Stifling a sigh, Chris Larabee replaced the receiver
of his phone and mused on the dire news in the
conversation he'd just had with Judge Travis. It
looked like the week from hell was continuing and no
mistake. Time to break the news to the rest of the
team - this was gonna be fun not.
Wandering out into the outer office, Chris took a deep
breath and bellowed, "Everyone, listen up!" Mildly
gratified at the speedy response to his bellow as six
heads snapped to attention, he continued on to break
the bad news. "Thanks to certain persons who will
remain anonymous - and their incredible instincts for
interrupting the wrong city official in mid-clinch
with his mistress at the last official function we
were ordered to attend - the Judge thought it might be
fun to see how much trouble we can cause again--"
The sheepish expressions on the faces of JD Dunne and
Vin Tanner were quickly replaced by a dawning
apprehension that was easily apparent on the faces of
the rest of the team, too. It was Buck that broke the
terrified silence with a hushed "Chris?"
"Gentlemen, we are going to the ball."
On every face except that of Ezra Standish, complete
confusion dawned. Five sets of eyes turned to the
sudden muffled thuds coming from the direction of the
undercover agent. Seeing the usually unflappable
agent quietly banging his head off of his desk quickly
put the apprehension back in their eyes as they turned
to their leader for a reassurance that was not
forthcoming.
"Ezra's just about summed it up in a nutshell.
Gentlemen, we are to attend the charity ball being
organised by the Westerlee Foundation. The committee
for the ball is headed by the mayor's wife so please
try to avoid any disasters this time.
"Oh yeah, one more thing. This is a costume ball and
our attendance is mandatory. If we screw up in any
way, the Judge has promised to send us to every stupid
seminar going for the next year. Screw up, and I'll
shoot you myself."
For all the doom and gloom in his voice, Chris Larabee
fought to restrain a smile; his lover had taken to
banging his head on his desk, too. The melodious
double-thudding interspersed with JD's muttered
reassurances to Buck as he patted his mournful 'big
brother' on his back was too much for Chris and he
quickly retreated to his office to let out his
laughter without detracting from his normal more
lethal persona. Sufficiently calm, he quickly stuck
his head back round his door and called out, "One more
thing! Ezra, you're in charge of the costumes!"
+ + + + + + +
Valentine's Day had arrived and with it the charity
ball. Team Seven had escaped from the office at four
p.m. - with Travis' permission - and gone their
separate ways to prepare for their evening of torture.
A charity ball organised by the Westerlee
Foundation's Ladies Committee didn't even bear
thinking about, especially not when it was being held
on Valentine's Day.
Six men noted throughout the entire ATF for their
daring and bravery quailed at the boxes waiting on
them in their various homes. Ezra had reluctantly
played costume master - on sole condition that they
didn't see the costumes before hand so that none of
them could veto his selections.
Six sets of boxes were opened and six grown men smiled
- Ezra had outdone himself this time.
+ + + + + + +
As pre-arranged at the office, the team met at a
restaurant just across from the hotel that was hosting
the ball. They got some appreciative - if confused -
looks from the restaurant's patrons as they all
ordered a non-alcoholic drink from the bar. They'd
all agreed that it would be best if they met up first
and arrived at the ball together. The team that
presented a united front was the team that survived
society functions.
Fifteen minutes later, they wandered through the huge
open doorway of the main ballroom of the Plaza Hotel
and assumed their customer wedge formation as they
walked through the room. Chris was at the centre of
the wedge, his team flanking him left and right.
Ignoring the heads that whipped round and the muffled
conversation as they passed, the team headed towards
the mayor's wife to pay their respects.
Marjorie Cassidy stopped in mid-conversation with
Judge Travis and his wife, Ellie, as seven visions
appeared in front of them. Out of the corner of her
eye, she saw a dumbfounded statement appear on his
face and a grin of delight on hers; Marjorie herself
could not take her eyes off of the sight in front of
her.
Regaining his composure, Judge Orrin Travis introduced
his agents to the ball's host. "Marjorie, may I
present Team Seven of the Denver ATF?"
"Please do," breathed the delighted woman.
Clearing his throat, Judge Travis said, "From left to
right, then. The witch doctor is Nathan Jackson,
beside him, if I'm not mistaken, is Friar Tuck;
otherwise known as Josiah Sanchez. Next to them is JD
Dunne. Marjorie, if you only knew how ironic his
costume was! A person less likely to be able to be as
silent and still as a mime, I can't imagine!"
Controlling his laughter, Judge Travis continued.
"The gentleman looming beside him dressed as Indiana
Jones is the leader of Team Seven, Chris Larabee. To
his right, dressed as, if I'm not mistaken, Lancelot,
is Buck Wilmington. Next to him, the Confederate
soldier currently doffing his hat is Ezra Standish.
"And finally, I can only claim to know this costume
thanks to the number of times my grandson has dragged
me to see the film. As Legolas the Elf - from the
film and books of Lord of the Rings - Vin Tanner."
"Gentlemen, you astound me," said Marjorie Cassidy
with a genuine smile of delight.
