by Lisa Martin

The bar was crowded, as usual on a Saturday evening. Loud voices were heard, cigarettesmoke hung thick in the air, the music playing on the jukebox varied from rock and roll to disco. Just an average bar, on an average weekend.

In the far corner, a man was sitting by himself, nursing a beer. He had no idea what he was doing here, this place wasn’t his usual hang out. He didn’t go to bars that much, preferred to go to a movie,or just stay home. Yet tonight, he had felt restless. He grinned to himself, maybe it was because he wasn’t used to spending his evening off alone anymore. Letting out a long sigh, he stared to the other customers. It was weird, he decided, a room full of people, and he felt alone. No irritating stories to listen to, no lectures about being polite to the barman, he should’ve been happy to go without that for one evening. But he wasn’t.

Detective Ray Vecchio, Chicago PD, smiled wryly. He stood, took his empty glass and went over to the bar for a refill. Returning to his table, he saw to his surprise that he had company. Another man was sitting there, looking as lost as he was. Militairy type, he concluded, short cropped hair, wide shoulders, muscled arms. He grinned, he sounded like Benny now. But all in all the company wasn’t unwelcome.

The man looked up when Ray took his seat. Startled blue eyes flew up at him, and Ray smiled.

"I’m sorry, I thought no one was sitting here," the man said.

"I was. You don’t have to leave though," he added quickly, when the man raised from his chair. "This place is pretty crowded, I doubt if you can find another seat. And besides, I don’t mind some company."

The man sat down again and an understanding look passed between them. A smile came to the man’s face, a small one, as if he wasn’t used to smiling.

Silence stretched on for long minutes and Ray began to shift in his chair. Granted, he liked having some peace and quiet sometimes, but this was too quiet.

"You’re not from around here?" he asked.

Silence.

"I asked you something."

Silence.

"Are you deaf?"

Silence.

Ray was getting thoroughly irritated. He didn’t like being ignored. "Hey!!"

"Huh?"

"I asked you something."

"I’m sorry. I was miles away," the man apologized. He seemed to straighten himself. "What did you say?"

Ray excepted the apology grudgingly. "You’re not from around here?" he repeated his first question.

"No, just visiting. You’re a local?’

"Yeah."

"Thought as much." It was said with a grin.

Ray’s eyes got wide. "How so?"

"Accent."

"Oh, right." He paused to take a closer look at the man. "Not the talkative kind, are you?"

"Not really, no. Talking is my partner’s perogative."

That statement brought a grin to Ray’s face. "He talks, you listen and fill in the gaps when necessary."

"Not really. He talks, but I don’t always listen." It was said with a smile, a genuine one this time, laced with affection.

"But you let him talk anyway."

"Nothing short of an earthquake can stop him once he’s on a roll." Again that affectionate smile.

Ray understood all too well. "I think we have something in common," he grinned. Seeing the question in the man’s eyes, he continued, "My ‘unofficial’ partner is like that."

"I see. Unofficial?"

"We work together from time to time. He helps me out on cases, or gets me involved in one. Usually the weirdest things."

"You’re a cop." It wasn’t a question.

Ray nodded. "Chicago PD. The name’s Ray Vecchio."

The man gave a short nod. "Jim Ellison, Cascade PD."

"You’re a cop too?" Ray asked.

"Surprised?"

"Nah, but I took you for a militairy type."

"Used to be."

Silence fell again, as both men stared into thin air for a moment. It was Ray who broke it. "How do you deal with your partner?’

Jim’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Deal?"

"The talking, I mean," Ray elaborated.

"Oh that," Jim grinned. "For a moment I thought you meant something else."

"Something....?" Ray felt his cheeks heat up when he realised the double meaning. "I didn’t mean that!"

"I know." Jim smiled. "But how do I deal with his talking? Ignoring it doesn’t work. He’ll ask me about something he said later on, and when I can’t give him an answer...."

"I get the picture," Ray replied, beginning to enjoy this. "With Benny, it works differently. He stares at me and the only thing he says is ‘oh’. When he does that, I know I’m in trouble."

"Drives you crazy, doesn’t it?"

"Yeah, but the stupid thing is, I keep doing it. I keep putting up with his talking, his stupid stories, his moods..."

"The terrible mess he makes of the place....," Jim mused

"The boyscout morals," another voice cut in. Both men turned their heads in the direction of that voice to find another man, sitting at the table next to them. "Sorry," the man apologized. "I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. Shooting the bull about your partners, aren’t you?’

"And what is it to you?" Ray snapped.

"To me? Let’s say I can relate to a lot of what you are saying." The man pulled up his chair, to sit next to Ray.

"Who invited you?"

"I always invite myself," the man said with a positively wicked grin.

"Oh yeah? And I invite to you to leave!"

"Temper....You don’t happen to be Italian?"

Ray gritted his teeth. "I am, so what?"

"Touchy, too." Seeing Ray’s face darken even more, the man began to laugh. "I’m Italian. I have a temper, only I’m able to control it a little better."

"Listen mister...."

"Sound advice, you should take it. To much exitement is bad for your bloodpressure."

Ray was about to launch in a stream of Italian curses, when he caught the twinkle in the dark eyes of the man. He gave him a thunderous glare, then broke out in a grin. "Italian, eh?"

"Yep. Al Calavicci."

