I'll be home for Christmas You can count on me Please have snow and mistletoe And presents on the tree Christmas Eve will find me Where the love light gleams I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams

Captain Chris Larabee stood slowly from the co-pilot's seat of the shuttlecraft. He walked calmly to the back of the transport and then, with fists balled at his sides, he yelled. At the top of his lungs, until there was no more air left in them.

Then he returned to the seat beside his long-time friend Commander Buck Wilmington.

"Feel better?" Buck asked.

"You know damn well I don't," Chris gritted out. "Can't I even leave the Maverick for a couple of days without things going all to hell?"

"Well, I would hardly call this all. I can think of plenty of things that didn't go wrong while you were gone. Would it help if I listed 'em?"

"No. Thanks just the same. This one thing is enough right now."

This one thing just happened to be Lt. Vin Tanner, the U.S.S. Maverick's weapons officer — the best one in the entire Federation the last time Chris had checked — and his sole companion for nearly a year now. Vin was a Vulcan, but a most unusual one. He'd been orphaned as an infant, and then stranded for the first part of his life on an asteroid with the team of archeologists who raised him; he'd never learned to sublimate his emotions like other Vulcans, nor had he ever really learned to fit in with humans themselves. It was a problem for most of his superior officers and had been a stumbling block during his early assignments. However, once on board the Maverick, Chris had clearly seen his talents, and knew deep down that this Vulcan would be worth the efforts it might take to make him an integral part of his crew.

But that wasn't why Vin was his companion. It wasn't out of pity or even mercy that Chris had taken Vin to his bed. It had been the Pon Farr. He'd been attracted to his subordinate for a long time, but as captain, it was something he'd had to keep bottled inside. Then an accident had isolated them at the time of the Vulcan Pon Farr and Chris had done what he felt he had to do, to save Vin's life, because it was a life he cared very much about, more than a captain should, more than he'd allowed himself to admit.

But that was all in the past, nearly a year ago now. They'd been companions ever since and Chris had actually found joy in life again. Until just five minutes ago when Josiah had hailed them from the Maverick.

"I can't believe he'd do something so stupid!" Chris bitched.

"Can't you? Have you met Vin Tanner?"

"Very funny, Buck."

"I'm not trying to be funny — well, I am, but that's beside the point. This is exactly something Vin would do. And, as soon as we find out precisely why, I'm sure it will all make perfect sense. That boy may have emotions like us humans, but he's still got the logic of a Vulcan."

Chris just nodded. There had better be a damn good explanation this time.

"How long until we reach the planet?"

"We're coming up on visual now." Buck pressed a few spots on the console and a small blue planet swirled with white flicked onto the view screen. "Pretty," the Commander commented, though not with the same enthusiasm he would have used for an attractive woman.

"Will you be able to land?" Chris asked.

"Not according to these initial readings. Should be able to hail Vin, though. A lot of water ... cold temperatures ... probably snow down there. Of all the places for that thin-blooded elf to crash land."

Chris got up from his chair and began to pace inside the confined cabin. The Maverick was on its way, but wouldn't reach the planet for another three hours. He and Buck had been closer in the shuttlecraft, returning from a conference on DS4. Vin had, undoubtedly, gotten impatient and decided to fly out to meet them.

"Chris, would you sit down already?" Buck finally spoke up. "You're gonna wear a hole in the bottom of this here shuttle and I rather like being able to breathe."

"Just worried is all. Don't like that we haven't been able to raise him."

"I know, Chris. But, we're coming up on the planet now. I should have a read on him and his shuttle pretty soon, then we can settle into a nice little orbit while you run off and play hero."

"Hero?" Chris asked. The word surprised him. He hadn't thought he was playing hero.

"Sure, hero. You weren't actually thinking about staying here — safe and sound — where a captain ought to stay and letting his executive officer — the expendable one — go and do the dirty work, now were you?"

"You are not expendable, Buck," Chris protested, but he knew precisely what Buck meant. It was the second-in-command's duty to keep the captain safe. Only, it was Vin down on that planet and Vin was Chris's responsibility, more than he was anyone else's.

"Yeah, I know. Neither is Vin. None of us are. But you're still the captain and you shouldn't risk yourself needlessly."

"Don't think it's needless when it's Vin."

Buck sighed. "Well, hopefully we'll be able to get a transporter lock on him and that will be that."

Chris nodded, as he plopped himself down into the chair beside Buck, determined to wait patiently, even if it killed him.

The planet didn't seem to be getting any bigger on the view screen; they didn't seem to be getting any closer. Chris was about to start pacing again when Buck announced, "Scanning the planet's surface for the shuttle...."

Chris sat forward in his chair, peering out at the blue orb with the white swirls — like the whipped cream on top of those sundaes Vin loved to eat.

"...Got it. Faint signal, but it's there. I'm taking us into orbit now."

