They had already argued for a few days before Jim decided to take more drastic measures. It was high time to find out why these things were happening and who caused it. Well, he had his suspicion, but Blair denied it all.

In the course of the last week, weird things had happened and the level of weirdness had increased every day. The day before, he had found a dog in the bathroom and Blair again swore that he didn’t know how the animal had gotten in there. As well as he had sworn before that he didn’t know how the laundry got into the dishwasher and why their TV set suddenly received only Japanese stations. Or why his dresser had suddenly appeared at the front of the steps, instead of standing upstairs in his bedroom. Blair had denied knowledge of all of these incidents. And, even more strangely, to Jim’s senses he appeared truthful.

So maybe it was no prank. And there certainly had been no intruder. He had checked very thoroughly. There had been no foreign smells, no sign of forced entry, simply nothing indicating foul play at all. That left two possibilities he could think of and both of them were equally unpleasant. Either his roommate was insane or he was doing drugs. He couldn’t tell which alternative he preferred. He had used every unguarded moment to check the student’s behavior and appearance. There was no dilatation in Blair’s pupils and he didn’t smell any chemicals on him. But maybe he was using one of his weird herbal concoctions. Who knew what they contained?

After the last incident with the dog, he had asked his roommate to see a doctor to find out if there was something wrong with him, maybe insomnia since all of it had happened at night. Blair had exploded and demanded that Jim had the tests first. That had only doubled Jim’s suspicions. When the normally even-tempered anthropologist erupted, something was definitely wrong. He had let the topic go, but he still thought about it and finally he came up with a solution.

Simon was hesitant at first, but after hearing all about these insanities, which had been going on at the loft, he finally gave in and allowed Jim to borrow some of the surveillance equipment. If the little twerp was striking again, he would have it on video and no fast-talking would save Sandburg then. While he set up and hid the equipment, he entertained himself thinking about an appropriate penance. Provided that Sandburg didn’t need detox or a brain surgery.

Jim covered up his tracks and when the student came home there was no trace of something unusual. They shared dinner in strained silence. Blair was still sulking about Jim’s suggestion he made the day before and Jim was still plotting revenge. Both of them turned in early to avoid each other’s company.

Jim awoke refreshed. Stretching out his senses, he checked his territory. No unusual smells, and nothing suspicious to see so far. He switched to hearing and started. Blair’s heartbeat was elevated and the younger man’s breathing sounded strained.
He dressed quickly and hurried down the stairs. After a quick rapping at the French doors, he opened. And gasped for breath.

Blair was lying on his side, with his back to the door. His hands were cuffed together behind his back and his feet were bound together with several layers of string. Why the hell hadn’t he yelled for his help? But Blair’s face was buried tightly into his pillow. No wonder he had trouble breathing.

”Hold out for a moment, buddy, I’m getting my cuff keys and a knife.”

The figure on the bed shuddered, but did not answer. Jim moved out quickly to get the mentioned items. A few moments later, he was back, first releasing the handcuffs and then severing the strings. Blair didn’t move, so Jim turned him over gently. A moan of pain was the only answer, and now he discovered the reasons of Blair’s silence. The student was gagged and his mouth covered with adhesive tape. Above the tape were tracks of dried tears along with fresh wetness. The left eye was red and swollen. Blair still didn’t move and refused to look at Jim.

”That will hurt a bit but then you’ll be able to breath freely.”

With a fast tug, he removed the tape. Blair closed his eyes, but otherwise he gave no acknowledgement of the pain. Jim even had to remove the gag, because the younger man showed no inclination to spit it out. His worry grew.

”Listen, Chief, You stay put and I call an ambulance, okay? Everything will be fine.”

No reaction again. He hurried to the phone, all the time listening to his friend. When the operator answered, he was distracted for a moment. That was his only excuse why he didn’t hear his roommate finally moving. The door of the emergency exit slamming shut spurred him into action but he was too slow to stop his friend’s escape. He was only halfway down the stairs when Blair stumbled into his car and raced off. Jim sank down on the stairs, confused and sad. He sat there for a long time before he went upstairs again to call his captain and watch the surveillance tape.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Simon had made the way to the loft in record time. Ellison had sounded very confused when he called him. But he understood enough to know that his observer was in trouble. Again. God, didn’t the kid ever get a break? Quickly he moved up the stairs, too nervous to wait for the elevator.

