Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy: the vampire slayer or The Magnificent 7. I also don't own the ATF au of The Magnificent 7 that was first created by Mog (I think). I'm just playing, no money, and no harm. In the Buffy-verse this takes place before the first season and, in case you don't know about it, the ATF-verse of the Mag. 7 has the characters as a modern day team of ATF agents. Also, some mention of slash as two of the male characters are in a committed relationship.

A/N: Chapter two is in thanks to my reviewers: DTHunter, naiya-isis, j, Amanda, K. Mckenzie, LoMaRiBa, Meanthis, slbwhitewolf, Leah T, ryuze, Anon.

Ezra was not entirely pleased that his much-deserved day off was beginning to get rather complicated. The boy standing uneasily in his living room promised to create more chaos then Ezra was prepared to deal with before noon. He decided to make a quick swerve into the kitchen for some coffee before interrogating the child. "Vin, love, do you want some coffee," he asked, up to the cabinets, "and does our guest want any refreshment?"

Vin rolled his eyes at his lover's avoidance tactics and responded, "Coffee'd be great Ez." Then he turned to Xander; "You want something?"

Xander had watched the two men walk down the hall, brushing up against each other fairly often. He noticed that Ezra had similar hair color and maybe the same build as himself, but then Ezra was past him and into the kitchen. Wasn't he curious about Xander? Didn't Ezra want to demand that Xander explain why he was there? Vin's question pulled him from his circling thoughts and he half-heartedly asked for some water. Ezra finally walked into the living room carrying two cups of coffee and a bottle of water that he had tucked under his arm. Handing out the beverages, he sat down next to Vin on the couch while Xander hesitantly perched on the loveseat.

Ezra always felt that disturbing news was better told quickly and painlessly as possible, so he broke the uncomfortable silence first. "Vin tells me that you have some news that you wish to impart?" Xander slowly nodded. Now was the moment he had dreaded. How was he supposed to go about this? What was he going to say? All his rehearsed lines had deserted him. Why had he thought this was going to be a good idea? Ezra obviously knew nothing about him. And his older half-brother seemed settled and well, rich. He even had a nice boyfriend. Who was Xander to intrude upon this nice, cozy life?

While Xander stayed quiet, trying to gather his thoughts, Ezra continued the conversation, hoping to prompt a response, "If you are here to investigate a paternity suit, I can assure you that thirteen years ago I was seventeen. While certainly capable of fathering a child at that age, I assure you that I did not."

Xander blinked at that, never thinking that Ezra would jump to that conclusion. He set down his water and began digging in his sack. "Not father," he said as he pulled the rubber-banded postcards from the bag, "brother, unless there's another Ezra Standish working in Denver for the ATF whose mother's name is Maude." Then he handed the postcards to the stunned ATF agent and fell silent.

Ezra flipped through the postcards noticing that the dates and events matched his life. He knew the handwriting was his mother's and it seemed the postcards started out every week, then every few, then once a month, until they were sent about one a year. It seemed that the boy really was his brother, or rather half-brother. He absently handed the postcards to Vin and stared at the child. Looking closely, he could see a vague resemblance in hair and eyes and body structure. Which was fascinating, but didn't stop him wondering why he was here. How did Xander get here? Where were his parents? And why come see Ezra now? "Are your parents with you?" Ezra asked, "Surely they didn't allow you to travel all this way by yourself."

Now, how was Xander supposed to answer that? No sir, my parent aren't with me, they died in a car accident last night and I hopped a bus thinking you might take me in so I wouldn't have to go live with my Uncle Rory. Somehow, he didn't think Ezra would appreciate the news all at once; it was better to take it slow and give out details one at a time. "I came by myself. I used my parents' money."

Both Vin and Ezra were pretty adept at reading between the lines, but it was Vin that caught on to Xander first. "You ran away," Vin stated. Ezra and Xander looked at Vin in startlement, and then eyed each other. Ezra noted the rather mismatched clothes, as if they were hurriedly thrown on, the stuffed full bag, and most of all the words parents' money that Xander used, carefully not saying that his parents gave him money or permission. Ezra nodded slightly to Vin agreeing with his assessment; the kid had definitely run away from home.

Xander shifted uneasily, but nodded in answer to Vin's question. Then he looked over at Ezra, "When I found out about you, I just had to meet you. And it's summer, so no school or anything to stop me." He ducked his head and toyed with the frayed edge of his t-shirt. He wondered how much to tell them. Maybe they'd let him stay if he said his parents' hit him; after all it had been true, even though they couldn't abuse him anymore.

However, no words were necessary, because when Xander ducked his head Vin and Ezra both saw the fading bruise on the back of his neck and reached the same conclusion. "Does your father hit you," Vin softly asked; knowing that Ezra would like the answer to be no, though it was obviously true. Xander raised his head and looked at them in puzzlement. He nodded, focused on his brother to see his reaction.

"How long," Ezra broke off trying to get a hold of his emotions, "How long has he been hitting you?"

Xander's eyes got distant in remembering. How long had it been going on? Searching through his earliest memories, he had to conclude that there wasn't a time when the abuse hadn't been there. "As long as I can remember," he replied, "I never seemed good enough for him. I never made him happy." He sighed, that was certainly true; nothing he did satisfied his father. He looked at Ezra's shuttered face and almost wished he could have given him a better picture of their father. It must be sad to think of the father you never knew as such a terrible person, but he had no real happy memories to tell him. He yawned, suddenly tired as the nervous adrenaline started to wear off. Sheer determination had kept him going this long, but now he was crashing. All he wanted was to stretch out on this lovely, undoubtedly comfortable, loveseat and go to sleep.

Ezra was still coming to terms with the fact that his father was an abusive person, when he noticed that the boy, no, his brother -- he should try to get used to that, was fighting a losing battle against sleep. The poor child had probably been up all night traveling to get to Denver, which had alarmed him but now seemed almost normal after learning he was running away from an abusive household. At the very least, Xander could sleep here today. He and Vin would have to discuss further arrangements, but he already didn't want to send him back home. He rose and walked over to the couch, "I don't know what we're going to do about all this," he said to Xander, "but for now, you look exhausted, and I am not at my best either. I suggest we both get some sleep and later this afternoon we can discuss our options. I'll show you to the guest room, where you can get some sleep on a proper bed." With that he rose and led Xander down the hallway. The first door on the left was the guestroom and he made sure to point out the bathroom across the hall. "Feel free to call for me if you find yourself in need of anything."