This type of Fan fiction is written ATF/AU but in a world different. I got the ideal from another set of fan fiction stories and all of my credits go out to Karin from the black raptor fan fiction page.
Everyone should really read those set of stories, I loved them and then got so many ideals.
Warning: In this fan fiction set, JD is Chris's adopted son. But unlike Karin's, this story has nothing to do with her settings completely. JD in my stories is going to be younger in the age
Of 13. I know, I know young uh...hope you like it.
WARNING: NOT BETA'ED COMPLETELY
My thanks go out to Karen (TheBadElement). She is a wonderful beta and what just would I do without her.
She is the only one that can make sense with my work.
Thanks Karen.
Disclaimer: Don't own them, Don't make money from them
"My SON"
Chapter one:
Chris Larabee sat on the long porch of his ranch home taking in the early morning sights and sounds. He could hear the birds chirping along side by side with each other, as the morning sun came up just over the mountains, a sound that he found soothing to the soul. He thought about the life he was living now and a small grin formed across his face. After his own wife and son's death a couple of years before he never thought that he would ever feel the same way toward another human being the way that he felt now toward his friends that he calls family. Now he had a thirteen-year-old son to take care of and protect along with his friends. His son may not be his own flesh and blood but he was his no other way. The Kid had found a place in his home and in his heart where Chris knew he was meant to be.
Chris's mind flashed back to the day that JD Dunne came to live with him. The kid was only to stay there until he had somewhere else to go, waiting to be adopted or put in a foster home. Chris hated the thought of the kid being in this cruel hard world with no one by his side through out his life. Being in a place that he didn't want to be in, or going through life blaming himself for being shuffled around.
Larabee's team had went in for a drug bust and found the kid in a corner scared of everyone around for he had seen his mother shot down trying to protect herself, her son and her home. The drug runners was tipped off about the A.T.F. officers and were looking for a place to hide until the officers gave up and were gone, she had tried to push them back out the door of her home. Her screams could be heard all around the apartment complex, being the reason she was shot. The other people living in the apartment complex had allowed the woman's screams go unheard as if nothing was happening in fear of death themselves.
Larabee's team had followed the biggest drug runner to Boston Massachusetts. They had gotten tip after tip of where they were going and the agents wanted these men dead. So when they had surprised the drug runners by busting through the door of the small apartment, they had finally gotten their prey.
Chris was looking through the apartment making sure no one else was going to jump out at him with a gun in their hand when he ran across the small scared boy hiding in the corner.
"Hey there buddy, ya wanna come outta there?" Chris tried his best to make his voice gentle to not scare the kid anymore than what he was already.
The small dark haired boy just shook his head "no" and tightens the death grip he had around his legs.
"I ain't gonna hurt ya, ya safe now.... come on outta there."
The boy looked at the out reached hand toward him and thought about it, he had heard more gun shots and knew something bad was going on. He didn't know whom this man standing in front of him was and he couldn't see or hear his mother nowhere.
Chris could see that the young boy was thinking about weather he should take his hand or not. He could see how frighten the little boy was of him.
"My mom is hurt." came the soft reply from the kid.
Chris turned around; he hadn't seen a woman when he had came in the apartment. He looked around the room that he was in and still no woman to be found.
"I will be right back, just sit tight okay pal."
He got his answer from the dark hair being shook.
Chris stood up to walk away from the little boy when Vin shouted.
"Chris come in here!"
Chris walked toward Vin's voice into a room that looked of a lady's bedroom and he stood next to Vin Tanner looking at who must of been JD's mother laying next to her bed covered in blood. The man had been through and seen a lot in his years, but nothing had compared to what he seen in the bedroom. She had one single gun shot wound to the center of her head. Her eyes still open as if she was still looking at the person holding the gun.
Chris had turned back around and went back to the boy in the corner rolled up into a ball.
"Son, what's ya name?"
"JD"
"JD why don't you come on outta there and come with me buddy."
The boy got up from the floor and looked straight up into the eyes of Chris Larabee. He knew something was wrong with his mother from the look on the mans face. He had ran and hid when he heard the door being knocked down and saw the men fighting with his mother as she tried to keep them out.
PRESENT:
Chris closed his eyes trying to wipe the memory out, he knew that the kid had gone through and still was going through a hard time. He was only 13 years old and seen enough to last him a lifetime. JD had been at the ranch for 4 months now and was starting to adapt to his new life. JD still woke up with his nightmares at night, he still kept to himself at times but they were working through all of that together. One thing Chris hated to see was JD with the look of like he was holding the weight of the world on his shoulders. Chris felt partly to blame for JD losing his mother at a young age. He felt as though if he didn't want the drug dealers that bad then they wouldn't have been there that day in JD's apartment. He felt as though if he waited for them to return to Denver then JD would still have his mother with him today.
Chris brought the hot cup of coffee he held in his hands to his lips. He thought of a better memory he had with JD after he had came to the ranch.
2months before:
Chris walked out by the fence to the horses that he, along with the others owned. JD was standing there talking to "Lighting" the black and white horse that JD had came so fond of.
"JD, can we have a talk?" Chris couldn't believe how nervous he was as he stood there waiting for JD to answer his question.
"Sure" the young boy said turning his attention to Chris Larabee.
"JD.... I was wondering something.... ummm I don't want to see you leave here and so I have talked to the Judge and Ms.Travis and well.... JD can I adopt you, can I become your father?"
Chris watched as JD's eyes turned toward him to look him straight into his eyes. He didn't know what the hell he was doing Chris thought to himself. How could he care for another human being when he had himself and five other men to watch out and care for.
"You want to adopt me? But why?" came the reply from the kid.
"Well JD, I have gotten sort of use to you being here, so has the other guys and well we want to keep you with us, we all feel as though this is the place you are meant to be, that this is the home you need...so what do ya say kid?"
"Yeah, hell yeah!" JD yelled as he jumped up and down like a small child.
"Watch ya mouth boy!"
"Um sorry Chris."
"That's okay for this time", Chris said with stern. "So this is a done deal then uh pal?"
"Yep!" JD cried with joy as Chris put his arm around JD's shoulders and the two walked off toward the house together to tell the other men that waited just on the porch.
PRESENT:
Chris would never forget the look in the kid's eyes as they signed the papers making Chris, JD's father. It didn't taken JD to long to get attached to Chris within a month he was calling him dad and all the other guys' uncle. JD was starting to feel wanted again by everyone around him that he came to know. The guys made sure that the kid didn't keep to himself any longer like when he had first got there. There was always one with him when he was at the ranch. At first it was as though he was standing at the crossroads of his life wondering which path would be the right path to take.
2months before:
Chris walked out by the fence to the horses that he, along with the others owned. JD was standing there talking to "Lighting" the black and white horse that JD had came so fond of.
"JD, can we have a talk?" Chris couldn't believe how nervous he was as he stood there waiting for JD to answer his question.
"Sure" the young boy said turning his attention to Chris Larabee.
"JD.... I was wondering something.... ummm I don't want to see you leave here and so I have talked to the Judge and Ms.Travis and well.... JD can I adopt you, can I become your father?"
Chris watched as JD's eyes turned toward him to look him straight into his eyes. He didn't know what the hell he was doing Chris thought to himself. How could he care for another human being when he had himself and five other men to watch out and care for.
"You want to adopt me? But why?" came the reply from the kid.
"Well JD, I have gotten sort of use to you being here, so has the other guys and well we want to keep you with us, we all feel as though this is the place you are meant to be, that this is the home you need...so what do ya say kid?"
"Yeah, hell yeah!" JD yelled as he jumped up and down like a small child.
"Watch ya mouth boy!"
"Um sorry Chris."
"That's okay for this time", Chris said with stern. "So this is a done deal then uh pal?"
"Yep!" JD cried with joy as Chris put his arm around JD's shoulders and the two walked off toward the house together to tell the other men that waited just on the porch.
PRESENT:
Chris would never forget the look in the kid's eyes as they signed the papers making Chris, JD's father. It didn't taken JD to long to get attached to Chris within a month he was calling him dad and all the other guys' uncle. JD was starting to feel wanted again by everyone around him that he came to know. The guys made sure that the kid didn't keep to himself any longer like when he had first got there. There was always one with him when he was at the ranch. At first it was as though he was standing at the crossroads of his life wondering which path would be the right path to take.
Jack Potter was the only drug runner to slip through their hands during that certain raid. Chris had pulled every string he could, made every connection he could find to get close to the man. Everything he used always came up empty sort of like Potter had disappeared from the earth. Maybe the earth but Chris Larabee would go to his grave tracking the man down for the hell he had and was putting JD through.
"I reckon I need to be getting JD up for school and we need to be getting to the office, we would hate to let Ezra beat us now wouldn't we boys." Chris stated as he got up and walked into the house leaving his two friends behind.
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The entire house was filled with the smell of breakfast cooking on the stove, sounds of dishes clanking together as they were pulled from the cabinet and put on the table could be hear as Chris walked back into the house.
"JD out of bed yet Ms.Shannon?" Chris asked the lady in front of the stove as he sat at the head of the table waiting for his breakfast.
"Yes Mr.Larabee, I believe I heard him going into the bathroom a few moments ago. More coffee?"
Chris watched as Ms. Shannon poured more of the black liquid into his cup. Ms. Shannon had came to live at the ranch when Chris put a help wanted ad in the paper that he needed someone to help take care of JD and the common household chores around the ranch.
Ms.Shannon was a dark haired lady who at the time lived by herself after all of her children had left home and made their own lives out in the world. She answered Chris's help wanted ad within a day from putting it in the newspaper. He couldn't even think of one person that wanted to take care of a bunch of men, but she let him know real quickly that she wanted the job and didn't mind taking care of them. She did her job very well Chris thought, the house was always clean, hot meals were put on the table all the time. He wondered how the woman found time to even cook up something, with cleaning and taking care of JD when he was at home and not in school. Ms.Shannon had come to be a major asset of the Larabee ranch and Chris didn't know what he would do without her help. Now she lived in his home, done his shopping and his clothes, she took care of his agents and his son. All of the men along with JD got along very well with her and that meant a lot to Chris that they also had someone to take care of them.
"Mr.Larabee could you please get the others and let them know that breakfast is ready? Who ever is not here at this table within minutes I will start clearing it off and they can go hungry." Ms Shannon said as she started putting breakfast out on the table.
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"Breakfast is ready everyone!" Chris shouted from his chair, which deserved him a smack on the arm from Ms Shannon's wooden spoon.
"Ouch, what did you do that for" Chris pouted.
"Don't do any of that yelling at my table mister, now get up and go tell them that breakfast is ready like a grown man should, and I don't won't to hear no more shouting from you like that again, do you hear me!"
Chris knew better than to mess with the woman, hell she even scared him at times he thought to himself as he got up from the table.
"Hey, good morning son" Chris said as he passed JD coming down the stairs. He noticed right off the sleepy look the kid had written all over his face. He could see that JD was starting to get weak in the eyes due to the nightmares and lack of sleep that he was getting. Chris knew that it was hard on the kid, for one reason was because it was hard on him trying to run all day long with only a little sleep at night.
"You feel okay son?" Chris asked while trying to look into JD's eyes.
"Yeah I am find dad, just tired is all." JD rubbed his eyes trying his best to wipe the sleep from them. He wasn't feeling good at all he thought. He just wanted to climb back into his bed and sleep as along as he could. JD knew that if he told his father he wasn't feeling well that the man would go into mother hen mode and JD didn't want his father to worry about him when he had enough to deal with at his office.
"Ya wanna stay home from school today, maybe I can get Nathan to come by a little later and check on you." came the concern voice of a father.
"No I will be fine, I just need to wake up a bit. I am going for breakfast before it gets cleared from the table." JD stated as he walked away from his father who was still looking at him with worry.
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Chapter two:
The morning started out half decent Chris thought as he pulled into the parking lot of the A.T.F. building. Chris had taken JD to school like he did every morning before he left for work, then he drove the twenty miles from the school to work with thoughts running through his mind of the night before and how the day would be. He was worried about the kid and how the nightmares were starting to show on him. He wanted someone just to tell him how to take the dreams away from the boy, but he knew that there was no one that could do that. He would just have to deal with them along side of JD and show his son that he was there no matter what.
Chris could hear the laughter coming from the floor that housed
him and his agents. He wanted to know why their floor couldn't ever be silent like the other floors in the A.T.F. building, but then again with Buck and Vin always around something was going on.
"Morning boys!" Chris said to his fellow agents as he walked into his office looking around to make sure all of his men where there on time. But like every morning there was one always missing.
"Hey Chris, we got a tip this morning on Potter. When I had came in early to work on that report you needed the phone rang and said that Potter was in town then, just as soon as the words was spoken the phone went dead." Josiah said standing in the door frame of Larabee's office.
"Couldn't get a trace?" Chris asked.
"Nope wasn't on the phone that long."
"Where does that leave us now." Nathan Jackson asked while shifting through papers in his hands.
"We try our best and track the imbecile down like the dog he is." Standish said while walking to his desk trying to get Chris's attention off the fact that he had just arrived to work.
"Your late Standish!"
