ATF Universe
NINE
The next three days saw Vin go from a sick feverish patient to a tired cranky one. Chris stayed near by holding his head when he was sick; rubbing his back when the pain medication didn't take away all the misery of the drain in his side. Sitting watching him now, Chris was amazed at the difference three days had made. With the fever now gone, Vin's color had improved and his sleep more restful."Hey, how soon they gonna come to take this thing out?" Vin mumbled from under the pillow on his head. Chris lifted it and smiled down at the sharpshooter.
"Suzy said they would be here before ten. It's nine thirty now." Replacing the pillow, Chris picked up the paper and started to read.
"It's gonna hurt, ain't it. Hurt like hell going in...gotta hurt coming out." Chris heard Vin's voice. Although muffled by the pillow, Chris could hear the hint of fear and anxiety in the voice.
Putting down the paper, Chris got up and sat beside Vin on the bed. Reaching under the pillow, Chris' hands found Vin's neck and began to massage the tightness it found there. "I'm sure they're gonna give you something to help, Vin. They did before. Doesn't hurt that much now, does it? Not like those first twenty four hours." Chris remembered how any movement at all of the drain had brought groans of pain from Vin right after it's insertion.
Vin arched his neck and allowed Chris more access to his shoulders and neck. The warmth and security of those hands helped ease his fear and distracted his mind from the procedure that lay ahead of him.
Hearing the door open, Chris stood up and helped Vin turn onto his back. After Vin had transferred himself over to the stretcher, Chris squeezed his shoulder one more time and whispered. "I'll be here."
Three hours later, Vin opened his eyes back in his room. His mouth felt thick and his side ached again. Looking down, he saw his side covered by a fresh dressing and felt it pull against his skin as he turned on his side. Hearing the movement on the bed, Chris looked over and saw the blue eyes of his sleepy lover.
"Hey there." Chris brought a straw up to Vin's lips and let him drink. Wiping the excess water away with his finger, Chris straightened an errant curl from Vin's forehead. "About time you woke up. They must have given you some good stuff. You've been asleep for over an hour."
Struggling to turn, Vin let Chris help him and was soon comfortably settled with pillows supporting his back and between his knees. Reaching out, he let his hand fall within inches of Chris' leg. Seeing Vin's eyes closing, Chris moved the chair so that Vin's hand rested on his knee. Covering the long fingers with his own, Chris picked up the phone to check in with the office. Their sharpshooter was finally healing and the rest of the seven would want to know.
TEN
Vin Tanner was pissed. Not only was he pissed, he was bored and horny. Since being discharged from the hospital last week, he had been confined to the ranch. Before leaving the hospital, the resident had given Chris and him strict orders regarding Vin's activities. No lifting, driving, no any strenuous activity of any type....including sex. That's what the dang doctor had said. No strenuous sexual activity for three weeks. And the resident had looked directly at Chris when he said it. Musta made his point..cause Chris hadn't touched him at all since coming home. As a matter of fact, Chris had slept in the guest room the first four days.Two more weeks. Two very long weeks. Vin had woken up the last two mornings with a hard on. He noticed that Chris had been getting up quickly and spending a longer time than usual in the shower, so he figured Chris was in the same state as he was.
Chris had left for work an hour ago, leaving Vin with a stack of surveillance tapes to watch. Vin was supposed to be logging the comings and goings of trucks from a set of warehouses. The tapes were being taken by a static video camera set up near the warehouse. Nathan collected them each day and brought them to the office. Chris brought them to Vin. Still having some pain and tiredness, Vin hadn't minded the tapes at first. Now they were like the "Boring Tapes From Hell". Vin understood their purpose, hell, he'd done his share of midnight shifts watching dark buildings; but he was beginning to associate their presence with Chris' absence.
Rolling over on his side, he reached out and hugged Chris' pillow to his body. Burying his face in the pillowcase, Vin inhaled pulling the scent of his lover deep in his body. He felt his penis stiffen more and let his hand drift down to stoke it lightly. Closing his eyes, he pictured Chris' hand on his shaft. Establishing a rhythm, Vin stroked himself quietly his face still against Chris' pillow.
