Chapter 13

"How'd the FBI finally find me?" Vin asked. He knew the FBI hadn't loaded the case into their computers yet but he hadn't thought to ask Agent Price.

"Actually that was thanks to a friend of the family," Jack chuckled. "The local sheriff Dale Goodwin is a friend of Brick's mostly. But they've known each other since they were kids so we all consider him a friend too. Anyway he came out here one day mad as hell, convinced Brick was playing some kind of prank on him."

"Damn they've got that in common too?" Chris playfully whined.

"Watch it cowboy I know where ya live," Vin retorted.

Jack chuckled, "Guess so. "

"So why did Dale think Brick was pranking him?" Vin asked.

"There was an article in a magazine, one for law enforcement..."

Vin groaned. "The one by Jock Steele?"

"That's the one," Jack confirmed. "There a problem with it?"

Vin shook his head. "I reckon not, just don't like Steele much. He's an annoying little gnat. None of us liked having to deal with him. He was in our way the whole time, nearly blew one of our ops too."

"You know you're going to have to thank him," Chris pointed out. After all if it hadn't been for the article Vin might never have been reunited with his family.

"How about I just don't shoot him?" Vin offered.

Chris grinned. "I really think you should thank him Vin." He only laughed when Vin glared at him.

"Guess that must've been a shock to you," Vin said turning back to his father.

"I thought he was having a heart attack," Leigh put in. "Dale yelled for me and when I came upstairs Jack was white as a sheet and not responding to Dale at all."

"Once I got over the shock and Brick had come into the office I explained everything to them."

"Brick didn't know about me?" Vin hadn't expected that. He had just assumed the whole family had known about his existence for years.

"No we had never told him. It was enough that we were carrying that burden, the children didn't need the pain."

"What happened to my...our mother?" He could have found a lot of information about his family from the FBI but Vin had decided he would rather hear it from them. If nothing else it would give them a starting point. He had noticed Price only ever mentioned his father and had assumed his mother was out of the picture but whether through death or divorce he didn't know.

"She was an incredible woman, strong," Jack smiled wistfully as he thought back to the early days of his marriage to Elizabeth. "Your kidnapping was extremely difficult for both of us but it was hardest on Elizabeth. She never stopped missing you. I'm pretty sure having Brick here was the only thing that got her through it all. Even if she couldn't see you, hug you, she knew what you looked like. She told me once that every time she would hug Brick she imagined she was hugging you too. I wish you could have met her. " Jack sighed. "We lost her to cancer when Cassidy was just over a year old," he quietly explained.

"Must've been hard for you."

"It was hard on all of us," Jack admitted. "She told me, not long before she died, that she could accept leaving me and the children only because now she'd be able to look after you. "

"How'd she know she'd be able to?"

Jack laughed. "Elizabeth wasn't somebody you could say no to, especially if it involved protecting her children. She said if God didn't want her looking after you she'd raise hell in heaven until he gave in. I don't doubt she would have either."

Vin smiled. "I think she convinced him. I imagine Mama helped her too, lord knows I had to have angels looking over me a few times."

"A few times Tanner?" Chris smirked.

Vin shrugged. "Well maybe more than a few."

Cassidy frowned.

Vin noticed the look on his sister's face. "Something wrong Cassidy?"

"No," she wanted to object to him calling that Tanner woman Mama but she remembered what Brick and Jack had said.

"Reckon it bothers you hearing me call another woman Mama?" Vin had always been perceptive and now was no exception.

"I know that's how you think of her but..." she trailed off uncertainly.

"You think it's disrespectful?"

"She wasn't your mother."

"She raised me for five years and put up a hell of a fight to stay with me but in the end the cancer took her. It was Cynthia Tanner that gave me the strength to carry on when I was being shuffled from one foster home to another. I know she didn't give birth to me but she didn't know I was kidnapped either. She gave everything she had to take care of me and loved me as fiercely as if I'd been her own, I think she earned the title of Mama." Vin had spoken in a soft voice throughout this small speech without a hint of anger.

"I hadn't really thought of it like that," Cassidy admitted. "Were the foster homes really bad?"

