The Magnificent Seven don't belong to me. I sneak them out to play.
If it is in italics it's thoughts /If it's between backslashes it's telepathy or it's close cousin/
The Warehouse
The team had been together now almost 6 months. There had been a lot of growing pains. Anytime you try to bind a group of individuals together there will be flare ups.
JD was having some difficulty with the after effects of Wilson. Ezra was still hiding behind words. Buck could be abrasive and at times down right pushy. Nathan's attitude towards Ezra often caused strain among the others. Josiah could be wonderfully supportive or cynical as hell. Chris often violently pushed away any offers of comradery. Then there was Vin. Somehow he'd just step back and cease to be there. They had quickly learned not to physically crowd him.
Slowly they were becoming a unit. Becoming part of each other. JD had become Buck's brother in everything but blood. Josiah found himself viewing the others as younger siblings or even his sons. Nathan was developing a grudging respect for Ezra and genuine affection for the rest. Ezra had his stored belongings shipped to Denver. They hadn't been unpacked though. Chris and Vin were spooky in their unspoken conversations. Chris found himself making plans involving his men. Vin watched, helped out when he could and still seemed to be not quite part of the group.
Josiah had been wounded once. Chris had damn near died when a bullet came in under his arm slipping past the vest. Ezra had been grazed twice and had the hell beat out of him once already. Some joker had glued a bull's-eye on Ezra's ATF jacket. Vin had walked through the middle of three fire fights without a scratch. Then it all went south.
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The deal was made. The team moved in taking the gun runners down. Ezra took down the arms dealer in a smooth move slapping the cuffs on him. Buck was having a little problem till Josiah's huge arm clamped over the bodyguards throat. It was clean and neat just the way they wanted it to go. Everything was moving like clockwork.
Ezra was never sure what triggered his attention. It certainly wasn't sound. The absolute silence of it was frightening. Vin came out of the rafters with such speed he was almost in free fall. Ezra's skin prickled as he viewed Vin's behavior. He's on the hunt! Vin's movements reminded Ezra of a tiger he had watched make a kill in India. Rapidly looking around he spotted Vin's prey. One of the bodyguards fired his weapon. He dropping it as he turned to flee. The shots seeming to have no effect.
Dear God! Vin plans to kill him! As Vin stalked the fleeing man Ezra sprang to intercept Vin. No ! I won't lose you. Three bounds and Vin was on the man. Ezra managed to grab Vin and knock him off balance.
"CHRIS!" Ezra screamed as he tried to maintain his hold. Chris tossed his prisoner at JD as he rushed the scuffling men.
What the HELL! Ezra's got Vin not the perp. Chris realized as he attempted to stop the melee. Buck grabbed the perp just as Vin's knife came into play.
"VIN! We got him back off!" Chris shouted into the tracker's ear. Vin lunged after his prey. Inadvertently slicing Buck's shoulder to the bone as he attempted to kill the man. Chris found himself lying on the warehouse floor. Ezra was in a losing battle trying to prevent Vin from reaching the terrified criminal. Josiah entered the fray only to be tossed into the wall by the furious Tanner. Somehow a desperate Ezra managed to take Vin's feet out from under him. Chris and Josiah joined forces in pinning the smaller man to the concrete. Buck drug the frozen perp out of reach slapping a pair of cuffs on him.
"Stay out of it Buck looks like they've got him down," Nathan examined Buck's shoulder.
"What the hell's wrong with Junior," Buck gasped. JD joined them wincing at the sound as Vin slammed his head into Chris's nose. Ezra had managed to get a lock on Vin's legs preventing any more brutal kicks. Josiah continued to apply pressure on Vin's arm and shoulder as Chris tried to remove the knife from Vin's grasp. The snap was clearly audible when Chris ended up breaking Vin's right arm. Vin causing him to loose his grip on the bloody knife.
"Easy Cowboy, calm down," Chris soothed as Vin slowly stopped struggling. JD escorted the terrified bodyguard into a car and sent him straight to holding. They continued to pin Vin for several minutes.
"Josiah move he's breathing all wrong," Nathan yelled in concern. When Josiah loosened his hold Vin slithered out of their grasps. Springing to his feet he tried to locate the now missing prey.
"Vin?" Nathan spoke. Vin sprang back slamming himself into the wall. Where he dropped into a defensive crouch. "He ain't hearing us," Nathan exclaimed.
