Day 1
Denver, Colorado
Denver International Airport
5:45 p.m. MDT
Martin and Samantha walked through the concourse towards baggage claim. As soon as they had left the gate, Martin began to feel a now-familiar presence in his mind.
Welcome back, little brother, Vin's Texan drawl echoed in his head.
Hey, we're the same age, Martin protested.
Jus' statin' the facts. You are twenty minutes younger.
Just meet us at baggage claim.
Ya sure ya want Samantha to meet the boys? They may scare her off for good, Vin asked. Martin could sense the chuckle that accompanied the question.
A little late to be askin' that, isn't it? Martin replied with a grin.
"What is it?" Samantha asked. She had seen the slightly distant look on Martin's face.
"It's nothin'," Martin grinned, shaking his head. "Vin's meetin' us at baggage claim."
Vin was waiting by the carousel. When he turned to face them, Samantha's jaw dropped.
"I told ya he looks just like me," Martin laughed, going up and giving Vin a hug. "It's good to see ya again, Vin."
"Same here," Vin grinned. "I should warn ya, the boys're prob'ly more exited to see ya than I am."
"Knowin' them, I don't doubt it," Martin laughed.
Samantha stood back, watching to two interact. She noted the few physical differences as Martin stood leaning an arm on Vin's shoulder. But there were other things, too. While Martin had loosened up a lot since finding out he was adopted, he still retained some of his straight-laced nature, whereas Vin seemed far more comfortable in his own skin.
"Vin Tanner, this is Samantha Spade," Martin introduced, taking a step back as Vin offered his hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet ya, ma'am," Vin said. "Martin's told me a lot about ya."
Samantha shook Vin's hand, and Martin had to bite back a laugh when she arched an eyebrow at Vin calling her "ma'am".
"Same here," she said, polite smile back in place.
"Did you warn her about Buck?" Vin asked, looking back to Martin.
"Don't worry, she can handle herself," Martin replied with a grin.
Larabee Ranch
6:30 p.m. MDT
Martin couldn't help but smile at the look of awe on Samantha's face as Vin drove up the long drive to Chris's home. Of course, he knew he was grinning like an idiot; he hadn't realized how much he had missed Denver until he got there.
When they pulled up to the ranch house, Martin could see five vehicles belonging to the rest of the Seven.
"Looks like the party's already started," Vin noted as they got out of the battered Jeep.
"Brace yourself," Martin whispered teasingly to Samantha.
Suddenly self-conscious, she moved back to let Vin and Martin enter the house first. The first thing Samantha noticed was not the décor or the furnishings, but the sound. Raucous laughter reached her ears even before the front door opened.
Martin and Vin set their bags in the foyer before steering her towards the den.
"Look who I found," Vin said, announcing their presence.
"Hey, Martin!" JD exclaimed, jumping up to greet them.
"Ow! Careful, kid!" Buck chided as JD tripped over his legs.
JD managed to untangle himself and jumped right back up. "I'm okay, I'm okay."
Martin chuckled, "It's nice to know someone missed me."
"Who's your friend?" Buck asked, eyeing Samantha behind Martin.
"Samantha Spade, meet Buck Wilmington, JD Dunne, Ezra Standish, Nathan Jackson, and Chris Larabee," Martin introduced, indicating each man as he went. "Samantha works with me on the Missing Persons Unit."
"Well, hello darlin'," Buck grinned, standing to greet her.
JD rolled his eyes as instead of shaking her hand, Buck kissed it. Vin and Martin traded a look, Martin indicating to let the scene play out.
"If you need anythin', you be sure to let old Buck know."
Samantha paused a moment before answering, "I'll keep that in mind, as long as your brain stays above your belt."
Chris grinned as the others laughed at the putdown, Buck helplessly trying to come up with some sort of response.
"Man, Buck!" JD laughed. "She's been here less than a minute and she already got you figured!"
"My congratulations, Miss Spade," Ezra commented. "You have succeeded in a feat that many others have tried but failed."
"What's that?" Buck questioned the southerner, finally able to put words together cohesively.
"Shutting you up," Chris chimed in, receiving an indignant huff in response.
"I'm guessing Josiah's out back with the grill?" Martin asked, changing the subject before things got out of hand.
"He won't let us out there," Nathan said. "Said he was cookin' up somethin' special for ya."
"Heaven help us," Ezra moaned. "The last time Mr. Sanchez 'cooked up somethin' special', I believe we were all eating antacids like they were M&M's for a week."
"You talkin' 'bout that special chili he made for the Super Bowl?" Vin asked as he and Martin took up seats side by side on the couch, the former placing his feet up on the coffee table. "I thought it was good."
"Of course you would," JD pointed out. "You drink coffee strong enough to kill small animals. Your taste buds are dead and your stomach is lined with steel."
"Sounds like someone else I know," Samantha smirked, settling on the arm of the couch next to Martin. "You will never believe some of the things I've seen Martin eat."
"I think we would," Chris grinned. "Vin and Martin have the same tastes."
"Dinner is served," Josiah called from the dining room, saving the twins from further ribbing.
