Blinking lights.

Warmth.

Cold.

Spiraling awareness as he climbed out of the cloud of coma.

"Easy, young man, you’ve had a stressful time," a warped voice said to this right.

He forced his eyes to open.  The ceiling was white.  Where the hell was he?  He continued to blink to clear his hazy vision.  A face came into a view.  A man with a beard.  White coat.  A doctor?

 "Good evening, I’m Doctor Harris. We’ve been waiting for you wake up."

Vin dragged his gaze from the speaker to another man in a white coat on the other side of his bed.  Bed?  He was in hospital?

"Just relax. You were injured. Do you remember?"

Vin stared at the man bewildered.  He remembered… nothing.  Not a damn thing.  He shook his head slightly from side to side.  Doctors.  A hospital. His arm was strapped.  He’d been injured?  How?

"It’s alright. Your memory will return in time. Right now, it is important you relax. Okay?"

Vin stared at the doctor.  Why couldn’t he remember?  What had happened?

"I want you to tell me anything you remember," Dr. Harris prompted.

Vin concentrated.  His mind whizzed in an abyss. And then... a face.  THAT face.

"CHRIS!"

**********

The members of Em6 jumped. Vin remembered.  He remembered Chris!

Vin snapped upright.  Both Dr. Harris and Dr. Allison leant over him and tried to force him back in the bed. "Easy, lad, easy. Just relax."

Vin’s eyes darted wildly.  "Where is he? Where’s Chris?"

Tanner frantically searched the room.  "What’s going on? Is Chris alright?"

Larabee unconsciously tugged against the caring hands forcing him to do the best for Vin.

"We need to sedate him," Dr. Harris remarked. Vin Tanner, clearly identifying the man as a threat to locating his colonel, grabbed the doctor and flung him across the bed and onto the ground on the other side. Then he seized the other doctor by the front of his coat and drew their faces together. "Tell me where Chris is!  NOW."

Josiah and Nathan exchanged a glance. Should they release Chris?  Both were waiting for a signal from the so-called expert.

Larabee watched his friend’s desperate struggle in horror. He couldn’t go to him. Last time it had sparked a memory rush and that was the last thing Vin needed. It’s okay, Vin. It’s okay.

Chris?

"Chris!"

Dr Allison reached for the call button. Vin slammed his elbow into the doctor’s face and ripped out the drip and other wires attached to him in one movement. He was half way out of the bed when Chris Larabee tore himself loose. Now was the time. Josiah and Nathan may not be sure and these experts may not know, but in his soul, Chris knew.

"Vin.”  Chris rushed across and grabbed his agitated friend by the shoulders to prevent him exiting the bed.

"Chris!”  Relief blanketed Vin’s ashen face.  “Chris, I…”

"Easy, Vin. Lay back," but neither man made any attempt to carry out the instruction. They stared at each other - frozen in time...two minds, one soul.

“What is… I don’t… Chris?”

 "Lay, back and relax," Chris repeated.

Vin’s face calmed.  His head tilted to one side and a half-grin lit up his extremely pale face. "That supposed to be an order, Cowboy?"

Chris Larabee’s relief flooded out of him in an uncontrolled rush. Those words, more than any others, told him Vin was okay. Without thought, Chris wrapped his arms around Vin and held him. Two years of agony disappeared in that moment.  "God, Vin. Thank God you’re okay. Thank God." Tears of joy and relief flooded Larabee’s cheeks. He couldn’t believe it. He had waited so long for this moment. "I’m sorry. God, I’m sorry."

The two doctors found their feet and studied the confrontation with professional interest. "Colonel Larabee, I really think...."

"&*%@ what you think!" Larabee growled. What use had he been? Chris held Vin, feeling his friend’s heart beat against this chest.

“Chris?”  Vin asked confused.  “There a reason you’re hugging me like some gay lover?”

Laugher exploded out of Larabee.  He held Vin a few seconds longer and then reluctantly released him. "Sorry.  I just… God, Vin.  I can’t believe… I…”

Vin grinned.  “You’re making more sense than usual.”