"Ah..mmm" It didn't take Vin long to bring himself to a spurting climax. "Chris! Ah, Chris...." Vin cried out in loneliness as much as pleasure. All he wanted was to sleep next to his friend and lover and wake up snuggled in his arms. Why did life have to be so difficult? And sex...yeah, he wanted Chris deep inside him...stroking, deep and long as only Chris knew how. He wanted it so bad....
Easing himself out of the bed, Vin quickly showered and pulled the sheets from their bed. Making the bed, Vin threw the others in the wash and went out for his daily walk.
The doctor had said to start with walking ...lengthening the walks as his strength tolerated. Vin was up to two miles now. Most of it round and round the paddock with Peso and Pony keeping him company. Vin found walking and jogging boring, preferring to do something that would keep his mind busy. Anything to keep his mind off Chris' body.
The phone rang as Vin was opening the door. Hesitating, he answered it as he pulled on his jacket.
"Vin?" It was Josiah. "Vin, you there?"
"I ain't watching any more tapes, Josiah. I'm going blind trying to make out license plates. Who focused this last batch?" Vin groused as he looked at the mist beginning to fall.
"Well, I did, but ..no, no more tapes. I ...uh, need to ask you a favor." Josiah paused, as if not knowing how to continue.
Closing the door, Vin listened closer. "What's up?"
"Well, you know...it's that time of the year again." Vin was puzzled at first. He had lost almost a month between his hospitalization and recovery and was still having trouble catching up. "Time to qualify with my gun."
Vin smiled to himself. Josiah was a deadly shot with his 45mm. But since becoming a federal agent, Josiah had to carry what they all carried.. 9 mm automatics. Josiah had failed to qualify the first time; before Vin had joined the team, and last year had only managed to pass by one point. Vin knew what Josiah was doing wrong, but also knew that Josiah was a dead shot in the street where it counted. Josiah just couldn't hit a paper target consistently one time a year. Not wanting to appear pushy, Vin had kept his silence.
"How ya feeling? Think ...uh, if I picked you up? You could spend some time with me at the range? I already checked with Chris, and he said......" Josiah got no further.
"Don't need Chris' permission." Josiah heard the bite in Vin's voice. The recovering sharpshooter was beginning to feel good enough to resent the good intentioned care of their leader. "This afternoon ok?"
"Yeah, this afternoon is good. I'll pick you up right after lunch. I've got time reserved at the range at one thirty." Josiah smiled. He was right. Vin and Chris were crazy about each other, but not good for each other when one was playing nursemaid.
Vin put down the phone and pulled his rain jacket out of the closet. In the process, the sleeve knocked down a box on the shelf. The contents spilled out on the floor. Cursing silently, Vin bent down carefully feeling the incision still pull deep inside his abdomen. Picking up the envelopes, Vin started to stuff them back in the box when one caught his eye.
It was marked Kona Beach Resort and was postmarked a week ago. Addressed to Chris, Vin's curiosity got the better of him and he pulled the letter out. Reading slowly, Vin digested the contents of the mail. Shaking his head, Vin carefully refolded the letter and slipped it back in the box. Chris was planning to surprise Vin with a trip to Hawaii in two weeks. Vin chuckled, almost sad he had found out this way. He would keep his silence and pretend surprise. Chris and Hawaii...sun and sex. Looking down at his crotch, Vin willed his troubled shaft to behave.
ELEVEN
Vin heard the sound of tires and looked out the front window. Josiah's car was pulling in the driveway. He grabbed his gun satchel and made for the door. Locking it, Vin moved slowly to the car, easing himself inside. "Josiah." Vin said as he gingerly placed the bag on the back seat. Grimacing, Vin turned slowly and reached for the seat belt."You ok?" Josiah said as he put the car in gear. "Maybe we should do this another day. "
"You ain't getting rid of me that easy. Sides, you have to qualify or else, right. And there are all those times you've been there for me. Seems like you have to let me at least get even." Vin fastened the seat belt as he spoke. "All we gotta do is convince you that big old 357 is good for certain stuff...but not for what we all gotta deal with now."