"Crap" was the only word Ezra could get to come from his mouth.
"You said crap Ez...bringing yourself down to our level now uh?" Buck laughed out.
"Don't start you two, I am in half the mind to just shoot you both." Chris stated. He wasn't really in the mood to hear their arguments at that moment.
"Why would Potter be here anyways, I mean hell everyone one coming and going knows that we are looking for him."
"Good question Buck, now find the answer. Who do we know on the streets that we can trust not to tip Potter off if we were to asked questions?"
"I have my contacts Mr.Larabee, I will get started on that right now." Ezra said still trying to get Chris's attention off of him being late for work yet once again.
"Good, Buck you and Vin drive around see what you can. Call me to check in from time to time. Nathan, Josiah and I will stay here in case more calls come in and call who we know." Chris stated and watched as each of his men started going to work.
He had a group of magnificent men he thought, they were always serious when it came to their work. They were always ready to take a bullet for the other and not think twice about it.
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The phone rang twice before Ms.Shannon was there to pick it up. She hated to answer the phone when the men were gone; someone was always on the other line for Buck. One of his lady friends as he smoothly put it to her.
"Hello Larabee residence"
"Hello, Ms Shannon this is Mrs.Cole from JD's school I was just checking to see why he is not in school today." Came the soft question.
"Not at school, Mr.Larabee had taken him to school this morning on his way to work. Mrs. Cole I will give Mr.Larabee a call and then have him to call you right back, would that be okay dear?"
"Yes Ms Shannon, thank you."
Ms Shannon hung the phone up and searched in her small phone book for Chris's office number. She never liked to call him at work so she didn't know the number by heart.
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"Chris, phone line 1 it is Ms Shannon." Josiah said barely stepping into Chris's office.
"Something is wrong, Ms Shannon never calls Chris here at the office, I wonder if something as happen to JD." Nathan said more to himself than Josiah. Nathan was starting to go into his worry mode.
Nathan and Josiah both jumped as Chris came from his office. They could see the look of concern he had.
"JD's school called and was wondering why he wasn't there in school today when I know I dropped him off there myself. I am heading over to the school. Nathan, Josiah keep making those calls and call my cell phone as soon as you hear something." Chris said while walking out the door.
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"Tanner here!" Vin said when he answered his cell phone.
"Vin, you and Buck head on over to JD's school they called the house a little while ago saying that JD ain't there. I am going there now I will meet you." Chris stated into the phone. Chris was starting to feel uneasy now that he was in his pickup truck heading to the school. He knew that JD wasn't one to just skip class; he wasn't the one to fake a tummy ache just so he didn't have to go to school.
"You got it." Vin hung up the phone and turned to his friend who was driving.
"Chris said that JD wasn't in school."
"Chris took him there this morning right, maybe the kid wanted to skip today." Buck laughed out but inside was worried.
"Come on Buck you know JD ain't one to cut class or skip school, I don't feel to good about this but I ain't gonna say anything to Chris right now."
"Yeah I know Vin, I was just wishing is all." Buck said more silently to himself.
Within minutes Vin and Buck pulled up in the school parking lot. They left their guns in the truck knowing that they weren't allowed in the school or actually on the school grounds. They walked into the school office like they owned the place, but when it came to JD they didn't care how they looked walking into anywhere including walking into the school.
"Can I help you gentlemen?"
"Yeah we are friends of Chris Larabee and he should be here any second. Are you Mrs. Cole?" Buck asked the small-framed lady behind the desk. Mrs. Cole looked to be about in here late twenties with brown curly hair that hung just a few inches below her shoulders.
"Yes I am, what is this all about?" Mrs.Cole asked seeing the concern in the men's eyes that stood just inches away from her.
"We just need to know where JD is," Vin said.
Vin and Buck stood next to the desk while Mrs.Cole explained to them why she had to call the Larabee's home. They listened and knew that it wasn't like JD just to run out on school.
Their attention went to the double doors at the school's entrance when they were pushed opened by Chris Larabee.
Chris walked into the school in search of his son. He walked into the office where Vin and Buck stood talking to the young lady sitting behind the desk.
"Where's JD?" Chris's voice was nothing but gentle this time, fear and concern along with anger made up his voice as he spoke.
"Don't know, didn't show up for homeroom to check in this morning." Vin repeated the information that Mrs.Cole had given him.
"I dropped him off at the front, this morning and watched as he walked into this school. So he should be here somewhere maybe he is skipping class or something. JD wasn't feeling to well this morning. Have you checked the bathrooms or gym, I know that he likes to play basketball early in the mornings, maybe he has lost track of time or didn't hear the bell ringing for class."
"No Mr.Larabee we thought JD wasn't here this morning so we go by the rules and call the parents to find out if maybe the student is sick or not." Mrs.Cole was starting to feel very uneasy, not many students went missing in their school. She also knew of JD and how he would come to school even if he were sick.
"Okay boys lets search this place over, Mrs.Cole I would advise you and everyone that is not doing nothing to give full cooperation with us. We are going to find JD one way or another." Chris said as he walked off to the boy's bathroom that he knew was just down the hall.
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"When my dad finds you, you will wish that you were dead." JD yelled out to the man standing in front of him. "He will know that I am not in school and believe me he will find you. I promise you will be sorry." JD knew the face of the man standing in front of him; he had seen that face so many times in his dreams.
Potter was a man that no one could forget even if they tried. He stood as tall as Buck and about the same weight. He dressed as though he was made of a million bucks and always had his jet-black hair slicked back. But his eyes were a set that JD couldn't shake from his mind. They were icy blue eyes that showed no emotion at all.
"Maybe so son, but when he does find out where I am, I will be long gone and there will be you, dead because he couldn't leave well enough alone." Potter shot back to the boy.
Potter had grabbed JD as he came pass the boys bathroom of the school and pulled him in. He wanted JD to stay quiet so he had hit his head so hard that JD fell to the floor unconscious. Potter waited in the stall until he could hear the bell ringing for the school to start its day then he carried the boy to his car without one single person seeing him.
A nasty bruise began to form on JD's forehead where Potter had hit him with something. JD didn't know what it was but one thing was for sure was that it hurt. He knew that his father would find him; he hoped that the school would call his dad like they always do. He wished now that he would have stayed home from school like his father had asked him too. He wouldn't mind Nathan and Ms. Shannon fretting over him about right now he thought to himself.
Potter walked around JD as if he was taking the boys look into his memory. Potter knew exactly who JD was, that was the reason he came looking for him. Then when he had gotten back to town he had found out that Larabee had took the kid in and that made it much more exciting
for Potter.
"What do you want with me anyways?" JD asked
"You will find out soon enough, for now why don't we play a little game?" Potter laughed out.
JD didn't like this man, he didn't want to play any game all, what he wanted to do was get out of there and find his father. JD looked at his surroundings, he wanted to figure out an escape plan. He knew that his father would find him; he just didn't want to stay with Potter longer than he had to. JD put his hand to the wound on his forehead; it was starting to hurt more and more as he thought things out.
"I ain't playing no game with you!" JD shouted
"Oh yes you are, let's think of it as a group activity. We are going to even include your dear father, what do you think about that?"
JD was disgusted with this guy; visions of Potter pushing his mother through the door came to his mind. JD's stomach started to feel as though it would empty its contents at any minute.
"I would rather die a thousand deaths." JD growled at Potter.
"I believe that can be arranged young man." Potter stated before landing his boot toe right into JD's ribs.
Potter walked around the kid taking pictures from a digital camera of the kid. He made sure to get the purple colored bruise from his head. Pictures were also taken of JD has he laid in the fetal position in the middle of the room. Potter wanted to play mind games with Larabee and the pictures were a start.
JD felt his heart pounding rapidly in his chest, he wasn't ready for the blow to his ribs and it had knocked the breath out of him. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he thought about his father and how he wanted to get away from this man in front of him now matter what it took. He was scared very scared as he thought to himself. The only other time that he had been so scared in his life was when his mother died. At that time he didn't have no one to count on but now it was different, now he had his father and his uncle's that were always there. He just wished at this time that they were there to watch over him.
Josiah sat there at his desk looking through files trying to find any contacts that him and Nathan may have left out when the phone started to ring in front of him.
"Sanchez speaking."
"Ah Mr. Sanchez nice to talk to you again, please pass a note to Larabee telling him to check his email." Potter stated then hung up the phone.
Josiah sat there for a moment thinking about the voice from the call. He recalled the voice from this morning and knew that it was a match.
"Nathan it's Potter, How could I have missed that!"
"Josiah what the hell are you talking about?" Nathan asked not even looking up from his work at hand.
"That phone call just now, it was Potter. He told me to tell Chris to check his email. He was also the caller this morning, how did I miss that?"
Josiah grabbed the receiver to the phone and dialed Larabee's number.
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"Larabee!" Chris spoke into his cell phone.
"Chris get back here to the office, Potter called!"
"I haven't found JD yet Josiah, after I find him!"
"No Chris get back here now!" Josiah's voice was nothing but calm and Chris knew that something had shaken him up.
"Fine, be there in a few!"
Chris pushed end on his cell phone ending the call.
Chris wanted nothing more but to stay at the school until he found JD but for some reason in his stomach he felt as though JD wasn't there. All he wanted to do was find him to keep him safe. He had no ideal why Potter was back in town and then have enough nerve to call the ATF office.
"No sign of him yet Chris." Vin interrupted Chris's thoughts.
"Josiah just called, I am going back to the office. He had said something about Potter calling. Let's go!"
The three agents left the school with only one thing on their mind and that was to find JD. Their hearts feeling heavier as the minutes passed by neither one wanting to leave the school just incase JD came out of a classroom by chance.
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Ezra came into the office building, he had been questioning his contacts all morning long and neither contact knew any new information.
"Did you gentlemen find out any new information on why Potter would be here or who was the caller from this morning?"
"It was Jack Potter who called this morning, He just called a little while ago to let Chris know to check his email." Josiah stated sitting on this edge of his desk waiting for Chris Larabee to come.
"His email, wonder what that would be about?" Ezra said more to himself then to the other agents sitting around him.
"Josiah, what is this all about?" Chris stated as he came walking through the door with Buck and Vin closely on his heels.
Josiah told them all about the phone call and how he couldn't believe Potter called there.
Chris went straight into his office closely followed by his team. He turned his computer on with shaky hands and waited for it to boot up. He quickly connected to the internet and went straight into his email. Chris scanned through the email that he had gotten that morning. He went down through the list until he came to a email that he knew was the one he was suppose to see, the subject line reading "Have Fun Larabee"
Chris opened the email with the guys standing behind him waiting for it to load.
"Oh Dear Lord" came the words from the undercover agent.
"No.....no....no not JD!" Chris screamed out before he had realized it.
The first picture to load in the email was one of JD with blood running down the right side of his face from where Potter had hit him. Nathan took in the nasty cut and swore under his breath. The second picture was one of JD laying curled up into a ball, a picture that would forever stick in Chris's mind. He clenched his jaw in anger, he hated the feeling of being powerless to help his adopted son when he needed him. He had made a promise to JD that he would never allow anyone or anything to ever hurt him again. Now he had allow his JD to be captured by a mad man that didn't care who he hurt.
"I can't stand no more of this" Chris growled getting up from his chair and leaving the office in a rage.
"Okay, print out a set of those pictures Ezra. Go over them, look for a sign of some sorts to where Potter has JD held." Josiah said as he just stood there staringstareing at the pictures of a kid he had grown to love just the same as the rest of the guys. He couldn't take his eyes off those pictures, for some reason he felt he was the to blame here. He thought that maybe if he had call Chris as soon as he had gotten that first call and maybe Chris wouldn't have taken JD to school. Josiah's stomach ache at the thought of it, he had to get out of that same room that Chris just left from. With out another word he walked from the room and went to sit at his desk putting his head into his hands.
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Chris stood infront of the counter in the small office kitchen. He just stood there looking straight at the wall like it was going to tell him what to do or where to find JD. Visions of the pictures ran through his mind. Pictures of his second chance at fatherhood. He couldn't lose another child he thought to himself. When he had lost Adam it had made a hole in his chest that stayed there for years and then this small boy he adopted only months before refilled that hole. He was finally able to give his heart again. Now he feared that if he didn't find JD his heart would ache for years to come. He didn't want to deal with it, he just wanted to hide somewhere until all of this was over. He wanted to wake up from the nightmare that he hoped that he was having.
"Chris, we are gonna find the kid." Vin said stepping into the small kitchen beside his friend.
"How could I have let this happen Vin, I had promised that boy that I would never let anything hurt him ever again and look where he is now! I only wanted to be that little boy's hero Vin but I let him down."
"Well the way that I see it Chris,we can sit here and blame ourselves or we can track the stupid fucker down and get your boy back and Chris we all know that JD looks to you as his hero, since the day you found him we could all see it." Vin simply stated.
Chris stood there for just a few more moments before turning to his friend with hot tears stinging his eyes. He looked pass Vin and at the open door where three other agents were standing waiting for the orders that he was to give them. He wondered how he could give them orders when he couldn't even protect his son.
