"He gonna be ok?" The question came from Vin as he slid behind Chris and peered around his father's waist to peek at his uncle laying in the bed.
Uncle Ezra's face was red and his had sweat around his hair like he did after playing with JD in the back yard.
Murray smiled at the small boy, marveling at the child who had survived so much already and at such a young age.
She gazed directly at the boy and answered his question with same sense of gravity that it had been asked, "He's going to be fine."
"He beated up a mountain lion," JD offered. He had clambered his way into Buck's arms and spoke around the small thumb in his mouth.
"I can see that." Murray smiled again, " he must have had a very good reason." She eyed Buck with a critical look, "almost as good a reason as Mr. Buck for not following Doctor's orders."
Buck had the decency to look slightly chastised at the reprimand. Lord, his chest burned, fiery lancing pain seared him with each breath. Holding JD, however, was worth the agony.
JD, oblivious to the undercurrent, nodded his head vigorously all the while saying, "Uhuh."
"He breaked his arm?" Vin leaned around Chris and gently touched the cast that kept Standish's elbow bent and left just his fingers exposed. Ezra's fingers lay slightly curled, chapped and swollen. He wouldn't be holding a deck of cards with his left hand anytime soon.
Murray smiled again and this time looked to Chris before addressing the child that hid behind the leader of Team Seven, "Yes he did." She then went on to clarify, "He broke the little bones in the back of his hand and some of the ones in his wrist."
Vin nodded, "He hit the mountain lion a lot 'n really hard too."
"I bet he did."
"The mountain lion didn't like it none," JD added, "it wanted to eat me."
"It did?"
"Yup," JD nodded, "Cuz I's so sweet."
Murray bit the inside of her cheek as Josiah and Nathan ducked their heads to hide their smiles. The suppressed chuckles were born of relief and pent up tension that needed to find a release.
JD's simplistic view of the incident helped relieve some of the worry and fright.
"I bet you do." Murray answered smiling at the tiny five year old that clung tightly to his father. She noted the secure grip that Wilmington used to hug the young child snug to his chest.
She silently wondered if Buck had put the boy down at all since the incident.
"He feels hot," Josiah's deep voice rumbled through the small room as he once again rested a calloused hand on the undercover agent's heated cheek.
Murray sighed and nodded, "He's running a moderate fever." She paused and started with the easiest injuries, "He broke his hand and wrist, sustained multiple lacerations to his back and side as well as his hip and upper legs." As she spoke she ran gentle fingers along the reddened welts tinged with the stain of the yellow disinfectant soaps, "Some of them are infected, the ones he couldn't reach and he's lost a little more blood than was good for him."
She looked up at the other agents as she draped the back of the hospital gown back into place and gently pulled the white blanket back up to Standish's shoulders. "We're running antibiotics into him and are giving him something for the pain."
"When's he gonna wake up?" Vin asked leaning his head against Chris's belt. Larabee unconsciously dropped his hand to Vin's head and held the boy close.
"Well, he's going to be sleeping for a while yet," Murray answered again with a smile to relieve the young boys fears.
"You gave'im somethin' to make 'im go ta sleep?" JD asked, his thumb wedged tightly in his mouth as he tucked his head under Buck's chin.
"Yup, he needs to rest so he can build his strength back up so he can play with his two favorite nephews." Murray's smile faltered when she noticed the two boys faces fall and Vin tuck back in behind Chris out of sight.
Murray gazed up to Larabee. Chris merely shook his head. Later....maybe.
~~~~~~~~~~'
Early Saturday
Josiah leaned forward yawning loudly as he watched Standish move about restlessly. Sanchez reached out again and felt the undercover agent's forehead and cheek. They felt cooler than they had earlier last night. Sanchez held his watch up and under the fluorescent night light that lay over the head of the hospital bed.
3:46am. Josiah yawned again bringing tears to his eyes. He was getting too old to sit in hard plastic chairs. He leaned forward and stretched, his muscles taking on a life of their own as they twitched and contracted of their own volition. His eyes closed as he rode out the involuntary stretching as his legs shot straight out and flexed and twitched. He slowly climbed to his feet to give his backside a rest. His butt was numb.
When he looked back down at his young friend he found Standish blinking and staring at something across the shadow marred room.
"Brother?" Josiah placed his hand on his friend's forehead and felt the damp sheen of sweat that covered Standish's features. He watched as Ezra blinked a few times and then slowly rolled his eyes toward the voice.
"You're okay Ezra," Sanchez reached behind himself and pulled the plastic chair closer without looking at it. He kept his other hand on Standish. "You're in the hospital...everyone's fine." Josiah sat on the edge of the seat and stared into the glazed green eyes that slowly followed his movements. "You're going to be fine....You with me?"
