Photograph

by Hercat

Disclaimers: I didn’t make any money from this.

Note: another songfic from Blue Rodeo

Acknowledgements: Thank you Mog for creating this AU, and all the others who contribute and make it a special place to live.

Feedback: please!

Chris was going to tear the man a new airway. Three hours late was simply not acceptable, and as soon as his undercover agent turned up Chris was going to tell him so. After five minutes of growing more and more pissed off he grabbed the phone and dialed.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring <Click> Shit, answering machine.

The message he left was short, sweet, and unprintable.

After a few more minutes of staring at the folder he now wanted to shove down Standish’s throat he reached for the phone again and dialed a different number.

Nathan was running an errand out at the hospital. He’d ask him to haul the jackass in on his way back to the office.

He felt sick. Ezra barely managed to get to the bathroom before he started throwing up. After he finished a few minutes later all he could do was groan and watch the room spin.

He frowned as a question crossed his mind. Where was Marilyn? They had gone to bed together, hadn’t they? His mind wandered vaguely back to the past month and the whirlwind romance they had shared. The rest of the team hadn’t taken to her too well, but Ezra consoled himself that they would come around.

He staggered out of the bathroom, heading back towards bed and stopped in shock. It was gone - all of it. His paintings, his decorative masks, even his new television.

He quickly moved to the safe, finding it open and empty. He sat down hard on the end of his bed in shock. How had this happened? He heard a key turn in the lock. Marilyn. It had to be. She’d explain and everything would be fine again.

Nathan cursed under his breath as he opened Ezra’s door. It had seemed sensible to trade keys, given the amount of time they spent together, but he was far from happy about being sent out like Standish’s wake up call. He was surprised to see Ezra up, but he quickly noticed that he seemed disoriented, and god but the man looked ghastly. Ezra turned towards him. If he’d thought he looked bad before…

"Oh, it’s you." A remark that would have pissed him off a few minutes earlier now only made him worry more. "Ezra?"

"It’s all gone Nathan. She must have…" Nathan looked where Ezra had been staring and took a deep breath as he saw the concealed wall safe open and empty. Shit.

"C’mon Ezra, let’s get you to the hospital."

"What do you mean you haven’t filed charges? She took your life savings. What about the next poor sucker she reels in?"

"Firstly, I believe my words were quite clear. Secondly, I am hardly the sort of person who puts all their eggs in one basket. And thirdly, if they are fool enough to fall for her act they deserve whatever they get. Now, if you will excuse me gentlemen, I believe I have work to complete."

The agent stalked into the office he shared with Vin and shut the door firmly behind him. It had been a hectic few days. First the hospital, then the finances, and finally the police. Once again, they hadn’t listened. He’d filed charges, he just had no intention of pressing them. Not that it would come to that. He knew her type well. He froze at the horrific thought.

"Ez, you okay?"

"I was just musing on oedipal complexes Mr. Tanner"

"Isn’t that where it says guys want women like their mothers? Oh shit." They locked eyes. Suddenly the tension of the past couple of days caught up to Ezra and he started to snicker. He set Vin off, and soon howls of laughter filled the room. "Jist seeing the wedding invite - ‘guests are cord’ly invited ta leave their wallets at home’."

Ezra laughed until his sides ached, then sobered quickly. "Perhaps it would be best if I stopped dating. I have heard so many versions of ‘I told you so’ this week…"

"You reckon it was worth it?"

"Pardon?"

"Was fallin’ off the horse worth the ride you got?" Ezra had to stop and think about this. He remembered picnics and art shows. Slow evenings in front of the fire together. The bliss of allowing himself to be a fool for once.

"Yes Vin, I reckon that it was."

The End

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Started out so simple Everything so innocent and plain She was in a doorway And I was walking nowhere down the main She whispered something softly And stepped into the light Can you help me out she said I'm a little lost tonight One day love just hits you with a flash Lights go off around you like some photograph She said her bags were stolen All they left her was the camera on her arm She told me she was new in town Only two weeks off the farm Why did I believe her Heaven only knows She looked into my eyes And my resolution goes One day love just hits you with a flash Leaves you staring blindly like some photograph Pictures of two fools Laughing at the world Smiling as only good luck does Truth is you're not even looking at me girl All the time I was falling You kept on stalling Sizing up how big a fool I was Woke up in the morning I don't think that I had been asleep too long The room was dark and empty I could see that all my clothes and money were gone I've run out of excuses And people I can blame If she ever asked me too I'd do it all again One day love just hits you with a flash Leaves you staring blindly like some photograph

Photograph - Blue Rodeo