Going to Disneyland

"What are we gonna do while you're in meetins Da?" Five year old JD Dunne asked as they walked through the airport toward their gate.

"Well, the hotel we're staying at has kind of a day care. We were told they do skits and play games and such," Buck Wilmington answered as they approached security, not noticing the look on seven year old Vin Tanner's face, discouraged about yet another weekend without spending time with his father.

"We'll be in meetings starting around 8:00 in the morning and some may last until after six or so," Chris Larabee added as he removed his watch and took the contents out of his pockets, placing it all on a tray to go through the scan. He knelt down and quickly untied Vin's shoe and placed it, as well as his own on the conveyor. "But when we're done we'll all go out for supper together."

The past three months had been extremely busy for the ATF agents, with two large cases and a couple of smaller ones to handle as well as three conferences that Chris or both Chris and Buck had been required to attend. It was during the first of those conferences that Vin had fallen off the jungle gym at school and broken his leg. He was currently in an orthopedic boot for another month.

The two boys had been living with the ATF agents for just a little over a year and were still on the skittish side, especially Vin. Gloria Potter had told Chris when she called to tell him the news that Vin had been quietly crying since he had been told the leg was broken, not from pain but from the fear that he might be sent away. Chris had caught the first flight back to Denver to be with his son and reassure him for the hundredth time that he would never be sent away and wasn't a bother.

It was that and many other smaller incidents that had the two men plan this trip to California. Even they were feeling they had been away from their boys too much over the last few months and wanted some time alone with them.

Clearing the security search the men gathered up their belongings and helped the boys on with shoes, then went in search of their gate. Buck spent the wait time chasing after JD as the little brunette found new things to look at and even a pretty blonde to whom he promptly proclaimed "I'm a chick magnet. My Da says so. Do you want to go out with him?" before Buck could stop him.

Vin spent the time sitting near the windows, his attention split between watching the planes outside and playing "Angry Birds" on Chris' cell phone. Chris would glance over at the game every few minutes and just shake his head at the boy's progress. Vin's aim was amazingly accurate for a seven year old.

Time finally came to board the plane and the men settled the boys into window seats so they could look outside during their first airplane flight. Gum was distributed to help with the pressure build up in their ears. After the plane was in the air Buck wrapped JD's gum up in a tissue before it could get stuck in the boy's hair…or worse...then pulled a couple of books and Vin's beloved plush Cat out of a back pack. Buck and JD read one of the books but Vin's attention kept wandering to the window where he peered over the edge and watched the landscape pass below him, Cat clutched in his skinny arm.

By the time the plane landed Buck had two phone numbers from the stewardesses and three from female passengers, thanks to his "chick magnet" and the boys each had a set of Junior Pilot wings to wear.

After waiting at the luggage carousel and collecting their bags the group made their way to the car rental counter. Chris stepped up to the counter to sign for their rental SUV complete with booster seats for the boys and GPS so they didn't get lost. The vehicle was brought around to the door and the men strapped the boys in for the drive to their hotel.

"When is your first meetin?" Vin asked. JD had fallen asleep as soon as they had reached the interstate, for what Buck referred to as his "power nap." When he woke, the boy would have doubled his energy level, but it had been an early morning for them all and it was better to have an energized JD than a tired, cranky boy.

"Right after we check in at the hotel," Chris replied.

"Oh," came the dejected reply. He had been hoping for some extra time with his dad, at least for the afternoon. Why couldn't the meetings start tomorrow?

Chris glanced in the rear view mirror at his son and gave a slight smile. He knew they had done the right thing to bring the boys on this trip.

The rest of the drive was silent, except for the gentle snores of JD sleeping and the occasional comment between the two men in the front seats. Vin had lost interest in watching the scenery and was playing with Cat's tail to keep himself occupied, thoughts of ‘stupid meetings' running through his head. He didn't even notice when the car pulled into a packed parking lot and Chris announced they were at their hotel. He didn't even look at the hotel as he undid his seatbelt and Buck woke JD.

Chris climbed out of the SUV and opened Vin's door, lifting the slight boy and resting him on his hip, as Buck did the same on the other side of the car, then the two men met at the back of the vehicle to get luggage.

Chris set Vin down on the ground, knowing the boy wouldn't move while he got their luggage out. Buck took a large bag with a shoulder strap, slinging it over the shoulder not holding JD while Chris grabbed the rolling bag and Vin's hand and the group headed inside the hotel, walking at a slower pace than normal to accommodate Vin's boot. The boy just stared at the ground as they walked, trying to convince himself that the hotel's day care would be fun, and dinner with his dad would be enough time together for now. He didn't even notice the sign that read Disney Resort Hotel. JD was too occupied talking to notice either.

Once inside Buck again took the boys off to the side while Chris checked them in, getting the key cards to a pair of adjoining rooms. Then they gathered the luggage once more and entered the elevator for a ride to the fifth floor.

Their rooms were nice, with two double beds in each room. The men didn't take the time to unpack, just grabbing a shirt and shorts for each of the boys. Buck emptied the backpack that held the books and toys, placing the clothes inside as Chris located pj's in the luggage and placed them on one of the beds.

"It will likely be late when we get back tonight so we'll have these handy," he explained. "I'll unpack the rest later. We should head to our meetings now though boys."

Vin nodded reluctantly. JD had begun to take his cues from Vin and was beginning to drag his feet about going.

"Let's get going boys," Buck said as he stood by the door to the room, backpack in hand, waiting on the boys. "You'll have fun. I promise."

Each man took their son's hand as they made their way to the elevator. Vin began to lag behind even more than before.

"Does your leg hurt Cowboy?" Chris asked, smiling down at the boy as JD punched the elevator button.

Vin shook his head and quietly answered, "No."

The ride to the lobby was done in silence, the little group exiting and the men leading the boys straight to the door. This puzzled Vin but it was JD that asked "Isn't the day care here in the hotel?"

"Nope," Buck replied as he pushed open the door to let Chris and the boys pass. "It's outside."

Well, that seemed a little better to Vin, but he was still looking down at his feet when they stepped outside only looking up when he heard JD ask "Buck, what's that place?"

"That's where our meetings are," came the answer and Vin looked up to see a theme park. Not just any theme park, but Disneyland.

"Our meetings just started Cowboy," Chris said to his boy. Vin's face looked confused at first, then started to take on a look of hope. He glanced back at Chris, studying his face. "Our meetings are with you boys."

"We're spending five days at Disneyland," Buck added. "Just us four and several thousand other tourists."

There was a brief pause and then bedlam. JD started cheering and jumping until the big man grabbed a hand to keep him from wandering too far.

Vin's face lit up, the first real smile of the trip crossing his face. "Really?"

"Really. Boys, we're going to Disneyland!"

The End