Coming Home to You

I yawn, stretching my arms wide over my head as Zack stares at me.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asks. "Can't keep up with me, can you?"

I snort. "You wish. I'm just tired."

"And you want to see your BFF again, right?"

I can't help a smile.

"Aw," Zack coos.

"Shut up, dude," I swat his arm. "We've been at this for days."

Zack rubs his face roughly. The redness just makes the dark circles under his eyes more pronounced. "I know," he groans. "I mean... we can take a break if you want. I can take you back to the ranch for a day or two while I finish shit up around here."

"No," I say. "Are you nuts? We're partners. We do this together."

Suddenly, my cell phone rings. Zack nods towards it. "Go ahead, it's probably lover boy."

I answer it, but it's not.

"Brian? Hey, it's Jimmy. Sorry for calling, I don't know if this is a bad time, but-"

"How'd you get this number?" I growl. Only Matt had it, and he was supposed to keep it that way.

"I- I'm using Matt's phone. He hasn't been around. Last I saw him he went into town to pick up some shit for dinner. His truck is back, but he isn't. I was just wondering if you saw him or something."

My eyes widen. "What do you mean he isn't there?"

"Uhm. He isn't here? As in-"

"Missing?" I hiss.

"Kind of. Sort of."

"What the fuck, Jim?" I explode, grabbing my gun off the bed, shoving it into my pocket. I motion for Zack to follow me, and he already knows the drill. "How long?"

"A day."

"I'm coming back. As fast as I can."

"Is there something wrong?" Jimmy asks, worry flooding his voice. "Is that bad? What's going on? Ever since you came here-"

"There's no fucking time to explain," I hang up, pulling my shoes on.

"What's that about?" Zack asks, pulling a button down shirt over his tee.

"Matt's missing."

His eyes widen. "Do you think-"

"That's exactly what I think. Let's go."

Zack drives, because we both know that if I drove, something bad would end up happening. I can never drive under stress. Especially if the stress is related to me.

I look over at the speedometer. 120. That's what partners are for.

The black Avenger isn't even done screeching to a stop when I throw the door open, earning a slew of curses from Zack. I cough through the stirred up dust, seeing Jimmy rush out of the house with Johnny.

"Stay inside!" I yell. "Get inside!" I pull out my gun, showing them I mean business.

"You too, Zack," I mutter, Zack glaring at me. "Stay in the car."

"What happened to the back-up rule?" He fires back.

"Stay," I growl, running towards the barn, gun poised and ready.

"What the hell?!" Jimmy screeches once I check the house. "Where'd you get that gun? Who the hell are you?"

"I work for the FBI." I kick down a locked door, revealing nothing.

"Jesus Christ, I knew Matt was mixed up with something big with you, but this?"

"Not the time now, Jim," I say. "Do you have any idea where the others are?"

"I- No. I have no clue. Honestly."

I relax the gun, breathing out a frustrated sigh.

Suddenly, my phone rings again.

"What?"

"I've got some activity around the shed. Just in case you were wondering. One big scary looking dude just walked out."

It hits me. The shed. Of course. "Thanks, man. All clear otherwise?"

"All clear."

My heart sinks when I quietly open the shed's sliding door.

"Matt?" I put my gun into my back pocket, rushing over to him. "Hey, it's okay," I whisper, watching as his eyes slowly open to meet mine. "I'm here. I'm here."

I untie the bandanna around his mouth, and a faint smile appears on his lips as I kiss them gently.

"Hey," he says hoarsely. "I knew you'd come."

My thumb brushes up against a cut on the side of his forehead, bruising. One side of his lip is busted up and one eye is blackened, swollen shut.

"Fucking sons of bitches," I curse. "I'll fucking kill them all."

Matt snorts softly. "I'm okay."

"Not after I'm through with the both of you."

The click of a gun tenses my body, and I whip around, drawing my own.

"Put it down, Joe," I warn.

He smiles dangerously. "What do you think is going to win. An AK-47 or that puny thing?"

I cock the gun. "Depends on who's faster."

A shot rings out close to the shed. I grind my teeth. Of course he never listens to me.

"I don't think so."

"Put it down."

Joe turns around slowly, looking back at Zack. A hint of fear flickers in his eyes before he narrows them.

"This isn't going to end well, Joe," I say. "You know that. Just put the gun down."

