Police Sons AU (created by Lu) - The Move by Lu
Rating: PG
AU Notes: Buck and Chris are partners in the police force and one day rescued two young orphans from a warehouse. Chris became attached to Vin and took him home to live with him, his wife Sarah and their son Adam. Buck took JD home to live with him after realising how fond of JD he'd quickly become. Soon after, Chris opened up his family home to Buck and JD as well, where they all now live as a family. (Chris has now adopted Vin, and Buck has adopted JD) This AU was inspired by Little Britches.
This AU is open for anyone to write in, but you may want to read more stories which provide more details first.
Warning: Spew factor involved in one little bit of this story (near the beginning) - so please don't be eating then!
Disclaimer: The Magnificent Seven and the other characters in this are not owned by and weren't created by me and I don't make any profit from this story.
Thanks to Meredith for her beta work on this and helping me to convert any British bits into American.
Note: This is the first story I've written in my Police Sons AU.
One Monday morning...
"Boys - time to wake up," called Chris Larabee, who was standing at the bottom of the ranch house's stairs.
"Five more minutes, Dad," called back Chris's oldest son, Adam Larabee.
"Adam, you sound wide awake to me. Get down here now!" called back Chris. The boy was going to get up for school the same time as the others from now on, Chris had decided.
"Chris, where's Da?" asked six-year-old JD, bouncing down the stairs.
"Come down the stairs properly, JD," said Chris. He was trying to break the boy out of that habit, but so far it wasn't working.
"Sorry, Chris. Where's Da?" asked JD again, realizing Chris hadn't answered his question.
"He's gone to see to the horses, he'll be back soon."
"Did you get some more chocolate cereal? Adam had two bowls full yesterday and made the box empty," said Vin, coming down behind JD, rushing over to his dad and hugging his legs. It seemed like Adam was spoilt and he, Vin, suffered as a result, but at least he could hug Chris before lazy Adam got out of bed.
"Sorry Son, the supermarket was all out," apologized Chris, picking up Vin and hugging him. He felt bad that he couldn't get any more cereal for Vin after his born-son, Adam, had eaten the last of it.
"I wants a hug too, Chris," demanded JD loudly.
Before Chris could put Vin down and hug JD, nine-year-old Adam ran down the stairs and hugged Chris almost squashing Vin.
"AD-AM!" complained Vin.
"Sorry, bro - didn't see you there," apologized Adam.
Vin was sure the boy had tried to squash him on purpose.
"Do I get one of those as well?" joked a happy voice behind Chris.
Adam let go of Chris and ran to his uncle. Buck wrapped his arms around the boy and gave him a bear-hug. JD joined in the hug as well.
"You ready for breakfast, Little Bit?" asked Buck
"Yeah, Dad - but Piggy already ate the Chocolate Hoops!" said JD, wondering what he could eat for breakfast instead.
"JD, I told you not to call Adam that," reprimanded his cousin Vin, noticing the glare that Adam was directing at JD, although JD didn't seem to notice.
"Boys, we're having a family meeting as soon as everyone's sat at the breakfast table," said Sarah, standing in the doorway smiling at the happy group.
PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS
Ten minutes later, everyone sat round the breakfast table in the kitchen for the family meeting.
"Boys, I have some exciting news for you," said Sarah Larabee, looking at the three boys and two men sat around the table. Sarah was stood up where she could see all the men of the house.
"You found some Chocolate Hoops for us?" guessed JD excitedly.
Sarah laughed, then continued, "Our family's going to have a new addition to it in about eight months' time." Chris Larabee stood up, walked to her side and wrapped his arms around her.
"We're getting another dog?" asked Adam, not realizing the importance of the clue, 'eight months' time'.
"No, Adam, we're going to give you a baby brother or sister then," said Chris, smiling at the boy.
Adam screwed up his face in disgust. "You mean one of those things that cries all the time, makes dirty diapers and pukes everywhere."
Buck coughed on his toast, but eventually managed to swallow it.