Josiah smiled. Hearing Vin chat on was pure joy. Remembering back a few weeks ago, he looked over to the sharpshooter and saw that a lot of the pastiness had gone away; replaced with a healthier glow. "Yep. That's all we got to do."
Thirty minutes later found them at the ATF Firing Range. Charlie Hawks looked up from his place in the by the window of the office. Seeing Vin Tanner get out of the blue car, he smiled hugely and made quickly for the door. "Vin!! God damn, it's good to see you!" Reaching around the slim muscular man, Hawks pulled Vin's head close to his chest and playfully hugged him. Feeling a slight resistance, he let up easing Vin away. "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to get so rough. You, ok? Just great to see ya, got carried away."
+ + + + + + +
Vin smiled and looked up at Hawks. " No, Charlie. Still a little sore if I twist the wrong way or something. It's great to see you too."
Charlie turned his attention to Josiah who was getting the guns from the car. "You gonna try and convince this one that automatics are good guns too?" When Vin nodded, Charlie laughed happily noting the scowl on Josiah's face. "Well, Josiah you can't do any better than this one when it comes to instructors. Vin, Chris said I could use you here at the range for the next two weeks starting next Tuesday. That sound ok?"
Vin listened to Charlie's words and felt a emptiness form in his stomach. The next two weeks. There had to be a mistake; he was going to be in Hawaii with Chris. Sun and sex, wasn't he? "Ah, I hadn't heard anything about that Charlie. Chris ain't said anything. Has he to you Josiah?"
Josiah turned so Vin couldn't see him smiling. Chris had everyone in on the plan to surprise Vin. Josiah found it hard to lie to the young man. The kid was so vulnerable sometimes. "Well, when I did the schedule last week, he had you down for light duty in the office. Charlie mentioned he had a group of agents coming in for a refresher and asked Chris for your help. Chris figured it would be one way to get you from out behind a desk."
Vin nodded and shock Charlie's hand. "Ok, then I'll see you next Tuesday. We the only one's here now?" Vin said looking around the range.
"Yeah, my last class just left. Was going downtown to clean and reload some shells. Still got your keys?" When Vin nodded, Charlie smiled. "Good, then lock up for me when you finish? I'd take the lane down next to the woods, the wind has been gusting pretty bad today, and that lane has been getting the best scores."
"Ok, I'll make sure everything is locked up when we leave. Thanks again. " Vin started to pick up the satchel of guns but was pushed out of the way by Josiah's body.
"Think those weigh more that a gallon of milk. That's still your limit on how much you can lift, right?" Josiah started to carry their supplies to the far side of the lane as Vin followed silently mouthing a reply to Josiah.
"I got holes in the back of my head. I'm sure those are prayers for my swift qualification, aren't they?" Josiah chuckled as he heard Vin mumble to himself. "What? Can't hear ya, Vin. Gonna have to speak louder." Turning his head he caught the tail end of Vin's hand flashing him a single digit. Laughing louder, Josiah lengthened his stride; breathing in the clean mountain air. This was gonna be fun.
Rayfield Perkins watched as the two men approached the section of the firing range where he and his son, Matthew were hiding. It had been several weeks since his brother, Ralph and his two sons; Rayfield's nephews, had been gunned down. Weeks since he had promised to revenge their killings at the hands of two ATF agents. Now one of those men was approaching. Perkins compared the pictures in his hand to the face of the smaller long haired agent walking his way. Yep, that was the sniper. The one that had killed the two boys. A friend in the white supremacy group he belonged to had gotten him a picture of two agents; a Vin Tanner and Chris Larabee. Tanner was the one coming at him now. Perkins grinned. This was gonna be so easy. He couldn't believe they were walking right into his hands. The brush along the last firing site afforded he and his son plenty of cover. Just like shooting ducks from a blind.
