business. And, while Chris Larabee had lost three agents, Leda had lost both of her brothers. She had also lost the use of her legs when her brother Aaron had died behind the wheel of the car the three of them had escaped Team Seven in. She had tried to take control of the vehicle, but they had plunged over the side of a ravine. She had been thrown clear near the top, but the car, carrying the bodies of both Aaron and their youngest brother Benjamin to the bottom. There it exploded on impact, her brothers’ bodies consumed by the flames. Her only consolation was that Benjamin had died earlier, his body slumped over in the backseat. Neither of her beloved siblings had suffered at the end.

No, the suffering had been hers to endure. She had refused to seek medical attention, knowing that the feds would be watching the hospitals. Instead she had hidden in the underbrush, feeling her life’s blood soaking into the ground beneath her. She watched Team Seven… and Chris Larabee… among the people who came to investigate the scene of the accident. The fire had been complete, destroying any evidence that she was not in the car. All that they knew was that the back of the Cassion empire had been broken.

After the men and women investigating the crash site left, she managed to call for help on her cell phone. Summoning three of her most trusted employees, she ordered them to carry her away. Later that night she was flown out of the country on her private jet, her broken body swaddled in blankets and lying on a narrow couch at the back of the plane.

For over a year she had fought to overcome the injuries she had sustained. Twice she had nearly died, but each time she managed to recover. And, each time she did, her resolve grew stronger. She would destroy Chris Larabee.

Six months earlier Leda had returned to the states, taking back the reins of the Cassion family empire. It had been in the hands of her most trusted employees in her absence. They had moved the family assets, re-inventing the business through enough shadow companies to hide its existence from the watchful eye of the government. And Leda Cassion plotted her revenge against Team Seven.

Rousing herself from her thoughts, the vindictive woman pressed a button at the side of her couch. “Adrianne, I need you in here, now.”

A young woman appeared at the door, an expression that was part devotion and part fear on her face. “Yes, Ms. Cassion?”

“Get in here. I need you to make some calls for me. We may be severing our relationship with those two buffoons in the near future, and I need to find replacements for them.” Chris Larabee would die, one way or another.

~o~

Vin turned his attention from the window, where he had been watching the parking lot below, at the sound of someone entering the room. He relaxed when he saw Chris’ doctor coming to stand at the end of his partner’s bed. Frank Garry greeted him with a nod, his attention going to the sleeping man.

While the doctor took his time checking Larabee over, Tanner kept his attention him. Watching as Garry checked the wounds below the multitude of bandages, he said quietly, “how’s he doin’?”

“So far so good,” the man replied.

“How soon can we get him outta here?”

Heaving a sigh, the older man said, “Vin, look – “

Holding up his hand, the slender Texan said, “I know one or the other of us is askin’ that as soon as we’re outta the ER, but we all know this is different. I need to know how soon we can git ‘m outta here… not just for his sake, but for the hospital. You already got one dead nurse over this… you wanna risk the rest of the staff?”

With an angry look the medical man said, “we have intensified security, and we’ve got the DPD on this floor.”

“Th’ bitch that done this walked in here dressed up like a nurse, and nobody had a clue that she wasn’t one. We still don’t know who her and the man the nurses saw with her work for, who them two are, or nothin’. ‘Til we do, nobody's safe around us.”

“So, taking Chris out of here is safe?”

The two men looked up to see Nathan Jackson standing in the doorway. The big man was frowning at the slender Texan. “That what you’re saying, Vin? That you want to take him out of here in the shape he’s in?”

“Look, Nate, I – “

“I need to get out… of here.” The men looked at the bedridden man. Larabee’s eyes were still bandaged, but they could tell that he was wide awake.

“Chris, look – “ Garry started.

“It’s not safe – “ Jackson barked at the same time.

“Save it,” Larabee growled, silencing the arguments. “I need to get out of… here. Make the… arrangements.”

“Chris, listen to reason,” Garry tried again.

“Seems to me that Vin’s the only one… making sense. I can’t stay here if it… means… risking innocent lives.”

“Damn it, Larabee stop being so hard headed!” Nathan was ready to explode.

Ignoring the outburst, the injured blond said, “Doc, is there anything they can’t take care of… away from… here? Anything that Nate can’t… take care of?”

“And if I don’t?” Jackson was fuming.

One corner of his mouth turning up, the blond said, “if you don’t… reckon I’ll suffer through Vin taking my temperature.”

The big man cursed under his breath, ignoring the twin grins from the two lovers. Turning to the medical professional, he said, “is there anything I wouldn’t be able to handle?”

Garry considered the question. He knew of the black man’s medical training as an EMT, and knew that Jackson’s expertise went even farther than the average technician. Removing his glasses and rubbing a hand across his eyes, the doctor said, “no… I don’t believe so. I still can’t sanction this.”

“If I have to leave AMA… I’ll do it,” Larabee said softly.

“I don’t doubt it,” the medical professional said. Huffing a deep sigh, the doctor said, “look, if you can hold out for another twenty-four hours… I’ll get things together.”

Relaxing against the pillow, Chris smiled. “thanks, Doc.”

“Yeah, right. Thank me if you survive this,” shaking his head, the older man left the room.

Looking at Jackson, Tanner said, “okay, you wanna yell at me for a while now, or save it for later?”

Reaching out blindly, Larabee searched for his lover. He felt Vin take it in his own hand, and he relaxed. “Nate… you yell at him, you yell at me. I’m in complete agreement… with him.”

Shaking his head, the tall agent said, “why should I bother? The two of you’ll just go on and do what you want to, anyway.”

Tanner started to feel a twinge of guilt but one look at his injured partner, and his resolve strengthened. Holding Chris’ hand snugly between both of his, he said softly, “we’ve gotta Nate. It’s the only way I can think of to keep him safe and protect the hospital.”

“So, where will we go?”

“Out to the ranch.”

“The ranch?! Vin, in case you’ve forgotten, the people who did this know where the ranch is. I’ll check with Travis and see if we can move him to a safe house.”

Shaking his head, Tanner said, “already did. Ain’t nothin’ closer than two hours from here. The house is only an hour. ‘Sides, reckon we know the place well enough to guard it.”

“But in a safe house we’ve got a strong security system and other safeguards.”

“JD ctn put in anything we’ll need. We can ask him to do that today.”

“You sure he’s gonna be willing to help out after what happened?”

Larabee tensed. “What are you talking about?”

Rubbing his thumb across his lover’s bruised and scraped knuckles, Tanner said, “me and Buck had a bit of a disagreement. JD got into it, too. Reckon they’re a mite pissed off at me.”

“Knowing you, and Buck’s temper, I would imagine that… ‘mite’ is an understatement.”

Dropping into the chair, the dark man said, “I’ll talk to him.”

Grinning broadly, Vin said, “thanks ‘Doc’. I owe you one.”

“Oh hell, don’t start keeping track now, Tanner.”

~o~

Jessa let out a feral growl, thrusting downward to impale herself on the thick shaft of flesh. She looked down, grinning coldly at the man whose cock she was riding. The thing she liked most about Davy Maddox was what hung between his legs. He was well enough endowed that most horses would be envious.

The man grunted as she slammed herself against his groin once again. He tugged at the handcuffs holding his wrists against the head of the bed, frustrated at his inability to move. She always managed to talk him into being handcuffed, or tied, or gagged. The woman couldn’t seem to get off without having her partner confined in some way.

Forcing herself down over him once again, she captured him in an iron grip, growling when she felt his cock release its hot juices inside her. Her own body responded by jerking once, then slowly relaxing. With a low moan, she settled on him for a few minutes then shifted, collapsing on the bed beside him.

Davy lay quietly, knowing that she had no use for talk after she was finished using his body. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to ignore the fact that his fingers had grown numb. The plaster above him was cracked and filthy, and there was a water stain in one corner. The room had seen far better days, and smelled of bleach, Lysol and the multitude of bodies who had moved through it. But it was cheap, and that made it attractive.

Jessa pulled herself up off the lumpy, battered mattress and began pulling on her clothes. Only after she had stomped into her boots did she reach up and unlock the handcuffs. Without a look back at her sex partner, Wilcox moved out the door saying as she did, “come on, let’s go.”

He dressed hurriedly, having no doubt that she would leave him stranded if she decided it was time to leave. Shoving his feet into his shoes, he jogged after her. Jessa had already paid the bill and was now halfway to the car. He rushed after her, sliding into the passenger seat just as she slammed the vehicle into drive and sped off.

“We goin’ back to the hospital?”

Shaking her head, the woman said simply, “no.”

He waited for more, but when it didn’t come he said, “then where?”

“We’re gonna find one of those other bastards he works with.”

Frowning, the man asked, “why?”

Heaving a sigh and shooting him a look that said he was the stupidest man on the face of the planet, she said, “because. If there’s one thing we learned in studying Larabee, he’s loyal to his men.”

“Yeah? And?”

“We grab one of his men, he’ll do whatever we want to get ‘m back.”

“But he’s out of commission right now. He’d have to rely on one of the others to do just about anything.”

“So… we make it so one of the others has enough at stake to go along with him.”

He looked over at the woman behind the wheel, slowly smiling as her plan gelled in his mind. “You’re an evil bitch, I’ll give you that.”

With a smirk, Wilcox said, “yeah, that’s what my mother always said.”

~o~

JD looked up at the big agent with a look of disbelief on his young face. Nathan had just finished outlining what Chris and Vin had proposed, finishing with the plan for the young electronics expert to set up a security blanket around the ranch.

Running his fingers through the thick mop of long black hair, Dunne said, “yeah, I can do it. If Ezra and Buck help me I can finish it in about six hours. But, Nate… this is crazy! Chris is a lot better off right where he is.”

“I'm not arguing the point, JD, but you know how he is.”

“Yeah, difficult as a Missouri mule with a toothache,” Buck Wilmington groused. The big man dropped his aching head back on the thick cushion of the chair, running his fingers across his mustache. Then, shoving his hands through his thick black hair he said, “whether we help him out or not, the damn fool’s gonna do what he decides is right. We might as well go along, Kid, because otherwise we’ll both feel guilty when he gets himself killed.”

Dunne cursed under his breath, nodding in agreement. “I know. Doesn’t mean I’ve got to like it, though.”

With a broad smile, Wilmington said, “welcome to my world, John Daniel. I’ve been dealin’ with his stubborn ass for a lot of years. Learned a long time ago that it’s easier to go along than fightin’ a losing battle.”

“You could have just left, Buck. You said once that he told you to walk away a lot of times. Why put up with it?”

The big man looked at his young friend as if he’d just sprouted a second head. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, “because he’s my friend, Kid.”

Part 7

JD Dunne checked his work as he finished installing the last sensor. With the help of the two other agents, he had honeycombed the perimeter of Larabee’s property with electronic devices that would sound alarms if anything larger than a stray cat encountered them. The information from the alert would be sent to the command center they had developed in the den. From there the young electronics wizard, or any of the ATF agents. could monitor the intrusion. Even the access road was protected by sensors, and each of the agent’s vehicles would be fitted with a device that would identify them to the electronic guardians.