"Adam, don't say those things while people are eating," said Chris, looking sternly at the boy.
"Sorry, Dad."
"Can the baby sleep with me an' Vin?" asked JD, excitedly jumping out of his seat.
"That's the other thing - you and Buck are getting a house of your own. No more brothers eating all the chocolate cereal and not leaving you any; no more brothers taking your toys and no-one to argue with - except maybe your dad." said Sarah, who was sure JD would love the news.
JD looked unhappy then ran to Buck and started crying.
"That didn't go well," whispered Chris to Sarah.
"I thought he'd be pleased," said Sarah sadly.
"I won't get to live with Vin and you and Chris and Adam anymore?" asked JD.
"No, JD. We need room for the baby," said Chris gently.
"I don't wanna move away from Vin and Adam though. I love having brothers," shouted JD angrily before he left the table and ran to his and Vin's room.
Buck ran after him and heard the click of the lock on the bedroom door just as he got there.
"JD, can you let me in so we can talk?" asked Buck, who really needed to comfort the little boy.
"NO - I'm staying in here forever - you can't take me away from here."
"I'm sorry, Son. But, there's no choice. The baby needs a room of it's own when it comes along. I promise you we'll visit here lots and they'll visit us lots."
JD unlocked the door. "Well-ll, if we still get to see them lots, I guess it's okay."
"We don't have to move out yet - but we need to start looking for a new place to live," said Buck, hugging his son tightly.
PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS
Three months later...
"As you can see Mr. Wilmington, this room has plenty of space for entertaining friends," said the estate agent to Buck.
JD looked around the huge room - there was lots of room to play in here.
"I'm not sure. I'm sure we'd manage if the room was only half this size," said Buck, thinking about how much this house would cost him.
"You could always divide the room in half and make two smaller rooms," suggested the estate agent - this house had already been on the market too long and she knew she'd get a big commission on it if she sold it.
"You have a point. Then I could have a home office and Little Bit could have a playroom," said Buck with a smile. He looked at JD to see what he thought.
"I get a bedroom AND a playroom all to myself, Da?"
"If we get this place you will," said Buck.
"Can we buy this house, Da?" asked JD. He loved the huge backyard that came with this house and the bedroom he would have all to himself.
"I don't see why not, it's perfect for us, Little Bit," said Buck with a smile. The garden would be perfect for JD to play in, in the summer. Perhaps Buck could invite lady friends over as well – the garden could be a great place for sunbathing in the warmer weather. It would be a perfect excuse for JD to stay over at Chris's with Vin and Adam for some weekends.
When they had finished looking at the rest of the house, Buck started the proceedings to buy it.
PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS
Six months later...
"Why don't you go upstairs and play while I fix us dinner?" said Buck as he and JD got home from school.
"Okay, Da," said JD as he ran toward the stairs excitedly.
The little boy ran upstairs and into his room and looked around. This was all his now.
He started looking through his toys trying to decide what to play with. He came across some cars he used to play with along with Vin. He'd have to play with them alone until he could see Vin again. He wondered how Vin was getting along without him. It was now two weeks after they had moved here and he had only seen Vin at school since leaving the other house.
PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS
Meanwhile, at the Larabee household...
"Mom? Can I share rooms with Leanne?" asked Adam - he and Vin weren't getting on ever since they had started sharing a bedroom.
"You know the baby would sound even louder if you were in the same room as her," said Sarah Larabee, rocking the baby girl to sleep. Adam kept complaining about the baby crying loudly at night.
"OKAY - fine," said Adam and stormed upstairs to his room.
PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS
A while later Vin crept out of the bedroom with a backpack on his back and wearing his sneakers and coat. Adam and he had fallen out for good and he was leaving. They didn't need him anyway - he wasn't their real child like Leanne or Adam and they couldn't love him much now that they had two children of their own.
The little boy crept downstairs and quietly out the front door. He set off for Buck and JD's house - he knew exactly where it was.
PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS
"I'll get it, Da," said JD, walking toward the front door after the bell had rang.