A moment of shock passes through me when he slowly, very slowly crouches down, abandoning the gun on the ground.

It's too easy. Why is he giving in now? After all this time and effort?

"Zack, watch out!"

I'm right. Joe lunges for Zack, punching him square in the face, swiping his gun while he's stunned. He shoots at me, narrowly missing as I duck, shooting for him.

"Big mistake," he laughs, pointing the gun at Matt.

"NO!"

Time seems to slow down as I dive for Matt, mind racing. Another shot rings out in my ears as I feel my body collide with his, shielding him. Too late.

"Matt!" I scream. "Matt! No! Son of a bitch!"

"Brian! Stop screaming like a fucking pussy!" Zack shouts, and I turn around, seeing red.

Zack is sitting up, leaning on one arm, gun pointed at Joe's body on the floor. A dark red stain is pooling in the middle of his shirt. I look frantically back at Matt, looking for any fresh wounds.

"Hey, I'm fine," he says.

I breathe a huge sigh of relief, my knees giving out under me.

"Thanks Zack. I owe you big time."

"That's why I always carry two guns. Like I said," he says. "I'll be damned if something happened to you on my watch. I called in for back up. They should be here under the hour."

I nod, continuing to untie Matt from the rickety old chair once I'm thinking straight again.

"Come on, big boy," I grunt, him relying too much on me to help him stand. "You're okay."

"Uh, there are still other criminals walking around," Zack states. "I just shot one of them trying to get here, so..."

I gulp. "I can't just leave him here, Zack."

"What about the other two guys? They could be targets too. You know what? That's fine. Stay here, I'll take care of them."

"Are you sure?"

Zack nods. "Positive."

He closes the shed door behind himself, leaving Matt and me alone.

"You can go if you want," Matt whispers. "I'll be fine."

I shake my head. "No, I'm not taking any more chances. It was stupid for me to just up and leave like that. I'm not doing that again." I sit him down on the ground.

"Bri- he needs you."

Two gunshots ring out, then another. Shouting.

My instinct feels as if it's being ripped into two. I know I should be out there helping my partner, but I can't leave Matt again.

"Brian, I swear to God, if you don't go we're not having sex for a long time after this is over," he warns.

I can't help but chuckle. "Fine. I'll be right back." I kiss his forehead, getting up to leave.

"Be safe," Matt calls out after me.

Zack is cursing his head off when I exit the shed, locking it safely behind me. He's clutching his shoulder, and I can see the red dripping down his arm that it's not good.

"Oh, now you fucking decide to help?" He shouts. "After I get fucking shot?"

"Sorry."

Zack nods to the back of the house. "Son of a bitch went behind. Split up."

I follow his order, taking the left side. When the man spots me, he takes off running, right into Zack.

"That felt so good," Zack breathes when the guy drops to the ground, gunshot wound to the chest.

The sound of sirens quickly fills there air as I look at Zack.

"What?" He says. "You didn't think I came by myself to Nevada, did you?"

Things become more official and more organized really fast once the whole team joins up. The remaining fugitives are captured in less than a half hour, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hey, what the fuck?" I hear someone curse. "I didn't do anything! Don't fucking throw my boyfriend around like that!"

Jimmy is resisting all he can against one of the team members and I rush over. "Hey, these two are okay," I explain. "Bystanders. Let them go."

"Jesus Christ," Jimmy and Johnny breathe, looking at me like I'm nuts. "The FBI, Brian? Really?"

I shrug. "It's not as bad as it looks."

I rush back out to the shed, shooting the lock off and pry the doors open.

"Hey," I say, reaching an arm around his shoulders to help Matt up. "It's over. I promise."

Matt just nods, not saying a word.

"Hey! I need a medic over here right now!"

The paramedics who aren't treating Zack jog over, helping me help Matt to the ambulance. They diagnose him with a minor concussion, scrapes and bruises.

I smile as they clean him up. "Told you it'd be okay."

Matt snorts. "Yeah."

I frown, because something's wrong with him. Not physically, but he's shut himself off from me again. I can feel it.

"Matt please, what's up?"

"Bri!" Zack suddenly calls out. "I need you for a sec!"

I sigh, knowing the look that's suddenly sparked in Matt's eyes. "Go," he dismisses me.

"We're gonna talk about this later, okay?" I whisper, squeezing his shoulder.

"Yeah, sure."