This Is for the Birds!

by Anneack

AU: LB 1950's

This follows A Change in Plans. You don't need to read it for this to make sense, but it will give you some background.


Vin and JD looked up from their playing in the creek to see who was passing. As one they scampered up the bank. There was no mistaking Buck's fire engine red pickup, and Chris' black ram would so follow since they were both police officers. Chris was the shift sergeant and Buck was his corporal so they always worked the same shift.

"What's he doing?" Vin asked allowed as his friend's dad instead of greeting them like he normally did after getting home, he was waling to the back of his truck. There was something large back there covered with a tarp.

Vin and JD ran up, stopping when Buck held up his hand.

They watched in silence as he pulled a large bird cage from the back of his truck and headed towards the garage. Vin sprinted ahead and opened the garage door. JD cleared a spot on the floor and Buck set it down.

"Appreciate the help, I've got another one to bring over. Vin, can you run home and get a clean shirt for Chris?"

Two faces went white, and Buck swore under his breath.

"He's fine, just banged up his arm a little and needs a fresh shirt." Buck assured them both.

Vin turned and ran head long at the house that backed up to Buck's. As far as the two boys were concerned they had one big house with a backyard right in the middle.

By the time that Buck had settled the second bird cage next to the first (under JD's careful watch) Vin was back with one of Chris' shirts and Maria, who watched the boys while the dads were at work. The large man smiled that it was a button front one that Chris could easily put on and off with an injured arm.

"Perfect," He ruffled Vin's hair.

"What are all these birds here for?" JD couldn't hold the question another second.

"They were arrested and are serving their jail time," Buck responded.

The boys stared at him.

"Senior Buck?" Maria asked, hesitantly.

"Hey Maria. Can you stay about half hour while I go and get Chris?" He asked

"Si, I can stay," She nodded, staring at the birds and then at Buck again.

"I'll be back with Chris and Josiah in about half and hour. I promise, he's just fine," Buck once more assured the boys.

They both relaxed, Buck would not have promised them if Chris was in any kind of danger.

"Can we keep the birds?" JD asked, watching the flitting little birds.

"What kind are they?" Vin asked, joining JD in staring at the avian prisoners.

"Cedar Wax Wings, and no we can't keep them. I'm gonna close the garage so they don't get stressed." Buck answered both of them, before closing the garage door.

Maria gentle herded the boys back to Chris' house. The two followed, Buck and Chris would tell them what happened later. They had never heard of birds being arrested before.

+ + + + + + +

Chris Larabee, smiled at his son as he settled into his easy chair forty-five minutes later.

Buck was on the love seat with JD almost in his lap.

Josiah was in the kitchen putting Maria's Enchilada Casserole in the oven. She had correctly assumed that the men would not feel like cooking so had put the meal together and was just turning the oven on as the family returned.

"What happened?" Vin asked, looking at his foster father.

Chris took a deep breath in preparation for answering the question.

Before he could start there was a knock on the door. Josiah motioned the others to stay put as he was already up and he went to answer the door.

"Mister Larabee, might I inquire as your health?" DA Ezra Standish asked as he followed the large priest in.

Chris closed his eyes, wishing the pain killers would kick in.

"Broke my arm, bashed my forehead, and totaled the patrol car," Chris responded.

"You wrecked the car?!?!" Vin stared at him wide eyes.

"I assume that this had something to do with Corporal Wilmington arresting a flock of birds for drunken flying, and resisting arrest?" Ezra inquired, look at Buck.

"We've been having trouble with drunken birds flying into cars after eating fermented berries. Today they broke Chris' windshield and flew threw the window into the car causing him to wreck the squad car. It took me an hour with a fishing net to round them up. I arrested them so that Chris and I could get reimbursed for their cage and food," Buck explained.

"I'm quite relieved that you were not wanting this prosecuted, as Judge Travis would no doubt wet himself laughing," Ezra replied, taking a seat.

"They're just going to be kept in the cages here until the berries are gone and it's safe to let them go," Chris reassured the lawyer that he was not going to need to be taking the birds to trial.

Seeing Chris was well cared for, Ezra and Josiah expressed wishes of a speedy recovery and left.

Chris smiled tiredly through the pain killers, as he was nodding off in his easy chair and he felt Vin tucking a blanket around him.

"Are you okay?" Vin asked again. Chris looked pale.

"Thank you. I'll be fine, you go up to bed," Chris instructed. This was hardly the first time he had slept in the comfortable recliner chair.

Vin bit his lip and headed upstairs.

The next morning, Buck tried not to smile when he dropped by before going to work and found Chris asleep in his chair and Vin next to him on the couch.

Seeing that his friend was in good hands, Buck left for work.

Anneack@aol.com