"Chris he'll hear you," Buck panted. At Chris' approach Vin turned towards him. Exposing his face to the others. Ezra found himself pressing back against Josiah unashamed of his trembling.
"Chris don't get close," Josiah whispered, "Vin's some when else".
Chris hesitated looking at Vin's posture. "Shit!".
"I haven't seen that look in along time Chris go real easy," Buck approached cautiously.
"Stay back JD don't get close. Vin's having a flashback of some kind," Buck spoke calmly.
"Vin!" Chris spoke hard with no reaction. /Tanner! What the hell are you doing/ Chris demanded.
"Capt'n," Vin whispered. Buck and Chris exchanged glances.
"Tanner stand down that's an order. I repeat stand down," Chris commanded. Vin slowly collapsed sinking to his knee's. He began rocking and an eerie keening began. Chris slowly knelt speaking softly and pulled Tanner into his arms. Holding him gently Chris continued to speak gently. Buck knelt and started rubbing Vin's back in slow circles. The keening stopped and was replaced by silent sobs.
"You ready to move Chris?" Buck asked quietly. Vin swung around at the voice.
"Damn Junior ya show to much in them eyes," Buck choked. Soul deep shame and terror filled the haunted features. Josiah's eyes closed to shut the pain out as he asked a prayer for the battered soul. Ezra's cheeks were pale as he watched Chris and Buck minister to Vin.
"What could do that to a man?" JD gasped.
"Hell, Mr. Tanner's been to hell," Ezra whispered. Nathan looked at his hands and dropped them helplessly to his sides.
"Don't have any healing for this hurt," He sighed sadly. "JD come help me," Nathan requested. They returned with a stretcher and waited. Chris carefully rose with Buck's help never releasing his grip on Vin. Cradling him in his arms he walked to the stretcher.
"I'm laying you down Vin. I'm not going anywhere," Gently Vin was placed onto the stretcher. Vin lay shivering eyes wild. "Vin listen to me I'm going to do up these straps. Don't fight me now." Chris calmed. Vin whimpered and fought to get up. /OK no straps, I promise. You just lay stay still for me./ Chris soothed the sharpshooter. Vin lay still never losing eye contact with Chris. "Let's go," Chris ordered.
"Qwith?" Vin asked.
"Right here cowboy," Chris patted Vin's shoulder.
"I done tha'?" Vin asked troubled by the blood covering Chris's face.
"It's all right Vin nobody's mad" Chris soothed.
"Buck! I cut Buck," Vin gasped.
"I'm all right Junior calm down now," Buck spoke comfortingly.
"We gotta go to the hospital and get your arm fixed. Buck and I'll let 'em look us over too," Chris calmed.
"Let me up don't wanna go ta tha hothpital," Vin demanded.
"I'm not giving you a choice here, Cowboy," Chris stated. "Nate do you want to look at this leg looks like Vin caught a bullet," Chris spoke calmly.
Dr. Appleton entered the waiting room. Chris was sporting a pair of blackening eyes and a taped nose. Buck's arm was in a sling. Ezra sported numerous bruises and some bite marks on his left arm. Josiah sat with his right leg elevated and an ice pack on his knee.
"Well gentlemen it appears today was not a good day," she offered.
"How's Vin?" Chris demanded.
"Both the bones in his lower right arm are fractured. As well as his right collar bone. He has three cracked ribs. Both ankles are sprained. He's on his way to surgery to clean that bullet hole up. Otherwise he appears to be all right. If that boy tells me one more time I's fine, I'm going to use the biggest bent needle on him I can find," Dr. Appleton groaned.
"You know Vin?" Nathan asked.
"I've had him a few times in my emergency room. Polite, shy, lousy patient. I've learned a few things though. Here's his pants," The doctor snickered as she dropped a bag on the floor beside Josiah. "Vin Tanner has got to be the shyest man I've ever met. That child isn't going anywhere without his pants," Dr. Appleton explained. "He shouldn't be in surgery for long. Dr. Seleingher is the surgeon, real good man," She smiled at the concerned men. "You boys know where surgery's waiting room is," She suggested.
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Four hours later a Doctor appeared. The man was sporting a rapidly blackening eye and moved stiffly.
"Larabee?" he asked the men.
"That's me," Chris stopped pacing.
"Mr. Tanner is out of surgery," Seleingher sighed.
