"Later it is then." Chris extracted himself from Vin's grasp and made his way into the kitchen area. Rummaging around he found a bottle of vegetable oil and brought it back to the fireplace rug. Looking down at Vin, he grinned. "So what shall we do till later? Got a deck of cards?"Vin nodded his head and pointed to his backpack. Chris went over and returned with the cards. Sitting down in front of Vin started to deal.
"High card gets to tell the other one what to do. That ok with you? I'll go first." Chris dealt the cards Vin got a 6 of spades Chris a king of hearts. "I think let's have that flannel shirt off first Vin."
Vin laid down his card and stood looking down at Chris. "Looks like it could get a might be cold in here. Might if I build up the fire?" Not waiting for an answer, Vin threw more logs on the fire and came back kneeling between Chris legs. Slowly he removed his shirt, exposing his well developed muscles and rock hard stomach. Reaching down between Chris' legs he felt for and found the stack of cards.
Tossing them aside, he bent down to push his chest into Chris' face. "Your way is gonna take too long." He shuttered as he felt Chris' teeth tighten on a nipple and start a sucking motion. Pulling Chris' head up closer, he ran his hands through his lover's hair. Feeling Chris moan he pulled away and sat back on his heels, reaching for Chris' belt at the same time. Licking his lips as he concentrated, Vin unbuckled Chris' belt and drew it slowly out of his pants. Undoing the button and slowly unzipping Chris part way, Vin reached around behind Chris and dipped his hands down the back of Chris' jeans.
Chris shuddered as he felt Vin's hands slide down his spine and start a small circling motion with his fingers. Chris reached down and finished unzipping his pants, allowing Vin more room. Vin moved his hands down and let the tip of his fingers slide up and down between Chris' cheeks.
"Ah, Vin...yes." Chris moaned and started moving his hips back and forth in a rocking motion. Vin slide his hands around Chris' hips and pushed his jeans downward, pulling out his penis and grasping it firmly. Using his other hand to push Chris backward, Vin moved his body so he could work on Chris' shaft.
Slowly and carefully, Vin fit his mouth around the rising shaft and started flicking his tongue along the slit. When he had Chris' penis firmly in his mouth, he moved his hands downward and fondled Chris' balls; rolling the flesh around in his hand. Vin could feel Chris starting to harden in his mouth and thrust quicker inside his mouth.
"Vin, wait..I don't ....let's do this...another.....way.." Chris tried to talk but his body was reacting to Vin's continued administrations. Chris felt the warmth in his groin grow..and suddenly felt himself exploding inside Vin's mouth. "VIN....YES!!! Don't stop, lover...suck hard.!!" Chris began pumping deeper inside Vin's mouth and felt him swallow all the seed he was releasing. Vin continued to fondle Chris, squeezing him firmly as if to get the last drop. Feeling Chris become soft, Vin let Chris fall from his mouth.
Leaning forward, Vin crossed his arms on Chris' stomach and looked along his chest. " Say cowboy, your turn." Vin stood and slowly stripped himself of his clothing. Picking up the oil, Vin began to rub it into his upper arms and shoulders, moaning as he did. " This feels really good, Chris. Do you like it when I rub my body this way? I like it.. especially when I rub down here. There's this little place right here on my groin..."
Vin didn't get any further. Chris growled and sat up grabbing the bottle of oil and pushing Vin forward on his stomach. Pausing long enough to rid himself of his clothes, Chris covered his hands with the oil and started on Vin's back. Working his way up along the base of Vin's neck, he rubbed the small of his back between the shoulder blades.
Vin sighed and turned his head to the side looking at Chris working on him. "Feels really good, cowboy." Closing his eyes, he felt Chris continue to massage the muscles on his rib cage and finally on his hips.
Chris began to tighten and work Vin's tight buttocks, while he looked at his balls. Sliding himself so he pinned Vin's legs, Chris began working the flesh of Vin's thighs and placed his mouth on Vin's buttocks. Bringing his tongue out he began licking his way down the cleft he had oiled so recently.
"Chris, can ya let me up? I'm kind of pinned here and I.." Vin didn't finish as Chris began rimming Vin's opening with his tongue. Vin's erection was trying to push it's way upward but was trapped by the way Chris had positioned him. " Chris...." Vin pleaded and tried forcing his hips upward.
"Hmm.." Chris lifted his mouth and kissed Vin tenderly in the small of his back. Adding more lotion to his hand, he caressed Vin's hole with his finger finally pushing it only a little way, holding it there. " Vin bring your knees up..spread your legs." Chris waited for Vin to reposition himself still keeping his finger inside Vin. Vin pushed backwards and felt Chris' finger go deeper.
Wiggling his buttocks, Vin tried to increase the pressure Chris was creating. "Easy Vin. Go slowly..enjoy it.." Chris purred to Vin as he leaned forward laying his erect penis along Vin's crack. Reaching underneath Vin, Chris found his penis and began stroking the engorged organ.
"See, slowly...let's enjoy each other...Pretty nice way to spend Christmas Eve afternoon, huh?"
"I'd enjoy it better if you were inside me...." Vin was gasping as Chris continued his leisurely stroking. Vin felt a second and third finger enter him and work his channel open. The feelings being created by Chris' hand were incredible. Pushing and wiggling his buttocks, Vin moaned and groaned, trying to stimulate himself more.
Not wanting to tease his lover anymore, Chris eased his hand out and quickly re oiled his penis. Placing the tip of it at Vin opening, Chris stroked harder on Vin's organ. Pressing forward Chris closed his eyes as he felt the moist heat surround his erect pole.
"Ah, Chris...that's it..Oh, go deeper, please...It feels so much better when you're deeper....uhmmmm...that's it...Oh, yes..."
Chris heard Vin's words and worked harder to please him. Thrusting and pushing he finally felt his balls settle against Vin's buttocks and heard Vin grunt with the force of his entry.
