This particular story wasn’t supposed to be that long, honestly. But the plot-bunny escaped and gave me a merry chase for a few <cough> weeks. Okay, I admit that I’m out of shape! But I caught it eventually and now you decide what I should do with that rodent. Cuddle it, or slaughter it.

Warnings: Well, if you like Naomi, you won’t like that one. But that’s all. Not even a swearword, I think.
 

Family And Friends
 

“Jim, what is wrong with Sandburg? He’s acting stranger than usual.”

Simon was genuinely worried. The observer had been quite and withdrawn for the last three weeks. He missed the bouncing and the quirky humor of the young man. Sure, he was annoyed when the kid was always in his face, but now he missed that little nuisance.

Jim had noticed Blair’s strange behavior before. The student had been absent-minded and – obedient. Always a bad sign with the wayward anthropologist. It had been two weeks ago, that Jim had found out something was wrong, and than he realized that it had been going on for two weeks already, without him catching on. Good thing that Simon was not aware of that little fact. He was supposed to be a sentinel after all. But he tended to have a blind spot concerning his roommate. He had missed all the subtle clues and that showed clearly what little attention he had been paying to the student. He felt guilty, even more so when Simon mentioned Blair’s behavior. After all, he had known it for two weeks and did nothing. He wanted to be more than a good-weather friend. Time to take care of his roommate.

“I have no idea. I thought he had problems with his girlfriend of the week. But usually he gets over something like that much faster. He won’t talk about it, but whatever it is really bothers him.”

“Sandburg refusing to talk? That’s a first.”

The door to the bullpen opened and the object of their conversation moved in, slowly, wearily. He looked bad, tired and worn-out, and the black circles beneath his eyes -a constant in the last few days- had become even darker. Jim trained his senses on his guide. Blair was sweating, his temperature was elevated and he moved as if he were in pain.

“Hey, Chief, are you okay? You don’t look too good.”

“I’m okay. Just a bit tired. I didn’t sleep much last night.”

“You look feverish. Maybe you caught Brown’s bug. Remember how he coughed over your shoulder when you fixed his computer?”

“And the next day he was sick as a dog. I’ll have to thank the walking germ mother ship when he comes back to work.”

“I think you better go home, Chief. Get some rest and liquids. And I mean rest. Think you can do that?”

The young man made a show of looking thoughtful. Jim scowled at him. Blair’s expression switched to a crooked grin, but that faded quickly.

“You sure you don’t need me, Jim? I don’t feel that bad.”

“Go home, Junior. I think I can handle my paperwork alone for once.”

That got him a doubtful glance. He took the observer by the shoulders, turned him around to the door and gave him a gentle shove. Blair moved two reluctant steps, than turned around again and faced Jim.

“Okay, Jim, I got it. No need to get physical. Have fun with the forms; I go home to sleep.”

He continued his way out of the bullpen, with slumped shoulders and the overall appearance of a kicked puppy. Yep, that guy was definitely sick. Simon tapped Jim, who still looked after his retreating guide, at the shoulder.

“Your paperwork is waiting for you, Detective.”

“Sir, yes, Sir!”

Jim spent three frustrating hours doing paperwork, knowing that his younger partner could have done it in half an hour. Filling out these damned forms was more tiring than chasing suspects through the whole city on foot. Finally, the last one was done, right on time to go home.

On his way home, he made a detour to the deli and purchased chicken noodle soup for his roommate and a couple of sandwiches for himself. Hopefully, Sandburg really had gone to bed for the much-needed rest and would feel better by now.

He stepped into the silent loft. The air was stale and it smelled of sickness, at least to a sentinel nose.  No Sandburg resting at the couch. He shed his jacket and moved to the French doors. Peering into Blair’s room, he noticed the blanket on the floor and the young man, dressed only in boxers and a t-shirt, stretched out on the bed. The fever must have increased for Blair ‘I-am-cold’ Sandburg to lose the blanket.

The ringing phone stopped his musings. He hurried to answer so that his roommate wouldn’t be disturbed and spoke quietly.

“Ellison.”

“Banks here. Jim, please tell me that I left the Petersen folder on your coffee table yesterday.”

“You did. Oh damn, it’s still here. I wanted to take it with me this morning, but I forgot, too.”

“Maybe the damned thing is cursed. I’ll drop by in fifteen minutes if that’s okay for you.”

“No prob. See you in fifteen, Simon.”

“I’m already on my way.”

Jim went into the kitchen and put the soup into the microwave. Then he prepared a tea for Sandburg, choosing chamomile from his partner’s wide selection. He went into the little room to rouse his friend, gently shaking the too-hot shoulder.

“Blair? Wake up for a moment.”

“Go ‘way.”

“Only for ten minutes, Chief. Just eat a few bites and drink some tea, okay?”

“Not hungry. Let me sleep.”

Blair put his pillow over his head, turning away from his persistent roommate. All he wanted to do was returning to sleep.

“Come on, Blair. You need fluids.”

“‘M not Blair. I’m him. You don’t know me. Leave me alone.”

“Who are you then? Doesn’t’ matter, I’ll feed you anyway. Come on, rise and shine.”

Groaning, the younger man rolled off the bed and shuffled to the kitchen table. He sat down and rested his head on the tabletop. Jim placed the soup bowl and a glass of tea before him.

“Come on, try the soup.”

He took the spoon and placed it in Sandburg’s hand. The tired man sighed dramatically, straightened up and finally tried the soup. He managed to eat a few spoonfuls, then pushed the bowl from him and sipped at the tea.

“Did you take something for the fever?”

No reaction.

“Blair?”

“I’m not Blair. Why do you care for me? You don’t even know me.”

Now Jim was definitely worried. Could Sandburg be delirious? The fever didn’t seem to be that high. He laid his hand at Blair’s forehead. Nope, not dangerously high.

“The door.”

“What?”

“Someone’s at the door, oh Great Sentinel.”

Jim quickly strode to the door and let Simon in. The captain was grinning. Not often he managed to sneak up at the sentinel. And he even got to knock a few times.

“Jim, what’s wrong with you? You didn’t hear me getting into my car to drive over here? Getting old already? They always say hearing is the first to go.”

“No, memory goes first. That reminds me of a certain police captain who had to drive the whole way for a forgotten folder.”

“Which a certain detective forgot to take with him in the morning. I think we’re even.”

“Okay. Sorry for the delay. I was too deep in the Sandburg zone to hear you.”

“What did he do this time?”

A tired voice came from the kitchen table.

“He is present and able to hear you. Hi, Simon!”

They moved from the door into the kitchen. Blair was sitting there, sipping at his tea and playing with the spoon in the soup bowl. His hair was a mess, but even though he had obviously slept, he still looked exhausted.

“Sandburg, you look awful. Did Brown’s cold get you too?”

“Not Sandburg. But yeah, it got me.”

Banks frowned. The kid appeared to be out of it; he definitely acted weirder than usual. He looked at Ellison, who only shrugged.

“What do you mean, not Sandburg?”

“I’m not me. I don’t know me. Can you tell me who I am?”

Jim and Simon looked worriedly at each other. This was too spooky. Both began to consider that the young man might be seriously ill.

“Chief, please explain that. Why do you think so?”

“Can’t tell you. Is a secret, you know? Naomi would be in biiiig trouble if you knew. So, I won’t tell you. Sorry, guys. Just pretend that you know me, I’ll do the same.”

“Sorry, Chief, no can do. Tell me what’s wrong. Either that or we go to the hospital.”

“That’s blackmail. Not fair, Jim. I don’t want to go to the hospital.”

“Then tell me what’s wrong.”

“No. I won’t tell you. And I don’t go to the hospital, either. You can’t make me. I go to bed now. Good night, Simon, Jim.”

He stood up and moved slowly in the direction of his room, but Jim grabbed him and steered him to the couch. He forced the younger man to sit down and draped the Afghan from the back of his couch over him. The angry glare that Blair gave him for that was truly pathetic. The sick man looked as threatening as a newborn kitten.

“Tell me, Blair. I promise that I wont bother Naomi, but please tell me!”

“Simon too.”

“What is with Simon?”

“He has to promise, too. No trouble for Naomi.”

“Sandburg, I swear I won’t cause trouble for you mom.”

“No! Swear that you won’t cause trouble for Naomi!”

The captain and his detective shared another meaningful glance. Simon sighed, mentally counting to ten. Okay, the kid was ill, so let him have his will.

“Fine. I promise that Naomi Sandburg has nothing to fear from me. Satisfied?”

The young man’s reaction shocked both of them. He started to cry, the sobs shaking his entire body. Shaking his head he tried to get up but Ellison’s hand on his shoulder kept him in place.

“No, no, no, that’s not right, either.”

“Listen kid, you tell us what’s wrong and I promise not to cause trouble to anyone, Okay?”

“Promise?”

Blair’s voice was very small, like a frightened child. To the older men, hospital sounded better every moment. Simon took another deep breath, glad that his experience with his teenage son had taught him patience.

“I promise. Now please tell us what’s wrong.”

Sandburg nodded, wiped his face with a corner of the Afghan and started to stand up. Jim tried to push him down again, but this time the young man resisted, summoning up his last reserves of strength to stay on his shaky legs.

“Have to get something. Won’t take long, okay?”

The sentinel nodded and helped his guide remain standing. He kept a steadying grip on the younger man’s elbow and led him into his room, where Blair grabbed a folder from his bookshelf, and back to the couch. There, Blair lied down, wrapping himself in the Afghan and handed the folder to Jim. Then he closed his eyes and pulled the fabric over his face.

Simon and Jim shared another concerned glance. Jim opened the folder and gasped in surprise. He handed the first sheet to his boss.

“Simon, that is Blair. Naomi showed me baby photos of him and that is he.”

The captain studied the paper. Justin Karl Robertson, kidnapped in the tender age of five days by the daughter of the Robertson’s gardener, a Norma Stacy Woodward, age seventeen. Beneath the picture of a cute baby was a photography of a young Naomi Sandburg.

No wonder the woman was not too happy that the kid had friends in the Police Department. And it certainly explained why she traveled so much. Of course, the kid was upset. Now all that rambling started to make sense. Simon could not pretend to know what Blair experienced when he found out these devastating news, but he felt a knot in his own throat forming in sympathy with the kid.

Jim handed him another sheet of paper. This time handwritten, it contained information about the Robertson family. The parents Joseph Martin Robertson, a psychologist and author of three books, his wife Cathryn Margaret, a district attorney in Virginia, and four children. Two daughters, Janice Claire and Theresa Cathryn, both veterinarians and two sons, Sean Joseph, a pilot, and Martin Walter, who was studying history. Beneath the information stood in big letters: catholic.

How long did the kid have to gather all that information? Jim handed him the last piece of paper. It contained information about Norma Woodward. The last word on the sheet was the same as on the one before: catholic.

Apparently, he had spent a lot of thought on the confessions of the involved persons. Simon didn’t really understand it. Sandburg never seemed to be very religious. But he couldn’t even speculate how he would react if he was in place of the kid.

Jim kneed down beside the head of the cloth-covered figure on the couch.

“How long did you know that, Chief? How did you find it out?”

“A month. Remember the Morris case? I was looking for a missing person report on Josh. I typed a six instead of an eight and there it was. God, Jim, what do I do now?”

“Do you want to contact your family?”

“Which one?”

The young man finally unwrapped his face and sat up. He showed a very strange expression; forlorn, angry and yet hopeful that Jim was here and would help him fix that mess.

“I’m sorry, Jim, I’m just too tired to think. We’ll talk later, ‘kay?”

“Okay, Chief. Let me help you up.”

Jim grabbed Blair’s elbow, helped him up and steadied him on his way back into his room. Then he went into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water and moved back into the little bedroom. Blair had lain down again and he placed the bottle beside the bed within easy reach.  