Vin looked down at his hands, clearly uncomfortable. "Some were, some were okay, but none of them was home. I never really had a home again until I met Chris."

"Cassidy why don't you help me in the kitchen, the roast should be done by now," Leigh suggested. "Rose, Harry, you set the table," she added.

Conversation during dinner was kept to lighter topics. Stories were exchanged but they were light-hearted ones suitable for the ears of children. Dinner was followed by a delicious peach pie, topped with whipped cream. When Vin commented that it was his favorite he found another thing he shared with his twin.

"Let me show you around a little Vin," Jack invited following dessert. Maybe he was being a little selfish but he wanted to spend some time alone with his son. And he had something to discuss with him.

Vin followed his father outside. They walked in silence as Jack led the way towards the cabins. In a voice filled with pride he explained how the cabins had been Brick's idea and the positive effect they'd had on the family business. From there they made their way to the barn. Vin walked straight to the horses, scratching behind ears and generally becoming friends with the equine members of the family.

"So, um, Vin you and Chris...you're together?" Jack stumbled through the question. The two men seemed closer than friends and the remark about finding a home with Chris had convinced Jack there was something there.

"That a problem?" Vin asked. They weren't of course; Chris was as straight as they came. He, himself, was bi, though he didn't advertise it. He might as well find out now if his family was going to have a problem with his sexuality.

"No, no, I just wondered," Jack quickly responded.

"You sure?" Vin didn't want him to just say what he thought was wanted. "You can be honest."

"I am. I really don't have a problem with the two of you being together, well as long as he doesn't hurt you. Then we'll have a problem," Jack grinned.

"You can relax Jack. I ain't with Chris, we're just good friends, brothers you could say," Vin let him off the hook.

Jack shook his head. "Yeah, you're Brick's twin alright," he said giving his son a rueful smile.

Inside the house a similar conversation was taking place.

"So Chris how long have you and Vin been together?" Leigh asked.

Chris who had just taken a sip of coffee promptly spit it out. "What?"

Leigh blushed. "I guess that means you're not?" she cautiously asked.

Chris shook his head. "I head the ATF team that Vin is sharpshooter on."

"Yeah I remember reading that in the article."

"Then why would you think we're a couple?" Chris was incredulous, were they giving off some kind of vibe?

Leigh shrugged, "I suppose you just seem closer than a boss and employee or even friends."

Chris looked towards the door. He could see Brick standing on the porch, gazing into the distance. The younger man was probably watching Vin and Jack. He wondered why Brick didn't join them. "He's like a brother to me. When we met it was during an op, Vin was working as a bounty hunter at the time."

"A bounty hunter? " Leigh was surprised. The man she'd met hadn't seemed the type to hunt other men down for money.

Chris nodded. "He was good too. It happened that the fugitive he was tracking was involved with the people we were trying to take down. One of my men got caught and they were about to execute him. I started towards them, saw Vin, our eyes met and it was like we could read each other's minds. The next thing I know we're working together like we've been doing it for years as we took steps to save Nathan's life. Once the paper work was done I offered him a job and he accepted."

"Sorry about the mistake," Leigh apologized.

"Not a problem," Chris waved it off. "Just do me a favor and don't say anything to Vin. I can just imagine the mileage he'd get out of something like that."

Brick laughed. He had heard the entire conversation from his place on the porch. More importantly he had heard Jack's question to Vin, though he hadn't heard his brother's reply. "Too late," he said as he stepped inside.

Chris raised an eyebrow.

"Jack asked Vin the same thing," Brick grinned. Now that he was feeling more relaxed he was once more able to speak properly, though still in his now normal slow drawl.

Chris let his head fall back against the chair. "Great." He glared as the younger man's laughter rang out. He wasn't too surprised to see his glare had as much effect on Brick as it did Vin, that is to say none. "Why didn't you go with them?"

"Jack needs time with him," Brick replied with a shrug.

"You don't?"

"I do but...I can give Jack time too."

"Sounds like something Vin would do," Chris smiled.

"Yeah?" Brick couldn't help being pleased at finding another common point with his brother. He had been worried that there would be no way for them to connect, in spite of being twins. Now that he had met his brother it was clear his fears were unfounded.

TBC...

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