To his surprise, he had to knock a few times before Jim opened the door. His detective looked like hell and there were even tear marks on his cheeks. Oh no. Sandburg was still alive, wasn’t he?

”Jim? Are you okay? Where is Sandburg?”

”He’s gone.”

God, no.

”And I can’t blame him. I would have taken off, too.”

Thank you, Lord. For a moment, he really thought the kid was dead. But what had happened to get his usually stoic detective in such a condition?

”Start at the beginning, Jim. What happened?”

Jim moved to the couch and sat down heavily. Simon shed his coat and followed suit. For a moment, the sentinel simply sat there, staring straight ahead. Just as he wanted to ask again, Jim started to speak, the voice sounding as if the other man had aged at least a decade during the night.

”You remember these pranks. When I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was checking for another surprise. The only thing I noticed was Blair’s elated heartbeat and labored breathing. You know that he had a slight cold and I thought it had gotten worse. So I went down to see if I could help and – god, Simon, I will never forget that sight. He was all bundled up, the hands cuffed behind his back, the feet bound together and he was gagged. His lips were blue under the tape. He had been having trouble to breath for more than four hours and I didn’t realize!”

”How do you know how long he had been gagged?”

Ellison looked down, avoiding eye contact.

”I had the surveillance equipment set up yesterday. I watched the tape while I waited for you.”

New tears wet the sentinel’s eyes. He didn’t seem to be aware of them. He just took the remote and started the tape. Simon watched, confused. The longer the tape played, the more horrified he became. The tape showed the entry to Blair’s room and showed clearly how Jim moved inside with a pair of handcuffs and a long piece of string, trailing behind him. The tape had no sound, so he didn’t hear what was going on. After a short while, Jim came out of the room again, shouting something back over his shoulder and moved out of the picture, only to appear again a few moments later with adhesive tape. Then the sentinel appeared again, moving out again. Jim stopped the tape.

”That’s all.”

His voice was only barely audible. Simon looked at his detective again. How could he have done something like that to the kid? What had Blair ever done to him? Even if the student had been the prankster, nothing justified that.

”Why? What on earth possessed you to do that? How could you, Jim?”

”I don’t know. I don’t remember any of that. Simon, he’s my best friend and I did that to him. I must be insane. I guess all the other things I did, too. I think I’m loosing my mind.”

No doubt about that. But he would deal with insane sentinels later; he had to find the kid first. He dialed the number of Blair’s cellphone, but removed the receiver when he heard it ring in Blair’s room. He tried the number of Blair’s office, but nobody answered. Next, he called Rafe and Brown and ordered them to drive to the university to search for the observer. He didn’t answer their questions, just demanded that they notified him as soon as they found him. Then he went back to talk to Jim. Ellison was only a shadow of the man he had been the day before and that kept Simon from being a whole lot more unfriendly.

”Do you have any ideas where he could be, outside of the university? A current girl-friend?”

”Sharon. He’s seeing someone named Sharon. But that’s all I know about her. No wait; she’s a teaching fellow, too. But I don’t know in which department.”

”Okay, it’s a beginning. We will find her. And I think it is best if I drive you to the hospital to see if you’re drugged or if there’s something else wrong with you.”

Ellison only nodded. That surprised the captain. Usually the sentinel would have insisted in searching the kid by himself. So, what had changed his mind?

”You’re giving me no grief? No insistence on looking for Sandburg?”

”He’s afraid of me. I fear he would bolt again if he sees me.”

”That’s logical. We will find him. But first, get dressed. I’ll drive you to the hospital.”

”Thanks, Simon.”

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Sharon opened her door and got the shock of her life. Blair was standing there, clothed only in t-shirt and boxer shorts. Usually she would have enjoyed the sight immensely, but one look at his face and she all but dragged him inside. He was shivering; his eyes were glazed and unfocused.

