It had been a long couple of weeks, Vin thought as he folded himself into one of the chairs ringing the corner table at the back of the bar. Inez had already delivered a full pitcher of beer and seven glasses, making the assumption that the lean sharpshooter would soon be joined by the other members of the infamous Team Seven of the Southwest Division of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

The real question was if she would be proven right.

The long drawn out and extremely stressful case against Darren McMurphy had finally reached its peak on Wednesday. The trap had been set to catch the criminal who trafficked in stolen AK-47s and other military machinery. Ezra's undercover work had provided them with the time and location where McMurphy was to meet Aliha Sherota, an international distributor of such items, and the bust would put both criminals and most of their essential associates behind bars in one fell swoop. The bust went down, not without a little gunfire, and it was then that the sniping really began.

Buck at Ezra, for neglecting to mention that Sherota planned to arrive by the back entrance rather than the front, thus leaving JD and Nathan in an awkward position when the limousine surprised them. Chris at Buck for assuming that Ezra would be privy to such information without asking. JD at Nathan, who had squashed the younger agent's idea of splitting up when the limousine had arrived, a call which kept JD safer but almost led to Sherota's right-hand man escaping when everything went to hell - had Josiah not broke cover to take the man down. Buck at JD for even suggesting his life-endangering idea to Nathan in the first place. JD at Buck for Buck's usual mothering, but this time even more so because Nathan had agreed with Buck.

Chris at Josiah, for breaking cover, even though the big man ended up catching the bad guy with only a bullet winging his left arm. Chris at Vin, who had had to climb out over a very precarious ledge to take the shot that kept Josiah's shooter from getting a better shot the second time. Vin at Chris, for questioning a decision that probably saved the life of his teammate. Ezra at Chris, for questioning Vin's judgment at a crucial moment. Chris at Ezra, for questioning his authority. Nathan at Vin for not being more careful in his clambering over the catwalks, and at several of them for not reporting to him several nasty cuts and scrapes and, in Ezra's case, the dislocation of his left shoulder.... again.

Josiah at just about all of them for all their petty squabbles.

The atmosphere in the office since Wednesday had gotten steadily worse. No actual yelling or fighting, but in Vin's mind that would have been a long sight better than the tense, angry silences and short, curt words that were the only version of conversation they'd had. JD was crashing at the Wells' house rather than going home with Buck to the loft, and Ezra hadn't made it into the office before 2pm both days, choosing to stay late after everyone else was gone rather than spend one minute more with his teammates than he had to. Chris had holed up in his office with the door shut, not even opening the door to call if he needed one of them, but rather buzzing them on the intercom that most of Team 7 hadn't even realized their boss knew how to use.

It had definitely not been a good week.

Vin gulped down a glass of beer, then took a few moments to stare into the foamy surface before he shut his eyes. He hated the tension among his friends, but was unsure how to heal the wounds that were festering. Nothing had happened that really was all that serious - honest errors were hardly things to allow the break up of their friendships. But how did he get his friends to cut loose and let go? Most of the angry words had been spoken in the heat of the post-battle adrenaline rush, and the mood now was simply fueled by proud men who were either embarrassed by what they'd said, or at least by how they'd said it.

So when Vin had stood up at five p.m. and grabbed his coat, he'd done the only thing he could think of - he'd announced flatly to the five men in the bullpen that he was headed across the street for a beer. He hoped his friends would understand the implied invitation, which he didn't feel he could outright offer as that would give them an opportunity to outright refuse. No, best leave it unsaid and let them read into the intention. With glance through the window of Chris' office door he caught and held green eyes after a pointed look at the clock, making his intentions plain. It was Friday; time to head for the bar like always.

So here he sat. Ten minutes gone by, and he was still alone. Inez looked a tad anxious; after all, it was almost unheard of for any one of the seven to put up shop here without at least one more arriving soon after. The team was nicknamed The Magnificent Seven for a reason - the seven men were a family, never solo, always together in spirit if not in body. Like the Three Musketeers. The Seven Wonders of the World. The Heliadae, Ezra had said - whoever the hell they were. Nettie had once made a convincing argument for the Seven Virtues, though Vin had laughed that her eyesight was growing faulty if she saw them as virtuous. They'd been called the Seven Deadly Sins by the secretaries in the file room.

