Deception and Dangerous Hobbies

Warnings: Some bad language

Thanks to Antoinette and Phyllis for lending us their expertise.

Thanks to Blackraptor for archiving it for us.

Author's Notes: From Lisa: A huge thank you to Sue for collaborating with me on this ficlet. I couldn't have done it without you! Also a special thanks to Sarah for creating this wonderful AU for us to play in. From Sue: Dang it was fun! Thanks for the invite.

Disclaimer: Mag7/Las Vegas alternate universe was created by Sarah (aka Midnight Profit) and is based on the "Las Vegas" TV series. This AU is not related to the Mag7/Las Vegas RPG created by Lisa O. and Ruby. Trilogy, MGM, and the Mirisch Corporation own "The Magnificent Seven" characters. NBC Studios, NBC Universal Television, DreamWorks Television, and Gary Scott Thompson Productions own "Las Vegas." They are not mine. The only purpose of this story is for entertainment. No money is being made.

Montecito's Hospitality Host Buck Wilmington walked into the Security Control Room and glanced around. "Anybody seen JD?" he asked as his eyes fell upon the vacant seat where the young man would normally sit.

"No, not yet," replied Vin as he glanced up from the security monitors he was watching. "Maybe he stopped to get a cappuccino."

"Hmm... well, his car wasn't in the parking lot at the apartment complex and I didn't see it here," continued Buck who was starting to get worried.

"Hey Buck, what's going on?" asked Chris Larabee who had emerged from his office with Montecito's Pit Boss, Ezra Standish. They had been discussing the latest gambler who had tried to cheat during a poker game.

"Just looking for JD," explained Buck.

Chris glanced at his watch and replied, "He's late." It was very rare for the youngest member of his team to be late, in fact normally, JD always arrived early.

"I know," replied Buck.

"That is not like our Mr. Dunne," interjected Ezra Standish.

"I know," said Buck in a raised voice.

"Did you try calling him?" asked Vin.

Buck gave a 'do you think I'm that stupid' look as he replied, "I did . . . several times and he's not answering his cell. Maybe I should call the hospitals . . ." Just as he reached for his cell phone, the young man in question walked through the doors with his left arm in a sling.

"What the hell happened, kid?" asked a very concerned 'big brother' Buck.

"Are you all right?" asked Vin.

"Should you be at work? Maybe you should go home?" countered Chris.

JD was really hoping to sneak into work without being noticed and without the questioning. Obviously that was not going to happen. Walking the rest of the way into the room and taking his normal seat, he replied, "Er. . .tennis. . .I hurt it playing tennis."

"Aww man. . .that's awful. . .how come you didn't call me?" asked Buck. "Hey. . .how come you didn't ask me for a game. . .who'd you play?"

JD looked a little uncomfortable as he bit his lower lip. "Ah. . .you know. . .didn't think it was anything. . .it was sort of spur of the moment and I didn't want to disturb you. . ." he replied trying to act nonchalantly about the whole thing.

Buck narrowed his eyes as he asked, "So? Who were you with? Did they take you to the hospital?"

"I caught a cab. . ." answered JD as he entered his password on the computer with his uninjured right hand.

"A CAB?! You mean your friend didn't even drive you to the hospital when you were injured?" replied Buck. "What kind of friend is that?"

JD tapped on his keyboard as he answered, lending him an excuse not to have to look at anyone. "The sort of friend that doesn't answer back and quietly respects my decision to take matters into my own hands."

"Or in this case, hand. . ." added Vin, shrugging at the scowl from the younger man.

Chris flipped open his cell and dialed. "Nathan, could you come up to the control room for a minute? Thanks."

JD was about to protest, but the look from Larabee made him think again.

It was only a couple minutes later when Montecito's physician on call, Dr. Nathan Jackson, followed closely by the Head Valet, Josiah Sanchez, arrived at the Security bull-pen. The two men had been talking when Nathan got the phone call from Chris and Josiah had tagged along in case his assistance was needed.

