Ezra looked at the empty bed and began to worry about what was going on with his and Vin's relationship. Over the last few weeks the sharpshooter has started spending less time in his company and more time with Chris Larabee.

He was sure that his lover had grown tired of him and was soon to leave him altogether, 'I should have known, should not have let myself believe I could be loved after all.' Standish jumped at the sound of his cellular ringing.

"Hello." Ezra said into the phone. His instincts telling him that his lover was about to cancel their meeting, again.

"Ez, can't make it. Midnight is starting to foal, so I'm stayin' here at Chris's. Gotta go will call ya when she delivers." Vin stated and then hung up before getting a reply.

The undercover agent slowly disconnected the call and placed the phone back into his leather jacket. He looked around the bedroom and realized he had been a fool to fall in love with his teammate. The fact he will have to see the man Monday through Friday made him want to cry.

Standish left the bedroom and headed toward the kitchen. He silently began to remove the food he'd made for his lover off the table and into the garbage. Then he moved to the living room and pulled out the bottle of 50-year-old aged scotch and decided to drink his dinner.

All Ezra could keep thinking about was all the people that had told him he was not good enough, including his mother. Even as a child she would tell him he was not good enough yet to go with her, when she'd leave him with whoever would take him.

The people she'd leave him with would ignore he was even in the house. The kids had been cruel, telling him his father had left him because he was not good enough, and that was why his mother didn't like him around. He'd heard it over and over again, to the point he believed them.

"Why am I alive? What did I do to deserve this hell?" Ezra looked up and softly asked, "Am I that bad, that no one wants me?"

Vin ran back to the stall, looking at the wonders before him. He'd been so worried about Midnight he spent what time he could out at Chris's during her pregnancy. The last horse he'd helped with at one of the ranches a long time ago had died during the birth of her foal, taking the young newborn with him. It had been ugly, making him over anxious about his horse.

"Slow down Vin, everything is going as it should," Chris chuckled. "So did your date understand?"

The question made Tanner take notice at how he'd just treated Ezra on the phone. 'I just cut him off, not even asking him if it was okay.'

"You didn't give her a chance to answer did you?" Buck snorted, "Got her phone number, maybe she will go out with me tonight?"

"Not your type, and I don't share, especially this one." Vin glared, feeling a sudden urge to punch Wilmington's lights out.

"Easy, pard, just joking, honest." Buck realized that junior new love interest must be really serious. "So when to we meet her?"

"Not ready to share with present company." Vin smiled sweetly, knowing he'd not have the time he was able to have alone with Ezra if the others knew about their special relationship.

Ezra was dozing when the doorbell rang. Wondering who'd come to visit at this time of night, 'What time is it?' He asked himself as he tried to see his watch. He heard at thud as he stood, but was too dazed to think more about it.

He staggered to the door the half empty bottle in his hand, not bothering to see who'd be on the other side he just flung open the door.

Vin was surprised to find Ezra in such a drunken state. "Ez, are you okay?" Tanner asked as he moved into the room, looking his lover over carefully. He noticed for the first the time how much weight he'd lost, the dark circles under his eyes, the pain in the green eyes he loved to look at when he was making love.

"Vin, nothing is the matter that has not been the matter may entire life." Ezra shrugged.

"And what is that, if you don't mind me askin'?" Vin moved closer, taking the opened bottle out of his lover's hand.

"That is a moot point. Why are you here?" Ezra asked, his voice sounding sad.

"I came to be with you, to share my good news."

"BE WITH ME! Go to hell, you just want to fuck, what Chris kicked you out for the night?" Ezra snarled as he turned to walk back over toward the couch.

Vin followed wondering what the hell his lover was talking about, there was nothing going on between him and Chris, "Ez, I'm not having any relations with Chris. Where the hell did you get that idea?"

"Humm, let's see, over the last month you have spent more time at the ranch, then time you have spent alone with me. I have been stood up more times then I would like to recount, so you could stay at the ranch and watch over your horse." Ezra informed his lover as he stared out the bay window, seeing the darkness outside and feeling like it reflected his heart and soul right now, dark and empty.

"Ezra, I thought you understood how important making sure everything went well with Midnight was to me." Vin asked, not liking the look on his heart's face as he gazed out into the night.

"But I was not as important to share it with, only Larabee." The pain in Ezra's voice made Vin look back to how he'd treated his lover over the past month.

"Ezra, I'm sorry. I now realize I was wrong. I should have offered for you to come, but I didn't think it would be wise since Chris and the others don't know about us." Vin offered as an explanation.

'Because he does not want them to know they'd ever had a relationship,' Ezra thought to himself as he closed his eyes to stop the tears.

"Ezra, if you are ready, I'd be more than happy to tell Chris about us. We can go together and tell him tomorrow and then you can meet your namesake." Vin moved behind his lover, slowly wrapping his arms around him and pull his reason for living against his chest. "I love you, Ez. Always have and always will, we are mated for life."

The undercover agent knew he should fight the hold his lover had on him body, heart, and soul, but could not. "You love ME?"

Vin heard the doubt in his lover's voice. 'I want to kill whoever hurt his so bad,' he thought to himself as he again reaffirmed his feelings, "Yes, I LOVE YOU! Don't ever doubt that. Remember I'm new to this everlasting, forever, 'til death do we part, relationship thing. We will make mistakes, but no matter what I will not lose faith in our love for one another. If I have to choose, I will choose you every time."

Ezra turned around and wrapped his arms tight around his heart; "I will love you till the day I die. No one before you, and no one after, for as long as I live."

Vin smiled as he returned the embrace, his eyes noticing something lying on the floor. That something made him realize just how close he may have been to losing the best thing that came into his life, as he looked down at the gun. The safety was off, and his gut told him it was not an accident.

"Don't ever leave me Ezra, promise me you will never leave me alone." Vin growled.

"I promise, I will never leave you on purpose." Ezra vowed.

Vin pulled back slightly, "You are the reason I live and breathe, without you there is no reason for staying on this earth."

"I feel the same-"

Ezra never got the chance to finish as his mouth as taken in a passionate kiss that curled his toes. The kiss was so mind blowing he'd did not feel anything as his lover moved them in to a lying position on the couch with Vin on the top. He did not notice how his lover's one hand moved to the floor to take the gun, flick on the safety and place it on the coffee table.

Later in the after glow of their love making green eyes met blue, "So how is this new member to our family named after me?"

Vin chuckled, "His name is Maverick. A wild spirit that right after birth was strong, independent, stubborn, and won my heart, just like you did."

Ezra looked up at his lover, "Have I told you how much I love you? Because if I have not, then let me remedy it right now. Vin Tanner I love you more than life itself and pledge my life to you."

"As I pledge mine to you." Vin vowed, as they sealed their vows with a slow sensuous kiss.

"I want to introduce you to Maverick tomorrow. I also want to tell Chris about us. Then you can come to the ranch with me as my lover as well as my teammate. I will be able to share everything with you." Vin smiled, "But first lover we need to take you to the bathroom. Brush your teeth, and I feel you are in need of a supervised shower."

Ezra realized for once he'd woke up without a hangover, and that he'd forgotten how bad his breath must have smelt and tasted, "I'm sorry, I must taste awful."

"NO! You never taste bad to me." Vin demonstrated as he swooped in for another deep loving kiss.

Both men forgot about the trip to the bathroom for now as the dance of the lovers took over their thoughts and needs. One man thanked the heavens he came home to his lover when he did, the other thanked the heavens he was given the reason he was looking for to keep on living.