The group made their way to the dining room, where Josiah had laid out platters of pork chops and strip steaks—Martin suspected they had been marinated in something that resembled antifreeze and gunpowder. There was a bowl of salad, courtesy of Nathan, macaroni pie and green bean casserole that Nettie Wells had sent via JD, and rolls Ezra had picked up from an artisan bakery a couple blocks from his house.
"Wow," Samantha exclaimed, impressed at the amount of food and how good it all looked and smelled. "You guys know how to put together a meal."
"Oh, this is nothin'," JD said as they all took seats at the large table. "Tonight's just the brothers. Tomorrow's the real shindig."
Martin looked across the table at his brother. He could tell Vin was uncomfortable with being the center of attention, even among this bunch. Feeling his gaze, Vin lifted his eyes to meet Martin's.
Told 'em not to stir up a ruckus, Vin thought at Martin.
Martin grinned, Would you hate me if I said I'm kinda enjoying it? I can't remember the last time someone made a fuss over my birthday just because it was my birthday, an' not because it was a social obligation.
"You guys mind letting us in on the conversation?" Buck teased.
"Sorry," Martin mumbled, ears starting to burn.
"What?" Samantha asked, oblivious to the exchange that the ATF team was so accustomed to.
"I'll tell ya later," Martin told her.
"Brothers," Josiah's deep baritone cut in. "Tonight, we celebrate family. Each of us is gifted with two families. One is the family we're born with"—he cast a glance at Martin and Vin—"and the other is the family we choose"—here he looked at the rest of the Seven. "Our brother by choice has been blessed to find a brother by blood, a gift that far surpasses anything we may give them. To family."
"To family," the rest chorused.
Dinner was a rambunctious affair. But then again, so was everything the Seven did together. Martin melded right in with the group, despite almost half a year having passed since their last meeting, and the brothers welcomed Samantha with open arms.
Once the food was eaten, dishes cleaned, and what little was left of the food put away, they once again grouped in the great room. JD had been bouncing more than usual since before dinner, so Martin knew something was up. He was about to ask when the kid beat him to the punch.
"Okay, I can't take it anymore," JD said excitedly. "The suspense is killing me. Can we do it yet?"
Chris traded a look with Vin. The twin nodded, and they stood up.
"C'mon, Marty, 'fore JD busts somethin'," Vin said, leading the way out the back door.
"Oh, you're gonna need this," Buck said, tossing a broad-rimmed hat onto Martin's head.
Samantha tried desperately to hold back the giggles at the look on Martin's face. With a scowl, Martin straightened the hat from its haphazard position and followed Vin and Chris outside. He quickly determined that they were headed for the barn.
What's up? he asked Vin.
You'll see, Vin replied with a grin.
Knowing he wouldn't get anything else out of his brother, Martin followed in silence. JD scurried ahead and pushed open the side door in the barn.
Once his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Martin noted that most of the stalls were empty. Peso stuck his head out at the sound of company.
"Hey, big fella," Martin greeted the gelding. "What're you doin' in here all alone?"
"Dang mule got his leg tangled up in some barb wire, last week," Chris grumbled.
"I been keepin' him locked up to make sure his leg don' get infected," Vin added.
"I didn't think you used barb wire," Martin asked, scratching in between Peso's ears.
"I don't, but some of the farther pieces have remnants of ages old fencing," Chris replied. "I thought I'd gotten rid of it all. Guess I should be thankful it was only Peso that got hurt."
"Hey now," Vin objected on behalf of his mount, "don' go talkin' 'bout him that way. 'Specially not in front of him."
"Sorry, Mr. Tanner," Ezra chimed in, "but between your obstinate equine and decrepit automobile, it would seem that your judgment in reliable transportation is somewhat impaired."
"I doubt you guys brought me down here to pick on Vin," Martin interrupted, deeming it necessary to come to his brother's rescue.
"Take a look in the next stall," Vin prodded.
Martin did as he was told. A glance into the next stall revealed a beautiful black paint gelding. The nameplate on the door read "Jake". He cast a confused look back at Vin, who simply grinned.
"Happy birthday, little brother."
"You're kidding," Martin said, as Jake came over to the stall door to check out the people.
"Nope," Vin laughed. "Even got the papers to prove it."
"You're crazy! I can't keep a horse in New York!"
"Don't have to," Chris chimed in. "He can stay here."
"Be a good excuse to come out here more often," JD suggested.
"So you're all in on this, huh?" Martin asked, casting an accusatory glance at the rest of the brothers.
JD at least had the decency to look sheepish, while Buck and Ezra simply grinned unabashedly. Josiah and Nathan took a step back from the rest, but Martin knew better.
He sighed. "Guess I can't say no, can I?"
"Doesn't look like it," Samantha laughed.
Jake nudged Martin's arm, not so subtly demanding attention.
"See? He already likes you," JD pointed out.
Martin couldn't help but grin as he rubbed the black nose. He wasn't sure he wanted to admit it, but it was the biggest gesture anyone had ever made for him. Horses were a huge part of who Vin was, and Jake was a way of sharing that with Martin.
"Thank you."