Waiting for orbit to be established seemed to take as long as it had to reach the planet itself. Chris shook his head. He was getting too old for this, he really was. Felt like it, anyway, anytime something happened to one of his crew, but most especially when it was Vin. It wasn't a good thing to get so attached to anyone — he'd learned that lesson when he'd lost Sarah and Adam -- but here he was, attached, and in a way he never even imagined.

"Do you have a lock on Vin yet?" Chris waited for Buck to reply, but the man remained silent. His heart began thundering in his chest. "Buck? What is it?"

"I, uh, I've got a lock, but ... I'm not picking up any vitals. No life signs."

Chris's heart felt as if it had stopped. His mouth went dry and if he hadn't already been sitting down he was sure his knees would have given out. He wanted to scream, but instead he gave a calm order. "Beam him up."

"Chris—"

"Do it, Buck."

Buck nodded, then moved his hands over the transporter panel. At the back of the shuttle, a shaft of light flickered, filling the cabin for a moment with a flood of sparkling light. Then the beam was gone. Chris rushed to the spot on the floor, but found only a few scraps of fabric and Vin's com badge.

"He's still down there," Chris said, picking up the remnants and showing them to Buck. "That's why there were no life signs. He wasn't wearing his communicator!"

Buck smiled and the relief was plain on his face.

"Set her down, Buck. We've gotta a crew member to find."

"Can't do it, Captain. Terrain's too rough down there. Vin's shuttle is high in some mountains. There's no place to land."

"Then beam me down. I'll find him and you can beam us back together. The Maverick can haul Vin's shuttle out of there when it arrives."

"Chris, I gotta say this: you should let me go down there."

"I know, Buck, but you're staying. You know I'm no good with those transport controls," he lied with a smile.

Buck nodded. "Grab a parka out of the storage locker — looks pretty cold down there."

Chris grabbed two, not know what conditions Vin was currently facing, and then he stepped to the spot at the back of the shuttle and waited.

"Engaging," he heard Buck's voice, clearly at first, but then fading into nothing; his vision of Buck faded as well, filled for a moment by nothingness — the nothingness like sleep between dreams and waking — and then he saw white an instant before he felt cold and heard the wind whipping through the trees.

Chris looked around, realizing that Buck had been right — there was no place to land. He scanned the area, and found Vin's shuttle, on it's side and almost completely buried in a snowdrift. He struggled through the wind and falling snow until he reached it. A huge gash was torn across the bottom — Chris used it to enter the shuttle. Inside, it was almost as cold as it had been outside and there was snow piled up in a small bank, but at least it was sheltered from the brunt of the wind. He looked around, but Vin wasn't there. There were a few shreds of Vin's uniform caught on a piece of twisted, torn metal from the hull breach; Chris didn't touch them. He made his way forward to the pilot's seat. There was a large smear of green blood on the control panel and splattered droplets on the windows.

Chris felt sick to his stomach. He'd seen blood before, his own, his crew's, even that of people he loved. But this was somehow different and Chris knew it had nothing to do with the color.

He quickly left the shuttle. Vin wasn't inside, which meant that he'd crawled out and, hopefully, found shelter elsewhere. Chris lifted his tricorder and scanned the area. To the left was a sheer drop — a few hundred yards in that direction and there was no telling how much worse the crash would have been. To the right, the mountains rose up. Chris searched for tracks in the snow, any hint as to where Vin might have gone, but the snowfall and the wind were too heavy.

He tapped the communicator on his chest. "Buck?"

"Yeah, Chris?" Buck's voice was faint and there was a bit of an electrical crackle to it.

"Found the shuttle, but Vin's not here. I'm gonna keep looking."

"Copy that. Maverick ETA is just over two hours."

"Two hours," he confirmed. "Larabee, out."

Chris looked at the mountain again, holding up his tricorder. As he moved the scanner from side to side, the density readout shifted. There were caves up there. He searched for a way up and finally found one. Scrambling up the hillside, Chris grabbed hold of every rock and tree branch within reach, anything to keep himself moving up toward those caves.

Finally, he came to a small ledge. He paused for a moment to catch his breath, but immediately caught the scent of burning wood. He ducked his head and shoulders, and made his way into the cave. There was a faint, flickering light well back inside and Chris headed for it. He hoped to hell it was Vin and not some carnivorous native, though Buck hadn't said anything about inhabitants on this planet and the man was usually thorough in his reports.

"Vin?" he called and the sound of his voice echoed into nothingness. He could see a figure beside the fire now, but there was no movement. He rushed forward into the cave, until the firelight gave him a clear view. "Vin!"

He was beside his lieutenant in an instant. Chris had the tricorder out and was running it over Vin, checking for basic vitals. There was body heat, a heartbeat, and breathing. "Vin?" he said again, shaking him by the shoulders this time.

