Firecracker
"No, 'ATF' does not stand for Alcohol Tobacco and Fireworks!" JD slammed the phone down in a huff. Rubbing his forehead, he groaned as he lay his head down on his desk. After a moment, he looked up to find the rest of the men in the room staring at him. "I don't get it. That's the fifth call like that I've had today," he muttered. "Have any of you guys been getting these calls?"
Shaking their heads, the five men looked at each other and then back at JD.
JD sniffed, shrugging sheepishly. "You ever just had one of those days?" He sighed, a long, sad sound. He frowned as he played with his mouse.
Buck snorted.
Glancing up at him, JD's eyebrows rose in question.
Buck looked down at his desk, suddenly busy with the report he was writing.
Larabee's door opened and the men glanced up to find Chris leaning against his doorframe, looking out at them. The Team Leader's gaze came to rest on Dunne. "JD," he said stoically, "there's been a report of a ring of illegal fireworks dealers down on Spruce Street." A slow grin spread across his face. "You mind checking that out for us?"
JD cocked his head. "Wh-what?" He glanced over at Buck, whose head was down, his shoulders shaking.
Ezra stood up and walked past Dunne on the way to the filing cabinet. "Oh, yes, Mr. Dunne. Please save all of us from the terrible Sparklers-of-Death," he drawled.
Nathan and Josiah laughed loudly. JD glared at them. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked as he turned towards Ezra's retreating back.
Vin smiled as he walked over to grab his jacket. "We're all headed to lunch," he said to JD. "Don't you have some stolen bottle rockets to look into?"
JD opened his mouth to retort when something landed on his desk in front of him. It was a copy of his Incident Report from yesterday. He glanced up to see Chris Larabee staring down at him, the corner of the team leader's mouth was quirked up in a grin and his eyes were crinkling in laughter.
Looking back down at the papers in front of him, JD started to quickly read the first page over. His mouth dropped open as he gasped. A quick heated blush covered his skin from his shirt collar all the way up to his hairline. "Oops," his voice cracked as he glanced up at Chris.
The men in the room burst out laughing.
Shaking his head, JD rolled his eyes. "I'm so glad this is amusing all of you."
"Oh, it is, kid," Buck said. "Thanks."
JD glared at them. "What I want to know is how the whole building found out." his voice squeaked as he glared at his phone. "I've been getting calls all day long."
Chris looked up at the ceiling as he ran his thumb across his chin and hummed innocently.
"Chris!" JD gasped. "You didn't!"
Larabee ignored him as he stared at the ceiling tiles.
"Come on, boys," Wilmington called out as he stood. "Lunch is waiting." Turning to JD, he said, "You get right on the hunt for those 'incendiary devices,' kid." Laughing loudly, he walked across the room with the rest of the team.
"I wouldn't want to eat lunch with you guys anyway!" JD yelled at their backs.
Josiah glanced over his shoulder at him, a huge grin on his face. The large agent ignored Nathan's elbow in his ribs. "Who was askin' ya, kid? You might mistake the hot sauce for a firecracker and shut the whole place down."
All six of the men laughed at the look on the youngest agent's face before they stepped into the elevator.
Forlorn, JD sat at his desk, watching them go.
Wilmington reached a hand out and caught the elevator doors, holding them open. "Come on, kid!" he yelled, shaking his head. "You'd better come along." He grinned. "They might replace the lighting fixtures with roman candles," he bobbed his eyebrows, "and it just might be good if we had JD 'Firecracker' Dunne there for backup." He cackled.
A huge smile lit his face as JD got up and ran to join his team.
In the elevator, Chris wrapped his arm around JD's neck. "Next time, kid," he smiled down at JD, "you might want to double check your report before turning it in."
Buck chortled as the rest of the men laughed.
JD nodded his head, blushing furiously.
Vin and Josiah shared a quick smile before glancing around at the other men.
"Gentlemen," Josiah said, holding his hand out with an imaginary drink in it. "Here's to the ATF."
"Alcohol, Tobacco and Fireworks!" the men yelled together.
They were happy.
The End