Disclaimer – I do not own M7 and if I did the series would still be going.
Poor Buck, and Chris gets a visitor. I'm going to try to write a longer chapter over the weekend as real life has been getting in the way this week.
Enjoy and please review if you can.
The Pain of Paperwork.
Spikes had not expected the question.
"Well Bob, where is Chris Larabee?" Director John Sheppard was rapidly losing patients with the other man.
"He's on assignment in Alaska." Spikes informed the Director. "They needed help there and I thought it would be good experience for Larabee."
Director Sheppard really could not believe the man; he thought it was good experience for Larabee to be in Alaska.
"So when's he going to be returning?" Director Sheppard was curious to know what answer he would be getting to his questions.
"When the assignments over and when the Alaskan team don't need him anymore." Spikes kept his voice calm and level when he wanted to say never if Spikes had his way.
"So you sent the best Denver had to offer to help the Alaskan AD?" Director Sheppard now had a plan in mind.
"It's given Wilmington the chance to show he can lead the team." Spikes calmly told the frowning Director.
"Right so it has nothing to do with any rivalry between the two of you?" Director Sheppard quirked an eyebrow at the sweating man.
"There's no rivalry." Spikes ground out, Larabee was not in his league.
Director Sheppard could see the other man was close to losing his cool.
"I could understand if there was some resentment because Larabee was offered the AD role before you." Sheppard pointed out sympathetically.
"I should have been offered the role before Larabee." Spikes growled. "I have more experience and my teams just as good if not better than his team of misfits."
Sheppard stood up.
"I'm going back to Houston and I expect to hear good things from this office Spikes, don't make me regret agreeing to put you in charge." Sheppard walked from the office.
Spikes head thumped on his desk, how stupid can you get telling the Director that he should have been offered the position first. Damn Chris Larabee, the man was not even here and he was still causing trouble.
Director Sheppard climbed into his car, one of his assistants looked to him for instruction on where they where heading.
"To the hotel, Marcus." Director Sheppard ordered, he looked to the other assistant sat in the passenger seat. "Andy book us a flight to Anchorage."
"Yes sir." Both men rushed to obey.
Chris sat on his bed his head in his hands, he struggled not to cough, just his luck that he had managed to catch a cold. He found the men in the team he worked with nice but they were not his Team 7, Chris had noticed that the men did interact with each other outside of work but not on the level he and the others did. Chris spent most of his spare time exploring the local area or reading in his small self contained apartment.
Chris had his laptop set up and he was emailing Tiny about the horses, he smiled at the pictures the giant of a man had attached, laughing at the antics caught on film. Chris decided that he would call Buck and see how everyone was doing, he waited for the call to be answered.
"Wimington." Buck's deep voice answered.
"Hi Buck." Chris chuckled as Buck yelled his name; Chris gathered that Buck was letting the others know it was him.
"Chris, JD wants to know if you have Skype on your laptop, so we can see each other when we chat." Buck wondered if the man would deny them this chance to see for themselves that the blond was fine.
Chris looked at his laptop, he sighed and opened it and looked up Skype, he registered and passed on the information to the eagerly waiting Buck. Chris settled on his bed as he found it the warmest and the most comfortable place in his apartment, he saw Buck waving at him and he smiled back.
"So how's it going guys?" Chris picked up his glass of water taking a sip he was determined not to cough or show that he was full of cold, he had a box of tissues beside him as well.
"It's alright, were done with the Roland case, we caught him and his cronies with a load of guns. A couple of his henchmen turned on him and the DA reckons we have an almost airtight case." Buck watched Chris nod, Josiah was trying to gather information on where Chris could possibly be, but all the men could see apart from Chris himself was blank grey walls.
"That's brilliant Buck." Chris praised the other man.
"So how are you doing Chris?" Nathan could her that Chris had a cold, and he wanted to know if Chris was feeling alright. "Are you eating and sleeping ok?"