When seven voices responded with a "Thank you, ma'am,"
she clapped her hands together in delight and said,
"Oh, this is too wonderful! Come with me, gentlemen.
I want to show you off to my committee."
Much to their surprise, this announcement heralded the start
of a genuinely enjoyable evening that - even more
surprisingly - remained uneventful; no hostage
situations, bombs or even a minor skirmish with a
drunk and disorderly guest; Judge Travis heaved a huge
sigh of relief at that, too.
***
After the ball, laughing and joking, Team Seven went
their separate ways and headed off for their weekend
off. JD grabbed his bag from Chris' truck - Chris had
picked Buck and his roommate up earlier in the evening
- and jumped into his waiting taxi; he was meeting
Casey for a romantic weekend away.
Nathan and Josiah shared a taxi when they left; Josiah
was heading for a relaxing weekend with some old
friends and Nathan was eagerly anticipating a quiet
weekend at home with Rain.
Alone at last, the remaining two couples paired off.
While the rest of their teammates had no problem with
their relationships, everyone agreed that keeping a
low profile in public was for the best.
Chris and Buck climbed into Chris' truck and began the
journey to his ranch. Ezra and Vin made their way to
the Southerner's Jag and headed off for his condo.
+ + + + + + +
Once the log fire was burning fiercely and
illuminating the interior of the ranch's living room
in it's fiery glow, Chris Larabee turned his attention
to the person that had become the bedrock on which his
heart had finally healed and become whole. It had at
first astonished and then terrified him when he had
realised that he had begun to fall for his oldest
friend - something he'd never anticipated in a million
years.
He'd come close to resigning from the team as a result
of his feelings as he'd been unable to see how things
could possibly ever work. Not for the first time,
Buck Wilmington had surprised him. There was a reason
people were drawn to the man left, right and centre;
the reason being, Buck Wilmington knew people. He
could read a person in a heartbeat, the only other man
that Chris knew that could do that was Ezra.
Anyway, one Saturday afternoon, Buck had arrived
unannounced at the ranch and said that they needed to
talk about the feelings he was sensing from Chris. He
wanted to know if he was right because if so, then he
thought they really needed to have a look at the
direction they wanted to take their relationship.
Chris smiled as he remembered how his heart had almost
skipped a beat at that announcement - and how it had
skipped a beat moments later when he tasted the warm
tender lips of his best friend for the first time.
Chris looked at his lover and his heart caught in his
throat. In the time that he had taken to light the
fire, Buck had divested himself of his pristine white
surcoat and the rubber chain-mail that accompanied his
costume; left only in his black breeches and leather
boots, Buck Wilmington looked like a marble sculpture
brought to life. When Buck opened his arms and said,
"Come here, Indy," Chris needed no second invitation.
A few heated moments later, Chris found himself
nestled in the infinitely gentle yet strong embrace of
Buck's arms, as they lay together on his couch; bare
chests touching, hearts beating as one. At a softly
murmured "Chris", he looked up into the loving eyes of
his lover and friend and sighed as his mouth was
caught up in a passionate kiss. "Love you, Chris."
"Love you, too, Buck."
Nestling back into Buck's chest, Chris Larabee shut
his eyes and let the warmth of Buck's body combine
with the heat from the log fire to lull him into a
light sleep. The weekend had just started and he
wanted to rest so he could enjoy it.
+ + + + + + +
Ezra and Vin had been lovers now for over a year and
still the passion in their relationship could take
them by surprise. Vin had found himself pressed
against the inside of the condo's door the moment he'd
stepped through it, his southern love devouring his
mouth as though he was manna from heaven. Not a bad
way to start a weekend, not at all.
When they broke the embrace for some much needed air,
Vin said, "Ezra love, not that I'm objectin' to you
kissin' me like that - far from it! I was just
wondering what brought this on?"
Ezra did something he didn't expect, he blushed.
"Ezra?" asked a highly curious Vin. His lover got
embarrassed about the strangest things sometimes.
"What is it?" Vin frowned slightly when Ezra didn't
answer but soon became distracted by the way one of
his lover's hands kept smoothing from the prosthetic
ears he was wearing, down his neck and towards the
quiver he still carried on his shoulder.
In a sudden burst of understanding, Vin let out a
delighted peal of laughter. "It's the costume! Isn't
it?! Me dressed like this turns you on!"
The devilment and passion in Ezra's eyes was answer
enough, but when his southern lover allowed his free
hand to roam down and cup his growing erection through
the soft breeches he was wearing and say in his
honeyed drawl, "I know a quiver that is eager and
longing to have this particular arrow lodged deep
within it," it was Vin's undoing.
Growling low in his throat, Vin latched on to his
lover's neck, kissing and gently biting, marking his
man with his passion for him. When Ezra swung his
legs around his waist and latched on to him, Vin took
the hint. Walking unsteadily into the living room as
he cradled Ezra's lithe frame close to his heart, he
deposited his lover on the couch and practically
ripped the crisp white shirt that had nestled below
the confederate grey uniform that had adorned his
lover's torso.
This weekend was shaping up to be the things that
dreams were made of.
The End
