What's in a name

by

"Well, hell's bell's that boy's got to have that file in here somewhere," Buck Wilmington muttered as he looked at the pile of files on his teammate's desk. Normally Buck would have simply waited until Vin returned from wherever it was he had gone, but it looked like the case he was looking into was tied to the one Vin was working on and he wanted to be certain before he brought the idea to Chris. Unfortunately, while Vin kept his desk neat and orderly while he was gone, while he was working it was another story. There was no telling where anything was in this mess! Seeing a likely looking form, Buck grabbed it. Looking at it, he blinked, closed he eyes and shook his head, and opening them looked at it again. It was still a change of name form with Vin's name on it, but Vin was what it was being change to! The legal name of the person requesting the change was left blank so far.

"Hey, JD, Vin mentioned anything about this to you?" Buck asked his friend, and the youngest member of their team, JD Dunne.

The younger man looked at it, "No, he never said anything. Vin doesn't do anything without a reason, though, so he must have one," JD commented.

"What kind of reason could a person have to change their name? Buck snorted.

"Perhaps our friend has decided to enter into a matrimonial contract and is changing his name rather than the traditional changing of the bride's name?" Ezra offered, smirking.

"Identity theft,, maybe? Happens to lots of folks nowadays," Nathan put in his two cents, while joining the others. He had been passing on a coffee run and had overheard the conversation.

"Wonder what he's changing it to?" JD asked.

"Might be he's changing it to Vin," Josiah responded.

"Why would he change his name to what it already is? Lot of paperwork and headaches for nothin'," Buck wondered aloud.

"Outside of court, Chris never goes by Christopher and JD doesn't go by John. Your name's Bucklin, but again unless someone is swearing you in in court you don't use it. Maybe Vin just dislikes his given name more than the rest of you," Josiah suggested.

"Indeed," Ezra concurred.

"Maybe it's no one's business but his own," Chris said in a soft warning voice.

"A good name's rather to be chosen than great wealth," Josiah quoted and returned to his own desk and waiting files.

Buck found the file was looking for and headed into a conference with Chris to discuss the possible connection. The others returned to their appointed tasks rather than have Chris decide that he had not given them enough to do.
 

It was an hour later when Vin returned form the firing range where he had been practicing with his long-range rifle. Their indoor range in the basement wasn't equipped for it, so he had had to go off site.

"My fly open or somethin', Buck? You ain't stopped staring at me since I got back," Vin asked him.

"I was looking for a file on your desk earlier and saw that you were changing your name, was just curious as to what we should be callin' you now."

"Recon' Vin'll still do, since that's my name," he gave his half smile and headed towards their boss's office to let him know he was back.
 

Chris looked up as his best friend and the team sharpshooter entered his office.

"You're back; hours in for this month?" The blond leader asked.

"Yep. Sounds like Buck found out about the name thing."

"Hell, Vin, if my parents had named me Arvin I think I'd have changed it years ago," Chris told him with a small laugh.

"At least now I don't have to worry about one of the boys over hearing if we're in court together for something," Vin snorted. He always had hated his name.

"Well, Vin, I suggest that we head over to the Saloon to celebrate your new identity," Chris recommended.

"Best idea I've heard all day." The tracker grinned.

At Chris's signal, the computers were shut down and the files put away. Another day was done and it was time to relax before heading to their various and assorted homes.

"So what did you change your name to?" JD asked, bouncing impatiently while waiting for the others.

"Vin."

"Good choice, brother," Josiah responded.

"It's you," Nathan agreed.

Ezra merely gave him a gold-toothed smile and two-fingered salute.

The men got in the elevator and held it as Buck dove in.

"If it's Vin now, what was if before?" Buck asked.

"Somethin' else."

A set of blue eyes met his green ones. Vin, no matter what his name, was still Vin. Chris shook his head, at the antics of his `boys' as they got on the elevator and left for the days. Buck was wheedling Vin tell him what his given name had been, JD was excitedly chattering to two med about his latest and greatest computer game. Josiah was telling a story that, judging form Ezra and Nathan's expressions made no sense at all. Vin was half grinning, while leaning against the back of the elevator and silently seeing and hearing everything. They might be a more than a bit unique, but they were his family, and exactly what he needed.