Found

Disclaimer: I don't own The Magnificent Seven, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, Slash

Rating: FRT

Found
Chapter 4


Chris woke the next morning, confused not only by the dreams that had filled his night, but by his body's reaction to them. How could he be attracted to Ezra? Sure he was a good looking man, but he had never thought of his friend that way. Hell, the man irritated him as often as not. There was no way he was attracted to him, it was just a stupid dream. It didn't mean anything, he told himself, denying the evidence staring him in the eye.

Shoving thoughts of Ezra from his mind, he climbed from the bed. "What the hell?" Crossing the room, he fingered his clothes in wonderment. When had the man found time to clean and press his clothes? Deciding answers could wait until after his shower, he made his way to the guest bathroom.

Walking into the kitchen a short time later, he received his second surprise. "I thought you didn't get up until nine?" He stared at the man in astonishment, not only was he up but he was busy cooking what smelled like a very good breakfast.

"Ordinarily I don't," Ezra lied. He would never admit it to his co-workers, but he was in fact an early riser. He simply preferred to start his day in a leisurely manner. That was information, however, that his co-workers and especially his boss, didn't need. "You will however need a ride, therefore, I thought it prudent to make an exception."

"I see," Chris nodded. "I could've taken a cab you know?"

"Yes, I'm aware of that. Let us just say I owe you one," Ezra shot him a grin.

"Fair enough," Chris conceded. "But, just so we're clear, I helped you cause you're my friend, no other reason."

Ezra dropped his head, looking embarrassed. "I apologize Mr. Larabee, I didn't intend to offend you."

"You didn't, just wanted to make sure you knew," Chris quietly assured him. Damn he'd like to teach Maude a lesson for making Ezra so unsure of himself in personal relationships. "By the way, when did you clean my clothes?"

"After you went to bed last night. My head felt much better and I was unable to return to my slumber right away. I assumed you would prefer to wear clean clothes to work, therefore I took the opportunity to clean and press your things."

"Thank you Ezra, that was real thoughtful," Chris smiled.

Ezra could feel himself relaxing, "You're welcome Chris. Now, how would you like your omelet?"

"Bell peppers, ham, cheese and balsamic vinegar?"

"That sounds delicious, I believe I will have the same."



"Looks like Chris beat us to work," Buck commented as he drove his truck into its spot.

"Nope," Vin grinned.

"What do ya mean no? His truck's sitting right there in its usual place." Buck eyed his lover suspiciously, "Did you hit your head and not tell me?" As he spoke, he leaned over, reaching for Vin and pulling him close.

Vin squirmed away, loosing a playful growl at his lover. "Stop it Buck, I didn't hit my head."

"Then why did ya say Chris didn't beat us here?"

"Buck take a close look at your truck and then look at Chris', do you see a difference?"

Buck did as the younger man asked, looking carefully between the two vehicles. Climbing out of his truck, he walked around it, then moved to his friend's truck. Scratching his head, he couldn't see what Vin meant. A grin spread over his face as the light bulb went on, "It ain't wet,” realizing that with the light drizzle that had fallen all morning it shouldn't be dry. “Ya suppose he spent the night with Ezra?"

Vin's eyes twinkled mischievously, "Good job Buck, we'll make a detective out of you yet."

Buck shot his lover a mock glare, "You're gonna pay for that boy."

"I'm counting on it," Vin winked. Turning away, he walked quickly to the elevator, leaving his dumb founded lover behind. "Hey Buck, you coming?"

Buck blushed, immediately grasping the double meaning in Vin's words. He always got a kick out of the way Vin could tease and flirt so boldly, yet compliment him or use a term of endearment in public and he'd turn forty shades of red. "Yeah," he rasped. Clearing his throat, he tried again, "Be right there." Locking the truck, he walked towards the elevator. Leaning back against the wall of the car, he rode in silence to their floor. As they stepped into the office, he went to his desk while Vin went to start the coffee pots. One for himself and one for everybody else. He loved the man, but he'd be damned if he could figure out how he drank that sludge he called coffee. Deciding Vin had been given enough time, Buck stood up and walked into the break room, closing the door behind him. "It ain't nice to tease sweetness," he drawled. God he loved to make his blue-eyed devil blush, it had to be one of the sexiest things he'd ever seen.