"You, ok, Vin? God, you feel so good around me...can you feel it too? I need to move, ...Vin..is it ok?" Chris saw Vin's head nod and felt him push backward starting a rhythm that Chris quickly picked up. Rocking together, they worked a steady pace. Chris felt himself start to come and squeezed Vin's penis tightly. " I'm ready Vin. Can you take me? Are you feeling it? My body needs ya...oh...mmm..." Chris felt the warm liquid start to rise in his groin and shoved one more time deep within Vin.
Vin pushed himself backward into Chris as his penis began spurting foamy liquid all over the rug. "AH..GEEZ...CHRIS!!! MORE!! YES!!!"
Vin's scream set Chris off and he fell forward putting his weight behind each thrust as he began pumping into his lover's body.
Chris grabbed Vin's hips and pulled him backward so that he was sitting on Chris' lap. The weight of Vin on his shaft was mind blowing and he heard Vin's breath grunt and air escape as he sank even lower on Chris hard pole. Both men moaned and clawed at each other as Chris guided Vin's hips up and down on his pole. Chris watched in fascination as his own semen oozed down Vin's legs to join his lover's on the rug.
After a few minutes, Vin collapsed forward easing himself off Chris. He heard Chris moan and he felt suddenly empty without Chris inside him. Laying down beside Chris, Vin fit his upper leg between Chris' and fell asleep. Chris looked down into the face of his mate, and felt tears form as he realized how luck had finally come his way.
Vin felt Chris shake his shoulder. "Go away, Chris. Want to sleep."
"Can't cowboy. If we're going to get to Josiah's service tonight, we need to get back. I'm gonna get the horses ready. You pack up things in here?" Chris finished dressing as he spoke and grabbing his coat and headed outside.
Vin gave the cabin one more look around. Finding everything properly stored, he locked the door and mounted Peso.
++++++++++
They traveled slowly. There were patches of snow and ice on the ground. Riding without talking, the two men were easy and comfortable with each other. Chris followed Vin along a narrow pathway and waited until he and Peso were on the other side before beginning his own way across.
Concentrating on watching where he was going, he didn't see Vin fall. He looked up to see Peso scrabbling to his feet and Vin laying face down on the ground. Peso trotted a few feet, obviously uninjured, and stopped turning to look at Vin.
Chris hurried his horse as much as he could, but the ground was icy and he didn't want to risk injury. Watching Vin as he approached, he was alarmed by the blood he saw across Vin's forehead. Dismounting he made his way carefully over to the fallen sharpshooter.
"Vin? Hey, buddy? You, ok? Vin?" Placing his hand on Vin's shoulder, he shook him slightly while calling his name. Getting no response, Chris began checking Vin over. He was breathing without distress, and Chris felt a strong pulse on the side of his neck.
Rising quickly Chris went to his horse and brought back a blanket. Spreading it on the ground next to Vin, he slowly rolled Vin over on to it. There was a nasty gash above Vin's hair line on the right side but other than that Chris could see no other injuries. Taking some snow he warmed it with his breath and using his scarf began to wash away some of the blood from Vin's face.
The cool wetness brought Vin suddenly to awareness. Opening his eyes he felt a blinding pain behind his eyes, and saw a face bending over him. Trying to focus, Vin attempted to remember where he was.
Chris saw Vin open his eyes slowly, but realized that the sharpshooter was dazed; his vison unfocused. "Vin? Vin, it's ok. It's Chris. Peso took a wrong step and you both fell. I can see you hit your head, do you hurt anywhere else? Your back or neck?"
Vin lay still and slowly started moving his neck and legs. "My head hurts Chris, my back and neck don't. Is Peso ok?"
"Peso's fine. Let me put a dressing on that gash and we'll see about sitting you up." Chris wrapped Vin's head with gauze from the first aid kit in his saddlebags and began helping Vin sit up.
Vin began to reach up with his arms to help Chris. As he moved his left arm, he felt a jolt of knife-like pain start in his forearm and shoot to his shoulder. "SHIT! CHRIS WAIT!" Vin sagged and lay back down on the blanket clutching his left arm against his chest with his right. "Oh, my arm...." Vin gasped trying to find his voice against the pain that encompassed his body.. "Hurts so bad, Chris...God, oh..." Rocking side to side Vin moaned, shutting his eyes against the pain.
"Ok, Vin. Hold on now stop moving. You have to let me see.." Chris felt the tightness in his stomach as he placed a hand on Vin's right shoulder to stop him moving. Taking his hunting knife from his belt, he slit the left sleeve of Vin's parka. Opening the material, he winced at what he saw. Vin's long sleeved thermal shirt was saturated with blood from the elbow to his hand. The forearm was angled upward and sidewards ...his hand twisted to the side. Carefully Chris began to cut the bloody material.
"Awww..NO!...Please...Chris.." Vin was crying; tears falling down his face despite his best efforts to stop them. Trying to pull push Chris' hands away from his arm, Vin was met with resistance.
"Vin. God.. I'm so sorry, cowboy..but there's too much blood here. I've got to see where it's coming from....Vin, I'm so so sorry..I know this hurts like hell." Chris took a moment to stroke Vin's cheek and let him settle before he returned to his bloody task.
Slicing through the material quickly, Chris took a gauze pad and wet it. Returning to Vin's arm, he whipped away the pooled blood carefully. Feeling the gauze snag on something, Chris stopped. Working to revel what was underneath, brought more screaming from Vin. "PLEASE,
PLEASE...STOP HURTING ME....CHRIS..MAKE IT STOP HURTING...." Vin's eyes rolled back in his head and his head dropped back onto the blanket.
Quickly checking his breathing and pulse, Chris was glad Vin had passed out. Chris almost wished he could, when his cleaning showed him why the gauze keep snagging.