Ray grinned at him, opened his mouth, but Al beat him to it. "Watch it, old man."

Jim had followed the conversation with growing interest. "Would you two care to explain what this is all about?’

"Do we?" Ray grinned.

"Nah. Let him guess."

"Yeah, let’s."

Both men looked at Jim, almost challenging. Jim stared back, non flinching. They tried to outstare each other for a few moments, then Jim sat back. "So, you have an irritating partner as well?" he asked casually.

Al shook with laughter. "You’re good," he commented. "I pride myself in the fact that I can outstare anyone. You’re about the first one who doesn’t crumple."

"Army training," Jim replied. "I shielded myself against it from day one."

"Not anymore."

"I heard that. Army, mmm, special forces?"

Now it was Jim’s turn to look surprised. "Yeah, I was an Army Ranger."

"Thought so," Al smiled. "Those special forces guys all have a certain look over them. My partner’s brother was a Navy Seal," he elaborated.

"On that you base your assumption?" There was an edge in Jim’s voice now.

"That, and 40 years of experience. Navy Air Force."

"You’re Navy??"

"Yep. They want me out, but I’m not letting them. I’ll retire when I want to. Which is probably next month or so, " Al added, grinning from ear to ear.

"Pretty highranked, I suppose."

"Yeah well, I don’t care much about those things," Al shrugged. "But if you wanna know, I got my third star a while back."

Jim gave a low whistle. Ray frowned, irritated because he felt he was left out.

"Third star? That’s high?" he asked.

"Vice Admiral," Jim answered.

"Wow!" Ray shot an admiring look at the man next to him. To be honest, Al’s confession that he was militairy had surprised him somewhat. He didn’t look like it. The clothes, he realised, it must be the clothes. Dark blue pants, a blue silk shirt with gold stars on it, and a gold tie.

"You seem surprised," Al smiled.

"Yeah, somewhat," Ray confessed. "But I’ll take your word for it."

"Do. So, now that all that stuff is out of the way, how about our partners?" Al glanced at his companions, a twinkle in his eyes.

"You said ‘boyscout morals’?" Jim asked.

"Oh yes! He’s the last living boyscout! He is!" Al added, when he saw Ray shaking his head.

"No. Benny is. He flinches at the mere sight of a woman."

"Well, Sam doesn’t flinch, but he is kinda awkward around them."

"And you two are complaining about that?" Jim couldn’t believe what he was hearing. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."

"I take it your partner isn’t like that?" Al asked.

"The opposite. He makes a date with two women at the same time in the same bar, and then expects me to help him out."

Al looked sideways to Ray, who merely grinned. "And you have problems with that?"

"Damn right I do! He has to clean up his own mess."

"I wish I could convince Sam to do that," Al sighed. "He is such a slob! When I want to use the computer, I have to clean it first. Popcorn, coke...." He let out another heavy sigh.

"When I want to use the computer, I have to find it first!" Jim shot back. "It’s usually hidden beneath stacks of papers and books."

"Glad I don’t have that problem," Ray remarked. "For one, I don’t own a computer and neither does Benny, but we’re both like our place tidy. Benny doesn’t have enough stuff to make a mess in the first place. There is something else though." He turned to Jim. "You’re a cop, have you ever had to wade through garbage or chase someone in a sewer?"

"Yes, I have."

"And how do you look when it’s over?"

"Dirty."

"Exactly. So do I. But not Benny, oh no! Not a spot!!"

"How does he do that?" Al inquired.

"Ask him, I don’t know! In the past three years more then 20 of my suits got ruined, but he still wears the same uniform."

Jim frowned. "You’re a plain clothes detective and he wears a uniform?"

"Benny is a Mountie. Works on the Canadian Consulate here in town. As a doormat."

"A doormat??" In stereo.

"Yeah, writing party invitations, delivering messages, getting his Inspectors clothes from the dry cleaners..." Ray sighed heavily, clearly frustrated.

"We’ve passed the Canadian Consulate today. Blair tried to make the Mountie that’s standing guard there, to move or laugh." Jim smiled at the memory.

"I used to do that. But since I never got anywhere, I quit. Who was the clown on duty today? Blond guy?"

"No, dark hair, blue eyes, pale complexion. He didn’t even blink at Blair’s teasing."

"Dammit!!!" Ray’s fist landed on the table with a loud bang."This can make me so mad! She knows he can’t do that anymore. Especially not in this cold weather." He grinned sheepishly at the stunned faces of the other two men. " ‘She’ is Inspector Tatcher, his boss, a real Dragonlady. She knows Benny can’t stand guard duty anymore, because of his back, but still she assigns him to it. And he obeys.."

"That sounds cruel," Al remarked.

"Believe me, she is. She had the hots for him, but he didn’t go for it. That pissed her off. "

"A woman scorned..." Jim mused quietly. "But why is he assigned to the Consulate?"

"He brought in a high ranked Mountie. Corruption and murder."

"I see. But murder? A Mountie? I mean, being so close to the Canadian border, I’ve worked with them on several cases. They’re so...." Jim searched for the right word.

"Polite," Ray grinned. "They are, usually. But yes, murder. The guy hired an assassin to silence another Mountie. Benny’s father."

"No wonder he brought him in," Al remarked. "I would’ve. Even if it would send my career down the tubes."

