Children of the Night by Kimberley

"You sure you don't mind?" Nathan asked as he and Chris made their way through the parking garage. "I could call Raine."

Larabee hit the button on his keytag that would unlock the black Dodge Ram as they approached. "No trouble at all, Nathan," Chris assured him easily. "You've driven me home enough times."

Nathan grinned as they got in the truck. "You're right. Just counting all those free trips home from the hospital should entitle me to a ride once in a while."

Chris was pulling out of the garage and cracked a smile. "Free rides, my ass," he grumbled good-naturedly. "Had to listen to your lectures, didn't I?"

"You're still alive, ain't you?" Nathan continued the friendly barbs. "Might just be those some of those lectures keeping you that way."

The banter continued while Chris made his way through the early evening traffic. As he turned a corner, the flashing lights of a police cruiser caught their attention and he instinctively slowed down.

As they took in the scene, they saw two officers struggling to subdue an enraged man.

Movement from behind them caught Nathan's eye and he sat up straight in his seat as he realized someone was laying on the rain-slicked pavement. "Somebody's hurt, Chris," he said grimly.

Without hesitation, Chris pulled the truck to the curb and they both got out, absently taking out their badges.

"ATF," Chris addressed the two officers while Nathan hurried past them to the man in the alley. "Need any help here?"

"We've called for backup and an ambulance," one of the officers informed him. "Caught this guy beating the shit out of that kid."

"He took my money!" the irate man was yelling.

Chris thought it was a case of a mugging victim exacting his own brand of justice until the man continued in his tirade.

"Little fucker quoted me a price then tried to back out! He's lucky I didn't break his fucking neck!"

"Settle down," the second cop growled, yanking the man's hands behind his back to put on the cuffs. "You're not doing yourself any favours here."

"Favours?!" the man sputtered, too enraged to realize he was incriminating himself with every word. "Wasn't no fucking favour! I paid him up front! He said he could take it rough, but then tried to back out once we got started!" He tried to turn to face the officer behind him. "Let me go! I didn't do anything wrong! I'm telling you, I paid him good money!"

Chris' blood boiled at the words and he looked at the first officer for comfirmation.

"Think he's on something," the cop said, looking at the man with an expression just short of contempt. "He's been wild like this since we came on the scene. There's no calming him down. I don't even think he realizes what he's admitting to."

"I could think of a few ways to calm him down," Chris muttered under his breath.

The officer smiled wryly. "You and me both." As he turned toward the alley, his smile faded. "Did a real number on the poor kid," he said, shaking his head sadly as they made their way to check on the victim.

Nathan looked up as they approached and Chris saw something in his eyes that made his gut clench.

"How is he?" he asked anyway.

Nathan touched the injured man's shoulder and watched as the officer knelt beside him and tried to soothe him before he stood and spoke, his voice low. "Think that bastard broke his back, Chris. And that's only one of the injuries that could kill him. I'm pretty sure he's bleeding into his belly, but I can't do nothin' for him out here."

"Ambulance is on the way," Chris assured him, taking a step closer to the man laying on the wet pavement, covered only by a blanket from the cruiser.

The cop looked up as they approached. "I'm going to check on that ambulance," he said, his tone hinting at an urgency that confirmed what Nathan had already said.

The kid was in a bad way.

As the officer left, Nathan once again knelt beside the prone form and Chris did the same on the other side. Almost instantly, the kid's hand moved feebly as though searching for something to hold and Chris' hand was there. "Take it easy," he said as the eyes fluttered, trying to open. "Help is on the way."

After a few more attempts, the man finally succeeded in opening his eyes. His gaze darted around wildly until they settled on Nathan's face. "You... a doctor?" he asked weakly.

"No," Nathan replied gently. "Agent Nathan Jackson, ATF." He nodded in Chris' direction. "Agent Chris Larabee. We just happened by and stopped to lend a hand. They're sending an ambulance."

The man's eyes closed briefly, then opened again to search out the man whose hand he was still clutching. Chris' heart nearly stopped as those wide blue eyes settled on his.