And, Vin grinned, the Seven Dwarves. He still laughed every time he thought of JD's campaign last Halloween to get them all to attend the ATF costume benefit. Especially when he'd broken down their roles: Nathan as Doc, Vin as Bashful, Ezra as Sleepy, Josiah as Sneezy (because of his hay fever, JD declared), and JD as Happy. They'd never laughed so hard when he'd announced Buck should be Dopey and Chris should be Grumpy.

A group bound together - all for one and one for all, and all that. No matter what prince or princess or wicked queen or evil cardinal tried to interfere, they were always together as one spirit.

Except now.

"Is this seat taken, brother?"

Vin glanced up to see Josiah standing over him, looking a little uncertain. Vin grinned and waved him into the chair. "I weren't sure I'd have any company this evenin'," he confessed to the big man. "The way things'a been, I thought mebbe I'd be drowning my sorrows alone."

"No matter how strained things become, I believe we'll still share the fellowship," Josiah replied, pouring himself a glass. "Some days it just takes one brave man to get the ball rolling." He lifted his glass to salute Vin. "To the brave man among us, Brother. God willing, our friends will follow your example as I did."

Vin blushed slightly at the veiled compliment and joined the toast. "You reckon the others'll come?"

Josiah nodded. "They'll come." He took a draught on his beer and considered his friend's wistful gaze. "They'll both come."

Vin glanced up in surprise.

"Don't think I haven't noticed," Josiah chuckled. "I am a profiler, remember? I'm trained to study the signs and signals people leave and put the clues together."

"I..." Vin wasn't quite sure how to respond.

Josiah shook his head as he grinned. "You worry for all our brothers, but there are two you worry for more," he said in a low voice. "Green eyes seem to draw your soul, do they not?" Vin stammered, and Josiah chuckled harder. "Don't fret, brother. They're both walking the same trail with you, just looking at different scenery. When you come to the fork in the road and it's time to make a decision, they'll realize that they want to take the same path as you."

Josiah sipped thoughtfully, then deadpanned, "They're just a might slow on the uptake."

Vin snorted a laugh, unable to resist as Josiah's eyes glittered in mischief. He couldn't remember the older man ever being quite so... so... snarky.

"You all balance each other out well," Josiah smiled, continuing as if the conversation had more than one contributor. "Chris is the rock center, but he needs Ezra's fire to warm him. And they both need your sensitivity and calm to find peace. You need Chris's security and Ezra's impulsiveness. Ezra needs Chris's grounding. You're perfect together. They just need to realize there's more to it than what they've seen so far."

"I didn't think..." Vin gulped. "I mean, I knew about Ez... he's dropped hints about his past `n'all, but Chris isn't... is he?"

Josiah grinned impishly. "Chris is a man of many hidden currents, my friend. You only know a drop in the ocean of his lifetime. Don't worry, he's more open to this than even he realizes."

Vin smiled shyly, but was kept from saying more by a shadow that fell over the table.

"I came to see if ya'll needed any help putting money in Inez' pockets," Nathan quipped, looking a tad nervous.

Josiah gestured broadly. "Warm a chair, my friend, and we'll make a wager on who will be next to grace our presence."

Nathan snorted. "You've been spending too much time with Ezra," he said, taking the beer that Vin poured for him. "But I'd take a guess we'll see Buck and JD before either Chris or Ez make an appearance."

"Why?" Vin asked, not sure he was too happy with the pronouncement.

Nathan shrugged. "Just that Buck can only keep his dander up so long when it involves staying away from Inez," Nate grinned slyly. "And JD's a joiner - even mad at us he won't turn down a chance to drink beer and listen to us tell stories." He took a long swig. "Chris and Ezra are as bull-headed as I've ever met. They'll try to out-stubborn each other till the end of time."

"Perhaps once Buck and JD have given up the fight, Vin should go out-stubborn them both," Josiah suggested, catching Vin's blue eyes carefully. "You're the only one with the talent to out-maneuver both those goats."

"Sounds like a plan," Vin grinned. "As long as I've got'em both cornered, I can bait'em into givin' in."

"That's the idea," Josiah nodded sagely. Nathan glanced between the two men with him at the table, but if he noticed the unspoken conversation he prudently remained silent.