”God, Blair, what happened? Are you hurt? Should I drive you to the hospital? Please, Blair, say something!”

He just shook his head, the shivers getting more prominently. She took him into his arms, her worry increasing. He was ice cold, even though it was warm outside. She led him into the bathroom, turning on the shower and undressed him when he made no move. Gradually, she increased the water temperature until the shivers started to cease. Blair was just standing there under the spray, unmoving like a stature. When his skin started to turn red, she turned the water off, toweled him dry and wrapped him into her robe. Good thing that she preferred to buy her bathrobes two numbers too big, so it fitted him. Okay, apricot was not his color. She mentally chastised herself for her drifting thoughts. That always happened to her when she was nervous and this whole situation was damned frightening.

She led him into her bedroom but when she tried to settle him into her bed, he showed the first reaction. He shook his head and bolted from the room. She followed hurriedly. He hadn’t gone far and was simply standing there, in her living room, again unmoving. What the hell had happened to him? Maybe she should reconsider taking him to the hospital. She settled him down on the couch and then bundled him in every available blanket she found.

”Blair, talk to me please! Should I call Jim?”

”NO! No, no, no, no, no.”

He continued to mutter this word, the only thing he had said to her. She sat down beside him and embraced him. It didn’t surprise her when he started to sob quietly and she held him until he calmed down and fell asleep in her arms, exhausted.

God, what should she do? He was clearly frightened of Ellison. What could have happened? She always thought that these two were the very image of friendship. Maybe she could try to find out what had happened. She grabbed her phone and went into her bedroom. But what if Blair heard her call and tried to leave. She went back into the living room, smoothed the blankets, then moved to her front door, locked it, pocketed the key and went back into her bedroom. Then she called the police department and asked for Captain Simon Banks. It took her a while and a few declarations of urgency to get his cell phone number and then she still needed a few tries until she finally reached him.

”Banks.”

”Captain Banks? This is Sharon Masters.”

”Sharon? You are not by any chance Blair’s girlfriend?”

”As a matter of fact, yes, I am. And he is the reason why I call. He turned up at my doorstep, refused to talk to me, looking like death and the only thing I could get out of him was that I shouldn’t call Detective Ellison. Do you have any idea what is going on here?”

”Yes, yes I do. It seems that Detective Ellison had a temporary bout of insanity and attacked Blair in his sleep. I took Ellison to the hospital and they just finished the examination. He was drugged and they’re keeping him there for a few days until the drugs have left his system. I would like to talk to Blair, do you think that is possible?”

”Yes, I think you should do that. Could you get him a few clothes, though? He must have left in a hurry because he was only wearing underwear.”

”Oh Jesus, this gets worse every moment. I can’t even begin to imagine the state he was in when he ran away.”

”Well, I can tell you that I never have seen him in such a condition. Please hurry, I think it will help him if he knows the reason why.”

”I will. I need your address and then I’ll be on my way.”

She gave him the address, then removed the receiver and went back to Blair’s side. He was still sleeping and thankfully, he didn’t seem to have a nightmare. Not yet, anyway. Blair always took things to his heart and this had hit him hard. She sat down on the carpet beside the couch and started to sing softly while she gently stroked his arm. It was a tune her mother used to sing to her whenever she had bad dreams and it had worked every time.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Blair awoke with a start when he heard a deep voice. Had Jim found him? He relaxed a bit when he recognized Simon, but he was still tense. Why couldn’t they leave him alone? He wouldn’t go back, never again. There was simply no way that he would sleep there another night. Simon knelt down beside the couch, then sat there cross-legged. Blair struggled to sit up, but Simon laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

”Stay down, kid. You had a bad shock and should try to get as much rest as you can. How do you feel?”

”Fine.”

Simon looked as if he knew that this was a blatant lie. Tough luck. Another answer he wouldn’t get.

”I know that you’re not fine and that’s okay. If that would have happened to me, I wouldn’t be okay, either. I just hope that it helps you when I tell you the reason.”

He looked expectantly, but Blair didn’t feel like talking. That didn’t keep the captain from talking, though.