"Heard... heard what... he said," the young man managed in a strained whisper. The last two words were accompanied by a slight gurgling sound and a small amount of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Chris' eyes darted to Nathan's and the EMT shook his head almost imperceptibly, his lips pressed in a tight line of frustration and anger.

"Shhh," Chris soothed. "Don't try to talk."

"He ... didn't pay ... for this," he continued, oblivious to the words. "Gave me... ten... bucks... was gonna use ...it for food."

Chris' anger rose another ten notches and he wanted nothing more than to pound the man who'd done this into the pavement, but he didn't have the heart to let go of the hand that clung weakly to his. "Ten bucks or ten thousand," he said grimly. "Doesn't give him the right to do something like this."

The young man seemed to recognize the anger in the agent's eyes and knew instinctively that it wasn't directed at him. To Chris' surprise, a small smile touched the bloodied lips. "It's... okay..." he whispered. "They can ... pay to scratch... the surface..." His eyes drifted closed and they thought maybe he'd lost consciousness. "But they can't...touch... what's inside," he finally finished with great effort.

Chris noticed the tears welling in Nathan's eyes and had to swallow a lump in his own throat.

"Just rest now," Jackson said gently.

The cop who'd gone to check on backup stood off to one side, knowing he could do no more than the two ATF agents were already doing. The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance and they all silently hoped they'd get there in time.

Nathan caught Chris' gaze over the still form between them and they shared a look of utter helplessness. Only when Chris looked back down did he realize the blue eyes were open again and watching him.

"Don't worry," the young man said, the serene expression on his face sending off alarm bells in Chris' mind. "I know I'm ... bound for... Heaven.... Cuz I've... done...my time in ... Hell."

With that, he went silent, his hand going limp and Chris looked at Nathan with a mix of concern and desperation.

"He's still alive," Nathan assured him after checking his pulse. "Barely."

The ambulance arrived and the two federal agents stepped aside to allow the attendants room to work. Nathan saw the look on Chris' face when the kid went into cardiac arrest and the paramedics had to scramble to get him back. He'd noticed the slight resemblance to the sharpshooter and suspected Chris was having a hard time dealing with that.

"It ain't him," he said softly, placing a hand on Chris' arm.

"I know that!" he snapped, pulling abruptly away from Nathan's touch. He was angry. Angry at the man who'd done this, angry at the way the kid seemed to accept it.

And angry at himself for seeing Vin when he looked into those big blue eyes.

"I know that," he said, more gently this time, his tone an apology for his earlier outburst.

"But it could have been," Nathan finished for him, understanding and compassion colouring his voice.

They watched as the kid was transferred into the ambulance and it left, sirens blaring.

After a moment, Chris turned to his friend. "Let's go," he said quietly.

The ride to Nathan's was completed in silence. Before getting out of the truck, he turned to look at the blond. "You OK?" he asked.

"I will be," Chris answered, trying to force a smile.

Nathan nodded. "See you tomorrow."

He pulled the big truck in beside Vin's jeep and sat there for a moment just looking at the battered vehicle. It was dented and rusty in spots and he could see a puddle forming on the driver's seat from the relentless rain that made its way easily through the torn canvas top.

And it had never looked so good to him.

He exited the truck and sprinted the short distance to the front door. He wasn't worried about getting wet since he was already drenched from head to toe, but his need to see Vin was as strong as he could ever remember it.

"Vin!" he called the second he stepped inside the door.

"In the kitchen," came the reply.

He smiled, the voice of his lover warming him as he made his way to the door separating the den from the kitchen, where he stopped dead in his tracks.

Vin stood at the stove wearing worn jeans, scuffed boots and a long-sleeved t-shirt that had surely seen better days. Brown hair fell in waves to his shoulders and seemed to shimmer as Vin turned his head to greet him. The lopsided grin and blue eyes sparkling with welcome nearly stopped Chris' breath in his throat.

Without a word, he covered the distance between them, taking Tanner's shoulders and gently turning him until they stood facing one another. Laying a hand on each side of the handsome face, he allowed himself a moment to gaze into the wide blue eyes - eyes filled with love and more importantly, life.