"I'm fine Nate, there's no need to worry." Chris stubbornly declared, smothering a cough.
"So have you had dinner today?" Josiah was not bothered by the glare he received.
"Not yet, I'm talking to you guys." Chris did not feel the slightest bit hungry.
"Well why don't you get something and we can talk while you eat." Nathan suggested, Ezra sighed when he heard this, he knew how stubborn the taciturn man could be and instead of enjoying the interaction with their missing leader Nathan and Josiah where going to ruin it by pushing the man to eat.
"Fine." Chris got up leaving the laptop where it was he went into the kitchen and began making a cheese sandwich.
"Nice one Nathan, you and Josiah upset him and he'll sign off." JD grumbled.
"I have to agree with JD on this matter." Ezra could hear Chris banging around off screen.
"Let's just keep away from health issues ok." Buck finally put in. "We can discuss it after we sign off."
Chris plonked himself back on the bed and put the laptop back on his knee he place his sandwich next to him and glared at the men on the screen
"Happy now." Chris took a bite of the sandwiched and chewed rapidly.
"Sorry Chris." Nathan ruefully apologised.
Chris struggled to breath through his nose while his mouth was full, suddenly he realised he was going to choke, he threw the laptop on the bed and headed straight for the bin, spitting out the chewed chunk of bread and filling, Chris coughed and coughed.
"You ok there Chris." Buck worriedly waited for the coughing to stop.
Chris leant against the wall, he wiped his hand across his mouth, he walked back slowly over to the bed and sat down, he moved the plate with the sandwich away from him in disgust and picked up the tissues, blowing his nose, Chris coughed again.
"Chris you alright there?" Nathan watched as the pile of tissues grew beside Chris as the man tried to clear his blocked nose.
"I'm fine Nathan it's just a damn cold." Chris shivered and lifted the laptop and got under his covers.
"Director Sheppard was in Denver at the team leaders meeting." Buck informed Chris who looked thoughtful for a minute. "Have you met him Chris?"
"Yep I've met his son." Chris did not elaborate further.
"I don't remember meeting him." Buck waited for Chris to fill in the gaps.
"How do you know him?" JD was impatient.
"You haven't, it was just after you got injured and where recuperating, I was on a training mission and we met there." Chris smiled at Buck who growled good naturedly.
"What did you do Buck?" Vin asked as the men had all noticed Buck's growling.
"He fell of a balcony escaping his latest flings boyfriend, he ended up with concussion and a sprained ankle." Chris laughed.
"Is that where you got that commendation for rescuing that kid who nearly drowned?" Buck remembered Chris being brought into the hospital unit barely conscious and half drowned. "Wow and that was Sheppard's kid."
"Yep, he's married now with a couple of kids, he left the service a few years after we did, I think he's a FBI agent now." Chris snuggled down under his covers; he placed the laptop beside him.
"Yep Chris was a real hero then weren't you Big Dog?" Buck laughed as he remembered Chris's embarrassment at being honoured for just doing what he said any normal person would do, it just reminded Buck at how special the reserved man was.
"It's Thanksgiving next week Chris are you gonna be back?" Vin missed his friend and the time they all spent together both at work and at the ranch, the teams second home.
"I don't know Vin sorry." Chris yawned, he picked up his alarm clock and looked at the time, placing it back on the night stand, the yawning man did not notice Ezra note down the time as it was shown where Chris was.
"Alright Cowboy." Vin wanted to know about the team Chris was working with.
"Chris, you won't believe that Spikes tried to claim credit for you plan to have the team leaders go over each other cases." Buck burst out. "But Doug Fallen didn't let him get away with it."
"Arsehole." Chris spat green eyes flashing dangerously.
Ezra chuckled at the flash of spirit from the clearly sick man.
"Jack Avery volunteered to do the first case." Josiah informed the sneezing man.
The men waited for Chris to finished sneezing, the pile of used tissues grew larger.