“Chief, did you take something to get the fever down?”

“Mmh Hmm.”

The tired man pointed to a bottle of pills on his nightstand. Jim read the label of the medicine and was satisfied with the younger man’s choice.

“Do you need something else?”

“Just sleep.”

“Right. Sleep tight, Chief.”

Jim took one last look around the little room and then went outside to his captain again. Simon had folded the Afghan and laid it back at his place on the back of the couch. He was now sitting on Blair’s former spot and studied the papers again.

“What a mess, Jim. He found out quite a lot in only one month. We should make a detective out of him. He certainly has the potential.”

“I think it took him only a week to find it out. I can tell that he wrote this about three weeks ago.”

“How? Can you say how dry the ink is or what?”

“No, Simon. It’s the color of the ink. About three weeks ago, he switched from blue ink cartridges to green ones. This blue-green is a rather distinctive color.”

“Okay, no mystical mumbo-jumbo. What are we going to do with Naomi? Or Norma, to be precise.”

“I don’t know. I think, first we should try to convince Blair to take steps against her. He is too confused at the moment. If we issued a warrant for her arrest in this situation, he would feel betrayed by us. He needs all his friends now.”

Simon scratched at his head. He wanted to arrest her, badly. But he promised Sandburg not to do anything. What a mess!

“You’re right, Jim. We should talk to him; help him to clear his thoughts. Maybe we should find out some more about his family. I guess it would help him if he knew more about them then the facts he gathered so far.”

Jim nodded. He had no idea what to do in this situation. Waiting and gathering information sounded good to him. His captain snatched a notepad and scribbled down the facts Blair had collected.

“I better go now, Jim. Daryl wanted to call me tonight. I can't wait to hear what he wants to have for his birthday. My wallet is already weeping.”

“Don’t forget your folder! Greet Daryl from me.”

“Will do, Jim. Take care of the kid.”

Jim agreed and walked Simon to the door. Then he secured the doors and got ready for bed. It was a bit early but he did his best thinking in bed, looking at the stars through his skylights.

Blair listened to Jim as the detective went to bed. He felt awful. His head was hurting, but he didn’t want to take any more medicine. The pain made thinking difficult. Maybe it was the worst mistake of his life to tell the two policemen about his discovery. If they broke the promise, he had just made life miserable for a bunch of persons. His mother would be arrested and he’d lose his only family. The Robertson’s would learn that their long-lost child grew up as a Jew and everything he learned about them so far showed him that they wouldn’t be pleased to hear that.

He had never been a very religious person but he would not change his beliefs for a bunch of strangers. The one book of his biological father he had read was full of degrading statements about Jewish people. He forced himself to finish the book and burned it afterwards. His kind, generous and open-minded mother was considered a criminal and this group of bigots he should call family? He really didn’t think so. 

His headache grew worse. Obviously, it was not the right time to do heavy thinking. Blindly he groped for the bottle of pills on his nightstand and swallowed two of them dry. Then he put the bottle at the very end of the nightstand drawer. He wouldn’t take the risk of overdosing himself. A friend of him had damaged her kidneys badly only because the pills made her confused and she didn’t remember the amount already taken.

It took a while for the pills to kick in. He could hear his roommate shifting on his mattress above him. The detective was having a restless night, too. Probably thinking about how to arrest Naomi. His mother’s restlessness made her a difficult target. He’d talk to Jim and Simon again in the morning and decide afterwards if he should warn her. With her nomadic lifestyle, her bags were always packed and she could leave quickly.

How could he have revealed Naomi’s secret? And to policemen, for God’s sake. How could he have been so incredibly stupid? Why couldn’t he have let it rest? He didn’t feel obliged to the people he shared a few genes with. Damn flu! Why couldn’t Brown have kept his germs to himself?

His thoughts started to get mixed up and after a few more minutes, he fell into a troubled sleep. Jim hadn’t been listening to his friend but fell asleep at the same time. However, he didn’t sleep any better and it would have been a draw to say which of the two men had the worse dreams.

When Blair woke up the next morning his fever was gone but he didn’t appreciate the fact since his headache was killing him. He grabbed for his pills, but couldn’t find them. Oh, right, he hid them last night. With closed eyes, he opened the drawer and groped for the pain reliever. When he finally found it, he squinted at the label and took a couple of pills dry. It didn’t help his bad condition of the morning that one of them got stuck in his throat and triggered a coughing fit. Which aggravated his headache.

Jim woke up to the sound of his roommates hacking. He went down and poured a glass of water for his ailing friend. He knocked briefly at the French doors and moved in without waiting for an answer.

He took Blair’s hand, closed it around the glass but didn’t let go to steady the younger man’s grip. After a few sips the pill joined his companion and Blair sank back on his pillow.

“Thanks, Jim.”

His voice sounded raspy. Jim touched Blair’s forehead with the back of his hand to check his roommate’s temperature. It was nearly back to normal. He took a visual check and concluded from the squinted eyes, the frown and the tense shoulders that Blair had a headache.

“You’re welcome, Chief. Headache?”

“No, thank you, I already have one.”

“Funny, Laughing Boy. Are you up to breakfast?”

“Yeah, I’m quite hungry.”

He sat up carefully and gratefully accepted Jim’s hand helping him standing up. His brain still threatened to make a brake from his skull but he knew a hot shower would help and suffered through the short way. Jim prepared breakfast while his roommate enjoyed the hot water. He was just ready with setting the table when a cloud of steam announced the arrival of the younger man.

“Sit down, Chief. How do you feel now?”

“Like a new man. Wow, waffles! You spoil me, Jim.”

“I think you need a little pampering. Listen, Simon and me, we want to see if we can find out some more, unofficially. We won’t tell anyone. What do you think?”

“Knock yourself out. If you really want to know what kind of person Robertson is, read one of his books.”

“That bad?”

“Yeah. Look, I’m gonna see someone later and won’t be here. And I will turn off my cellphone, too. So, don’t worry if you can’t reach me.”

“Okay. Do you feel good enough to go out? You looked pretty bad yesterday.”

“I’m much better. And I won’t even drive. Rabbi Rosenberg will come by and give me a lift to the synagogue.”

“You think he can help you?”

“He is a wise man. Lots of experience, you know. And he is an outsider; maybe a fresh view could help. We’re going to call her. I don’t think I can do that alone.”

Jim was a bit hurt that Blair didn’t ask him to help him with the call. The younger man noticed the odd look and hurried to reassure his friend.

“Jim, that has nothing to do with you. I wanted to do that alone, but Rabbi Rosenberg insisted that I shouldn’t do it by myself. If I make a fool out of myself, I don’t have to face him again, so I think it’s a good idea. Are you okay with that?”

“Sure, Chief. Your increased interest in religion is pretty new, huh?”

Blair grinned at the older man’s careful approach of the topic. He never knew Jim was that much of a diplomat.

“I don’t know how I should explain that. It is the only thing that is just mine, see? The Robertson’s and Naomi, they are catholic but I am not. I am a Jew and that is nothing they can take away from me. Oh, that reminds me, do you know a judge? I want to make sure that I can keep my name.”

“Judge Weston owes me a favor. I’m sure he’ll find the time to talk to you. But how do you want to talk to him without giving Naomi away?”

“I’ll think of something. Ask a hypothetical question or something like that.”

“Well, if someone can pull a stunt like that it’s you. Is there something else I can do for you?”

Blair shook his head but Jim knew that expression, went over, and engulfed the smaller man in a bear hug. After a few seconds, Blair squeezed back and let his head rest on Jim’s shoulder. They remained in that position for half a minute and then Blair let go of the older man. With no further words, they ate breakfast, then cleared the table and Jim went to work.

Jim and Simon both had a busy morning, working on their side-job along with their regular job. Jim was a bit surprised about the reaction of the first bookseller he called to ask for one of Roberts’ books. But when he finally picked it up in his lunch break and read a few pages, he understood why Mr. Goldstein had said that he didn’t sell that kind of book. It was full of anti-Semitic bullshit and he figured out why Blair showed no particular interest in meeting that family. But other than that, they didn’t learn anything new, just verified the facts Blair had gathered.

Around two p.m., Jim’s phone rang. He was alerted when the caller identified himself as Rabbi Rosenberg and asked to talk to him and the captain together. He hurried into his superior’s office with a brief knock and not waiting for an answer.

“Sir, Rabbi Rosenberg is at the phone and wants to talk to both of us. He spent the morning with Blair and they wanted to call Naomi together. This can’t be good.”

Simon looked worried, too. He grabbed the receiver, took the call and activated the loudspeaker.

“Rabbi Rosenberg? This is Captain Simon Banks. Detective Ellison can hear us. He said you wanted to talk to both of us?”

“That’s right. Blair wants to meet both of you at the station in twenty minutes. Is it possible that you could arrange some privacy?”

“That is no problem. Is he okay?”

“Not really. But don’t worry; I’ll take care of him. He’s upset, but otherwise okay. I just don’t want him have to deal with other people at the moment.”

“I understand. We take care of that. Can we do anything else?”

“No, thank you. See you soon. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Rabbi.”

Simon hung up and leaned back.

“I guess his talk with her didn’t go too well.”

“Looks like that. God, Simon, I really hate this situation.”

Simon nodded at that. Then he called Rhonda in and asked her to make sure that the conference room would be free and they wouldn’t be disturbed. They spent the waiting time together in Simon’s office pondering what might have happened.

Jim listened for his friend but wasn’t able to concentrate so he only heard him after he left the elevator, shortly before he stepped into the bullpen, followed by an older man with kind brown eyes and a friendly, open face. Blair’s companion had his arm around Blair’s shoulder and steadied his gait.

Jim took a closer look at his roommate. The kid needed a helping hand. He was pale and shaking. Blair looked at his feet and not even Jim’s greeting prompted him to lo look up.

Simon also seemed to sense the tension in his observer and quickly let them into the conference room. Blair fell heavily into one of the chairs and the Rabbi took place beside him. Jim moved behind his friend’s chair and laid a hand on his shoulder. Simon took seat at the table, facing Blair.

Blair sighed, then spoke for the first time since he stepped into the department.

“You can forget your promise. That woman is not my mother any longer.”

He spoke quietly, but forceful. Jim was cursing Naomi inwardly. She must have said something unforgivable to evoke such a statement from the ever-forgiving Sandburg. He squeezed the trembling shoulder.

“Do you want to tell us what happened,” Simon questioned gently. Blair didn’t answer first, but then responded with a shaky voice.

“I don’t know, Simon. I’m too confused and angry at the moment.”

Blair looked at the Rabbi, who offered him an encouraging smile. He took a deep breath, grabbed Jim’s hand that was still resting at his shoulder and ran his free hand through his hair. Jim squeezed his shoulder again and Simon smiled at him.

“I asked her if she did it. You know, the kidnapping thing. She admitted it without any sign of guilt or remorse. Only said she wanted a kid and I was available. Can you believe that? I feel cheated. All the time I thought she was my mother and loved her and she only said she thought it was funny to have a baby but it was too strenuous for her. She said now I would understand why she left me with friends and took off to have fun on her own so often. Since I wasn’t her real child, it was okay for her to do that. But that wasn’t even the worst thing she said.”

He trailed off, studying his hands, clasped together on the table before him. Jim felt the tremors running through his body. What could be worse than kidnapping a baby just for fun? He looked at Blair’s companion but the man was concentrated at Blair. He moved to sit beside Blair, still keeping contact to his upset friend. Blair was now flanked with a protector on both sides.

When Blair finally looked into the eyes of his roommate, Jim noticed the tears that started to pool in his eyes. He tried to transport encouragement through his gaze. Blair attempted a weak smile and steeled himself to continue. He looked only at Jim, not once glancing away.

