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Vin Tanner was a happy man, despite the fact that he was sitting at his desk glaring at the clock. In exactly fourteen minutes and forty-three seconds, he´d be leaving for his final follow-up appointment.And the hands on that clock were taunting him with their maddeningly slow progress.
On any normal day, he´d be dreading the upcoming appointment. It wasn´t so much that he hated doctors. They´d saved his life on more occasions than he cared to remember. It was just that he hated going to them. He couldn´t stand being poked and prodded, especially when he felt as good as he did right now. They asked too many questions and had too many rules.
No, on any normal day, he wouldn´t be looking forward to it at all.
But this wasn´t any normal day.
It had been nearly six weeks since he´d been shot. Six weeks of Chris making sure he didn´t re-injure anything. He hadn´t been allowed to ride Peso or his bike. He hadn´t been allowed to lift, carry, work out, run or anything else that might strain his back. At least they´d finally let him come back to work. Restricted duty and he hadn´t been allowed to carry his gun until the cast had come off and he´d finished the course of medication, but it was better than being stuck out at the ranch all day alone. Chris had even threatened to shoot him if he got behind the wheel of any vehicle within a hundred mile radius of Denver.
Yep, he was definitely ready to see the end of his period of convalescence.
Especially since it had also meant six weeks of not being able to make love to Chris.
Sure, they´d shared some wonderfully intimate moments. Deep, passionate kisses had been the limit until he´d finally, finally convinced Chris that an orgasm wasn´t going to land him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Even then, he´d had to prove it, surprising Larabee in the shower and taking advantage of the built-up need resulting from their forced abstinence. He allowed his mind to drift back to that morning.
Chris had awakened him in the usual way, with soft kisses to the back of his neck and Vin had responded with the customary sleepy murmur and already burgeoning erection. As he had since the shooting, Chris had allowed them to indulge in slow, sensual kisses, but had pulled away when Vin tried to take things to the next step.
“Don´t think you´re quite ready for that, pard,” the blonde whispered, his own regret showing clearly in his handsome features.
“More´n ready, Chris,” Vin replied. “Been nearly five weeks. I´m fine.”
“Yeah, I know,” his partner sighed, nuzzling into the soft skin at his throat. “But I´d rather wait until the doctor agrees with your assessment.”
At hearing the frustrated sound that emanated from his lover´s throat, Chris pulled back to look into the deep pools of blue. “I just don´t want to take any chances, Vin. You´re too important to me.”
“I know,” Vin acquiesced, stroking the blonde´s jaw. “Just been so long, Chris.”
Larabee delivered a quick peck to the younger man´s pouting lips. “I know,” he concurred. “It´s been just as long for me, but I don´t want us to aggravate your injury in any way. Might add a few more weeks to your recovery and I don´t think I could handle that.”
Vin couldn´t help a small smile at that. “Got somethin´ here ya can handle, Cowboy.” He took Chris´ hand and guided it to rest on his hardened shaft.
Chris moaned loudly and lowered his forehead to Vin´s. “Don´t do this to me, pard,” he pleaded. “We´ve got one more week ‘til your follow-up and once the doctor gives you the all-clear, I´ll handle anything you have to offer, I promise.”
Vin could tell he wasn´t going to change his lover´s mind. They called him stubborn, but he had nothing on Chris Larabee, especially where the health and well-being of his loved ones was concerned. “Gonna hold you ta that,” he murmured in resignation.
“Counting on it,” Chris winked, depositing another quick but heartfelt kiss on his lover´s mouth. “Best hit the shower. I´ll start coffee.”
“Naww, you go on ahead with yer shower,” Vin offered. “I´ll get breakfast.”
He didn´t make a move to leave the bed until he heard the shower running and knew that Chris would be inside. Quietly, he made his way into the bathroom and slipped off his boxers. Through the door, he could see the silhouette of the blonde as he soaped himself and he felt his cock hardening in sweet anticipation.
Quickly, he slid the door opened and joined the other man beneath the spray, moving to press himself along his lover´s slick back. “Thought maybe you needed a hand,” Vin breathed, reaching around to grasp Chris´ semi-soft organ. “Hmmm… reckon I´s right.”
