Disclaimer:

They are not mine. I don't make profit from this.

Feedback is welcome (be kind; English is not my first language.)

*

Chapter 7 "As it should be" (Epilogue)

Present time, the FCPD.

"The tape really was the answer?" repeated detective Buck Wilmington.

Larabee glared at his oldest friend. "Yes."

"A security tape from the building next to the warehouse with the dead body?" the mustached detective pressed.

Chris sighed. "Yes…"

"The tape leading to the cigarette butts in the alley? Those with Eli Joe's DNA all over them?" continued the tall brunette.

The blond detective took a deep breath. "Yes."

"Not to mention the tape also showed a smoking, skinny man getting in and later leaving the warehouse through a break in the building's wall?" Buck smiled.

Larabee's patience was running out. "Yes!"

"Come on, Chris! You aren't telling me that you still have doubts about our psychic? How much more proof do you need?"

Larabee didn't say anything and leaned on his desk, glaring at Buck.

The taller man wasn't intimidated at all, and nudged the blond with his elbow so Chris made room for him at the desk.

"He also predicted big changes to the precinct, didn't he?"

"Not all the changes are good," Chris finally said.

"They aren't? What are you talking about?" asked Buck, really confused. "I thought you liked your new partner!"

Larabee´s mouth twisted slightly in what lately the rest of the cops had recognized as a smile. "I do," he said.

"And the new department with the legal consultant has been a good thing, hasn't it?"

The blond cleared his throat before responding. "I suppose."

Buck nudged him again. "A man would have to be blind not to notice their secretary… or her many charms," he said.

Chris blushed a little. "I'm not blind"

Buck smirked at his friend. "Then what can you consider to be the bad things with those changes?"

Larabee sighed. Buck wasn't going to leave him alone until he knew.

"That bottomless-pit for a stomach new partner of mine, who won't stop calling me ¨cowboy¨; Dunne, ¨the puppy lawyer¨ following us around, and that infuriating woman playing secretary…"

"You should ask her out," interrupted Buck.

Larabee glared at him. "I'll ask her out when hell freezes over… or better yet, when that new waitress at the Mexican restaurant accepts a date with you." the blond swore.

"I'm wearing her down, okay? So you better be ready," Buck warned.

Chris ignored the comeback. "Not to mention the chief keeps calling Standish and Jackson to help with the weirdest cases, then those two just waltzes in, like…"

"Chris!" Buck interrupted.

Chris almost barked "What!" before paying attention to the four happy young men getting closer to them.

"It was a good deal," said JD.

"Yeah," agreed Vin "I like it."

"Could have been worse," Nathan pointed out.

"Yeah," said Standish. "You could have ended up with a bounty on your head, featured on America's Most Wanted."

"What are you talking about?" asked Nathan in exasperation "Ez, the man was going to be sent to prison for life!"

"Nah!" exclaimed Ezra smiling. "Not even federal marshals would have kept him in a cell, some people would have helped him escape… what do you think, Mr. Chris?"

The head of detectives stood tall and arched an eyebrow at the implication. "It's Detective Larabee to you," he growled.

Vin got the inside meaning of the psychic's commentary, just like Chris, and smiled and patted Ezra's shoulder before going to his new desk.

Ezra chuckled. His hand went to his temple before closing his eyes and declaring, "The spirits think this is a good time to go to lunch."

Vin, who had barely gotten seated, stood. "I can do lunch."

Larabee rolled his eyes at the Texan's declaration. //Bottomless pit// he thought.

"And the spirits suggest… the closest Mexican food's place."

The young lawyer nodded. "I want to try one of their hot burritos."

Nathan rubbed his stomach. "I'll stick to the normal ones."

"I'm going too!" said Buck, smiling broadly.

"Come with us, Chris," he prompted his friend.

Ezra smiled. "But our number is wrong, we are not meant to be six… I'll ask Mary to come with us," said the fake psychic, intending to go and ask the pretty new secretary, but Chris's hand in his shoulder prevented it.

Before the younger man could ask or do anything, Larabee called out, "Sanchez! Good to see you! Why don't you come with us to lunch so we can be ¨lucky seven¨?"

"Sure!" said the ex-cop, willing to spend time with Ezra and his friends.

He felt that he and Ezra could try the father-son thing again.

Ezra frowned. "Awful timing, Josiah," he mumbled.

Josiah smiled and pushed the young man slightly toward the door. "I wouldn't say that, considering that Larabee was ready to strangle you."

Vin chuckled and followed them. "I think the cowboy wanted to ask Mary himself."

Buck laughed, "You got it right, Junior!"

Turning towards Chris he added, "You know pard, I wouldn't mind more of those good changes," and followed the hungry party.

Behind them, Larabee groaned… and hurried to catch with them.

He didn't want to miss Inez's quick comebacks at Buck's flirting compliments.

***

End

* M7 AU*

***

A/N: Thanks to mystdogs, LdyGossamer, becalynv, sfulton229, taosbriar, jd4peace, Sivan Shemesh, Jenn007, Blue Skywalker, all the people that got me in their story/author alerts, and those who just read it.

Thank you so much for giving this story a chance.

Please take a minute and let me know what you think; Reviews are welcome or send me a private message.

(be kind; English is not my first language.)