The longer we waited the worse I felt.

The DEA agents kept saying wait - wait but I knew something bad was happening to Ezra.

I could feel it in my heart.

When J.D. let out a whoop, he startled all of us. "Derek Hudson is an importer with a record. We got the last piece.

"Gee, Vern honey, he's sure pretty under all those old clothes. And real big too, this is going to be fun."

Her voice came through loud and clear. I was out of the surveillance van with Josiah right behind me. I could hear the DEA agent-in-charge swearing up a storm but there was no way that Ezra was going to get raped so he could get more evidence. The other two cars erupted agents and Chris was right at my side when we hit the back door and started upstairs.

The party was louder here, the heavy bass sending vibrations through the floor and up through my shoes. I took the stairs two at a time with my gun drawn. Chris and Josiah still on my heels. J.D. whispered loudly that it should be the third door on the left but I couldn't spare a glance back to see where he was.

Chris tried the door handle gently but it was locked and he shot it off without hesitation. I kicked the door in so I was the first one through. All I wanted was to see Ezra safe but the bed seemed full of people obscuring my view. Buck surged around me and pulled a naked Vernon from the pile. I ignored his bellowing completely and watched Chris cuffing the dark haired man named Derek.

But the man I wanted had just appeared from under the buxom blonde who Josiah was chastising gently. Ezra was like a pale statue stretched out on the gaudy red cover. I quickly wrapped him up in the blanket but the sight of him was burned into my memory. The bruises showed vividly against his white skin and his eyes were dilated so badly that only a faint rim of green still showed. And his beautiful cock jutted straight out from his body like a great big flag. Trixie was right, he was good and big.

I gathered him close, rocking him gently and saying his name. I called for Nathan who appeared from nowhere, detouring around the brawl in the center of the room between Buck and Vernon. Buck was mopping the floor with the out of shape drug pusher but I was too concerned at Ezra's continuous trembling to pay any attention.

"Damn, what else was in that devil's brew?" Nathan was taking his vital signs. "His pulse is racing and his heartbeat is starting to skip beats, it's beating so fast. Chris, find out what was in the drug." A muffled 'all right' was his only answer.

"He's still hard as a rock, Nathan. Ecstasy isn't an aph-aphrodisiac, is it?" I stumbled on the big word but he was already shaking his head no.

"Probably added something fun like Viagra or one of the impotence drugs to his blend." Nathan was still taking his pulse. "Where the hell is the ambulance? He's going into shock."

"Nathan, would it help if he ... came?" I could hardly get the words out but something inside of me knew it might help slow him down.

The startled look told me he hadn't thought of that and when he bared Ezra's groin and gently palpitated his lower stomach, the tremors got worse. Ezra moaned and Nathan's dark skin blushed. There was no way that I wanted his hands on my friend so I hissed at him, "Shield me, Nathan."

He nodded once before standing and blocking the others view. Taking Ezra's cock in my hand, I gripped him firmly and started to move. Hoping that the same friction I used on myself would feel good to him, I stroked him up and down until he burst and sprayed the corner of the cover with his seed. His entire body relaxed while I was still holding him and his eyed rolled back into his head.

"Nathan!"

The big man whipped around and felt for Ezra's pulse while I was wiping my hand on the cover and wishing I didn't have to clean him off so quickly. I would have liked to hold him longer.

"Better, but still not good. Chris, where's the ambulance?"

"They're coming up now. Both of you stay with Ezra while we wrap up this party. We'll join you at the hospital. Don't let him wake up alone." Chris thankfully gave me permission to do what I would have done anyway.

Not going hadn't been an option for me -- I had to stay with him. The stretcher guys appeared then and all too soon, I had to let Ezra go so they could strap him in. Nathan went first and I stayed at Ezra's head while they negotiated the tricky back stairs. Then we were in the ambulance, running the siren and heading full speed for Denver General.

It still seemed like forever to me. Nathan explained things to the emergency room doctor while I simply stayed at Ezra's side, ignoring the nurses and orderlies. I only had to show my badge once but the intern seemed intent on moving me and I wasn't about to move.

All kinds of medical lingo flew around the small room where they took us. A technician drew blood from one arm while they were examining him from one side to the other. But when they turned him onto his side that's when they found the blood. For one heart stopping moment, I was afraid that either Vernon or Derek had raped him because we'd been too long in coming to his rescue.

Nathan's exclamation was shortly proceeded by a relieved headshake. "Looks like some anal tearing but not too bad. Hopefully, it was just fingers. Let's take some swabs just in case."