Vin had bones sticking upward through the skin. He felt Vin's arm in front of the broken area sag as the material gave way. Chris panicked and grabbed it, trying to keep it alined with the rest of his arm.
Looking around, Chris saw a tree limb that he thought would work. Resting the left arm on Vin's chest, Chris made for the wood and stripped it of knobs and small branches. Breaking it in two pieces, he bound them together with duck tape. Going back to Vin, he gently placed the arm on top of the makeshift splint and started binding it with an elastic wrap Nathan had placed in the kit.
"God, Nathan...where are you when I need you...when Vin needs you?" Chris talked out loud to himself trying to keep out of his mind the sight of Vin so still on the blanket.
When he had finished wrapping the arm as securely as he could, Chris went to get the horses. Bringing them back to where Vin lay, Chris was alarmed to see the new bandage already bloodied. Cursing to himself, he wrapped the arm tighter hoping to stop some of the bleeding. He and Vin had at least a forty minute ride to the ranch, if he could get Vin on board Peso.
Bending over Vin, Chris stroked his bloody hair for a moment looking at his lover's beautiful face. Chris hated what he had to do, but Vin had to be awake to help him get mounted. "Vin..Vin..I need you to wake up buddy. VIN? Wake up...now..!" With Chris shaking and shouting at him
Vin slowly opened his eyes and moaned. "Chris? What? Oh, aw..my arm..why does it hurt so much?" Vin rocked his head back and forth moaning.
"Vin. It's broken. Badly from what I can see. We need to get you to the ER quickly. I need you to get up and mount Peso. I'll help you but I need your help. Can you stand?" Chris was raising Vin up with the help of the blanket. Finally holding Vin against him. Trying to avoid jarring Vin's arm Chris wrapped his belt around Vin's neck and buckled the belt under the splint. Chris could see that Vin was trying to stay conscious. "Come on Vin. Let's get you to your feet." Grabbing Vin's belt in the back he pulled with all his strength.
"NO! NO! CAN'T.. LET ME BE...AH, CHRIS..." Vin sagged against him and let his head rest on Chris' chest. Suddenly Chris remembered something that might save them both. He lay Vin down again and went to get Peso.
Bringing Peso up next to Vin, he reached with his hand between the horse's front legs by the girth. Clucking and snapping his fingers, he watched as Peso bowed his head toward his knees, finally kneeling on the frozen ground. Chris sighed with relief. He remembered Vin had taught that trick in case he needed it someday. "Well, Peso..you may have saved us. Good boy. Now stay still while I bring you Vin." Peso stayed where he was..sensing the seriousness of Chris' voice.
Chris went around so he could get to the blanket that held Vin. Picking up the ends above Vin's head, he began dragging Vin toward Peso. "That's it, Peso. Stay quiet boy, stay down. Vin needs you now.."
Peso waited patiently until Chris pushed and pulled Vin onto his saddle. Wrapping the blanket securely around Vin's shoulders, he clicked to Peso and the horse arose quickly. Hanging on to Vin, Chris waited until Peso settled himself and finished tying the blanket ends with another one. Securing the blanket to the saddle, he leaned Vin forward so his head resting on Peso's neck. Leading Peso to his horse, he quickly mounted Bucklin and moved the horses out. Riding close enough to Peso, he was able to keep one hand on Vin's back to steady him.
A half and hour passed, and Vin was still unconscious. Chris had noted with alarm that the bandage and splint he had put on was now soaked with blood. Wishing he could do more, Chris ignored the cold creeping into his body. The sun was down and the temperature was dropping quickly.
Riding on letting the horses take their lead, he felt Bucklin pick up his pace slightly, Peso joining him. Looking up from steading Vin, Chris saw the hillside just outside his property. He felt a great relief as they rode into the barn yard. Getting off Bucklin, Chris led Peso into the barn. Slowly lowering Vin to a bale of hay, Chris quickly stripped the horses of their tack, grained and hayed them. Bending down Chris used what strength he had left and lifted Vin in both arms, carrying him toward his truck.
Running quickly inside, Chris grabbed his wallet, keys, cellphone and two towels. Thinking again, he grabbed the afghan off the couch and ran for the RAM. Starting it quickly, he backed out of the driveway while pulling out his portable red light. Stopping before turning on to the road, Chris wrapped Vin's forearm in a towel tightly. Vin didn't move or even moan. Pushing down his panic, he started down the road while he dialed 911.
Connecting with the EMS dispatch operator, he explained his situation and made plans to meet the ambulance at an intersection a few miles ahead.
++++++++++
Chris sighed with relief when he came over the hill and saw the EMS unit waiting. Pulling to a stop, he ran around to the passenger side and opened it for the crew. Explaining what had happened, he helped the paramedics load Vin onto a gurney. Inside the ambulance, Chris watched as the medics exposed Vin's forearm. It was then that he saw the steady oozing blood welling up from where the bones were exposed.
"Looks like a small arterial bleed, Mr Larabee. The arm's really bad. We're gonna start an IV and get some fluids going to replace what he's lost. His pressure's low and his heart rate really fast. Looks like he's lost a lot of blood. We're going to Four Corners. You want to met us or leave your truck here?" The medic talked while he started an IV and place an oxygen mask on Vin's face. Finishing that he got an air splint and slipped it carefully on Vin's forearm. "This will stabilize his arm and help stop the bleeding. Ok, Rick. Let's get moving. Lights and sirens!"
Chris jumped from the back of the ambulance and ran to his truck. Climbing aboard he fished for his keys. Attempting to put them in the ignition, Chris suddenly found his hand shaking so much the keys fell to the floor. Putting his arms on the steering wheel, he leaned his head down and let his tears flow. A few minutes later, Chris took some deep breathes in an attempt to gain control again. Shaking his head and wiping his eyes, he found the keys and started the truck. Picking up the cellphone, he dialed Nathan's beeper.
