__________________________________________________________________________
Blair's Memory Comes To Haunt
The sound of voices started to filter into the subconscious mind of Blair Sandburg. The longer the voices spoke,his mind started to distinguish who each voice belonged to.
"I don't know Simon. I was coming back from dropping you off at the precinct and when I got about fifteen feet from the door, I knew something was wrong.
Blair's heartbeat was way too slow for him to be sleeping and I smelled blood," Detective Jim Ellison explained to his Captain and friend, Simon Banks.
"That's when you called me or after you found him like this?" Simon asked.
"After. I did a quick scan to see if anyone else was around but only heard
Blair's heartbeat. I entered the loft and found him in the middle of the
living room. I checked him for internal injuries as best as I could and . . . "
Blair groaned and slightly moved his head. He groaned again and muttered "Remind me NOT to do that again for a while."
"Hey Chief, welcome back to the waking world," Jim said quietly. "How do you feel?"
"Jim . . ?" "I feel like . . ." "I was used . . ." "As a punching bag," Blair
gasped for breath and then asked his partner, "Do I look . . ." "As bad . . ." "As I feel?" He still hadn't opened his eyes or tried to sit up. Blair's head
felt like it was going to explode and he hoped it would wait to do just that
until after he passed out again.
"Sandburg, to be perfectly honest, you look like hell. Can you tell us who did this to you and why?" Simon asked softly.
"Simon . . ?" "Thanks for . . ." "The confirmation . . ." "Of what I . . ." "Look like," Blair said as he tried to breathe shallowly. Taking in another
shallow breath, Blair whispered, "As for who . . ." "Did this and why . . ,"
"Can it wait . . ." "Till I feel better?" Another gasp and shallow intake of
breath. Blair squinted his eyes tighter and then gasped again at the pain that
simple movement had caused. After about a minute to get his breath back, he
told Jim and Simon, "All I want to . . ." "Do right now . . ." "Is curl up . . ." "Really tight . . ." "And hope . . ." "I either pass out . . ." "Or fall
asleep . . ." "Before my brain explodes."
"Sorry Blair, but I want to get you to the hospital and have you thoroughly checked out. I suspect a concussion, some bruised ribs and you've got a cut over your right eye that needs a couple of stitches."
Blair's breathing started to slow down along with his heart rate.
"Hey Chief, stay with us. I need you awake for a bit. Open your eyes for me, okay buddy?"
Very slowly, Blair opened his left eye. It opened very slightly. His right eye was mostly swollen shut from the cut above it. As light seeped into Blair's eye, he squeezed his eye shut as tightly as he could and drew in a painful breath. As of that moment, Blair realized that not only was his head killing him but also his ribs were protesting any movement, especially breathing.
"Easy Chief, slow shallow breaths. That's it, nice and slow. Nothing deep for a couple of days. Simon and I are going to move you onto the couch all right?"
A small nod of Blair's head let Jim know that his roommate understood what was going to happen. Jim moved to Blair's head and gently lifted the young anthropologist's head and shoulders. Simon moved down and took hold of Blair's legs. Jim nodded to Simon and together they lifted Blair from the floor to the couch. At the initial lift from the floor, Blair gasped loudly and came very close to passing out. The two men quickly laid the injured man on the couch and Jim, using his Sentinel sense of hearing, checked Blair's heart rate.
"How's he doing Jim?" Simon anxiously asked.
"He's still conscious but in considerable pain. Sir, can you call and find out what's holding up the ambulance? I called for one right after I called you."
Simon nodded, picked up Jim's phone and called 9-1-1 to find out what the hold up for an ambulance was. As Simon gave the address of Jim's loft to the 9-1-1 dispatcher, Jim turned back to Blair and spoke quietly to his injured friend.
"Good timing Chief, we just got ourselves another case. Looks like you will be out for a few days."
"So what's the case about . .?" "Anything interesting . . ?" Blair asked low enough that only a Sentinel could hear him.
"Drug dealer. New guy in town. He's supplying the local pushers and I guess trying to move up in rank or take over from the current main dealer. Anyway, mostly what I'm going to be doing for the next couple of days, is trying to feel this guy out and find his supplier." Jim paused and looked and the bruised and battered face of his young Guide. "Talk to me Blair. Did you know the guy who did this to you or was it someone trying to get back at me through you?"
