Title: Drabbles--Brothers Larabee AU2
Author: Sue M.
Email: sue.morgan@btinternet.com
Category:
Universe: Brothers Larabee AU2
Rating/Warnings: Various
Summary: Sue's collection of Brothers Larabee AU2 drabbles posted to DunnesDarlins
Buck was huffing. "JD, how hot a wash did you put our jeans on the other day?"
"Boil, I think, they were real dirty." His younger brother answered, looking up and grinning at the sight of his big brother struggling with his jeans.
"BOIL, Lord boy, have you no sense…?"
"Buck."
"You don't boil wash jeans…"
"Buck."
"I give you one itty bitty li'l job ta do…"
"BUCK!"
"WHAT?" He shouted back, going almost purple as he strained to do up the zipper.
"Those are mine!"
Buck looked at JD and chuckled, "Oh, ha, sorry kid, slight wardrobe malfunction!"
JD sat cross-legged on the grass, a small cloth spread out in front, dotted with empty plates and crockery. His eyes were filled with happiness and adoration.
"This was a great idea; we'll definitely celebrate this anniversary every year from now on," he smiled.
He cleared up, placing the items in his duffle bag. Rising to his feet, he did a final adjustment to the flowers.
"See you next year."
He felt strong hands on his shoulders and turning, smiled at his big brother.
"Hey, Mrs. Dunne, can JD come out to play?" asked Buck.
Both men chuckled as a soft breeze played around them. They looked back to see five brothers waiting patiently.
JD grinned; "I think she said 'Yes.'"
Conversation around the dinner table that evening had turned to favourite foods.
"Chocolate, cake, biscuits, candy…mmm…" Nathan sighed.
"A good steak, thick, juicy, pink in the middle…yeah," Buck added.
Ezra sat back in his chair, "Roquefort, Camembert, Brie…cheese, of any description, really."
Vin had noticed JD's head drop as each brothers spoke. The young man got up with his plate and pointed toward the kitchen.
"Just gonna…" He gulped and left. Vin held up his hand as the brothers watched him leave.
"I'll go," he announced and followed him out.
In the kitchen JD was emotional but fighting it. Vin put his arm around his brother.
"Let me guess, your mom's cookies?" He asked.
JD looked at him, blinking. "Yeah," he whispered
"Me too. I still got my mom's recipe, wanna do some baking?"
JD nodded, "So have I, yeah, let's do it. Gotta go to the store first though."
"Let's go then," Vin smiled.
Empty brown bags littered the kitchen along with discarded boxes, packets, utensils, bowls and flour. It resembled a disaster area.
While Linc's two youngest waited for the oven to ding, they got restless. They started picking at some nuts.
"Mmm, I love these" JD said.
"Me too," agreed Vin, licking his fingers.
JD idly fingered some flour on a work surface and flicked it toward his brother, hitting him in the face. JD looked shocked then chuckled. Not to be outdone, Vin threw a handful of flour at the boy's dark hair, turning him temporarily gray. With a whoop, JD picked up the near empty bag of flour and lobbed it at Vin. Vin ducked.
At that precise moment, Chris walked in to check on how they were doing. The flour bag hit him square in the face and exploded. For a few seconds he just stood there, frozen in time, flour floating gently off his head and face. He turned and left, leaving the two to ponder their fate.
The four others stared as Chris walked past them, through the lounge, toward the front door. He glared at them. "Not a word!" He growled.
So they said nothing, and laughed instead.
The smells from the kitchen were tantalizing and all five brothers were waiting eagerly, even Chris.
Vin and JD appeared with two trays of cookies each, and avoiding eye contact with Chris, placed the trays on the table.
Each brother chose one and took a bite. For a moment or two no one spoke and JD and Vin became concerned.
Buck looked at them, his eyes misty, "These remind me of a little coffee shop my mom used to take me to."
"I'm reminded of my grandmother," Josiah smiled as he ate.
"Me too," added Nathan sniffing, "they smell like her kitchen.
Ezra seemed choked, "I believe I have never tasted anything quite like them, thank you,"
Chris sighed, "They remind me of Sundays when Sarah…" he trailed off.
All five men looked at their younger brothers, and smiling almost collectively thanked them. Vin and JD beamed. Suddenly a female voice screeched from the kitchen.
"Oh dear Lord what have you done to my kitchen?"
The two `chefs' looked at each other and said together, "Miss Nettie!"
All five men howled with laughter as the two youngest raced out through the front door.
"That's what they get for dusting me with flour," Chris grinned.
Chris looked up from his food on the kitchen table as he watched his youngest brother kneading dough with some force.
"I think it's already dead JD, something on your mind?"
JD looked at Chris' battered face.
