Author: The Muse and LaraMee

Rating: PG 13 for language

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own 'em. Other people do... sad, uninformed people who won't share, who insist on keeping them all to themselves. Sad ain't it?

Notes: Okay, Vin's probably a lot more savvy than he's portrayed here, but it was just SO MUCH FUN!

"Morning," announced Chris Larabee as he entered the suite of offices shared by the members of ATF team seven.

"Chris" greeted each of his men in turn.

"Vin, my office." The man in black said as he continued past the men and through the open door to his private office .

"What have y' done now Junior?" teased Buck.

"Mr. Tanner, surely not this early on a Monday morning!! My, my it's not even 9:30! That has to be a record even for you." Added Ezra.

JD laughed, "nice knowing you, Vin."

Josiah and Nathan chuckled softly as they watched the forlorn agent slowly rise from his desk and enter their leader's office.

"Shut the door, Vin, and sit down." Chris said without looking up.

'Oh shit,' thought Vin. Quickly he scanned through his memory of recent days and hours to try and come up with an idea as to what he had done wrong this time.

"Vin!"

Tanner physically jumped in his seat. "What!?"

The blond frowned and studied the younger man for a moment. "You feeling all right?"

"Well...um...now that you mention it...I --"

"That's good," Larabee said distractedly.

The Texan slumped into the well padded chair and mumbled "yeah, just fine."

"You say something?"

"Uh.. nope, must have been the chair."

"Right. I have a new assignment for you. Well, you and me actually..."

Vin exhaled audibly.

"You sure you're all right?" the leader asked concerned.

"Yep, perfect." The younger man smiled. "Beautiful day, life's good...."

"Vin?"

"Yep?"

"Shut up!"

"'K"

"Now, as I was saying..." Chris paused and waited for any further interruptions from the other man. When none were forthcoming, he continued, "I've just spoken to AD Travis. You and I have been chosen to pick up and guard a Federally protected witness. Seems her hiding area has been compromised..."

"Her?"

"That's what the report says."

"mmmmm... what about Buck?"

"What about Buck?"

"Nuthin'"

Larabee frowned again, then continued. "You and I have to retrieve her from the safe house she's currently hiding in and take her to another safe house...."

"Where?"

"I'm getting to that." Chris sighed.

"Sorry." Tanner winked.

"Where was I?" Larabee shuffled his papers around.

"We're taking her to another safe house."

Chris glared at the long haired agent.

"Sorry," he repeated.

"It's somewhere new, set up especially for these kind of situations. We'll be informed of the location once we make the pick up and are on the road."

"Why us?"

"Seems you and I have a bit of a reputation."

"Oh shit, thought that was gonna be taken off our record after 6 months!"

"Not that reputation! But you're right, I'll check with Orrin about that... it has been 6 months." The blond bent over his desk and scribbled a note on a scrap piece of paper. "Anyway, the reputation they were referring to..." he paused and glared at the Texan, "was for our ability to get through the toughest situations."

"Aw, how hard can it be to look after one little lady."

"Hell, why do I already regret you saying that?"

"I dunno."

"Vin?"

"Yep?"

"Shut up."

"Sorry" the Texan offered meekly.

"We can't even tell the others about this, it's that top secret. There's a concern that her previous location was compromised from the inside, and no one - and that means no one - can be trusted. So, we're gonna have to use some other excuse to cover us for two weeks."

"Two weeks, eh?" Tanner smiled mischievously. "Leave it to me."

"What's with that look?" Larabee's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Aw hell Chris, just leave it to me. I'll handle everything."

The man in black shook his head and sank back into his large chair. "Why does the sound of that worry me so much?"

"You need to lighten up, relax more. Now, when and where?"

"The when is..." he looked at his watch, "about eight thirty tonight. The where.... Two blocks north, we meet up with other agents and make the transfer from there."

"'K, I'll fix it with the boys." The sharpshooter rose, "be back in a minute."

"Oh Vin?"

The Texan paused at the doorway.

"Shut the door behind you, I think I'm better off not knowing what you're telling them."

Vin flashed a brilliant smiled and threw a mock salute in his leader's direction, before leaving the office.

It was eight-fifteen. Strangely, all seven men still remained in the office. Even Ezra had made no attempt to leave, and Chris was becoming increasingly nervous about it. He rose, gathered some papers, checked his gun, and tugged on his black leather jacket. Entering the outer office, he was greeted by the other six agents.

"Mr. Larabee, anything I can help you with?" asked Ezra solicitously.

"Nope," he replied cautiously.

"Hell Chris, you take it easy now," Buck said concern evident in his voice.

The blond sought out and found the smiling face of one Vin Tanner. He tipped his head slightly in a questioning gesture. The Texan shrugged slightly in return.

"Chris, you.. uh.... you....just don't rush things O.K.? we'll be fine!" JD offered earnestly.

"Brother." Began Josiah, then he paused and shook his head. "We feel for you... really we do."

"Don't go liftin' nothin' heavy." Nathan instructed.

The man in black faced Tanner now and let loose with a full-on, patented Larabee glare. "Something you want to tell me Vin?"

"The boys are mighty concerned for you Pard. Aren't you boys?" The Texan said loudly as he vigorously nodded to his fellow agents.

