Inevitable Series 04 The Unrelenting Page 11

  "Jim?" Simon touched his arm, drawing him away from his conflicting thoughts. "Why don't you take Sandburg home. I can do the cleanup here." He nodded toward the two corpses.

  Jim looked at his captain. "What about Brackett?"

  His hand tightened on Jim's arm. "He got away," he said softly. "We'll put out an APB but right now, I think Sandburg needs you to get him home more than you need to chase Brackett through the woods."

  Jim took one last look at the dead men on the ground before crossing to his truck. He knew as he approached that Blair had fallen asleep. He could hear the sound of his resting heart rate and his deep, slow breathing. Jim reached the pickup and looked through the driver's side window. Blair leaned against the passenger door, arms crossed, chin resting against his chest, his wet hair tucked behind his ears.

  You look like a drowned rat, Chief.

  And he did. With his pale skin, dark shadows under his eyes and wet hair. Moving as quietly as he could, Jim opened the door and slid behind the wheel. But as he glanced at Blair again, he realized he didn't have his seatbelt on. He debated just driving home without putting it on but with his luck, he'd get in an accident and Blair would be hurt worse.

  Reaching over, trying his best not to jostle him, Jim reached for the seatbelt just over his Guide's right shoulder. Before his hand could close around it, Blair shifted, his eyes blinking open.

  "Sorry, Chief," Jim said, settling back in his seat.

  "It's okay." He rubbed his eyes. "I didn't mean to doze off." He looked over his shoulder. "What were you...?" But then his gaze came to rest on the belt. "Oh." He grabbed it and clicked it into place just as a shiver raced through him. He settled back in his seat, pulling Jim's coat more closely around him.

  Jim started the truck and flicked on the heat, turning the vents toward his partner in an attempt to warm him up. To shake off the chill of that river.

  He would have died if it weren't for Brackett.

  The words shook through him. He would have been too late. If not for Lee Brackett, Jim would have come out of those trees and seen Blair's body floating in the river instead of Walsh's. The thought of losing Blair that way, after he had told him about his dream, about how it had felt while he was dying.

  "Jim, you seem tense," Blair said, tearing Jim away from his thoughts. "Everyone's okay, aren't they? Simon--"

  "Everyone's fine, Chief," he said a little too quickly.

  "Something's wrong, Jim. I can tell. Is it Brackett? Did he do something?"

  Jim had not planned on telling Blair about Brackett's final action. Not here. It wasn't that Jim thought Blair would grieve for these men, not after what they had put him through. Yet Blair would not have wanted them to die.

  "Therman and Grahm," he began, his voice barely audible in the small truck cab. "They're dead, Blair. Brackett executed them."

  Whatever color was left in Blair's face drained away. "He...murdered them?"

  "I'm sorry, Chief. I couldn't stop him."

  "What happens now?" Blair asked softly. "What happens to Brackett?"

  Jim hesitated briefly before answering. "He's gone."

  Blair dropped his head back against the seat, his eyes squeezing tightly shut. "Oh man."

  Jim reached out and placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezed gently. "You okay, Chief."

  "Can we go home, Jim. I just want to go home."

  "Sure." Jim started the truck. "Do you want me to stop and pick up some food? Are you hungry?"

  "I just want to go home," he repeated.

  Jim nodded. "Then that's where we'll go."

  They drove to the loft in silence. Blair stared out his window, the only sign of life the occasional shiver. Jim didn't try to make conversation, knew his partner needed the time to try and process what he had been told. Jim parked the truck in front of the building and turned off the ignition. Blair made no move to get out. Jim settled back in his seat, willing to wait as long as it took.

  "I really thought he had changed, Jim," Blair said after a time. He turned toward him and the look of betrayal in his eyes tore at Jim. "When Walsh pulled me up out of that water, I expected to see you. But instead, there was Brackett, pointing his gun at the guy, threatening to shoot him if he didn't let me go." He shook his head, rubbing his eyes. "How could I be so stupid…again."

  Jim stared at his partner's slumped shoulders. Knew that whatever self-confidence he had been able to restore in him earlier today had been stripped away by Brackett's last brutal act. "You know why Brackett killed Therman and Grahm?" he asked, needing to repair the damage.

  "Because he betrayed them and knew they would come after him," Blair said, his voice sharp with anger.

  "No, because he knew they would come after you again."

  Blair turned toward him, his face a mask of confusion. "What?"

  "He said that it was the only way to keep them away from you so he killed them."

  "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he snapped but almost instantly, his angry expression turned to one of regret. "Man, Jim, I'm sorry. None of this is your fault."

  "It's okay, Blair. I know how hard this is for you. But what I'm trying to tell you, what I want you to understand, is that you were right about Brackett. You said we could trust him and you were right. He came through for us. He saved your life today. The Brackett we met three years ago wouldn't have." Reaching out, he laid a hand on Blair's shoulder. "He did that because of you. I don't know if I'd trust him again but this time…you were right. "

  Blair nodded stiffly, his eyes still clouded with doubt. But Jim thought there was a little less doubt than there had been moments before. It was good enough for now.

  Jim cuffed him on the side of the head. "Come on, Chief. Let's go inside."