"Remember to look out the window through the net curtains first- if it's someone you don't know, call me to answer it," said his cop dad, Buck. Now that Vin wasn't there to remind the boy to be careful about things, he had to do it instead.
JD looked out of the window beside the door and saw Vin standing there on his own. JD ran to the door and opened it, then ran to Vin and hugged him, glad to see him.
"Who is it?" called Buck.
Vin felt nervous about facing Buck - he was sure he'd be mad at him.
"Da, it's Vin," called back JD.
Then the two boys heard footsteps and Buck looked at Vin. "Everything all right, Junior?"
"I want to live here with you an' JD," said Vin, who had obviously been crying.
"What about Chris?" asked Buck.
"He's got Adam an' Sarah an' Leanne. Doesn' need me as well," said Vin sadly.
Buck was about to reply when the phone rang. Buck picked it up from the table by the stairs. "Hello? Buck Wilmington," the man said into the phone.
"Buck, is Vin there?" asked Chris Larabee, sounding very distressed.
"Yes, he's here - he thinks you don't love him no more," explained Buck.
"Let me speak to him, Buck."
Buck handed the phone to Vin, despite the boy shaking his head in protest.
"Hi Dad," said Vin nervously.
"Cowboy, we're all missing you here and we need you to come home."
"Adam doesn't like me anymore an' you an' Sarah an' Leanne don' need me," said Vin.
"We do still need you, Vin. If you come home, we'll have a talk about this. I didn't know you felt this way, son," said Chris, feeling guilty about not realizing how Vin felt before. Everything had seemed fine that morning.
"You've been treating Adam better than me fer ages dad, he's your born-son an' I'm just some stray you 'dopted remember?" said Vin, getting upset and on the brink of crying.
"Vin, I meant to treat you all equally. You're just like a born-son to me. I never meant to hurt you," said Chris, his voice showing his sincerity.
"So, you didn't realize you weren't treating me 'qually?"
"No, Vin. In the future, I want you to tell me if you think I'm not treating you the same as Adam and Leanne, deal?"
"Deal, Dad," said Vin, wiping his eyes with the handkerchief Buck had just handed him.
"I'm coming to pick you up - I'll be there in about 10 minutes. Bye for now, son."
"I love you, Dad - see you soon," said Vin, then the father and son finished their phone call.
Vin replaced the phone in the cradle and turned to Buck and JD.
"Vin, you can call us any time you like. We're still family, okay?" said Buck, tousling Vin's hair playfully.
"Course we are, Buck, an' thanks - I will call. I'll see you an' JD at school tomorrow," said Vin, he felt more reassured now that Chris had told him they still needed him and hadn't realized how the boy felt.
PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS - PS
The next morning a happy Vin Tanner-Larabee jumped out of his dad's Dodge Ram, then ran to JD and Buck at the school gate. Adam followed behind him, still half asleep.
"Everything okay, Junior?" asked Buck.
"Yeah, me an' Adam just don't always get on, but he says he does love me like a brother. We're all goin' on a family trip this weekend an' you an' JD are invited."
"Where we goin'?" asked JD excitedly.
"Dad says it's a surprise an' we'll be stayin' somewhere on Saturday night. Can you two come?"
"Da, can we?"
"Sure, there's nothing I'd enjoy more than spending a weekend with my son and the rest of my family," said Buck. He hadn't had much time lately for socializing with Chris, who was his best friend and partner in the police force. Chris and his family, besides JD, were the closest thing he had to family as his mother had died a long time ago and he'd never known his father. He knew that it could get lonely without any brothers or sisters so this weekend would be great for JD as well as him.
"Great," said Vin and quickly ran back to the Ram to tell Chris of Buck and JD's answer. Adam stayed talking to Buck and JD.
"Okay, tell them we'll pick them up from their house tomorrow at eight AM," said Chris with a smile. Vin ran back to Buck, JD and Adam, then Chris waved to his sons and headed for home. Part of his family might be living away from them, but it didn't mean they couldn't still spend lots of time together.