Too Quiet

By Terri "Tex" Zavaleta

Chris Larabee was not, by nature, a paranoid man... well, maybe he was, a bit, but he liked to think it wasn't excessive. One thing that created a feeling of paranoia was when the bullpen housing Team Seven was quiet. Unnaturally quiet.

Sure, there were times when all seven were engaged in paperwork, research, or reports and the usual noise of conversation, arguments, and teasing were subdued or non-existent, but... most of the time, there was an ongoing undercurrent of banter taking place.

Buck and JD could conjure an argument out of nowhere, partly due to their status sharing an apartment, partly due to their sibling-like relationship with Buck playing the sometimes heavy-handed protective big brother and JD taking his own role as the rebellious youngest brother struggling to define his own identity and abilities to be independent.

Vin Tanner didn't talk much himself but seemed to enjoy winding Ezra up and listening as the Southerner expounded on his travels as a child with his many times married mother, his areas of expertise in gambling, and his appreciation of good music, fine wines and gourmet cuisine.

Vin, who was fond of junk food, especially liked to get Standish started on the food atrocities he suffered when undercover among the 'uncouth barbarians' that comprised most of their targets. When Ezra was complaining, all was right with the world. When Ezra got silent... it was not good.

Nathan was expressing annoyance to Larabee about Ezra hiding injuries and not letting the medic check him over. Tanner had been the one to finally get hold of the key to Ezra's lack of comment on serious issues, up to and including his own state of health, and silenced both men by saying, "Show no weakness before the enemy."

"We aren't his enemy," Jackson had protested.

"Habits are hard to break," Tanner drawled. "He's getting better about it. But you got to quit pouncin' on him. It gets his back up."

Larabee nodded. "You do get kind of pushy, Nathan." He held up a hand to forestall the medic's response. "I know... you're tryin' to help. But the boys have been taking care of their own problems for years. That and they're afraid they'll get put on desk duty. So just be a bit more... "

"Diplomatic?" Jackson said with a scowl. "I'll try, but grown men should know an injury isn't going to get better if they hide it!"

"So don't make 'em want to hide it," Vin stated bluntly. Jackson had sighed and let it go, but he had made an effort to be less confrontational.

Josiah Sanchez was another one who liked to talk and only God knew what would set him off and what tangent or another with topics ranging from his military service, missionary background, anthropological studies, philosophy, or his profiling of criminals. Of course, sometimes he got to thinking and disappeared inside his own head and didn't talk for hours.

Nathan Jackson wasn't averse to conversation but didn't feel a need to break every silence. Besides, he was often on his phone texting or calling his wife.

When things were particularly slow and boring, one of the guys would instigate a 'discussion'-usually Tanner, but sometimes Ezra or JD, by launching a topic and taking a position that would be aggravating to one or more of the others. Mostly they were cultural in nature—a source of discord but no repercussions—such as music, movies, television shows, or fashions. The creation of Top Ten best or worst lists for such things made the rounds of the room and sometimes the building if the dry spell lasted too long.

As for Larabee himself... he would have said he wasn't one for small talk. When he spoke, he preferred to get right to the point.

But right now, there was no reason for the bullpen to be quiet... so Larabee left his work, got to his feet and went to his office door. He took a deep breath then opened it slowly and checked out the room.

Damn. Well, no wonder it was quiet. No one was there. They'd all been back from lunch last time he checked and it was at least two hours till quitting time.

Why the hell... before he could finish the thought, he heard a herd of approaching footsteps coming from the hall. The quiet dissolved faster than a soap bubble on a hot day.

Buck and JD were first to stumble in the door. JD was blindfolded with a red bandana that Chris knew belonged to Vin while Buck was walking backwards in front of him, taunting him. "Ha, boy, that's three times you tripped. Told ya—"

"Shut up, Buck! I still got two to go—"

"Yes, Mr. Wilmington, if you would cease your endless commentary, Mr. Dunne would have a more difficult time navigating—" Standish and Tanner followed the bickering pair into the bullpen. Standish was casually carrying some kind of balloon sculpture that looked like a bird perched on a swing. Tanner was carrying a plate filled with decadent looking, colorful cupcakes.

"Shut up, Ezra," Jackson commented as he entered behind them. "If the kid falls and gets hurt—"

"Hell, he's fallen farther and faster on his damn skateboard, Nathan," Tanner said with a snort. "He ain't gonna get hurt. Fussy pants."

"Fussy pants!" Nathan snarled. "Fine. Y'all just hurt yourselves. Fall down the stairs, trip over desks... I don't care." He stormed past the group and took a seat at his desk.

Josiah strolled in after him, watching as JD fumbled towards his own desk, hands outstretched. "Now, brothers, I'm not sure betting on such things—" No one was listening, so he shrugged and seated himself at his own desk, turning his computer back on.

JD triumphantly seated himself in his own desk chair and reached up to take off the blindfold. "Ha! Told ya, Buck."

Larabee studied his oldest friend for a moment. Buck had a ... crown? .. of balloons on his head. "Buck, what the hell is on your head? And where have y'all been?"

Buck grinned and swiped off his balloon hat and made a sweeping bow in Larabee's direction. "I told ya about it, Chris. We were invited to a baby shower for Eleanor in Admin. I won the hat. Nice, ain't it?"

"Brought you some cupcakes, Cowboy," Vin added, around a mouthful of the one he was currently chewing on.

"And before you enquire," Ezra added, "we did indeed procure a gift—a very nice car seat stroller combination, and we added your name to the card."

"I still say we should have—"

"I don't want to hear it, Mr. Wilmington."

Buck stuck his icing blue tongue out at Ezra. "You just don't understand the ladies the way I do."

Ezra waved his balloon sculpture at Buck.

"What are you doing?"

Tanner snorted, almost choking on his last bite of cupcake. "He's flipping the bird at ya."

Larabee shook his head. It was like herding cats. "Party's over. Get to work! Now." He did manage to snatch the plate of cupcakes from Vin on his way back to his office. It was nice to reap the benefits without having to go to the party.