Vin started unloading the guns from the bag as soon as Josiah sat them on the bench. Each lane had a small box made of plywood with a bench where a person could sit and reload. The front of the box was build with a front edge wide enough so a shooter could rest his elbow or rifle on it and site the target. Down the lane were posts that marked the five, fifteen and twenty five yard marks. To qualify Josiah would have to shoot standing and sitting from each mark, scoring high enough to get a 72%.
Josiah took his 357 out of it's holster and put it down next to Vin's SIG Sauer P226 automatic handgun. Vin handed Josiah several magazines for the gun and both men began loading them. Each magazine held twelve bullets each. As they sat loading the weapons, Vin began to talk. "Ok, Josiah. I know you don't like the idea of having to use an automatic, but the fact is the bad guys out there are carrying guns with more bullets than we do. So we gotta keep up. Since Washington DC decided we're all gonna carry SIG's, then we all have to have them incase one of us runs out of ammo. You can carry your big friend over there if you want, but in order to stay on the team, we have to get you qualified in this gun." Taking a breath, he handed Josiah the P226. Josiah hefted the gun, frowning at the light feel in his hand.
"Never mind the weight. You've got plenty of weapon there. Let me show you a couple things. See the sites here..all you have to do is basically hold it out and sight straight down the barrel. No adjusting needed there. Here's your firing pin safety lock and decocking lever. Now one of the neat things is the longer trigger pull for the first round." Josiah couldn't help but be amazed when he heard Vin talking. This quiet young man who daily fought a learning disability could turn the most complicated weapon into simple parts for anyone he taught.
"That's so I don't accidently fire the weapon when the excitement starts and the heart starts pumping, right?" Josiah was starting to admire the gun despite himself.
"Right. The SIG is set up so that it takes more finger pressure on the trigger the first time to fire it; after that then it resets to a half pull for faster shooting. Just a little added insurance to make sure you really wanna shoot the bad guys that first time. Ok, load the magazine and lets get started." Vin stood up slowly and began walking down the lane to post a target.
"Vin!! You hold on. I'll do that. You get tired out here and Chris will kill me...no matter what weapon I'm carrying. Sit down and rest. There's water in that bag."
Josiah took the target and marched down the lane. Vin sat back down and reached for the water. He was getting tired, but he didn't want Josiah to know. The trip had taken more out of him than he realized. Sipping the water, he waited for Josiah to return.
Waiting for Josiah was also what Rayfield Perkins and his son were doing. Perkins didn't want to kill the larger agent, but if he had to he would. He was more disappointed that the agent wasn't the other man in his picture album. Chris Larabee. Well, they'd take care of the long haired sniper and then go after Larabee. No one kills a Perkins and gets away with it. Several members of his group had laughed at him when he told them of his plans to stalk and kill the agents. But they didn't understand. No one kills family and gets away. No one.
As Josiah walked back down the lane, he hefted the 357 and moved it around to his back to make room for the smaller semi-automatic. He still held the magazine he had filled in the other hand as well as the staple gun.
Josiah saw Vin come around the edge of the box closest to the woods at the same time he saw movement in the bushes along the firing lane edge. Uncertain at first, he stopped to look, his heart freezing when he saw the barrel of a Mac-10 poking it's nose through the bush. The gun was pointed toward Vin's back. Vin hadn't noticed anything yet. He had put on his ear covers and was slamming a magazine into the SIG. Josiah knew shouting wasn't going to get Vin's attention.
Sprinting the last ten feet as fast as he could, Josiah threw his body against Vin's knocking him to the ground. Grabbing for his 357, he unloaded the gun as he dragged the stunned sharpshooter around behind the box. Two automatics opened fire showering the box with bullets.
