Anatomy of a Field Operation

Part 7. Heart

by Oracle

Seventh story in the Anatomy of a Field Operation Series

The heartbeat of the team is slower now. Last night it was first speeding with excitement, then pounding frantically with panic and fear. It's more settled now, with only an occasional flutter.

Chris slams out the back door after Vin who dumped a handful of ice in his lap. That's gotta make the boys head for higher ground. There's no doubt in my mind that Junior can coax 'em back down if anybody can though. Chris was lingering over his coffee after dinner and Vin wanted to go on out to bed down the horses. So he took matters in his own hands, so to speak. I can just imagine what he'll take in hand out in the barn. I don't expect them to be back for quite a while. After all, it's pretty instinctual to want to re-affirm life after staring death in the face. It came too damn close for comfort last night. And there ain't anybody Chris would rather do that with than Junior.

I shake my head, trying to get the images of what they're gonna be up to out of my mind. I'd like a little re-affirming too, but there's other things need doing.

Ezra is cleaning up the kitchen from his and Josiah's cooking. 'Siah tends to use a lot of pans and manage to get stuff all over everything. He's gonna be there a while. I'm supposed to be helping him and I will, but first I need to do something else.

I wander into the den. Another flutter. J.D.'s fussin' around Nathan. Chris has him trapped in the recliner with it locked in the full out laid-back position. And he's threatened any of us who might consider listenin' to Nathan's pleas to be rescued. That happened after Nathan kept insisting he was fine and trying to get up and do things. He'll be lucky if Chris doesn't make him take a leak right there in a milk carton or somethin'.

I always heard docs are the worst patients. Well, Nathan may not have that M.D. after his name, but it makes no difference to us. We figure he's as good as or better than any doc who's ever lived. And he's provin' it right now with his grouching and complaining about being fussed over.

J.D.'s got him at least three glasses of different kinds of Gatorade and juice and a bottle of water right at his fingertips. Uh oh. Now the boy's tucking another blanket over him. Nathan's tirade is slowing down and I can see his heart's not really in it either. He feels like he has to object but he's loving it that we're all caring for him the same way he's cared for us so many times. His eyes are closing now, even though his mouth's still goin'. J.D.'s smiling down at him like some guardian angel as he finishes tucking the blanket in snugly around our now sleeping healer.

My cell phone rings and I flip it open. It's Mike Tunney from Team Five. They were our backup and cleanup crew at the raid. He's got some interesting things to tell me.

"Well now," I comment. "Don't say." I can't help but chuckle as I end the call. The Boys will like this news. My wallet won't, but it was worth it just to hear.

M7&M7&M7

Ezra and I have just finished the kitchen when I hear noise and look over to the back door. Chris and Vin are coming in, shedding their heavy overcoats and bringing a draft of the cold outside air with them. It's pretty nippy out there and their cheeks are full of color. But the cold doesn't quite account for the red swollen lips they're both sportin' or that sated look in both of their eyes. And they're both movin' with that boneless grace they have about 'em when they're totally relaxed. A brief flash of jealousy shoots through me. But I'm countin' on getting my chance later on down the road.

"While everybody's here I got something to take care of," I announce. I pull out my wallet and hand Ezra the money. His eyebrows rise.

"Got a call from Tunney," I say. "You won." Ez's lips curl up as he takes the money, automatically counting the bills.

"Aw, hell," says Vin, pulling crumpled bills from his pocket and paying up.

Josiah and J.D. grumble but pull out cash as well. Ezra stacks the bills neatly and folds them but a hand on his and a glare from green eyes stops him.

"Of course, Mr. Larabee," says Ezra smoothly, "I wasn't forgetting your winnings."

"And I'll take Nathan's too," says Chris, peeling off several more bills.

Ezra's face as he looks at the small stack of cash makes me struggle to hold back a laugh. I slap him on the back as we all move through into the den to check on Nathan again.

M7&M7&M7

Chris has slid over behind Vin in his sleep. Tanner was curled up tight as a spit wad on one end of the couch. Chris was sitting right next to him. I didn't miss when he spread that quilt and afghan out over him that his hand stayed under the covers, probably curled around a foot. Just to keep in touch. Now he's dozed off too and slipped sideways until Vin shifted in his sleep and made room for him just behind him on the deep couch. They sleep spooned under the blankets, Chris' arms wrapped tightly around Junior. Brown curls flutter with every exhale from Chris. Vin looks peaceful that way. They'll sleep there tonight, not wanting to be too far away from Nathan.