"Have I told you lately how much I really love you?" Chris finally asked in a hoarse whisper.

The Texan's face registered surprise for a moment and then turned wary, eyes narrowing. "Ya hit the Jeep on your way in?"

"Huh?" Chris asked, confusion knitting his brows.

"Figured ya must have somethin' pretty bad ta tell me if ya gotta butter me up like that first."

Larabee chuckled, pulling the man close in a tight embrace. "I didn't hit your damned Jeep," he assured him. He held on to his lover a moment longer, just savouring the feel of the man's body in his arms before he pulled back. Cupping Vin's face in his hands once again, he added, "But I do have something to tell you. I love you, Vin Tanner. You are the most important thing in my life and I thank God every day that you're mine."

Vin didn't doubt the veracity of the words, but was about to question the blond's seemingly sudden urge to vocalize them when warm lips covered his in a deep kiss.

When it ended long moments later, he was slightly dazed by the depth of tenderness Chris had shown. "Chris," he rasped breathlessly, "Wha..."

"Shhh." His lover silenced him with a gentle brush of lips against his own. "Just... Shhh." He kissed him again, one hand cupping his head gently while the other arm curved around his waist to pull him closer.

Vin lost all capacity for thought and speech as his arms slipped around the hard body holding him in such a loving embrace. A soft whimper escaped him as their bodies melded to one another and he just barely managed the presence of mind to reach out an arm, turning off the stove before his lover began maneuvering them toward the bedroom.

Chris had to fight the sudden urge to sweep the younger man into his arms and carry him the rest of the way to their destination. He wanted - no, needed - to feel the warm body in his arms, to rejoice in the fact that Vin was with him, would be with him for the rest of their lives.

As they reached the edge of the bed, they stopped, Chris moving his hands up to brush the Texan's hair back from his slightly flushed face, staring silently into the fathomless, blue eyes that returned his gaze. Unasked questions still lingered there, but were tempered with a depth of love and trust that still managed to take his breath away.

Slowly, his fingers began tracing a path down the long column of his lover's throat to his chest, pausing at the neck of his tee before skating lightly down his sides to grasp the hem of the garment. He pulled it up and over the tousled, brown head, casting it absently to the floor as his eyes mapped every familiar inch of skin as though for the first time.

Fingers followed his line of sight, moving delicately, a mere dusting of sensation as he slowly caressed the warm skin. His lips returned to those of his lover, the kiss both tender and possessive, claiming and surrendering at the same instant.

Vin closed his eyes as the sensations flowed through him, shuddering slightly at the sheer need emanating from the blond, so much more than the desire and passion that always simmered just beneath the surface. This was new, different - urgent and at the same time, everlasting - and it threatened to overwhelm him with the absolute wonder of it.

Even as their lips parted, their gazes met. Silently looking into each other's eyes, they undressed one another, their unhurried movements heightening the desire flowing between them.

Chris gently lowered his lover to his back on the bed and took a moment to drink in the beauty stretched out before him. The Texan's cheeks were slightly flushed, lending a brighter intensity to the deep, blue eyes. Lips, swollen and moist from his kisses beckoned wordlessly to him and he had to fight the urge to plunder them with his own.

This wasn't about lust. It was about satisfying a different type of need - the need to love the man before him wholly and completely.

Vin could feel his skin warming as Chris' eyes caressed him as thoroughly as his hands ever could. He was sometimes uncomfortable with such blatant shows of adoration, but something in the blond's demeanour told him that he needed this - needed to look, to see, to know.

When the need to touch became too strong, Chris reached out slowly, his hands stroking the handsome face. Green eyes spoke of love and devotion though no words passed his lips. He kissed the fluttering eyelids reverently before moving on to trail his lips gently over the high cheekbones and down to the square line of his jaw.

Only when he'd covered every inch of his lover's face did he continue his downward journey, hands following lips as they paid homage to the man's throat, his shoulders his chest.

Vin began to writhe beneath the man so slowly seducing him. Sex between them was never anything less than fantastic, but the near worshipful attention Chris was presently laving on him had their desire rising to new levels of intensity.