Vin gasped for air, trying to make his lungs work against the sharp pain that was hammering his left side. Josiah's body had forced Vin up against the plywood; he landed awkwardly so that most of the impact was squarely on his left side. The ear covers had fallen off as he felt Josiah drag him around to the relative safety of the plywood box. The air was full of the sounds of gunfire. All of it coming from the direction of the bushes. His mind tried to move his body to react but his body failed him. It continued to persist in curling into a ball to lessen the pain in his side. There was no strength to lift a gun much less find one.
Josiah felt the hammer of his 357 fall on an empty chamber as all six of his shots were used up. The firepower from the bushes was incredible. The bullets racking the box. It was a matter of time before either he or Vin was hit. Crawling forward he eased Vin out of the way, and reached for the bench. Laying it on it's side, Josiah placed it in front of Vin. The slight move exposed Vin's P226 and Josiah reached for it, racking a bullet into the first chamber.
"Hey, pa? Think we got them? They ain't shooting anymore." Matthew said as they both paused to reload.
"Hard to tell. They may just be faking it. I'm gonna make my way around over there so I can get a better shot into that box. See what's going on." Perkins started crawling as his son opened fire again.
Josiah worked his way around the edge of the bench and tried to get a line on who was shooting at them. Looking once more at Vin, Josiah felt his heart sink. The sharpshooter remained on his side, his face pale against the dirt, his mouth open in a silent cry of agony. Chastising himself for his roughness, he turned his attention to the bushes.
Suddenly more gunfire came from the brush about 20 yards away. But it was the movement of a figure that got Josiah's attention. Someone was trying to sneak down and get a better shot at them. He waited patiently until he saw a baseball cap stand out in the open. Raising the SIG quickly, he felt the first long pull of the trigger and then pumped eight shots into the area around where the cap had been. Hearing a grunt, Josiah weighted a minute to see if anymore gunfire came from that place.
None did, but he saw the bushes move and scattered bullets into that area until the movement stopped. No gunfire was coming from the bush line, and Josiah continued to wait.
Matthew Perkins was scared. He had hated the men who killed his uncle and as much as his father, but seeking revenge and getting killed himself was not something he had done on his own. His father was a strong forceful man, and Matthew had never said no to the man. So when his father had told him they were both going to Denver to kill the agents, he had packed his overnight bag and jumped in the truck.
Now he was alone, standing on a Federal Firing range having just emptied two clips of bullets at two federal agents. No gunfire was coming from his father's position after the agent had changed to the semi-automatic and Matthew feared the worse. It wasn't his dad's tactic to try and draw the victim in by faking being dead. Trying to decide what to do, he was startled by a voice.
"You out there in the woods! Your partner is dead. I just called for back up ATF agents and a helicopter. This place will be surrounded. Figure you best walk out of that brush where you're hiding and throw out your weapon." Josiah checked the SIG and saw he was out of ammunition. Checking he found no more magazines on or around him. Turning to look at Vin, Josiah saw one resting next to Vin's side.
Matthew Perkins decided to try and get to his father. Rising up he began firing wildly in Josiah's direction. He was in clear sight but Josiah had no bullets. "Vin!! Vin! Wake up!! Pass me that magazine next to you...VIN!!" Josiah shouted at the top of his lungs and was rewarded with a groan from Vin.
Vin heard Josiah's voice. It was persistent. Heard it grinding away at his brain. But he hurt. His side hurt so much he couldn't breathe; couldn't move. He wished the voice would go away.
"Vin!! Vin!!" Josiah saw the boy continue to move to check on his partner. He needed Vin to wake up. Looking around where he was hidden, he saw the empty gun satchel within arm's length. Stretching out he grabbed it and tossed it towards Vin. It landed across Vin's face and chest with an impact that made Josiah cringe.
Vin felt pain as a heavy weight hit him in the chest. Opening his eyes against the pain that still raged in his side, Vin saw Josiah motioning to him. He watched Josiah's mouth move, trying to make out what his mouth was saying. He pushed his legs slightly downward and tried to turn on his stomach to see Josiah better. His left side hit something metal, sending new stabs of pain up his side. Touching it with his hand, he pulled it up before his eyes. It was a magazine. Full of bullets.