“You won’t believe that, Jim. She said she didn’t want to disturb my ‘psychological evolution’ or she would have ‘offered’ me to have…to have sex with her, before. Can you believe that? Jim?”

He folded his arms on the table and laid his forehead on them. Jim could smell the tears, now flowing freely. Damn that woman! How could she do something like that to Blair? How could his friend survive a betrayal like that? He looked over to his captain. To say Simon looked shocked was an understatement. Shocked and not a little pissed off.

Jim stroked over Blair’s shoulder. The younger man turned to him and Jim embraced his sobbing friend. They remained like that for quite some time, Blair growing calmer and Jim’s shirt becoming wetter. If that woman had stepped into the room in that moment, she wouldn’t have left it alive. Two very angry policemen would have ripped her apart.

Simon was absolutely stunned. He always thought ‘seeing red’ was only a manner of speech, but now he actually was seeing red. How could that woman do such a thing to Blair? But they would get her and she’d get what she deserved. Well, maybe not exactly what she deserved. Modern law wasn’t very fond of burying people alive inside of an anthill. Or giving them a bath in a piranha pond. Prison was too good for her.

Simon studied Blair’s condition. There was no way he could ask the kid where his mother, no his kidnapper, was until he would be much calmer. But that could take quite some time. Jim was still embracing the kid tightly. He looked at the rabbi and mouthed his question: ‘Do you know where she is?’ Rabbi Rosenberg nodded, then searched in his pockets until he found a piece of paper with a phone number. He handed it to Simon, mouthing back: ‘That’s her number.’

No cellphone number. Good. He didn’t recognize the area code but that was easily to accomplish. She would pay for what she did to this wonderful person. One thing was clear to him; he couldn’t keep his distance to Blair any longer. The young man needed every friend he could get now. Maybe they could form a kind of substitute family for the kid. He had never admitted how much he liked the weird student but that had to change now.

Jim was doing a good job with Blair. He was not afraid to show his emotions and gave Blair the support he needed. Simon only hoped his detective was able to keep that up. The kid would take every kind of rejection very hard now.

Simon grew impatient. He was dying to start the hunt for the witch. On the other side, he had to stay in the room to show his support to Blair. The rabbi seemed to sense his impatience and handed him a pen and made a writing motion, gesturing to the piece of paper he gave Simon. The captain understood and wrote the order to find the location belonging to the phone number on the empty side of the sheet. Rabbi Rosenberg mouthed a silent: ‘Who?’ to him and gestured toward the bullpen. Simon wrote ‘Brown’ and ‘Rafe’ on one edge and handed the paper back to the other man.

Quietly, the rabbi slipped out of the room and delivered the notice. He came back so quickly that Blair didn’t even notice he was gone. The young man was still wrapped in Jim’s arms but the tears had stopped. Jim finally answered the question Blair had asked minutes earlier.

“No, Blair. I will never understand how she could do something like that. You are the best person I’ve ever met, kind, generous and selfless. You don’t deserve that and she will pay for it.”

He spoke in a gentle voice, again stroking Blair’s back in a soothing rhythm. Then he rested his chin on his friend’s curls and looked at his superior. Simon cleared his throat and wiped the tears he hadn’t noticed before from his eyes.

“Jim is right, Blair. I would be more than proud to call you my son and Daryl already adores you like the big brother he never had. You are not alone. We are your family. Joel is the kind uncle, H the goofy cousin, Rafe the one you can always confide in ‘cause he’ll always keep your secret and he’ll never disappoint you, Rhonda the heart of the family who keeps everyone in a good spirit and Jim the protective big brother.”

Blair drew a deep breath, sniffled a bit, straightened and dried his face with his sleeve. He looked a bit sheepishly at the wet spot he left on Jim’s chest. Jim reached out and tousled his friend’s curls. Blair turned towards the police captain.

“Thank you, Simon. That means a lot to me.”

Simon smiled at the kid and started to question him gently.

“Do you know where she is now? I really want to get her. She has to pay for what she did to you.”

“She’s in Boston. I have the exact address at home. I’ll give it to you, but I don’t want to hear from her ever again. Please understand that, Simon. It just hurts to much to think about her.”

“I understand that, Blair. Don’t worry, nobody will ask you to help in this particular investigation.”

“Thank you. Can I go home now? I’m kinda tired.”

“Sure, Blair. I’ll come along and get the address, okay?”

Blair nodded tiredly. Jim took his elbow to help him stand up. Blair was moving slowly and looked dazed. No wonder, after all what happened in the last time. Thank god that he was so strong. A weaker person wouldn’t have survived this. But Jim vowed to himself to take care of his friend in the next days. It would just be difficult to find the right balance to avoid smothering Blair with his attention or being too reserved. Thankfully, his senses would show him all the little signs of distress clearly. He would just have to pay attention.

Simon directed the group out of the bullpen and into the elevator. He watched Blair out of the corner of his eyes. The kid had his eyes closed and was leaning again against the wall and Jim’s right side. Jim had laid his right arm around Blair’s shoulders and his left hand was clutched in an iron grip from both of the younger man’s hands. Simon doubted that the student knew how tight he had grabbed Jim’s hand.

Rabbi Rosenberg grinned at the sight of Jim’s stoic expression. His hand had to hurt, but he didn’t let it show. Blair was in good hands with his two friends. Earlier he was worried if he could leave the upset man. The panic attack the student had experienced in his office had really scared him. For a few moments, he thought the young man would die. Originally, he wanted to drive him to the hospital instead to the Police Department, but Blair had insisted to meet his friends there. Obviously, it was the right choice. No medication could have done what the support of the two policemen accomplished.

The elevator stopped in the garage and they went to their cars. Blair had come with the rabbi but went to Jim’s truck without a second thought. Jim’s truck led the caravan of cars to the loft. Blair kept his eyes closed the whole time and Jim did not attempt to break the silence. His roommate looked as exhausted as if he had run a marathon. Jim knew how draining intensive emotions could be, sometimes more exhausting than physical exertion.

He stopped the car and shook his passenger’s arm gently to rouse the dazed man. Blair opened his eyes and blinked a few times before he realized they were home. He flashed Jim a brilliant smile and moved out of the car. The smile threw Jim. That was so much the old Blair, the unhurt version of his friend. He didn’t expect to see that smile again, at least not within the next few days. A good sign, a promise of emotional healing, he decided and hurried after his friend.

Simon Banks and Rabbi Rosenberg caught up with the roommates at the elevator. Both noticed the slight smile around Blair’s lips with astonishment. Blair noticed their surprise and stated forcefully: “She will not rule my life. If something good happens to me, I intend to enjoy it. And your help and support is a very good thing. Thank you.”

Jim ruffled Blair’s hair and answered softly: “You’re more than welcome, Buddy. If anyone deserves happiness, then it is you. Come on, Chief, you chariot awaits.”

The rabbi used the short elevator ride again to scrutinize the young man. He was well aware that the good mood wouldn’t last. But it was a good sign, showing how strong a person that young man was.

The elevator stopped and they moved into the loft. Blair excused himself and went to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for bed. He couldn’t remember being that tired before. After a very quick shower, he stumbled into his room, wrapped in Jim’s large robe. He searched through his desk drawer and took his address book out to Simon.

“That’s her actual address. The others are her favorite hangouts and the addresses of her friends. There are no other entries in there, her lifestyle provided enough addresses to fill a book.”

“Thank you, Sandburg, Blair. Go to bed, kid, you look ready to keel over.”

“Will do. Good night, Gentlemen, I’m beat. Thank you for your help, Rabbi. I’ll call you later because of the conversion, okay?”

“That’s okay Blair. Sleep well.”

Blair nodded, patted Jim’s shoulder in going by and went back into his room where he fell into bed and was asleep within seconds.

Jim puzzled over Blair’s words. Conversion?

“What did he mean, Rabbi? What conversion?”

“Well, Detective Ellison, in the Jewish faith, the kid is Jewish if his mother is. Blair grew up as a Jew, but his mother is catholic. That’s why he wants to have a formal conversion ceremony.“

“Do you think that he only has this big interest in religion to deal with this whole situation?”

“Funny, Blair asked me the same question. I don’t know and I’m sure Blair doesn’t, either. But if it helps him to cope, it can’t be a bad thing. Your friend is a very special young man. Please, don’t be afraid to show your feelings. He’ll need every bit of affection he can get.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ll do my best. God, how could she do that? I’m so angry, I can’t see straight.”

“That’s understandable. I’m pretty pissed myself and I only know him for three weeks. She was really chipper, you know? Glad that he found out so that she could come on to him. You didn’t see his face when he heard that. I’m a peaceful human being, but I wanted to reach through the telephone line and strangle her.”

“I felt the same urge a few times today. And Simon here looked ready to shred her into tiny little pieces.”

“Exactly Jim. With a very blunt knife. And very slowly.”

“Ouch. Remember me never to get at your wrong side, Captain Banks. Well, I have to go now, or my wife will shred me to pieces.”

“We can’t have that. Thank you for your help, Rabbi Rosenberg.”

Jim accompanied the two older men to the door and bid them goodbye. Then he picked up the laundry and started an evening of housecleaning. Nothing better than cleaning to keep his mind occupied. He hated the feeling of being helpless. There wasn’t anything he could do to help Blair, besides being there for him. 

Two hours later, the loft was spotless. Jim plopped exhausted onto the sofa when the phone rang. He sighed, stood up and went over to the phone.

“Ellison.”

“Hi, Jim, it’s Simon. I just want to tell you that she was arrested.”

“Already? Wow, that was fast work!”

“Well, the Boston PD was convinced that they had to act fast before she disappeared. They caught her leaving the house. Arrest in the last second, so to say.”

“Are the Robertson’s informed that their son had been found? I mean, Blair isn’t really keen to meet them. He should have some forewarning before they show up here.”

“Why, is he suddenly shy? I’d guess he’d be eager to meet them.”

“I’ve read one of his father’s books and it was full of anti-Semitic bullshit. I think he feels personally attacked by this nonsense.”

“Damn! Can’t that kid ever get a break? He discovers that his mother isn’t his mother and then he finds out that his father is an asshole. I didn’t inform them but I’m sure the Boston police did. I’m quite sure we’ll hear from them soon.”

“Damn! He won’t take that well. But maybe it’s better to get that behind us fast. Then he’ll know what he has to expect form them.”

“I just hope Blair will see it that way, too. Okay, Jim, I’ll have to go now. Just wanted to let you know the latest developments. Take care of the kid, okay?”

 “I will, Simon. Thanks for you call. Bye.”

“Bye, Jim.”

Jim replaced the receiver and sat down again. Okay, Naomi was caught. Now the feds would turn up and ask for a statement from his roommate. And the Robertson’s might be standing on their doorstep soon. Maybe he should take a few days vacation and help Blair dealing with all the mess. But he’d have to talk to his friend first. The anthropologist was sometimes so full of contradictions it would be better to ask him than to assume he knew what Blair wanted.

He switched the TV-set on and zapped through the channels, searching for something to keep his mind busy. After a while, he gave up, took a shower and went to bed early. Both men slept deep and undisturbed in spite of the events of the day.

Blair woke up early. Shuffling in the direction of the bathroom, he noticed the spotless loft. Neat freak Ellison struck again. He’d better go through his room, too, so that the difference wouldn’t be too noticeable.

Jim heard his roommate bustle around in the bathroom. Time to face his friend with his news. God only knew how he would take it. But there was no point in stalling the conversation, so he quickly stood up and went down the stairs.

“Morning, Jim!”

Blair was leaving the bathroom, again dressed in Jim’s too large robe, toweling his hair. Jim sighed; another piece of clothing had changed possession. He didn’t really mind it as it happened seldom enough.

“Good morning, Blair. We have to talk.”

“Uh oh, not good. You call me Blair and want to talk? I’ll have to get my calendar and mark the day.”

