Six hours later, five of Team Seven of the ATF restlessly prowled the hospital waiting room.
"Damn, you'd think they could at least send word!" snapped Vin, frustrated.
Coincidentally, the doctor chose that moment to step into the room. He did not look happy.
"Doc? Something wrong?" asked JD, alarmed at the expression on the doctor's face.
"Yes," said the doctor shortly. "Quite frankly, I'm tired of seeing you and your team in here. Can't you go a month without one of you getting injured? Really, you're driving me insane! I'm getting so I don't know if I want to save your stupid lives anymore! It's not as if you appreciate my hard work! Now, Mr. Tanner, bed rest for at least a fortnight. But do you rest for a fortnight? No! You're up and back to work in three days, and back in my ER in another week! Now, Mr. Dunne, don't go dancing on balcony railings when you're drunk again. But do you listen? Of course not! I'm only the doctor, after all. You lot can't go six months without getting shot at least four times each! Well, I'm not gonna take it anymore, you hear? I'm not! I'm not! I'm... I'm..." The doctor stopped, near tears, and took two deep breaths before turning to Josiah and Nathan. "You two are better about avoiding bullets than the rest. Can't you teach them some of your tricks?"
Buck stepped forward. "Quit yer yappin' and tell us how our friends are."
The doctor glared at him. "They'll live."
When he seemed unwilling to divulge further details, JD ventured a probing question. "Uh... you wanna be more specific?"
Doc sighed. "Which first? Mr. Larabee, I suppose. Blood loss, torn muscles, nothing fatal, recommend rest ... blah blah blah, you know the drill. And no, you can't see him now, you can damn well wait until he's out of recovery. And don't even think about trying to sneak in there, or I'll have you thrown out and you'll never be able to see him."
The five blinked simultaneously.
"Mr. Standish," continued the doctor, "has one hell of a smashed hand. We didn't have to cut it off, of course, but we did have to work damn hard to make sure he'll have full use of it again, and so help me God, if I catch him cheating at cards before I say he can take off the bandages..."
"Wait," interrupted Nathan. "When did you play cards with Ez?
The doctor looked embarrassed. "Last time you were here. You were waiting for... Mr. Wilmington... no, Mr. Dunne... one of you, anyway, to wake up. And I was on a break. And he challenged me to a game of chance. I lost an entire month's salary."
The five ATF agents smiled proudly. Sentiments of "Good ol' Ez" were exchanged.
"Anyway," the doctor went on, "He should be out soon. I wanted to admit him but noooooo, his hand is fixed and damned if he'll listen to the doctor. Of course he knows best, I only went to medical school for six years..."
The five exchanged glances.
"Uh. Well, he'll be out in a bit." The doc glanced at his watch and moved to stand in the doorway. "And now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I have some cooperative patients to see."
The doc stalked off down the hall, muttering about ATF agents and their injuries.
Half an hour later, Buck was absently examining his fingernails, reflecting on the fact that his current girlfriend wouldn't be too thrilled to discover that he'd bitten them down to the quick yet again; JD was lying with his shoulders on the ground and the rest of his body extended up the wall, humming an odd tune; Josiah was quietly contemplating life, the universe and everything; Nathan was finishing his twelfth cup of coffee and his thirtieth game of solitaire; and Vin was rocking back and forth on his heels while staring out of the window and biting his lip. And who says men can't do more than one thing at a time?
Ezra watched his teammates in silence from the doorway for a few seconds before clearing his throat.
Everyone jumped except JD, who had toppled over.
"Ezra!"
"Ez!"
"That's a big bandage."
"How long d'you have to keep that sling on?"
"...ow."
Ezra grinned, choosing to respond to the last comment only. "Not to worry, Mr. Dunne, should you be unable to extricate yourself from your current... situation... without physical damage, you can doubtless find comfort in the fact that we are in a medical establishment."
Buck glanced over at JD.
"Damn, kid!" he exclaimed, hurrying to his roommate's aid. "How can you possibly be in that position without breaking your back?"
Nathan indicated that Ezra should sit next to him, waving his pack of cards with a wicked grin. "Let's see you cheat at cards now, Standish."
"Mr. Jackson! I don't cheat!"
A nurse appeared, looking around the waiting room. "Are you lot waiting to see Mr. Larabee?" she asked.
When everyone nodded, she allowed a frown to settle on her face. "I do wish you'd tell me what you've done to Doctor Jones. He's been crying on and off for half an hour now."