Trying to remember why he had such an item, Vin looked again and saw Josiah shouting at him again. He tried to hear but the gunfire coming from beside him was too loud. Gunfire? Gunfire. Vin tried to turn his head to see but the pain was too great. He was so tired.
"Throw it Vin. Throw the thing in your hand." Josiah was trying to make things easy for Vin to understand. The pale shaky young agent was close to collapse again and Josiah needed what Vin had, if they were both to survive.
Suddenly Vin opened his eyes. They were very clear and stared right at Josiah. Looking at his hand only once, Vin tossed the magazine to Josiah. It touched Josiah's fingertips as he reached out. Lunging a second time he grabbed it and held on. The erratic firing continued and a bullet grazed his upper arm. Yelling with the sting of the bullet, Josiah clutched the magazine and worked it into the SIG. Ignoring the burning pain, he focused on the bush line and made out a young figure leaning over a fallen man. As the young man turned, Josiah warned him again to drop his gun. The anger showed across the face of the man as he started walking toward Josiah and Vin, firing as he moved.
Josiah knew he had no choice and opened fire with the automatic in his hand. Keeping his finger on the trigger, he watched as bullet after bullet struck the approaching figure. Realizing the man was wearing body armor, Josiah changed his aim and fired once into the face of the gunman.
Vin heard the gunfire stop as he lay trying not to move. Moving hurt and Vin was tired of hurting. A shadow appeared covering him. Looking up he was relieved to see Josiah bending over him. He let Josiah lift his head and felt himself relax into the safety of those big arms.
Josiah let his arms surround the slim figure of the sharpshooter. He could hear the approach of the helicopter and leaned down to talk in Vin's ear. "Looks like the calvary is coming, pard. Course we don't need 'em now that I'm carrying all that extra firepower. Now I know why you're such a good instructor...but you didn't have to go to all this trouble just to prove your point." Seeing the smile on Vin's face fade into a painful grimace, Josiah held him tighter supporting all of Vin's weight. "Helps coming. Just hold on. I've got you."
The helicopter landed and Chris was running across the ground toward the far firing lane before the blades stopped spinning. Seeing Vin's legs drawn up against his chest, he felt his heart beat faster; anticipating the worst. As Nathan joined him, they both approached the two agents. Seeing blood on Josiah's left upper arm, Chris sighed and bent towards Vin and Josiah. "You two ok? What happened?" He looked toward Ezra, Buck and JD as they approached the fallen gunmen with additional ATF agents.
"Just a graze. Vin took a bad fall on his side when I pushed him out of the line of fire. He's been in and out of consciousness since the firing started. He just passed out again as you guys landed. Chris saw the ambulance turn into the driveway of the firing range and placed a hand on Josiah's good arm.
"Thanks for saving him, Josiah. I owe you. Here let me take him." Chris and Nathan helped Josiah ease out from under Vin. Chris slipped into his place causing Vin to stir. Looking down Chris saw Vin's pain-filled eyes . "It's ok, Vin. You're safe. Josiah got both the bad guys. Just rest. The paramedics are here and we'll let them look at you." Brushing Vin's hair out of those blue eyes, Chris bend lower over Vin to hear him.
"Just wanna go home. Take me home, please Chris?" Vin moved his body closer to Chris and fell unconscious again.
"Soon partner. Soon."
TWELVE
The paramedics quickly checked Josiah's arm and left him in the care of Nathan. One of the medics remembering him from a EMS refresher course they both had taken. Turning their attention to Vin, they checked him out first while he lay in Chris' arms. Chris told them of Vin's recent medical history, and Josiah gave an account of how he had knocked Vin out of the line of fire; falling on him knocking him on his left side.Worried that Vin might again be bleeding internally, the medics immediately hooked him to a heart monitor and checked his vital signs. His heart rate was elevated and his blood pressure low, so they started two IV's, one in each arm and gave him fluids to try and improve his recovery. By the time they had finished their examine, including an extensive prodding of his abdomen, Vin was awake, hurting and cranky.