Vin arrived at the ER entrance with a two liters of warm normal saline flowing in his blood stream. The medics were happy with his blood pressure and he had begun to open his eyes but didn't answer questions.
The triage nurse had a room ready and Vin was quickly stripped of his clothing and hooked up to a monitoring system. With his vital signs now stable and his temperature near normal, the ER attending doctor deflated the splint on Vin's left arm. While it was x-rayed, the doctor finished cleaning and picking out debris and fabric from the wound.
Holding the x-rays in his hands, the orthopedic resident came into Vin's cubical. "Jack," he spoke to the ER doctor. "This one's gonna have to go to surgery as soon as possible. The nurse told me he had pulses in his wrist but that they were weak. Looks like the only thing that is holding his arm together is skin, ligaments and tendons. He's lucky, whoever splinted him did a good job. Can we get him typed and crossed for at least four units of blood?"
Vin heard voices around him. He was finally warm enough and the darkness that had been holding him was gone. In it's place came pain. A dark throbbing pain that grabbed and held his left arm. Looking to his left he saw his arm elevated on a small table with a man working over it intently. Looking up he saw Vin awake, but pale and drawn.
"Hello Mr Tanner. Good to see you awake. You're at Four Corners Hospital. I'm Jeff Kramer, your doctor here in the ER." He talked as he continued to work, digging deeply for a piece of fabric.
"OH! GOD! PLEASE!" Vin arched his back moaning as the full awareness of pain in his arm hit him. "Please, mister, make it stop..it hurts so much.." Tossing his head side to side, he continued to moan, not knowing how to help himself.
"Laura, get him 6mgs of Morphine IV." Dr Kramer said to the trauma nurse as he held pressure on the wound. "Mr. Tanner? Do you have any family we can call. You are going to have to go to surgery to have your arm fixed right away. You fractured it very badly. The two bones in your forearm are completely broken and not connected at all. The surgeon's are going to have to put a metal piece in and bring these bones back together. They will have to see if there has been any nerve or vessel damage. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" The doctor looked at Vin's face twisted in pain. The nurse came in to give Vin his IV Morphine. "Wait a second, Laura. Mr Tanner? Do you understand?"
Vin tried to hear the doctor's voice above the pounding in his head and arm. "Yeah, I think so. You have to fix my arm. Go to surgery?" Lifting his head he tried to look around for Chris. "Is my friend here, Chris? Chris Larabee?" Exhausted Vin lay his head down and closed his eyes. "Hurts so much please?"
"Here Vin I've got some pain medication for you. Just rest, the medics said that Chris was following them in his truck. He should be here any minute. Doctor, we've got to get that ring off before he goes to surgery."
Vin felt the pain medicine hit him...it dulled the pain but didn't make it go away. Vin watched the doctor leave and come back with a large object that looked like a bolt cutter. Realizing what his intentions were, Vin panicked and tried to sit up. "No! You can't cut my ring off. No...no stop...you can't...Chris? Chris? Help me!!" Vin was pushing with his good arm again trying to sit up.
"Mr. Tanner...Vin..stop..this isn't helping..please you are making your arm worse!" Chris heard the doctor's voice coming from behind the curtains as he walked quickly to Vin's cubical. Slipping inside, he saw Vin thrashing and trying to get off the stretcher. The nurse and doctor weren't having a hard time holding him down.
"Vin! Vin! Lay down. Stop now. This isn't helping!" Chris' voice was stern as he replaced the nurse at Vin's side. "What's he so upset about? How's his arm?" Chris paused and stared hard at the doctor. Shaking his head, he stroked Vin's hair as he looked again at the doctor. "Sorry, my name's Chris Larabee. I'm Vin's boss and good friend. I'm the one who was with him when he got hurt."
"That's ok, Mr Larabee. I was just explaining to Vin we have to get that ring off before it cuts off the circulation to his finger. His hand is swelling. I'm afraid the only way to get it off is to cut it. We try and not damage it too much." The doctor picked up the ring cutter again.
"It was my Christmas present to him today. He's only had it on a few hours. It's sort of special." Chris continued to rub Vin's right arm softly, Vin was sleeping the morphine finally working.
"Dr. Kramer? Can we try this first?" Laura was entering the room with a roll of flat umbilical tape and a tube of lubricant. " It's worth trying. The ring obviously means a lot to both of them." The nurse started cutting the tape in shorter links and handing them to the doctor.
"Well, we'll give it a try before they take him upstairs." Wrapping the tape from the ring to the tip of Vin's finger, the doctor let it stay that way for a couple minutes. Placing as much lubrication as he could around the ring, he had Laura hold Vin's wrist. Quickly unwrapping the tape, Dr. Kramer twisted and pulled on the ring working it off. After five minutes, the ring finally came off leaving a reddened finger behind. The doctor handed the ring to Chris.
"Thanks Doc. Really thanks. This will mean a lot to him, to both of us." Before the ER doctor could reply, the OR team parted the curtains and started getting Vin organized to go to surgery. The orthopedic surgeon spoke with Dr. Kramer, who motioned to Chris.
"Mr. Larabee. This is Dr. Margona, he's going to take care of Vin's arm." Chris shook hands with him. Watching Vin being taken up stairs on his stretcher, he followed him with his eyes until he was out of sight.
"We're going to do our best. The bones are ragged and shattered at the ends. I'm gonna have to plate both bones. With the open wound there's the real chance of an infection. We'll be in there several hours. Do you want to go home and I'll call you when we're done? Or do you want to wait?" Dr. Margona looked at Chris expectantly.
"No, I'll wait doctor. Thanks. I have friends coming. Vin will panic if he wakes up alone in the hospital. I need to be here. Take good care of him please. He's special." Chris pressed his lips together hard as he tried not to cry in front of the ER staff.
"That's fine, Mr. Larabee. The staff can show you to the waiting room. I'll take very good care of your friend. We'll do what we can with his arm." Dr. Margona shook hands with Chris again and walked off to the OR elevators.