It was perhaps twenty minutes before their youngest teammate sauntered into the bar and settled silently into the chair next to Vin, saying nothing in words and everything in his posture. Josiah answered the boy's uncertainty with a foamy mug and a kind smile, and JD checked to see the matching faces of Vin Tanner and Nathan Jackson. A single moment of silence that spoke volumes to the hacker's soul - all was forgiven and there was no need to dwell on it.

Buck's arrival was maybe ten minutes after JD's, but the big man's repentance wasn't quite so smooth. He and JD locked eyes, wavering between glaring and despairing until finally Vin handed Buck a glass.

"For fuck's sake, Wilmington, sit yer sorry ass down and let go."

Buck flinched at the reprimand, but his eyes still held JD's. "Kid..." he started softly.

JD's mouth twitched for a second at Buck's hesitation, but a gentle poke from Vin got him going.

"Buck, we're good, okay?" the young man said softly. "I'm sorry, you're sorry, the whole team's sorry and we're all forgiven." He hesitated in his pronouncement, biting his lower lip ever so slightly. "Okay?" he asked, this time not quite so sure.

Buck grinned sheepishly as Nathan nudged him gently. "Yeah, kid, we're okay. Just a damn long week, huh? Makes a sane man do some pretty sorry things."

"Amen, Brother," Josiah nodded.

"I'd say we all just let our tempers get the better of us," Nathan agreed. "Time to let it be. Maybe there was some truth to our words, but it don't help much if the truth is said in anger."

"I reckon we all know what we did bad or good," Vin said softly. "What we might wish we'd done different. What matters is that we know we can look to do things better next time and try not to let our mistakes rip us apart."

"You know Chris is still gonna make us gnaw on the bones a little," Buck chuckled. "That man never did learn how to shake it off easy."

"It's his job, son," Josiah replied. "Makes us better for it, too. But we need to not take it so personally. It is the foolish man who puts his pride before his family."

"Speaking of Chris..." Vin turned to Buck with a question he didn't voice. "And Ezra for that matter."

"Chris ain't budged from his office since you all trickled out," Buck sighed. "And Ez ain't even looked up from his computer."

Josiah nodded to Vin. "Time for you to settle their hash a bit, son. Just remember what we talked about earlier." The big man's cryptic words raised eyebrows around the table, but Josiah just shrugged. "Brother Vin is our best bull-fighter against those two fool oxen."

The five men chuckled as Buck handed over a red handkerchief from his back pocket. "Well then, Junior, I suggest you don your cape here and go to battle."

"If you need a rodeo clown, give us a call," JD grinned. "I got Buck's big red nose `round here somewhere."

"Just what are you implying, young man?" Buck turned to JD with a feigned look of injury.

"I believe he just insulted your shirt," Vin retorted, waving the received kerchief in the direction of Wilmington's latest Hawaiian monstrosity.

"I'll have you know this was a gift from a lovely flight attendant who finds herself on those floral isles on occasion," Buck defended with a lofty air.

Nathan coughed. "I'm thinking she wants to be able to pick you out of a crowd at five hundred yards so's she can run the other way."

The table rang with laughter as Vin rose to start on his mission.

The office was graveyard quiet as Vin stuck his nose in. From the hall door he could see the desk lamp in Chris's office lit like a mournful beacon, matching the only other light on in Ezra's corner. Drawing a deep breath, Vin decided to tackle the younger bull first and headed to the corner.

"Time's up, Ez, shut'er on down. Come join us at the saloon."

The southerner looked up from his reports with an irritated air. "Really, Mister Tanner, some of us do have better things to do than dally about over pints of domestic swill."

Vin grinned at Ezra's weak attempt to achieve his usual verbosity. "No one ever said ya gotta slug Old Styles with us. Long as yer with us, you can put back your ten dollar imported cognac if ya please. We just want yer company is all." He perched his hip on the edge of Ezra's desk, entering a little more closely into the other man's personal space.

Ezra sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. "Perhaps I have no desire to continue the arctic ambiance that has dwelt so profoundly amongst our compatriots these past few days," he said softly, the wistfulness in his green eyes not completely able to hide from Vin's knowing gaze.

Vin smiled and placed a hand gently on Ezra's shoulder. "Maybe this is what we need to lift that chill," he said simply. "'sides, if'n you ain't there, I got nobody to help me pick on Buck `cept JD, and JD switches sides too fast. I need my partner in crime."