"Huh?" Vin's blue eyes slowly came open. "Chris?"

The side of Vin's face was covered in dark blood. It was undoubtedly the source of the blood Chris had seen in the crashed shuttle. He forced himself to remain calm, for Vin's sake as well as his own. "Yeah, I'm here, Vin. Just you and me. How bad are you hurt?"

Vin shook his head, though the movement seemed to pain him; he squinted his eyes shut for a moment, holding himself very still. "Not bad. My head hurts, though. I hit—"

"—the console. I saw. Any other injuries?"

"Naw, just some cuts, bruises. Nothing broken."

"That you know of," Chris added. Vin had a habit of hiding his worst injuries, though Chris had never quite figured out why.

"I know. Nothing's broken."

He could have hugged Vin just then, kissed him — happy that he was most likely going to be just fine — but he restrained himself. There would be time later for affection, time for something more as well.

"Let's get you out of here." Chris tapped his badge, but the communicator gave no signal. He tapped it again. Nothing. "Stay here, Vin. Don't move."

Chris made his way back to the opening of the cave. He stepped out onto the ledge and was nearly blown off by the force of the wind. He quickly tapped his badge again. "Buck?"

"Chris?" Buck's voice came through, but with a lot of interference. "I can't get a transporter lock on you. The storm's gotten too heavy. Is Vin okay? Can you hold out for an hour?"

"I found Vin! He's OK. We've got shelter — we'll be right here, waiting. Out." Chris ducked back inside. That was that. The storm had gotten worse and so he and Vin were stuck until there was enough of a break that Buck could get a transport lock on them. Of course, things could be worse: Vin's injuries could have been life threatening, the storm could hold for hours, days even. Chris thought about what rations and supplies he could recover from Vin's shuttlecraft. He wouldn't risk climbing down, leaving Vin alone again, until he was certain they couldn't do without them. For now, they had the two parkas Chris had brought, as well as the thermal tarp Vin was lying on beside the fire.

When he approached the fire again, Vin struggled to sit up. "Lie still, Vin. We're not leaving quite yet. Hope you don't mind having me for company for a little while." Chris settled down next to the fire, encouraging Vin to use his leg as a pillow.

"Don't mind. Came out here to find you." Vin said, shifting to lie on his side. Chris placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a small squeeze. "Really? I hadn't guessed."

"Oh. Thought you might have." Vin sounded disappointed. His mind never quite managed to pick up the subtly of sarcasm, even when it was meant good-humoredly.

"Why did you come out to meet me?"

"Missed you," was all Vin said.

Chris used the pause to examine Vin's head wound. The bleeding had mostly stopped, though the gash was still moist. And, it was a head wound, which bled more than most other wounds and usually looked worse than it actually was. He hoped so, for Vin's sake. This kid did not do well as a patient cooped up in sickbay.

Chris moved his hand to Vin's back, rubbing over the lean muscles. The cave was sufficiently sheltered from the storm and pleasantly warm from the fire. Vin was right to have moved. He probably would have died of exposure had he stayed in the damaged shuttlecraft.

"I missed you, too, Vin," Chris finally said. "But, I was already on my way back. Couldn't you have waited just a few more hours to see me?"

"No. It's ... don't you remember?"

"Remember?"

"It's Christmas. At least, I think it still is. What time is it?"

"On board the Maverick?" Chris glanced at the time stamp on the tricorder. "Nearly twenty-three thirty. Why?"

"Then it's still Christmas," Vin said, and Chris could see his smile lit up by the firelight.

Christmas. He hadn't even remembered.

"Our first one, since...."

Since the Pon Farr. Chris knew. He could have kicked himself. It was an important holiday for Vin, having been raised by Traditionalists, and he'd forgotten.

"I just wanted to be with you before it was over. JD said you were delayed leaving the space station. You wouldn't have made it back in time."

Chris nodded as he gently stroked Vin's hair. By rights, he should reprimand Vin, throw him in the brig for deserting his post, for being AWOL, something. But how could he? He loved Vin and Vin had done this to be with him, on this day that reminded Vin of the only family he'd ever known. Chris was his family now and they did need to be together.

"Merry Christmas, Vin."

Vin reached up and closed his hand over Chris's, threading their fingers together. "Merry Christmas."

December 27, 2002

Comments would be most welcome if sent to: C.V. Puerro

Please do NOT repost this story anywhere outside of the Blackraptor Fiction Website.

Characters from "The Magnificent Seven" were used without permission and this story in no way signifies support of, or affiliation with, The Mirisch Group, MGM, Trilogy Entertainment, or CBS Worldwide, Inc. The story itself belongs to the author and will not be sold for any reason.

Thanks go to Nancy for creating this universe and allowing others to play in it!

Quoted lyrics are from "I'll Be Home For Christmas" written by K. Gannon and W. Kent.