Chris walked to the triage area to wait for the others. Josiah's Christmas Eve service was just ending when Nathan had called back. Nathan had promised they were all on their way. Suddenly feeling weak, Chris sat down in the waiting room and rested his head on the back of it. Chris reached inside his jean pocket and pulled out the onyx ring. Placing it on his left ring finger, he closed his eyes to wait.
Chris felt something shaking him. Fighting exhaustion, he tried to stay asleep, but the shaking continued. Finally opening his eyes, he stared into Josiah's face. Focusing, he looked around and saw the five others standing around him. "Guys. Huh, what time is it? Heard anything about Vin?" Chris sat up still trying to gather his thoughts.
"We just got here, Chris. Saw you asleep here. Thought you might know something." Josiah helped Chris sit up and handed him some coffee.
"Thanks, Josiah." Looking at the others he motioned for them to sit. Glancing at his watch, Chris saw that only an hour had gone by since Vin was taken to surgery. "They just took him an hour ago. The surgeon said he was going to be there a few hours." Sipping his coffee, he ran his hand through his hair.
"What happened Chris? You didn't explain much when you called." Nathan leaned forward toward Chris waiting for an answer.
Chris began explaining where and why Vin had felt it necessary to go away for Christmas. "I just couldn't let it happen." Chris continued. "Vin's evidently never had a Christmas dinner with family or exchanged presents in a group.. he didn't want to be disappointed or disappoint us so he just left. Went to this line shack I've got in one of the upper pastures. Looked like he had been planning this a long time. Had it all stocked for a winter stay. Well, anyway." Chris sighed. "I convinced him to come back. We were riding along some frozen ground and Peso slipped. Vin must have put his hand out to stop his fall. Nathan, the bones are broken clean through. His wrist was hanging by skin and muscles. Hit his head too, gonna need stitches."
"But it's gonna be OK, right?" JD looked at Nathan hoping for the answer he wanted to hear.
"Don't know JD. It sounds bad. Could be nerve and blood vessel injuries. Was it bleeding Chris?" Nathan placed his hand on Chris' leg to reassure him.
"Yeah, it soaked through two bandages and a towel I had wrapped around the splint I made. The doctor said there was a small artery cut. The bones made a hole in the middle of his forearm. They were sticking out..." Chris couldn't continue. He thought he was going to throw up at the memory of seeing Vin's arm for the first time.
Ezra saw Chris pale and close his eyes. "Gentlemen, may I suggest we vacate these premises and find someplace less public?" Gesturing to the others, he reached over and took Chris' elbow.
"Ezra's right. Let's find out where Vin's room is and head up there." Buck headed off toward the receptionist while the others followed. Coming back in a couple minutes Buck motioned toward the elevators. "He's gonna be on the fifth floor. Number 5433. Let's go."
Locating his room and touching base with the nurse, the five agents spread themselves out between the waiting room and the furniture in Vin's room. Chris sat next to Vin's bed, trying not to picture him in surgery.
Vin was still under the effects of the anesthesia as the orthopedic surgeon watched the resident finished casting his arm. "Make sure you get the plaster well up into his armpit. I don't want him to be able to move this in any way. Those bones are literally being held together by pins and plates. I'm worried about the radius. We lost more bone than I wanted when we cleaned off the shattered end. Let's go ahead and put that plastic reinforcement underneath the elbow down to the middle of his hand. I have a feeling he's not going to like being told he can't use this arm for the next 5 weeks till this cast comes off." Looking at the nurses he smiled. "Which one of you wants to tell him about the cast that follows this one for the three weeks after that?" None of the OR nurses answered. They shook their heads as they began to get Vin ready to move him to recovery. "Chickens..." Dr Morgona sighed.
"Well, at least I won't have to tell him that part tomorrow. Ok, let's make sure everything is beginning to harden before we move him. Kim, can you get x-ray in here? I want to see pictures of this before I even move him."
Something was blowing cold air up his nose. Vin turned his head and tried to move away from the breeze that was blowing on his face. It followed him. The air moved with him. Puzzled, Vin tried to open his eyes. They felt heavy. Sticky. When he finally got them open, everything was blurred. "Huh?" Vin's attempt to talk turned into more of a grunt. His mouth was so dry. His tongue was sticking to the roof of his mouth. He felt something plastic sticking up his nostrils...that's where the wind was coming from...wind in a tube? Vin tried to reason as he opened his eyes.
"Mr. Tanner? Vin?" A pretty brunette leaned over Vin's face and talked softly in his ear. "You're ok. The surgery on your arm is finished. I just need for you to listen to my voice and relax. Can you move your feet for me? "
Vin frowned at the woman's words. "Move my feet? Why did she need that? I'll show her...I can move everything." Vin thoughts ran through his mind as he started to bend his legs and use his arms to sit up.
"NO! VIN! STAY STILL!" The nurse tired to catch him before he moved his fractured arm, but was too late. As another nurse and patient care tech came to assist her, she held her breath, hoping she could get the pain medication into him before he felt the pain.
She didn't. Vin felt himself being gently pushed back on the bed, but ignored it. The pain that was growing in his arm was all consuming. It hit him like a sledgehammer; pounding and throbbing his body with a hot iron agony. "OH!..GOD!" Vin screamed. He couldn't believe how much he hurt! " Chris? Chris...where's Chris? Please help me..I..Oh, oh....Chris ...help....me...." The morphine started to flow through him as the nurse prepared more in case she needed it. Gathering a washcloth she wiped the tears that flowed from his eyes. "Nancy, see if you can find out who this Chris is. We may need him to come up so Vin will wake up quietly." Nancy went to the phone and started making calls.
"Mr. Larabee? Mr. Larabee...please wake up." Chris opened his eyes quickly at the sound of the woman's voice.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Chris stood up, towering above the nurse. He knew Vin needed him. He saw it on the woman's face.