“JD?” Buck caught his young friend’s attention.

“That’s the last of it. Nothing should be able to get past the sensor net.”

“And if they do manage it?”

“I’ve got a secondary system on the windows and doors of the house.”

Grinning, the ladies man said, “good. Well, reckon we’d better get on with the rest of the plan.”

“All right. I’m going to do a final check, and everything should be in place by the time you and the others get back here with Chris.”

“I still don’t like the idea of you staying here alone,” Wilmington frowned.

Heaving a sigh, the younger man said, “Buck, we’ve been over this about a million times. The sensors will be activated so, if they do come out here, I’ll have plenty of warning. Besides, they… whoever ‘they’ are… shouldn’t know that Chris is coming out here. Why would they even bother coming around?”

He knew, as they all did, that with the second attack there was every indication that the blond was the single target. But, even if he had to bow to the Kid’s logic, it didn’t mean he had to like it. “All right. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

Nodding absently, the computer expert returned to checking his work. The other two men looked at one another, shook their heads, and walked away. JD Dunne was like a kid in a candy shop when he had electronic ‘toys’ to play with. Still concerned about leaving the young man alone, they kept their eyes peeled for any sort of trouble even as they moved toward Standish’s Jag.

The plan was for Ezra to take Buck back into town, so the big man could collect his own vehicle. From there they would split up so that each of them could take care of the tasks they had been assigned during a late night strategy meeting at the hospital. None of them were especially happy at the prospect of being without backup, but it was the only way if they hoped to finish everything quickly. Speed was of the essence if they were going to get their boss and friend out of the hospital and secreted safely away on his ranch.

~o~

Chris struggled to get his thoughts together as the peace of unconsciousness was stolen from him. The total darkness that greeted his waking mind caused his heart to skip a beat, and fractured memories sent his mind spinning. Then, he felt something… someone… touch the side of his face. Struggling against the lethargy of sleep and uncooperative limbs, he made a feeble attempt at defending himself.

“Settle down, Lar’bee, you're fine.” Vin perched on the side of the hospital bed, gently restraining his partner. “Settle down.”

The voice punctured the growing sense of dread, and buoyed him up before he drowned in the fear he felt wrapping itself around him. He managed a deep breath, sighing, “Vin.”

“Right here. You're okay.” He frowned, watching as the handsome blond slowly managed to calm himself. It seemed to him that the more alert Chris became, the more easily he became spooked. He supposed that the memories of what had happened to him were beginning to make themselves known in some way, although he wasn’t going to ask. He knew that if Chris remembered anything that would help them to uncover the identity of his attackers, he would divulge it immediately. In the meantime, when the older man was ready to talk, he would. Until that happened, he’d be there to make certain that his lover knew that he was safe.

“Am… still in… hospital?” He hated how weak his voice sounded.

“Yeah. The boys are gettin’ everything worked out, then we’ll be springin’ you.”

“What… what are they doing?” he managed to add a little volume to his voice, even though it seemed to sap his strength even quicker.

He had been dreading that question. Chris had been asleep when he and the others had held a meeting on the other side of the little room. They had hashed out what they would need to do in preparation for the blond’s homecoming, each of the men taking on a share of the load. They had all known, even then, that Larabee wasn’t going to be happy about the risks they would take, each of the men alone at some point during the course of their assignment.

Taking a deep breath, Vin ran his fingers through long, loose curls. “They’re just gettin’ things ready ‘s all.”

Had his eyes not been bandaged, his young lover would have been scorched with a glare. “What… ‘things’?”

He had figured it wouldn’t satisfy the tough-minded man. Chris took the well-being of his men very seriously. He also hated being left out and feeling helpless. Reaching out tentatively, the Texan stroked one clinched jaw. “Well, Ezra’s bringin’ Buck into town to get his car, and they’ve got some sort a electronic thing-a-ma-jig that’s gotta go on each of the cars so they won’t set off the alarms out at the ranch. While Buck takes care a gettin’ them installed, Ezra’s gonna go git some supplies. After Buck’s done, he’s gonna head on back to the ranch.”

“JD’s alone out there?” Worry was heavy in the injured man’s voice.

“Yeah…” he put a finger to the man’s lips. “Before you say it, JD’s probably the safest of us all. He’s got the whole damn ranch wired up tighter and Ezra’s billfold when the tab comes due.”

Managing a small smile, the blond said, “that good, huh?”

With a chuckle, Tanner responded, “yep. Anyway, Nathan’s takin’ care a gettin’ the medical supplies we’re gonna need to take care of you out there, then he’s gonna spend a little time with Raine.”

“Raine,” Larabee said, sucking in a breath of air as he considered Jackson’s pretty wife. She was eight months pregnant with their first child, and it hadn’t been an easy pregnancy. “He needs to be with her.”

Stroking a hand through Chris’ short hair, Vin said, “he’s takin’ her over to stay with Orin and Evie ‘til we at least figure out who the hell’s after you.”

“At least she’s in good hands.”

“Yep, reckon Evie’s gonna have a field day fussin’ over her,” he smiled broadly at the thought of AD Travis’ wife. Next to Nettie Wells, he didn’t think he’d ever known a woman more suited to the ‘mother hen’ role.

“Josiah?”

“He’s gettin’ the Suburban ready, we’re usin’ it to take you outta here. He’s gettin’ it serviced, and the back seats taken out so we can get a gurney in there.”

“Vin – “

“I know… you don’t like it.”

“None of it. You’re all putting yourselves too much at risk.”

“Part a the job, Larabee. Part a the job.”

~o~

Nathan Jackson helped his wife out of their station wagon, slipping his arm around her as she settled next to him. Leaning down, he softly kissed the top of her head. Placing a hand tenderly over her heavy belly, he shook his head. “I can’t do this. I can’t leave you… not now.”

“Nathan – “

“No. I’m going to make sure Chris is settled in out there, then I’m coming back to get you. I can’t risk… it’s too close… damn it!”

Raine Jackson smiled wisely, knowing exactly what war her husband was fighting with himself. His loyalties were torn, but she knew where he needed to be. And it wasn’t with her right now. “Nathan. Go. Evie won’t let me out of her sight, you know how she is. And Orin’s already promised that he’s going to have at least one other agent at the house at all times. I’m going to be fine. He needs you right now.”

“But if the baby… I don’t want to miss… “

Pressing her fingers to her husband’s lips, the young woman said, “you won’t miss Nathan Junior coming into the world, Mr. Jackson. As soon as I feel that first pain, I’ll call you.”

“But – “

“Nathan,” she said with a hint of exasperation in her voice. “I’ll be fine. We still have three weeks before my due date. You won’t miss it.”

Sighing, he nodded. Reaching into the backseat of the big car, he retrieved her suitcase. Taking his wife’s arm, he walked with her up the walk. His eyes moved sharply, taking in every detail about what was happening around them. He hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that he was being watched. He once again considered his place at his wife’s side, but one look into her deep chocolate eyes and he knew he might as well save the argument.

As they came near the front door of the elegant townhouse, it opened, and Evelyn Franklin Travis, better known as Evie, greeted them with a big smile. Returning her greeting, the big man leaned toward his wife and said in an annoyed whisper, “and it ain’t gonna be Nathan Junior… gonna be Raine the second.”

~o~

Buck Wilmington finished stuffing clothes and toiletries into an old gym bag as he prepared to leave for the ranch. After Ezra had dropped him off at his own car, he had met with the others, installing the electronic devices in each one. That finished, he intended to gather up enough things for both he and JD, then head out to Larabee’s place. He was still bothered about the fact that his young friend was out there alone. He knew, logically, that Dunne was just as capable as the rest of them. However, the part of him that felt more like the younger man’s brother than friend wanted to be out there to make sure he was okay.

He knew the Kid would have a few choice words for him, however. He hadn’t sounded very happy after being interrupted for the third time by Wilmington calling to check on him. Buck sighed. He wasn’t looking forward to them all being together out there, especially if they had to spend several days in one another’s company. For, while he understood Vin’s anger after the second attack on Chris’ life, JD wasn’t quite as forgiving. He knew that they would need to all sit down and talk it over at some point, but wasn’t certain quite when that point should be.

The big agent took one look around the apartment he shared with Dunne before heading out the door. Checking the lock, he headed for his car, frowning as the sensation that he was being observed sent the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Stopping at the edge of the sidewalk, he looked around, trying to find something amiss, or someone in the vicinity that seemed suspicious. After a few minutes, he heaved a sigh and slid into his car.

Shaking his head, Wilmington said, “I’m getting too old for this.”

~o~

Josiah pulled into the ambulance bay where he was supposed to meet Vin and Chris. They had drawn Frank Garry into their plans, simply because they had no choice and felt they could trust the medical professional. He would help get the bedridden Larabee from his room to the secluded area. Parking the big vehicle, he turned it off, letting the echo of the engine in the little space die before he climbed out from behind the wheel. His eyes lit on the little control device Buck had fastened to his dashboard, shaking his head as he thought of how much weight they were placing on such gadgets. The profiler sent up a prayer to whoever was listening, that it would all go smoothly. Moving to the rear of the battered Suburban, he opened the back, revealing a space large enough to secure the gurney they would transport Chris in.

Settling his large frame onto the edge of the carpeted floor, he kept his mind focused on watching for signs of trouble. The blond wasn’t going to die on his watch. He had vowed to get Chris Larabee home, and that’s exactly what would happen.

“The Good Lord willing,” he mumbled to himself.

~o~

Ezra Standish exited the little coffee shop with a bag bulging with gourmet coffees. He had made four stops before this, collecting not only the list of food and other supplies they might need but his own contributions to what they could use at the ranch. The cost in time and money was worth it, however. They might be confined to the sprawling ranch house, but he would make certain they would have the opportunity to do so in style.

Carefully adding his latest bundle to the trunk full of bags, he frowned thoughtfully as he tried to decide if he had forgotten anything. He mentally went over the contents of each plastic or cloth container, cataloging the items. There were enough packages of ‘junk’ food and sweets to put a small army into a sugar-induced coma… or keep one reed-thin Texan happy for a few days. Fresh fruit, vegetables and juice were Nathan and Josiah’s contributions to the list. Add to that beer and wine, cigars and several decks of playing cards, and they should all be able to keep themselves occupied and not driving one another insane in the close quarters.

The shopping done, Ezra drove to his condo. There he picked up the garment bag and overnight case he had packed earlier, as well as his laptop. He hoped to give the appearance of leaving on a trip in the event that he were being watched. And, given the uneasy sense of not being alone, he was almost convinced that he was, indeed, being observed. That intuition had served him well far too many times to be ignored, and he remained vigilant as he set the alarm and locked the front door. Going to his car, he deposited his luggage in the passenger seat and slid behind the wheel. He took another look around, watching in the rear-view mirror for any sign that someone was waiting for him to pull away. Seeing nothing, the Southerner pushed the key into the ignition, grumbling to himself as he turned the key.