"It’s not fair! He’s is the best damned cop I have ever worked with. If it weren’t for thast tasting business...."

"Tasting?" Jim asked, amusement in his voice.

"He taste things, he smells things, it’s disgusting!"

"I do that," Jim grinned. "Blair resents that too, sometimes."

"You should talk to Benny," Ray remarked morosely. "Maybe you could exchange tactics."

Al burst out laughing. "Now that’s a sight I would want to see!"

Ray caught on. "How does that fungus taste? Oh really?" he mimicked.

Jim merely shook his head, but wasn’t able to surpress his smile. Then his head went up, his eyes narrowed and it looked like he was smelling something.

"We get the point,"Ray chuckled. "You don’t have to give us a demonstration."

Jim raised one hand and sniffed again. "I smell something different here."

"Yeah right!" Ray drawled.

"Seriously. Dogsmell mixed with something else....lasagna?"

"That’s a strange combination," Al remarked, highly amused with the situation.

"Not really," Ray grinned, ducking his head under the table. "Hey mutt, how long have you’ve been hiding here?" A soft whine, that made the other two men jump.

"What’s that??" Al started.

"Come out from under there and introduce yourself," Ray instructed. A white head appeared from under the table.

"A dog!" Al cried out.

"No, actually he’s a wolf, and very sensitive about it."

"A wolf??" Now the outcry came in stereo.

"Don’t worry, he’s tame. As long as you feed him junkfood. No, I haven’t got doghnuts. You stole the last one from my desk this afternoon, remember?" Ray continued his two way conversation.

"A wolf that eats junkfood?" Jim’s eyebrows raised.

"Oh yeah, he loves it. This is Diefenbaker, he’s Benny’s wolf." Ray patted the wolf on his head. "Where’s Benny?" A bark.

"Why do talk to him like that? I mean, you’re looking into his eyes when you do." Jim asked.

"He’s deaf."

"And he reads lips," Al grinned.

"Actually he does. That’s what Benny tells me anyway. I just talk to the furball like that to indulge him."

"Ray, you know he doesn’t like being called a furball. And he does understand you." Three heads went in the direction of the voice, Ray smiling broadly. "Yeah well, he hasn’t convinced me yet. Hi Benny, " he added.

The two other men looked at the newcomer who stood at their table, Al casting an more than appreciative glance at him. About six feet tall, well build, deep blue eyes and dark hair. He turned to Ray, a glint in his eyes. "You’ve got taste, Ray."

Ray’s eyes narrowed for a second, then an answering twinkle appeared. "Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

"Grab a chair, Benny, if you can find one."

Benton Fraser looked around the bar. "It seems pretty crowded and I don’t think...ah, I see one!" He walked to the other side of the bar and picked up a chair, carrying it with him to the table. Hesitating, he stood there, not really sure where to put it. Al made it easy on him and moved his chair. "Here," he gestured.

"Thank you kindly, Sir," Ben replied, and with an almost comical look of relief on his face, he put the chair on the indicated spot, beside Ray, and sat down.

"Dragonlady keeping you busy today?" Ray asked, with more then a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Not really, no," Ben replied, shifting in his chair.

"She let you stand guard!! And don’t deny it, I’ve got a witness!" Ray was fuming.

"Constable Turnbull was ill and the Inspector asked me to fill in for him."

"Has it ever occured to you that Turnbull is always sick when he has to play statue?"

Ben’s eyebrows raised, puzzled. "No, I can’t say it has. But now that you mention it, he does take a lot of sickleave lately. You’ve got a witness?"

Ray threw his hands in the air. "He does it again! Changing the subject! Yes, Benny," he went on with a sigh. "Jim here saw you." He gestured at Jim.

"Excuse me, I don’t believe I have introduced myself," Ben said, completely ignoring Ray’s ranting. "Constable Benton Fraser, Royal Canadian Mounted Police."

"Jim Ellison, Cascade PD," Jim smiled. "I did see you standing there, Constable."

"Oh dear." An anxious sideways look at Ray.

Al stiffled a laugh, the familiarity of the scene getting to him. "Al Calavicci," he said, when Ben gazed at him. "Ray’s got a point there, it’s not good to stand rooted to one spot for a long period of time. How long do you have to stand there?"

"One hour," Ben answered, "That is the usual shift."

"Oh no! She didn’t!!!" Ray cried out. Ben’s fierce blush confirmed his suspicions. "Double shift," he explained to Jim and Al. "Benny, she can’t do that to you," he continued in a much softer voice. "Your back must give you hell by now."

"It is a little sore."

"Backtrouble?" Jim inquired.

"Yeah, he...eh...yeah." Ray mumbled. Ben placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly.

"I got shot in the back two years ago. The bullet is still in there."

"Then it’s torture for you to stand there," Al concluded. "I never thought I would hear myself say this, but this calls for drastic action, as in disobeying orders, Constable."

Ben shook his head. "I can’t do that."

"You should." Al’s voice was determined.

"Listen to him, Benny. He knows what he’s talking about. He’s been in the militairy for over 40 years."

"Damn right I have. I disobeyed orders by the dozens. Makes you wonder how I ever made Admiral, though," Al chuckled.

"Admiral?" Ben’s voice was filled with awe.

"Vice Admiral," Jim cut in. "And he’s right."

"There," Ray nodded his approval. "Three to one, Benny."