"Leave me be. Chris? Just...don't touch me. Ah, Nathan?" Vin's moans and pleas fell on deaf ears as the medics did their job of packaging Vin for a trip to the hospital. Loading him in the back with Josiah, Nathan had Chris ride along to try and appease Vin.
Vin lay in the back of the ambulance trying to get comfortable. The pain in his side wouldn't stop no matter what position he assumed. Even Chris' comforting words and presence was not enough to silence the jarred nerves inside his body. It was as if all the areas along his suture line were alive and sending sharp stabbing jolts deep inside his stomach. Giving up he finally let tears form in his eyes; giving up any pretense of being brave. Chris reached over and grasped his hands looking at the medics again to ask them about pain medication.
"Agent Larabee, we can't give him anything right now till the doctors have a chance to check him out. If we give him anything to dull the pain, then they won't know where and how bad Vin hurts. It's only another fifteen minutes to the hospital." Leaning down over Vin so he could see, the medic repeated his answer adding oxygen to Vin's growing treatments to help him breathe easier. Chris caught the medic's eye and nodded his thanks.
Josiah and Vin were taken immediately into rooms after triage. Josiah's wound was not serious and needed no surgery. He was given antibiotics, a tetanus booster, pain medications and twenty three stitches. Vin spent another hour getting xrays and a CAT Scan of his abdomen and chest without being given anything for the constant pain he was still having.
Vin ground his teeth as he once more moved from an x-ray table to his stretcher. They had been promising him something for the deep ache in his side for hours. Each doctor who saw him asked him to wait for one more test. Exasperated and tired, he collapsed and rolled on his right side pulling his knees up to help ease the pain. He was cold but their was no blanket on his stretcher and no one in his exam room. Cold, hurting and exhausted, Vin closed his eyes and cried. He hadn't felt this abandoned and helpless in a while and he didn't have the energy to help himself. The pain ate at his strength. All he wanted was to be pain free, and back at the ranch with Chris. That's all he wanted.
Chris rounded the corner heading for Vin's cubical. Having called the other seven, he was still waiting for Vin to return from the most recent round of tests. Approaching the door, he saw Vin on his side, wearing only a hospital gown, his hands covering his face. Grabbing a blanket from the shelf, he gently covered Vin's shivering body and stroked his hair. "Vin? Sorry I was gone. Here, let me see your face." Pulling down Vin's hands, Chris was alarmed at the sight of the tear streaked pale face of his lover. Angry, Chris turned to find a doctor, just as one walked into the room.
"Mr. Tanner?" The resident looked around the looming figure of Chris Larabee. The lean muscular federal agent scared him and he backed around so he could see Vin better. "I'm sorry you've had to wait. I've got the nurse coming with some morphine for you right now. Looks like you've pulled apart those sutures that were put in when that drain was removed. That's what's causing your pain." The nurse entered the room and quickly gave Vin some morphine in his IV. "It's shouldn't cause any problems for you except the pain from the area being bruised and torn in your fall." Seeing Vin's eyes close as the morphine finally worked it's magic and gave him pain relief at last.
The resident changed his focus to Chris and continued. "Mr. Larabee?" Chris nodded. "We're gonna keep Mr Tanner at least over night to make sure there is no bleeding. We want to get another CAT scan before he leaves tomorrow. If that's ok, he can go home. He lives with you, right?" Again Chris nodded, not yet ready to give up his anger by speaking to the resident directly. "Well, he'll be able to go home and continue to recover there. He's gonna need strict bed rest for twenty four hours, then he can get up and get around as he feels like. But right now I've got a room for him and it'll only be a little while before Mr Tanner can go upstairs."
