Josiah and Nathan were waiting at the elevator when Vin arrived, almost dragging Buck along with him.

"Chris already go in?"

"No, went out to his car to get a clean shirt. Didn't really want JD freaking out when he saw Ezra's blood. Think Chris needed to stop seeing it too." Nathan answered. "Buck, stop beating yourself up. Won't help Ezra, and it sure as hell won't help JD."

"Don't worry – I'm not gonna do anything to hurt him. Done enough damage for one day."

Not knowing any way to effectively respond to that, they waited quietly for Chris to return before descending on JD's room. Even though he was stretched out with his eyes closed, the young agent looked much better than they'd expected. If you ignored the cast, you'd have sworn he was just napping.

"He looks so damned relaxed." Josiah noted.

"Pain killers will do that to you." Came the slightly slurred response from the bed. "I feel real good." He opened his eyes reluctantly, grinning at the team. "This is good stuff, and they didn't even give me full strength." The grin faded somewhat as he looked at the others. Yeah, they were smiling, but it was less than convincing. "Are they lying to me? Is there something wrong with me?"

"Not a thing JD. You're fine." Nathan assured him.

"Yeah kid," Buck forced himself to keep his voice light. "Too damned hard-headed for any other result."

"Just had us a bit worried is all." Chris added. "Besides, you know how much we hate hospitals."

He looked at the men gathered around the bed. Not one of them looked the way they should if everything was fine. Then it dawned on him.

"Oh, that's just perfect. Ezra's in trouble, isn't he? Someone's finding a way to blame this on him. What? Did he shoot the guy who fired on us? Internal Affairs can't be questioning him about it. The bastard tried to kill us."

"Relax JD – there's no investigation."

"So, he's just stuck with all the paperwork? He must be pissed at me. I told him he was hearing things when he said he thought there was someone else in the alley. Next thing I know he's pushing me to the ground. Don't remember much after that."

"He knocked you out when you hit the ground-" Vin began.

"He didn't knock me out. I knocked me out when I fell. Stupid and clumsy is what knocked me out. Not him."

"Easy there JD. Nobody meant anything by it." Josiah advised.

"It wasn't his fault. I know Ezra. And I know right about now he is beating himself up for letting me get hurt, isn't he? He saves my neck when I'm too stupid to clue in on what's going on, and he ends up in all kinds of trouble for it."

"JD – nobody is in any kind of official trouble for what happened. You guys were doing your job and things went wrong in ways nobody could have foreseen." Chris tried to calm him down.

"So he doesn't feel responsible about this?" No one answered right away. "I knew it. He's off somewhere blaming himself that I ended up here. Trying to figure out how to apologize for something that's not even his fault. It's the only reason I could think of why he wasn't sitting next to the bed when I woke up earlier. I mean, it was either that or he got hurt, and you all wouldn't be here if that was the case." Again, there was silence. The colour drained from JD's face.

"He got hurt? How bad? He gonna be OK?" He asked in rapid succession, throwing the covers off. Nathan and Vin both reached out to stop him.

"Stay still JD. It may be just a mild concussion, but you start moving too fast and you'll end up on the floor."

"I'm fine Nathan. You said so yourself. What happened to Ezra? Damn it Chris, tell me. Is he dead?" He was starting to hyperventilate by the time he finished.

"No. Take it easy. Ezra's not dead. They're getting him stabilized for surgery. He was shot."

"Protecting me." It wasn't a question.

"Doing his job." Chris corrected. "And you would have done the same thing if the positions had been reversed."

"They wouldn't have been. I didn't see anything. Didn't hear anything. He knew there was trouble before it started, and I just kidded him about being paranoid." He worked at calming himself down. "You said getting him stabilized. How bad was he hit?" He looked to Nathan.

"Shot in the lower back. Doesn't look like anything vital was hit, and the bullet isn't near the spine. He just – well he lost a lot of blood and they're just trying to get him stable before they operate."

"Why is it taking so long? What aren't you telling me?"

"JD, you need to relax. Everything is going to be fine." Vin insisted, trying to convince himself at the same time.

"Buck. You are way too quiet. Tell me what they won't."

"Nothing else to tell."

"Bull. You tell me what is going on, or I'm going down there myself, as is, hospital gown flapping in the wind. I don't care. Tell me."

"We didn't know JD. We didn't know he'd been hurt. He didn't say anything." The strain was evident on his face and in his voice.

