Vin Songfic: Simple Man
By Monica


And as always, thanks to Debbie.  A couple of encouraging words go a long way to giving me the daring to even attempt and post this.  Thanks, pard!
ATF Universe

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Later that evening Vin drove home with his mind slowly replaying the events of the day.   It was a habit he had long adopted, perhaps considering his line of work it was a bit of an odd way to relax and unwind, but it always helped him and ensured that he did not miss any important details or information in the course of some of their hectic days.  It had been a nice change of pace today that the most interesting thing to happen had been Buck's lunch.  And of course their "meeting" afterward. A lazy smile crept across his face, growing into a chuckle which evolved into a full out laugh as he remembered Buck's reaction to their playing "Gimme Three Steps" in honor of him.  Vin almost wished that he had been the one to think of it. Instead, just like the others, he had been totally surprised when it was Ezra of all people who suggested it.

Like the other five members of Team Seven, Ezra had shown real concern when told of Buck's lunchtime adventures over at the Saloon.   It was a well-known fact of life in their jobs that they would often face the muzzle of a gun pointed at them.  But it was a completely different story when that gun barrel was staring down at you when you thought you were doing nothing more serious than eating lunch.  Course, with Buck there was no such thing as just eating lunch.  And so, once they had learned that the agent was fine and that no actual shots were fired or even any injuries at all, they had relieved the moment of stress by joking about how these things could only possibly happen to Buck.

As usual though, Ezra had stubbornly refused to join them as they huddled together, each trying to think of the last time that Buck had to deal with an angry ex.  Each of them came up with different stories, each more hilarious than the last.  But it had been Ezra's sudden and surprising laugh out loud from where he sat at his own desk that had drawn their interest. He had grinned at them almost as if embarrassed when he noticed their attention.  And then of course, he had to baffle them by merely stating, "Gimme Three Steps," in explanation.

The five men exchanged confused looks and furrowed brows until Chris prompted, "Say again."

The undercover agent leaned back in his chair, his expression easily morphing into the smugness with which they were far more familiar. He of course made them wait through a rather lengthy pause as he made a show of attempting to gather his thoughts well enough that they might understand. But the way that Vin really figured it was that Ezra was embarrassed that he had been caught out and was trying to find the best way to cover it up or maybe change the subject.  It was as if he was uncertain about their reaction to the information he was about to relay and was trying to find the best way to do it so that he could save face if necessary.

"Are any of you gentleman familiar with a southern rock band by the name of Lynyrd Skynyrd?"

Again bemused looks were exchanged even as they all nodded, although J.D. had to add, "Yeah, they're known for that song, "Freebird", right?" His boyish face broke into a wide grin. "Ain't it supposed to be some kind of sacred song of the South?"

Ezra sighed the long suffering sigh of a southern man attempting to educate those unfortunate enough to have been born on the wrong side of the Mason-Dixon Line.  "There are those of the more exuberant southern personality that do find that particular, near endless, song to speak of some fundamental truths of the Southland soul. However, it is not the reason that I have brought up the name Lynyrd Skynyrd.  There is a song of theirs that has often reminded me of a situation that our own Mr. Wilmington might find himself in someday.  Apparently that someday is today."

"Gimme Three Steps," Chris repeated Ezra's earlier words with a knowing smile.

"Yes, that would be the one," the undercover agent agreed.

Nathan, Vin, and Josiah laughed as they too recognized the similarity of the situation that the narrator of that song found himself in and the one that Buck was in earlier that day. They knew that Buck had handled the situation far better than the narrator, but there would be no harm in teasing him as if he had not.  J.D. looked from one man to the other, his eyes finally resting on the still crookedly grinning Chris. "Gimme Three Steps" what's that mean?" he asked.

Vin laughed, "Well, J.D., you're such an expert on the computer why don't you just find out for yourself."

The younger man eyed Vin for a moment before rising to the challenge. Within minutes of his returning to his computer and a bit of keyboarding and mouse clicking the unmistakable strains of "Gimme Three Steps" filled the office. J.D. listened to it as he read through the lyrics. He laughed hard but then cut it off abruptly as an idea struck him.  And so the kid had set it up so that they could serenade Buck with that song when he returned for their suddenly called "meeting."

Vin laughed even harder as he remembered again the absolute outrage that had filled Buck at their teasing.  It was good to turn the tables on the tall man and they would all be milking this situation for all that it was worth and for as long as possible.

As he continued to drive, Vin's thoughts drifted to another Lynyrd Skynyrd song that had special meaning for him personally.  He was amazed and a little saddened at how long it had been since he had even thought of the song, much less listened to it.  He decided that in its own way it was a good thing that he was not called to listen to it anymore.  Maybe it was a sign that he had truly found a strange kind of peace with his teammates that were more like family to him than anything else.

But now that the memory had been awakened he could not stop himself from
reminiscing.  It was so very true that it was the oddest things that could connect you to someone close to you.  And he had always wanted more memories of his mother, wanted more that he could hold on to so that he would never forget her.  Her touch had been a delicate one but her love fierce and strong.  That he never feared forgetting because it was so ingrained into who he was, who he always wanted to be.

So when he first heard this song as a boy it immediately brought to mind his mother and what he truly believed was what she wanted of him.  She had told him to remember he was a Tanner and through all the years of heartache and pain, he had held on to that, knowing that it was truly one thing that could never be taken away from him.  Anyone who thought a name was just letters scrawled across a legal document could never understand what it meant to him.  It was not so much pride in who his people were and what they had done, but honor to know that their blood flowed within his and that he held all the promise that they had fulfilled before him.

He took that charge from his mother quite seriously, knew that she had said those words, had stroked his hair with pride welling in her eyes.  He knew that.  But hard as he searched, he could not find the memory of it within himself.  A shadow of it remained, the feel of the moment but no true image that he could call to his mind's eye and replay. Hearing this song allowed him to reconnect to that memory, make it more real.  And as it played, for just those few minutes in time, it was as if she was there again, one arm wrapped around him tightly, the other stroking his hair, her eyes imploring him to believe in himself so that the path he was meant to walk in life would unravel at his feet.  So far he had walked it simply by following the heart entrusted to him by ancestors he had never known.  And he may have stumbled a time or two, but he was certain that it had indeed led him true.

For here was his team, his family, disparate souls all of them yet somehow belonging together.  He never tried to ponder on how they had managed to find each other for too long, for the wheres and whys were completely unimportant.  All that mattered was that they were a team and worked well as one, but held each other as the family to replace the ones none of them knew for long enough or well enough.  Vin knew to leave the ponderings of such things to the likes of Josiah who could somehow see the intricacies and textures of the seven lives that were now so deeply bound together.  Vin was the simple man that he knew in his heart his mother had always wanted him to be.  And that was all that mattered to him.

Simple Man
By Lynyrd Skynyrd
(Gary Rossington - Ronnie VanZant)

Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say.
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day.
Take your time.Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.

(Chorus)
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man.
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?

Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(Chorus)

Boy, don't you worry.you'll find yourself.
Follow your heart and nothing else.
And you can do this if you try.
All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(Chorus)

Copyright 1973 by Duchess Music. All rights reserved.