"Let me guess, its one of our cases he has to do?" Chris took a long drink of water, he then made himself comfortable again, he was beginning to feel relaxed listening to his team talk.
"Indeed the poor unfortunate sycophant has been tasked with critiquing the Ramirez case." Ezra drawled evilly
Chris chuckled and then outright laughed at the misfortune of the other man. The others joined in the laughing Larabee, but the laughter tapered off when Chris had to sit up to breath through a coughing fit.
"Jesus Chris you sound awful, is there a doctor you can go to there?" Buck's concern got the better of him.
"I'm fine." Chris again got comfy on his side, watching the screen he smiled at JD pulling faces at Nathan who had grabbed his bouncing leg in an effort to keep it still.
The men started to discuss the horses and they told Chris how well Pony and Chief and all the others where looking. The subject then moved to sports and good natured ribbing was running around the men. Chris smiled as the voices of friends rolled over him, he felt a weight ease knowing that his men where safe, and doing well.
Nathan frowned as he watched Chris's head nod he seemed to struggle to stay awake, Nathan listened closely to the sound from the laptop, he could hear the congestion as Chris breathed, the mans nose appeared completely blocked, and soon Chris began to snore quite heavily as he relaxed into a deeper sleep.
"Nathan there's nothing you can do brother." Josiah patted the tense healer's back.
One by one the men noticed there leader was sleeping and each heard the noisy breathing.
"I'm going to kill Spikes slowly with a spork." JD mumbled imagining stabbing the other man with the cutlery item.
"Nah I'm thinking burying the shite alive, and with his crony Avery." Nathan growled.
"I think that not painful enough, I would want to use a nail gun and pin him to the wall by his fingers and toes and anything else that dangles." Josiah's smile made JD shiver, Buck covered his dangly bits in reaction.
"I'd take him out to the desert skin him alive and stake him out by a fire ant nest." Vin relished the idea.
"Gentlemen death is too good for Spikes, I would rather see him humiliated and brought to his knees before are esteemed leader." Ezra frowned as Chris coughed harshly in his sleep, the blond man pushed his pillows behind him so that he was raised slightly making breathing easier and sleep more comfortable, Chris eyes closed again.
"Buck." Vin looked at Buck who shook his head mutely.
"I'm gonna make Spikes pay for this." Buck's voice was deathly calm, he blue eyes though betrayed his rage, he watched his closest friend sleep and wanted to reach out and pull the man home, where he would be safe and looked after. "He's gonna regret the day he ever crossed Team 7."
The men nodded in agreement, each promising to do there best to make it happen.
Chris snored on unaware of the thoughts his brothers where having.
"He's not going to be home for Thanksgiving is he?" JD sadly declared.
"No son he's not." Josiah ruffled the younger mans hair.
"Will he be back for Christmas?" JD looked upset by his own question.
"I hope so." Nathan threw his arm around JD and gave what comfort he could.
"What you guys talking about now?" Chris smiled tiredly at his friends.
"Who's gonna win the Superbowl what else." Buck lied to Chris without batting an eyelid, Chris did not recognise the lie due to being so tired.
"We'll let you get you back to sleep Chris." Nathan smiled as the other yawned widely.
"Alright I'll talk to you soon. Bye guys." Chris shut his laptop down.
Ezra immediately picked up the laptop from the table and began to research; most of the others left him to it, as he silently tapped away.
"What you doing Ez?" Vin settled next to the other man, with a cup of coffee and chocolate biscuit.
"I saw the alarm clock in Mr Larabee's abode and I am attempting to determine what time zone it is in and what cities it encompasses." Ezra suddenly let out a uncharacteristic rebel yell, making Vin jump and the others come rushing into the living room.
Ezra danced around grinning like a mad thing. He grabbed Vin and spun him round, laughing Vin let himself be spun lip a top.
"Ezra what are you so happy for?" Nathan shook his head at the grinning man.
"I think I know what state Chris is in." Ezra bounced up to Nathan.
"Well don't keep it to yourself brother." Josiah urged the other man to speak.