"How could you not know he'd been shot?"

Nathan took over. "I don't think he even knew. He was in shock. He was worried about you. His jacket covered the wound, and even the colour camouflaged it. He kept the jacket zippered too, which kept some pressure on it. But he still lost a lot of blood. Once they get some back into him they can take him to surgery and finish fixing him up."

One look at Buck told the young agent there was more to the story, but for the moment he had only one concern. "He's gonna be OK?" The tentative question was almost whispered.

"I think so. He's one stubborn son of a bitch, and I don't see this being enough to stop him."

"Besides," Josiah added, "he'll be so worried about you, he'll have to wake up."

"He was here, at the hospital, and no one knew he was hurt? How could you guys all have missed that?" JD was having trouble understanding it.

"We were worried about you kid. We knew you were hurt and since he wasn't saying anything…"

"But you're sitting right beside him for hours. How could you not know?" He paused as he thought it through. "You weren't sitting with him, were you? You left him alone?" He waited for someone to deny it. "Oh God, Buck. Tell me you didn't. Tell me you didn't blame him about this."

"We didn't know what had happened." Chris tried to intercede, but Buck cut him off.

"Yeah. I did. I thought he'd let you get hurt and I was mad. And scared. And stupid."

"Well the stupid part I believe. He saved my life Buck."

"Well I know that now."

"You should have known it then. How could you think for a second he was to blame for this?"

"He shouldn't have taken you out there like that. Not on a job like that."

JD stared at him with an intensity none of them expected. "You've seen my ATF badge haven't you Buck? You know I didn't get that from a cereal box? I EARNED my badge. I took the classes, passed the training. I am a God Damn ATF agent. I'm not some kid on a high school assignment. Going out on jobs like that is what I do."

"You don't have the experience-"

"And just how am I supposed to get it if nobody lets me get out from behind my computer? I went with Ezra to get more experience. I figure it's always smartest to learn from the best. That's why I have Vin help me with my shooting. Josiah is teaching me about profiling people. Nathan has taught me more about first aid than any class could. And Chris – well mostly he teaches me how to be the best agent I can be. You guys all teach me every day, and I teach you about the computers and tech stuff. It's why we are so damn good together."

Chris smiled for the first time in hours. JD rarely stood up for himself, but when he did, it was a sight to see. And watching him go after Buck, well that was really special. He just hoped it was what his friend needed now.

Buck was afraid to ask, but needed to know. "What about me kid? What do I teach you?"

JD looked him in the eye. "You teach me about life Buck. You show me how to handle things, how to cope with things, how to get along. Chris teaches me to be the best agent I can be. You teach me to be the best me that I can be. Although sometimes, like now, you teach better by showing me what not to do."

"Aw hell."

"And that response is why I count on Ezra rather than you to improve the way I talk too." JD let a hint of a smile come to his face. "Seriously though Buck. Do you know how it feels when you all treat me like that? When you always call me kid?"

"Now you know we don't mean anything by it. After all, you are the youngest here, so it's kind of natural," he replied.

"And Josiah is the oldest, but you don't go around pointing that out all the time. No offense, Josiah."

"None taken. Age is a simple fact of survival."

"How does it make you feel JD?" Chris asked, genuinely curious.

"Like you don't respect me. Don't think of me like a peer."

"That's not true. I think you know that. I count on you for all kinds of stuff. We all do. Yeah, we don't like it when you go out on a case. You said it; you don't have the experience. So, when you are out, I worry. But you gotta know I worry about the others too. In a lot of ways, more than I do about you." They all looked at Chris, surprised.

"You guys are the best in the agency. Probably in any agency. But let's face it – you're reckless. Hot-headed. Impulsive. Fearless. And a hell of a lot more vulnerable than any of you admit. And I'm no better. The fact the hospital is thinking about putting in an express lane for our team shows just how vulnerable. At least JD still has a degree of common sense. Much more time with you guys and I'm sure it will disappear."

"We all worry about each other. That's kind of what we're about. And you're the youngest, so you get the most attention. Has nothing to do with respect. Just the way things are." Nathan agreed.

"Hate to be contrary Nathan, but JD here doesn't cause me the most worry." Josiah has a sad smile. "Now don't get me wrong JD. I worry about you. Worry about all of you. We haven't exactly picked the safest line of work, and like Chris implied, there isn't a man here smart enough to know how to stay away from trouble. But it's Ezra that keeps me awake some nights."