“Simon called yesterday evening. Naomi was arrested in Boston.”

“Oh.”

Blair visibly deflated, moved over to the sofa, sat down heavily and studied his hands intendly. Jim hurried to his roommate’s side and laid his arm around Blair’s shoulder. He felt tremors running through the younger man’s frame, but outwardly, he appeared calm.

“I’m okay, Jim, really. That was certainly fast work. I, uh… well, I was kinda hoping she would disappear and I’d never hear from her again, you know? So this means trial, testimony and all that, right? I’m not ready for that now; I just need more time. Can’t we just go away, Jim, take a few days of vacation, just disappear and clear my mind.”

He looked at Jim hopefully, pleading. Jim always had a hard time refusing these puppy-dog eyes, even when he was aware that the younger man used it as a weapon. But not this time. His friend was confused, hurting and more than a little overwhelmed from the entire situation. His first impulse was running away with him, protecting the student from the world. Still, Blair was a strong person and running away wouldn’t help in this case.

“We’ll talk to the feds. Maybe they can do without us for a while. But I think we should talk to Rabbi Rosenberg and Judge Weston first. They can give us fresh perspectives. And we have to get ready for the Robertson’s showing up. I know all this is a lot to take but we all will help you, Simon, the bullpen-gang, the rabbi, the judge and, of course, me. You have a lot of friends and we won’t let you down, Chief.”

“God, don’t tell me they know where I am. The Robertson’s, I mean. I don’t want to see that asshole ever again in my whole life!”

“Wait a minute! Did you meet one of them already? When? I take it that it didn’t work out. What happened?”

 “Three weeks ago he was presenting his new book in Seattle. You sure remember the Saturday I went there to meet a friend? Stacy accompanied me to his presentation. I listened to his crap for a while and then asked him a question. He only heard my name and had me removed by the security guards. Stated I was one of these Jews that always turn up to make trouble for him. You should have heard Stacy. I never heard a woman use words like that. She would have made a sailor blush. You would have been so proud of her.”

“I sure would like to meet her. I can understand that you don’t want to see him. But what is with the others? Your biological mother, your brothers and sisters?”

“I don’t know, Jim. I guess if they want to talk to me, I’ll listen. But I won’t change for their sake. Not my faith, not my name and nothing else. You’re probably right, Jim, running away won’t help. I better get my life in order before they start messing with it. Do you think the judge could see me today?”

“I’ll call him. But it’s a bit early for him. Let’s eat breakfast first and then we take care of it. Do you have to go to the university today?”

“I’ll call Greg. He owes me about five thousand favors. He’ll cover my classes for this week and maybe the next too and take notes in Professor Jennings course.”

“Good. That leaves your head free to deal with all of this. So, an easy question for a change. What do you want for breakfast?”

“Do I sound greedy if I ask for waffles again? I’m addicted to your blueberry-waffles.”

“Well, that’s not your fault since I hooked you up on them. But we don’t have berries anymore. So, plain ones or chocolate chips?”

Blair quick grin convinced Jim that he shouldn’t have bothered with asking the little chocoholic. For all of his insistence on healthy food the young man surely had a sweet tooth. What the heck, chocolate was said to improve the mood and that would be highly appreciated right now. He gave his roommate a gentle shove in the direction of his bedroom.

“Go, get dressed, Blair. You just got over your cold. You should take better care of yourself.”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“That’s big brother to you. Remember Simon’s little speech? So, swing a leg, baby brother!”

“Hey, I resent that remark! Only Stacy gets to call me baby.”

“Oh, getting serious, are you?”

“As serious as it can get with a woman who treasures her freedom. We both don’t see anyone else, but we also don’t intend to move any further at the moment. She’s really great; you’ll like her.”

“Sounds like the ideal woman for you. Now, get dressed or you’ll catch death.”

Blair nodded and obeyed. The banter with Jim had lifted his spirit. He dressed himself while Jim puttered around in the kitchen. He went out again and called his friend Greg to call in his favor.

When he replaced the receiver, Jim was finished with the breakfast preparations. Enticing smells were flowing through the loft and he hurried to the table. Jim did his best to keep Blair’s mind off his sorrows and kept him entertained during the meal. Then he called the judge while Blair took care of the dishes.

“We can drop by in his office in his lunch break. Simon should be in his office by now; I’ll call him and take the day off. He can call us when they need your statement, okay?”

“Yeah, sounds good, Jim. But don’t you think it’s a bit of a short notice to call Simon now? You should be already at work!”

“No, that’ll be no problem. He told me that I should take care of you and that he would give me a few days off if I need it. Simon cares more about you than you can imagine.”

“I’ve got a pretty good idea yesterday. Go on, call him. I need the phone, so hurry up!”

“Hot date, Chief?”

“Yes, with a good-looking rabbi. Want his number?”

“Smartass! No, Simon, I didn’t mean you! Yes, I was discussing with Sandburg.”

Blair was shaking in silent laughter. Jim’s face had been priceless. The older man quickly finished his conversation and handed Blair the receiver. He was growling at his roommate when the student dialed, still grinning broadly.

“Hello? Rabbi Rosenberg?… This is Blair Sandburg. I just wanted to confirm the date…. No, I’m absolutely sure…. Yes, until tomorrow then. Bye.”

“Is that about the conversion? I’m sorry, I didn’t want to invade your privacy, but I heard you mention that yesterday and asked the rabbi.”

“That’s okay. Yes, I just wanted to reassure him that I didn’t change my mind. The ceremony was planned two weeks ago for tomorrow and he thought I could reconsider after the talk with Naomi yesterday.”

Jim was silent for a while. Then he laid his arm around the younger man’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Blair. If you ever want to talk about the call I’ll listen.”

“Thanks, Jim. Not yet, though. It is still too fresh and it hurts to even think about it.”

Jim nodded understanding. He also had his shares of emotional hurt and could relate to his friend’s reaction. That’s why he had no problem to disregard the conditionings from his father or the army and be there for his partner, comfort him when needed. Blair had taught him a lot about being a man, about not being afraid to show his feelings and voice his needs. From time to time, he caught himself falling back into his old pattern but it became fewer with passing time. He realized now that all that shit with keeping a macho-façade, all the ‘real men don’t cry’-crap was just a way of hiding, of not having to deal with the real hard things in life, like feelings. So, when he saw the look in Blair’s eyes and his aborted motion towards him he didn’t hesitate to take his friend in his arms. He stroked Blair’s back while his roommate sobbed into his chest.

After a while, Blair got a grip of his emotions again and smiled sheepishly up into the bigger man’s face. Jim ruffled the curls and smiled at his friend. The rest of the morning they spent in companionable silence when they worked together to bring Blair’s room to the same grade of neatness like the rest of the loft.

For two days, they were busy with getting order into Blair’s life again. On the third day, they started waiting. Waiting for the feds to question Blair, for something, anything to happen. Jim called Simon a few times, but his boss had no news. The feds only told him they would contact Blair’s family and question the young man when they were ready. Jim, frustrated, thought again that the feds were all a bunch of slow-brained morons, to busy looking important to do their work.

During all the waiting time, the student became increasingly nervous, twitching and damn near bouncing off the walls. He even considered going back to the university but he had to admit that he was in no shape to concentrate, let alone to teach. So, Jim kept him busy with mindless tasks. They painted the whole loft, with lighter colors, which made the rooms appear a lot bigger. Because the walls looked too bare afterwards, Jim spent the evening accompanying Blair into various antique stores and ethnic shops to buy decorations.

On the next day, the loft was not recognizable, all cupboards and shelves were rearranged and there was simply nothing else to do. And still nothing from the feds, nothing from Blair’s family, no news about Naomi. Even though it was Sunday morning, both men decided to go to the station. Maybe they wouldn’t be able to do anything useful, but they were going stir crazy waiting for something to happen.

The bullpen was quiet. Rafe and Brown were sitting at their desks, the lack of enthusiasm for their paperwork obvious. They welcomed the opportunity to leave the dreaded task and gave them an excited welcome.

“Jim, Hairboy, good to see you! Work wasn’t the same without you!”

“Thanks, H. I’m so touched that you prefer us over your paperwork.”

Rafe burst out laughing. He slapped his partner hard on the back.

“H, my man, Jim’s got you pegged. Face it, your aura of mystery is destroyed.”

H scowled at his partner, but ruined the effect when he burst out laughing. The noise draw Simon out of his office and his glare convinced Brown and Rafe to return to the paperwork. Blair grinned at the byplay.

“Simon, what are you doing here? I thought you would enjoy your weekend with Daryl?”

“See, Jim, my son thought it would be cool to go on a little joyride with Joan’s car. She caught him and now he’s grounded. So, I’m here taking out my frustration with the budget. What are you two doing here?”

 “Keeping ourselves occupied. Waiting for the feds to move their asses and finally do something is driving us both nuts. By the way, Simon, do you have any idea what’s going on here? Usually the feds would be all over us by now.”

“You won’t believe it. I’ve got a call today, just ten minutes ago, from Director Freeman. Seems he assigned the case to a couple of agents who are on vacation at the moment. He just realized yesterday evening and called me today. I’ve got the impression that he hoped I wasn’t in the office when he called on a Sunday morning. So he could give the message to someone other and be safe of my wrath. But I can tell you; I gave him a piece of my mind. Anyway, he told me we could expect a couple of agents tomorrow before noon.”

Both policemen shot covert glances to the observer to assess his reaction to the news. Blair was running his hands through his hair then rubbing them nervously on his thighs. After a few moments, he got himself together and looked at the two older men again, noticing their attention. He grinned when they both quickly averted their glances.

“So, Captain, I’m missing my paperwork. How come my desk is that empty?”

“It’s all in my office. We had your notes, so I had Brown and Rafe type it and it only waits for your signature. If there is anything wrong in it or missing, just add it and I have them typing it again.”

“Uh oh. What did they do to piss you off?”

“Lets just say they’ll be doing the unpleasant jobs for a few days. What do you think about joining me for an early lunch? Going through these papers shouldn’t take longer than half an hour and by then I’ll be done with my work.”

“Sure, Simon, I’d like to. What about you, Jim?”

“Sounds good to me. Okay, Captain, hand me my papers and I’m as good as done.”

The next forty minutes Jim and Simon were busy with paperwork and Blair tried to worm out of Brown and Rafe what they did to get on Simon’s wrong side. But whatever it was, they wouldn’t tell him and he knew that Simon would not talk about it to anyone. He could only guess from the slight blush on Rafe’s face that it had been something embarrassing. When he realized that they really didn’t want to talk about it, he backed off, respecting their privacy.

Jim and his captain were still occupied, so he sat down at Jim’s desk and started brooding. In spite of all his experience with the police, he was unsure what to expect from the feds. And now that they were finally doing something, he should hear from the Robertson’s soon. He was dreading the confrontation, not only because of his father’s mindset but also because he would have to face a whole family, a group of people who belonged together and shared a past.

A slap on his shoulder startled him out of his musings. He hadn’t noticed the two big men coming out of the captain’s office and coming over to the desk.

“Oh hi, finished already?”

“Uh huh. Come on, dreamer, Simon promised to buy.”

“Oh, did I? Funny how that slipped my mind. Okay, okay, Sandburg, stop that starving waif impression, I’ll buy!”

“See, Simon, told you so.”

“Don’t tempt me, Detective, there is still a lot of paperwork to do!”

“Please, Chief, protect me! My boss is harassing me!”

“Stop whining, Jim. You asked for it. Be thankful that your boss is inviting you. And you, Simon, stop threatening my partner. He has no manners but he is a good guy, usually.”

That cracked both men up and Rafe and H were grinning behind their captain’s back. When it looked like Simon would turn around, they sobered quickly and tried to appear busy. Blair grinned at that, enjoying the show. Then he grabbed his jacket and waved goodbye to the two very zealous looking detectives. When a glance at the captain showed them that he wasn’t looking at them, the two detectives answered in kind.