Part 8

Vin looked up impatiently as the door opened and Dr. Frank Garry entered. The man’s features were pinched, and he looked as unhappy as the young Texan had ever seen. He knew Garry wasn’t happy about what he was participating in, but he also knew the doctor would do his part. If for nothing else, he didn’t want any more bloodshed in his hospital. The best way to ensure that was to get Chris Larabee out of his hospital.

“We’re ready,” Frank said. As he spoke, he stepped up to the injured man and began taking his vitals.

“We?” Tanner didn’t like the sound of that. They couldn’t afford to bring any more people into their plan than absolutely necessary.

Nodding, the older man said, “it would look a little suspicious if I moved Chris out of here. I’ve got a nurse and an orderly coming to do that. And yes, I trust them. It’s Jill and Rick. You’ve dealt with them before.”

Vin thought of the nurse he’d seen when first encountering the aftermath of the second attempt on Larabee’s life. “She was awful shook up, she gonna be able to handle it?”

Grinning, the doctor said, “she’s a professional, Vin, she’ll be fine.”

Smiling in return, Tanner said, “okay. Just don’t want her gettin’ in over her head. Rick either.”

“They’ll both be fine, and they won’t let anyone know where you all are. That’s why I chose them.”

“Alrighty then, when do we git started?”

“Now.” Having said that, he gave the dozing blond a shot. “That should hold him for the next few hours.”

The doctor left a few minutes later, after finishing his part in getting the blond ready for the upcoming journey. Soon after, the orderly and nurse entered. They worked quickly to get Chris from his bed to a gurney, taking special care to support his injured legs with pillows. They covered him with several of the light hospital blankets, knowing he’d need the warmth once the agents were on the road.

They moved Larabee from the room and down the hall toward the big elevator used to transport patients. Vin followed close behind, watching for any sign that they were being observed. Entering the large elevator, he unconsciously moved beside his partner, one hand lying gently on an exposed shoulder.

The ride was made in silence, the medical personnel nervous enough to make small talk impossible. As they reached the ground floor, the door opened on the corridor that leading to the ambulance bay where Josiah waited.

They made the bay without any trouble, the orderly helping Josiah lower the gurney down onto folded legs, then lift it into the back of the renovated Suburban. As they stood back, Vin stepped up into the vehicle, settling himself next to the blond. Thanking the two people who had risked their lives to help them, Josiah slid behind the wheel and started the big vehicle.

As they pulled out of the bay and made their way through the hospital drives to the road, Sanchez kept track of their surroundings. They had taken every precaution possible, but there was always a chance that Larabee’s would be killers would find out the plan. He also kept an eye on the two men behind him. Despite the fact the doctor had done everything he could to make certain Chris wouldn’t suffer unduly outside of his care, they all knew that there was a risk to removing the blond from the hospital as they had.

“Lord,” the big man rumbled softly, “I know that Chris Larabee hasn’t kept in contact with You for several years, but he’s a good man… one of the best it’s ever been my privilege to know. He’s in about the hardest place he’s ever been, and his life is on the line. Now, I may be asking for more than I should, but I’d be eternally grateful if You’d keep him well and among with us. And as much as it would me to me and the other boys, it would mean about a hundred times more to Vin.

“Father, I’ve never quite understood why You’ve put that man through the things You’ve had, and I’ve sure never figured out why he’s stayed as decent a man as he is. Now, I know that what the two of them have is supposed to be a sin, but what Chris and Vin have… well, I can’t see how that can be condemned. Now, takin’ it away from them… leavin’ that young man heart-broken and grievin’… well now to me, that would be the true sin.

“I know that Your Will be done, Lord… I just pray that it’s somethin’ we can all live though.”

In the back of the big vehicle, Vin sat, leaning against the wall. He sat cross legged, his arms folded loosely on his thighs and his head leaning back against the side of the Suburban. His eyes were closed, but he was listening to everything going on around him. He heard Josiah’s voice, a low rumble like distant thunder, but wasn’t listening to the words. The Texan had no doubt that his friend was saying a prayer for their safe passage. He heard the soft, slow rhythm of his lover’s breathing, comforted that it hadn’t changed in the course of their trip so far. No doubt the medication Garry had given him was to thank for that.

He heard the traffic sounds around them, the engine noises changing as different vehicles moved around them with the ebb and flow of the traffic. The noises were ever changing, like the various conversations at a party. The metallic ping of an older engine on its last legs. The deep growl of a muscle car. The high whine of a subcompact. The heavy thrum of a souped up engine. The buzz and rattle of someone’s car stereo carrying the primeval sounds of a rap song. All of it moved around them, ever changing, telling him that none of the other vehicles paced them. They were safe for the moment.

They reached the outskirts of town, the traffic thinning as they moved away from Denver. It was easier to make certain that they weren’t being followed, and the two men began to relax more and more.

An hour after leaving the hospital, they were carefully bouncing along the rough access road that led to Larabee’s ranch. All of them had traveled this road often enough to know the dips and bumps of its surface, and Josiah put that knowledge to the test. They didn’t need to bounce Chris around any more than necessary.

He pulled up close to the deck at the back of the house, letting the house and surrounding trees hide them from observation. As he climbed out of the battered vehicle he smiled to see Nathan already at the back door, opening it to check on their friend. Joining the worried man there, he said, “he slept through it fine, Nate, no problems.”

Smiling, Jackson said, “looks like he ain’t the only one that slept through it.”

Sanchez looked to see Vin Tanner in a loose-limbed slouch in the corner of the back of his Suburban, soft snores issuing from his slightly parted lips. With a gentle shake of his head, he returned the other man’s smile.

As quietly as possible, the two men pulled the gurney from the back, and carried Chris through the house on it. As they moved past the open door to the den, they saw JD inside, intent on monitoring the surrounding area for signs of unwanted visitors. He looked up briefly, nodding as they passed by.

Going to the bedroom, the profiler helped settle the still unconscious agent in his bed. Leaving Jackson to finish job of checking Chris over, Josiah returned to his Suburban.

With a soft chuckle, he saw that Vin hadn’t moved. Climbing inside, he knelt beside the sleeping man. Very gently, knowing how easily Tanner could spook, he shook the lithe figure. “Vin?”

Opening his eyes with a start, the younger man was instantly awake. “J’siah?”

Smiling broadly, the older agent said, “good morning sleeping beauty.”

Scrubbing a hand across his face, Tanner said, “I fell asleep.”

“Yep.”

“Chris?” He looked worriedly toward the empty space beside him.

“Nathan’s getting him settled in.”

“Ah, hell. I let’cha down.”

Shaking his head, the other man said, “you didn’t let anyone down, son. You can’t do it all… it’s about time you accepted that.”

Heaving a tired sigh, the slender man said, “I know. Reckon I’ve been a damn hard head.”

With a chuckle, Sanchez said, “no one’s gonna argue with you there, my friend. Now, come on, let’s get you somewhere a little softer, where you can finish your nap.”

Tanner crawled out of the vehicle stiffly, and shuffled along after the bigger man. They entered the house, moving toward the big master suite. Then he stopped at the doorway to the den, watching the man inside.

Sensing that his companion was no longer behind him, Josiah turned, realizing what was going on in a heartbeat. He came back to stand beside the smaller man, laying a big hand gently on the slightly bowed shoulder. “Want me to come with you?”

One corner of his mouth quirking up in a tight smile, the Texan said, “nah… reckon I can manage this one alone.”

Squeezing the other man’s shoulder gently Sanchez said, “you’re never alone Vin, never doubt that for a second.”

Reaching up to pat the hand who’s gentle pressure rested comfortably against him, Tanner said, “reckon I ain’t never forgot that, pard.”

Josiah stood watching as the exhausted man entered the big room, knowing that this was even more important than returning to the much needed sleep he’d interrupted. Seeing Vin approach JD, who’s back remained to him, he sighed. Offering up a quick prayer for forgiveness in both men, he resumed his course toward Larabee’s bedroom.

<M/7>

“JD?”

The youngest member of their team remained focused on the screen before him, his shoulders stiffening slightly as he responded to the voice. With forced calm, he said, “Chris okay?”

“Fine. Nate ‘n Josiah’s gittin’ him all settled in for the time bein’.”

“Good.”

“Look, JD, I’d like to talk to you – “

“Vin, look, this isn’t a good time – “

“I hate havin’ this between us. Back there in the hospital… I didn’t have any call to say them things to Buck. Wasn’t his fault what happened… I know that. I was just… I – “

“You were scared.”

Vin heard the slight tremble in the young man’s voice. “Yeah, reckon I ain’t been aas scared as that for quite some time. Reckon it had to come out some way… and Buck was a real convenient target.”

“It wasn’t fair.”

“I know. Look I ain’t got the right to ask you to forgive me, JD, any more than I had to ask Buck to.”

“He doesn’t hold grudges, you know that.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Dunne heaved a heavy sigh, and shook his head. “I’m sorry I got so angry with you. It’s just – “

“Buck means a lot to you… I know that, Kid. It ain’t the same as what me and Chris have, but it runs just as deep.”

JD shook his head. “It’s just not that, Vin. It’s just that… the things I said to you.”

“You meant them,” Tanner said, recognizing the war of emotions on the pale face.

“No, of course not! I… I wasn’t… I didn’t… I’m sorry. I thought… I didn’t realize… it was just – “

“You thought you’d got past all that. Thought you’d come to terms with what me and Chris have, but you ain’t.”

John Dunne dropped his head in his hands, groaning softly. “I thought I had, Vin, I really did. But when you started in on Buck I – “

“You went for what you knew would get to me quickest. And then you realized that… at least part a you… agreed with what you said.”

“I’m sorry Vin,” the words were so soft, even Tanner’s keen hearing barely caught them. “I’m so sorry.”

The lean man watched as his friend struggled with his emotions. Of all the members of Team Seven, JD had found it hardest to come to terms with the change in his relationship with their boss. In the beginning he had nearly resigned from the team, but Buck and Josiah had talked to the young man and kept him from doing anything rash.

Larabee and Tanner recognized that their youngest friend and co-worker continued to struggle with his feelings, and did their best to respect it just as he learned to respect theirs. At times it seemed like nothing more than a tenuous truce, and this looked as if it would be one of those times.

“JD, I can’t say that your words didn’t hurt, because they did. Just like mine hurt you and Bucklin. Maybe right now the best thing to do is just shake hands and agree to get through all this as part of a team. Later on, when the dust is cleared, we can sit down and sort it all out.”

For the first time since the other man entered the room, Dunne turned to face him. He looked up into the wide blue eyes, seeing both pain and understanding in their azure depths. He felt a pang of guilt at the pain, and unworthy of the understanding. Realizing that the other man was right, they had to put this aside until their current ordeal was over, however, he managed a small smile. Reaching out his hand and watching Tanner’s wrap around it, he shook his friend’s hand. In the end, all he managed to say was, “agreed.”

~o~

Vin shuffled into the bedroom he’d shared with Chris for so long, feeling more tired than he remembered having felt before. He was relieved to see that his partner was ensconced on the right side of the bed, his side, and seemed to be sleeping comfortably. He unsuccessfully tried to stifle a yawn, seeing both Nathan and Josiah looking at him with amused expressions. He allowed himself a wry smile in return. “Think I done run outta steam.”