Chris looked down on the smaller man standing beside him. Vin had finally stopped shivering under the influence of the morphine and the extra blankets the nurse had brought from the warmer. But Chris didn't want him to have to wait much longer on the stretcher. "Just exactly, and I do mean exactly, are we waiting?" Giving the doctor his Larabee stare, Chris somewhat guiltily leaned closer to the man.
"Uh, I'm not exactly sure...I mean, let me check. I believe that room might be ready right now and I'll take Mr Tanner upstairs myself." The resident was very sure that the blonde glowering federal agent could take him apart with his bare hands if he desired. After years of training, he didn't feel the risk of annoying this man over his friend's condition was worth losing an arm or leg. Moving quickly he called and arranged for Vin to be taken to the next open surgical bed in the hospital.
"Ya didn't have to scare him." Chris turned at the sound of Vin's muffled voice.
"Hey, feeling better?" Chris leaned down to try and see where Vin began and the blankets ended. Pealing the end of one blanket away from the handsome face, Chris smiled as the large blue eyes looked up at him. Seeing no more pain in Vin's face, Chris sighed and adjusted some errant strains of hair laying across Vin's face. "You look better. Still hurt?"
"Naw, it's much better. That morphine's good stuff. Chris? Can't we go?" Vin's expression made Chris' heart melt and his groin stir. Checking the curtain to the cubical first, he leaned down and lightly kissed Vin on the forehead.
"Tomorrow. Just gonna stay overnight to make sure every thing is ok. Then home." Seeing that Vin was going to start a protest, Chris put up his hand and placed it on Vin's lips. "Did I tell you were we're going a week from Friday?"
Vin looked puzzled but then remembered the letter in the closet. "Nope. What?" Vin lied.
"You won us each a trip to Hawaii, right?" Chris saw Vin nod his head and continued. "So I booked ours for us starting in ten days. Eight days on the Big Island in Hawaii. We can lay on the beach, sun ourselves till we're toast." The curtains opened and the resident entered followed by two strong young men.
"Mr. Tanner? Hope that medication helped?" Seeing Vin nod, the resident indicated the two men. " These young men are going to take you to your room upstairs. Dr. Brance will be taking care of you while you are up there. Sorry you had to go through so many tests."
Chris turned around feeling guilty. "Doc, thanks. Appreciate all the care you have taken of my friend." Sticking out his hand, Chris offered it to the man. Vin chuckled as the resident reached out treating Chris' hand like it was a snake.
Feeling the pain grab him as he laughed, Vin closed his eyes and let it pass. When he opened it, Chris was smiling at him and he was being pushed toward an elevator toward his room.
The next afternoon found Vin dressing slowly. Chris had gone to pick up his pain medication from the pharmacy and Vin was thinking about last night. Chris had again spent the night in a chair next to Vin's bed. Any time Vin had moaned or moved, Chris was awake and attentive. Vin had spent a part of the night awake watching Chris nap in the chair, trying to figure out what he had done to deserve such good fortune. Nothing in his life had prepared him for Chris Larabee. But he wasn't going to question it. He could almost feel the warmth of the Hawaiian sun on his face. The doctors had said the new CAT Scan had shown no bleeding, so it was home to the ranch for another twelve hours of bed rest; then gaining his strength for Hawaii. Vin had no intentions of letting Chris Larabee sleep alone while on vacation.
Vin had been a good boy. Resting quietly. Eating whatever Chris prepared for him and avoiding junk food, Vin had his roommate nervous. Today they were catching a plane for Hawaii, and Vin was feeling great. He hadn't had any pain in his side for at least a week and his doctor had given him permission to resume his "normal activities". Vin would have ravished Chris last night, but had decided he wanted to wait until they got to Hawaii. Finishing packing, Vin made his way into the living room with his bag where Chris was giving instructions to the house sitter.
Twenty minutes later, Chris finished loading their bags and started the drive to the airport. Vin leaned over and placed his hand in Chris' groin, kissing him squarely on the lips. "A little something to think about." Vin grinned at Chris' expression and leaned back to nap as Chris drove.
Comments to: KRowl66233@aol.com