Ezra raises an eyebrow, realizing just what underscored their entire conversation - a true extension of their friendship, and the implication of redemption within their fellowship.

Vin winked and added, "I know it didn't pass ya by that Buck's got a new shirt jist askin' to be..." He snapped his finger, trying to find the word. "Affronted?"

"My dear Mister Tanner, that shirt is an affront to the entire Hawaiian community," Ezra snorted, unable to pass up the opening. "I have visited the lovely isles on several occasions and can say unequivocally that the people of the Aloha state collectively have much better taste than can be suggested by Mister Wilmington's abominable wardrobe."

"Now see? That's what I'm talkin' about," Vin laughed. "I just told him he looked like a clown."

"Clowns dress with more style," Ezra grinned, letting his eyes flash. "Indeed, Mister Tanner, I can see your predicament and would never dream of leaving you without satisfactory collaboration."

Vin handed Ezra his jacket from the hook on the wall, allowing his hand to linger when Ezra's fingers met his to take the garment. Their eyes met and shared a moment of warmth, and Vin recalled Josiah's earlier predictions as he read the unspoken thoughts behind bright green hues. Vin smiled, allowing his eyes to twinkle with all the love he felt for the man before him, hoping to convey everything without the words which would have proved so inadequate. Ezra's own eyes were shadowed as usual, but Vin could see that behind the veil the green orbs were searching his own for the truth of the situation. He made an effort to keep himself completely open, baring his soul in his expression.

"Mister Tanner..." Ezra said softly.

Vin shrugged lightly, letting his thumb gently caress Ezra's skin. He saw Ezra's breathing shift slightly, become just a little more labored, a little more tense. Vin leaned nearer, oh-so-slowly. His eyes never wavered in their steady gaze into Ezra's as he drew closer until finally his lips could feel the southerner's breath playing against them. "Ezra," he whispered, watching for the response.

Ezra seemed mesmerized but showed no sign of shying away. Bolstering his courage, Vin moved through the last of the uncharted territory until his mouth met its goal.

Ezra's eyes drifted shut as he responded. It was a tender kiss, conveying the promise of a new and wonderful world. Vin felt himself enveloped in the heady musk of Ezra's cologne, the light gingery scent of the man's shampoo. He slid a hand behind Ezra's neck, pulling his lips tighter against Vin's, feeling the southerner's delighted shiver.

"Vin..." The name was almost inaudible when it was allowed to be spoken. Ezra moaned as Vin's lips moved across his cheek to his ear, then up to his temple.

"Wanted ta do that fer so long," Vin murmured. "Dreamed about it more times'n I can count."

Ezra leaned into Vin's neck and found himself wrapped in a gentle embrace. "Why now?" he asked It wasn't a challenge, just soft wonder.

Vin nuzzled Ezra's hair for a moment before responding. "If I told ya it was cuz Josiah told me to, would ya be mad?"

Ezra hummed lightly, his eyes closed as he treasured the soft carress of the hand making small circles on his back. "Not mad. Confused, perhaps, but most certainly not mad." He turned his head so that his cheek rested against Vin's. "Dare I ask what Mister Sanchez said to instigate this most... delightful turn of events?"

Vin chuckled and lifted a hand to Ezra's chin, shifting their faces so he could gaze into green eyes. "Apparently our profiler's good at his job. And the three of us aren't as subtle as we like ta think we are."

Ezra frowned. "Three?"

Vin looked pointedly at Chris's closed door.

"You, me, him." He met Ezra's eyes. " `siah says we balance each other. Says Chris knows it too."

"And..." Ezra worried at his lip. "What do you say?"

Vin grinned broadly. "I say we should join forces to hogtie Larabee into joining us."

Ezra's eyebrows lifted until they practically disappeared into the curls on his forehead. Vin's thumb stroked the side of his cheek, gentling away the initial surprise until a small cocky smile drew at the edges of the shorter man's mouth.

"I shall endeavor to provide sufficient backing, if you insist," he said lightly, his eyes dancing at the prospect. "But I fear perhaps we shall have to use stronger restraints than a simple cord binding."

"Hm, kinda like that image," Vin murmured, glancing toward Chris's office.