"Yep"

"Yeah"

"Sure am Stud"

"See Chris, they're just expressing their... their concern." He nodded to himself.

"Two weeks. Josiah you're in charge. I expect everything to be in order when I get back." Larabee ordered.

Vin took Chris by the elbow and forcefully pulled him through the door to the elevator. Once inside the blond turned to the other man. "You gonna tell me what that was all about?"

"Nope"

"Vin!" the black clad man warned.

"Hey, don't look at me like that, you said you didn't want to know." Seeing that his words were not placating his leader, he threw his arms out in a gesture of surrender. "Look Chris all you need to know is that they won't be botherin' us, okay?"

Larabee sighed. "You worry me more and more everyday Pard."

"Then I must be doing somethin' right." Vin slapped Chris sharply on the back and began to laugh.

They drove the two blocks north and entered the darkened alley way at the back of Fourth and West Streets, slowly coming to a stop next to the long black Chevrolet they had been instructed to meet. Stepping from the car they were greeted by two fellow agents dressed all in black, wearing dark glasses.

Chris was the first to talk. "I'm Larabee, this is Tanner," he offered by way of greeting.

"Smith," began the taller man in a monotone voice, then indicating the other man, said "Jones."

The Texan coughed slightly. "Damn night air." He cursed trying to hide his smile.

"Well Smith..." Vin turned his shaking head away as Larabee continued, "and Jones. Where to?"

"Get in." commanded the taller of the two men.

"After you, Vin," the blond indicated with a sweep of his hand.

The car drove off slowly and twisted and winded it's way through the streets. Suddenly the car came to a halt and they were asked to get out. Another car was waiting for them there. They were given the keys, direction as to where they would make the pick up, and continued on. Another hour down the road found them being waved down by a man wearing dark glasses and the obligatory dark suit. He looked eerily similar to the two they had left behind earlier.

"You Larabee?"

"Yeah."

"Your parcel's inside."

The man walked to the side of the car and the 'parcel' slowly got out, swathed in a long, hooded cape that obscured her from view. She was quickly ushered across the small distance between cars and got in with Chris and Vin.

"She's all yours," the agent said as he tapped the top of the car twice and disappeared.

"Hey Chris, these guys have been watching too many spy movies."

"Think you're right Vin. Maybe 'Men In Black' is a pre-requisite to becoming an agent these days." He and Tanner chuckled softly as they returned to the car.

"Excuse me," came a quiet voice from the back of the car.

"Ma'am? You need something?" Vin asked

"I -- I need to stop."

"Sorry ma'am, no stopping till we get to our location." The Texan continued studying the map they had been given indicating their hiding place.

"You don't understand. I have to stop." There was an urgency to the soft voice now.

"We really can't...."

"Now! I need to... I have to go to--to the restroom," she began to sob.

Chris and Vin exchanged looks. Larabee shook his head. "There's a rest stop up ahead, we can stop there if you really have to."

" I really have to," she said in a pain-filled voice.

Larabee pulled the car up just outside the entrance to the Rest Rooms, but left the car running. The young woman started to get out of the car. "Not alone." He said matter-of-factly, "Vin, you go with her."

"ME! Why me?!?"

"She not going anywhere alone. Those are the orders. Now get your scrawny butt out there."

"But Chris....to the john? The ladies room?" The Texan moaned.

"NOW!" Larabee sent a full on glare at the younger man.

"But...."

"Get out!"

"Aw, but Cowboy.... I don't want to!" Larabee was sure the younger man would have stamped his foot and pouted if he thought it would get him anywhere.

"I ain't gonna tell you again."

"Does that mean if I say 'no' one more time I can stay in the car?"

Seeing the look from the other man, Vin acquiesced. Slowly he got out and followed the young woman into the dimly lit room. Chris decided the grumbled protests coming from the younger man, as he disappeared into the darkness, were better off not deciphered.

The young woman practically ran from the car to the little building, Vin hurrying to catch up. He was relieved to see that the lobby area was empty at the moment. Looking longingly toward the door with the outline of a man on it, Vin ducked his head and carefully pushed around the woman.

"What are you - " she cried.

"Sorry miss, but I've...I've gotta check things out."

"Well, for goodness sake, hurry!"

Nodding, Tanner opened the door and slipped into the ladies room. He squatted down to look for signs that any of the stalls were occupied. Seeing no legs or feet, he pushed each door open. As he moved from the first to the second stall, he heard the door he had just released slam shut, a soft sigh announcing that their charge was making use of the facilities. Finishing his surveillance, the young agent moved to the little alcove that blocked any unsolicited view of the lavatory from the lobby beyond. Twice the door was pushed from outside, but one booted foot pressed firmly against the wood kept the entrance blocked.

His gaze firmly on the floor, Vin was keenly aware of the witnesses approach. Without a word, he led her back to the car. His attention was focused on any threats to her well-being, but he couldn't help but glimpse the shocked, angry look from a small knot of women milling in the lobby.

They had to stop another two times before finally arriving at their location. Each time, the Sharpshooter begrudgingly accompanying the woman to and from the car. Finally, the dark vehicle slowly wound its way up a long gravel pathway, through a dense wooded area until a small ranch type house came into view.

"We're here," the blond announced.