"Ain't my fault if you don't notice the evidence Bucklin," Vin retorted, refusing to acknowledge the blush.

Buck didn't say another word, he simply closed the distance between them. Lowering his head, he claimed Vin's lips in a passionate kiss as he pushed him up against the wall. Keeping the smaller man pinned, he kissed and nibbled his lover's lips and neck while his hands roamed over Vin's gorgeous body. Grinning widely, he stepped back from his lover, turned and headed for the door.

"Buck," Vin whimpered.

"Got work to do lover," Buck threw over his shoulder.

"Bastard," Vin muttered as the door closed behind his lover. A grin spread over his face. It had been hot though, and just what he'd wanted, but damn, how was he gonna get through the day now? "Should've thought of that sooner Tanner," he mumbled. "Oh well, ought to be fun tonight," he grinned. He knew that, though Buck had intended to tease him, he had also teased himself; by the time they got home, he'd be lucky to get in the house with his clothes still on.

"What ought to be fun Vin?" Chris asked from the doorway. A smirk spread over his face as his deadly sharpshooter blushed beet red and shot past him, mumbling threats about shooting smart-assed cowboys. Chris laughed, it sure was starting out to be a good day.

"Damn him!"

"Ezra?" Chris turned around, so much for good day. He stepped into the bullpen. He was surprised to see Ezra holding a box of unusual looking flowers. "Are you all right Ez?" he asked, the paleness of the other man worried him.

"No sir I am not all right," Ezra ground out. "I am far from all right, but I shall be," he vowed, his paleness quickly replaced by the redness of anger. Tossing the flowers aside, he marched out of the office.

Chris stared after him for only a second, before running after him. "Ezra wait," he called as the elevator doors began to close. Sprinting forward, he reached them just in time to grab the doors, tugging them open and stepping inside. "Where we going?"

"I am going to make a visit I should have weeks ago," Ezra replied. "I have no idea where you are going."

"I'm going with you," Chris firmly responded.

"I do not require your assistance."

"Getting it anyway, so where are we going?"

Ezra punched the emergency stop button, an angry glare on his face as he spun to confront his friend. "This is none of your business Chris. I do not need, nor do I want, your assistance."

"Ezra I'm not letting you go wherever it is you're going when you're this upset."

"I see, so it is concern for me that causes you to offer your aide?” Ezra asked, his tone softening. “While I appreciate the gesture, I assure you I am quite capable of taking care of myself."

"I'm sure ya are Ez, that's not what I'm worried about."

"Then what pray tell are you concerned about?"

"Don't want to visit you in prison."

Ezra stared at Chris, an incredulous look on his face.

"As mad as you are, I figure you're liable to kill somebody."

"I see, I suppose it is a valid concern. You won't interfere?"

"Not unless you reach for your gun, or the person you're going to see does."

"Very well, you may accompany me."

"Thank you," Chris smiled. As the car resumed it's descent, Chris couldn't help wondering what the flowers meant and why they had upset Ezra so much.



"They're Eglantine Roses," Josiah's voice boomed over the bullpen as he answered Buck's question about the flowers. He had arrived at the office at nearly the same time as Nathan and JD, only to find Vin and Buck looking worried and upset as they examined the box of flowers on Ezra's desk.

"You got any idea why they'd upset Ezra?" Vin asked.

"Ezra's seen them?"

"Yeah, he turned white as a sheet when he opened the box, then he got mad and took off. Chris went after him," Buck explained.

"In the language of flowers they mean, I wound that I may heal."

"That sounds kind of like a threat," JD observed.

"That's what it was," Vin confirmed. Now he understood why Ezra had reacted the way he did. "It's got to be whoever's been sending him these gifts the last few weeks."

"I thought that was a secret admirer or something," JD said.

"That's what we all thought JD, but now it's looking like maybe Ez has him a stalker."

"You think Ezra knows who it is?" Nathan asked.

"Judging by the way he reacted, yeah I think he knows exactly who it is," Buck replied.