“Vin,” Chris gasped in surprise. “What are you doing? The doctor said…”
“Ta take it easy,” Vin finished for him. “An´ I ‘tend to. Nice ‘n slow ‘n easy.”
Chris closed his eyes and moaned softly as the hand around his stiffening flesh stroked slowly, complimenting the soft words being whispered in his ear. “I don´t think this is what he had in mind,” he managed on a choked breath.
“Mebbe not,” Vin returned with a small smile of triumph. “But then again, I ain´t sure his mind and mine were runnin´ along the same track.”
“Vin,” Chris began to protest weakly, even as his hips started to move of their own accord. “We can´t…”
“Shhh,” Vin whispered, using his other hand to gently stroke Chris´ chest, rubbing over the nipples there and bringing them to peak hardness. “Sure we can. Ain´t doin´ nothin´ ‘cept usin´ my hands, Cowboy. Doc said I had ta work ‘em ta get my strength back once the cast came off.” He punctuated the words with a gentle squeeze of his lover´s ballsac.
“Oh, God,” Chris groaned as a shudder rippled through him.
Vin took that as his cue and turned the blonde to face him. “Just relax an´ enjoy it, Chris,” he whispered as he lowered his lips to meet their mates. “Ain´t nothin´ gonna happen, I promise.”
“Oh, something´s gonna happen all right,” Chris countered as he felt the tension coiling in his groin. He wrapped his arms around the Texan´s lean body and pulled him close, crushing his lips under a passionate kiss.
Vin moaned deep in his throat as his mouth was ravaged. God, how he´d missed this! He intensified his hand´s efforts, stroking Chris´ throbbing shaft with one hand while the other trailed down his slippery back to the crevice waiting there.
Chris broke the kiss when he felt a finger brush against his hidden entrance. “Vin, I don´t think this is a good idea.”
“That´s the trouble with you boss types,” Vin murmured, tracking light kisses down his lover´s throat to his chest. “Ya think too damned much.”
The blonde was finding it increasingly hard to resist the younger man´s attentions, especially since he really didn´t want to. But Vin´s health came first. He´d never forgive himself if his partner re-injured his back making love to him. “It´s too much strain,” he stated, attempting to voice his thoughts coherently despite the havoc the Texan was wreaking on his senses.
Vin kissed his way down the hard chest to the flat stomach, lowering himself slowly to his knees in the process. “Ain´t no strain at´all, Cowboy. Only strain´s been not havin´ ya for so long.”
Chris´ mind echoed those sentiments as his fingers gripped his lover´s shoulders, mindful of the recently healed joint. He was about to voice further objection when a warm mouth wholly engulfed his trembling cock. “Vin!” was all he could manage instead.
The smaller man smiled around the hard member, slowly stroking with his tongue as he listened to his lover´s breathing grow more rapid. Knowing exactly what Chris liked, he put that knowledge to good use, using his teeth to lightly graze the length of the pulsing rod. He almost couldn´t stand it, but it wasn´t the type of strain that Chris was concerned about. It was the sheer ecstasy of finally having the blonde´s body reacting with his in the way they were meant to. His own erection was approaching the level of being painful and he freed one hand to stroke it while the other teased his lover´s puckered hole.
Chris was past the point of speech now. He couldn´t have voiced an objection if he´d tried. Instead, all he could do was hang on and ride out the waves of sheer pleasure Tanner was invoking in him. He moved his hands to twine through the other man´s long hair and undulated his hips slightly, trying to get more of himself into the teasing mouth.
Vin recognized the silent plea and knew his lover was close. Opening his throat, he plunged down on the twitching cock until his nose was buried in the wiry blonde hair. His own release was imminent and he felt his balls pull up tightly. He sucked once, long and hard, then swallowed, pushing one finger deep into his lover as the blonde bucked wildly in his grasp.
“Vin!” Chris shouted as he began to shoot his seed into his partner´s willing throat.