Ben sighed, knowing full well the others were right. He just couldn’t see himself standing up to a superiour officer. His troubled thoughts were interrupted by another arrival.

"Hi! Looks nice and comfy here!" Jim’s face lit up like a Christmastree. Ray and Al shared a look, both grinning.

"Chief," Jim said, smiling. "See if you can locate a chair."

"Don’t need one," the man happily announced and flopped down on Jim’s knee. He grinned broadly at the startled face of the Detective. "Don’t look so shocked. I’m sure these guys won’t mind." With these words he gazed at the other men.

"Nope," Ray replied. "Creative solution. Now Benny why didn’t you think of that?’ He eyed his partner, who turned bright red.

"Ray, there are things you just don’t do," he mumbled.

"There are things you just don’t do," Ray quipped.

"You wouldn’t like me to do that, I think I’m a bit too heavy for that," Ben said, smiling.

"Maybe. But you didn’t even try." Ray wasn’t about to give in that easily.

Ben sighed heavily. He knew he was in a no win situation, again. But this time he wasn’t about to indulge Ray. His friend had been right about one thing, there were things he just didn’t do, and this was one of them. "I won’t do it, Ray," he said in a determined tone.

The man sitting on Jim’s knee had been following their conversation with twinkling eyes. "Just keep trying, man," he grinned. "One day he’ll cave in."

"Yeah, when hell freezes over," Ray grumbled, his eyes belying the gruff statement.

"Oh, I’m Blair," the man announced.

"Ray, and this is Benny," Ray waved at his partner.

"Al," Al smiled. Something in the young man was familiar to him. The enthousiasm, the eagerness. "So Jim, this is your partner?"

"Yes," Jim smiled.

"You’ve told them about me?" Blair asked, shrugging off his heavy coat.

"Yeah."

Before Blair could comment, Ray cut in. "You’re a cop too?"

Blair raised his hands in defence. "Is that what he told you?? No, I’m not, just a mere consultant to the police department."

"Believe it or not, this squirt is a professor in anthropology," Jim told them.

"Squirt??" Blair huffed.

"So, Chief, how was your afternoon?" Jim asked, completely ignoring the comment.

Blair’s features brightened immediately. "Oh man, you wouldn’t believe what happened to me!" He shifted a little, in order to get more comfortable. " Does the name Dr Beckett mean anything to you?" Jim shook his head in denial, but Ben nodded.

"Isn’t that the scientist who has found a way to travel in time?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Blair nodded enthousiastically.

"Timetravel??" Ray said, incrediously. "No way!"

"He claims he has done it," Blair stated. "Anyway, I was in the cafetaria having coffee with one of the profs, and there he is! I couldn’t believe it!"

"Did you talk to him?" Jim asked, smiling at his partners enthousiasm.

"You bet I have! He’s a nice guy, not at all what I expected. I mean the guy’s a genius! And yet, he seems almost shy."

"Didn’t he get the Nobel Prize?" Ben asked, obviously very interested.

"Twice," Al said quietly. He grinned at the quizzical looks. "He’s gonna get it again this year, for the time travel project."

"Wow!" Blair exclaimed. "But how do you know that?"

"Let’s say I have an interest in the matter," Al smiled.

"But I still don’t believe in it," Ray muttered. "Timetravel. Ha!"

"Actually Ray...," Ben started, but clamped his mouth shut at his partners angry glare.

"No Inuit stories!"

"Yes Ray."

"I was born in the Yukon," Ben explained. "I grew up among them."

"Oh man!"

"Chief, please, not tonight," Jim cut in, making Ray laugh.

"Maybe the two of you could get together and talk Inuit," he grinned.

"I would like that," Blair nodded. Then his eyes flew to the entrance of the bar. "There he is!"

The other men followed his gaze, finding a man standing in the doorway. He was overlooking the bar, obviously trying to locate someone. Blair jumped to his feet and walked towards him. "Dr Beckett!"

The man turned towards him, a smile lightening up his face. "Professor Sandburg." Blair groaned.

"Blair, please," he said. "I’m still getting used to the ‘professor’ thing."

Sam Beckett smiled. "Only if you call me Sam."

"Oh...okay." Blair rocked back and forth on his heels. "Would you like to join us?" He gestured at the table.

"Actually I’m looking for someone..." Sam said, looking in the direction Blair indicated. "But I seem to have found him," he added.

"Oh," Blair said, clearly dissapointed, then his eyes widened in surprise as Sam started towards their table. "He’s over there?"

"Yeah," Sam grinned, walking towards the table. Upon arriving there, he smiled at the four men sitting there. "Hi," he announced himself.

"Hi Sam," Al said with an answering smile.

"You know him??" Blair gasped, settling down on Jim’s knee again. Sam looked at it, grinned, and glanced at Al.

"Don’t even think about it!" Al grunted. "Find a chair."

Sam stared back at him for a moment. Al could almost see the wheels turning inside his head and he was already dreading the outcome of that proces. "Weelll, I can see no vacant chairs and you don’t want me to sit in your lap, so I have to think of something else." A second later, Al was lifted from his chair, Sam had flopped down on it and was pulling Al on his lap.

"Sam!!"

"Yes??" Sam glanced up at him, trying to look as innocently as possible.