"Hey Chris, what's up?" asked the Doctor.

"Wanted you to take a look at JD," explained Chris. "Looks like he injured his arm and he doesn't want to tell us anything."

Nathan turned his gaze to the youngest member on the Security team. "JD, can I take a look at your arm?"

JD paused in his typing and turned to face the doctor. "Nathan, I really appreciate you coming here but they already looked at my arm at the hospital . . . it's just sprained and I need to be careful with it for the next week or two."

Nathan looked to Chris and Buck. If JD had already had his arm looked at, there was nothing more he could do.

"So, how did you hurt it?" asked Nathan.

"Playing tennis," chimed Buck. "And can you believe his friend didn't even drive him to the hospital? He took a cab?"

Ezra had been studying their youngest team member for a minute or so, noting the youth's discomfort at all the attention and realizing how this was very much the opposite of JD's normal behavior.

"JD..." the southerner began, "...while I do not wish to suggest you are attempting to mislead us, where is your car? Buck mentioned earlier it was not outside your apartment building."

JD looked up, his eyes wide. 'Shit'. He slumped in his chair slightly.

"Okay...okay. ..I 'drove' to the hospital. . .but I couldn't drive back so I got a cab. . ."

"You drove!" Buck moved closer, waving his arms in the air. "You drove? With your arm like this. . ." he pointed to the sling hanging from JD's neck.

"Buck. . ." Chris attempted a warning but Buck was in full rant.

"Name!"

Dunne looked at Buck. "Huh?"

"Name. . .I want the name of the ass-wipe that left you to do that. . .I want the name of this so-called 'friend' of yours. I want to see what sort of a person allows an injured man to drive himself to the hospital."

"Nooo. . .aw hell. . ." He looked around the group, stopping at Chris. "Tell him," he pleaded, "Tell him it's none of his business." He turned to Buck. "It's nothing to do with you. . .just drop it."

"Now, son," Josiah interjected, "we're your friends...how could you think we would not be concerned? Buck may be a little excited here, but he's right. . ."

"Nooo. . ." JD could feel his color rising from his neck to his hairline. He dropped his head to his desk. . ."Aww shit."

Chris was having none of it. "Okay. . .enough. . .JD. . ."

The younger man sat upright. It was time to spill the beans. In a low voice, he said, "I was alone when it happened."

"Alone?" repeated Buck who had leaned forward to hear the young man speak.

A blush crept across JD's cheeks as he continued, "You see I was at home last night and playing tennis on my Wii. . ."

"Wii!!!" repeated Buck in a booming voice causing the others in the room to glance their way.

"Buck, keep it down, okay," said JD. "I feel stupid enough already."

"So, you hurt your arm playing your Wii?" repeated Nathan as he shook his head. He had heard about various minor injuries occurring when playing with the Wii game system but this was the first time he saw one. "Yea," replied JD as he shook his head. "It was a close game and I was just one point away from winning and I was trying to hit the ball hard and well, this happened." He grimaced as he held up his injured left arm that was now encased in a sling.

"So now you're suffering from wiibow?" countered Vin with a smile tugging at his lips.

"Ahhh . . .there went his wiikend," chimed Ezra Standish as the other men held back laughter.

"Funny guys, very funny," replied JD. "I see I work with a bunch of comedians."

"Too bad you weren't a wiiner during your tennis match," continued Josiah.

"Why Josiah, that's just wiidiculous, " countered a smiling Chris.

JD groaned as he held up his good hand, "Enough . . . please no more Wii jokes. . ."

"Okay, fellas, JD's right," said Nathan as he tried to keep a straight face. "We need to give him some wiispect."

JD abruptly stood and declared, "I'm gonna go get some coffee . . . You guys are a bunch of wiierdos." Shaking his head, JD heard laughter as he walked out of the security bull-pen area in search of coffee.

END

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The Las Vegas Chronicles