Tanner’s false mirth didn’t fool Chris.  He could sense his friend’s uncertainty. “Sorry. Lay back.  You need to rest.  You’re okay. You’ve been suffering amnesia."

"Amnesia?"

"Don’t talk, just lay back and relax. Trust me." Vin nodded and allowed Chris to assist him back onto the pillow. "Hell you made a mess of all of these wires," Chris stated, trying to pull them out of the way.

"Chris, what...?" Vin’s mind was a complete blank. The only thing he was aware of was the fact he was in a hospital and Chris was standing above him.

Larabee read the rising panic. Time to go with his instincts. "You had a bad case of Jungle Fever and suffered amnesia."

"Yeah, but we ain’t in Kat. are we?" Even before he finished the sentence, Vin slammed his eyes shut. "Chris!"

“Memory rush!” Josiah warned.

Chris grabbed Vin’s hand. "I’m here." With helpless frustration, Chris watched Vin’s face shadow with horror. "Harris, do something!" Larabee roared.

"You are doing everything and more than I can," Dr. Harris insisted. "Keep talking to him and keep him calm.  You must anchor him here so he isn’t trapped in the memory."

Chris laid his right hand in the middle of Vin’s chest. “Vin, I need you to listen to me. You’re okay. Do you hear me, Lieutenant? You’re okay."

Tanner’s tight expression dissolved almost immediately and his breathing slowed. "Ch…ris?  What… what the hell’s happening?" His voice shook with confusion and he was blinking violently.

"Your memories are trying to surface. Just try to relax. We need to try and slow down how quickly your memories are returning."

Vin’s blinking eased and he looked up into Chris’s worried face. "And just how are 'we' going to do that, Cowboy?"

Larabee sighed his relief. Vin was back in control. "You smartass sonofabitch! I’m dying here." As he stared at his friend he fully realized how much he had missed Vin.

Vin licked his lips, his uncertainty and concern glowing for Chris to see. Larabee reached for his shoulder and squeezed it. I know you’re scared. We’ll get though this together.

Vin nodded as he tried to search his ringing mind for an explanation. "The boys?"

"Alive and safe," Chris assured.

"Where?"

"Just relax and stay calm. I don’t know if you’re ready..."

"Chris, please." Vin Tanner begged for nothing, not even his life, but today, he was prepared to beg to see his team… family. Larabee glanced at the expert who nodded.

"One at a time.”

Buck need no further invitation and stepped around the doctors. Vin’s eyes widened and a smile lit his pale features.

"Hey, Vin,” Buck choked. “How are you doing, Kid?"

"Lousy, Buck," Vin stated, offering his hand. Buck smacked it out of the way and smothered his friend in a bear hug.

“Missed you, Kid. Missed you bad.  I… God, Vin. I…”

"Easy there, big fella," Chris remarked. "Folks’ll talk."

Buck snorted and erupted with laughter. "God, Vin, it’s so good to see you."

"How the hell can you see me, while I’ll wrapped up like this, Bucklin. Let go of me, I can’t breathe."

Buck held Vin tightly. "Shit, Vin, I… I mean... we all thought..."

"Buck," Chris warned. "Let him go, big fella."

Wilmington did so, tears again streaming down his cheeks.

"You all thought what?" Vin asked.

Buck glanced at Chris.

Vin flicked his eyes to his leader. "You all thought what?"

"That you were dead," Chris stated carefully.

Vin’s eyes narrowed. Before he could try to make any connections, Nathan stepped up beside the bed. "Hey, mate."

Vin grinned and offered his hand. Nathan took it and then drew Vin in for a brief hug. "It’s real good to see them eyes of yours open, Lieutenant."

"Vin," Josiah grinned.

"Howdy, Preacher." Josiah hugged his friend and stepped back.

Vin ran his eyes around the group. "You fellas thought I was dead?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Vin, I don’t know if we should really..."

"Dammit, Chris, I want to know!"

"Calm down. You’ve just regained consciousness."

"Larabee, I have a right to know..."

"You have a right to do exactly what you’re told, Lieutenant!"

"Don’t go pulling rank on me, Larabee!"