Ray shook with laughter, Ben gazed wide eyed at the newcomer, Blair just gaped with his mouth hanging open, Jim merely grinned, and Al...Al twisted around and wacked Sam on the head.

"Any more silly ideas?" Al asked, trying his damnest to sound stern, but barely managing to keep the smile from his voice.

"No, that’s it for now," Sam answered.

"Good. Warn me when another one comes up." Al turned back to face the others again. "Yes Blair, I do know this idiot," he continued, adressing the young man on Jim’s knee. Blair opened his mouth, but nothing coherent came out.

"You shut him up. Quite an achievement, Dr Beckett," Jim remarked.

"Sam, please," Sam said. "And thank you."

"Don’t teach him any more tricks," Blair shot back.

Jim sighed. "I knew it couldn’t last long."

"But how come you know him?" Blair continued, unfazed by his partners comment. "You don’t strike me as a scientist."

"Oh, he is," Sam answered for Al. "A scientist and an Admiral."

"Saaamm," Al’s voice held a warning note.

"Al and me worked on several projects together," Sam elaborated.

"Including the timetravel project?" Blair asked, a light appearing in his eyes, a light that Al recognised all too well. He had seen it in Sam’s eyes many times before.

"That too," Sam nodded. "While I traveled in time, he stayed home to hold the fort so to speak."

"I did a little more than that," was the offended comment.

"You really travelled in time?" Ray cut in. "I’m Ray, by the way."

"Yeah Ray, I did. For nearly six years." A flash of sadness crossed Sam’s face, so fleeting it went unnoticed for the others, but although he wasn’t even looking at Sam, Al reacted by leaning slightly backwards and laying his arm around his shoulders. Jim smiled, seeing that. Perfect communication,. he thought, no need for words.

"You went far into the past, Dr Beckett?" Ben asked, after introducing himself.

"Not that far. I could only travel within my own lifetime," Sam said, a frown appearing on his brow. Al sighed. The wheels were turning again. But this time he knew what was going on inside. He leaned over and whispered, "Yes Sam, you did leap into him once." *

Sam smiled. Trust Al to know exactly what was going on in his head. Jim frowned, hearing those softly spoken words, but stayed silent, knowing that the others hadn’t heard them.

"Did you merely observe?" Ben was getting interested.

"No, that was my job," Al grinned, earning himself a elbow between his ribs. Sam ignored the pained outcry and continued,

"That was my intention, but things turned out a little different. I took over part of people’s lifes, in order to set something right that had gone wrong in the past."

"Wow! Talking about affecting a timeline!" Blair remarked.

"I changed only small things, no major events."

"But still....you had to be very careful," Blair remarked.

Sam nodded. "True. And we were. Most of the times," he added quickly, seeing Al’s dark stare. "But I’m back into my own time now, and intend to stay there. No more timetraveling for me." The cloud dissapeared from Al’s face with those words. "But I’m giving a lecture on it tomorrow, if you would like to come.."

"You betcha!" Blair responded with enthusiasm. Ben also nodded.

"Not me," Ray said, rasing his hands. "You have to go without me, this goes way over my head. Timetravel, yeah right..." he added, muttering under his breath.

Sam surpressed a grin. In earlier days this kind of remark had made him angry, but now he really didn’t care. "So," he said in light voice, "What were you talking about?"

"That’s what I would like to know!" Blair grinned. "I noticed a kind of tension in the air."

"You did?" Jim asked, sarcasm lacing his tone of voice.

"Weeelll, you were obviously talking about something you don’t want me to know about."

A grin broke on Al’s face. "Perceptive, huh? Must drive you nuts sometimes."

"Most of the time, but I’ve learned to live with it."

"You-have-learned-to live-with-it????" Blair twisted around to face his partner. "What about me having to put up with your anal behaviour, Mr Colorcode-The-Leftovers?"

Jim shrugged. "We all have our ways, Chief. Yours is talking until my ears burn, mine is having strickt houserules."

Blair looked as if he was about to explode. Then his eyes began to twinkle. "We broke a few," he grinned, squirming with laughter a second later when Jim turned a deep shade of red.

"Hmmmm," Sam cut in. "Not easy, isn’t it? Having to live with someone who’s a neatfreak?" he added hastily, when he saw Blair’s broad grin.

"It’s driving me up the walls sometimes." It came out with a deep, pathetic sigh. "But you have experience with that?’

"Uhuh," Sam nodded. "Oh, I know I’m a bit of a slop..."

"A bit!!" Al cried. "You are about the sloppiest person I ever met!!"

"See?" Sam asked Blair, who nodded in understanding.

"Ray whines," Ben said quietly. Five heads turned to him. "He complains about everything, he’s rude, he’s..."

"Hey! Enough!" Ray cut in, offended. "Is this necessary?"

"Not really, but I think you’ve been talking about me too," Ben answered, not in the least bit intimedated. "And Ray, it’s rude to interrupt someone."

Ray looked as if he was about to blow a fuse. He made some spluttering noises, which had Sam in stitches.

"Oh God," he gasped. "Al does that too, when he can’t win a fight!"

"Which doesn’t happen all too often," Al replied sourly.

"Wanna hear some tapes Ziggy made of your battles with her?" Sam smiled sweetly up at his partner.

"She didn’t!!" Al cried, then sighed, "She did..."

"Ziggy?" Jim asked.