"The nurses from the recovery room called and ask if you could come down stairs. Apparently Mr. Tanner is asking for you. If you'll follow me I'll show you how to get there." Chris quickly followed her out to the elevators.
Chris finished putting on a gown and pushed open the door. Two nurses were standing by the only stretcher in the room. At the sound of the door, one nurse turned and walked toward Chris.
"Mr. Larabee? My name in Wendy, I'm Vin's nurse. Thank you for coming. Vin's been calling out for you, we're hoping if you're at the bedside when he awakens again, he'll not panic so badly the next time he wakes up." Wendy walked Chris to the stretcher.
Vin was lying on a stretcher. An IV was running into his arm, he had oxygen being supplied by nasal cannulas. Chris' attention was drawn to Vin's left arm. It was covered in white plaster from his finger tips to his arm pit. The arm was angled so that the hand was almost vertical to his body, the cast was resting on three pillows. Across the middle of the cast, Chris could see an elastic band about four inches wide. With a questioning look on his face, Chris nodded at the blood hanging on an IV pole next to Vin's head.
"His blood counts were low, Mr. Larabee. He lost a lot of blood before he got to the ER, then we had a time getting the arterial bleeder located and repaired. His blood pressure was low and with his blood count so low, Dr Morgoni decided Vin needed the blood to help him out." She walked to Vin's left arm and pinched his fingertips. "I'm doing this so I can make sure there is good blood supply to his fingers. They look swollen, don't they? Well, they will be for several days, in the meantime we have to make sure the swelling doesn't get worse and cut off circulation to his fingers while the cast is on."
"Is that the reason for his arm being tilted up high that way?" Chris was watching her continue to test Vin's fingers. Chris let his hand wander to the bandage on Vin's forehead. "And this cut? Did they have to stitch it?" Chris asked the questions but his mind was elsewhere. Whispering, he bent his head down close to Vin's. "I should have insisted we leave right away...Vin, I'm so sorry this all happened. I really wanted us to have a perfect Christmas." Standing again, he let his hand remain on Vin's shoulder.
Wendy watched Chris talk quietly to Vin. She couldn't understand what he was saying but she could tell there was a special bond between these two men. Speaking softly, she said. "Dr. Perin, the plastic surgeon, put 26 tiny stitches in his forehead. It's almost in his hairline, but Dr. Morgoni wanted a plastic surgeon to do the work. There shouldn't be a noticeable scar. His arm has to be above his heart level at all times for the next week or so. You'll notice that the cast is set so that he doesn't have any choice but to keep it elevated. This elastic wrap comes off so the nurses can check the wound in his forearm and make dressing changes. Dr. Mogoni left the skin open. There was so much debris in the wound he's afraid it will become infected." Wendy stopped speaking and studied Chris' face. His eyes were looking, a hard set look on his face.
"Mr. Larabee? I wish I could give you better news, it being Christmas Eve and all, but this is a very serious fracture. If we're all not careful, Vin could loose his arm." Vin's movement caught her attention and she picked up the morphine syringe.
"Nmmm...where?...oh...water?...." Vin's eyes opened slowly as he spoke a moan underlying his speech. Again he tried to sit up, but this time his movement was stopped by the strong arms of Chris Larabee.
"No, Vin? It's Chris. You are in the recovery room. You had to have surgery on your arm. I want you to do what I say. Lay still, I'm here with you. Stay quiet and we can get you downstairs to your room faster, OK?" Vin heard Chris' voice and felt himself relax.
"Vin, this is Wendy, your nurse. Can you do me a favor and wiggle the fingers on your left hand?" She watched slowly as Vin tried to move the swollen hand. She noticed he was able to move them a fraction or so, but it was good enough for the moment.
"Chris? My arm hurts so bad...Can you make it stop?...It's so heavy..it feels like it's on fire." Vin felt his eyes fill with tears as the pain throbbed and burned it's way up his arm. "Chris? Please..." The last part came out as a moan as Vin closed his eyes against the pain.
Chris looked at Wendy, who nodded and began giving Vin morphine in his IV. Chris' hand began stroking the tears away from Vin's face. "It's OK, buddy. Wendy's giving you something right now." Vin slowly opened his eyes and looked at his lover. He tried to speak again, but Chris put his fingers on Vin's mouth, "Sleep Vin. You need the rest, pard. I'm here I'll watch over you. You're safe now. Go to sleep."
Two hours later Chris held on to Vin's hand as the nurses and transporters brought Vin to his room. Still groggy from the pain medicines, Vin was lifted from the stretcher to his bed. The movement jolted his left arm, and he opened his eyes moaning. More repositioning of the arm upright on the pillows, had him stifling a scream and trying to hold back tears for the millionth time since the accident.
Looking out the window to try and take his mind off his arm, Vin saw the sun rising over the mountains. He looked around the room as much as he could and didn't see any of his friends, especially no Chris. Throwing his head back against the pillows, he started to cry openly. Here it was Christmas Day again...and again he was alone in a sterile foreign place. Vin brought his good arm up to wipe away the tears thinking. "Why should things change. Promises or not...he I am just as I always am alone on Christmas Day. Pulling a pillow over his face, Vin began sobbing ...this time he had brought it on himself, but it knowing that didn't make reality any easier.
++++++++++
Vin's friends were all standing outside his room talking with Dr. Morgani. "As Chris already knows, your young friend has a very severe fracture of the two bones in his left forearm. I pinned them together with plates and screws, and repaired the torn artery. He's going to be in one kind of cast or another for about 8 to 10 weeks. The hole where his bones broke the skin was filled with debris and dirt. I had to leave it open. Closing it now could set him up for a bad infection of the bone. If that happened he might loose his arm. So the cast has a place in it where the nurses can clean the wound every few hours." Dr. Morgani finished and looked at the sad expressions on the faces of his patient's friends.