Shaking his head, the former medic said, “Vin, you should have run out of steam a while ago. I think what you’re runnin’ on is just pure, cussed stubbornness.”

“Y’ might be right.” He drawled as he stood in the middle of the room, his foggy mind trying to decide what to do next.

Seeing the expressions chase across the handsome face, Jackson carefully pulled back the covers on the left side of the bed. “Get on in here.”

“Nate, I might jostle him – “

“He’s good and protected with casts and bandages, so I don’t think you could do a lot of damage. I doubt that you’ll move much once you get laid down. I also doubt either of you would rest much separated.”

Tanner had to agree with the other man’s observations. Toeing off his shoes, he dropped carefully to the mattress, mindful of every movement. With exaggerated care, he stretched out on the side of the bed, his head dropping wearily to the pillow. He moved as close as he dared to other man, not quite touching, but his body still curving to fit around his partner. Chris muttered softly in his sleep, head turning slightly toward him.

“Sh. You're okay. Go on back to sleep.” He reached out a hand, gently stroking the spiky hair of the older man’s head. He watched as his lover settled back down, breathing evening out as he moved deeper into the oblivion of sleep. Still stroking the other man’s head, Tanner felt himself drifting along after him, his mind and body finally giving into his need for rest. Eyes slowly shutting, the Texan was soon oblivious to the world beyond the bed he shared. Finally his hand stilled, dropping limply to the pillow beside the blond head.

Nathan and Josiah watched as the men settled in, both of them amazed at how serene both faces became. Even their soft, gentle breathing seemed to become one, as chests rose and fell together. A few minutes of blessed peace… although there was no doubt for either that the storm hadn’t completely passed.

Part 9

Agent Dunne frowned, looked at the clock, verified the time on the hotbar of his computer, and then checked his wristwatch. They all had the same time within a minute or two, and they all said that Buck and Ezra were late. The two men should be pulling into the drive by now, but there was no sign of either car.

“JD?”

The dark-haired man started, turning to find the big profiler standing nearby. “Jeesh, Josiah, I didn’t even hear you.”

“Sorry, Kid. Just thought I’d check in with you. Any sign of Buck and Ezra?”

Shaking his head, the smaller man said, “nothing yet. I was just wondering if I should call them.”

“If you’re wondering, then I’d say yes. They should be here by now, and if they’re running late, they’d have called already.”

Just as Dunne opened his cell phone, the alarm for the road chirped. JD looked at the read-out on the computer, then turned to watch the road from the window of the den.

“Is that a friendly signal?”

“Yeah, it’s one of ours.” The young agent looked concerned, brows furrowed as he watched the approaching vehicle. “It’s Ezra.”

Josiah joined him at the window, watching the black Jag creep along the road, obviously trying to avoid every imperfection along the path. “At that rate, we could all be old men by the time he gets here.”

“That just leaves Buck,” Dunne said softly.

Resting a hand on the smaller man’s shoulder, Sanchez said, “give him a call, JD.”

~o~

Ezra pulled up at the rear of the big ranch house, pecking at the horn to bring the others. When they didn’t arrive, he tried a second time. When the deck continued to be devoid of assistance, he grumbled, picked up his belongings and headed for the back door. Entering through the kitchen, he called out, “oh, by all means, don’t anyone offer to help me. I’m certain I can bring it all in alone. After all, I’ve already purchased the supplies… packed them to the car, stuffed them into the trunk… drove them out here from Denver. Why should I wish to have someone assist me in bringing the multitude of bags into the house? I’ll just resume my current position as pack mule and retrieve them myself. “

The disgruntled man entered the den, frowning as he saw the backs of Sanchez and Dunne. Clearing his throat, the Southerner said, “might I assume that I am not going to receive any assistance in retrieving the supplies from my vehicle?”

Josiah turned, leveling a cool blue gaze on the smaller man. In a deadly quiet voice, he said, “Buck’s missing.”

The former FBI agent paled. “Ah, hell.”

~o~

Four hours. Wilmington should have been at the ranch four hours ago. They had called every number they could think of where the big ladies man might have gotten side-tracked, including the Saloon owned by Inez Recillos and his current lady, Kerry Foxx. They had called hospitals, the DPD and the morgue. No one had seen him, no one had heard from him, no one could give the agents any idea as to where he might be. The last contact had been when Wilmington called to say he was leaving their apartment.

JD paced the house in a stiff-legged, angry stride, cursing as one fist beat a

tattoo on his thigh. He carried his cell phone, dialing Buck’s number over and over again. No answer. No answer. No answer. It became a tuneless dirge in his brain, driving him to do something. But he didn’t know what that ‘something’ should be. He wanted to go looking for Wilmington, but hadn’t a clue as to where he should start. The big man had seemingly disappeared, and they all understood only too well what that meant.

The young man passed by the makeshift command center, where Ezra sat monitoring any activity around the blond’s property. He paced though the kitchen, where Josiah was finishing up the after dinner clean up. Neither man looked up, having watched their friend make this circuit several times already.

Dunne veered off his usual course, finding himself in the big master bedroom. Realizing where he was he looked up, blushing as he say the two men sleeping beside one another in the big bed. A small sound drew his attention, and he turned to see Nathan sitting nearby, an open book in his lap.

“JD? Any word?”

Shaking his head, Dunne said softly, “nothing. Damn it Nate, I can’t just sit here on my ass. He’s out there somewhere, maybe hurt, but all I’m doing is hiding out here like some sort of fucking – “

“JD,” Jackson interrupted as the other man’s voice grew louder with every syllable. He looked meaningfully at the bed where Tanner and the injured Larabee lay.

Unheeding, the angry brunet continued. “—loser. Damn it Nathan, I can’t handle this! We’ve got to find him, we’ve got to make sure he’s safe. I can’t take any more of this.”

“Who?” The voice, weak and disoriented, came from the bed. The two men looked to see the blond moving restlessly. The tip of his tongue appeared, wetting dry lips, and he repeated in a breathless whisper, “who?”

Tanner roused then. He had been exhausted enough to sleep through Dunne’s tirade, but was pulled from the darkness by his partner’s voice. “What? What’s wrong? Chris? It’s okay, go on back to sleep.”

“No… something’s wrong,” Larabee turned from his lover’s voice and said in a slightly stronger voice, “what’s wrong?”

Knowing that their boss wouldn’t back down, Jackson said, “we can’t find Buck. He should have been here some time ago, but he’s not and we can’t raise him anywhere.”

“Oh God,” Larabee’s body jerked as if he had been shot, and he attempted to pull himself up off the bed. “What happened? Tell me… I can’t… JD?”

Putting a restraining hand on the older man, Tanner said firmly, “lay still, pard. Y’ ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

“No! We’ve got to… need to find him… damn it!”

“Enough, Chris,” Nathan ordered, shooting a dark eyed glare toward Dunne. He stepped over to where the blond lay, picked up a syringe, and inserted the contents into the IV line leading to the injured man’s hand.

Larabee sensed the other man’s presence and felt a slight jostle of his IV stand. “No… Nathan, don’t… can’t… need to find… find him.”

Finished with dispensing the medication, the bigger man laid a gentle hand on the trembling shoulder. “It won’t put you to sleep, Chris, I promise. It’s just gonna calm you down a little.”

Vin turned his own glare toward the younger man, saying quietly, “JD, we’ll discuss it in a minute. We need to see to Chris.”

His anger out of control, the brunet nearly shouted, “it’s all about Chris, isn’t it? To hell with Buck, he’s expendable, but God forbid we let the great Larabee get worried or something!”

Tanner and Jackson watched as the nearly hysterical agent screamed out, “FUCK THIS!” With that, Dunne marched from the room, slamming the door behind him.

~o~

The enraged man stormed from the house, then resumed his agitated pacing in a close path around the rambling house. He raged and stormed about the situation, venting his frustrations to the heavens. None of his teammates came to check on him, fueling his anger even more. Not only didn’t they care about Buck’s well-being, they didn’t care about him.

Steeped in the boiling cauldron of emotions, JD was on his third trip around the ranch house when the strains of the theme from “The Magnificent Seven” alerted him to his cell. Checking the read-out on the face, he heaved a sigh of relief as he recognized his friend’s cell phone number. Punching the “on” button, he barked into the phone, “Buck! Where the hell are you?”

“Kid,” the voice that greeted Dunne sounded strange… tired and hurt.

JD said, “Buck,” softly into the phone. “Buck, what’s wrong?”

“Kid, don’t do anything… promise me, protect Chris! JD, promise –“ the big man’s request was cut off, the unmistakable sounds of someone being punched came though the phone. Then a new voice greeted him, this one feminine and ice cold.

“Listen up, because I won’t repeat it. We want Chris Larabee. If you want your friend back alive, you drag his sorry, fuckin’ ass to the location we give you, and we’ll turn this mustached fool over to you. Do I make myself clear?”

Managing to find his voice, JD said, “yeah... I understand.”

~o~

Leda Cassion watched from the shadows as Buck Wilmington was dragged to the floor by the big man she had hired, the dark-haired agent struggling against the hired killer. He was doing well, considering the wounds he had suffered when the two would be assassins had captured him. Deciding that time was of the essence Jessa and Davy had simply run him off the road, grabbing him as he lay semi-conscious against the steering wheel. Even then he had fought, and they both sported cuts and bruises to attest to his determination.

They had finally gotten the best of him, Wilcox knocking him unconscious as Maddox continued to fight with him. That accomplished, they shoved him into their car, delivering him to their boss at one of her warehouses. Now they had him shackled and handcuffed in the middle of the big empty building, stripped to his boxers and vulnerable to the chilly wind that blew in through the high windows above.

Picking their time, they had forced him to call for help from his cell phone, banking on the rest of Team Seven being unable to track it from where they were hidden. They knew where the feds were; had watched them ghost Larabee away earlier that day. It had been dumb luck that they had seen Wilmington driving away from Denver, but Wilcox was quick to jump on the opportunity. She had done her homework thoroughly, and knew that the big agent was the blond’s oldest friend. She also knew he and the youngest member of the team, the electronics expert who looked more like a high school student than anything else, were as close as brothers.

And now they were banking on those connections in getting Dunne to get Larabee to them. Chris would agree, they knew he wouldn’t allow one of his men to suffer for him. Either he would bully the others in to cooperating, or he would work with JD to slip out of the ranch.

“He’ll do it?” Cassion asked as she looked into the cold black eyes of the other woman.

“He’ll do it,” Jessa replied. “He won’t let that one suffer needlessly. You should have heard his voice when he realized that we have his friend. He’ll do anything we ask.”

“Good. If this works, the two of you will have redeemed yourselves.”

If Leda’s words surprised her, Jessa gave no indication of it. She simply nodded. Then she said, “we’ve got four hours… time enough for that pale fool to get Larabee to us. I trust you have no objections to our having fun with that one?”