"Sure's Hell hope it has a bathroom," the Texan said sadly.

"Don't worry Vin, I won't make you go with her here," Chris chuckled. There was a soft giggle from the back of the car as well.

"Aw hell," Tanner groaned. Luckily, the darkness surrounding them hid the man's suddenly glowingly deep crimson cheeks. He hurried around to the trunk, retrieving their bags, while Chris led the young woman into the house. Both men were on the alert for any signs that the move had been compromised.

The last to enter the safehouse, Vin nearly ran into the blond's back. Looking up, he said, "Chris? What's wrong?"

From the other side of the black-clad shoulder, Vin heard, "they didn't tell you?"

Tanner saw the blond head shake 'no', and repeated, "what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry...I assumed they had."

"At least I understand all of the bathroom breaks," Chris finally found his voice.

Dropping the bags in the foyer, Vin pushed past his friend. "What the hell's wrong with you, Larabee?" Looking up, he caught his first true sight of their charge, and stopped dead in his tracks.

She was a beautiful, young, brunette, dark hair loosely framing a porcelain-hued face. Deep blue eyes shone from wreaths of thick black lashes. She was no taller than Casey Wells, and pregnant. Very pregnant. No longer wrapped in the heavy cloak, her condition was only too obvious.

"Ah, shit," Tanner exclaimed.

Finally recovering from their shock, the two agents made a sweep of the house to verify their safety, letting the young woman have privacy to settle into the bedroom they guided her to. The bedroom nearest the bathroom.

It was nearly midnight before they were all settled in. Vin busied himself fixing a light meal for all three of them, bringing it into the broad living room where Chris and the woman were sitting in a somewhat strained silence. Offering the woman a plate, he said, "hope it's to yer likin', ma'am."

"Thank you, and it's Georgi."

Nodding, he handed another plate to Chris, and settled onto the end of the couch with a third. The trio ate without talking, until the silence seemed like a fourth entity in the group. All of them memorized the lay out of the big room simply because there was little else to do. The couch sat nearly in the middle of the space, facing a set of heavily curtained windows. Behind the couch was a row of bookcases, built into the wall, but the shelves were nearly empty. There were two overstuffed chairs on either side of the couch, facing one another. Table lamps flanked each chair, their bases filled with magazines and paperback novels. There was a television tucked away in a corner, but they found it wasn't working. Suddenly the two weeks seemed even longer.

To have something to do, Vin took drink orders returned with two sodas and a bottle of juice. By this time, all three were becoming anxious in the quiet room.

"It's going to be a very long two weeks," the young woman sighed, voicing what they were all thinking.

"Sorry, miss...Georgi," Vin offered. "Reckon they didn't tell y' that I'm kind'a short on conversation and he," the sharpshooter canted a head toward the other man, "durn near passes out if he's gotta say more'n three words at a time."

The brunette giggled at the glare Larabee turned on his friend. "Well, I've never had much of a problem talking, and now that I'm talking for two," she ran a hand lightly over her swollen belly and smiled, "I should be able to take up the slack."

Larabee and Tanner both laughed, and the ice was broken.

"When are you due?" Chris asked.

"Three weeks, give or take," Georgi answered.

"Give 'r take?" Vin's voice squeaked. "Y' mean y' don't know?"

"It isn't exactly a precise science, predicting childbirth," Chris offered.

Smiling, the young woman said, "spoken like a man who's been through the process before."

His eyes clouding over, the blond said, "yeah." As silence descended on the room once more, he excused himself and left for bed.

"What did I say?" Georgi questioned.

Uncertain of how much he should divulge, Vin said, "Chris' wife and son died a few years back. It's a hard subject for 'm t' deal with yet."

Tears filling her eyes, the young woman said softly, "I...I'm sorry."

Deciding to change the subject, the sharpshooter said "can I get'cha anything else?"

"No, thank you. I think I'll go to bed, it's been a long day." With that, she pushed herself up from the couch, and left the agent sitting alone in the room.

"Well, reckon I'll be pullin' the night guard then," Vin said to the silence.

The next morning dawned to a snowstorm. The little house was awash in smells of breakfast, and both men shuffled into the little kitchen to find Georgi hovering over the stove. She turned with a start at the sound of footsteps, but relaxed quickly when she saw it was the two agents. "Good morning."

"Mornin'," Vin said cheerfully. He stepped across the room to inspect the pots and pans that covered the stove. "Smells awful good."

"Thanks, I hope you like it."

"Shouldn't y' be sittin' down 'r somethin' though?"

She giggled, "I'm fine. You can set the table, if you want."

Nodding, the agent soon had the table ready to receive the morning feast prepared by the young woman. Chris had gone to check the grounds, but returned to join the other two in the kitchen. The men dove into the breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and melon slices. Georgi, picking at her own plate, watched them with a broad smile.

Glancing up, Chris caught her eye and chuckled. "Sorry. Neither of us get many chances to eat like this, especially when we're on an assignment."

"Don't apologize," she said, "eat. I love to cook, so we should get along well together."

"Ah, hell," Vin said around a mouthful of bacon, "we'll grow outta our clothes if that's th' case."

