Title: Forced Time Off….

Author: Vivian Tanner

Rating: T

Main Characters: All Seven

Summary: The boys just got back from a much needed vacation. Several cases straight, no rest from hunting down bad guys, when Travis ordered the boys to 'Get Away from it all' for the weekend he thought he was doing a good thing. Why does it seem like they need a vacation now more than before they left?

Disclaimer: Don't own these boys or their friends and family, wish I did, but much to my dismay I do not. Just thought I'd take them out for a ride or two or three. I promise to return them to their rightful owners unharmed. Thank you to the creators of the ATF Universe; it is a cool place to play once and awhile.

A/N: Originally wrote in response to July 2009 monthly challenge for Free Spirits yahoo group. Subject- vacation. Hope y'all enjoy!

Forced Time Off…..

0800, Mon Morning

ATF Building

It had been a quiet morning in the ATF Building, most teams were either in court finishing up their most recent cases, or just getting into the research phase of a new assignment. The fact that nothing big was in the works was a shock for the building, but no one was going to knock the downtime, seeing as it was such a rare thing. The quiet atmosphere of the morning was soon shattered with the entry of Team Seven, ALL of Team Seven.

"Aye swear that monster had a contract out on us or something! There was no way we could just attract that much bad luck! Can we?" The sight of seeing members of the Magnificent Seven in this early was not an unusual event, hearing the familiar southern drawl of one Ezra Standish in the building before noon, was a different story.

"Now Ez, I'm sure you're just over exaggerating ….."

"No I am not Mr. Wilmington, that monster was out for blood, OUR BLOOD! And for the last time the name is EZRA, EZRA … here spell it with me E-Z-R-A!!!!! Ezra, not Ez, not E, not any of the other uneducated ways you comedians continue to butcher my poor name! It is EZRA!!!!!!!!"

Before the agents in the lobby had time to truly comprehend what was happening before their eyes, the two arguing team members disappeared into the elevator, continuing their 'discussion'. Two more of their group could be seen walking towards the office medical center.

"I can't believe you broke your arm on that stupid tree? What were you doing climbing up there any ways? A man your age should have more sense than to be swinging from the tree like some damn monkey!"

"Now Brother Nathan, I do believe that-."

"Don't try to 'Brother Nathan' me, you knew damn well what you were doing! Now you're just going to shut up and suffer through the nurse checking you out before I drag your heavy ass to the hospital!"

By this point a crowd had begun to gather in the lobby to watch the parade of characters that made up one of the department's most successful teams continue on their various 'discussions' without a care to who was watching. The next pair to walk through the lobby wasn't as loud as the others, but it was no doubt as heated of an argument as the two that came before.

Chris Larabee & Vin Tanner stormed through the lobby, glaring at each other as if they were waiting for the other one to burst into flames. With the intensity of their stares, several people in the lobby were waiting for the same thing, some even started to put money on who would go first. To everyone's surprise, it was not the leader of the group who was often heard yelling at the team members, but the shy, quiet sharpshooter who some agents swore was a mute.

"Don't look at me like that cowboy, you said you wanted to get the boys away from it all for awhile… well that's what I planned, ain't my fault they can't handle a little bit of nature!"

"I said get away from it all, not get them killed! Or eaten!"

"Forgive me for trying to get them some fresh air!"

"Fresh Air! Fresh Air! I can't … do you have … ARG!"

The two split, Larabee storming to the elevator to follow their fellow agents up to the teams office to start in the week's paperwork. Tanner turned around and stormed back out through the door where the group had just came from the parking structure, almost taking out the last member of the team in the process. JD Dunne stood in the lobby watching the rest of Team Seven rip each other apart before heading off in different directions. With a sigh that made the youngest member of the team seem at the moment like the oldest of the team, he picked up the rest of the bags that had been dropped by the team, and headed to the elevator.

"Man JD what the hell happened?"

"We spent the last week stuck together … big mistake." JD paused to answer the questions of the other teams, knowing from past experience it was just better to answer the questions, then to deal with the aftermath of rumors that would feel the office building by the end of the day. Just as he was about to head on up to the office he was caught by the leader of Team Five. The two teams had often worked together and at times felt like extend family.

"JD my man, I have one word for you … vacation, that's what you boys need."

"Oh no, I just got back from one with those guys, I am never going on a group trip again." Before anyone could comment on that last statement, JD turned quickly to the elevator muttering the entire time about camping gone wrong, and idiot older brothers.

"Did he say they just got back from vacation? Where the hell did they go?"

"I don't know, but as soon as they calm down we'll find out, and make sure we never go there."

The End