Vin nodded, �That was the plan, Commander.�
Mac came in behind Harm and looked at Ezra. She was surprised to see that he was sound asleep. Josiah spoke up behind her, �He�s had a very busy day, Colonel. I wouldn�t be at all surprised if he sleeps until tomorrow morning.�
JD looked at Nathan and Buck, who had just approached the growing group in the doorway. He frowned and said quietly, �Ezra�s been havin� the nightmares again.�
Nathan scowled and shook his head, �Damn his stubborn pride!� Mac and Harm looked at each other in surprise at the outburst from the levelheaded man.
Josiah looked at them and explained, �Had a case go bad not to long ago. Ezra and Vin got made. The suspects hurt Ezra and made him watch while they shot Vin.�
Buck frowned in concern, �Ezra don�t like feeling helpless. He couldn�t do anything to help Vin, but he blamed himself.�
Nathan scowled, �After the case was wrapped up, they were in the hospital. He started having serious nightmares. Ones where Vin got killed and he couldn�t help him, or Vin would be haunting him and blaming him for his death.�
Vin nodded and added, �A couple weeks ago, he told the shrink that the nightmares had stopped. She cleared him to return to full active duty.�
JD looked at the sleeping man with concern evident in his hazel eyes, �He told Vin they started up again as soon as he was back undercover.�
Harm started to say something, when they heard a sudden cry from the room behind them. They turned to see Ezra sitting straight up on the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Nathan shoved them all aside and ran to the distressed agent�s side. He laid a hand on Ezra�s shoulder and began whispering comforting words to him.
Soon the sobs subsided and Ezra looked around at the group, clearly embarrassed by his emotional outburst. He wiped his eyes and looked at Nathan, who was scowling darkly at him. Before Nathan could berate him, he looked away and said in a soft voice, �I really did think I was all right, Nathan. The nightmares had stopped, I wasn�t afraid to be alone anymore. I-I really thought I was better.� He looked away and mumbled, �I-I�m sorry.�
The smaller man put his head down in his hands and wept silently. Nathan sighed, �You haven�t got anything to apologize for, Ezra.�
Ezra shook his head and said, his voice muffled by his hands, �I-I screwed up again!� Ezra�s voice cracked and he began to sob once again.
Josiah, who had come to stand on the other side of the overwrought man, said, �You did not screw up, Ezra. The only mistake you made was in not telling anyone that something was wrong.�
The smaller man lifted his gaze to meet Josiah�s clear blue eyes. In a disbelieving tone, he said, �You aren�t angry with me?�
Josiah sighed and shook his head, �We�re concerned, Ezra. We aren�t angry. If you say that you thought you were all right, we trust you.�
Ezra gave him a watery smile and nodded. Then he added softly, �I�m s-sorry that I didn�t tell anyone that they�d c-come back.� With more confidence, he added, �It�s just that this was too important. We couldn�t let Ethan�s murderer get away.�
Nathan nodded, �No case is more important than your health, Ezra. Do you understand?�
Ezra nodded and smiled slightly, then frowned, �Can I go home now? I�m fine, just bruises. They said I wasn�t hurt seriously. They just needed a couple of days to make sure I didn�t pick up an infection or suffer any complications. I feel fine, now. Can I go home?�
The group laughed and Josiah turned to Harm, �He�s feeling better.�
Harm nodded, �Is he gonna be released today?�
Nathan scowled, �He can�t stay by himself. He�ll have to stay with JD and Buck.�
Ezra looked at him in mock horror, �Oh, dear Lord! Don�t force me to convalesce in that disaster area that they call a home! I shall go mad with frustration at the mess that is a continual state of being in the CDC!�
Mac chuckled and said, �He�s feeling much better!�
As the group laughed at Ezra�s expense, the southerner scowled slightly, �And, what, pray tell, do you find so humorous about this situation?� Ezra was answered with more laughter. He finally gave up and leaned back against the pillows in defeat.
*** ***
�I guess that covers everything,� Chris said softly, as he read over the fax that his team had sent. �Ensign Stewart will be court-martialed as will Lieutenant Graham. Ezra�s gonna be released today or tomorrow, so he�s fine. All in all, I�d call the case successfully closed.�
�One of your men was sent to the hospital, Agent Larabee,� AJ said incredulously. �You consider that successful?�
Chris shrugged. �With my team, you get used to it. Ezra�s had far worse, he�ll be fine�physically. I�m more concerned with his mental well being.�
AJ nodded and Chris held out his hand. �It was a pleasure working with your people, Admiral Chegwidden,� he said earnestly.
AJ nodded and said, �I wish more federal agents were as cooperative as your team is. Most times, they come in and want to take over.�
Chris smiled. �The ATF prides itself of its interagency cooperation.�
�Now I know why,� AJ laughed. �Could you do me one favor though?�
Chris frowned slightly. �What�s that, Admiral?�
�Next time, let us know when you�re working on a case involving military personnel? Commander Rabb was beginning to suspect your undercover man. Things might have gotten interesting if my people had tried to arrest him.�
Chris laughed. �I�ll say! Ezra�s not even in the military, never has been.� At AJ�s shocked look, Chris explained, �I was in the Navy. I taught the ranks and everything he�d need to know to pass himself off as a Navy lieutenant commander.�
�He performed admirably,� AJ stated. �Rabb never suspected that he had no military background.�
Chris smiled. �Fastest boot-camp ever done. The only thing Ezra didn�t like was getting up before so early. Normally, he�s not at work until almost ten in the morning.�
AJ shook his head and said, �He�s very good. Your whole team is��
�So is yours,� Chris said. �I have a plane to catch, maybe we�ll work together again someday.�
�I look forward to it,� AJ answered.
Chris grinned and headed out, passing Clayton Webb in the hallway. The CIA agent�s eyes grew wide and he looked up at the admiral. �Was�was that Chris Larabee?�
�You know him?� AJ asked.
Clay locked eyes with him and said, �His team is practically legendary. They call them the �Magnificent Seven�.�
AJ�s eyebrows raised and he turned to head back to his office. �Hmm,� he mumbled.
Clay shook his head slightly and said, �Chris Larabee was here and I just missed talking to him.� Turning around he saw that Chegwidden had already headed into his office and followed him. When Rabb and MacKenzie returned from Colorado, he had a job for them.
End