Ezra moved his left hand. The cast clanked into the raised bed rail. Ezra stared at the cast dumbly.
"You broke your hand, Ezra, but its alright now." Josiah reached for the plastic mauve cup that had once held ice chips and now luke warm water. "You want something to drink?"
Josiah held the cup and straw so the undercover agent could see and perhaps make sense of the offer.
Josiah put the cup back on the small stand when Standish's eyes drifted closed.
~~~~~~~~'
Saturday later am
Ezra wasn't sure what registered first, the noise or the pressure in his ear. He raised his hand to swipe at whatever bothered his ear but his hand was impossibly heavy and fell clubbing himself on the side of his head.
He groaned.
"Let that be a lesson to you," A stern voice spoke as the pressure in his ear increased for a little bit.
Standish rolled his head, ducking it closer to his chest and again tried to swipe at the offending pressure only this time something captured his incredibly heavy hand.
There was a beeping sound and then a female voice, "Fever's down."
"Knock it off Ezra, let the lady do her job."
Ezra recognized Chris's voice. He immediately leaned into the grip without realizing it. Ezra struggled to get his eyes to open.
Voices started springing up all over. "He wakin' up?....can I see?"
Ezra felt the bed dip...why was he in bed? What was Chris doing in his condo? ...with JD?
"Lil' bit git down from there." The bed undipped as Buck's voice tolled through out the room.
"But I can't see," JD answered back.
"Ain't nuthin' to see JD," Vin answered as he tried to peer around Chris.
Ezra tried to roll onto his back but something stopped him, "Just a moment, Mr. Standish." A woman's voice. Ezra tried moving his hand again but it was still trapped.
"Ezra, keep still," Chris's voice again. Apparently the whole Larabee, Wilmington tribe was at his condo.
Something touched his back. It burned.
Ezra heard a sharp hiss and realized it came from himself. He tried to arch away from whatever meaded his flesh. Muscles burned and complained.
"Just a moment longer," The same woman's voice. Was Mr. Wilmington bringing his paramours to Ezra's home now? Surely the man had more sense than that? Of course they were talking about Mr. Wilmington.
The strange hands moved dangerously close to well protected territory. Ezra immediately rolled onto his back despite the fact his hands were trapped somewhere across from him. His eyes snapped open.
"Mr. Standish," an exasperated voice rang out.
He tried to focus on the blurry features around him. Everything was fuzzy.
"Buck, why don't you take the two boys down to get some juice or something." Chris asked in a tone that was more of a command than a request.
Wilmington's chuckling had Ezra wondering what was so funny.
"Can't blame'im pard'," Buck pointed out as he gathered up the boys.
"Can't blame'im fer what, Buck?" JD asked as his father gingerly bent down to scoop him up into his arms.
The Doctor pointedly cleared her voice staring at Wilmington with raised eyebrows. Buck sighed and delicately straightened up and took JD's hand instead.
"Unca Ezra don't want no strangers lookin' at his butt," Vin answered helpfully.
"Vin," Chris warned as he watched his seven year old follow Buck out of the room.
Once the door swung close both Chris and Dr. Murray turned back to their patient.
"Welcome back," Larabee smirked feeling some empathy for his disoriented agent. Chris untangled the IV line from the blankets and bed rail.
"What?" Ezra blinked again trying to bring his eyes and mind back into focus.
"Mr. Standish," Murray leaned into his view, "you're going to be fine, just let me finish and I'll be on my way."
With Chris's help, they rolled Ezra back onto his left side. "Just relax Ezra, she'll be done in moment," Larabee spoke quietly trying to offer reassurance. He stared into the fogged green eyes that seemed to look to him for protection.
Standish felt a draft that he believed he had no right to be feeling, drift over him. He tried to roll back.
Two set of firm hands held him fast.
"I'm almost done," a terse but amused voice sounded behind him.
And true to her word, Ezra felt the thin material of a hospital gown get draped back over his hip and the blanket pulled back up above his waist.
He was gently rolled onto his back.
"His fever broke, he's maintaining 99F, the sutures look good, the swelling is going down."
"I am in the room," the annoyance in Ezra's voice was partially lost under the scratchy hoarseness of one who had just woken from a sound if not drugged sleep.
"So you are," Murray stared down at her patient. Amazing how one person could find so much trouble. "You are single handily financing our new Imaging wing."
"Glad to be of assistance," Standish rebutted, his irritation muted by the sluggishness that encompassed him.
"Well, seeing that you are awake and being your charming self," Murray smiled, "I'll shall be going and write discharge orders."