Ezra's eyebrows raises slightly, a Cheshire grin spreading over his lips. "Mister Tanner, are you implying..." The southerner stopped short, amazingly unable to find the words.

Vin chuckled. "Josiah said we're all on the same path, jist that you two has been lookin' at the trees too long. I figured it's time to get ya'll to look at the damn road just like me."

"Quaint, but sage," Ezra replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And just how do you propose to redirect our leader's vision?"

"Same way as yours," Vin smiled, reaching out to touch Ezra's shoulder softly. "Only, you can pick up subtle. With Chris, we'll have'ta use a brick. An' I got an idea of jist the sorta brick we oughta use..."

Chris looked up irritably when the door opened and his two agents entered. "Why do I even bother having a door on this office? Not like any'a you ever grasped the concept of what it's f..."

The mouth descending on his startled him completely, and his eyes widened as Vin Tanner's lips possessed his totally. When they freed him, he was too stunned to move before his chair was spun and a green-eyed devil duplicated Tanner's actions with equal vigor. Release back into his chair, he sat gasping as the two men before him perched in symmetry on his desk, each with a hand on his shoulder.

"Know what I've always wanted, Ez?"

"Hm, what would that be, Mister Tanner?"

"A blond in a cowboy hat and cowboy boots." Vin leaned in with a distinctive leer crossing his handsome features. "And nothing else."

Ezra traced a finger across the blond's cheek. "Indeed. I think I might like that as well." The finger trailed lightly over Chris's lips before Erza lifted it to his own and stroked absently.

Chris choked on his own saliva at the devilish grins confronting him. "Have you two lost your minds?!" he finally managed, more in a squeak that the outraged squawk he'd intended.

Vin leaned down and moved his mouth next to Chris's ear, his breath tickling the soft cartilage. "Nope, usin'em full out here, Cowboy. We's decided we ain't gonna wait for you to figure it all out on yer own no more."

"It has been brought to our attention that perhaps you need a little encouragement to address the desires we have also been considering," Ezra murmured, running a hand along the collar of Chris's shirt. "And we decided to amend that situation before another moment has traversed."

"...moment has traversed?" Chris stuttered, feeling Vin's hand tracing his bicep.

"And since we cain't get to the amendin' until you've joined us at the saloon for the usual Friday night drinks with the boys," Vin breathed, moving his lips to Chris's temple while Ezra moved his leg slowly against Chris's thigh, "we figured we gotta get your sorry behind outta this chair and over to Inez' real soon."

"For fear we shall implode," Ezra whispered into Chris's other ear, letting his lips brush against it as they moved. "I am apprehensive that if we do not make haste, Mister Tanner and I may not be able to contain our fervor to ravish you in a most wanton fashion, with the entire saloon our unwitting audience. That might leave our compatriots at a loss to explain our licentious performances to the other patrons of Miss Rosillos' fine establishment." Ezra's tongue danced over its victim lightly, causing Chris to shiver uncontrollably.

"Damn, Ez, cain't wait for you to try that on me," Vin gasped, sliding a hand over Chris's barely contained arousal.

Chris moaned lightly as Vin's hand stroked him in a delicate caress, but then he bolted out of the chair. "You two are completely insane, you know that?" he said hoarsely, his two seducers turning together with matching faces that expressed mischievous affection.

"Naw," Vin said, advancing with a lazy gate. "Jist crazy `bout you s'all. An' it's time we done somethin' about that."

"Tanner..." Chris hissed as one hand returned to the front of his jeans, the other moving to rest on his chest and press him against the wall. Lips crushed his in a fiery passion, igniting the disconcerting warmth that always claimed his belly in the presence of these two very different men.

Chris moved his hands to Vin's shoulders with the intent to push the Texan away, but the attempt was folly at best; his body's long-denied craving was being fulfilled and it would no longer be restrained. Instead of pushing Vin away, Chris's hands clutched and pulled at him. Vin laughed and deepened the kiss, rubbing hard against the blond's crotch.

A nibbling on his ear caused Vin to pull back slightly and he found Ezra slipping one hand over his behind as the other took up residence on Chris's neck. The slight pout on full lips and the evil glint in emerald green eyes told the entire story. Vin was more than happy to acquiesce. He grinned and leaned to kiss Ezra lightly, all the while never releasing his hold on the panting bundle of raw nerves he had pressed against the wall.