"Mr.Larabee I promise you that we will find the young man and bring him home where he belongs." Ezra said
"Okay Nathan please look at the pictures tell me what Potter has done to JD. Ezra search every inch of those pictures for clues. Buck try to find out where the calls are coming from. Josiah....where is Josiah?"
"Sitting at his desk, I do believe he is taking this rather hard Mr.Larabee." Ezra stated.
"Vin call Judge tell him as soon as we know something we are going to move." Chris said. He knew how the judge loved the kid. He just wanted Judge Travis to be alert on what was going on and what they would do to get the kid back. "Tell Josiah that I want to see him in my office."
Chris left the small office kitchen and went back into his office. He saw the bright screen from his computer and knew that the email was still there. He went to the black couch that sat against the wall and sat down. He pinched the bridge of his nose in thought of what to do.
"Chris you wanted to see me?" Josiah said standing in the door frame of Chris's office.
"Yeah sit down Josiah."
"Chris listen I want to say something first.I am sorry, If I would have called you this morning when I had gotten the first call then maybe none of this would have happened. I had no idea that it was Potter if I only knew then maybe you wouldn't of taken JD to school. Maybe...."
"Josiah, stop with the maybe crap. Yeah maybe if I would had trusted my instincts and not taken JD to school and made him stay home today like I wanted to then none of this would have happened. It is not our faults. It is Potter and trust me Josiah he will pay and I mean he will pay dearly."
"I am sorry Chris, you know that boy means the world to me. Did you know he comes to me for advice sometimes, when he doesn't know how to take all this family stuff. We would sit and talk for hours on the subject of family and life."
Chris closed his eyes trying to imagine JD sitting next to the tall man talking to him. He imagined the look on JD's face when Josiah said something that he didn't understand.desk typing on a computer. He was sending those pictures he had just taken to his dad JD thought.
JD looked around the room while Potter's back was turned to him. He knew that if he could get to that computer he could email his father. JD was very smart for his age. Most people looked over him because of his age, thinking that he was to young to understand or even know what he was doing. JD knew that he could break the passwords if Potter was to have any on that computer and get a email out to his father letting him know where he was or give him so kind of clue to where he was. JD laid on the floor acting as though he was asleep so that Potter would maybe leave the room giving him just a little bit of time.
Potter stood up from the computer,took one quick look over at the kid and then left the room. JD let a small grin come to his face when he heard the door shut behind Potter leaving him alone in the room. He quickly looked around the room and then ran to the door to lock in from the inside.
JD walked quickly to the computer turning it on, it didn't take him long before he was on line and sending his email to Chris. He just hoped that his dad would get his email before Potter's email.
"Josiah, we will bring JD home and you of all people should know that. It is different when one of our own is involved. So lets forget about the who blame who shit and find my boy." Chris stated with edge to his voice. He went to sit at his desk he didn't want to look at the pictures but he wanted to scan over them himself. He just wanted his boy back with him. He wanted to keep him safe.
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Chapter three:
JD quickly looked out the corner of his eye to see Potter sitting at a desk typing on a computer. He was sending those pictures he had just taken to his dad JD thought.
JD looked around the room while Potter's back was turned to him. He knew that if he could get to that computer he could email his father. JD was very smart for his age. Most people looked over him because of his age, thinking that he was to young to understand or even know what he was doing. JD knew that he could break the passwords if Potter was to have any on that computer and get a email out to his father letting him know where he was or give him so kind of clue to where he was. JD laid on the floor acting as though he was asleep so that Potter would maybe leave the room giving him just a little bit of time.
Potter stood up from the computer,took one quick look over at the kid and then left the room. JD let a small grin come to his face when he heard the door shut behind Potter leaving him alone in the room. He quickly looked around the room and then ran to the door to lock in from the inside.
JD walked quickly to the computer turning it on, it didn't take him long before he was on line and sending his email to Chris. He just hoped that his dad would get his email before Potter's email.
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Chris Larabee sat there behind his desk staring into his computer screen at the pictures of his son. He scanned over the first picture of JD laying curled up into a small ball. Chris thought that the young boy looked so fragile. The kid's dark shaggy hair hung over his face so Chris couldn't see his face very well. Chris's heart ached for his son. He clicked on to the next picture to see the side of his son's face covered in dried blood. Chris was getting angierangery by the minute and he didn't know if he could control his anger any longer. He saw the tears that came from JD's eyes and he felt his own tears stinging at his eyes.
Chris couldn't take any more of the pictures yet once again for the day. He closed the email which lead him back to his email account inbox. Chris clicked out of his email and just sat there in front of his computer thinking about his son.
He wondered how he could have allowed this to happen. He wondered how far he had gotten from the school until his son was taken by a mad man.
"God JD, I am so sorry, I promise I will find you and bring you home to me where you belong." Chris said with his head in his hands.
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Josiah sat at his desk thinking about JD, he knew he needed to be looking through Potter's file to see if anything would tell him something, but he couldn't get his mind off of JD curled up into a ball on the floor.
"Ezra have you found anything yet?"
"No, I haven't Mr.Sanchez but I am still working on them."
Josiah let out the heavy breath that he had been holding. He wanted to relook at those pictures no matter how bad he hated to. He stood from his desk and headed toward Larabee's office.
"Chris?"
"Yeah Josiah what is it."
"I want to take a look at those pictures of JD again, can I use your computer."
"Sure, I don't care." Chris said getting up from his office chair and walking over to the couch to just sit back down.
Josiah sat down where Chris had been and move the mouse to take the screen saver off. He reconnected to Chris's email account and waited for it to load up. He scanned down through the unread email until he came to the one he was looking for, but before he clicked on it something had caught his eye.
"Chris come over here!"
"What is it Josiah, I am working here!" Chris honestly didn't mean to get upset with Josiah he just had his mind on other things.
"Chris now!"
Chris got up from the couch and walked over to his desk to stand behind Josiah. There on his computer screen where Josiah was pointing to made his heart fall once again for the day.
He read the subject line which said "DAD HELP ME"
"open it Josiah!"
DAD I AM AT A EMPTY HOUSE SOMEWHERE I AM NOT SURE.
IT MUST NOT BE TOO FAR FROM YOU. I CAN REMEMBER SEEING ALOT OF WINDOWS THE WINDOWS ARE VERY DIRTY I CAN'T SEE OUT OF THEM.PLEASE HURRY I DON'T LIKE THIS GUY HE WAS THE MAN TO KILL MY MOTHER.WHAT EVER YOU DO DAD GET ME OUT OF HERE.I LOVE YOU DAD.
Chris and Josiah looked at each with many thoughts already running through their minds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JD heard Potter coming back and he quickly tried to put the computer back the way that he had found it.
"Boy your best bet would be to open the damn door!" Potter screamed from the other side of the door.
JD ran to the corner of the room and tucked his legs tightly close to his chest. He had hoped that he could unlock the door and lay back down on the floor the way that he was before Potter came back to the room and now he knew that Potter was going to be very angry at him. He feared of what would come to him when Potter got the door open.
Suddenly the door was busted open and Potter walked in very angry. He looked around the room, he found his computer on his email and the boy sitting in the corner.
"What did you do!" Potter screamed "Kid answer me, what the hell did you do!"
Potter moved closer to the computer. He gave the kid credit he knew how to use the computer but he wasn't smart enough to turn the email off correctly. He saw the message that JD sent to Chris and turned to look at JD.
"Oh that is just so clever young man, sending a message to dear oh dad. I bet you think that you are smart by doing that don't you?" Potter screamed. Potter was worried about the message. He didn't think that JD had given enough information to his father for him to find out where they were. But he knew that Chris Larabee and his team would stop at nothing until they found where he was at.
Potter walked closer to where JD was sitting. He started to take his anger out on the young boy. Potter made sure that yet once again that day his boot connected with JD's ribs. He kicked JD again and again taking his anger out on him. JD's screams and cries went unnoticed to Potter as he just keptkep kicking him, finally when Potter's foot connected with JD's jaw his anger calmed down. Potter walked away from JD knowing that he would have no trouble with the boy now.
JD had never felt such pain in his life as he was feeling now. He laidlayed there on the floor once again curled up into a ball crying. He wanted his father more than anything right now.
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Chris looked at the email on his screen, how could he had missed it before he thought to himself. Chris's heart ached at the words JD said about Potter being the one to kill his mother and now JD had to be in the same room with that man.
Chris was now just getting JD to talk about his fears and talk about the nightmares that he was having, Chris wondered what was going through JD's mind at this point. He knew for certain that his son was scared he could tell by the email for some reason.
"A large old house with lots of windows. Now where could that be." Josiah said silently to himself.
"Guys get in here!" Chris shouted to the other agents that filled the office.bout his fears and talk about the nightmares that he was having, Chris wondered what was going through JD's mind at this point. He knew for certain that his son was scared he could tell by the email for some reason.
"A large old house with lots of windows. Now where could that be." Josiah said silently to himself.
"Guys get in here!" Chris shouted to the other agents that filled the office.
"Yeah Chris's whats up?" Nathan said coming into the office with the others behind him.
"I got another email, this one is from JD go on and read it."
The agents stood behind the chair where Josiah was sitting at and read the email. Thoughts of different houses started to run through their minds. Ezra walked around the office thinking on the houses that he drove pass every morning to work. He recalled seeing large old looking houses but not alot of windows that he could remember.
"Buck you come with me, Vin, Ezra you two drive around down town. Nathan and Josiah you go on the backroads of town. Look for old houses with lots of windows. Stay in contact with me and if anything looks remotely like the house that JD is talking about stay there call us and we will come...got it?"
"Yes sir!"
All the agents left the office building in search of the kid. Each one wanting to be the one to find him and bring him home.
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Potter paced around in what should be the living room of the house. He was starting to get worried about that email. What if Larabee and his team searched every house until they found him he thought. Potter hadn't really meant to hurt the kid the way that he did but he had to take his anger out on something or someone.
Potter looked out the window and the outside world went on like nothing was happening inside the house. Kids played on the street, people walked up the sidewalk with their dogs or strollers. Potter looked down the street and seen no cars then he looked up the street and found yet once again no cars. His mind was playing games on him he thought as he stood there staring outside. It would take Larabee and his team a while to find him with all the houses around him by then he hoped to be gone and they would only find Larabee's son at the house.
Chris drove his dodge ram through the town headed toward just the outer limits of town. He knew of some large homes there that he wanted to check out.
"Buck, what if we don't find him in time, I mean you know what kind of person that Potter can be."
Chris's words caught Buck's attention.
"Oh come on Chris don't give up on that boy of yours."
"I ain't givin up on him I guess this thing that I am feeling is that I am scared Buck, I am scared that I am gonna lose another boy and it just ain't right."
Buck understood what Chris was saying, it had ran through his mind more than a time or two. He didn't think that he could take losing JD but he also knew that the boy had a chance when he had his uncles on his side.
"That ain't gonna happen stud." Buck said without looking at Chris, he kept his eyes and now his attention on the houses that they started to pass.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joshiah and Nathan crusied the backroads where most of the families lived from day to day. Mother and Father of the families both working to make ends meet each week. The homes on the streets wasn't like those on the nice end of town. Nathan and Josiah both felt for these people that raised their children honest and the best way that they could. Nathan had been to many of the houses helping out some of the young children because their parents couldn't take them to the best doctors. Josiah had been to many of the same houses with Nathan giving his helping hand whenever and where ever that he could.
Josiah scanned over each of the houses, some of them had chilren playing in the yard, some had elder people sitting on the porch talking and waving at the cars as they passed by.
"Maybe we should go door to door brother Nathan."
"Thought of that myself Josiah but these people scare very easy and I think that if we do that then these people will be scared to ask us for help if need be."
Josiah nodded his head, he knew exactly what Nathan was telling him. He didn't want no more kids scared til they didn't want to be in their homes. He also didn't want to scare the people of this community that there could be a mad man out there that keeps children captured.
They turned the corner and started down the narrow street where the houses were either vacant or elder people lived in. Josiah started to feel uneasy about the street. No chilren ran by on the sidewalk or played in the yards. The houses looked all ran down and needed attention badly.
"Nathan put over there against the curb." Josiah pointed to where he wanted Nathan to go.
"Whats wrong Josiah do you see something?"
"No!"
"Then why are we stopping?"
"Brother Nathan ain't you seeing what I see?"
Nathan looked around the street from the driver seat. He didn't see anything, how the houses looked the same he thought.
"Nathan all of these houses are ran down, they do however look like someone lives in them except for that one up there on the corner. Look at the grass, the front porch, the siding of the house, but look at the windows. The windows look like they have not been cleaned in ages." Josiah pointed out.
"Your right Josiah, call Chris and I will call Ezra. This just may be it."
"I pray brother Nathan that it is" Josiah said while pushing speed dial number for Chris. "Let's hope it is though."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh shit, I give those boys some credit." Potter said running from the window as he seen the brown Ford Explorer pulled up against the curb and then noticed the men sitting inside.
Potter ran up stairs to the room where he kept JD captive. He slammed open the door and looked to the kid still laying in the same spot he left him.