That was more than Vin could handle. Gripping his own throbbing shaft tighter, he pumped out his release as his mouth greedily milked his lover dry.
Once satisfied the blonde had nothing left to give, he slowly let the limp organ slip from between his lips, his finger still stroking gently inside in a motion intended to soothe rather than inflame. Once Chris´ breathing had calmed somewhat, he carefully removed the digit and slowly got to his feet.
“Damn, Tanner,” Chris gasped, pulling the other man close.
The blonde´s body was still trembling and Vin returned the embrace, gently stroking his lover´s wet back in soothing circles. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Damn.”
The tremor in the Texan´s voice caused Chris to pull back slightly so that he could look into the surprisingly satisfied blue eyes. “You OK?” he asked, concern replacing the euphoria of only moments before. He glanced down at his partner´s wilting erection. “You didn´t…”
“´Course I did,” Vin chuckled. “Ain´t made´a steel ya know. When I heard ya screamin´ my name like that, weren´t nothin´ on this earth that coulda stopped it.”
Chris felt the colour rise in his cheeks, embarrassed that his lover felt he had to take care of his own needs. “I would have…”
Vin stopped him with a finger to his lips. “I know,” he whispered, holding the green gaze steadily. “But I also know ya didn´t think I´s up to it. Didn´t want ya havin´ ta concentrate on tryin´ not ta hurt me.” He paused a moment when a guilty look flashed through the green eyes. He knew Chris would have reciprocated, but he also knew he was dead on in thinking his lover would have been trying to be careful. It might have gotten him off, but not in the explosive way he´d just experienced. “Had ta show ya I weren´t gonna keel over from it, Chris. May not be made´a steel, but I ain´t made´a glass neither.”
“I know that, Vin,” Chris breathed, tightening his embrace. “I just don´t want you taking on too much too soon.”
“Think yer too much for me, do ya?” Vin teased with a raised brow.
Chris eyed the sparkling blue eyes and felt some of the concern melt away. With his own teasing grin, he replied, “Hell, no. After that little performance of yours, maybe I´m just afraid you´re too much for yourself.”
“Could be right,” Vin mumbled, snaking his arms around his lover´s trim waist. “That´s why I got you.”
“Yeah, you do,” Chris breathed, leaning in to brush his lips across Vin´s in preparation for the soul-shattering kiss to come. “You got me good.”
Vin shifted in his chair as he thought about that morning. The swelling in his jeans was reaching an uncomfortable level and to make matters worse, the hands on the clock had managed to slow down that much more.
Trying to take his mind off his physical discomfort and the reasons for it, he turned his thoughts to the motives behind Chris´ intensified concern. He knew the blonde had been scared when they thought he might never walk again. He could even understand Chris not wanting to take the chance of a relapse. After the surgery, his back had been more prone to injury. But since then, he´d been doing the exercises the physiotherapist recommended and had regained his strength in full.
But Larabee wasn´t going to trust that until he heard it from a doctor, or at least until Vin did.
And so, he sat waiting for the appointment that would put his life back to normal.
“Ready to go?” Nathan asked, breaking into his thoughts.
“Hell, yeah,” Vin replied, getting immediately to his feet.
Nathan grinned. “You´ll be glad to get a clean bill of health, I bet.”
“You can say that again,” Vin grumbled, heading for Chris´ office. “Ain´t been allowed to do nothin´ more strenuous than puttin´ on my boots.”
He poked his head into Chris´ office without knocking. “Leavin´ now,” he announced.
Chris sat at his desk, practically buried in the paperwork resulting from catching four of Bertolli´s weapons customers. He got to his feet at Vin´s words. “Good luck,” he smiled. “Call me as soon as you´re done.”
Vin rolled his eyes but couldn´t help a small smile. “I´ll be comin´ right back here, Larabee. Can´t wait that long?”
“Been waiting long enough, Tanner,” he said in a low voice to ensure his words weren´t overheard.
“Whattya got in mind?” Vin teased, “a little phone sex with Nate sittin´ right there?”
Chris´ eyes narrowed. “Fine, don´t call then.”
