I Hope You Dance

by Wendy Myers

Disclaimer: The usual. The Seven do not belong to me. Ditto for the lyrics; song & lyrics are from LeeAnn Womack's cd I Hope You Dance. I do not make monetary renumeration in this venture. This is solely for enjoyment.

Notes: Title is inspired by LeeAnn Womack's song of the same title. The inspiration came when I listened to the song's words (and the song before it -- The Healing Kind) and was thinking of the Seven, namely Chris and Buck. Thanks to my Beta Supreme, Sue Kelley. This is my first finished and posted M7 story. Ruby's probably thinking "'Bout time!" *waves to Kim* (finished this while she was visiting me in Biloxi)<G> Oh, there's another note at the end of this <G> These songs have affected me so much that when I hear them now on the radio, I can't think of anything else but Chris and Buck.


Chris and Buck stood on the porch of Chris' home watching the rain fall, each nursing their beers. On a nearby table, a radio played music, adding its part to nature's symphony. The day had gone fairly well at the office for the ATF agents, but Chris had been melancholy and moody despite it.

Today was the anniversary of Sarah's and Adam's deaths.

Starin' out the window at the sinkin' sun
Another painful day is done
If I could convince myself I was over you now
I'd find a way to go on somehow

"Adam would've been eight about now."

"I know."

But the pain just grows stronger every day
I think of you and I'm on my way
Down memory lane with your hand in mine
Guess I'm just not the healing kind

"Remember when Adam took his markers and colored Midnight's hooves?"

Chris chuckled. "Yeah. First time I'd ever seen a black gelding with purple and blue hooves. Midnight was patient though."

Another December and the cold winds blow
And nights without you are so long
I stare at our picture through the firelight's glow
And where you are right now I just don't know

"Remember when we went fishing and Adam saw a flounder for the first time?"

Buck slapped his knee and roared with laughter. "Do I? First sight of that flounder, he waved the net above his head and yelled!" He laughed. "The look on his face was priceless..."

The men laughed at the memory, remembering Buck telling Chris' son how the fish was dumb and how it'd probably get caught again. It had and the boy dutifully put his net underneath to catch it.

The two men settled back into silence as the song ended and another started. The rain continued to pour.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed
I hope you will feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Chris downed a long swig of his beer. He moved over to the rail and leaned against it. "I miss 'em, Buck," he admitted softly, his voice tight with emotion.

Buck stood beside him and placed a hand upon his shoulder. "I know, pardner," he consoled. "I do too."

I hope you dance
I hope you dance

"Remember when you first brought Sarah out to this place?"

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin'
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Chris smiled. "Yeah," he replied wistfully. "She looked around like a kid put in a toy store. Everything was a wonder to her. She loved it here. Even when things got hard and we got caught up in a tough case. She was always there to show me the wonders again that the grime of the case had blocked from me."

I hope you dance...I hope you dance
I hope you dance...I hope you dance

Time is a wheel in constant motion always rooling us along
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years
have gone

"Yeah. She was an exceptional woman," Buck agreed. Then he smiled. "Though she did have a mean streak to match. Remember when we all went to Disneyland?"

Chris turned to look at his friend. "I still think you were part of the conspiracy on that." He smiled.

Buck raised his hands in surrender, his eyes twinkling. "I swear, Chris, it was totally her idea to get you on Mickey's float. I was an innocent bystander."

"Yeah," Chris replied, unconvinced. "You're about as innocent as a virgin in a whorehouse."

Buck covered his chest with a free hand and gave a mock look of shock. "I'm offended," he stammered. Then he chuckled. "Okay, she did bribe me with a pair of Mickey Mouse ears. But it was still her idea."

Chris smiled and shook his head. Sarah had a prankster streak that ran longer than Buck's list of women. But she also had a sensitivity and level head to go toe-to-toe with Chris if needed.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Chris suddenly lost his smile and threw his bottle out into the rain. "Why?" he cried. "Why did they have to die?" He turned to Buck, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Buck's cheeks were equally as moist with unchecked tears. "I don't know, pard," he admitted. he sighed. "Who knows why anything happens. Those are things we just can't control, no matter how hard we try."

Chris choked back a sob. "I miss them so much."

Buck wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders. "I know...I do too."

Chris responded by turning towards Buck and hugging him. Buck reciprocated and they stood there, gathering strength from each other for the loss of loved ones.

When they pulled apart, Chris looked at the rain. "Y'know, Sarah always liked this weather. She loved to dance it."

Dance...I hope you dance

His eyes glazed as he saw a memory of his wife twirling joyously in the rain, her arms and hands raised to the heavens and laughing as the rain came down.

She looked at him and beckoned to him with her hands. "C'mon, Chris! It's great!"

Usually, he would shake his head and stand on the porch, watching her dance in the rain. But something inside pulled at him and he descended the steps and joined her.

I hope you dance...I hope you dance

Buck watched his best friend dance in the rain, a smile upon his face as he danced. "Thank you, Sarah," he whispered. "We miss you both."

I hope you dance...I hope you dance

Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.

The End

End Notes: The fishing incident was real. Occurred when my sister and I were kids, fishing with our parents, and my sis was the one with the net. Dad told her they were dumb and he'd catch it again (did, too).

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