Buck looked her up and down. "Y'all are new here, ain't ya?"
She nodded.
Buck grinned. "Ask us that again in six months then, sweetheart."
She stared at him disapprovingly for a moment, refusing to allow his grin to get to her.
"Mr. Larabee can see you now."
As everyone jumped to their feet - well, JD sort of hobbled - she held up a finger.
"Not so fast. He wants to see a Mr. Standish first, if he's here. Just for five minutes."
Ezra tried not to show surprise as everyone turned to stare at him.
"You heard her, Ez, go on," Vin ordered, pretending not to be jealous.
Ez went.
"Mr. Larabee?" Ezra whispered, peeking into the private room that was always assigned to Chris, when he was the only one injured.
"Yo." Chris briefly lifted his right hand in greeting.
"Ah. I understand you wish to see me?"
"Yeah. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I'm fine." Ezra shifted uncomfortably. "Uh... Mr. Larabee... I'm sorry I got you into this."
Chris raised an eyebrow (just one) in surprise. "Not your fault, Ez."
"It is. Hendrickson was right, I shouldn't have gone to one of my fr- colleagues for help."
Chris sighed. "That's what friends are there for, Ez."
Ezra laughed shortly. "Indeed."
Anger flickered across Chris's features. "Dammit, Standish, don't you ever learn?"
Ezra was taken aback. "Pardon?"
"You'd think, Ezra, you really would, that after all this time you might just have caught on."
"Mr. Larabee, I'm afraid I don't have a clue what you're -"
"Shut up and listen, Ezra. We are your friends, right? God knows we've proven that enough times for it to have stuck with you."
"Mr. Larabee-"
"Ez, if you don't shut your mouth I swear to God I'll get Vin in here to shut it for you. You know this isn't exactly easy for me to say, so just let me say it while I can blame it on the pain meds."
Ezra shook his head, but said nothing.
Chris watched him for a second to make sure he wasn't going to speak, then continued. "Now, you hide it damn well, but I know you value our friendship immensely, right?"
Ezra gaped, so shocked at being found out that he forgot to put his poker face in place. "I... I... Uh..."
"Shut it. Now, I want you to listen very carefully, and let this sink in. Are you listening?"
Ezra nodded.
"Okay. Now. We value your friendship too." Chris spoke slowly, enunciated clearly, and was rather surprised to find he was speaking the truth. "As much as you value ours, in fact." He paused, waiting for a comment. Ezra was silent, a shell-shocked expression on his face. "Ezra?"
Ezra tilted his head to one side. After a moment, he said, with difficulty, "That much?"
"Yeah." Two voices spoke in unison - Chris and...
Ezra whirled to face the door. Vin stood there, leaning against the frame, arms folded, smiling.
"Um..." Ezra looked from Chris to Vin, and back. "Um... I... I think I should fetch our comrades. They must be just itching to see Mr. Larabee."
"Ez!"
Ezra looked in Chris's direction, though not directly at him.
"What are the chances of you ever calling me Chris?"
Ezra's mouth opened and shut several times before he responded, "Don't push your luck." And with that, he carefully stepped past Vin and walked slowly back to the waiting room.
Vin looked at Chris.
"Think he'll be able to cope with that?"
Chris would have shrugged, but it hurt too much. "Yeah. He just needs some time to digest it."
Vin nodded, then quickly claimed the only chair in the room before the others arrived.
Ezra sat in the waiting room, alone, having sent the others to Larabee's room. He was pondering. The thought that the others might actually value his friendship had never even crossed his mind. He wasn't the type of person that had friends. He had acquaintances, colleagues, teammates, but not friends. Even the word itself sounded odd to his ears, when used in connection with his name.
"Ez!"
Ezra started, looked up. "Mr. Dunne," he said coolly, throwing JD his best "go away" look.
The kid grinned, unfazed. "Aren't you coming back? We could use your silver tongue when the nurse tries to kick us out."
Ezra scowled. "Has she tried already?"
JD laughed. "No! But she will. She's new!"
Ezra nodded. He had to admit the truth of that statement.
"So, are ya coming, buddy? Come on! Please? Pretty please?" JD was literally jumping up and down, pulling on Ezra's sleeve.
"On my way."
JD nodded and dashed off down the hall.
Ezra hauled himself to his feet and sighed, then smiled. Friend... perhaps it didn't sound so strange after all.
The End
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