"Chris," he whispered on a sigh as the blond's lips found their way to the base of his twitching cock.

But Chris didn't stop there for long. After placing a gentle kiss on the head, he moved on to the taut ballsac beneath, tonguing the furred globes and then blowing softly over the moistened skin.

Vin fisted his hands in the bedclothes, his head pressed into the pillow as the sweet assault continued. His entire body thrummed with anticipation, torn between wanting to end the delicious torture and wishing it could go on forever.

Chris gently stroked his way down the long, lean legs taking time to kiss each toe and the slender arch of each foot before making his way back up to the throbbing member awaiting him. Rising up on his knees, his green gaze held blue in silent promise while his hand reached for the tube in the nightstand.

His senses were on overload, his breath coming in short pants as he looked into the eyes he loved. The love and tenderness that radiated from the green depths made his breath catch in his throat and he had to swallow to keep from voicing his need.

Not that Chris needed to hear it. He was still looking deep into Vin's eyes as he coated his hands with clear gel, warming it with his skin before moving one slickened hand to the Texan's hard shaft and beginning to stroke slowly.

Vin's back arched at the touch of Chris' hand on his heated flesh and he wanted to close his eyes as the sensations flooded through him, but something in the blond's gaze held him mesmerized. He thrust gently into his lover's hand as his soul seemed to take flight, soaring high beyond the limitations of physical pleasure. He vaguely wondered if such pure, unfettered bliss was meant to be experienced by those still bound to earth.

And when one long finger pressed slowly into his puckered opening, he just knew it wasn't.

Chris watched the emotions playing out in the other man's bright, blue eyes and smiled softly. It wasn't often he could inspire that look of complete and utter awe in his young lover without words. He'd seen it the first time they'd made love, when the skittish Texan had still been trying to come to terms with the fact that Chris really and truly loved him. Since then, he'd see it flash occasionally across the handsome face, usually when Chris felt the need to express the depth of his feelings verbally.

And now he'd managed it without a single word.

He inserted a second finger to move slowly in and out with the other, carefully stretching and preparing the man beneath him. When the slim hips bucked at the sensation, he had to relinquish his grasp on the weeping shaft to gently hold his lover in place.

Vin stared into Chris' eyes, seeing the promise there and knowing it wouldn't be long before they were joined as one, body and soul. He wanted to plead for release, to let his lover know that he was more than ready, but he couldn't seem to form the words. Instead, he let his eyes speak for him as he so often did.

Chris saw the need shining in those blue orbs and slowly withdrew his fingers. After taking a moment to coat his thick shaft, his eyes trained on Vin's the entire time, he finally raised the long legs and pushed them back. Only then did his gaze flicker, leaving the flushed face to survey his prize, his whole body thrumming with sweet anticipation of the moment when he'd dive deep into the warm channel.

Vin couldn't contain a small gasp when those green eyes returned to once again meet his. They were filled with longing, a deep, wholly consuming need not just for physical release, but for everything Vin was willing to give.

And in that instant, Vin gave it all, opening his heart and his soul to draw in the man looking down at him with such intense adoration it almost pained him to see it.

Slowly, the Texan raised his arms in silent invitation. With an absent lick of his lips and a soft groan, Chris positioned the head of his shaft at the pulsing hole and pressed inside, leaning forward to fall into his lover's welcoming embrace. With arms entwined around one another, they began to move, rocking gently at first until Chris began to pull out and push back in with a slow, steady rhythm.

Vin matched it easily, rising to meet every deliberate thrust and clenching his muscles tight upon every withdrawal. He held Chris' body tightly to him, oblivious to his own cock trapped between the hard planes of their stomachs. Seeking lips finally found his and Chris kissed him deeply, thoroughly, as their bodies moved together in the age-old dance of passion.

Chris could feel his lover's body tensing and concentrated on swallowing every gasp and breathy moan that passed from the other man's mouth to his. He increased his tempo slightly, adjusting his hips to stroke deep inside the lithe body and felt Vin shudder as he found the pleasure spot hidden within. He tightened his embrace and intensified the kiss as he felt Vin's warm seed begin to spurt between their close-pressed bodies. The soft whimper that rose from the Texan's throat was enough to send him crashing over the edge, moaning quietly into the warm mouth as he pumped all that he was into the other half of his soul.