"No one that you know. . ." "Just someone . . . from my past that I thought . . . I would never see again. . ." "Actually, I hoped . . . he was dead. I'm tired Jim . . , can't I go to sleep . . . for a little while? The light . . . hurts my eyes . . , my head is killing me . . . and my ribs . . . are rebelling . . . at any breath . . . I take. Please . . , just let me . . . go to sleep," Blair begged.
"Sorry Chief, you need to stay awake for a while longer. The doctor will let you get some rest soon. First, you have to go for a ride to the hospital."
"But I don't . . . want to go . . . to the hospital," Blair cried softly. "Can't I just . . . stay here and . . . have you look after me . . ? I promise . . , I'll be good and . . . stay in bed. You won't even . . . hear a sound . . . out of me. Please Jim . . , no hospital!" Blair finally whispered as he gasped for breath.
"Calm down Chief. The ambulance is here now so there is no getting out of going. It's for the best and I won't let anyone else hurt you. I'll ride with you and watch over you, okay?"
With a resigned nod of his head, Blair Sandburg squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he was transferred from the couch to the stretcher, strapped in and rolled out to the waiting ambulance. Only Jim noticed the silent tears coursing down Blair's cheeks.
"Simon, I'm going with him. I'll meet you at the hospital."
"Keep me informed Jim. I'm going to wait for forensics to go over the loft. Maybe they can find some prints."
"I hope so. I'll call from the hospital."
Jim was out the door and down the stairs before the stretcher carrying Blair made it down in the elevator. Jim looked at the head paramedic and said "I'm riding with him," nodding to Blair.
"All right sir but don't interfere with me," said the young paramedic.
Jim nodded his agreement and watched as Blair was loaded into the ambulance. He climbed in the back with Blair and quietly talked to him the entire ride to the hospital.
_______________________________
Simon Banks watched from the balcony as the ambulance pulled away with his two best officers. He shook his head at the thought of Blair Sandburg as a police officer. Officially, Blair was an observer/consultant and was assigned to Jim Ellison but Simon knew the truth. Jim Ellison was a Sentinel and Blair Sandburg was his Guide. Simon didn't quite understand everything about Jim being a Sentinel but he knew that without Blair's help and guidance, Jim would have quit the force and gone crazy because he didn't understand what was happening to his five senses.
Looking back over the past three years, Simon realized how much Jim had changed. Every change was for the better and it all boiled down to having Blair Sandburg around. Now if he could just keep the two good men out of trouble, Simon would be one very happy Captain.
Simon was brought out of his revelry by the arrival of the forensic team. He informed them of what had happened and to check for everything and anything.
As the team got to work, Captain Joel Taggert, ex-head of the Bomb Squad, poked his head in the door. "Hi Simon, what's going on?"
"Hi Joel. It seems someone decided to use Sandburg as a punching bag. Jim found him, called me and the ambulance that just left. Jim went with him and will call later with an update or else I'll just show up at the hospital. The ‘Kid' didn't want to go. Practically begged Jim to keep him here. I've never seen him so scared since Kincaid took over the precinct."
Joel remembered how Blair had saved his life, along with everyone else in the precinct, when it was taken over by the fanatical Kincaid. Joel had been shot and Blair had saved him, along with Simon's son, Daryl, with some double talk. Joel liked the kid and hoped that he would be okay.
"Okay Simon, what do you need me to do?"
"For right now, nothing. Stick around here and see what forensics comes up, I'm going to go to the hospital and sit with Jim. I'll give you a call when we find out how Sandburg is. You call me if forensics finds anything, deal?"
"Deal Simon. Tell Jim and Blair, we'll get to the bottom of this."
"Sure Joel. Talk to you soon," Simon said as he made his way out of the loft and down to his car.
___________________________________
Cascade General Hospital
Emergency Room Waiting Area
7:00 PM
Jim Ellison sat very still as he focused his hearing on the Emergency Treatment Room his friend had been wheeled into. Blair was breathing rapidly and Jim tried to will Blair to calm down. Jim was afraid that Blair was going to hyperventilate.
Blair Sandburg kept his eyes tightly shut. Between the noise of the machines and the doctor and nurses talking about him, he just wanted the pain to stop. Light hurt his eyes and every little noise made his head feel like it was in a base drum. He wished he could either pass out or die, either was preferable to the pain in which he was in.