Buck Wilmington smiled from ear to ear. "Looks like things are already back to normal," he stated beaming at Josiah and Nathan.

"Why did you think I was dead?"

"It’s a long story."

"I ain’t plannin’ on goin’ anywhere."

"Will you just..."

"Stop lecturin’ me and get your ass in gear, Chris. What the hell happened?"

Chris saw red.  He opened his mouth to comment but was flooded with happiness instead. Only Vin Tanner could push him to the edge like this.  "God, I missed you."

Vin arched his left eyebrow and turned to the others. "Chris can’t seem to get his thumb out of his ass so would one of you please tell me..."

"Thumb out of my ass?"

"Hell, Chris, I ask you a simple question and I’m still waitin’ for an answer."

Chris smiled, bearing his soul. He couldn’t help it. Vin only got like this when he was really pissed off or really worried. Today it was a combination of both.

Larabee patted his friend’s arm and sank into the seat beside the bed. "We dropped you off at that medical facility and left on a mission. When we came back you’d disappeared. Apparently you ran some orders into an Australian platoon."

Vin’s eyes narrowed.

"Do you remember?" Buck prompted.

"Someone asked you to run the orders in, Vin. Who was it?" Chris has been waiting for the answer to that question for a very long time. Whoever had double-crossed Vin was a walking corpse.

"I..." Vin’s face contorted. "I..."

"It’s all right," Harris stated moving to the bed. "Don’t try to force your memories. They will come back of their own accord." Vin flicked his eyes from the doctor to Chris.

It’s all right, Cowboy. We’ll take it one step at a time.

"I’m tired," Vin stated abruptly.

"Then close your eyes and sleep."

Tanner’s eyes grabbed his colonel’s. There was real apprehension reflected. Chris knew what was going through Vin’s mind - if he closed his eyes would Chris and others would be gone forever?

I’m not going anywhere. Chris squeezed Vin’s shoulder. The sharpshooter relaxed, his eyes closing. Immediately his chest began to rise and fall evenly as emotional exhaustion sent him into the painless world of slumber.

"He’s going to get through this," Dr Harris stated with confidence. "I have read Yates’ research on similar cases involving Jungle Fever Coma Survivors and a number died from shock, a number lost their minds and now reside in mental institutions, several committed suicide, one has never regained his memory.  However, I think Lieutenant Tanner will safely regain his memories over time."

Buck glared at the doctor. "Some died! Some lost their minds! Several committed suicide! Why the hell didn’t you say something earlier?"

“Because basically this isn’t his field and he knew it,” Josiah growled.  “We need to get Dr. Yates here.  He is the expert on Jungle Fever Coma survivors.”

Harris licked his lips.  “That is true, however, Yates’ research in this area is not accepted by the large proportion of doctors in the field of Amnesia.  I…”  He wilted under the six glares directed at him and gradually backed out of the room.

“Pompous twat,” Buck shouted after him.  “Is Vin going to be alright, Josiah?  He seemed okay.”

“I agree but this is a specialized area and…”

“And I shall contact Dr. Yates and have him on a plane this afternoon,” Ezra declared.

Chris lifted his gaze from Vin’s pale face to Ezra’s, his expression one of deep and sincere gratitude.

**********

Less than three hours later, Vin was sitting up in bed listening carefully as Chris explained how the contract had been taken out on his life and how the Hawks had accepted the covenant, chasing all other perspective assassins away. The sharpshooter was particularly quiet.  Every syllable his colonel uttered brought with it an accompanying memory.

Chris realized Vin was no longer closing his eyes when it happened. Rather, Larabee could identify the recollection of a memory by a slight pinching at the side of Vin’s right eye and the minute dilating of his best friend’s pupils for a fleeting second.

The rest of the team left their leader to provide Vin with the assistance needed. Dr Harris explained that one source of information at a time was more than enough for Vin to cope with and therefore Chris, and Chris alone, should take on the role of supporting the sharpshooter re-establish initial connections with the memories over the next couple of days.