Tongues stroked one another lovingly as they returned from the heights of ecstasy they'd reached. Only when the last spasm had passed did Chris pull his lips reluctantly from those of the man beneath him. Looking down into the flushed face, he planted a sweet kiss on the tip of his nose before rolling to one side.

He drew the trembling man into his arms and held him close, placing a soft kiss on top of the tousled head. Neither spoke a word, content to bathe in the aftermath of what their love had generated.

After a few minutes, Vin turned his head where it rested pillowed on Chris' shoulder. He studied the blond's handsome face for a moment before speaking.

"You ain't never loved me like that before," he said quietly.

Chris opened his eyes to return the blue gaze and noticed the flicker of concern there. Tightening his embrace slightly, he offered a tender smile. "Wrong, Vin. I've always loved you like that." He paused for a moment. "Just never felt so compelled to express it quite like this."

Laying his head once again on Chris' shoulder, he snuggled close, a small smile touching one corner of his mouth at the words. He waited as Chris pulled the comforter from the foot of the bed to cover them both before continuing. "So, why now?" he asked gently, still certain there was an underlying reason.

Chris was silent for long moments and Vin didn't think he was going to answer. "Gave Nathan a ride home," he finally began. "We saw a couple of guys from the DPD trying to restrain some guy and we stopped to see if we could help."

Vin nodded his head, but said nothing and he could feel Chris swallowing hard before he continued. "He'd just beaten a young man nearly to death," he went on, his tone hardening a little. "Had the nerve to claim he'd paid for the privilege."

It was Vin's turn to swallow, but still he said nothing.

"Kid couldn't have been more than 18 or 19," Chris stated grimly. "He looked up at me with these big blue eyes and I just... I ..."

Vin pulled away and raised himself up on one elbow to look down into Chris' face. When they'd first gotten together, he'd told Chris about the time he'd lived on the streets, but they hadn't talked about it since. Now, the haunted look in the other man's eyes spoke volumes about what had been going through his head when he'd seen the beaten man.

"It wasn't me, Chris," he said softly. "It ain't never gonna be me."

Chris graced his lover's lips with a sweet kiss, grateful for those words of reassurance. He guided Vin's head back to his shoulder and held him close for a moment.

"He was dying, Vin," he said quietly. "I could feel it; I could see it in Nathan's eyes. I didn't know what to say to him."

Vin tightened his arm around Chris' waist, not only understanding his pain, but sharing in it.

"And while I was trying to think of something that would make him feel better, he was trying to comfort me." His voice took on a hint of awe at those last words. "He told me not to worry. Said he knew he was bound for Heaven because he'd done his time in Hell."

Silence filled the room for interminable moments before it was broken by a raspy Texan voice. "It's from a song," he practically whispered.

He felt Chris' head turn and knew he was watching him with questioning eyes. Closing his own briefly, he pulled back again so that he could look into the other man's face. "About kids livin' on the streets," he explained softly.

Chris didn't try to stop him when he pulled the blanket more tightly around him and pulled himself up in the bed to sit against the headboard. Vin's eyes were focused on his hands as they toyed with a fold in the bedding. "Was like an anthem ta some of us," he admitted, a flush rising in his cheeks. "It was like finally knowin' that somebody realized what happens out there. We were sure that once people heard that song, once they realized what things went on, it might change somethin'."

Chris pulled himself up to sit beside him and put an arm around the strong shoulders as a gesture of silent support. Vin had never talked about his life on the streets, not since that first time. As much as he didn't want to press the Texan for details, he'd sometimes see a kid lurking in the shadows of Denver's society and wish that his gentle, shy lover had never had to know such hardship.

"Never really did, though," Vin continued with a small shrug.

His eyes raised to meet those of his lover. "Never sold it, Chris," he said flatly. "I ...well... I just never did, not once."

