Title: Within Boundaries Teen/ATF AU 1/8

Author: Tidia Disclaimers

Notes: Hi all! After 3 years of law school I finally had time to finish this. Thank you to Mog the great for betaing. This is for all the wonderful people I have met in the M7 fandom because you are all the best. I am writing in another fandom (Supernatural), but M7 will always be my first love, and I will continue to come back to it. I am posting on the M7 lists, but please take the time to review if you are here.

Part 1

Buck had taken JD out to the movies. They had invited Vin, JD insisted, but Buck was wary. Tanner waved them out. The twosome needed to spend time together, without the wedge in their relationship. Vin placed his feet on the coffee table and switched on the television with the remote control, feigning that he would be spending a night catching up his favorite shows.

He waited long after the headlights of Buck's truck had dimmed down the road. Vin hesitated by Chris's study. He stayed flat against the wall to not reveal his position. He calmed his breathing. He scratched the back of his neck, and frowned. His hair had still not grown in fully. The teen had made his decision. He needed to talk to his father.

On Sunday evening Chris tried to get ahead on paperwork. Tanner knocked, but slid open the pocket door before waiting for a reply. He was losing his courage, and needed to be quick. Vin took only one step in before making his announcement. "I'm leaving. Chanu's granddad invited me to spend the summer on the reservation."

Larabee put down his pen. He reclined back in his chair, clasping his hands in front of him. "Who made you the adult?" Chris looked at his son with a firm gaze, challenging the boy's statement.

The young man crossed his arms. He refused to fidget. "You did, when you left me in that place."

"Vin, I. . ." Chris stood up, and maneuvered around the large oak desk.

The teen took a step back, in fear that his father would try to convince him to stay. At 15, he felt lost and alone. If he didn't go, then he would bring destruction to the Larabee/Wilmington household. "You weren't there for me, Chris."

"So we're back to Chris?" Larabee sighed, leaning against the desk.

Tanner dropped his shoulders in defeat. Leaving Chris would be difficult, and Vin wanted his father to understand. "Dad, I'm just all mixed up. Since I got back I've been keeping a backpack under my bed-in case I want to run," he said in a low voice.

Chris put his hair roughly through his hair. "God, Vin, what are you running from? Is it so bad here? I thought you were doing better...moving on from that place."

The teen interrupted. "I count on you to be there for me when I'm scared and then you weren't there. Maybe you should have never taken me in- maybe I would have known not to be scared." Vin backed up a step in a panic. He revealed more than he wanted, and felt uncomfortable with his vulnerability. Had he not been with Chris, then he would have fought for his existence on the streets. He would have been better prepared to deal with juvy. "I can't be here. I have to go."

Larabee put his hands up to calm the boy. Vin accepted the calming influence, but looked down at his stocking feet instead of making eye contact with his father.

"Okay, son, okay." Chris couldn't believe he was losing his son all over again. He would never forget how this all started.