Josiah, Nathan, Buck and J.D collected around Ezra’s bed playing cards. A curtain was drawn around Vin’s bed so he was not distracted. Vin could hear his friends’ hushed voices and could identify a couple he didn’t recognize, but he wasn’t concerned. He had nothing to fear with Chris seated across from him and Buck, Josiah and Nathan on the other side of the room.

"So by the time we arrived at the Tascosa ranch the Hawks were already there." On Dr. Harris’ suggestion, Larabee had started with the most recent events in Vin’s life. "Kane and his boys must have arrived almost an hour before us."

Vin nodded. His memories of what had taken place two days earlier were coming quickly and clearly. "They took off after me on trail bikes." Suddenly Vin’s brow furrowed as he remembered a particular incident. "There was this soldier... who was no more a solider than I’m a ballet dancer, but he could shoot like the Devil himself." Vin reviewed the incidents silently. "He saved my life."

"Well, thank you Lieutenant Tanner," Ezra announced, climbing out of bed. The conman chose that moment to introduce himself. "Colonel Larabee, if you will not see fit to listen to me, perhaps you will heed the opinion of Lieutenant Tanner. I am not, nor have I ever claimed to be, a soldier. I was born to live a life far removed from fatigues, parachuting or rummaging around in the wilderness."

Vin looked Ezra up and down as he appeared through the curtain and then turned back to his leader. "Who the hell is this guy?"

Chris smiled. "Ezra Standish. The boys and I are part of a new group. It’s called E.M.6. Ezra’s our official purchasing and supply officer, liaison officer and..."

"And mouth?" Vin asked.

Ezra shot the young man an exasperated look. "Lieutenant Tanner, my talents lie in a number of areas but they do not, as you have already astutely ascertained, lend themselves to ‘soldiering’."

Vin grinned and shot Chris a glance. I like him.  "Well, mate," Vin drawled offering his left hand, for Ezra’s right one was in a sling. "I owe you my life. I won’t forget that."

Mate. The word resounded in Ezra Standish’s ears. He knew men like Tanner didn’t give out such a ‘title’ easily. It was a sacred bond of trust and faith and Ezra felt immediately humbled by the offer of such a unique pledge.

"To quote a line from, what I must admit has become my favourite piece of poetry, - ‘you are a mate. You owe me nothing except your trust, loyalty and friendship. And in return I shall gladly sacrifice my soul and give my life."

Vin’s brow furrowed. His eyes glazed ever so slightly. Chris reached out and placed his hand on his friend’s arm - a simple gesture of reassurance that he was there if Vin needed him.

"You are familiar with the poem?" Ezra inquired, noting the response.

"He should be," Buck announced appearing beside the stunned agent. "He wrote it."

Ezra’s eyes widened. "You wrote... I mean, forgive me. It’s just you don’t strike me as the type of man who would be a poet."

"I ain’t. I just write what I feel," Vin murmured, glancing down at his clasped hands. His poetry was something personal. He’d only ever shared it with Chris and the boys - and only because Josiah had once caught him writing it.

"You okay?" Chris whispered.

"I did not mean to upset you, Lieutenant Tanner."

Vin glanced up at Ezra. "It’s Vin. My friends never call me Lieutenant Tanner unless they’re pissed off with me." Tanner grinned. "Which is why Larabee does it all the time."

Chris’ eyes narrowed in apparent disgust.

Ezra nodded. Vin and Chris’ friendship shone like a beacon and though Ezra didn’t know why, he found it quite amazing. Perhaps it was because Chris had never allowed himself to operate on that level. Larabee was friendly enough, but never familiar. Ezra had always suspected it was because he had to maintain a certain status with his men, but that element was completely absent in the presence of this long haired young man with the guarded blue eyes.

"Where did you read my poem?"

Ezra glanced at Chris and immediately decided now would be a very good time for Buck and him to depart. Clearly the captain had the same idea.

"Come on, Ez, J.D.’s probably cheatin’ like hell while we’re not there."

Vin turned to Chris waiting for an explanation. "It’s on the wall in my office," Larabee stated simply.

The sharpshooter nodded thoughtfully. Chris allowed him a few moments to collect his thoughts.

"Chris, how long?" Larabee knew exactly what his young friend was asking. He had been anticipating and dreading the question. Vin wanted to know how long he had been separated from his team.