The Texan chuckled. “Ya know I will, Chris.”
Larabee smiled, grateful to have the other man back to his infuriating self. “Go on, Nathan´s waiting.”
Vin tossed him a wink and ducked out of the office to join Jackson where he waited near the large double doors.
+ + + + + + +
“´Preciate the ride, Nate,” Vin offered as Jackson´s Explorer wound it´s way through the afternoon traffic. “Chris didn´t plan on bein´ tied up so long with them reports.”
“Glad to do it,” the medic smiled. He knew Chris would rather be there himself, but Travis needed those reports by the end of the day. He´d gladly volunteered to be the one to drive Vin to his appointment. Vin´s injury hadn´t only scared Chris. All of them had been hit with the reality of how a split second could end what they´d all come to find. They all needed the reassurance that could only come from having the team whole again – and that meant Vin watching their backs from any one of a dozen vantage points that only he seemed to manage with ease.
“Don´t see why I can´t drive myself,” Vin was grumbling. “Had full use of m´legs after that first week.”
“And one arm sporting a sling and a cast,” Nathan reminded him.
“Only takes one good arm ta drive,” Vin sighed. “´Sides, ain´t had neither for goin´ on two weeks now.”
“Which is another thing,” Jackson scolded with one raised eyebrow. “That sling was s´posed ta stay until today.”
“Aw, Hell, Nate,” the Texan mumbled. “I´m bein´ careful. Been working it just like they told me. Ain´t even a twinge anymore.”
Nathan couldn´t help a smile and a small shake of his head. They were lucky Vin had kept the sling as long as he did. For all the lecturing he had to do where the younger agent was concerned, he had to admit that he´d never seen anyone heal faster than Vin Tanner. It was like that stubborn mind of his was able to cast aside the laws of physics and anatomy. When he was determined to heal, he´d do it according to his own schedule, regardless of what was considered the norm.
“Bet you´ve been out to the range already, too, haven´t ya?” Nathan asked with a knowing look.
Vin smiled unrepentantly. “Chris took me out twice last week,” he replied. “Wouldn´t let me work with the rifle, but at least I´s able ta practice with the handgun.”
“Don´t tell me,” Jackson teased. “Your doctor´s appointment is for 2:00 so you´ve booked your recertification test for 3:00.”
“3:30,” Vin replied with a wink and a smile. “The doctor´s usually running late, don´t forget.”
In actuality, he´d wanted to do that, but Chris had been adamant. He wasn´t going to fire that rifle until they had the all-clear on his back. And Vin wasn´t about to even attempt the recert until he´d had some practice with the weapon. He could probably go in cold and pass with flying colours, but he prided his skills on being more than just passable. When he tested, he wanted to score off the charts, if just to show Chris and everybody else that he was once again whole and capable of doing his job.
“Yeah, right,” Nate scoffed. “Somehow I don´t think Chris would let you get away with that.”
“Ya got that right,” Vin sighed. “He´s been worse than a mother hen. Ain´t like it´s the first time I´s hurt.”
Nathan knew that to be true. Tanner seemed to attract injuries like Buck attracted women. But he also knew this time had been different. “It scared him, Vin,” he replied quietly. “Hell, it done scared all of us. He just wants to make sure there ain´t nothin´ that could still go wrong. Spinal injuries can be tricky. Sometimes they´ll plague you for the rest of your life.”
Vin listened, though he´d already heard the same spiel from the doctor. How he´d been lucky his spinal cord hadn´t been directly impacted and that he´d suffered only what´s called a spinal contusion as opposed to anything worse. “Yeah, I know,” he finally relented. “Just hate bein´ treated like I´s made´a glass.”
“Well, I´m sure that´ll change once the doc signs off on ya,” Nathan assured him. Then with a teasing smile, he added, “´Bout time ya got off your ass and back to work.”
“Nothin´ I want more,” Vin responded. Well, there was one other thing he might want more, but he wasn´t about to voice that to the other man.
He was pulled mercifully from those thoughts as they reached the hospital parking lot.
