"Mr. Wilmington, do I want to know, why you seem to have this cemetery memorize?"
Buck pause and turn to Ezra. "Huh? I don't have it memorize, I just know where I am going."
Ezra look around at the dark cemetery and shook his head. "Then how do you know where you are going so well. It is pitch dark, with the only light from a moon that is shrouded in clouds. I can barely see my hands in front of my face. But you... You're walking like it is a sunny day out."
"No, I am not. It isn't that dark out, and I just happen to have run this enough to know the paths. It isn't too much further."
Looking around at the quiet cemetery, Ezra shiver slightly and curse JD silently, as all of those horror movies about zombies, ghost and ghouls that attack in such places on cold fall nights had his imagination running wild. "I hope so. I never thought that I would spend Halloween night in the cemetery. If I may ask why do you seem so familiar with this pleasant area?"
Chuckling, Buck answer the question. "I run in here sometimes, it's quiet and peaceful. It is a nice place to run. Besides, you get bored running the same streets and parks all of the time."
As Buck finish, there was a low mournful hoot of an owl, it seem to echo though the place. "I would rather get out of here Mr. Wilmington. You may find enjoyment in running here. I on the other hand, do not enjoy being here."
A soft chuckle from Buck, for a moment there was nothing but the soft thump of feet hitting the ground, until there was a hitch in a step, a muffle curse as the person's shoe scrape across the ground. The shorter of the two figures spoke. "Are you sure you are all right Buck? We can stop and check your cuts again."
"It's fine Ezra, we're almost out of here. Just a little longer."
Glancing around the darkness of the cemetery, the only thing he could see clearly was the glint of stone on the various headstones in the night. As they walk, Ezra frown as he tried to remember how they got here in the first place. After a few minutes when nothing click in his head, he spoke up. "Mr. Wilmington...Buck... do you have a memory on how we found ourselves here?"
There was a long silence just the sound of them walking, when Buck's voice seem to whisper back towards the Undercover agent. "Wrong place at the wrong time. The usually, we're almost there. We need to be quiet, they are following us."
Ezra frown and listen, and shook his head. "I don't see or hear anything. Are you sure?"
Buck's voice was soft as it came to Ezra's ear. "You might not hear them, but they are there in the shadows, blending in with the dark. We don't have far to go before we get out."
Ezra peer ahead of Buck's tall form. He narrowed his eyes and could just make out the faint gleam of the street light and that of vehicles headlights. Ezra started to push the pace some, "Can we hurry up some? I wish to leave this place."
Buck took a hurry step forward but stumble again. Catching his balance, he sigh softly, and motion for Ezra to take the lead. "Lead the way, I'll follow."
Ezra pause, "Do you need help. I'm not leaving you behind."
Buck straighten up and shook his head. "I'm good, I can keep up. Don't worry, I won't fall behind Hoss."
Ezra pause for a second, something was off with what Buck said, but the lure of the lights, the lure of safety was too much for his tired brain to figure out. He wanted to be safe, turning to look at Buck, he
took one more look to make sure that Buck was close behind him and started to make his way to the light.
It seem like it took longer than it should have, but finally Ezra reach the pool of light. Crossing over into the light, Ezra turn and look behind him, and frown. Where the cemetery that they had been traveling once was, it was gone, there was just a black swirl. He almost took a step back towards it, but he heard voices and beeps, and the light that he had reach, suddenly seem searing. Closing his eyes for a moment, he open them to a very different scene then the one he left.
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Eyes open and shut as the bright light seem to sear through his eyes and into his brain. For a second, it takes him to steal himself against the light, and then slowly blink his eyes, and allow them adjust. Looking around the room, he first sees the white ceiling of hospital room, the beeps he had heard were from the machines that were attached to him by wires, and the talking was the rest of the team.
Looking around the room, Ezra was having a hard time to reconciling with the dark cemetery he remember walking through with the bright white hospital room. Looking around the room, he frown when he notice two people missing. Opening his mouth to say something, when Nathan, turn and spotted Ezra awake. "Ezra! You're awake. How do you feel?"
Staring at Nathan in confusion for a second, Ezra took a moment to twitch his body parts to see what hurt him. Finally, he spoke. "All right, a little sore. Where's Buck?"
The exchanged looks for a second, then Vin spoke up. "What do you last remember?"
Ezra was quiet for a long moment, his brain didn't want to think that far back. Finally a couple of images came to him. "We were at a warehouse, there was an explosion I think? I remember a flash of Buck telling me to duck and being push down. After that..."
Nathan spoke up. "We hope you would remember more. We know that some idiot that you were doing the weapons deal with, decided that he could play explosive expert, seems Buck's quick thinking got you out without serious injuries."
Ezra snorted at that, but frown, "What about Buck." As he said this he glance over at JD, noticing that the younger man look very worried. "Nathan?"
Running a hand through his hair, Nathan took a deep breath and let it go. "He wasn't as lucky. He took more of the explosion then you did."
For a moment, Ezra's mind had an odd picture of Buck and himself, running through a dark cemetery and Buck stumbling, saying he was alright. As fast as the image came it disappeared. Blinking back to the presence. "Nathan, how is Buck?"
For a long moment, Nathan was quiet for a long moment, then he spoke. "He is in ICU right now. We know he got lacerations, bruises and several big contusions."
Ezra frown, "None of that would require him to be in ICU."
Nathan took a deep breath he spoke up. "You are right, he wouldn't be if it wasn't for the shard of metal that pierce his side."