  Blair shoved open his door and made his way somewhat unsteadily into the building, Jim right beside him. Blair reached the elevator on his own but his energy seemed to drain away as the small car carried them up. He slumped against the wall, eyes closed, chin resting against his chest. Jim had to shake him when they reached the third floor then steer him into the loft and to his room. He asked again if he wanted something to eat but Blair just shook his head as he stripped out of his wet clothes. He fell into his bed wearing only his shorts and pulled his blankets around him. His eyes closed as soon as his head hit the pillow.

  "Hey, Jim," he muttered sleepily, his eyes remaining closed, "did you call the university for me?"

  "Yes, Blair, I called Rainier," Jim whispered. "They weren't going to fire you. They were worried about you."

  "They were?"

  "Contrary to what you seem to think, they do value you."

  "That's nice," he mumbled as he drifted into sleep.

  Crouching down, Jim pulled the blankets more tightly around Blair before pushing a few damp strands of hair back from his face. He still felt warm to the touch, like the fever was not completely gone. Jim wondered briefly if he should have taken Blair to the hospital but discarded the thought at almost the same time it came to him. Blair would never have gone. Besides, he was better than he had been when Jim first saw him. If it hadn't been for the dip in the river-

  His jaw clenched.

  Brackett was right. I am glad they're dead.

  ######

  Blair blinked his eyes, coming awake slowly. Relief washed through him as his room came into focus around him. It wasn't a dream, he really was home, in his own bed. His gaze shifted to the far corner of the room but the wet clothes he had left there the night before were gone. Jim must have gotten rid of them.

  He shoved back his blankets and sat up, hissing through gritted teeth at the sudden pain in his wrists. He held them up, staring at the bruising and cuts that circled each one where the cuffs had dug into his flesh. That happened while I was struggling under water. A shiver raced through him as he flashed back to the moments when Walsh had him in the river.

  "Just put it behind you, Sandburg," he muttered. He stood and pulled on his sweats and robe. He could s
mell coffee. Knew Jim must already be up. But as he stepped out of his room, it was Simon he saw sitting at the kitchen table, reading the morning paper.

  Blair pulled his robe more closely around him. "Hey, Simon. What's up?" His gaze shifted to Jim's bedroom but it was empty. "Where's Jim?"

  "He went out for food." Simon set the paper aside. "I stopped by to see how you're doing, thought I'd stick around and get a free breakfast out of the deal."

  Blair knew that Jim had probably asked him to 'stick around'. Didn't want to leave him alone just yet. "Thanks for staying, Simon."

  "I'm just here for the food, Sandburg."

  "Right." Blair crossed to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup.

  "How are you feeling?" Simon asked.

  Blair fell into the chair opposite the captain. "Tired."

  "That's understandable." Simon took a sip of his coffee, his expression turning serious. "Blair, we need to talk."

  Blair's hand tightened around his cup. "Am I getting fired, Simon?" He'd only had the official job as consultant for a little over a month but the pay was really helping him out.

  "Fired? Of course not. Why would you think that?"

  Blair shrugged one shoulder. "After all the time I've missed..."

  "None of that was your fault, Blair." Standing, Simon crossed to the coffee pot and poured himself another cup. But instead of returning to the table, he stayed at the counter, his back to Blair, his shoulders hunched slightly. "Blair," he began, his voice low, unsure, "Why didn't you tell me...about yourself?"

  Blair fell back in his chair, stunned by the unexpected question. But even more surprised by the hurt he heard in Simon's voice. In that moment, he knew that Simon needed to understand the reasons behind his decision not to tell. Needed to know that it had nothing to do with trust or friendship. "It's because of your position as captain," Blair explained. "Simon, it took a long time before you could take me seriously. I just didn't want that to change. I didn't want you to start looking at me the way you used to."

  Simon turned toward him, his brow knit together. "What way is that?"

  Blair shifted where he sat, suddenly uncomfortable. He had never said any of this to Simon. Had never planned to. "The whole first year I worked with Jim, you had this look on your face. A look I knew meant you wished I weren't partnered with him. That if you had your way, I would never set foot in the station again."

  "Sandburg, it's been three years. I think we're past that."

  "And I wanted to keep it that way," he said earnestly. "I really didn't think you would believe me. I'm sorry if I was wrong."

  Simon shook his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. "You weren't wrong," he admitted. "I didn't believe Jim when he was first trying to tell me. I wouldn't have believed you." Crossing back to the table, he took his seat again, his gaze not quite meeting Blair's. "Jim told me why you…came to me. That you did it even knowing it would make you sick." He looked up, his eyes staring intently into Blair's. "Thank you, son."

  "Anytime, man," he whispered. "Anytime."

  A key sounded in the door and a minute later, Jim came in.

  "Hey, Chief. Good to see you up. How you feeling?"

  "Better."

  "Good. I got enough food for an army so you two better be hungry."

  Blair laughed. "I don't know about you but I haven't eaten in days. You can't get the food in front of me fast enough."

  Simon stood and pulled out plates while Jim unpacked the food and spread it across the table. As Blair watched, he was struck with an overwhelming sense of family. Home.

  Destiny.

  He could not be further from the life he had always envisioned for himself. Or closer to what he had always longed for - a place he belonged with people who truly cared about him. His throat tightened and he swallowed hard against the sudden surge of emotions that welled up within him. He raised a shaking hand to cover his eyes.

  A hand touched his shoulder. Squeezed gently. "You okay, Chief?"

  Blair looked up into Jim's concerned eyes and smiled. "Never been better."

  The End.