Al and Sam exchanged a look. "Our other ‘partner’," Sam explained. "A hybrid computer with an ego the size of the universe."

"You argue with a computer??" Ray asked incrediously.

"You do that every day, Ray," Ben remarked. "Although I’m quite sure it has nothing to do with the ego of the computer."

"If you’re referring to that thing at the precinct that I’m forced to work on after they took my typewriter away, that thing isn’t worthy to be called a computer!"

Sam roared with laughter. "Ziggy would love him,wouldn’t she, Al?"

"She sure would," was the chuckled reply. "I wonder how she would react to the both of us."

"She’d probably refuse to do anything," Sam smiled, obviously running that scenario in his mind.

"If we’re lucky."

Blair grinned widely. "You two are talking about that computer as if it’s a person."

"Worse!!" The answer came in stereo. "Ziggy is a hybrid computer," Sam went on. "She’s not only the biggest databank on this planet, but she can talk too."

"You mean voice command," Ben said.

"Ah no! She can really talk. And think for herself."

"Are you never afraid she’ll be getting out of control?’ Blair asked.

"She never does anything else!" Al cried out.

"No Al, that’s not true. She can get very obnoxious sometimes, but she never will do anything to harm us."

"True," Al agreed, reluctantly.

"I’m sure Blair would find something to confuse her." Jim’s remark was quiet, but with barely hidden amusement.

As a reply, Blair smiled, staring into thin air for a moment. "I think I can up with something. I’ll feed her my research results."

Jim pulled a face, clearly not too pleased with that answer. "Uh Chief..."

"I won’t don’t worry," Blair smiled. "He’s so sensitive about that." The smile turned into a mischievous grin at Jim’s muttered, "Very funny,"

"Why not?" Al asked. "I would like to see her struggle with something."

"Have you published your research results yet?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I have."

"Then she has already downloaded it," Sam concluded. "What’s it about?"

"Whoa! You’re getting a bit too fast here. Wadda you mean she has already downloaded it?" Blair was used to thinking two steps ahead, but this man seemed to be way out of his league.

"Ziggy downloads every paper that is published."

"She downloads everything!" Al grunted.

"Yep, if only to tease the hell out of you," Sam laughed.

"I wouldn’t put it past her."

Blair grinned. "My thesis is about Modern day Sentinels. Sentinels are.."

"Watchers," Ben cut in. "I’m sorry," he added, turning red. "That was rude."

"Nah, I don’t mind," Blair smiled. "But you’re right, in a way. They’re more like scouts, watching out for the tribe."

Ben nodded. "I’ve heard about it."

"You have???" Blair was genuinely pleased, his eyes turning an intense blue.

"Yes, and I would like to read it too. But have you really found a Sentinel?"

"Oh yes! All five senses enhanced. I couldn’t believe my luck!"

The other men watched the exchange , Jim slightly uneasy. he knew Blair wouldn’t mention his name, but it always made him feel kind of nervous. Sam studied the Detectives face closely and smiled to himself. He knew the score, but wisely kept his mouth shut. Instead he leaned over the table as best as he could and joined in on the conversation.

Ray let out a sigh. Al caught it, and grinned.

"There they go again," he said.

"I’m getting used to it," Ray said with another sigh. "It’s just something I have to endure."

"The things we do..."

That brought a smile. "It can’t be easy for the two of you, you being militairy..."

Al’s eyebrows raised, then he realised that Ray had been on to them from the start. "No, it isn’t," he answered quietly. "But we manage. Once I retire it’s going to be a bit easier, though."

"Yeah, but it’s not fair. Why do we have to hide?"

"Life’s not fair. Take it from me, Ray. Still, apart from the hiding business, would you want to change anything in your life?"

Ray glanced at Ben and smiled. "No," he said softly. "But it would be even better if didn’t have to be so sneaky."

Jim listened, easily following the conversation. He smiled at Ray’s remark, feeling very lucky all of a sudden. "We don’t have to, not much anyway."

"You’re kidding me!" Ray exclaimed. "You, being a cop??"

"The guys at the station are okay. They know, and they don’t mind. In fact," he grinned at the memory, "they were even taking bets on when it was going to happen."

"Cool," Ray sighed. "Who won?"

Jim grinned again. "Blair."

"Huh??" both men gasped.

"Some secretary told him. She was new on the job, didn’t know him yet. He made a bet under a false name."

"But how did he know?" Al inquired.

"It had happened that day."

"He was cheating! Oh, I love this!" Ray laughed.

"The guys didn’t though. But when he threw this big party from the money he won, and donated the rest to the children’s hospital, they were okay with it." Jim smiled again, obviously marvelling in the memories.

"I wonder if they did that at the Project," Al mused. "The betting, I mean."

"They did," was the grinned comment. Sam had been listening with half an ear. "They still haven’t figured out what to do with the money."

"You’re kidding me! " Al cried out. "You’re not kidding me.." he added with a sigh. "But what do you mean with ‘they don’t know what to do with the money’?"

"Ziggy won." Looking at Al’s stunned face, he threw his hands in the air. "It’s not a joke! She was positively gloating when she told me."

"I’ll bet," Al grunted, then a smile began tugging at the corners of his mouth. Soon he was grinning widely. "Calculated the odds, did she?"

"Something like that. But this party idea doesn’t sound too bad. I’ll suggest it to her."