Chris insisted on doing the dishes, sending Vin and Georgi out of the room. Escorting the woman into the living room, Tanner fought the urge to fuss over her. He was as nervous as if he had been sent to battle the Mafia without back up. Hell, he would have preferred that scenario to this. He had been around expectant women before, but not like this. He found himself feeling at once terrified to be near her, and anxious to hover over the young woman and take care of her every need. Finally he settled for sitting rigidly on the edge of the living room chair, trying very hard not to stare right at the woman.

"Mister Tanner."

"Vin, miss...uh, Georgi."

"Vin."

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to stare at me the entire time we're here?"

Blushing furiously, he said, "I'm sorry, I...uh..."

"You've never been around pregnant women much, have you?"

"No," he admitted softly.

"Vin," she coaxed him to look up to face her. "I promise to try and not have this baby on your watch, okay?"

He chuckled, her smile softening him immediately. "I appreciate that."

"All right then. I'd like to get a promise from you, too."

"If I can."

"Stop sitting there like you're ready to pounce."

The three people settled into a routine of sorts over the next three days. Chris watched with quiet amusement as Vin's true nature shone through, and he became Georgi's champion and confidant. At times, when her situation overwhelmed the young woman, he became her comforter and stalwart companion.

Bit by bit, her story unraveled as they sat around the kitchen table, or in the evenings in the living room. Her husband had gotten involved with the wrong people, and had dragged her unwillingly into the arrangement. When he had realized how deeply he had gotten into trouble, he tried to back out. The result had been his death six months earlier, and her life had become a hot commodity for both the 'good guys' and the 'bad guys'. She had been in protective company for nearly five months, the powers that be deciding that they would keep her hidden until after the birth of her child. That would give them more time to build their case, as well, making it more likely that they would gain the convictions they sought.

As she had told the two men about her husband, she had broken down, sobbing at his loss. Before Chris could even retrieve a box of tissues, Vin had been at her side, pulling her awkwardly into his arms. Her tears had soaked his shirt through, the Texan rubbing her back and talking to her gently. After several minutes, Larabee had retired to the bedroom, feeling as if he were intruding on a private moment.

The blond had begun to truly worry about his friend early one morning when he caught them sitting close together on the couch, Vin's hand spread across Georgi's swollen stomach.

"Feel it?" She said softly.

"No, I...wait...yeah! Oh my gosh!" Vin yelped as he felt the movement inside her womb.

Before the two of them saw him, Chris slid back into the hallway. He considered talking to the younger agent, but knew it would do no good. Tanner was usually a true professional during an assignment, but occasionally his big heart got into the way. Larabee knew that there would be a few long nights ahead as he helped the younger man sort out his feelings.

Georgi watched the blond agent over the top of the book of baby names she had pretended to read for the last hour. Chris sat slouched down in one of the chairs, stocking feet propped up on the coffee table. He had been the only one of the trio to find anything to read among the discarded paperbacks novels, a collection of dog-eared John Grisham novels. The blond had been reading most of the morning.

While she had become quickly comfortable with the expressive Texan, Georgi had found it almost impossible to find that same comfort with the quiet, almost sullen, older agent. She wondered if her condition had anything to do with his reserve, reminding him of what he had lost. She wanted to ask him, but couldn't, and didn't want to put Vin in the middle.

With a sigh, the young brunette returned to the job of choosing a name for her baby. She smiled; she was already fairly certain that she had the perfect name already chosen.

"OW!"

Vin jumped a foot, blue eyes saucer-wide as he stared at the brunette. Georgi's mouth was open, but no sounds were coming out. She turned frightened eyes toward Tanner, her hand clutched to her belly.

"Georgi? Ah...Georgi, y' promised," Vin stuttered.

Chris came into the room, called by the rather loud exchange. "What's wrong."

"Sh-she promised!" Vin was standing, pointing to the young woman accusingly. "She said sh-she wouldn't...wouldn't have th' baby!"

Throwing his hands up at the usually unflappable agent's hysterics, Chris moved to sit down next to the brunette. "Georgi, what's going on?"

"I...uh...I don't know. I think maybe I had a contraction?"

With more compassion than usual, Larabee proceeded to grill his suspect. Finally he ran a hand gently down the back of her head, settling on her neck. "Georgi, listen to me. I think maybe it's Braxton-Hicks. You know what that is?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "Yeah, I do. I'm sorry, Chris. I didn't mean to cause a ruckus."

"Cause a ruckus, huh? You've been hanging around Tanner too much." He chased away the rest of her fears with one of his most dazzling smiles, stroked her dark hair once more, then returned to the back of the house.

"Chris?" Vin called, "Chris, where y' goin'?" The agent was still standing in the middle of the room, staring wide-eyed from Georgi to where Larabee had been, and back again. With a strangled cry, he bounded from the room, chasing the blond down the hall. Behind him, the young woman giggled softly.

"CHRIS! Damn it, I'm talkin' to y' here!"

Only turning when he reached the kitchen, Larabee said, "WHAT?"

"Look, we've gotta do somethin'...call someone, git some help in here. She's gettin' ready t' have that baby!"

"We're under high security rules Vin, we can't use the phone unless it's a true emergency, and same thing with the radio in the car," he tried to reason with the other man.

"T' hell with rules, pard! Th' woman's gonna have a kid right here! Now, we gotta do somethin'!"