Ezra didn't like the smile. It reminded him of a snake about to devour its prey. The medical community was evil.
Chris sat back in his chair and enjoyed watching someone spar with his undercover agent.
He watched as Standish and Murray gave each other dirty looks.
The doctor ignored the brazen, scrutinizing, wary contempt that glazed green eyes dully bore her way. "I'll be releasing you later this afternoon."
Standish let a half smile grace his face, bringing out a hint of his dimples. He was too tired for the full toothy victorious grin that he flashed whenever he felt he had won.
Murray returned her patient's uppity smile with one of her own, "You'll be released only under the stipulation that you remain under the care and supervision of someone else."
Her smile brightened as her patient's smile faded.
"Good Lord," Ezra let his eyes close. He wasn't feeling up to being a house guest. He desired only to go home.
"He's done his duty concerning you for the last 48 hours," Murray answered. "Mr. Larabee?"
Chris sighed and nodded, "We'll take him back to the ranch with us."
The doctor nodded and then turned her attention back to her patient. "Get some rest Mr. Standish, you tore and pulled quiet a few muscles in your back carrying those children like you did, and won't be moving around to well for a while and those lacerations on your back, legs and posterior will keep you uncomfortable for a few days yet, I'll give Mr. Larabee, instructions on how to keep the sutures clean. And give you something for the discomfort."
She reveled in the blush that crept up Standish's face. From the corner of her eye she watched as the fearsome Supervising Agent Larabee slid further down into his chair with his hand shielding his face as if trying to hide from his accepted responsibilities.
"No getting the cast or sutures wet, and I'll be seeing you in 10 days." She headed for the door and motioned silently for Chris to follow.
Ezra shut his eyes and gently slunk further down under the blankets, "Over my dead body." He mumbled out.
"It just might be if you don't do as I say." Murray added as she lead the way out into the hallway.
~~~~~~~~~`
Chris leaned against the door to room 425 and shut his eyes as he rested his head back against the cool wood.
"He say anything about the boys yet?" Buck asked. Josiah and Nathan had taken JD and Vin to the park. They would bring them home later in the afternoon after Buck and Chris got Ezra to the ranch and settled.
Chris shook his head.
"Think he remembers?" Wilmington asked hoping that maybe Ezra didn't recall the past few days, though there was no reason why he shouldn't be able too.
Larabee nodded, "Yup."
~~~~~~~~~~~'
Sunday morning
Josiah kept his hands on Ezra's bare shoulder as Chris peeled back the 4x4 dressings that lined up and down the undercover agent's back and gently as he could, cleaned the crust and seeping serum from the sutures. Each time Standish flinched, Sanchez was forced to apply moderate pressure to keep the agent from squirming away.
Standish hissed and tried to wiggle away incurring more discomfort from the torn strap muscles that ran the length of his back. He paused and flashed a haphazard elbow in Chris's general direction.
Josiah sighed.
"Ezra, quit your movin' around," Larabee growled out. It had been only one night and now the first morning. Standish had been up moving about the house under his own power last night, albeit slowly and delicately but he had been moving none the same.
There was an underlying tension in the house. The boys had been and still were unusually quiet and Standish had confined himself to the rooms that had the fewest if any people.
It hadn't helped that yesterday afternoon and early evening he kept heading for Buck's truck and the Ram.
The gravel driveway and no shoes had kept the undercover agent from making a speedy escape, as did Diablo. Each time, Diablo had laid on the porch and let out a mournful howl that alerted anyone within a two mile radius that Standish was limping towards one of the trucks.
Not that Ezra hadn't tried to bribe the dog. Steak bones, chicken, peanut butter and jelly sandwich scraps, macaroni left-overs, anything Standish could palm from the refrigerator and sneak away with, he had given to the dog, in hopes to occupy the old lab's mouth while he, the stealthy undercover agent with pulled back muscles, could make good his escape.
Each time, Diablo had let loose with a sorrowful howl that repeated itself in its own lazy fashion.
Larabee had to laugh. Standish had yet to realize that Diablo was bemoaning the retreat of one of his pack.
Larabee shook his head and cringed...damn dog and tigers. Adopting strays. The beasts should know better.
"Brother?" Josiah asked when he saw Chris shake his head in disgust. Perhaps the sutures were becoming infected again. He rested a heavy hand on Standish's cheek and then forehead. Sanchez didn't feel a fever.
Ezra shook off the touch with vehement irritation. His humility had hit an all time high, or low, as it may be, laying here trapped as a house guest with all his 'assets' laid bared while his boss cleaned his wounds.
Chris shook his head dismissing Sanchez's worries.