"Think she will go for it?"Al was looking forward to that particular battle already.

"Oh she will. Once I tell her." Sam seemed very certain of himself.

"How comes she listens to you, and not to me?"

"Because I treatened to disconnect her from cable TV."

"What?" Ray chuckled. "A computer that watches TV?"

"Positively addicted to it," Sam nodded.

"Now why didn’t I think of that?" Al sighed. "She probably wouldn’t have let me," he answered his own question.

"No, she wouldn’t. But I have all the back door codes, she knows I will do it," Sam grinned.

"And some of us wonder where she got that stubborn streak from," Al stated. Seeing Jim’s raised eyebrows, he looked at Sam, who merely nodded. "Ziggy has a special chip, which gives her that ego. It consists of human mesons and neurons."

Jim nudged Blair, who reluctantly looked over his shoulder.. "Hey Chief, listen to this."

Al explained it again to the other man. Blair’s eyes brightened even more. "Hey man, that’s great! You invented that?" he asked Sam, who nodded.

"Yeah, I did. Sometimes I wish I didn’t," he added with an exasperated sigh.

"You really found someone stupid enough to donate those...those..whatever it is," Ray asked.

"I still can’t believe I went for it, either," Al grumbled.

"Yours?" Blair asked.

"Yeah, and his." Al gestured at Sam.

Jim had trouble to surpress his smile. The picture was suddenly very clear to him. It also had him wondering something else.

"What?" Blair inquired. "And don’t give me that blank stare, I could see you smiling."

"I was just wondering what kind of ego that computer would have if they had combined our neurons and mesons."

Blair stared at him for a moment, then burst out in uncontrollable laughter. "If they had done that," he hiccuped, "they would be in real trouble!"

"Why?" Sam asked.

Blair glanced at Jim, who shrugged. "Oh alright. Tell them."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Cool man." Blair turned to the others again. "You’d have a computer with Sentinel abilities."

"Jim’s the Sentinel?" Ben looked at the other man in awe.

"Yes, he is," Blair nodded, enthousiasticly. "I’m his Guide."

"And a trouble magnet."

"Not funny, man," Blair shot back. "The problem is you’re right. It seems to follow me around," he admitted.

Ray shot a glance at Ben, and grinned. "I’m familiar with that."

"Now Ray, that’s not true," Ben retorted.

"No, I guess it isn’t. You find the trouble."

Ben thought it wiser to keep himself from commenting. Instead he looked at Jim. "How do you control those senses?"

"It wasn’t easy. In the beginning I thought I was going crazy. But then this doctor showed up and told me that there was this guy I should talk to."

"The doctor knew about your Sentinel abilities?" Ben found that hard to believe.

"Eh..well, the ‘doctor’ turned out to be the guy I needed to talk to."

Blair grinned, a positively wicked grin. "I still can’t believe you fell for that!"

"I was pretty messed up then, Chief," Jim smiled up at his partner, then looked back at Ben. "Blair helps me to control it."

"Do you ever feel like you are being ...eh.." Ben searched for the right words. "I mean, have you ever been in a situation where things seem to vanish around you? Oh dear, I’m not sure you understand what I mean."

"Actually I do." Jim gazed at the Mountie with more than a little interest. "We call it a zone out. It happens when I concentrate too hard on one sense."

"A zone out. Interesting name, " Ben said, more to himself than to Jim. "It describes the feeling rather well."

"Whoa! Wait! You know what it’s like??" Blair was bouncing up and down Jim’s knee.

"Yes, I do, as a matter of fact."

"Oh man!!" Blair sighed.

Ray had been quiet during all this, trying to rearrange the thoughts in his mind. He came to a startling conclusion. "You smell at things, you taste things, you can hear sounds a mile away...Oh my God.." he gasped.

"You’re one too," Blair stated, looking like a kid on Christmasmorning.

"I believe I am," was the quiet comment. Then a heartfelt sigh escaped him. "You don’t know what it means to finally know for sure."

"I do," Jim said. "At least you had some understanding of it, you had a hunch. I had nothing."

"That’s scary," Al cut in.

"It’s always scary to realise you’re different from other people." Sam’s voice was calm, but a certain sadness shone through. "You want them to treat you like a human being, not like a freak." Ben and Jim nodded, fully understanding.

"I’ve been lucky," Jim said. "Not that I realised it at first, but now I know." His gaze at Blair said it all.

Blair caught the glance and blushed slightly. Sam smiled, seeing that.

"I knew from the start," he smiled. "He didn’t have any respect for my IQ."

"I did!!" Al huffed. "But that didn’t mean I was gonna treat you differently then the rest of those nozzles!"

Sam laughed wholeheartedly. "That’s what I mean. You didn’t. And boy, did that feel good!"

"In a way, you have found your Guide too," Blair said.

"Yeah, I have."

Al expected a playful remark after that statement, and was completely taken of guard when Sam rested his head against him for a moment. He looked down and to swallow hard when he saw the expression on Sam’s face. Complete and utter love.

Blair’s eyes rested on the couple for a second, then he smiled and turned to Ben. "You need a Guide too, Ben. I’m surprised you’ve managed so long without one. I mean, A Sentinel needs a Guide. In all the documented cases.."

"Don’t get overboard, Darwin," Jim interrupted. "What he needs is practical advice, not a lecture."