Ezra was shaking again and one of them made some jeering comment about Ezra's stamina. I growled a warning, at the same moment the ER doctor reprimanded the snickering intern, sending him from the room. I made a mental note to make sure that he didn't have anything to do with Ezra's care while he was here.

I saw Ezra's eyes flutter open and I leaned over him, blocking his view of anybody but me. "Ezra, you're in the hospital and the doctors are examining you. I hate to ask you but did Munson use anything in you?"

He nodded shakily and managed a whisper, "F-f-fingers."

Nathan sighed in relief and I smiled at Ezra, holding his cold hand with mine. "You're safe now. I'm not leaving you. Just relax and let Nathan take care of you."

He nodded again and squeezed my hand a little while I spoke real low and gentle-like. The doctors were doing something that hurt him and he bit his lip while I cast a steely look over his shoulder at the men working behind him. But Nathan shook his head slightly and I knew that they'd finished taking their samples.

Damn it, they shouldn't have had to take anything. We should have been quicker. Better yet, Ezra shouldn't have had to spend 22 days living with a low-life like Vernon Munson. It had been the longest three weeks of my life and I'd still managed to fail him when push came to shove.

"This analgesic cream will help with the pain. The anal fissures aren't bad enough to have to suture. They'll heal on their own. Don't worry, Ezra, you're going to be fine." Nathan patted his shoulder and I saw Ezra's eyes fill with tears while his tremors began to increase again.

"Can we get a blanket here? He's cold." I spoke to Nathan but one of the nurses was already there with a heated thermal blanket. She tenderly covered Ezra and I tucked it around his shoulders with a quiet 'thank you' to her.

"We'll be moving him soon to a private room on second floor for his overnight stay. Are you going to be going with him?" Her pretty brown eyes were busy checking me out but I just nodded and kept most of my attention on Ezra.

We were always a puzzlement to the nurses and doctors when one of us got wounded. But most of them accepted our need to be with our team members. The few that didn't understand were quickly removed. I hadn't seen this one before but she'd either learn or be moving on pretty quick.

Nathan came back from his little confab with the ER doctor and moved to my side so Ezra could see him. "Hey, big guy, we're moving you soon to another room. Either Vin or I will be with you at all times and the rest of the guys will be along shortly. You did good, Ezra. I'm sorry we didn't get there earlier."

He tried to smile but all the muscles weren't working quite right yet. "Soon ... enough."

I wanted to scream out, 'no it wasn't' but I just held onto his hand a little harder. Then the orderlies were back and we were moving down the hall, into the elevator and finally down another quiet hall to an empty room. They transferred him into the hospital bed and another nurse began to tuck him in but Nathan stopped her with a smile and sent her out.

"Vin, I hate to ask you but could you help him relieve himself again? The strain on his heart will be less if he comes." Nathan wasn't quite blushing but it was a near thing.

Of course, he didn't know that it was no hardship at all for me to help Ezra. In fact, I wouldn't have let him if he'd asked. "No problem, Nathan. Just keep guard for me outside the door?"

He nodded happily and slipped out while I rolled Ezra onto his side again. His eyes were ashamed and I couldn't have that. "Ezra, please let me do this for you. I want to so bad that my hands are shaking but it's not fair that you don't get to choose who helps you."

A little wrinkle appeared between his eyes and he almost stuttered when he answered me. "Y-y-you want t-t-to?"

I blushed from the neck up but met his eyes as bravely as I knew how. "Yep. I did some hard thinking while you were gone and I was hoping that you didn't mind me kissing you. 'Cause I surely want to kiss you again."

"M-m-me?" The hopeless disbelief twisted my heart something fierce.

"Only and ever you, Ezra Standish." And I leaned in and kissed him again. The faint taste of beer and blood couldn't overpower the sweetness of him. My hand found his cock under the covers and when I grasped him, he gasped into my mouth.

He wasn't the only one with a hard-on right then but I fisted him just hard enough for him to climax with a sigh. He passed out again and this time, I took my time and licked my hand free of his seed. It wasn't a taste I'd ever known before but I surely did hope that I would be able to taste it again.

"That's ... that's the m-m-most erotic thing, I've ever s-s-seen." He seemed to be getting more of his speech back.

"You taste good everywhere, Ezra. 'Course there's parts I haven't tasted yet but if you let me, I expect to enjoy them all." I leaned in and kissed him again for the sheer joy of finally being able to.