"Why d'ya need to get involved in the fight at the bar? The cops were coming. Look what they did when they kneed you in the face." He had walked over to Chris and was gently touching his bruises, his eyes bright with tears.
Chris smiled, "I'm tough, kid, but I appreciate the sentiment. Now put Nettie's dough back, before she catches ya!"
Buck relaxed as his little brother took over the driving. They were on their way to the lakes to join the rest of their brothers for a fishing weekend. JD looked across at Buck.
"Thanks."
Buck looked at him, "What for?"
"For waiting for me, so's I could come too." JD reminded.
"I promised I would, didn't I?" Buck smiled.
JD nodded, "Yeah, it's just, `cept my mom, no one ever kept a promise to me before."
Buck sat up and put his hand on JD's shoulder, "Well, ya got family now, and families keep their promises."
They were quiet for a while. JD broke the silence.
"Buck."
"Uh huh,"
"I've never been fishing before, how will I know what to do?"
Buck chuckled, "Oh brother, are you gonna have one HELL of a weekend!"
Vin had taken JD on a fishing trip. The two were lazily dozing in the row-boat, their lines idly dangling over the side. Vin was starting to wake and couldn't help smiling as he noticed his usually hyperactive younger brother still fast asleep.
"Hey!" he prodded the younger man. "Time to go home Kid."
JD stretched, smiling. "OK. Hand me an oar," he said, reeling in his line.
"Can't see 'm," Vin stated searching the little boat with his eyes.
JD was doing the same when he glanced out onto the surface of the water, his eyes resting several feet away.
"Er, Vin," he said, "What's that floating in the water?"
Vin tracked to where he was looking. "Aw Hell!"
Buck couldn't help but smile. He had watched his youngest brother tearing around for over half an hour. He felt exhausted just watching him. He was curious to know why he kept looking at his watch. It was then he noticed the blood on JD's left hand. He stopped his brother and held up his hand.
"How d'ya do this?" he asked
JD shrugged it off. "It's nothing. What time did you say Ezra would be home?"
"It is too, something. Why do you need to know about Ezra?"
"Well I was fixing a bike part in the laundry room when the screwdriver slipped and cut my hand. I just grabbed the first thing I could find. I found Ezra's new dress shirt. Do you know how to get bloodstains out of white cloth?"
Buck and JD had been issued with a shopping list and were at the local store. They had successfully completed the list, when JD trotted off and back to an aisle.Buck stared at his younger brother as he dropped armfuls of pop tarts in the trolley.
"Why on earth do you need so many, JD?"
JD smiled, "They're Cheaper by the Dozen."
Buck sighed; the poor kid still thought he had to watch his money, as he had when he lived alone in Boston. He ruffled the youth's dark hair, deciding to spare his embarrassment.
"Great idea, kid, and seeing as I like `em too," Buck winked, "Let's have a dozen more!"
"Cool! JD squeaked, running back for more, as Buck looked on, smiling.
Buck slowly roused. Laughter was filtering into his thoughts until it finally brought him around. Curious, he followed the sound, stopping at JD's room. Chris was already there, leaning against the door frame and looking in. He turned to Buck, an amused expression on his face.
"Something wrong?" Buck whispered, peering in to JD's room.
"Apparently not," Chris chuckled.
Both men watched silently as JD chuckled helplessly with laughter, still sound asleep in bed. Buck found himself laughing too.
"Hell, what I wouldn't give to be having THAT dream, Chris."
"Well, he's said your name three times."
"Excellent!"
JD was last to arrive for breakfast, bewildered by six smirks from around the table.
Keeping one eye on them, he poured his cereal, added milk and began eating.
"Good dreams last night, kid?" Buck smiled
JD shrugged, "Can't remember, why?"
"Just that you were laughing… happy." Chris added
JD pondered as he munched. "Happy…" He thought aloud, unaware he could be heard, "The most fun I had in the last five years was watching mom keep a meal down. Here I've got six cool brothers, a great home, a horse, money in my pocket for the first time, shit, yeah, I'm happy."
Noticing the quiet, he looked up mid-bite to see six straight-faced misty-eyed brothers staring at him. His eyebrows furrowed, "What?"
Buck stood, ruffling JD's hair as he passed to walk outside to the porch.
JD panicked, "What did I do?"
Chris squeezed his arm, "Absolutely nothing, go talk to him."
JD was gone in an instant. Ezra sighed,
"Good Lord."
They all nodded.
"Buck?" JD said quietly,
Buck stood, smiling, placing an arm on JD's shoulder.
"So, life is good, huh?"
JD grinned, "Yeah, it is."
They looked out over the ranch
Yes, indeed it was.
One hazel eye peeked at two blue. JD knew it was bad if he could see three of Buck.
"How bad?" He groaned.