"How is he?" the men demanded.
"Gentlemen may I sit down," the surgeon smiled tiredly. "We had some complications...," the doctor began. "Mr. Tanner is doing as well as can be expected" he calmed. "He came out from under the anesthesia twice," the surgeon rubbed his eye.
"Did Junior do that?" Buck indicated the black eye.
"Yeah, you should see my intern," the doctor softly chuckled. "Somehow he got loose. We had to switch to another surgery when he contaminated the room," Selingher explained.
"He contaminated a couple of doctors by the look of I,." Nathan noted.
"That too," Selingher shook his head. "The surgery itself was fairly simple and I expect no problems," Selingher looked troubled. "Mr. Tanner had a reaction to one of the meds. He's on a ventilator for the next several hours. Considering his reactions we did more x-rays and went ahead and casted his arm. He's wearing a brace to stabiles the collar bone. Gentlemen for everyone's protection we have him in restraints until the anesthesia wears off. I'm sorry I haven't had this ever happen before," the surgeon offered. Silence settled over the waiting men.
"When can we see him?" Chris finally demanded.
"Does Mr. Tanner have any family to contact?" The doctor asked.
"Mr. Larabee is Mr. Tanner's half brother," Ezra lied without a blink.
"Would you come on back now?" Selingher asked "Maybe you can calm him".
Chris stood and headed for recovery. Chris halted at the curtain looking down at Vin. He looks like a horse trapped in barbed wire. Even while unconscious the tense muscles pulled against restraints. Chris frowned at the machinery and the distressed beat of Vin's heart. His head was trapped in place. His body covered by a warmed blanket.
Chris spoke softly, "Damn Tanner what have you done to yourself." Chris moved forward gently brushing the hair back from Vin's face. The too cold skin registered. "Nurse? he's cold," Chris told the woman.
"The anesthesia is responsible for his temperature. We're working on it right now," she explained. "May I get you a chair? Can you calm him down?" she asked softly.
Chris sank onto the chair. He brushed the blanket to the side so he could reach Vin's hand. Chris' heart skipped a beat as he registered the cuff securing Vin's wrist. Straps securing Vin to the bed appeared from under the edge of the blanket at shoulder, chest, waist, hip and above the knee. When the nurse shifted the blanket to check the circulation in Vin's feet cuffs on his ankles were visible.
"Oh God! He can't stand being locked up," Chris whispered.
"Talk to him, the sooner he responds the sooner we get these things off," the nurse grimaced.
"Hey Cowboy, you need to calm down, so we can get you loose. You hurt some folks... Get those drugs out of you so your in control," Chris spoke gently. Several hours later Vin seemed to recognize Chris. The terror in his eyes let Chris know that he registered the restraints. The betrayal in his eyes set Chris' heart to pounding.
/Are you with me here, Cowboy/ Larabee asked. Shivers raced across Vin's skin. /All right I'm going to get these damn things off of you./ Chris promised his terrified friend.
Dr. Selingher entered. "Mr. Tanner were going to remove that breathing tube now. I'll personally help your brother get the restraints off now that your not trying to kill me," he smiled. Ten minutes later Vin was free of the hated respirator and restraints.
"We're taking him to 301 if you want to tell your friends. Their scaring the nurses," Dr Seleingher strongly suggested. Chris hesitated unwilling to leave while Vin was this upset.
Dr. Appleton appeared. Gently she brushed his cheek. "You stop scaring this old woman," she smiled.
"Yeth Ma'am," Vin whispered hoarsely.
"I'm staying with you so Chris can go get the rest of the Keystone cops," the woman teased gently. "Is that OK with you?"
"Yeth Ma'am," Vin's fingers gently traced the doctor's fingers. With a relieved sigh Chris hurried from the room.
The crew wandered in after Vin was settled in his room.
"Gave us a scare there Junior," Buck chuckled nervously. Vin kept dozing off and jerking awake. His fretful manner disturbing the others.
"Vin calm down," Chris ordered.
"Cain't breath," Vin gasped. Nathan surged forward. Chris hit the call button and JD grabbed a nurse in the hall. Dr. Appleton rushed in. Checking him over she sighed
"Honey what am I going to do with you. Deep breath, hold it let it go, again," she coached.
"What happened," Chris demanded.
"Anxiety attack," she patted Vin's cheek. "Drugs have you all messed up Sweetie," she soothed.