The torment in those blue eyes told Chris there was more to it, but he didn't push. He wasn't naïve enough not to know what went on out there. His heart broke as he imagined some of the things the man beside him might have had to endure, but he'd never press. When Vin was ready, if he ever was, he'd tell him. Until then, he'd guard every secret in those deep wells of blue with his life. A touch of defiance flashed in Vin's eyes as he added, "But I never turned my back on nobody who did. Some's just stronger'n others."

Chris reached out to cup his jaw with one hand. "First," he said softly, "Nothing you did in the past could possibly change the way I feel about you. I love you, Vin. With everything that's in me, I love you. I hate like Hell that you had to live like that, but I'm grateful every day that you were strong enough to survive it, to become the man I'm proud to call my friend, the man I'm proud to say I want to spend the rest of my life with." He allowed a moment for those words to register before going on. "Second, I could never imagine you turning your back on somebody like that kid I saw today. You just don't have that in you, pard. It baffles the Hell out of me sometimes, but you don't have a judgemental, prejudice, bitter bone in your body, despite some of the things you must have seen and done." He brushed the pad of his thumb over the slightly swollen lips and smiled gently. "That's only one of the reasons I love you as much as I do."

They were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone and Chris was tempted to let the machine get it. Vin saw the indecision in his eyes and picked up the small phone from the nightstand, handing it to Chris.

"Larabee," the blond answered. He listened for a moment and his eyes clouded slightly. "Okay, thanks for calling Nathan." After another moment, he added, "Yeah, I will."

VIn watched until he'd replaced the phone. "The kid?" he asked gently.

"Nathan called the hospital," Chris answered, his tone sad. "He's still hanging on ... barely."

Vin drew him into his arms in a gesture of comfort and held him silently for a moment, one hand rubbing small circles on his back. "Can't save 'em all, Chris," he finally stated quietly.

"Yeah, well," Chris replied bitterly, pulling away. "I sure as Hell didn't get there in time to save this one."

"We could still try." He waited until the green eyes rose to meet his. "If the kid makes it, we could try an' hook him up with one of them programs Josiah knows about."

Chris considered the words for a moment. "Hardly seems like enough," he finally stated.

"Only takes one person willin' ta lend a hand ta make a difference, Chris," Vin pointed out. "Like Nettie did for me."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he reached out pulled Vin close to him once more.

He went willingly into the embrace, only a tinge of uncertainty still plaguing him. Part of him had always wondered if Chris would still want him if he knew all the details of the time he'd spent living on the streets. He believed Chris when he said it didn't change anything, but still, he wondered, especially now that he'd revealed more than he ever had in the past. The blond's silence played on his mind, increasing his irrational fears until he finally had to look up into the handsome face.

"What?" Chris gently asked after a moment.

"After what you saw today..." Vin began hesitantly. "After what I said, I'm just ..." He paused, trying to read the emotions in those green eyes. "Just wonderin' what you're thinking now, 's all."

Chris shifted his weight, pressing the other man back against the pillows. "I'm thinking," he murmured, brushing his lips gently over those of his lover, "about how much I want to make love to you all over again."

Vin's eyes widened slightly then filled with a combination of love and happiness. "I love you, Chris," he whispered.

"I love you too," the blond returned, "And I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much, but first, there's something I need to do."

With that, he placed a quick kiss on the other man's lips and rolled out of the bed. Grabbing a robe off the chair, he pulled it on before leaving the room.

Vin lay there for a moment, then got up himself, wanting to clean up a little before Chris came back. He suddenly remembered that they hadn't eaten dinner and grabbed his own robe off the chair, intending to ask Chris if he was hungry. He was almost to the kitchen when the sound of his lover's voice made him stop.

"That's right," the blond was saying into the phone. "A dozen long-stemmed red roses."

Vin wondered at the words, knowing Chris would never send roses to the young man in the hospital. The next words answered all his questions and brought a warm smile to his face as well as tears to his eyes.

"Deliver them to Nettie Wells," he was saying. He gave out the address and then paused. "On the card?" There was silence for a moment as Chris considered the wording. "Just put, I'll never be able to thank you enough."

THE END