Gently licking his lips, I waited for him to decide if he wanted me inside. He opened hesitantly but I took my time and slid my tongue in next to his for a little search mission of my own. He tasted just as good as I'd thought he would. Rubbing my tongue on the roof of his mouth had him groaning and I pulled back just far enough to check that it was a good groan and not a bad one.

"I think th-that you're going t-to have to help me again." He looked kind'a hopeful this time and I grinned at him before peeling back the blankets so I could see all of him.

"You're beautiful, Ezra. Everywhere but 'specially here. I ain't seen many cocks but if I'd seen a million, I don't reckon any of them would be this pretty." I let one finger slide down his length and he twitched just like he had a life all his own. "You're so warm and hard but soft at the same time. I like touching you but I think it's time I tasted another part of you."

He moaned softly when I dared to lick his flared crown. I wrapped a hand around his shaft to apply a little friction while I slowly mapped the soft skin of his crown and tasted the single tear he wept from the small slit.

"You taste even better here. Kind'a like that pickled okra we had at Miss Daisy's." I teased him a little and surprised him into a small smile. "Don't ever doubt that I want to do this, Ezra. You're important to me and I aim to prove it over the next few decades."

He was already wide-eyed and I melted at the hope that fought with disbelief in his gaze. "I promise you that we'll have a long talk as soon as you get out of here. Are you okay with me tasting you?"

Nodding with a little jerk, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "More than ... okay. Wanted it but knew ... knew I couldn't have ... not you."

"Yes, you can, Ezra. You can have any part of me that you want." I promised him but knew I hadn't yet convinced him. Right now though, he needed the relief that I could give him and I leaned in to suck him into my mouth.

He gasped and shook all over so I hurried up and gave him his release. He didn't have much seed left but what there was tasted just fine to me. Licking him gently, I made sure none had escaped before covering him back up and waiting for him to wake up again. He opened his eyes in less than five minutes and I made sure that I was the first thing he saw.

"You're real."

I could have wept at the wonder in his voice and I know I had tears in my eyes when I smoothed back the dark hair that had fallen forward onto his forehead. "I'm real and so are you, Ezra. Don't want to rush you or take advantage of you but I been falling in love with you for awhile now. Didn't know it until Buck and Chris talked about what men loving men could be like."

He shook his head, his eyes half-drooping with weariness and the drugs. "You c-could do a lot better, Vin. I'm n-no prize."

"Don't you talk like that, Ezra. I think you're one of the best men I've ever known. And I know I ain't no one that you might have ever considered but I hope you might take a chance." I kept up the gentle stroking while his eyelids drifted lower and lower.

"Haven't considered anyone else since I m-met you." He sounded real hopeless but I leaned in and kissed him again, stopping his words with my lips.

"Hush now, Ezra. We'll talk after you get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. If'n you just give me a chance, I think we can build something real solid between us."

His eyes fluttered open again to gaze at me with what I was hoping was longing before closing again. His whisper was almost nonexistent but I still heard him. I think I'll always hear him.

"Love you, Vin."

I kept on brushing through his hair and felt his grip on my other hand loosen when he finally fell asleep. He was still too warm to my touch and his pulse raced under the soft skin at his throat, throbbing much too fast. But I had to think he was getting better because anything else was unacceptable.

The gentle knock on the door made me call out softly. Chris stuck his head around the door before coming in to join me at the bedside. "How is he?"

"Better, I think but we better have Nathan back in to see for sure. They find out what kind of drugs were in the beer?" I'd never felt so disinclined to investigate something in my whole career. I got a healthy curiosity but right now the only important thing was Ezra. For once, I was willing to let someone else do the work.

"They're analyzing what's left of that beer that he'd been drinking. He kept it in his hand all the way to the bedroom before dropping it. There was still some left and Nathan has it down in the lab."

I chuckled, never stopping my stroking of Ezra's soft hair. "Probably pestering the tech into letting him help."

He joined me in quiet laughter. "I expect you're right. Is this why you've been such a bear at work these last three weeks?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say so." I spared him a glance and saw nothing but acceptance. That was a big relief because I respect his opinion a lot and I'd hate to go against him. But I would have if I'd had to. Ezra was too important to me. "I got to thinking after you and Buck showed me the other side of male loving. It's always been Ezra since he joined the team. I just didn't realize 'how' until Buck opened my eyes."

He laughed again but it was a kind laugh. "That's why he went into Murphy's Adult Bookstore last week."