Looking to where Buck has been beaten to the point of slumping on the floor, his broad chest heaving as he struggled to breathe, the woman said, “I don’t care how you spend your time. He is not to be killed, that is the only stipulation I put on it. What you do otherwise is up to you.”

With that, the former business woman wheeled around, her chair gliding into the shadows at the edge of the warehouse. Behind her, Jessa simply watched, then turned her attention to the battered ATF agent. Wonton desire glittered in her black eyes, and she strolled casually across the big room. Watching as Davy finished fastening the handcuffs to a pipe that ran across the room some seven feet above the concrete floor, she admired the cut of the man they held.

He was over six feet tall, broad without being heavy, and muscular without being bulky. His broad chest tapered to a tight belly and trim hips, he legs moving upward along muscular calves and well honed thighs. His hair was black as night, as was thick, well-shaped mustache above his lip. She smiled as dark blue eyes looked up to meet her gaze with an icy glare.

“My, my, my,” she said with appreciation in her voice. “You are one good looking man.”

Buck said nothing, simply staring at her. He might enjoy the company of many… many… women, but he had his limits. This was the vicious bitch that had almost killed his friend. Twice. She was a cold, heartless, vindictive monster, and his skin crawled just looking into those black, fathomless eyes.

“Awww, nothing to say to me this time? And I thought we got along so well before… in the hospital.”

He listened to her laugh, the sound as cold and heartless as the rest of her. When she stopped, he said in a low, furious voice, “I’m gonna kill you, you fucking bitch. I don’t know when or where but I will kill you.”

“Yeah? Well, I hate to tell you this, stud, but I really don’t find you all that threatening standing here in your underwear. Better men than you have tried. I’m still here… and their balls are hanging from my bedposts. Before I’m done here, I’ll add yours to the collection… along with Larabee’s and the rest of those fucking rat-bastards you work with.”

Feeling bile burn the back of his throat and his spine stiffen at her words, Buck tried to find the words to respond to her threat. Unable to come up with anything, he simply spit into her grinning face, surprised to see blood mixed in with the thick fluid.

Fury split her icy features, and Jessa responded immediately. She began to batter the bound man, her fists connecting with bare flesh as she screamed her rage toward the heavens.

Unable to defend himself, Wilmington could do nothing more than withstand the attack. He grunted heavily as she peppered a barrage of sharp blows against his ribs, and fought not to cry out as she moved to his already aching back. He knew that – if he survived – he’d be pissing blood for a while.

“Jessa!”

She halted her assault, looking through wild eyes toward her companion. Her chest heaving, she growled “what?”

“Cassion said not to kill him.”

“So?”

Nodding toward the battered and bleeding agent, Maddox said, “look at ‘m. Best stop now before y’ have to explain to her why you didn’t follow orders.”

Cuffing the bent head a final time, the woman said, “fine.”

The two hired killers moved away, leaving Buck to hang from his wrists, blood dripping from his lips, nose, and half a dozen cuts. He was conscious though, at least conscious enough to hear what the two of them said. And he heard the name Cassion. Focusing on that, Wilmington tried to follow that name back through his foggy mind toward a faint memory from some time ago.

That name meant something. He just wished he could remember what it was.

~o~

Chris moved restlessly on the bed, fighting the sedative Nathan had given him. He wanted to remain completely conscious, to be able to have a say in whatever came. He needed to be a part of the search for his old friend, but knew realistically that he wasn’t able to do anything but worry. Unless the people responsible for what was happening literally fell into his lap, he wasn’t going to be do much more than that.

The injured blond sighed as he felt long fingers brush tenderly through his hair. He couldn’t help but calm at that touch, relaxing as the motion was repeated over and over. “You don’t play fair.”

Tanner couldn’t help but smile. He positioned himself so that Larabee’s head rested against his chest, and continued to soothe the agitated man by stroking the short blond hair. “Never claimed to play fair. Just play to win, and right now I reckon keepin’ you from gettin’ yourself all tore up about this means I win.”

“Vin… we need to find him. You’ve got to promise me that… okay? Please?”

He looked down at his lover, and saw the pain expressed in the battered, half-hidden face. He saw the helplessness expressed in the lean body that trembled beneath his touch. He saw the loyalty expressed in every fiber of his partner’s being. Softly he said, “I promise you, pard. I’ll… we’ll do everything we can to find him.”

Chris reached out, his bandaged hand seeking the handsome young man who shared his home. He felt Vin take that hand, gently enveloping it and holding it to his chest. He could feel the faint thump of the other man’s heart. “I know you’re angry at him – “

“Don’t matter none. Ain’t like its the first time me and him’s had a disagreement. You ought to know me well enough to know I ain’t gonna let my stubborn streak stand in the way of helpin’ him.”

Larabee smiled at that. “I suppose that if you did… we’d all be dead by now.”

“Smart ass.”

~o~

Josiah looked up as Dunne stormed into the house. Frowning, he began, “JD – “

“They’ve got Buck,” the smaller man said without preamble.

The others looked at him with matching looks of shock and concern. Josiah, Ezra and Nathan had all taken up residence in the den for the time being. They wanted to give Chris and Vin some space, and needed the time to discuss what they would do out of earshot of their troubled boss.

“What did they say,” Standish was the first to recover his voice.

“They want Chris in exchange for Buck. If we don’t hand him over… Buck dies.”

“That’s insane!” Nathan barked. “We can’t turn Chris over to them. Hell, he’d be dead within the hour.”

“And so will Buck! DAMN IT! Why isn’t that important to anyone but me? Why is it we can leave Buck to die, but expect everyone to put their lives on the line for Chris? WHY? ANSWER ME! Why is he expendable?”

“He ain’t Kid,” a quiet voice came to them from the open doorway. They all turned to see Vin standing there, worry and concern fighting with the ever present exhaustion on his handsome face. Looking around at them all, he continued, “Chris wants us in the bedroom. He heard enough to know somethin’s up. Might as well get on in there, or he’s like to crawl in here on his belly.”

Not caring that the other three men shot him angry looks, JD walked quickly from the room, following Tanner down the hallway. He entered the room in time to see Vin crawl onto the bed beside Larabee, quieting the struggling man with a few whispered words. Dunne stopped short just inside the door as he actually looked at Chris Larabee.

Whatever was visible of the blond’s face was swollen, bruised, scratched or completely devoid of color. The hand that clutched at Vin’s sweatshirt was covered from fingers to wrist in gauze, the other one covered in a cast. He was uncovered to the waist, his lean body covered in gauze patches and multi-colored bruises. Both legs were elevated on pillows, the outline of thick bandages and a brace visible through the thin sheet. An IV stand rocked precariously as Chris struggled to pull himself upward.

“Oh, Jesus,” JD all but moaned. He felt a pair of hands rest on his slumped shoulders and turned to look up into the compassionate blue eyes of Josiah Sanchez.

“It’s not that we’re willing to sacrifice Buck for Chris, son. It’s only that we want to save them both.”

Dropping his head, the younger man said, “I know that. God help me, I know that Josiah. It’s just that … “

Squeezing the shoulders that heaved below him as the smaller man took a deep, shuddering breath, the profiler said, “you’re afraid. We all are, son. Buck is just as important to the team as Chris is, don’t ever doubt it.”

Fighting back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him, Dunne said, “I won’t. Not ever again, Josiah.”

They walked inside, planting themselves around the room and facing the big, old fashioned bed. They watched as Vin managed to get Larabee settled back onto the pillow with a few soft words. Then he turned to take in each of their faces before saying, “okay, Chris, JD’s here. Everyone’s here.”

Nodding shortly, the team leader said, “okay, Kid, spill it. What’s going on?”

Dunne quickly told the others what he knew of Wilmington’s predicament. He could see the pain that crossed each face, even Chris’, as he told them of hearing Buck being attacked at the end of the call. He finished as he gave them the address of the warehouse Wilmington’s assailant had given him for the exchange.

Silence shrouded the room for several minutes, no one knowing what to say. Then they all turned to the bandaged and battered blond as he severed the silence with a quiet comment. “All right… we’re going in there to get Buck. And don’t one of you even sound like you’re going to say I’m not going with you.”

Part 10

Vin tenderly stroked the gray, perspiration soaked face, looking on with growing concern at how much pain his lover was in. Chris had denied himself anything for pain, fought off the effects of the medication Nathan had given him earlier, and refused every argument the EMT gave him about giving him more. He wanted a clear head when they arrived at the meeting place and he figured the pain was a price he was willing to pay for just that.

Bullying the members of his team into agreeing that he would be a part of the meet, he quickly took command of the situation. More than one bemused look was exchanged between the others as the stubborn blond, lying incapacitated, blind and fighting pain with every breath, still managed to organize every role his agents would perform.

Under his direction, Jackson had removed the IV line, leaving the shunt in for later and covering it with gauze and tape. Using a pair of Josiah’s sweats, they managed to get him dressed, pulling the too big pants up over the bulky bandages and brace. They had hidden the catheter and bag inside and pulled the drawstring as tight as possible. Even so, the black cloth hung low on his trim hips. Next they pulled a long-sleeved Henley over the battered chest. Also a selection from Sanchez’s wardrobe, it hung loose, but hid the bandages on his upper body. Finally they had removed as much of the gauze from around his eyes as they could, replacing it with Larabee’s mirrored aviator glasses.

If Chris Larabee was going to be a target for the people who had tried so hard to kill him, he was damned if he’d do it looking like the invalid he was.

They had gotten him onto the stretcher, trying their best to ignore the strangled cries, groans and other sounds of pain. Carrying their injured boss through the house, they’d once more loaded him into the back of Josiah’s Suburban. While the profiler climbed behind the wheel, Nathan and Vin climbed into the back with Chris. JD and Ezra followed in the younger man’s car.

As the vehicle hit a particularly rough spot in the road, Larabee cried out in pain. Instinctively his hand reached out, and was snagged by that of his partner. He gripped Tanner’s hand with what little strength he had, struggling to allow the pain to wash over him.

Vin held onto the older man, wishing he could draw the pain into himself and allow Chris some peace. As the blond slowly relaxed, he reached out once more and wiped away the thin sheen of sweat. “You're a stubborn one, I’ll give you that.”

Larabee managed a tight smile. “Gotta be with… with you around.”

Chuckling as he ran his fingers through the damp hair, he said, “thought I was the one keepin’ your ass in line.”

The senior agent couldn’t find the strength to come up with a smart reply, so he simply shook his head.

Seeing the lines of pain etching themselves ever deeper into the handsome features, Tanner knew he needed to distract his partner. Leaning close, he said softly, “when this is over and we got Bucklin home… got whoever them bastards are in custody… best you behave and get better. I’m gonna be makin’ some plans a what me and you ’re gonna be doin’ when you get a clean bill of health.”

“Oh?” He managed the word through tightly clamped jaws, praying he could draw his next breath without crying out.

“Yep. Reckon we’re gonna have us some serious catchin’ up to do. Good thing you got plenty of PTO built up, because you're gonna need it. You ain’t gonna be able to walk all over again once I’m done with you.”