Simon invited them to a very nice and quiet little restaurant. Blair was glad that he and Simon overrode Jim’s request to eat at Wonderburger’s. They ordered and got their drinks. Usually, Blair was glad if the tea served at restaurants was even remotely drinkable but this time it was really good. If the food were comparable, he would have to remember the establishment.

“So, Sandburg, Jim told me you added a middle name when you did all that paperwork with Judge Weston. But he didn’t tell me, which. I hope it’s a bit more gender-specific this time.”

“You’ve got a problem with Blair? I hope ‘Jacob’ is manly enough for you?”

“Thank god. I feared it would be something like Lesley, or anything like that. Why did you change it? I mean, if you don’t like your name, why not change all of it?”

“Oh, I like my name. It’s just, a part of the conversion ceremony is taking a Hebrew name and I chose Jacob. But that won’t change anything, will it? You call me Sandburg, Jim calls me Chief and Rafe and Brown call me Hairboy. Nobody ever uses my first name; I’m used to that by now.”

“I could imagine calling you Jake. But I could stick with Sandburg, too. What do you think about that, Blair?”

“Simon, I’m shocked! You used the B-word! I’ll mark that day in my calendar.”

“Do that, Blair. But seriously, how are you? Can I help you anyhow?”

“Thank you, Simon. I’m doing okay. I’ve got all my tasks completed but you could help me with the feds. I’m a bit unsure what to expect from them. And I could use a little support to deal with the Robertson’s. I’ve got no idea how to deal with them.”

 “As for the feds, Jim and I, we won’t leave you alone with them, not until you ask us to. With the Robertson’s, we have to see what happens. We’ll stick with you, whatever happens. Face it, kid, you can’t get rid of us old guys.”

“Who do you call old. Let me tell you, Simon, I’m a man in my best years.”

Blair snorted at that remark, which got him a light smack from his roommate. He was lucky; the arrival of the waiter prevented further punishments. The food was excellent and Blair decided that he just found his new favorite restaurant.

After lunch, Jim and Blair visited an exhibition of Mayan art and Jim listened patiently to his roommate’s lengthy explanations. He was in no hurry to return home and was happy about every moment the student was distracted from his problems. Besides, Blair’s stories were interesting and he found that he really enjoyed himself.

This night, they both didn’t get much sleep. Blair was moving restlessly and kept Jim awake. When he fell asleep at all, he was haunted by terrible dreams, dreams in which his family forced him to leave his life, his friends, his faith and his studies behind. He was relieved when it was finally time to get up.

Quietly he prepared breakfast and moved up the stairs to wake his roommate up. The smell of the coffee had already roused Jim but for once, he indulged himself and stayed in bed. Blair noticed Jim’s laziness at once and flung himself onto the vacant side of Jim’s bed. Jim grinned at him. He was enjoying his warm bed and his unexpected bedmate wouldn’t change that.

“Morning, Jim. Don’t feel like getting up today?”

“No, actually, I don’t. What do you think about staying in bed today? The feds kept us waiting for a week; we can let them wait for a day.”

“Would serve them right. But I’m kind of curios and don’t want to wait for another day.”

“Okay, Chief, you convinced me. God, what I do for you!”

“You’re a prince, Jim. Get up, Your Majesty, breakfast is waiting.”

Truth to be told, Jim was much faster on his feet than Blair. When the younger man came down the stairs, the sentinel was already sitting at the table, grinning at his slow partner. Blair stuck out his tongue, than sat down as well.

“Do we wait for Simon’s call or do we go in after breakfast?”

“That’s up to you. I could always torture H and Rafe a bit and let you check for typos.”

“Jim, you’re evil. You would let them write your report a third time? Whatever they did, that they don’t deserve.”

“They didn’t tell you, mmh? Must drive you nuts.”

“Don’t tell me you don’t want to know? I’m sure Simon didn’t tell you.”

“Of course not. Okay, I admit that I’m a tiny little bit curious. Satisfied?”

Blair smirked and returned his attention to the breakfast. He thought a while over the problem and decided to go in after breakfast. It would give him the impression to meet the agents on his home ground if he was there before them. Like the spider in his web watching his prey getting tangled. He giggled at that mental image and got a curios look from Jim. He smiled apologetically and made a dismissive gesture.

“Nothing important, Jim. I would like to go in now. It would make me feel safer if I was there before them.”

“Awaiting them like the spider in the net. They won’t stand a chance against you.”

Blair caught himself staring open-mouthed at his friend. Was Jim suddenly able to read his mind? He quickly closed his mouth.

“Exactly, Jim. Just call me Spiderman.”

“God, Chief, you in tights?  Now that’s a scary image.”

“Ha ha, Jim. Very funny. Let me tell you that I am irresistible in tights. Your just jealous.”

The older mind simply smiled and finished his meal. He noticed that the student wasn’t eating much but knew from experience how stress dampened the appetite. He had noticed that his friend had lost weight during the last month. When this whole mess was solved, he would fatten up the guy.

They did the dishes and then drove to the station. Blair’s nervousness was increasing the nearer they came to the precinct. In the elevator, Jim massaged Blair’s shoulders lightly to ease the tension a bit.

Rafe and Brown were again at their desks, busily tapping at their keyboards. Still begging for forgiveness, obviously. Rafe noticed Jim’s entrance and nudged his partner in the ribs. H groaned and made a threatening face.

“Ellison, don’t tell me we have to write your reports a third time! That is unusually cruel, man!”

“No fear, H. I don’t intend to abuse you more than absolutely necessary. I need you in a good mood when I screw up and get on the captain’s shit list.”

“Thanks, Jim, you are so good to us.”

Jim grinned at his colleagues, steered Blair to the captain’s office, knocked and went in. Simon showed no surprise about their showing up and offered them a coffee. Jim grimaced a bit when he tasted the unusual blend. Cocoa and hazelnut. Blair was not happy either about that concoction. The captain on the other side seemed to enjoy it. Jim heard the ‘blargh’, which Blair muttered on a sentinel-soft level and fought to keep the grin off his face.

“So, how do you feel, Blair? Ready to face the feds?”

“Nervous as hell and I wish it was all already done. Did you hear anything new?”

“No, nothing. You could check my computer if you want a distraction. It acted strangely the last few days.”

“Sure, Simon.”

The captain described his problems and Blair went to work. Jim used the time to go through old case files. He was glad when the feds turned up shortly after nine a.m.

If Jim hadn’t expected them, he would never have thought the two arrivals worked for the government. Both were elder women with a motherly appearance and warm smiles. Though dressed in the typical immaculate style he was used to with the feds, he could effortlessly imagine them reading fairy tales to their grandchildren. He was just hoping that the looks weren’t deceiving this time. The two women moved directly to Bank’s office, where Blair was still working on the computer. Jim focused his hearing, waiting for any sign that his partner needed his help.

Blair looked up when there was a knock at the door and the two women entered. He was baffled when they identified themselves as FBI-agents. Nervously he looked at Simon, unsure whether he should leave the office or not. The captain gave him to understand that he should stay and he went back to work.

“Agent Franklin, Agent Snow, welcome. I assume you want to talk to Blair Sandburg.”

At their affirmative answer, he continued.

“Well, you are in luck then, the young man currently fixing my computer is Mr. Sandburg.”

Blair looked up then and gave the two women a shy smile. He wiped his hands at his thigh and shook hand with the agents. They smiled encouraging at him, easing his tension a bit.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Sandburg. We’d like to talk to you, wherever you feel comfortable.”

“Oh, okay.”

Simon grinned at his taciturn observer. He’d never seen the young man so silent and insecure. He was glad that Agent Snow was part of the FBI team. He met her before and thought highly of her compassion and efficiency. Agent Franklin was new to him, but the first impression was in her favor. He ushered the agents and the student into the meeting room, quietly asking the young man if he wanted Jim present for the talk. Blair shook his head, whispering on sentinel-level to Jim that he felt comfortable enough with them to try it on his own.

Jim saw his partner looking at him and nodded. Then he tapped at his ear, asking if he should listen in. Blair shrugged, leaving the decision to the older man. The sentinel decided to grant Blair his privacy and listened only to his heartbeat, determined to help the young man if he showed signs of distress.

Blair’s heartbeat was faster than usual. The reason could be that he was simply uncomfortable with the topic of the conversation, but Jim was worried. He focused on the voices, not listening for words but for the tone of his voice. For a stranger it would sound steady, but the sentinel noticed the little hitches and how Blair sometimes cleared his throat to mask the breaking of his voice.

The conversation continued for thirty minutes, Jim becoming increasingly nervous with every passing moment. Simon studied his detective, hiding his smile. Who would have thought that hard-ass Jim Ellison could feel so deeply for one longhaired, non-stop talking and weird ideas spreading anthropology student. Not that he didn’t care about the kid, but the change was much more obvious with Jim. The sentinel was squirming on his chair, unaware of Simon’s scrutiny. The captain looked through the bullpen and saw Joel watching Jim. He was smiling, too. The other members of his department had Jim pegged as well. The only one unaware of that was Jim Ellison, Sentinel Of The Great City.

Finally, after forty minutes the agents led Blair out of the conference room. The young man was pale and shaking and Simon mumbled only one sentinel-soft sentence to his detective: “Take him home, Jim, and take care of him.”

Jim nodded, bypassing the agents and steering Blair gently towards the elevator. The student didn’t protest; he didn’t seem to notice at all. In the elevator, and later in Jim’s truck, Blair kept his slightly dazed expression. The sentinel let him be. If he wanted to talk, he would, eventually.

All the way back to the loft he kept close attention to his roommate, but Blair showed no sign of distress. He just made the impression of being not completely present. When he finally closed the door and placed his friend on the couch he let out a silent sigh of relief. Amazingly, that nearly inaudible sound drew the younger man out of his daze. He shook his head, vigorously, like a wet dog trying to shake off the water.

Blair was a bit confused. He had no memory how he got home at all. That must be how Jim felt after a zone out. Discovering Jim’s worried countenance, he smiled reassuringly.

“It wasn’t bad, Jim, really. Just… it just brought back a few memories about Naomi and our life together and that hurt, you know? Seeing what I’ve lost. But at least I had a happy childhood and nobody can take that away from me.” 

“I was worried, Blair. You were so – I don’t know – strange after that conversation, interrogation, how would you call that?”

“A conversation with a serious topic, I’d think. It didn’t feel like an interrogation. They were really kind to me, even when they had to ask the unpleasant questions.”

“What kind of questions? If you don’t mind talking about it, I mean.”

Blair appeared uncomfortable for a second, then collected his composure. Even though his expression was calm, Jim noticed how he nervously rubbed his hand at his thighs.

“No, I don’t mind. Just the usual stuff, you know, whether she abused me or abandoned me, did I go to school regularly, did I always have enough to eat, something like that. They simply asked and never implied anything. I appreciated that.”

“So, what did you answer? Did she hurt you or abandon you?”

“She never hit me, not once. And when she left me, she always made sure that someone took care of me. I didn’t always go to school, but I was so much ahead of the other kids of my age, it didn’t matter. And when the food was scarce, she always made sure that I had enough. She was a good mother and that makes her words hurt even more.”

“You had a happy childhood, Chief? Nothing you missed?”

“You always want to have what you can’t have, that’s just human. I always wanted to have a house, with a garden and a dog kennel. A place I always could come home to. Or simply have a pet; it didn’t have to be a dog. But I’m sure there were many other kids that wanted to live like me, traveling, seeing the world.”

“I guess so, Chief. So, you never had a pet?”

Blair laughed softly, the far-away expression in his eyes indicating that he was lost in memories.