”He was drugged. They did a hair test. He had the drug in his system for more than a week. He can’t remember anything but he feels terrible. He had installed a small camera to find out why such strange things happened in the loft and caught much of it on tape. Not the actual act, but how he went inside your room with the handcuffs and the string. I have never seen him crying before, but this morning he couldn’t stop. He feels really bad about the whole thing.”

Well, Blair felt bad, too. Was he supposed to forgive Ellison as soon as he heard this? No, he was much too angry. He had spent nearly five hours lying there, fighting for breath, thinking what he had done wrong, why Ellison had come into his room, cuffing him, beating him, yelling at him and, when he dared to ask him a question, gagging him. Ellison had been so angry. He had been lying there, helpless, waiting for the older man to come back and finish what he had started. He had truly expected to get a bullet into his brain. Five hours of fear; fear to suffocate; fear to be killed. No he wouldn’t forgive Ellison, wouldn’t go back to the loft.

”Please, Blair, talk to me. I know that this was a horrible experience, but Jim had no control. You know what I’m talking about, Blair. You didn’t know what you did when you were drugged with the Golden, and Jim didn’t know, too. They are keeping him in the hospital until the drugs are out of his system and Rafe and Brown are searching the loft to find the source of the drug. I know that you are angry, but please, believe me that Jim didn’t do it voluntarily.”

”So it was just his subconscious urging him to beat me? What tells me that he doesn’t do it again as soon as his senses are out of whack or he drinks one too many?”

”Blair, think about it. Jim was annoyed. He thought you were playing these tricks on him. He was worried why he didn’t know what was happening. He thought he should be able to find out what had happened. And his inability to control these things turned him against the one person he thought responsible, you. He knows now that he did it and I don’t think he will ever do so much as thinking bad about you. He is in major guilt mode and I think you could really enjoy having a contrite roommate at hands.”

Blair had to grin against his will. It actually made sense. If he hadn’t been too confused and angry, maybe he would have found out by himself.

”You know, Simon, this was pretty profound. Did you master in Psychology?”

”No. But Jim was so despaired, he had to see a psychiatrist and she explained it to me. It made sense to me. To you, too?”

”I guess it does. Maybe he doesn’t hate my guts.”

”He doesn’t, Blair. That man is a mess. Remember when you ingested that Golden. It wasn’t hate against the police cars that urged you to shoot the garage, was it? And Jim didn’t blame you for it, did he?”

”No, he didn’t. Simon, intellectually I know that he wasn’t himself when he did that. But this five hours were so damned frightening.”

He shuddered. Sharon came out of the kitchen and handed him and Simon a cup of coffee. Then she sat down beside him, offering him strength. Her presence calmed him and he suppressed his anxiety to think about it more rationally.

”I guess you’re right. This isn’t different to my little trip in the garage. Jim must feel like hell now. I could visit him at the hospital if that would help him.”

”You should rest now, Sandburg. Maybe you can call him, but a trip to the hospital would be too much stress for you at the moment.”

Blair was amazed. A few minutes ago he had been ready to turn his back to Jim and never talk to the man again and now he was worried about his sentinel’s well-being. Not that he wouldn’t have nightmares about the incident – he knew he would -, but he didn’t blame Jim any longer. And Jim had trusted him after the Golden affair, had convinced him that he was still welcome at the PD, that he still wanted to have him by his side. He could do the same. He smiled at Simon before falling asleep again.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Joel laid his arm around Blair’s shoulder. The kid was so tense! Originally, he had wanted to stay outside while the two partners talked, but now he reconsidered. Blair needed backup, at least for the first few minutes. He didn’t knew all what had happened between the two of them, just that Ellison had been drugged and hurt his partner. Blair’s left eye was swollen and showed different shades of black and blue. It looked painful, but considering Ellison’s past it could have been much worse.

He felt slight tremors in Blair’s shoulders. Outwardly, the student appeared calm. If he hadn’t touched him and hadn’t seen him standing here before the door to Ellison’s hospital room for the last two minutes, he never would have known how hard this was for the student. But it wouldn’t help Blair to stand here. It was time to face his partner.