Ezra could read what Nathan didn't want to say. "I take it, that it hit some vital organs and that is why he is in ICU."
JD spoke up. "Yes, they said they were able to repair the damage, but he lost a lot of blood and they are worried about an infection forming. They won't know more until he wakes up."
Another flash of a strange image that appear in Ezra's eye of the Buck pushing him forward saying he wouldn't be far behind."
For some reason, Ezra really felt the need that he needed to see Buck. "Can I see him?"
Vin shook his head. "Ez, you aren't in any condition to see him. You just woke up."
Leaning back against the head of the bed, Ezra didn't know why, but he felt he really needed to see Buck. "I assure you, I wouldn't be making this request if I didn't think it was needed."
The group in the room exchanged looks. Nathan finally broke the silence. "Ezra, you just woke up. You were unconscious for most of the day. You are not in any shape to go see him, even if they allow it. It can wait."
Ezra shook his head. "It can't wait, I would not ask if I wasn't sure. I just need a few moments and that is it. You can even wheel me there in a wheelchair." Ezra said with disgust.
Surprise at the admission, Nathan ran a hand through his hair. Then look around the room. "If we take you to see Buck, you will follow ever instruction we give you."
Instead of arguing about the rules, Ezra nodded. "As long as we can leave now."
"All right, let me get you a wheelchair. We will go visit Buck, but then you will come right back here, rest and not try to escape or get out of telling the truth."
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Chris look up from where he was sitting next to Buck's hospital bed. Frowning when he saw Nathan push Ezra into the room, he whisper angrily. "What are you doing here? You should be in bed."
Not really knowing why this was so important to him, he shrug off Chris's question. "I just need to say something to Buck really quick."
"Buck isn't conscious. He isn't going to hear you."
"I am aware of that, but I still need to say something to him. I hope it reaches him somewhere."
Open his mouth to argue, Chris shut it when he got a good look on Ezra's determine face. Moving slightly away from Buck, Chris let Ezra get near Buck. Ezra took a good look at Buck and shook his head, at what he saw. He could see the cuts and bruises that seem to be scatter across the man's expose skin, as well as the contrast of black stitches that stood out against the pale skin.
Moving to the man's head, Ezra lean down by the man's ear, and harshly whisper into it. "You promised you would not fall behind. You said that you were right behind me. You promised me. You also told me once, that you have never broke a promise, don't start now. Don't break this important one now. You promised you were right behind me and not fall behind if I went forward. You need to wake up and keep your promise."
With that, Ezra slump back into the wheelchair, using the last of his strength to say that to the unconscious man. The Nathan and Chris exchange a look. Chris broke the silence. "Ezra? What was that about?"
Crossing his arms, Ezra look at the two men. "It was something between Mr. Wilmington and me. It was about a promise that he gave me."
Nathan was about to ask another question, when Buck's eyes slowly open for the first time and move to look over at Ezra and caught his eyes, and he smile softly. Ezra grin at that. "And it seem to work. Buck is now awake."
As Ezra was saying this, the first hint of sunrise pierce the sky, banishing the darkness of the night, and bringing the world into a new day.
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Several weeks later, on a bright cool late fall day, Ezra found himself leaning against an iron gate of a vaguely familiar cemetery. Looking at the grounds, Ezra stays just outside of the place. He did not, at least for right now, to enter the place. Checking his watch for the time, he turned his eyes away from the watch, when he heard the soft thumps of feet on the ground.
Glancing towards where he heard the footsteps, he glare at the man that was pounding his way to the gate. As the tall lanky man slowed to a stop when he spotted Ezra, Ezra couldn't help but comment. "Mr. Wilmington, I believe you are not supposed to be up and running yet."
Buck grin, "I'm fine Ez. Even the Doc gave me a clean bill of health. Besides, I didn't run all that far. It was only a couple of miles. It isn't like I went to run a marathon or something. How did you find me here?"
Ezra was quiet for a long minute, for all of the words he knew, he couldn't seem to find the one that would work. Finally, he shrug his shoulders. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."
Grinning slightly, Buck turn and gaze back at the cemetery he just ran, then spoke softly. "You know, it was weird, when I was in the hospital recovering, I kept getting flashes of you and I walking through this cemetery at night. You were complaining about how dark it was, and how you want to get to the light. Then sometimes I swear I hear you telling me not to break a promise. Odd isn't it?"
Silent for a second, Ezra finally took a deep breath and spoke. "I had some of the same odd flashes of memory. They were what allowed me to find you here today. Plus, I don't believe that I have had a chance to thank you for saving me."
A soft chuckle, the taller man grin. "Ah Ez, I have a feeling if there is anyone to thank, it is you. I keep having a strange feeling that you did a lot more in saving me, then me saving you."
Ezra shook his head, "I would disagree, but if you want to call it even, we both saved each other."
"We'll leave it at that then. Are you going to let me finish the run?"
Looking over at the man, who had been at death's door a couple of weeks ago, Ezra shook his head. "I would like to, but Mr. Larabee wanted me to come find you, seems there is a meeting that you need to be around for."
Shaking his head, Buck sigh, "Do I have time for a shower?"
Ezra grin, "Yes, just enough, and I won't even let Nathan know, you decided to go running."
"You are all heart Ezra."
With that, the two men, walk away from the cemetery, neither men notice that from the deep shadows of the cemetery two eyes watching the men disappear out of sight.
The end.