"Mr. Sandburg, I need to check your eyes. I know that the light is painful but I have to check your pupil reactions," the doctor said gently.
"Please, just let me . . . go to sleep. It hurts . . . so bad," Blair begged the doctor quietly.
"Soon Mr. Sandburg, I promise. Just lie quietly and I'll finish as quickly as I can," the doctor said as he lifted Blair's right eyelid.
No sooner did the doctor lift Blair's eyelid and shine his penlight into the pupil, then Blair jerked his head away and groan. Silent tears slid down his face as he mumbled, "Jim, please. . , it hurts. I want . . .to go . . . home."
Out in the waiting room, Simon had just stepped in as Jim stood straight up and turned towards the room Blair was being examined in. "What's up Jim?"
"It's Sandburg. He just called to me." Jim rubbed the back of his neck and started to pace the room. "God, he's in so much pain Simon! If I had just gotten home an hour earlier than I did, I could've stopped the guy from hurting him or at least limited the damage the guy inflicted."
"Wait a minute, Jim. Life is full of "if's". Believe me, I know first hand, but you're there for him. Give him some time to get himself together and then the two of you can get this guy. For right now, just be there for him, that's the most important thing you can do for him now."
"I know. I just feel so helpless and that's a feeling I don't like. So far, the only thing I got out of Sandburg is that the guy that beat him up is someone from his past. From the way Naomi moved him around, that could be a hundred different people. When he feels better, maybe I can get some more information out of him."
Just then, the ER doctor came out of Blair's room. He walked over to Jim and Simon and started speaking.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Jamieson. I'm Mr. Sandburg's physician. I understand that you're waiting to find out about his condition."
"Yes, I'm Jim Ellison and this is my superior, Captain Simon Banks. How's Blair?" Jim asked nervously.
"Mr. Sandburg is resting as comfortably as we can make him, considering his injuries. The extent of his injuries include bruised ribs, a broken left wrist and a severe concussion. The cut over his right eye required ten stitches. I've given him a pain reliever because of the extreme pain he's in. We're getting a room ready for him now. I'd like to keep him for a day or two of observation. The concussion has me a bit worried and I'd like to keep an eye on him in case he develops other symptoms associated with it. I know you filled out all the admitting forms but is there any drug reactions I should know about or allergies?"
"He's not allergic to anything that I know of but he usually tries to avoid taking any prescription drugs and except for an occasional aspirin, he even avoids over-the-counter drugs. He normally drinks herbal teas which is a mixture of things. He's into natural medicines. He's an anthropologist so I guess it goes with what he's been studying," Jim paused and thought of something else. "Does Blair have any skull fractures? Is that what's making his eyes so light sensitive?" he asked, concern clearly in his voice.
"The x-rays showed a hairline fracture at the cut over his right eye so that could be the source of his light sensitivity. I'm hoping, that with time and the next day or so of rest, his sight will return to normal."
"And if it doesn't, then what's the plan?" Simon asked.
"We'll run some more tests, an MRI and a CAT scan. Was Mr. Sandburg's injuries work-related?"
Jim looked at Simon and then back at the doctor. "We think so but until he's feeling better and can give us more details, we just don't know."
"All right. Are you planning on staying with Mr. Sandburg?"
"Yes, if it's all right with you and your staff."
A nurse walked over to the group of gentlemen and handed Dr. Jamieson a few forms to add to Blair's chart. He looked over them, noticing the names under the ‘Next of Kin' statement: Detective James Ellison, Captain Simon Banks and Naomi Sandburg, mother. The doctor looked up at both gentlemen in front of him, smiled quietly and said, "I don't see why it would be a problem. I see from his record that you're listed as his next of kin Detective Ellison. You being with him just might keep him calm. Mr. Sandburg will be in considerable pain for a while but I'd say, baring any complications, that he'll be fine."
Jim and Simon, both thanked Dr. Jamieson, shook his hand and watched him leave. Jim turned to Simon and said "I hope you're not angry with me about just now?"
"No, I know how you feel about Sandburg. I worry about him too, but if you tell him that I'll deny every word," Simon said with a large grin on his face. "C'mon, let's go see if Sandburg's settled in his room yet?"
Jim smiled back at his friend and boss, then turned with him toward's Blair's room. Jim hoped that Blair would be feeling well enough to give them some information about his attacker.
Part II
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