"Come on Kid this game isn't over by a long shot." Potter grabbed JD's collar and tried to pull him up. JD was dead weight and it took every thing that Potter had just to pull him. "Damn kid you need to stop eating some there."
"Your one .....to.....talk....you fat....bastard." JD manage to get out. It was hard to take a breath and JD thought that his chest was going to cave in on him with each breath he was taking.
"Still got that mouth on you I see. Kid you will want to work with me here." Potter shouted out as he started to drag JD out of the room. He had to get down stairs and out the back door before the agents found out that he was in the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris and Buck pulled in behind Nathan and Josiah. Chris eyed the house on the corner that Josiah told him about. The windows were dirty for certain Chris thought. You couldn't see in those and he knew that no one could see out of them. Except for the one on the bottom floor Chris thought.
Chris open the door to the ram and climbed out walking toward Vin and Ezra who had just pulled up.
"Vin, Buck and I will go to the front. Ezra,Josiah and Nathan you go through the back just incase he tries that way." Chris said walking away.
Chris,Buck and Vin walked slowly to front of the house. Vin walked around to the side of the front porch and slowly climbed the railing. He peered inside of the only window that was clean enough. To him the house looked empty. The inside of the house was dark and there were no sounds that Vin could hear.
Chris walked up to the front door like he owned the place. He kicked it open not waiting another mintue to see what would happen. His anger was starting to take over and he knew that he wouldn't be able to control it any longer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Potter heard the front door slam open,he was at the top of the stairs still holding on to JD's collar and looked around in the small hallway and then at the bottom of the stairs. Potter knew that he couldn't get away by going down the stairs.
"Oops sorry kid, but I need your help now." Potter said as he pushed the young boy down the stairs while running behind him. He knew that the agents on the bottom floor would watch after the kid first thing and maybe that would give him time to run by them.
"JD!" Larabee yelled out as he watched his son fall down the long stair case.
Chris looked at the top of the stairs to see Potter right behind his falling son. He was torn, did he go after Potter or stay with his son he thought.
"Grab him Chris, I got JD!" Buck yelled solving Chris's troubled mind.
Chris Larabee ran out the back door after Potter with Vin on their heels.
Buck kneeled down next to the kid. JD's jet black hair fell over his face and Buck pushed strands of it back with his hand. "Ya gonna be alright Kid, I will get Nathan." Buck said as he looked around him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezra stood against the house just right beside the back door. He pulled his gun from the holster when he heard all the noise from the other men coming from the inside of the house. Ezra looked over to Nathan who stood on the other side of the door while Josiah stood right at the bottom of the back porch steps like nothing was going to get by him. They waited for the noise to come closer and then the door open and Potter come running out of the old run down house. Ezra stuck his foot out which tripped Potter on his way off the porch. Potter fell down the small steps and landed right at Josiah's feet.
"Nice fall there Potter" Josiah said with a wide grin on his face.
Chris and Vin came running right behind Potter and stopped when they saw that he was laying right at Josiah's feet. Chris than slowly walked up to Potter with a evil smile on his face. Chris knew at this point that he was never going to be able to control his anger that he felt toward this man. Potter had not only caused him pain but Potter had also brought pain to his son mentally and physically. Now that Potter was sitting right there in front of him Chris didn't know what he would do first.
Chris pointed his gun straight to the center of Potter's head. He wanted to end this mans life without any words being spoken. He couldn't bare to look at the man for one more minute.
"Chris don't do it, let the system take care of him." Nathan said trying to talk Chris down from the man.
"NO, Nathan the system couldn't take care of him before. Why now, why not after what all he put JD through." Chris still held the gun at the center of Potter's head. "I have to end this for JD." Chris mostly said silent to himself.
"Come on Chris, let's take him in. JD is in that house and he is needing you right now." Vin tried his hand at calming Chris down. He knew that if he used JD that Chris would just about do anything. Vin still pointed toward the house as Chris looked at him. Vin could tell that Chris was thinking about his words, he only hoped that Chris would take them serious and do as he said.
"Chris, Nathan get in here!" Buck yelled from inside of the run down house. Chris's attention was put directly on Buck and he handed his gun to Vin as he walked away and into the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buck kneeled over JD's lifeless body as Nathan and Chris came walking into the main room of the house.
" Good Lord" Nathan said as he also kneeled down next to JD. "Chris he needs a hospital."
Chris took in the looks of his son laying there on the dirty floor lifeless. Visions of what Potter had put the kid through went through Chris's mind. Anger started to boil once again and Chris couldn't control it. Tears stung Chris's eyes as he kneeled down and pushed strandes of JD's jet black hair from his face. The dark bruises that covered most of JD's face added more anger to Chris Larabee.
"Chris I have called for the paramedics, they should be here shortly. He may have a few broken ribs, as if Potter had kicked him many times. He has some nasty bruises on most of his body as you can see. When JD was pushed down the stair case it had broken his right leg. Other than that......"
"Other than that.....Nathan, what the hell do you mean ain't the list that you just named more than enough. That is all that I want to hear." Chris shouted out to Nathan "Where the hell is the paramedics!"
"They are on the way Chris, calm down." Buck tried to reason with his oldest friend.
Chris ran his hand over JD's hair smoothing it down. He allowed a few of the tears to escape his eyes and fall from his face. He was starting to blame himself for allowing his son to be hurt at the hands of Potter. He had only wished he had gotten Potter when he had first tried.
"I am so sorry JD." Chris bent down and whispered into his son's ear.
"What for?" came the reply from the dark haired boy. "Did...you get....him?" JD asked with a different look in his eye than what Chris expected.
Chris didn't like the look that he got from his son. He knew what his son was asking of him and Chris wanted to give his son just that. But how could he, Chris thought.
"I will be back kid, I promise you....I promise." Chris said as he stood up, with one look to his son still laying there on the dirty floor with Nathan leaning over top of him once again. Chris went out side to where Potter was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Four:
Chris walked outside and jerked his gun from Vin's hand. He had to end the nightmare for his son. He had to end his own nightmares he thought to himself.
"Chris NO!" Vin yelled as he felt the gun go from his hand. "Don't do this Chris."
Buck came out the door right after Chris and saw the picture unfold in front of him. He had also seen the look in JD's eyes. Buck knew that if Chris did just what JD was asking of him then they both may live in guilt for the rest of their lives.
"Chris I know what just happen in there in that house between you and that kid, but let me ask you one question before you do what you are about to do......is this man worth JD or even yourself living in guilt or living in your own prison for the rest of your natural born lives. Now if you can answer me that with a straight answer than go for it but if you can't then give me the hell fire gun." Buck said with his hand stuck out at Chris.
Chris thought about the words that came from Buck. He took a look to each of his men. First he looked at Vin, like always Vin spoke without using any words. Josiah said a little prayer and Ezra had the same look on his face as of his own. At least one of his men were on his side Chris thought.
Chris pointed his gun to Potter standing between Josiah and Ezra and without even closing his eyes he took one shot and watched as his target fell to the ground between the two of his men. Finally when Potter layed on the ground, not moving Chris closed his eyes, handed his gun to Buck and walked back into the house to be with his son.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 HOURS LATER:
Chris sat in the chair next to his son's hospital bed. He took in each and every feature of the kid while he rubbed the back of his son's hand with his thumb. He knew that his son would be okay phsyically but mentally he didn't know. The look on JD's face still stuck in Chris's mind.
"I am sorry JD, I am truly sorry." Chris whispered to his sleeping son.
"Hey cowboy, hows' the kid?" The sharpshooter asked as he entered the room.
"He will be fine." Came the simple answer from Chris Larabee.
"Where is everyone?"
"They are on their way I reckon. Chris I think that we need to talk. Ezra is waiting down the hall for us."
Chris knew by the sound of Vin's voice that the talk wouldn't be nice. He knew exactly what Vin was thinking because he was thinking the same. Chris knew that he had killed Potter in cold blood. Chris also was aware that the other men stood around and watched him do it
" I figured as much." Chris simply said as he got up from the side of his son's hospital bed." Let's go and get this talk over so I can get back here with JD."rom the side of his son's hospital bed." Let's go and get this talk over so I can get back here with JD."
Chris gave his son another look and walked out of the room with Vin behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ah Mr.Larabee, how is the kid fairing?" Ezra asked with his southern drawl.
"He will be fine Ezra, what is this we need to talk about. Got anything to do with Potter getting shot?"
Chris sat down in the waiting room across from Ezra and watched as the other men came to sit down as well. He looked to the faces of his men and their thoughts and feelings were written clearly across each one of them. Ezra still wore the look as he did just ten hours before. He looked to his oldest best friend and see a look of disappointment. Chris had seen that look from Buck many times after his wife and son was killed and he turned to the bottle for comfort. He hated that damn look he thought as he tore his glare from Buck.
"Mr.Larabee as you know, Mr.Potter was shot and killed in cold blood. I of all people understand what happened there but I do not even for a second think that the higher ups will understand." Ezra said.
"What happens to JD, when I go up? I would hope that you guys would take him in as I did and take care of him. Make a man out of the boy. I will talk to him and let him know what is going to happen with me. I hope that he would understand." Chris got out before anyone of the other men could break in.
"Chris you know that we would. But...."
"There ain't no but's Buck. I know I killed that man in cold blood but I had to end it. My kid asked something of me and I would be damned if I didn't answer his reguest." Chris spat out.
"Chris calm down for a mintue and lets talk about this." Josiah said standing up to move himself infront of his leader to try and reason with him.
"Ezra has figured out a way for that not to happen, Ezra has figured out a way for you to raise JD as was planned. Now if you shut up long enough and let him finish telling you then we can get this over with and all the paper work can be done and you can get back to your son." Buck raised his voice as each word was spoken.
Chris sat in his chair silent as Ezra explained how he could get off of the mess without having to do time. Chris knew that he would have it on his mind til the day that he died but to him he had more important guilt trips on his mind to have to deal with this one. Chris knew that he did the right thing for his son. He had revenged JD's mother's death, he hoped that he had calmed JD's nightmares and his fears. Chris only wanted JD to grow up like a normal kid with out having to run from almost every man he seen out side of the agents.JD to be able to trust someone in his lifetime even it was a cold blooded killer, but to Chris he didn't feel as a cold blooded killer to himself he felt like he done a good deed and now after Ezra's smartness he was going to get good things from it.
"Can you guys live with it?" Chris asked as he looked to each of his agents face.
"Most certainly Mr.Larabee, I will admit if you didn't do it I was about to kill that sonofabitch myself. I don't care what these other men says, it was on their minds more times than they can count themselves." Ezra said as he looked to his fellow agents.
Even though they had let the man die the way he did, they all felt as though they had done the right thing and honoring JD.
"Brother Chris I know you have heard many times over that God works in ways that no one can understand and I think he was working hard on this situation. We may never know the reason or we may never even want to know. What is done is done." Josiah said.
"Well I know the reason Josiah and it was for my son." Chris Larabee said as he got up and went back to his son's side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 MONTHS LATER:
JD rolled over in his bed and looked to the alarm clock that sat on the nightstand just by his bed. The night was a sleepless night and whatever JD tried he couldn't go to sleep.
"Oh just forget it " JD spat out as he got from up from his bed to go down stairs.
He walked through the living room and noticed that the kitchen light was on. He wondered who could also be up way after midnight other than himself.
"Oh hey dad." JD said as he sat down at the table across from his father.
"Did I wake you?"
"No, I just couldn't sleep is all." JD said
"You having those nightmares again?" Chris's voice filled with fatherly concern.
"No, just couldn't sleep is all"
Chris sat at the table silent as he took the appearance of his son in. The bruises that Potter had left on the boy just three months before had all went away. The broken leg had healed as was the broken ribs. Chris was now only worried about his mental state. He knew that he needed to talk to JD on what happened months before, but he could never find the courage to. Chris didn't want JD running to Josiah this time to talk about something like that of sorts.
"JD, I have been wanting to talk to you. I know it as been months but I still feel as though we need to talk about Potter." Chris said as he watched his son shiver at the words.
"yeah I know dad, but the way that I see it is that you had to do what you thought you had to do. I wanted that man dead. I didn't want to ever see his face again."
"And you were scared that if we took him in you would have to tesitfy in court and that would be the place that you would see him again?" Chris asked
"Some sort to that."
"Son I hate what I done......"
"I don't, you did it for me dad, and no matter what people might say. You are the best father." JD smiled to his father.
"JD you may not realize this but I would go to the ends of the earth for you and back. You have filled my heart and this home with your love and laughter and I only want to make you happy and I want you to be here and be my son for life."
"This is where I want to be." JD said
"Come on lets go and try to get some rest." Chris said as he stood up from the table. He waited for his son to get up and together the father and son walked up the stairs to their own rooms.
JD knew that he had found a place in Chris's heart because not everyone would do what his father done. He felt the love that Chris had for him each day because they both lived with the same thoughts. JD also knew that Chris would have went to prison for him no matter what. He knew that not many adoptived fathers would have done that or even promised it.
JD knew that his life at the ranch was going to be a wonderful life, he just wished that his mother was there to share it with him and see him grow up. He knew that his mother would have loved the men but most of all he knew that she would have loved Chris Larabee............