Placing a hand on each of the quaking shoulders, the blond said, "Vin, listen to me, okay? She's not going to have the baby yet, this is what they call 'False Labor', all right?"

"False nothin', Lar'bee, y' didn't see 'er face! She's gonna have that baby!" His drawl was growing thicker as his panic rose.

"TANNER!" The blond growled, using his authority to shock the younger man back to reality. "Georgi is fine, all right? She's not going to have the baby right now. It's not her time."

"Not..."

Chris nodded, encouraging his friend on with a smile.

"Not her...it ain't her time."

"Right," Larabee patted other man's shoulder. "Now, get your ass out of here, and go walk the perimeter. You're getting on what few nerves I've got left."

Nine days. Chris rubbed at the tightness between his eyes that threatened a headache. He stared through the reinforced, bullet-proof glass of the living room windows, at the world beyond. The snow had come and gone since they had arrived, but just before dawn it had blown in with a vengeance. The wild storm beyond the window pane obliterated any sign of the world, leaving him feeling like a castaway.

"Looks bad."

He turned to find Georgi behind him. "Yeah, but it'll be all right. The house has it's own power supply, and we've got enough food to feed an army for a month...or Vin for another week."

She giggled, blue eyes glittering. "I have no idea where he puts it all."

Turning away from the window, arms crossed across his chest, Chris said "rumor has it that he stores it away like a damned hamster. Don't want to think about why, or what he does with it."

Wrinkling her nose, the brunette said, "I'll pass." Her hands protectively cradling her stomach as she stared beyond Chris to the whiteness beyond, she said, "would I sound like a coward if I said I'm scared?"

Frowning, Larabee said softly, "Georgi, you're eight and a half months pregnant, hiding from some very bad people, and facing more bad times ahead. You've been tossed from one place to another, one group of strangers to another. Lady, if you weren't scared I'd insist on a complete mental health exam for you."

The brunette's eyes widened with surprise at the lengthy monologue; the words constituting high praise from the stoic blond. A variety of replies came to her and were discarded. Finally, she said softly, "thank you."

The snow continued through the morning, finally ending just after lunch. Georgi had spent most of the morning curled up on the couch, watching the snow fall. Chris had taken over the kitchen duties, charging Vin with keeping the young woman company. She hadn't eaten much, despite the sharpshooter's fussing, and only left the couch for very frequent trips to the bathroom.

Chris wasn't about to say anything to either of the younger members of their odd little household, but he was worried. He recognized the signs Georgi was exhibiting, and he didn't like what those signs were telling him. While the other two were in the living room, he lifted the wall phone from its cradle. With a sigh, he leaned his head against the wall. The phone was dead.

They could radio, but he wouldn't utilize that method of communication unless it was a last resort. A radio message could be far too easily be picked up by the men they were protecting her from.

For now, they were on their own.

Vin walked from the kitchen, carrying a plate with the sandwich he had prepared. Despite her continued assurance that she wasn't hungry, he was worried about her. She had barely eaten all day, and if she was supposed to be eating for two, then both of them had to be starved. As he walked toward the living room, the young man was confronted by Georgi, standing in front of him.

"Oh, Georgi, brought you a sandwich." He offered the plate to her, smiling at the young mother-to-be.

She remained motionless, eyes wide and staring at the man before her. Her mouth was open and she appeared to be frozen in time.

"Georgi... somethin' wrong?"

"My water broke." The words were spoken so softly Vin couldn't make them out.

"What did you say?"

"My water broke." She repeated quietly.

"Oh...uh... your water broke. Well..." there was a long pause; Tanner seeming to roll the words around in his head. He quietly turned and walked back to the kitchen. Carefully he placed the plate on the counter top and came out again. He looked at the young woman and smiled. "Your water broke." He repeated and laughed nervously. Pointing to the closed door leading to the bedroom, he stepped sideways past the increasingly distraught woman and hurried toward the room where Larabee was hiding. "I'm just going.... I'll be... got to go...."

"Um... Chris?" The Texan stuttered as he burst into the room.

"What?" Larabee answered without looking up from the paperback he had been reading.

"Water," he said softly.

"Well, you know where it is. Go get some."

"Nooo... there's something you should know."

"What's the matter with you? You're acting strange...even for you."

"Georgi... she... um...that is..." Tanner's head turned from Chris to the other room, then back to Chris again. He pointed and then blinked rapidly.

"She spilled her water."

Larabee sighed, "just go clean it up then!"

"Chris... I... I... think you should come with me."

"Tanner, you're as nervous as I've ever seen you."

Suddenly there was a loud, gut-wrenching scream from the other room.

"What the hell..." began Larabee, fairly leaping from the rumpled bed.

"I told you.. she flooded, overflowed, gushed... the water, it burst!" Cried Vin.

"Shit... the phone's out," he announced to the other man. "Let's get her settled, then we'll radio for an ambulance, radio silence be damned."

"THE PHONE IS WHAT?!" Vin began shaking his head vigorously. "Look, I don't think -"

"Vin, don't worry. We're trained agents, we can handle this."

"Nope. No way. I ain't goin' there. You call me when it's finished," Vin was moving toward the farthest corner of the room.

"Vin..."

"Nope, didn't sign up for no birthin' assignment."

"Vin, she trusts you."