"Alaska." Ezra almost yelled the name.
"Alaska?" Buck checked that he had heard right.
"That's correct Mr Wilmington Alaska." Ezra grinned in delight.
"Well that would explain why he was wrapped up in so many layers." Nathan laughed at Ezra still grinning expression.
"But that just means we know what state he's in and Alaska's a big place." JD thought out aloud. "And we can't just drag him back."
Each man suddenly realised that JD was right and that they could not just rush to Alaska and drag there friend and leader home like he was some long lost puppy.
"Damn it to hell." Buck threw himself in Chris's favourite recliner and cursed roundly.
"Well we could see if we can find out exactly where in Alaska he is." JD suggested hopefully.
"Alright we find out where he is and then we go from there." Buck made the decision.
"I can't believe he won't be here for Thanksgiving." Vin sombre voice muttered. "I hope Chris is back for Christmas."
"He will be." Buck sounded more confident than he felt.
"I sincerely hope your right." Ezra good mood had evaporated once the reality had set in.
The men all went to their individual homes, although Buck decided to spend the night at the ranch, he locked up and slowly made his way to bed, wondering how he was going to get Chris back.
The next morning Buck bounced into the ATF building, he waited for the elevator which would take him from the parking garage to his floor. He notice Coffey and Hicks from Team 1, they sniggered next to him as they all waited for the slow elevator. Hicks nudged Coffey who bumped against Buck.
Buck tried not to growl at the other men and their childish antics; he noted the smirk on the both men's faces. Hicks blew a kiss at Buck who glared at him drawing himself to his full height Buck snarled.
"Give it a rest." Buck thought he had misheard the other man's muttered insult. "What did you say?"
Hicks and Coffey felt secure in the knowledge that the Avery and Spikes would back them up, so Hicks repeated the insult.
"Queer."
"What in the hell are you talking about?" Buck snapped as the two men smirked at him like two identical bookends.
"I heard you where Larabee's bitch, or did he take it from you?" Hicks chuckled and nudged Coffey who cackled beside him.
"Are you calling me gay?" Buck really was somewhat gobsmacked by the other men.
"Yep we heard that you and that fag Larabee share a bed and do each other regular." Hicks sniggered.
"You really think that me and Chris have had sex?" Buck felt his anger building at the two men.
"Sure why do you think Larabee turned tail and ran like the bitch he is." Hicks laughter was cut off as Buck slammed him into the wall.
"You best spill your guts Hick's." Buck shook the man like a rat even though Hicks was a good two inches taller and atleast thrity pounds heavier than the enraged man, infact Coffey was even bigger and heavier than that.
"Let go of him." Coffey grabbed Buck's arm to pull him off the other man.
"Back off Coffey or you're gonna get hurt." Buck growled as he shook Hicks again.
"Jesus Wilmington let him go now." Coffey threatened looking round to see if anyone was going to help, there was nobody else in sight. "We got told Larabee left because Spikes pulled him into his office and threatened to expose the fact that you two are taking it up the arse for each other."
Buck dropped Hicks like he was a hot rock, he felt an overwhelming urge to hit something.
Hicks tried to straighten his clothes, he snapped at Coffey who went to help him.
"I'm glad Larabee's gone, one less arse bandit to worry about." Hicks grinned thinking he was safe. "And to think Buck it's all your fault for getting caught."
Buck saw red and went in to hurt the other men, not concerned that their where two men he was going after. Buck punched Hicks in the face feeling immensely satisfied when the other man went down, his nose exploding into a bloody mess. Buck turned and ducked Coffey counter punch he lashed out with his foot catching the heavier man in the groin, Coffey fell to his knees howling and Buck went in to finish the other man off. He was grabbed and restrained, thick arms wrapped around him.
"Buck enough." Josiah's calm voice whispered in Buck's ear.
"Let me go." Buck snarled he tried to move his rage still boiling over.
"Buck please." JD appeared in front off the snarling man.