"Yeah, we do put him in some bad situations. Goes with the undercover nature of what he does." Chris reluctantly concurred.

"That's not it. I have faith in him that way. Not saying I don't know things can go wrong, but that's kinda out of our control. It's how he deals with things that worries me. Today is a perfect example. Even when we tried to let him know he was hurt, it was only JD he could think about. He didn't need Buck, or any of us, blaming him. He'd already taken that on. He simply doesn't see himself as worthwhile."

"That the profiler in you talking?" Vin asked.

"In part. More the friend though. He spent so much time alone, even when he was with other people, that he just doesn't completely accept that he belongs anywhere. It's like he's always waiting to be rejected. Expecting it. The minute something goes south, he's taking the blame to get it over with."

"And just as often as not, we let him." Chris realized.

"We're not as bad as others have been. The FBI, his past co-workers. Hell, his own mother. They all dumped him whenever things got out of hand." Nathan added.

Josiah was nodding. "So, as much as we all think of JD as our little brother in need of protection, it's really Ezra who needs us. Even though he'd deny it with his last breath."

"Don't you mean because he'd deny it?" JD corrected.

"Guess maybe I do."

A tap at the door gave a welcomed interruption to the discussion. "You look like some men in need of good news." The nurse smiled as she entered. "The doctor has reviewed your x-rays, and if you feel up to it, and have someone to keep an eye on you, you don't need to stay overnight Agent Dunne." JD let out a small 'whoop' of celebration.

"Any word on Ezra?" He asked, sobering quickly.

"They got him stabilized. He's just going into surgery now. The bullet is fairly deep as is went into soft flesh. No bone to slow it down. It may be a little while yet till we know more." She looked at the concerned faces. "They wouldn't be operating unless he was ready."

She headed out, leaving the men to make arrangements.

"OK. I assume you want to go home JD." Chris took charge of the planning.

"No. I want to wait to see Ezra."

"Not tonight. Like she said, this could be a while, and he'll be in recovery after that. You need to get some rest."

"I'm not leaving until he's outta surgery and I see him."

"Look, let Buck take you home and he can bring you back in the morning."

"No, I won't. I'm staying here."

"You're staying with JD."

"I'm staying with Ezra. Not a damn thing you can say or do to change that Chris, so don't even try." They stared each other down for almost a full minute before Chris finally blinked.

"Fine. Vin, you stay with JD."

"Vin doesn't have the room for that. JD will stay with me for the night." Josiah countered.

"Besides, I'm gonna keep Buck company, since you'll be going back to the office to make sure all the idiots who want to investigate this are taken care of." Vin added.

The room was filled with an exasperated sigh. "I am still the boss here right?"

"Sure you are Chris. We follow you blindly and never challenge your authority."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you Nathan." Chris growled.

Josiah grinned as he handed JD his clothes. "Get dressed kid. They'll call us if we're needed. Ezra would want you getting some rest and taking care of yourself. You owe it to him to do that."

"That's playing dirty Josiah." JD responded, taking the clothing and heading to the bathroom. "Didn't know you had it in you."

"Someone has to keep an eye on you guys."

Chris flopped down onto the bed JD had vacated. "Maybe I'll just stay here. Check myself in, get some rest."

"You say something Chris?" Vin asked innocently.

"OK – Josiah takes JD home, I go to the office and make sure everything is under control – which would be a first – and you and Nathan make sure Buck behaves himself. That cover everything?"

"Yes Boss!" JD said, settling into the wheelchair so he could get out of there. No one was fooled for a moment by the banter, as every thought focused on the man downstairs. They all slowly headed out on there own paths.

Vin and Buck settled themselves in waiting room chairs while Nathan went to get some dinner for them. Josiah led a reluctant JD to his car, promising they'd be back as soon as visiting hours allowed.

Chris made his way out through the emergency room waiting area. He looked over to the spot where Ezra had slowly allowed himself to bleed out. The area had long ago been cleaned, but he would have been willing to swear he still saw the blood. Shaking his head sadly, he headed into the office to ensure there were no consequences to the events of the day. He had a feeling solving the bureaucratic issues was going to be the easiest fix of the day.

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

tbc

I'll try not to keep you waiting to long, but I'm away for the weekend. That will give Ezra some time to recover.