"Sorry," he muttered, rubbing his nose against that of his dark-haired lover. "Didn't mean to get greedy." He stepped aside to let Ezra move closer to their prey.

"I shall think of it as letting you warm him up for me," Ezra purred as he began nibbling seductively along Chris's jawline, eliciting a strangled cry of pleasure from the man as he passed over a particularly sensitive spot. He moved to Chris's lips and took a kiss very different from the one Vin had. Where Vin's kiss was filled with fire and possession, Ezra's was pure sensuality, tender and sweet but all-consuming.

Chris felt hands moving over his chest and vaguely realized that at some point his shirt had been pushed up for access. Ezra was toying with his nipples as their kiss continued, sending jolts of electricity through his body. Vin, for his part, continued to stroke him through his jeans while alternately nuzzling at his ear and neck, the Texan's free hand caressing his thigh and ass. Larabee's mind - what little there was left of it - reveled in the feeling of being so thoroughly possessed, so totally dominated. His body willed itself completely to the ministrations of these two beautiful men.

Ezra's hands moved down to Chris's waist and made quick work of the man's belt, buttons and zipper. Two hands dipped inside, pushing the material down enough for full access, and worked in tandem to free the straining organ within. Chris grunted as he felt his flesh surrounded by soft skin at the base and by rougher callused skin near the tip. The rougher hand began to stroke him in earnest while the softer fingers slipped under to play with his balls.

"Come for us," Vin's husky voice commanded in his ear, and when a tongue dipped into that same ear to punctuate the request at the same time a hand gave his ass a possessive clench, Chris could do no less than obey. He gasped into Ezra's mouth as his release burst into Vin's hand and onto the floor - Ezra and Vin having both deftly stepped aside to protect their own clothing from the spillage.

"Made a mess there, Larabee," Vin chuckled.

Chris slumped against the wall, his remaining strength solely focused on keeping him from collapsing to the floor. Ezra stepped away and pulled a handful of tissues from the box on the desk. He handed a few to Vin before stooping to clean up the carpet.

"Had a little help," Chris croaked, fumbling to do up his jeans and straighten his shirt. His eyes met Vin's and he was astounded to see not just desire, but pure love shining through. Love like he couldn't remember seeing since Sarah. Love for him. "Jesus, you two sure know how to get a man's attention."

"Want ya, cowboy," Vin smiled warmly. "It's just that simple."

Chris watched the way that easy smile lit up Vin's features and his stomach fluttered.

"And in all honestly, Mister Larabee, can you deny you want us too?" Ezra asked softly.

Chris met Ezra's gaze, seeing a slight uncertainty that the southerner did not share with the sharpshooter. Chris's heart tugged gently - he'd known he had feelings for both men for a while, but while Vin was apparently confident in the situation, as usual the oft-cynical undercover officer was not entirely convinced. That simple realization settled Chris's heart of all fears in its need to reassure his green-eyed love.

"No," he said softly, letting his unspoken love for both men fill the tone of the single word. He let a moment pass, just basking in the newly-accepted love radiating from the two, letting his own flow freely for the first time. Finally, he felt the need to add, "But for god's sake, boys, in my office?"

"Well, hell, you sure didn't look like you planned on leavin' it anytime soon," Vin chuckled. "So take yer damn coat and let's get movin'. There's a king-size bed at Ezra's that's just waitin' to be warmed."

"And just exactly why is it my bed that needs warming?" Ezra asked, his eyebrow arched.

Vin's grin widened slyly. "Cuz my bed ain't big enough for three, and it's a forty minute ride to the ranch instead'a a fifteen minute drive to yours."

"I see the wisdom of your ways," Ezra conceded quickly. "Shall we adjourn to seek our teammates so that we may hasten this new romantic association? I do believe courtesy demands we share at least two drinks before we can politely depart."

He let his hand drift over Chris's zipper in a ghosting fashion, and Chris felt his pulse increase. Stepping back swiftly, positioning his jacket in front of his excited anatomy, he noted the evil enjoyment that lit Vin's face. He reached for each man, yanking them one at a time through so he could pull closed and lock the door behind them.

"We'll drink fast."

FINI