"Is he gonna have to spend Christmas Day here, doc?" JD's innocent and sad voice broke the silence among the men.
"JD, I'm afraid Mr. Tanner's medical condition at this point dictates that he remain in this institution at least today and probably several more." Ezra's voice was soft but spoke the frankness of the situation to others.
"Your friend is right, young man. It's mandatory that Vin's arm not be lowered or moved very much. There are dressing changes, and antibiotics that I want given by intravenous infusion. He's going to sleep most of the day anyway, which is probably the best. He's going to be in a lot of pain so I'm placing him on a continuous infusion of Demerol to keep him comfortable." Dr. Morgani smiled grimly at the group and patted JD on the shoulder. "I wish I could let your friend spend Christmas at home, but that's just not medically sound. I have other patients to see, if you need to talk to me have the nurse beep me."
Chris broke away from the circle of men and went into Vin's room. Approaching the bed, he was taken back at how vulnerable he looked when he slept. More that usual Chris thought, but the stress of the accident and the loss of blood probably made the difference in the way he looked. Sitting down next to the bed, Chris looked closer at the face of his lover and saw tears. Fresh tears were on his face, soaking the long dark eyelashes.
Vin turned his head at the sound of Chris' footsteps. After he heard Chris settle he finally found the strength to open his eyes. "Chris?" he said reaching for Chris' hand with his only free hand. "Is it Christmas yet?"
Chris leaned forward. "Yeah, Vin. It's Christmas. Wasn't the way either one of us had planned to spend it, was it?" Chris rose and soaked a washcloth with warm water. Leaning over Vin, he washed the beautiful face of tears and sleepiness. Vin's eyes followed Chris' hands as he felt the wonderful warm and refreshing water ease his discomfort. Chris' eyes met his and Chris dipped his head and gave Vin a quick loving kiss on the mouth. "I love you, Vin Tanner." Chris whispered. "Close your eyes..try and sleep."
"Can't Chris. My arm's throbbing. Can we put it down a little? This cast is so heavy." Vin twisted trying to rearrange his cast. His body reacted to the movement of his left arm, with blasting hot pain moving in spasms up his arm. "AH! SHIT! Hurts so much.!! Take this thing off me, please Chris..make them take it off...." Vin froze in place arching his back against the pillows trying to brace himself against the constant aching in his arm.
Chris was putting on the nurse's light, when Vin's nurse came through the door. "Hi, I'm Judy." Looking at Vin's position in bed and hearing the moans coming from him, she quickly drew up some Demerol and gave it in his IV. "Easy, Vin. This will help. I've got the same medicine I'm going to fix up now so you will have constant pain medicine. It will help with this up and down cycle of pain." She watched him drift off to sleep and called for a patient care tech.
When the man arrived, Judy turned to Chris and said. "You want to help us reposition your friend?" Chris nodded and moved to where Judy wanted him. "Place your hands, here and here on the cast. When I tell you move it slowly toward the head of the bed. Phil and I will move his body up." Working quickly the three got Vin settled again. Chris started to sit down again, but Judy stopped him. "Chris, Phil and I need to put a catheter in Vin's penis. He hasn't passed any urine since surgery eight hours ago, and we need to empty his bladder. Why don't you go down an get some of our great hospital food and come back say in 45 minutes. I need to change the dressing in his arm. I want to do all this while the Demerol is working strongly."
"Vin doesn't like those." Chris smiled looking at the catheter kit.
"Don't know too many people who do, especially men." Judy smiled back at him and with her hands gently pushed him toward the door. "Forty five minutes." Chris looked one last time at Vin and nodded opening the door to the hall.
Josiah, Buck and Nathan were standing talking to the people at the nurses' station. Chris came up behind them. "They're doing some stuff with Vin, what to go and catch something to eat?"
"Sounds like a plan, Chris. And while we're at it, we'll tell you about our plan." Dragging their puzzled leader down the hall, Josiah began to explain.
Every time Vin opened his eyes, he tensed automatically waiting for the blinding pain to hit him. This time it didn't. There was heat, and a throbbing, but no ball of fire or jolting shafts of pain. Through the window he could see it was dark again. Wondering what time it was, he raised his head enough to see the clock on the wall. The clock said eight at night. But that wasn't the thing that held his attention. It was the miniature Christmas tree standing on his bedside table. Multicolored lights and miniature animals decorated the two foot tree. Looking around more, Vin saw that someone had decorated his room with ribbons, garland and angels...paper cut fold out angels....one,two,three...six...there were six angels hanging on the wall directly across from his bed. Each one had a name; one for each of his partners. Turning his eyes to the bedside chair, Vin saw Chris curled up with a blanket over him. Chris was sound asleep. Vin picked up the button connected to his pain machine. Pushing the button, Vin kept looking at his lover sleep as his eyes closed, and he fell into a floating sleep.
"Ok, let's get this show on the road!" Buck and Nathan bounced through the doorway; arms loaded with clothing and jackets.
Chris was finishing Vin's shave and smiled as he saw Vin's eyes widen at the sight of the two men.
"Vin, you look better this morning. How's the arm? Listen got to go talk to your nurse. Be back in a few." Nathan didn't wait for any answers but bounced from the room.
Vin raised an eyebrow and looked at Buck. "What's all this about?"
"What? What are you talking about Vin? Do you know anything,Chris?" Buck couldn't hide his smile even if he wanted to. "You gonna tell him Chris?"
"Tell, me what?" Vin was becoming impatient. Looking at Chris, he frowned. "Tell me what, Chris."
"Well, Josiah, Nathan and Buck worked out this little Christmas surprise for you and got Dr. Morgoni to approve it." Vin remained quiet staring intently at Chris' face. "You've got a twelve hour pass to go home to the ranch, so we can have Christmas Day together like we had all planned. I think Nathan's getting your medications."