“When we lived in Greek, with this shepherd, he had a dog. But the animal had to work, sheep herding is a full time job. When the lambs were born, I always tried to kidnap one of the cute wool-balls. But the mothers were careful and I would hardly call them pets.”

Jim chuckled at the image of his roommate fighting with a mother sheep and taking off with a lamb thrown over his shoulder, followed by the zealous dog.

“How old were you, Chief?”

“Eight. It was a beautiful landscape but I was bored all the time. We were living in that little hut; there was no village or town nearby what meant no library and no school. Talk about boring with a capital B.”

“I don’t understand that woman. She gave you a happy childhood, raised you to be one of the most courageous and intelligent persons I know and then took it all back with a few words when you confronted her with her crime. Is she totally insane?”

“Why don’t you ask her? Don’t look at me that way; I’m absolutely serious here. Maybe she tells you why she had to say that.”

“You wouldn’t mind if I would visit her? Maybe I can pick up a few things if I see her.”

“No, go on. I’ll call Stacy to keep me company or go and annoy Simon, should I feel lonely.”

“You do that. Did the agents say anything about contacting your family? I don’t want you to face them alone when I’m in Boston, talking to Naomi.”

“When they were done with their questions, they told me that the Robertson’s were informed yesterday, by our dear Director Freeman. I was kinda hoping he would forget that, too.”

“You have to face them sooner or later, Blair. You only met one of them, maybe you’ll like your mother or your siblings.”

“Maybe. I know that I can’t hide forever. But I’ll tell you something. You go and see Naomi and I take my own pit bull, named Stacy, to meet them. I guess he’ll run as soon as he sees her.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yeah, man, I do. If she loses her cool and starts to hurt him, she won’t lose her job. She’s her own boss, you know? If you should lose your temper with him, you will most likely do more damage than she and that could end badly. And besides, if I meet them it will be in a public place and he has a reputation to maintain, so I don’t think that I’ll be in any danger. And you’ll have your cellphone with you and if I need your support, I’ll simply call. Deal?”

“Deal. And by the way, Chief, I’m perfectly able to contain myself.”

“I know, Jim. I appreciate your help, but you don’t have to hold my hand the whole time.”

Playfully, Jim grabbed Blair’s hand and held it tightly. The younger man simply grinned.

“If you want to keep that up you’ll have to answer to Stacy. She doesn’t like to share.”

With an exaggerated shudder, the sentinel released his roommate’s hand.

“Wise decision, Big Guy. Considering that I have to use the bathroom.”

Closing the bathroom door behind him, he left Jim to his thoughts. The sentinel was relieved. His friend’s behavior was normal again, at least for Blair’s standards. And he needed to meet that Stacy; she seemed to be a truly remarkable woman.

Jim was just thinking about what to prepare for lunch when the telephone rang.

“Ellison.”

“Oh, hello Mr. Ellison. My name is Joseph Robertson. The FBI gave me your telephone number and told me that I could reach my son, Justin, under this number.”

“Blair is in the bathroom. The FBI surely told you that he is living under the name Blair Sandburg?”

“Yes, yes, they told me. But he was Justin for me all these years and he’ll always be Justin for me.”

“He’s just coming back, Mr. Robertson. Wait a moment, please.”

He laid the receiver down and moved to his roommate, who stood at the bathroom door like paralyzed. When he touched the younger man’s shoulder, Blair shook himself out of his reverie and moved over to the phone. Jim went with him and laid his arm around his friend’s shoulder, giving Blair strength through the contact.

“Sandburg.”

“Hello Mr. Sandburg, Jus…Blair. I am Joseph Robertson. I’m sure the FBI told you about me, I’m your father. We would like to meet you, your mother, sisters and brothers and me.”

“Well, Mr. Robertson, we actually met before. I was at your book presentation in Seattle and was asking a question about a misquoted passage.”

“Oh… Oh, yes… certainly, I remember. I’m so sorry, you have to know, there have always been troublemakers at my presentations and once my daughter had been attacked. I tend to be overly careful since then. Please understand that. We really want to meet you, Justin.”

“Blair. So, what do you have in mind?”

“We thought, maybe you could visit us, in our house. You were born here. But if you don’t want that, we’ll find another solution.”

“I’ll think about it. I will meet you, but I can’t say when and where immediately. Give me your number and I’ll call you back in half an hour, one hour tops, okay?”

“Yes, of course. Do you have a pen handy?”

Blair grabbed a piece of paper and wrote the number down. Jim still kept contact with him and had his hearing dialed up to listen in the conversation.

“Okay, I’ve got the number. You’ll hear from me shortly.”

“Good. We all can’t wait to meet you.”

“Oh, okay. Till then. Bye.”

“Good bye, my son.”

Blair replaced the receiver, feeling confused and lost. The feeling of Jim’s hand squeezing his shoulder brought him back to the present and he grasped the sentinel’s hand in his, restraining himself not to crush it.

“If you decide to go there, Chief, I’ll come with you. Whatever you decide, I’ll help you.”

“Thanks, Jim. I don’t know, what to do. I simply don’t know.”

“Do you want to meet them, Blair?”

“Yes. Yes, I think I do.”

“Do you want to meet them there, in their house?”

“I don’t know, I simply don’t know. God, Jim, I’m a total mess. I wish I never saw that damned missing person report. I was perfectly happy before all of this happened. I typed one wrong number. That didn’t even take a second and my life was screwed. I wish I could turn back time, then I wouldn’t touch that damn six key.”

“I know, Blair. But you have to concentrate on the question at hand. Do you feel save enough to meet them on their turf? I’d come with you, and maybe Stacy or Simon, too.”

“No, I don’t think I want to go to Virginia to meet them. I know that it would be logical, me going there. I’m just one person and if I ask them to come here, then six persons will have to travel. But I don’t want to go there, I really don’t want to.”

“That’s okay, Blair. I will call him and explain it to him, okay? You need rest; you look exhausted. Lay down for a while, I’ll take care of the rest.”

Blair nodded tiredly and dropped down on the couch. For a while, he stared into space, but soon his eyes dropped shut and he fell into an exhausted slumber. Jim draped the afghan over him and went back to the phone. He moved and spoke quietly so that his friend’s rest wouldn’t be disturbed. He explained to Blair’s father that the young man was in no shape to travel and that he would meet them in Cascade. Joseph Robertson wasn’t too happy about that, especially that it wasn’t Blair calling him back, but tried not to show his feelings. Without much success of course, considering that he spoke to a sentinel.

Then he prepared lunch, comfort food. He took his time, giving Blair time to rest. The rest of the day he spent with spoiling the younger man, doing his best to coach his friend back to his usual level of self-confidence.

The next day brought another call form Blair’s father. He gave them the name of the hotel and asked Blair to meet him there in two days. Blair didn’t even replace the receiver; he called his friend Stacy immediately. Jim listened to his friend talking to her. When Blair asked him if he wanted to meet her in the afternoon, he nodded. Finally, he’d meet wonder-woman.

From the way she took on Blair’s father at the infamous presentation, at least according to his roommate’s description, he expected her to be, if not big, at least a pert person. So, he was very surprised when he opened the door, to find a fay-like and very small woman with pale skin and dark eyes. She was beautiful, but looked very fragile. Very fast, he found out that the looks were deceiving when she grabbed his hand for a firm handshake and stormed into the loft.

Jim looked at his roommate in wonder and saw Blair’s barely contained laughter. Apparently, he had expected a reaction like that. And Stacy was talkative. Very talkative. She made even Blair appear quiet. When she chatted for five minutes without giving Blair a chance to pipe in, he gave the grin back. Blair only shrugged. He whispered to Jim on a sentinel-level: ”Hey, love doesn’t ask for manners!”

She finally wound down, hugged her friend and sat down. Jim dialed his hearing back up a notch, having lowered his sensitivity out of sheer self-preservation. Jim liked her. While her looks woke up all of his protective instincts, her energy and liveliness made her a suiting partner for his own fireball of a roommate.

After a short moment, she jumped up again. God, a normal man would never be able to keep up with her. Jim wondered where the two had met. Energizer bunnies Anonymous? Her next words interrupted his thoughts.

“So, Jim, how do we handle that guy? You hold him and I beat him up?”

Jim was taken aback. She had spoken in a very serious voice. Did she really mean that? His guide’s grin gave her away. She noticed his glance and turned around to face Blair. “Spoilsport,” she grumbled at her friend and gave him a light punch against the arm. Blair moved away form her, a look of exaggerated fear on his face.

“Please, Jim, protect me. My girlfriend is mean to me!”

Jim moved between Stacy and her prey and scowled at her.

“Listen, Lady, only one person is allowed to pick on Blair, and that is me. But we could share the Blair-bashing time. I’ll take Monday, Wednesday and Friday and you can have Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.”

“And what is with Sunday?”

“Well, we could torture him together or give him a break, according to how he behaved during the week.”

“Ha ha, you’re so funny guys. Now sit down, before I get ugly!”

They both complied quickly, looking at him with identical, large, innocent eyes. Blair couldn’t contain his amusement any longer and fell down beside them on the couch, shaking with laughter. Jim and Stacy looked at each other satisfied. Mission completed; Blair was relaxed.

The rest of the afternoon was spent witch watching TV, listening to Stacy’s outrageous stories and munching their way through the stock of junk food that had accumulated in the loft during the last weeks. Jim was amazed how much food that tiny person could stuff into herself. Obviously, she needed a lot of food to keep her energy level up.

Finally, she wound down and fell asleep in the midst of a conversation.

“That always happens when she’s nervous. You don’t have to be quiet, Jim, a bomb couldn’t wake her up now.”

“Wow, Chief, she’s really … exhausting. Only looking at her makes me tired. How do you keep up with her?”

“Lot’s of coffee. But honestly, she isn’t usually that hyper. She was just nervous to meet you and she is still angry with my dear daddy, and prepares herself for the attack. See, she gets a bit hyperactive when she’s nervous or angry and a lot if she is both.”

“And you really want to take her with you to meet your family? I mean, chances are that she will be nervous and angry then, too.”

“I know. But it can’t be bad if her bouncing off the walls diffuses their attention on me a bit.”

“Oh, I guess, that it will do. The poor family will not know what hit them. Sometimes you’re downright evil. – Do you need help to carry her to bed?”

“Nah.”

And with no further words, Blair picked her up and carried her into his room. There he removed her shoes and covered her with the comforter. Then he went out to his roommate again.

“How on earth can she sleep with that much sugar in her body? Are you tired, Blair?”

“No. She didn’t sleep much last night, because she had to work overtime.”

“Does she work at the university?”

“No, She’s my mechanic. As much as you grumble about my car, I met her only because of that strange noise the engine used to make. Doesn’t anymore, thanks to Stacy’s skills.”

“I would never have pictured her as a mechanic.”

“She gets that a lot. I guess, she only agreed to date me since I didn’t ask her if she really was a mechanic. Lucky for me. By the way, she’s not really a morning person. So be careful, she all but bites your head off if she’s in that mood.”

“Okay. I’d never dream to underestimate her again.”

That statement brought him a knowing smile from Blair. Okay, the student had noticed him using the word ‘again’. Caught red-handed. He grabbed for the remote and turned on the TV. Nothing better than the sports-channel to come down from a sugar-rush. After a couple of hours, they finally started to tire and went to bed. Jim listened to Blair waking up his girlfriend to get her ready for bed. When Blair offered her one of his t-shirts to sleep in, he hastily dialed his hearing down, not wanting to hear something intimate.

Jim woke up very early in the morning, from an unusual noise. He listened for a moment, then, blushing, returned his hearing-range to normal. Not a morning person, hah! The noise had been Stacy, kissing his partner awake. If that was a grouchy morning person, he was Miss Universe. Jim took the book that was lying at his nightstand. He wanted to stay awake. If he went to sleep again, he would risk losing his control over his hearing again. And who knew, what noise would wake him next time.