Josiah is settled in the rocker by the fireplace. Right now his deep voice is mumbling in a low cadence as he reads aloud from the book he holds in his hands. He'll stay there too, watching over his oldest friend through the night, making sure he has his meds on time and lots of fluids to go with 'em, dozing, but still watchful as he keeps the fire slowly burning for extra warmth and a cozy light.

Nathan looks about as comfortable as he can be with that hole in his leg. It's raised in the recliner and immobilized with pillows. He's tucked warmly under plenty of blankets.

Ezra and I gather up J.D., who dozed off on the floor in front of the TV. We tuck him into the small bed at the end of the hall. As we leave the room my hand goes automatically to touch the face of the small boy in the picture on the dresser.

In the hall, Ezra starts to turn into one of the other bedrooms but I grab his arm and tug him on down the hall. He hesitates slightly at the door of the room but after I close it he relaxes a bit. I know Chris won't be in his room tonight and the bed in here is bigger and lots more comfortable.

We undress quick and quiet and it's only a few minutes before I'm tuggin' the warm smooth body of my lover against me under the pile of covers. I'd noticed over the last months that there had been several blankets and a new comforter added to Chris' bed. That Texan is so thin-blooded even having Chris warming him in bed isn't enough. I chuckle at the thought of Chris sweatin' it out under here.

But now it's time to pay attention to the body pressin' against me. Ezra's still tight as a drum. His eyes won't meet mine although we're comfortably snuggled together, his breath warm on my chest. Our legs are all tangled together and it feels good. Even though it hasn't been too long since we finally quit arguing and started makin' love, our bodies seem to know what to do already. Our hearts are learnin'.

Right now, I know what he needs. He'd never admit it out loud in a million years but Ezra needs to be touched. I found that out about him pretty quick once we got over the first hump. He used to fight me a bit, still kinda shies away in public if I get too close, but he needs it. And I've found ways to give him that even at work or out there.

A touch on the arm, a hand clasping his shoulder or brushing his back as I pass. My hip snug against his in the back of the big corner booth at the Saloon. My thigh brushing against his, my foot glancing over his fancy dress shoes. The others all around us, closing us in safety, not seeing what's happening right in front of them.

Although, come to think of it, they probably do see. Same as we all did when Chris and Vin finally got together. I'm about surprised they didn't blow the roof off Chris' place altogether their first night together. They built up enough tension between ‘em before they finally worked it out.

And speaking of tension, I'm rubbing slow circles on Ez's back, my other hand is stroking through his hair. Always amazes me how soft his hair is. I've got one of my feet setting a nice slow counter rhythm up and down the back of his calf. And the tension just melts out of him. I know he was just as scared as the rest of us, maybe even more since it's just the time he's been with us that he's had so much to lose. When you haven't had it for very long, you're more afraid of losing it.

I didn't mind paying off the bet. Mike said that they'd never seen anything quite like the daisy chain of prisoners Ez had left them. Well, I knew it was Ez. No one else would have left an Ace of Spades on the ground in the middle of the bodies. Nothin' like starin' at some other guy's butt for what seems like forever to make a feller a mite shy when they finally get ready to stuff ya in the transport van. Team Five was a bit shocked at just how aerated the scumbag was who took his pot shot at Nathan. This reminds me and I whisper in Ezra's ear.

"Real cute, Ez. I got the message."

"Did you?"

"Nothin' says ‘I want a blow job' like daisies. An' I promise you a world class one soon as we get home. I saw how quick you took down that fella who shot Nathan too. The rest of us just punched holes after he was already done for."

"You have become rather astute at reading those messages."

"I just listen to my heart."

I keep up the rhythm as the Team's heartbeat settles into the slow beat it normally keeps. I can feel it pulsing in the house around me. Slow and even, drowsy, content, full of love and belonging.

Everyone is here… We're all safe… All is well.

Thump-thump… thump-thump… thump-thump.

The End