Entering the lobby, Nathan glanced thoughtfully at the coffee shop door off to one side. “Hold up, Vin,” he said. “We´ve still got some time before your appointment. I´m gonna go get me a cup of real coffee ta take up with me.”
Vin grinned. He´d made the coffee in the office that morning and had been the one to get the last cup, ensuring he was also the one to make a fresh pot. As a result, he´d heard nothing but complaints that none of them had had a decent cup all day. “Pretty sad state when ya actually like hospital coffee,” he teased.
“Ain´t it though,” Nathan retorted with eyes narrowed.
Laughing, Vin shook his head. “Go on, then. I´m gonna head up anyway. Maybe if I get there a little early they´ll be able ta take me right away.”
“Yeah, right,” Nate scoffed. “How often does that happen?”
“Always a first time,” Vin shrugged. “See ya up there.”
Nathan entered the coffee shop and took his place at the end of the long line. He couldn´t help smiling to himself as he realized he´d probably get upstairs and find Vin still waiting, even once the appointed time had come and gone. He remembered Chris grumbling about it after the last appointment.
“Damn doctors think they´re the only ones with busy schedules,” he´d muttered as he made his way through the bullpen. “Why the Hell do they give you an appointment for 2:00 when they know damned well they won´t be seeing you until 3?”
As it turned out, his foul mood hadn´t been wholly the result of being kept waiting. He and Vin had argued in the truck on the way back. Seems what Chris heard the doctor say and what Vin heard had been two entirely different things. The Texan had considered ‘you´re making remarkable progress´ to mean ‘you can do whatever the Hell you please´ and it had taken off from there, just one in a series of arguments that had increased in frequency as Tanner´s health improved.
But even that memory brought a ghost of a smile to Nathan´s face. It was just their way of letting off a little steam. Weeks of restricted activity on Vin´s part and worry on Chris´ had made for some verbally volatile situations, but they never lasted long. They could be screaming or hissing at each other one minute and sharing a joke the next, a testament to the soul-deep bond they shared.
By the time he made it up to Dr. Withers´ office, it was only a few minutes after the time set for Vin´s follow-up and there was no sign of the sharpshooter in the crowded waiting area. Shaking his head in a mixture of awe and amusement, he wondered briefly how the Texan had managed to charm his way into the office so soon when they were obviously running behind yet again. Resolving to find out as soon as the appointment was over, he settled in to wait.
+ + + + + + +
Chris had a hard time concentrating on his paperwork while his thoughts kept going to Vin´s appointment, but he managed to finally get through the worst of it. Glancing at the clock on his desk, he noted that it was well after the appointed time and wondered if Vin was still waiting. Doctors never could seem to keep to their appointment schedules. Maybe that was something they learned in medical school.
He´d just turned back to his work when there was a knock at his door. “Come in,” he called.
Agent Johnson entered and closed the door behind him. “I´m afraid I have some bad news, Chris,” he said quietly. “Collings is out.”
“What?” Chris demanded, getting to his feet. “What do you mean out? When?”
“His lawyer won an appeal on the bail ruling yesterday,” Johnson sighed.
“Yesterday?! Chris shouted. “And you´re just getting around to telling me now?”
“I´m sorry,” Johnson replied. “I´ve been in New York the past few days. As soon as I heard and knew no one had told you, I headed straight down here.”
Chris accepted the apology grudgingly. He liked and respected Johnson and thought the feeling was mutual. He had no doubt that the FBI agent was speaking the truth. “So what miracle did his lawyer use to get him out?” he asked bitterly.
“Pointed out the fact that Collings is a highly accredited Federal profiler and he wasn´t a threat to public safety.”
“Not a threat?” Chris fumed. “He´s killed who knows how many people!”
Johnson sighed. “I´m no happier about this than you are,” he assured the other man. “But the fact is, there is no evidence to tie him to any of those killings. Innocent until proven guilty isn´t just for civilians.”
“Hell, I know that,” Chris growled, “but even if they can´t tie him to those other murders, what about Bertolli and Siccoro? Vin saw him kill them in cold blood!”