Buck gave a small smile. "Nate thinks four ribs, the white bandage on your head is for the gash, some nice purple and black bruises, and ya ripped your brown shirt. What happened?"
"A bee made my horse see red, she threw me through the fencing," JD sighed. "What time is it?"
"Just after five."
The others came in to the house, all six looking down at their injured brother.
"Ready?" Chris asked.
Buck nodded, and all seven Larabee brothers set off for the hospital.
As JD parked his bike he sniffed the evening air. He turned sharply toward the barn and started running, yelling.
"FIRE!"
In seconds he was in and moving the horses out.
Six brothers burst onto the porch, "Shit!" Chris yelled, racing to turn the water on at the hose, while the others grabbed buckets and tried to direct the horses.
In the barn JD was dizzy as smoke swirled thickly. He dropped to the earth, coughing, and tried to drag himself to the doors but passed out.
Through the chaos outside, Buck yelled, "Chris, where's JD?"
Chris ran for the barn, "Oh God!"
The fire had spread to the top of the barn, flames licking furiously through the roof, warming the evening air. The water did not appear to be helping. Brushing the dirt from his clothes, Chris soaked himself with the hose, took a deep breath and pulled open the barn doors, shielding his face from the heat with his left arm. His eyes scanned the floor of the barn in search of his youngest brother. He was about to despair when, through the dense smoke, he saw dark hair. He raced into the near-blackness, scooping up the lifeless body in his powerful arms, turned, and ran.
Within seconds Chris was choking, and wondered if he could get them out before he collapsed or the fire beat him. Sirens wailed in the distance, spurring him on to make a final attempt to move his heavy legs and reach the doors. He glanced down quickly at JD's sooty face. He didn't even know if the kid was breathing. As the blond staggered to the doors, hands grasped him and pulled him through into fresh air as he finally collapsed, coughing violently as they hit the earth in a heap. He refused water, and placed his brother gently on the ground.
Chris gratefully accepted the oxygen as he watched two paramedics work on JD. A sharp intake of air and a cough told the brothers their youngest was breathing. They sighed in relief. Water from the fire trucks was successfully dousing the flames. Chris was grateful to feel cool earth beneath his exhausted body.
One night in hospital and all seven brothers were home. Buck insisted JD stay blanketed on the sofa, the youngest didn't really mind.
"Thanks for getting me out, Chris," JD rasped.
"Thanks for saving the horses," Chris answered, "That was very brave of you."
JD smiled, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Six brothers watched in amusement as their youngest read and re-read a letter. Finally, Buck could stand it no longer.
"What's so interesting kid?"
JD looked up, his eyebrows furrowed, "I don't get it."
"Get what?" Chris asked.
"This letter from the bank, I don't understand, I've never had one like it before."
Ezra approached, "May I?" He took the letter and as he read it, smiled.
"Why it simply says you have a credit balance, you have money in your account you have yet to spend."
JD's jaw dropped, "I do?"
Buck chuckled and ruffled his hair, "There's nothing quite like a little financial independence, eh kid?"
Business trips were over, bar accounts were up to date, horses had been sold. Time to celebrate.
"Are we not going to celebrate July 4th?" JD asked.
Chris and Buck nodded, "Of course, why?" Chris asked.
"Well it's not until tomorrow, I just wondered, is all."
Buck sat next to him. Tomorrow's for everyone. Today…" the brunette scanned the small gathering, "Today is for us, for family."
JD smiled and looked at the two older brothers he adored.
"Sounds nice, doesn't it?"
"What does?" Chris smiled.
"Family." JD grinned back, holding his beer up to all his brothers.
As the gesture was returned, Chris agreed, "Yeah, sounds nice."
"I'll raise you a cent."
"JD, surely you jest!"
"Ezra I have nothing. I sent my bike insurance off today and it's cleaned me out."
"Anti-up, Kid," Buck laughed, Ezra's got the scent of money up his nose, he ain't gonna let you go now!"
"He can sniff all he wants, I'm tapped out."
"Then I assume you fold?"
JD sighed, and threw his cards down.
"Yeah, I fold."
Buck examined the cards, "JD! You had a full house!"
"I did?" the boy looked surprised. Buck and Ezra laughed.
JD huffed, "I think I'll stick to my computer!"
Fumbling in the dark for keys Buck sighed.
"I only left here an hour ago, Chris, I don't hear no alarm."
"The cops said the alarm for Rosie's was going off, I promised we'd check."
"I didn't even get a chance to check on the kid," Buck grumbled.
"He's FINE, you'll see him soon."
As the lights went on there were cries of "SURPRISE!"
Buck, shocked, looked at the banner over the bar,
'IN APPRECIATION OF A GREAT BROTHER'
JD flicked a switch and filled the bar with music, lights and bubbles.
He limped around and hugged his weepy big brother.
"Thanks."
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