THE END
Written by: Lady Standish
Everyone should really read those set of stories, I loved them and then got so many ideals.
Warning: In this fan fiction set, JD is Chris's adopted son. But unlike Karin's, this story has nothing to do with her settings completely. JD in my stories is going to be younger in the age
Of 13. I know, I know young uh...hope you like it.
WARNING: NOT BETA'ED COMPLETELY
My thanks go out to Karen (TheBadElement). She is a wonderful beta and what just would I do without her.
She is the only one that can make sense with my work.
Thanks Karen.
Disclaimer: Don't own them, Don't make money from them
"My SON"
Chapter one:
Chris Larabee sat on the long porch of his ranch home taking in the early morning sights and sounds. He could hear the birds chirping along side by side with each other, as the morning sun came up just over the mountains, a sound that he found soothing to the soul. He thought about the life he was living now and a small grin formed across his face. After his own wife and son's death a couple of years before he never thought that he would ever feel the same way toward another human being the way that he felt now toward his friends that he calls family. Now he had a thirteen-year-old son to take care of and protect along with his friends. His son may not be his own flesh and blood but he was his no other way. The Kid had found a place in his home and in his heart where Chris knew he was meant to be.
Chris's mind flashed back to the day that JD Dunne came to live with him. The kid was only to stay there until he had somewhere else to go, waiting to be adopted or put in a foster home. Chris hated the thought of the kid being in this cruel hard world with no one by his side through out his life. Being in a place that he didn't want to be in, or going through life blaming himself for being shuffled around.
Larabee's team had went in for a drug bust and found the kid in a corner scared of everyone around for he had seen his mother shot down trying to protect herself, her son and her home. The drug runners was tipped off about the A.T.F. officers and were looking for a place to hide until the officers gave up and were gone, she had tried to push them back out the door of her home. Her screams could be heard all around the apartment complex, being the reason she was shot. The other people living in the apartment complex had allowed the woman's screams go unheard as if nothing was happening in fear of death themselves.
Larabee's team had followed the biggest drug runner to Boston Massachusetts. They had gotten tip after tip of where they were going and the agents wanted these men dead. So when they had surprised the drug runners by busting through the door of the small apartment, they had finally gotten their prey.
Chris was looking through the apartment making sure no one else was going to jump out at him with a gun in their hand when he ran across the small scared boy hiding in the corner.
"Hey there buddy, ya wanna come outta there?" Chris tried his best to make his voice gentle to not scare the kid anymore than what he was already.
The small dark haired boy just shook his head "no" and tightens the death grip he had around his legs.
"I ain't gonna hurt ya, ya safe now.... come on outta there."
The boy looked at the out reached hand toward him and thought about it, he had heard more gun shots and knew something bad was going on. He didn't know whom this man standing in front of him was and he couldn't see or hear his mother nowhere.
Chris could see that the young boy was thinking about weather he should take his hand or not. He could see how frighten the little boy was of him.
"My mom is hurt." came the soft reply from the kid.
Chris turned around; he hadn't seen a woman when he had came in the apartment. He looked around the room that he was in and still no woman to be found.
"I will be right back, just sit tight okay pal."
He got his answer from the dark hair being shook.
Chris stood up to walk away from the little boy when Vin shouted.
"Chris come in here!"
Chris walked toward Vin's voice into a room that looked of a lady's bedroom and he stood next to Vin Tanner looking at who must of been JD's mother laying next to her bed covered in blood. The man had been through and seen a lot in his years, but nothing had compared to what he seen in the bedroom. She had one single gun shot wound to the center of her head. Her eyes still open as if she was still looking at the person holding the gun.
Chris had turned back around and went back to the boy in the corner rolled up into a ball.
"Son, what's ya name?"
"JD"
"JD why don't you come on outta there and come with me buddy."
The boy got up from the floor and looked straight up into the eyes of Chris Larabee. He knew something was wrong with his mother from the look on the mans face. He had ran and hid when he heard the door being knocked down and saw the men fighting with his mother as she tried to keep them out.
PRESENT:
Chris closed his eyes trying to wipe the memory out, he knew that the kid had gone through and still was going through a hard time. He was only 13 years old and seen enough to last him a lifetime. JD had been at the ranch for 4 months now and was starting to adapt to his new life. JD still woke up with his nightmares at night, he still kept to himself at times but they were working through all of that together. One thing Chris hated to see was JD with the look of like he was holding the weight of the world on his shoulders. Chris felt partly to blame for JD losing his mother at a young age. He felt as though if he didn't want the drug dealers that bad then they wouldn't have been there that day in JD's apartment. He felt as though if he waited for them to return to Denver then JD would still have his mother with him today.
Chris brought the hot cup of coffee he held in his hands to his lips. He thought of a better memory he had with JD after he had came to the ranch.
2months before:
Chris walked out by the fence to the horses that he, along with the others owned. JD was standing there talking to "Lighting" the black and white horse that JD had came so fond of.
"JD, can we have a talk?" Chris couldn't believe how nervous he was as he stood there waiting for JD to answer his question.
"Sure" the young boy said turning his attention to Chris Larabee.
"JD.... I was wondering something.... ummm I don't want to see you leave here and so I have talked to the Judge and Ms.Travis and well.... JD can I adopt you, can I become your father?"
Chris watched as JD's eyes turned toward him to look him straight into his eyes. He didn't know what the hell he was doing Chris thought to himself. How could he care for another human being when he had himself and five other men to watch out and care for.
"You want to adopt me? But why?" came the reply from the kid.
"Well JD, I have gotten sort of use to you being here, so has the other guys and well we want to keep you with us, we all feel as though this is the place you are meant to be, that this is the home you need...so what do ya say kid?"
"Yeah, hell yeah!" JD yelled as he jumped up and down like a small child.
"Watch ya mouth boy!"
"Um sorry Chris."
"That's okay for this time", Chris said with stern. "So this is a done deal then uh pal?"
"Yep!" JD cried with joy as Chris put his arm around JD's shoulders and the two walked off toward the house together to tell the other men that waited just on the porch.
PRESENT:
Chris would never forget the look in the kid's eyes as they signed the papers making Chris, JD's father. It didn't taken JD to long to get attached to Chris within a month he was calling him dad and all the other guys' uncle. JD was starting to feel wanted again by everyone around him that he came to know. The guys made sure that the kid didn't keep to himself any longer like when he had first got there. There was always one with him when he was at the ranch. At first it was as though he was standing at the crossroads of his life wondering which path would be the right path to take.
2months before:
Chris walked out by the fence to the horses that he, along with the others owned. JD was standing there talking to "Lighting" the black and white horse that JD had came so fond of.
"JD, can we have a talk?" Chris couldn't believe how nervous he was as he stood there waiting for JD to answer his question.
"Sure" the young boy said turning his attention to Chris Larabee.
"JD.... I was wondering something.... ummm I don't want to see you leave here and so I have talked to the Judge and Ms.Travis and well.... JD can I adopt you, can I become your father?"
Chris watched as JD's eyes turned toward him to look him straight into his eyes. He didn't know what the hell he was doing Chris thought to himself. How could he care for another human being when he had himself and five other men to watch out and care for.
"You want to adopt me? But why?" came the reply from the kid.
"Well JD, I have gotten sort of use to you being here, so has the other guys and well we want to keep you with us, we all feel as though this is the place you are meant to be, that this is the home you need...so what do ya say kid?"
"Yeah, hell yeah!" JD yelled as he jumped up and down like a small child.
"Watch ya mouth boy!"
"Um sorry Chris."
"That's okay for this time", Chris said with stern. "So this is a done deal then uh pal?"
"Yep!" JD cried with joy as Chris put his arm around JD's shoulders and the two walked off toward the house together to tell the other men that waited just on the porch.
PRESENT:
Chris would never forget the look in the kid's eyes as they signed the papers making Chris, JD's father. It didn't taken JD to long to get attached to Chris within a month he was calling him dad and all the other guys' uncle. JD was starting to feel wanted again by everyone around him that he came to know. The guys made sure that the kid didn't keep to himself any longer like when he had first got there. There was always one with him when he was at the ranch. At first it was as though he was standing at the crossroads of his life wondering which path would be the right path to take.
Jack Potter was the only drug runner to slip through their hands during that certain raid. Chris had pulled every string he could, made every connection he could find to get close to the man. Everything he used always came up empty sort of like Potter had disappeared from the earth. Maybe the earth but Chris Larabee would go to his grave tracking the man down for the hell he had and was putting JD through.
"I reckon I need to be getting JD up for school and we need to be getting to the office, we would hate to let Ezra beat us now wouldn't we boys." Chris stated as he got up and walked into the house leaving his two friends behind.
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The entire house was filled with the smell of breakfast cooking on the stove, sounds of dishes clanking together as they were pulled from the cabinet and put on the table could be hear as Chris walked back into the house.
"JD out of bed yet Ms.Shannon?" Chris asked the lady in front of the stove as he sat at the head of the table waiting for his breakfast.
"Yes Mr.Larabee, I believe I heard him going into the bathroom a few moments ago. More coffee?"
Chris watched as Ms. Shannon poured more of the black liquid into his cup. Ms. Shannon had came to live at the ranch when Chris put a help wanted ad in the paper that he needed someone to help take care of JD and the common household chores around the ranch.
Ms.Shannon was a dark haired lady who at the time lived by herself after all of her children had left home and made their own lives out in the world. She answered Chris's help wanted ad within a day from putting it in the newspaper. He couldn't even think of one person that wanted to take care of a bunch of men, but she let him know real quickly that she wanted the job and didn't mind taking care of them. She did her job very well Chris thought, the house was always clean, hot meals were put on the table all the time. He wondered how the woman found time to even cook up something, with cleaning and taking care of JD when he was at home and not in school. Ms.Shannon had come to be a major asset of the Larabee ranch and Chris didn't know what he would do without her help. Now she lived in his home, done his shopping and his clothes, she took care of his agents and his son. All of the men along with JD got along very well with her and that meant a lot to Chris that they also had someone to take care of them.
"Mr.Larabee could you please get the others and let them know that breakfast is ready? Who ever is not here at this table within minutes I will start clearing it off and they can go hungry." Ms Shannon said as she started putting breakfast out on the table.
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"Breakfast is ready everyone!" Chris shouted from his chair, which deserved him a smack on the arm from Ms Shannon's wooden spoon.
"Ouch, what did you do that for" Chris pouted.
"Don't do any of that yelling at my table mister, now get up and go tell them that breakfast is ready like a grown man should, and I don't won't to hear no more shouting from you like that again, do you hear me!"
Chris knew better than to mess with the woman, hell she even scared him at times he thought to himself as he got up from the table.
"Hey, good morning son" Chris said as he passed JD coming down the stairs. He noticed right off the sleepy look the kid had written all over his face. He could see that JD was starting to get weak in the eyes due to the nightmares and lack of sleep that he was getting. Chris knew that it was hard on the kid, for one reason was because it was hard on him trying to run all day long with only a little sleep at night.
"You feel okay son?" Chris asked while trying to look into JD's eyes.
"Yeah I am find dad, just tired is all." JD rubbed his eyes trying his best to wipe the sleep from them. He wasn't feeling good at all he thought. He just wanted to climb back into his bed and sleep as along as he could. JD knew that if he told his father he wasn't feeling well that the man would go into mother hen mode and JD didn't want his father to worry about him when he had enough to deal with at his office.
"Ya wanna stay home from school today, maybe I can get Nathan to come by a little later and check on you." came the concern voice of a father.
"No I will be fine, I just need to wake up a bit. I am going for breakfast before it gets cleared from the table." JD stated as he walked away from his father who was still looking at him with worry.
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Chapter two:
The morning started out half decent Chris thought as he pulled into the parking lot of the A.T.F. building. Chris had taken JD to school like he did every morning before he left for work, then he drove the twenty miles from the school to work with thoughts running through his mind of the night before and how the day would be. He was worried about the kid and how the nightmares were starting to show on him. He wanted someone just to tell him how to take the dreams away from the boy, but he knew that there was no one that could do that. He would just have to deal with them along side of JD and show his son that he was there no matter what.
Chris could hear the laughter coming from the floor that housed
him and his agents. He wanted to know why their floor couldn't ever be silent like the other floors in the A.T.F. building, but then again with Buck and Vin always around something was going on.
"Morning boys!" Chris said to his fellow agents as he walked into his office looking around to make sure all of his men where there on time. But like every morning there was one always missing.
"Hey Chris, we got a tip this morning on Potter. When I had came in early to work on that report you needed the phone rang and said that Potter was in town then, just as soon as the words was spoken the phone went dead." Josiah said standing in the door frame of Larabee's office.
"Couldn't get a trace?" Chris asked.
"Nope wasn't on the phone that long."
"Where does that leave us now." Nathan Jackson asked while shifting through papers in his hands.
"We try our best and track the imbecile down like the dog he is." Standish said while walking to his desk trying to get Chris's attention off the fact that he had just arrived to work.
"Your late Standish!"
"Crap" was the only word Ezra could get to come from his mouth.