“Vin was beaten half to death at the time,” Johnson reminded him reluctantly. “Collings claims he had to kill them to save Tanner´s life. Says Vin must have perceived it differently because of the blows he suffered to his head. He used the same excuse for the confessions Tanner claims to have heard.”
“What about me?” Chris demanded angrily. “There wasn´t anything wrong with my perception when he was threatening to cripple Tanner right in front of me!”
“But he didn´t do it, Chris,” Johnson pointed out. “He admits that he might have gone too far in trying to intimidate you, but…”
“Trying to intimidate me?” Larabee fumed incredulously. “Jesus, Johnson, are you listening to yourself? I was there! He wasn´t making idle threats to scare me! He was going to slice through Vin´s spine like you would a piece of meat, for fuck sake!”
“I´m not saying I believe any of it,” Johnson assured him, his own anger at the situation coming to the surface. “I, personally, have no doubts that he would have done just that, but speculation doesn´t count for much right now. The fact is, he didn´t actually hurt Tanner, not intentionally, anyway. Vin admitted Collings wasn´t the one who beat him. And you know yourself that he didn´t actually intend to shoot him. It´s not like the judge believes he´s totally innocent here, but he agreed that he should be freed on bail at least until some of the more serious allegations can be substantiated.”
“Fuck!” Chris growled, kicking the wastebasket beside his desk in frustration.
“He´ll stand trial for all of it, but even then, it´s going to be Tanner´s word against his,” Johnson concluded in frustration. “Unless we can find something concrete on him.”
Chris halted his agitated pacing and whirled abruptly at the words. “Vin,” he exclaimed, grabbing the phone. He quickly dialed Vin´s cell phone and was further frustrated by the message he received. “Damnit!” he bellowed, breaking the connection to try Nathan´s even though he suspected it would be fruitless. It was common knowledge that cell phones weren´t allowed in the hospital. They´d been asked to turn them off enough times that they now did it automatically.
Johnson witnessed the frantic efforts and easily gauged Chris´ concern. “Tanner´s testimony is all we have against him right now,” he surmised grimly.
“And Collings damned well knows that,” Larabee concurred, already hurrying toward the door.
He filled the others in on his way through the bullpen and soon had the rest of Team 7 as well as Johnson following him toward the elevators. As the metal doors slid closed, he closed his eyes and silently prayed that he was overreacting.
But deep down, he knew he wasn´t.
+ + + + + + +
Nathan was leafing through a magazine when he head the nurse call Tanner´s name. Frowning, he got to his feet and went to her. “Vin Tanner´s in there already,” he explained, the hairs on the back of his neck already bristling.
The nurse looked at the folder in her hand with a small frown. “No, he isn´t. I hadn´t called him until just now. We´re running a little behind, I´m afraid.”
Nathan whirled to look around the crowded waiting area, even though he already knew Vin wasn´t there.
“I need to use your phone,” he said grimly, turning back to the nurse and flashing his badge. “It´s an emergency.”
The nurse´s eyes grew round and she nodded, directing him to the phone on the receptionist´s desk.
Nathan hurried into the small cubicle and punched in the numbers that would connect him to Chris.
“Larabee,” came the answer on the other end.
“Uh, Chris,” Nathan began hesitantly. “Vin´s not here. We split up so I could grab a cup of coffee and when I got upstairs, I thought he was already in with the doctor, but apparently he wasn´t. I ain´t for sure what it means, but I got a bad feeling.”
“That bad feeling has a name,” Chris rasped, wishing he´d been wrong. “Collings got out on bail yesterday. He knows Vin´s testimony is all we´ve got on him right now.”
“Damn,” Nathan hissed, mentally kicking himself for letting the Texan out of his sight.
“It´s not your fault,” Chris assured him. “We didn´t know he was in any danger.”
“Where are you?” Nathan asked, looking around as though trying to determine what his next move should be.
“Just pulling in to the hospital parking lot,” Chris answered. “Where did you last see Vin?”
“Lobby,” Nate answered.
“Meet us there,” Chris instructed before breaking the connection.