"Don't care." Vin mumbled

Just then there was another scream from outside. "VI-IN!!!!"

"See, now you're going out there, and you're going to help her."

"But I don't want to.... please, I don't...." he continued to protest, even though the young woman's cry had pulled him back toward the door.

"Move it Cowboy.. we're in this together." With that the man in black placed his hand in the middle of the Texan's back and pushed him through the door. The two men headed into the hall together, but Georgi was nowhere to be found. Chris looked at Vin, who looked at Chris.

"She can't have gone anywhere.... I mean... she was leaking," Tanner said

Chris looked sternly at the younger man, shoving him toward the living room where Georgi seemed most comfortable. "Remind me to have a talk to you about the birds and the bees when this is all over."

"Aw hell, it ain't the birds and the bees that are scaring me."

"Arrrgghhhhhh." The groan met them at the doorway, coming from the floor behind the sofa.

"I think we've found her."

"Oh shit!" cursed Vin. He stared open-mouthed at the young woman writhing on the floor.

Chris came around to Georgi's head and gently patted her arm. "It's all right, we're here to help you."

"HELP ME!!! HELP ME!!!" she screamed angrily at him.

"Now stay calm Miss..." began Tanner.

"YOU STAY FUCKING CALM!! I'VE GOT 9 POUNDS OF BABY PUSHING ITS WAY OUT BETWEEN MY LEGS AND YOU SAY STAY CALM?!?!"

Vin smiled wanly at Chris. This was a nightmare. What had happened to the sweet young woman that had been sitting with him just half an hour ago?

She groaned again, then, "TANNER!!" she screamed, "Come here, help me!!"

"I think you've got that end then Vin. I'll take care of the other."

"Thank God!" The Texan swore softly. He rose and swiftly changed places with the blond. He knelt down next to the distraught woman, but looked back over his shoulder at his leader.

"Just encourage her Vin, talk to her."

"Um... Georgi... uh...nice night ain't it?" he began.

"ARE YOU INSANE!" She screamed at him.

"I... uh...." he began again.

"Ohhh.... Ohhhhhh." She cried again. Then suddenly she lunged forward and grabbed the unsuspecting Texan by the shirt front. "YOU DID THIS!!" she roared at him. "YOU MEN ARE ALL THE SAME!!"

"Me!... I didn't... I didn't even know you then!"

Tanner could not believe his eyes. The woman had transformed before him into a crazed creature. Her face was red and contorted in ways he never thought possible of a human being, and she had a death grip on his shirt. He turned in terror toward Larabee who was busy at the other end of the woman.

"Chris, think she's possessed or something?" he looked to his friend and back into the distorted face before him. "Chris.... make her stop!"

"It's normal."

"This is normal?" the last word was delivered in a high, panicked tone.

"Tell her not to push," ordered Larabee, whose head had now disappeared.

"Me?? She'll kill me!"

"The baby is coming. Tell her not to push."

"Um....Georgi.." Vin began and smiled his best Tanner smile down at her. "Chris says... well, he says not to push..."

'YOU TELL HIM I SAID TO GO TO HELL!!" she growled.

Vin was sure now that the woman was the devil herself. He had faced down murderers, been confronted by the meanest criminals that lived on the face of the earth, but nothing, absolutely nothing compared to the enraged creature hanging on to him. He tried to pry his shirt free from the vice-like grip. He tried to stand, but was roughly pulled back down to the floor. Fear was suddenly the center of his world. He was going to die. Mauled to death by the woman he was sent to protect. Crushed under the hands of the wild human being, the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

"Vin," she said softly now. Could it be that the demon had worked it's way free? "Please Vin, help me."

"I'm trying," he soothed, and wiped the sweat from her face. "Just calm down and Chris will get it out."

'WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW." She screamed again. "I HAVE TO GET IT OUT!!! YOU MEN THINK IT'S SO EASY DON'T YOU?" she pounded on his chest. "JUST GET IT OUT!! BASTARD!!!! GET IT OUT!!!"

'O.K.' he thought, 'am I missing something here? One minute she's screaming like a banshee, the next she's normal.'

Chris' head appeared again above the woman's bent knees. "Georgi.... Breathe in short breaths." He turned to Vin, "like this Vin." Larabee instructed, showing Tanner the breathing techniques he remembered from the classes he and Sarah had taken before Adam's birth.

The Texan looked down at the grizzly before him. "You have to do this," he said, as he began huffing and puffing at the woman. "huff, huff.... puff, puff...." Followed by a long expulsion of air. Georgi clenched her hands tighter around the mass of material that had once been Vin Tanner's red shirt, and stared intently into his big blue eyes. Soon the two of them were huffing, puffing and expelling air together.

"Vin, I need you to go get me some towels." Larabee voice was muffled from his position between the woman's legs.

"NO!! *huff... puff* HE... AIN'T.... GOIN'.... *huff... puff* NOWHERE!!!" the brunette rasped and tightened her grip once more.

The Texan looked helplessly to his leader.

The blond sighed. "Keep her calm, I'll be right back."

"NO!! Chris don't leave me!!" Vin smiled down at his captor and yelled again, "come back!!!"

"TYPICAL!!" she screamed. "RUNNING .... OUT... ON ME...NOW!!!"