"Oh yeah, right." Blair smiled sheepishly. "I can give you some advice, but what you need is someone that is with you constantly. Those zone outs can be pretty dangerous."

"I know. I barely survived one."

"You did?? When??" Ray gasped.

"When I fell into the river. The water was very cold, and I would have died there, if Diefenbaker hadn’t pulled me out."

"The wolf saved you?" Jim was looking at the animal with respect.

"He’s a wolf??" Blair squeeked, inching away from the white wolf, who merely opened one eye, sighed and closed it again.

"Yes he is. I found him when he was a pup. He was abandonned by his pack. And yes, he saved my life. It cost him his hearing."

"Wow!" Blair uttered softly. "He could be your guide," he added.

"No." Ben shook his head.

"Why not? Because he’s an animal?"

"No, that’s not it." Ben looked at the puzzled frown of the younger man, and went on," Ever since I’ve been in Chicago, I felt my senses slipping. I have always thought it was because of the noise and the polution, things I’m not accustomed to. But I have been testing myself this evening. I’ve been listening to your heartbeats, I’ve been trying to read the labels on the bottles, and found that I had no trouble with that. Further more, I haven’t had a ‘zone out’ in almost three years."

"You mean, that you can control your senses??"

"Appearantly."

"But you have no guide!"

"Oh, I have, I just wasn’t aware of it, until tonight. Someone who keeps me grounded, keeps me out of danger."

"You have someone?" Ray cut in.

"Yes Ray." It was said with a smile.

"Ah, I understand," Blair grinned. "But he obviously doesn’t."

"Me??" Ray almost choked on his beer. "No way!!"

"Oh yes, Ray. It’s the only logical explanation."

"Get outta here! And don’t take that literally!"

"I wasn’t going to, Ray," Ben smiled.

Blair grinned broadly. "You do that?" he asked. "Take those expressions literally?"

"Usually, yes!" Ray shot, still feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"Not anymore, Ray."

"You did it yesterday!" Ray cried out. Then understanding dawned. "You set me up!"

"Yes Ray. It is fun teasing you."

Ray shot a thunderous glare at him, then a smile broke on his face. "You...you.."He shook his head in surprise. He looked at Blair again, face serious now. "But if, and I say ‘if’, I am his guide, what do I do?"

"It seems you’ve been doing just the right things," Blair replied. "But I can give you some advice, if you want it." He was about to launch into a speech about guides, but Jim held him back, by placing a hand over his mouth.

"Tomorrow, Chief. It’s late and you have a long day ahead of you."

Blair removed the hand. "But Jim..."

"Suit yourself," Jim shrugged. "I’m going back to the hotel. But don’t complain about lack of sleep in the morning."

Blair sighed. "Okay, you win. But I want to talk to the both of you," he added, adressing Ben and Ray.

"I would like that," Ben replied.

"Yeah, me too," Ray said, rising from his chair. "But I’m quitting too. Some of us have to go to work in the morning."

Jim lifted Blair from his knee and put him on his feet.

"Hey!" was the startled outcry that followed that action. "You know, sometimes I really hate it that I’m smaller than you."

"I know the feeling," Al mumbled, jumping from Sam’s lap, before he could the same to him. Sam stayed seated, rubbing his knee.

"You’re getting heavy," he commented.

The dark eyes narrowed. "You didn’t complain about that last night."

Sam shook with laughter. "You always want to have the last word, don’t you?"

"You betcha!"

The men made their way through the bar. The cold air hit them hard, when they went outside.

"Brrr," Blair shivered, huddling in his heavy coat. "I hate the cold."

"Me too," Ray agreed. "I was born and raised here, but I still can’t get used to these cold winters."

Jim slung his arm around Blair’s shoulders and drew him close. "Better?"

"Mmmmh, yeah," was the contented answer.

Ray threw a questioning look at his partner, who, as usual, pretended he hadn’t seen it. The Italian sighed in mock desperation. Sam grinned at Ben, catching the wicked gleem in the blue eyes. "They’re so easy to tease," he said, making sure Al and Ray heard it.

"Me?? Not on your life!" Al grunted.

"Me?? Forget it!" Ray exclaimed.

Sam and Ben tried their best to keep a straight face, both failing. One look at each other was enough to cause an explosion of laughter.

"I’m gonna get you for this..." Al hissed.

"I’ve heard that before," Sam shot back.

Ben moved closer to Ray, draping an arm around his shoulders. "Okay?"he smiled.

"Yeah, but don’t think I’ll forget this."

"I’m sure you won’t, Ray."

They said their goodbyes, with a promise to meet up again. Jim and Blair walked to the truck that was parked at the other end of the parkinglot.

"You seemed to like Sam," Jim said.

"Oh yes! He’s a very nice guy. And I thought I was thinking fast! Man, that guy is a genius!"

"So you’ve told me. But that was not what I meant."

Blair caught on immediately. "He is goodlooking..."

"Should I get jealous?"

"He is a very bright young man," Ben agreed.

"Tell me about it! But that is not what I meant."

Ben was confused for a moment. Then he smiled. "He looks good.."

"Should I get jealous?"

"He reminds me of someone," Sam grinned.

"Oh really? But that’s not what I meant."

"Weeellll, he does have a nice smile."

"SAAMM!!"

  THE END ?

* When? Where? Why? Story isn’t finished yet. :-)