The blond grinned, shifting slightly in an effort to ease some of the torment. “You’re an… e…evil cuss… Tanner.”

Rubbing his thumb gently along the battered features, the Texan said, “And don’cha forget it.”

“You two forget you’re not alone?” Jackson broke into the lovers’ banter. He looked over at Vin with a grin.

“Ah hell, Nate, sorry. Reckon I did,” Tanner said, feigning embarrassment. Turning his attention back to the battered blond, he continued in a stage whisper, “reckon we’re makin’ the big, straight, baby-maker a mite uncomfortable.”

“Could be,” Chris agreed.

“Uncomfortable, hell,” the soon-to-be father commented dryly. “My wife is eight months pregnant and hardly wants a thing to do with me. And in about three weeks we’re gonna have our very own romance alarm ruinin’ anything we try to do. You know kids have a sixth sense about such things… they can wake out of the deepest sleep at the sound of the softest kiss, and wail like banshees if you even think about makin’ love or somethin’. Hell, I ain’t uncomfortable… I’m jealous!”

The tension was broken for a moment, as all three men shared a laugh. Then Larabee groaned as pain once more welled up, threatening to send him screaming into unconsciousness.

Tanner gently cradled the other man’s head and shoulder’s, leaning close to whisper in the blond’s ear. “It’s okay, Chris. Nate’s got meds with him. Why don't you let him – “

“No,” the blond grated out. “No meds, Vin… I need… need… to be cl-clear.”

With a heavy sigh, the younger man said resignedly, “all right.”

~o~

A few blocks from the warehouse, Josiah pulled off into an alley, watching as Dunne slowed and parked his car close behind. Turning in the seat, he said, “time to set things in motion, brothers.”

Working quickly but carefully, they lifted Chris from the stretcher and transferred him to the passenger seat of JD’s car. They were forced to unlock the brace on his right knee to maneuver the limb into the car, Larabee crying out as the damaged joint was bent for the first time in days. By the time they got him belted into the car, he lay heavily against the seat, panting with pain. The others moved back, allowing Vin to settle himself beside his lover. Facing the older man, he gently ran his hand along the strong bicep.

“I’m… okay,” Larabee managed to force himself to whisper hoarsely.

“You never did lie good,” Tanner scolded. He did his best to soothe the trembling, pain-racked body until the blond slowly managed to gather what little was left of his composure. “Sure you don’t want – “

“No. It’ll be over… s-soon. I can make… it.”

Not caring that the others were hovering nearby, the sharpshooter leaned forward and delivered a tender kiss to the other man. “Never doubted it for a minute.”

~o~

JD drove slowly, trying his best to avoid the slightest imperfection in the road. He kept his peripheral vision trained on the man beside him in the car. Chris lay back against the slightly reclined seat, lips drawn in a straight line against the pain. His entire body was held rigid, as if releasing the slightest bit of tension would cause him to simply fall apart. Every muscle seemed to scream in pure agony. His earlier words came back to him, and he felt a rising sense of guilt over them. They had been selfish words, spoken in frustration, fear, and anger. He couldn’t take them back, as much as he wanted to. The only thing he could do was apologize.

“I’m sorry Chris.”

“Wh-what?” The team leader’s voice was thin and strained.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten angry like that earlier. It was stupid.”

Slowly the fog lifted and Chris was able to decipher just what the young electronics expert was talking about. “You were scared… Kid. I… I know what Bu… Buck means to you. He’s sp-special.”

Grinning at that, the young man said, “He’s ‘special’ all right. A special pain in the ass.”

The blond managed the ghost of a smile, before he returned his attention to not screaming. He had understood almost as soon as JD had spoken the words. Buck was important to him, too, and he understood the fear the dark-haired man had felt at the thought of loosing him. Taking a deep breath, he managed to say in a ragged, breathless whisper, “I love him… too… Kid.”

Dunne smiled at that. They all knew of the history the two men shared, and how Buck had always done his best to be there for Chris. The thought of facing the future without the man who had so quickly become his best friend, terrified him. Then, professionalism took over as he looked up at a dark, forbidding warehouse standing alone and isolated by a series of abandoned buildings on all sides. Taking a deep breath, JD said quietly. “We’re here.”

~o~

Jessa climbed down from the catwalk ladder, jumping the last few feet to land lightly on the concrete floor. With a wicked gleam in her cold eyes, she slapped her hands together, rubbing them gleefully. “They’re here.”

“How many?” Davy didn’t share her enthusiasm. All he wanted to do now was to finish the job and get paid. He wanted to get out of town as soon as possible, to put as many miles as he could between himself and Leda Cassion. He wasn’t necessarily the smartest man around, but he knew the woman was just plain crazy.

“Just Larabee and that shaggy, pasty-faced twit. Looks like they must have given the others the slip, there’s no sign of them.”

Shaking his head, the big man said, “I don’t like it.”

“Y’ don’t have t’ like it.” With that, the woman went to where the big agent hung from his bloodied wrists. Her hands roamed along his exposed and battered side, smiling coldly as he responded to her touch with a soft groan.

“Sure do wish I had more time to get acquainted,” she said. “But, that pretty blond friend of yours is here… time for you both to die.”

<M/7>

“Tell me… what’s going on,” Chris prompted the young man.

“Nothing right now. They told me to wait for a signal and then drive into the warehouse. There’s no sign that anyone’s even around here. Do you think it’s a trap?”

Before the older man could respond, a overhead door opened slowly to reveal… darkness. With a grim smile, the electronics wiz kid said, “reckon that’s our signal. Door just opened up… guess we’ve got our invitation.”

“Let’s go… get… get this over w-with.” He wouldn’t say it aloud, but knew he wasn’t going to be able to keep it together much longer. If they didn’t get to Buck and get him out of harm’s way soon, he was afraid that he would completely fold up.

JD slowly maneuvered his car into the broad opening. Inside they were confronted by deep shadows, making it difficult at best to see where he was going. A few dozen yards inside the large, open place, a spray of bullets sent an eruption of concrete upward from the floor just ahead of them. Dunne slammed on the breaks, apologizing when the sudden movement caused Chris to cry out in pain.

Struggling to recover from the sudden action, Larabee ground out through gritted teeth, “what… hap… happened.?”

“We got an invitation to stop, “ Dunne growled, staring into the shadows and hoping he got a chance to take his anger out on the monsters who had injured both men. Then a spotlight came on nearby, and he cursed when he saw what they were highlighting.

“JD?”

“It’s Buck,” the young man managed to breath out, tears stinging his hazel eyes as he beheld his best friend.

“He… okay?”

“No.”

“JD…”

“They’ve been beating him.” Dunne went on to give Larabee some idea of the other man’s conditioning. He walked the line between telling the man so much that it was overwhelming to the sightless agent, but knowing Chris wouldn’t want less than the truth. Despite his best efforts, he could see the older man becoming agitated.

“Ah… Jesus… JD, help me out… we’ve gotta… “

Putting a restraining hand out, the brunet said, “Chris, you’re going to stay right here, like we agreed. You promised you’d stay in the car and let us handle everything. You’re only here to distract those bastards.”

Larabee sucked in a pain-filled breath, forcing himself to calm down. “Yeah… oh… okay. Get him… Kid… please.”

Squeezing the tensed shoulder, Dunne said, “I will, Chris, I promise.”

A figure came to the edge of the shadows near Buck, and a gun appeared, aimed at the big man’s head. Then a voice called out, “get him out here. Now.”

Opening the driver’s door, JD climbed out, facing the almost invisible threat. “You let Buck go first, or we leave.”

The senior agent found himself inwardly smiling at how well the younger man was handling his part. Although he knew that Dunne was terrified of what could happen, he sounded calm, cool and collected. It made the bluff almost believable.

“No way, you wouldn’t be here now if you were just gonna leave him.”

Chris recognized the voice. It was the woman who had tried to kill him. He heard the coldness in her voice, hard with a hint of violence. The blond had no doubt that she’d kill the other agent the first chance she had. She’d kill them all given the opportunity. And she certainly wasn’t ready to back down.

“Bring that blond bastard out here, and bring him out here now!”

In the center of the pool of light, Buck Wilmington struggled to focus on what was going on around him. He slowly came to realize that he was hearing JD’s voice. Managing to lift his head from his battered and bleeding chest, he fought to focus his vision in the direction of the younger man’s voice. “JD?”

Dunne felt his heart flip flop in his chest as he watched Wilmington’s painful movements. It took every ounce of self-control the young man had to keep from running across the warehouse floor to where the man was chained. Instead, he stood firm. “It’s gonna be okay, Buck. Just hang on.”

“Aw, isn’t that sweet.” Jessa stepped a little closer to the light, the gun moving a little closer to Wilmington’s head. “Now that the tearful reunion’s over, bring the fuckin’ blond out here. Drag his sorry ass over here or I plant a bullet in this dumb bastard’s brain. Are we clear?”

“I told you, no – “ JD’s argument was cut off as the sound of a bullet being fired rang out. Chips of cement flew skyward, splattering against Buck’s bare legs. The big man jerked, cursing as he felt the bits of stone smack against his flesh.

“BUCK!” Dunne cried out.

“JD… what...?” Larabee called out as loud as he could manage.

“He’s okay, Chris,” the younger man assured his boss.

“NO!” The cry came from the battered prisoner as he heard his old friend’s voice. “Jesus, Kid… get him out… outta here. NOW!”

Dunne watched as Wilmington struggled against his bonds, yelling out angry words as he continued to demand that Chris be taken out of harm’s way. He knew that it was going to take some serious explaining to justify what they were doing, but that would have to wait. Right now, he had to stall. Glancing quickly at his watch, he realized he needed to keep things going for another minute and a half.

“Buck… you know how he is,” JD’s voice was strangely conversational, as if he were ordering a drink at the Saloon. “He made me bring him here. Chris wasn’t about to let you die… you know how he is, Buck.”

Wilmington forced himself to swallow his fear, taking a deep breath as he tried to decipher what Dunne was really telling him. He knew that his two friends had come in with a plan. Even if JD would have come to the meet half-cocked, with no clue as to how he’d get back out, Chris wouldn’t. The blond would have a plan.

“JD,” he said sternly, although he was forced to stop every few words to take a breath, “he’s not givin’ himself up. Not for me. You got me? Not for me.”

Another shot rang out, this one drawing blood along his thigh. Jessa said coldly,

“you ain’t givin’ the orders, big man. The only reason you’re not dead yet is because we’re not gettin’ paid to kill you. That may change, though. Now if that boyfriend a yours doesn’t want to carry your body out of here, he’d better drag that son of a bitch Larabee out here. Now.”

The last word was directed toward JD. Managing to catch a glance at his watch, he realized he had used less than a minute. Time seemed to be moving too slowly.

“JD… time?” Chris managed to grate out.

“Not yet,” Dunne muttered softly.’

“No talking amongst yourselves… boys,” Jessa almost cooed. To punctuate her words, she sent another shot ringing out, this one skimming across Wilmington’s chest.