Buck focused on the appeal on JD's face, he sagged against Josiah his mind reeling, he had to get out of there, he had to think. Josiah released him as soon as he felt Buck sag against him. Buck turned and walked back to his car, he ignore both Josiah and JD he drove away from the building in a daze, he headed out to the ranch.
Buck did not remember the drive out to Chris's home, he got out the car and went into the house and straight to the bedroom he was using, changing his clothes he went to the barn and saddled Steel, the placid grey watched him closely with big brown eyes, Buck ignored his cell phone as it rang and rang. Buck headed to the river that ran through Chris's property his mind racing.
Dismounting from Steel, he unsaddled the grey horse who butted against him, he put on the halter and the released the horse to graze, Buck moved to sit by the river side, his head in his hands he could not get what Hick's and Coffey said out of his mind.
"Oh God." Buck groaned his heart breaking when he realised that his best friend had sacrificed himself just to protect him from these rumours. Buck was open minded and had no problem with anyone's sexuality as long as it was between consenting adults.
Buck realised that Spikes had gone for Chris's biggest weakness, his desire to protect the team, and rumours like the ones Coffey and Hicks where spouting could get people hurt. Buck thought Spikes must have threatened to suspend Chris and disband the team, and Buck knew that Chris would not allow that to happen and so the unselfish blond would have allowed Spikes to punish him by sending him to Alaska. It also would not have helped Chris being injured and sick, so he would not have considered filling his team in and looking to them to help him defeat the evil Spikes.
Buck felt tears fill his eyes when he thought of how alone his closest friend must be. Resting his head on his arms, Buck gave vent to the anguish he felt as he sobbed his heart out.
Buck nearly jumped a mile when he felt an arm go around his shaking shoulders, raising his tear stained face he was unsurprised to find himself surrounded by his team mates and brothers. JD thin arm squeezed him tightly as Buck tried to stifle his sobs, Nathan sat the other side of the weeping man and rubbed his hand up and down his back. Josiah, Vin and Ezra could only watch helplessly as Buck continued to cry, his head went back onto his upraised knees as he wept.
"Buck what's happened." Nathan stroked the bent head, wanting to maim whoever had brought his big hearted friend to this state.
"Buck tell us what the hells going?" JD quietly demanded nearly crying himself.
"It's all my fault." Buck looked at Nathan, who shook his head confused. "Don't you get it Chris left because of me?"
Josiah decided enough was enough and that he wanted answers now, what had happened back at the ATF building had shocked Josiah, considering how placid the normally jovial man was, he taking on two men and wanting to hurt the members if Team 1 was disconcerting to say the least.
Josiah knelt in front of Buck and took the weeping mans chin in his hand and, he looked deep into the sad blue eyes.
"Buck take a breath son and tell us why you think Chris leaving is down to you?" Josiah maintained eye contact with Buck.
Buck did not answer straight away.
"Now Buck." Josiah ordered the distraught man.
"Those bastards from team 1 said that Chris left because Spikes pulled him into the office and tried to say that we where having a sexual relationship." Buck rushed his explanation out, waiting to see the blame and anger directed at him. "I never thought that sharing a bed was such a big deal for Chris and because of my actions Chris is gone."
"Buck this is not your fault." Josiah spoke slowly and clearly wanting Buck to listen to his voice. "Spikes is the one to blame, not you."
"Yeah Buck we've all shared a bed at one point or another." Vin patted the taller mans back. "He probably did just threaten to use that against Chris he more than likely said he would disband the team."
Buck felt glad that Vin had the same idea as he did. Bucks cell phone began to ring, the man ignored it and once it stopped, Vin's began incessantly chirping, he just carried on watching Buck not answering his phone.
"I don't understand why Chris didn't just stay and fight." JD looked to Ezra as his cell phone began to sound, Ezra never even looked to see who was calling before cancelling the call without answering.
"Me either JD." Nathan's cell began to ring, he completely disregarded the noise as he hugged Buck.