"You said crap Ez...bringing yourself down to our level now uh?" Buck laughed out.
"Don't start you two, I am in half the mind to just shoot you both." Chris stated. He wasn't really in the mood to hear their arguments at that moment.
"Why would Potter be here anyways, I mean hell everyone one coming and going knows that we are looking for him."
"Good question Buck, now find the answer. Who do we know on the streets that we can trust not to tip Potter off if we were to asked questions?"
"I have my contacts Mr.Larabee, I will get started on that right now." Ezra said still trying to get Chris's attention off of him being late for work yet once again.
"Good, Buck you and Vin drive around see what you can. Call me to check in from time to time. Nathan, Josiah and I will stay here in case more calls come in and call who we know." Chris stated and watched as each of his men started going to work.
He had a group of magnificent men he thought, they were always serious when it came to their work. They were always ready to take a bullet for the other and not think twice about it.
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The phone rang twice before Ms.Shannon was there to pick it up. She hated to answer the phone when the men were gone; someone was always on the other line for Buck. One of his lady friends as he smoothly put it to her.
"Hello Larabee residence"
"Hello, Ms Shannon this is Mrs.Cole from JD's school I was just checking to see why he is not in school today." Came the soft question.
"Not at school, Mr.Larabee had taken him to school this morning on his way to work. Mrs. Cole I will give Mr.Larabee a call and then have him to call you right back, would that be okay dear?"
"Yes Ms Shannon, thank you."
Ms Shannon hung the phone up and searched in her small phone book for Chris's office number. She never liked to call him at work so she didn't know the number by heart.
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"Chris, phone line 1 it is Ms Shannon." Josiah said barely stepping into Chris's office.
"Something is wrong, Ms Shannon never calls Chris here at the office, I wonder if something as happen to JD." Nathan said more to himself than Josiah. Nathan was starting to go into his worry mode.
Nathan and Josiah both jumped as Chris came from his office. They could see the look of concern he had.
"JD's school called and was wondering why he wasn't there in school today when I know I dropped him off there myself. I am heading over to the school. Nathan, Josiah keep making those calls and call my cell phone as soon as you hear something." Chris said while walking out the door.
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"Tanner here!" Vin said when he answered his cell phone.
"Vin, you and Buck head on over to JD's school they called the house a little while ago saying that JD ain't there. I am going there now I will meet you." Chris stated into the phone. Chris was starting to feel uneasy now that he was in his pickup truck heading to the school. He knew that JD wasn't one to just skip class; he wasn't the one to fake a tummy ache just so he didn't have to go to school.
"You got it." Vin hung up the phone and turned to his friend who was driving.
"Chris said that JD wasn't in school."
"Chris took him there this morning right, maybe the kid wanted to skip today." Buck laughed out but inside was worried.
"Come on Buck you know JD ain't one to cut class or skip school, I don't feel to good about this but I ain't gonna say anything to Chris right now."
"Yeah I know Vin, I was just wishing is all." Buck said more silently to himself.
Within minutes Vin and Buck pulled up in the school parking lot. They left their guns in the truck knowing that they weren't allowed in the school or actually on the school grounds. They walked into the school office like they owned the place, but when it came to JD they didn't care how they looked walking into anywhere including walking into the school.
"Can I help you gentlemen?"
"Yeah we are friends of Chris Larabee and he should be here any second. Are you Mrs. Cole?" Buck asked the small-framed lady behind the desk. Mrs. Cole looked to be about in here late twenties with brown curly hair that hung just a few inches below her shoulders.
"Yes I am, what is this all about?" Mrs.Cole asked seeing the concern in the men's eyes that stood just inches away from her.
"We just need to know where JD is," Vin said.
Vin and Buck stood next to the desk while Mrs.Cole explained to them why she had to call the Larabee's home. They listened and knew that it wasn't like JD just to run out on school.
Their attention went to the double doors at the school's entrance when they were pushed opened by Chris Larabee.
Chris walked into the school in search of his son. He walked into the office where Vin and Buck stood talking to the young lady sitting behind the desk.
"Where's JD?" Chris's voice was nothing but gentle this time, fear and concern along with anger made up his voice as he spoke.
"Don't know, didn't show up for homeroom to check in this morning." Vin repeated the information that Mrs.Cole had given him.
"I dropped him off at the front, this morning and watched as he walked into this school. So he should be here somewhere maybe he is skipping class or something. JD wasn't feeling to well this morning. Have you checked the bathrooms or gym, I know that he likes to play basketball early in the mornings, maybe he has lost track of time or didn't hear the bell ringing for class."
"No Mr.Larabee we thought JD wasn't here this morning so we go by the rules and call the parents to find out if maybe the student is sick or not." Mrs.Cole was starting to feel very uneasy, not many students went missing in their school. She also knew of JD and how he would come to school even if he were sick.
"Okay boys lets search this place over, Mrs.Cole I would advise you and everyone that is not doing nothing to give full cooperation with us. We are going to find JD one way or another." Chris said as he walked off to the boy's bathroom that he knew was just down the hall.
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"When my dad finds you, you will wish that you were dead." JD yelled out to the man standing in front of him. "He will know that I am not in school and believe me he will find you. I promise you will be sorry." JD knew the face of the man standing in front of him; he had seen that face so many times in his dreams.
Potter was a man that no one could forget even if they tried. He stood as tall as Buck and about the same weight. He dressed as though he was made of a million bucks and always had his jet-black hair slicked back. But his eyes were a set that JD couldn't shake from his mind. They were icy blue eyes that showed no emotion at all.
"Maybe so son, but when he does find out where I am, I will be long gone and there will be you, dead because he couldn't leave well enough alone." Potter shot back to the boy.
Potter had grabbed JD as he came pass the boys bathroom of the school and pulled him in. He wanted JD to stay quiet so he had hit his head so hard that JD fell to the floor unconscious. Potter waited in the stall until he could hear the bell ringing for the school to start its day then he carried the boy to his car without one single person seeing him.
A nasty bruise began to form on JD's forehead where Potter had hit him with something. JD didn't know what it was but one thing was for sure was that it hurt. He knew that his father would find him; he hoped that the school would call his dad like they always do. He wished now that he would have stayed home from school like his father had asked him too. He wouldn't mind Nathan and Ms. Shannon fretting over him about right now he thought to himself.
Potter walked around JD as if he was taking the boys look into his memory. Potter knew exactly who JD was, that was the reason he came looking for him. Then when he had gotten back to town he had found out that Larabee had took the kid in and that made it much more exciting
for Potter.
"What do you want with me anyways?" JD asked
"You will find out soon enough, for now why don't we play a little game?" Potter laughed out.
JD didn't like this man, he didn't want to play any game all, what he wanted to do was get out of there and find his father. JD looked at his surroundings, he wanted to figure out an escape plan. He knew that his father would find him; he just didn't want to stay with Potter longer than he had to. JD put his hand to the wound on his forehead; it was starting to hurt more and more as he thought things out.
"I ain't playing no game with you!" JD shouted
"Oh yes you are, let's think of it as a group activity. We are going to even include your dear father, what do you think about that?"
JD was disgusted with this guy; visions of Potter pushing his mother through the door came to his mind. JD's stomach started to feel as though it would empty its contents at any minute.
"I would rather die a thousand deaths." JD growled at Potter.
"I believe that can be arranged young man." Potter stated before landing his boot toe right into JD's ribs.
Potter walked around the kid taking pictures from a digital camera of the kid. He made sure to get the purple colored bruise from his head. Pictures were also taken of JD has he laid in the fetal position in the middle of the room. Potter wanted to play mind games with Larabee and the pictures were a start.
JD felt his heart pounding rapidly in his chest, he wasn't ready for the blow to his ribs and it had knocked the breath out of him. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he thought about his father and how he wanted to get away from this man in front of him now matter what it took. He was scared very scared as he thought to himself. The only other time that he had been so scared in his life was when his mother died. At that time he didn't have no one to count on but now it was different, now he had his father and his uncle's that were always there. He just wished at this time that they were there to watch over him.
Josiah sat there at his desk looking through files trying to find any contacts that him and Nathan may have left out when the phone started to ring in front of him.
"Sanchez speaking."
"Ah Mr. Sanchez nice to talk to you again, please pass a note to Larabee telling him to check his email." Potter stated then hung up the phone.
Josiah sat there for a moment thinking about the voice from the call. He recalled the voice from this morning and knew that it was a match.
"Nathan it's Potter, How could I have missed that!"
"Josiah what the hell are you talking about?" Nathan asked not even looking up from his work at hand.
"That phone call just now, it was Potter. He told me to tell Chris to check his email. He was also the caller this morning, how did I miss that?"
Josiah grabbed the receiver to the phone and dialed Larabee's number.
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"Larabee!" Chris spoke into his cell phone.
"Chris get back here to the office, Potter called!"
"I haven't found JD yet Josiah, after I find him!"
"No Chris get back here now!" Josiah's voice was nothing but calm and Chris knew that something had shaken him up.
"Fine, be there in a few!"
Chris pushed end on his cell phone ending the call.
Chris wanted nothing more but to stay at the school until he found JD but for some reason in his stomach he felt as though JD wasn't there. All he wanted to do was find him to keep him safe. He had no ideal why Potter was back in town and then have enough nerve to call the ATF office.
"No sign of him yet Chris." Vin interrupted Chris's thoughts.
"Josiah just called, I am going back to the office. He had said something about Potter calling. Let's go!"
The three agents left the school with only one thing on their mind and that was to find JD. Their hearts feeling heavier as the minutes passed by neither one wanting to leave the school just incase JD came out of a classroom by chance.
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Ezra came into the office building, he had been questioning his contacts all morning long and neither contact knew any new information.
"Did you gentlemen find out any new information on why Potter would be here or who was the caller from this morning?"
"It was Jack Potter who called this morning, He just called a little while ago to let Chris know to check his email." Josiah stated sitting on this edge of his desk waiting for Chris Larabee to come.
"His email, wonder what that would be about?" Ezra said more to himself then to the other agents sitting around him.
"Josiah, what is this all about?" Chris stated as he came walking through the door with Buck and Vin closely on his heels.
Josiah told them all about the phone call and how he couldn't believe Potter called there.
Chris went straight into his office closely followed by his team. He turned his computer on with shaky hands and waited for it to boot up. He quickly connected to the internet and went straight into his email. Chris scanned through the email that he had gotten that morning. He went down through the list until he came to a email that he knew was the one he was suppose to see, the subject line reading "Have Fun Larabee"
Chris opened the email with the guys standing behind him waiting for it to load.
"Oh Dear Lord" came the words from the undercover agent.
"No.....no....no not JD!" Chris screamed out before he had realized it.
The first picture to load in the email was one of JD with blood running down the right side of his face from where Potter had hit him. Nathan took in the nasty cut and swore under his breath. The second picture was one of JD laying curled up into a ball, a picture that would forever stick in Chris's mind. He clenched his jaw in anger, he hated the feeling of being powerless to help his adopted son when he needed him. He had made a promise to JD that he would never allow anyone or anything to ever hurt him again. Now he had allow his JD to be captured by a mad man that didn't care who he hurt.
"I can't stand no more of this" Chris growled getting up from his chair and leaving the office in a rage.
"Okay, print out a set of those pictures Ezra. Go over them, look for a sign of some sorts to where Potter has JD held." Josiah said as he just stood there staringstareing at the pictures of a kid he had grown to love just the same as the rest of the guys. He couldn't take his eyes off those pictures, for some reason he felt he was the to blame here. He thought that maybe if he had call Chris as soon as he had gotten that first call and maybe Chris wouldn't have taken JD to school. Josiah's stomach ache at the thought of it, he had to get out of that same room that Chris just left from. With out another word he walked from the room and went to sit at his desk putting his head into his hands.
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Chris stood infront of the counter in the small office kitchen. He just stood there looking straight at the wall like it was going to tell him what to do or where to find JD. Visions of the pictures ran through his mind. Pictures of his second chance at fatherhood. He couldn't lose another child he thought to himself. When he had lost Adam it had made a hole in his chest that stayed there for years and then this small boy he adopted only months before refilled that hole. He was finally able to give his heart again. Now he feared that if he didn't find JD his heart would ache for years to come. He didn't want to deal with it, he just wanted to hide somewhere until all of this was over. He wanted to wake up from the nightmare that he hoped that he was having.
"Chris, we are gonna find the kid." Vin said stepping into the small kitchen beside his friend.
"How could I have let this happen Vin, I had promised that boy that I would never let anything hurt him ever again and look where he is now! I only wanted to be that little boy's hero Vin but I let him down."
"Well the way that I see it Chris,we can sit here and blame ourselves or we can track the stupid fucker down and get your boy back and Chris we all know that JD looks to you as his hero, since the day you found him we could all see it." Vin simply stated.
Chris stood there for just a few more moments before turning to his friend with hot tears stinging his eyes. He looked pass Vin and at the open door where three other agents were standing waiting for the orders that he was to give them. He wondered how he could give them orders when he couldn't even protect his son.