“Damn it! STOP!” The young brunet yelled as his friend jerked, and cried out. “Stop it now!”

A noise caught JD’s attention and he turned to see the passenger side door creaking open. Open-mouthed, he watched as Chris somehow managed to pull himself out of the car. Several breathless groans cut the air as he struggled to stand on his injured legs, holding himself upright by holding onto the top of the door and the hood of the car. In a hoarse whisper, the young agent pleaded, “Oh, Jesus… don’t.”

“I’m here… you… bitch,” the blond said, managing to sound nearly normal. JD could see the sweat coursing down his face; could see the color drain until even the bruises seemed to fade.

“Oh… Jesus,” he repeated. “Chris. Please, don’t – “

“Well, there you are, pretty thing,” Jessa ambled into the light, her focus on the trembling blond. “Don’t be shy, honey, come on over here.”

“Send… Wil… Wilming… ton here… first,” Larabee was quickly losing ground. It was impossible for him to hide his weakness from anyone.

“Oh hell, didn’t I just have this conversation with the little boy there? Weren’t you listening, blondie?”

“Enough!” A new voice issued sternly. They all watched as Leda Cassion wheeled herself from where she had been watching in the shadows. The woman positioned herself behind Buck, effectively using his body as a shield.

Buck had managed to place the woman’s name, pulling it from his memory whenever he could keep himself conscious. Raising his head, he called out, “Leda Cassion, Chris. She didn’t… die in… that wreck.”

“Cass… Cassion?” the blond struggled to recall the woman now. Then he recalled it, an assignment his team had been given before they had become what had been dubbed the Magnificent Seven. “Too bad you di… didn’t die then. It’ll be sl-slower now… ug… lier.”

“I couldn’t care less, Larabee. You took my life away the day you ordered those other bastards to destroy everything I held dear. As long as I see you die, I don’t give a damn what happens after.” Turning to the other woman, Leda said, “do it. Kill him.”

With a cold and malevolent smile, Jessa Wilcox pointed the gun in Chris’ direction. She bellowed her rage as her shot missed, the blond losing his battle to stay upright at that second, his battered body slumping between the door and the car’s interior.

“Damn you, shoot!” Cassion screamed.

Finding her target once more, Wilcox made to fire a second shot. Then she screamed once more as she felt something explode inside her. Stumbling backwards, she lost her grip on the weapon. It clattered to the ground, the sound swallowed up by Davy’s cry.

“Jessa! NO! DAMN YOU!” Maddox, who had contented himself in watching the women handle things, rushed from his hiding place. He fired wildly without aiming, calling Jessa Wilcox’s name over and over as he did. He only managed to cover a few yards before three bullets tore through his body almost simultaneously. He managed a few steps before falling to the concrete, already dead.

Barely even noticing the man’s death, Jessa managed to retrieve her gun, once more aiming for the blond. Another bullet ripped through her, this one barely millimeters from where the first had sliced through her flesh.

She managed to hold onto the gun this time, but staggered back, nearly falling. Jessa found herself stumbling into Leda Cassion, managing to right herself by holding onto one of the curved hand grips.

“Get off, you worthless bitch!” Cassion ordered harshly as she attempted to push the other woman away.

In response, Wilcox grabbed hold of the wheelchair. Pushing with what was left of her strength, she shoved the chair out and away. She smiled grimly as the woman spun away, out of control, into the light. Shots rang out, and Leda Cassion screamed.

JD had moved around the car during the exchange, grabbing hold of Chris and pulling him out of the line of fire. Larabee lay limply in his arms, his breathing ragged and painful to hear. He settled on the cement, settling the blond head in his lap. Reaching out, he carefully patted one of the man’s shoulders. “Take it easy… it’s gonna be okay now.”

“Bu… Buck?” The older man struggled to move, wanting desperately to know where his old friend was… how he was. “JD… please…”

“Sh. It’s okay. Vin and the others are here.” He looked up, managing a smile when he saw Tanner rappelling down from a catwalk overhead. The others appeared from the shadows, having stormed in after the first shot rang out. While the others moved to secure the area and verify that there were no other threats, the Texan sprinted across the warehouse floor to where Chris lay.

“I got him, Kid,” the man said, his blue eyes locked on his lover’s face.

Dunne nodded, helping Vin take the blond into his arms before hurrying away to see how Buck was. The Texan cradled his partner in his arms. “Damn, look at’cha, you stubborn cuss. You look like somethin’ the cat hocked up.”

“Th-thanks,” Larabee managed to grate out.

Tenderly stroking his fingers through the sweat-plastered hair, Tanner said softly, “any time.”

~o~

Chris Larabee moved restlessly, slowly coming to awareness at the sound of his name being called. He frowned as he realized that he couldn’t open his eyes. Managing to force his tongue through the tightly pressed lips, he found little moisture to wet them. He felt something pressed against hem, and blessed water slowly rolled down his parched throat.

Vin smiled at the small sounds of pleasure that issued from the man, musing that he often made similar sounds when they made love. He ran his fingers through the short blond hair, “you awake?”

“Mm,” Larabee managed. In a rasp he whispered, “think so.”

“’Bout time.”

“How long?”

“Almost two days. You managed to undo damn near everything the doc done, but at least you didn’t add nothin’ new.”

”Bu-Buck?”

Tanner glanced across the room to where Wilmington lay. “He’s right across the room. Doc figured it’d be better to keep y’all in the same room. Cut down on the aggravation I imagine.”

“How is he?”

With a sigh, Tanner said, “in rough shape. Popped a lung, bruised up his kidneys damn bad. Concussion. Soft tissue damage to his shoulders and wrists. Two nasty flesh wounds. Lots a cuts and bruises. Them bastards sure as hell know how to make life miserable for a fella.”

“He’ll re… recover?”

“Yeah. Ezra’s already takin’ bets on how long it is ‘fore he’s hittin’ on the nurses.”

Larabee managed a small smile, quipping, “put me down for… Tuesday. Then he asked, “the others?”

“Fine. Nobody else got so much as a scratch.”

“Good. What about… Cassion… the others?”

“Th’ fella… Maddox… died at the scene. Cassion’s up on the prison ward. She caught one in the back. Busted her spine right below her neck. Docs say she can’t move nothin’ but her head. Can’t even breathe on her own… can’t talk. Reckon that’s worse than anything the courts can do to her.”

“Wilcox? What a… about her?”

“Well… that was some nasty business there.”

“What?”

“She disappeared… just plain outta sight before the boys got over there. After we got you and Buck off to the hospital, Josiah and Ezra went back tohead up a search. They just found her today.”

“And?” Larabee asked impatiently.

“Two bullet wounds… gut shot. She’d crawled off into the sewers.”

“Dead?”

“Yep. Wasn’t easy, either. Layin’ down there in the dark, suffocatin’ from the stink and bleedin’ into her belly. Rats had gotten to her by the time they found her. Reckon they didn’t wait ‘til she’s all the way dead. She had a dead rat in each hand. Clampin’ down on them, squeezin’ them to death.”

Chris Larabee’s mouth opened and closed as the other man’s words gelled in his mind. He could envision the woman lying there, her life’s blood calling the rodents to her as it drained from her body. He could see her fighting them off as he strength fled her, crushing the two furry bodies even as she died. He wondered if she had felt them gnawing at her flesh as she breathed her last breath. He found the thought not totally unpleasant.

Vin watched the smile play across his lover’s features. Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on the upturned lips. Larabee returned the kiss, then slowly settled back to sleep. Watching as the older man drifted off, he said softly, “get some rest, cowboy. Me and you are gonna be doin’ some serious catchin’ up by the time you're up to it.”

Part 11

Vin looked across to where his partner sat slumped against the back of the seat. His lips were slightly parted, eyes closed beneath the mirrored glasses he wore. It had been six weeks since Chris had been nearly beaten to death and, slowly, the physical reminders of that attack were fading. The hospital stay, the time spent in rehabilitation, all of it was now in the past. He had moved from needing nearly every need seen to by someone else, to being virtually independent now. His left knee was doing well, although he continued to need the right one braced. He had gone from wheelchair to walker and now used crutches to get around when he needed to walk more than a few steps alone. His vision was returning as well, although he got headaches if he tried to read very long, and things continued to be fuzzy enough that he couldn’t drive as yet. The doctors promised, though, that his recovery was still just short of miraculous, and that he would make a full physical recovery within the next few months.

And, despite some pretty rough nights, Vin was beginning to have hopes that his handsome lover would make a full mental and emotional recovery as well.

He had ceased to count the number of nights that Larabee had wakened him by screaming in terror, his sleeping mind seized by nightmares. Sometimes they were of the actual events; his being beaten and tortured by the two hired killers. At other times his mind took creative license, terrorizing him with visions of Buck Wilmington being slowly murdered as he looked on helplessly. Sometimes it wasn’t Buck, but him, or one of the other members of their team. Chris would wake, certain that someone had died because of him.

As soon as his health would allow it, Vin had taken him to see the Bureau’s therapist, the woman helping him to come to terms with his feelings of helplessness. Slowly the nightmares decreased in number, and Tanner had managed to coax him back to reality more easily when they did make an appearance.

Vin knew, though, that the road to recovery would have been even rougher if he, Chris, Buck and JD hadn’t been able to make peace. The stress and tension of the entire ordeal had caused both he and JD to say things that they regretted later; had caused both Buck and Chris to be hurt as well. He was eternally grateful that they had been able to make amends.

~o~

The first several days spent back in the hospital had been focused on the two injured men. Buck had spent some time in ICU after having surgery to repair the damage done to his lung, and was kept in bed with his other injuries for almost two weeks. He and the blond had shared a room for most of their hospital stay and, when their strength began to return, had regaled their teammates with stories from the adventures they had shared over the course of their long years as friends. Typically the big, good-natured man would begin by telling a story that had been chosen for its ability to put his friend and boss in a bad light. This would be quickly followed by threats from the other bed in the room, as Larabee would make every attempt to shut his friend up. He would eventually give up when it was clear that Buck had no intentions of halting the tale. If the others had any doubts that Chris was only playing his expected role in the story-telling, they were cleared up at those times Wilmington’s injuries would wear him out before he had finished recounting the adventure. After being reassured that his friend was all right, Larabee would take up the story, finishing it just as Buck would have.

Half way through their mutual hospital stay, Chris’ eyes were finally uncovered. While his vision was blurry, and he couldn’t tolerate much light, he was ecstatic at finally being brought out of the darkness. The doctor had checked him over and then left with the reassurance that his damaged eyes were doing well, and that, despite everything, he shouldn’t have any trouble making a full recovery as long as he followed directions.

After congratulating his old friend, Wilmington watched the blond and the lanky Texan as they took in one another’s gaze. With a cocky grin, Buck turned to Dunne. His words halting as his damaged lungs lacked the ability to retain much air, he said, “Hey, Kid… draw the curtains… would you? Think they could… use some privacy.”

Sleep deprived from the vigil at his friend’s bedside, and annoyed at having to get up from where he sat playing his game boy, JD snapped, “yeah, it’s still all about them, isn’t it?”