"Two years."

Vin looked shocked. "Two years!" The young man’s face took on a pained expression. "For two years you thought I was dead?"

"No." Their eyes locked together.

You’ve been missing two years.

But you never believed I was dead.

I never accepted it. Vin and Chris’ arms snapped together - a full forearm shake that signified the depth of their brotherhood. Vin understood exactly what Chris meant and he instantly embraced the emotional hell Larabee must have gone through knowing his friend was alive and being unable to find him.

Chris Larabee was flooded with guilt. He had so much more he needed to tell Vin about his disappearance - about the aftermath of his disappearance - but the colonel couldn’t bring himself to do it just yet.

"I already told you, Buck, I’m not lending you any more money!" J.D.’s voice wafted gracelessly through the curtain.

Vin’s eyes narrowed. He recognized that voice. "The voice from the radio set. He’s the one who tried to lead me to safety."

Chris nodded and called for J.D.

The youth popped his head through the curtain. "Colonel?"

"Vin, this is J.D. He’s our technology officer. Former CIA." Vin offered his hand and J.D stepped forward and took it.

"I’m real pleased to meet you, Lieutenant Tanner."

"Vin," Tanner corrected. Vin’s eyes narrowed. "How many people are on your team now?" he asked Chris.

"Ezra and J.D. are the only two additions."

"Then who the hell is your sharpshooter?"

I’m looking at him!

"You’ve been operating without a sharpshooter?" Vin demanded.

"Oh, ooo," Buck whispered.

"Fireworks," Josiah agreed.

"Damn it, Chris, who’s been watching your backs?"

"We’ve been watching each other’s backs," Chris snarled.

"That’s not what I mean and you know it. How can you operate without a sharpshooter?

"It hasn’t been easy!" Chris spat back.

"Now, you can fill the position," J.D. stated quickly. Vin glanced at Dunne and his face clouded.

Larabee reached for Vin’s shoulder. "Hey, no one’s forcing you. If you want to go back to ranching we’ll be the first to support you."

"I..."

"Just relax. You don’t even need to be thinking about this now."

J.D. swallowed. Why did he always put his foot into it?

"Chris, I don’t know if I’d even be able to do the job anymore. I’ve just learned it’s been two years."

"Lieutenant Tanner," Ezra scolded rounding the corner. "If that is all that is concerning you then take it from me, you have no need to fret. I saw first hand what you are capable of doing and, my friend, you are one efficient sharpshooter."

The rest of the men crowded around Vin’s bed.

"Vin, you take your time on this," Josiah insisted.

"No one’s asking you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with," Nathan added.

"I don’t want you feeling obligated to join our new unit if that’s not what you want," Chris claimed.

"And let you crazy bastards get your heads shot off?" Vin spouted. Chris smiled. He’d never had any doubt.

Josiah, Buck and Nathan were nodding. They too had known Vin would never allow them to go into battle without him.

Buck noticed J.D. was unclipping his I.D. card pinned to his pocket. Without a word the younger agent took out a pen and wrote something on the front of it.

"What the hell are you doin’, boy?"

J.D. grinned and pinned the badge in place. Buck stepped forward and then his face lit up with a smile the size of Texas. J.D. had crossed out the numeral six written on his badge as part of E.M.6 and replaced it with a seven.

"I reckon we must be E.M.7 now," the boy declared.

"I always think it has more class to pronounce it as a word. Em seven," Josiah stated thoughtfully. All of the men rolled their eyes. No doubt a story was going to follow. "The reason I say that is because I am reminded of a group of cowboys called ‘The Magnificent Seven’, or M 7 and I feel that ..."

"Shit, Preacher, you ain’t changed," Vin laughed.

"M 7. I like the sound of that," Nathan commented.

"Well, technically it is still E.M. 7 but it should be written Em 7 so people realize that it is pronounced M 7."

"Whatever, Josiah," Buck cried. "The Magnificent Seven."

"Does this mean we get to wear cowboy hats?" J.D. asked.

"No!" the other men snapped as one.

**********

Go to part 18 of 19

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