HEART'S DESIRE 1 – SAFETY

Series: Possible – Heart's Desire

Author's Chapter Notes:

I can't believe it - I started out to write some good old fashioned violence and h/c and this came out. Who'd a thunk it? Pre-C/V who else would it be? (I know maybe Ezra :) What: PWP - no sex though, I didn't know that could happen either :)

Originally written 10/2004

Chris and Vin lounged in the den; the drone of the Sunday afternoon football game announcer filled the air. Of course that wasn't the only thing filling the air. The warmth of the fire taking the chill off the November air along with the crackle and pop of the burning fire resonated through the room. The smell of popcorn and beer overrode the lingering scent of the burgers they had prepared together for lunch. You might not have been able to pick it up with your traditional senses, but the relaxed, easy camaraderie of two long time friends was almost a tangible presence in the room with them. Chris let his mind wander during a commercial. Things were good.

Vin had been spending more and more of his free time out at Chris's ranch. And less and less of his free time in his Purgatorio apartment. Something that suited his boss and friend just fine. Vin's presence turned the empty house into home. It also meant that many undone chores and repairs got done. Leaks mysteriously got fixed. Roof repairs that Chris had dreaded and put off turned into Saturday afternoons of fellowship for the two men.

More importantly Chris no longer dreaded every time the phone rang. He knew the neighborhood was important to Vin. He knew Vin was important to the neighborhood. Their were kids in college, fathers working, mothers alive and drug dealers in prison because one Vin Tanner made it his business to look out for his friends and neighbors. Unfortunately that meant that you might as well have painted a bull's eye on the back of that worn old leather jacket that Vin loved so much. Because for every little old lady that doted on the blue eyed wonder there was a street thug out to get revenge. That meant the stressed out ATF team leader could only relax in his off hours if Vin Tanner was in his sight, or at least out of that slum. When the Texan wasn't Larabee lived in dread that the next phone ringing would be the emergency room or worse.

Then the fates to be smiled on him one day, causing his stomach to unknot just a little. He was sure it was the work of two special angels, his Sarah and Adam. Perhaps with a little help from Vin's mom, Katherine. No one else could have pulled this off.

Mrs. Rosario, next to Nettie Wells Vin cared for no one more, had a problem. Living next door to him she already had five kids a too small apartment. Her eldest daughter was one of Vin's success stories she got out of the neighborhood and married a young man who became a Phoenix cop. The young couple was just starting out when he was killed in the line of duty. This compounded with the fact that she was pregnant with twins and wanted to come home to her mom called for drastic measures.

Larabee would never forget the timid - yes, unbelievably, timid knock on his office door. He didn't know Vin could look so, vulnerable, that was the word, without being at death's door. He damn near panicked - Tanner wasn't sick was he?

No, thank God! He told him Mrs. Rosario's tale. Then the other shoe dropped. He wanted to give up his apartment to them, could he move in with Chris? After all Chris had asked him to do that before. It was all Chris could do not to jump up and hug his best friend; scream, "YES!"; and do a dance of joy.

Instead he coughed lightly, held himself in check and weighed his words carefully. He was about to get his little brother full time. It was all he could do not to rub his hands together and sigh in relief. Oh, he knew the sharpshooter would still do volunteer work in the under privileged area. Hell, he might even go help. Afraid that the smug grin threatening to break out would scare the younger man off and ruin this wonderful gift the team leader used a move Ezra would have been proud of. Putting on his best game face and straightening his shoulders he calmly replied,

"Sure Vin, we can work something out."

"Thanks Chris." Since his boss had already given his attention back to the paper work on his desk Vin went back to work.

As soon as the door closed Chris had allowed the façade to drop as the widest smile known to man broke out on his face. Paper work forgotten, he allowed himself to enjoy the wonderful feelings he was experiencing. While he had wanted this for a long time the usually astute man was just now coming to terms with how much he wanted this, more that he had ever realized. Life was good, like now and that brought his thoughts back to this crisp fall day.. Mrs. Rosario was moving her daughter in next week. The boys were going to help move Vin's stuff next weekend. There wasn't a lot. Vin had argued he didn't even need help. In that neighborhood you didn't acquire nice things or they would vanish. But they were family and family helped each other. So they would move Vin out. Maybe help move the Rosario's in.

Josiah especially was going to help keep an eye on Tina. Nathan and Rain was going to be her back up Lamaze coaches in case she went into labor when Mrs. Rosario couldn't get out of work. The tenants in Vin's old building were now like cousins -family you helped out.

Chris would do what he could to help the Rosario's because they had done for him something he had never been able to do for himself. They had gotten Vin out of that neighborhood. Out of the place he had lived on the streets, where he had pulled himself up from. Where Vin had lived when he made something out of himself, instead of allowing the streets to tear him down. Sometimes Vin acted like he never deserved to be any place better. Sometimes he acted like he just wanted to be an example for the kids. Sometimes he acted like he just wanted to give back to the place he survived. Many times Larabee wondered if they would ever have a future anywhere else, until now.

Larabee would support his friend's efforts to help the community. More importantly Chris would enjoy that Vin now lived some place safer, enjoy having him close and spend that time reminding Tanner what a wonderful, intelligent, ingenious, worthy person he was. The widower wanted to spend even more time making sure the Texan knew just how important he was to him.

The darkly dressed man startled when Tanner yelled in outrage over a referees' call.

Wait a mintute ... what am I thinking? Quickly putting on an air of nonchalance as his mind raced ... 'Our future' ... 'important to me' ... 'concern & panic'... 'nearly hug' ... Oh . My . God. Larabee realized it was better at the moment to appreciate his best friend, who was now in the safety of their home. But, later, he had some heavy thinking to do.

THE END