Everyone in the room grew quiet, and the young man’s head came up to gaze into three pairs of eyes. Rubbing a hand over his face, he said, “I didn’t mean… that wasn’t what I… ah, hell, I’m sorry.”

Frowning, Chris looked at their youngest member. He remembered some of it, and knew that there had been hard words and bitter accusations tossed around when he’d been attacked in the hospital. It was becoming clear that JD, at least, still harbored some anger over what had passed between the other three men in the room.

“This needs to stop. Now,” Larabee announced.

Deciding that the words were aimed directly at him, Dunne said, “Chris, I’m sorry. I don’t know why – “

Holding up a hand, the blond said, “it’s not just you, JD. It seems to me that all three of you have been trying really hard to ignore some things that need to be addressed. Seems to me there’s no time like the present. Let’s get them all out in the open and see if we can get things back to where they need to be.”

Silence was the only response for several minutes, as the other men studiously avoided the newly recovered glare. Larabee could be patient when he needed to be, however, and he simply waited the others out.

“Vin,” Buck began tentatively. “I know you were scared… but to think that I’d… risk Chris’ life… for… for any… one – “

Tanner’s head lifted from where he had been studying his shoes. With a firm shake of his head, he said, “I know that, Buck. God knows, I know you'd never intentionally let someone hurt Chris. But, when I heard you'd been talkin’ to that fake nurse, I just – “

“You needed someone else to… hurt like you were… hurtin’.” Wilmington finished.

Nodding, the Texan said, “God help me, yeah.”

“He was already hurting, Vin. You didn’t need to make it worse,” Dunne admonished, once more going to his friend’s aid. Fire sparked in the clear, hazel eyes.

“I know, Kid,” Tanner whispered, dropping his gaze once more.

“Get your head up… Texas,” Buck admonished. “None of… this ‘hang-dog’ crap… you were right… I was flirtin’ with… her.”

“Ah hell, Bucklin, you flirt with anyone, anytime. It's just part of your charm, “ Vin managed to tease. He looked up, blue eyes glittering with humor and warmth. Then his expression turned serious. “But I know you wouldn’t ever do nothin’ to put Chris at risk. I was wrong to say them things to you, and hope you can forgive me.”

“All ready done, Junior,” the older man said softly.

“Vin,” Dunne’s voice joined the discussion. “I can’t say that I want to take back everything I said--”

“JD,” Wilmington began to admonish his young friend, but the sharpshooter stopped him with a raised hand and a shake of his head.

Taking a deep breath, the young man continued, “I do wish I could take back the anger that I said them in, though. I should have realized that you were scared.”

“Just like I should have realized how scared you were when that bitch had hold of Buck,” Vin stated firmly. “I should have, but all I was thinkin’ about was Chris.”

“I think that… falls under the heading… of… being in love,” Wilmington supplied. He looked to see Dunne turn away, and continued. “No one can make you… comfortable with it… Kid, but what Chris… and Vin… have is damn special.”

“I thought I was,” JD said softly. “I thought I understood.”

“You came face to face with an ugly little truth,” Larabee put in. “You thought you were a lot more open and understanding than you turned out to be, huh?”

With a chagrined expression, the smaller man said, “yeah. I’m sorry. I’d like to say that I’m comfortable around you two… especially when we’re somewhere that you can… well, you can show your feelings. But the truth is, I’m not, and I don’t know when… or if… I will be.”

Vin turned to Chris, the two men sharing looks of painful understanding. Turning back to the dark-haired man, Tanner said, “fair enough, Kid. Me ‘n Chris’ll try an’ be more sensitive t’ things when yer around.”

“Now, you two shouldn’t – “ Wilmington began, but his old friend cut him off.

“Yeah, we should. JD, you’re our friend, just as much as the others. If it makes you uncomfortable, we’ll take that into consideration.” Chris stated. Then grinning across at his old friend, he said, “but we expect you to be sensitive to our feelings, too.”

Frowning, Dunne said, “what do you mean?”

Grinning as he read the look on his lover’s face, Tanner answered, “by not drivin’ us crazy with them three-legged dog jokes of yours!”

The youngest member of their group blushed, and all four men shared a tension breaking laugh.

<M/7>

It had been the beginning of their emotional healing as friends, a journey that was still going on. The words exchanged in anger couldn’t be forgotten or forgiven that quickly, but they were working on it. And, the young Texan mused, the fact that they were working on it together was a testament to their friendship.

Tanner looked up to realize that they were near the turn-off to Larabee’s ranch. Reaching out he nudged at the dozing blond. “Wake up ‘Goldilocks’, we’re about home.”

“Smart ass,” Chris muttered as he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. Pushing himself up in the seat, he looked to see several cars already parked near the house. “Looks like they all beat us here.”

The two men pulled up near the deck, where a temporary ramp had been constructed to make trips in and out of the house easier on the injured agent. Larabee exited the passenger side of the cab and took the crutches his partner was holding for him. Together the men moved slowly into the house.

Inside, the other members of Team Seven, along with several members of what they considered to be their extended ‘family’ had gathered in the den. They had all come to celebrate the addition of the newest member of that family, Nathaniel Obediah Jackson. Nathan and Raine’s son had come into the world three weeks after Buck had been rescued from Leda Cassion and her hired murderers. As soon as both Chris and Buck were well on the road to recovery, Josiah Sanchez had begun collaborating with Nettie Wells to put together a celebration. It was not only for the new life their circle had been blessed with, but for the fact that that same circle had not been broken by the loss of two of its members.

Larabee stopped in the doorway to his den, taking in the scene before him. Buck sat in one of the recliners, stretched out and smiling. It was hard to look at him and tell that he had been so badly injured such a short time ago. But, Chris knew that the ‘big dog’ tired easily, and was still on medical leave.

Raine sat in the rocking chair, a blanket wrapped bundle in her arms. Nathan hovered nearby, ready to rescue his son should someone try to do something as foolish as breathing on the infant. Casey knelt beside the rocker, clucking and cooing at the tiny blanket wrapped baby. Nettie sat nearby, on one end of the couch, offering bits of advice to the new mother.

JD hovered around the sideboard, picking at the plates of finger foods set out there. Nearby, Josiah stood, arms folded across his massive chest, scolding the young man. In reply, the youth cited the long hours that had passed since his last meal. And, off to one side, stood Ezra Standish, watching the scene before him with open amusement. He looked up and caught the eye of his boss and friend, tilting his glass of wine in a salute.

Chris nodded, smiling as Nettie rose from her seat and chased JD from the food, scolding him good-naturedly as she swatted at the young man. Dunne in turn scurried off, yelling out as he made a mad dash for the door. The loud noise set off a chain-reaction, as the baby in Raine’s arms wailed his displeasure at being startled. The new mother calmly rocked her son, cooing words of comfort, while the new father threatened Dunne’s life under his breath. Both Josiah and Buck found it impossible to keep from laughing, and the room quickly resembled nothing short of chaos.

In the midst of it all, Chris Larabee limped across the room and managed to

settle into the other recliner. With Tanner’s help, he raised the footrest, then settled back into the deep cushion. A glass appeared in front of him, and he looked to see the twinkling eyes of his oldest friend shining with mischief. Taking the glass he tasted the amber liquid, smiling as he tasted the first whiskey he’d touched since being injured.

~o~

The evening passed in happy camaraderie. The new parents were gifted with a new camcorder and a stack of tapes on which they could record their son’s coming milestones. Nettie presented the Jacksons’ with a delicately embroidered quilt for their newest member, large enough to give Nathaniel comfort for years to come. Casey presented the infant with a teddy bear, and handed his parents a packet of hand-made coupons for free baby-sitting.

Not only the new video camera, but Vin’s digital were put to use in recording the evening. Larabee had finally threatened his lover with bodily harm as the younger man took a series of stills of Chris holding the newborn. The natural ease with which he held the tiny bundle gave the others some insight into what sort of father he had once been.

As the celebration drew to a close, jokes were shared about not only Nathan and Raine, but JD and Vin having to deal with getting sleeping bodies into bed. Both Buck and Chris managed to look properly chagrined at being caught napping when their still depleted strength gave out.

The partners stood at the doorway a short time later, waving good-bye as the others left for their homes. JD made a show of helping Buck into the car, slapping away the bigger man’s hands as he strapped him in, pretending to tuck him in as he did. Nathan and Raine worked together with only slightly raised voices as they struggled to get Nathaniel into his car seat. Shaking their heads, Nettie, Casey, Josiah and Ezra slipped into their own vehicles and moved out toward the access road.

As the last set of taillights disappeared down the road, Vin closed and locked the door. Turning to his partner, he smiled at the tired, but peaceful, expression on the other man’s face. “C’mon ol’ man… time to put you to bed.”

“I’m gonna kick your ass for calling me that. I’m not old.”

His grin growing wider, the Texan said, “first you gotta catch me.”

With that, the lanky man took off down the hallway at a slow jog. Behind him, the blond growled and limped after him between the crutches.

~o~

Chris lay stretched out on the bed, his tired body all but melting into the thick mattress. He groaned in the sheer pleasure of relaxing after the long day. Vin had helped him get ready for bed in what had become a routine they both hoped would be over soon. Then he’d left Larabee to finish undressing, while he took care of making certain the house was locked up for the night.

As the tall blond relaxed, he heard a small chuckle nearby. Cracking open one eye, he regarded his lover standing near the foot of the bed, smiling down at him. “What are you being so smug about?”

“Nothin’.”

“Bullshit. I can see the wheels turning… what’s going on?”

“Just noticin’ that not all of you is ready to go to bed.” The Texan stared pointedly between the blond’s legs.

With a sigh, the older man said, “just ignore it, it’ll go away… eventually.”

Laughing now, the slender man shook his head, “ain’t for certain ‘bout that.”

“Doesn’t matter. I don’t have the energy to do a whole lot about it yet.”

Moving across the room, shedding his clothes as he did, Tanner crawled up onto the bed, slinking across the mattress. As he got to where his blond lover lay, watching him, he gave a low-throated growl. Leaning down, he captured the full lips.

As his lover came up for air, Chris said breathlessly, “damn it, Tanner, I can’t – “

“You ain’t gotta do nothin’ but lay there and enjoy it. I’ll do all the hard stuff.” He grinned wolfishly at his double meaning.

Rolling his eyes, Larabee said, “you’re incorrigible. Look Vin – “

The blond broke off as a pair of warm lips latched onto one of his nipples. Groaning as the other man’s actions sent shivers through his body, he said, “Vin, you can’t – “

The other nipple came under attack, and he wriggled beneath the onslaught. When he could find his voice, he tried again. “Come on, Tanner, I – “

Words were forgotten as the wicked mouth made its way down his chest, tracing the definition of his six pack as it continued southward.

Feeling his lover’s surrender, Tanner paused, looking up into the other man’s eyes. With a sensuous smile, he whispered, “jist lay back ‘n enjoy ‘t. I’ll take care a y’.”

Moaning softly, Chris lay back against the pillows. “Never doubted it for a minute, cowboy.”

The End