Josiah was still knelt infront of Buck but he had released the younger man, his cell phone began to vibrate and ring, he pulled it out and then cancelled the call just like Ezra.
JD's new model phone loudly began to ring, he did not recognise the number so he ignored it, till finally it went silent and then Buck's began to ring again. Buck sobs had stopped but tears where still leaking from his eyes. Buck pressed call accept on the phone and smiled when he heard the hoarse voice yelling.
"Buck are you alright, what the hells going on? What's happened nobodies hurt are they? Why isn't anybody answering there damn phones. Damn it Buck answer me." The voice seemed to run out of steam.
"I'm fine Big Dog, no need to worry." Buck pressed his speaker phone option and the sound of Chris's coughing could be heard by all the men.
"Don't lie to me Buck, something's wrong, you sound upset." Chris husky voice growled, but the effect was ruined by the coughing that followed.
"Nothing's wrong Chris, why would I lie to you?" Buck sniffed and smiled gratefully at Ezra who handed him a handkerchief.
While Chris was coughing Buck wiped his eyes and blew his nose and the offered to return the handkerchief, Ezra frowned and waved Buck's hand away from him.
The men moved so that they where resting in a circle with Buck's phone in the middle, Nathan and JD rubbed shoulders with Buck to keep the man's spirit up.
Chris finally stopped coughing, and he took a drink of water, he picked his phone up again, not convinced that Buck was alright.
"Buck please don't lie to me I know your upset, I can feel it." Chris sounded tired to the gathered men.
Buck looked to the others and each man shook his head, telling Buck silently not to let Chris know what had happened.
"I'm fine Chris, I'm probably just getting a cold." Buck willed the other man to let the matter drop.
"Alright Buck, I know I'm not there but I am still your friend." Chris knew he could not force the man to talk to him, and he new that he was not getting the whole story.
"I know Chris and I'll never forget that fact." Buck promised the other man.
"Alright I have to go." Chris had walked out of the office because of the intense need to contact Buck which had suddenly overcome him, while he had been working. After ending the call he slowly made his way back into the office.
Buck picked up his phone and placed it back in his pocket.
"I don't think he believed you." Vin could not help but point out.
"I know but there's no point in telling him what those idiots said." Nathan stood up; he pulled Buck to his feet. "Let's go home."
Nathan walked to where Doc was contently munching on lush green grass, mounting he waited for the others to join him. Riding at a slow sedate walk the men began to discuss what could possibly happen next.
"Spikes is going to punish me for what happened." Buck was not afraid for himself but for the other men.
"He can't prove anything, only me and Josiah saw what happened." JD vowed to get the camera's that covered that area and alter them. "It's their word against yours and from what we saw they both fell over and you where helping them up."
Buck laughed at the expression on JD's face.
"We're going back the office and Buck keep a grip on your temper alright." Josiah clicked his tongue and urged Job into a canter, the others following closely behind.
Director John Sheppard strode into the Anchorage ATF office, he noted the atmosphere of busy efficiency, walking to the reception desk he waited for the young man to acknowledge him.
"Good morning, how may I help you?" The man smiled in greeting.
"Director John Sheppard to see Assistant Director Kyle Reece." Director Sheppard smiled when the man gulped and hurried to let the AD know he was downstairs.
"AD Reece is sending down his personal assistant to get you sir if you would like to wait over there." The receptionist pointed to a small waiting area. "Would you like a coffee, tea or water?"
"No thank you." Sheppard moved to the waiting area, his two assistants following closely behind.
A short time later Director Sheppard was greeted by AD Reece, who wondered why the Director had come to his office, he was not part of Sheppard's states and areas he was responsible for.
"So what brings you here Director?" AD Reece got straight to the point.
"I wanted to check up on one of my men, who's doing a temporary stint here." Sheppard replied wanting to see what reaction the other man had to this information.
