Summary: *ATF/AU* Acting like an adult can be tough.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything "The Magnificent Seven" related, Characters of M7 do not belong to me, I like so many others before me am merely using the amazing universe of the ATF, no monetary compensation received, just the pleasure of creative writing as stress relief

Rating: T

Author's Notes: This story is another snippet from the story arc I have been creating. I am posting (out of order as I finish them). It follows most of the ATF canon, but new characters are being introduced. I thought of this after being inspired from reading stories posted by all of you much more talented authors.

I hope I have posted something others will enjoy reading.

Please be kind in your reviews! Not Betaed

Adultlike by Sapphire Lee

"Where is Sherry?" Ezra asked with concern.

"Sherry is out shopping. She'll be back soon." Buck said quickly and handed Ezra a cup of coffee.

"Ah messed up, didn't I?"

Buck smiled encouragingly. "You did Ez, but don't worry she'll still love you, it's a Sherry thing I guess. She forgives us our mistakes, even the doozies."

Ezra threw a blanket over his head dramatically. He was ashamed. He wasn't acting like an adult lately. "I was supposed to watch her, not the other way around."

Buck knew he needed to be a good friend and talk to him, he wasn't just close to the southern man as Vin was, but that relationship was strained for the moment. "That's family I guess. You look out for each other."

Ezra sat up and uncovered his head. "It's like everyone has someone…Nathan has Selena, Josiah has Catherine, Chris has everyone to hate and look after, you have your special lady of the week to snuggle with, JD is…well JD, Vin has Sherry …everyone has a special person or a purpose. Then there is me" he said gesturing to himself.

Buck took a deep breath. He wished Chris or Sherry was here to talk Ezra out of his bad mood. "Ez, you have all of us, we're your family. And you…well you have Sherry too, that pretty little gal likes you something fierce." He knew Ezra didn't like talking about his feelings much. "You know me…I'll always be your pain in the ass….no matter how much you pretend to not like me." Buck said grinning

Ezra threw a pillow into his face. "You really are a pain in the ass."

Buck chuckled. "Wanna watch a rerun of the A-Team?"

"Yeah…why not. It's better than getting inebriated." he joked.

"Now I wouldn't go that far…"

After a while, Ezra announced, "I'm going to take a shower" He pushed off the couch, leaving Buck chuckling at the TV.

While in the shower, the scolding hot water ran down his body, slowly releasing the tension he felt, Ezra thought over the last few weeks since meeting Sherry. He had screwed up royally, and definitely didn't deserve second chances. Sherry had proved she would do just fine without him. And she had Vin by her side. He still wasn't sure what to think about the development in his and her relationship, he didn't know if they were actually together or not? He remembered what Vin had once said…"I don't want to see her get hurt. I trust you absolutely in any dangerous mission, but sometimes I worry that you don't know when to turn off the conman act." "Its not…this, is not an act" Ezra stated quietly with conviction. Vin looked deep into his partners eyes, looked right into Ezra's soul. After a few seconds, Vin nodded, apparently satisfied with what he saw, turned walked to the bedroom door, he paused, looked back one last time at the bed and its occupant before leaving the room and gently closing the door, "Don't disappoint me" How stupid Ezra was. They made each other happy and then he screwed that up. He not only disappointed Sherry, even worse he disappointed Vin.

Where did that leave him? The feelings he had, were definitely not of the brotherly variety. She stirred in him feelings he thought were long dead. But to be truthful, since joining Team 7, feelings he thought he had long ago squished were resurfacing. When he started working at the ATF, he never thought that the group of ragtag men would become his family.

He left the bathroom and walked downstairs, to rejoin Buck in the family room. JD was sitting there. "When did you arrive?" Ezra asked

"Oh, just a few moments ago"

"What are you watching?" he asked and sat down in the arm chair. "reality TV show!" JD said and smiled like a little child. Buck rolled his eyes and put some cookies into his mouth. "He won the battle for the remote. I have to wait it out."

JD smirked at Buck "You love reality TV, just admit it." Buck started to argue with JD and JD stole his cookies for punishment. Ezra just watched the commotion from his chair.

"What cha doing here JD? At my house?" Ezra asked again

JD turned serious eyes to Ezra "I was worried about you, we all were, and usually Vin is the one to soothe you, but he's…" JD stopped awkwardly, then plowed on "not able to at this time, so Buck came over, and I wanted to make sure you were OK, and Chris will probably be checking in sometime soon, and I bet Nathan and Josiah will fine an excuse to stop by and see you."

"Well, I see you all pulled out the heavy guns" Ezra said sarcastically. He felt a slight tug of pain, that Vin wouldn't be coming by, those two always had each other's back, before this thing with Sherry blew up.

"Where's Chris now?"

"He is checking in on Vin" JD replied

December 2011