"Mr.Larabee I promise you that we will find the young man and bring him home where he belongs." Ezra said
"Okay Nathan please look at the pictures tell me what Potter has done to JD. Ezra search every inch of those pictures for clues. Buck try to find out where the calls are coming from. Josiah....where is Josiah?"
"Sitting at his desk, I do believe he is taking this rather hard Mr.Larabee." Ezra stated.
"Vin call Judge tell him as soon as we know something we are going to move." Chris said. He knew how the judge loved the kid. He just wanted Judge Travis to be alert on what was going on and what they would do to get the kid back. "Tell Josiah that I want to see him in my office."
Chris left the small office kitchen and went back into his office. He saw the bright screen from his computer and knew that the email was still there. He went to the black couch that sat against the wall and sat down. He pinched the bridge of his nose in thought of what to do.
"Chris you wanted to see me?" Josiah said standing in the door frame of Chris's office.
"Yeah sit down Josiah."
"Chris listen I want to say something first.I am sorry, If I would have called you this morning when I had gotten the first call then maybe none of this would have happened. I had no idea that it was Potter if I only knew then maybe you wouldn't of taken JD to school. Maybe...."
"Josiah, stop with the maybe crap. Yeah maybe if I would had trusted my instincts and not taken JD to school and made him stay home today like I wanted to then none of this would have happened. It is not our faults. It is Potter and trust me Josiah he will pay and I mean he will pay dearly."
"I am sorry Chris, you know that boy means the world to me. Did you know he comes to me for advice sometimes, when he doesn't know how to take all this family stuff. We would sit and talk for hours on the subject of family and life."
Chris closed his eyes trying to imagine JD sitting next to the tall man talking to him. He imagined the look on JD's face when Josiah said something that he didn't understand.desk typing on a computer. He was sending those pictures he had just taken to his dad JD thought.
JD looked around the room while Potter's back was turned to him. He knew that if he could get to that computer he could email his father. JD was very smart for his age. Most people looked over him because of his age, thinking that he was to young to understand or even know what he was doing. JD knew that he could break the passwords if Potter was to have any on that computer and get a email out to his father letting him know where he was or give him so kind of clue to where he was. JD laid on the floor acting as though he was asleep so that Potter would maybe leave the room giving him just a little bit of time.
Potter stood up from the computer,took one quick look over at the kid and then left the room. JD let a small grin come to his face when he heard the door shut behind Potter leaving him alone in the room. He quickly looked around the room and then ran to the door to lock in from the inside.
JD walked quickly to the computer turning it on, it didn't take him long before he was on line and sending his email to Chris. He just hoped that his dad would get his email before Potter's email.
"Josiah, we will bring JD home and you of all people should know that. It is different when one of our own is involved. So lets forget about the who blame who shit and find my boy." Chris stated with edge to his voice. He went to sit at his desk he didn't want to look at the pictures but he wanted to scan over them himself. He just wanted his boy back with him. He wanted to keep him safe.
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Chapter three:
JD quickly looked out the corner of his eye to see Potter sitting at a desk typing on a computer. He was sending those pictures he had just taken to his dad JD thought.
JD looked around the room while Potter's back was turned to him. He knew that if he could get to that computer he could email his father. JD was very smart for his age. Most people looked over him because of his age, thinking that he was to young to understand or even know what he was doing. JD knew that he could break the passwords if Potter was to have any on that computer and get a email out to his father letting him know where he was or give him so kind of clue to where he was. JD laid on the floor acting as though he was asleep so that Potter would maybe leave the room giving him just a little bit of time.
Potter stood up from the computer,took one quick look over at the kid and then left the room. JD let a small grin come to his face when he heard the door shut behind Potter leaving him alone in the room. He quickly looked around the room and then ran to the door to lock in from the inside.
JD walked quickly to the computer turning it on, it didn't take him long before he was on line and sending his email to Chris. He just hoped that his dad would get his email before Potter's email.
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Chris Larabee sat there behind his desk staring into his computer screen at the pictures of his son. He scanned over the first picture of JD laying curled up into a small ball. Chris thought that the young boy looked so fragile. The kid's dark shaggy hair hung over his face so Chris couldn't see his face very well. Chris's heart ached for his son. He clicked on to the next picture to see the side of his son's face covered in dried blood. Chris was getting angierangery by the minute and he didn't know if he could control his anger any longer. He saw the tears that came from JD's eyes and he felt his own tears stinging at his eyes.
Chris couldn't take any more of the pictures yet once again for the day. He closed the email which lead him back to his email account inbox. Chris clicked out of his email and just sat there in front of his computer thinking about his son.
He wondered how he could have allowed this to happen. He wondered how far he had gotten from the school until his son was taken by a mad man.
"God JD, I am so sorry, I promise I will find you and bring you home to me where you belong." Chris said with his head in his hands.
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Josiah sat at his desk thinking about JD, he knew he needed to be looking through Potter's file to see if anything would tell him something, but he couldn't get his mind off of JD curled up into a ball on the floor.
"Ezra have you found anything yet?"
"No, I haven't Mr.Sanchez but I am still working on them."
Josiah let out the heavy breath that he had been holding. He wanted to relook at those pictures no matter how bad he hated to. He stood from his desk and headed toward Larabee's office.
"Chris?"
"Yeah Josiah what is it."
"I want to take a look at those pictures of JD again, can I use your computer."
"Sure, I don't care." Chris said getting up from his office chair and walking over to the couch to just sit back down.
Josiah sat down where Chris had been and move the mouse to take the screen saver off. He reconnected to Chris's email account and waited for it to load up. He scanned down through the unread email until he came to the one he was looking for, but before he clicked on it something had caught his eye.
"Chris come over here!"
"What is it Josiah, I am working here!" Chris honestly didn't mean to get upset with Josiah he just had his mind on other things.
"Chris now!"
Chris got up from the couch and walked over to his desk to stand behind Josiah. There on his computer screen where Josiah was pointing to made his heart fall once again for the day.
He read the subject line which said "DAD HELP ME"
"open it Josiah!"
DAD I AM AT A EMPTY HOUSE SOMEWHERE I AM NOT SURE.
IT MUST NOT BE TOO FAR FROM YOU. I CAN REMEMBER SEEING ALOT OF WINDOWS THE WINDOWS ARE VERY DIRTY I CAN'T SEE OUT OF THEM.PLEASE HURRY I DON'T LIKE THIS GUY HE WAS THE MAN TO KILL MY MOTHER.WHAT EVER YOU DO DAD GET ME OUT OF HERE.I LOVE YOU DAD.
Chris and Josiah looked at each with many thoughts already running through their minds.
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JD heard Potter coming back and he quickly tried to put the computer back the way that he had found it.
"Boy your best bet would be to open the damn door!" Potter screamed from the other side of the door.
JD ran to the corner of the room and tucked his legs tightly close to his chest. He had hoped that he could unlock the door and lay back down on the floor the way that he was before Potter came back to the room and now he knew that Potter was going to be very angry at him. He feared of what would come to him when Potter got the door open.
Suddenly the door was busted open and Potter walked in very angry. He looked around the room, he found his computer on his email and the boy sitting in the corner.
"What did you do!" Potter screamed "Kid answer me, what the hell did you do!"
Potter moved closer to the computer. He gave the kid credit he knew how to use the computer but he wasn't smart enough to turn the email off correctly. He saw the message that JD sent to Chris and turned to look at JD.
"Oh that is just so clever young man, sending a message to dear oh dad. I bet you think that you are smart by doing that don't you?" Potter screamed. Potter was worried about the message. He didn't think that JD had given enough information to his father for him to find out where they were. But he knew that Chris Larabee and his team would stop at nothing until they found where he was at.
Potter walked closer to where JD was sitting. He started to take his anger out on the young boy. Potter made sure that yet once again that day his boot connected with JD's ribs. He kicked JD again and again taking his anger out on him. JD's screams and cries went unnoticed to Potter as he just keptkep kicking him, finally when Potter's foot connected with JD's jaw his anger calmed down. Potter walked away from JD knowing that he would have no trouble with the boy now.
JD had never felt such pain in his life as he was feeling now. He laidlayed there on the floor once again curled up into a ball crying. He wanted his father more than anything right now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris looked at the email on his screen, how could he had missed it before he thought to himself. Chris's heart ached at the words JD said about Potter being the one to kill his mother and now JD had to be in the same room with that man.
Chris was now just getting JD to talk about his fears and talk about the nightmares that he was having, Chris wondered what was going through JD's mind at this point. He knew for certain that his son was scared he could tell by the email for some reason.
"A large old house with lots of windows. Now where could that be." Josiah said silently to himself.
"Guys get in here!" Chris shouted to the other agents that filled the office.bout his fears and talk about the nightmares that he was having, Chris wondered what was going through JD's mind at this point. He knew for certain that his son was scared he could tell by the email for some reason.
"A large old house with lots of windows. Now where could that be." Josiah said silently to himself.
"Guys get in here!" Chris shouted to the other agents that filled the office.
"Yeah Chris's whats up?" Nathan said coming into the office with the others behind him.
"I got another email, this one is from JD go on and read it."
The agents stood behind the chair where Josiah was sitting at and read the email. Thoughts of different houses started to run through their minds. Ezra walked around the office thinking on the houses that he drove pass every morning to work. He recalled seeing large old looking houses but not alot of windows that he could remember.
"Buck you come with me, Vin, Ezra you two drive around down town. Nathan and Josiah you go on the backroads of town. Look for old houses with lots of windows. Stay in contact with me and if anything looks remotely like the house that JD is talking about stay there call us and we will come...got it?"
"Yes sir!"
All the agents left the office building in search of the kid. Each one wanting to be the one to find him and bring him home.
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Potter paced around in what should be the living room of the house. He was starting to get worried about that email. What if Larabee and his team searched every house until they found him he thought. Potter hadn't really meant to hurt the kid the way that he did but he had to take his anger out on something or someone.
Potter looked out the window and the outside world went on like nothing was happening inside the house. Kids played on the street, people walked up the sidewalk with their dogs or strollers. Potter looked down the street and seen no cars then he looked up the street and found yet once again no cars. His mind was playing games on him he thought as he stood there staring outside. It would take Larabee and his team a while to find him with all the houses around him by then he hoped to be gone and they would only find Larabee's son at the house.
Chris drove his dodge ram through the town headed toward just the outer limits of town. He knew of some large homes there that he wanted to check out.
"Buck, what if we don't find him in time, I mean you know what kind of person that Potter can be."
Chris's words caught Buck's attention.
"Oh come on Chris don't give up on that boy of yours."
"I ain't givin up on him I guess this thing that I am feeling is that I am scared Buck, I am scared that I am gonna lose another boy and it just ain't right."
Buck understood what Chris was saying, it had ran through his mind more than a time or two. He didn't think that he could take losing JD but he also knew that the boy had a chance when he had his uncles on his side.
"That ain't gonna happen stud." Buck said without looking at Chris, he kept his eyes and now his attention on the houses that they started to pass.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joshiah and Nathan crusied the backroads where most of the families lived from day to day. Mother and Father of the families both working to make ends meet each week. The homes on the streets wasn't like those on the nice end of town. Nathan and Josiah both felt for these people that raised their children honest and the best way that they could. Nathan had been to many of the houses helping out some of the young children because their parents couldn't take them to the best doctors. Josiah had been to many of the same houses with Nathan giving his helping hand whenever and where ever that he could.
Josiah scanned over each of the houses, some of them had chilren playing in the yard, some had elder people sitting on the porch talking and waving at the cars as they passed by.
"Maybe we should go door to door brother Nathan."
"Thought of that myself Josiah but these people scare very easy and I think that if we do that then these people will be scared to ask us for help if need be."
Josiah nodded his head, he knew exactly what Nathan was telling him. He didn't want no more kids scared til they didn't want to be in their homes. He also didn't want to scare the people of this community that there could be a mad man out there that keeps children captured.
They turned the corner and started down the narrow street where the houses were either vacant or elder people lived in. Josiah started to feel uneasy about the street. No chilren ran by on the sidewalk or played in the yards. The houses looked all ran down and needed attention badly.
"Nathan put over there against the curb." Josiah pointed to where he wanted Nathan to go.
"Whats wrong Josiah do you see something?"
"No!"
"Then why are we stopping?"
"Brother Nathan ain't you seeing what I see?"
Nathan looked around the street from the driver seat. He didn't see anything, how the houses looked the same he thought.
"Nathan all of these houses are ran down, they do however look like someone lives in them except for that one up there on the corner. Look at the grass, the front porch, the siding of the house, but look at the windows. The windows look like they have not been cleaned in ages." Josiah pointed out.
"Your right Josiah, call Chris and I will call Ezra. This just may be it."
"I pray brother Nathan that it is" Josiah said while pushing speed dial number for Chris. "Let's hope it is though."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh shit, I give those boys some credit." Potter said running from the window as he seen the brown Ford Explorer pulled up against the curb and then noticed the men sitting inside.
Potter ran up stairs to the room where he kept JD captive. He slammed open the door and looked to the kid still laying in the same spot he left him.
"Come on Kid this game isn't over by a long shot." Potter grabbed JD's collar and tried to pull him up. JD was dead weight and it took every thing that Potter had just to pull him. "Damn kid you need to stop eating some there."