I blushed. "Didn't have the nerve to do it myself so Buck went in for me. And J.D. showed me some great Internet sites that had a whole lot of information in them.

He groaned and shook his head. "Not on government time, I hope."

"Nope, I went over to Buck and J.D.'s to use their computer." I had, too. I hated to appear ignorant and I needed to know how to make it good for Ezra since I was pretty sure that he hadn't had it good before.

"It's still a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy in the Bureau. Just keep it low key and you'll be fine. Does Ezra know you have plans?"

I couldn't help the smile that crept out. "He knows."

Chris chuckled again and turned to leave. "Josiah is champing at the bit so I'll go ahead and send him in."

"Thanks, Chris." I watched him open the door. "For everything."

"Anytime, Vin." He smiled over his shoulder as Josiah came in and made his way over to the bed.

"How is he, Vin?" The big man hovered over Ezra like an anxious father.

"I'm f-fine, Josiah." Ezra opened his eyes and gave him a little smile that lit up his face.

"Of course, you are, young man. The good Lord had you in his sight all the time, although I wish we mere mortals had kept a better look out." Josiah patted his shoulder tenderly.

"You got there in t-time, Josiah. I'll be f-fine once these drugs are out of my s-system."

I could see what a strain he was still under. I kept a hold of his hand through their short conversation and Josiah patted my shoulder before he left.

"Take good care of him, Brother Vin. I think he needs some tender loving care while he heals." And with that astounding statement, he smiled on us both and left.

"D-does everybody know?" The plaintive note in his voice made me want to smile but I just leaned in and kissed him instead. He opened to me immediately and his tongue hesitantly moved between my lips to touch mine.

I kept it short since the trembling was back. He was only half-hard when I checked and another knock on the door had me rearranging the covers before calling out for them to enter. And sure enough it was Buck and J.D. They both had to touch Ezra to make sure he was okay and when he asked about Vernon, Buck gave him the short version. They left after only a few moments and I asked them to watch the door for me.

This time he was fully hard and I took him back in my mouth while his hand touched my hair tentatively. I hummed to show my appreciation and heard him gasp. So I did it again and yet again while his hips tried to thrust into my mouth. His moans were music to my ears and I sucked harder while I tried to get a little more of him inside of me. The books had talked about relaxing the throat muscles but I don't know if they meant that would work with someone of Ezra's size.

Then again, I didn't know if he was really all that big since I didn't have much to compare him to. He was bigger than me but probably not all that much bigger. I was looking forward to our comparing ourselves. But then he was coming with a little cry that I wanted to hear again and again. I licked him clean and covered him up again while he panted to get in more oxygen.

"That was the most incredible thing I've ever felt, Vin. Thank you." He was shy but determined in his praise and I leaned over to share his taste with him for a long moment.

"I'm getting real addicted to the way you taste, Ezra. I think I'm going to need it every day." I was back to brushing his hair and he was all but purring like the old tomcat that Ma had fed every day when I was little. That was another good memory so I shared it with him while he tried to look affronted at being compared to a cat.

But I could see the smile he was trying to hide and I just kissed him again. I was serious about being addicted to his taste. Now, I knew why Buck was always talking about his 'expert' techniques. I might have to take some notes the next time he was spouting off. Another knock at the door told me that Nathan was probably back.

And I was right. More importantly, he and the hospital doctor had the analysis of the drug and the counteracting drug that would help ease it from Ezra's system. They explained it in big words that went right over my head but that didn't matter so long as they helped him. The doctor gave Ezra a shot in the rear end that brought a pained look to his face but he said nothing so I didn't either.

Although, I couldn't help but give the doctor a real close look that soon sent him scurrying from the room. Nathan just chuckled and told me to get a chair since Ezra would soon be asleep. He told us goodnight and that he'd see us in the morning. I pulled up a chair and watched Ezra lose the fight to stay awake.

"Sweet dreams, Ezra. I'll be right here if you want me." I brushed little kisses over his eyelids and down his nose.

"Always ... want ... you," was all he managed before falling asleep but that was more than enough for me.

The battle for Ezra's heart wasn't over yet but I knew now that he would be willing to fight for me too. All I needed was a chance and I was going to make sure that I got it. The rest of the team looked like they would be right there to back both of us up and I was depending on them to help me keep the door open to Ezra's heart. He had a lot of bad memories to let go and I intended to make sure that I helped him start believing in the future.

'Cause the future I saw was looking brighter all the time.

I loved him and he loved me back.

Buck was right -- friends do make the best lovers.

*********************
End part six