"I just hope he'll let Chris go with him," Vin added. "Confronting a stalker on his own might not be the best idea."

"He did," Buck assured his lover. "If he didn't then Chris is following him, otherwise he'd be back here by now."

Vin nodded, "You're right."

"What do we do now?" JD asked.

"Nothing we can do JD," Josiah replied. "Just have to wait for Chris and Ezra to get back."

"Nothing?"

"Well, we can keep an eye out until we're sure this stalker got the message and backs off," Buck offered as the others nodded in agreement.

Chris stood two steps behind Ezra as they waited for the occupant of room 436 to answer the door. Clenching his teeth, he did his best to control the itch in his hand that had him wanting to reach for his gun. After all that Ezra had told him, not only of the presents Doug had been sending him since the night of his birthday party, but also of the past relationship, he wanted nothing more than to kill the man. He wouldn't though, he had promised Ezra that he would let him handle it. God help Doug Lawerence though, if he gave him even a hint of an excuse to use his gun against him.

"Ezra, what a pleasant..." Doug trailed off as he spotted Larabee standing protectively behind his Ezra. The smile on his face quickly turned to an angry glare.

"I received the flowers Mr. Lawerence, I am here to give you notice," Ezra coldly informed his ex-lover.

Lawerence, tore his gaze from Larabee, focusing on his soon to be lover. "Why Ezra whatever is the matter?" Doug asked, pretending innocence. "I only wanted to let you know what you mean to me."

"No sir, you wanted to frighten me. I am aware that you are well versed in the language of flowers and I recognized, as you knew I would, the threat implicit in your selection."

"So you bring your new lover to intimidate me?" Doug boldly asked.

Ezra didn't dare look behind him to gauge Chris' reaction, to do so would only confirm Doug's false assumption. "You are operating, sir, under a faulty assumption. Mr. Larabee is no more to me than a friend, he simply wished to offer me the support of a friend during this confrontation."

"Is that what this is Tempter?" Doug smirked.

Chris listened to the two men talking, his anger growing with each word that fell from Doug's lips. The accusation concerning his relationship with Ezra took him by surprise, but he wished Ezra hadn't denied it. Perhaps if Lawerence believed they were together he would back off.

"Do not call me by that appellation," Ezra growled. "I have documented each gift you have sent to me Mr. Lawerence. In addition, I have saved every message left on my phone, some of which I'm sure the authorities would find quite disturbing. You will leave me in peace, or I will contact your superiors concerning your behavior. If that fails to convince you of the seriousness of my request, I will have you charged with stalking and harassment. Good bye sir." Turning on his heel, Ezra stalked off, leaving a shocked Doug Lawerence staring after him.

Chris stepped forward, leaning into Lawerence's personal space. "Back off Douggie," Chris smirked, "I still have plenty of places to hide the bodies." Leaving the suddenly pale man behind, he hurried to catch up with Ezra. He needed to make sure the younger man was all right, knowing full well that the stress of the confrontation, coming so close on the heels of yesterday's migraine could easily cause another attack.

Ezra raised an eyebrow as Chris joined him at the elevator, "Does Mr. Lawerence still live?"

"For now," Chris replied.

"Thank you Chris," Ezra whispered.

"You're welcome Ez."


Recovering quickly from the unexpected fear, Doug fumed with impotent rage. How dare he? Where did he think he was, the old west? Clearly the man was a Neanderthal, certainly he wasn't nearly good enough for Ezra. He didn't understand why Ezra would be interested in such a man. Oh, he supposed there was a certain rugged attractiveness, but surely that wasn't enough. He had no doubt, however, that Larabee would carry out the issued warning if he believed him to be a threat to his possession of Ezra Standish. Very well, he would simply have to let them assume they had won until his plans were in place. Picking up the phone, he called his contractor, offering the man a substantial bonus if he could complete the house within the next two weeks. Assured by the man that the job would be completed, Doug relaxed, secure in the knowledge that soon he would possess his Tempter once again.

TBC

Hope y'all liked it, please feed the muse with reviews. Thanks to SJ for allowing me to use her nickname for Doug, that was perfect. :)