Why?
By Sondra
October 19, 2001-October 20, 2001
"Damn!" Vin cursed quietly as he watched the latest news about the war on terrorism.
"You say something, brother?" Josiah asked with an almost quizzical look on his face. This night the whole group, including the extemporaneous members were all at Chris's ranch.
"It's nothing," Vin tried to wave it off but was still watching the images flash across the screen. Just the few pictures alone was enough to trigger the memories of another time and another place.
When Josiah turned to see what was on the screen he knew immediately what was bothering the lanky sharpshooter.
"If I was still there I'd most likely be deployed by now," he commented in almost a whisper.
"Well Vin, what about me?" Chris's voice came from behind the younger agent.
Vin shook his head then left the group that was starting to accumulate in front of the set.
"Where's Vin going?" Mary asked when she came from the hallway that lead to the bedrooms into the living room.
"Sister, let him be right now," Josiah told her with that wonderfully calming voice of his. "He needs time and space."
Giving him a nod she moved over to Chris's side. Watching the new information on the TV she found the quiet man's arm had slipped around her waist to hold her close. She felt much better but she was still concerned for Vin.
~~
Even though it was already dark, Vin found himself out by the corral. Just seeing those images, he thought again. *I have to be going crazy,* he thought to himself.
"Vin?" Josiah's bass voice rumbled from behind. They all knew not to surprise him at a time like this.
"What?" he asked in his best impersonation of Chris.
"Whatever it is, know that you're not alone."
For a moment Vin wanted to believe it, but the cynical mood came back, "Don't care."
"Well don't turn like Chris on us, 'cause we can only handle one of his types at a time," Josiah answered lightly, trying to change the mood that had been set.
Vin rolled his eyes while shaking his head, but the comment did the job it was intended for. "Alright, I may not talk, but I ain't anti-social." Vin then gave a slight smile and moved back to the ranch house following behind Josiah.
When the door opened to let the two agents back in the conversation dropped to almost nothing, "Don't stop just because I come back in," Vin commented to the group then set himself down in the recliner.
Chris looked to Josiah who in turn shook his head. Vin would talk when he was ready. So the rest of the evening no one was able to draw Vin into any conversation.
A couple of hours later Vin was still at the ranch when everyone had left. "Wanna talk about it?" Chris finally ventured from his position on the couch.
When the unrelenting silence finally broke, it all came out in a rush. "You know I was a Ranger. I probably know some of the ones that are over there right now. But it ain't that. In Somalia we had to work under the UN, but with them now they're fightin' for America."
"And you didn't like doing the UN stuff," Chris answered Vin's unspoken question which produced a nod from the younger agent.
"So is that why you got out in the first place?"
Vin nodded and the look he gave told the black clad leader that the conversation was over with. Knowing Vin, it wouldn't be brought up again.
By Sondra
October 19, 2001-October 20, 2001
"Damn!" Vin cursed quietly as he watched the latest news about the war on terrorism.
"You say something, brother?" Josiah asked with an almost quizzical look on his face. This night the whole group, including the extemporaneous members were all at Chris's ranch.
"It's nothing," Vin tried to wave it off but was still watching the images flash across the screen. Just the few pictures alone was enough to trigger the memories of another time and another place.
When Josiah turned to see what was on the screen he knew immediately what was bothering the lanky sharpshooter.
"If I was still there I'd most likely be deployed by now," he commented in almost a whisper.
"Well Vin, what about me?" Chris's voice came from behind the younger agent.
Vin shook his head then left the group that was starting to accumulate in front of the set.
"Where's Vin going?" Mary asked when she came from the hallway that lead to the bedrooms into the living room.
"Sister, let him be right now," Josiah told her with that wonderfully calming voice of his. "He needs time and space."
Giving him a nod she moved over to Chris's side. Watching the new information on the TV she found the quiet man's arm had slipped around her waist to hold her close. She felt much better but she was still concerned for Vin.
~~
Even though it was already dark, Vin found himself out by the corral. Just seeing those images, he thought again. *I have to be going crazy,* he thought to himself.
"Vin?" Josiah's bass voice rumbled from behind. They all knew not to surprise him at a time like this.
"What?" he asked in his best impersonation of Chris.
"Whatever it is, know that you're not alone."
For a moment Vin wanted to believe it, but the cynical mood came back, "Don't care."
"Well don't turn like Chris on us, 'cause we can only handle one of his types at a time," Josiah answered lightly, trying to change the mood that had been set.
Vin rolled his eyes while shaking his head, but the comment did the job it was intended for. "Alright, I may not talk, but I ain't anti-social." Vin then gave a slight smile and moved back to the ranch house following behind Josiah.
When the door opened to let the two agents back in the conversation dropped to almost nothing, "Don't stop just because I come back in," Vin commented to the group then set himself down in the recliner.
Chris looked to Josiah who in turn shook his head. Vin would talk when he was ready. So the rest of the evening no one was able to draw Vin into any conversation.
A couple of hours later Vin was still at the ranch when everyone had left. "Wanna talk about it?" Chris finally ventured from his position on the couch.
When the unrelenting silence finally broke, it all came out in a rush. "You know I was a Ranger. I probably know some of the ones that are over there right now. But it ain't that. In Somalia we had to work under the UN, but with them now they're fightin' for America."
"And you didn't like doing the UN stuff," Chris answered Vin's unspoken question which produced a nod from the younger agent.
"So is that why you got out in the first place?"
Vin nodded and the look he gave told the black clad leader that the conversation was over with. Knowing Vin, it wouldn't be brought up again.