”Okay, Blair, you’re ready? One deep breath and in you go!”

Blair straightened his shoulders, nodded and did as instructed. Joel followed suit, keeping his hand on Blair’s shoulder.

Jim looked good. A bit tense, maybe, very guilty, without doubt, and relieved to see his friend. But only until he saw the black eye. Then the guilt won the fight for dominance of Ellison’s expression.

”I’m so sorry, Chief! How are you? Did you see a doctor?”

”I’m fine, Jim. How are you? When can you go home?”

Blair was still standing near the door, fidgeting nervously. Not a good sign. Joel tightened his grip of the student’s shoulder, trying to support the kid. It seemed to work; Blair took a few steps toward the bed and sat down there, near enough to touch the detective. They didn’t touch, though, but still, it was a beginning.

”Tomorrow evening. I could stay at Simon’s if it makes you feel safer.”

”No, Jim, I’m okay. I know that it wasn’t you. Dr. Abrahams explained it to me, what kind of drug it was and how it influenced you. You didn’t blame me after my target practicing at the parking garage and I don’t blame you, do you get that?”

He reached over and took Jim’s hand. Yes! In Joel’s mind a miniature version of himself did a happy tap dance. And it looked good, too. Maybe he should take the dancing lessons with his wife after all. He excused himself and left the two partners to talk in peace. Looking in a last time when he closed the door, he noticed that Jim squeezed Blair’s hand back and how they smiled at each other. They were okay or they would be soon.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

Rafe smiled evilly at the dark-haired woman. He loved playing the bad cop and in this case he enjoyed his role even more. This woman had poisoned Ellison. It was only appropriate that he and Brown were doing the interrogation; after all, they were the ones who found the drugged coffee in the loft and followed the trace until they identified her as the responsible party.  She was lucky that Ellison had no after-effects from the drug, or Sandburg would have come after her. It had been painful to watch the two of them in the first few days after Ellison had been released from the hospital, both of them overly careful with the other one. But now they were back to their old ways and the whole unit was relieved to see it. He tried his best scowl at her and asked her again, this time a bit, okay, much rougher.

”We know that you did it. The only thing I want to know is, why? What did Ellison do to you? You better start talking, Lady, because we have a lot of time and we will stay here, in this room, until you talk. So, better start now.”

She looked at Brown for help. He had been playing nice before, but now he ignored her silent plea for help. She was ripe, Rafe was sure. She would start talking every minute now.

”I didn’t want to hurt Detective Ellison. I didn’t even know that he was living with Blair.”

”So, you wanted to drug Blair Sandburg? Why?”

She looked at Brown again, but he was busy studying his fingernails. Rafe tried another of his evil grins. She shuddered and continued talking.

”The drugs weren’t supposed to hurt him; they were supposed to make him perceptible to telepathy. I’m sure that he is my soul mate and it is our fate to be together. We will be very happy together.”

Rafe studied her again and shuddered. Not only that she was twice as old as Sandburg, to call her ugly would haven been an insult to every ugly person in the world. She was so far beyond ugly, it wasn’t even funny anymore. On top of that, she was stupid. He would never understand how she got the idea that Blair could be interested in her. The student was simply too friendly, that was the problem. Good that Jim was there to look after him.

Okay, his work was done. Another weirdo off the streets. He called the uniform to take her back to the cell after she signed the confession. Most probably, she would be a case for the psychiatrics and not for the judges, but that was not his problem any longer. He grabbed his partner by the arm and they went out of the interrogation room to get their jackets. This evening they would celebrate; celebrate that the best team of Major Crimes was back to normal and that the second-best team had solved the case. He grinned at Blair, who grinned back happily. Jim laid his arm around the observer’s shoulder as he led him to the elevator and Blair was joking with him. This would be a perfect evening with a maybe not so perfect morning after, but he had stocked painkillers as a precaution. Well, the occasion was worth a hangover. He grabbed Brown by the arm again, and they followed Jim, Blair and Simon to the elevator. Murphy’s pub, we’re coming!

- End -


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