The man in black was not gone long. He had gathered the towels along with other things he would need to accomplish the delivery and set about organizing himself.

"GET IT OUT!!!" Georgi screamed.

"GET IT OUT!!!" Vin screamed as well.

Chris couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as he caught a glimpse of the terror filled sharpshooter wheezing and puffing in unison with the pain filled woman. He shook his head and wondered how the younger man had ever been able to survive by himself for so long. He was brought from his thoughts by an animal like scream. Looking down he saw the baby's head begin to appear. "It's crowning," he announced.

"Crowning?" asked Tanner. "What...." He continued as he was viciously pulled down until he was within inches of the irate woman's face.

"YOU STUPID SHIT!!" Georgi cried, "IT'S COMING OUT!!.... argghhhhhh!!"

"Oh shit, oh shit... oh hell... what do I do?? Chris... what do I do?" Vin looked to Larabee's face and saw a smile begin to form. Taking the opportunity to pull slightly away from the iron like grip, he was able to peer over the top of the spread legs. As he did, he could just make out a large, mucous covered object begin to emerge.

"Oh my God... Oh my GO-OD!!" he cried, "Wh-What is it?"

"What's the matter?" Georgi began to worry.

"It's awful!" declared the Texan.

"What's wrong?" she asked as panic began to set in.

"It's all - all greasy and slimey and.... Ewww!"

"My baby.." she cried, tightening the grip she now held on the sharpshooter's arm "MY BABY!!"

"Ow...ow...ow!!" gasped Tanner. "Chris, she's got m' shootin' arm. Ain't never... Ow!.... gonna be able to shoot.... Ow!... straight again!!"

"Vin!" Larabee growled and turned on one of his most vicious glares. Allowing his features to soften, he turned toward the young woman. "It's all right Georgi, the baby's fine. You're almost there."

"You've been saying that for hours!!" she groaned.

"One more push should do it and I'll have the shoulders," the man in black continued calmly.

Tanner shook his head sadly. "Shit ! Chris...just the shoulders?? There's still a whole half a baby to go? At this rate we'll be here all night!"

"SHUT UP VIN!!" Georgi and Chris yelled in unison.

The man in black encouraged Georgi again. "I want one more big push... when I say. You ready?"

"Yeah." She moaned.

"Vin, hold onto her now. This is it." He turned to the young woman. "Ready Georgi?" The woman nodded her in agreement. "One, two.... PUSH!!"

"ARRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!"

Vin looked to Chris, then back to Georgi, then back to Chris, who was now working frantically, grabbing towels, clutching scissors, tying something... he wasn't sure what.

"It's a boy!" Vin announced as he looked over at the small wrinkled bundle.

"Nope."

"Then what's that?"

"That's what attached it to its mama."

"It's got a rope?" The Texan frowned.

"That's the cord," replied the blond without looking up.

"So it was tied in?"

"Kinda," Chris made a mental note to find out exactly how lacking Vin was as far as his education in human sexuality went.

"Shit, no wonder women moan and groan when they're getting pregnant." Tanner shook his head sadly. "Never realized."

"Here," Larabee leaned forward and handed a wrapped bundle to the Texan. "It's a girl."

Vin smiled warmly down at the tiny new life in his arms.

"Think you might want to give her to her mama, Vin. I'll go out to the car and radio for an ambulance."

The sharpshooter continued to smile warmly at the baby as he handed it to her mother.

"Thank you Vin," she said softly.

"Aw.... Weren't nuthin'" he blushed.

Georgi gently wrapped her arms around he baby and began talking quietly to her. "Hey sweetie, I'm you're mama. How's my little girl?"

"Georgi?" Vin began. "Thought of a name for her yet?"

"Matter of fact I have," she turned her smile toward the agent. "Meet little Christine Tanner Marshall."

"Christine Tanner!"

"Chrissie... this is your mama's friend Vin. He's a nice man, he and his friend helped bring you into this world, baby."

The Texan slowly stroked his hand over the baby's head and smiled as Chris re-entered the room limping. "What happened to you?" the sharpshooter asked.

"Tripped over something outside. It's just a sprain, nothing serious." He rubbed at his ankle. "They'll be here in about twenty minutes with an ambulance."

"Chris." Tanner began.

The man in black looked at to the Texan.

"Meet Christine Tanner."

The blond's face broke into one of his rare, full on smiles. "Christine, is it?"

"Thank you Chris. I couldn't have done it without you." Georgi said tiredly.

"Yeah you could have. I'm just glad I was able to help."

"Thank you," she said again.

A short time later found Georgi and Christine safely tucked away in an ambulance, along with new bodyguards, heading to a hospital to be checked out.

"Gonna miss 'em." Sighed Vin

Chris tilted his head and looked at the young man beside him.

"What?" Tanner cried defensively.

The man in black shook his head and hobbled for the car. "C'mon Pard, you can drive me back to town. We've got to report in on all this."

"Sure thing old man....a simple delivery and y' go all to pieces. Fallin' all over yerself just makin' a simple phone call --"

The blond swatted at the brown curly head and cursed as he pulled on the twisted ankle. "I seem to recall..."

"Aw Chris.... " Tanner cut in.

"I seem to recall," Larabee began again. "A certain highly trained, battle-hardened agent going to pieces when one little lady wanted his help."