"And Ms. Nettie, Mary, and Casey are with Ezra and JD getting things ready at the ranch." Buck couldn't help it and chattered on. "And one of the orthopedic residents, a fine study of a professional woman I might add, worked on Christmas Day and is off today. I promised to feed her the best Christmas meal she's ever had, and she's gonna help Nathan with you. Nathan got a couple of his paramedic friends to bring one of the extra rigs over to give us a ride to and from the ranch. See, it's all set."
Vin lay in stunned silence looking at both men. Trying to hold down his excitement in case they were joking, he asked them a question. "Who made the angels? You know my Guardian angels?"
"Think Ezra cut them out for you. He and JD decorated your room last evening while you were sleeping. Just call JD 'Elf' and watch what he does. Ok, here comes your ride." Buck was fairly jumping with excitement as Nathan and his two friends pushed a stretcher next to Vin's bed.
"Vin, you remember Dr. Sanders? She's one of your doctors. She missed a homemade Christmas dinner yesterday, so she is joining us today.
We've got all the stuff we need, guys. Let's get Vin loaded." Nathan stacked the medical supplies on the bottom of the stretcher and helped the others transferring Vin.
++++++++++
The ride to the ranch was fun. One of the paramedics kept up a continuous string of Christmas carols. By the time they had everyone, even Chris, singing a paramedic's version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Pulling up the drive, Vin could see Ms. Nettie, Ezra and the others gathered at the door.
Once inside, Vin was deposited on the couch in front of the big screen TV and the Christmas tree. Ms. Nettie clucked and fussed over him, covering him with one of her quilts and getting him some sparkling cider to drink. Vin took a deep breath in and felt his stomach growl at the smells coming from the kitchen. Announcing that dinner would be in three hours, Mary brought out hot appetizers and Casey made sure everyone was supplied with something to drink.
JD declared that the football game they were planning to watch had to wait until everyone opened Christmas presents. He put on an elf hat and began the fun task of handing out the presents. Nathan quietly attached an antibiotic bag to Vin's IV and pushed the pain button on him infusion pump. He could see Vin hurting. He knew Vin wouldn't let anyone know about it if it could in anyway ruin his day.
Vin's left arm throbbed. The jolting it had received on the trip, was making itself felt. He felt Nathan reach over his shoulder and push his pain medication button. Winking at Vin, Nathan busied himself with changing Vin's dressing.
Buck was busy working on the female resident. Shaking her head, she laughed at his jokes, but kept her eye on Ezra.
When JD had finished handing out all the presents, everyone in the room had at least two packages including the resident. Vin's couch was piled high with packages. He tried opening them one of them with one hand but gave up when it kept sliding away from him.
"Need some help there, pard?" Chris came around the end of the couch and sat down lifting Vin's feet and placed them on his lap. Recovering them with the quilt, he reached over and began help Vin open his presents.
By the time dinner was ready, the floor was littered with wrappings and bows and JD and Buck were hooking up the new Nintendo game player they had gotten Vin to the television set. "See Vin, we got one that has a joystick you can use with one hand."
Moaning, Chris mumbled. "Oh, great!" He felt Vin's feet move on his lap as Vin laughed. Chris looked over Vin's lap and studied the gifts. A couple designer shirts from Ezra, Josiah had provided a book of pictures of the Colorado Wilderness, Nathan promised to load the grammar and spell check program he had gotten for Vin, Ms. Nettie added to Vin's quilt collection with one made with wild flowers as the theme, Chris had placed Vin's ring on the ring finger of his left hand again. Chris' box with the silk pajamas waited on the bed upstairs, so Chris brought out the box with the blue tartan flannel robe for Vin to open. The smile on Vin's face said everything. Looking Chris in the eyes, Vin began to rub his foot against the inside of Chris thigh. Finding his penis, Vin increased the slight stroking gauging his pace by the look on Chris' face.
Chris gave him a stern stare, but Vin ignored him. His bare feet could feel Chris stiffening under his jeans, as Chris' hand came down to try and stop Vin's teasing. The effect Vin's feet were having on his shaft was alarming. It hardened quickly and was becoming painful. Vin read his face and tried not to giggle. Panic was crossing Chris' face, when Mary came in to say dinner was served. Chris jumped up, dumping Vin's feet and stepping stiffly toward the bathroom.
"You ok there, Chris?" Vin couldn't help it...he knew Chris would get him later when he was better, but it was too good to pass up. When Ms. Nettie placed a full plate of her turkey, dressing, potatoes and gravy in front of him already cut up, he felt tears start to form. Chris returned in a few minutes from the bathroom, walking better, and sat by Vin again.
Forty five minutes later, dinner was finished and everyone was gathered to watch the Broncos play the Lions. Vin could feel himself becoming sleepy, he spoke up before he fell asleep. "Hey, Guys? Ms Nettie, Mary and Casey? You all know I ain't good with words, but this was the best Christmas ...the only Christmas I've ever had with my family. The accident was my fault, but it taught me something very important. When you have a family that loves you, you can't run away from their love no matter how much you try. And I ....I ...thank you for being my family and tolerating my stupid stuff. Ok, that's all...I..." A pillow hit him upside his head away from his arm.
"Gee, Vin. You're going on like you was Ezra or Josiah. As the family member responsible for entertainment, I say shut up and watch the game." Buck jumped up grabbed the pillow from Vin. Grinning widely he paused and impulsively kissed Vin on top of his head. "Chris is gonna get you for that, you know don't you?" Settling himself again, Buck caught Vin laughing and Chris blushing. Chris smacked Vin's feet when they slid into his lap again.
"Behave." Chris smiled and watched as Vin's eyes drifted shut. Looking out over his teammates and friends, Vin laid his arm on Vin's leg and sighed contentedly. Vin was home for his first Christmas that was all that counted. The rest they would handle in time. As his lover slept, Chris watched him breathe and counted his blessings.
THE END