"Chris Larabee, he's already made an positive impact here and I don't understand why he's here really." AD Reece heaped praise on the man he had accepted as one of his agents. "I'm surprised that Travis broke up the Magnificent 7."
"He didn't break them up; Travis has been temporarily reassignment to sort out the Boston fiasco." Sheppard informed the other man. "Larabee turned down the AD role and the man who took it transferred him."
"Why didn't Larabee fight the transfer?" AD Reece asked.
"I don't know but things in Denver are not as they should be, there is an atmosphere of mistrust and that in our line of business could be fatal." Sheppard almost growled he was so annoyed.
"What did the new AD say when you asked him about Larabee?" Reece would be angry if that sort of atmosphere was evident in any of his offices in Alaska.
"Bob Spikes I never asked I wanted to speak to Chris first." Director Sheppard took the cup the man offered him as Reece made himself a coffee, the strong drink was needed by both men.
"So you know Larabee then?" Reece felt that whatever was going on in Denver could only be bad for the AFT if word got out about the fact that the AD was unliked by the majority of the office he was supposed to run.
"Yes the man's an exceptional leader, he and his team have the best stats of any team ever in the ATF. And he's a damn hero in my estimation, he saved my son when he was a Navy Seal, he almost drowned doing it." Sheppard quietly told the other man. "And I want the Magnificent 7 back together so that they can go on showing the rest of the ATF how it's done."
Reece now understood why the man would come so far to check up on one of his men.
"It's amazing the impact he's already had on the agents here." Reece had been surprised when he met Chris Larabee, the quiet blond had oozed confidence and Reece felt that the man could lead any team and get it to perform to the best of its abilities. "We did not have a team leader vacancy open so he has literally just filled in where he's been needed."
Sheppard nodded knowing that Chris Larabee could fit into whatever role was required of him, the man had such a wide range of useful skills that sometimes people forgot that he was not just a team leader he was a skilled investigator, undercover agent, he was able to adapt and deal with anything the bad guys could throw at him. And he would do all this without making a fuss, or taking any credit for a job well done, Sheppard knew that AD Travis was constantly trying to praise Chris but the team leader always said it was all due to his team and nothing to do with him; he just made sure all the paperwork was up to date.
"He's given advice and helps in planning cases and even suggested some training that would help." The more Reece thought about it the more he realised that Larabee had done much more that any team leader needed to, the man seemed to be constantly on the move flitting from one team or another, helping wherever he could, he worked long hours and although he was friendly enough he hardly seemed to mix outside work.
"That's hardly surprising like I said the man was born to lead, he inspires such loyalty from those around him, that I'm surprised the Denver office doesn't mutiny to get him back." Sheppard laughed at the thought of Spikes face if that happened.
"I want you to be aware that Larabee looks ill, he's just had the cast of his wrist and the doctor he saw to have that done is a friend of my wife's and she tried to talk to him about his health and he just brushed her off." Reece was reluctant to order Larabee to see a doctor.
"What do you mean?" Sheppard was unaware of the injury.
"Well he had a cast on his wrist when he got here, and now he's got a hell of a cold, you can here him coughing before you see him, and a few other agents have noticed that he hardly seems to eat enough to keep a bird alive." Reece decided that if Sheppard did not do something about Larabee's health issues he would.
"Right, I think it's time for me to speak to my agent." Sheppard had heard enough.
"Do you want me to stay?" Reece really wanted to stay and observe.
"This is your office Kyle and he's your agent as well." Sheppard offered the man the option.
"Shall we do this here or in the conference room?" Reece made the suggestion.
"Here will be fine." Director Sheppard nodded at the other man.
Reece called through to his personal assistant and told her that he wanted to see Larabee in his office.
Chris frowned when he received the notification that the Assistant Director wanted to see him in his office, he slowly walked up the stairs to the office, and the smiling personal assistant waved him through the door. Chris knocked and waited for the man to bid him enter, he could feel a cough building and he struggled to suppress it.
"Come on in Chris."