"How much?" the Texan sighed.

"Whatever do you mean Pard?" The blond feigned innocence.

Tanner began to get nervous. "What's it gonna take... to keep quiet about it?"

"More than you've got."

"Aw c'mon Chris. I'll never hear the end of it if Buck finds out. And Ezra... well, you might as well put a bullet in me now."

"You'd better be real nice to me then."

Vin groaned and headed for the car.

The next morning found Chris Larabee working away in his office. He had just finished copying some of his reports and was returning to his desk when he heard the cheerful banter of five of his men.

"Why Mr. Larabee what are you doing here?" cried Standish.

Ezra, Buck, JD, Josiah and Nathan had arrived at the office and were greeted by the blond, hobbling from the outer room to his office.

"Oh. Well, that little thing Vin and I had to take care of took less time than we thought."

"Sit down!" ordered Nathan.

"You've got a crutch. Does it hurt?" asked JD

"Hurt?" The blond frowned. "A little I suppose. The doctor said the bandage can come off in a couple of days and then I can try it out."

Buck swallowed hard. "So...so soon?"

"It's nothing." The man in black protested, "just a sprain."

Five men gasped, turning pain-filled eyes toward their leader. Chris responded with a frown.

"Yes, of course it is Mr. Larabee. But please, try not to exert yourself. We all ...... feel for you...really!" Standish shuddered.

"What are you talking about?"

"Now Chris... relax... it's nothing to be embarrassed about." JD offered.

"Chris, you really should be walking properly now though, shouldn't you? I mean most men are usually up and about in a couple of days"

"It only happened yesterday!"

"Yesterday!! But Vin said....." Buck trailed off

The man in black turned one of his full on glares at the ladies man. "What exactly did Vin say Buck?"

"Um.... well... it was... he said you'd be upset if he found out that he'd told us --"

"Told you WHAT BUCK!" The blond managed through clenched teeth.

"That you... that you had.... well... you needed to get ... ah Hell!! He said you were being circumcised!!"

Chris staggered slightly and grasped the edge of the desk. The other men hovered around him worriedly.

"You all right Chris? You don't look so good." Asked Nathan.

Their leader took some long, slow, deep breaths. The other men could see his knuckles turning white as they clenched onto the desk top.

"Where....is... he?" the blond growled slowly.

"Now Chris.... calm down.... it's nothing to be embarrassed about.... I mean...lots of adult men have to have...." Josiah tried placing a calming hand on the black clad shoulder. He quickly removed his hand when he felt the muscles flexing with barely restrained tension.

"WHERE... IS... HE?"

Suddenly they heard whistling coming from the hall. They knew it was the sharpshooter by the tuneless wheezing that only vaguely resembled notes from the musical scale. Like a well-oiled machine, the five agents took positions around the office to somehow keep the Texan from the onslaught that was Chris Larabee enraged. Josiah and Nathan camped at the door to halt the Texan's entry, JD at the first desk and Ezra on the near side of their leader. Buck would take up position for a frontal attack.

"Now Stud," Wilmington began.

"Get out of my way!" Larabee tried to move past the big man.

"Chris... Cowboy... he didn't mean anything by it."

The conglomeration of notes was coming closer. Impending doom was dawning.

"He's a dead man!" Chris seethed.

Buck was now physically restraining the blond from approaching the door. Luckily, due to the ankle injury, the man in black was not as agile as he usually was.

Then as if in slow motion, the door handle turned and a collective drawing of breath could be heard as the Texan entered. The machine that was Team 7 moved as one. Josiah and Nathan each grabbed one of the whistling man's arms. JD and Ezra closed in around their leader. Buck grabbed Chris' crutch and hung on for dear life. They knew that if the blond got his hands on Vin while he was this angry, the young man would not come out of it unscathed.

"RUN!!!" screamed Buck.

"Get out while you can!" added JD.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU TANNER!!" Chris screamed as he tried to free himself from the other men.

Vin looked to Josiah and cursed. "Shit! You told him what I told you!"

"Yeah... well... "

"Oh God!!! Oh Sweet Jesus!! I'm a dead man!!" the Texan cried frantically.

"GET.... OUT!!!" grunted Ezra. "Can't... hold.. him.. much.. longer. OW! Mr. Larabee, for a man who has.... Arggh!!.... just been OUCH! So recently circumcised you really are..... OW!!...quite agile."

Chris growled loudly "I'M GONNA GET YOU TANNER!!! You can run, but you can't hide!! I will skin you alive!"

Josiah nudged Nathan. "Rather poor choice of words."

Jackson winced at the thought and nodded his head in agreement.

The Texan turned to Nathan then, "If anyone's looking for me..." he looked back at the twisted, angry face of his leader, "I'm deliverin' a baby." And with that he ran from the room and disappeared down the stairs. As soon as Vin had left, Chris stopped his struggling.

"Buck, you wanna let go of my crutch now?"

"Sure thing Stud." The big man smiled and carefully allowed the walking aide to fall back beside the blond.

"Chris?" asked JD. "If you didn't get circumcised, then what were you doing for the last week?"

A mischievous half smile crossed the man in black's face. "Gather around boys, I'm gonna tell you a story about two men and a baby."

The End