Finally, he heard the couple starting the breakfast preparations. That indicated that it was safe to move downstairs without stumbling into an embarrassing situation. The smell of fresh coffee waved up into his loft and he dressed quickly and went down the stairs. The sight greeting him was nice. Stacy was clothed in a jeans and a t-shirt from Blair and looked like a little girl dressed in her mother’s clothes. The shirt looked like it should have been a skirt and the jeans was at least three numbers too big and threatened to slide down her hips with every step. She saw Jim and grinned broadly.

“Morning Jim! Did you sleep well?”

“Very well. You know that you don’t live up to your reputation?”

“How so?”

“Blair told me you’re no morning person. But you seem to be in a fairly good mood.”

“Well, I’m quite grouchy when I didn’t have enough sleep. And usually, when Blair sleeps at my place, I don’t get enough. If you understand, what I mean.”

Jim glanced over to Blair, who was still preparing breakfast, albeit with a very red head.

“I see. No wonder that Blair thought it was your usual morning appearance.”

“You’re just jealous, Jim,” Blair piped in. And, he was right. Jim had been dateless in the last month and was a bit envious.

“Okay, I admit that, Chief. But that is no reason to let the toast burn.”

Blair started with a short swearword and went to rescue the piece of bread. Stacy laughed and helped Jim set the table, tugging up the jeans from time to time. Blair scraped the burned part off the toast and carried the coffee pot to the table.

During the meal, Jim enjoyed listening to Stacy teasing Blair. The two of them behaved like an old married couple. Stacy helped with the dishes, but then she had to hurry home to change into clean clothes before going to work. Blair walked her down to her car, where they parted after a long kiss.

Blair came back in, looking expectantly at Jim, waiting for the final verdict:

“She is really something else, Chief. That one is a keeper, so don’t let her escape!”

“I don’t intend to. So, you really like her?”

“Yeah, I do. The Robertson’s won’t stand a chance.”

“Probably. So, what do we do now? We have groceries, the loft is spotless, the laundry done and I’m out of ideas. What would you like to do today? Tomorrow we’ll be busy with the meeting and after that, it’s back to work for both of us. Do you want to visit Naomi today? I’ll find something to occupy myself with.”

“You don’t need to. Joel invited us to have lunch at his house. If Claudia can cook only half as good as she bakes, we’re in for a treat.”

“Oh, yes. I remember her cookies. Do you think she would leave Joel for a younger man? Don’t look at me like that, Jim, I’m just kidding!”

“You’d better.”

He cuffed his guide lightly and grinned. Joel had warned him that Claudia needed help with her garden and that she probably would ask them for help. Jim liked gardening and was curious if Blair’s seemingly unending range of abilities included this skill. But still, a bit of forewarning was necessary.

“Chief, you better not wear your best clothes. Joel told me that she might ask us to help with her garden.”

“Oh, cool. I love gardening.”

Figures. If he asked the student if he wanted to climb the Mount Everest, he would probably get the answer: ‘again?’ One day he would finally find something the man hadn’t done before. Probably. Okay, maybe. If he was lucky.

Since it was a nice day and Joel’s house wasn’t that far away, they started early and walked. They took their time, but when they arrived at Joel’s, they were still half an hour early. Jim rang the bell and held up the flowers he had purchased on the way. Claudia opened and found herself confronted with a big bouquet of flowers and an apologetically smiling Jim half-hidden behind it. Blair was standing behind Jim, grinning about his friend’s antics.

Claudia smiled at the two handsome men and bade them inside. She had seen pictures of Jim Ellison before, but she would never have recognized the young observer from her husband’s descriptions. He sounded larger-than-life in Joel’s stories and was in fact smaller than her. But his thin and pale appearance quickly woke her motherly instincts and she ushered them inside and started to pamper the young man.

Blair sighed mentally. At home, his sentinel mother-henned him, here Joel’s wife did the same. Must be a karma thing. Thankfully, Joel behaved normal. The captain of the bomb squad had a nice home and the garden was truly impressing. He could see how much work it required to maintain this condition. Hopefully, after dinner she would decrease her efforts to spoil him and let him help.

The meal was remarkable and she had cooked kosher. Blair didn’t put too much concern into kosher cooking himself, but was touched by her thoughtfulness. And she did let him help gardening, after he explained to her that it would be relaxing for him.

When they came home, it was late and they were both very tired and very satisfied with their accomplishments. Blair thought very briefly about the following day and the meeting with his family, but he was too tired to be nervous. After a short dinner and a long soak in the bathtub, he went to bed and slept deep and undisturbed.

Jim was nervous. And he was worried. What would happen if the Robertson’s convinced Blair to go with them to Virginia? What would he do without his guide? What could he do to prevent Blair from being hurt again? He fell asleep late, in spite of the exertion of the day. And his sleep was troubled and full of nightmares.

Blair was the first to wake up the following morning. Now, the nervousness hit full force. It was early, too early to expect Stacy and too early for breakfast. Not that he was able to eat anything; his stomach was knotted so tightly that he had problems to drink a few sips of water.

He started to pace the loft nervously, too wired to watch TV or read a book. After a few minutes of anxious pacing, he started to prepare breakfast for Jim. He worked as quietly as he was able to do with all the tension in his body. When he was finished with the preparations, he lit a few candles and forced his mind into meditation. In moments like that he was glad that his mother – that Naomi – that Norma – had taught him to meditate at such a young age. Now it was easy for him to reach the meditative state. Usually it was. Not today, though. It took a lot of concentration and he tried to clear his mind a few times before it worked.

Jim woke up, smelling the enticing aroma of fresh coffee. Just what he needed to force his body to shake off the tiredness he still felt. He moved down the stairs and saw his roommate in deep meditation in front of the coffee table. Good for the student that he was able to shut off his thoughts. He wished he could do the same. They had a lot of time; Stacy would arrive in an hour at the earliest.

He ate breakfast, noticing that there was only one plate on the table and that there was no sign that Blair had eaten anything. He wasn’t very hungry himself and could understand that the young man had no desire for food. Then he cleared the dishes and read the newspaper. From time to time, he shot a glance at his roommate, but Blair remained motionless.

The anthropologist roused when Stacy knocked at the front door but Jim was still faster to greet her. Blair was stretching when she came in and she wolf-whistled at his exposed belly.

“Encore! Come on baby, don’t tease me and then cover up again.”

Blair actually blushed at her words, then hurried over and silenced her with a kiss. A quick look at the clock showed him that it was almost time to go. He quickly changed his clothes and Jim did the same while Stacy studied the photos scattered around in the living room. The pictures spoke of a deep friendship between the two men. She was a bit jealous; she had lost her best friend in a car accident two years before and still missed her.

Jim came down the stairs, just as Blair came out of his room.

“Wow, you both dress up nicely. All women in Cascade will envy me. So, gentlemen, which car will we take?”

“The truck of course,” both men answered in unison. Jim was a terrible driver, but he wouldn’t feel comfortable if he weren’t the one in control. Blair wasn’t sure if Jim was aware how bad his driving skills were, but Stacy was an excellent driver and would not keep quiet about her opinion. Maybe Jim would behave this time.

Jim tried his best, but it was Stacy who was on her best behavior. Blair caught her biting back a comment a few times and he squeezed her hand every time. That little byplay kept his mind occupied until Jim stopped the truck in front of the hotel. Suddenly, he was terrified.

Jim noticed Blair’s sudden intake of breath and looked over. He realized how hard the younger man fought to appear calm. He wasn’t at the verge of a panic attack, but it was a near miss. He reached over and clasped Blair’s wrist, nodding at him encouragingly, when he had his attention. Stacy embraced him tightly, giving him a whispered pep talk.

“I can do that. I do that now and in three hours I’m home again and it’s over. I. Can. Do. It.”

Blair only whispered to himself, but the words actually helped. He pulled himself together and took a deep breath.

“Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go in.”

His steps were sure and he didn’t hesitate when he moved into the lobby. Jim walked at his left side, Stacy at his right. Both were very near to him, not quite touching, but giving strength nevertheless.

Blair and Stacy noticed Joseph Robertson immediately, and after Jim heard the faint growl in Stacy’s throat, he followed her glare and recognized the man from the photograph that had been on the backside of Robertson’s book. The man was clearly nervous and didn’t appreciate Blair’s escort. Well, tough luck. They would keep Blair company and he better deal with it.

There was not much similarity between that man and his guide. If he didn’t know that this man was Blair’s father, he never would have suspected it. In fact, as Jim looked closer, he found absolutely no corresponding features and the statue and body language were totally different. He would have fewer problems to see Naomi as a blood relative than that guy.

Robertson stood up and held his hand out in greeting. He forced a smile at Jim and at Stacy, the smile directed at the woman a bit more pained.

“Justin! It’s so nice to see you.”

“Blair, please. This is Stacy Weaver, my girlfriend. I’m sure, you remember her. And this is Detective Jim Ellison, my roommate and best friend.”

“Oh yes, Miss Weaver, nice to see you again. Detective Ellison, I’m Joseph Robertson. Good to see you in person.”

His body language told it was everything but. He was smiling, but irritated. Another difference between the two men. Robertson wasn’t even able to hide his feelings and was supposed to be the father of the king of obfuscations? Blair had the ability to tell the most outrageous lies with a straight face and even though many people would have denied the possibility, but Jim knew that Blair was pretty good at hiding his feelings, if he felt he needed to.

“Mr. Robertson.”

Jim shook the older man’s hand and Stacy also reached out after a moment’s hesitation. Then Robertson clapped his hands together.

“So, should we go up to our suite? I’m sure you’d like to see your mother and siblings.”

“Oh, okay.”

Blair’s less than enthusiastic reply made Jim smile slightly. Robertson led the way and they followed. The sentinel noticed the older man’s disapproving glances toward them. He obviously expected them to wait in the lobby. Too bad.

The elevator ride was short. To short for the anthropologist to get into a state. Blair was still thinking about his father’s reaction to his company when they stopped in front of the door to the suite. Robertson opened the door and led them inside.

The five people inside couldn’t deny their relation to the student. All of them had curly hair, if a bit darker than Blair’s. His brothers had a similar built and were even a bit shorter than him. The eye color was wrong; the whole family had brown eyes, even Robertson who didn’t look much like his children. Jim could see the family resemblance between Robertson and his other children though. It wasn’t obvious, but there. Somehow, he had the sneaking suspicion that the man wasn’t Blair’s father at all. But that might just be wishful thinking.

“Justin? Is that really you?”

“I’m Blair.”

This time, Blair’s answer wasn’t defensive but very gentle. He liked that woman, his mother, at the first sight. She was smaller than him and had long, dark brown curls with a few gray strands. She beamed at him and then embraced him tightly while tears ran down her cheeks.

“My god, I thought I would never see you again. How big you are! You were such a little boy when I lost you. My boy!”

She started to cry in earnest and Blair hugged her back. She stroked over his hair and shoulders as if to make sure that he was real. Blair’s siblings looked at the scene with tears in their eyes, the two sisters embracing each other. Nobody of them appeared annoyed about Jim’s or Stacy’s presence.

Jim noticed how Stacy relaxed around the family, only tensing when her glance fell on the father. She obviously shared his feelings.

Blair led his mother to the couch. She didn’t let go of him for one second. He maneuvered her on the cushions so that her view would fall on Jim and Stacy as soon as her tears ceased. It took a while, but finally she calmed down and looked up.

“These are Stacy and Jim, my girlfriend and my best friend and roommate. I was a bit nervous, so they came with me.”

“Thank you so much, Jim, Stacy, you brought me my baby. I missed you so much. You’re studying anthropology, right? The FBI told me. I’ve taken a few anthropology classes myself. I want to know all about you. What do you like to eat, what’s your favorite color? Oh geez, I’m babbling here and you’ve not even talked to your brothers and sisters!”