"Your one .....to.....talk....you fat....bastard." JD manage to get out. It was hard to take a breath and JD thought that his chest was going to cave in on him with each breath he was taking.
"Still got that mouth on you I see. Kid you will want to work with me here." Potter shouted out as he started to drag JD out of the room. He had to get down stairs and out the back door before the agents found out that he was in the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris and Buck pulled in behind Nathan and Josiah. Chris eyed the house on the corner that Josiah told him about. The windows were dirty for certain Chris thought. You couldn't see in those and he knew that no one could see out of them. Except for the one on the bottom floor Chris thought.
Chris open the door to the ram and climbed out walking toward Vin and Ezra who had just pulled up.
"Vin, Buck and I will go to the front. Ezra,Josiah and Nathan you go through the back just incase he tries that way." Chris said walking away.
Chris,Buck and Vin walked slowly to front of the house. Vin walked around to the side of the front porch and slowly climbed the railing. He peered inside of the only window that was clean enough. To him the house looked empty. The inside of the house was dark and there were no sounds that Vin could hear.
Chris walked up to the front door like he owned the place. He kicked it open not waiting another mintue to see what would happen. His anger was starting to take over and he knew that he wouldn't be able to control it any longer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Potter heard the front door slam open,he was at the top of the stairs still holding on to JD's collar and looked around in the small hallway and then at the bottom of the stairs. Potter knew that he couldn't get away by going down the stairs.
"Oops sorry kid, but I need your help now." Potter said as he pushed the young boy down the stairs while running behind him. He knew that the agents on the bottom floor would watch after the kid first thing and maybe that would give him time to run by them.
"JD!" Larabee yelled out as he watched his son fall down the long stair case.
Chris looked at the top of the stairs to see Potter right behind his falling son. He was torn, did he go after Potter or stay with his son he thought.
"Grab him Chris, I got JD!" Buck yelled solving Chris's troubled mind.
Chris Larabee ran out the back door after Potter with Vin on their heels.
Buck kneeled down next to the kid. JD's jet black hair fell over his face and Buck pushed strands of it back with his hand. "Ya gonna be alright Kid, I will get Nathan." Buck said as he looked around him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezra stood against the house just right beside the back door. He pulled his gun from the holster when he heard all the noise from the other men coming from the inside of the house. Ezra looked over to Nathan who stood on the other side of the door while Josiah stood right at the bottom of the back porch steps like nothing was going to get by him. They waited for the noise to come closer and then the door open and Potter come running out of the old run down house. Ezra stuck his foot out which tripped Potter on his way off the porch. Potter fell down the small steps and landed right at Josiah's feet.
"Nice fall there Potter" Josiah said with a wide grin on his face.
Chris and Vin came running right behind Potter and stopped when they saw that he was laying right at Josiah's feet. Chris than slowly walked up to Potter with a evil smile on his face. Chris knew at this point that he was never going to be able to control his anger that he felt toward this man. Potter had not only caused him pain but Potter had also brought pain to his son mentally and physically. Now that Potter was sitting right there in front of him Chris didn't know what he would do first.
Chris pointed his gun straight to the center of Potter's head. He wanted to end this mans life without any words being spoken. He couldn't bare to look at the man for one more minute.
"Chris don't do it, let the system take care of him." Nathan said trying to talk Chris down from the man.
"NO, Nathan the system couldn't take care of him before. Why now, why not after what all he put JD through." Chris still held the gun at the center of Potter's head. "I have to end this for JD." Chris mostly said silent to himself.
"Come on Chris, let's take him in. JD is in that house and he is needing you right now." Vin tried his hand at calming Chris down. He knew that if he used JD that Chris would just about do anything. Vin still pointed toward the house as Chris looked at him. Vin could tell that Chris was thinking about his words, he only hoped that Chris would take them serious and do as he said.
"Chris, Nathan get in here!" Buck yelled from inside of the run down house. Chris's attention was put directly on Buck and he handed his gun to Vin as he walked away and into the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buck kneeled over JD's lifeless body as Nathan and Chris came walking into the main room of the house.
" Good Lord" Nathan said as he also kneeled down next to JD. "Chris he needs a hospital."
Chris took in the looks of his son laying there on the dirty floor lifeless. Visions of what Potter had put the kid through went through Chris's mind. Anger started to boil once again and Chris couldn't control it. Tears stung Chris's eyes as he kneeled down and pushed strandes of JD's jet black hair from his face. The dark bruises that covered most of JD's face added more anger to Chris Larabee.
"Chris I have called for the paramedics, they should be here shortly. He may have a few broken ribs, as if Potter had kicked him many times. He has some nasty bruises on most of his body as you can see. When JD was pushed down the stair case it had broken his right leg. Other than that......"
"Other than that.....Nathan, what the hell do you mean ain't the list that you just named more than enough. That is all that I want to hear." Chris shouted out to Nathan "Where the hell is the paramedics!"
"They are on the way Chris, calm down." Buck tried to reason with his oldest friend.
Chris ran his hand over JD's hair smoothing it down. He allowed a few of the tears to escape his eyes and fall from his face. He was starting to blame himself for allowing his son to be hurt at the hands of Potter. He had only wished he had gotten Potter when he had first tried.
"I am so sorry JD." Chris bent down and whispered into his son's ear.
"What for?" came the reply from the dark haired boy. "Did...you get....him?" JD asked with a different look in his eye than what Chris expected.
Chris didn't like the look that he got from his son. He knew what his son was asking of him and Chris wanted to give his son just that. But how could he, Chris thought.
"I will be back kid, I promise you....I promise." Chris said as he stood up, with one look to his son still laying there on the dirty floor with Nathan leaning over top of him once again. Chris went out side to where Potter was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Four:
Chris walked outside and jerked his gun from Vin's hand. He had to end the nightmare for his son. He had to end his own nightmares he thought to himself.
"Chris NO!" Vin yelled as he felt the gun go from his hand. "Don't do this Chris."
Buck came out the door right after Chris and saw the picture unfold in front of him. He had also seen the look in JD's eyes. Buck knew that if Chris did just what JD was asking of him then they both may live in guilt for the rest of their lives.
"Chris I know what just happen in there in that house between you and that kid, but let me ask you one question before you do what you are about to do......is this man worth JD or even yourself living in guilt or living in your own prison for the rest of your natural born lives. Now if you can answer me that with a straight answer than go for it but if you can't then give me the hell fire gun." Buck said with his hand stuck out at Chris.
Chris thought about the words that came from Buck. He took a look to each of his men. First he looked at Vin, like always Vin spoke without using any words. Josiah said a little prayer and Ezra had the same look on his face as of his own. At least one of his men were on his side Chris thought.
Chris pointed his gun to Potter standing between Josiah and Ezra and without even closing his eyes he took one shot and watched as his target fell to the ground between the two of his men. Finally when Potter layed on the ground, not moving Chris closed his eyes, handed his gun to Buck and walked back into the house to be with his son.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 HOURS LATER:
Chris sat in the chair next to his son's hospital bed. He took in each and every feature of the kid while he rubbed the back of his son's hand with his thumb. He knew that his son would be okay phsyically but mentally he didn't know. The look on JD's face still stuck in Chris's mind.
"I am sorry JD, I am truly sorry." Chris whispered to his sleeping son.
"Hey cowboy, hows' the kid?" The sharpshooter asked as he entered the room.
"He will be fine." Came the simple answer from Chris Larabee.
"Where is everyone?"
"They are on their way I reckon. Chris I think that we need to talk. Ezra is waiting down the hall for us."
Chris knew by the sound of Vin's voice that the talk wouldn't be nice. He knew exactly what Vin was thinking because he was thinking the same. Chris knew that he had killed Potter in cold blood. Chris also was aware that the other men stood around and watched him do it
" I figured as much." Chris simply said as he got up from the side of his son's hospital bed." Let's go and get this talk over so I can get back here with JD."rom the side of his son's hospital bed." Let's go and get this talk over so I can get back here with JD."
Chris gave his son another look and walked out of the room with Vin behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ah Mr.Larabee, how is the kid fairing?" Ezra asked with his southern drawl.
"He will be fine Ezra, what is this we need to talk about. Got anything to do with Potter getting shot?"
Chris sat down in the waiting room across from Ezra and watched as the other men came to sit down as well. He looked to the faces of his men and their thoughts and feelings were written clearly across each one of them. Ezra still wore the look as he did just ten hours before. He looked to his oldest best friend and see a look of disappointment. Chris had seen that look from Buck many times after his wife and son was killed and he turned to the bottle for comfort. He hated that damn look he thought as he tore his glare from Buck.
"Mr.Larabee as you know, Mr.Potter was shot and killed in cold blood. I of all people understand what happened there but I do not even for a second think that the higher ups will understand." Ezra said.
"What happens to JD, when I go up? I would hope that you guys would take him in as I did and take care of him. Make a man out of the boy. I will talk to him and let him know what is going to happen with me. I hope that he would understand." Chris got out before anyone of the other men could break in.
"Chris you know that we would. But...."
"There ain't no but's Buck. I know I killed that man in cold blood but I had to end it. My kid asked something of me and I would be damned if I didn't answer his reguest." Chris spat out.
"Chris calm down for a mintue and lets talk about this." Josiah said standing up to move himself infront of his leader to try and reason with him.
"Ezra has figured out a way for that not to happen, Ezra has figured out a way for you to raise JD as was planned. Now if you shut up long enough and let him finish telling you then we can get this over with and all the paper work can be done and you can get back to your son." Buck raised his voice as each word was spoken.
Chris sat in his chair silent as Ezra explained how he could get off of the mess without having to do time. Chris knew that he would have it on his mind til the day that he died but to him he had more important guilt trips on his mind to have to deal with this one. Chris knew that he did the right thing for his son. He had revenged JD's mother's death, he hoped that he had calmed JD's nightmares and his fears. Chris only wanted JD to grow up like a normal kid with out having to run from almost every man he seen out side of the agents.JD to be able to trust someone in his lifetime even it was a cold blooded killer, but to Chris he didn't feel as a cold blooded killer to himself he felt like he done a good deed and now after Ezra's smartness he was going to get good things from it.
"Can you guys live with it?" Chris asked as he looked to each of his agents face.
"Most certainly Mr.Larabee, I will admit if you didn't do it I was about to kill that sonofabitch myself. I don't care what these other men says, it was on their minds more times than they can count themselves." Ezra said as he looked to his fellow agents.
Even though they had let the man die the way he did, they all felt as though they had done the right thing and honoring JD.
"Brother Chris I know you have heard many times over that God works in ways that no one can understand and I think he was working hard on this situation. We may never know the reason or we may never even want to know. What is done is done." Josiah said.
"Well I know the reason Josiah and it was for my son." Chris Larabee said as he got up and went back to his son's side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 MONTHS LATER:
JD rolled over in his bed and looked to the alarm clock that sat on the nightstand just by his bed. The night was a sleepless night and whatever JD tried he couldn't go to sleep.
"Oh just forget it " JD spat out as he got from up from his bed to go down stairs.
He walked through the living room and noticed that the kitchen light was on. He wondered who could also be up way after midnight other than himself.
"Oh hey dad." JD said as he sat down at the table across from his father.
"Did I wake you?"
"No, I just couldn't sleep is all." JD said
"You having those nightmares again?" Chris's voice filled with fatherly concern.
"No, just couldn't sleep is all"
Chris sat at the table silent as he took the appearance of his son in. The bruises that Potter had left on the boy just three months before had all went away. The broken leg had healed as was the broken ribs. Chris was now only worried about his mental state. He knew that he needed to talk to JD on what happened months before, but he could never find the courage to. Chris didn't want JD running to Josiah this time to talk about something like that of sorts.
"JD, I have been wanting to talk to you. I know it as been months but I still feel as though we need to talk about Potter." Chris said as he watched his son shiver at the words.
"yeah I know dad, but the way that I see it is that you had to do what you thought you had to do. I wanted that man dead. I didn't want to ever see his face again."
"And you were scared that if we took him in you would have to tesitfy in court and that would be the place that you would see him again?" Chris asked
"Some sort to that."
"Son I hate what I done......"
"I don't, you did it for me dad, and no matter what people might say. You are the best father." JD smiled to his father.
"JD you may not realize this but I would go to the ends of the earth for you and back. You have filled my heart and this home with your love and laughter and I only want to make you happy and I want you to be here and be my son for life."
"This is where I want to be." JD said
"Come on lets go and try to get some rest." Chris said as he stood up from the table. He waited for his son to get up and together the father and son walked up the stairs to their own rooms.
JD knew that he had found a place in Chris's heart because not everyone would do what his father done. He felt the love that Chris had for him each day because they both lived with the same thoughts. JD also knew that Chris would have went to prison for him no matter what. He knew that not many adoptived fathers would have done that or even promised it.
JD knew that his life at the ranch was going to be a wonderful life, he just wished that his mother was there to share it with him and see him grow up. He knew that his mother would have loved the men but most of all he knew that she would have loved Chris Larabee............
THE END
Written by: Lady Standish