Larabee peeled back the eleventh such 4x4, this one closer to Standish's pale lower back. Chris paused, not enjoying this any more than Ezra.
Josiah felt the tension and embarrassment from both men and understood their predicament even though it brought forth a bubbling chuckle.
"Oh, shut up Josiah," Ezra sputtered out tiredly with his face half buried in the pillow. At least Chris had the foresight to force two pain pills down him twenty minutes ago. Hopefully Ezra would be passed out before Chris had to go any deeper south.
"Brother, you defeated a lion with your bare hands," Josiah offered as a platitude trying to keep his humor under control. "That in itself is a biblical event, seen only done using the jaw bone of an Ass."
"Yes well, Mr. Larabee wasn't there, so I was forced to improvise."
Chris picked at the crusted serum that adhered to a group of the sutures over Standish's left buttock with a little more force than perhaps necessary.
Ezra sucked in a breath, tucking his backside away from the scraping and let out a yelp as sore muscles fired fierce complaints at the unwise movement.
A devilish smile crossed Chris's face, Josiah let loose with a deep chest rumbling laugh and Diablo pointed his nose to the bedroom's ceiling and let go with a doleful howl of empathy.
~~~~~~~~'
Buck sat outside on the porch steps with JD on his lap. The young boy nodded his head cautiously as he listened to everything his father had to say.
JD didn't understand why Buck wanted to talk to him about the adoption. JD leaned heavily against his father and quietly muttered, "There ain't no such thing as forever Buck..." JD explained slowly and carefully.
Sometimes adults were not too smart. He and Vin had learned that along time ago. Adults weren't always smart, they could look at you and still not see you, and sometimes they had foolish ideas.
Like Forever. There was no such thing as 'Forever'. JD's momma had talked about 'Forever' just before she fell asleep...but forever never came.
She had been wrong.
Just like Buck was now.
Buck hugged his little boy closer to his chest and ignored the heated pain that seared his ribs and sternum.
"JD you just can't be getting rid of people you adopt because they make you mad."
"We's gonna adopt Unca Ezra back," JD explained as if it should take care of everything.
"What if he doesn't want to be adopted back?" Buck asked, "He might not want to be hurt like that again."
JD shook his head real slow as if Buck was having difficulty with a simple concept, "Of course, he'll want to be adopted again," JD paused and sighed again. Adults were sometimes really, really slow, " Vin said, he always wanted to be taken back to someone's home, right up until he had to run away and found me."
"JD," Buck explained as earnestly as he could, "what happened to Vin wasn't right. Those people who gave up Vin made the biggest mistakes of their lives."
"But what if Uncle Ezra gits ya hurt again?" JD whispered out, "Even his momma don't like'im very much."
"First off little Bit, Ezra didn't get me hurt at all. He did his job and he did it really well. Just like when he protected to you from the mountain lion. And no one is to blame for me getting hurt except for the bad men who did it." Buck peered down at his little boy, "and for another thing, Ezra's momma loves him a real lot." Buck wasn't sure if he spoke the truth, but deep down he believed Maude Standish loved her son immensely.
"No she don't."
"Yes she does Lil' Bit," Buck paused, "she just don't show it like other moms show it."
"She used to send him away a lot." JD challenged.
Buck furrowed his brow, "He tell you that?"
"No, Mrs. Travis said it."
Buck bit back his frustration, "Lil' Bit, Ezra's momma loves him."
"No she don't," JD answered confidently, "No one loves Uncle Ezra, he does bad things and gets people hurt," JD continued to speak cutting Buck off, "that's why me 'n Vin adopted 'im. We wanted him not to be not loved by no one. He needs someone to look out fer 'im and teach 'im how to be good, but," JD rested his head back against Buck's chest seemingly unaware of the bruises that protested. JD shook his head, bumping his head against Buck's battered chest. Wilmington bit his cheek trying to catch his breath. JD kept on talking, "he's got ya hurt, Buck 'n that ain't right."
"JD don't go unadopting Ezra," Buck whispered, "Ya'll hurt'im more than that Mountain lion did."
"I don't wanna hurt'im Buck." JD's voice trembled, "But I's scared when ya got hurt, and ya couldn't even hug me or nuthin'....and it was scary."
"I know Lil' Bit," Buck answered back quietly resting his cheek on his son's head.
"But it weren't Ezra's fault. It was the bad men's fault."
JD nodded his head, "Ya think Unca Ezra will be happy that me 'n Vin decided not to unadopt 'im?"
Buck closed his eyes and tried to find an honest answer other than, 'I don't know.' Instead, he settled for cinching his arms around his small boy and holding him close, despite the pain in his ribs and sternum.