“That’s okay. I’m the same way when I’m nervous. I guess, I’ve got that from you.”

She smiled at him beatifically and wiped at her face. Then she motioned her other children to come over.

“These are Janice and Theresa. They work together in their own pet clinic. Janice is two years younger than you and Theresa five years. Sean is three years younger than you and Martin is our youngest, seven years younger than you. So, Blair, how do you feel as a big brother?”

“Strange. I’ve always been an only child. I guess it will take a bit time to get used to it.”

Blair was pleased that she used his name. He liked her very much. He looked over to his siblings and gave them a small wave when it was obvious that she wouldn’t let go of him. They waved back at him and then moved over to greet Jim and Stacy.

They stayed with the Robertson’s for four hours, but Blair had not many opportunities to talk to his siblings because his mother wouldn’t let go of him for longer than ten seconds at a time. When they finally said goodbye for the day, Joseph Robertson told them that he unfortunately had to leave the next morning, but the rest of the family would stay for a week. Nobody was too disappointed about this announcement since they all could feel the tension he caused. Jim invited them over to the loft for the next day, but Blair’s siblings declined. They would go sightseeing the next day and give Blair’s mother an opportunity to spend some much-needed time with him alone. They would visit the following day and hopefully their mother would let them talk to their big brother then.

Blair was very quiet on the way home. But his companions weren’t worried, both recognized the signs that he was simply content and felt no need to talk. As rare as those quiet moments were for the student, he had no problem with silence.

“I like her. I hope she will accept me, when she gets to know me as a person, not as her son.”

“She’ll love you, Chief, even more than now. And I’m sure that she will accept you. She called you Blair when you asked her to and I think that is the first step of acceptance. That she sees you as yourself, not as the baby she lost.”

“You think so? I was a bit surprised that she never slipped with the name. What do you think, Stacy? Do you like her?”

“She is great, Blair. So much like you. And she’s very smart. Most women would have kept you there the whole day, but I think she knew that you had to process it all.”

She cuddled close to Blair and held on to him until Jim parked in front of her apartment building. Then she drew back a little to look into Blair’s eyes.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay tomorrow? I could always cancel my appointments if you need me.”

“No, that’s okay. Jim will be there and he is a pretty good protector.”

“Pretty good? Sandburg, let me tell you, I’ nearly perfect in the skill of Blair-protecting!”

“That you are, Jim. See, Stacy? No need to be nervous.”

“Okay. Good night, Handsome.”

Jim started the car after she was safely inside the building. The way home was uneventful and silent, both thinking about the events of the day. Jim couldn’t stop wondering if Robertson was truly Blair’s father. They were simply too different and he couldn’t accept the idea of them being related.

When they arrived home, Jim prepared a late lunch while Blair set the table. The young man was having a hard time dealing with the experiences of the day. Maybe Jim could help him clear his thoughts.

“Do you think she send me away because she didn’t like me? I mean it’s just shortly after noon and, and…”

“Chief, calm down! She didn’t throw us out! She just realized that you were a bit overwhelmed, that’s all. She’s pretty sharp, just like you. And you wanted to stay only three hours when we arrived there, remember? Your mother wanted to give you time to think and I’m sure she did that out of love.”

“Yeah? I guess, you’re right. Oh man, I have to call Greg and ask him if he can cover for me until Wednesday. I’ll go back to the university when they go home. I missed a lot of time already.”

“Not more than you would have missed if you had a bad cold. Which you had. By the way, how do you feel?”

“Cold? Oh, Brown’s little gift. I completely forgot that. No, I feel good. It was over pretty fast. I guess I simply didn’t have time to be ill.”

“Now that’s a concept, Chief. Keep all the sick people busy and the hospital staff will be bored.”

“Or overworked, when they have to keep all the patients occupied.”

Jim grinned at that. During the meal, he observed how twitchy his friend was and called Joel while Blair did the dishes.

“Hey Chief, what do you think about visiting Joel again? I could use a little exercise and that garden still needs a lot of work. Joel wants to be done with the rough work by the end of his vacation and that is in three days. And I know from a well-informed source that Claudia is nearly finished making her world-famous chocolate cake.”

“That sounds great! Tell Joel we’ll be there in five minutes!”

Jim didn’t need to do that, because Joel had heard Blair’s enthusiastic reply over the phone. The older captain chuckled at Blair’s eagerness and told them he would lay the tools ready.

They didn’t manage the distance in five minutes, but it was close. Claudia welcomed them happily, hugging both of them. For two hours they worked in the garden, then Joel’s wife called them inside. Jim nudged Blair in the ribs.

“Cake time!”

 Blair grinned back at him and they moved inside, barely managing not to run in. They scrubbed off the garden dirt and joined the Taggart’s at the big table. Claudia had outdone herself with the cake and they didn’t hold back with the compliments. She packed half of the cake for them to take home, stating that Joel needed to cut back the calories anyway. Joel just laughed at that, teasing her that only her baking skills were responsible for his extended middle. Jim told her that they gladly would remove the threat to Joel’s waistline.

When they came home again, Blair’s energy level was back to normal and he was able to sit still and watch some TV, after he took a long hot shower. Jim was satisfied with the result of his little occupational therapy. They spent the rest of the evening relaxing and the student had no problems to go to sleep.

They were awakened by a knock at the door at six in the morning. Jim listened intently, then grinned. Blair’s mom was obviously not good at waiting. He quickly dressed himself and went down, meeting his sleepy roommate at the bottom of the stairs.

“Who is it, Jim?”

“Your mother. Looks like she’s as impulsive as you. You better grab some clothes if you don’t want to meet her in your boxers.”

“Good idea. Be nice to her!”

“Sure, Chief.”

He opened the door, grinning at her apologetic smile. Her impatience seemed to surround her and she was bouncing like his roommate at his best times. Quickly, he motioned her inside, before she could start with the apologies he could almost see sitting at the tip of her tongue. He closed the door behind her, just as she started to speak.

“I’m so sorry, Jim, really. I wanted to go for a walk before I came here to lose a bit of my excitement but I simply had to come here, I was ready to burst and I can’t wait to see Blair and I’m so sorry, I woke you up, didn’t I, please forgive me but I was just to impatient to wait any longer.”

She paused to take a breath and he used the time to lay his hand on her arm, distracting her from the torrent of words to come.

“It’s okay, Cathryn. Blair will be out soon. What do you want to have for breakfast?”

Blair came out of his room in that moment and she rushed over to hug him. When she started another apology, Blair quickly silenced her and ushered her over to the table. She watched the two men while they prepared breakfast and was awed by the flawless way they worked together, both anticipating the other one’s actions. Her attempts to help them were politely declined and the meal was ready in few minutes. She was glad for her son that he had such a good friend and despite her husbands rant about the misbehavior of Blair’s girlfriend, she liked the determined young woman, too.

After the meal, they moved over to the couch to talk. Jim wasn’t sure if he better left them alone, but he wanted to ask her about Blair’s father, and she gave him the perfect opportunity to ask when she told them that Blair’s father had gone home already.

“Don’t get me wrong, Cathryn, but is he? Blair’s father, I mean. I can see the resemblance between him and your other children, but there is nothing of him in Blair.”

She was silent for a moment and he wanted to apologize again when she shook her head slightly and answered.

“You are right, Jim. I’m sorry, Blair, I didn’t know if, how I should tell you. He, I mean, we were married, but he isn’t your father. I had a brief affair and you are not Martin’s child but Tony’s. Don’t get me wrong, I never regretted the affair and I loved your father very much, much more then Martin. But I never told anyone and – but I guess I owe you the truth.”

She let her words trail off and looked away. Blair sensed her discomfort and embraced her, murmuring in her ear.

“That’s okay, mom, I never liked him anyway. So, who is this Tony?”

“He, well, he was our gardener. Norma’s father. He died shortly after she kidnapped you. He had a heart attack. I’m sorry, Blair, you would have loved him, he was a wonderful person.”

“She’s my sister? Naomi? Did she know that when she did it?”

“No. Nobody knew. Only Tony and me. And he didn’t tell anyone.”

Blair was speechless. He now had a new mom, five siblings, one of them in jail for abducting him. He didn’t have a father before end he didn’t have one now. But at least he didn’t need to call the bigoted jerk his father.

“Will you tell him? I mean, I really don’t like him and Stacy downright hates him. I don’t want to see him again, don’t want to hear what he thinks about my faith. By the way, is it a problem for you that I’m Jewish?”

“No, of course not. And you won’t have to deal with him. We live separated for four years now. He doesn’t want a divorce, bad for his image, you know? But maybe that will change when I tell him. And I will tell him, be sure of that.”

~~~~~~

Epilogue

Martin Robertson filed the divorce the very day his wife told him. He wrote Blair a letter, full of spiteful words about the ‘little Jewish home-wrecker’, but the student only laughed about it. The meeting with his siblings had gone very well and even when they learned that he was only their half-brother, it didn’t strain their relationship. Blair grew more and more accustomed with his role as a big brother. His siblings liked him. He had been afraid that they would treat him like an intruder, but they welcomed him into the family and especially Martin, the youngest, had a bad case of hero-worship of his big brother, the well-traveled anthropologist and courageous police observer. Jim thought it was funny how the boy listened to every single word from Blair and always asked for more tales about his travels or his adventures with Jim. His sisters had both a crush on Jim. But he was safe from them, because both of them watched the other one, full of jealousy. So they blocked each other’s attempts to seduce the detective. Blair watched all that with silent amusement.

Jim finally went to Boston to talk to Naomi. The time spent in jail had changed her. She was nervous and attacked him as soon as he entered the room. Angrily, she complained that she didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. He didn’t agree with her, but let her vent. The conversation was difficult. He was sure that she truly didn’t know that she abducted her half-brother. The only thing that she said to defend her actions was that she acted without thinking. She made it sound like that was perfectly acceptable and didn’t understand his incomprehension. These ‘explanation’ made the detective angry. During the whole talk, she tried to lie to him, but he caught her easily. When he asked her about the things she told Blair when he called her, she said that she had wanted to have a clean break, so that it wouldn’t hurt Blair so much to deal with what she did. Jim nearly exploded with rage. He asked her, if she had an idea how much her words hurt the young man, that they nearly had destroyed him. Her defense: “I didn’t think.” She even asked him to help her escape from prison. He began to doubt her sanity.

So did the psychiatrist she had to see in preparation of the trial. Her nerves had shattered a bit more every day she spent in jail. She was declared mentally unfit and finally, after she attacked a nurse, dangerous. It turned out that there was a long history of insanity in her mother’s family. She was committed to Conover and complained all the time about the negative vibes of the place. Jim had no pity for her.

The detective was glad that Blair wasn’t her son; he was weird enough without any genetically inherited insanity. Blair had another hard time when he thought about whether he should visit her or not, but finally decided that he didn’t want have contact to her. It was somewhat comforting for him that she was insane. It surely beat the alternative. The thought that she could have done something like that to him with a sane mind was sickening to him. No, it was better that way.

Even though the whole thing had mostly turned out to the best for Blair, his friends at Major crimes didn’t cease to care for him. Claudia practically adopted him, always sending him little treats if he wasn’t able to visit her and help her with the garden. Simon invited him to a Jag’s game once a month in thanks for Blair’s tutoring of his son. He was astonished about the good influence that weird anthropologist had on his teenage son. That brought another advantage: His ex-wife noticed Daryl’s improvements and extended the time he could stay with his father.

Blair was constantly complaining that he didn’t have nearly enough time for all of his expanded family, whether blood-related or not, Stacy, and his work at the station and the university. But Jim knew that he didn’t mean it. The student flourished under all the attention he got from family, friends and his sentinel.
 

The End


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